Landon Sexton of York baseball is The Herald’s latest Player of the Week (April 19)
Landon Sexton is The Herald’s latest spring sports Player of the Week.
Sexton, a junior pitcher on the Region 3-4A-leading York team, threw six strikeouts and allowed only two runs in 5.0 innings of work against Northwestern on April 16. He also added a hit and a run in the batter’s box in the two-game series.
There were 20,334 votes cast in this week’s poll. Sexton earned 34.7% of the vote; Lexi Wilkinson of Legion softball earned 26.3% of the vote; and Taylor Thomas of Clover track earned 11% of the vote.
Read about the selected finalists and see full results below.
(Information published below includes statistics through April 17. Voting opened on Monday, April 19.)
Meet this week’s finalists
Rachel Arwood, Rock Hill track: The Bearcat senior was impressive this past week: At a home meet with Ridge View on April 14, Arwood ran a 6:10 to win the 1,600-meter run and ran a 12:53.32 to win the 3,200-meter run. She also helped the 4x800-meter relay to victory and finished second in the 800-meter run (2:31.43). Later in the week, Arwood ran a personal-best 5:32.12 in the 1,600-meter run to finish seventh in a loaded field at the Rams High School Invitational, which took place at Columbia International University.
Braden Gritz, Legion Collegiate soccer: The Lancers’ freshman scored all five goals in a 5-0 win over Cheraw on April 15. Gritz has 15 goals and six assists for Legion Collegiate this season.
Alec Herndon, York Prep soccer: The Patriots’ junior forward scored all four goals in a 4-2 win over Cheraw on April 12. The York Prep boys’ soccer team is 2-6 this season.
Ty Keaton, Nation Ford lacrosse: The Falcons’ senior had five goals, two assists and nine ground balls in a 16-13 win at Boiling Springs on April 13. He also had four goals and three assists in an 18-10 win over TL Hanna on Senior Night on April 15. Keaton — who is already the all-time leader in goals, assists and ground balls at Nation Ford — has 53 goals and 35 assists for Falcons this season.
Cole Montgomery, South Pointe baseball: The Stallions junior went 3-for-10 at the plate — while also picking up a win on the mound — as South Pointe swept Indian Land in a three-game series this week. His most productive game? On April 14, Montgomery threw four strikeouts in 5.2 innings and was also 1-for-2 at the plate. Montgomery is batting .324 with 10 runs scored and seven runs batted in. The Stallions have won seven straight games.
Emily Morris, Nation Ford soccer: The Falcons’ senior scored a goal and had an assist in a 6-2 win at Rock Hill on April 13. Morris has nine goals and 11 assists for Nation Ford (10-3) this season.
Emma Sexton, Catawba Ridge soccer: The Copperheads’ senior had a goal and an assist in a 19-0 win over Lancaster on April 13. She also had an assist in a 1-0 victory at Indian Land to help her team clinch the Region 3-4A title on April 16. Sexton, a Lander University commit, has 22 goals and seven assists for a Catawba Ridge team that is still a perfect 10-0 this season.
Griffin Tarver, Fort Mill golf: The Yellow Jackets’ senior shot a one-under par (35) to earn medalist honors while leading Fort Mill to victory over Nation Ford and York at Springfield Golf Club on April 15. Tarver also shot a two-over par to win the Fleischer Invitational at Rock Hill Country Club — which is where he led his Fort Mill squad to a win this past weekend. The Fort Mill boys’ golf team is a perfect 9-0 this season.
Breeyah Taylor, York track: The Cougars’ senior sprinter won all four events that she competed in to lead the York girls’ track team to victory over Fort Mill, Riverwalk Academy and South Pointe on April 13. Taylor won the 200- and 400-meter dash races individually, and she also helped York’s 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams to victories.
Taylor Thomas, Clover track: The Blue Eagles’ senior threw a school and personal-record — 112-7 — to win the discus Clover home meet against Boiling Springs on April 13. Thomas was also an all-region forward on the Clover girls’ state championship basketball team.
Lexi Wilkinson, Legion Collegiate softball: The Lancers’ senior shortstop was on fire this week: In all, she went 9-for-12 at the plate — adding a double, an RBI, four runs scored and three stolen bases — in two wins over Andrew Jackson and one win over Central Pageland. Wilkinson is batting .579 with eight runs batted in and 11 stolen bases for a Legion Collegiate squad (12-5) that has won seven straight games.
Ethan Darden, Northwestern baseball: The Northwestern sophomore put together a dominant pitching performance in a win over York on April 13: Darden threw 13 strikeouts and allowed one hit in 5.0 innings of work. He also added two hits and scored one run at the plate in the two-game series with the Cougars. Darden will see some action on the mound when the Trojans play rival Rock Hill this week.
Landon Sexton, York baseball.
See running results
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How to nominate
Player of the week awards highlight high school players with outstanding performances. The goal is to recognize all athletes — both the most accomplished and the underrated or underappreciated players. If you want to suggest someone to be included in the ballot in future weeks, send an email to Jay Edwards at edwardswork23@gmail.com. Please include the athlete’s name, school, class and applicable game performance statistics. Coaches must be willing to verify information.
This story was originally published April 19, 2021 at 1:57 PM.
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