Every spring sports season, state titles have become so commonplace among area high schools that winning alone isn’t enough anymore, as teams try to set new records, shut out all playoff opponents and in some cases, finish undefeated.
Behind all the trophies and records, however, are athletes who prove to be catalysts or even the difference between celebrations and what-ifs. Here are the standout players in a variety of spring sports who intend to help their teams bring home the hardware in 2026.
Wando Boys Lacrosse
Since 2010, every high school lacrosse team from near and far has been looking to knock off the Wando boys, but they may as well have been using tarot cards and tea leaves. The Warriors have not only reached the state final for 13 straight seasons, but last year notched the school’s ninth state title since 2010.
Head coach Lance Renes is primed to make it 10, as he returns almost all of his offensive power, including All-Lowerstate senior midfielder Connor Bennet. “Our athletes are prepared for a challenging 2026 schedule consisting of nine opponents from states across the Southeast,” said Renes, now in his 15th year. “With the number of returning players, our chances to repeat look good.”
Those chances will rely heavily on Bennet, who scored 18 goals and tallied 13 assists last season, and committed in his junior year to play at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. “Connor comes through in the clutch by securing a ground ball when we need possession or scoring at key moments when we need a goal,” Renes said. “His athleticism and field sense will contribute to our success between the restraining lines.”
The only lingering question now is: Will Bennet and the Warriors get that perfect 10 in 2026? “There’s definitely pride in what our Wando program has accomplished,” Bennet said. “If we stay true to our culture and hold each other accountable, we’ll put ourselves in a position to compete for another state title.”
Wando Girls Track and Field
While the Lady Warriors team didn’t finish first in last year’s state track meet, the members of the 4×800-meter race not only beat all comers, but they also clocked a mark of 9:08.70, shattering the state record by 13 seconds – a feat even they will find hard to top.
But with the return of a special trio – senior Ana Laurient and juniors Emmi Hunter and Rowyn Martens, who operate as a single unit – head coach Kevin Shiver is bracing for a grand follow-up.
“Ana is our anchor and a quiet leader … Rowyn is the spirit of our team and has a second gear that is unmatched … and Emmi’s drive allowed us last year to become elite as a relay,” Shiver said. “In my 26 years of coaching, this group of ladies ranks at the top of dedicated and driven Warriors that will lead us to great things in 2026.”
Laurient and Hunter, for example, are expecting a repeat of last year’s first-place finish, but with the absence of graduate Emma Stanton, Laurient admitted that “another record would be insane.”
Martens added that while no one can replace Stanton, holding a state record is “something we see as a foundation rather than a finish line.”
With new members ready to make their own mark, Shiver has great expectations beginning with the Feb. 25 Wando scrimmage. “I can’t wait to see those ladies excel on the track,” he said. “Overall I have a very good feeling about our leadership and look forward to competing this spring.”
Bishop England Boys Soccer
Last year’s soccer playoffs meant more than just another trophy for the Region 6 AAAA Bishop England boys: The final marked their 18th state title, more than any other school in state history, coming after almost three full periods of play.
Unless some unforeseen wrinkle comes out of nowhere to derail them, the Battling Bishops are the odds-on favorite to break their own record in 2026. “We are returning some great talent,” said second-year head coach Brandon Costa. “We have high expectations and hopes in a very tough region.”
Anchoring those hopes is three-year senior captain and starting goalie Joed Rentas, “one of the most reliable players I have had the privilege to coach,” Costa said. “We have an experienced staff that has done this before,” he added, “and we will lean on Joed to lead us to another playoff berth and hopefully to another state championship.”
While it may sound like a lot of pressure, Rentas has already run and conquered the biggest goalie burden possible, shutting out four opponents in last year’s playoff run. He also held defending champion Daniel to only a single goal in the long, nailbiting final before the Bishops scored late, forced overtime and then scored again to set a new record. “I enjoyed the challenge last year and now am more excited for the even bigger challenge,” Rentas said. “It’s my senior year – my last chance to play with my friends and teammates. I have to leave everything I have in this season.”
Bishop England Girls Lacrosse
It’s rare for Bishop England girls lacrosse to nurse a bitter pill. But ever since last year’s AAA state final loss to rival Oceanside Collegiate Academy – a team that had never beaten the Lady Bishops – second-year head coach Billy Bitter and senior standout Natalie Noone are ready to put that pill behind them.
“We have the talent to return to the state championship,” said Bitter, citing a speedy midfield, a balanced offense with multiple scoring threats and a physical defense anchored by new goalie Brook Lynn. “This group has great chemistry, works hard and is hungry to compete. We’re looking forward to a competitive season and taking on every challenge ahead.”
The biggest challenge will be a March 10 road game against the same OCA team that beat them 12-8 last year in a game that featured a two-hour rain delay. Everyone’s calendars are already marked for the rematch, especially since it may prove the precursor to a repeat of last year’s state final.
Bitter is looking to Noone to lead the game and the season. “She’s one of the fastest girls I’ve ever seen play lacrosse,” he said. “Her talent, leadership and clutch ability are huge for us as we look to avenge last year’s state final loss to Oceanside. She’s ready to lead this team back and get it done.”
As for Noone, she and the entire team are counting down the days. “Last year’s loss to OCA is behind us,” she said. “We are excited to get back to the top.”
Oceanside Boys Tennis
The only thing that is going to surprise players, coaches and fans of the Oceanside Collegiate Academy boys tennis team is if by some odd occurrence they don’t win it all … again.
The Landsharks are not only five-time defending AAA state champs, but in last season’s playoffs, they blanked the competition by a combined score of 18-0 to finish undefeated with a mark of 18-0. This year they return all but one player to a team that is looking like a preseason shoo-in for the 2026 trophy.
“We feel that the chances of us repeating as state champions are pretty high,” said sixth-year head tennis coach Shawn Harris. “I want the team to be focused, compete, enjoy the process and most of all, have fun.”
At the center of this focus is returning senior co-captain Luke Skillman, a three-time state champion who went undefeated in last year’s regular season and playoffs.
Harris pulled no punches: “I’m expecting Luke to lead this team to another state championship,” he stated. Which is OK with Skillman, as he prepares to make it number four for him and six in a row for the Landsharks.
“Our focus is on the season ahead of us and the work in front of us,” he said. “Every team we face will give us their best shot, so our job is to stay disciplined and keep pushing each other to be better than we were yesterday. If we do that consistently, we will put ourselves in the best position to remain state champions.”
Oceanside Girls Lacrosse
On the other side of the lacrosse coin stands the defending AAA state champions Oceanside Collegiate Academy Lady Landsharks, who come into 2026 with one goal: to win it all again and prove that last year’s landmark victory over perennial power Bishop England marked a changing of the guard.
“Repeating is always tough because every team will give us their best shot,” said fifth-year head coach Ashley McCulloch. “But we’ve built a challenging out-of-state schedule to push ourselves and prepare for the state tournament.”
The anticipated key game, however, will be a March 10 home rematch with Bishop England, a team ready to reclaim its position as the state’s top program. Critical to OCA keeping their newfound ascendance will be senior midfielder captain Kaitlyn Boerst, considered by McCulloch as “the heartbeat of our team.”
Already committed to Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, for both lacrosse and ice hockey, Boerst’s dominance on the draw in last year’s state final not only played a significant role in the team’s victory, her play across all parts of the field has earned her the nickname ‘Beasty.’
“She’s a competitor who thrives in big moments and is a force to be reckoned with,” McCulloch said.
“We’re carrying the energy and momentum from last year, growing stronger and closer as a team,” said Boerst, “and ready to chase another state title.”
Lucy Beckham Boys Lacrosse
The Lucy Beckham boys lacrosse team will have to find a way to surpass last season, one which saw the Bengals pull the last leg of the ‘Rock Hill sweep,’ in which both the boys and girls teams beat Fort Mill to win 5A state titles.
Unlike their sister team, however, the Bengals not only came in as playoff favorites, but plowed through four opponents, outscoring the competition 71-7 to notch their fourth consecutive state title. Now after putting together “the toughest schedule we have ever played,” second-year head coach Jason Jeffries is putting all his confidence in the team’s 14 seniors to return them to the promised land.
“Our 2026 schedule is a gauntlet – we will be playing teams from Georgia, North Carolina, D.C., Virginia and Florida,” Jeffries said. “Our leadership for 2026 will determine just how far this team goes.”
Junior goalie Luke Fredericks is again expected to be crucial to that journey. Anchoring last year’s defense, he posted 177 saves and proved a shot-stopping machine in the playoffs, pitching a shutout against one opponent and holding two others to only a single goal. “He makes saves that not a lot of goalies can make and always plays his best in moments that mean the most,” Jeffries said.
Which means come May, Fredericks intends to be back for title run number five. “Winning four state championships in a row definitely means expectations are higher,” he said. “But we embrace this responsibility and understand that every team will give us their best.”
Lucy Beckham Girls Lacrosse
Of all the Lowcountry’s defending state champions, Lucy Beckham girls lacrosse is perhaps wearing the largest bull’s-eye. Because, similar to the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lady Bengals came out of nowhere at the end of last season, suddenly becoming unbeatable in route to winning their first 5A championship.
Now fourth-year head coach Vanessa Southworth and a team led by senior Iliana Kane are in the position of knowing they can’t pull that same surprise again. “Last year’s championship set a high standard,” Southworth said. “But this group understands that nothing is given and everything has to be earned again.”
Getting another chance, however, will mean playing again as if they have never won anything. Kane is not only at the center of this storm, but Southworth also expects her to “give the team confidence and elevate the level of play for everyone.”
“Iliana is a driving force in our program,” Southworth said. “Her talent speaks for itself, but what sets her apart is her leadership, work ethic and competitive mindset … holding the team to a high standard while reminding us that success is a team effort.”
So while 2025 is still fresh in her mind, Kane is ready to show that last year wasn’t just a one-off. “Coming back as defending champions means we have something to prove every single day,” Kane said. “So I stay motivated by focusing on the little things like getting better in practice, pushing my teammates and making sure we don’t get comfortable.”
Philip Simmons Baseball
Ever since the last inning of last season, the Philip Simmons baseball team has been defined by two words: unfinished business. The Iron Horses came within six outs of winning it all, only to watch Batesburg-Leesville mount a late rally and win the last two games of a best-of-three series to win the AA state title, their first since 1949.
Now, the Iron Horses’ ninth-year head coach Josh Kubisz and junior second baseman Blake Johnson are aiming to turn last year’s tough break into spring gold. “Last year, we got hot at the right time, and our pitchers were on for the month of May,” Kubisz said. “We have the talent to make another run this year; we just need to see if we can execute at the right time in the big games.”
Johnson is expected to be a major factor in that run. “Blake has been part of our program since seventh grade,” Kubisz said. “He started every game for us last season, and we’ll be relying on his steady temperament and consistent level of play to lead us this season.”
As for Johnson, 2025 is still smoldering, and he is ready to right the past “after coming so close and feeling like we had it right in front of us.”
“All of my teammates feel the same way,” he said. “I can feel a determined atmosphere at practice because everyone has the same goal, which is to win it all this year. And I’m excited to make another run and finish this year as state champions.”
Philip Simmons Girls Track and Field
Since 2021, Philip Simmons has run the Lowcountry’s premier track program, with Region AA and AAA championships for boys and girls every season and five combined state titles, including last year’s girls team.
As the Lady Iron Horses prepare for a repeat showing, head coach Emma Santor is aiming to push the bar a little higher with senior pole vaulter Ashley Roush. “We have a great chance to make it happen again this season with a strong senior leader like Ashley,” Santor said. “She is a four-event state athlete and contributes to our program in more ways than one.”
For example, even though Roush is the team’s best long jumper and high jumper and runs a leg on the 4×100 relay team, she is currently ranked as the No. 1 pole vaulter in the entire state and is expected to take the team to new heights. “She is one of those girls that you can count on in just about any event,” Santor said. “We would not be surprised if we saw her place top 3 in multiple of her events at the AA State Championship meet on May 15 at Richland Northeast.”
It’s a lot to look forward to – especially if you’ve never seen a high school girl pole vaulter consistently soar between 11-12 feet. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great coaching and support,” Roush said. “Nothing is guaranteed at the state level, so my goal is to trust my training and compete one jump at a time.”
By L. C. Leach III
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