The Gazette
“I know we’ll see them again but they’re going to be hungry to come get us,” said Welch, whose 36-point performance Friday dazzled onlookers at Colonial Life Arena. “We got ’em twice in one season … I think we can do this again.”
Spring Valley, which finished 26-3, will return its entire starting lineup next winter and had no competition in reaching the finals this season. Before the title game, the Lady Vikings’ closest game was a 23-point win over Greenwood in the Upper State finals.
The Lady Gators are going to be overwhelming favorites to win the Lower State next winter. Their top competitors for that crown, Irmo and Dutch Fork, move into the Upper State with Spring Valley as part of next year’s realignment, and Hartsville dropped down to Class AAA.
Goose Creek coach Tim Baldwin figured there would be some others that would rise to the occasion to make it tough on his team, though.
“When you’re on top, people are going to try to knock you off,” Baldwin said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Along with Welch (19.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG), the Gators bring back sophomore N’Dea Bryant (11.6 PPG) and freshman Ashley Fields (8 PPG) to the starting lineup.
Freshman guard Jalvin Jones is another regular contributor returning along with sophomore guard Brittani Doctor.
Goose Creek loses two starters, guards Deandra Wright and Tyshonda Hawkins. Also, forward Dionna Nelson was a senior.
All three made their marks in the final game. Wright’s defense was clutch in the final push and she also had eight points. Hawkins had four points, including a clutch layup late in the game top pull the Lady Gators within 62-61, while Nelson’s jumper from the lane was the final bucket in Goose Creek’s 24-0 run that spanned halves.
“It’s going to be hard to replace them,” Baldwin said. “Everybody had their role on this team. They all brought something to table as far as being a piece to the puzzle in being a good high school basketball team. They were crucial as far being good teammates.”
Baldwin’s team ended the game on a 14-4 run to win it.
It was the first girls basketball championship for a true Lowcountry team since Timberland won a Class AAA title in 2005.
The last AAAA title for a girls team in this area was back in 1980 with Wando.
• No immediate rematch likely
While the Lady Gators and Spring Valley met in the second game of the 2009-10 season, there are no plans in the works for the two teams to play again to start off 2010-2011 in a preseason tournament together.
The Lady Gators will play in the Crescent Bank Invitational in Myrtle Beach before Christmas – Spring Valley could be in that event - and are looking at playing in Tennessee after Christmas.
Teams can only play in a total of two tournaments in the course of a season.
• Let’s see that again
A replay of the Goose Creek-Spring Valley game, along with the other seven championship games, can be found at www.schsl.tv and can be watched for free for as long as it available on the web site.
Burch Antley, Emerson Phillips and Dutch Fork girls coach Faye Norris are the announcers.
Also in the archives is Goose Creek’s 2009 boys championship game against Gaffney.
• Who doesn’t love doing the Gator Chomp?
In the final moments of the game, many of the 1,500-plus Lexington students gathered behind Goose Creek’s goal joined the Gator fans in doing the Gator Chomp.
The Wildcats met Gaffney in the boys championship game Friday night. Lexington’s boys eliminated Goose Creek from the playoffs last week in the Lower State championship so the Wildcats saw a good bit of the Chomp last week at The Citadel.
• Almost the most
Welch’s 36 points were tied for the most by any one player in the basketball championships. Torrey Craig, a guard from Great Falls High School, also had 36 points in the Class A boys championship game Saturday afternoon.
But his came in a losing effort as the Red Devils fell 66-58 to Hemingway.
• Just six more
The 27-1 record this season gives Goose Creek coach Tim Baldwin a 194-50 career mark in nine seasons. He should record win No. 200 in December.
• The other champions
After Goose Creek edged Spring Valley, Gaffney defeated Lexington 71-57 to capture the Class A AAA boys crown.
On Saturday, Christ Church’s girls and Hemingway’s boys won titles in Class A.
In Class AA, Marion’s girls and Keenan’s boys were champs, while Myrtle Beach’s girls and Daniel boys captured championships in Class AAA.
• Mascot madness
An exciting fourth quarter also featured a quick dance off between the two mascots during a timeout. With just over six minutes left in the game, the Viking mascot performed some flips down the floor and the Gator broke out the worm.
Going by the applause, Goose Creek also won that one.
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