High school playoffs abound, with more championships to be determined this weekend. The boys’ tennis finals will be contested at the Parklane Tennis Courts Saturday. The finals of the SC High School League track and field season will be conducted riday night and Saturday at Spring Valley’s Harry Parone Stadium.

Meanwhile, the SCHSL Upper and Lower State softball, baseball and soccer battles continue leading to next week’s championships.

As regular season SCISA soccer play moved into its final week, Monday wasn’t good for Cardinal Newman. Ben Lippen’s girls defeated the Lady Cardinals 4–3 on penalty kicks. In the boys’ contest, the Falcons edged the Cardinals 1–0 on a goal by Mark Pepin.

To start the week, Heathwood Hall collected three goals from Andy Shields in a shutout over Wilson Hall.

A.C. Flora’s girls were winners in the SCHSL Class 3A playoffs with an 8–0 win over Union. Richland Northeast was eliminated from the girls’ Class 4A postseason by West Ashley 2–1, and Spring Valley fell to Wando 3–1 to end the Vikings’ season.

The SCISA baseball season continued. Hammond defeated Hilton Head Christian 4–1, with the win going to Matt Alseadi in the first game of a twin bill. Punky DaSilva was the winning pitcher in Hammond’s 8–3 nightcap victory.

On the tennis courts, A.C. Flora defeated Greer 7–0 in the SCHSL playoffs. In SCISA Hammond defeated Pee Dee Academy 8–1.

Highlanders take title

Winners were declared Saturday in the SCISA track and field championships at Sumter. Heathwood Hall’s Lady Highlanders claimed gold with a 94–83 margin over Augusta Christian. The HH boys were second behind Sumter’s Wilson Hall who edged them 135.6 to 129.6.

Lauren Holland claimed the top spot in the 100m hurdles with teammate Lauren Keisler taking third–place. Holland followed that showing with the gold medal in the 400m hurdles, two spots ahead of teammate Millie Knowlton. Sarah Knowlton finished second in the 1600m and 3200m.

The Lady

Highlanders race home first in the 1600m relay

In the high jump, Millie Knowlton tied two others at 5’0”. Keisler was one of three who took the pole vault at a height of 7’0”.

Pacing the Highlanders boys, J.D. Whalen finished second in the mile. He also won the pole vault, reaching 11’0”, six–inches above the mark of his brother Brett. Wilson White of the Highlanders was third.

White won the high jump at 6’0” with teammate Palmer Fielding taking third place. With a heave of 125’6,” William Roth took top spot in the discus over Allen Wilkerson, another Highlander.

HH’s William Roth and Rhodes Amaker were second and third, respectively, in the 400m.

Hammond School won the 400m relay. Ellen Traylor led the Hammond Lady Skyhawks winning the 200m and finishing third in the 100m dash. Lightsey Lafitte was second in the 800m and added points for Hammond with a third in the 1600. Lady Skyhawk Madison Kocher claimed first in the pole vault at 7’6”.