JCHS closes with victory

MUNCIE — Since mid-December, the Patriots have been like a different team.
The Jay County High School boys swim team won its 11th straight meet Monday, closing the regular season with a 119-56 triumph over the Muncie Southside Rebels.
The Patriots (11-5) dropped their first five meets before defeating South Adams on Dec. 20, and have not lost since then.
Senior Willie Skiver highlighted the victory over the Rebels as he picked up his first win of the season, edging Southside’s Spencer Gamble by five hundredths of a second to win the 50-yard freestyle in 25.86 seconds.
James Keen took the 200 freestyle in 1 minute, 57.63 seconds, and the 100 freestyle in 53.53. Josh Lykins posted winning times of 2:12.29 in the 200 individual medley and 59.5 in the 100 backstroke.
Also earning wins were Mitchel Rigby (diving), Cody White (100 butterfly) and Shelby Wendel (100 breaststroke).

Gymnasts dominate
MUNCIE — Jay County’s gymnastics team stayed undefeated Monday as it scored 99.125 points to defeat the host Muncie Central Bearcats (85.75) and Richmond (84.5).
Katie Snyder, a senior, won three events to lead the Patriots, posting a high score of 9.2 on the vault. She added wins on the balance beam (8.625) and uneven bars (8.575).
Snyder was also second on the floor exercise (8.65) as she won the all-around competition with 35.05 points.
Tasya Smith posted third-place finishes on the vault (8.75), floor (8.55) and bars (7.625). She also had a 7.625 on the beam.
Malarie Houck also scored for the Patriots on every event with her high score coming on the vault with an 8.725.

Jay gets votes in 4A poll
INDIANAPOLIS — The Jay County boys basketball team picked up votes in the Class 4A poll released by The Associated Press Monday.
The Patriots, who had not appeared in the poll since December 31, earned six poll points to finished 18th in the Class 4A voting. Kokomo is ranked 10th with 57 points.
Jay County has won nine straight games since falling to Northrop (15-5) in the consolation game of the Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 28. All of those victories have come by double figures, including six by 30 or more points.
The Patriots, who will visit Delta Thursday, lead the state in defensive average at 34.65 points per game. They lead Class 4A and are ranked third in the state overall in average margin (26).

Patriot freshmen win
Jay County’s freshman boys basketball team followed a familiar pattern, falling behind early Monday before roaring back for a 37-27 victory over the visiting Muncie Southside Rebels.
The Patriots trailed 10-2 at the end of the opening quarter. They closed to within two at halftime and the took control for good as they outscored Southside 10-2 in the third period.
Adam Dirksen led three players in double figures for Jay County (13-5) with 13 points. Bowen Runyon and Joey Springer added 10 points apiece.

Middle school girls win
MUNCIE — The Jay County middle school girls swim team opened its season Monday with a 159-152 victory over the host Delta Eagles. The boys team lost, 195-108.
Jamie Valentine, Sydney Mathias and Alex Bader each won two events to lead the girls, with Valentine taking the 50-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Mathias was first in the 100 individual medley and 100 backstroke, and Bader took the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle.
Kaitlyn Dow added a victory in the 50 butterfly by just one hundredth of a second.
Ian Reynolds won the 50 freestyle for the Jay County boys team, and Cody Moser finished first in diving.

Chiefs dominate
HARTFORD CITY — Eight different East Jay Middle School sixth grade girls basketball players scored as many points as host Blackford on Monday as the Chiefs rolled to a 54-4 victory.
Kendra Muhlenkamp paced East Jay as she scored 14 points. Klarisa Hemmelgarn joined her in double figures with 10 points.
The Chiefs won the B team game 22-8 with Gwen Omstead scoring a team-high 10 points.

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