Streak ends vs. Centerville

CENTERVILLE — The season-opening streak over.

After winning the first nine games, the Patriots finally took a loss Saturday.

The Jay County High School softball team dropped its first game in the Richmond Invitational 10-8 to the Centerville Bulldogs before it bounced back to beat the Richmond Red Devils 11-1.

The Patriots (10-1) led most of the game against the Bulldogs, who hosted the tournament following a Richmond industrial fire that led to air quality concerns. But Drew Tubesing turned the tide with a three-run home run in the sixth inning that gave Centerville (2-3) a 10-8 lead.

Hanna Stapelton sat down the next six Patriot batters for the win.

Jay County exploded for 11 runs thanks in part to four home runs to beat Richmond in five innings.

Taylor Brown had half of the homers, hitting a three-run blast in the second inning and another in the fourth. Jozey Shimp also had a three-run homer in the fourth and Mady Fraley smacked a solo shot in the third.

Brown got her second win of the year.



Coaches moving

Two coaching changes involving Jay County graduates were announced Monday with Adam Gray hired as the new boys basketball coach at Bluffton while Mitch Waters stepped away from the girls basketball job at Blackford.

Gray, who graduated from JCHS in 2009, went 49-67 in six seasons at Heritage. His team was 13-12 this year, splitting a pair of one-point games against his alma mater.

He takes over a Bluffton squad that has struggled recently, going 13-54 over the last three seasons under Karl Grau including 2-20 in 2022-23.

Waters, a 2002 graduate of Jay County, had coached the Bruins since 2018. His team went 20-4 last season and was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A for several weeks.

He had a 58-55 record at Blackford overall.



Baseball split

CENTERVILLE — The Jay County baseball team split a doubleheader Saturday against the Centerville Bulldogs, dropping game one 5-4 before taking the second game 15-5 in five innings.

The opening game was tied in the seventh inning before Grady Blake scored on a wild pitch by Zedrian Vazques to give Centerville (3-2) the walk-off win.

Aiden Phillips suffered the loss for the Patriots (4-4) in game one, giving up one earned run in 1 2/3 innings.

Jay County avenged their loss with a 10-run first inning in the second game. Carter Fugiett (three), Jackson Edwards (two) and Sam Myers (two) all drove in runs in the inning.

Myers earned the win in game two, throwing 3 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and five walks.

Fugiett had three hits, two runs and four RBIs on the day to lead the Patriots offensively.

Doubles dominance

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Jay County’s girls tennis team finished third in the Eastern Hancock Invitational on Saturday.

The host Royals totaled 25 points to win the tournament, followed by Blue River (21), Jay County (17) and Seton Catholic (0).

Meredith Dirksen and Sophie Sprunger won the No. 2 doubles bracket for the Patriots. They beat Seton Catholic’s duo in round one 6-0, 6-0 and Blue River’s duo 6-2, 6-1 in the championship.

Brenna Haines narrowly won her first matchup against Eastern Hancock thanks to a 10-3 tiebreaker, but fell to Sydney Crisp of Blue River in the No. 1 singles championship (6-4, 6-2).

Maggie Dillon fell in the championship for the No. 3 singles, losing to Lexi Swauger of Eastern Hancock (6-0, 6-0).

The Patriots earned consolation wins from Brenna Bailey at No. 2 singles and Kaylee and Melana Zimmerman at No. 1 doubles. Both lost to opponents from Blue River in the first match.



Cheerleaders chosen

Jay County Junior High School cheerleaders were recently named for the 2023-24 school year following tryouts.

Making the squad were eighth graders Emmy Crouch, Zoey Moore, Kelsey Muhlenkamp, Lexi Schoenlein and Allie Westfall. Seventh graders on the squad will be Sydney Aly, Kaylyn Bell, Ashlyn Brunswick, Emery Forthofer, Audrey Hambrock, Brooks Kahlig, Ella Roussey, Aubree Shannon and Tinley Walker.