Watkins headed to college; games suspended

By Barry Byers - Barry Byers

Rock Hill's Mark Watkins has signed a football scholarship with North Greenville.

Watkins, a 5-foot-9, 190-pound defensive end and a two-year starter, will get tryouts at linebacker, fullback and defensive end.

NGC wants him as a defensive end and he'll get a try at fullback. He was a linebacker during his junior season.

Watkins led the Bearcats in tackles that season. He was the second-leading tackler this season although he missed several games with an injury.

• SOCCER POLL: The latest South Carolina Soccer Coaches Class AAAA boys poll didn't change at the top.

Spring Valley stayed at No. 1. Northwestern hung tight at No. 2. The two play on April 21 at Northwestern in a match that has been postponed three times.

South Pointe's boys made a jump in the poll from No. 14 to No. 11.

Fort Mill's girls moved up two spots to No. 6 in Class AAAA. Nation Ford's girls stayed at No. 15.

Indian Land's boys held on at No. 5 in Class A.

• BASEBALL POLLS: One of The Herald area's Class AAAA baseball teams finally cracked the S.C. Baseball Coaches Association's top poll.

York, 9-4 overall and atop the Region 3-AAAA standings, moved in this week at No. 9.

Two teams are ranked in Class A. Great Falls is No. 8 and rival Lewisville is right behind at No. 9.

• SLUGGERS: A pair of Great Falls players have been outstanding at the plate this season.

Sophomore Isaiah Lynn has stroked eight home runs and has 28 RBIs. He's hitting .470.

Sophomore Gaither Bumgardner is 36-for-65 (.538). He has eight doubles, three triples, two home runs and has struck out only twice.

The South Carolina Softball Coaches Poll for Week 5 have been released and The Herald area's two teams dropped a few places.

Indian Land, No. 1 the last three weeks, fell to No. 3 in the Class A poll. Chester, No. 6 last week in Class AAA, fell a spot to No. 7.

Wren, Class AAAA's top-ranked team, is ranked 17th in the nation in the USA Today/NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches' Association) national poll.

Class AAAA: 1. Wren; 2. Mauldin; 3. Easley; 4. Hillcrest; 5. North Augusta; 6. Stratford; 7. South Florence; 8. Irmo; 9. Summerville; 10. White Knoll

Class AAA: 1. Darlington; 2. Midland Valley; 3. Brookland-Cayce; 4. Seneca; 5. St. James; 6. Blythewood; 7. Chester; 8. Travelers Rest; 9. Clinton; 10. Berea

Class AA: 1. Hanahan; 2. Crescent; 3. Chapman; 4. Waccamaw; 5. Bishop England; 6. Cheraw; 7. Andrew Jackson; 8. Abbeville; 9. Broome; 10. Batesburg-Leesville

Class A: 1. East Clarendon; 2. McBee; 3. Indian Land; 4. Lake View; 5. Southside Christian; 6. Academic Magnet; 7. Landrum; 8. Dixie; 9. Chesterfield; 10. Johnsonville

• PLAY SUSPENDED: York's baseball game against South Pointe last week was suspended in the fifth inning due to lightning.

York was winning 7-5 when play was halted.

The game will resume from the point it was called at 6 p.m. on Thursday at York.

And don't miss York's big home game against Northwestern at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. York sits atop the region standings at 7-1. Northwestern is in second at 7-2.

• SUSPENDED 2: With 15 minutes left in a key boys soccer match between visiting Rock Hill and Fort Mill last week, play was suspended with the score tied at 1.

According to Fort Mill athletics director Bailey Jackson, the S.C. High School League told him on Monday that the game will have to be resumed where it was stopped. If either team had been ahead, Jackson said, he was told the game would have been declared final.

A date for the resumption will be announced when it is set. Most area schools are on spring break this week.

• OOPS: There has been a correction to the Northwestern girls track record book.

Information provided recently to The Herald said that Mary Kate DuBard did not break the school's record in the 3,200 at the Coaches Classic Meet two weeks ago at Lower Richland High School.

DuBard, who signed a scholarship to run cross country and track at Georgia Tech, won the event with a 10:56.70, which is the best time in the state this spring.

Angelina Blackmon, who graduated from Northwestern in 2004 and runs at N.C. State, ran a 10:52.61 at The Taco Bell Classic her senior season.

• SUPER SATURDAY: Mark it down. York plans to make Saturday super for all the fans who follow York and rival Clover sporting events.

Beginning at 2 p.m., York will host Clover in eight games. The games are: girls JV soccer, 2 p.m.; boys JV soccer, 3:30 p.m.; JV baseball, 4 p.m.; JV softball, 4 p.m.; varsity baseball, 6:30 p.m.; varsity softball, 6:30 p.m. and varsity boys soccer at 7 p.m.

Admission is just $4.

Graham's Seafood is preparing a fish fry from 2-7 p.m. in the school's bus parking lot. Fish or a chicken plate can be purchased for $7.