Riojas, Jay Co. rout Starfires

BERNE — Derrian Riojas had four first-half goals.

The rest of his team poured it on the struggling Starfires, too.

Jay County High School’s boys soccer team had a season-high scoring total on Tuesday as it thrashed the South Adams Starfires, 11-1.

It was the fourth straight win for the Patriots (6-6), meanwhile the Starfires (1-11) lost its 11th consecutive game.

Riojas scored just 6:25 into the contest before adding his second 1:45 later. The senior completed his hat trick midway through the first half, and netted No. 4 on a one-timer from a Cristian Merentes cross from the left side of the field.

Merentes finished with three goals — two on free kicks — as he and Riojas both had career games.

Korbin Auker, Brayden Mock, Gio Perod and Cameron Henry also found the back of the net for the Patriots. 

Ian McCombs, Mock, Perod and Merentes all had a pair of assists, and Brinnin Wasson had an assist.

Preston Hillery scored the only goal for South Adams, but by then Jay County already had an 8-0 lead.



Montes nets three

Anhely Montes registered the first hat trick of her career on Tuesday, leading the Jay County girls soccer team to a 6-1 victory over the Blackford Bruins.

The win propels the Patriots to 8-3-2.

 Jay County and Blackford were tied 1-1 at intermission before the Patriots exploded in the second half.

Montes’ hat trick was just the second multi-goal game of her career.

Kendra Muhlenkamp, Hannah Phillips and Karlie Bullard both finished with a goal and an assist. Muhlenkamp’s tally was the 58th of her career, moving into a tie for second place on the career scoring list with Lucy Laux, a 2018 graduate. She is five goals shy of matching the school record of 63 goals set by 2016 graduate Gabbie Mann.

Halle Hill and Eliza Bader both had assists Tuesday.



Showdown set

Jay County’s volleyball team swept the Southern Wells Raiders on Tuesday, 25-23, 25-18, 25-8, setting up a showdown for the conference championship.

The Patriots (19-6, 5-0 Allen County Athletic Conference) got eight kills from Natalie Miles and seven from Olivia Kunkler. Madison Dirksen contributed five kills and Alana Kunkler finished with four kills. Hallie Fields and Alana Kunkler tallied two blocks each. Kailee Denney led the team in assists (19) and aces (four). Sarah Walter and Maggie Pryor had 22 and 18 digs respectively.

Jay County travels to Heritage on Thursday for the ACAC regular season conference championship. Heritage swept Jay County in the tournament championship Aug. 11.

The Patriots’ junior varsity team also won, 25-20, 25-4.

Lyric Garringer and Lilly Hedges had four and three kills respectively. Lindy Mercer and Hannah Muhlenkamp totaled two kills each.



Stars top Warriors

WOODBURN — The South Adams volleyball team dropped the first set on Tuesday but nabbed the next three in beating the host Woodlan Warriors, 23-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-21.

Shaelynn Bowman led the Starfires (15-9, 3-2 Allen County Athletic Conference) with 14 kills, and Lydia Loshe finished with nine kills. Carlie Sealscott contributed 18 digs and six kills, while Hannah Dull finished with 17 digs. Josie Grabau helped the offense to the tune of 23 assists.

The Starfires’ junior varsity team won, 25-18, 25-16. Savannah Alberson ended with seven kills, and Jade Baker was second with five kills. Poppi Lenwell and Makayla Hamrick finished with four and three kills respectively.

South Adams’ C team lost, 25-4, 24-12. Laryson Zeigler had three kills.