Jay County falls in finals, Sours, St. Myers advance (05/24/04)

The Marion Giants defeated Jay County in championship match of the Marion tennis sectional for the third straight year Saturday. But, for the second time in that span the Patriots have athletes advancing as individuals.

Jay County dropped a 4-1 decision as the Giants won the sectional title for the third straight time and the 12th in 13 years, but Julie Sours and Erin St. Myers are moving on.

Sours and St. Myers improved to 11-3 on the season as they scored the lone point for the Patriots against Marion for the second time this season. They cruised through the first set and then held off a comeback charge by Joanna Lucas and Carling Barrett for a 6-0, 6-4 win.

By going undefeated in two sectional team matches at No. 1 doubles Sours and St. Myers earned a spot in the doubles sectional at Peru Tuesday. Kristen Klatt also earned a singles sectional berth despite a team loss to Marion in 2002.

Jay County (3-12) had a couple of other close matches Saturday, but couldn’t pull either of them out to get a chance at the sectional title.

Erin Schmiesing and Chelsea Reff played to a tiebreaker in the first seat against Alyssa Curfman and Prerna Raj at No. 2 doubles, but lost by a 7-5 score. They came close, but couldn’t force another tiebreaker in the second set in a 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 defeat.

Angie Stults gave Amee Patel a challenge at No. 3 singles, but still fell 6-4, 6-4. In other singles matches Whitney Schemenaur lost to Meryl Lester 6-1, 6-0, and Stephanie Homan dropped by a 6-1, 6-2 score to Stephanie Flaig.

Jay baseball rolls

Eric Somers and Mike Smith hit their first home runs of the year, and the Jay County Patriots got plenty of offense throughout the order Saturday against the Wabash Apaches. They won a pair of games — 11-1 and 12-7 — to extend their winning streak to six games.

Chad Keen paced the offensive outburst in the first game as he finished 3-for-3 with a double. He drove in four runs, scored once and stole a base.

Somers hit his first career home run in a four-run fourth inning, and he scored twice. Adam Brandt was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and John Retter went 2-for-2 with a double, a stolen base and an RBI.

Heath Williams, Trent Bailey and Smith each added a pair of runs.

Josh Shatto enjoyed the offensive support as he earned the win in five innings. He gave up one unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out six.

Smith gave the Patriots (16-8) a 6-0 lead with a three-run home run as part of a five-run second inning in game two. Williams drew three walks, scored four times and stole three bases, and Shatto scored three times.

Bailey had a pair of hits, including a double, and two runs, and Keen tripled and had two RBIs.

Bailey also earned the win, allowing seven runs — five earned — on nine hits in 51/3 innings. He walked six and struck out four.

Smith finished the game by striking out one batter in 12/3 perfect innings.

Jay County will try to win its seventh in a row today when it hosts Bluffton at 4:30 p.m.

Roessner joins Stein

Vicki Roessner joined fellow Fort Recovery freshman Holly Stein in qualifying for the regional track meet this week.

Roessner finished fourth in the Minster district meet in the 300-meter hurdles Saturday. Stein had finished third in the shot put earlier in the week.

Stein will compete at Piqua Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m., and Roessner will run in the semifinals of the 300-meter hurdles. If Roessner advances, the finals would be Friday at 7:10 p.m.

Jay places fourth

The Jay County junior varsity golf team hosted its invitational Saturday, with the White team finishing fourth with a score of 360. Noblesville ran away to take first with a 315, Rushville was second at 334 and Bellmont was third at 358.

Jay County’s Red team was eighth with a score of 446.

Leading the White team was Ben Freeman, as he finished as second overall with a 78. Gray Suman followed at 91, Josh Thornburg shot a 93, Adam Arnold had a 98 and James Brosher had a 106.

Travis Smith had the top score for the Red team with a 102, and Chris Shannon shot a 107. Bill Spahr had a 112, Denny Gardner had a 125 and Austin May shot a 137.

Thunderbirds top HC

The Jay County Thunderbirds under-14 soccer team improved to 7-2 Sunday with a 5-1 victory over the Henry County Enforcers.

Trey Dunn scored a pair of goals, and Dustin Fox, Patrick Johnson and Justen Moser each had one.

Soccer camp

The Jay County High School boys soccer team will host a camp this summer in conjunction with Challenger Sports British Soccer.

The camp will be from June 28 to July 21 and JCHS, with one session for third through eighth graders and one for ninth through 12th graders. The camp for third through eighth graders will cost $87 and will last for three hours each day, and the camp for ninth through 12th graders will cost $127 and last for six hours each day.

Campers will also receive a soccer jersey and a soccer ball, as well as individual evaluation. The deadline to register is June 7.

To sign up or for more information, call Alan Bailey at (260) 726-7821.

Correction

There was incorrect information in the cutline for the drag racing picture in Saturday’s edition of The Commercial Review, which stated Jennifer Mock won a $5,000 scholarship. The scholarship Mock earned was for $10,000, and Brent Barnett was also awarded a $2,500 scholarship.[[In-content Ad]]