WILDCATS WIN WHC AGAIN: Draughn baseball, softball then advance in playoffs

Draughn High School’s trio of four-year baseball starters sure knows how to go out with a bang.

Tate Jensen, Griffin Stephens, and Jacob Mull all played big roles as the Wildcats defeated Mountain Heritage on Senior Night at “The Den” in Valdese on May 2 to win a fourth consecutive Western Highlands 1A/2A Conference championship, then did so again on Tuesday to lift No. 6 seed Draughn (14-8) past the first round of the NCHSAA 1A state playoffs for a fourth straight season.

The Draughn softball team (14-9) also beat Mountain Heritage to end the regular season and earn the WHC’s top 1A playoff berth and followed that with a first-round home playoff win Tuesday, also advancing for a fourth year in a row.

For the Wildcats baseball team, it was their third outright WHC title and second straight in such fashion.

Draughn won 9-2 last Friday, trailing 2-0 early but tying the game with two runs in bottom of the second inning before tacking on three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth for the final margin to avenge a walk-off road loss in Burnsville three days earlier.

Stephens tossed his first career no-hitter, issuing only one walk and one earned run while striking out seven as he effectively pitched around four Wildcats’ errors.

Jensen (3 for 3, two runs, four RBIs, SB) and Mull (2 for 4, two runs, RBI, SB) both homered, and Stephens doubled and added an RBI in a huge effort from all three four-year seniors in their final regular-season home game.

Other offensive standouts in the win included Cayden Barker (two singles, run, RBI), Chase Yambor (single, two walks, two runs), and Tyler Lange (single, SB, run).

Draughn then run-ruled No. 27 Gray Stone Day by an 11-1 margin in five innings to open the postseason as Jensen (5 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, ER, 9 K) shined in the fourth playoff win of his prep career.

The Wildcats cleaned things up, playing error-free defense in the victory, and scored in each inning, highlighted by two runs in the bottom of the second and three in the third before ending it early with a four-run fifth.

“Playoff baseball with the one-and-done is kind of scary when you walk in, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing, and we’re a young team,” said Wildcats coach Kenny Stephens. “... I think when the lights came on tonight, we were a little bright-eyed and we had to learn a little bit about ourselves. About the third inning, we finally locked in and started playing a little baseball.”

Mull walked and hit a two-run homer, moving into the county lead with six homers for the season. Barker (run, SB) and Stephens (two doubles, two runs, RBI) led the Wildcats with two hits each, Lange (RBI, SB) and Gage Dula (single, walk, four SBs) both scored two runs, and Wyatt Bonorden (triple, run) had two RBIs.

Seeking a trip to the third round for a third consecutive year, the Wildcats hosted No. 22 Highland Tech (11-12) late Friday in round two, with the winner of that game set to take on either No. 3 Christ the King (15-7) or No. 14 Polk County (12-13) on Tuesday (May 13) in the third round.

“I think we’re battle-tested,” Stephens added. “You go out and play the No. 1 seed in the 2A (East Rutherford), we played South Caldwell which is the No. 2 seed in the 4A. … I’m like, ‘Boys, you ain’t gonna see any better than we saw the first two weeks (of the season).’”

In softball, the final score of Draughn’s win late last week was touchingly significant. The Lady Wildcats avenged a loss earlier in the week, topping Mountain Heritage by a 12-2 tally in six innings.

The final scoreboard matched the badge number of late Burke County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sput Powell (6212), head coach Chris Powell’s father who had been killed in a car crash just days before.

Draughn catcher Lindsey Hensley (5 for 5, three runs, two RBIs, two SBs) hit a double to plate Maria Medrano (4 for 5, double, three runs, RBI, SB) for the walk-off hit.

Cydnee Deal (3 for 3, double, three RBIs, two runs) and Avie Helton (3 for 3, two doubles, three RBIs, run) added perfect days at the dish, and other hitting standouts included Reagan Webb (two RBIs), Ava Aldridge (walk, single, run), Braylen Clontz (walk, run), Makenzie Powell (single, run), and Maddy Hudson (single, RBI). Helton (6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) earned the complete-game win.

Helton then pitched again and was brilliant Tuesday as the No. 9 seed Wildcats eliminated No. 24 NC Leadership Academy, 12-0, in five innings. No individual statistics were available.

“I thought the girls played really well tonight,” Chris Powell said. “Everything that’s been going on over the past four or five days has been emotional, and it’s been emotional on them as well. The last two games they’ve played really lights out, and tonight I thought our defense was very solid. Avie pitched amazing tonight ... and we were just executing. That’s something we’ve preached all year, and we finally put that together over the last couple games.”

Draughn visited No. 8 Mountain Island Charter (11-8) late Friday for a second-round matchup, with the winner next meeting either top-seeded Union Academy (22-1) or No. 17 South Stanly (13-13) in the third round early next week (May 13).

The other three Burke County diamond squads to reach the postseason all fell in first-round action Tuesday.

The No. 21 East Burke baseball team lost 4-0 at No. 12 R-S Central in 2A action as the Cavaliers allowed two runs apiece in the bottom of the first and third innings.

EB’s Gabe Wittenberg doubled, and Mason Mosteller and Cannon Morrison (SB) singled, with Colt Butcher reaching on a walk. Mosteller (4 IP, 3 ER, 4 K) started from the mound before Barger Shook (2 IP, 0 ER, 3 K) closed the game, and Morrison recorded team-highs of seven putouts and three assists defensively. The Cavs (15-9) were outhit 7-3 and committed the game’s only error.

In 3A softball, No. 29 Freedom lost 12-0 in six innings at No. 4 East Rowan, trailing just 4-0 through three innings. Daniell Robinson and Rumi Campbell supplied the guests’ only hits, and Madelyn LeMaster drew a walk.

The Lady Patriots (10-17) were hurt by a pair of errors as Robinson (1 1/3 IP, ER, K) and LeMaster (3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, K) were each effective in the circle.

And the No. 32 seed Patton softball team (9-15) fell by a 15-0 score at No. 1 seed West Wilkes in 2A action to end the year. No Lady Panthers’ individual statistics were available.

GIRLS SOCCER

NCSSM-Morganton claims WHC outright

NCSSM-Morganton suffered its first WHC loss in Wednesday’s regular-season road finale, but the party had started two days earlier when the Lady Dragons clinched their first-ever conference championship in outright fashion thanks to some help.

NCSSM-Morganton (13-3-1, 10-1-1 WHC) fell by a 3-1 score at Madison, but the Lady Patriots had no chance to catch the Dragons by then after losing to third-place Owen on Monday as NCSSM-M won the league title by a full game after it had sealed the WHC’s top 1A playoff seed some time ago.

NCHSAA playoff pairings were set to come out Friday, and the first round of NCHSAA state playoffs across all classifications is Monday (May 12).

No other Burke County soccer team won last week either, though Draughn did earn a tie and Patton clings to playoff life.

The Lady Panthers (12-8, 4-8 Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conf.) finished in a three-way tie for fourth place in their league after Tuesday’s 5-0 loss at Hendersonville. Patton trailed the league runner-up just 2-0 at the half and gifted them two second-half own goals, led in defeat by the play of midfielders Lorely Tzul, Kadin Scism, Ana Sic, and Mia Chapman.

Patton figures to earn a 2A wild-card bid with an RPI of No. 23 in the West.

Draughn (1-15-2, 1-10-1 WHC) ended with a 1-1 home draw with Mitchell on Wednesday after losing 2-0 at home against Mountain Heritage on Monday.

Freedom (6-14-1, 1-9 Northwestern 3A/4A Conf.) fell by scores of 7-0 at Watauga on Monday, 4-0 at Ashe County on Tuesday, and 3-0 at home to Alexander Central on Wednesday, while East Burke (3-14-2, 2-10-2 Catawba Valley 2A Conf.) lost 4-0 at home to Lincolnton on Monday and 1-0 at West Lincoln on Wednesday.

BOYS TENNIS

Three county players reach state again

East Burke sophomore singles player Luke Borders and the NCSSM-Morganton senior doubles squad of Julian Monzavifar and Josh Banchik are set to compete at the NCHSAA individual state championships for a second straight season after qualifying through the West Regional tournaments last weekend.

Borders did not drop a set in 6-3, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-0 wins on May 2 in the 2A regional at Gardner-Webb University to advance to the semifinals. The next day, Borders cruised past Izaiah Campos of Hendersonville, 6-2, 6-0, in the semis before falling to Pine Lake Prep’s Jackson Grathwohl by a 6-2, 6-1 margin to place runner-up.

EB’s Haiden Dale in singles and Leejohn Yang/Noah Ramsey in doubles were eliminated from regionals with round-one losses.

Borders opened against Kaleb Peeler of West Davidson in round one at state on Friday at the Ting Park Tennis Complex in Holly Springs.

Monzavifar/Banchik won twice at 1A regionals (scores not available), held at Elkin Municipal Park, on May 2 to advance to state. They lost 6-0, 6-3 to Connor and Aidan Ballard of Elkin, who repeated as regional champs, on day two of the event.

Dragons teammates Sam Evans/Andy Quach won their doubles opener before being knocked out one win shy of state, and NCSSM-M’s Nash Taylor lost in the first round of singles action.

Monzavifar/Banchik were set to face Prahalad Srinivasan/Cooper Fielding of Triangle Math and Science Academy on Friday in round one (quarterfinals) at state at Cary Tennis Park.

The No. 6 seed Dragons (11-5) also saw their dual-team season come to an end with an NCHSAA 1A second-round loss to No. 3 Piedmont Community Charter on Monday, 5-4.

NCSSM-M got singles wins from No. 4 Evans (6-0, 6-1), No. 5 Quach (6-2, 6-1), and No. 6 Nathan Huber (6-4, 6-0) before Evans/Huber claimed an 8-0 win at No. 3 doubles.

TRACK AND FIELD

Both Cavs teams second in CVAC

The host East Burke boys and girls both finished second place in the team standings at the CVAC 2A championships on May 2, both claiming the most event wins at the meet.

Lady Cavaliers senior Cadence Willis swept the 800 meters (2:36.68), 1600 meters (5:47.01), and 3200 meters (13:18.80) titles, and Kendall McFalls joined her as part of three EB victories.

McFalls won the girls 200 meters (27.13) and 400 meters (1:00.66) and joined with Michelle Cook, Sarah Cook, and Emmonie Haith on the winning 4x200-meter relay (1:50.31).

Kolby Byrd claimed both the boys shot put (56’4”) and discus (146’2”), and EB’s Kendale Cook (boys 110-meter hurdles, 15.73) and Nathan Rees (boys 300 hurdles, 42.48) added a win each.

Finishing second place for the Cavs were Haith (girls 100 meters), Ossie Burkeen (boys 110 hurdles), Elijah Baker (boys 3200 meters), and the girls 4x400 relay of McFalls, Haith, Sarah Cook, and Kyndal Morrison. Baker also took third in the boys 1600 meters, and Lacie Forino placed third in both the girls 100 and 300 hurdles.

East Burke hosted the NCHSAA 2A West Regional championship meet on Friday, while the county’s 1A qualifiers were at Montreat College for regionals the same day. The 3A West Regional is set for North Iredell on Saturday (today), and the state championships are at N.C. A&T University next weekend (1A and 3A on May 16; 2A on May 17).

BOYS GOLF

EB’s Newton runner-up at regionals

East Burke senior Nick Newton shot a front-nine 36 en route to a 4-over par 18-hole total of 76 on Tuesday at the River Bend YMCA Golf Course in Shelby to finish in second place, one shot back, at the NCHSAA 2A West Regional tournament.

With the effort, the Lenoir-Rhyne University commit and CVAC golfer of the year makes a second straight appearance at the 2A state championships, which will be held Monday and Tuesday (May 12-13) at Pinehurst No. 6. Newton was the lone state qualifier from Burke County this spring.

Also in 2A play at River Bend, Patton freshman Mason Brown shot nines of 41 and 42 for an 83 to tie for 23rd place.

On Monday in the 1A West Regional at NorthStone Country Club in Huntersville, Draughn sophomore Cash Baker’s round of 85 (highlighted by a front-nine 41) left him in a 15th-place tie, one stroke shy of a potential playoff to move on to the state level.

His Wildcats teammates, Bryson Powell shot 87 and tied for 20th, and Guian Collado shot 92 and tied for 39th.

And also Tuesday in the 3A West Regional at Waynesville Inn and Golf Club, Freedom shot 368 as a team to finish in 12th place, paced by Holden Webb’s 89 that included a back-nine 42 as he tied for 57th individually. Grey Snipes shot a 91, and Timothy Cope and Braxton King both carded 94s.

LACROSSE

Patton teams wrap up regular season

The Panthers boys and girls teams stumbled to the finish line with recent conference losses in each of their final three regular-season contests.

The Lady Panthers (2-11, 2-10 conf.) lost 17-1 at Asheville on April 29, 15-5 at Hickory on May 1, and 18-6 at home against North Lincoln on Tuesday, with the Patton boys (2-13, 0-12 conf.) dropping decisions against those same three opponents by margins of 17-2, 22-1, and 23-3.

A Julia Civitello goal assisted by Nora Wykle was the Patton girls’ lone offense against Asheville, while Civitello netted a team-high four groundballs and goalkeeper Alyvia Civitello supplied 10 saves.

The PHS girls were led by two goals each from Camber Buzze and Elliott Wilson against Hickory, while Julia Civitello scored a goal, Ella Gibbs added an assist, Wykle collected six groundballs, and keeper Emma Hardin posted 11 saves. No other game statistics were available.

The NCHSAA was expected to release brackets for the 1A/2A/3A state playoffs on Friday, with the PHS girls eyeing a first-ever postseason appearance and the boys their second in three years. First-round contests are slated for Tuesday (May 13).