Athletic News

Burton Player of the Week

Daniel Burton is the Hines Furniture Player of the Week (December 7) as voted by the readers of The Sumter Item. He is a member of the varsity basketball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley. 

Football State Runner-up

The varsity football team advanced to the state championship game and finished the season with a record of 10-3. In the state quarterfinal, the Barons beat Northwood Academy 49-28 before defeating Florence Christian School 21-7 in the semifinal. In the state championship game held at Charleston Southern University, the Barons faced Hilton Head Christian School, a team it defeated in the opening game of the season. 

A high point of the season occurred during the second week with the defeat of Laurence Manning Academy at Spencer Field. In their 10 victories, the Barons outscored their opponents 403-157; the team scored a total of 430 points throughout the season.
 
The team roster had the following 15 members of the Class of ‘24, many of whom have played for Wilson Hall since the sixth grade: Grayson Alexander, Dillon Bartlett, Andrew Brown, Tucker Burnette, Slade Custer, Landon Gilley, Dylan Jones, Clark Kinney, Davis Lee, Luke Pedersen, Ben Reynolds, Sam Tristan, Blake VanPatten, Miles VanPatten and Britton Wells.

The head coach for the team was Mr. Adam Jarecki, and assisting him were the following: Mr. Travis Grass,  Mr. Chuck McCord, Mr. Horace Lee Scott ‘13, Mr. Sam Watford ‘16 and Mr. Kurt Wilson. Mrs. Mary Peyton Zilch Clepper ‘14 of Prisma Health was the athletic trainer and the student trainers were Carson Geddings ‘26, Emily Mason ‘25, Kadence Newman ‘25 and Kyrston Newman ‘26. Mr. Steve Hudson was the team’s statistician, and the team managers were Wyatt Moore ‘32 and Murrell Smith ‘32. 

Fall Athletic Recognition

Boys Cross Country
Abel Ayres ‘27 - All-State Team, All-Region Team
Cordin Nattrass ‘28 - All-Region Team
Ben Rabon ‘26 - All-Region Team
Caulder Williamson ‘27 - All-State Team, Region Runner of the Year, All-Region Team, Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week
Girls Cross Country
Bailey Flemming ‘28 - All-Region Team
Mary Foley ‘28 - All-Region Team
Mary Ellen Thorne ‘26 - All-Region Team
Emmie Williamson ‘29 - All-State Team, All-Region Team
Football
Grayson Alexander ‘24 - All-State 1st Team, All-Star Team
Jackson Bonser ‘25 - All-State 1st Team, Sumter Touchdown Club Special Teams Player of the Week
Landon Gilley ‘24 - All-State 1st Team, All-Star Team
Dylan Jones ‘24 - All-State 1st Team,All-Star Team, Sumter Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Week
Clark Kinney ‘24 - All-State 1st Team, All-Star Team, WLTX News 19 Player of the Week
Cooper Scott ‘25 - All-State 1st Team
Blake VanPatten ‘24 - All-State 1st Team, All-Star Team
Miles VanPatten ‘24 - All-State 2nd Team
Carson Wilsey ‘25 - All-State 2nd Team
Golf
Mary Katherine Dutcher ‘27 - Region Player of the Year, All-Region Team
Bella Grudzinski ‘24 - All-Region Team
Tennis
Caroline McElveen ‘24 - All-Region Team
Claudia Rhodus ‘27 - All-Region Team
Volleyball
Rylee Bath ‘24 - Region Player of the Year, All-Star Team, All-Region Team 
Olivia Cogswell ‘25 - All-Star Team, All-Region Team
Sullivan Jarecki ‘24 - All-Star Team, All-Region Team 
McKenzie Gray Mills ‘25 - All-Star Team, All-Region Team 
Maggie Norris ‘24 - All-Star Team, All-Region Team 
Aubrey Payne ‘24 - All-Star Team, All-Region Team 
Mr. Rip Ripley - Region Coach of the Year

Bath Signs with Erskine

Rylee Bath committed to participate on the volleyball team at Erskine College. A signing ceremony, held in the Nash Student Center, was attended by fellow students, faculty, coaches, and family. Rylee is a member of the volleyball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley.

Norris Signs with Erskine

Maggie Norris committed to participate on the volleyball team at Erskine College. A signing ceremony, held in the Nash Student Center, was attended by fellow students, faculty, coaches, and family. Maggie is a member of the volleyball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley.

Williamson Athlete of the Week

Caulder Williamson was voted The Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week by the readers of The Sumter Item on November 2. He is a member of the cross-country team coached by Mr. Reid Schwartz. 

Volleyball All-Stars

The following varsity volleyball team members played in the S.C. Independent School Assoc. All-Star Game hosted by Wilson Hall: Rylee Bath, Olivia Cogswell, Sullivan Jarecki, McKenzie Gray Mills & Maggie Norris. Aubrey Payne was selected for the All-Star Game but was unable to play due to a college visit. The team’s head coach, Mr. Rip Ripley, along with his assistant coaches, Aaron Bautista, Mr. Joe Perez and Ms. Sierra Meiers, coached at the All-Star Game. The Barons won the Region Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the SCISA 4A state tournament, finishing the season with a record of 36-8. 

Three Named to Cross-Country All-State Team

Abel Ayres, Caulder Williamson & Emmie Williamson were named to the Cross-Country All-State Team for finishing in the top 10 at the S.C. Independent School Assoc. 4A State Meet. Caulder finished 6th, Abel 9th, and Emmie 10th in their respective races. As teams, the boys finished 4th and the girls finished 6th. 

Caulder was also the Region Runner of the Year, and joining him on the All-Region Team were Abel, Jennings Frerichs, Cordin Nattrass & Ben Rabon. Named to the All-Region Team for the girls were Emmie, Cecilia Ayres, Bailey Flemming, Mary Foley & Mary Ellen Thorne. Both teams, for which Mr. Reid Schwartz serves as the head coach, were the Region Champions.

Boys Swim Third in State

The boys swim team finished third, missing second place by only two points, at the S.C. Independent School Assoc. State Swim Meet in Charleston. Cliff Bath ‘26 earned a 3rd place medal in the 100 butterfly and he earned a ribbon for placing 6th in the 200 individual medley. Mrs. Jeanne Mahr is the head coach of the team which earned a season record of 56-8. 

The following swimmers received ribbons for finishing in the top six:
Logan Schumacher ‘24 - 4th-200 freestyle & 4th-500 freestyle
Banks Smith ‘25 - 5th-50 freestyle & 6th-100 breaststroke 
Stirling Tindal ‘25 - 4th-100 freestyle & 5th-100 backstroke

The following relay teams won ribbons: 
400 freestyle - 4th (Cliff Bath ‘25, Logan Schumacher ‘24, Banks Smith ‘25 & Stirling Tindal ‘25)
200 medley - 5th (Cliff Bath ‘25, Logan Schumacher ‘24, Banks Smith ‘25 & Stirling Tindal ‘25)
200 freestyle - 5th (Ryan Brown ‘29, Levi Jiang ‘24, Patrick Norton ‘24 & JT Reimer ‘28). 

Ripley Earns 300th Career Victory

Mr. Rip Ripley, head varsity volleyball coach, was recognized during the last home volleyball match of the season for his 300th career volleyball victory. While coaching at Wilson Hall for nine years, Mr. Ripley has accumulated eight, 20-win seasons and has won over 30 games in each of the last two years. 

Kinney Player of the Week

Senior Clark Kinney, a member of the varsity football team, was named the WLTX News 19 Player of the Week for October 6. For this program News 19 honors exceptional high school seniors who participate in varsity sports, maintain a high GPA, and are outstanding citizens in their community. Clark was nominated by his coach, Mr. Adam Jarecki. News 19 Sports presents each winner with a letter jacket and a plaque, and the student is then featured in a 30-second promotional announcement that airs for one week. 

 

Volleyball All-American List

Seniors Rylee Bath, Maggie Norris and Aubrey Payne were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason All-American Watch List. They are members of the varsity volleyball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley. 

Payne State Volleyball Player of the Week

Senior Aubrey Payne was selected as the MaxPreps/American Volleyball Coaches Association High School Volleyball Player of the Week for South Carolina on September 12.  She is a member of the varsity volleyball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley. 

Baron Media Day

To promote school spirit and provide positive interaction between the older and younger students on campus, senior fall athletes participated in Baron Media Day. The seniors visited students in first through fifth grades during lunch, posing for photos with them and distributing autographed photographs. Mr. Rip Ripley, Assistant Athletic Director, coordinated the event.  

Basketball Top 10 Lists

Prep Hoops High School Basketball named senior Daniel Burton and juniors Hugh Humphries  & Shawn Michael Matthews to the Preseason Top 10 in S.C. Independent School Assoc. lists for their respective grades. They are members of the varsity basketball team coached by Mr. Rip Ripley. 

Payne Player of the Week

Volleyball Team Earns National Recognition

The 2022 varsity volleyball team was selected as an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic All-American Team for the eighth consecutive year. The Barons were one of just five South Carolina programs to earn the recognition and the only program from the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). The AVCA, in partnership with the United States Marine Corps, recognizes volleyball programs across the country in high school and college that excel in academics as well as on the court.  

As a team, Wilson Hall compiled a 4.5 GPA while team members were enrolled in 28 Advanced Placement courses and 18 honors courses. On the court the Barons earned a 33-7 record, advanced to the state semifinals, and won the region. The team had five players selected for the SCISA All-Star Team, six players for the All-Region Team, players selected as an AVCA Player of the Week and SCISA Athlete of the Week, and the Region Player of the Year and Region Coach of the Year.

The following were team members: Campbell Bauman, Emma Bradley, Maddie Crawshaw, Sophie Greene, Amberly Way and Sarah Sonntag (Class of ‘23); Rylee Bath, Sullivan Jarecki, Maggie Norris and Aubrey Payne (Class of ‘24); and Olivia Cogswell and McKenzie Gray Mills (Class of ‘25). Mr. Rip Ripley is the head coach who was assisted by Mrs. Mary Peyton Zilch Clepper ‘24, Ms. Sierra Meiers and Mrs. Erin Trueblood. 

The Bobbys

Wilson Hall won six awards at the inaugural Bobby Awards held at a red-carpet gala at the Sumter Opera House on June 15. The program, inspired by ESPN's The Espy Awards, celebrates the best in Sumter-area sports. The Bobby is named for Sumter sports legend Bobby Richardson, the former World Series MVP for the New York Yankees.

Wilson Hall had 13 nominations, the most of any of the 12 schools in Clarendon, Lee and Sumter counties. The recipients were voted for by the readers of The Sumter Item. Sarah Sonntag ‘23 won the award for Best Female Athlete, and winning awards for their individual sports were Bailey McInerney ‘23 (girls cross-country), Connor Smith ‘23 (boys cross-country), and Amberly Way ‘23 (softball). The state-champion softball team won the award for Best Team, and Mrs. Teresa Alexander, the softball team head coach, won the award for Best Coach. 

The following were among the nominees: Sumter Cooper ‘23 (boys track & field), Lori Flemming ‘23 (girls track & field), Clark Kinney ‘24 (baseball), Aubrey Payne ‘24 (volleyball), Mr. Rip Ripley (coach), Connor Smith ‘23 (male athlete), and volleyball (team).  

Smith & Way Athletes of the Year

Connor Smith ‘23 and Amberly Way ‘23 are the Wilson Hall Athletes of the Year and were recognized at the Spring Sports Pep Rally. Connor was a member of the bowling, cross-country, and track and field teams, and Amberly was a member of the basketball, softball, volleyball, and track and field teams.
 

Spring Athletic Recognition

Baseball
Region Player of the Year: Jes Schwedler
All-Star Team: Grayson Alexander, Jones DesChamps, Dylan Jones, Ben Reynolds & Jes Schwedler
All-Region Team: Grayson Alexander, Jones DesChamps, Dylan Jones, Clark Kinney, Ben Reynolds & Jes Schwedler
Soccer
Region Player of the Year: Brogdon Galloway
All-Star Team: Jackson Bonser & Brogdon Galloway
All-Region Team: Jackson Bonser, Brogdon Galloway, Milling Galloway, Jeremiah Jones, Shawn Michael Matthews & Michael Warrick
Region Coach of the Year: Mr. Jason Bartlett
Softball
Region Player of the Year: Amberly Way
All-Star Team: Ashlyn Elmore, Sullivan Jarecki, Ellie Stone, Marybeth VanPatten & Amberly Way
All-Region Team: Kaylan Boudreau, Ashlyn Elmore, Sullivan Jarecki, Ellie Stone, Marybeth VanPatten & Amberly Way
Region Coach of the Year: Mrs. Teresa Alexander
Boys Track
Region Athlete of the Year: Boykin Wilder
Girls Track
Region Athlete of the Year: Lori Flemming

Softball Wins Third Consecutive State Championship

For the third year in a row the varsity softball captured the S.C. Independent School Association state championship, this time in the newly formed 4A division. Coached again by Mrs. Teresa O’Hare Alexander ‘98, the Region Championship team ended the season with a record of 27-6. 

A number one seed in the state tournament, the team defeated Hammond School 14-2 in the quarterfinals and Augusta Christian School 6-0 in the semifinal to advance to the championship series. Facing Laurence Manning Academy, the Barons won the first game 5-2 in dramatic fashion in the last inning at the team’s home field at Patriot Park. After losing the second game, forcing a third game in the best of three series, the championship game was played at Sumter High School as a neutral site. In front of an enormous crowd, the Barons claimed a 2-1 victory in the last inning to capture the trophy. 

The team was led by Ashlyn Elmore, Sophie Greene, Dani Hanley, Ellie Stone and Amberly Way, Class of ‘23. Completing the team were Kaylan Boudreau ‘25, Abby Bradley ‘24, Addie Griffin ‘26, Talan Griffin ‘24, Sullivan Jarecki ‘24, Logan Mims ‘25, Aubrey Payne ‘24 and Marybeth VanPatten ‘24. Assisting Mrs. Alexander in coaching were Mrs. Emma Catoe Ayres ‘13 and Mr. Jerry Allred. 

Sonntag Named State Scholar/Athlete

Sarah Sonntag ‘23 was awarded the Bill Simpson Award that recognizes the most outstanding male and female scholar-athlete in the S.C. Independent School Association. Each of the over 120 schools that are members of SCISA may nominate a scholar-athlete for this award, which is the highest award SCISA bestows upon a student. A resume with Sarah’s academic and athletic accomplishments, along with a recommendation from Mr. Fred Moulton, Head of School, was forwarded to the selection committee at SCISA that made the final decision. The criteria for the award include SAT score, class rank, involvement in extracurricular activities, academic and athletic achievement, coaches’ recommendations, and community service record. Sarah is the 13th Wilson Hall student to receive this award; Wilson Hall has had more students receive this award than any school in SCISA. 

Four State Champions, Boys Team Runner-up at State Track Meet

Four state champion athletes won a total of five gold medals for winning their events in the SCISA 4A State Track Meet: Emma Bradley ‘23 - 400 hurdles, Sumter Cooper ‘23 - 400 hurdles, Hugh Humphries ‘25 - high jump, and Connor Smith ‘23 - 1600 and 3200. Connor also earned silver medals for placing second in the 800 and as a member of the 4x400 relay team, and Sumter received a silver medal as a member of the 4x400 relay team and a bronze medal for finishing third in the 110 hurdles. The following athletes earned silver medals: Daniel Burton ‘24 - high jump, Aubrey Payne ‘24 - discus, Lori Flemming ‘23 - 200, Amberly Way ‘23 - shot put. Also winning a silver medal were the members of the boys 4x400 relay team (Sumter Cooper ‘23, Wilson Frerichs ‘23, Lee Mims ‘23 & Connor Smith ‘23) and the girls 4x800 relay team (Abby Bradley ‘25, Alli Reagan Fidler ‘24, Helen Fitzpatrick ‘24 & Molly Jones ‘25). Earning bronze medals were Lori Flemming ‘23 - triple jump, and the boys 4x100 relay team of Tucker Burnette ‘24, Caleb Howle ‘23, Blake VanPatten ‘24 and Boykin Wilder ‘23. The boys team finished as the state runner-up and the girls team placed fourth. Mr. Rip Ripley is the head coach of both teams. 

Coker & Jackson State Equestrian Champions

Coker Cutler ‘23 and Josie Jackson ‘25 won blue ribbons and the equestrian team won a total of nine ribbons at the S.C. Independent School Association Hunt Seat Equestrian State Championship held at Tally Ho in Timmonsville. Coker won the varsity open equitation on the flat and she placed second in varsity open equitation over fences, and Josie won intermediate equitation on the flat and placed second in intermediate equitation over fences. The following also received ribbons: Karsen Jones ‘29 - 2nd in beginner equitation on the flat (walk/trot); Elizabeth Busch ‘24 - 4th in intermediate equitation over fences; Emmi Leard ‘24 - 4th in intermediate equitation on the flat and 5th in intermediate equitation over fences; and Addy Burleson ‘30 - 5th in beginner equitation on the flat (walk/trot). Ms. Cali Bowman is the team’s coach and she is assisted by Mrs. Mindy Busch. 

State Speed & Strength Competition

Wilson Hall hosted the S.C. Independent School Association State Speed and Strength Competition and five athletes received medals for placing in their weight class. Receiving second place medals were Sumter Cooper ‘23 and Luke Pedersen ‘24, and earning medals for third place were Slade Custer ‘24, Jes Schwedler ‘23 and Will Singleton ‘23. The athletes competed in the following events: 40-yard dash, pro-agility shuffle, vertical leap, bench press, broad jump, and power clean lift. The coaches of the speed and strength team are Mr. Adam Jarecki and Mr. Rip Ripley, Assistant Athletic Directors,  Mr. Sam Watford ‘16, Fitness Center Director, and Mr. Kurt Wilson, Assistant Football Coach.  

Winter Athletic Recognition

S.C. Independent School Assoc. North/South All-Star Basketball Team:
(boys) Daniel Burton, Hugh Humphries & Shawn Michael Matthews
(girls) Maggie Norris

All-Region Basketball Team:
(boys) Daniel Burton, Jones DesChamps, Hugh Humphries & Shawn Michael Matthews
(girls) Maggie Norris, Aubrey Payne & Marybeth VanPatten
Boys Region Coach of the Year - Mr. Rip Ripley

Girls Bowling State Champions

The girls bowling team, coached by Mr. Curtis Helms, won the S.C. Independent School Association State Championship. Members of the team are Jada Hall ‘23, Mackenzie Helms ‘24, Caitlyn Schumacher ‘23, Caroline Warr ‘23 and Sarah Sonntag ‘23. In the tournament held at Gamecock Lanes in Sumter, the team was among the top four after the preliminary match to advance to the finals where they won by nine pins. 

The boys bowling team, also coached by Mr. Helms, placed third. The team members are Dillon Bartlett ‘24, Carson Geddings ‘26, Jacob Geddings ‘25, Patrick Norton ‘25 and Connor Smith ‘23.