Draughn softball run-rules all three county foes as win streak grows to five games

The Draughn softball team defeated each other Burke County squad at least once last spring, but for a second consecutive season, did not win the Burke Bash tournament to claim ultimate county bragging rights.

It appears the Lady Wildcats’ short wait to reclaim county supremacy is over.

Draughn over the past week run-ruled each of its three in-county rivals, winning 15-0 at Patton in four innings on March 20 before a 10-0, five-inning win at Freedom on Monday and a 12-2, five-inning home triumph over East Burke on Tuesday.

The Lady Wildcats have now outscored county foes, 53-2, over four games to date as they ran their winning streak to five and continue to lead the Western Piedmont 3A/4A Conference in outright fashion ahead of Friday’s late league showdown against second-place East Rutherford.

“Our girls are playing really well right now,” Draughn third-year head coach Chris Powell said. “We’ve harped on some things defensively, securing some things up, because we started the year booting the ball around a little bit.

“And then offensively, I think we’ve really found our way at the plate right now. Our girls are being patient, not chasing things, and our strikeouts are a lot lower right now than they were at this time last year, so I think that’s a huge plus. And a lot of it comes down to just great leadership across the board with these (six) seniors and wanting to go out on top, like we’ve talked about for four years.”

To start the Lady ’Cats recent 3-0 stretch, senior Avie Helton no-hit Patton over four innings, walking three in the shutout while striking out five.

At the plate, Draughn (7-2, 5-0 WPC) scored four runs in each of the first three innings and tacked on three in the fourth to close things out early.

Seniors Ava Aldridge (3 for 3, walk, two doubles, four RBIs, three runs) and Maria Medrano (4 for 4, four runs, four RBIs, two SB) both homered in the win, and other DHS hitting standouts were Avie Helton (single, triple, two runs, three RBIs), Makenzie Powell (two doubles, two runs), and Braylen Clontz (two hits, run, RBI).

Lindsey Hensley (run, SB), Piper Ellis (RBI), and Maddy Hudson (run) added a double apiece, and senior Cydnee Deal (single, run) and Reagan Webb both drove in a run.

For Patton (4-5, 1-4 WPC), Jolann Buff, Ady Moorefield, and Alex Maines each drew a walk.

In Draughn’s win over Freedom, Helton (4 IP, 2 H, 3 K) and Powell (IP, H, K) combined to allow just three hits as the Lady Wildcats’ pitching staff ran its scoreless innings streak to 15 over four games.

Draughn scored multiple runs in the first, second, and third innings, led at the plate by Hensley (double, two runs), Clontz (double, three runs, SB), and Bailey Winkler (two RBIs) with two hits each, as well as by Deal (single, walk, two runs), Aldridge (double, two runs), and Helton (single) with two RBIs apiece.

Medrano (run) and classmate Aubrey Childers (RBI) both added singles, while Abigayle Gibson (double), Bella Creegan, and Rhiley Buchanan had the hosts’ lone hits. The Lady Patriots’ Madelyn LeMaster started in the circle and allowed four earned runs before Creegan and Kayleigh Woody did not allow an earned run in 3 2/3 innings, striking out one each.

And as Draughn gained a third straight win over East Burke (1-7, 0-5 WPC) and eighth in the rivals’ last 10 meetings, Clontz (4 for 4, double, three RBIs, two runs) and Deal (3 for 3, three RBIs, two runs) both hit home runs, and Helton (4 IP, 2 ER, 6 K) and Powell (perfect IP in relief, K) silenced EB from the circle.

Also enjoying standout days at the plate were Powell (3 for 4, two RBIs, run, SB), Hensley (2 for 3, walk, triple, run, two RBIs), Helton (single, walk, two runs, SB), and Medrano (single, run, RBI, SB).

EB’s Amanda McLean had a hand in both of her team’s runs, tripling and scoring once while driving in Hermione Garro. Ava Bivens also reached on a hit, and Ally Boyette had an RBI single in addition to pitching four innings and allowing five earned runs.

“The thing that I think makes us a little dangerous is that you’ve got a lot of speed at the top and power plus contact with Maria and Lindsey,” Powell added. “And then our middle of the lineup is very power-heavy, and you’ve got a bottom half of the lineup who are contact hitters and constantly getting on base. I think right now as a team, our batting average is right at .400.

“That’s a lot of production up and down the lineup, so our hope is that we can continue that throughout conference play and be able to win a conference championship.”

Freedom (4-7, 1-2 Northwestern 6A/7A Conf.) and Patton won one game each over the last week, with the Lady Patriots’ victory coming against the Lady Panthers, 11-0 in five innings, at home on March 19.

Freedom scored three runs in the second inning and eight in the fourth, outhitting Patton by a 10-3 margin while playing error-free defense behind LeMaster (5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 9 K).

Kaylee Skinner (3 for 3, double, two runs, three RBIs, SB) homered, and the Lady Pats’ offense was also paced by big days from Hallie Ollis (2 for 3, double, two runs, three RBIs), Caylyn Taylor (two hits, run, RBI), Gibson (walk, run, RBI), and Bailey Heape (two runs, SB). Freedom’s Creegan, Addison Webb (single), and Rumi Campbell (walk) also had a run each, and LeMaster singled and drove in one.

Buff had two hits including a double for Patton, while Hayden Carlson singled, Alex Maines walked and stole a base, and Moorefield and Kayden Maines pitched in the loss.

Freedom also fell 13-1 in five innings at South Caldwell on March 20 and 15-1 in five innings at home against Alexander Central on Tuesday.

Buchanan (walk) and Skinner (run) had Freedom’s only hits against South, while LeMaster and Creegan both pitched. The Lady Pats then were held to three hits while committing six errors on Tuesday. Buchanan (single, walk, RBI), Skinner (triple, run), and Gibson (single) led FHS at the plate, and Woody (3 1/3 IP, 4 ER) and LeMaster both pitched.

Patton also lost 8-5 at Chase on Tuesday after squandering a late 5-2 lead as it allowed a half-dozen runs in the bottom of the sixth, but bounced back to gain a 10-0 home win in five innings over Polk County on Wednesday.

Alex Maines (3 for 3, double, three runs, SB) connected on a home run at Chase, while Buff added two hits and an RBI, and Moorefield singled and drove in two, also taking the hard-luck loss from the circle after allowing three earned runs with one strikeout over six innings of work.

The next day, Kayden Maines blasted a three-run homer and walked once, Lila Hudson (2 for 2, two runs) also went yard, and Heaven Waycaster (single, run) joined those two players with three RBIs, while Buff (single, SB) and Carlson (two walks, SB) also scored twice each.

Other PHS hitting standouts were Annaliese Cochran (two walks, two SB, run), Alex Maines (walk, SB, run), and Harris (RBI), while Waycaster (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) shined in the win from the circle.

And in addition to losing to Draughn, EB also fell 12-0 in five innings to East Rutherford at home March 19 and lost 13-1 in six innings the next night at home against Hibriten.

Against ER, Garro and Emily Shoemaker had a hit apiece and Boyette drew a walk, with Boyette and Braleigh Carswell sharing pitching duties. Garro (run), McLean, and Linda Crawford then managed two hits each against Hibriten, while Boyette and Carswell (4 IP, 2 ER) both pitched.

BASEBALL

Patton collects key win, stays in 2nd place

Senior pitcher Cohen Christian continued his brilliant start to the season on Tuesday night, and River McCrary hit a walk-off single as the Patton baseball team edged visiting R-S Central by a 2-1 margin.

The win, which keeps Patton (7-3, 4-1 WPC) in a tie for second place in its conference, was the program’s first over R-S since April 2012 as the Panthers had lost nine in a row to the Hilltoppers since then, including an 0-8 mark as league foes spanning the 2022-25 seasons.

Christian tossed his fourth complete game already this spring, allowing only four hits and a walk while striking out 10. He now has 224 career strikeouts, just 12 off the program record held by Peyton Mull (2012-15).

“Cohen was stellar once again,” Patton coach Matt Baker said, “(and catcher) Trevor Throneburg called and caught an outstanding game behind the plate.”

Trailing 1-0, the Panthers knotted the score in the home half of the sixth as Gavin Johnson reached on an infield single, moved up a base on a Jack Hester sacrifice bunt, and scored on Brady Davis’ RBI double.

An inning later, Laine Barrier, Landry Duvall, and Johnson singled to load the bases, and McCrary’s base knock scored Barrier to spark the celebration.

Patton had previously topped Draughn, 7-2, at home on March 20, but lost 7-4 at home against nonconference Cherryville the night before.

The Panthers trailed 1-0 early against DHS, but took the lead for good with two runs in the third. Barrier finished 3 for 3, adding two doubles, four RBIs, and a run.

Also leading PHS on offense were Throneburg (double, RBI, two runs, two SB), Christian (walk, two runs), McCrary (two hits, RBI, SB), and Duvall (single, run), who started the game and allowed only one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in four innings of work before Cole Attaway yielded just one earned run with four strikeouts over three innings of relief.

Draughn (0-8, 0-5 WPC) was led by Nolan Ballard (2 for 4, double, RBI) in the loss. Other key contributors were Bryson Seagle (single, run, SB), Liam Dalmas (double), Ian Meadows (walk, run), and pitcher Chase Yambor (5 IP, 3 ER, 7 K).

Davis (6 IP, 2 ER, 3 K) started and kept the Panthers in the game versus Cherryville as Patton trailed 4-0 after a half-inning and knotted the score going into the third but was unable to score again while committing five total errors on defense.

PHS was led at the plate by Davis (double, two runs) and McCrary (run) with two hits apiece, plus Christian (walk, run, two RBIs), Barrier (double, SB), and Wyatt Hullette (two walks).

East Burke (4-5, 3-2 WPC) also stayed hot, dropping a 6-5 contest at home against Hibriten on March 20 but following with a 5-4 home win over West Caldwell on Tuesday and a 3-2, eight-inning home win over Foard on Wednesday.

Maddox Mosteller (5 IP, 9 K) started Tuesday’s win, and Jonas Weidner (2 IP, 3 K) closed it out from the mound. EB was led at the plate by Nathan Fortenberry (RBI double), Easton Wilson (single, run, RBI), Cayson Mooneyham (walk, RBI), Weidner (double, two runs), Mosteller (RBI single), Johnny Powell (run), and Clemson Watts (run).

Colt Butcher started against Hibriten, and Weidner also pitched in the loss, in which no Cavalier statistics were available.

EB then led 1-0 early on Wednesday, later trailing 2-1 but tying the game in the bottom of the sixth on a Mosteller solo homer before walking off in the eighth as Weidner scored on a wild pitch to help the Cavs claim a fourth win in their last five games following an 0-4 start.

Butcher’s sac fly plated Watts for EB’s early run, and DeMarcus Ault (5 IP, 3 K) started on the mound before Wilson (3 IP, 2 K) got the win in relief.

Freedom (4-6, 0-4 NWC) also claimed a win recently, defeating host Maiden by an 8-1 score on March 19 before a narrow 3-2 loss at South Caldwell the following day and a 13-1 home loss to Alexander Central on Tuesday.

The Patriots outhit Maiden, 13-5, coming to life late as the game was scoreless until five FHS runs in the fifth. Freedom’s Brooks Snipes (double, two RBIs, run) and Eddie Branch (double, three runs, two RBIs) both went 3 for 4 at the plate, while Zaydrin Hausley (run, two RBIs) and Puckett Hudson (double, walk, two runs, three RBIs) added two hits each.

Kaden Michaels doubled, walked twice, and scored a run, also earning the win from the mound after he struck out 11 in five innings without allowing an earned run on four hits and four walks. Alex Wall (2 IP, H, BB 0 ER, 5 K) was solid in relief as FHS nailed down the win.

Freedom then led perennial power South 2-1 going to the bottom of the seventh, when the Spartans scored two and walked off.

Hausley (double, two RBIs), Branch (double), and Michaels (single, run) again led the FHS offense, while Luke Miller (6 IP, 2 ER, 9 K) did his job from the mound.

Michaels’ RBI double scored Miller for the Pats’ lone run Tuesday, with Snipes adding a single and Carson Wells drawing a walk. But the Patriots committed six errors behind Wells (3 IP, ER, 3 K) and Cooper Wall (3 IP, 2 ER).

And Draughn also lost at league-leading East Rutherford, last year’s 2A state champions, by a 6-0 margin on Tuesday. Meadows and Seagle both singled for the Wildcats’ only hits, and Caden Barker drew a walk, with Barker (5 IP, 6 ER, 3 K) and Tyler Lange (IP, H, BB, 0 ER) both pitching.

GIRLS SOCCER

Lady Panthers up to 8-1; EB gains 1st win

Patton (8-1, 3-1 WPC) gained two shutout wins — its fourth and fifth of the season — over the past week, topping Draughn 9-0 at home on March 20 before gaining a 5-0 victory at Chase on Tuesday.

The Lady Panthers led Draughn 5-0 by halftime, getting three goals in the match from both Carlie Harris and Jaxyn Nolen, while Hayden Hein contributed two goals and Katrina Vu found the back of the net once. Brenda Lopez and Nora Conley added two assists apiece, and goalkeeper Jincy Gibby posted the shutout.

“Shout-outs are also needed for the following: Ana Sic, Jocelyn Castro-Say, Lexi Laws, Lydia Jones, Katie Aguilar-Ramirez, and Kim Slattery for locking it down in the midfield,” Patton coach Will Singley said. “Great job on the defensive end for Adisyn Smith, Mia Chapman, Nataly Morales-Sale, Kacey Mendoza-Ailon, Claire Przywara, Luci Hirsch, and Nancy Raymundo-Lopez. I’m proud of the support these girls had for each other … lots of cheering for their teammates and smiles all around.”

Nolen scored twice more to move to 15 goals already this spring, and Becca Velasquez added her 16th goal of the season in Tuesday’s win as both are now firmly chasing Velasquez’ PHS record of 29 goals in a single season set last year.

Carlie Harris and Katie Aguilar-Ramirez added a goal apiece for PHS.

In other action across the county, East Burke (1-5-1, 1-3 WPC) gained its first league win in 2-1 fashion on Tuesday at rival Draughn (1-4-3, 0-3-1 WPC), scoring its first goals of the year.

The Lady Cavs’ Alexandra Ruiz Cisneros and Gracie Kaylor had one goal apiece, both unassisted, while Taylor Holder had Draughn’s only goal.

EB also recently fell at home versus East Rutherford on March 19, 3-0, and at home to Hibriten the next day, 4-0.

Draughn’s only other recent match resulted in a 1-1 road tie with North Gaston on Monday as Holder scored the team’s goal off a Bailey Mozeley assist and keeper Ansley Compton had nine saves.

NCSSM-Morganton (3-3, 3-1 Catawba River 1A/2A/3A Conf.) claimed its only recent contest, 5-2, at home against Queen’s Grant on Wednesday. Hannah Xu notched a hat trick for the Lady Dragons, while Nicole Taylor added one goal and one assist and Ennis Marcus tallied one goal.

And Freedom (2-6-1, 0-1 NWC) lost by a 9-0 margin at home against T.C. Roberson on March 19 before suffering a 6-0 home loss to Alexander Central in Tuesday’s league opener.

BOYS TENNIS

Cavaliers (10-0, 7-0) closing in on history

East Burke continued its best tennis season ever this past week with an 8-1 home win over Burns on March 19, a 9-0 home win over Patton on Monday, and a 7-2 triumph at Hibriten on Wednesday.

The victories over Patton and Hibriten (the second- and third-place teams in the league) gave EB regular-season sweeps of both teams as its magic number shrunk to just one to share the league title and two to claim the crown outright.

Winners of its conference tournament both of the last two years, EB has not won a league regular-season title since its inaugural season in 1975.

“We have a lot of returners, so that gives us a ton of experience in our top six,” said EB coach Fred Brown. “Luke (Borders) has been to individual states obviously the last two years and is aiming to get back and win this time, and Haiden (Dale) and Noah (Ramsey) both played big roles for us last year too. Yingchi (Yang) got a lot of doubles experience last year and has upped his game even more, and then with Draughn not having a team, Braxton (Kirkland) and Kevin (Lee) have come in and gelled pretty quickly.

“All of our players, they wanted to have a good year, and they’ve done a great job putting the work in, listening to our coaching, and playing their hearts out. I’m proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish so far.”

The Cavs swept the singles action against Burns, with winners including No. 1 Borders (8-0), No. 2 Kirkland (8-4), No. 3 Ramsey (8-2), No. 4 Lee (8-5), No. 5 Yingchi Yang (8-4), and No. 6 Landon Yang (8-0). Borders/Y. Yang then won 8-0, and Kirkland/L. Yang won 8-2, on the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles lines, respectively.

Against Patton, singles winners were (in order) Borders (6-1, 6-1), Kirkland (6-3, 6-0), Dale (7-5, 6-1), Ramsey (6-1, 6-0), Lee (6-0, 6-2), and Yingchi Yang (6-0, 6-1). In doubles, Dale/Ramsey won 8-0, Kirkland/Lee won 8-1, and Landon Yang/Michael Rodriguez also won 8-1.

And versus Hibriten in singles, No. 1 Borders won 6-0, 6-0; No. 3 Dale won 6-3, 6-1; No. 4 Ramsey won 6-4, 6-1; No. 5 Lee won 6-3, 6-0; and No. 6 Yingchi Yang won 6-4, 7-5. Dale/Ramsey then won 8-3 at No. 1 doubles, and the Yangs won 8-5 on the No. 3 line.

Patton (3-3 WPC) also lost 8-1 at home against Hibriten on March 19 despite Bryant Arrowood winning 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. He also teamed with Henry Carlson for 8-5 loss at No. 1 doubles, while the No. 2 squad of Ethan Beall/Carter Johnson fell just 8-6 in the closest doubles match of the day.

Like EB, NCSSM-Morganton (5-1, 4-0 CRC) stayed on pace for a third straight year with a league title after a 7-2 victory at Mountain Island Charter on Monday and a 9-0 win at Piedmont Community Charter on Wednesday.

Dragon singles winners Monday included No. 2 Andy Quach (6-0, 5-7, 10-8), No. 3 Akshaj Puttoju (6-1, 6-1), No. 4 August Cook (6-0, 6-1), and No. 6 Nash Taylor (6-0, 6-0). NCSSM-M also claimed the No. 5 singles match, though other details on that match were unavailable.

In doubles, No. 2 Cook/Taylor won 8-3, and No. 3 Puttoju/Aneel Gupta won 8-0.

In Wednesday’s sweep, NCSSM-M got singles wins via No. 1 Quach (6-0, 6-1), No. 2 Cook (1-6, 6-2, 10-2), No. 3 Taylor (6-2, 6-0), No. 4 Gupta (6-0, 6-1), No. 5 Riley Mearns (8-6, 6-4), and No. 6 Akarsh Kadapi (6-1, 6-1) plus doubles wins from No. 1 Quach/Cook (8-3), No. 2 Taylor/Gupta (8-1), and No. 3 Mearns/Kadapi (8-6).

And Freedom (0-4 NWC) lost 9-0 at home against Alexander Central on March 19 in its only recent match, with Ezra Scott losing just 6-3, 7-5 at No. 1 singles in the day’s closest match.

BOYS GOLF

Freedom hosts match; PHS’ Piercy goes low

Freedom hosted its lone NWC 6A/7A match of the spring on Monday at Mimosa Hills Golf Club, delayed by one week due to wet weather.

The Patriots (360) placed sixth as a team, in part due to an injury to one of its usual top four players. Greyson Snipes led Freedom with an 18-hole score of 81 as he placed ninth in the individual standings, while Timothy Cope shot 83, Cooper Price shot 91, and Trenton Smith completed the team total with a 105. Ezra Bumgarner added a 108.

Draughn, East Burke, and Patton, meanwhile, played two recent WPC 3A/4A matches, first on March 19 at Forest City Golf Course and also Monday at Lenoir Golf Club.

Matthew Piercy shot a career-best 74 to place second and lead Patton (325) to a second-place team finish at Forest City. Teammate Mason Brown shot 77 and finished fourth, and Patton’s Noah Krogel and Jackson Zook each carded 87s, while Logan Wakefield shot an 89.

EB (371) was sixth, led by Conner Kerley’s 84. The Cavaliers’ Blake Turner shot 95, Brody Simpson and Trevor Fraley both shot 96, and Cash Wittenberg posted a 99.

Then at Lenoir, Brown shot 82 to pace the Panthers to a third-place finish, while Krogel and Zook shot 89, Piercy shot 90, and Wakefield shot 98.

For the fifth-place Cavs, Conner Kerley shot 91, Trevor Fraley shot 93, Brody Simpson and Cash Wittenberg each shot 94, and Blake Turner shot 97.

Draughn, which finished last place in both matches, was led on Monday by Ethan Cline’s 88.

TRACK & FIELD

East Burke claims 19 events at Draughn meet

County teams combined for 29 event victories — led by East Burke’s 17 — in a five-team meet hosted by Draughn on March 20.

EB’s Kendall McFalls swept the girls 100 meters (12.94), 200 meters (26.75), and 400 meters (1:01.74) as the lone local triple winner on the day.

Other Cavalier winners were Sarabeth Bradley (girls long jump, 15’5”), who also took second in the triple jump; Maliena Smith (girls 800 meters, 2:57.63); Gracie Smith (girls 300-meter hurdles, 51.85); RJ Williams (boys 200 meters, 24.36); Kade Tolbert (boys 3200 meters, 12:24.41); Nathan Oyola (boys high jump, 5’10”); Landon Minor (boys pole vault, 10’); William Hunt (boys triple jump, 36’9”); Billy Spurlock (boys discus, 115’1”); and Alex Hernandez (boys shot put, 38’7”).

Additionally, EB won the girls 4x100 (52.92) and 4x800 (12:51.14) relays as well as the boys 4x200 (1:41.46) and 4x800 (10:28.60) relays.

Draughn athletes won seven events, led by two wins apiece via Jerome Ramseur (boys 110 hurdles, 16.15; long jump,19’7”) and Noah Thomas (boys 400 meters, 54.99; 800 meters, 2:22.15), who also took third in the 100 meters.

Other Wildcat winners were Anna Cape (girls pole vault, 9’6”), who was also third in the long jump; Audrey Pace (girls triple jump, 31’2¼”), who placed second in the long jump; and Adelei Morrow (girls high jump, 5’2”), who was also second in the 800 meters and third in the 1600.

Elisabeth Sawdy (girls 1600 meters, 5:37.58; 3200 meters, 12:22.61) won twice to pace Patton, and PHS’ other event winners included Jet Chatman (boys 100 meters, 11.56); Noah Tallent (boys 1600 meters, 5:35.67), who was also second in the 800 meters; and Carter Phillips (boys 300 hurdles, 48.81), who was second in the 110 hurdles.

The other three county squads were also in recent action. Freedom participated in the 23-team Coach Odell Williams Raider Invitational — named after the longtime East Burke head coach — at North Iredell on March 21.

The Patriots got second-place finishes from Ava Cooke (girls 400 meters, 1:03.96), KeAndre Davis (boys long jump, 22’5”), Trent Davis (boys 100 meters, 11.41), and the girls 4x200 relay (1:52.70), while Brody Powell was fourth in the boys high jump and Aniah Queen was fifth in the girls 100 meters.

NCSSM-Morganton was in action at the 31-team Pisgah Invitational meet on March 19, led by Owen Howard’s third-place effort in the boys pole vault (10’6”).

Brayden Tody placed fourth in the boys 800 meters (2:02.64), Max Vaughan was fifth in the boys 3200 meters (10:02.14), and Stella Friedman finished fourth in the girls 1600 meters (5:32.46) and fifth in the 800 meters (2:28.70).

And North Carolina School for the Deaf athletes competed at a seven-team meet hosted by Bessemer City on Monday, with the Bears’ Rivka Vincent taking seventh in the girls shot put and ninth in the discus and Kenia Cardoza taking 12th in the girls 200 meters and 17th in the 100 meters.

LACROSSE

Patton boys claim first win vs. South Iredell

The Patton boys lacrosse team earned its first victory of 2026 as it topped visiting South Iredell in nonconference action Tuesday, 4-3.

Derek Buzze led the Panthers (1-6, 0-5) with two goals, while Aiden Lawrence and Greyson Bonfield added a goal each. Bonfield also managed a team-high three groundballs won, and Wyatt Thompson supplied one assist in addition to making 16 saves in goal.

The Patton girls (1-5, 1-4) the same day fell by a 14-1 score.

Both teams also played at Hickory on March 19, with the girls falling 16-4 and the boys losing 17-2. No more statistics were available from either match.