Liberty, Table Rock softball continue strong starts

The Liberty Middle School softball team cruised to a pair of shutout victories in Foothills Athletic Conference play this week, knocking off East Burke by a 15-0 final on Tuesday in Morganton before nabbing an 11-0 road win over West McDowell on Thursday.

The Lady Knights (3-0) received two doubles from Emma Fish (three RBIs, two runs) on Tuesday to go with two singles apiece from Piper Ellis (three RBIs, two runs), Ava Hensley (two RBIs, two runs), Kayden Maines (two RBIs, run), Whitley Strange (RBI, three runs), and Finley Duvall (RBI, two runs), a double from Lila Hudson (RBI, two runs), and an RBI and a run scored from Lyrikah Bristol. Strange was also the winning pitcher thanks to four innings of two-hit ball during which she had nine strikeouts.

Strange then tossed six innings of one-hit ball with 12 strikeouts against the Lady Spartans, while Ellis recorded a home run and two singles to go with four RBIs and a run scored. Maines added three singles, two RBIs, and a run scored, with Fish (two doubles, two runs), Malorie Messer (double, single, RBI, run), Hensley (two singles, two runs), Strange (two singles, two runs), Paige Hennessee (single, two RBIs), Duvall (single, run), Desirae Smith (RBI), and Hudson (run) also contributing to another offensive outburst for Liberty.

Table Rock (3-0) was also victorious in its only game of the week, defeating visiting East McDowell by a 4-0 score on Thursday to keep pace with the Lady Knights at the top of the FAC standings. Callie Harris (RBI), Megan Robinson, Bailey Heape, and Parker Thomas each had one hit for the Lady Falcons, while Harper Best – who also struck out 14 and allowed one hit in seven innings – and Kelly Scales drove in one run apiece and Lily Thompson stole two bases.

East Burke (1-3) picked up an 8-7 home win over East McDowell on Monday, although no individual statistics had been reported as of presstime. And during the loss at Liberty the following day, the Lady Raiders received singles from Harper Lowman and Serena Dellinger.

As for Heritage (1-2), it lost to host West McDowell by a 13-4 final on Monday despite getting two singles and a run scored from Ansley Compton, one single apiece from Lainey Sigmon and Abigail Roper, and a complete game from Ambria Baker (4 K).

BASEBALL

EB wins twice to remain unbeaten

East Burke (4-0) won on back-to-back days this week to stay perfect in FAC play, collecting a 9-4 home victory over East McDowell on Monday before shutting out Liberty by a 17-0 final on Tuesday in Morganton.

The Raiders’ Greyson Roberts had two hits including a homer and two RBIs on Monday, with Hank Lowman adding a double and two RBIs and Evan Buckner and Blade Carson also registering one hit apiece. Carson was the winning pitcher as well after striking out seven in five innings.

Roberts also had a three-run homer and a double against the Knights, and he struck out seven in three innings to earn the win on the mound. Furthermore, the Raiders got a double and two RBIs from both Rhyan Helton and Carson, while Buckner also had a hit.

Table Rock (2-2) also won twice this week, earning a 25-2 road victory over Walter Johnson on Monday before beating visiting East McDowell by a 10-2 score on Thursday. Jacob Nile struck out five and allowed no runs and no hits in two innings on his way to earning the win against the Yellow Jackets, while Easton Tollison notched the win against the Trojans after allowing two unearned runs and three hits with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings before giving way to Luke Webb, who struck out one in 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief.

Jaxxon Williams had three of the Falcons’ 12 hits on Monday, while Ames Miller finished with two hits and five RBIs, Tollison and Aiken Shade each stole multiple bases, and Tollison, Callaway Donnelly, Spencer Wall, and Layton Morris each walked twice as part of a 14-walk effort by Table Rock’s offense. And during Thursday’s contest, the Falcons received three hits including a two-run homer and five RBIs from Tollison, with James Miller also notching three hits to go with multiple stolen bases from Tollison, Donnelly, and Ames Miller.

Also this week, Heritage (1-3) bounced back from an 11-1 loss at West McDowell on Monday with a 32-1 win over Walter Johnson (0-3) – which didn’t report any individual stats from either of its games – on Thursday in Valdese. Ethan Cline knocked in the Eagles’ only run against the Spartans, while Collin Clary was 4-for-4 at the plate and had eight strikeouts on the mound during Thursday’s game.

One of Clary’s hits against the Yellow Jackets was an inside-the-park home run, while Corban Mull also recorded an inside-the-park homer. Heritage’s bench was also key, as Jaxon Hunter, Luke Lowman, and Skylar Garland all came up with hits.

Finally, Liberty (1-3) also lost by a 14-4 final against West McDowell on Thursday in Marion (no individual stats were available from either of the Knights’ games this week).

TRACK AND FIELD

Heritage wins meet at WJ

The first FAC track and field meet of the 2025 season was held on Tuesday at Walter Johnson, where Heritage finished with 144 points to defeat both Liberty (107) and the host Yellow Jackets (44).

The Eagles won 14 events (tied for first in one), came in second in 19, and finished third in 17, while the Knights had 15 first-place finishers, nine runners-up, and five third-place finishers. As for Walter Johnson, it came in first in four events (tied for first in one), second in five, and third in nine.

Individual winners for the Heritage boys included Kiptyn Wiseman with times of 15.20 in the 110-meter hurdles and 1:01.45 in the 400 meters; Talen Denton with times of 5:34 in the 1600 meters and 2:37.47 in the eighth grade 800 meters; Jackson Markland with a time of 2:45.56 in the sixth/seventh grade 800 meters; Paxton Woodie with a mark of 30 feet, 9.5 inches in the triple jump; Dakarai Wilkins with a mark of 94 feet, 6 inches in the discus; and the team of Walker Bowman, Grayson Rector, Nathan Taylor, and Camdyn Gibbs with a time of 1:52.47 in the 4x200-meter relay.

On the girls side, HMS received victories from Presley Powell in the 1600 meters (6:18), the 400 meters (1:13.97), and the eighth grade 800 meters (2:57.29); Emeri Scott in the eighth grade 100 meters (13.27); Juliet Mann in the sixth/seventh grade 800 meters (3:02.43); and Madeline Bowman in the high jump (3 feet, 6 inches).

Liberty’s boys winners were Nate Coffey in the eighth grade 100 meters (12.63), the high jump (5 feet, 2 inches), and the long jump (17 feet); Jacoby Bonkowske in the seventh grade 100 meters (12.49); Hayden Snipes in the shot put (32 feet, 11.5 inches); and the foursome of Oliver Olson, Caleb Caldwell, Kelby Clark, and Isaiah Cook in the 4x400-meter relay (4:19.20).

Girls winners for LMS consisted of Harper Robison in the 200 meters (29.58) and the long jump (12 feet, 10 inches; tied for first); Norah Lor in the sixth grade 100 meters (14.46); Emilie Cosovan in the seventh grade 100 meters (14.27); Charlotte Wilson in the triple jump (24 feet, 5.5 inches); Emily Aguirre in the shot put (21 feet, 8 inches); Lillian Thomas in the discus (58 feet, 7 inches); the quartet of Cosovan, Pricella Velasquez, Angie Vicente, and Robison in the 4x200-meter relay (2:04.87); and the team of Velasquez, Claudia Francisco, Luci Hirsch, and Cosovan in the 4x400-meter relay (5:07.52).

Finally, first-place finishers for Walter Johnson included Ja’Zion Davidson Burgess in the boys sixth grade 100 meters (13.90); Jace Connelly in the boys 200 meters (27.40); Claudia Chapter in the girls 110-meter hurdles (18.09); and ExZandria Horton in the girls long jump (12 feet, 10 inches; tied for first).