Patriot boys back at .500

Nathan Heitkamp scored two goals Thursday as the Jay County High School boys soccer team defeated the Liberty Christian Lions, 3-2.
After a scoreless first half, Liberty Christian scored in the second half to take a 1-0 lead. Heitkamp, who leads the Patriots (6-6) with 11 goals, netted the equalizer on an assist by Levi Moyer.
Angel Perez, who had three goals entering the game, put Jay County up 2-1, and he assisted on Heitkamp’s second goal of the game making it 3-1 in favor of the home team.
Jason Schlosser made five saves in net for the Patriots, who host Oak Hill at 10 a.m. Saturday. Jay County, which is the defending sectional champion, opens postseason play at 7 p.m. Wednesday against Muncie Central at Yorktown.

Laux nets three
MUNCIE — Lucy Laux has a knack for finding the back of the net.
The sophomore tallied her fifth hat trick of the season Thursday, helping the Jay County girls soccer team to a 6-2 win against sectional rival Muncie Central.
Laux, who has a team-high 22 goals, netted her first score to tie the game at 1-1. Mariah Bailey and Kayla Ferguson both found the back of the net to put Jay County (7-3-2) up 3-1. It was the third goal of the season for both.
Just 30 seconds after halftime, Laux put Jay County up 4-1 with her second goal, and then followed in a deflection on a shot by Sophie Bader to complete the hat trick.
After a Bearcat score, Gabbie Mann found twine for her 10th goal of the season. She also had a pair of assists.
Alex Bader, Stormi Canterbury and Bailey also tallied helpers in the win.
Two-time defending sectional champion Jay County opens sectional at 5 p.m. Tuesday against Delta in Yorktown.

Stars beat Panthers
BERNE — The Starfires’ streak has hit seven.
South Adams’ girls soccer team defeated the Eastbrook Panthers 3-1 on Thursday.
It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Starfires (8-6-1), who had just one win through their first eight games.
With the Panthers ahead 1-0, Josie Hall scored the equalizer on an assist by Virginia Lagos with 14 minutes left in the second half.
After intermission, Lagos put South Adams ahead for good when she found the back of the net following a corner kick.
Lexi Dellinger scored the third and final goal for South Adams on a helper from Alyssa Bertch.

SA reaches title
OSSIAN — The Starfires will get another crack at the Tigers.
This time a sectional title will be on the line.
The South Adams boys tennis team defeated Adams Central 3-2 on Thursday in the sectional semifinal at Norwell, setting up a championship match with Bluffton.
The Tigers defeated South Adams 3-2 on Sept. 17.
South Adams (17-4) won all three singles matches. David Villarroel beat Ben Kahlert at No. 1 singles 6-1, 6-1. At No. 2 singles, David Muselman knocked off Jared Ripley 6-1, 6-2, and Dexter Miller earned a 6-1, 6-0 victory against James Weil at No. 3 singles.
South Adams’ No. 1 doubles tandem of Aidan Bahre and Marcus Teeter battled in the first set with Zach Green and Tanner Roth, but couldn’t recover and lost the match 7-5, 6-1.
Zach Teeple and Kam DeLong won the first set 7-5 against Joel Mailloux and Chad Biberstine, but lost the final two 6-4, 6-0.

FRMS football wins
NEW BREMEN, Ohio — Fort Recovery Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade football teams picked up wins Thursday against the New Bremen Cardinals.
The eighth graders won 14-0, and the seventh graders won 22-6 in two quarters.
For the FRMS eighth graders, Cade Stone and Riley Post both had touchdowns, the latter of which had a pair of interceptions. Eli Keller and Post also added fumble recoveries.
Derek Jutte led the seventh graders with a pair of touchdowns. Clay Schmitz also had a touchdown. Owen Moorman and Jutte also had 2-point conversions.