Cash 12th in hurdles

INDIANAPOLIS - The Jay County High School boys track season came to a close Friday at the regional meet hosted by North Central.

Zach Cash turned in the top finish for the Patriots, placing 12th in the 300-meter hurdles. Only the top three competitors in each event advance to the state finals.

Ben Davis won its fifth straight regional championship with 105 points, and Lawrence Central was second at 87.

Cash improved on his seed time in the 300 hurdles by nearly two tenths of a second, finishing in 42.27 seconds. He was about a half-second behind 11th-place finisher Garth Powell of Frankton.

Joe Imel was last in the field of 15 with a time of 46.35.

Tevan Nichols was the only other JCHS individual in competition Friday. He finished his career with a 14th-place effort in the 800 run in 2 minutes, 8.12 seconds.

In the 4x100 relay, Gary Corle, Tedric Nichols, Blake Crouch and Imel placed 13th in 46.77. The team of Patrick Johnson, Brad Leuthold, Imel and Crouch was 14th in the 4x400 relay in 3:51.64.

Jay golfers 20th

MUNCIE - Competing in its final 18-hole event before the sectional tournament, the Jay County High School golf team placed 20th with a score of 383 at Saturday's Muncie Invitational.

Sixth-ranked Norwell won the event with a 298, finishing two strokes ahead of No. 4 Carmel and three in front of No. 1 Avon. The tournament included five other teams ranked in the state's top 20.

Drew Houck paced the Patriots in the tournament by shooting 89. Huntington North's E.J. Tacket was the medalist with a 67.

Austin Mann followed Houck with a 92, and Evan Ryder shot 96. Justen Keller completed the team score with a 106, and Ritchie Carducci shot 107.

Rockets get wins

OXFORD, Ohio - The Portland Rockets eked out a 9-8, eight-inning victory over the Napoleon RiverBandits in their season opener Monday and then rolled in the second game of the double-header 11-3.

Portland scored five times in the first inning of the opener only to have the RiverBandits rally back to pull even.

However, 2004 Jay County High School graduate Heath Williams walked and stole second base in the eighth inning. Singles by Riley Muhlenkamp and Justin Branock, and a two-out double from Michael Ingram (two hits, four RBIs) brought home two runs to give the Rockets the lead. Bill Geeslin of Coldwater held off Napoleon in the final inning to finish off the win.

In game two, Trevor Kill tossed no-hit ball for three innings and combined with Derek Mounsey and Tyler Palmer to limit the RiverBandits to just five hits.

Branock had three RBIs in game two, and Geeslin added two hits.

Waters takes ND

SALA BAGANZA, Italy - Mitch Waters gave up just one run Saturday, but took a no decision as Sala Baganza Baseball Club lost 2-1 to Palfinger Reggio.

The 2002 Jay County High School graduate gave up his only run in the fifth and allowed just three hits in seven innings. He struck out seven batters and walked four, leaving the game with the score tied.

Palfinger Reggio scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning.[[In-content Ad]]