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The sixth annual Myrtle Beach Invitational is set for Nov. 21-22 and the 24th at Coastal Carolina’s HTC Center.

Four of the eight teams won 20 or more games last season, making for a solid field.

“We are excited to once again be competing in the Myrtle Beach Invitational,” said Middle Tennessee State coach Nick McDevitt, whose team plays Ohio in the first round. “This event allows us to showcase our program and our university on a national stage as we participate in one of ESPN’s tournaments. We are happy to be a part of this competitive field.”

All games will be televised on ESPN’s channels.

The four 20-win teams are Princeton (24-5), Ohio (20-13), Bradley (23-12) and South Florida (25-8).

Four first-round games will be played on noon Thursday, Nov. 21, beginning with Ohio versus Middle Tennessee State (14-19). That game will be televised on ESPN2 or ESPNU. South Florida plays Portland (12-21) at 2:30 p.m. on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. Bradley faces Texas State (17-18) at 5:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The finale is Princeton versus Wright State at 8 p.m. on ESPN+.

The semifinals are Friday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. (ESPN2) and 5 p.m. (ESPNU). Consolation games are 11:30 a.m. (ESPNU) and 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+).

The championship will be played at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, on ESPN. Action begins on the final day with the seventh-place game at 10:30 a.m. (ESPNU), followed by the third-place game at 1 p.m. on ESPN2. The fifth-place game wraps up the tournament at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.

Tickets are now on sale. All-session tickets are $135 for baseline seating, $150 for premium sideline and $160 for premium center court.

Liberty won last season’s tournament. Two teams in the field – Boise State and Texas A&M – ended up playing in the NCAA Tournament. Other past champions include Central Florida (2018), Baylor (2019), Utah State (2021) and Massachusetts (2022).

Here is a look at the teams in the 2024 field:

Princeton

The Tigers won the Ivy League regular season championship but were upset in the conference tournament semifinals and missed the NCAA Tournament. Key returning players are Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce, who averaged 16.6 points and 9.2 rebounds and all-Ivy guard Xaivian Lee, who led the Tigers with 17.1 points per game.

South Florida

The Golden Bulls won the American Athletic Conference regular season championship in coach Amir Abdur-Rahim’s first season. USF reached the second round of the NIT. Key returnees include guards Kobe Knox (8.4 ppg) and Jayden Reid (6.0 ppg).

Ohio

Leading the Bobcats is 6-foot-8 senior forward A.J. Clayton, who averaged 12 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season. Ohio finished third in the Mid-American Conference.

Bradley

The Braves have several veterans returning from last season’s Missouri Valley Conference regular season champions. Connor Hickman, a 6-foot-9 senior forward averaged 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season. Duke Deen, a fifth-year senior guard, averaged 13.9 points and fifth-year 6-foot-9 forward Darius Hannah averaged 11.5 points and led the team with 38 dunks. Bradley reached the second round of the NIT.

Wright State

The Raiders finished fourth in the Horizon League last season. Leading the way in 2024-25 is 6-foot-7 redshirt junior Brandon Noel, who averaged14.5 points and 8 rebounds while earning second-team all-Horizon honors. Alex Huibregstse, a 6-foot-3 redshirt senior guard, averaged 12.3 points.

Texas State

Texas State is led by 6-foot-5 graduate student Tyrel Morgan, who averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds, mostly coming off the bench. The Bobcats picked up several transfers, including 6-foot-10 junior center Bessanty Saragba.

Middle Tennessee State

The Blue Blazers reached the second round of the Conference USA tournament. Their leading player is second-team all-CUSA selection Jestin Porter, a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged a team-high 13.9 points, along with 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

Portland

Key players for the Pilots are 6-foot-5 redshirt senior guard Vukasin Masic, who averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game; and 6-foot-11 redshirt sophomore center who averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Hannah Strong Oskin is the executive editor of MyHorryNews. Reach her at 843-488-7242 or hannah.oskin@myhorrynews.com. Follow her on X @HannahSOskin.

David McGaha is often asked how he doesn’t weigh more considering how often he eats out.

But calorie counting is not something McGaha, who has an average frame, worries about. He figures he’s just fortunate when it comes to his eating habits, adding that his family all eat a good amount.

“It’s really hard to keep track,” he said of dieting. “I really just want to eat.”

And eat he does.

The Conway resident has gained a following on Facebook for his eating adventures at local restaurants. He posts every time he dines at a new location, which some days is more than once.

At lunchtime on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, McGaha and his 23-year-old son Brent, are eating at Surf Dawgs in Surfside Beach.

McGaha has ordered the daily special, which is a smashburger loaded with cheese and bacon, a side of fries and the Snoop Dawg, topped with house-made chili, cheese, crispy fried onions and a pinch of oregano.

The sandwich was huge and McGaha had no plans to take home leftovers.

In fact, he hates leftovers, he said.

On a recent night, his girlfriend, who he refers to as #chefratchet on his page, had planned to serve leftovers for dinner. McGaha said he “busted a u-turn” and went to pick up fish, shrimp and hush puppies from Sam’s Southern Eatery.

McGaha has always posted what he ate, but he began doing more around the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

As a result, his following has grown so much over the years that he is often recognized when he is out and about. People also use his dining posts as suggestions for where they will go for lunch or dinner.

And there are hundreds of posts, including everything from sandwiches, to seafood, to pizza, to ice cream.

“I’m always asking for recommendations,” he said. “I really like to try different places.”

The 44-year-old self-employed woodworker makes it a point to eat at locally-owned restaurants, which includes all places in Horry County and even down to Murrells Inlet. He was born and raised in Garden City so he wants to support local businesses. The fact that he owns his own business, JDM Woodcrafts, allows him more time to eat out.

But the biggest question McGaha gets is how much does he spend on eating out. While he doesn’t really keep track, he estimates he spends about $100 a week.

He did recently try to stick to a $50 weekly budget, but it doesn’t appear that he had success in sticking with it.

“It’s just exciting,” McGaha said of the social media response. “When I don’t (post), people are asking me if I’m OK.”

McGaha doesn’t just leave his postings to fate. He makes dining plans based on where he may be that day.

And after that meal, he’s already thinking about where he will eat next.

The Teal throne Grayson McCall once sat on will have a new quarterback calling it home.

One year ago, Ethan Vasko, Coastal Carolina’s third-string quarterback, was named CCU’s game-one starter against Jacksonville State on Aug. 29, 2024. Second-year head coach Tim Beck declined to announce if Vasko is the starter at a press conference on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024.

“It’s an advantage for us, so why would I let Jacksonville State know that,” Beck said.

Vasko competes for the job with former Michigan State passer Noah Kim for the position. While Vasko is a favorite to get the job, Beck and offensive coordinator Travis Trickett previously stressed the similarities between players’ games.

“They’re kind of the same until they show me otherwise,” Trickett said in an Aug. 22, 2024 interview. “They’re both athletic.”

However, Beck always emphasized selecting a quarterback who knew the offense the best over who was more skilled. While there’s room for debate about each quarterback’s ability, Vasko had the edge in familiarity within the Chanticleer system, having started four games for Coastal during the 2024 season.

“That’s probably one of the biggest issues between the two of them at this point,” Beck said in an Aug. 25, 2024 interview.

Kim and fellow Coastal quarterbacks DJ Moore, Tad Hudson, and Alex Walker might also have a chance to play in 2024. Both Beck and Trickett have previously said that they expect to use multiple quarterbacks, as in 2023, Coastal used three starters during the season.

“In the day of college football, one quarterback lasts the whole season. It’s rare,” Beck added in an Aug. 25, 2024 interview. “We just never know who’s going to be that guy and when we need to call on him.”

On the field, Vasko has shown flashes of his quarterback potential both through the air and on the ground to match his social media status.

In his first-ever start during the 2023 season against Old Dominion, a school he de-committed from playing for in high school, Vasko helped the Chants rally from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to win the game. He tied the game with a two-point conversion run despite the Monarch’s defense initially stopping him yards away from the endzone in the fourth quarter, and he threw the winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game.

In his fourth and final start of the 2023 season in the Hawai’i Bowl against San Jose State, despite missing his second-best wide receiver and other offensive weapons, Vasko threw three touchdowns to secure CCU’s second-ever bowl game win.

Vasko’s physical style of play is an asset, especially when fighting for extra yards, but his mobility is also a concern due to injury risk. Vasko had to briefly exit CCU’s win against Texas State in 2023 due to injury before returning. Considering that McCall’s Coastal career ended while he was scrambling with the ball, despite trying to protect himself, balancing those factors is an issue for CCU.

For Vasko, being calculated with his running is the most important factor.

“We actually had this talk after (Grayson McCall) and got injured, like sometimes sliding, you’re giving yourself up, and so it could almost be more dangerous,” Vasko said in a July 2024 interview. “If it’s third down and four, and I have to get a first down, I’m going to fight for a first down and try to get it.”

In Coastal’s offense, that situation could occur. Quarterback run is built into many plays that Trickett calls, and Beck frequently used mobile quarterbacks during his career before coming to Coastal. While he doesn’t want Vasko to lose his aggressiveness or, worse, become afraid of taking a hit, Beck added safety is an emphasis.

“We’re very cognizant to make sure that we’re not putting him, we’re not using him over and above what we feel is what we need,” Beck said in a July 2024 interview. “The more they understand the offense and the system. They’ll stay in there and make that throw, or they’ll slide to the right or slide to the left and make that throw, as opposed to just taking off and running.”

Vasko frequently posts on the social media app TikTok; his videos of lip-syncing, dancing, having fun with teammates and other comedic skits garnered him 35,000 followers on the platform.

While the videos provide a good laugh, they also offer Vasko and other college football players like him a lucrative opportunity to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). He’s appeared in paid partnerships with McDonald’s and the NIL branding agency Postgame, and Vasko could receive more opportunities once the season starts. Vasko’s predecessor under center, McCall, used his brand to become a player celebrity and receive considerable NIL compensation.

While a significant portion of NIL revenue typically goes to the most famous athletes in Power Four Conferences, having an off-field established social media brand is also a proven way to generate NIL revenue in the internet age, able to take a bench warmer and making them a notable internet personality in some cases.

A solid 2024 campaign could raise Vasko’s profile in college football and NIL earning potential. It could also attract other teams looking for their future quarterback, accompanied by a lucrative NIL deal CCU might be unable to match that draws the dual-threat player away from Conway.

In a July 2024 interview, Vasko said no other teams have reached out.

This story was originally published August 26, 2024, 11:28 AM.

The Sun News

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football and was awarded third place in the 2023 South Carolina Press Association News Contest for sports beat reporting and second place for sports video in the all-daily division. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet, covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics and is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.

Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular getaways for Labor Day on vacation rental platform Vacasa. According to search data from the website, Myrtle Beach is the eighth most-searched and booked destination for Aug. 24-Sept. 3.

“Myrtle Beach is the perfect destination for people looking to celebrate the final days of summer. It’s full of natural beauty for relaxation, and offers tons of activities, so every member of the family can find something to enjoy,” said Theresa Koren, Vacasa director of operations for Northern South Carolina.

No other South Carolina cities made the top 10 most-searched list. Other states on the list include Maryland, Delaware and Florida.

Of the top 10, Myrtle Beach is the most affordable destination. According to Koren, the average nightly rate for a rental in Myrtle Beach during Labor Day Weekend is $126 and most rentals range between $67 and $181 nightly.

The amount of free and low-cost entertainment options in Myrtle Beach also make it a popular summer destination, Koren said. Once travelers arrive in Myrtle Beach, they’re able to take advantage of dozens of affordable or free outdoor experiences, ranging from swimming, sunbathing and sandcastle-building to parasailing, and surfing.

Visitors and locals celebrating Labor Day on a budget in the Grand Strand can take advantage of free events. Barefoot Landing, the Deck at House of Blues, Landing at the Boathouse and Main Street in North Myrtle Beach will all have free live music during Labor Day weekend. Broadway at the Beach will offer not only live music, but a free fireworks display on Sept. 1.

“For staycationers, it’s close to home but feels a world away. Locals can take time off to enjoy golfing at one of Myrtle Beach’s stunning courses, while nature buffs can spend the day fishing or exploring Myrtle Beach State Park,” Koren said. “For those who haven’t managed to take a vacation this summer, the affordability of Myrtle Beach makes it a no-brainer to book a few days to relax.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2024, 6:00 AM.

Taking the dog for a walk on the beach, allowing it to romp and play in the surf, is a regular activity for some pet owners in the Myrtle Beach area.

But there are dangers lurking in the ocean that you can’t see that could pose health risks for your pet.

One of those is sea foam. While that white, sudsy-looking occurrence along the coastline seems innocent enough, it’s probably best to keep your pet away from it.

“As a general rule, don’t allow your dog to ingest sea foam,” said Steven Marks, dean of Clemson University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s mostly harmless, but if the sea water itself is contaminated with something such as red tide or pollutants, the foam may be dangerous. For example, red tide, which is an algae bloom, can cause symptoms including stomach upset, tremors and seizures.

“If your dog does ingest sea foam, monitor them for symptoms. Your veterinarian can help with supportive care if needed.”

Angelos Hannides, associate professor in the marine science department at Coastal Carolina University, said by default, sea foam shouldn’t be a problem for pets because the Myrtle Beach area coasts are facing the Atlantic Ocean and not a bay.

“However, we have a lot of water on land,” Hannides said. “Our water on the beaches have been looking a lot like the Waccamaw (River), a lot of fresh water and material coming in.”

Hannides said that rain water has saturated the soil and is trickling down from such places as parking lots and other surfaces, including pesticides from lawns and golf course, that are washing into the ocean. That means that the coastal waters could be concentrated in chemicals and other bacteria.

And while it’s unlikely to be that concentrated in the sea foam, “I would be a bit cautious about consuming it,” Hannides said. “In classic scientist fashion, we don’t have an absolute.”

Sea foam forms when the ocean is agitated by wind and waves, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Seawater contains dissolved salts, proteins, fats, dead algae, detergents and other pollutants, and a bunch of other bits and pieces of organic and artificial matter. Foam forms as this organic matter is churned up by the surf.

Most sea foam is not harmful to humans and is often an indication of a productive ocean ecosystem, according to NOAA. But when large harmful algal blooms decay near shore, there are potential for impacts to human health and the environment.

And while most sea foam appears white, it can also become dingy or reddish brown. It’s that reddish color that you should really worry about as it could be harmful algal blooms, commonly called HABs, according to NOAA.

Dogs can be exposed to toxins by drinking the sea water, eating mat-like accumulations or scum on the shoreline or surface or digesting dead fish that could contain toxins.

Dogs are often attracted to algal scum odors, NOAA said. You should prevent your dog from drinking the water or eating the foam.

In addition, you should wash your pet’s paws and fur after being in the water to prevent them from being exposed while grooming, which includes licking their paws.

Hannides also recommends keeping track of river waters, which is often measured according to the levels of bacteria. If the levels get too high, officials may issue a warning to not go into the water. Hannides said such monitoring is a good indication that it will also affect the ocean waters.

“(It may) not be a good time for your pet to interact with the foam,” Hannides said.

This story was originally published August 24, 2024, 5:00 AM.

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