By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City will be well-represented in the Class A sectional track meet.
More than 30 Tornado performers qualified for the chance to earn a berth in the state track and field championships with Top 8 finishes in Saturday’s subsectionals at War Memorial Stadium.
UC had first-place finishes in eight events Saturday in what was essentially a warm-up for this week’s sectional (Saturday), to be held at Bartlett High School.
Among the Twisters’ field-besting performances in the subsectionals were Kameron Shade (100), Alexis Smith (400), Bailey Wagoner (3200), Khia German (discus), Katana Bonds (long jump), Destiny Kenton (shot put), Hayden Moon (shot put) and Da’mon Rice (triple jump).
Runner-up finishes were posted by Chanyah Lipford (100), Ada Rogers (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Kyrell Littleton and Skyler Mayes (400), Debrionna Jones (discus), Jermyia Bonds (shot), Carter Bondurant (shot) and Bonds (triple jump).
Others to qualify included Nakayah Yarbrough, Indeya Hogsett and Tayehari Jones (100), Charley Frankum (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Lipford, Hogsett, Alyssa Davis, Durrell Littleton (200), Jacob Arnold (300 hurdles), Champ Gray (800), and Wagoner and Cedrion Cook, both of whom made the grade in the 1600. Cook also made it in the 3200.
Brooklyn Murphy advanced in the discus, as did Keaton Brown and Harris Cagle. Cagle also qualified in the shot. Jolie Madrey joined Davis in the high jump, with McLendon and Tamarius Ingram punching their tickets on the boys’ side. Kolby Craig and Rice made it in the long jump.
Craig made it in the triple jump, too.
Most relay teams were waived on the sectionals and did not run their respective races. The exception to that was the 4X400, which Union City won.
The top two finishers in next Saturday’s sectional will qualify for the state meet (May 24) in Murfreesboro, with two wildcard entries also making the field.
BASEBALL
UC 12, Huntingdon 2
Milan 5, UC 1
Playing two of their better games of the season, the Tornadoes split a pair of contests in the District 12AA Tournament at Huntingdon.
Union City (11-17) now awaits the winner of a loser’s bracket game between Westview and Huntingdon Tuesday in a 4:30 p.m. elimination game. Should the Twisters win, they’ll play a second game at 7 p.m. against Gibson County or Milan.
UC broke open a tight game with an eight-run fifth-inning explosion against Huntingdon Saturday, ending the contest via the mercy rule.
Skylar Hall went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and both Kyler Southerland and Will Ragsdale had two hits, a pair of runs scored and two ribbies. Southerland doubled twice, and Ragsdale had a two-base hit as six of the Tornadoes’ safeties went for extra bases.
Winning pitcher Landon Hauhe helped himself by reaching base three times and scoring twice, while Barrett Cox doubled, scored two times and drove in a run. Ben Kail was credited with a pair of RBIs.
Hauhe was stellar on the mound, tossing a three-hitter with three strikeouts.
Against Milan, UC trailed just 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth before the top-seeded Bulldogs added three unearned insurance runs.
Chase Norton singled and scored the Twisters’ only run in the first. Hauhe, Southerland and Hall later added hits.
Despite giving up just two hits through five innings, Cox was the tough-luck pitching loser.
SOFTBALL
Huntingdon 5, UC 1
The Lady Tornadoes scored in the first inning when Alli Kate Frilling knocked in Emmaline Qualls but couldn’t push across another run while falling into the loser’s bracket of the District 12AA Tournament at UT Martin Saturday night.
UC (15-11) will now face Gibson County Monday at 7 p.m. in an elimination game.
The Twister girls fanned 15 times in Saturday’s setback and could manage but four singles.
Qualls reached base twice via a hit and a walk. Anna Cheatham and Kennedi Robinson each singled for Union City.
Sophie Theobald allowed just two earned runs and struck out seven but was charged with the pitching loss in a complete-game effort.