Centerville girls tennis ends regular season 8-0 in TEC to highlight Wayne County sports

RICHMOND, Ind. — There was a lot on the line for Centerville girls tennis going into its match with Northeastern Thursday. The Bulldogs were sitting at 12-2 overall and 7-0 in Tri-Eastern Conference play and had a chance to clinch the regular season TEC title.

Some individual milestones were up for grabs, too. Singles Gabby Duke and Lizzie Parker, as well as the doubles team of Ashtyn Allen and Emma Cooper, had an opportunity to finish the regular season a perfect 8-0 against TEC competition.

Centerville had swept seven matches all year, so each of those accomplishments looked achievable, but Northeastern was no slouch. The Knights came into Thursday with a 6-1 conference record, hungry for a share of the regular season crown.

All questions were answered after just a couple hours, and the Bulldogs emerged victorious 4-1. Duke, Parker, Allen and Cooper all got their wins to go undefeated heading into sectionals. Gracie Helms also won her singles match to improve her individual record to 7-1. The doubles team of Ava McCurdy and Kylar Marshall finished the schedule 6-2 after falling to the Knights’ duo of Chloe Cook and Claire Coddington.

Both teams, along with the four other Wayne County schools, will compete in Sectional 15 at Richmond starting May 18.

Boys rundown: Hagerstown baseball has week for the books to highlight Wayne County boys sports

Here’s more tennis action and all other area high school girls’ sports results from May 9-14:

Softball

Northeastern nearly wins five games

The Knights’ week started Monday with an 11-1 win over Centerville. Clare Lopeman struck out 10 batters in six innings pitched and picked up three hits and two RBIs at the plate. Also notching three hits and driving in a pair of runs were Lexi Russell, Lilly Null and Baylee Wissler. McKaelyn Cummins had two hits, and Kamryn McFarland added two RBIs.

The next day, Northeastern beat Union City 4-0. Lopeman had another solid day, striking out nine in seven innings and driving in two runs at the plate. Emma Neeley and Saige Sanders each had two hits.

Lopeman was at it again Thursday in a 7-5 win against Hagerstown. She threw all seven innings, struck out 10 and only allowed three earned runs. Null had two hits, including the biggest of the game: a three-run homer. Neeley added two hits of her own.

More: ‘Why you play the game’: Northeastern softball rises to occasion to beat Hagerstown

The Knights’ win streak ended Saturday with a 10-8 loss in the first game of a doubleheader with New Castle. Lopeman led the offense with three hits. Cummins had a pair of doubles, Neeley picked up two hits and Sanders drove in two runs.

They bounced back in game two with a 14-3 win. Lopeman got the win in the circle and notched two hits at the plate. Cummins had four hits and three RBIs. Null and Wissler each had two hits, and they combined for seven RBIs. Northeastern’s next game is May 18 at Daleville.

Centerville, Lincoln have opposite weeks

The Bulldogs opened the week with two losses. In their loss to Northeastern Monday, Harmony Owens had two hits, and Shaellyn Shearer hit a homer for their only run.

The next day, they took a close 4-3 loss to Knightstown. Owens pitched a complete game while striking out eight and only allowing three earned runs. Jocie Collins had two hits, and Drew Tubesing had two RBIs.

Thursday was when Centerville turned it around. Owens and Haylee Parker each struck out four batters and didn’t allow an earned run in a 13-5 win over Winchester. They also had a good day with the bats, as Parker had four hits and combined with Owens for seven RBIs. Morgan Clark had three hits, and Collins added two hits and two RBIs.

Centerville then beat Tri 14-8 Saturday. Owens only allowed one earned run in seven innings, and she added two hits at the plate. Shearer, Tubesing and Clark all hit a home run, combining for a total of nine hits and 11 RBIs. Collins had three hits. Parker, Anna Davis and Lilly Day each had two hits. The Bulldogs’ next game is May 18 at Lincoln.

While Centerville ended the week on a positive note, Lincoln started it that way with 9-2 win over Tri Monday. Maddie Bogue struck out six batters in seven innings and picked up two hits of her own. Paige Lunsford had three hits to pace the offense. Allison Frost, Addyson Pitcock, Alivia Anderson, Sommer Taylor and Abbey Weaver each had two hits. Frost, Taylor and Kaylee Gabbard each added two RBIs.

That’s when the wheels fell off, as the Golden Eagles could only record one hit in each of their next two games. Mallory Burns got the hit in a 14-0 loss to Union County Tuesday. Lunsford got it Thursday in a 3-0 loss to Connersville, and she combined with Bogue for a solid day of pitching. Lincoln’s next game is May 18 hosting Centerville.

Hagerstown wins twice, can’t string them together

The Tigers started the week Monday with a 4-3 loss to Knightstown. Hannah Pyle pitched six innings, struck out eight batters and only allowed three earned runs. Tori Kelley and Marissa Slagle both hit home runs.

The next day, Hagerstown beat Cowan 6-3. Rylan Young pitched a complete game, only allowing two earned runs, and she had two hits at the plate. Kelley also had two hits, and Slagle had two RBIs.

In the loss to Northeastern Thursday, Pyle pitched six innings, struck out 12 and only allowed four earned runs. Kelley had three hits, including a home run. Young drove in a pair of runs.

Hagerstown then bested Blue River Valley 19-0 Friday behind a no-hitter from Young. She struck out seven batters in her five innings of work. Kelley and Emma Jarrett each had two hits and two RBIs. Slagle also added two hits.

The Tigers ended their week with two losses in a doubleheader against Jay County Saturday. Slagle and Delaney Meyer had the team’s only hits in a 10-0 loss in game one. They fell 13-4 in game two. Young pitched six innings and only allowed three earned runs. She also had three hits, including two doubles. Kelley and Pyle each added a pair of hits. Hagerstown’s next game is May 18 at Winchester.

Richmond places sixth in NCC Tournament

The Red Devils’ week started Wednesday with a 9-4 loss to Hamilton Southeastern. Richmond led 4-3 in the fifth inning before giving up six runs in the sixth.

Richmond hosted the final rounds of the North Central Conference Tournament Saturday. The Red Devils beat Muncie Central by forfeit to advance to a consolation game. They fell 3-1 to Anderson to take sixth place in the tournament. Kamdyn DePew struck out seven batters in the circle. Sabrina Brown drove in the lone run. Richmond’s next game is May 18 hosting New Castle.

Track and field

Four area teams compete at TEC meet

Hagerstown, Centerville, Northeastern and Lincoln competed in the Tri-Eastern Conference Championships with five other schools Thursday. The Tigers won the meet with 128 team points, the Bulldogs were the runners-up with 108, the Knights finished fourth with 85 and the Golden Eagles were sixth with 28.

For more results, check out the complete list of the top three county school finishers in each event. All four teams will compete in the sectional meet May 17. Those who advance to regionals will be back on the track May 24.

More: Wayne County schools dominate team honors at TEC Track and Field Championships

Hagerstown hosts and wins Tiger Booster

Hagerstown’s annual event didn’t disappoint Tiger fans, as they came away with the meet victory with 138 team points. Kasiti Ferriell won the 200-meter dash (28.06) and placed second in the 100 (13.50). Mya Edwards won the 300 hurdles (51.67) and placed second in the 100 hurdles (17.27). Madison Pruitt was second in the 200 (29.16) and third in the high jump (4-9). Maddie Ward was third in the discus (91-11).

The three relays took home every podium position. The 4x100 team of Edwards, Hattie Hobbs, Ferriell and Pruitt finished first (53.83). The 4x400 team of Jada Briar, Ashlynn Claywell, Morgan Rector and Ferriell placed second (4:34.94). The 4x800 team of Ava Moore, Logan Klein, Zoe Meek and Rector was third (12:39.05).

Centerville was the only other area team to compete at the Tiger Booster, and the Bulldogs finished second, just two points behind Hagerstown. Kaylynn Wolfal won the 1,600 (5:49.29) and placed second in the 800 (2:39.92). Chloe Scales won the 3,200 (12:44.06) and placed second in the 1,600 (5:54.27). Destinee Reece was second in both the shot put (30-11 ½) and the discus (93-2). Cailin Ballenger was second in the long jump (13-11 ½). Julie Carter placed third in the 200 (29.63). Aubrey Morgan finished third in the 800 (2:45.45). Mia Lickfelt was third in the 3,200 (13:41.38).

The Bulldogs’ 4x800 team of Morgan, Wolfal, Kendra Shipman and Scales won (11:20.15). The 4x100 team of Ballenger, Morgan, Hunter Davis and Lauren Taylor-Stanley placed third (57.49). The 4x400 team of Wolfal, Shipman, Morgan and Ballenger also placed third (4:40.24).

Tennis

Area teams end regular season, prepare for sectionals

Lincoln went a perfect 3-0 to finish the schedule. The Golden Eagles beat Randolph Southern 3-2 Monday. Emily Cox won her singles match, and both doubles teams — Bethany Castle and Olivia Spurgin and Emily Merida and Betsy Richards — won their doubles matches.

Lincoln then cruised to a 5-0 win over Tri Tuesday. Castle returned to singles play to earn a win along with Cox and Reagan Sturgis. Spurgin won this doubles match with Mia Cupp. Merida and Richards also won again. The Golden Eagles earned another 5-0 sweep Wednesday over Knightstown to wrap up the regular season.

Before Northeastern’s loss to Centerville, it added two wins to their total. The first came Monday, 5-0 over Knightstown. The second came Wednesday by the same score over Seton. Lauren Lacy, Anna Drake and Grace Todd each won both of their singles matches. Chloe Cook and Claire Coddington, as well as Lainey Moore and Ella Coddington, each won both of their doubles matches.

Richmond took a 3-2 win over Randolph Southern Thursday in its lone match of the week. Maggie Blair and Isabel Torres-Mejia won their singles matches. The doubles team of Krisha Patel and Mairanna Rivas won their doubles match.

Hagerstown had three matches on the schedule last week and celebrated senior night Tuesday.

Seton competed with Union County Thursday. Camryn Ewing and Sophia Coyner each won their singles matches.

All Wayne County teams will start sectional play at Richmond May 18.

Zach Piatt reports on sports and education for The Palladium-Item. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Centerville girls tennis ends regular season perfect in TEC play