Laurens’ Martin nominated for Mr. Football award

Laurens Raiders’ running back/linebacker Duane Martin picked up another honor Wednesday night when he was announced as a finalist for the state’s Mr. Football award.
Martin was nominated with Dutch Fork wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, Saluda quarterback Noah Bell, Chapman quarterback MIkele Colasurdo, Byrnes running back Rahjai Harris, and Daniel quarterback Tyler Venables.
Through five games this season, Martin has 193 yards and three touchdowns rushing, but on defense he has had 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass break-ups, and 3 quarterback pressures.
“To be selected as a finalist for Mr. Football is quite an honor,” Laurens Head Coach Chris Liner said. “This award is not just statistic-based. Character, community involvement, academics are also criteria for selection.
“Again, we are very proud of Duane because this clearly shows just how awesome of a young man he is on and off the field,” Liner added.
The winner will be announced at halftime of the Touchstone Energy North-South Game on Dec. 14.

PREPS
Volleyball
Laurens 3, Clinton 0: The Laurens Raiders’ volleyball team took care of business Wednesday night in its second of two matches with the intra-county rival Clinton Red Devils, sweeping their way to a three-set victory at Clinton. Set scores were 25-19, 25-19, 25-18.
The victory completes a season sweep of the series for the Raiders, who were slated to finish the regular season Thursday night when they host Westside.
“To come in here and sweep in three is great,” Laurens Head Coach Erin Lake said. “We were done in that third set, showed a little bit of discipline, more fight.”
Mackenzie Ward had 17 kills and one block, Kayla Moore had 17 digs, Callie Wzorek had three aces to help lead Laurens.
“She’s been great for us on the front row. Offensively, she’s been our go-to and she’s been able to mix up her shots a little bit more,” Lake said of Ward.
Lake also said she was excited to see Kamryn George get some more sets, and get more comfortable with Wzorek’s setting at the net, while also seeing Aubrey Wardell pass well, and having Moore pick up 17 digs.
Laurens scored the first five points in the opening set and only trailed by one point on two occasions – 7- and 8-7 – before slowly pulling away from the Red Devils. The Raiders scored four straight points after Clinton closed within 17-16 to put the set away and take the early lead.
In the second set Laurens never trailed, scoring the first four points before using a key 5-0 run midway through the set to help put the lead just out of Clinton’s reach.
Laurens, though, did get pushed in the third set when Clinton used a 5-0 run of its own to take an 8-5 lead, which was the biggest lead the team had all night. The Raiders didn’t let the deficit impact them too badly, though, as they ran off a stretch of 11 of 14 points to grab a 17-12 lead, and effectively put the match on ice.
Clinton visits Newberry Thursday night.

Girls’ tennis
BHP 4, Clinton 2: The Red Devils struggled in a non-region match against the Bears, suffering just their second loss on the season.
Mary Catherine Dailey (No. 1 singles) was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Lauren Harrelson and Reese Gowan (No. 4) picked up a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Megan Lollis to account for the other Clinton point on the day, but the Red Devils were unable to get any more from the Bears in falling to 8-2 on the season. The closest Clinton game to a third point was at No. 2 singles, where Chandler Dailey forced her match to a third set before falling to Jessica Callaham, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7.
Clinton travels to Newberry tonight.

COLLEGE
Men’s soccer
Presbyterian 1, Radford 0: Zachariah Diallo scored the game’s lone goal in the 66th minute to help the Blue Hose win their second straight Big South game at Martin Stadium.
The victory is the fourth in five matches for PC on the season, and is the team’s second shutout. Goaltender Valentin Kliebe had two saves in the victory.
Diallo scored his first goal of the season in the 66th minute off a pass from Ryan Standridge. The goal came from just inside the 18-yard box.
PC (4-8 overall, 2-0 Big South) hosts Campbell Saturday at 2 p.m.

Women’s soccer
Winthrop 2, Presbyterian 0: Winthrop held a 19-5 edge in shots against the Blue Hose, as well as a 6-3 advantage in corners, while handing PC its first loss in conference play. PC is now 4-7 overall, 3-1 in the Big South.
Megan Serrano had five saves in goal and Alyssa Leaman added three saves for PC, which hosts Gardner-Webb Saturday night at 7 p.m.