Kelly Strickland
South Columbus High School
2007 Columbus County
Softball Player of the Year

Brett Burroughs
South Columbus High School
2007 Columbus County
Softball Coach of the Year

By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

It was a record-breaking softball season at South Columbus High School.

Even though the Lady Stallions fell short of winning the conference championship of the rough-tough Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference, they still became the first Columbus County team since the inception of the fast-pitch rules to advance to the fourth round of the playoffs.

In fourth-round play, they came within an inning of advancing to the state 2A finals but dropped a heart-breaking 3-2 loss to conference rival South Brunswick in the seventh inning. South Brunswick went on to finish runnerup in the state.

While South Columbus had several standouts on its 2007 team, the one who stood out the most was junior shortstop Kelly Strickland.

Strickland finished the season with a .514 batting average, which included seven doubles, a triple and four home runs. She scored 30 runs and struck out only three times. Her on-base percentage was .674.

“A very consistent player,” said SCHS coach Brett Burroughs of Strickland, who has been a starter since her freshman year. “She does it all. Her fielding and base-running are every bit as strong as her hitting.”

Strickland’s performance this spring has led to her selection as 2007 Columbus County Softball Player of the Year, and she heads the 20-member All-Columbus County Softball Team that is selected annually by The News Reporter sports department.

Burroughs has been named Columbus County Softball Coach of the Year after guiding his squad deep into the playoffs.

Strickland is joined on the all-county team by SCHS teammates Courtney Long, Brandi Fowler, Yolanda McCoy, Joye Buffkin and Marci-anna Pridgen.

East Columbus, which advanced to the third round of the state 1A playoffs, where it lost to state champion Pender, has five players selected All-Columbus. Those selected from Coach Larry Williamson’s team include 2006 Columbus County Player of the Year Morgan Patrick, Kayla McLean, Caitlin Lane, Jena Britt and Jennifer McPherson. East Columbus tied South Columbus for third place in the Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference regular-season standings.

West Columbus, which finished in a tie for runnerup in the Southeastern 1A-2A Conference has also placed five players on the all-county team. Coach Cindy Faulk’s Lady Vikings, who have made vast strides of improvement over the last two seasons, have Caroline Newman, Samantha Blackwell, Jessica Ransom, Brooke Cartrette and Patrice Jenkins selected.

Selections from Whiteville High are Olivia Williams, Amanda Pope and Kim Hathway.
Buffkin and McLean have been selected All-Columbus for the fourth straight year while Strickland, Long, McPherson, Newman and Williams have been selected all-county for the third time. It marks the second time for McCoy, Pridgen, Britt, Jenkins, Pope, and Hathway.

Columbus County Softball Players of the Year

2004 - Anna Williamson, East Columbus
2005 - Leighann Wayland, East Columbus
2006 - Morgan Patrick, East Columbus
2007 - Kelly Strickland, South Columbus