Apart from Clinton, where the Red Devils ran Chester out of the building, the rule in Laurens County on Tuesday was split decisions.

The big news was the Laurens boys’ first Region 2-4A victory since 2021-22.

The Raiders split. The Crusaders split. The Presbyterian men and women play on Wednesday, men in High Point and women at home.

And the High School League started dealing with the controversy of realignment, which has little local effect until the region assignments are made.

TyJ Jones fueled Laurens’ 55-49 victory over Wade Hampton on the home court.

Jones scored 18 points, Tylan Fowler 17 and Martinez Shaw 11.

Laurens (7-13, 1-1 region) built a considerable lead – 51-36 after three quarters – and had enough cushion to survive a frantic fourth quarter.

Other Raider scorers were K.J. Singleton (3), Zee Simpson (2) B.J. Byrd (1) and Nigere Brown (1).

Wade Hampon falls to 2-12 and 0-2.

Thursday finds the Raiders venturing to Greer to face the Yellow Jackets.

Girls’ results were not so encouraging as the Taylors-based Generals dominated the fourth quarter of a 57-34 win.

Wade Hampton (12-5, 2-0) ran away at the end. The Generals, who got 30 points from Quinasia Abercrombie, entered the fourth quarter with a five-point lead, and the Raiders got within four twice.

Wade Hampton turned up the heat, and Laurens (7-12, 0-2) turnovers ensued.

Nyri Allen led Laurens with 14 points.

Also scoring were Zoe Young (6), Faith Jackson (5), Ty Jones (5), Destiny Anderson (20 and Keyoric Yeargin (2).

It came as no surprise that the Laurens Academy girls (15-1, 6-0 SCISA Region 1-A) held up the split at Newberry Academy, 38-20.

Also no surprise was Olivia Huck scoring 18 points for the Crusaders. She hit the game’s only triple and buried 8/12 shots. The rest of the team was 8/51.

Other LA scorers were Emily Suttles (6), Abby Howard (4), Sadie Bruyere (4) and Rylee Ballard (4).

Jayla Williams led the Eagles (2-9, 0-5) with 11 points. She was 5/12 from the field but only 1/6 at the line.

Newberry Academy (8-9, 7-1) ran away from the LA boys in the fourth quarter, winning 40-25 with a 12-5 final period.

Laurens Academy (9-10, 6-4) got a team-leading eight points from Garrett Murphy. Four players – Elijah Hornberger, Garrison Vaughn, Jared Willard and Braydon Burke – each scored three. Elijah Straight and Buddy Baker chipped in two apiece, and Tristan Bates added one.

The schools split the middle-school games similarly, with LA dominating the girls’ game, 36-2, and NA winning the boys’, 41-27.

Clinton won its boys’ JV game over Chester, 49-38.

The S.C. High School League began working through the realignment process by hearing appeals on Tuesday, with another round taking place Wednesday.

It’s likely some appeals will be appealed, which means region assignments are still at least a week or two away.

Since Clinton is being reassigned to Class 2A – which it isn’t appealing – other schools with which it is grouped make a compelling issue.

Perennial 2A power Abbeville lost its request to be lowered to Class A. Seneca lost an appeal of its 4A assignment and remain in 3A. Southside Christian and St. Joseph’s Catholic lost appeals of being placed in 3A. Brashier Middle College Charter and High Point Academy won appeals to be in 2A instead of 3A.

The SCHSL is scheduled to review appeals by Christ Church Episcopal, Green Upstate School, Greenville Tech Charter, Greer Middle College and Landrum High School on Wednesday.

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