The Lady Jays softball girls overpowered Plattsburg Lady Tigers 5-2 at home Thursday, September 5. The win is over a conference rival.
Showing power, a young starting lineup featuring three freshman and two sophomores had four of their seven hits go for extra bases.
Melanie Waters’ inside the park home run in the second inning and Hailey Shepardson’s triple in the third inning were high points in the Lady Jays power outburst.
Emily VanNatta and Lydia Davis both doubled and Laura Hill, Karah Dunham and Melanie Waters each singled. Waters led the Lady Jays with five total bases and two runs batted in.
Karah Dunham had a strong pitching game as she held the Lady Tigers to only two runs, one earned, while striking out 10 batters in seven innings. Dunham struck out three in the first inning to limit the Tigers to only one run on a double and a single.
The Lady Jays next play at home on Thursday, September 12 when the host East Buchanan.
Karah Dunham started her senior softball season with a great game against St. Pius. She allowed just one hit, walked only one batter and struck out 11 over six innings and the Lady Jays won 14-0.
The Lady Jays collected four extra base hits with Laura Hill tripling, Hailey Shepardson collecting two doubles and Colby Shepardson one double. Colby had a two hit night as she also singled. Emily VanNatta and Lydia Davis also had a two hit night with two singles each and Hannah Kleman and Alyssa Stewart each singled.
Blue Jays football hosted the South Harrison Bulldogs from Bethany for their home opener last Friday losing by a scores of 14-42.
The Bulldogs built a 20-0 lead in the first half as the Bulldog defense kept the Blue Jays in check. The third Bulldog touchdown came with only 3:06 left in the first half.
The offensive frustration continued on the next series as the Blue Jays lost 3 yards on the first running play, then lost 2 on second down followed by an incomplete pass that forced a Blue Jay punt.
The tide quickly turned when West Platte’s Trent Holmes intercepted a Bulldog pass on the first play. The Blue Jays turned to their passing game. Quarterback Luke Heili found Braydon Cogan for a 33 yard pass play with 1:08 left in the half. Heili again passed to Cogan for six yards. Heili passed to Trent Taylor for a 26 yard touchdown pass for the score . With the extra point the Blue Jays went into the locker room trailing 20-7.
Sports
Lady Jays Second At KCI Volleyball Tournament
The Lady Jays Volleyball team won their first four matches at the KCI Tournament to qualify to play Lawson in the championship game last Saturday at Mid-Buchanan. The girls lost 25-23 and 25-21 in the final.
Coach Amber Guthrie the action in this tough match as “the girls played their hearts out and although Lawson got on some runs against us, the girls never gave up and fought to the end.”
Coach Guthrie complimented the girls on their hard play all day. Their day started with a 2-0 win over Lathrop 25-10 and 27-25. Sam Rotterman led the Lady Jays with 8 kills with Katy Tharp and Tori Norman each having 4 kills. Faith Stevens led the team with 16 assists. Tori Norman had 8 aces. Grace Stevens and Gracie Raney each had 2 digs.
In their second match the Lady Jays defeated Plattsburg 25-16 and 25-10 with Sam Rotterman recording 9 kills and 1 block and Tori Norman 5 kills. Faith Stevens had 16 assists, Tori Norman 5 digs and Lexie Smither 3 aces.
The third match against Mid-Buchanan was close and hard fought with the Lady Jays pulling out a 27-25 and 25-23 win. Tori Norman led the Lady Jays with 8 kills and Sam Rotterman and Lexie Smither 5 kills each. Faith Stevens had 13 assists and Faith Stevens and Katy Tharp 1 block each. Faith Stevens had 11 digs and Lexie Smither 5 digs. Tori Norman had 2 aces.
The Lady Jays won their semi-final match over East Buchanan 25-19 and 25-18. Katy Tharp recorded 9 kills and Tori Norman and Lexie Smither had 8 kills each.
Faith Stevens had 17 assists. Gretchen Raney and Katy Tharp each had 1 block. Lexie Smither had 9 digs and Tori Norman and Gracie Ranie 7 digs each. Tori Norman had 4 service aces.
The individual stats in the championship game with Lawson saw Sam Rotterman get 6 kills, and Tori Norman and Lexie Smithe 5 kills each.
Faith Stevens again led the Lady Jays in assists and Katy Tharp and Gretchen Raney each had 1 block. Grace Stevens had 8 digs and Faith Stevens and Gretchen Raney 5 each. Tori Norman had 2 aces.
Phillip Pattison is doing his best to emulate his former teammate Max Davies as, like Max did a season ago, Phillip has won the first two races of the year.
Last Saturday he led the Blue Jays CC team to a solid 2nd place finish at the 47th annual St. Mary’ sInvitational held at St. Michael the Archangel HS, winning the race in a time of 18:20.
Pattison First at Opening Races
Lady Jays Softball Wins Conference Opener
Blue Jays Host South Harrison Bulldogs In Home Opener
Jacob Brown (67) and other Blue Jays stop South Harrison’s runner just short of a goal in Friday’s action. The ball ended up just inches from the goal line.
Faith Stevens serving in the game against Orrick Thursday, September 5.