By MONTE DUTTON

Since politics has become a sport, what if political debates had replay officials?

Or officials at all.

If a candidate commits a foul, he or gets a yellow card and doesn’t get to answer the next question.

Okay. Maybe not.

By the way, why is it that the national anthem is played before a ballgame but not a debate or a campaign rally?

Presbyterian’s Damorney Hutchinson scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in the final seven minutes as the Blue Hose (2-2-1) rallied for a 3-2 road win at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (1-4-0) on Monday evening.

Presbyterian’s Steven Cordova scored his first career goal while also collecting an assist on Hutchinson’s game-tying goal.

“Tonight’s game was very enjoyable to watch,” Presbyterian coach Nick Finotti said. “I am very pleased with the way we played tonight. Our team has kept working hard and stayed committed to the process, and we came out with the win tonight.”

In the 10^th minute, Coastal Carolina took a 1-0 lead after Doug Hainer scored off assists from Kaito Ueki and Evan Howard.

In the closing minutes of the half in the 44^th minute, Presbyterian tied the score after a great build up that began at midfield. Carson Griffith passed the ball to Jonas Sundli-Hardig who passed the ball to Cordova about 10 yards out at the top of the box. Cordova took a couple of dribbles and blasted a beautiful shot from 20 yards out into the top left corner of the goal, tying the score. Cordova’s goal was his first of the season.

In the 69^th minute, Coastal Carolina regained the lead after Hainer scored his second goal of the game off assists from Ueki and Deryn Armstrong.
In the 84^th minute, Presbyterian tied the score at two when Gabe Carvalho corralled the ball near the touchline to the left of the goal. Carvalho passed to Cordova, who sent a pass from just outside the left side of the box to Hutchinson, who headed the ball from 10 yards out just inside the left post.

In the 88^th minute, Hutchinson took a shot in the box that a Coastal Carolina defender knocked down with his right arm, resulting in a penalty kick. Hutchinson’s penalty kick shot went into the upper right corner of the goal, putting the Blue Hose in front.
With 20 seconds left on the clock, the Blue Hose fouled Coastal Carolina just inside the top of the box, giving the Chanticleers a penalty kick. However, Hainer sent his penalty kick shot over the crossbar.

Presbyterian goalkeeper Loan Marin had four saves.

After four straight road games, the Blue Hose return to Martin Stadium, where they play the VMI Keydets on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Laurens evened its junior-varsity football record by winning in overtime, 26-20, over Belton-Honea Path last Thursday.

Jerimiah Simpson sacked the BHP quarterback on fourth down in overtime, The Raiders quarterback Buddy Cheeks ended the game with a nine-yard touchdown run.

Cheeks also had a rushing TD and completed a short pass to C.J. Bates for another score.

The Raiders host A.C. Flora on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Laurens girls tennis split its first two matches, winning, 4-3, over Greenwood, and being swept, 7-0, by Hillcrest.

Against the Eagles, the Raiders won at Nos. 2 (Ella Sanders), 3 (Sarah Katherine Starling) and 4 (Ashlyn Messer) singles.

The No. 1 doubles team of Sara Beth Field and Sanders won, 8-4, providing the Raiders’ margin of victory.

Greenwood won the return match, 4-3, by a similar margin, winning at No. 1 doubles where it had fallen earlier.

Frankie Dunaway is the new softball coach at Laurens Academy.

The new coach has 17 years of experience, coaching travel teams, Clinton’s Dirt Devils among them.

Clinton’s football games vs. Chapman have been moved up a day due to weather concerns on Friday. Chapman will now play at Clinton in the JV game, now on Wednesday, and the #RedDevils visit the Panthers in the varsity game, now on Thursday. Both begin at 7:30 p.m.

I hope you like the site. (You probably do since you’re reading this.) At least one story has been posted for 42 straight days.

Advertising alone will not keep me going, but there’s room for a few more. Every ad is inset in every story.

You can support my site in several ways.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who support my efforts, not to mention those of the kids, coaches, parents and fans.

Please donate whatever you consider appropriate via Venmo at DHK Sports. You may also reach me by mail at 11185 Highway 56 North, Clinton  29325.

If you choose, make a monthly donation via Patreon. The Laurens County site is here. The Furman site is here.

In the off chance you’d like to read my novels and other books, they’re available on Amazon and many prominent bookseller sites. You can read them on your phones and other devices for a modest cost. I make a bit more if you purchase the actual books, but what I mainly want is for folks to read them.

Read my small-town tale of corruption, Forgive Us Our Trespasses. Download it for $3.99, or order it in paperback for $16.95, here.

Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.

Thanks for putting up with me.