By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City’s girls’ and boys’ track teams dominated the field in a competition that drew more than a dozen schools to War Memorial Stadium on Thursday.
The Lady Tornadoes topped 12 other programs, totaling 100.5 points, to runner-up Trinity Christian Academy’s 79. UC’s boys, meanwhile, nearly doubled second-place Dyersburg, that margin 136.5-72.
The Twister boys were at or near the top in a number of events, led by winners Rodney Jenkins (200), Woodrow McKinnis (800), Adrian Crawford (triple jump), and Kyle Price (discus). The UC trio of Aiden Reid, Jaxson Jones, and Alijah Simpson finished 1-2-3 in the shot put, with Reid setting a school record with a toss of 57-3.5, while a pair of relay teams crossed the finish line ahead of everyone.
The 4X200 unit of Crawford, Kinydee Taylor, Tayshun Gentry, and Jenkins claimed honors, as did the quartet of Rushdon Howell, McKinnis, Owen Waggoner, and Andrew Beard in the 4X800.
Union City’s girls won the same two relay events. Ainsley Beard, Ca’Lae Ervin, Akeenah Hogsett, and Hayden Marshall made up the 4X200 squad. Beard, Blair McKinnis, Ainsley Sadler, and Madie Theobald championed the 4X800 foursome.
Ervin also won the triple jump, while Ku’mya Liphford was the best of all in the shot put.
Union City’s two squads will travel to Brookland (Ark.) next Thursday to participate in the Bearcat Sr. Relays.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 15, Westview 9
The Lady Tornadoes peppered Martin with 15 hits and won their season-high third straight game at Eddlemon-Hawks Field.
UC (5-7) moved over the .500 mark in District 14-2A play with its third win in five league outings.
Six different Union City players (Kylie Mayes, Kylee McClure, Mattie Smith, Whitley Jenkins, Maddie Steward, and Heaven Marshall) collected two hits apiece as the Lady Twisters matched their best run output of the season.
Mayes and Smith drove in three runs each, while Marshall and Steward both accounted for a pair of RBIs.
The Lady Tornadoes paired 15 hits with seven walks to put constant traffic on the basepaths.
Smith struck out eight in the circle and allowed just four hits to notch her fifth pitching win of the spring.
UC will host South Fulton on Monday and Obion Central on Tuesday of next week.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
TCA 4, UC 3 (G)
UC 6, TCA 1
Union City’s girls’ team suffered its first loss of the season after a dozen victories, while the Tornado boys improved to 12-1 by beating Trinity Christian Academy for the second time this season.
UC claimed wins in six of the seven boys’ matches, with Byron Abbott, Paul Martin Tohn, and Grant Sinclair all winning in both singles and doubles.
The Twisters had beaten TCA in their season-opening match 5-2.
The Union City girls came out on the short end for the first time this spring after having topped the Lady Lions 4-1 in their first outing of the season.
Briley Kate McKinney and Stella Turner won their singles matches, and McKinney teamed with Allie Vincent to triumph in doubles.
But the Tornado girls lost three times in individual play and at the No. 1 doubles slot.
UC’s boys will take off next week for Spring Break, but the girls will make their annual trip to Murfreesboro to play in the Oakland Invitational on April 10 and 11.
Boys Singles
Kobe Kirk (UC) lost to Reed Williamson (TCA) 6-8
Byron Abbott (UC) defeated Sawyer Lee (TCA) 8-2
Paul Martin Tohn (UC) defeated Nathan Reed (TCA) 8-3
Grant Sinclair (UC) defeated Brooks Polk (TCA) 8-4
Kipton Powers (UC) defeated Harrison Harpole (TCA) 8-4
Camden Dawkins (UC) lost to James Barnett (TCA) 5-7
Boys Doubles
Kirk/Abbott (UC) defeated Williamson/Reed (TCA) 8-3
Tohn/Sinclair (UC) defeated Lee/Polk (TCA) 8-5
Powers/Dawkins (UC) defeated Harpole/Barnett (TCA) 9-8 (7-4 tie-breaker)
Girls Singles
Bertie Jenkins (UC) lost to Stella Barnett (TCA) 1-8
Allie Vincent (UC) lost to Mary Grace Cleek (TCA) 6-8
Josie Ross (UC) lost to Mary Quinn (TCA) 7-9
Briley Kate McKinney (UC) defeated Emma Nivin (TCA) 8-4
Stella Turner (UC) defeated Maddie Sims (TCA) 8-1
Rylan Ali Bondurant (UC) defeated Lucy Wiser (TCA) 7-5
Maddie Bailey (UC) lost to Lizzie Swingler (TCA) 1-6
Kenslie Taylor (UC) lost to Annie Payne (TCA) 2-6
Girls Doubles
Jenkins/Ross (UC) lost to Barnett/Quinn (TCA) 5-8
Vincent/McKinney (UC) defeated Cleek/Niven (TCA) 8-4
Turner/Bondurant (UC) defeated Sims/Wiser (TCA) 6-2
Bailey/Taylor (UC) lost to Swingler/Payne (TCA) 3-6
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Carlisle Co. 11, UC 1
The Tornadoes were locked in a tight game with CC before the Comets struck for eight runs in the sixth to win via the run rule in the second round of the L.H. Ladd Memorial Classic at Elam Stadium.
Union City (3-14) trailed just 2-1 in the fourth after Brayden Marshall drove home Sam Jones with a run-scoring double. The Twisters stranded the tying run, though, at third base.
Carlisle County then added a run to its slim lead in the fifth before exploding in its next at-bat with the aid of seven walks – six of those consecutive – an error, and a three-run triple.
In all, UC pitchers issued 11 free passes, but surrendered just five hits.
Jack Theobald reached base three times for the Tornadoes with two walks and a single.
Mason St. Germain gave up only two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, but was charged with the pitching loss.
UC is slated to host Madison Academic this morning at 10.