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The first Wednesday of February is a special day for many high school athletes — It’s National Signing Day, the day on which high school athletes can announce their commitments to continue their athletic careers in college.

The tri-county area’s depth of athletic talent was on full display when more than 75 athletes committed to colleges around the country.

Buford had two signees from its football program: Wide receiver Aaron Morris and long snapper Ricky Mckinnon both committed to Newberry.

Morris said he chose Newberry because of its proximity to home, and him attending with a high school teammate sweetens the deal even more.

“Yeah, it does a lot,” Morris said. “It makes you feel more at home.”

Andrew Jackson also had two football players sign Wednesday: Receiver Banks Helms committed to Brevard and tight end Hayden Williams to Limestone.

Athletes of this caliber are a major boost to any team, and not just for their teammates.

“We had a really good senior class, we had 16 seniors,” said Jeremy Smith, who finished his first season as the Volunteers’ head coach this past fall. “The underclassmen, they all bought into what these guys did because of the success they had the year before, and they had bought into that and bought into what kind of players these guys were and they stepped up. These two, Banks and Hayden, they were voted captains and leaders, and it does make your job easier as a coach when it’s more player-led than coach-led. They did a good job of that this year.”

Some signees, like Lewisville two-sport athlete and Clemson baseball commit Dion Brown, still have their senior seasons to play.

Brown said that there’s been some friendly jabs between him and his father, Sheldon Brown, a University of South Carolina football alum, and his best friend, fellow Lewisville two-sport athlete and USC baseball commit Cade Pilgrim. But Brown said that he’s happy with where he decided to attend college.

“They showed me real love since the day I stepped on campus for a camp,” Brown said. “I had a great relationship with Coach (Monte) Lee, but unfortunately, he (got fired). Then Coach (Erik) Bakich came in, he was talking to me. Coach (Nick) Schnabel, I talked to all of them. Built a good relationship with them, and then just really went from there, and it felt the same as with Coach Lee.”

South Pointe signee Zantwan ‘Boss’ Nelson had a magical 24-hour window.

After hitting two game-winning free throws to beat rival Northwestern and secure a playoff spot for the Stallions on Tuesday night, Nelson announced his commitment to play football at Hampton University on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s awesome, it’s awesome,” he said. “You have to take it all in, take it day by day, and never give up on yourself. I feel like (Hampton) is going to be a great fit for me, and I can’t wait to get on campus and work.”

An often-unsung hero of signing days is the athletic director.

They work with athletes to best put them in position to succeed in high school and beyond.

“It feels good, man,” South Pointe athletic director Carlos Richardson said. “Coaches have their season, athletes have their season, but this is kind of my season. Where you want to make sure you’re getting kids where they need to be, but that starts off in the classroom. We’re blessed right now to have student-athletes with great GPAs that we can go out and advocate for them to make sure they can get to the next level.”

Here is a list of student-athletes who have announced their commitments.

Hayden Williams (Football) – Limestone University

Banks Helms (Football) – Brevard College

Ricky Mckinnon (Football) – Newberry College

Aaron Morris (Football) – Newberry College

Aiden Cattarin (Baseball) – Florence-Darlington Technical College

Peyton Dhein (Baseball) – Virginia Military Institute

Brennan Helms (Baseball) – Francis Marion University

Jackson Mullen (Baseball) – College of Charleston

Owen Noonan (Baseball) – Winthrop University

Ben Wilson (Baseball) – Coker University

Dominic Rigoni (Cross Country) – Francis Marion University

Hailey Smith (Dance) – Erskine College

Kyleen Bents (Girls Soccer) – East Carolina University

Sadie Commeford (Girls Soccer) – East Tennessee State University

Peyton Pierson (Girls Soccer) – Mars Hill University

Sarah Sexton (Girls Soccer) – Furman University

Chloe Burger (Softball) – USC Upstate

Audrey Wilson (Softball) – UNC Charlotte

Jake Root (Swimming) – Lynn University

Amelia Nifong (Track) – Columbia College

Olivia Dubrow (Track) – Lehigh University

Elijah Coleman (Football) – TBD

Reggie Heath (Football) – Newberry College

Antonio Hopkins (Football) – Union College

Brayden Woolbright (Football) – Charleston Southern University

Zachary Cheatham (Football) – University of Charleston

Neal Farris (Football) – East Tennessee State University

Deontae Starr (Football) – Lenior-Rhyne

Gabriella Watkins (Dance) – Erskine College

Gavin Brandwood (Football) – Elon University

Remington Clark (Cycling) – Milligan University

Thomas Ealey (Baseball) – Virginia State

MacKenzie Finn (Golf) – Belmont Abbey College

Elijah Grant (Track) – Howard University

Landon Kurtz (Football) – University of South Carolina

Isaac Peña (Baseball) – Snead State

Logan Sulli (Baseball) – Florence-Darlington Technical College

Jack Ammann (Boys Soccer) – Lander University

Hannah Nerdinsky (Girls Soccer) – Coker University

Siena Wilson (Girls Soccer) – University of Mount Olive

Jaxon Scheidt (Football) – Newberry College

Jake Recker (Football) – University of South Carolina

Trey Rodriguez (Football) – Johnson C. Smith University

KJ Davis (Football) – South Carolina Central Christian College

Montre Fletcher (Football) – South Carolina Christian College

Natarious McCullough (Football) – Limestone

Cade Foster (Football) – Brevard

Junior Howze (Football) – Averett

JaQuintus Cousar (Football) – South Carolina Central Christian College

Cade Pilgrim (Baseball) – University of South Carolina

Dion Brown (Baseball) – Clemson University

Mia Royall (Track/Cross Country) – West Point

Vance Ventry (Football) – Newberry College

Elijah Sanders (Baseball) – Florence-Darlington Technical College

Jackson Switzer (Clay Shooting) – Montreat College

Garrett Brown (Distance Running) – Clemson University

Sierra Faulkner (Volleyball) – Clinton College

Xavier Preston (Football) – Newberry College

Mikey Mann (Football) – Newberry College

Daniel Caldwell (Football) – Johnson C. Smith University

Zantwan Nelson (Football) – Hampton University

CJ Dixon (Football) – Catawba College

Malachi Marshall (Football) – Stony Brook University

Ayden Davis (Football) – North Carolina Central University

DeMaurion Stewart (Football) – Livingston College

Zadarrius Carter (Football) – Livingston College

Tay McClure (Football) – St. Andrews College

Michael McConnell (Football) – St. Andrews College

Trey Wanger (Football) – Catawba College

Najib Yunasah (Football) – Catawba College

Dalton Russell (Football) – Limestone College

Bryson Steele (Football) – Wingate College

Debo Hall (Football) – Presbyterian College

Hunter Layne (Football) – TBD

Tyler Koester (Football) – TBD

Javarus Guthrie (Football) – TBD

Anna Kate Dover (Softball) – USC Beaufort

Avery Smith (Softball) – Erskine

This story was originally published February 8, 2024, 6:45 AM.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – A buzzsaw of a storm swept through South Carolina last weekend, causing significant damage in Rock Hill.

Although some residents suspected a tornado caused the trees to fall and power lines to be pulled down, the National Weather Service found no evidence of such damage. However, extensive damage was caused by the combination of winds reaching up to 90 mph and hail the size of softballs. A few minor injuries were reported.

The storm that blew through York County on April 20 spanned over 22 miles, from York to Interstate 77, with a maximum width of over 5.5 miles.

ALL HAIL BROKE LOOSE': SOFTBALL-SIZE HAIL DESTROYS PROPERTY IN CAROLINAS DURING WEEKEND HAILSTORM

In Rock Hill, some areas experienced a hailstorm with hailstones up to 4 inches in diameter, the largest reported in South Carolina in 13 years. The hailstones left yards and properties covered, giving the appearance of snow.

At Christopher Mazza's mother's birthday party, chaos quickly ensued outside his home just before 5 p.m. Saturday as the once-beautiful sunny day quickly turned worse, with trees in the backyard being whipped around like they were in blenders.

"The winds, and then the hail kicked in," Mazza told FOX Weather, thinking he was in a tornado or maybe even a hurricane.

Mazza recorded video showing his backyard fence knocked down by the hail deluge and his door blown open by the winds.

HOME HAIL DAMAGE: WHICH US COUNTIES ARE MOST AT RISK FOR COSTLY BILLS THIS YEAR?

Mazza said the storm caused significant damage, with numerous trees down in yards and on the streets. The high winds tore apart roofs and siding, while hail obliterated windows, fences and cars.

"They took an absolute beating," he added.

Thankfully, the homes were not leveled. However, Mazza and his neighbors are now working together to provide support for cleanup wherever they can.

Pollo Campero’s first-ever South Carolina location is now open for business. The fried chicken restaurant is located just off Cherry Road at 1022 Riverview Road in Rock Hill.

Owner Gilmer Alfaro told The Herald that he’s excited to add Pollo Campero to his portfolio of 12 other restaurants across Raleigh and Charlotte. Pollo Campero Vice President of Franchise Development Blas Escarcega and Director of Operations for AV Investments Rajesh Chauhan largely spoke on behalf of Alfaro due to a language barrier.

“It has been a lot of legwork,” Chauhan said. “We had to change the plan so many times. It was a little bit of a hassle, but at last, we got it over. That’s what matters, and we’re in South Carolina now.”

“We’re excited to be in a new state,” Escarcega said. “It’s a great community. We’re excited that people came out the first day to visit us, and I think people are going to find that our food is something that’s going to be flavorful.”

[MORE TASTES TO TRY: Newly-opened downtown Rock Hill shop is ‘obsessed with sandwiches.’]

The fast-food restaurant’s calling card is its traditional Guatemalan fried chicken.

“It’s marinated to the bone,” Escarcega said. “It’s got very good breading. It’s seasoned. It’s flavorful. That’s really our top seller and has been our top seller since 1971.”

The restaurant also offers grilled chicken to complete a menu of chicken sandwiches, empanadas, bowls, salads and nuggets with a host of traditional sides and desserts.

The store is located just off Cherry Road on Riverview Road, just across the street from the McDonald’s.

Pollo Campero originally started in Guatemala City, Guatemala, in 1971 and has had restaurants in the United States since 2002.

South Carolina is now the 20th state to have one, and the Rock Hill location is the fourth in the Carolinas. There are two restaurants in Charlotte and one in Raleigh.

“We love the state of South Carolina,” Escarcega said. “It’s one where there’s a lot of economic progress. We know that this state is business-friendly. We know that people are migrating here to the state, so the population is growing.

“The Southeast loves fried chicken. We know that people consume more fried chicken in the Southeast than anywhere in the U.S. We knew it was going to be a success for us being in this state.”

Location: 1022 Riverview Road, Rock Hill, SC, 29730

Menu

Cuisine: Guatemalan, chicken

Facebook: Pollo Campero USA

Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Severe thunderstorms brought a massive hailstorm to the Carolinas on Saturday, blasting out windows, tearing down fences and leaving yards covered in enough ice to create the appearance of a fresh blanket of snow.

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect for Rock Hill, Fort Mill and Tega Cay in South Carolina on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. ET. The warning included the potential for winds of up to 70 mph and huge hail.

Warnings were also in effect for central North Carolina through Saturday night into early Sunday morning. During the severe thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday, the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina, received hail reports ranging from quarter to golf ball size.

Teams with the National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, conducted surveys on Monday in Rock Hill and York to assess the damage from Saturday’s severe thunderstorms.

While some residents believed a tornado caused downed trees and pulled down powerlines, the NWS survey team did not find tornado damage but extensive damage due to the combination of winds between 70 and 90 mph and baseball-size hail.

“The combination of high winds and very large hail resulted in wind-driven hail that further exacerbated damage to structures, vehicles and trees,” according to the survey summary.

The survey team also said a few minor injuries were reported from the storm.

Hailstorm creates rivers of ice, covers ground with hailstones

Damage reports from York County, South Carolina, quickly began pouring into the NWS on Saturday as the storm blasted through the region.

Parts of Rock Hill received hail up to 4 inches in diameter – about the size of a softball. It was the largest hail reported in South Carolina in 13 years. The hailstorm left yards and properties covered in hailstones, making it look like snow.

Video recorded in Rock Hill by Chris Mazza showed the deluge of hail knocking down their backyard fence and winds causing their door to blow open. Mazza said his family was getting ready to celebrate his mom’s birthday when the storm blew in.

In front of the home, the rain and hail created a river of ice water running down the street, where vehicles could be seen with damaged windshields and covered in dents.

‘All hail broke loose’

Rock Hill resident Austin Jefferson told FOX Weather he was preparing to cater food for a wedding when the wild weather event began unfolding.

“What I thought would be a quick thunderstorm quickly turned into a hailstorm,” Jefferson said. “All hail broke loose, literally.”

The hail started out as penny-size before increasing in size to golf ball-size, according to Jefferson.

Jefferson was in his garage packing up supplies and had to force the door closed when the hailstorm started. His truck was seriously damaged, including a cracked windshield and dents on the body.

He got help shoveling the ice from his driveway to be able to make it to the wedding and cater the event.

Drone video recorded over the Roddey Park neighborhood in Rock Hill showed the extent of property damage from downed fences to cars and roofs with blue tarps.

Multiple sources reported widespread tree and wind damage throughout Rock Hill. During the storm, a gas station’s awning collapsed, and photos showed another business with its windows blown in.

Students in Rock Hill are attending school by eLearning on Monday because of the storm damage throughout the community, according to the school district.

Surveyors found the storm produced hail stones at least 2 inches in diameter. Some are wondering why they didn't get a notification on their phone or hear sirens.

YORK, S.C. — Nearly a week later, people in Rock Hill, South Carolina are still cleaning up damage from an intense hail storm.

This supercell thunderstorm produced winds up to 90 miles per hour and moved across York County late Saturday afternoon. Surveyors found the storm produced hail stones at least 2 inches in diameter. Some people are wondering why they didn't get a notification on their phone or hear sirens ahead of the storm.

"It happened all of a sudden. I had no clue anything was coming," Richard Molck, from York County, said.

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Molck and his family were watching NASCAR outside his father's home when the storm hit.

"Oh my god, I'm a big man, and it took everything in me to hold that umbrella up," he said. "I was bracing myself against the deck."

That's why he is asking us this question: "Why didn't the sirens go off?"

He's also wondering why he didn't get a notification on his phone.

OUR SOURCES:

York County told us when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for their county, that's when sirens will sound.

For the latest Verify news, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

A tornado warning was never issued for this storm, therefore, York County's sirens did not go off.

The National Weather Service has a three-tiered severe thunderstorm warning system called "impacted-based warnings."

RAISE YOUR WEATHER IQ: Understanding impact-based warnings

The most severe tier is "destructive," according to the National Weather Service. These storms have winds of 80 mph or greater and hail the size of baseballs. Storms identified within this tier will activate the Wireless Emergency Alert System on any phone located within the warning area.

RAISE YOUR WEATHER IQ: This is when Wireless Emergency Alerts are sent to your phone

However, on Saturday the National Weather Service identified the Rock Hill storm within the "considerable" tier, which is one level lower than destructive.

Storms that are ranked considerabe do not activate the Wireless Emergency Alert System.

Credit: WCNC Charlotte

From what the National Weather Service told WCNC Charlotte Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich, it now sounds like they are second-guessing that decision.

"It's a difficult thing to do to pull that alarm and say this is very catastrophic. It was under consideration, and in the end, it wasn't, and maybe it should have been," Steve Wilkinson, the meteorologist in-charge of the local National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg, said.

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To receive wireless emergency alerts, including those for storms and amber alerts, go into the Settings of your phone and make sure the Wireless Emergency Alerts are enabled.

You can also download the WCNC Charlotte news app, which also provides timely weather alerts regardless of which tier they are designated by the National Weather Service. These alerts are only received when the app's push notification and location-tracking abilities are enabled.

VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.

Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.