Fall 2018 Seasons in Review
Cross Country
Hard work paid off with large steps in personal growth throughout the cross country season. Coaches Stephanie and Shawn Lewin helped propel their young team to better running times with expanding practice locations to include Nanny's Mountain. Running regularly on hills taught students to run various inclines efficiently and achieve better times on hilly race course. Both high school and middle school races were scheduled, and the team performed well in both situations. All of the runners achieved their personal best times in the last two meets.
As the exclamation of the season, the team participated in a fun run in York. During this race, student runner Shawn Lewin placed top in his age bracket (pictured right).
Boys' Soccer
For the second season in a row, the boys' soccer squad accomplished a winning season, which qualified the Mariners to host the first round of the play-offs. Painfully, as with last year, the boys fought hard for a tie and then lost in the final minutes.
To play against larger population league schools is quite a challenge. The LPA athletes rose to that challenge and have much to celebrate. Especially considering that the Mariner soccer team only had two seniors this season, there is much to suggest that next fall will witness even better team play and success. Go boys! Go Green!
Girls' Volleyball
For the past several years, the quality of team play has ratcheted up and up on the volleyball court. This was evident in the team's performance against the larger schools the ladies often play. A strong league record qualified the volleyball athletes directly to the elite state tournament in Spartanburg, where the Mariners earned a strong seed. After a strong start, the team was eliminated from the tournament by a coastal region school.
If trophies were all that was considered, the early exit might bathe the season in disappointment, but the team's accomplishments were so many, that there is much to celebrate! These include defeating the York High School JV team in a scrimmage and coming with a whisker of defeating York Prep in the team's last away game. As with soccer, the team having only one senior player promises a strong year next fall, as all the players mature in their abilities.
Fall Sports' Practice Begin
Fall season team practices begin the week of July 31. Fall options include men's soccer (for young men in grades 7-12), ladies' volleyball (for young ladies in grades 6-12), and cross country (for young men and women in grades 6-12. Practices are coed; men and ladies race separately). The schedule for the first week of practice is listed below. Schedules for the remainder of the season will be available prior to the first day of school.
· Men's Soccer: Tuesday, August 1; Thursday, August 3; and Friday, August 4. All practices will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at New Centre Park in Clover. All athletes will be required to wear shin guards and soccer boots/cleats. Please bring plenty of water.
Men's soccer practice for Mon, July 31 has been cancelled due to scheduling emergency.
· Ladies' Volleyball: Monday, July 31; Tuesday, August 1; Thursday, August 3; Friday, August 4. All practices will be held at Lake Wylie Christian Assembly from 3:30-5:30. All athletes will be required to wear knee pads. Please bring plenty of water.
· Cross Country: (Updated) Monday, July 31, 4:00-5:15 p.m. at LPA; Tuesday, August 1, 7-8 p.m. at Allison Creek Presbyterian Church; and Thursday, August 3, 7-8 p.m. at Allison Creek Presbyterian Church. Wear good running shoes and bring plenty of water.
Required paperwork: The laws of South Carolina and insurance regulations require us to have the following paperwork before any student may step onto the field, court, or course. No exceptions - please don't ask our coaches to do something illegal by allowing your student to participate without all the required forms.
· Physical form. This form must be dated on or after July 1, 2017, and will be effective for the entire 2017-2018 school year. Your doctor may have a standard form in his/her office, or you may use the form attached to this email. If you are unable to procure an appointment with your doctor, most Minute Clinics will perform sports physicals, and many offer back-to-school specials.
· Concussion training. This form must be read and completed by each individual student athlete AND a parent; we are not able to accept "family forms" for sibling athletes.
· Release form. Each individual student will need a parent-signed release form; again, no family forms. More joy!
Commitment forms and athletic fees will be due no later than Tuesday, August 8. More information about these will be available at the first practice.
Cross Country scores at State
The girls' Cross Country team combined for third place in the Fall 2016 SCACS state meet. The Mariner ladies were led by junior Haden McCarter, who finished in second place overall.
The boys' team also paced very well. Several runners scored personal best times in the Saturday competition. Congratulations runners!
Prize performance at XC state
The 2015 SCACS league state cross country meet enjoyed picture-perfect fall weather. The Mariner teams and individual runners took advantage of the crisp, sunny, and dry conditions to perform well against a field of strong runners from all over South Carolina.
Many Mariners posted their personal-best times in the race, which meandered through the wooded trails of the SIM ministry campus near Carowinds in Fort Mill. When the dust settled after the two races, green and silver were the colors of success. The Lady Mariners captured first place, while their male teammates earned second place in the men's race. Adding the smiles, the individual first place awards were both earned by LPA student-athletes.
Coach Beth Donnelly gave credit to the hard work of the individual students and their hard work in training and exercises the past few months. She pointed out that the teams enjoyed really meaningful practices in the days leading up the state meet. Fruit follows growth, cultivating, and pruning!
Results overview
Lady Mariners: Team first place
- Haden McCarter 1st place
- Shauna Somerville 2nd place
- Emma Shearer 3rd place
- Peighton Quin 6th place
Mariner Men: Team second place
Individuals (top 4 finishers form the team time)
- Isaiah Mayhall 1st place
- Solomon Mayhall 9th place
- Ben Judd 12th place
- Tiernan Donnelly 18th place
McCarter finishes strong
Hayden McCarter is in familiar territory: out front.
The swift sophomore took first place in this month's earlier home meet against South Point and Walnut Grove. Wednesday, in a Clover High-hosted meet that included York Comprehensive High, McCarter placed top 5 in the women's race.
Coach Beth Donnely has strong hopes that the summer training will continue to pay off in stronger finishes for all her runners. If that's the case, McCarter is setting a strong pace.
Having won top female honors in last year's SCACS league, the tenth grader is a strong contender to repeat at number one at the SCACS state meet in late October.
1st home meet 2015
LPA held its first cross country home meet of the season, hosting the South Point Patriots of Pageland and the Warriors of Walnut Grove. Lake Pointe's course is a challenging combination of hills, open field, and wooded areas, but a hot, summer sun added real difficulty.
Mariner runners were the fastest in both the men's and women's races, with Hayden McCarter setting the pace for the ladies and with Isaiah Mayhall coming from behind to capture the top spot for the guys.
The Mariners won the ladies' meet, while South Point was first in the men's race.