Plans call for lacrosse champions to be crowned in '09-10

The High School League will crown state champions in lacrosse beginning with the 2009-10 academic year. The organization's executive committee recently voted 11-0 to sanction the sport.

There are 16 boys team around the state and 15 girls teams. High School League commissioner Jerome Singleton said he expects the number of teams to grow now that the High School League will hold state playoffs.

"But there are economics involved," he said. "I don't know if some schools will be able to add another sport to their budgets."

The sport is still unsanctioned. That means some schools provide a playing field, but do not pay the expenses that are involved, such as travel and coaching stipends.

When the sport becomes sanctioned, schools must pick up the tab.

Lacrosse will be played from January to April, and will include a four-week preseason. Teams will play a 12-game schedule and two tournaments.

There will be no regions and all teams will be in the same classification.

The only schools in the Lowcountry that field teams are Bishop England, Wando, Bluffton and Hilton Head.

If fewer than 16 teams play lacrosse in 2010, state playoffs would not be held and no team would be crowned a state champ. A tournament would take the place of the playoffs.

BE to honor Hughes

Bishop England will honor four-sport star Derek Hughes during Friday night's home football finale against Garrett Tech.

Hughes died in July from complications of diabetes.

He led Bishop England to the Lower State football championship game in 1976 with 1,281 yards rushing and was named to the Parade All-America team in 1977.

The school does not retire numbers. But athletic director Paul Runey tracked down a jersey similar to the ones the Bishops wore when Hughes played, and had Hughes' number, 42, added to the jersey. It will be displayed in the school's trophy case.

Hughes went on to play for Michigan State and as a sophomore was second in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 31.1 yards on 16 returns, including touchdown returns of 100 and 98 yards. But he injured his knee his junior year and was never the same.

Reach Philip M. Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com at 937-5592.