Lopez leads girls soccer team to dominant victory

After starting off the season hot, Aixa Lopez has had a quiet stretch outside of the game against South Adams. That didn’t last as she secured the Patriots’ first hat trick of the season.

Lopez exploded offensively for the Jay County High School girls soccer team on Tuesday, leading the Patriots to a 9-1 victory over the Wapahani Raiders.

Lopez led JCHS (5-2) in with three goals and two assists. The junior found the net for the final two goals of the second half at 24:34 and 14:33. Her second-half score came in at 13:02 on an assist from London Lloyd.

Lopez’s assisted teammates twice, the first time for Morgan DeHoff — who also had two assists — at 26:16 and later for Raylin Hummer at 16:43 in the second.

Jayla Huelskamp started the scoring for Jay County at the 29:36 mark in the first half. She added a second goal at 19:45 in the second, assisted by DeHoff.

Lloyd also received an assist from DeHoff for her goal 36:30 into the second half.

The final score of the day came from Krishna Flores with 6:45 remaining.

In the goal, Maleah Parsons made four saves and only let one ball get through on a penalty kick in the second half.

JC breaks through

One day after setting a new team record, the Jay County girls golf team broke their season low for a 197-198 victory over the Yorktown Tigers on Tuesday at Portland Golf Club. Wes-Del only had two golfers competing and therefore, didn’t place as a team.

Maddy Snow and Brooklynn Bright finished as co-match medalists by shooting 46s. Bright’s season-low round consisted of two pars on the 15th and 17th holes, supplemented by four bogeys. Snow made bogey seven times, including four straight to start the round.

Yorktown’s Lindsey Mathews finished one stroke behind the pair to lead the Tigers.

Bailey Towell tied Mathews with a 47, giving the Patriots (2-7) three scores under 50 for the first time this season. 

Erin Aker rounded out the score with a 58. Freshman Jaycee Rowels broke 60 for the first time in her career, but her 59 didn’t affect the final.

Patriots roll

LYNN — The Jay County boys tennis team cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Randolph Southern Rebels for the second win over a sectional opponent on Tuesday.

Kayden Carpenter and Alex Miller quickly took care of the No. 1 doubles match, beating Kohwen Pegg and Jacob Flaugh 6-1, 6-0.

The Patriots (3-6) also got a point at the No. 2 doubles position as Jacob Monroe and Carson Westgerdes didn’t have an opponent.

Eli Dirksen’s 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Noah Allen in the No. 1 singles match makes five straight victories for the senior.

Gabe Pinkerton also picked up a win, taking down Kyron Pegg 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 3 singles contest.

The Rebels got their only point in the No. 2 singles match, as Tucker Griffin couldn’t overcome Braden Austin in a 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 10-4 loss.

JC starts well

BLUFFTON — The Jay County volleyball team started Allen County Athletic Conference play off on the right foot with a 22-25, 25-18, 25-12, 22-25, 15-9 triumph over the Bluffton Tigers on Tuesday.

A pair of Patriots had double-digit kills, while two more came close. Elizabeth Barnett led the offense with 13 put downs and Hallie Schwieterman followed with 10. Mya Kunkler and Maria Hemmelgarn added nine and eight kills, respectively.

Paisley Fugiett assisted the hitters 38 times in the match.

Kunkler led Jay County (4-3, 1-0 ACAC) with seven blocks, while Brenna Schmiesing added five.

The junior varsity fell 25-13, 25-23, 15-7 to the Tigers.

The Patriots found some strength at the service line with six aces. Carley Trinidad led with three, followed by Ella Rigby (two) and Chloe Muhlenkamp (one).

Rigby assisted hitters 14 times.

Amelia Heath, Emalyn Homan and Lydia Johnson each had five kills.