Richmond gymnastics wins first meet to kick off last week’s Wayne County sports action
RICHMOND, Ind. — The 2020 state champion, reigning North Central Conference Female Athlete of the Year and senior leader Liz Ruger and Richmond gymnastics opened their season Jan. 10 with a 103.375-84.575 win over Shelbyville.
Earlier: Richmond's Liz Ruger adds NCC Female Athlete of the Year to her historic career
Ruger finished first on uneven bars with a score of 9.35, won vault (9.05) and was 0.025 points off from a tie for first on balance beam (9.025). She did not compete on floor exercise, leaving her teammates to battle it out for the all-around title.
Junior Ella Rader claimed that title with a total score of 33.275, just 0.025 more than senior Kinsey Bosell. Rader finished second on floor (8.65), third on beam (8.25), third on bars (8.15) and fifth on vault (8.225). Bosell won beam (9.05), was third on bars (7.65), third on vault (8.9) and fourth on floor (7.65).
Senior Aubrey Uhte rounded out the Red Devils’ winning effort with a winning 8.8 score on floor and fourth-place finishes on vault (8.85) and beam (8.125).
After a Jan. 18 meet at Connersville, Richmond will head to New Castle Jan. 22 with hopes of continuing its winning ways.
In other Wayne County high school sports results Jan. 10-15:
Boys basketball
Richmond, Northeastern grab wins; Hagerstown, Centerville fall
The Red Devils, Knights, Tigers and Bulldogs each played a single game last week, and they combined for a 2-2 record.
Following two consecutive close losses, Richmond turned it around Friday with a 67-56 win over Muncie Central, its first conference win of the year. Freshman Mason Carpenter led the team with 18 points, and senior Stephan Douglas was close behind with 16. Sophomore Deante Smith and freshman Cedric Horton-Hogg each chipped in nine points. The Red Devils’ next game will be Jan. 20 at Greenfield-Central.
More: Richmond boys basketball bounces back yet again with win over Muncie Central
Northeastern took care of business with a 66-37 win over Knightstown Saturday, and a pair of seniors were the driving force. Raedhyn Foust, who recently committed to IU East, led all scorers with 27 points. Payton Lumpkin added 18. The Knights will play Rushville Jan. 21 at home.
Hagerstown took an 81-53 loss to Winchester Friday, bringing its record to 4-9 on the season. The Tigers have Blue River Valley Jan. 21 at home.
Centerville fought with Randolph Southern for a quarter Saturday, but it couldn’t keep up in a 55-30 loss. Sophomore Gavin Robinson paced the Bulldogs with 15 points. They will be back in action Jan. 22 at Blackford.
More: ‘What else is there?’: Centerville’s positive culture has shined through despite record
Girls basketball
Richmond wins 1 of 3 as Centerville loses big
The Red Devils started their week strong Tuesday with a 47-41 victory over Connersville. Setting the tone for them was senior Jakaia Lotz, who dropped 29 points. Fellow senior Jayci Allen complemented her with 10.
Two days later, the two seniors switched roles, as Allen scored 19 and Lotz had eight. Freshman Maddie Sonsini added seven. Despite their performances, the Red Devils fell to East Central 62-38.
Richmond wrapped up the week Saturday with a 53-30 loss to Harrison. Allen led the way with 11 points, and freshman Kiarra Handley had eight. After a Jan. 18 contest at Mt. Vernon, the Red Devils will play Jan. 21 against Kokomo at home.
Centerville’s record fell to 2-12 Thursday with a 91-19 loss to Winchester. Following a Jan. 18 game with Burris, the Bulldogs’ next game will be Jan. 20 at Tri.
Hagerstown and Lincoln clash while Northeastern drops 2
The Golden Eagles hosted the Tigers Thursday, and it did not end well for the home team. Hagerstown kept Lincoln from winning its first game of the year with a 45-23 victory. Seniors Marissa Slagle and Grace Klein led the Tigers with 11 points each. Senior Kaylee Gabbard led Lincoln with six.
More: Lincoln girls continue to struggle after quarantine; Hagerstown finds new production
Following that game, Hagerstown fell Saturday to Franklin County 53-31. The Tigers will play South Decatur Jan. 22 at home. The Golden Eagles have a game Jan. 18 hosting Knightstown before heading to Blue River Valley Jan. 20.
Coming off its Wayne County Tournament title, Northeastern lost a pair of games. First was a 52-44 conference bout Tuesday with Tri. Freshman Ava Mikesell led the Knights with 17 points, and senior Anna Drake recorded a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Saturday was a little more lopsided, as the Knights fell to East Central 70-32. Sophomore Addisen Mastriano led the team with 12 points. Northeastern’s next game will be Jan. 21 at Knightstown.
Wrestling
Northeastern has senior night, state runner-up, big day at Tri
The Knights’ week didn’t get off to the greatest start, losing to Union City 36-33 on senior night. Winners from the meet included Jackson Ramsey, Michael Henderson, Weston Sawyer, Thane Berger, Luke Lykins and Gunnar Napier.
Friday was when things got exciting. Freshman Heather Crull finished as state runner-up in the girls’ 106-pound weight class. She recorded a pin in her first match of the day and won 14-0 in the semifinals before falling 4-0 in the championship.
She brought her mojo to the team Saturday, and the Knights went 5-0 at the Tri Super Duals. They defeated Knightstown 66-6, Victory Prep 60-6, Lincoln 66-6, Tri 60-12 and Jay County 42-36. Crull went 5-0 individually on the day, as did Ramsey, Henderson, Wesley Beckman, Clayton Gray, Zane Schneider and Caleb Cohee.
Northeastern’s next competition will be Jan. 22 at the Tri-Eastern Conference meet.
Richmond competes at conference tournament
Before heading to the NCC meet, the Red Devils fell 45-15 Wednesday to Daleville. Getting wins were Jake Necessary, Kevin Handley Jr., Tim Long and Brown. Necessary’s victory came over the fifth-ranked wrestler in the state in the 138-pound weight class.
At the NCC Tournament, Richmond had five wrestlers finish in the top six of their weight classes. Necessary (138 pounds) and Handley’s (170 pounds) fourth-place finishes were the highest of the Red Devils. Gavin McFarland (120 pounds) and Eli Smith (182 pounds) each placed fifth. Long (285 pounds) finished sixth.
Jan. 18’s meet hosting Cowan will be Richmond’s last meet before the Jan. 29 sectionals.
Centerville keeps momentum going with win
The Bulldogs had their way with Union County Thursday in a 58-14 team victory. The win improved their record to 18-3 on the season.
Individual winners for Centerville included Mylan Nocton, Osheas Phillips, Graham Butler, Devin Frazier, Leo Calderon, Luke Tinkle, Deshaun Whichard, Fox Hutton, Nathan Westover and Sebastian Collins. Following a Jan. 18 home meet against Winchester, the Bulldogs will compete in the TEC meet.
Hagerstown, Lincoln round out wrestling action
After competing with Connersville Wednesday, the Tigers traveled to Adams Central Saturday. Zach Golliher (132 pounds) and Chase Sutherland (heavyweight) finished third in their weight classes during the weekend meet. Rizael Payne (106 pounds) and Roy Thornbury (152 pounds) each finished fourth. Leland Waterman (138 pounds) placed seventh, and Owen Mitchell (160 pounds) was eighth. Hagerstown’s next meet is Jan. 19 hosting Shenandoah.
Along with Northeastern, the Golden Eagles competed in the Tri Super Duals Saturday. Their next competition will be Jan. 22 at the TEC meet.
Swim and dive
Centerville’s Erica Lucas breaks more records as both teams win
The Bulldogs came away with two wins over Milan Tuesday. The girls won 107-64, and the boys won 94-73. Even more impressive was Erica Lucas rewriting the record books once again.
Lucas broke her own 200 individual medley school record with a winning time of 2:20.64. She also won the 500 freestyle with a school-record time of 5:46.84.
Finishing right behind her in the 500 freestyle — 17-hundredths of a second to be exact — was Avery Dickerson, who also finished faster than the previous school record. Dickerson won the 200 freestyle along with her near-record-breaking win.
Also winning events were Emily Kaucher in the 50 freestyle, Taylor Heaston in the 100 backstroke and diving and Alexis Ream in the 100 butterfly. All three relay teams — consisting of a combination of Lucas, Dickerson, Kaucher, Destinee Reece, Kenna Hemmerling, Paxtyn Elsrod and Babby Todd — also won.
As for the boys, Payton Elsrod was on the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Jack Kenny won the 200 and 500 freestyles, Grayson Jarvis won the diving event and Zack Hugo won the 100 freestyle. A combination of Elsrod, Kenny, Hugo, Nate Minton and RJ Ringley also won the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
Following a Jan. 18 meet at home against Hagerstown, the Bulldogs’ next meet will be Jan. 29 hosting the Centerville Invitational.
Richmond boys defeat Burris, girls lose close one
The Red Devils had a date with Burris Tuesday, but only the boys came away victorious 100-83. Cayden Lindahl won the 50 and 100 freestyles, Lorenzo Nicoli won the 1-meter diving, Masson Heiny won the 100 butterfly and Ethan Cordova won the 500 freestyle. All three relays — consisting of a combination of Lindahl, Heiny, Landon Smith, Owen Fowler, Payne Forrest and Noah McClain — also won.
The girls lost 85-82 but still had a few winners. Ryan Wagers won the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly, Ada Fowler won the 50 freestyle and Savanna Blair won the 100 backstroke.
After hosting Eastern Hancock Jan. 18, Richmond will travel to Hagerstown Jan. 20.
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: Richmond gymnastics wins first meet of season and more in Wayne County
