By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Sitting in fourth place heading into the final event of the pentathlon state-qualifier Tuesday, Union City’s Ca’Lae Ervin was implored by head coach Wade Maddox to give it her all.
Ervin’s best was good enough for a spot in the Class 1A state field.
The Lady Tornado sophomore was clocked at 2:50 in the 800-meter run – bettering her previous time by nearly 30 seconds – to vault into second place and secure her spot in Murfreesboro.
Ervin, who narrowly missed out on a state trip last year, totaled 2,300 points in five competitions (high jump, shot put, long jump, 100-meter hurdles, and the 800) to trail only Alexandria Burford (2,499 points) of Memphis Middle College in her runner-up finish.
Both will now compete with 10 other girls on May 15 in Murfreesboro for the title of state champion. Ervin became just the third UCHS athlete to qualify for the state in the pentathlon since the early 1980s, joining Tammy Critchfield and Ada Rogers – the latter of whom penned a similar story last spring when she posted a personal-best time in the 800 to rally for a berth.
The top two finishers in the East, Middle, and West Qualifiers automatically punch their state tickets, with the rest of the field filled by wildcards, to be determined in the next few days.
Maddox insisted he had no magic words for Ervin before her magical finish in the 800 Tuesday.
“I just told her that she was in fourth (place), and I was proud of her for out-performing what she did last year,” he said. “Then, I said, ‘Now go out there and out-perform that – and she did.”
“It was a great testament to her grittiness, and I’m so proud of her.”
Ervin placed second in the shot put, fourth in the 800, fifth in both the high jump and hurdles and sixth in the long jump. Her 2,300-point total was significantly better than last year (1,769).
Union City has a shot at putting a boys’ athlete in the state decathlon field, too, as sophomore Adrian Crawford stands in second place with that event half-completed.
Crawford has 2,369 points – 82 behind leader Jacob Jones of MASE.
He won the triple jump and 400-meter run Tuesday and was third in the 100 meters and discus. Crawford did not receive points in the pole vault, a common occurrence for many competitors who are not trained for the event during the track season.
Crawford and the other 10 entrants will compete in the 110-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, and 1500-meter run today to determine the two state qualifiers.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 6, Paducah Tilghman 1 (G)
Paducah Tilghman 6, UC 1 (B)
The Union City girls continued their impressive play, beating perennially strong PT for the second time in as many meetings this season to improve to 14-3.
Molly Kizer’s thrilling 7-2 tie-breaker victory over Maddie Duwe at the No. 2 singles spot highlighted the Lady Tornadoes’ triumph and prompted head coach Tom Sisco to claim: “Molly’s playing the best tennis I’ve ever seen her play.”
Dani Frankum also posted a hard-fought 8-6 triumph against Christian Anderson at the three-spot.
The UC boys put up a good fight in several matches but ultimately dropped a 6-1 decision to fall to 5-11.
Kobe Kirk notched the Twisters’ lone victory, an 8-4 win over Eli Reuter in singles play.
Foster Rodgers came up just short (8-6), as did Bryce White (8-6) at the No. 1 singles position.
Union City will celebrate Senior Day Thursday against Westview, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Girls
Singles
Shelby Bondurant vs. Addison Winklepleck 8-2
Molly Kizer vs. Maddie Duwe 9-8 (7-2 Tiebreak )
Dani Frankum vs. Christian Anderson 8-6
Davey Frankum vs. Lucy Lebuhn 8-3
Emma Mobbs vs. Sloan Sherrill 8-2
Bertie Jenkins vs. Bailey Beyer 8-3
Doubles
Bondurant/Kizer vs. Duwe/Anderson 6-8
Frankum/Frankum vs. Sherrill/Lebuhn 8-2
Mobbs/Jenkins vs. Winklepleck/Beyer 5-8
Boys
Singles
Bryce White vs. Blain Oliver 6-8
Lyndon Brown vs. TJ Duwe 5-8
Kobe Kirk vs. Eli Reuter 8-4
Grant Sinclair vs. Paxton Beck 1-8
Foster Rodgers vs. Ben Myers 6-8
Paul Martin Tohn vs. Cameron Dempsey 5-8
Doubles
White/Brown vs. Oliver/Duwe 3-8
Kirk/Sinclair vs. Beck/Myers 4-8
Rodgers/Tohn vs. Reuter/Dempsey 6-8
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Huntingdon 4, UC 0
The Lady Tornadoes dropped their regular season finale after mustering just one hit against Huntingdon Tuesday.
Kennedi Robinson’s single represented Union City’s lone base knock. Robinson, Madie Theobald, and Caty Jo Hoffman drew walks.
Mattie Smith went the distance in the pitching circle for the Lady Twisters.
UC will carry a 10-13 record into the postseason, which begins Monday at South Fulton.