Blythewood girls basketball champs

2025-2026 Bill 5436: Blythewood girls basketball champs - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5436
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Garvin, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0480DG-GM26.docx
Introduced in the House on March 26, 2026
Adopted by the House on March 26, 2026
Summary: Blythewood girls basketball champs
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

3/26/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 17
)

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
03/26/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE Blythewood High School
girls basketball TEAM, COACHES, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON
AND TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR WINNING THE 2026 SOUTH CAROLINA CLASS AAAAA
Division I STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

W
hereas, the South
Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the members of the Blythewood
High basketball team of Richland County captured the state title at the state championship
held at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia on Friday, March 6, 2026; and

W
hereas, to the thrill
of their exuberant fans, the Blythewood Lady Bengals defeated a fine,
competitive Wando High School 68-44 and claimed back-to-back state
championships. The team finished the season with a 24-5 record after starting
the season with three losses in the first four games; and

W
hereas, Blythewood's path
to state finals was grinding after the Lady Bengals' second-round victory over
Clover High School. The fourth seeded Lady Bengals tackled No. 1 ranked Dorman
High School on February 27, a team which had defeated Blythewood 61-49 in the
second game of the season. Blythewood held on to the lead in the fourth quarter,
in spite of a strong Dorman rally, to win 54-52. That victory led the team to
the Upper State championship to face No. 2 Mauldin High School. Blythewood battled
Mauldin through three quarters and posted a 60-54 victory to advance to the
state final; and

W
hereas, in the first
quarter of the state championship game, Blythewood fell behind against Wando,
but the 17-9 deficit at the end of the quarter did not ruffle the Lady Bengals.
Hayley Hightower made three of four free throws, and Chase Thomas sank a
3-pointer to get Blythewood to within 17-15 with 6:36 left in the second
quarter. The game stayed tight up to halftime. India Williams broke a 27-27 tie
with a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to put the Lady Bengals ahead 30-27 at the
end of the half; and

W
hereas, Blythewood continued
to sail through the third quarter, adding 18 points to Wando's 9. The Lady
Bengals scored seven points in quick succession in the space of a minute. After
the 5-minute mark of the third, India Williams made one of two foul shots, Chase
Thomas drained a 3, and India Williams returned to the basket for a 3-point
play with 4:04 left in the third quarter. Blythewood overcame the Wando Lady
Warriors' lead by using their successful pressure defense. More of the same continued
in the final quarter, outscoring Wando 20-8, to clinch the 68-44 victory; and

W
hereas, seniors Chase
Thomas, who has signed to play for South Carolina State University next season,
finished the night with 28 points and 11 rebounds, and India Williams, who signed
with USC Aiken, led the way for the Lady Bengals, scored 20 points and pulled
down 10 boards. Two other seniors were key in securing the state championship victory.
Hayley Hightower, the veteran point guard and a sprinter for Blythewood's state
champion girls track and field team, signed to run for Purdue. She has sparked
the defensive effort for years and had 8 steals and 5 assists on top of 5
points. Madison Thomas, Chase's sister, had 2 steals and 2 assists with 4
points; and

W
hereas, in a sport
that exacts speed, strength, and precision, Head Coach Emily McElveen-Schaeffer
and her dedicated coaching staff maximized their own athletic ability and
training to hone a repeat championship team and teach these athletes life
principles that will endure beyond the court; and

W
hereas, the South
Carolina House of Representatives values the pride and recognition that the Blythewood
basketball players have brought to their school and their community, and the
members continue to look forward to the team's continued accomplishments in the
days to come. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, recognize and honor the Blythewood High School girls basketball
team, coaches, and school officials for an outstanding season and congratulate
them for winning the 2026 South Carolina Class AAAAA Division I State
Championship title.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Principal Ralph Schmidt and
Coach Emily McElveen-Schaeffer.

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This web page was last updated on March 26, 2026 at 11:56 AM