The Grind, presented by Bank of Clarendon: East Clarendon's Hanniford leads the defending SCHSL 2A state champs from behind the dish

Catching can often be a relatively thankless position. At the high school level, catchers squat behind home plate for seven innings, often in grueling heat, while wearing the most padding on the field. A great catcher moonlights as a therapist for pitchers, helping them through challenging innings with insight and motivation before returning to their crouch behind the dish.

A great catcher is an incredible weapon for any softball or baseball team. That's exactly what East Clarendon has in Payton Hanniford.

It takes a great team to win a state title, but Payton was the rug that tied the room together when the Lady Wolverines made their run to the SCHSL 2A state title a year ago. Her leadership behind the plate helped EC grind out a doubleheader against Marion for the lower state title en route to the state championship. For head coach Jason Newsome, he couldn't ask for a better backstop as the Lady Wolverines begin their quest to defend their state title.

"She does all the right things," Jason said of his catcher, who also suits up for the volleyball and basketball teams for the Lady Wolverines. "She has a high level of maturity for an 11th-grade kid. She wants to be really good at everything she does. When you draw up the kid you want to coach, you come up with someone like Payton."

FINDING HER SPOT

Growing up, Payton found herself on the opposite end of the battery when she played rec ball. When she wasn't pitching in the circle, she played all around the field. Like many future catchers, she stumbled into the position because no one else wanted to lug around a heavy bag full of gear.

"I started catching one time because we didn't have any catchers on our rec ball team, so I was kind of working back and forth between pitching and catching," Payton recalled. "I got to where I was just better at catching, so I kind of just drew more towards it and just fell in love with it more."

Payton has a strong competitive edge, so she saw the position as a challenge. She wanted to become the best catcher she could be and quickly elevated herself.

"I knew I had to work hard for it and for my spot," she said of what kept her behind the plate. "I was helping my pitchers look good. I knew I was good because I could make my throws to second, third and first, and I knew I had the arm to be back there. It's definitely a spot where you don't get a lot of credit for what you do, and it's very overlooked as (far as) how hard you have to work to be in that position because you definitely get beat up a lot back there."

She also didn't take long to figure out the demands of being behind home plate game after game, especially in South Carolina. Catching isn't easy, but her passion for the position helped her grow behind the dish.

"You've gotta wanna do it because if you don't wanna do it, then you're definitely just gonna be miserable," Payton said of catching. "It is definitely hot when it gets closer into the spring towards summer, we definitely sweat a lot back there, but it's all worth it in the end. You definitely have to try to stay cool, make sure you're hydrating and stuff, of course, because it definitely can make you dizzy, make you pass out, especially sitting back there when your pitcher's having a tough game and you're just sitting back there in all that gear; it's definitely hard."

Payton's work ethic has helped her develop into an incredible all-around player. Defensively, she does everything you want from a catcher. She has a great arm to control the running game. She receives the ball well and isn't afraid to block a ball in the dirt. At the plate, she is the picture of consistency. She was fourth on the team in hits despite playing the most taxing defensive position on the field, hitting .360 with an on base percentage of .438 last spring as a sophomore. She added eight extra base hits, including two homers, while driving in 32 runs and scoring 23 times. She even swiped nine bases despite playing a position that typically comes with a courtesy runner.

"She's a consistent hitter; her swing has improved every year. Her approach and mindset at the plate has just matured," Jason said. "Sometimes I forget how young she is because I've coached her for a while, but with her maturity at the plate, she's just consistent."

Payton attributes her approach at the plate to the fact that she was able to see some varsity playing time as a middle-schooler, as she was able to learn from older veterans.

"As young as I was, you don't really understand that you're going up there just to play your part," she said. "It's definitely nerve-wracking going out there (when you're) younger, but as you get older, you're realizing you just have to be relaxed and go out there and do your thing. That's kind of what I try to do; I just try to go out there, relax and just put the ball in play."

GETTING A TASTE

Payton played JV at East Clarendon during middle school, but she was called up to the varsity level in the postseason. As an eighth-grader, she played a role as the Lady Wolverines won their district and earned a trip to the SCHSL 1A lower state tournament. As she prepared to take over behind the plate full time as a freshman, the experience was invaluable.

"Going up and playing in the playoffs young, it definitely gave you that grit, knowing you had to win this game or you were done. It definitely made you realize you had to play really hard," she said. "It made me realize that I have to work hard to be where I wanna be and that I have to be ready to get in that spot."

Even before she made the full-time jump to varsity, it was evident that Payton was going to be a special player. Jason coached at the JV level when Payton was a middle-schooler, and she didn't take long to catch his eye.

"She immediately stood out in that group," he said. "She's hyperathletic, athletic enough to be a shortstop or a centerfielder and she's playing catcher. She has an extremely strong arm. She has all the qualities you're looking for, and they catch your eye really quick."

As a freshman in the spring of 2024, East Clarendon had another strong team. They made quick work of a relatively weak region but fizzled out in the playoffs with a young squad, losing their first two games in their district. That lit a fire under the returning Lady Wolverines.

"It was definitely a moment where it's like, we're gonna have to come back stronger next year," Payton said.

THE RUN TO THE TITLE

They certainly came back much stronger a year later. The Lady Wolverines faced some tough challenges right out of the gate, playing top-flight programs during the preseason. While they didn't always come away with wins, they learned they could compete with anyone.

"We played teams in the South Florence scrimmage day, or the Pee Dee Pitch Off where we played teams with girls committed to big schools, girls committed to Clemson and Charleston Southern," Payton said. "We played 5A teams before, and 4A, and we beat them as a 2A team."

Once the season started, East Clarendon was nearly unstoppable. They only suffered a handful of losses to some of the area's most elite programs during a 27-win season. They lost one region game to Atlantic Collegiate but won the season series 2-1. Outside of that, the only teams to beat them were the eventual SCHSL 1A champs, Latta; the SCISA 4A champions, Laurence Manning; a Sumter High squad that played for the SCHSL 5A DI lower state title; and a two-game split with Clarendon Hall, who played for the SCISA 3A title.

The good times kept rolling in the playoffs, winning their district with a pair of wins over Andrew Jackson - the second of which was a comeback 6-5 win in which Payton drove in three runs - and Timberland. Wins over Marion and Andrews set up a rematch with Marion for the lower state title and a trip to the 2A state championship series. That wouldn't come easily, but EC luckily had two chances to seal the deal.

The first game of what turned into a doubleheader was a dud for the Lady Wolverines. A nightmare second inning turned into a 16-2 blowout. East Clarendon didn't have much time to regroup, as the decisive game was played immediately after the lopsided loss.

"We all were like, 'We didn't come out here and work this hard all season just to come out here and lose right now.' We had a lot of people counting on us," Payton said. "We worked hard all season; there were late nights out here after games when we did not play good. We ran after a lot of our games just because we knew we were better than that and so did Mr. Jason. We definitely knew we had to play to our standard to get to where we were."

East Clarendon bounced back with a 4-0 victory to punch their tickets to the state championship series against Saluda. The battery of Payton and All-State pitcher Laiklyn Gaskins was incredible, as Marion managed just three hits, though they also reached base on seven walks. That's where Payton's defensive prowess came into play.

"Marion may have the most team speed that I have ever seen, and she gave up one stolen base all night long in that doubleheader," Jason said. "She completely shut that run game down, as she does all year. That's an extremely valuable weapon. It gives your pitcher some confidence because they can put somebody on base and they're not stealing second against Payton."

TITLE TIME

After the win, the loss in the opening game of that doubleheader stuck in the minds of the Lady Wolverines. They saw how close they came to watching an incredible season end prematurely and were determined to avoid that outcome.

"That game really showed us something, that we cannot play to anybody else's level but our own," Payton said. "We knew going in and playing with Saluda that we had to do good."

The SCHSL 2A state championship opened in Turbeville with a dramatic 2-1 win for EC. Payton caught 150 pitches from Laiklyn, as the senior kept Saluda off the scoreboard for most of the night. Payton caught the final out as Laiklyn got her seventh strikeout to close out the victory. A day later, they made the long trip to Saluda hoping to dodge the rain.

EC rode the bus to Saluda and went through warmups, only for officials to rule that the field was unplayable minutes before the scheduled first pitch. The Lady Wolverines loaded back onto the bus and made the long ride back home on a night when they expected to claim their first state title since 2017.

"We were all very aggravated because we were ready to go," Payton said. "We were in uniform, we had warmed up, all our fans were there to support us. Having to go back home, it was definitely a setback; we were all aggravated."

The next day, East Clarendon hit the practice field for their final full practice of the season. They were more than ready to take home the championship trophy.

"That Friday at practice, we were all ready to go. We were having a good practice, high energy, vibes were on, we had the music playing," Payton said. "Then that Saturday, we got out here early and hit some BP on the field. Before we got on the bus we prayed, and we were just like, 'We're gonna do it; we're taking it all the way. We went there one time; we're coming back with the medal."

The Lady Wolverines were ready to play, striking for two runs in the top of the first inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. Saluda made things interesting with a home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Payton went out to the mound to talk to Laiklyn one final time. The duo took a deep breath and finished the job.

"We took a huddle on the infield, and we were like, 'That didn't mean anything. We're about to get these next two outs and we were gonna win.' We knew we were gonna take it all the way and everybody had that grit mentality in the moment," Payton said. "I said, 'It's me and you. We're gonna take it all the way because we've talked about this all year.' It's always been me and her at the mound."

QUEST TO REPEAT

Payton naturally enjoyed celebrating the state championship, but she didn't spend a ton of time basking in the championship glow. She almost immediately went back to work as she prepared to lead East Clarendon to another title run.

"Last year when we won the state championship, we met a day or two later to turn in uniforms and kinda clean up the field. It's a work day. I met with all of our team and told them to take a week or two to get away from softball, get away from everything they have going on, because it had been a long season. Two days later, Payton was in the weight room," Jason said. "I go in and ask what she's doing, and she said, 'I'm getting ready for next year. We're going to win it again next year.' That's just the kind of kid she is."

East Clarendon brings back most of their roster from the championship squad, though they lost Laiklyn to graduation alongside their starting second baseman, Ann Grace Knowlton. The Lady Wolverines expect to make another run to the state championship series, but they also know that every team on their schedule is going to give EC their best shot.

"It definitely feels like everybody thinks, 'We're coming out here to play the state champions,'" Payton said. "We're not a very cocky group; we're not gonna come out here and say we don't have to play hard because we're state champions. We come out here, and we work hard for what we want. We didn't say that we won state champ because we were all good; we worked. There were nights we came out here and we had to really push hard."

Jason can see that Payton's hard work is already paying off. He's seen Payton take great strides every offseason, and this year is no exception.

"Going into this preseason, the game has slowed down for her even more, and she's really the captain almost on the field," Jason said. "I'm calling pitches, but she's giving me feedback every pitch with where the batter is standing and what we need to be calling. She has a green light to throw to bags any time she sees it. She just cuts loose and plays now, rather than me calling everything from the dugout."

Her veteran presence is even more important for a young team with a new rotation of arms. Layke Jeffords had some time in the circle last year, but Laiklyn did the lion's share of the pitching last season, tossing 125 innings compared to 41 2/3 from Layke. Braelyn Locklear had even less time in the circle, throwing 19 2/3 innings last spring, while EC added another new pitcher, Rylee Atkinson. Payton's voice will be important for that group as they adjust to new roles in the rotation.

"As a catcher, you definitely have to be like the leader of the field because nobody else sees the field from your point of view," she said. "You definitely have to talk loud, you have to direct where the ball's going, coming in, and you definitely have to be a very vocal person. Knowing your pitchers is good; all your pitchers don't throw the same. Even if they throw the same pitch, everybody's goes a different way.

"Being a catcher for so long, you know what pitches are supposed to do, so you can kind of talk them through it and tell them what they're doing wrong from your perspective. You're definitely their encourager; you're the one they count on to help them."

Payton and the Lady Wolverines got some heartbreaking news earlier this year when they lost JV coach Sarah Monica McFadden, also known as Coach Muff, in early January. Payton was close to Coach Muff, a former catcher herself, and is dedicating this season to her former coach.

"It was definitely upsetting; it was very unexpected. She was a catcher, and she always mentored us behind the plate. She definitely meant a lot to us," Payton said. "She was always one that came out here and she knew that we were good. She was always the one that was like, 'Y'all can do this; y'all have to work hard.' She was a good coach.

"Coming in this season, it was definitely different. We have some new girls, some girls coming up. But we were all like, 'We've gotta have a repeat,' especially after Coach Muff passed away. She's definitely our reason this year."