By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
GUYTON – Deja vu? Effingham County’s boys lost possession to give South Effingham a chance to tie in the final 20 seconds of their lacrosse rematch April 18.
But this time, the Rebels’ defense stiffened and held on for a wild 7-6 victory at the Corral.
ECHS (6-9) ended its season with three straight wins and placed fifth (2-4) in the Class 5A-6A Area 7 standings.
SEHS doubled its win total from 2023 and finished the season with an 8-5 mark and sixth (1-5) in area play.
About a month ago, the cross-county rivals played a non-area affair. The Rebels had a one-goal lead, turned the ball over in the final minute of regulation and gave up the tying goal, then lost in overtime.
Life has a way of repeating itself.
But the lead held up. Rebel freshman Edward Hall had four goals, sophomores Brycen Thomas and Jesse Strickland and junior Jayden Darwood added one apiece.
Earlier in the week, ECHS defeated Savannah Christian 10-8 and Saturday, knocked off Grovetown 11-3
“We’ll lose 10 seniors so I think they were happy to go out on a winning note,” Nix said. “I think they were happy for me to go out on a winning note too.”
Nix won’t be back next year. Nix accepted a job as assistant principal at Effingham College and Career Academy and was allowed to finish this season.
Nix almost single handedly brought lacrosse to the county. In 2016, he started the Effingham Eagles – a club team that combined athletes from ECHS and SEHS.
The schools began playing lacrosse sanctioned by the Georgia HIgh School Association in the spring of 2020.
TRACK AND FIELD
SEHS, ECHS set school records at Plankenhorn Meet
South Effingham and Effingham County track and field athletes continue to lower times and increase distances and heights as the regular season ended with the Derrick Plankenhorn Meet at Southeast Bulloch High School on April 17.
For South Effingham, freshman Syraiah Wilkins shattered the school’s 300-meter hurdle mark with a time of 46.96. Teammate Christeon Lewis placed second with a time of 48.08. Both times broke Lewis’ old mark of 49.65 at the South Effingham Invitational on April 19.
Kenny Carlton set a new boys mark in the 110 hurdles with a 15.37, .02 of a second faster than his old mark of 15.39.
For Effingham County, school record holder Berry Randolph threw the discus 130-feet, 8 inches, eight inches farther than he did at South Effingham Invitational.
Madison Mills set a new mark in the long jump with a leap of 16-3.5.
Rebel freshman Chloe Adkins didn’t set any records but continued her local dominance of the long-distance running events. She was a double winner in the 1600 and 3200 with times of 5:35.65 and 11:51.86 respectively.
Dakari Walker won the boys’ 400 with a 50.55 and Theron Claridge captured the 1600 with a 4:47.09.
For SEHS, seven athletes took home first-place trophies. Tyler Phillips, who signed to run at the University of Maine next season, posted a time of 10:23.22 to win the 3200.
Harrison Crofts jumped 6-0 to win the long jump.
Justine Nevels bested the girls field with a height of 5-2. And Aubrey Edge rose above her competition 9-6 jump in the pole vault.
The Mustangs boys and girls had the top team scores. Effingham County was fourth in the nine-team girls’ competition and eighth among 10 boys teams.
Here are the scorers (top eight) for SEHS and ECHS:
SEHS Boys– Alejandro Hagareda (200, 8th, 23.56), Q’Ron France (400, 2nd, 51.19; LJ, 2nd, 20-7.5), Hayden Still (400, 7th, 54.28), Aderius Gibson (800, 2nd, 2:09.63), Ben Fluegel (800, 3rd, 2:14.62; 1600, 4th, 4:59.45), Tyler Phillips (1600, 3rd, 4:52.62; 3200, 1st, 10:23.26), Caiden Mason (3200, 3rd, 10:43.42), Kenny Carlton (110H, 2nd, 15.37), Damien Washington (110H, 8th, 17.95; 300H, 6th, 43.50), 4 X 200 relay (3rd, 1:32.78), 4 X 400 relay (2nd, 3:34.08), 4 X 800 relay (1st, 8:44.38), Shane Alvin (Discus, 8th, 110-6), Harrison Crofts (HJ, 1st, 6-0), Marcus Campbell (Pole, 3rd, 9-6), Camren Turner (Pole, 6th, 8-6).
SEHS Girls – Syraiah Wilkins (100, 6th, 12.94; 300H, 1st, 46.96), Lyla Gergerich (400, 4th, 1:05.39), Makenzi Polk (400, 5th, 1:06.49; LJ, 8th, 32-1), Brooke Crickard (800, 1st, 2:17.33), Lydia Alderman (800, 2nd, 2:31.49; 1600, 2nd, 5:57.65), Lily McDonald (1600, 3rd, 6:02.28; 3200, 2nd, 12:54.40), Olivia Johnson (3200, 3rd, 13:21.36), Christeon Lewis (100H, 1st, 16.30; 300H, 2nd, 48.08), Valencia Byrd (100H, 5th, 18.28), 4 X 100 relay (3rd, 50.17), 4 X 200 relay (5th, 1:52.78), 4 X 800 relay (1st, 10:45.91), Danni Lynn (Shot, 2nd, 32-0.75; Discus, 3rd, 98-8), Mia Fitzpatrick (Discus, 6th, 84-9), Justine Nevels HJ, 1st, 5-2), Aubrey Edge (Pole, 1st, 9-6), Allie Grassi (Pole, 3rd, 8-6), Madison Mills (LJ, 6th, 16-3.5; TJ, 6th, 33-1.5)
ECHS Boys – Dakari Walker (400, 1st, 50.55), Shawn McKnight (800, 5th, 2:20.65), Theron Claridge (1600, 1st, 4:47.09; 3200, 2nd, 10:40.92), Joseph Esco (1600, 7th, 5:10.69; 3200, 5th, 11:19.19), 4 X 200 relay (5th, 1:33.21), Berry Randolph (Discus, 3rd, 130-8), Noah Reese (HJ, 7th, 5-6).
ECHS Girls – Kyla Hicklen (100, 3rd, 12.79), Dionna Rivers (200, 7th, 27.54), Victoria Foskey (200, 8th, 27.72), Jada Praylo (400, 1st, 1:01.01), Zarria Anderson (400, 6th, 1:06.81), Abigail Williamson (800, 4th, 2:50.63), Chloe Adkins (1600, 1st, 5:35.65; 3200, 1st, 11:51.86), Autumn Simmons (1600, 7th, 7:01.22), Elle Forwood (3200, 6th, 17:35.44), Braylin Nease (100H, 6th 18.54; HJ, 2nd, 5-0), 4 X 100 relay (2nd, 50.09), 4 X 200 (1st, 1:47.43), Sarah Hinely (Shot, 6th, 29-5; Discus, 4th, 93-6).
TENNIS
ECHS boys, SEHS girls advance at State
The tennis teams of the Effingham County boys and the South Effingham girls advanced to the second round of the state tennis championship.
The Rebel boys defeated Rockdale County 4-0 and the Mustang girls beat Rockdale County 3-0. ECHS will meet Lakeside, DeKalb while SEHS takes on Marist.
According to Georgia High School Association guidelines, second-round matches must be completed by April 24.
