Mike Hutchens
Communications Director
Tornado golfers claim title
of own Invitational tourney
Union City won first place in its own Invitational Tournament Thursday at Poplar Meadows Country Club, beating three other teams for the title.
The Tornadoes posted a 343 score to top Gibson County (355), Henry County (376) and South Fulton (466).
Mason Reed’s 82 was UC’s best 18-hole total. Carter Walton shot 85, Joyner Caldwell 86 and Nolan Chandler 90.
Other scores for the Purple and Gold included Landon Hauhe (99), Gabriel Qualls (106) and Hayden Searcy (116).
Gibson County’s Ethan Goad shot a 76 to earn medalist honors.
Seven schools in all had representatives in the boys’ field.
On the girls’ side, Union City finished with a 224, behind champion Henry County (176) and Gibson County (207).
Abbi Nicks finished with a 110 and Sloan Bearden shot 114 for UC.
Other scores included Julianne Becton (108), Addi Hooks (117), Olivia Tanner (113) and Bailey Nichols (115).
South Fulton’s Jenny Beth Brundige was the medalist with a 74.
Robinson twirls no-hitter
to keep UCMS softball perfect
Kennedi Robinson tossed a no-hitter and Emmaline Qualls had three hits and four RBI to lead the Union City Middle School softball team to a 16-1 rout of South Fulton Thursday.
With the victory, UC improved to 5-0 heading into Saturday’s Soybean Tournament play at Martin. The Lady Tornadoes will face McKenzie at 9 a.m. and Paris Inman at 11:40 a.m., in pool play, before beginning the tourney portion of the event in the afternoon.
Robinson and Qualls both doubled for Union City’s extra-base hits in Thursday’s runaway win over SF. The Twister girls pounded out 12 hits in all, including two each by Marlee Theobald, Claire Frilling and Edie Rodgers.
Brianna McBride scored twice and drove in two runs, while Qualls, Frilling, McBride, Clare Atwill and Sarah Beth Byars all crossed the plate twice. Theobald, Rogers and Robinson joined McBride with a pair of RBI.
Robinson struck out four, walked two and allowed only a second-inning run.
Union City scored seven times in both the second and third innings of the contest that was halted after three innings due to the mercy rule.
Jr. Tornadoes back in win column
With victory at Gibson County
Union City Middle School football got back in the win column with a 22-16 triumph at Gibson County Thursday night.
The Tornadoes are now 2-2 heading into next Thursday night’s home game against Huntingdon.
Jacob Arnold ran for 138 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion to power the Purple and Gold.
Kweli Purifoy scored on a 19-yard scamper to get UC on the board first. Tayehari Jones sprinted 63 yards to paydirt and also tacked on a two-point conversion for the victors.
Arnold shined defensively, too, with eight total tackles. Jones was in on seven stops and had an interception, while Ben Wade recorded another pick from the Twister secondary.
Union City volleyball wins match
At H’boldt to improve to 4-3
Union City volleyball moved over the .500 mark with its fourth victory in seven matches Thursday.
The Lady Tornadoes beat Humboldt 3-1. The scores were 25-12, 25-21, 24-26 and 25-17.
Humboldt has just introduced a Junior Varsity program and allowed UC’s JV to come and play in a non-regulation match. Each game was played to 15 instead of the normal 25.
Aubree Keeling and Sam George were each credited with 30 successful sets. That set the stage for 23 kills by Abby Suiter, 16 by Kaigan Davis and 13 by Anna Lynn Cheatham.
Cheatham ended play with a seven-point serving streak.
Union City won an abbreviated jayvee match 2-1, taking the deciding game 19-17.
Setter Erin Oatsvall was credited with 15 sets while Libero Ashlyn Thomas covered the back court with Raegan Taylor and Morgan Palmer.
Union City’s next match is Monday at Fulton County.
Middle School cross country teams
have middle-of-pack showings
Union City’s Middle School girls’ cross country team was fifth and the boys sixth among a 10-school field Thursday at meet in Martin.
Bailey Wagoner had UC’s best time on the girls’ side, placing third with a time of 10:16. Other top finishes and times for the Lady Twisters were: Ada Rogers, 10th, 11:20; Jorge Frankum, 20th, 12:03; Molly Kizer, 42nd, 13:25; and Lennon Bing, 46th, 13:38.
Wagoner and Rogers were Top 15 finishers and earned medals.
For the UC boys, results were: Rushdon Howell, 19th, 10:41; Owen Waggoner, 24th, 11:01; Conner Smith, 28th, 11:12; Maddox Dunn, 40th ,11:46; and Landon McAdams, 54th, 12:50.