NEWTON — The St. Stephens boys tennis team defeated Fred T. Foard 7-2 on the road Wednesday to qualify for the dual state playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Indians collected four singles victories as Ajay Swisher beat Graham Wright 6-2, 6-0 to go with a 6-2, 6-1 win from Blake Walker over Connor Josey as well as a 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 win from Jacob Ward over Anthony Dunmore and a 6-2, 5-7, 10-6 win from Carter Txakeeyang over Brandon Henderson.
St. Stephens (11-1 overall, 5-1 Western Foothills 3A Conference) swept the doubles matches behind wins from the teams of Swisher and Blake Walker (9-8 (7-4) over Wright and Josey), Jackson VanBeurden and Troy Harper (8-6 over Aiden Ollis and Grayson Walker) and Txakeeyang and Ward (8-6 over Anderson Wright and Dunmore). Foard (8-2 overall, 4-2 Western Foothills 3A) collected a pair of singles wins, with Grayson Walker knocking off VanBeurden 6-3, 6-1 and Ollis taking down Harper 5-7, 6-2, 10-4.
Both teams will participate in the Western Foothills 3A tournament next week at Lincolnton High School.
Boys tennisNewton-Conover 5, Maiden 4: The Red Devils slipped past the Blue Devils on the road Wednesday in Maiden, getting singles wins from Evan Huynh (6-0, 6-0 over William Eneix) and Alex Furr (6-4, 6-1 over Hunter Williams) to go with doubles victories from the teams of Huynh and Furr (8-4 over Cooper Houser and Eneix), Eli Chellman and Leonardo Olvera (8-1 over Hunter Williams and Alex Saunders) and Ben Tepper and Luis Correa (8-4 over Ayden Palomares and Christian Wylie). As for Maiden, its victories came from Houser (6-3, 6-4 over Chellman), Saunders (won via opponent retirement), Palomares (7-5, 6-2 over Tepper) and Donald Yang (5-7, 6-6 (7-3), 10-7 over Correa).
Newton-Conover (4-5 overall, 4-3 Catawba Valley 2A Conference) and Maiden (5-8 overall, 4-3 Catawba Valley 2A) return to action in the Catawba Valley 2A tournament next week at Maiden High School.
BaseballFred T. Foard 3, North Iredell 0: The Tigers shut out the Raiders at home Wednesday in Newton, with Braxton Tramel hitting a solo home run to go with singles from Connor Peschel, Hayden Tabor and Kylan Bolick. Peschel and Tabor had the remaining RBIs for Foard, while Lane Essary allowed three hits with 17 strikeouts, one walk and a hit batsman in a complete-game performance.
Foard (9-2, 7-1 Western Foothills 3A) travels to West Iredell tonight, while North Iredell (4-7, 0-6) visits St. Stephens.
St. Stephens 10, Hibriten 4
The Indians earned a six-run home victory over the Panthers on Wednesday in Hickory, with Omar Cruz picking up the win on the mound thanks to three innings of scoreless, hitless ball with five strikeouts and no walks. Josh Barkley and Peyton Young also pitched for St. Stephens, which improved to 12-2 ahead of tonight’s home game against Western Foothills 3A foe North Iredell.
On the other side, Hibriten (8-7) hosts Northwestern 3A/4A Conference opponent Freedom tonight.
<&underline>East Lincoln 10, Hickory 3
The Mustangs took down the Red Tornadoes at home Wednesday in Denver, outhitting Hickory 8-5. Will Prince finished with two hits to lead Hickory at the plate, while Boone Herman, Blake Kiser and Dean Hall added one hit apiece.
East Lincoln (8-3, 5-3 Western Foothills 3A) visited Statesville on Thursday before traveling to West Iredell on Monday, while the Red Tornadoes (6-6, 3-5) host North Lincoln tonight.
SOFTBALL
<&underline>Bandys 4, St. Stephens 2
The Trojans doubled up the Indians on the road Wednesday in Hickory, receiving a homer from Caroline McIntosh to go with three hits from Jada Spake and one hit apiece from Kenley Rembert, Annie Andrews, Adie Goble and Bailey McClellan. Haven Helton was the winning pitcher thanks to six innings of two-run, four-hit ball with 10 strikeouts, three walks and two hit batters, while Owyen Lyall pitched the final inning for Bandys.
Shelby Dale, Kaela Briggs, Kayla Berry, Anicka McFarland and Mayson Lail finished with one hit apiece for St. Stephens (8-4), which hosts Western Foothills 3A foe North Iredell tonight. As for Bandys (13-3), it hosts Catawba Valley 2A opponent Lincolnton tonight.
<&underline>Hickory Ridge 2, Alexander Central 1
The Ragin’ Bulls handed the Cougars their first loss of the season on the road Wednesday in Taylorsville, with both teams recording three hits but Alexander Central committing three errors in the field. Kenzie Church’s solo homer accounted for Alexander Central’s only run, while Faith Carrigan and Abby Teague had the other hits for the Cougars.
Carrigan pitched all seven innings for Alexander Central (14-1), giving up a pair of unearned runs while striking out nine and issuing no walks. Hickory Ridge (11-4) travels to Greater Metro 4A Conference opponent South Iredell tonight, while the Cougars host Northwestern 3A/4A foe Ashe County.
<&underline>East Lincoln 12, Hickory 0
The Mustangs blanked the Red Tornadoes in five innings during Wednesday’s home game in Denver, outhitting Hickory 15-1 with the Red Tornadoes’ only hit coming on a single from Shaylyn Finger. East Lincoln (12-0, 8-0 Western Foothills 3A) visited Statesville on Thursday before traveling to West Iredell on Monday, while Hickory (3-10, 2-6) hosts North Lincoln today.
GIRLS SOCCER
<&underline>Fred T. Foard 1, North Iredell 0
The Tigers knocked off the Raiders at home Wednesday in Newton, with the only goal of the contest coming on a penalty kick by Foard goalkeeper Alexis Wolgemuth in the opening half. Foard (6-2-3, 2-2-2 Western Foothills 3A) hosts Statesville on Tuesday, while North Iredell (7-4, 3-3) has a road match against St. Stephens today.
<&underline>Maiden 9, Bunker Hill 0
The Blue Devils routed the Bears at home Wednesday in Maiden, receiving two goals apiece from Bella DeMartino and Mallory Moose, one goal and two assists from Liz Mroz, one goal and one assist from Kayleigh Simms, one goal each from Annalee Smith, Stephanie Ramirez and Hope Howell, two assists from Kylin Wayne and one assist apiece from Vanessa Cespedes and Emma Shokes. In addition, Shokes and Sophia Beal combined for a shutout in goal.
Maiden (7-2, 4-1 Catawba Valley 2A) traveled to Lincolnton on Thursday before hosting Newton-Conover on Tuesday, while Bunker Hill (0-6, 0-4) hosted Newton-Conover on Thursday before entertaining Bandys on Tuesday.
BOYS GOLF
<&underline>East Burke finishes first at Rock Barn
The Cavaliers took first place during a nine-hole Catawba Valley 2A match hosted by Newton-Conover on Wednesday at Rock Barn Country Club in Conover. The Cavaliers posted a team score of 170, while runner-up West Lincoln finished with 188 total strokes followed by third-place Bandys (189), fourth-place Maiden (197), fifth-place Newton-Conover (200), sixth-place Lincolnton (236) and seventh-place West Caldwell (242).
Individually, East Burke was led by a 36 from Sam Mace, with Peyton Smith shooting a 41, Nicholas Newton adding a 45 and Eli Carico firing a 48. As for West Lincoln, it received a 39 from Lawson Harkey, a 47 from Kace Burnette, a 49 from Holden Turner and a 53 from Camden Sain.
Pacing Bandys was Atley Gabriel with a 36, while Sam Harwell shot a 47 to go with a 51 from Owen Little and a 55 from Will Ridlehoover. Meanwhile, Maiden got a 45 from Korbyn Lawing, a 47 from Mason Nolley, a 52 from Jake Huffman and a 53 from Coleman Williams.
Newton-Conover was represented by Hatley Hicks (41), Luke Wilkinson (48), Gus Fox (48) and Jake McNeely (63), while Lincolnton’s competitors included Chandler Setzer (50), Colin Kincade (59), Evan Reed (60) and Andrew Phelps (67). Rounding out the field were West Caldwell’s top four of Job Clawson (52), Brock Setzer (61), Ayden Bollinger (64) and Carson McMasters (65).
The next Catawba Valley 2A match will be hosted by West Caldwell on April 25 at Lenoir Golf Club.
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