Roundup: Utica boys distance runners win trio at Licking Valley
The Utica boys track team swept the distance events Thursday during Licking Valley's Dick Houston Relays.
Jay Figgins, Silas Buckenberger, Stephen Epps and Austin Kennedy won the 3,200 relay (8:53.80) and 6,400 relay (19:46.36). Figgins, Buckenberger, Epps and Justin Giffin won the distance medley (11:32.79).
Licking Heights' D.J. Fillmore helped Kellen Fields, Kwasi Fosu and Rodney Sunnyway win the sprint medley (1:38.51) and Fields, Jayden Alexander and Da'metrious Boyd the 1,600 relay (3:43.64). Fosu, Sunnyway, Similoluwa Jaf-ogunlayi and Jalynn Fillmore won the 400 relay (45.33).
DaaVion Long, Jacob Holbert, Isaac Scott and T.J. Lowe won the 800 relay (1:35.41) for team champion Watkins Memorial, and Spencer Boyette, Huntyr Butler, Tyler Hudson and Daylen McIntyre won the shuttle hurdles (1:04.45) for team runner-up Heath.
Recording top marks in the field events were Heights' D.J. Fillmore long jump (21-7.5), Emmanuel Ennin discus (150-10) and Greyson Baird high jump (5-10), Johnstown's Noah Thompson shot put (45-11) and Watkins' Devin Dyky (11-6) and Valley's Cooper Hornfeck (11-6) in the pole vault.
In the girls meet, team champion Watkins won four running events, and team runner-up Newark won three.
Kylee McFarland, Olivia Rutledge, Victoria Harvey and Dixita Pradhan won the 400 relay (54.81) for the Warriors, Maddi Daugherty, Rachel Bollo, Lindsey Castillo and Jenna Lucas 1,600 relay (4:20.72), Zenna Stirling, Taylor Evec, Teasia Jones and Ava Wandersleben shuttle hurdles (1:16.87) and Bailey Weise, Scarlett Loevenguth, Emily Whitmer and Amara Virden 6,400 relay (24:44.36).
Newark's Hannah Schaller, Aubree Murphy, Cadiera Gordon and Gwen Stare won the sprint medley (1:57.25), Annabel Fish, Nadia Liesen, Allison Dietz and Stare 3,200 relay (10:31.60) and Dietz, Liesen, Stare and Makenzie Adams distance medley (14:06.68).
Valley's Nicole Gearhart, Bella Reynard, Joesy Kramer and Liberty Bunting won the 800 relay (1:56.33).
Recording top performances in the field events were Watkins' Lucas in the high jump (5-2) and Harvey pole vault (10-6), Lakewood's Landry Driskel discus (114-3), Valley's Avery Williams long jump (14-10.5) and Heath's Kennedi Bailey shot put (40-6).
SOFTBALL
Granville beats Utica
Morgan Layne hit a solo home run and an RBI single, fueling Granville in a 5-2 victory against visiting Utica in Licking County League play.
Megan Lodge added two hits, including a double, and a run scored, Ally Ernsberger a hit, a run scored and an RBI and Erin Chaffee and Taylor Warehime each a hit and an RBI. Ernsberger struck out seven and allowed no earned runs in a three-hitter for the Blue Aces (2-2, 2-2).
Cass Fouty doubled, scored a run and drove in a run. Karleigh Lees added a hit and an RBI and Cheyenne Smith a double for Utica (0-5, 0-2).
Osler drives in seven
Newark rallied from a 9-5 deficit to take a brief 10-9 lead but eventually fell 11-10 in the bottom of the seventh inning at New Albany.
Dez Osler hammered a home run, a double and single, totaling seven RBI. Alasandra Spears and Brooklyn Nelson added four hits and three runs scored apiece and Meah Morris a hit and two RBI for the Wildcats (2-4).
Flowers leads GCA
Ellie Flowers struck out six and allowed six hits for Granville Christian in a 4-0 loss at Delaware Christian in Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League play.
Flowers and Ella Rhoads had a hit apiece for the Lions (1-1, 1-1).
BASEBALL
Newark wins late
Trey Robinson's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie and sent Newark to a 4-1 victory against visiting Pickerington Central to open Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division play.
Max Durbin followed Robinson's clutch hit with an RBI single, and he and Thomas Olon totaled three hits apiece with Jayce Dansby adding two for the Wildcats (3-1, 1-0). Ty Pangborn struck out seven and allowed no earned runs in six two-hit innings.
Andrews pitches Granville to win
Dylan Andrews struck out two in a five-hitter, leading Granville to a 5-2 victory against visiting Utica in LCL play.
Connor Buerkel's two-run home run followed Adrian Mangine's two-run double in a four-run fifth inning to give the Blue Aces (3-1, 1-1) the lead. Sawyer Benschoter added three hits, including a double, and Andrew Nemec a hit and a run scored.
Roman Gamble and Tyler Collura had a double and a run scored apiece for Utica (4-1, 1-1). Hayden Piper added a hit and an RBI.
GCA falls on road
Seven errors held back Granville Christian in a 12-8 loss at Delaware Christian in MOCAL play.
Zay Conrad totaled two hits, including a double, a run scored and three RBI to lead the Lions (1-2, 1-1). Andrew Benvie added a hit and two runs scored, and Brendon Austin a hit, a run scored and an RBI.
BOYS TENNIS
Granville sweeps
Granville only lost four games, beating Beechcroft 5-0.
Tom Bain, 6-0, 6-0, Dimmi Martinez, 6-0, 6-2, and Samuel Pfau, 6-0, 6-0, won singles matches. Ethan Ginise and Matt Barcus, 6-0, 6-1, and Jacob Lucas-Miller and Eli Davidoff, 6-1, 6-0, won doubles matches for the Blue Aces (2-0).
Watkins wins
Watkins Memorial swept the singles matches to pick up a 4-1 victory against visiting Mount Vernon.
Josh Hare, 6-2, 6-1, Liam Grennan, 6-0, 6-0, and Kevin Walter, 6-0, 6-0, won singles matches. Elijah Hargrow and Zach Clouse added a win at No. 1 doubles, 6-0, 6-0, for the Warriors (4-0).
GIRLS LACROSSE
Rockwell leads Granville
Bella Rockwell had a hat trick and also forced four turnovers for Granville in a hard-fought 14-8 loss to perennial power DeSales.
Amelia Sarap and Kyra Studer each scored twice with Clare Hotchkiss adding a goal. Grace Lilly made nine saves for the Blue Aces (2-2).
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Utica boys distance runners win trio at Licking Valley
