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Most pageants celebrate beauty and poise.

Kallyn Long’s celebrated courage.

The reigning Miss South Carolina High School America brought together children from the deaf and hard-of-hearing community for a one-of-a-kind mock pageant, proving that the most powerful stage is the one where everyone feels seen.

Held on Nov. 1 at the Park Circle Community Building, Long’s Crowning Cordelia mock pageant invited children in grades 1 through 8 to step into the spotlight, learning to walk the runway, try on gowns, pose for photos, and showcase their confidence in a joyful Royal Runway Walk for parents and guardians.

“Watching the girls enter shy and quiet and then leave full of joy and confidence was unforgettable,” Long said. “Seeing their emotions and their family’s pride reminded me why I do this. Moments like this teach empathy, patience, and understanding.”

Long, a Bishop England High School junior, knows firsthand what it means to find strength through challenge. Four years ago, a rollercoaster ride left her with permanent hearing loss in her left ear.

“Doctors believe the g-force may have triggered my loss of hearing, but I also have an underlying condition called Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct, or EVA,” she explained. “That day changed everything – not just my hearing, but our family’s purpose.”

After receiving a cochlear implant at MUSC, Long turned her personal experience into a mission to advocate for the hearing-impaired community. She wrote a children’s book, “Cordelia and Me,” which shares the message that “there’s ability in every disability.”

Each child at the mock pageant received a copy, and proceeds from book sales support Camp Wonder Hands, a free summer camp for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“I read my book to the group and gifted each girl a copy, hoping they would carry the message of confidence and kindness with them,” Long said. “We colored, made bracelets, and practiced answering interview questions. A generous Daniel Island resident even donated trucker hats for everyone.”

Her mother, Kerri Sanderson, said she was moved to tears watching the children’s reactions. “Kallyn’s heart is gold,” she said. “I totally cried seeing the kids and parents’ reactions when Kallyn had them do their mock pageant in front of the parents. Her motto is ‘Be kind, because you can’t rewind,’ and she truly lives it.”

Beyond the crown, Long continues finding creative ways to give back. She launched “Kal’s Snack Pals,” delivering snack bags to Title I schools across South Carolina, and spent her spring break volunteering at nonprofits statewide, from nursing homes to the Ronald McDonald House.

After placing in the top five at the national Miss High School America competition this summer, Kallyn’s platform and purpose continue to grow.

“The pageant system gave me a microphone to reach people and make a difference,” she said. “Kindness and inclusion can change the world, one small act at a time.”

It was Jay Watterworth’s ultimate goal ever since he was named coach of the Philip Simmons High School girls’ volleyball team in 2017.

In past years, he circled the date of the state championship on the calendar and sweated the details of reaching the big match.

Finally, on Nov. 8, he and his talented squad celebrated a state championship with a 3-0 victory over Landrum High School in the Class AA state championship, which was contested at Dreher High School in Columbia.

Mission accomplished.

“Man, I’m overcome with emotion,” said Watterworth, whose team capped the season with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-23 victory over the Cardinals. “The girls have prepared so long for this moment. They have worked and worked to reach this goal. They did it.

“They did the work in the weight room, studied in the classroom,” he added. “There had to be so many things that had to go right for us to win it. I felt confident we would get there.”

The Iron Horses’ run to the state crown was flawless, as they didn’t drop a set in four postseason matches. They upped their record to 38-5, while Landrum closed out the season with a 29-5-2 record. The Cardinals entered the state championship on a roll with six consecutive wins.

But on this day, the Iron Horses proved to be the better team as they pushed their all-time record to 238-66.

“We have embraced every emotion this season,” Watterworth said. “We played a schedule that prepared us for the postseason. We played the best because we wanted to be the best.”

The Iron Horses came close to competing in the state championship match in past years but were 0-5 in Lower State championship appearances. The Iron Horses were finally able to hoist the state championship trophy with the victory over Landrum.

Watterworth is passionate about volleyball. He attended North Greenville University and played soccer. All that changed in 2003 when a soccer teammate asked Watterworth to play intramural volleyball.

“I could never have imagined that moment would lead to me falling in love with the game,” Watterworth said. “Today, I’m still as passionate about the game but more passionate about my team. The greatest group of girls had a mission this year and achieved it. What a journey. I’m overwhelmed by the support of family and friends. After 19 years in the coaching game, I can finally say, ‘State champion.’”

The 2025 edition of Iron Horse volleyball featured top-shelf talent that was young, yet experienced.

Watterworth praised his three seniors who went out winners: Sophia Pheney, Carson Mills, and Maddy Meloeny. He called Pheney the “heartbeat” of the team.

The team also included six juniors, three sophomores, and a freshman.

McRae Stephenson, the Region 6-AA player of the year, will return next fall along with teammates Catherine Futch and Dani Gehringer, who were named all-region. Gabby Kakalev, another all-region pick, will be one of the top juniors in the Palmetto State.

DANIEL ISLAND, S.C.- The No. 21 Wake Forest men's golf team came out strong in the opening round of the Bryson Invitational in Daniel Island, S.C., finishing the day near the top of the leaderboard heading into Tuesday's second round.

The nationally ranked Demon Deacons carded a 280 (-8), tying with Kansas for second place and sitting just two strokes behind No. 3 Vanderbilt, the current leader.

Junior Tom Haberer and senior Jakob Melin led the way for the Deacs, each carding a four-under 68 in the opening round. Both players recorded six birdies apiece to pace Wake Forest's strong start. Haberer and Melin are tied for second place, just two strokes off the individual lead.

Juniors Kyle Haas and Nicholas Prieto ended the day even-par, and hold a share of 30th place.

Teams will play another 18 holes on Tuesday, October 14. The Deacs will be in the last group off the first tee with players from Vanderbilt and Kansas, with tee times starting at 9:40 a.m.

Live Stats

Scoring for the The Bryson Invitational will be available via Scoreboard powered by Clippd

Round Two Tee Times

Teams will play another 18 holes on Tuesday, October 14. The Deacs will be in the last group off the first tee with players from Vanderbilt and Kansas, with tee times starting at 9:40 a.m.

10:00- Nicholas Prieto

10:10- Tom Haberer

From Coach Haas:

"We had a very good start on a very difficult day. 68 by both Jakob and Tom were excellent scores today. After the practice round yesterday in the rain and wind, I'm proud of how they played today. It will take an effort like this every day to remain up top with the leaders, but the team has a great attitude and continues to just get better and better. Go Deacs!"

Day One Scores

Team

Wake Forest Team

Wake Forest Individual

With 115 acres of land secured by Berkeley County to make way for a riverfront park, what exactly will the recreational area look like?

The property, known as the North Island Tract, sits along the Cooper River on the island’s northwestern side, nestled behind a row of apartment buildings at the end of Seven Farms Drive. Berkeley County purchased the parcel in June 2024 from the South Carolina Ports Authority for roughly $4 million and immediately earmarked it for conservation.

“The closing on the North Island is complete,” Berkeley County Councilman Jarrod Brooks said. “The county is in the beginning stages of planning and design.”

Brooks, who represents Daniel Island and parts of Goose Creek, said the park will be maintained as a passive riverfront space, highlighting wetlands, wildlife, and "the unique features of the property's waterfront, undisturbed nature, and ponds."

Specific features have not yet been decided, but ideas include walking trails, boardwalks, and a potential pier – amenities that will be shaped by suggestions from county taxpayers.

“Those elements have been discussed in informal conversations leading up to the purchase,” Berkeley County public information officer Jenna-Ley Walls said. “They’ll be worked out through the master planning process, informed by community feedback. Any firm hired to create the park’s master plan will hold public input sessions."

While no formal timeline is in place for public outreach, groundbreaking, or completion, Brooks said he anticipates the park will eventually complement Daniel Island’s existing green spaces. “Daniel Island is blessed with miles of trails, ponds, and recreation facilities,” he said. “The North Island Tract will add to that legacy."

Former Berkeley councilman Josh Whitley, who helped secure the purchase of the land before leaving office in December of 2024, said, “It was incredibly significant that the county’s first acquisition under the Greenbelt program was this property, which was likely to be developed with more rooftops."

The Berkeley County Greenbelt program was commissioned, in part, to identify privately- and publicly-owned land that could be purchased by the county for preservation and conservation.

“Now, it will be a county park indefinitely and eventually accessible to the public at large,” Whitley said.

Greenbelt commissioner Tory Sullivan said scheduling public discussions prior to the park's concept and design is a number one priority and is not being overlooked, noting that Berkeley County leaders advised him that they are first "focusing on acquiring strategic properties (for the Greenbelt program) as quickly as they can to be able to buy them as affordably as they can as prices for real estate keep escalating."

Once the preservation project does get underway, state leaders said it will be worth the wait.

“South Carolina Ports has worked carefully over the years with Berkeley County and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism to preserve 2.5 miles of shoreline along the Cooper River," said South Carolina Ports Authority interim president Phil Padgett, adding it will be "great to see the county transform this portion of the North Island Tract into accessible greenspace.”