The Item Sports

01/01/2026

Ring in the new ear the right way with the Hines Furniture & Bedding Co Athlete of the Year!

Make your final daily vote for this week's award at https://www.theitem.com/athlete-of-the-week-2025 before noon to help push your favorite candidate across the finish line!

12/31/2025

The polls are still open for the Hines Furniture & Bedding Co Athlete of the Week!

Already voted? No problem! You can vote once daily at https://www.theitem.com/athlete-of-the-week-2025 until the poll closes at noon on Thursday!

12/30/2025

Manning and Crestwood take home the District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament crowns!

The Lady Monarchs took down Bethune-Bowman 39-35 at Morris College last night, while Crestwood used a hot start to roll past Laurence Manning 76-56! On the middle school side, the Alice Drive girls and Bates boys took home the hardware with wins!

STORY: https://www.theitem.com/stories/manning-girls-crestwood-boys-claim-district-9-officials-christmas-basketball-tournament-titles,437900

📷: ABIGAIL PITTSMAN / THE SUMTER ITEM

12/30/2025

The polls are open for the Hines Furniture & Bedding Co Athlete of the Week!

Head over to https://www.theitem.com/athlete-of-the-week-2025 to vote for your favorite candidate from Sumter High School Fighting Gamecock Athletics, Crestwood Knights Athletics, Laurence Manning Academy and Manning High School - CCSD!

You can vote once daily until the poll closes at noon on Thursday!

12/29/2025

The championships of the District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament are tonight! Read about how the local squads did in the first two days and how Manning, Crestwood and Laurence Manning all advanced to the varsity championship games tonight!

Prior to Monday’s championship games of the District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament, the gyms in Manning were busy with a packed slate of games. Locally, Manning, Laurence Manning, …

12/29/2025

What a weekend of hoops out at Manning!

The District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament took over the gyms at Manning High, Junior High and Elementary over the weekend for two days jam packed with basketball! Tonight, we'll decide champions at Morris College!

The night will start at 4 p.m. with the middle school girls championship between Alice Drive and Heyward Gibbs, followed by the boys matchup between Bates and Ebenezer!

Then, the varsity teams will show out! Manning will face off with Bethune Bowman at 6:30 before the Laurence Manning boys duke it out with Crestwood to cap off the night!!

MORE PHOTOS: https://www.theitem.com/stories/photos-manning-hosts-district-9-officials-christmas-basketball-tournament-featuring-crestwood,437862

📸: TIM LEIBLE AND J.R. AKIES / THE SUMTER ITEM

12/27/2025

The Sumter Item has named 24 athletes to its All-Independent Football Team!

Wilson Hall Athletics Laurence Manning Academy Thomas Sumter Academy Cavalier Athletics Clarendon Hall

The Sumter Item has selected 24 players to its All-Independent Football Team. The team was selected based on nominations from local South Carolina Independent School Association school coaches. Final selections were chosen by The Item sports …

12/26/2025

Games are kicking off at Manning High, Junior and Elementary Schools!

12/25/2025

Next up for the Gamecocks is a trip down to Florida after Christmas

The Sumter High boys basketball team traveled to Greenville for the Poinsettia Classic on Monday and Tuesday, going 1-1. The Gamecocks, who are ranked No. 4 in SCHSL 5A DI, opened the tournament …

12/24/2025

After a very Merry Christmas, the gyms at Manning High, Middle and Elementary will be buzzing this weekend with the District 9 Officials Christmas Basketball Tournament! Here's the full schedule for Friday, Saturday and Monday for those wanting to come out to watch your favorite squad!

12/24/2025

This week on The Grind, presented by Bank of Clarendon is Laurence Manning Academy's Zy and Scoop Dennis!

The Dennis brothers have been staples of LMA athletics for the last three years. Zy, now a senior, is leading the basketball team from the point, while shining on the football and baseball fields. Scoop made the jump to varsity as a middle schooler and has blossomed into one of the area's top scorers on the court alongside being a standout on the gridiron as a sophomore. Now, the duo is trying to send Zy out on a high note.

STORY: https://www.theitem.com/stories/the-grind-presented-by-bank-of-clarendon-laurence-mannings-dennis-brothers-push-each-other-to,437694

📷: ABIGAIL PITTMAN / THE SUMTER ITEM