Hey, guess what … we’re reviving the Lowco Lowdown!
For newcomers to the site, the Lowco Lowdown is a weekly glance at what’s happening on the local sports scene, a quick way for you to get up to speed on what you might have missed from the past week and what to look forward to in the coming week.
It’s our little internet water cooler, if you will, and a nice spot to pass the time on Monday morning.
So here it is, the triumphant return of the Lowco Lowdown (sponsorships available!):
1. Poona’s Stock Rising (Again). Former Hilton Head High and University of Texas star Poona Ford continues to quiet his doubters. After earning a late invitation to the Senior Bowl, Ford did more than just show up Saturday in Mobile, Alabama, recording four tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He also allayed some of the concerns about his height because his arm length and wingspan are equivalent to those of an average 6-foot-8 man. It’s becoming more and more clear that Ford will be playing on Sundays next season.
2. The Lowco Knows Fútbol. SCSoccer.com released its preseason high school soccer rankings last week, and the Lowcountry is well-represented. Three defending champions are ranked No. 1 in their respective divisions – Hilton Head Christian Academy’s boys (SCISA 2A) and Beaufort Academy’s boys and girls (SCISA 1A) – while Bluffton’s boys and girls are ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, John Paul II’s girls are ranked second (SCISA 1A) and the boys are ranked third (SCISA 2A), Hilton Head High’s girls are ranked third in Class 4A, Hilton Head Prep’s boys are fifth in SCISA 2A, and May River is ranked sixth in Class 3A girls and 10th in Class 3A boys. High school soccer teams began practice today and can play in their first preseason tournaments beginning Feb. 16.
3. Eagles Rule The County Wrestling Scene. Beaufort High’s wrestling team claimed the varsity and junior varsity titles at the Beaufort County Championships on Saturday at Hilton Head High. In the varsity standings, Hilton Head High was second, followed by May River, Battery Creek, Bluffton, and John Paul II.
4. Local Hoops Teams Looking Like State Title Contenders. Three area basketball teams – Hilton Head Christian Academy’s girls, Ridgeland-Hardeeville’s boys, and Hilton Head Prep’s boys – are still undefeated in region play and looking like serious contenders for state championships. The Ridgeland-Hardeeville girls, ranked second in the state in Class 3A, also figure into that mix, but they suffered shocking loss at May River on Friday and face a huge matchup at Battery Creek on Tuesday with first place in the region on the line. A couple other big matchups to watch this week include Beaufort Academy at John Paul II tonight with second place in the region on the line in the girls game, and Bluffton at May River on Saturday in a big crosstown rivalry.
5. Sand Sharks Ready To Hit The Diamonds. It seems just yesterday we were enduring the harrowing two weeks of Lowcountry winter, but now we’re just a few days away from the first rites of spring – opening weekend of USCB’s baseball and softball seasons. The Sand Shark baseball team opens with a three-game series against Milligan (Tenn.) starting at 2 p.m. Friday, and the softball team plays doubleheaders at 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Columbia College and 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Montreat (N.C.). Both teams brought in a lot of talent to add to strong groups of returners, so it could be an exciting season in Hardeeville.