Table Rock tracksters earn 24 wins versus Heritage

The Table Rock Middle School track and field team faced off against Heritage in a Foothills Athletic Conference meet on Tuesday in Morganton, with the host Falcons ultimately winning 24 of 32 events.

Fifteen of Table Rock’s victories came on the boys side, highlighted by two wins apiece from Kacen Powell (5 feet, 10 inches in high jump; 12.50 in seventh-grade 100 meters) and Xander Summers (19 feet, 2 inches in long jump; 24.50 in 200 meters). Powell was also one-fourth of the winning 4x200-meter relay squad, teaming with CJ Largent — who added a first-place mark of 35 feet, 1.5 inches in the triple jump — Dayyan Rasheed, and Ayden Francis to record a time of 1:47.

Other boys to win events for the Falcons included Isaiah Maxwell and Xay Davis, who tied for first in the boys shot put with identical tosses of 32 feet, 3 inches; Brently Lowery in the discus throw (78 feet, 2 inches); Chasee Tucker in the 110-meter hurdles (16.06); Myron Rutherford in the sixth-grade 100 meters (13.87); Miles Moellman in the 1600 meters (5:51); Dadrian Cottle in the 400 meters (1:04); Gabe Brittain in the sixth/seventh-grade 800 meters (2:55); Jameson Smith in the eighth-grade 800 meters (2:22); and the quartet of Cole Pons, Cottle, Tucker, and Smith in the 4x400-meter relay (4:23).

Female winners for Table Rock were Alyasia Mosley in the long jump (15 feet, 10.5 inches), the eighth-grade 100 meters (13.91), and the 200 meters (30.66); Ava Beam in the high jump (4 feet, 6 inches) and the seventh-grade 100 meters (14:19); Ally Grady in the discus (71 feet, 9 inches); Adalyn Kelley in the 100-meter hurdles (17.01); Maleah Johnson in the 400 meters (1:12); and Hannah Hernandez in the sixth/seventh-grade 800 meters (2:59).

On the other side, Heritage’s lone boys triumph was courtesy of a first-place time of 12.44 from Brayden Shown in the eighth-grade 100 meters, while girls winners were as follows: Marleigh Gidney in the shot put (28 feet, 3 inches); Adaleigh Wilder in the triple jump (24 feet, 9.5 inches); Brynlee Denton in the sixth-grade 100 meters (15:25); Braylee Bollinger in the 1600 meters (6:36); Coraline Morrow in the eighth-grade 800 meters (3:10); the 4x200-meter relay squad of Adalyn Thomas, Wilder, Emeri Scott, and Viollet Sevcik (2:07); and the 4x400-meter relay foursome of Denton, Madeline Bowman, Bollinger, and Thomas (5:08).

Also on Tuesday, Walter Johnson hosted a meet against Liberty and East McDowell that was won by the Knights on both the girls side (95 points) and the boys side (91). Furthermore, the Walter Johnson boys came in second (28) and the girls finished third (17), while East McDowell’s girls posted a runner-up finish (31) and the Trojans’ boys team took third (24).

Ava Hensley was a part of three of the Lady Knights’ 12 event wins, posting times of 1:10.88 in the 400 meters and 2:58.00 in the eighth-grade 800 meters to go with a time of 5:14.00 alongside Kerrigan Suttles, Skylyn Humphries, and Presley Powell in the 4x400-meter relay.

Presley Powell also finished first in the sixth/seventh-grade 800 meters (2:42) and Humphries was the top competitor in the triple jump (24 feet, 4 inches), with other victories for the Liberty girls coming from Norah Lor in the seventh-grade 100 meters (14.10), Juliet Mann in the 1600 meters (6.50), Emilie Cosovan in the 200 meters (29.19), Emma Fish in the long jump (13 feet, 9 inches), Lyrikah Bristol in the shot put (24 feet, 9.5 inches), and Emma Halliburton in the discus (57 feet, 11 inches). Additionally, the Lady Knights’ Angie Vicente-Lopez, Serenity Waycaster, Tailynn Hawkins, and Lor recorded a first-place time of 2:04.00 in the 4x200-meter relay.

On the boys side, Liberty’s Jacoby Bonkowske won four events — the eighth-grade 100 meters (11.94), the 200 meters (26.67), the long jump (19 feet, 1 inch), and the high jump (5 feet, 2 inches) — to go with seven other first-place finishes by the Knights.

Carter Smith was a double winner thanks to times of 17.37 and 1:04.00 in the 110-meter hurdles and the 400 meters, respectively, while Easton Herron won the sixth/seventh-grade 800 meters (2:40.00) and teamed with Jack Jandrew, Holden Arrowood, and Tanner Jones to finish first in the 4x400-meter relay (4:41.00). The Knights also received victories from Elliott Gratton in the triple jump (33 feet, 3 inches), Mason Taylor in the shot put (37 feet, 3 inches), and Eli Peahuff in the discus (97 feet, 3 inches).

Walter Johnson won four events, with Ja’Zion Davidson-Burgess taking first in the boys seventh-grade 100 meters (13.50) while also winning the 4x200-meter relay alongside Nasir Corpening, Noush Yang, and Zai’dyn Howell (1:52.50), Fisher Collinson leading the field in the boys 1600 meters (5:31.00), and Kaylee Bristol emerging victorious in the girls sixth-grade 100 meters (14.62).

East Burke was also scheduled to visit West McDowell on Tuesday, although no results were reported from the meet, while Heritage on March 19 faced East McDowell at McDowell High School, where the Eagles finished first on the girls side with 80 points and second on the boys side with 67, just one point behind the Trojans.

Heritage’s eight girls winners last week included Sevcik in the seventh-grade 100 meters (14.76) and the 200 meters (30.33), Bollinger in the 1600 meters (6:32.19) and the eighth-grade 800 meters (2:51.87), Scott in the eighth-grade 100 meters (13.75), Bowman in the 400 meters (1:12.80), Ryan Watson in the discus (60 feet), and the 4x400-meter relay squad (5:12.50).

In boys events, Heritage got victories from Shown in the eighth-grade 100 meters (12.79), the 200 meters (27.69), and the long jump (14 feet, 10 inches), Braylon Carter in the sixth/seventh-grade 800 meters (2:57.55) and the triple jump (22 feet, 3.5 inches), Mateo DeChristopher in the 1600 meters (6:08.26), and the 4x200-meter relay squad (1:54.27).

SOFTBALL

Liberty tops West McDowell in battle of undefeated teams

Liberty (5-0) moved into sole possession of first place in the FAC standings courtesy of a 14-4 home win over previously unbeaten West McDowell on Monday, getting multi-hit performances from Malorie Messer (double, three singles, two RBIs, run), Emma Fish (three doubles, four RBIs, two runs), Finley Duvall (three singles, three runs, stolen base), and Paige Hennessee (double, single, two RBIs).

The Lady Knights also received a home run from Janiyah Benjamin (two RBIs, two runs), a double from Lyrikah Bristol (two RBIs, run), and singles from Whitley Strange (RBI, two runs) and Ava Hensley (two runs), while Strange (3 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 K) was the winning pitcher and Messer (2 2/3 IP, H, 3 K) was used in relief.

Liberty previously earned a 15-0 road win over Walter Johnson on March 19, with Benjamin (IP, 3 K) and Hennessee (2 IP, 5 K) combining for a three-inning no-hitter in a contest that saw the Lady Knights total six hits and 11 walks at the plate.

Averie Beck (two singles, run), Messer (single, RBI, run), Cherish Whitley (single, RBI, run), Serenity Waycaster (single, RBI, run), and Benjamin (single, run) had Liberty’s hits, while Hensley stole two bases.

Table Rock (4-1) also handed Walter Johnson a loss on Monday, knocking off the visiting Lady Yellow Jackets by an 18-0 final behind three hits from SophiAnn Smith, two apiece from Maddie Gordon — including an inside-the-park homer and a team-high three RBIs — and Lily Thompson, and one each from Sophie Davis, Kelly Scales, Harper Best, Olivia Hagmann, Kendal Coffey, and Ella Avery. The Lady Falcons notably stole 10 bases in the game, with Hagmann and Coffey each registering multiple steals.

Best started and earned the win in the pitcher’s circle, while Smith and Coffey both saw time in relief.

Heritage (2-3) collected an 18-3 victory over East McDowell on Monday in Valdese behind three hits from Brianna Maynor (double, two singles, three runs), two from Ivy Brown (run), and one from Kendalyn Eckard (two runs). Brown also pitched all four innings and finished with four strikeouts.

The Lady Eagles were coming off a 13-1 loss at West McDowell on March 19, when they got a double from Maynor and a single from Lainey Sigmon (run).

Also on March 19, East Burke (2-3) suffered an 8-4 road defeat at the hands of East McDowell. (Individual statistics were unavailable.)

And in Wednesday’s only softball contest, Walter Johnson (0-6) lost to East McDowell by a 21-0 score in Morganton.

BASEBALL

Falcons, Knights nab one win apiece

Table Rock (4-0) remained tied with West McDowell for the top spot in the FAC standings thanks to a 21-2 home victory over Walter Johnson on Monday, outhitting the Yellow Jackets 17-2 in the process.

Spencer Wall registered a double, two singles, three RBIs, and three runs scored for the Falcons, who also received three singles, three RBIs, three runs scored, and four stolen bases from James Miller to go with two singles, an RBI, and two runs scored from Jaxxon Williams.

Others recording hits for Table Rock included Easton Tollison (homer, two RBIs, three runs, SB), Callaway Donnelly (double, RBI, run, SB), Luke Webb (single, RBI, three runs, two SB), Werner Sahling (single, two RBIs, run), Aiken Shade (single, two runs, two SB), Layton Morris (single, RBI, run), Evan Burleson (single, RBI, run), Ames Miller (single, RBI, run), and Kyden O’Neil (single, RBI).

James Miller was the winning pitcher following two innings of scoreless, one-hit relief during which he had six strikeouts and one walk, with Calen Clark (IP, 3 K) also providing strong relief work for the Falcons.

Despite falling by a 16-5 final in a home game against West McDowell on Monday, Liberty (3-2) was previously victorious by an 18-0 score at Walter Johnson on March 19.

In last week’s game, three Knights pitchers — Edward Stoudenmire (IP, K, BB), Hank Ledford (IP, 3 K), and Lincoln Greer (IP, 2 K) — combined for a three-inning no-hitter during which Liberty got three hits from Jackson Puckett (two doubles, single, five RBIs, two runs) and a single apiece from Cason Scott (three RBIs, two runs, SB), Liam Chapman (two RBIs, run), Carson Haas (two RBIs, run), Stoudenmire (RBI, two runs, SB), Ledford (RBI, two runs), Sawyer Cato (RBI, two runs), Easton Mull (RBI, run), Greer (RBI, SB), and AJ Duckworth (two runs, two SB). In addition, Judson Wilson walked three times, scored three times, and stole a pair of bases.

As for Monday’s game, it saw Liberty receive two singles each from Wilson (two runs) and Brody Lozano (run, SB), a double and three RBIs from Stoudenmire, a single and an RBI apiece from Scott and Ledford, and three walks and two runs scored from Chapman.

In other action on March 19, East Burke (1-4) was defeated by East McDowell, 4-3, in Marion despite outhitting the Trojans 6-5.

Tucker Hart (three singles, RBI, run), Sawyer Houston (single, RBI), Cooper Ashley (single, run), and Alex Prestwood (single) had hits for the Raiders, who committed a season-high seven errors on defense as all of the runs allowed by Houston (5 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K) and Abel Fredrick (1 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 K) were unearned.

Also recently, Heritage (1-4) lost 15-0 at West McDowell on March 19 and 20-0 at the hands of East McDowell on Monday in Valdese, while Walter Johnson (0-6) suffered a 24-0 home loss against East McDowell on Wednesday.