Hilton Head Christian Sports Stories

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian Academy's Luke Sirgo passes the ball to Ethan Gort during last Friday's SCISAA class 2-A semifinal game against Colleton Prep.
  

Another huge showdown between HHCA and Northwood

When they met on the same stage -- and the same field -- three years ago, Hilton Head Christian Academy and Northwood Academy represented a pair of fledgling football programs playing for a state title for the first time. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian Academy senior Ethan Gort, right, stands next to older brother and former Eagles receiver Jon near the school’s football field on Tuesday.
  

IT'S BALL IN THE FAMILY: Gort brothers stand out as receivers at HHCA

Standing in the breezeway between the school and the gymnasium at Hilton Head Christian Academy, Jonathan Gort pulls on his old No. 45 jersey and comments that it fits a bit more snugly than it did four years ago, when he finished his career as the Eagles' leading receiver in every statistical category. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian Academy's Ryan Emery, left, celebrates with Ethan Gort after Gort scored a touchdown against Colleton Prep in the second quarter of last Friday's playoff game.
  

This year's HHCA football squad looks mighty familiar

The parallels between Hilton Head Christian Academy's 2006 SCISAA Class 2-A championship football team and this year's Eagles squad are uncanny, right down to the season-opening loss, the long winning streak to close the season, and the opponent and setting for the team's season finale. (full story)

Prep Notebook: New week brings another rematch for football Eagles

One good rematch deserves another, or so it would seem. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian’s Zac Lenns (8) pushes against Colleton Prep’s offense during Friday’s SCISAA Class 2-A semifinal game.
  

Hilton Head Christian headed to state title game

Fifty-two seconds left in the half. Seventy-five yards to go. No timeouts. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian Academy’s Ethan Gort scores a touchdown during last week’s playoff game against Calhoun Academy. Gort and the Eagles will host Colleton Prep tonight in the semifinal round of the SCISAA playoffs.
  

Hilton Head Christian not looking past Colleton Prep

The opponent is familiar, and so is the territory. (full story)

Inside Look: Teams say the rematch poses unique challenges

Barely enough time has passed for even a thin layer of dust to collect on the DVD cases that contain the video the teams studied in preparation for their first meeting three weeks ago. (full story)

High School Football Notebook: Eagles, Clifford welcome second season

For Beaufort High football coach Mark Clifford, Friday's 24-14 loss to Goose Creek to end the regular season looked more like a jittery season opener for the Eagles. (full story)

• Photo: Christian Academy's Devin McGuinness puts a stop to Calhoun Academy's (#9) during the first quarter of the game Friday night.
  

HHCA overpowers Calhoun Academy in playoff opener

In the eyes of Calhoun Academy head coach Adam Jarecki, Hilton Head Christian is deserving of the top seed in this year's SCISAA Class 2-A playoffs. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head High’s Lawrence Jenkins runs the ball during last Friday’s win over rival Bluffton. Jenkins and the Seahawks will host Socastee in the first round of the Class 3-A state playoffs tonight.
  

Playoff preview: Local teams hope to avoid 1st-round knockout

Tim Singleton has been involved some way or somehow in just about every 50-point performance in Hilton Head High's football history. (full story)

High School Football Notebook: Defense key to success for HHCA

Hilton Head Christian coach Tommy Lewis knew his team's defense was on to something good after its performance in a 31-7 win against Orangeburg Prep on Oct. 9. (full story)

Saturday Morning Punter: A fast and furious finish to the regular season

Strap yourself in, football fans, because this regular-season finale edition of the Saturday Morning Punter comes at you at 75 mph from somewhere on Interstate 26. (Don't worry, I'm in the passenger seat.) (full story)

Oct. 30 prep roundup: Hilton Head Christian earns top seed in SCISAA playoffs

Hilton Head Christian 24, Northwood Academy 10: Hilton Head Christian won the SCISAA Region 2-AA title and secured home-field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs with an impressive win over Uriah Singleton and Northwood Academy on Friday night. (full story)

Week 10 High School Football Preview: Playoff lives on the line this week

A bit more than pride will be on the line when Bluffton High School travels to rival Hilton Head High tonight. (full story)

Saturday Morning Punter: Time to take area teams' playoff temperature

Another Friday night is in the books and as the regular season winds down, many local teams' playoff fates are still up in the air. (full story)

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HHCA slows down Colleton Prep run game

Despite stifling every offense it has faced during the seven-game winning streak Hilton Head Christian Academy rode into Friday night, the Eagles' defense knew it would face two of its toughest tests this week and next. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head High’s Lawrence Jenkins reaches for extra yards during a game earlier this season. Jenkins and the Seahawks travel to Battery Creek tonight in a key Region 8-AAA matchup.
  

Week 9 high school football preview: Battery Creek hosts Hilton Head High in key region tilt

With the way the first two-thirds of the Region 8-AAA season has played out, every game over the final two weeks of the year is shaping up to be an important one for each of the six teams in the conference. (full story)

• Photo: Hilton Head Christian defensive coordinator Vinnie Emery, right, stands next to head coach Tommy Lewis. The Eagles’ defense has grown more nuanced and more dominant in the two seasons since Emery has taken over as coordinator of the defense.
  

Defensive coordinator helps take HHCA to next level

The television screen behind Vinnie Emery is blank. The DVD player isn't on. For a rare moment, Emery's attention isn't focused on the video of Hilton Head Christian Academy's next opponent. (full story)

Prep Roundup

VARSITY TENNIS (full story)

Saturday Morning Punter: Use as directed; side effects might include wild changes to playoff picture

I don't know about you, but I learned a lot under the Friday night lights this week -- and most of it contradicted conclusions I had drawn after last week's games, which leaves me a little dazed and confused (or maybe I'm just tired; probably just tired). (full story)