Marion girls basketball coach Crasten Davis watches as his team scrimmages North Myrtle Beach on November 18, 2020. The Lady Swamp Foxes have won a pair of games over Carolina Forest to start the season but have been off for a month and last week Marion County School District put a halt to winter sports activities.
Marion’s Tonaja Lester leads the fast-break during a scrimmage against North Myrtle Beach at Marion High School. The team won’t return to action until possibly Jan. 29 due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the Marion County School District to suspend winter sports activities.
Mariah Moody and the Marion Lady Swamp Foxes practice seeking a chance to return to the state championship game in the 2021 season.
Marion’s Kimmie Barnes applies pressure on defense during a scrimmage against North Myrtle Beach. The Lady Swamp Foxes (2-0) won the Class 3A lower state title last season and look to challenge in Class 2A.
MARION, S.C. – Marion County School District officials put a halt to winter sports activities last week.
Basketball and wrestling competition for boys and girls are on hold until Jan. 18, Director of Operations Leon Sturkey said.
“We’re awaiting the latest numbers from South Carolina DHEC and until the South Carolina High School League sends any information,” Sturkey said.
The SCHSL executive committee could soon address the possible of adjusting of team schedules due to several school districts in the Pee Dee area also having to suspend sports activities.
South Carolina High School League commissioner Jerome Singleton said the upcoming state basketball tournament has already been reduced to four rounds and 16 teams, adding it will be the regions dictating who their representatives are.
Marion County had a total of 2,330 cases since March 22. The county has also reported 75 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the SCDHEC data.
Cases have increased each week since a low of 39 to end November up to 219 reported Saturday. Marion County has reported 425 cases in the past two weeks.
The Marion girls basketball team finished last season as the Class 3A state runner-up and lower state champions. This season they return to Class 2A. Despite not playing in a month, the Lady Swamp Foxes opened the season with a 59-47 road win at Carolina Forest and a 56-36 win at home over the Lady Panthers.
