Notebook: RNE plans to appeal realignment proposal

Richland Northeast plans to appeal the South Carolina High School League’s realignment proposal for 2016-18.

Under the proposal, the Cavaliers would move up to Class 4A and be in Region 3 with Lancaster, Ridge View, South Pointe, Westwood and York. RNE football coach Jay Frye said the school is appealing to be in Region 5-4A with A.C. Flora, Chapin, Dreher, Lower Richland and Orangeburg-Wilkinson.

Richland Northeast is in Region 4-3A this season with A.C. Flora, Chapin, Dreher, Lower Richland and Camden.

Schools will state their appeals before the SCHSL executive committee Sept. 17. Any school that is appealing must receive letters of support from any program that would be affected by the shift.

According to the SCHSL, six schools have said they are going to appeal. Georgetown is one of those schools, according to the Myrtle Beach Sun News.

Donations for Mickens

The Westwood booster club has established a gofundme account for those who want to donate to helpWestwood defensive back Mark Mickens.

Mickens suffered a neck injury in the fourth quarter of Friday’s win against Clover.

Go to http://www.gofundme.com/PrayforMark to donate. A total of $330 had been raised as of Wednesday afternoon.

Injury news

Airport coach Kirk Burnett said quarterback Brett Burnett is questionable this week for Friday’s game against Lower Richland with a knee injury. If Burnett can’t go, Josh Tucker will start for the second week in a row. Tucker rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns in Airport’s win against Dreher last week.

Lexington coach Josh Stepp said linebacker Trey Mitchell is back this week after missing the first two games with an injury. Mitchell was the team’s leading tackler last season.

Chapin coach Justin Gentry said defensive lineman Khari Suber will play against Newberry after missing last week’s game against Swansea with a concussion.

Cross country rankings

Twenty Midlands teams are ranked in the state cross country rankings this week.

4A Boys: 3. Lexington; 6. Dutch Fork 8. Irmo; 9. Spring Valley; 4A Girls: 2. Dutch Fork; 10. Lexington

3A Boys: 8. A.C. Flora; 3A Girls: 3. Chapin; 4. A.C. Flora; 10. Dreher

2A Boys: 6. Pelion; 2A Girls: 7. Pelion

SCISA Boys: 5. Ben Lippen; 7. Heathwood Hall; 9. Cardinal Newman; 10. Hammond; SCISA Girls: 3. Heathwood Hall; 4. Hammond; 6. Ben Lippen; 8. Cardinal Newman

Midlands players in college football

How some players with Midlands ties fared in college football this past weekend:

Chase Austin (Lexington/Newberry) – Had four tackles against Florida Tech.

BJ Bennett (Hammond/Elon) – Rushed for 16 yards against Wake Forest.

Matt Colburn (Dutch Fork/Wake Forest) – Rushed for 38 yards and a TD against Elon.

Jalen Cook (Lexington/Newberry) – Caught four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown against Florida Tech.

Brice Green (Irmo/Newberry) – Had four tackles against Florida Tech.

Greg Huegel (Blythewood/Clemson) – Was 6-of-6 on extra point attempts against Wofford.

Chris Jones (Ben Lippen/Coastal Carolina) – Caught two passes for 26 yards against Furman.

Dominique Lemon (Blythewood/Wofford) – Had three tackles against Clemson.

Kevin Miller (Lexington/Newberry) – Had 267 all-purpose yards against Florida Tech.

John Miller (Spring Valley/James Madison) – Had two catches for 21 yards against Morehead State.

Javon Smith (Blythewood/North Greenville) – Had two catches for 38 yards against Charleston Southern.

Vyncint Smith (Westwood/Limestone) – Had three catches for 39 yards against College of Faith.

Dominique Taylor (Spring Valley/James Madison) – Had three catches for 75 yards and a TD against Morehead State.

Taquan West (Lexington/S.C. State) – Had three catches for 45 yards against Arkansas Pine Bluff.

Recruiting

Chapin’s Colin Santiago and Tyler White recently made verbal commitments to play college baseball. Santiago, an outfielder, committed to play at Newberry, while White, a pitcher, pledged to play at Lander.

Lower Richland girls basketball player Kam Roach has in-home visits with Kentucky, Clemson, Georgia and Charlotte set for this month. Roach attended the John Lucas 40/40 camp in Texas over the weekend.

Coastal Carolina has offered Blythewood junior basketball player Keith Matthews.