Championship Flashback: Sophomores That Shined at States

The 2025-26 high school basketball season may have come to a conclusion and we are mere days away from the start of the travel campaign. While it is always helpful to look ahead, we at Prep Girls Hoops decided to take some time to reflect on what was an amazing championship season.    In the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) ranks, Military Magnet, Landrum, Walhalla, North Augusta, Berkeley and Blythewood departed from Colonial Life Arena with state championship hardware.    The same applied to Wardlaw Academy, Dorchester Academy, Florence Christian and First Baptist in the South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) ranks as their state games once again emanated from the Sumter County Civic Center.     Heading into First Baptist's SCISA 4A championship clash with Northwood Academy in Sumter, the Hurricanes were looking to finish the business that went unfinished at the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign against Trinity Collegiate. With a 24-point performance, Pojani guided coach Presley Singleton's Hurricanes to a 64-60 win over the Chargers and to First Baptist's first state championship since 1980. That victory capped a season for Pojani where she averaged 22.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 3.7 assists per contest. She is set to play her travel ball with FBC Reign 2028 which plays on the Under Armour circuit.     For the past few seasons, the road to a SCISA 2A state championship has gone through Cross Schools. That would apply to Dorchester Academy this past season as they matched up with the Stingrays in Sumter. The Raiders needed overtime but McClure's 13 points were key in Dorchester Academy knocking Cross Schools off its perch via a 39-37 decision. McClure also claimed Region Player of the Year honors. McClure is a multi-sport athlete who also excels as a softball standout in addition to her basketball achievements. McClure was one of the three sophomores that were part of this past season's Raiders team.     Going into the 2025-26 season, the Cardinals of 2A Landrum made one of the biggest offseason splashes as Caldwell brought her hoops talents to The Cage. The first girls contest of championship week at Colonial Life Arena displayed exactly why coach Kali Koenig wanted Caldwell in Landrum threads. She led the Cardinals with 19 points as Landrum prevailed over Atlantic Collegiate in a 45-43 classic that came down to the final possession. Caldwell helped deliver Landrum's first-ever girls basketball championship and finished a season where she averaged 20.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 3.9 assists per contest.     Just a few short years ago, there was no such thing as an Atlantic Collegiate Academy. In only its third season of existence, the Armada have made its mark on the Palmetto State's high school girls basketball landscape. Even though the Armada came up short against Landrum in the 2A state contest, Capers added eight points to the Atlantic Collegiate cause. She was one of the signature transfers of the offseason and kept Atlantic Collegiate in the contenders' conversation from start to finish. Capers would average 13.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 24 games to lead the Armada to a Lower State championship.     Carter may have put together the signature performance of anyone throughout championship week at Colonial Life Arena. Berkeley was looking to repeat as 5A Division 2 champions. Greenville would not make it easy. With a 29-point performance, the Stags were able to prevail over the Red Raiders with the final score being 54-50. The regular season being in the books means Carter is looking ahead to club ball with [program_tooltip program_id='783909' first='Palmetto' last='76ers/A'ja Wilson Elite'] whose first event will be this weekend in North Augusta. Carter would average 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.9 steals in the 28 gamest that she played. She also received an offer from Minnesota North College Vermillion.     Cannon is another that now has the distinction of being a multi-time state champion. Walhalla's defense of its 3A state crown from the 2024-25 season would prove successful as the Razorbacks defeated Keenan by the final score of 70-58. Cannon was a key catalyst in Walhalla's win with a 19-point performance. She also contributed six rebounds, three assists and a steal to the Razorbacks' cause. This month's 3A state contest brought a close to a 2025-26 season that saw Cannon average 11.7 points, five rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.7 assists in the 26 games that she played. Cannon is one of the three sophomores on this past season's Razorbacks team.     Keenan also did not achieve the result it was in search of at the CLA as the Raiders fell in a 70-58 decision to Walhalla. Lee-Sutton was not fazed by the bright Gamecocks lights as she led her Raiders with 20 points. She would play in 25 of Keenan's 27 contests this past season while averaging 22.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.3 assists per game. A few days ago, Lee-Sutton announced that she would be running with AEBL Girlz which will be part of the Nike EYBL Circuit. Lee-Sutton has played at the varsity level since she was a seventh grader.     Championship Friday in Columbia would see Wando come up short in its bid to win its first state championship since 1980. Blythewood may have got the better of the Warriors, but Reynolds provided problems for the Bengals for much of the contest. She would tally 19 points to pace Wando's offensive attack. Seventeen of Reynolds' 19 were placed on the scoreboard in the first half of play. This season's state game brought a close to a season where she averaged 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and three steals in 26 contests. With the regular season in the rear-view mirror, Reynolds is set to begin her travel schedule with [program_tooltip program_id='988463' first='Mosch' last='Ball'] which will take part in this week's Southeast Kickoff to launch this year's Prep Girls Hoops Circuit.     The final girls contest of the season would feature North Augusta and Westside in a rematch of last year's 4A state championship game. Sapp would display exactly why her transfer was such a boost to this season's Yellow Jackets. With 15 points, she lifted North Augusta to a 63-50 victory over the Rams – and the Yellow Jackets' seventh championship in 10 years. Sapp would wear North Augusta's uniform in 28 games this past season while averaging 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and just over a steal per game. She was one of three sophomores on this past season's Yellow Jackets team.

The 2025-26 high school basketball season may have come to a conclusion and we are mere days away from the start of the travel campaign. While it is always helpful to look ahead, we at Prep Girls Hoops decided to take some time to reflect on what was an amazing championship season.