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Mario Anderson is ready to seize the moment.

That was the message the new South Carolina running back gave ahead of the Gamecocks’ start to spring practice.

Anderson, a transfer from nearby Newberry College, will have a chance to earn the starting running back position with the departure of MarShawn Lloyd to Southern Cal. He and returnee JuJu McDowell head to spring practice next week as the likely candidates to be the team’s top tailback.

Anderson said McDowell has helped with the transition and showed him the ropes since his arrival at USC in January.

The former Stratford High standout earned All-American honors last season at Newberry and left the school with 3,301 yards (third most in school history) and 35 touchdowns.

“I come in with a little sense of hunger and just to seize every opportunity that I can,” Anderson told reporters last week. “... Every day I wake up blessed. Not everyone has the opportunity to play college ball. It is a slimmer percentage to play at this level. It is a blessing to wake up and drive to the facility every day.”

Stratford coach Dennie McDaniel saw first-hand Anderson’s hunger in high school — and it still continues. Anderson stopped by the school in Goose Creek this week for a workout while USC was on spring break.

McDaniel was at Stratford for Anderson’s final two years. He was an assistant coach during his junior year and then head coach for Anderson’s final season. Anderson sat out his sophomore year of high school after transferring back to South Carolina after attending school in Ohio.

Anderson served on the scout team as a high school sophomore became the feature back his final two years, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons at Stratford.

Anderson initially committed to Charleston Southern but ended up at Newberry after a coaching change at CSU.

While Anderson’s running ability stood out, he continued to push and demand excellence from teammates during workouts, McDaniel said, encouraging them to finish reps and persevere through adversity.

“He called somebody out when they weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing,” McDaniel said. “He would hold people to a certain standard.. He is by far one of the most talented guys I have ever coached but the hardest worker as well.”

McDaniel said Anderson told him he was thinking of putting his name in the transfer portal and hoped to finish his career at a bigger school. USC running backs coach Montario Hardesty called McDaniel to talk about Anderson and the Gamecocks’ interest in him.

“I reached out to Mario after I talked to Coach Hardesty. I told him I gave them your number and Mario started laughing and said something like, ‘Yeah right, coach,’ ” McDaniel said. “He called me back two hours later and said they had a great conversation. Then, that is when the relationship started to build.”

Anderson committed to the Gamecocks shortly after that. He’s one of nine transfers USC landed during the first transfer portal window that closed Jan. 18.

The 5-foot-9, 208-pound Anderson described his running as an “old-school style” and compared it to Marshawn Lynch, who was known to run defenders over during his college and NFL career. But McDaniel also said Anderson has the speed to back up with his power.

“He is a power back with some speed. He is not going to juke you 10 times on a run. He will make one cut and if he gets a crease he is going to take it to the house,” McDaniel said. “... He is excited. I think he thought at first USC might be a little big for him, but he realizes this is where he belongs. And I think he will have a great year.”

At least two veteran professional golfers who have made the decision to play on the controversial, Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit could join golfers whose qualifying options and sites were revealed Wednesday for the U.S. Senior Open to be played this summer at SentryWorld in Stevens Point.

American Phil Mickelson, who won twice on PGA Tour Champions after turning 50 in 2020, and England's Lee Westwood are among the list of players exempt from qualifying on the United States Golf Association website. Mickelson is exempt under several categories, starting with his two victories on the senior circuit falling within the last three calendar years, while Westwood is able to tee it up based on his status as a playing member of the five most recent European Ryder Cup teams.

However, LIV Golf has an event scheduled opposite the U.S. Senior Open at Real Club Valderrama in Spain. It is part of a two-week leg of the tour's 14-event schedule during which Mickelson, Westwood and others in the PGA Tour's rival league will compete for more than $405 million.

As expected, neither golfer was listed among those exempt golfers who have already filed entries for the 2023 U.S. Senior Open, which is June 29 through July 2 at SentryWorld.

Among those announced as having filed entries was 2022 champion Padraig Harrington, who won with a 72-hole score of 10-under-par 274 at Saucon Valley Country Club, in Bethlehem, Pa. U.S. Senior Open champions Fred Funk (2009), Bernhard Langer (2010), Olin Browne (2011), Kenny Perry (2013, 2017), Colin Montgomerie (2014), Gene Sauers (2016) and Jim Furyk (2021) have also entered, along with former U.S. Open champions Ernie Els (1994, 1997), Retief Goosen (2001, 2004), Michael Campbell (2005) and Furyk (2003).

Madison's Steve Stricker, the 2019 U.S. Senior Open champion and runner-up last year to Harrington, and Jerry Kelly, exempt via his T-7 finish a year ago, are also expected to compete, but were not mentioned among those to have already filed entries. Madison's Mario Tiziani and Fox Point's Skip Kendall would have to go through qualifying to earn a spot in the 156-player field.

Also on Wednesday, Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson was formally announced as a host site for U.S. Senior Open qualifying, giving Wisconsin golfers a second in-state option to earn a spot at SentryWorld. That qualifier will be conducted May 17 by the Minnesota Golf Association, of which Troy Burne is a member.

Stevens Point Country Club, located about four miles south of SentryWorld, was announced as a qualifying site May 26 with the earlier release of the Wisconsin State Golf Association schedule. Stevens Point CC has hosted the 1976 Wisconsin State Amateur and four Wisconsin State Opens (1970, 1975, 1981, 2000).

Wednesday's release revealed the schedule and locations for the 33 qualifying sites in 25 states for the U.S. Senior Open. Qualifying will take place between May 8 and June 8 and golfers who meet the eligibility criteria have until May 3 at 4 p.m. CDT to register through the USGA's online application process.

The 2023 U.S. Senior Open will be the 17th USGA championship contested in Wisconsin and the third at SentryWorld. To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 or be a professional, and be 50 years of age at the start of championship play.

California has the most qualifying sites with five. Three U.S. Senior Open qualifiers are scheduled in Florida, while Wisconsin and Texas will host two qualifiers.

Don Pooley (2002) is the lone player to win the U.S. Senior Open after advancing through qualifying. In 2022, 21 golfers who played in a qualifier made the 36-hole cut at Saucon Valley.

In 2007, Brad Bryant won by three strokes over Ben Crenshaw in the lone U.S. Senior Open to be contested in Wisconsin. The championship was played at Whistling Straits in Kohler.

U.S. SENIOR OPEN QUALIFYING SCHEDULE

Monday, May 8 (1)

Eagle Eye G.C. (Hawk Hollow Course), Bath Township, Mich.

Tuesday, May 9 (1)

Woodmont G. & C.C., Canton, Ga.

Wednesday, May 10 (1)

Columbia Edgewater C.C., Portland, Ore.

Thursday, May 11 (2)

Oak Ridge (Tenn.) Country Club

Indian Creek G.C. (Creek Course), Carrollton, Texas

Monday, May 15 (6)

Green Valley C.C., Fairfield, Calif.

Big Canyon C.C., Newport Beach, Calif.

Soule Park Golf Course, Ojai, Calif.

Cheyenne Shadows G.C., Fort Carson, Colo.

Golfcrest C.C., Pearland, Texas

Oakbrook G.C., Lakewood, Wash.

Wednesday, May 17 (2)

New Mexico State University G.C., Las Cruces, N.M.

Troy Burne G.C., Hudson, Wis.

Thursday, May 18 (1)

Orchard Ridge C.C., Fort Wayne, Ind.

Monday, May 22 (6)

San Luis Obispo (Calif.) C.C.

Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, Ocala, Fla.

Firekeeper Golf Course, Mayetta, Kan.

Argyle C.C., Silver Spring, Md.

Worthington Hills C.C., Columbus, Ohio

Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Tuesday, May 23 (3)

Lost Tree Club, North Palm Beach, Fla.

Flossmoor (Ill.) C.C.

Arcola C.C., Paramus, N.J.

Thursday, May 25 (1)

Lakewood National G.C., Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

Friday, May 26 (1)

Stevens Point (Wis.) C.C.

Tuesday, May 30 (1)

Goose Creek G.C., Jurupa Valley, Calif.

Wednesday, May 31 (3)

Vesper C.C., Tyngsboro, Mass.

Indiana (Pa.) C.C.

The Omni Homestead Resort (Cascades Course), Hot Springs, Va.

Thursday, June 1 (1)

Wynlakes G. & C.C., Montgomery, Ala.

Monday, June 5 (2)

Arizona C.C., Phoenix, Ariz.

Leilehua Golf Course, Wahiawa, Hawaii

Thursday, June 8 (1)

Mill Creek G.C., Mebane, N.C.

As the Lowcountry experiences cold temperatures this holiday weekend, one warming shelter shares how and why they serve those who may not have a warm place to s

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - As the Lowcountry experiences cold temperatures this holiday weekend, one warming shelter shares how and why they serve those who may not have a warm place to stay.

Goose Creek United Methodist Church has opened its doors since 2018 to people when temperatures drop below 32 degrees.

They provide water, food, beds, blankets, hygiene kits and emergency lighting in case of a power outage.

Craig Sullivan, the church’s disaster relief coordinator, says they had six people stay at the church Friday night, who will most likely stay until Tuesday.

“They’re grateful to have a warm meal, and we got snacks,” Sullivan says. “We have people if they want someone to talk to, but we don’t try to put religion in the context; we’re just here to help their comfort. If it’s that part of the comfort they can use, fine, but we are just here to help people comfortably through the cold nights.”

To ensure an efficient process, the church accepts community members from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with lights out at 11 p.m. The next morning, everyone is given breakfast before having to leave by 7 a.m.

Emergency Management Director Will Rochester, who works with the county, says the biggest gap in getting people to the warming shelters is transportation.

On Saturday at the Walmart in Moncks Corner, a bus will take anyone who needs to get to a warming shelter in Berkeley County at 5 p.m. Berkeley County is working to continue transportation efforts for the rest of the cold front.

“We want to keep them out of the elements; that’s the biggest thing, we know it’s going to be cold,” Rochester said. “It’s the coldest day that we’ve experienced in a long time in the Lowcountry. That’s the biggest thing and to mitigate any kind of medical issues, illnesses or injuries for folks that don’t have that place to go when it gets really cold.”

Warming shelters are provided anytime the temperatures drop, especially with the winter storm hitting the nation during the holiday season, Pastor Henry Simmons says.

“Our hearts go out to those that are trying to brave to cold, and they’re trying to make something here at Christmas; and what better opportunity for us to show them the love of Christ,” Simmons said. “We’re providing the buildings, we’re not really doing anything way out of the way but to be there and just open the buildings and provide a warm meal; it’s there for the taking. We want them to know that God blesses them.”

The shelter has never reached capacity but says if they become overcrowded, people will be transported to another nearby location.

For a full list of warming shelters in the Lowcountry, click here.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A brand-new park opened in Goose Creek on Friday with the focus of being “a park built for everyone.”

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - A brand-new park opened in Goose Creek on Friday with the focus of being “a park built for everyone.”

The $9 million project, Central Creek Park, hopes to be inclusive towards everyone with volleyball and basketball courts, a splash pad, a food truck pavilion and pickleball courts.

Over 26,000 square-feet, ‘Debra’s Playground’ will offer a wide range of accessible activities for people with physical or visual disabilities. The surfacing is all wheelchair accessible, and the equipment is based on sensory items for everyone to enjoy.

Families who include children with disabilities were the first invited to play at the park after this morning’s ribbon cutting. Nicole Valentine, mother to her special needs daughter, says other parks have never really been concerned about including all the different aspects of sensory play before.

“It’s never really kept in mind the heart of all children to be fully inclusive, and even down to having the fence around for those kids who love to run,” Valentine says. “It’s very important and it does so much for parent’s safety concerns to be able to just come here, and you almost get a little bit of relief watching your children play and not be so stressed out.”

The City of Goose Creek hosted a tribute to the donors of the park ahead of the ribbon cutting ceremony. Goose Creek Recreation Director Crystal Reed addressed the city and sponsors after working for months on the development.

“Central Creek Park sets our community apart and creates opportunities to remove barriers, increase self-esteem, develop community culture where everyone benefits from health, fitness and social connections,” Crystal says. “Thousands of children and adults across Berkeley County of all abilities have benefited from our therapeutic recreation program over the past several years; because of you, we just raised the bar with Central Creek Park.”

Parents of children with special needs say that it means the world to them to see their children experience a park they can truly enjoy. Kathy Kackley, parent to Trista Kutceher, travel the U.S. together promoting inclusivity in parks and compared other parks to Central Creek Park.

“There’s something here for everyone; there’s something here everyone can do,” Kackley says. “We like to be inclusive in our play and in our life, and we are very appreciative that Goose Creek has stepped up and has a place for everybody to play together.”

Goose Creek Assistant Recreation Director, Nicole Herrera Murray, explains how the city worked to choose specific pieces of equipment for special needs children to use. After planning and researching for months, she says Friday was a dream come true.

“I’ve been dreaming of this day for a really long time. It’s really amazing to see everyone enjoying and hearing the screams behind us is just everything that I’ve ever wanted,” Murray says.

The public is invited to join in on the fun Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 47 Old Moncks Corner Rd.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Christmas came early for a young man in Goose Creek but not before a couple of Grinches got in the way.

After realizing he dropped more than $1,700 in cash while riding his motorcycle down Highway 52 as he was headed to the store, 20-year-old Kyle Kons got to his destination Wednesday afternoon only to find his money missing. He retraced his steps to see several cars pulled over on the side of the highway - people were grabbing his cash and driving off.

“By the time I got there, the last car was pulling off,” Kons says. “I felt hopeless. I thought ‘I’ll never get this money back.’”

Kons says he had just bought a car with the cash and had put the leftover money in an envelope from the bank.

“I thought my front jacket pocket was zipped up all the way, but I guess not,” he says. “I thought I had felt something fall out and hit my leg, but I didn’t question it because nobody behind me was stopping.”

“My heart sunk. I felt like I was the laughingstock of the town,” Kons says. He says he moved to Goose Creek last year for his career in the Navy. He’s currently a Petty Officer.

In a Facebook post of his own in the group, Kons wrote, in part:

“I didn’t realize my money was gone until I arrived at Walmart, and by the time I got there, the last car was scooping up my money… I ask people to be decent human beings and return the money to the owner. I earned that money that you got for free.”

In addition to expressing his frustrations, Kons left his phone number on the post to see if anyone had extra work, so he could earn some money during the Christmas weekend.

He says he never would have thought the community would use his phone number to find his payment apps, like Venmo, CashApp and Zelle, and gift him his money back… and then some.

“I came home from work Thursday, and I had $300 in my account,” Kons says. “I was like ‘no way,’ and it was maybe five people total at the time sending money and saying ‘this sucks but have a great Christmas.’ I was so touched, like, oh my gosh, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Kons says most of the payments appeared to be coming from other military members in the area. The payments ranged from a couple of dollars to $250.

In total, Kons tells us he’s been sent over $2,000 through the payment apps, and he doesn’t want to get any more notifications or payments.

He spent Friday with his roommates, John VanTatenhove and Tyler Roton, picking up litter on Highway 52 where he lost his money as a way of giving back to the Goose Creek community.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.