By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City’s list of state track qualifiers got a whole lot longer after sectional wildcard entries were added to the Spring Fling field Friday.
Tornado athletes earned four more individual berths and five additional relay-team spots after final tabulations from the East and Middle Tennessee sectionals were calculated.
In all, UC will have 12 individuals and six relay teams compete on the biggest stage on May 21 at Middle Tennessee State University.
Kameron Shade was added to both the 100-meter and 200-meter fields, while Aiden Reid made the final cut in the shot put for the UC boys after each finished third in their respective sectional competitions. Katana Bonds – who also had a third-place showing – got in the triple jump competition.
Shade and Bonds each qualified for the state last year.
The Lady Tornadoes will carry four relay teams to Murfreesboro after the final line-up was set on Friday.
The 4X800 team of Bailey Wagoner, Blair McKinnis, Ada Rogers, and Jayla Turner will join the 4X400 unit that consists of Turner, Sh’Nyla Moss, Nakyah Yarbrough, and Ca’Lae Ervin in making the trip. The 4X200 group of Aujani Moss, Yarbrough, Chloe Hubbard, and Sh’Nyla Moss is also in, as is the 4X100 foursome of Yarbrough, Aujani Moss, Bonds and Indeya Hogsett, which qualified Tuesday.
A pair of Union City boys’ relay teams also got good news Friday, with the 4X800 squad of Malaki Brooks, Owen Wagoner, Andrew Beard, and Woodrow McKinnis qualifying. So, too, did the 4X400 team of Brooks, Shade, Adrian Crawford, and Andre Small.
“I’m so proud and extremely excited for our kids and our programs,” UC head coach Wade Maddox said. “I’m really happy that six of our seven seniors will get one last shot to compete – what a great way to go out.
“I believe success breeds success, and I always want to get as many of our kids as possible to the state stage. It showcases them now and sets the bar for future athletes.”
Crawford, Keaten Brown, and Debrionna Jones qualified for the spring in multiple field events on Tuesday, while Ervin locked up a spot in the high jump.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
South Fulton 9, UC 5
The Lady Tornadoes were forced to settle for runner-up status in the District 14A Tournament after losing to SF for the second time in the event.
Union City will still move on in the postseason as it plays at Halls in the Region 7A semifinals on Monday.
UC (12-15), which beat the Lady Red Devils twice during the regular season, gave up a four-spot in the third inning, erasing a 2-1 lead. The Twister girls scored single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth but couldn’t keep South Fulton from answering each of those tallies.
Mattie Smith and Kennedi Robinson each doubled for UC. Emmaline Qualls scored twice, while Smith, Marlee Theobald, Clair Atwill, and Kylie Mayes had RBIs.
Smith was charged with the pitching loss after surrendering a dozen hits while going the distance.
Smith, Qualls, Addison Carr, and Marlee Theobald were named to the All-District team in postgame awards ceremonies. Sisters Madie and Marlee Theobald, along with Smith, were chosen for the All-Tournament team.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Halls 11, UC 1
The mistake-prone Tornadoes were bumped to the loser’s bracket of the Region 7A Tournament at Dresden, where they’ll face Bradford Saturday afternoon at 2 in an elimination game.
Should Union City (18-12) defeat the Red Devils, they’d play the Dresden-Halls loser at 5:30 for a berth in next week’s sectional and second place in the regional.
Friday’s game was forgettable for the Twisters, who made three errors, issued eight walks, and hit four Halls batters. Six of the Tigers’ runs were unearned.
UC scored its only run in the second when Tucker Davis drove in Kyler Southerland, who’d singled for one of just two Tornado hits.
Barrett Cox (8-2) was the losing pitcher, though just three runs scored against him in three innings were earned.