Roof Repair in Cane Bay, SC

Late Sunday afternoon, our media outlet received reports regarding a pair of alleged sexual assaults – or attempted sexual assaults – on a neighborhood trail in Sanctuary Cove, part of the sprawling Cane Bay community in Berkeley County, South Carolina.

Both victims were underage females. One of the victims was nearly raped, according to our sources.

After the second assault took place, one resident reached out to us expressing concern that local authorities were “telling exactly NO one that there is a potential serial offender assaulting young girls in Cane Bay.”

“They have no problem sending out headlines for every car that has been rummaged through or elderly person that went for a long walk and may be missing … but they don’t find it a good idea to warn people their daughters could be in harms way while on the trails?” the resident asked.

We reached out to our law enforcement sources first thing Monday morning. As our inquiries were making their way up the flagpole, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) issued a news release at approximately 4:32 p.m. EST on Monday announcing it was investigating the two assaults – and searching for a specific suspect.

“On Monday, November 27 just after 8:00 p.m. (EST), Berkeley County dispatch received a call in reference to an assault,” the release noted. “Deputies arrived at the victim’s house to collect information and learned the victim was assaulted. The victim is a 14-year-old female. The victim described to investigators she was attacked from behind. Due to the way the victim was assaulted, she was unable to provide a description to investigators, initially. The investigation determined the victim was assaulted on the trails near Shadybrook Drive and Cane Bay Boulevard.”

The second incident was reported just five days later.

“On Saturday, December 2 just before 7:00 p.m., Berkeley County dispatch received a call in reference to an assault,” the release noted. “Deputies learned the victim was assaulted and dropped her phone during the incident. The victim is a 15-year-old female. The victim was able to get away from the assailant. Deputies located the victim’s phone on the trail behind Bella Vista Court. The victim was able to provide deputies with a description of the man who attacked her.”

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect being sought in connection with the assault(s) is a “younger white male with facial hair” who has a skinny build and is approximately 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 inches tall. BCSO is searching for this suspect with assistance from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

“We are using every resource possible to identify a suspect and make an arrest,” sheriff Duane Lewis said. “Detectives are working around the clock to complete this investigation. We have also requested assistance from SLED. I am urging all parents and guardians to please not allow your children to walk alone on the trails at night. Please make sure you are aware of your surroundings.”

Lewis said his agency has increased patrols in the area as it continues to investigate the assaults and has asked Cane Bay neighbors to report any suspicious activity to Berkeley County dispatch at 843-719-4169.

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.

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BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Several parents with students at Cane Bay High School are upset after a limited number of tickets were sold for next Saturday’s homecoming dance, which means their children would not be able to attend.

Parents who reached out to News 2 this week said the homecoming dance will be held in the commons area of Cane Bay High School, which can accommodate 700 students. But they said the problem is the school has more than 2,000 students.

Brandi Norwood’s daughter is a junior at the high school. And because she’s on the cheer team, Norwood said she’s expected to participate in all of the homecoming events next week.

“It feels defeating to them. They’re encouraged by staff and admin to come together, to be involved in school spirit—that’s how you build community, but then for them to be told, ‘There’s not enough room. You can’t go.’”

Except for the main event – next Saturday’s homecoming dance – because she did not purchase a ticket in time.

“I was given a link to buy tickets, and I wasn’t in a hurry. I got off of work the next day and attempted to buy tickets and it was sold out,” said Norwood.

Norwood said the dance is typically held in the school’s commons area and the 700-ticket cap is nothing new. But she said she’s never had an issue with purchasing tickets for her two older daughters in the past.

“We were told that it was first-come, first-serve and that the tickets were sold within a day, and the link had been posted the day before in the middle of the day,” Norwood explained.

She said there was not adequate communication from the school prior to that link being sent out; however, another parent says there was.

“It was put out that there were a limited amount of tickets, get your tickets early. That was put out,” said Kristin Tanner, whose child also attends Cane Bay High School.

Norwood claims one reason tickets may have gone quickly is because they were distributed differently than in previous years.

“Sophomores and freshmen were allowed to buy tickets, which in the past as far as I understand, seniors and juniors were given preference and then so on and so forth,” she said.

Norwood said she, along with many other parents, is simply disappointed.

“I’ve heard from a lot of other parents who have seniors who have bought dresses and have been preparing and can’t go to the dance,” she said.

Other parents say they cannot sympathize with those who bought clothes before buying a ticket to the dance.

“You put the cart before the horse. That’s what I say to that,” Tanner said.

News 2 reached out to the Berkeley County School District and received the following statement:

“Tickets to the Cane Bay High School Homecoming Dance were made available to all students in a fair and consistent manner. While all schools would love the opportunity to welcome the entire school population to an event held in one location of the school, that is not possible due to fire codes and capacity restriction of rooms and spaces,” said Katie Tanner, Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, BCSD.

This was supposed to be the first real test of the regular season for James Island.

The AAAA Trojans had rolled through their first four games, allowing just one touchdown, heading into Friday night’s game against Class AAAAA Cane Bay.

But James Island had never beaten Cane Bay in six previous tries, including a heart-breaking 3-point loss a year ago when the Cobras kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Cobras (2-2) were coming off an open date and had two weeks to prepare for the Trojans.

But this one wasn’t even close as James Maxwell scored two touchdowns to lead fifth-ranked Trojans past Cane Bay, 28-7, on Sept. 15 before a crowd of more than 2,000 at The Backyard on the campus of James Island.

It wasn’t a perfect game or even a pretty one; the Trojans turned the ball over four times and had more than 100 yards in penalties. But James Island won the physical battle up front.

“We knew this was going to be a smashmouth football game,” said James Island coach Jamar McKoy. “We made way too many mistakes, but we found a way to step up and made some great plays when there needed to be great plays made and won a big ballgame.”

James Island’s defense smothered Cane Bay’s option offense, limiting the Cobras to less than 200 yards of total offense and one TD.

“It was a very physical football game,” said Cane Bay coach Russell Zehr. “They showed up to play that kind of game and we didn’t. At times they were much more physical than we were and that’s disappointing because we pride ourselves on being a physical team and were not tonight.”

After a short punt by the Cobras, James Island grabbed a 7-0 lead on Maxwell’s 8-yard TD run early in the second quarter.

Maxwell appeared to be caught in the Trojans’ backfield on the handoff, but brushed off the initial hit, and then ran over the next two tacklers on his way into the end zone.

The Trojans pushed their advantage to 14-0 on Maxwell’s second TD of the first half, this one coming from a yard out with 2:41 left before halftime.

Summerville High School is one of just two boys’ volleyball teams that can claim it had a victorious night against Cane Bay High School this fall.

When it mattered, though, the Cobras were nearly their best on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Region 6 champion Cane Bay extended its win streak to 14 matches with a 25-21, 25-18, 25-18 victory over the visiting Green Wave in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Region 7 champion Summerville was the last team to beat Cane Bay on Sept. 11. The Cobras were prepared for another battle against the Green Wave in the postseason. They blanked Summerville for the third time in a row since dropping the first encounter this season.

“I knew they were coming out for blood,” said Brian Lariviere, Cane Bay coach. “We had to play our best level of ball. They’re a very good team. I feel like my team plays better against good teams.”

The journey continues when No. 2-seed Cane Bay (17-2) advances to the Lower State final at Carolina Forest on Monday, Oct. 30, with a spot in the state championship on the line. Carolina Forest swept Wando in three games to advance (25-22, 25-23, 25-12).

The top-seeded Panthers are 32-4-4. The Lower State winner advances to the state championship on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Lariviere was pleased with his team’s performance and gave the Cobras an A grade. Summerville finished the season with an 11-5 mark.

“We had a few missed serves and a few miscommunications,” Lariviere said. “I would give it a 9.5 out of 10. There are always things that are going to go wrong but our character held up and we kept our intensity up. They never got a lead and we never let go.”

Cane Bay won its playoff opener two days earlier, blanking visiting Ashley Ridge 25-6, 25-12, 25-13.

This season marks the end of the road for 12 Cane Bay seniors and two Summerville seniors.

The transition from the holiday hoops season back into the regular season has been smooth so far for the Ashley Ridge Boys.

The Swamp Foxes faced diverse teams during holiday tournaments and got mixed results. Ashley Ridge is 2-0 since and off to a good start in Region 7-5A play. Ashley Ridge coach Brad Dobbels said his team had played pretty good defense but experienced some lulls late in games, making sustaining leads difficult.

“The biggest thing we can gather from it is when our guys stay clued in on what we are doing and stick to our principles and fundamentals, we give ourselves a great chance to win games,” Dobbels said. “When we stop doing that and worry about stuff we can’t control, we struggle a little. Our seniors have been doing a good job, and we have some young guys who are also contributing.”

Ashley Ridge defeated Beaufort 50-32 Tuesday, Jan. 2, in The Swamp. Senior Jahlil Hope led the charge, draining a game-high 17 points. Freshman Tre Green added 11 points for the Swamp Foxes and senior Jordan Washington added seven. Freshman Javion Gathers and senior Jeaden Wadley had five rebounds, and Hope had four.

The Swamp Foxes opened region play Friday, Jan. 5, with a 69-43 win over Stall. Green had a team-high 18 points, while sophomore Clayton Everett added 14 points and Hope added 13. Gathers and Hope had six rebounds, and senior Noah Jackson had five.

This season, the team has received contributions from all the players on its roster, but that has not always resulted in a win. Ashley Ridge entered this week with a 10-7 record.

“For us to be really good, we need consistent effort by all of our guys at once, and it’s been kind of hit-and-miss a little,” Dobbels said. “We just need to put it all together. Hopefully, we can get that done in time to make a run in the region. Almost every team we play is bigger and more athletic than us, so we need to realize that and be fundamentally sound. We need to control what we do and work at getting better and having some positive momentum.”

Ashley Ridge hosts Fort Dorchester at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, and travels to West Ashley Friday, Jan. 12, and to Pinewood Prep Monday, Jan. 15. The Swamp Foxes also host cross-town rival Cane Bay at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Cane Bay opened the 2023 season with an impressive showing against the defending Class AAA state champion. The Cobras broke open a 10-10 game with a strong fourth quarter to pull out a 29-10 win.

The Cobras rushed for 312 yards, led by Deshawn Tompkins’ 114 yards. Tompkins scored one touchdown while fullback Langston Rhodes scored twice. Brycen Johnson added 67 yards on the ground and quarterback Mark Stewart tossed a touchdown pass.

Cane Bay will play Ashley Ridge next Friday at Summerville’s John McKissick Field.

Hanahan 45, Georgetown 34

Hanahan first-year head coach Milan Turner began his tenure with a hard-fought road victory. Senior running back Kevon Rivera rushed for 331 yards on 32 carries, scoring six touchdowns, both career-highs.

Rivera had a pair of one-yard scoring runs, along with runs of 51, 18, 2, and 22 yards. Jackson Stuckey returned an interception 10 yards for another Hawks’ score.

Hanahan will travel to Berkeley next Friday night.

Oceanside Collegiate 24, Lewisville 7

OCA senior quarterback Edward Reidenbach had two short scoring runs and threw a touchdown pass while the Landsharks pitched a shutout defensively. Lewisville’s lone score came on an interception return. The OCA defense allowed only 157 total yards and six yards rushing.

Will Virgillio caught four passes for 115 yards, and safety Grayson Freeling had 10 total tackles. Nate Sturm booted a 22-yard field goal.

Oceanside Collegiate will host defending AAAA state champion South Florence next Friday.

West Ashley 23, Lower Richland 20

Jacob Adams drilled a 39-yard game-winning field goal to lift the Wildcats to a season-opening win. Adams also made field goals of 33 and 26 yards while adding two extra points and punting for a 40-yard average in the victory.

Berkeley 36, Timberland 32

Freshman quarterback Henry Rivers completed 15 of 31 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns, adding a touchdown run as well, to lift the Stags to a win over their Berkeley County rivals.

NORTH CHARLESTON — High school basketball games in December do not carry the weight that region games in January do, but piling up wins and having success does wonders for a team’s confidence.

Summerville’s boys team expects to contend for the Class AAAAA state championship this season. So coach David Long is pushing his players to perform at a high level as they develop the right chemistry.

The Green Wave improved to 13-1 on the season with a 70-53 win over Cape Fear Academy of North Carolina in Friday’s day two action at the Lowcountry Roundball Showcase.

“These games this week are big for us,” Long said. “We have been able to pull together as a team and we’ve been getting it done, but now to be at full strength we get a chance to see what we can be. Having Yannick back is such a plus because of all the things he can do.”

Summerville was without star wing Yannick Smith for several games early on as he played deep into the football season and missed time on the court due to the Shrine Bowl all-star game. Smith paced Summerville with 15 points in Friday’s win.

Summerville won 25 games last year but lost to Goose Creek in the third-round of the Class AAAAA Lower State playoffs.

Joining Smith, the All-Lowcountry football player of the year, as a starter is junior guard Melvin Teal, also a returning all-state performer. Smith is averaging 19.3 points per game this season, while Teal is averaging 18.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

“Everyone knows what Yannick can do and the level he plays at every night,” Long said. “Mel does things that effects winning way beyond the stats.”

Stepping into starting roles this season are Nasir Smith, Warren Nelson and KJ Brown. Long also likes his team’s depth and is using this week’s games to settle into a solid and consistent rotation.

Smith added 12 points and Teal scored nine in Friday’s win. Nelson chipped in eight points.

“We are still trying to figure out the right rotation with our depth,” Long said. “We are playing a lot of guys and that cures a lot of ills when guys know they can contribute. It’s been a roller coaster and the schedule has gotten a lot tougher. We’re coming together pretty well but we just have to focus on today. Teams get in trouble when they look ahead.”

Summervillle’s biggest non-region game of the season will take place on Tuesday when the Green Wave hosts No. 1 ranked Lexington in what should be a playoff-level showcase.

Long says Lexington will test his team in ways no other team has to this point. He says the focus remains improving, especially on defense.

“It’s definitely defense,” Long said. “We are athletic and sometimes we can get away with not being very disciplined. We have to clean up some rotations and assignments. We came out today and did a good job. We are capable of playing good defense but we have to work at it.”

The Lowcountry Roundball showcase features 17 teams at the North Charleston Athletic Center from Dec. 27-30. The event includes seven area high schools, including Summerville, Porter-Gaud, Goose Creek, First Baptist, Lucy Beckham, James Island and Northwood Academy.

The 13th annual Carolina Invitational tournament features 148 teams from several states playing at 14 local high school venues. The field includes varsity boys and girls teams as well as some junior varsity boys and girls teams.

Play began on Dec. 28 with games running all day for three consecutive days. Local sites include Ashley Ridge, Bishop England, Cane Bay, Burke, Cathedral, First Baptist, Fort Dorchester, James Island, Oceanside Collegiate, Palmetto Christian, Philip Simmons, Porter-Gaud, Stratford and Summerville.

Also, Burke is hosting the Modie Risher Classic from Dec. 28-30, named after the former Bulldogs coach. Six schools from across the state of South Carolina and teams from Pennsylvania and Georgia are participating in this year’s classic, including Byrnes, Ben Lippen, Colleton County, Eau Claire and Burke.