CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan took down the Coker Cobras in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon in a 3-0 final score.

The Warriors totaled 39 kills in the victory over the Cobras with Karson Haley leading the team with 13. Haley was closely followed by Angel Jimenez with 12 kills. Katie Fulton picked up 21 assists. Southern Wesleyan’s two aces came off the hands of Faith Paxton and Ellie Moore.

Of the 64 digs in the match, libero Faith Paxton had 15 with Angel Jimenez following with 14. Katie Fulton recorded 13 digs and Ellie Moore had 10. Gracie Wilson led the team with four blocks.

How It Happened

Set One

Southern Wesleyan took the first point of set one as Karson Haley drilled the ball down for a kill. Coker countered on the next point with a kill by Cayla Gilmore. However, the Warriors pushed on with kills by Haley and Angel Jimenez and a block by Gracie Wilson. Kills by Gilmore and Naomi Earl-Reyes put the Cobras back within two, but the Warriors pushed on as Angel Jimenez and Sarah Mitchell laid down back-to-back kills to extend the Warriors lead to 9-5. Southern Wesleyan would not relent as Jimenez put down several more kills. The Cobras went on a short run led by a kill by Naomi Earl-Reyes and an ace by Maddy Roberts, but kills by Karson Haley and Ellie Moore stopped their attack. With the help of a kill by Gracie Wilson, the Warriors claimed the first set 25-20.

Set Two

Coker attacked early in the second set as a block by Kailyn Ivey thwarted the Warriors’ attack. However, the Warriors quickly countered with kills by Ellie Moore and Karson Haley. Kills by Angel Jimenez and Katie Fulton allowed the Warriors to tie the set up. The Cobras struck once more this time off the hands of Cayla Gilmore and Alyssa Carey to give them back the lead. The Warriors and Cobras battled back and forth over the next few points as they exchanged the lead on several occasions. Southern Wesleyan would not back down as back-to-back kills by Karson Haley and Megan Gilliland allowed the Warriors to claim the second set in a 25-23 final score.

Set Three

The Warriors charged out of the gate in the final set as blocks by Gracie Wilson and Ellie Moore, and attack errors by the Cobras allowed them to take an early 5-0 lead. Coker countered with blocks by Cayla Gilmore and Kailyn Ivey to cut into the Warriors lead. Southern Wesleyan was not discouraged as kills by Karson Haley, Angel Jimenez and Sarah Mitchell allowed them to take an 11-5 point lead. The Cobras fought back as they blocked a couple attacks and then Alyssa Carey served in an ace to put them right back within two points of the Warriors. Haley laid down a couple more kills, and then both Haley and Gracie Wilson went up for a block to regain the Warriors five point advantage. A kill by Angel Jimenez allowed the Warriors to take the final set of the match in a 25-20 final score.

What’s Next

Southern Wesleyan will open up Conference Carolinas action on September 25 as they host the Converse Valkyries at 6 p.m. They will continue conference play on September 27-28 as they host the Chowan Hawks (Sept. 27 at 6 p.m.) and the Barton Bulldogs (28th at 2pm). They will then hit the road on October 1 as they travel to Due West, SC to take on the Erskine Flying Fleet.

CENTRAL — Southern Wesleyan picked up their first Conference Carolinas victory of the season as they took down the Shorter Hawks in a 4-1 final score.

The Warriors took 13 shots with six being on target during the match up. Tipton Wright took the most shots in the match for the Warriors with four. Behind him both Brody Schroeder and Leonardo Flores had three shots. Schroeder, Flores, Gabriel Melendez and Dillon Bennett each scored. Tipton Wright led the team with two of the three assists. The other assist came off a pass by Alberto Esquivel.

Southern Wesleyan collected five corner kicks in the match compared to the Hawks three. Luke Bramblett played all ninety minutes in goal for the Warriors and picked up two saves.

Coach Fernandez says…

“I am happy that we obtained our first conference win as a team. It was a difficult game given the heat as well as the rival. There is a lot more work to be done. Today’s result is something we will look to build upon.”

How It Happened

Southern Wesleyan went on the attack early as Brody Schroeder and Leonardo Flores each took shots on the goal, but the Hawks prevented each of the attacks from being successful. The Warriors would not back down as senior captain Tipton Wright crossed the ball over to Brody Schroeder. Schroeder drilled the ball into the net to give the Warriors the 1-0 goal advantage. The Hawks countered with a couple shots of their own off the feet of Leo Barajas and Charles Garcia, but Luke Bramblett and Southern Wesleyan’s defensive line stood strong to thwart their attacks. With just under twenty left in the half, Alberto Esquivel sent the ball up to Dillon Bennett who got the ball past the Hawks’ goalkeeper to extend the Warriors lead to 2-0 at halftime.

A foul in the box early in the second half allowed Leonardo Flores to come up to the penalty mark. Flores got the ball past the Hawks goalkeeper to push the Warriors lead to three. However, minutes later, a foul in the box on the other end of the field allowed Shorter to counter with a penalty goal of their own off the foot of Charles Garcia to cut the Warriors lead back down to two. Southern Wesleyan pushed on as Tipton Wright took several shots on the goal, but Rasmus Berg saved each attack to prevent the Warriors from extending on their lead. With just under thirteen on the clock, Wright crossed the ball over to Gabriel Melendez. Melendez sent the ball into the goal to give the Warriors a 4-1 goal victory over the Hawks.

What’s Next

Southern Wesley will travel to Tigerville, SC to take on the North Greenville Crusaders on September 27 at 7:30 p.m. The Warriors will return home on October 2 to host the Emmanuel Lions at 7:30 p.m.

EASLEY — It all starts on the O Line.

That popular saying holds true, too, for the Easley High School football team. They are dialed in this season, run-blocking for the scrappy Aaron Tolbert and pass-blocking for the rifle-arm of Jay Stoker.

“We’ve got some guys back and some position-battles going on,” said EHS head coach Sam Houston, recently at practice. “All of these guys compete with each other. It’s a good group.”

Overall, it’s been a bit of a work-in-progress for the Green Wave offensive line.

First, they are adjusting to a first-year coach on the O Line in Brian Strickland.

“It was kind of a get-to-know-you stage because I came in during spring practice,” said Strickland. “It’s new and I do things differently than they are accustomed to, but they’ve adjusted well to it.”

Strickland is in his first year of coaching the O Line at Easley, but he brings plenty of experience to the forefront.

“I’ve been coaching for 32 years,” Strickland said. “I’ve been a head coach and I’ve been a coordinator, but probably the thing I enjoy the most is coaching the offensive line. They are a special group of kids. Not a lot of primadonnas in that group.”

Junior Jaxon Wilson (No. 66) has been widely regarded as the “anchor” of the Green Wave offensive line. He can play guard or tackle or wherever is needed in the trenches for Easley.

“He (Wilson) comes to work every day, he plays hard and is vocal when he needs to be,” said Strickland.

One big boost to the Easley O Line has been the return of senior Jeb Bishop after a foot injury last season.

“He (Bishop) sort of solidified our rotation,” said Strickland. “We were kind of scrambling our first couple of games, playing people in different positions. Now, we’ve been able to settle into a five-man rotation.”

Cole Watkins is another “constant” on the Easley line at center and he is also a standout wrestler. Watkin is only a sophomore and he brings a solid 1-2 punch in the future with Wilson also returning.

Junior Brody Lesley (No. 75) had a really good preseason and is one they are counting on this season.

Not to be overlooked on the O Line is sophomore Kaleb Davis (No. 73).

“I call him (Davis) our sixth man,” Strickland said. “He’s our backup at everything but center. He’s played in every game and has played a different position in every game. He’s just a sophomore and has done a really good job learning that sort of stuff - taking on that role and embracing it.”

Senior tackle Zayden Smith (No. 53) and junior Henry Masterson (No. 77) help round out the EHS O Line.

Before the game even started, Scoot Watson said he had to do two things for his JL Mann team to defeat Easley 55-6 last Friday night.

“We definitely have to stop their running game and not give away big plays down the field in the passing game,” said JL Mann coach Scoot Watson.

And that they did.

Easley quarterback Jay Stoker was held to 6-of-28 passing accuracy for 55 yards and two interceptions. Running back Aaron Tolbert had 15 carries for 30 yards.

“Execution was the main thing tonight when you play those high-level teams,” said Green Wave coach Sam Houston. “Scoot has done a great job of turning that program around and we’ll get back ready to work on Sunday.”

The lone touchdown of the night for Easley came in the third quarter when Stoker connected with Matthew Hillstock for a 21-yard touchdown.

The Green Wave will return home on Friday for homecoming when they host Woodmont.

JL Mann, which goes to 3-1 on the season, piled up 470 yards of total offense. QB McLeod Darnell was 18-of-26 for 218 yards and 4 touchdowns.

In other action, Pickens held on for a 35-26 victory over Blue Ridge. Liberty also rolled to a 60-41 victory over Walhalla.

Clemson fans: The Tigers football team continued rolling with a 59-35 win over North Carolina State. Clemson moved up to No. 17 in the AP top 25 Poll on Sunday afternoon and then 15th ranked in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

Crews and Hoops: Easley sharpshooter Ethan Crews, playing for the Elite 60 team this past weekend in Charlotte, had another big game in a 53-48 loss to St. Josephs. Crews had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, had 5 rebounds and 1 steal.

EASLEY — A man who was caught with child sexual abuse material — while out on bond for previous child pornography charges — has been sentenced to prison.

Gabriel Hostetler plead guilty on Tuesday to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to reports, in June of 2021, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office was conducting an investigation into the use of a file-sharing network for the distribution and possession of child porn. A special agent found a user that was making files of child sexual abuse material available to share and determined the material was coming from a home in Inman.

Hostetler was arrested and admitted to authorities to using his cell phone to share footage of child sex abuse. Investigators at the time said they had found “multiple images” on his device.

He was arrested and charged with 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Fast forward to September 2022, special investigator Kevin Atkins with the Attorney General’s Office was conducting a similar investigation and found child sex abuse material being shared from a home in Easley.

Investigators learned Hostetler was living at the residence with a family member while out on bond for his initial charges. He once again admitted to using his phone for child porn and investigators found more illegal images.

As per his plea agreement, Hostetler was sentenced to six years in prison and given credit for 787 days served in jail. He will be required to register as a sex offender when released, officials said.

Additionally, Hostetler has more charges pending out of Spartanburg County, according to court records.

EASLEY — You’ve heard that saying: “Attitude is everything.”

Acie Vincent has that type of winning attitude to the Easley High School cross country team.

She’s only a junior, but she’s more like a hungry senior on the team with a bright future ahead of her.

“I love school. I love to learn and I love to run,” said the 16-year-old Vincent at a recent practice. “I would love to run in college. I want to keep my grades up and be the best version of myself. I’d love to make it on my own and make a name for myself through my own hard work.”

Academically, Vincent is No. 8 in her class with a 4.989 GPA on a weighted scale. Her favorite classes at EHS are an AP Art Class and then an AP Lit class where it is “focused entirely” on reading.

So, she is right on track to run in college.

“Originally, I was like let’s go far away from home (to college) as possible,” said Vincent. “Then, I recently went on a mission trip with my church and we were away from home for quite awhile. I realized that the people here and the people that built me - I need them around me to make me happy. I probably wouldn’t want to go anymore than two hours (from home) and any size of college. I’m definitely a small-group person, but I also love meeting new people. I don’t really know what I like, so I’m up for anything.”

The highs and lows of running have made her tougher, too, in learning how to get through injuries and bounce back.

Last year during track season, Vincent had a tough decision to make with the one mile and the two mile.

The end result was a state championship.

“I was originally going to compete in the mile and the two mile (at state),” she said. “I won the two mile and was second in the mile - that’s how I was placed to be at state, but I hurt my knee and wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to run at all. I was going through rehab and all the special work. Nothing was getting better.

“I get to the track meet and said there is no way I’m going to be able to run both of these (races). I love the mile, but there was something in me. I’m a very religious person and I believe that God was in me and he was like hey, let’s run the two mile. It was the hardest race of my entire life. It was burning hot and there were a million people there. I had to go to rehab awhile afterwards, but I was able to win (in 11:08) with a hurt knee. It felt pretty good … that was my biggest accomplishment.”

Vincent entered this cross country season at the No. 8 ranked runner in cross country (ranging from Class 1A to 5A).

Green Wave coach Braxton Sheriff said that he’s seen a big change in Vincent the last couple of years, especially when she decided to transition to full-time running after stepping down from volleyball.

“She’s a great athlete, a great student and a great girl,” Sheriff said. “She’s one of our captains for us. She’s starting to grow as a leader and I’m really excited to see what she’ll do this year. She has the opportunity to be one of the top girls in the state.”

Acie is the daughter of Julie and Chris Vincent.

I woke up Monday morning with terrible anxiety — a feeling I’m not typically prone to without reason. Nervously, I paced the house, looking for something amiss only to find … nothing.

My kids were happily eating breakfast, no (new) crisis had erupted at work, my husband was still sleeping.

Everything was fine, so why couldn’t I shake this feeling that something terrible either had — or was about to — happen?

I’m still feeling it.

Anxiety is a weird feeling: My stomach twists all up in knots and I feel, oddly enough, guilty — like I had wronged someone (although for the life of me, I can’t imagine what it was I did.)

In my case it’s usually associated with stress about money and finances but with the exception of a hefty Amazon order, all my bills are (mostly) paid up right now.

So what was it? It was driving me crazy.

To compensate, when this feeling strikes I tend to flip over into what I refer to as “over-apologetic mode,” which is where I find myself saying “sorry” for things — little things — that totally aren’t my fault.

For instance: At the store recently there was this group of four or five people standing and chatting in the middle of the aisle. They made a half-hearted attempt to make room to let me pass but I didn’t need to get by, I needed the jar of marinara sauce they were blocking on the shelf behind them.

They looked annoyed when I motioned to what I was after and after I retrieved my sauce, I caught myself saying “sorry” as I squeezed through them back to my cart.

Now, why was I sorry? They were the rude ones. Who stands there in a grocery store aisle creating zone-coverage on pasta? Move.

It’s the same when I’m leaving the store and I start waving apologetically to the cars who stop to let me cross, even hastening my step so I don’t hold them up too long.

I’m in a crosswalk, they’re supposed to stop — pedestrians have the right of way. Still, there I am, feeling guilty for inconveniencing them by daring to cross the parking lot on foot.

What is wrong with me?

My husband tells me I’m too sensitive and I need to stop letting things get to me — which I find funny because I don’t consider myself a sensitive person at all.

In fact, in my circle of friends, I’m affectionately known as “the mean one.” (At least, I hope it’s affectionately.)

If someone wants an honest opinion about something, they ask me because I tend not to sugar coat things and instead just tell it like it is. But perhaps bluntness and being sensitive aren’t mutually exclusive. Maybe this is just a case where I can dish it out, but can’t take it.

Maybe I’m completely over-thinking this whole thing …

Where was I? Ah. Yes. Anxiety and over-apologizing.

In the end, I suppose there’s nothing for me to do but to wait for this feeling of dread to pass. As persistent as it is, I have no evidence anything bad has (or is about to) happen so I might as well stop running around like Chicken Little freaking out that the sky is falling.

But sometimes things are so much easier said than done.

Either way, if the world comes to an end this week … I told you so.

(And I’m sorry.)

PICKENS COUNTY – Local commuters are in for a long haul as construction begins on Highway 183 and is expected to last more than a year.

Two bridges on Highway 183 are being replaced by the South Carolina Dept. of Transportation. They include one over Twelve-Mile Creek near the Pickens Flea Market (Jockey Lot), and another over Gregory Creek near Riggins Road.

The proposed detour is more than 14 miles long.

According to SCDOT plans, the detour begins near the end of West Main Street in Pickens and goes by the Reserve at Lake Keowee, then back down near Durham’s Convenient Mart by Crowe Creek Road.

It will more than double drivers’ commutes if they use the entire detour.

County officials said Hollingsworth Drive, Allgood Farm Road and Stephens Road may experience increased traffic due to the detour.

Pickens County Roads and Bridges Department said they will be monitoring the impact to county-maintained roads. The county has encouraged residents to report maintenance issues on a county road or view status updates by visiting www.FixingCountyRoads.com.

“One of the goals of our ten year plan is to eliminate closed and road restricted bridges in the state,” Hannah Robinson, a SCDOT spokesperson, said.

SCDOT said the bridge replacement projects are due to load restrictions on the two bridges. They said they are working to eliminate all closed and load restricted bridges in South Carolina in the next ten years.

Officials said that after the new bridges are constructed, traffic should flow better for school buses, large trucks and emergency service vehicles.

Vehicles that may exceed the weight limit will safely be able to travel along part of Highway 183.

“The project actually started in Summer of 2022,” Robinson said. “That was kind of when the design and our engineering team were designing what this process was going to look like and what kind of repairs were going to be made. That is when they made the decision that these two bridges would be replaced.”

Robinson said the two bridges will be torn down and fully replaced.

“The bridges that we build where those bridges are now will be our current design standards and they wont have to be closed or load restricted at any point,” Robinson said.

Pickens County Emergency Services has been in contact with SCDOT to minimize impact to emergency response times with the detour. Road closures will be added to the county’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system which will allow communication personnel to dispatch the closest units and provide detour information, they said.

SCDOT said the construction is expected to last about 15 months. Robinson said drivers will still be able to access portions of SC 183 near the bridges.

For more information about this project, road closures, or the detour, contact the SCDOT District 3 Office at 864-241-1010.

For instance: In the year 1895, there were exactly two cars in the entire state of Ohio. Or, there were. Until they crashed — into each other.

While DMV records don’t exactly date back to the 1890’s (the department wasn’t founded until 1915) the story seems to have truth behind it. Life magazine published the account in 1967 and it also has appeared in “The Blunder Book” published in 1984.

Covering a span of more than 44,800-square-miles, Ohio isn’t exactly a small state. How the only two cars in the state even met each other is a feat in and of itself — let alone crash.

If you thought the story of the cars was weird, wait until you hear the story of Henry Ziegland who was killed by a bullet 30 years after it was fired.

According to the book Mysteries of the Unexplained, in Honey Grove, Texas, in 1883, Ziegland broke off a relationship with his long-time girlfriend. The woman, jilted, committed suicide — which didn’t go over great with her brother.

The girl’s brother was so enraged that he hunted Ziegland down, challenged him to a duel and shot him.

Luckily (or not) for Ziegland, the brother turned out to be a lousy shot and the bullet only grazed him (although the blow did knock him unconscious).

The brother, believing he had killed Ziegland, turned the gun on himself and took his own life.

Ziegland awoke, presumably counted his blessings and carried on with his life.

Fast forward: Three decades later, while clearing some land, Ziegland decided to cut down a particularly large tree. The tree proved to be too much for a single man with an axe so Ziegland decided to blow it up instead.

Big mistake.

Upon detonation, the tree exploded and in the process it launched the bullet embedded in its trunk from the 30-year-old duel into Ziegland’s head — this time killing him.

This last one starts off a bit technical, but bear with us …

In the 1884 English criminal case R (Regina — the Queen) v Dudley and Stephens, a precedent was established throughout the common law world that necessity (different from self defense) cannot be a defense to a murder charge.

The case centered around Tom Dudley and Edwin Stephens who, along with two other men, were shipwrecked after their yacht Mignonette sank. After a length at time, with no prospect of rescue, Dudley and Stephens made the fateful decision to kill the cabin boy, Richard Parker, and … ahem … eat him.

After a highly publicized trial that captivated the whole of Victorian England, Dudley and Stephens were convicted of murder and sentenced to death with a recommendation for clemency.

Their sentences were eventually commuted to six months in prison.

But here’s where it gets odd: Fans of the writer Edgar Allan Poe might know that he penned a book titled The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

It was typical of the horror genre Poe favored and the story centered around four survivors of a shipwreck who were stranded at sea and decided to kill (and eat) the cabin boy. The cabin boy’s name in the story? Richard Parker.

Here’s the real kicker: Poe wrote the novel in 1838 — 46 years before the events on the Mignonette took place.

EASLEY — The School District of Pickens County said precautionary action was taken at Easley High School on Monday morning to investigate a reported rumor.

In a message to families, the principal of Easley High Josh Oxendine said there were “rumors of a nonspecific threat circulating among students.”

The school went into a “hold” — which is different than a “lock-down” — and allows classes to continue but keeps hallways clear, while administrators and law enforcement investigate the rumor, administrators said.

“All students and staff are safe and classes are continuing as normal,” Oxendine said on Monday. “To help prevent the spread of misinformation, we kindly ask that you only share information that you can personally verify. If you have questions about anything you’ve heard or seen online, please reach out to Easley High School or local law enforcement directly.”

The Easley High “hold” comes as the latest in a series of lock-downs and holds from schools in districts across South Carolina. In the Upstate, Greenville, Pickens, Anderson and Oconee Counties have seen an uptick in school threats, rumored threats and misinformation about threats. Officials said the incidents have all been in the aftermath of the deadly Apalachee school shooting in Winder, Ga., on Sept. 4 in which two 14-year-old students and two teachers were killed by the (also 14-year-old) gunman. Nine others — eight students and one teacher — were wounded in the attack.

There have been at least 46 school shootings in the United States so far this year, as of September 6. Thirteen were on college campuses, and 33 were on K-12 school grounds. The incidents left 24 people dead and at least 62 other victims injured, according to an analysis of events reported by the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety.

September 18:

1709 - The creator of the first dictionary of the English language, Samuel Johnson, was born in England.

1759 - The French formally surrendered Quebec to the British.

1769 - It was reported, by the Boston Gazette, that the first piano had been built in North America. The instrument was named the spinet and was made by John Harris.

1789 - Alexander Hamilton negotiated and secured the first loan for the United States. The Temporary Loan of 1789 was repaid on June 8, 1790 at the sum of $191,608.81.

1793 - U.S. President George Washington laid the actual cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol.

1810 - Chile declared its independence from Spain.

1830 - The “Tom Thumb”, the first locomotive built in America, raced a horse on a nine-mile course. The horse won when the locomotive had some mechanical difficulties.

1837 - Tiffany & Co. was founeded in New York City.

1850 - The Fugitive Slave Act was declared by the U.S. Congress. The act allowed slave owners to claim slaves that had escaped into other states.

1851 - The first issue of “The New York Times” was published.

1891 - Harriet Maxwell Converse became the first white woman to ever be named chief of an Indian tribe. The tribe was the Six Nations Tribe at Towanda Reservation in New York.

1895 - Daniel David Palmer gave the first chiropractic adjustment.

1927 - Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System made its debut with its network broadcast over 16 radio stations. The name was later changed to CBS.

1940 - “You Can’t Go Home Again” by Thomas Wolfe was published by Harper and Brothers.

1946 - Mound Metalcraft was founded in Mound, Minn. On November 23, 1955, the company changed its name to Tonka Toys Incorporated.

1947 - The United States Air Force was established as a separate military branch by the National Security Act.

1955 - The “Ed Sullivan Show” began on CBS-TV. The show had been “The Toast of the Town” since 1948.

1963 - “The Patty Duke Show” premiered on ABC-TV.

1965 - The first episode of “I Dream of Jeannie” was shown on NBC-TV. The last show was televised on September 1, 1970.

1981 - A museum honoring former U.S. President Ford was dedicated in Grand Rapids, Mich.

1984 - The 39th session of the U.N. General Assembly was opened with an appeal to the U.S. and Soviet Union to resume arms negotiations.

1991 - U.S. President George H.W. Bush said that he would send warplanes to escort U.N. helicopters that were searching for hidden Iraqi weapons if it became necessary.

1994 - Haiti’s military leaders agreed to depart on October 15th. This action averted a U.S.-led invasion to force them out of power.

1997 - Ted Turner, U.S. Media magnate, announced that over the next ten years he would give $1 billion to the United Nations.

1998 - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted to release to videotape of President Clinton’s grand jury testimony from August 17.

1998 - The FDA approved a once-a-day easier-to-swallow medication for AIDS patients.

2003 - Robert Duvall received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford Co. Sheriff’s Office said Saturday a former Clemson football player had been shot and killed.

According to reports, deputies responded to a home on Spring Mill Road around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday over a noise disturbance.

Reports state while en route, dispatchers relayed to deputies there was a reporting os a possible shooting at the residence.

Officials said when the sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene, the shooting victim was identified as 26-year-old Diondre Overton.

Despite immediate medical aid, deputies said Overton was declared dead at the scene.

According to deputies, this was an isolated incident, but remains an active and ongoing homicide investigation.

According to Clemson University, Overton was a Greensboro native who played at Clemson as a receiver from 2016-19 and was part of two national championship teams. He played in 51 games, making 52 catches for 777 yards and seven touchdowns.

“So senseless and just a beautiful, young life cut short at 26,” said Clemson Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney. “But man, I love Diondre Overton.”

EASLEY — Sometimes in life, people can motivate you when you least expect it.

Last Thursday night, I attended the celebration of 20 years for 5 Point Church in Easley. I only knew a couple of people when I walked in the door.

But for everyone in attendance, there was a documentary on the big screens (put on by the 5 Point production crew) called “Experience the Difference” that was open to the public. It lasted close to two hours and - right when it ended - I got to visit with 5 Point Church member Clifford Benjamin.

Clifford had a Prayer Walk t-shirt on and could have talked for days about it. He and his wife, Michelle, have gone on the Prayer Walk (put on by 5 Point) the last two years. Clifford said they are originally from New York and they have taken a big step in their spiritual faith since they have been at Easley the past couple of years.

“For me, it is just a way of reaching out to people and showing hope of better things to come,” said Clifford, 41. “It’s about bringing the community together and being a family. Everybody should want to be one, and not just separate individuals. We go out, pray to each area that we go to (on the Prayer Walk) and hope for a ‘life change’ for everybody. We prayed for the healing of people in the church, and the nursing home across the street that they can have a smooth transition.”

And about watching the documentary, Clifford said, “It’s an amazing experience to understand where everything started. To understand the passion and the not-changing of His beliefs in any way. What the church should be doing and growing the community, helping the community and feeding anyone who needs help. Things like that. Striving to help kids understand Jesus — things like that.”

Lawson Clary, the Executive Pastor of Finance and Outreach, helped lead the documentary and often asked questions to church members and leaders of the 5 Point Church. Things like “Reach and Teach” were often mentioned.

“As we celebrate 20 years, it is always great to look back at where the church has come from, but we are truly excited about where the Lord is leading us for the future,” said Pastor Dean. “We are just getting started!”

PICKENS — Several people in the area remember Austin Lippincott as a standout wrestler for Easley High School. Currently, several others know him as the assistant varsity wrestling coach at Powdersville High School.

And for the past seven years, Lippincott has worked in Easley at Joe’s Ice Cream Parlor.

But last Saturday night, at the Conflict 64 Judgement Day, the 23-year-old Lippincott was on the big stage in the MMA world at Conflict 64 that was held at The Market at the Mill, in Pickens. The former Green Wave grappler turned in a second-round knockout over Cannon Brunson in front of close to 1,000 people and under the bright lights.

“I definitely felt a lot of pressure,” said the 2019 grad of EHS. “Growing up, I didn’t feel that pressure. This is a different type of pressure. You are locked in a cage with someone who is trying to hurt you just as bad as you are trying to hurt them. It gets really intense in there. Despite all of the people, you don’t hear all the noise. All I hear are my coaches and my teammates voices -- I just get locked in and go to work.”

Lippincott did use his wrestling skills on Saturday night with some clutch take-downs on Brunson (see his video on The Easley Progress Facebook Page).

“The pace (of the match) started out very fast,” said the 5-foot-8 Lippincott, who also wrestled two years at Coker University. ”I was having trouble at first. I got my nose busted and wasn’t really moving my head. I was eating some kicks and knew I had to adjust and I had to stay calm - dial in on the game plan. I was able to figure out those overhands and get up under him, and get to the take-downs where I’m good at.”

The future does look bright for Lippincott in the MMA world.

“I hope to have a lengthy career in MMA fighting and pursue it to the professional level,” he said.

His opponent, Brunson, went to Florence Christian School and he wrestled three years at The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and six years in the U.S. Army National Guard.

“It was my first time doing this,” said Brunson, after the fight on Saturday night. “The fight was awesome and and Austin was awesome. I wish I was a little stronger in physical strength and cardio. And, I wish I could have trained more jujitsu, but I had all kinds of life circumstances leading up to the fight where I was only able to strike. Regardless of that, I thought it was fun. I gave it my best. I hope I gave all the glory to God - that’s all I can say.”

An extra thanks: After his victory on Saturday night, Austin did want to thank Julie Ellison at Joe’s Ice Cream Parlor.

“Miss Julie — thank you — for your good luck and spirit,” he said. “It really helped me out tonight.”

Lippincott then said he really appreciated all the support on Saturday night from his family, friends and teammates. “That means a lot,” he said. “Without you guys, I’m nothing.”

Lippincott went on to say, “I know a couple of workers from Joe’s are here and I can’t wait to celebrate with them.”

EASLEY — Easley Little League is undergoing administrative changes as Kelly Osteen recently announced she is stepping down from her role as president.

In a letter to the community she writes:

“I wanted to share that I have decided to step down as President of Easley Little League, effective immediately. This decision was not made lightly, as my passion for the league and dedication to our community’s youth sports have been a significant and rewarding part of my life.

“My journey with Easley Little League began 9 years ago when my son first joined at the age of 7. For the past 3 years, I have had the privilege of serving on the board and contributing to the growth and development of our league. I have been fortunate to work with players across all age divisions—from our youngest athletes in the T-ball division to our seasoned players at the Senior League level. It has been an incredible experience to see our children grow, learn, and thrive through their love of the game.

“One of the highlights of my time with Easley Little League has been working with the SCD1 team for the Senior League World Series. I have cherished the opportunity to help put the team together and to create unforgettable experiences for our players, coaches, and families. The friendships formed and memories made during this time are moments I will always treasure.

“I am proud of the progress we’ve made as a league, and I have full confidence in the board’s continued leadership.”

Amanda Morris, the current Vice President, will be stepping into the role of President, effective immediately. Osteen said she would be working closely with Morris to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities.

“Thank you to everyone in Easley and the neighboring communities for your support of Easley Little League,” said Osteen. “Your involvement and encouragement have helped create a positive environment where all children can grow and enjoy the sport of baseball. It has been an honor to serve this incredible community.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s basketball team finally got their visit to the White House on Sept. 10th. Head coach Dawn Staley hoisted her third national championship trophy back in April after completing a perfect season, which was just the 10th in NCAA Women’s Basketball Division I history.

Despite winning titles in 2017 and 2022, this was the first time Staley took a White House visit because of scheduling conflicts in those years. This trip almost didn’t happen because the lady Gamecocks will start their season in two months and classes recently started back for the players, but they received the invite in late August and packed their bags for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Staley and her squad was all smiles when meeting President Joe Biden. Unfortunately, Vice President Kamala Harris was not in attendance because she is currently on the campaign trail for her run at president in November and preparing for a presidential debate that aired on television the same day as the visit.

The ceremony took place in the East Room of the White House and Biden wore a garnet and black tie for the occasion. Staley and Biden were pictured talking and laughing while entering the room.

“To the families and friends and, most of all, to the players and coaches, congratulations on an incredible run of excellence. Incredible,” Biden said. “I know why you’re so good. You got a girl from Philly running this team. I married a Philly girl. You don’t screw around with a Philly girl, man. They’re tough.”

Biden finished by praising South Carolina’s influence on sports and gave a special shout out to WNBA super star A’ja Wilson, who was apart of the first championship team under Staley.

The Gamecocks lost all five starters last season, but it didn’t stop them from achieving their goals. Staley now have a 109-3 record over three seasons and have won two of her three titles in the last three seasons as well.

“To my incredible staff and my relentless team, this moment is yours. I ask so much of you, and you never back down. You rise to every challenge with grace, tenacity, and heart. We stand here today because of that commitment, because of your willingness to put in work and sacrifice to achieve something greater than ourselves,” Dawn Staley said. “To the University of South Carolina and the great state of South Carolina, we work hard every day to represent you well, and I truly hope we made you proud.”

South Carolina will have an exhibition game against on the road at Memphis on Oct. 15 and the season will officially start on Nov.4 against Michigan in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pickens coach James Reynolds and his team bounced back to a 38-34 victory over Liberty last Friday night.

Senior running back Carter McCollum (220 yards on 32 carries) and Landon Pierce (115 yards on 17 carries) combined for 335 yards rushing for the Blue Flame and 4 touchdowns. David Bolden added some big runs in the second half, including the game-sealing victory.

“After a very tough week of practice following our disappointing performance in game 2 (against Walhalla), our players responded in a big way by playing well against a talented Liberty team,” said Pickens coach James Reynolds, whose team climbed to 2-1 on the season. “I was proud of how they stepped up and stayed together. Our team showed tremendous resilience

Cole Evans had a big night on defense for Pickens with 11 tackles. Ethan Briley also had a big 37-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer to give the Blue Flame momentum going into the second half.

Turning the page after a win (for Pickens) …. “Lessons are being taught right now.”

Those were the words of Pickens football coach James Reynolds after his team’s 49-16 loss to Walhalla in Week 2 of the season.

“We just have to get better as a team,” Reynolds said. “You have to get better every day or you won’t get the results on Friday night.”

The unfortunate part of that lopsided loss to Walhalla was that Pickens was losing just 14-10 at halftime. Then, Pickens sophomore QB Brooks Dow suffered an injury in the second quarter and had to leave the game (slipping on the track out of bounds on a play).

Pickens started out the season with a 47-41 victory over Easley in overtime. Yet, Coach Reynolds felt that his team did not continue that extra effort into trying to improve as a team.

“We just have to learn how to handle success,” added Reynolds. “We need to learn how to turn the page after a win. It’s important to perform well (against Liberty) after a poor showing last week (against Walhalla). Liberty is right next to us and all of our kids know each other.”

Senior Landon Pace, who played quarterback the past two seasons at PHS, is expected to step back into the role of QB to lead the team.

Blue Flame sophomore Harrison Clark did score a touchdown for Pickens off an onside kick.

After their first two games, PHS senior running back Carter McCollum has 332 rushing yards on the season.

The remaining schedule for the 2024 Pickens football team:

Sept. 13: ST. JOSEPH

Sept. 20: at Blue Ridge

Sept. 27: BEREA

Oct. 5: OLE MISS

Oct. 12: OFF

Oct. 19: DANIEL

Oct. 25: at Seneca

Nov. 1: at Travelers Rest

Wren football on a roll: It’s always interesting to see how a coach or a coaching staff can motivate a team. It doesn’t matter if it is football, basketball, softball, tennis or whatever the sport.

In the past, I’ve seen the “good cop and bad cop” as they say … the head coach would never lose his cool too much to his team and then he’d have a fiery assistant coach or two who would let loose on the players in pregame or some in some heated timeout (in hoops) during crunch-time. Or, it would be flipped … the head coach was always fiery with heartfelt speeches and you’d have an assistant coach there and letting the players know to not take it personal.

Recently, Easley quarterback Jay Stoker set a single-game record of over 400 yards passing in a 47-41 loss in overtime to Pickens in the season opener. Stoker’s school record was posted on social media for everyone to see. Plus nowadays, the game film and high-level scouting reports are quite impressive.

Wren football coach Anthony Frate had the perfect motivation for his team’s recent 55-7 victory over Easley.

“You watch Easley a week ago (against Pickens) and good golly,” Frate said. “Their quarterback (Stoker) is special. He’s got a cannon for an arm. He’s a special kind of player with his feet.”

Continued Coach Frate, “We feel very fortunate. We were worried. We knew they were going to be solid in some positions that would give us problems. Our safeties are 5-10 and they have a bunch of 6-3 guys. I’m very pleased with how our guys prepared and attacked this game.”

Not to be overlooked, though, was the standout effort of Wren quarterback Colton Bagwell who was 7-for-9 passing for 90 yards against Easley and 2 TDs. Plus, Bagwell had 120 yards on the ground and one rushing TD. Wren running back Reese Price also hit the 100-yard mark rushing (109 yards) to go with 3 TDs.

For Easley, Stoker still finished the night with 13-of-29 passing for 121 yards and two interceptions against a stingy Wren defense. The lone TD for Easley came on a 2- yard pass from Stoker to Kyler Turner. Junior Kobe Preston led the Green Wave defense (6 solos and 3 assists), junior Cason Brewington (6 solos and an interception) and senior Kyler Turner (2 solos and 3 assists).

Wren had 440 yards of total offense, while Easley had 252 yards.

Future of Wren Football: The Wren JV football team is also undefeated this season at 3-0 after a 34-7 win over Powdersville.

Green Wave running game: Easley’s offense showed glimpses of a running game in their opener against Pickens, when senior running back Aaron Tolbert gained 67 yards on the ground. Tolbert also had 60 receiving yards and 40 yards in kickoff returns.

The remaining schedule for the 2024 Easley football team:

Sept. 13: OPEN

Sept. 20: JL MANN (Conference Game)

Sept. 27: WOODMONT (Conference Game)

Oct. 4: at Greenville

Oct. 11: MAULDIN (Conference Game)

Oct. 18: at Hillcrest (Conference Game)

Oct. 25: TL HANNA (Senior Night)

Nov. 1: at Greenwood (Conference Game)

Daniel loses first game, and Easley: The Daniel Lions lost a close 28-23 decision to J.L. Mann. The Lions go to 2-1 on the season. On Sept. 20, it should be a good battle when Easley hosts JL Mann. It would be one of those “signature wins” if Easley that would be huge, and on their homefield.

Santana steps on defense: Former Easley High School standout Christian Santana is a redshirt junior for Lenior Rhyne University. He’s 6-foot-3, 190-pound defensive end and is No. 24. Santana turned in a sack and a 1.5 tackles for a loss on Saturday in a 32-19 win over Bowie State.

Junior High Football: The Gettys Middle School trio of Maddox Raby (No. 6), Malicah Debnam (No. 4) and Leyton Scott (No. 14) have been invited to play in the Middle School Showcase All-Star Football Game on December 29 at Airport High School. Congrats!

Clemson football wins big: The Clemson University football team has won 21-straight conference night games in Death Valley, a streak that dates back to the 2013 season.

The Tigers football team steamrolled to an impressive 66-20 win over Appalachian State University on Saturday night.

Clemson will return at home on Sept. 21 against North Carolina State.

Birthday on this day (Sept. 11) - You’ve got Paul “Bear” Bryant (1913), Tom Landry (former Cowboys coach, 1924) and Ed Reed (1978).

But locally, it is the 61st birthday of Gerald Wilkins who grew up playing hoops in Atlanta. He was nicknamed “Little Nique” after getting drafted in the second round (47th overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. The 6-foot-6, 185-pound Wilkins was a shooting guard. He averaged 13 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3 assists per game in the NBA.

Mark your calendar: The 3rd Annual Veterans Charity Golf Tournament will be held on Nov. 4 at the Smithfield Country Club.

Joy Stewart knows how to build a program.

She served four years at Liberty High School as the varsity volleyball coach. Then, she went to Daniel High School and won a state championship in 2009.

She took a little break from coaching for her family.

“I took about an 11-year break because I wanted to watch my children,” said Stewart, at practice last week.

But this year - as the varsity volleyball coach at Easley High School - she is building up a solid program. Her varsity roster includes only two seniors for the Green Wave.

She does not have the towering front-row hitter who stands in at 6-foot or taller.

However, she’s got a group of volleyball players who have bought into the system and are all on board.

“This is my first year (at Easley) and they have worked incredibly hard,” said Stewart. “They really want to win and they’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do. I could not ask for harder-working girls.”

Continued Stewart, “When we go to tournaments, they never ease up. They give it everything from the first match in the morning to the last one in the evening. They completley amaze me. Their season (last year) didn’t go so well. They could’ve easily given up. They did the complete opposite.”

The Green Wave did defeat Pickens earlier in the season and took second-place at a 16-team tournament.

Stewart has former volleyball players doing well in the area. It might take a little time … but she’ll leave her mark at Easleu High School.

EHS 2024 Volleyball Roster

2 Catherine Barrington So.

3 Leah Adkins Jr.

4 Kate Kelley Jr.

5 Claire Bivens So.

6 Abbe Starnes Jr.

7 Abi Summer Jr.

8 Mae Ellis Jr.

10 Ansley Whitfield Jr.

11 Rylee Phelps So.

13 Mallory Allison Sr.

16 Abbie Allison Sr.

17 McKenzie Karr Jr.

18 Addison Campbell Sr.

20 Ellie McCoy Fr.

21: Madison Davis

Head Coach: Joy Stewart

The Easley 2024 volleyball schedule:

Thurs., Sept. 12 (7 p.m.): MAULDIN (Conference Game)

Tues., Sept. 17 (7 p.m.): at Hillcrest (Conference Game)

Thurs., Sept. 19 (7 p.m.): TL HANNA (Conference Game)

Tues., Sept. 24 (7 p.m.): at Greenwood (Conference Game)

Thurs., Sept. 26 (7 p.m.): at JL Mann (Conference Game)

Sat., Sept. 28 (TBA): at Indian Land Tournament

Tues., Oct. 1 (7 p.m.): at Woodmont (Conference Game)

Thurs., Oct. 3 (7 p.m.): GREENVILLE

Woodside standouts: The Easley volleyball team faced their toughest opponent of the season last Thursday night in a loss to the Woodside Wildcats.

But for Woodside, it was mainly the 1-2 punch of front-row hitters Symone Wyatt and Mallory Mizell that just took over the match. Wyatt is a senior and has verbally committed to continue her volleyball career at Anderson University. Wyatt has been playing on varsity since her seventh-grade year and she’s a captain this season as a freshman.

“We are winning as a team and we have so much talent,” said Wildcats coach Haleigh Horgan, whose team climbed to 9-1 on the season and 2-0 in the region.

PICKENS — Are you ready for some high-level MMA on Sept. 14?

Bill Hazelwood, The Voice of the Carolinas, will be announcing (inside the cage) some of the best up-and-coming fighters in the region at the “Judgement Day at the Mill.” The doors open at 4 p.m. and the fights begin at 5 p.m. You can get your tickets early on sale at: www.conflictMMA.com. Plus, you can call for VIP seating or sponsorships at 843-603-1115.

Not to be overlooked is these fights will be inside at The Market at the Mill in Pickens, which recently got a brand-new air conditioning system.

At press time, there were 15 fights scheduled.

“These fighters are — in my opinion — the top of the food chain when it comes to combat sports,” said Hazelwood. “They are trained in the martial arts as well as striking and wrestling. I feel the fans who have never been to a live MMA UCF cage-style fighting event are going to be impressed with these guys skills when seeing it in person.”

This fight card will be headlined with two great title fights. In the main event, undefeated Upstate Karate’s Darius Parker takes on also undefeated Mitchell Pollard of Icebox MMA. The co-main event will be No. 1 ranked in South Carolina Josh Cook (Next Element Academy) versus No. 2 ranked JR Banks (ATT-Asheville).

The remaining fight card will feature a barrage of MMA, Muay Thai, K1 and a couple of youth bouts throughout the evening.

“Several training facilities will be represented including Upstate Karate in Simpsonville,” said Hazelwood. “That is the home of UFC’s Stephen ‘Wonderboy” Thompson who is training for a UFC event coming up on Oct. 5. But Stephen will be present at Conflict 64 because Upstate Karate is represented by three fighters on the card including Darius Parker who is putting his undefeated record on the line in the main event. Also fighting is 17-year-old Koen Kuchowski who has been taking martial arts under Stephen Thompson since he was 4 years old.”

Conflict MMA is headed to the Upstate in this all-ages event! This event is Sanctioned by GAMMA.

Main event: Parker vs Mitchell Pollard

Co-Main Event: Josh Cook vs JR Banks

Preliminary card:

Jimmy Jones vs Nayshawn Jenkins

Riley Drake vs Drew Fitschen

Grant Tucker vs Bruce Ruiz

Cory Wehrly vs Brendan Chapman

Austin Lippencott vs Cannon Brunson

Boog Lentz vs Nate Esquival

Cody Wills vs Luke Renk

James Fair vs Chris Johnstone

Cole Johnson vs Tyler Myers

James Fetterly vs Koen Kuuchowski

Jazmin Fellini vs Avani Palmer

MMA 155 TBD vs Dallas Barton

BJJ 185-205 TBD vs Tanner Chambers

EASLEY — Sam Houston was awarded a game ball late on Friday night that just lit up to the tune of: 1st Career Win. EHS 41, Wade Hampton 14. September 6, 2024. Plus, the big Easley High School logo (in Kelly green) was drawn on the football.

It’s a memory that Coach Houston will cherish the rest of his life.

“It’s awesome. I love this place so much and these kids. I told them - at the end of the day - it is not about me,” said Houston. “It is about them and the work they put in. I’m excited for them to get this first one. We’ll continue to build on it as we go.”

Senior captain Kyler Turner, too, helped lead the Green Wave team to their best defensive effort of the season.

“I love being a captain and leading this team,” Turner said. “The brotherhood of this team is a lot tighter than it has been in recent years and I think that is the bonds and friendships we’ve created outside of school as well. Just being there for each other and trusting each other on every play. I’m there leading them to the best of my ability.”

Jay Stoker (Jr., QB): “It was great and really good for us to get some momentum going into the bye week. We were fundamentally sound tonight and we executed what we were supposed to do, and it showed on the scoreboard. Overall, it was a great win for the team.”

Kaiden Erby (Jr., DB): “The defense wasn’t looking too good the last couple of weeks giving up 40 points back to back, but it showed that that is not us. We stepped it up and showed what we can really do. I just try to do my own assignment. I don’t try to do anyone else’s job and that’s what it’s all about.”

Kyler Turner (Sr., LB): “I think our confidence on defense is going through the roof right now. Fourteen points is a great comeback compared to what we’ve been giving up to Wren and Powdersville. It’s good to see our guys flying around and doing our assignments, and getting to the ball.”

Scoring summary:

1: EHS (:43): Aaron Tolbert, 10-yard pass from Jay Stocker (Massey kick)

2: EHS (7:36): Matthew Hillstock, 83-yard pass from Jay Stoker (Massey kick)

3: EHS (:44): Matthew Hillstock, 43-yard pass from Jay Stoker (Massey kick)

3: WH (8:25): Jaqwon Haygood, 92-yard pass from Jamarion McKinney (Hicks kick)

3: EHS (4:26): Aaron Tolbert, 11-yard run (Massey kick)

4: EHS (10:41): Aaron Tolbert, 13-yard run (Massey kick)

4: EHS (8:12): Jay Stoker, QB keeper

4: WH (6:18): Will Kay, pass from Jamarion McKinney

RUSHING: EHS - Aaron Tolbert 18-121, Jay Stoker 11-69, Raja Irby 5-10, Connor Wheaton 1 1-4.

WH - Jamarion McKinney 15-67, James Coleman 6-12.

PASSING: EHS - Jay Stoker 14-18-0 255.

WH - Jamarion McKinney 17-31-1 228.

RECEIVING: EHS - Matthew Hillstock 7-158, Caden Blassingame 2-50, Jonathan Isham 3-36, Aaron Tolbert 2-11.

WH: Jaqwon Haygood 6-117, Will Kay 4-75, Jaydin Hopkins 5-31, Jaquavious 2-5.

Interceptions: EHS - Cason Brewington