Chapin girls soccer, Brookland-Cayce baseball end region championship droughts
The Chapin girls soccer team has used strong defense on its way to the top ranking in Class 5A.
The Eagles got another win Friday, defeating River Bluff, 2-0, to win the Region 5-5A championship. It is Chapin’s first region title in girls soccer since moving up to Class 5A in 2018.
Goalie Peyton Henderson stopped 10 shots, including one one penalty kick late in the second half to preserve Chapin’s 12th shutout of the year. The Eagles have allowed only eight goals in 19 matches this season.
“We have a very strong defense and back line,” Chapin coach Chad Bridges said. “I feel like we have the best goalkeeper in the state in Peyton Henderson. The last couple of years, we kind of struggled scoring goals so we put our mantra on good goalkeeping and defense.
“This year, we have been a little more offensive minded and we scored some goals to take pressure off. But our region is so tough with River Bluff and Lexington. So to win this region is a big deal.”
Seniors Carly Varga and Brooke Ducley, two of the few upperclassmen on the roster, provided the offense for Chapin. Varga scored her first goal of the season at the eight minute mark in the first half.
Dudley made it 2-0 with a free kick at the 37th minute mark.
In the second half, River Bluff had several opportunities, with the best coming on a penalty in extra time. But Henderson stopped Alanna Colbert’s shot to deny the Gators. Chapin swept the season series against River Bluff with shutouts both times.
“Three minutes left, one of those times and it was now or never,” Henderson said. “If they score one there, who knows what would have happened so I had to save it.”
Chapin closes out the regular season next week against Lexington and Spring Valley. The Gators play White Knoll and Providence Athletic Club.
In other key games from Friday:
▪ Brookland-Cayce baseball won its first region championship with a 17-0 win over Orangeburg-Wilkinson. The Bearcats have won 13 straight games headed into final week of regular season.
▪ Gray Collegiate baseball team won the Region 3-2A championship with a 7-3 win over Newberry. It was the War Eagles’ 20th victory of the season. It is third time in last four years Gray has won more than 20 games. The only year team didn’t is 2020 when COVID shut spring sports down.
▪ In boys soccer, River Bluff defeated Chapin, 2-0, to pull into a first-place tie with the Eagles in Region 5-5A. Each team has one region match left next week.
▪ Lexington boys soccer coach William Gettys picked up his 300th career victory as the Wildcats defeated Dutch Fork, 4-1.
▪ Blythewood girls soccer won the Region 4-5A championship with a 3-0 win over Ridge View.
▪ The Gilbert softball team defeated Swansea to split the season series and move into the lead in Region 5-3A. The Indians can win the region crown on Monday against Strom Thurmond.
▪ AC Flora boys lacrosse moved into the Class 4A semifinals with a 10-9 win over Hilton Head Island. Braden Smith had the go-ahead goal with 10.4 seconds left.
Saturday’s Scoreboard
Baseball
Lexington 15, Dutch Fork 5 (6)
WP: Brandon Cromer. LP: Wilkes Dent. Hitters: L: Tyler Floyd 2-3 RBI; Nathan Hall 3-4 HR, 2 RBI; Cole Long 3-4 3 RBI; Landon Knight 1-3 HR, 2 RBI; Braden Fournel 2-3 HR, RBI; Logan Goodwin 3-3 RBI. DF: Clark Hubbard 2-3 HR, RBI; Kevin Samonsky 2-4 2 RBI
AC Flora 4, North Augusta 0
WP: Jack Moseley CG, 3-hitter. Hitters: Zander Buchan 2-3 HR, 2 RBI; Phillips Daniels 3-4 RBI; Jake Sears 1-4 RBI
Mid-Carolina 16, Newberry 0 (4)
WP: Jace Martin. Hitters: Hayden Lake 3-4 5 RBI; Cole Bouknight 2-3 2 RBI; AJ Jackson 2-4 2 RBI
Softball
Gray Collegiate 4, Legion Collegiate 3
WP: Corley GC: Brooke Tranum 3-3 HR, 2 RBI; Matthews 1-3 HR, RBI; Thomas 2-4
Gray Collegiate 11, Oceanside Collegiate 4
WP: LongTranum 1-3 HR, RBI; Thomas 4-5 2 RBI; Long 3-3 HR, 2 RBI; Knapper 2-2 2 RBI
Boys Lacrosse
5A Playoffs
Wando 13, Dutch Fork 4
St. James 18, Chapin 16
Friday’s Scoreboard
Girls Soccer
Lexington 5, Dutch Fork 0
Goals: Trinity Broach, Logan Kitts 3, Sidney Kitts
Gray Collegiate 4, Newberry 0
Boys Soccer
Gray Collegiate 6, Newberry 0
Goals: Ryan Cussro, Collin Martin, Carlos Vasquez, Jonathan Coonce, Ben Richards, JT Gardner
Hammond 6, Camden 1
River Bluff 2, Chapin 0
G: Matthew Rotola, Eoghan Keenan
Baseball
Blythewood 16, Ridge View 0 (3)
WP: Kevin Steelman. Hitters: L: Alex Nevils 2-2 3 RBI; Zac Cowan 3-3 HR, 3 RBI; Alex Myers 1-1 3 RBI.
River Bluff 6, Chapin 0
WP: Todd Hudson. LP: Bland SV: Andrew Vaughan. Hitters: RB: Zach Cowart 1-4 HR, RBI; Walker Mitchell 1-3 HR, RBI; Todd Hudson 2-2 HR, 2 RBI; Wyatt McPherson 1-3 RBI.
Brookland-Cayce 17, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 0 (3)
WP: Skylar King. Hitters: BC: Mason Turner 1-3 RBI; Parker Mergo 1-3 RBI; Jordan Wise 1-1 2 RBI
AC Flora 10, Irmo 3
WP: Charles Flake LP: Rivers. Hitters: ACF: Carew Bates 3-4 2 RBI; Hunter Helmly 2-2 2 RBI; Jake Sears 1-2 RBI; Charles Flake 2-3 RBI; Phillips Daniels 2-4. i:
Gray Collegiate 7, Newberry 3
WP: Brent Stiukes. LP: Coye Cuttshall. SV: JT Edwards Hitters: GC: Stukes 3-3; Gavin Creede 2-4; Peyton Starkey 3-4 2 RBI
Spring Valley 5, White Knoll 4
WP: Wynn Ravan Hitters: SV: Wyatt Tucker 1-3 2 RBI; Walker Thompson 1-4 2 RBI. WK: Rivers 3-3 3 RBI
Mid-Carolina 16-21, Keenan 0-1
Bateburg-Leesville 10, Saluda 0
WP: Tucker Bolen LP: Jonah McCary Hitters: BL: Cade Bouknight 4-5 3 RBI; Trevor Jeffcoat 2-4
Softball
Lexington 11, Spring Valley 1 (5)
WP: Mackenzie Mathis. Hitters: Jessica Senn 1-2 3 RBI; Madison Rogers 1-3 RBI
Chapin 4, White Knoll 3
WP Leah Cabe. LP: Marlena Perez. Hitters: C: Andee Dircks 2-3 HR 3 RBI. WK: Perez 2-3
Dutch Fork 17, River Bluff 14
WP: Layla Peppers LP: Gianna Moran Hitters: DF: Lillie-Grace Moore 2-6 HR, 3 RBI; Katie Grace-Hill 3-5 3 RBI; Kirstyn Foster 3-5 4 RBI. RB: Anna Whitmer 3-5 5 RBI; Bre Steinhoff 2-4 2 RBI
Batesburg-Leesville 9, Saluda 4
Gilbert 4, Swansea 3
WP: Izabella Adams. LP: Busbee. Hitters: G: Carley Melton 2-3, RBI; Payton Melinauskas 3-4; Emma Melinauskas 2-3, HR, 2 RBI. S: Allen 2-4; Felder 2-4 RBI
Blythewood 19, Ridge View 0 (5)
WP: Lauren Hardy (Perfect game). Hitters: B: Hardy 1-2 RBI; Velez 1-4 2 RBI; McCoy 4-5 5 RBI; Hoilr 2-3 4 RBI
Pelion 19, Edisto 4
Irmo 7, AC Flora 6
WP: Davis LP: Masinsky Hitters: I: Bross 2-4 HR, 2 RBI; Johnson 1-3 2 RBI; Lewis 1-4 2 RBI. ACF: Masinsky 3-4 RBI; Thomas 3-5 RBI; Nostrant 1-2 2 RBI.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 10:47 PM.
