Gators Headlines
The Lady Gators’ softball season came to a close with a 5-0 Region 7-AAAA playoff loss to West Florence at Goose Creek Tuesday.
“It was a disappointing way to end the season,” GCHS Head Coach Tracey Younts said. “We just didn’t have the right stuff out there tonight.”
“It was a disappointing way to end the season,” GCHS Head Coach Tracey Younts said. “We just didn’t have the right stuff out there tonight.”
The Lady Gators’ softball season came to a close with a 5-0 Region 7-AAAA playoff loss to West Florence at Goose Creek Tuesday.
“It was a disappointing way to end the season,” GCHS Head Coach Tracey Younts said. “We just didn’t have the right stuff out there tonight.”
“It was a disappointing way to end the season,” GCHS Head Coach Tracey Younts said. “We just didn’t have the right stuff out there tonight.”
The Goose Creek softball team finished its regular season with an overall record of 14-11 and a second place finish in the region where the squad finished 7-3.
Head Coach Tracey Younts’ squad tied with Berkeley but won the tiebreaker.
Head Coach Tracey Younts’ squad tied with Berkeley but won the tiebreaker.
Stratford’s Aaron Preston watches the pitch from second base during the early innings of Friday’s epic game.
A furious Gator rally fell short, and Stratford secured its first Region 7-AAAA title since 2005 with an exciting, 15-12 victory over Goose Creek Friday night.
The three-hour game at GCHS included home runs, a host of errors, and a controversial ejection.
The three-hour game at GCHS included home runs, a host of errors, and a controversial ejection.
Orangeburg-Wilkinson’s throw to third base is too late as Goose Creek’s Danelle Phillips beats the tag.
Goose Creek scored early and often Monday, and pitching standout Lyndsey Beard held Orangeburg-Wilkinson scoreless, as the Gator softball team improved to 12-7. GCHS defeated the Bruins twice in as many games, by scores of 11-0 and 17-0. The tune-ups came before several tough, make-or-break regional contests for Head Coach Tracey Younts' team, which was a perfect 5-0 in regional play as of Monday.
Goose Creek was scheduled to battle Wando Tuesday in a make-up game, Berkeley on Wednesday and Stratford on Friday. Beard is one of three seniors on a Gator squad in its third season of a rebuilding effort that has seen GCHS grow into a team that can hold its own against anyone. Last week, the Gators knocked off Stratford, and Goose Creek has already defeated Berkeley twice in 2008. Close, early-season contests with the likes of Sumter and Spring Valley, and a victory over Colleton County, gave the team a sense of confidence that had been lacking in previous seasons. According to Younts, the trick has helping her players believe they belong with the region’s elite teams, while not becoming over confident.
Goose Creek was scheduled to battle Wando Tuesday in a make-up game, Berkeley on Wednesday and Stratford on Friday. Beard is one of three seniors on a Gator squad in its third season of a rebuilding effort that has seen GCHS grow into a team that can hold its own against anyone. Last week, the Gators knocked off Stratford, and Goose Creek has already defeated Berkeley twice in 2008. Close, early-season contests with the likes of Sumter and Spring Valley, and a victory over Colleton County, gave the team a sense of confidence that had been lacking in previous seasons. According to Younts, the trick has helping her players believe they belong with the region’s elite teams, while not becoming over confident.
Maria Helms is a senior on the GCHS softball team.
The senior catcher for Goose Creek softball is called the team leader by Head Coach Tracey Younts.
Helms broke her pinky in a play at the plate against Stratford earlier this season. Despite the injury, she decided to wait until after the season is over to treat the injury.
Helms broke her pinky in a play at the plate against Stratford earlier this season. Despite the injury, she decided to wait until after the season is over to treat the injury.
Goose Creek pitcher Michael Berry threw a perfect game Monday night, as the Gators rolled to a 15-0 win at Orangeburg-Wilkinson.
Berry, who recorded 12 strikeouts on the night, improved to 3-0 with the performance.
Berry, who recorded 12 strikeouts on the night, improved to 3-0 with the performance.
Gator southpaw Nick Jonason shakes off a sign early in Monday’s game.
The drought is over. The burden has been lifted. The Gators have beaten the Knights. Goose Creek catcher Josh Kubisz twice gave his team the lead with clutch hits, and helped end an improbable, 15-year losing streak to Stratford at SHS Monday night.
According to the Goose Creek coaching staff, the 3-1, extra-innings victory was only the fourth win against the Knights in school history. The last time Goose Creek defeated SHS was April 1, 1993.
According to the Goose Creek coaching staff, the 3-1, extra-innings victory was only the fourth win against the Knights in school history. The last time Goose Creek defeated SHS was April 1, 1993.
Stratford Head Coach John Chalus and Goose Creek Head Coach Scott Durham share a laugh at home plate moments before Monday’s contest.
Goose Creek Head Coach Scott Durham said it best when he was asked what Monday night's historic game against Stratford was all about. "Pitching, pitching, pitching," Durham said. The Gators' 3-1 win will be remembered for great pitching, scrappy offense that included a half-dozen bunts, and two heart stopping plays at the plate. Stratford's Tyler Hill, who pitched the entire eight innings, and Goose Creek's Nick Jonason, who was relieved in the seventh by Brent Perry, both brought their A game to Monday's grudge match. Hill and the Knight defense set the tone early, as SHS turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the top of the first. An inning later, Hill struck out one in a three-up, three-down inning. The Gator defense rose to the occasion throughout the night as well, beginning in the bottom of the second. After Stratford's Mark Bone led off the inning with a walk, GCHS third baseman Mitchell Huskey made a diving stop of a hard hit grounder by the Knights' Jeremy Eades to avert disaster and keep the game scoreless. Jonason again pitched out of trouble in the third, when SHS had men on the corners with two outs after a pair of singles by Aaron Preston and Mecho Bohren. Jonason forced SHS slugger Damon Ardis to ground to third, and Huskey fielded the ball cleanly and threw to first for the out. Although Goose Creek would eventually score in the inning, no defensive play was better than SHS third baseman's Patrick Limehouse's, when Limehouse charged a bunt down the third baseline by Perry, scooped up the ball and threw to first for the out. The game featured two picture-perfect tag outs at home plate. In the top of the fifth, Limehouse fielded a grounder with men on the corners and one out. Limehouse fired to home, where Ryan Kilgallen tagged out the Gators' sliding Anthony DeMeo. An inning later, GCHS returned the favor. Stratford led off the sixth with a walk by Bone, who was advanced to second by a sacrifice bunt by Eades. When Stratford's Kyle Legette hit a sharp grounder, the Gators threw to second for the force out, and then second baseman Yamil Perez fired home to beat Bone's slide at the plate.
Goose Creek remained perfect in the HIT baseball tournament Wednesday with an 8-0 romp over host West Ashley.
The win sent the Gators to the tournament’s quarterfinals against Midlothian High School out of Virginia Thursday night at Collins Park.
The win sent the Gators to the tournament’s quarterfinals against Midlothian High School out of Virginia Thursday night at Collins Park.
Goose Creek remained perfect in the HIT baseball tournament Wednesday with an 8-0 romp over host West Ashley.
The Gators are scheduled to play Midlothian High School out of Virginia at 8 p.m. Thursday night at Collins Park, in a quarter-final game in the annual tournament.
The Gators are scheduled to play Midlothian High School out of Virginia at 8 p.m. Thursday night at Collins Park, in a quarter-final game in the annual tournament.
Goose Creek made it two in a row in the HIT baseball tournament, as the Gators upended Fauquier High School of Virginia 11-6 Tuesday.
Josh Kubisz was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI’s, and Mitchell Huskey crushed a home run in a win that upped the Gator record to 13-1.
Josh Kubisz was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI’s, and Mitchell Huskey crushed a home run in a win that upped the Gator record to 13-1.
Gator starter Nick Jonason (33) delivers to the plate as Anthony DeMeo (21) holds Berkeley's Thomas Brittle close at first base. Jonason gave up just one unearned run on four hits.
A full moon, a win streak holding at 13 games, and a Friday.
Not a good night for the superstitious … but it was more about a strong wind blowing in from center field and good pitching rather than bad luck that ended Goose Creek’s baseball winning streak with a 2-1 loss to Berkeley.
Not a good night for the superstitious … but it was more about a strong wind blowing in from center field and good pitching rather than bad luck that ended Goose Creek’s baseball winning streak with a 2-1 loss to Berkeley.
Erskine sophomore guard Brandon Wright won the Conference Carolina’s men's basketball regular season scoring crown for 2007-2008.
The sharpshooter from Goose Creek scored 17.6 points per game while scoring 475 points on the season. He scored two more points than Mt. Olive sophomore Kendrick Easley.
The sharpshooter from Goose Creek scored 17.6 points per game while scoring 475 points on the season. He scored two more points than Mt. Olive sophomore Kendrick Easley.
Gators starter Nick Jonason delivers to the plate.
A full moon, a win streak holding at 13 games, and it’s Friday.
Not a good night for the superstitious, but it was more a strong wind blowing in from center field and good pitching rather than bad luck that ended the Gators’ winning streak with a 2-1 loss to Berkeley.
Not a good night for the superstitious, but it was more a strong wind blowing in from center field and good pitching rather than bad luck that ended the Gators’ winning streak with a 2-1 loss to Berkeley.