The East Clarendon High SChool varsity girls' basketball team won the South Carolina High School League 2A State Championship in early March.
It was the first time a Wolverine team had accomplished such a feat in the sport, but Head Coach Mike Lowder wasn't surprised at the win. The game started out strong, he said, and the team ended the first quarter with a 23-1 lead.
"It was just our style of game," he said. "We like to get up and down the floor, and that's what we did the first quarter. It was good."
The Lady Wolverines held fast after that first quarter, beating out the Timmonsville Whirlwinds with a 55-31 win.
With an average of 60 points per game in the 2017-18 season, the 11 girls on the team brought home the school's first state championship in basketball, but their recognition didn't end there.
Instead, the team was presented with the Moses Levy Jr. Youth Leadership Award for Dedicated Service to Church, School and Community in late April at the 44th Santee-Wateree NAACP Expo program held at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Manning.
Lowder said he had no idea the team was under consideration for such an award.
"It was actually a pleasant surprise when Mr. Levy contacted me," said Lowder. "We were given the award, and we accepted it proudly."
Lowder was told Levy couldn’t think of any group more deserving.
“We were recognized for representing our county in winning the state championship and representing the state as well,” said Lowder.
Lowder, Assistant Coach LaQuan Barnes and center Britni Anderson, a junior at East Clarendon, attended the ceremony and accepted the plaque on behalf of the team. The award was presented by Matthew Prince.
Although he has been coaching basketball since 1986 and has been with East Clarendon for four years - two as head coach - basketball coaching is not Lowder’s full-time job.
“I’m a pastor of a small church, and my church is nice enough to let me coach during basketball seasons,” said Lowder.
Making the move to East Clarendon was exciting for Lowder, as his wife and her five siblings graduated there.
“It’s been really good to be able to coach out there," he added. "Hopefully, they’ll keep me a few more years.”
The pic titled Basketball Award is from L-R: Asst Coach LaQuan Barnes, Britni Anderson, Head Coach Mike Lowder and Matthew Prince.
IMG_1315 is a picture of the award plaque itself, sent by Coach Lowder.
