Chimney Sweep in Cane Bay, SC

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.

SUMMERVILLE — Ashley Ridge made a winner of new head coach Jeff Tate, knocking off rival Cane Bay by 33-12 in a high school football game played at Summerville’s Memorial Stadium. It was Ashley Ridge’s season opener.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Kalisz, making his first varsity start, led the charge with an impressive passing performance. Kalisz completed 27 of 36 passes for 283 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Senior receiver Derrick Salley caught three touchdown passes and totaled 11 catches for 157 yards.

Cane Bay, which had won five straight against Ashley Ridge, fell to 1-1 on the season.

“For a first game, I thought we did a lot of good things,” said Tate, who came to the Lowcountry after a distinguished career in the Upstate. “Really proud of our kids. We played really hard on defense tonight and I thought we were more physical. All around, it was a great team effort.”

Salley, who has several college offers already, feels that Tate’s offensive mindset gives the Swamp Foxes a fighting chance against any opponent.

“This is a state championship offense. We can go to state with this offense and we are only going to get better and better,” the 6-4, 190-pounder said.

Ashley Ridge looked crisp on the first possession of the game, traveling 69 yards on 12 plays with Kalisz tossing a 12-yard scoring pass to Jalen Drayton for a 7-0 lead with 7:25 to play in the first.

The rest of the half consisted of each team driving inside the other’s territory, but failing to finish drives. Cane Bay reached the Ashley Ridge 20-yard line before a fumble ended the threat late in the first quarter.

The Swamp Foxes took their final possession of the first half on their own 18-yard line with 1:40 remaining. Seven plays and 82 yards later, with 10 seconds remaining, Kalisz connected with Salley on a 39-yard touchdown to give Ashley Ridge a 13-0 halftime lead.

Kalisz completed 16 of 22 passes for 166 yards in the first half, with Salley grabbing five passes for 84 yards. The Cobras tallied 89 yards rushing in the half and did not attempt a pass.

Cane Bay gambled on the opening possession of the second half, failing on fourth-and-one from its own 30-yard line. The Swamp Foxes turned the good field position into a touchdown as Kalisz tossed his third touchdown pass of the night, a nine-yarder to Salley, for a 19-0 lead with 7:57 left in the third quarter.

Cane Bay finally sustained some offense in the third quarter. Brycen Johnson capped a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left in the period, cutting the lead to 19-6.

Kalisz made his only mistake of the game on Ashley Ridge’s next possession, as Cane Bay’s Hayden Cooley stepped in front of a pass for an interception. The Cobras went 40 yards on eight plays with Johnson scoring on a four-yard run to make it 19-12 with 10:57 left in the game.

Ashley Ridge, however, regained control scoring in nine plays on Kalisz’ fourth touchdown pass, a 19-yarder to Dwayne Simmons to push the Swamp Foxes to a 26-12 lead.

After a short Cane Bay punt, Kalisz went back to work, capping a five-play drive with a 16-yard scoring pass to Salley with 5:07 remaining in the game.

“Not bad for a sophomore in his first game,” Tate said of his quarterback with a wink. “He wasn’t perfect but he’s young. He’s going to get better every week. We can win some games with that kid.”

The game was played at Summerville as Ashley Ridge is in the final stages of turf field installation.

With Porter-Gaud’s loss to Hanahan, there are only three undefeated teams left in the Charleston area in high school football.

Summerville, Ashley Ridge and Philip Simmons are the only unbeaten teams in the area and all three teams have one major statistic in common. All three teams are among the top offensive teams in the state, each averaging better than 40 points per game.

Summerville, at 5-0, is averaging 49 points per game and has scored at least 40 points in their last five outings.

Philip Simmons, 6-0, is just behind the Green Wave at 48.5 points per game, while Ashley Ridge, 4-0, is averaging 41 points per game under their first-year head coach Jeff Tate.

Ashley Ridge and Philip Simmons face tough tests this Friday. Ashley Ridge will open Region 7-AAAAA play against Fort Dorchester, while Philip Simmons opens 8-AAA play against defending region and AAA state champion Beaufort.

Some of Friday night’s stars:

• In Summerville’s 40-20 win over Goose Creek, running back Trae Green rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback Jaden Cummings threw for 248 yards. Julius Brown anchored the defensive effort with eight tackles and two sacks.

• Philip Simmons continued its dominant running game in a 58-10 win over Bishop England. The Iron Horses rushed for 445 yards in the win, led by KJ Asbury’s 208 yards and three touchdowns. Asbury went over 1,000 yards for the season. Backfield mate Sharod Williams added 140 yards and two scores.

• West Ashley improved to 4-2 with a 38-20 road win at Timberland. The Wildcats rushed for 292 yards as a team, led by David Dounian’s 138 yards and touchdown. Kevin Brown added a rushing score and Mason White tallied two scores for the Wildcats.

• Stratford earned its first win of the 2023 season after an 0-4 start, whipping St. James, 53-6. Markell Holman had a pair of rushing touchdowns and Elijah Riley had a touchdown and an interception. Anrhei McMillan had eight tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt to lead a strong defensive effort.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Week 4 in the Lowcountry kicks off Thursday while our Game of the Week features Cane Bay at James Island. Check back here for scores, highlights and more throughout the weekend

9/14

Colleton County 30, North Charleston 7 - Colleton improves to 1-3 while North Charleston drops to 2-3

9/15

Cane Bay 7, James Island 28 - The Trojans improve to 5-0 while the Cobras drop to 2-2

Berkeley 0, Ft. Dorchester 52 - The Patriots improve to 2-1 while the Stags fall to 3-2. Charles Watson had 200 yards of total offense and 2 TD’s for the Fort.

Wando 14, West Ashley 38 - The Wildcats move to 3-2 after Kevin Brown had 118 yards and 2 TD’s while the Warriors drop to 1-3

Sumter 10, Summerville 47 - The Green Wave move to 4-0 on the season as Jaden Cummings threw for 287 yards and 3 TD’s

Ashley Ridge 63, St. James 34 - The Swamp Foxes go to 3-0

Carolina Forest 38, Stratford 21 - The Knights drop to 0-4

Goose Creek 31, Blythewood 28 - The Gators get their first win to move to 1-3

Stall 0, Beckham 57 - The Bengals improve to 4-0 while the Warriors drop to 2-3

Philip Simmons 55, Aynor 30 - The Iron Horses stay undefeated at 5-0 as KJ Asbury rushed for 210 yards and 4 TD’s

Palmetto Christian 23, Academic Magnet 62 - The Raptors improve to 3-0

Bishop England 3, Woodland 20 - The Wolves go to 3-0 while the Bishops drop to 0-3

Timberland 28, Hanahan 24 - The Wolves get their first win to go to 1-4 thanks to Montez Addison’s 2 TD’s while the Hawks drop to 1-3

First Baptist 42, Hilton Head Prep 31 - The Hurricanes get their first win of the year to go to 1-3

Lake Marion 8, Cross 54 - The Trojans move to 4-1

Bethune Bowman 36, Military Magnet 12 - The Eagles fall to 1-4

Allendale Fairfax 42, Baptist Hill 0 - The Bobcats drop to 1-3

Burke 0, Whale Branch 62 - Bulldogs fall to 0-4

Lee Academy 20, St. John’s Christian 13 - The Cavaliers fall to 2-3

Hilton Head Christian 31, Northwood Academy 14 - The Chargers suffer their first loss of the season and fall to 3-1

Memorial Day 0, Colleton Prep 3 - The War Hawks improve to 3-2

Pinewood Prep 48, John Paul 28 - The Panthers improve to 2-3

Porter-Gaud 42, Ben Lippen 9 - JJ Fludd rushed for 235 yards and 5 TD’s as the Cyclones improve to 5-0

Dorchester Academy 8, Thomas Heyward 34 - The Raiders fall to 3-2 with the loss despite John Whetsell’s 121 yards rushing

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A family living in one Berkeley County community said they have not been receiving their mail on a regular basis, even after contacting postal officials. That’s when they reached out to News 2’s Raymond Owens.

“We moved here about a year and a half ago and over the past year or so we have had problems with sporadic mail delivery,” said Cane Bay resident Tim Jacintho. “It doesn’t show up when it’s supposed to; it now has gotten to where we’re getting mail maybe two or three days a week.”

He said a lot of people depend on the mail for prescription medications, Social Security checks, and other items. He said everyone is frustrated with the situation.

Jacintho said he and other Cane Bay residents have reached out to the Summerville Post Office with their concerns.

“She’s been telling me what’s going on- they’ve had a lot of turnover with contractors, and they’re shorthanded. She said that the growth in the Cane Bay/Nexton area, which they serve, has put too much stress on the post office. They don’t have the staff or the facility to handle it.”

He contacted Congressman Nancy Mace’s office, and his state representative and state senator. He has not heard back from them. He said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb returned his message.

“He, like, within a few hours, and said no thanks for reporting it. He said he can’t really do anything. It’s at the federal level.

Finally, he reached out to News 2 for help.

“I reached out to you because certainly I’m frustrated with the situation here and I know that my fellow neighbors and residents are also very frustrated,” he said.

News 2’s Raymond Owens called Congresswoman Mace’s office. Their office called Jacintho back and told him they would look into the problem.

We also called the postal service – their spokeswoman said she is researching the issue to learn more and will get back to us. They later provided the following response:

“The Postal Service appreciates its customers and always strives to provide the best possible service. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been experienced by customers living in the Cane Bay and Nexton communities. Local management is currently working with all stakeholders to ensure any delivery concerns are resolved. We can confirm the Summerville Post Office, like many businesses, is experiencing staffing challenges; however, through successful hiring efforts we have increased our workforce significantly. The Postal Service will continue flexing our available resources to match the workload, in addition to hosting more hiring events until all positions are filled. Interested applicants should log on to http://usps.com/careers frequently to check for new postings. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis. We urge any customers with concerns or questions about their mail delivery service to contact their local Post Office, so that we can look into and resolve their concerns promptly. Customers may also visit our website at www.usps.com/help.”

News 2 will continue following this story and bring you updates as we learn more.

Cane Bay head football coach Russell Zehr is counting heavily on a veteran backfield to lead the way for the 2023 Cobras.

Of course, the success of the backs depends on the play up front and Zehr is hoping his offensive line can grow up quickly. The Cobras are a run-oriented team offensively and that ground game can only be productive if all cylinders are clicking.

“We have good experience and good talent at the skill positions, particularly in the backfield,” says Zehr, entering his 13th season as the head coach. “That’s probably our biggest strength. We have some guys who have played a lot and they are comfortable in our system.

“But, we only have two starters back along the line and, to be honest, we still have three question marks there. I hope they can grow and come together. If they can, we will be a good offensive team. Just not there yet.”

Cane Bay’s leadership along the front comes from returning seniors Andrew Tumbleton at tackle and center Jayden Ferguson. Both will be third-year starters.

Senior Mark Stewart is the starting quarterback. Stewart was the backup for most of last season but started the last four games in place of the injured starter.

“He gained a lot of experience last season and he is ready to lead us as the full-time guy,” Zehr said.

Senior Langston Rhodes is a returning starter at fullback, having topped 500 yards last season. Senior DeShawn Tompkins and junior Brycen Johnson are returning wing backs. Both were starters a year ago.

Leading the receiving corps is senior Braylen Green, a receiver/tight end threat. Junior Qua’Shawn Pelzer and sophomore Colby Larocca also factor into the passing game. Larocca also is getting snaps as a possible backup to Stewart.

There is less true experience on the defensive side but the unit has potential. Senior Will Coker is the lone returner along the front, but junior Joshua Frost and sophomore Garrett Andy are showing potential at end. Also working inside early on are senior Steven Heard and junior Tijeh Eaton.

Senior Parker Osborne is the most experienced linebacker, with senior Brayden Pate and sophomore Dominic Russell getting early season looks at the second level.

Corner Jonas McKeen is a veteran of the secondary, along with senior safety Keaton Cooley. Sophomore MJ Davis is showing well at the other corner.

“How quickly some of these young guys can grow up and play with confidence will determine our season,” Zehr said. “We just have a lot of question marks right now. Hopefully as we play more, the guys will become consistent for us.”

The Cobras open the season on Aug. 18 with a home game against defending Class AAA state champion Beaufort. Other non-region tilts are against Ashley Ridge, West Ashley and James Island - all on the road - and a home game against May River.