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Sports Notebook: ECHS’ Webb earns medalist in golf competition
Rebels top lady golfers
Lady Rebels current top golfers, from left, Marlina Wilson, Natalie Altman, and Kalli Taylor. (Gilbert Miller/Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

GUYTON – The boys and girls golf teams of Effingham County and South Effingham opened their high school seasons on a pristine Feb. 27 at City Club at Lost Plantation in Rincon.

Nine holes of competition showed the schools are pretty even.

Playing in a threesome with Savannah Christian, the Rebels and Mustangs posted boys team scores of 172 to tie for first place. SCPS had a team total of 184.

Several ECHS and SEHS girls only finished eight holes leaving their competition incomplete. The Rebels were 25 over par and Mustangs were 32 over par.

Three-time girls state champion Savannah Christian, however, finished its nine holes and posted a 126 (18 over par), led individually by Ava Cottis’ 4-under 32.

Effingham County’s Zackary Webb was the boys’ low medalist with a 3-over 39. Webb, who birdied No. 9, had four pars and four bogeys to go along with the birdie.

South’s Jacob Tasney placed second among the boys with a 5-over 41.

For the local girls, Effingham County’s Natalie Altman posted the best score in relation to par. She was 12-over after her first eight holes.

Lily Smith’s 15-over 51 paced the Mustang girls.



Boys

Effingham County (172) – Zackary Webb 39, Josh Ford 44, Mason Brant 44, William Hinely 45, Ross Harden 45.

South Effingham (172) – Jacob Tasney 41, Devin Salter 43, Rhett Buchanan 44, Blake Miles 44.

Savannah Christian (184) – Jeremiah Eun 43, Nicholas Gaines 43, Dawson Wells 48, Dylan Bashlor 50.



Girls

Savannah Christian (126) – Ava Cottis 32, Caroline Burroughs 44, Charlotte Goodman 50.

Effingham County (+25) – Natalie Altman (+12 thru 8), Kalli Taylor 49, Marlina Wilson (+16 thru 8).

South Effingham (+32) – Lily Smith 51, Alanna Thurman 53, Rylee Jaudon (+18 thru 8).



SOCCER

SEHS boys, girls stay undefeated in subregion play



South Effingham’s boys rallied past Statesboro 3-2 in double overtime on Feb. 25 for their third straight victory overall, two coming in Region 1-5A play.

Freshman Jaxson Fronczek scored the game-winner on a blast from 30 yards out with about four minutes left in the second overtime.

The Mustangs (3-1, 2-0) trailed 2-0 in the first half, but sophomore Jude Rowe scored on a penalty kick with five minutes left in the half and another sophomore Luis Hernandez got the equalizer in the second half off an assist from Ronan Mock.

Rowe, a midfielder, set up the game-winner by threading a perfect pass to Fronczek, who didn’t hesitate to send his long-range shot into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

South’s girls also upped their record to 2-0 in the subregion with a 4-1 win over Statesboro. Shaylin Laughlin had two goals and Addison Tulowitzki and Juliana Galoni had one apiece.


ECHS boys, girls fall to Evans

The Effingham County boys and girls fell short in hopes of giving Evans’ teams their first losses of the season.

The Rebel boys dropped their Region 1-5A North opener 5-2, while the girls scored the first three goals against the Knights this season despite their 4-3 setback.

Both Evans’ boys and girls teams are now 4-0 overall. Both ECHS boys and girls teams are 2-3.


TRACK AND FIELD

SEHS, ECHS compete in Brooklet meet

South Effingham senior Harrison Crofts jumped out to a good start in the track and field season at the Friday Night Lights meet hosted by Southeast Bulloch.

Crofts, who committed to Navy, won the high jump with a leap of 6-foot-6 – a height that met the MileSplit US Second Team standard.

Crofts, who placed fourth at state last season, holds the school record in the high jump with a 6-7.

South’s boys and girls won several events en route to second-place team finishes in the 15-school meet.

Marcus Campbell won the pole vault with a height of 10 feet.

For the girls, Allie Grassi skied 8-6 to win the pole vault. Danni Lynn captured the discus event with a throw of 111 feet.

And the girls’ 4 X 200 relay team of Syraiah Wilkins, Briana Williams, Madison Mills, Marquavia Williams posted a winning time of 1:47.54

Effingham County’s boys and girls also had several impressive performances, led by Braylin Nease’s 5-2 winning high jump.

The Rebels girls finished seventh as a team. The boys were ninth.

Here are the team scorers (top 8 finishers):


ECHS girls – Kyla Hicklen (100, 5th, 13.19), Jada Praylo (400, 3rd, 1:03.92), Chloe Adkins (1600, 3rd, 5:35.25; 3200, 2nd, 12:02.18), 4 X 100 (Kayden Gadson, Deymi Ramirez-Romero, Watson, Hicklen, 5th, 52.65), 4 X 200 (Gadson, Watson, Hicklen, Ramirez-Romero, 4th, 1:50.47), 4 X 400 (Gabrielle Moss, Ta’Shana McKnight, Abigal Williamson, Praylo, 7th, 4:46.48), Braylin Nease (HJ, 1st, 5-2), Jessica Cooper (HJ, 6th, 4-6), Kameryn Watson (TJ, 8th, 31-10), Nakera Hawkins (Shot, 7th, 31-0.5).


ECHS boys – Dakarai Walker (100, 4th, 11.29), Jaden Praylo (100, 6th, 11.47), Theron Claridge (1600, 4th, 4:43.18), Joseph Esco (1600, 5th, 4:45.85), Evan Albert (3200, 8th, 11:45.04), 4 X 100 (Praylo, Dekle, Merlin Flores, Walker, 8th, 45.52), 4 X 200 (Dekle, Flores, Praylo, Walker, 4th, 1:34.05), Cory Dekle (LJ, 7th, 19-3), Berry Randolph (Discus, 6th, 112-10).


SEHS girls – Lydia Alderman (800, 2nd, 2:31.66), Natalia Melegari (800, 7th, 2:49.69; 1600, 4th, 5:47.74), Syraiah Wilkins (100H, 2nd, 15.20; 300H, 2nd, 48.65), 4 X 200 (Wilkins, Briana Williams, Madison Mills, Marquavia Williams 1st, 1:47.54), 4 X 400 (Olivia Johnson, Wilkins, M.Williams, Khalimah Watts, 4th, 4:37.14), 4 X 800 (Alderman, Magdalene Morgan, Patricia Backlund, Melegari, 3rd, 10:56.30), Justine Nevels (HJ, 2nd, 5-0), Kymberlea Coppin (HJ, 3rd, 5-0), Madison Mills (LJ, 3rd, 15-9), Makenzi Polk (TJ, 3rd, 33-3), Allie Grassi (Pole, 1st, 8-6), Danni Lynn (Discus, 1st, 111-0; Shot, 6th, 31-11).


SEHS boys – Ben Fluegel (800, 5th, 2:12.39), Nathaniel West (800, 7th, 2:13.09), Adyn Easton (3200, 4th, 10:41.96), Kenny Carlton (110H, 4th, 15.66; 300H, 4th, 41.92), 4 X 100 (Jayden Hair, Hayden Still, Josh Brooks, Hayden Lloyd, 4th, 44.51), 4 X 400 (Hair, Still, Chandler Williams, Carlton, 3rd, 3:44.99), 4 X 800 (Fluegel, West, Hayden Still, Adam Easton, 3rd, 8:50.99), Harrison Crofts (HJ, 1st, 6-6; TJ, 6th, 40-5), Hayden Lloyd (LJ, 7th, 19-3; TJ, 5th, 40-6), Marcus Campbell (Pole, 1st, 10-0), Tyler Long (Pole, 7th, 7-6).