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Sports Notebook: Mustang boys’ soccer places second in region
Edison Escobar
South Effingham's Edson Escobar (11), shown here in a Feb. 23 game against Evans, scored the Mustangs' lone goal in a 5-1 loss to Glynn Academy in a Region 2-6A boys soccer showdown on March 26. (Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald


Heading into the final games of the regular-season soccer campaign, South Effingham’s boys remained in the running for a Region 2-6A title.

But the Mustangs couldn’t unseat defending champion Glynn Academy in a key showdown on March 26.

Edson Escobar scored South’s lone goal in a 5-1 setback to the Red Terrors in Brunswick, locking the Mustangs in second place in the region standings.

SEHS, having one of its best seasons in school history, dropped to 12-2 overall, 9-2 in region play.

Glynn, which beat the Mustangs twice, clinched with an 11-1 region record.

Placing second, however, comes with a perk. South will host at least its first-round state playoff game (against the No. 3 seed from Region 3) on April 19.

The Mustangs still have four games left before state. They end region play against visiting Lakeside on Friday before taking on local non-region foes Islands (Saturday), Johnson High (April 9) and Benedictine (April 11).

South’s girls and Effingham County’s boys and girls finished their region seasons. The Mustang girls (6-9, 4-8) lost their final three games and placed fifth, just a win away from a state berth.

ECHS’ boys (2-12-1, 1-11) lost to Brunswick in a shootout on March 26 and finished seventh in the standings. The Rebel girls (3-11, 3-9) ended region play on a high note with a 4-0 win over Brunswick to notch sixth place.

The ECHS boys and girls will end their seasons with three non-region games – at St. Andrew’s (boys only April 2), at Bluffton (girls only Wednesday) before hosting boys and girls doubleheaders with Savannah Christian (Friday) and Camden County (April 9).


TRACK

Lynn slays SEHS’ girls’ discus record

Freshman Danni Lynn shattered the South Effingham girls record in the discus with a throw of 111 feet, 10 inches while winning the event Friday at the Big Play Slay Invitational in Brunswick.

Lynn topped the Mustangs’ previous record of 103-10 by Madyson Seeley in 2017, according to Internet website Athletic Net. Lynn’s previous best was 100-5.

Another SEHS freshman, Justine Nevels, posted a jump of 5-2 to win the high jump. Nevels holds the SEHS record in the high jump with a 5-6.

In the boys’ portion of the meet, Harrison Crofts won the high jump at 6-4. He tied the school record earlier in the spring with a jump of 6-6.

And Josh Brooks sprinted to a win in the 200 with a time of 23.06. 

Here are the SEHS boys and girls scoring at the Brunswick meet:


SEHS girls – Zoe Robinson (100, 3rd, 13.12), Syraiah Wilkins (100, 3rd, 13.30), Mia Fitzpatrick (800, 6th, 2:45.90), Lily McDonald (1600, 5th, 5:47.32; 3200, 3rd, 12:40.06), 4 X 100 relay (6th, 51.40), 4 X 200 relay (5th, 1:50.26), 4 X 800 relay (5th, 11:50.13), Justine Nevels (HJ, 1st, 5-2), Aubrey Edge (Pole, 2nd, 10-0), Danni Lynn (Discus, 1st, 111-10; Shot, 6th, 33-1).


SEHS boys – Josh Brooks (200, 1st, 23.06), Aderius Gibson (800, 5th, 2:11.56), Nathaniel West (800, 8th, 2:13.99), Tyler Phillips (3200, 7th, 10:23.74), Caiden Mason (3200, 8th, 10:39.34), Kenny Carlton (110H, 8th, 16.52), 4 X 800 relay (8th, 10:49.48), Harrison Crofts (HJ, 1st, 6-4), Marcus Campbell (Pole, 8th, 9-0), Nicholas Garrett (Pole, 8th, 9-0), Alarik Gibson (Pole, 8th, 9-0).

 

Dekle scores in the triple jump, long jump at Grovetown

Cory Dekle placed fourth in the triple and fifth in the long jump to lead the Effingham County boys at a meet hosted by Grovetown on March 26.

Braylin Nease jumped 4-10 to take second in the high jump to pace the Rebels girls.

Here are ECHS’ scorers at Grovetown.


ECHS girls – Braylin Nease (HJ, 2nd, 4-10), Kameryn Watson (LJ, 4th, 15-0; TJ, 5th, 30-8), Sarah Hinely (TJ, 8th, 28-8).

 

ECHS boys – 4 X 800 relay (4th, 10:09.42), Cory Dekle (LJ, 5th, 19-9; TJ, 4th, 41-10), Te’Andre Watkins (TJ, 8th, 35-3), Berry Randolph (Discus, 3rd, 109-3), Anselm Green (Discus, 8th, 99-9).

 

TENNIS

ECHS boys, girls and SEHS girls head to State

The Effingham County boys and girls and the South Effingham girls advanced to the Class 6A state tennis championships. The first round must be completed by April 18.

The ECHS boys finished third in region play and the Rebel girls were fourth. They will play Region 3’s No. 2 boys’ team and No. 1 girls’ team (both matches on the road) in the first round.

The SEHS girls beat Brunswick on March 24 in the first round of region play before winning the consolation match with the Rebels. The Mustangs match up with Region 3’s No. 2 girls’ team on the road in the first round.