After a year when the lights were suddenly shut off, this spring sports season has been extra-special for all of us here around the Lowco. It’s also been a unique few months as a journalist covering the first full spring season in two years.
A lot has changed since 2019, and we’ve witnessed former underclassmen and some up-and-coming middle schoolers we’ve rarely seen step up and lead their teams to stellar campaigns across the local ranks. After watching their peers lose those final opportunities to make their mark for their high school teams last season, our student-athletes didn’t let their golden opportunities go to waste this spring.
It’s been a wonderful season for so many here in 2021, but here are three boys and three girls who really stood out and found that extra gear this time around.
Whitley Weathers, CCHS softball: We knew the Cougars would provide a big challenge to May River on the softball diamond this spring, but Weathers almost single-handedly propelled her squad past the Sharks all the way to a region title and an incredible 16-0 start. In a pair of contests to decide the Region 7-4A title, the Francis Marion commit dominated both outings, spinning a pair of complete-game shutout gems while racking up 13 strikeouts. The Cougar ace started her postseason run in remarkable fashion on Friday, racking up 11 K’s in a single game against South Aiken. She’s dominated the local competition, but Whitley’s got one more mission left at Colleton County: bring home a state championship. After a deep postseason run fizzled in 2019, it’s been a two-year wait to finish the job and the senior star is well on her way to a spectacular final chapter.
Anna Ferebee, HHIHS lacrosse: It was a banner year for Kara Cooke’s Seahawks squad, and it all started with the stellar play of junior Anna Ferebee. The attacker found a way to put the ball in the back of the net when the moments were the biggest, leading her squad with a whopping 48 goals and six assists for a team-high 54 points. She elevated her game even higher in the postseason, putting the squad on her back with six goals in a first-round playoff win against Philip Simmons before accomplishing the feat again in a victory over AC Flora to punch the Seahawks’ ticket to the SCHSL semifinals. Ferebee’s blazing speed and creativity with her stick brought Hilton Head to another level in 2021, and she’ll look to keep it up for her senior season.
Abby Carte, Holy Trinity soccer: Carte was primed for big things in her 2020 junior season, but nothing could stop her from a senior year for the books. The Mighty Lion was unstoppable all year long, tallying multiple hat-tricks on the season before leading her team to a second-straight SCISA 1A championship. Carte came up huge in the postseason, netting another three-goal performance in a 6-2 semifinal win over Charleston Collegiate to catapult Holy Trinity into the championship game. Although she didn’t find her way into the scoresheet in the finale, Carte’s presence and skill across the pitch was a major factor in sealing the title. The Mighty Lions will be right back in the conversation for a three-peat in 2022, but Carte’s clutch factor and leadership will be greatly missed.
Max Green, HHCA golf: There was a lot to live up to after Bryson Nimmer’s success at Hilton Head Christian, but Green went above and beyond all expectations in the 2021 spring season. The senior breezed through the SCISA 2A state tournament, carding an impressive 36-hole total of 4-under 140 to claim both the individual and team crown for the Eagles. The SCJGA Jay Haas Player of the Year and future West Virginia University Mountaineer kept up his sensational spring at the prestigious Southern Cross Invitational, firing a 2-over 144 good for a fourth-place finish in a star-studded field. Green will look to keep the momentum rolling as he finishes his junior career this summer before joining the Big 12 ranks in Morgantown this fall.
Jacob Bollinger, MRHS lacrosse: We knew that Rob Gadomski and Brooks van Esselstyn would be instrumental to the Sharks’ success this spring, but sophomore Jacob Bollinger turned heads in 2021 with a fantastic breakout season. The midfielder provided a phenomenal lift in fielding all year long, scooping up a team-leading 104 groundballs while forcing 26 turnovers. Collecting groundballs before the opponent can quickly swing the momentum of lacrosse games, and Bollinger delivered again and again to help the Sharks maintain and win key possession battles. The sophomore impressed in the season’s final game, recording six groundballs and three takeaways while adding a shot on goal in a playoff matchup with Christ Church Episcopal. Bollinger should be relied upon again next year as an indispensable part of the midfield when the Sharks look to build upon a record-breaking 2021 season a year from now.
Rhogue Wallace, BHS baseball: It’s been a memorable spring season for a number of Beaufort High teams, but baseball star Rhogue Wallace has stood out as a key piece for an impressive Eagle squad. The senior posted a cool .323 batting average to go with a team-high four homers and 20 RBIs while drawing 12 walks. Wallace excelled against the region’s best, chasing May River ace Darin Horn with a blazing two-run triple to help lock up the second seed in Region 7-4A. The offense has been the strength of the Eagles this season, so a strong bat from Wallace could go a long way for the chances of a deep playoff run.
It’s been a memorable spring here at LowcoSports, and there’s still so much more to come. There are many more names that deserve mentioning, but we’ll honor them soon with our All-Lowco teams coming this summer. We’re so happy and grateful that we’ve been able to cover spring sports once again in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come as we near the finish line of a fantastic year.
