HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

The Swansea girls varsity soccer team wraps up one of its best seasons in years this week.

At press time, the Lady Tigers were 12-4 overall and 7-0 in Region 5-3A heading into Tuesday’s finale against Strom Thurmond. They defeated the Rebels 13-0 in their first matchup March 29.

In Year 15 with the program, head coach Chad Meredith says this season has shown the benefit of having seasoned players who understand their roles on and off the field.

“We played some tough competition and had some injuries last year, so it has been good to see the team grow this season,” Meredith says. “We played Lexington, River Bluff, and Wando early in the season—those are some of the best programs in the state. I like to test the team against those bigger schools and that talented competition early in the year, and watch them grow through that challenge.”

Not only have they grown this year, they have dominated their region, outscoring opponents 60-0.

“It’s unusual to have such high scoring games,” Meredith said, “But, we have a pretty strong group of attacking players and an equally strong defensive group, so we have been able to score frequently as well as keep our opponents from our goal.”

The offense is led by senior Bri Reynolds, who broke state scoring records last year as a junior. She’ll be heading to the all-star Clash of the Carolinas game after the season, then on to play at Presbyterian College next year.

The defense is anchored by the other senior captain on the team, Theresa Chambers, who Meredith describes as ‘the most positive, vocal player on the team.’

With that pair graduating, look to players such as junior Carlie Branham, Coach Meredith says, to step into those leadership roles.

“She’s one of the leaders I see emerging on our team,” he said. “She has come a long way the last 2 years to be at a high level contributing. She is second in the state this season in assists.”

The team’s success this season is simple, according to Meredith.

“I attribute our success to the team chemistry this year, how they work with each other,” He says. “They are unselfish players, willing to sacrifice to make the right plays at the right time.”

The Lady Tigers have an opportunity to continue that approach in the playoffs, with a home game for the first round Monday.

All-Star players, coach named

With the S.C. High School League soccer playoffs starting with the girls on Monday, an announcement was made for the season-ending high school soccer All-Star games.

The North-South All-Star Classic is set for June 22 at T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson. Selected to the South Boys team were Tyler Martin (Chapin), Angel Barazza (Gilbert), Nolan Pollard (Lexington) and Jacob Koon (White Knoll).

Catherine McKeown (Gray Collegiate) was the lone local selection for the North team. Her head coach, Emly Heise, will serve as an assistant.

The South team has 8 players - Sophia Momsma (River Bluff), Lainey Coleman (Dutch Fork), Ava Ellis and Rachel Brim (both of Chapin), Therasa Chambers and Kandy Crossland (both of Swansea) and Ashley Simon and Kaylee Williams (both of White Knoll).

A week later, the Clash of the Carolinas, the nation’s only interstate prep all-star game, will take place June 29 at WakeMed Soccer Park’s Koka Both Stadium in Cary, N.C.

Bri Reynolds (Swansea), Lauren Riehm (Dutch Fork) and Jordan Mishoe (River Bluff) were selected to the South Carolina Girls’ Clash Roster. The boys’ roster features Ethan Dawsey (Chapin), Jaden Kordas (River Bluff), Jordan McKim (Gray Collegiate) and Peyton Miller (River Bluff).

North Carolina leads the boys’ series 7-1-4 and holds a 9-1-2 advantage in the girls.

Tickets for both All-Star Games is $10. For more information, please visit www.scsoccer.com and follow along on social media via Twitter @SCHSSCA with a hashtag of #NSSC18.