Featured Coverage

Schaidle selected as Gatorade Player of the Year

Mauldin High School senior Sarah Schaidle has been selected the 2008-09 Gatorade South Carolina Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

The award recognizes athletic excellence, academic achievement and character on and off the field. Schaidle is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced later this month.

Schaidle, a midfielder and forward, has scored 12 goals and registered six assists this season for the Mavericks, who are 15-2 and ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA heading into Wednesday's second-round playoff match against Ridge View.

Schaidle is a three-time Class AAAA all-state pick and a two-time All-South selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She is the second Gatorade South Carolina Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Mauldin, joining Kimmy Gillespie, the 2003-04 winner.more

Eight Midlands teams set for 4A playoffs

Dutch Fork’s plan to go unbeaten during the regular season went awry late in the season, but the 19-2, third-ranked Silver Foxes are still in the running to achieve the ultimate goal of securing the school first state girls soccer championship.

The DF postseason quest begins Monday with a first-round Class 4A state playoff match against Summerville. In all, eight Midlands teams are in action in the first round. Ninth-ranked Irmo hosts Fort Dorchester, 11th ranked Lexington has a road trip to Beaufort, 13th ranked Spring Valley hosts Northwestern, 14th ranked Ridge View is at home against Nation Ford, vastly improved White Knoll is at West Ashley and Blythewood makes its 4A playoff debut at Clover.

Dutch Fork’s seniors certainly want to make amends for last season’s relatively quick playoffs exit – a 1-0 shootout loss in the second round at home to James Island. The Silver Foxes advanced to the Lower State finals in 2007 before being send packing by eventual state champion Wando. The Silver Foxes boast a balanced scoring attack featuring Stephanie Gauthier, Sarah Haacker and Sam Vickers. Sophomore Katie Nesbit has done a fine job in goal after senior keeper Katie Wallace suffered an early-season injury.  more

South Carolina Completes 2009 Signing Class

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The South Carolina women's soccer program has announced that seven student-athletes will join the Gamecocks in the 2009 season. The list includes the Georgia high school Player of the Year, a player with national level experience in England, two regional Olympic Development Program members, a Scholar All-American, two NSCAA All-Region selections and an adidas ESP Camp all-star selection.

"Overall, this 2009 incoming class will add some important depth to the program," head coach Shelley Smith said. "Our team is coming off a great season and is in a good position to take the program to another level. With a tremendous returning group, the loss of only one senior and further developing a large freshmen class through their first spring season, we are all looking forward to coming back stronger than ever. The incoming class has the benefit of learning from and playing with such a strong returning group of players. They will be looking to earn their time on the playing field while pushing the players ahead of them. We should have some tremendous competitiveness among our roster that will make us stronger from top to bottom. With the addition of two goalkeepers, we especially address the depth of that position among others. They are a wonderful group of student-athletes. We are excited to see what the freshmen bring to the field in August and to have them represent our Gamecock Women's Soccer program on and off the field."

South Carolina went 11-7-4 last season, earning the program's third consecutive SEC Tournament bid and second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Fourteen of Carolina's 28 players were freshmen in 2008, and the Gamecocks lose only one senior in midfielder Danila Monteiro. The team returns 14 freshmen, five sophomores and six juniors including All-SEC and All-Region selections Kayla Grimsley (Fr./Mid) and Blakely Mattern (Jr./Def) more