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Sumter High's Colt Stanley, left, and head coach Ashley McDuffie talk between matches at the SCHSL 5A-4A individual state tennis tournament on Monday.

Sumter High's Stanley takes swing at state tennis tournament

Sumter High's Colt Stanley took part in the SCHSL 5A-4A individual state tennis tournament this week for the first time in his career. He opened the tournament with a victory in his first match but …

Sumter High's Lillie Ivey delivers against Summerville during Game 1 of the SCHSL 5A Division I lower state championship series on Monday.

Sumter High runs into buzzsaw in 3-0 loss to Summerville in lower state championship series

The Sumter High softball team knew it had its hands full when it made the trip down to Summerville on Monday for the first game of the SCHSL 5A Division I lower state championship series on Monday. …

Lakewood's Aliyah Hicks, center, stands atop the podium after winning the 400m dash at the SCHSL 4A state meet on Friday at Lower Richland.

Lakewood’s Hicks, Lee Central’s Holmes take home gold as tri-county runs in SCHSL state meets

The South Carolina High School League hosted the state track and field championships across six classifications this weekend. Lee Central and Scott’s Branch had the first crack at the track, …

East Clarendon's Foster Matthews delivers against Atlantic Collegiate on Friday.

East Clarendon baseball, softball keep pushing with wins in lower state tournament

Friday night was busy in Turbeville, as both diamonds at East Clarendon were busy with lower state action. The Wolverine baseball team kicked off the festivities with a wild matchup with a …

From the Wire

ASSOCIATED PRESS  Josef Newgarden watches as his team tows his car following practice for the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on Monday, May 19, 2025.

Not so Penske Perfect: Indy 500 rocked by another cheating scandal by marquee team

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - As the latest round of Team Penske cheating allegations swirled through Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the president of the IndyCar team stood outside the garage to address the illegal modifications discovered on two of its …

ASSOCIATED PRESS  Scottie Scheffler celebrates after winning the PGA Championship at the Quail Hollow Club on Sunday, May 18, in Charlotte.

Scheffler's fiery celebration at PGA Championship shows desire that burns in world's No. 1 player

CHARLOTTE - Everything Scottie Scheffler did Sunday was expected. When the pressure was on, he hit the fairways he needed to hit. He landed the approach shots he needed to land. And, of course, he made clutch putts he needed to make. It's what …

Nuggets and Thunder set for winner-take-all showdown Sunday

DENVER - Oklahoma City ran away with the Western Conference's top seed, winning an NBA-best 68 games, including a record 54 by double digits. The Denver Nuggets didn't have the Thunder's youthful legs, deep bench, long rotation or health. They …

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips speaks during ACC media days on Monday, July 22, 2024, in Charlotte.

ACC commissioner Phillips feels good about league's newfound stability after chaos

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (AP) - The Atlantic Coast Conference is entering a period of stability. How long it lasts is anyone's guess. Not even commissioner Jim Phillips knows for sure. "I still live one day at a time," Phillips quipped. The ACC …

NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum announces that the Dallas Mavericks won the first pick in the NBA draft lottery in Chicago on Monday, May 12, 2025.

Dallas Mavericks win NBA draft lottery, chance to pick Flagg at No. 1

CHICAGO - The ping-pong balls have spoken: Cooper Flagg might be headed to Dallas to start his NBA career. And a fan base that lost Luka Doncic this season might have a new star to cheer for. The Mavericks won the NBA draft lottery on Monday …

Prep Sports

From left, Sumter High's Ethan Budden, Trent Brunson, Hayden Wright, Karson Ruighaver and Chandler Moore pose after qualifying for state with an eighth-place finish as a team at the SCHSL 5A Division I lower state championship on Tuesday.    PHOTO PROVIDED

Sumter High golf headed to state as a team for 1st time since '18

The Sumter High golf team kept their season alive for one more week thanks to an impressive showing on their home course, Beech Creek, in the SCHSL 5A Division I lower state championship on Tuesday. The Gamecocks were able to finish eighth as a …

Laurence Manning's Lyza Prickelmyer dominated in the playoffs with three home runs, five doubles, 13 RBIs and two steals as LMA won their second-straight state championship, earning Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week honors in the process.

Prickelmyer's bat helps charge LMA's championship run as she claims Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

Laurence Manning's Lyza Prickelmyer's bat has been at the heart of the Lady Swampcats' run to the SCISA 4A state title. As they made the push to this week's championship series against Wilson Hall, she was an absolute terminator, hitting .889 …

Representatives put bill to dissolve SCHSL on hold

A monumental bill that would replace the South Carolina High School League with a state-run agency has been put on pause for at least a year. Representatives in the S.C. House Education and Public Works committee agreed in a 14-3 vote to pause …

East Clarendon's Foster Matthews and the Wolverines lost their lower state opener against Andrews on Thursday.

East Clarendon’s comeback falls just short against Andrews in lower state tournament; elimination game set for Friday

The East Clarendon baseball team struggled to find their offense for most of the night against Andrews as they faced off in the first round of the SCHSL 2A lower state tournament on Thursday. …

The Laurence Manning softball team celebrates after beating Wilson Hall for the SCISA 4A title on Thursday.

Laurence Manning wins second-straight SCISA 4A title with wild comeback against Wilson Hall

Coaches often like to say that one play doesn’t define a game. Every team has multiple chances to win or lose a game, so it’s tough to put too much weight on one series of actions. …

CLEMSON

Clemson forward Myles Foster (6) walks back to the bench as McNeese State players celebrate a lead during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Providence, Rhode Island.

No. 12 seed McNeese holds off late Clemson charge to earn 1st March Madness victory

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - McNeese coach Will Wade and his boombox-toting manager gave March Madness its first bracket buster. The 12th-seeded Cowboys used a stifling first half to open a 24-point lead and then held off late-charging No. 5 seed Clemson …

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips speaks during ACC media days on Monday, July 22, 2024, in Charlotte.

ACC, FSU, Clemson reach proposed settlement to end legal fight, change money distribution

The legal fights between the Atlantic Coast Conference and high-profile member schools Clemson and Florida State appear close to resolution, which could provide the league with a measure of stability for the coming years. The league and the two …

East Clarendon's Grant Barrineau and the Wolverines will face Green Sea-Floyds in the 1A state playoffs on Monday.

High school league playoff baseball, softball and track highlights 5 Things to Watch This Week

1. SCHSL BASEBALL, SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS CONTINUE The SCHSL will begin the baseball and softball playoffs for its five classification on Saturday and culminate with the championship rounds on Friday. The …

USC

Former Sumter High and South Carolina defensive back O'Donnell Fortune, right, signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent on Monday.

Local South Carolina stars sign with NFL teams as Simon joins Falcons, Fortune inks deal with Giants

Two Sumterites who starred at South Carolina officially have their first NFL homes. Soon after the conclusion of the draft on Saturday night, Joshua Simon, who starred at Crestwood before a …

Lakewood's Jamonte Witherspoon, seated left, and Cedric Cisse, seated right, are joined by head coach Willie Offord after signing to play college football. Witherspoon signed with Erskine, while Cisse will join his brother at South Carolina.

Lakewood’s Cisse to join brother at South Carolina; Witherspoon signs with Erskine

The world of recruitment for college athletics comes with its share of ups and downs. On Monday, Lakewood was able to experience the positive side of that equation. The Gators will have a family …

Former Crestwood and South Carolina tight end Josh Simon signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night as an undrafted free agent.

Crestwood alum Simon signs with Falcons; Manning’s Smith signs with Jets

The 2025 NFL draft is in the books, but some local football stars are still settling into new homes. Soon after the conclusion of the draft on Saturday night, Joshua Simon, who starred at …

Former Lakewood defensive back Brandon Cisse (15) and the Gamecocks sing the alma mater to their fans after the Garnet and Black Spring Game took place at Williams-Brice Stadium on April 18, 2025, in Columbia.   ABIGAIL PITTMAN/THE SUMTER ITEM

Former Lakewood star Cisse excited to be home after 1st spring at South Carolina

Brandon Cisse is home and feeling better than ever. The former Lakewood standout spent the first two seasons of his college career at N.C. State but made the decision to transfer when Wolfpack defensive coordinator Tony Gibson left for Marshall. …

Former Sumter High star Anthony Addison (40) looks to the sideline during the South Carolina Garnet and Black Spring Game at Williams-Brice Stadium on April 18, 2025, in Columbia.

Former Sumter High star Addison shines in South Carolina spring game

South Carolina hosted its annual spring football game on Friday as a culmination of an exciting spring. There is plenty of hype around the program with the growth from quarterback LaNorris Sellers as the Gamecocks build on a season in which they …

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