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Sumter boys swim team wins meet

FLORENCE - Sumter High School's boys swim team finished first and the girls team finished second in the Florence District 1 Invitational on Wednesday at Francis Marion University. In the 8-team boys meet, Sumter won with 58 points. Wilson was …

Graham Van Patten and the Barons will face Hammond on Friday.

Wilson Hall faces massive challenge against Hammond

Wilson Hall faced one of the top SCISA 3A football teams last week in Porter-Gaud. The Barons traveled to Charleston and lost to the Cyclones 55-19. This week, Wilson Hall gets to face THE big dog in SCISA 3A in Hammond. The Skyhawks have won the …

Sumter girls tennis picks up first win in region opener

LUGOFF - The Sumter High School varsity girls tennis team picked up its first victory of the season in its first Region IV-5A match of the year with a 5-1 win over Lugoff-Elgin on Tuesday at the L-E courts. Whitney Crawford, Kadyn Dickerson, Ella …

Tim Leible / The Sumter Item  Lakewood quarterback Cody Windham (12) prepares to pass during the Gators' 61-0 loss to Sumter on Friday. Lakewood will be on the road against Hemingway on Friday.

A case of extremes: After losing to 5A power Sumter, Gators take on struggling Hemingway

It can be argued that the Lakewood High School football team will be going from one extreme to the other as far as scheduling goes. The Gators are coming off of 61-0 loss to Sumter, which is ranked seventh in the state among 5A schools. The …

Stoddard finds success with Anderson cross country

Freshman Aubrey Stoddard has been among the top performers for the Anderson University women's cross country team. The Thomas Sumter Academy graduate finished third among the Trojans at the Mountain Dew Invitational in Florida. She completed the …

From the Wire

Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr. follows through on a solo home run in the Braves' 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Thursday in Atlanta. It was Acuna's 40th homer of the season, and Braves clinched a tie for first place in National League East.

Acuna hits 40th HR, Braves clinch tie for first in NL East

ATLANTA - Ronald Acuna Jr. was pumped to join a very exclusive club. He's even more thrilled about the chance to properly celebrate a division title. Acuna became the second-youngest player in baseball history to hit 40 homers in a season, …

Clemson players Nolan Turner and Lyn-J Dixon celebrate a touchdown against Syracuse during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in Syracuse, N.Y.

Gap between college football's elite and rest grows

Before the season there was talk of a clear dividing line in college football between the elite programs, true national championship and perennial playoff contenders, and everybody else. Through three weeks of the college football season, not …

San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski (5) is congratulated after his solo home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019. Yastrzemski is the grandson of Red Sox great and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.

Yaz's grandson homers for Giants in first game at Fenway

BOSTON - Mike Yastrzemski rounded the bases to the cheers of the Fenway Park fans after hitting a solo homer for San Francisco - like his grandfather heard numerous times during his illustrious career with the Red Sox. The 29-year-old grandson of …

THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPittsburgh relief pitcher Felipe Vazquez was arrested on pornography  and solicitation charges on Tuesday.

Pirates' V zquez arrested on porn, solicitation charges

PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star closer Felipe V zquez was arrested Tuesday on felony charges of pornography and soliciting a child and was placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball. V zquez was taken into custody by …

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  Kyle Busch blasted NASCAR and the financial difference between the haves and the have nots in the Monster Energy Cup Series after a wreck late in Sunday's race in Las Vegas caused him to drop from first to fourth in the Playoff chase.

Kyle Busch criticism highlights NASCAR's financial disparity

The massive divide between NASCAR's heavyweights and the underdog teams just scraping by received renewed attention following Kyle Busch's damning assessment of how backmarkers raced in the playoff opener over the weekend. Busch rallied from an …

Prep Sports

East Clarendon’s Rhamey Floyd celebrates after the Lady Wolverines scored a point in their 3-0 victory over Laurence Manning Academy on Wednesday at Bubba Davis Gymnasium.

East Clarendon improves to 7-0, sweeps Laurence Manning Academy

MANNING - East Clarendon’s varsity volleyball team improved to 7-0 on the season with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-21, 25-12) sweep of Laurence Manning Academy on Wednesday night.

Wilson Hall JV volleyball outlasts Ben Lippen 2-1

Wilson Hall's JV volleyball team pulled out a 2-1 victory over Ben Lippen on Thursday night to improve to 5-2 overall.

Knights improve to 7-0 with sweep of Lee Central

Bishopville - The Crestwood Knights varsity volleyball team improved to 7-0 on the season with a 3-0 sweep of Lee Central on Tuesday night. The Knights swept Lee Central at home in their season …

TSA JV and varsity volleyball teams fall to The King's Academy

Dalzell -- Thomas Sumter Academy’s JV and varsity volleyball teams fell to The King’s Academy on Monday night on B..J. Reed Court in Edens Memorial Gym.

Laurence Manning plays first ever girls golf match

MANNING -- Laurence Manning Academy played its first ever varsity girls golf match on Tuesday, shooting a 188 to beat Wilson Hall by 62 strokes at The Players Course at Wyboo. The Lady Swampcats were led by Lexi Bennett and Autumn Carey, who both …

CLEMSON

PHIL KORNBLUT

Georgia wide receiver Powers commits to USC

Wide receiver Rico Powers (6-feet-2-inches, 181 pounds), a native of Savannah, Ga., who attends Hapeville Charter outside of Atlanta, announced a commitment to the South Carolina football program on Tuesday, giving USC three WRs in its 2020 …

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  Clemson coach Dabo Swinney talks to his players during Saturday's game against Syracuse in Syracuse, New York.

Clemson looks for offensive consistency

CLEMSON - Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott doesn't see anything wrong with the top-ranked Tigers' attack that a little time won't fix. Scoring points has not been a problem for the top-ranked Tigers, they just haven't done it with the …

Clemson's quarterback Trevor Lawrence passes against Syracuse during the NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Steve Jacobs)

Lawrence leads No. 1 Clemson past Syracuse 41-6

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was forced to be a spectator a year ago when a hard hit to the helmet knocked him out in the second quarter of his first college start. This time he left in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESSClemson wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a pass in the Tigers' 24-10 win over Texas A&M last week. The top-ranked Tigers play at Syracuse on Saturday.

Bring on the noise: Syracuse awaits No. 1 Clemson at Dome

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Top-ranked Clemson plays its first road game Saturday night, and the Tigers have good reason to be wary. The opponent is Syracuse, which has given the Tigers fits the past two times these teams have met and will have a packed and …

Clemson's Amari Rodgers (3) rushes while defended by Texas A&M's Leon O'Neal Jr. during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Clemson, S.C. Clemson won 24-10.

Clemson WR Rodgers has rapid return from ACL surgery

CLEMSON - Amari Rodgers was about the only person around Clemson in March who thought he wouldn't miss most of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The Tigers starter, second on the national champions with 55 …

USC

MICAH GREENSouth Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski, center, looks to pitch the ball to running back Rico Dowdle during the Gamecocks' 47-23 loss to Alabama on Saturday in Columbia. USC will be on the road against Missouri this Saturday.

Struggling South Carolina faces crucial 2-game stretch

COLUMBIA - South Carolina's players understand the early challenge they have to prevent their season from fully spiraling out of control. There were a lot of grim faces, steady eyes as the Gamecocks seemed more focused at practice this …

MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM  Alabama running back Najee Harris leaps over a South Carolina defender on the way to a 42-yard touchdown pass in the Crimson Tide's 47-23 victory on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

Gamecocks look to shore up defense

COLUMBIA - Will Muschamp and his South Carolina football team knew coming into Saturday's matchup with No. 2 Alabama they had to limit big plays from the Crimson Tide. The Gamecocks didn't succeed in that, but those big plays didn't end up coming …

South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski fires a pass against Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 15. Hilinski threw two touchdowns in the Gamecocks' 47-23 loss.

‘Bama cruises past Gamecocks after strong USC start

The Gamecocks made things interesting early as they hosted no. 2 ranked Alabama on Saturday afternoon, but the Crimson Tide proved to be too much for South Carolina. USC only trailed 14-10 at the end of the first, but it was all Bama after that, as the Tide ran away with a 47-23 win.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSouth Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski (3) will lead the Gamecocks against Alabama on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

Alabama's Saban remembers last beating at South Carolina

COLUMBIA - Alabama coach Nick Saban is grateful most of his players don't remember the last trip into South Carolina. But he does. "What I remember from it is we got the lining kicked out of our britches," he said. "I don't know if you know …

THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSouth Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski had a tremendous collegiate debut in the Gamecocks' 72-10 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday. He will face a big test this week as USC plays host to No. 2 Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina adjusts to new game plan minus starting QB

COLUMBIA - Very little has gone according to plan early on at South Carolina. And now the Gamecocks are facing a new reality - along with a new face at quarterback in backup Ryan Hilinski. Hilinski will make his second start this week for South …

Outdoors

Modern Turf in Dalzell site of Fall Field Day

FROM STAFF REPORTS The S.C. Green Industry Association will hold its 16th-Annual Fall Field Day on Wednesday at Modern Turf, 2895 Edens Road in Dalzell. Educational presentations, hands-on courses, equipment demonstrations and networking with …

National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration is Sept. 28

By DNR Oconee County's South Cove County Park near Seneca will host a family event celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. This free family adventure is open to the public. The 12th celebration …

Tree seedlings available at special prices for landowners

By DNR COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Forestry Commission is encouraging landowners to place their tree seedling orders for winter planting while they are still available. ArborGen's Taylor Nursery in Edgefield County has more than 750,000 …