Tennis loses to Winchester

Playing its final sectional opponent, the Patriots came out on the losing end.
Jay County High School’s boys tennis team lost to the visiting Winchester Golden Falcons on Thursday, 5-0.
The Patriots’ No. 1 doubles team of Kyler Hudson and Luke Weaver dropped the opening 6-0 to Michael Georgi and Drake Moody. The Patriot duo rallied to win the second 6-4 and force a third set, but dropped the final 6-2.
At No. 1 singles Garrett Rodgers lost to Aaron Wallace 7-5, 6-1, and Payton Heniser dropped his No. 2 singles match to Trey Graft 6-4, 6-1.
Conner Benter, Jay County’s No. 3 singles player, fell to Mason Melton 6-0, 6-1.
The Patriots’ No. 2 doubles team of Gabe Blankenship and Xavier Ninde lost to Justin McAllister and Thad Legear 6-0, 6-1.
Winchester also won the junior varsity match, 4-0.

Jay, Braves draw
DECATUR — The Jay County boys soccer team played to a scoreless tie with the host Bellmont Braves on Thursday.
It was the first draw of the season for the Patriots (3-6-1).
Sophomore Daniel Fugiett had two shots on goal, but wasn’t able to find the back of the net. 
Matthew Paquette, Angel Perez and Nathan Hamilton had one shot apiece.
Senior goalkeeper Zach Chaney turned away all five shots on goal from Bellmont.

Freshmen shut out
OSSIAN — The Jay County freshman football team fell to 0-4 on the season with a 20-0 loss to the host Norwell Knights on Thursday.
Marcos Garcia and Garrett Mann led the Patriots in rushing, totaling 35 and 22 yards respectively. Zakk Atkins also added eight yards on the ground.
Gabe Link connected with Logan Duran for all 40 of his passing yards.
Drake Mason led the JCHS defense with six tackles, and Garcia chipped in with four stops.

Chief 7th, 8th win
The East Jay Middle School seventh and eighth grade volleyball teams both defeated county rival West Jay on Thursday.
East Jay’s eighth graders won 25-12, 25-7, and the seventh graders earned a 25-8, 25-12 victory.
In sixth grade action, West Jay’s A team won 25-12, 25-12, and East Jay’s B squad won 25-17, 25-21.
Kearsten Myers had a team-high 14 points and six aces to lead the EJMS eighth graders (4-1). Natalie Miles and Alaina Kunkler had nine points each. Kunkler tallied five kills and Miles added four. Pacie Denney recorded 10 assists.
Kyanne Anderson and Maddy Wenk had 13 and 12 points respectively for the seventh grade Chiefs (4-1). Ralyn Chaffins and Madison Dirksen notched four kills apiece.
Abbie Fields led the West Jay sixth grade A team with 10 points, and Astella Fisher was close behind with nine. DaiDi Brunson added seven points. Marisa Posocco led the B team with three points.
Morgan Reier led East Jay’s A team with two points, and Madison Brunswick had one kill. Kristen May paced the B team with four points and Katie Haffner chipped in with five.
West Jay’s seventh and eighth grade stats were not available.

The following is being reprinted to correct an error from Wednesday’s newspaper.
Chiefs blank Raiders
PONETO — Riley Huftel and Sheldon Eley both had two touchdowns Tuesday in leading the East Jay eighth grade football team to a 40-0 thumping of the host Southern Wells Raiders.
East Jay’s seventh grade team also won, 22-12
Eley had a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown during the first quarter, and added a 45-yard TD run in the second frame. Huftel scored on a 35-yard scamper in the third quarter, and then stripped a Southern Wells ball carrier and returned it for a 40 yard TD in the fourth.
Bailey Cox also had a rushing touchdown from 65 yards away on the first play from scrimmage.
Taron Bentz totaled 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the EJMS seventh graders. 
Christian Marentes scooped a fumble and returned it for a touchdown for the other Chief score. Qadan Farrell also had a fumble recovery and posted a team-high six tackles.
East Jay’s eighth graders move to 3-1 (2-1 Allen County Athletic Conference), and the seventh graders improve to 2-2 (1-2 ACAC).