71 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com But for the 2024-25 season, Runey and his team are facing what could be their biggest challenge yet: maintaining a winner while competing at a much higher class level. “We’re technically a 2A school in terms of size but have been bumped up this year to Region 6 4A – which means that almost every school we will play against will be at least twice our size,” Runey said. “So, it’s going to be a whole different ball game for us, at least for the next two seasons.” It could also mean starting over in ways Runey thought were long behind him. For example, under his tutelage, the Lady Bishops have made the playoffs 39 seasons out of 40. The closest he’s come to a losing season was when his 1995 team finished 10-10. Six of his teams won state titles between 2012-19, a standard that will be hard to match by any future Lowcountry girls’ program. But along with region realignment, the team also lost seven seniors from last year, with only seven or eight veterans returning. “We’ll have to stay out of foul trouble because I won’t have the depth from previous years,” Runey said, adding that even the early games won’t be easy. “December games are usually just to get everyone going in the new season, but I think December is going to be more challenging than the past.” Early contests will include the Carolina Invitational with traditionally out-of-state competition. Then comes region play in January. While home games will be tough enough against nearby Wando and Hanahan, the new alignment will bring in Battery Creek, Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton and other unfamiliar teams. Away games will present an even stronger test, as the Lady Bishops will have to travel much longer distances, such as to Colleton County – 55 miles; Beaufort and Battery Creek – 77-79 miles; Bluffton – 99 miles; and Hilton Head – 109 miles. Additionally, Runey will have to rely on a small cadre of returning starters: senior guard Hanna Rosato; senior utility Lissie van de Erve; junior center Hadley Irvine and sophomore utility Olivia Allen. Lilly Tawes, Grier Murphy, Lindsey Gieg and Anna Kate Christy will also have to play bigger roles and set a new team standard going forward. The only question is: Will it be enough for now? “How they play and what they do will determine our success,” Runey said. “And I’m counting on them to get us through an otherwise difficult season.” PHILIP SIMMONS LADY IRON HORSES While many high school basketball coaches are sometimes forced to create a winning tradition from scratch, others occasionally have the luxury of bringing one to a team – as is the case with Allen Gethers. As new head coach of the Philip Simmons Lady Iron Horses, Gethers plans to use his experience to produce a perennial winner – and eventually, a state champion. “I am genuinely excited about the upcoming season,” said Gethers. “We have a solid group of returners who are eager and prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.” Those challenges begin early, as the Lady Iron Horses open with 4A Hanahan, 4A First Baptist, 5A Wando and Hanahan again. “These teams are well-coached and will provide excellent competition for us,” Gethers said. Despite this being his first year at Philip Simmons, Gethers’ transition is expected to be fairly smooth: prior to his hiring, he served eight years as head basketball coach at Timberland High, where his teams made the playoffs seven times. He also won Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023. And Gethers also got a break in another respect: Even though Philip Simmons was reclassified to AA Region 6 starting this season, the change means staying closer to home for many away games rather than having to travel 69104 miles to Beaufort, Hemingway and Horry County. Region opponents for 2024-25 include Woodland, Burke, Academic Magnet and of course, his previous school Timberland. “Within our region, the competition will be equally strong, as all the teams are also well-coached,” Gethers said. “My current goals for this year and the years to come are to build a successful foundation and program that brings a winning mentality to the community.” But again, Gethers doesn’t have to go far toward that goal: Last year’s squad went 13-10 overall, finished first place in the region at 8-0 and won a first-round playoff game before losing to Darlington. The 2022-23 team was even better at 20-6, and another 8-0 first-place region finish. The three previous teams all had winning seasons – combining for a solid record of 57-24. The last time the Lady Iron Horses had a losing season was 2017-18 – the school’s first year of existence – and Gethers doesn’t intend to spend any time on memory lane – mainly because there are too many people at Philip Simmons who want Gethers to take the team to the highest level, which is not a bad our sports Philip Simmons Coach Allen Gethers. BEHS Coach Paul Runey encourages a fast break by veteran guard Hanna Rosato.
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