By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City spring sports teams and athletes will be present and accounted for at next week’s Spring Fling State Championships.
Eighteen track and field performers joined the Tornado doubles tennis team of Shelby Bondurant and Annie Wade in earning spots in their respective state tournament fields Monday.
And more Purple and Gold could be on the way.
The UC softball team pummeled visiting Gibson County 19-1 to move on the title game of Region 7A Wednesday and also secure a spot in Friday’s sectional round against a Memphis entry. Should the Lady Twisters win on Friday, they would join the Tornado state tournament party for just the second time in the program’s history of nearly three decades.
And the Lady Tornado tennis team could do the same if they defeat Madison Academic in Wednesday’s team sectional match at the UC Middle School courts.
The following is a recap of Monday’s results:
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
Bondurant/Wade win All-UC final
Callicott runner-up in singles
Bondurant and Wade knocked off the Huntingdon duo of Addison Postlethwait and Lex Stevens 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals before then outlasting their freshman teammates, Molly Kizer and Mimi Jenkins for the title, 7-5 and 6-2.
Kizer and Jenkins, who beat the Halls team of Paris Taylor and Eric McKendree 6-4, 6-2, in the Final 4, actually led in the first set of the championship match 3-1 while putting up a great fight.
“Someone said ‘it must be enjoyable watching a championship match with just your teams in it,’” UC head coach Tom Sisco said. “Actually, it was difficult. Knowing one of our pairings would not be advancing was tough to stomach given how well the girls were playing.
“Both pairs took care of business in their opening round matches. In the championship match, Annie and Shelby’s execution at the net and along the baseline was just too much for Molly and Mimi to overcome. These girls are such competitors but also best friends. They handled these championship matches over the last two weeks with class and dignity. We couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Bondurant/Wade will face Watertown’s Blake Griffin and Summer Sesnam in the state quarterfinals, Thursday, May 27, at 9 a.m. at the Adams Tennis Complex at Old Fort Park. The semifinals are set for the same day at 2 p.m., with the championship slated for Friday, May 28, at 11 a.m.
“We’re excited about Annie and Shelby moving into state championship play. We think they are peaking at the right time and are playing with great confidence and momentum,” Sisco added.
UC junior Gracyn Callicott advanced to the singles finals by beating Milan’s Blair James 6-3, 6-1 before being blanked by heralded Elli Reynoldson – a homeschooler who represented Camden – in the championship.
“Gracyn played outstanding tennis in her first-round match against James,” Sisco continued. “Every phase of her game was clicking. As for the championship match, we had heard how good Reynoldson was, and she lived up to the billing. Every sport has athletes that are on the next level, and she definitely fits that description.
“For tennis at the high school level, it’s hard to find any weaknesses in her game. She plays USTA events around the southeast throughout the year. Her serve was lethal, her groundstrokes were precise, and she played power tennis that our girls seldom see. Gracyn stood toe to toe with her and played extremely well, but at times you sometimes have to tip your hat to your opponent.”
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 19, Gibson Co. 1
The Lady Tornadoes are truly ‘hitting’ their stride at the right time.
UC (19-9) pounded out 17 hits and has hit .474 (55-for-116) in its last four games while outscoring opponents 50-10.
“We’re hitting the ball hard one-thru-nine… probably as good as any group I’ve had at this juncture of the season,” Twister head coach J.B. Suiter said afterward. “And our pitching and defense has been solid the entire postseason.
“To say I’m proud of our kids is an understatement.”
Anna Lynn Cheatham continued her power show Monday with her fifth home run of the season – a three-run blast – as part of a 3-for-3 day that also included a double and seven RBI.
Winning pitcher Sophie Theobald had two hits and scored four times, while Avery Decker, Lainey Barker, Emmaline Qualls, Bailey Decker and Kaitlyn Lamb all also contributed a pair of knocks to the onslaught.
Avery Decker crossed the plate on four occasions, while one of Barker’s safeties was a triple.
UC scored three runs in the first, four in the second, five in the third and capped its explosion with a seven-run fourth before the contest was halted due to the mercy rule.
Theobald improved to 8-5, allowing just two singles and a pair of walks while fanning 10.
Another win Wednesday in the regional title game would not only avenge a pair of regular-season losses to Halls but would also give Union City host rights for Friday’s sectionals.
“Obviously, today was a big win to secure us a berth in the sectionals Friday, but we’re also looking forward to traveling to Halls on Wednesday for a chance to win our region,” Suiter added.
“This group is so much fun to coach because they never get too high or too low. They always pick each other up, no matter the situation, and I expect that to continue as we get deeper and deeper into the postseason.”
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK
Large UC contingent earns Fling spots
It’s a difficult task ranking Union City’s feats from Monday’s West Sectional.
On the one hand, an impressive contingent of Tornadoes qualified for next week’s state meet in either an individual category or as a member of a relay team.
On the other is the fact that both the UC girls and boys placed second among a large field of 32 teams on both sides of the ledger.
“For us to finish runner-up in both (girls and boys) is just a monumental accomplishment. But, so too, is that we’ll be taking 18 kids to the state meet – with maybe a couple of more joining them once the state figures out the wildcard standings,” a proud Union City head coach Wade Maddox said late Monday.
“From top to bottom, I’m thrilled with how we ran and threw. We competed and competed well against the best competition we’ve seen all spring. We were everything I’d hoped we would be.”
There were several first-place finishes for the Twisters on both sides and several school records set in the process.
Freshman Bailey Wagoner won both the 1600 and 3200, and senior Kyle McCadney led the pack in both the 400 and triple jump. Destiny Kenton continued her strong junior campaign by taking honors in the shot put.
The UC boys’ performance was headlined by senior Ben Martinek setting a school record (2:05.56) while winning the 800. Taylan Tribble did the same while taking first in the discus (164’4”).
The 4×800 relay team (Martinek, Matthew Parr, Cedrion Cook and BJ Frankum) crossed the finish line first, and Neil Brown won the shot.
Numerous other UC performers qualified for the state meet by finishing in the Top 4 of their respective events.
Chanyah Liphford established a new school mark (13.15) and placed fourth in the 100. Chloe Meade was fourth in the 1600 behind Wagoner. Megan Burney came in third in the discus.
Two girls’ relays teams also made the cut with the 4×200 squad of Taleah Buford, McCadney, Ada Rogers and Liphford finishing second. The 4×100 team of Buford, Rogers, Ariel Hughes and Liphford came in fourth.
Joining the boys’ state list were Cook, who entered the UCHS program annals by placing third in the 3200 with a time of 10:33. Parr finished runner-up in the triple jump, and Brown was second behind Tribble in the discus.
Carter Bondurant was third, trailing only Brown and one other in the shot put, and Colby Butler qualified in the high jump.
The 4×400 relay team of Parr, Butler, Martinek and Skyler Mayes was second and established a new school mark (3:42.50) in a strong showing.
Field events in next week’s state competition will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The running events will start at 4 p.m.