BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — The Batesburg-Leesville High School volleyball team in western Lexington County, S.C., does not have a single senior, and it still became the first Panthers squad in decades to claim a region championship.
Five freshmen make up the bulk of the roster. The rest is a pair of juniors, a lone sophomore and two players still in eighth grade. Head coach Eric Shick said most of the group has played for him since about seventh grade, so he spent little time teaching his system and the players could focus on winning.
The Panthers opened the year with six straight wins and were 10-3 before region play began, after Shick lined up bigger 4A and 5A opponents to toughen them up. Outside the region they knocked off Spring Valley, Dutch Fork, Northside Christian, Airport and Saluda, then went a perfect 8-0 in league matches while dropping only one set.
Batesburg-Leesville is the No. 4 seed in the state Class A Division I girls bracket and hosts No. 13 Palmetto Scholars in its playoff opener. Shick said last year’s team reached the third round and this group wants to go further. Columbia’s Dreher High School will host the state finals on Nov. 5 and Nov. 7.
Section: More Lexington SC sports news
Lexington sports business profiles
Filed under: Lexington SC Sports News
More coverage: Lexington SC high school football · Lexington SC high school sports & NIL
