All District 13-A Softball Team Announced

Player of the Year was Huntingdon's Lakeah Lockhart while Fillies Coach Mike Henson was Coach of the Year.
 

McKenzie's Lady Rebels were victorious in round one of the District 11-AA tournament last Thursday afternoon during a light rain in a 4-3 victory over Lexington. The Lady Rebels began the game with two first inning runs as Brittany Carpenter and Angie Birdwell got to base on errors and ultimately scored. Neither team scored in the second inning, but Leah Wallace reached base on a single. In the third inning, again neither team scored, but Kristin Wiggins reached base on a single. In the fourth inning, Whitney Townes led off with a single, Wallace and Amanda Rogers also singled and Townes and Wallace scored to increase McKenzie's lead to 4-0. The Lady Rebels had three up and three down in each of the fifth and sixth innings, leaving the score 4-0, McKenzie. In the top of the seventh inning, McKenzie allowed the first and second batters to reach base on an error and a fielder's choice. The third batter also reached base and both the second and third batters scored, narrowing the margin to 4-2. After the Lady Rebels gained their second out, the next batter hit a double and ultimately scored before the Lady Rebels Carpenter struck out her sixth batter of the day to end the game. Carpenter improved to 15-1 with the win. McKenzie had to meet the winner of the Camden and Riverside or Milan game on Tuesday in Camden.

In other games, McKenzie fell to Lexington on April 23, 3-1. In that game, Carpenter scored the only run of the game. Summer Poff was the losing pitcher, striking out only two batters for the game. After McKenzie scored their only run in the top of the third inning, Lexington countered with two in the bottom of the inning and then scored a third in the bottom of the sixth. McKenzie had only three hits in the game; one each by Carpenter, Birdwell and Poff.

The Lady Rebels picked up a pair of victories over Gleason on Saturday, April 27. In the opening game, McKenzie won 1-0. A double by Carpenter in the bottom of the first inning led to the only run of the game. Poff picked up her tenth win of the season (10-5 overall) and additional hits by the Lady Rebels included singles by Carpenter, Birdwell and Wiggins. Erica Owen had the lone hit for the Lady Bulldogs, a second inning double. Jill Brawner took the loss.

In the second game, Carpenter walked in the first inning and then scored to put the Lady Rebels up 1-0 after one. Birdwell hit a single in the inning. Jennifer Sanders singled for the Lady Dawgs, but was left on base. J. Jordan singled in the second inning for Gleason, but was also left on base. The Lady Dawgs had a double by Brawner and a single by Sanders in the third inning and Brawner scored to tie the game at one. McKenzie's Wiggins was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning and ultimately scored the winning run. Townes had a single late in the inning to score Wiggins in the five-inning game. Carpenter struck out seven Lady Bulldogs in the win while Ashley Wilson struck out two Lady Rebels.

McKenzie's last game before the district tournament began was at Henry County. McKenzie took a 5-3 loss in the contest with Poff's record falling to 10-6 for the season. McKenzie's three runs came in the fourth and sixth innings while Henry County scored all five of theirs in the third inning. McKenzie had two singles from Wiggins and Townes and singles from Birdwell, Becky Toombs, Poff, Wallace and Rogers.
   

McKenzie track team members continue to place and do well overall in competition throughout the area. At the competition held at Jackson Central Merry, the team concluded competition third out of eight teams. David Duncan was third in the 200 run, fifth in the 800 run and sixth in the low jump. Ty Winkler was fourth in the two-mile run. Howard Nolen was second in high hurdles while Shiron Perkins was third. Josh Stenberg was sixth in the discus and fourth in the long jump. Ricky Mathis placed eighth in the discus.

In team competition, Daniel Duncan, Brandon Cook, Josh Stenberg and Clint Woodard placed third in the 800 relay; Ryan Drewry, Daniel Duncan, John Howell and Ty Winkler placed fourth in the 3200 relay.

Julie Smith was first in the discus and sixth in the 200 run. Amber King was third in the 3200 run. Kasey Nicholson was fourth in the high hurdles while Crystal Mattox was third. Sarah Hartz was second in the 800. Savanna Cooper placed eighth in the long jump.

In team competition, Hope Wyder, Mallory Brandon, Savanna Cooper and Mary Holland were fourth in the 800 relay; Julie Smith, Amber King, Mallory Brandon and Naomi Street placed fourth in the 3200 relay.

The teams traveled to University School of Jackson to compete with 21 other teams. They continued to do well both individually and in team competition.

Julie Smith was first in the discus, seven in the 100 run and seventh in the 400 run. Sarah Hartz was second in the 800 and Amber King was third in the 3200. Team competition found a sixth place finish in the 400 relay with the team of Julie Smith, Hope Wyder, Mary Holland and Mallory Brandon. Hope Wyder, Mallory Brandon, Savanna Cooper and Mary Holland were seventh in the 800 relay. Brandon, Holland, Hartz and King placed fourth in the 1600 relay.

David Duncan was fourth in the 200, fourth in the 200, and third in the 400 runs. Shiron Perkins was second and Howard Nolen was seventh in the high hurdles. Team competition found eighth place finishes in the 400, 800 and 3200 relays. Those competing in the 400 were Stenberg, Woodard, Justin Adkisson and Perkins while Woodard, Daniel Duncan, Drewry and Haywood Cunningham were in the 800. Winkler, Howell, Drewry and Chad Slaughter were in the 3200 relay.

In competition at Union City, Julie Smith continued to place first in the discus and was fifth in the 400 run. King was third in the 3200 run and Hartz was second in the 800 run. Overall the girls were seventh out of 17 schools with good finishes in team competition. The girls placed sixth in the 400 and 800 relays. In the 400, the team consisted of Nicholson, Smith, Holland and Brandon while Nicholson, Holland, Brandon and Tisha Brown were in the 800. A fourth place finish in the 1600 relay included the team of King, Holland, Hartz and Brandon.

The boys placed sixth in the 1600 relay. The team consisted of Daniel Duncan, Brandon Cook, Drewry and Cody Cook.