NEWBERRY — Newberry College men’s basketball dominate second half performance earns them their second consecutive win to start off the new year. The Wolves(8-7, 4-5 SAC) defeated Wingate(7-8, 2-7 SAC) by the score of 77-70 at home on Wednesday, Jan. 14th to continue their strong start to the second half of the season.

The Bulldogs shot the lights out of the ball in the first half. They were able to shoot 60.8% from the field and 85% from the three-point line. Newberry got off to a slow start to begin the game and found themselves down 19-9 at the 10 minute mark in the in the first half.

Then, the home team found themselves down 25-13 and the combination of Wingate’s hot shooting and their defense helped build their lead. The Wolves were able to battle back after falling behind by 12 points and outscored the Bulldogs 17-11 in the last eight minutes of the first half.

Newberry trailed 36-31 at halftime., but had all of the momentum going into the locker room and it carried over in the second half.

It was a tug-of-war to start the second half as the two teams constantly traded buckets, but Newberry took their first lead of the game at the 12:47 when Drake Downs drained a three-pointer. The home team led 44-42 and that basket also got Downs going on the offensive end. He began to dominate down the stretch in the second half. The senior forward finished the night with 22 points and 12 rebounds. He was also one of four Wolves to score in double figures on the night.

Wingate would not go away quietly and went on a 7-2 to reclaim the lead and extend it. They would lead 53-46 with 10:04 left to play in the second half, but that would be their last lead for the remainder of the night. Newberry would outscore the visiting Bulldogs 31-17 for the rest of the game lead by graduate guard Drew Robinson, who finished the game with 16 points and three steals.

Newberry’s three-point shooting and their defense to fuel their run. Robinson would knock down a pair of three’s during their comeback. Malakhi Stremlow would give them a major contribution by knocking down a few outside shots and getting to the free-throw line.

Wingate’s offense took a dive in the second half and so did their shooting numbers. They only shot 40.7% from the field and 60% from the three-point line in the second half. They also had a hard time defending the Wolves big men in the second half which was a major reason why they were leading in the first half.

“It was a war of attrition. Our guards did a good job of picking us up in the first half but to be honest with you, our big guys did a great job of bringing it home. Drake Downs had 22 and 12 coming down the stretch,” said Wolves head coach Marcus Kirkland.

Newberry has now won second consecutive games to start 2026 after stumbling at the end of the first half of the season, where they loss three of their last four games to close out 2025.

“It was really not a lot of changes. These guys are coming together as a team and we are hitting their stride at the right point. We kind of looked at this part of the season with these teams we had stacked up. These all of the top teams in our lead and they are just ahead of us. We can keep getting Ws then we can keep sliding up,” said Kirkland.

The Wolves will be on the road to face Carson-Newman on Saturday, Jan. 17th. The game will tip-off at 4:00 p.m.

NEWBERRY — Wolves’ wide receiver Keith Desaussure ( Fort Dorchester) was named first team All-America by the CFB Network while linebacker Mikey Blandin (First Baptist) and center Davion Pyles (Irmo) were named to the third team.

The trio led Newberry College to its best season in school history with a school record 12 victories (12-2), the South Atlantic Conference title, three NCAA playoff victories, a regional championship and a spot in the national semifinals.

A second team AP All-America, Don Hansen honorable mention All-America, D2football Elite 100 and first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection, Desaussure led Newberry College with 1,096 yards receiving (2nd in Newberry history) on 94 receptions (school record) and 10 touchdowns (4th most).

In his Newberry career he had 163 receptions (tied for 2nd) for 1,873 yards (7th ) and 12 touchdowns (12th).

The ultimate possession receiver who is not afraid to run routes over the middle, Desaussure has compiled his 1,096 yards receiving with a long catch of only 45 yards.

He led the team with 1,152 all-purpose yards, 1,096 receiving and 36 yards rushing and completed his only pass attempt this season to Charpia for 15 yards and a first down.

Blandin was a second team AP All-America, Don Hansen honorable mention All-America, D2football Elite 100, and first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection after leading the Wolves defense with 124 total tackles, 71 solo, 10 for loss including 4.5 quarterback sacks, eight quarterback pressures, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Blandin earned the SAC Defensive Player of the Week after registering a career best 21 tackles in the Wolves win at UVA Wise in the season opener. He had four other double digit tackle games including 10 against Catawba and Carson-Newman, 11 against Wingate and 12 against Tusculum.

Against Anderson he registered nine tackles including 2.5 quarterback sacks.

In the win over Lenoir-Rhyne, he made a game saving tackle, stopping the Bears a foot short of a first down on fourth down at the Wolves 37-yard line with 2:30 left in the game. Newberry took over on downs and kicked the game winning field goal with no time remaining to win 20-17.

The Wolves did not allow a point in the fourth quarter in their four NCAA playoff games while holding Albany State (39.9/24), West Florida (39/17) and Kentucky State 35.2/24) all under their season scoring average.

A second team Don Hansen All-America selection and first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection, Pyles played in front of Harlon Hill Award finalist Charpia as Newberry improved its offensive production from averaging just 18.9 points, 115.8 yards passing and 288 yards per game over the previous two seasons to 30.8 points, 290.1 yards passing and 380.6 total yards per game in 2025.

The Wolves set a school record for most touchdown passes (32) in a season and was the sixth highest scoring team (30.7 points per game) in school history.

The Wolves finished #4 (AFCA) and #5 (D2football.com) in the final national polls, the best ever for a Newberry College team.

The Wolves tied a school record with a 10-game winning streak which wasn’t broken until the national semifinals. They were also unbeaten on the road until the semifinals stringing together six consecutive victories including a win at top region seed Albany State in the national quarterfinals, #2 region seed West Florida in the NCAA second round, UVA Wise, Lenoir-Rhyne, Tusculum and Anderson.

The 12 wins are the most in school history, eclipsing the previous record of 11-2 set by the 2006 team and became the fourth team in Newberry College history to register double digit victories in a season (2025, 2021, 2016, 2006).

The Wolves were 9-0 in one score games and in eight of those nine games the Wolves scored the decisive points in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Newberry also rallied to win three games after trailing by at least 18 points; the national quarterfinal win at Albany State (21-3), Wingate (21-0) and Emory & Henry (21-3). The Wolves came from behind eight times to earn a victory in 2025.

Newberry also posted a perfect 6-0 record against teams ranked in the final Super Region 2 poll defeating #1 Albany State, #2 West Florida, #4 Wingate, #6 Kentucky State, #9 Emory & Henry and #10 Carson-Newman.

PROSPERITY, S.C. — The Lady Rebels has been one of the most dangerous teams in recent years when the second half of the season starts and they were hoping to began to make their late season push starting in their region opener on Friday night. Unfortunately, they came up just short in an intense back-and-forth battle. Mid-Carolina(3-8, 0-1 region 3-AA) fell 54-53 to Columbia(5-7 , 1-0 region 3-AA) at home on Friday, Jan. 9, in their region opener.

The Rebels and Capitals met for the first of two meetings in the high school basketball edition of Friday Night Lights and it was an instant classic of a game.

Columbia came to battle with their hard hats and work boots on Friday looking for an upset after being swept by the Lady Rebels in the 2024-25 season series. The Lady Capitals put on a defensive clinic in the first half. They allowed just 12 points in the first quarter and only eight points in the second quarter.

Mid-Carolina found themselves trailing 30-20 at halftime for the first time against Columbia in quite some time because they didn’t trail at all in their two meetings on last season.

The Lady Rebels would have to depend on a lot of young and inexperienced talent in the second half after their two senior guards battled through foul trouble.

Mid-Carolina started the third quarter on a 4-0 run to cut into the deficit, but Columbia was able to continue to make timely shots and keep their momentum. Senior defensive guard Logann Brooks started to make her impact as the Rebels picked up their defensive pressure and extended it to a full court press. Brooks would get three steals and make to fast break lay-ups. The defensive pressure really benefited Mid-Carolina because they were able to score in transition and not give the Capitals a chance to set up their defense.

Senior guard Brea Boyd had one of her best offensive games so far this season, but it was met with some controversy. Her older brother was thrown out of the game due by a referee after a small verbal altercation. Then, Boyd was handed a technical foul by that same referee while she was shooting free throws. The sequence cost Mid-Carolina some momentum and helped the Capitals.

Regardless, the Lady Rebels went on a 9-0 run following all of that to cut the lead down to just single digits. Mid-Carolina outscored Columbia 22-15 in the third quarter. Senior forward Rielly Winder scored six of her nine total points in the third quarter to help the Rebels. They now trailed 45-42 going into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter started off with huge made three-pointer from Boyd to tie the game at 45-45. Columbia answered with a 5-0 run to give them back the lead, 50-45. Senior guard Katie Gallman was given her fifth and final foul at the 3:25 mark on the game clock. She was fighting for the ball and given a questionable hand foul during the physical play. Gallman finished the game with just five points and was scoreless in the second and fourth quarters.

Boyd wasn’t done and proceeded to knock down back-to-back three-pointers to keep Mid-Carolina in the game. They now only trailed by one point, 52-51.

The two teams would pick up their defensive pressure and the game remain scoreless for nearly a minute and half of game time. The two teams would exchange buckets to make it a 54-53 game. Boyd then received her fifth foul and fouled out of the game. She scored all 11 of Mid-Carolina’s points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high of 25 points.

Mid-Carolina trailed 54-53 with about minute left to play. Neither team could get a basket late, but the Lady Rebels still had a chance to win it with about 25 seconds left on the clock. They were able to get a rebound after a miss, and had a chance to win it but junior guard A’jayla Kibler came up short on a wide open three-point attempt and that sealed it for the Capitals.

“Well, I really didn’t have time to talk to them per se because we didn’t get a timeout. I thought about calling a timeout after the rebound and maybe set something but we didn’t run any offense the whole second half. We tried to get in offensive sets and run our stuff but they just sped us up,” said Rebels’ head coach Gary Wilbanks

He continued, “Then, we were also doing a really good job in the second half of just playing basketball. I thought about calling a timeout to set something but they just don’t really have the experience to go out there to execute something. So, I decided to just let them play. It was kind of a rush shot but it was a good look. She[Kibler] was kind of beating herself up but it’s okay. They will better because of that later on and being in that situation.”

Despite falling short, the Lady Rebels outscored Columbia 33-24 in the second half and held them to just nine points in the fourth quarter.

“Well, they sped us in the first half. We can play like that at times[more free flowing] but we don’t want to really play like that. They sped us and I am hard headed. I was still trying to call sets and we couldn’t get in them and we were turning it over. So, in the second half we just started to play basketball. We got the ball in Brea’s hands more and started to push it up the floor,” said Wilbanks.

“She is getting in better shape now after coming into the season injured and it was nagging her early on. She has looked like the old Brea the last two nights which is huge because she can make plays. She made a bunch a threes and she made plays handling the ball but we have to figure out how to finish.”

Mid-Carolina dropped the region opener and will look to regroup against Chester on the road. The two teams will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 6:00 p.m. They have now fell to 3-8 on the season and will have four huge region games coming up starting with a rematch of last year’s 3A Quarterfinals against Eau Claire on Jan. 16.

“We have loss a bunch of games like that where we get behind, then rally back to make it close but then we let it slip away at the end. Every game is going to be like that because this region is very close except for one[Clinton] of them and they are the number one team in the state. The rest of us are altogether and we have to figure out how to finish those games and get wins instead of coming up short,” Wilbanks stated.

NEWBERRY — Newberry College women’s basketball fought hard to erase a fourth quarter deficit, but it wasn’t enough and they lose a heart breaker. The Wolves(9-7, 3-6 SAC) fell 59-57 to Wingate(10-5, 5-4 SAC) at home on Wednesday, Jan. 14th.

Eleazar Arena was packed with loud fans on Wednesday evening to see their Wolves face off against a conference foe. The price of admission was worth it because this game went down to the wire and it took a last second shot to decide this game.

Neither team could get things going on the offensive end to start this game, but Newberry was able to weather the storm and led 15-13 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was the same story, but the back-and-forth continued for both teams. Newberry found themselves trailing 24-19 late in the first half and closed the half out on a 7-0 run.

The Wolves held a 26-24 lead at halftime, despite Jada Brown and Rickell Brown both struggling from the field. Marykate Kent was able to pick up the slack with her long range shooting.

The Bulldogs came out of the locker room on a mission in a third quarter and had their best field goal percentage of the game in the third quarter. They jumped out to a quick 4-0 run to reclaim the lead, 28-26. Of course, the Wolves weren’t going to let the visitors steal momentum on their home floor and were able to battle back.

Kent knocked down another three-pointer to tie the game at 34-34. The Bulldogs were able to answer and went on a 8-0 run to build a double-digit lead. They shot 53 percent from the field and made two-of-four three-point shots in the third quarter. Newberry was able to close out the quarter strong to trim the deficit, but still trailed 44-39 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started off rocky for the Wolves. They were in danger of letting the game slip away and themselves trailing 49-41 in the early parts of the fourth quarter.

Newberry then proceeds to go on a 12-2 run for the next three minutes of game time to reclaim the lead, 53-51, and shift the momentum. Wingate was forced to call a timeout with about 1:25 left in regulation and the Newberry fans were all out of their seats cheering.

The Wolves’ run was fueled by Rickell Brown and Leigha Harris. Both players picked up their scoring in the fourth quarter. Harris finished with a double-double, 13 points and 10 rebounds. Brown finished the game with 13 points, five rebounds and five steals.

Wingate was able to score an easy basket out of the timeout to tie the game at 53-53, but Harris answered immediately by knocking down a jumper on the next possession. Newberry held a 55-53 lead with 57 seconds left to play.

The Bulldogs responded by drawing the foul and making both free-throws to tie the game again, 55-55. Newberry then tried to answer quickly, but had a crucial turnover down the stretch with about 35 seconds left in regulation. They were forced to foul after the timeout and Wingate knocked down both free-throws. They now led 57-55 with 16 seconds left in the final period.

Newberry was desperately searching for basket to tie the game and they went to Kent who had the hot hand. Unfortunately, she came up short on the three-point attempt but Jada Brown secured the rebound and was fouled. She knocked down both free-throws with no problems and the game was tied 57-57 with three seconds left to play.

Wingate called a timeout to regroup and hopefully draw up a game winning play. The Bulldogs were able to find Laura Montiel in the paint on a cross court pass that went over three Wolves’ defenders heads and she made a great move to make a tough layup. Newberry had only .6 seconds left on the clock and threw up at a full court prayer that was no good.

Despite the loss, Kent finished with 17 points for Newberry and they outscored Wingate 18-15 in the fourth quarter while overcoming a deficit.

“Well one, if you guys know basketball then you know you don’t lose on the last possession. We had 27 turnovers. We won three of the four quarters with stops and scores but we got outscored in the third quarter 20-13. So, you don’t lose games on the last possession. We missed four free throws and threw the ball away 27 times. Our goal every game is under 12 turnovers. That means you valued the basketball, gave them[opponents] less opportunities to score and give us more opportunities to score,” said Wolves head coach Johnette Walker.

She continued, “If you turn the ball over only 12 times you beat these top half [of the conference] teams by 15 or maybe even 20 but if you throw the ball over 27 times then you have no chance of beating a team. So, you don’t lose on the possession. Our plan was to switch everything and stay between your man and the basket. We lost this one when we decided not to play defense in the third quarter. We lost it when decided to throw the ball away 27 times to a team that zoned you for 24 minutes of the game, not even pressured you in your jersey but zone. That’s how you lose this game not on the last possession.”

Newberry College losing streak extends to three games now and they will have to try to regroup on the road against Carson-Newman. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 17th with a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.

I absolutely dread flying. Traveling solo has its perks — you move at the beat of your own drum — but you also have to deal with sitting next to a stranger on a flight. Not bueno.

Luckily for me, I’m the type of person who always manages to make a friend on the plane. I know some of you are thinking “stranger danger” and that I shouldn’t mutter more than a “how are you?” But to be fair, these strangers got past TSA, so I figure there’s nothing to fear.

A little over a week ago, I was traveling back to North Carolina. There was one small catch: I was traveling with dengue fever. I literally went to the Mexican desert, yet somehow ended up almost taken out by a mosquito — I blame the lagoon-side walks. “Wear bug repellent,” they said, yet I chose not to listen. Lesson learned. Fortunately, dengue can’t spread from person to person, so the only person suffering was me.

To say I wasn’t in a friendly mood was an understatement, but even in my zombie-like state, with an insane amount of saltine crackers in my purse, I made a friend on a 2-hour flight to Denver. Shocked? So was I.

A few years back, I once watched someone’s suitcase at the airport. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have — the airport advises you to watch your own belongings — but it led to me making a friend with that woman and sitting next to her on the plane. I’ve had countless conversations with fellow travelers about vacations, hometowns, and what brought us to the airport that day. Everyone has a story: some are visiting family after years apart, some are attending a funeral, some are embarking on their highly anticipated Euro trip.

While most travelers are excited, some of us dread every moment of being confined in an airplane, unsure if the ride will be smooth — or if we’ll be stuck next to a crying baby or a teen aggressively kicking our seat. I remember once being in absolute tears at the gate after hugging my family goodbye. A woman noticed, made small talk, and helped distract me. Little gestures like that matter. Strangers you meet while traveling aren’t so bad after all.

Despite my strong dislike of being in the air, traveling solo has a surprising upside. Between the stories shared, the kindness of strangers, and the unexpected friendships made, I’ve learned that even the worst flights can offer small moments of connection. In the end, the journey — chaotic turbulence, mosquito bites, and all — is often just as memorable as the destination.

Officers responded to Swittenburg Drive in Prosperity to a person with a single gunshot wound to the lower leg. EMS and Prosperity Rescue responded to the scene and transported the person to an area hospital. The social media post said the wound did not appear to be life-threatening and that the two individuals appeared to know one another.

NEWBERRY — On January 3, the Carolinian Society held its annual Ball at The Old Newberry Hotel. Members and guests were received during the evening by this season’s debutantes and son and their mothers, along with Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Paul Bayuk, chairpersons of the Board of Governors.

Following a reception, James Channing Franklin introduced the Carolinian Society members who presented the debutantes and son. The presentations were followed by the Grand March, after which guests enjoyed dinner and dancing.

Miss Amelia Linden Long, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. John Norris Long, was presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Alfred Gaillard Pickney Smith.

Miss Julianna French Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Boyd Smith, was presented by her father and escorted by Mr. Grant Waldorf Taylor.

Mr. Alfred Gaillard Pickney Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Boyd Smith, was presented by his father.

Serving on the Board of Governors with Dr. and Mrs. Bayuk are Dr. and Mrs. John Campbell Lake, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Sean Frank Pomeroy, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Blackwell Johnson, Jr., and Dr. Charles Clinton Harshaw.

The Ball Committee was chaired by Mr. and Mrs. James Channing Franklin and included Mr. and Mrs. Kevin William Whitesides and Mr. and Mrs. Jared Luther Long.

NEWBERRY — Nineteen new charter members of the Greater Newberry Chapter of the Top Ladies of Distinction Inc. were inducted during a ceremony held on Nov. 23, 2025. These women have demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, service, excellence, and they embody the values and mission of this esteemed organization.

Each new member brings unique talents, perspectives, and a passion for uplifting the Newberry community. Their dedication to civic engagement, professional growth, and humanitarian service reflects the high standards of Top Ladies of Distinction. Chapter President Lady Patricia Caldwell is confident that the newest Charter Members will strive to empower the community while embracing today’s youth, nurturing seniors and advancing a legacy of service.

The charge to the new ladies was given by the National President and CEO of TLOD, Inc. Lady Eddie Lee Marsh.

The Greater Newberry chapter will continue focusing on enhancing the lives of youth and adults by utilizing organization five thrust;

1. Top Teens of America

2. Women’s Status,

3. Senior Citizens,

4. Community Beautification, and

5. Community Partnerships.

These ladies look forward to their active participation and the positive impact they will undoubtedly make in Newberry Community. Together, they’ll continue to move forward with purpose, distinction, and unity.

NEWBERRY COUNTY — After an extensive search, Newberry County Council has named William Theodore “Ted” Luckadoo as the county’s new administrator.

“I am honored that Newberry County Council has selected me to serve as the next county administrator and grateful for the trust they are placing in me to continue forward with their vision,” said Luckadoo. “I will bring my experiences, knowledge, energy and enthusiasm into this role and use every day as an opportunity to improve all aspects of our services.”

Luckadoo brings approximately 14 years of government experience to Newberry County government. He currently serves as a deputy county administrator for Lexington County and previously served as town manager for Batesburg-Leesville.

Luckadoo holds a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Public Administration from the American Military University.

“Newberry County Council is pleased to welcome Mr. Luckadoo as Newberry County’s new county administrator. We believe Mr. Luckadoo will bring valuable experience and expertise to Newberry County,” said Robert Shealy, chairman of Newberry County Council. “While we are sad to see Jeff Shacker retire, we thank him for his leadership during a crucial time and

wish him well.”

Luckadoo said he looks forward to serving Newberry County and participating in the next steps toward the county’s future and long-term vision

The new admin will start in February.

NEWBERRY COUNTY — Newberry County Council recognized Friendly Fire Department Station 1 and Newberry Rescue Station 14 during last week’s council meeting, continuing the tradition started last in 2025 where council takes a moment to recognize emergency services across the county for their continued service.

Friendly Fire Chief Joe Palmer took a moment to thank council for the recognition and said with their current 24 members that they want to continue to provide the best possible service to their fellow neighbors.

During his remarks, Palmer also encouraged council to use the time during special recognitions to ask four basic questions to the organizations that come before them each month: 1.) the number of calls that this entity has responded to for its core function over the past year; 2.) the average number of persons from that department alone; 3.) the time and minutes it took to get a county-owned emergency vehicle on the scene; and 4.) the percentage of persons that exist on each one of those rosters that are licensed or certified to carry out their core functions.

“Asking these questions will take a few moments of your time, but I think you must know the answers to these questions,” Palmer said.

For Friendly Fire, Palmer said in 2025 they answered 298 calls for service with a portion of those being building/structure fires. The average response from their station alone (not the entire county) was 1.89 persons.

“The entire county, when I did the research, the average response from all departments was 2.45. It took Friendly Fire Department, on average, 19 minutes, to get a county-owned vehicle on the scene. So you called 911 and now you have to wait 19 minutes before you get a fire truck on the scene of your house. I bring that to light to ask if that is acceptable to you,” he said.

“I’m very proud to be affiliated with these hardworking people sitting behind me - they’re giving all they can give, but they need help. In the coming months, you’ll see a plan developed by the county fire chiefs, staff, administration and several other jurisdictions. That plan will offer an honest evaluation and hopefully vision and plan for you going forward. We need and very much appreciate your thanks here tonight, but we need help and we need action,” Palmer added.

Brandon Wicker, on behalf of Newberry Rescue Station 14, said they currently have 27 members and highlighted the numerous certifications within their organization. The group covers 298 square miles of Newberry County and 30 miles of interstate. Wicker noted that they also are on hand for Newberry College games as well as high school games within the district as well as assisting with events like the annual Spartan Race that draws hundreds to Newberry.

Other business:

• Council unanimously voted to accept the nominations of Robert Shealy and Karl Sease and Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively for the 2026 calendar year.

• Council passed the third reading for an ordinance authorizing the execution and delivery of a fee agreement by and between Newberry County and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, providing for a payment of fee in lieu of taxes, providing special source revenue credits and addressing other matters related.

• Council passed the second reading of an ordinance amending the zoning map to rezone one real estate parcel totaling .80 acres from RS-Single Family to R2-Rural.

• Council approved a recommendation to award an engineering and consulting contract to Kimley Horn for the Newberry County - Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Planning and Demonstration Project. The grant was for $240,000 with a county match of $60,000.

• Council unanimously approved the proposed 2026 County Council Committee Meeting Schedule and the proposed Newberry County FY 2026-27 Budget Calendar.

• Following an Executive Session, a motion was made and passed to offer the County Administrator position to William Luckadoo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Newberry College is proud to announce that four members of the Wolves field hockey program have been selected to the 2025 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II Atlantic All-Region Teams. The postseason honors recognize standout performers who played a central role in one of the strongest seasons in program history.

The NFHCA All-Region awards honor the top field hockey players across Division II institutions, with selections made by regional committees based on performance, impact and season consistency.

First Team All-Region

1. Parker Keeler, Forward

2. Emma Westbrook, Forward

Second Team All-Region

1. Wibien Dahmen, Forward

2. Payton Keeler, Midfielder

NEWBERRY — Wolves basketball standout Jada Brown has been named the South Atlantic Conference WePlayed Sports Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for games played during week seven of the 2025-26 season, the Conference announced today.

Brown, a freshman from Richmond Hill, Ga., keyed an overtime win for Newberry against Tusculum on Saturday. Brown poured in a career-best 25 points and added a career-high 15 rebounds in the Wolves 75-71 win. She made 10-of-14 field goals, all five free throw attempts, dished out two assists, had a steal and grabbed 10 offensive rebounds to spark the Wolves to their third consecutive conference win.

Over her last two games, Brown has scored 35 points, grabbed 29 rebounds and made 15 of 21 shots for 71.4%.

The Wolves are 9-3 overall and 3-3 in the South Atlantic Conference and are off to their best start since the 2018-19 season (11-3) and are the most wins for the program since the 2021-22 season.

NEWBERRY — Running back Jonah Norris (Lexington HS), kicker Burke Nettles (Kingsland, Ga.), defensive tackle Brandon Pontoon (Wagener-Salley HS), center Davion Pyles (Irmo HS), offensive tackle Vance Ventry (Rock Hill Northwestern HS), linebacker Charles Smith (Dorman HS), tight end Gray Leaphart (Gilbert HS) and linebacker Bryce Foster (Greer HS) were named to the 2025 NCAA Division 2 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Men’s Soccer Team.

To be eligible, student-athletes must be a sophomore and have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and compete in 90 percent of the institution’s games.

Norris and Foster are majoring in Physical Education Teacher Certification, Nettles is a graduate student majoring in Leadership, Pontoon is majoring in Computer Science, Pyles is majoring in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum, Ventry and Smith in Business Administration and Leaphart in Computer Science.

NEWBERRY — Newberry senior Drake Downs has been named the South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office.

Downs, a senior from Simpsonville, S.C., delivered an efficient and impactful week for Newberry College, averaging 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 56.3 percent from the field across two South Atlantic Conference contests in just 25.5 minutes per game. He opened the week with 16 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks at Lenoir-Rhyne, then followed with a standout showing in an 82–72 victory over Lincoln Memorial, pouring in 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting (61.1%) while adding five rebounds and a steal. The honor marks the second time this season Downs has received the recognition.

The Wolves return home on Wednesday, January 14, hosting Wingate at 7:30 p.m.

PROSPERITY, S.C. — The Rebels varsity boys’ basketball opened region play with a huge comeback win after they erased a 20-point second half deficit. Mid-Carolina(7-8, 1-0 region 3-AA) defeated Columbia(3-14, 0-1 region 3-AA) 64-61 on Friday, Jan. 9th at home.

The Rebels opened region play with the basketball edition of ‘Friday Night Lights’ and they shined the brightest under those lights.

Mid-Carolina got off to an abysmal start and only scored four points in the first quarter. Columbia jumped out to a 20-4 lead in the first quarter and looked like they were going to run away with the win.

The second quarter was much better for the Rebels because they were about to outscore the visitors 19-11 point.. The Rebels’ back court really got things going for the team on offensive side of the ball in that quarter. Senior point guard Justice Scott and junior shooting guard Landen Wicker got things going on the offensive end. Both were able to knock down a three-pointer and scored five points each in the quarter.

Mid-Carolina was able to cut their deficit down to single digits and trailed 31-23 at the half. The third quarter went much like the first quarter.

The Capitals started the quarter on 8-3 run to start the second half and their lead jumped back up to a 16-point lead, 39-23. They weren’t done and the lead jumped up to as many as 20 points before the Rebels began to make their run.

Mid-Carolina closed the quarter on 9-1 run to cut their deficit down, and went into the fourth quarter trailing 45-32.

Things got interesting in the final quarter because Mid-Carolina probably played their best quarter of the season so far. The quarter started with Wicker knocking down a huge three-pointer to cut it down to single digits. Their run continued and they were able get their first lead of the game, 46-45.

Columbia wasn’t going away quietly and they were able to match Mid-Carolina’s run with one of their own. They were able to score seven straight points and take a commanding 53-46 lead with about four minutes left in the game. Junior forward Landon Templin began to make his presence felt in the game by coming up with every loose ball, grabbing offensive rebounds to give his team second opportunities and getting it done on the defensive end. He finished the game with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Treyvon Smith also picked up his play late in the game. The eighth grade sensation scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

The Rebels found themselves trailing 53-48 with under three minutes left to play. Templin hit a big shot to cut the lead down, 53-50. Columbia went down to score a big bucket and the back-and-forth continued.

Wicker hit another big shot from three to cut the lead down to just three points, 57-54. The two teams traded a pair of free throws in the final minute to keep Columbia’s lead at three points, 59-56. Mid-Carolina missed a huge shot late but the basketball gods were working overtime that night.

The Rebels were forced to foul and Columbia missed the first of two free throw attempts. Then, they committed a lane violation on the second attempt to wave off the shot and give Mid-Carolina the ball back. Smith made the Capitals pay by getting a put back on the next possession to cut the lead down to just one point, 59-58, in the final 30 seconds.

Mid-Carolina was forced to foul again to save some clock, and Columbia made both free throw attempts. No worries because Levi Harr hit the shot of shots. The Rebels quickly pushed the ball up the floor and the sophomore guard ran hard off of a baseline screen to get to his spot. He then drills a corner three-pointer to tie the game at 61-61 with about 15 seconds left to play.

Columbia had trouble with the full court pressure and called a timeout after not having any left. Yes, the Capitals pulled a Chris Webber and Templin knocked down both free-throws after Columbia was handed the technical foul.

Mid-Carolina erased their 20-point second half deficit to get the win. Four players scored in double figures for the Rebels. Wicker finished the game with 17 points and Scott had 11 points along with the clutch performances from Smith and Templin. The Mid-Carolina student section stormed the court after the game as well.

The Rebels followed that big win with another one against Chester on Tuesday, Jan. 13th. They defeated the Cyclones 67-66 in overtime to start off region play 2-0. Mid-Carolina varsity boys will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 16th against Eau Claire at 8:00 p.m.

NEWBERRY — The Newberry College Athletics Department ranks #19 out of 302 NCAA Division 2 programs in the final fall Learfield Directors’ Cup standings.

It’s the highest ranking ever for the program.

The ranking was achieved by the finishes by the Wolves’ field hockey (national championship game) and football (national semifinals) teams.

1. UC Colorado Springs

2. Wingate

3. Colorado School of Mines

4. Anderson

5. Grand Valley State

6. West Florida

6. Western Colorado

8. Flagler

8. Western Washington

10. Cal Poly Pomona

11. Gannon

12. Franklin Pierce

13. Kutztown

14. Pittsburg State

15. Washburn

16. Point Loma Nazarene

17. West Texas A&M

18. Minnesota State

19. Newberry College

19. Bentley

19. Ferris State

22. Cedarville

23. Adams State

24. Indianapolis

25. Shippensburg

PROSPERITY —When Robert Martin was first elected to Prosperity Town Council in 2012, he didn’t know that one day it would lead him to now be filling the position of Mayor of Prosperity. Last year, conversations began about who would fill the role when former mayor Derek Underwood began to consider not running for re-election.

“Derek told us (Council) that he didn’t think he was going to run in 2026. My name kept coming up in conversations. I had a lengthy conversation with my wife and decided I was going to run for mayor. It was not on my radar at all and my wife said she thought I should do it,” Martin said. “Derek put his faith in me running for mayor.”

After officially being sworn in as mayor on Jan. 2 alongside Councilman Mike Hawkins and newly elected Councilwoman McKeva Kinard-Shelton, Martin said not much will change, however, there is plenty to look forward to, including making progress on the One Cent Sales Tax money that has been going on the last couple of years and renovations to the Town Square, to name a few.

Aside from serving as councilman for a number of years, Martin is well-known in the community as a real estate agent and is already present in the community something he’s looking to do as he takes on the role of mayor.

“Since I’m in town, I’ll be able to be in the office more,” he said. “We’ve got an extremely good group of people here, but what can we do to make ourselves better? That’s why it’s important to have conversations with people because we can always get better at what we’re doing. Listening is one of the easiest things to do.”

Martin reiterated the good group of people working within the Town of Prosperity, from town administration and public works to the police department.

“I’m proud to sit here and be called mayor and working with them,” he said.

The next scheduled Prosperity Town Council meeting, slated for Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. will be the first official meeting with Martin at the forefront. He said the meeting will likely last longer than usual as Council discusses goals for the year and appointments are made.

“We want to work to make sure we’re doing the best job we can,” he said.

NEWBERRY — The Newberry College men’s wrestling team put together several strong individual performances but came up short in a hard fought 26 to 18 loss to UNC Pembroke.

The Wolves opened the dual with momentum at 125 pounds as Ricky Springs secured a 12-9 decision over Cooper Davis to put Newberry on the board early. Newberry continued to build its lead at 133, where Caiden Pelc earned a fall at 2:08 against #6 Logan Robinson. At 141 pounds, Cole McCullough kept the run going with a first period pin of Donovan Edwards at 1:52, giving the Wolves an early 15-0 advantage.

UNC Pembroke responded with a rally through the middle weights. The Braves picked up team points at 149, 157, and 165 pounds, cutting into the Newberry lead and shifting momentum.

Newberry answered back at 197 pounds, where John Parker delivered a key 6-1 decision over Jackson Buck to keep the Wolves within striking distance heading into the final bouts.

UNC Pembroke sealed the dual late with victories at 184 and heavyweight, including a major decision at 285 pounds, to secure the 26-18 win.

Despite the loss, the Wolves showed resilience and competitive depth, highlighted by two falls and multiple gritty performances throughout the lineup. Newberry will look to build on those positives as the team continues its season. The Wolves will return to the mat on January 7th, at Ferrum University in Ferrum, VA.

MONTGOMERY, AL — The Newberry College women’s wrestling team competed Saturday at the Lady Red Hawk Open, hosted by Huntingdon College, gaining valuable mat time against a deep field of collegiate and unattached competitors.

The Wolves were led by Lainey Hooper at 117 pounds, who put together the team’s strongest run of the tournament. After a first-round setback, Hooper battled back through the consolation bracket with a pair of dominant technical fall victories over Huntingdon’s Aryiana Reid and Brooke Madden, both by 10–0 scores. Hooper’s run came to an end in the consolation third round, but her two wins accounted for Newberry’s four team points on the day.

At 103 pounds, Celeste Welch faced a challenging draw, opening against Huntingdon’s Jordan Epstein before continuing in the consolation rounds. Welch fought through her matches against opponents from Huntingdon and the University of Rio Grande, gaining experience against high-level competition.

Trinity Halls (124) opened the tournament with a bye before running into tough opposition from Life University and UCF, while Brittany Gordon (131) also advanced past a first-round bye and tested herself against nationally experienced wrestlers from Emmanuel Unattached and Montreat.

Newberry had multiple entries at 138 pounds, with Summer McKeen and Mia Proctor both seeing action. Each wrestler faced strong opponents from the University of Rio Grande, Montreat, and unattached programs, using the event as an opportunity to continue developing against a competitive field.

In the upper weights, Shayanna Shell (180) and Riley Stokes (207) represented the Wolves. Shell battled wrestlers from Montreat and Life University, while Stokes competed against opponents from Mount Olive and the host school Huntingdon.

The Wolves will hit the mat again on February 3rd against Mount Olive University in Eleazer Arena.

NEWBERRY — Newberry High School varsity boys’ basketball team hosted the Bennie Bennet Classic from Dec. 27-30 and unfortunately took their third loss of the season in the second day of the holiday tournament. The Bulldogs(6-3) fell 83-65 to Camden(8-2) on Monday, Dec. 29.

Newberry cruised to a win against American Leadership Academy on the opening day for the tournament, but had trouble against a scrappy Camden team in day two.

Camden started the game off on a 6-1 run to jump out to an early lead, but the home team Bulldogs stormed back on a 9-4 run to tie the game at 10-10. The visiting Camden Bulldogs took control of the game and built up another lead. They closed the quarter out on 14-6 run and held a 24-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started off with Camden building themselves a double digit lead and getting their biggest lead of the game, 35-20. Newberry was forced to call a timeout and regroup.

It was just what the doctor ordered because the home team Newberry Bulldogs put together another impressive run led by their full court defensive pressure and senior guard Jason Dunbar. He finished the first half with 12 points and had eight in the second quarter. He also added two steals and an impressive breakaway dunk at the buzzer to cut into the deficit.

Newberry trailed 41-40 at halftime.

The third quarter opened with Newberry got their first lead of the game since they lead 1-0 in the opening minute of the game.

Le’Matthis ‘Tank’ Whitener began to make his presence felt in the third quarter for Newberry. He provided a great spark off the bench and put Camden’s big men in foul trouble. Unfortunately, Newberry couldn’t overcome the sloppy turnovers and couldn’t keep the Camden guards out of the lane, where they were driving and kicking it back out to open shooters.

Newberry still trailed 65-55 going into the fourth quarter. The final quarter was a disaster for Newberry and Camden took complete control of the game. Dunbar was the only one scoring consistently for the home team and Camden kept knocking down shots and forcing turnovers with their defensive pressure.

Dunbar finished with a team-high of 20 points and had three steals. Whitener scored in double figures as well, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Camden.