Saturday, May 18, 2024
Continuing his phenomenal season, Granbury junior Elijah Johnston will be competing at the Class 5A State Track and Field Meet in Austin May 3. He qualified by winning the Class 5A Region I Meet at Texas Tech University in Lubbock this past weekend.
Johnston, who previously won the District 5-5A and Area 5/6-5A championships, posted a time of 21.33 seconds in the regional final amidst inclement weather. He edged runner-up Omari Mitchell of Mansfield Timberview by .02 seconds.
“He is the smoothest runner I’ve ever seen,” Pirates coach Jody Brown said of Johnston. “And he’s scratching the surface.”
Johnston came close to breaking his own school record yet again. He clocked a 21.32 in winning the Area 5/6-5A Meet a week earlier.
“For him to run that time (at regionals) in that weather is just unbelievable,” Brown said.
While Johnston was the lone state qualifier, the Pirates also had a strong showing in the high jump by Miller Schenewark, a state qualifier last season, and by the 4x200 relay — on which Johnston ran the anchor leg.
Class 5A Region I Track Meet
Texas Tech University, Lubbock
April 19-20
Running distances in meters, field events in feet and inches.
Top two finishers in each event qualify for state, along with the best third-place finisher in each event across all four regions.
Granbury results
Boys
200: 1. Elijah Johnston, 21.33 (state qualifier)
4x200 relay: 4. Kaleb Johnston, Caden Davis, Jadon Rogers, E. Johnston, 1:29.29
High jump: 4. Miller Schenewark, 6-06
3200: 8. Jaxon Glenn, 9:48.57
4x100 relay preliminaries: 13. K. Johnston, E. Johnston, Michael Grant, J. Rogers, 43.01
Girls
Shot put: 13. Ella Garner, 33-03.5
100 hurdles prelims: 13. Kate Hamlin, 16.62
TOLAR/LIPAN TRACK
Brylen Feist is continuing a tradition of successful pole vaulters for the Tolar track program. He qualified for the Class 2A Meet at the University of Texas in Austin May 3 by finishing second at the Region II Meet in Springtown with a vault of 14 feet.
Narrowly missing a qualifying spot was Lipan’s Jacy Bolton, who was third in 400.
Class 2A Region II Track Meet
At Springtown, April 19/22
Running distances in meters, field events in feet and inches.
Top two finishers in each event qualify for state, along with the best third-place finisher in each event across all four regions.
Tolar/Lipan results
Girls
400: 3. Jacy Bolton, Lipan, 59.89
Long jump: 4. Bolton, 16-1; 5. Bailey Gammons, Tolar, 16-0.5
Triple jump: 4. Bolton, 34-9
1600: 6. Annslee Tarpley, Lipan, 5:46.44
200: 7. Bolton, 27.44
100 prelims: 7. Bolton, 12.83
4x100 relay: 8. Tolar, 52.07
4x200 relay prelims: 9. Tolar, 1:51.85
Discus: 10. Allie Terrell, Tolar, 98-2; 14. Ashlyn Tarpley, Lipan, 79-3
4x400 relay prelims: 10. Tolar, 4:27.20
High jump: 13 (tie). Senne Imel, Tolar, 4-8
Boys
Pole vault: 2. Brylen Feist, Tolar, 14-0 (state qualifier); 11. Julian Noyola, Tolar, 11-0
Triple jump: 4. Alberto Andreatta, Lipan, 43-3.25
Shot put: 5. Sam Stewart, Tolar, 45-4.75
4x100 relay prelims: 9. Tolar, 44.57
High jump: 9 (tie). Johnathan Pierce, Lipan, 5-8
200 prelims: 10. Caden Pate, Tolar, 23.67
Long jump: 11. Andreatta, 19-7.75
4x200 relay prelims: 13. Tolar, 1:37.10
GRANBURY BASEBALL
The Pirates (16-11, 4-7 in District 5-5A) defeated Saginaw 1-0 on the road April 19 as Murphy Page pitched a no-hitter. He walked four and struck out nine in going all seven innings.
In the pitchers dual, the Pirates only managed three hits themselves, with Kyler Crites driving in the only run in the third inning.
They followed with a 3-1 loss at home against Northwest April 23.
The Pirates were ending the regular season at Northwest at press time. They needed a win to keep their postseason hopes alive. A victory would move them into a tie with Saginaw for the fourth and final playoff berth, with the Pirates and Rough Riders having split their district series.
GRANBURY GIRLS GOLF
The Lady Pirates finished eighth in the Class 5A Region II Tournament at Lake Ridge Country Club in Lubbock with a team score of 726 (350-376).
The Lady Pirates, runners-up in District 5-5A to qualify, were led by Claire Jordan with a 169 (85-84). Akyah Ditto was next with a 179 (92-87), followed by Halle Carr at 184 (90-94), Ariel Jimenez with a 197 (93-114) and Grace Jimenez with a 208 (97-111).
Ditto is the lone senior among the group, making her fourth straight appearance at regionals.
“The girls competed hard, but the wind did not play nice,” coach Becky Addison said. “Akyah has been a true leader for our program, always showing respect, guidance and kindness to her fellow teammates. She has excelled in the classroom as well, earning academic all-state honors through the TGCA (Texas Girls Coaches Association) and the THSCA (Texas High School Coaches Association.”
Addison noted that Ditto has received numerous scholarships including Harbor Lakes Ladies Golf Association ($1,000), Kyle Ditto Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), and the Lady Pirate Booster Club ($500).
Ditto earned first-team All-District 5-5A and finished second overall individually while the Lady Pirates were second as a team.
“Akyah is a very special young lady with a servant’s heart,” Addison added, noting Ditto plans to pursue a career helping others and doing social work. “I miss her already!”
Addison said she is already excited about next season with juniors Carr and Grace Jimenez stepping into leadership roles. Carr was second-team all-district and Jimenez was honorable mention. Also, Jordan, a freshman, was first-team all-district and shot her best rounds of the season at regionals, while sophomore Ariel Jimenez, who had her low round of the season at regionals, was honorable mention all-district.
“Halle and Grace are both hard-working young ladies and I am expecting great things from them on and off the course,” she said. “I am super excited to have these four young ladies returning,” Addison said. “I have five other freshmen returning next year that will be adding more depth to our roster.”
GRANBURY BOYS ALL-DISTRICT SOCCER
Senior Weston Cantrell of the Pirates was named first-team All-District 5-5A by the league’s coaches. Named to the second team was junior Abel Aguado.
Honorable mentions are seniors Ty Gomez, Jack Stone and Kyle Stahl.
GRANBURY GIRLS ALL-DISTRICT SOCCER
Lady Pirates senior Emery Kirby garnered first-team All-District 5-5A honors, with senior Dominique Callahan receiving second-team accolades. Honorable mentions are junior goalkeeper Sharai Rosas, along with Tessa Rohleder and Elise Mikulskis.
TOLAR BASEBALL
The Rattlers (12-6-2, 8-0 in District 11-2A) finished a perfect run through the league with a 12-2 win at Poolville April 19.
Hitting vs. Poolville: Talan Brown two hits, three RBIs; Jesse Owen two hits, double, three RBIs; Drake Owens two hits, double; Rowdy Tryon two hits, double, RBI.
Pitching vs. Poolville: Brown five innings, three hits, two runs (zero earned), six strikeouts, one walk.
Tolar will end the regular season at Grandview April 27 at noon, with the playoffs set to open May 4-6.
LIPAN BASEBALL
The Indians (7-9-2, 5-3 in District 11-2A) ended district with a 29-0 home win over Ranger April 19 as Jackson Posey and Dillon Hall each hit inside-the-park home runs. They defeated Bluff Dale 15-1 at home April 23.
Hitting vs. Ranger: Posey two hits, home run, walk, six RBIs; Brayden Dowdy two hits, double, two RBIs, four stolen bases; Tyson Tarpley double, triple, two hit by pitch, RBI; Teague Pemberton two hits, double, two RBI; Hall two hits, home run, two hit by pitch, four RBIs; Trew Phillips double, two RBIs.
Pitching vs. Ranger: Court Gaylor one inning, one strikeout, one walk; Phillips two innings, one hit, three strikeouts; Tucker Tims one inning, three strikeouts.
Hitting vs. Bluff Dale: Christopher Collins three hits, walk, two RBIs; Posey two hits, walk, RBI; Pemberton double, RBI; Tarpley double, two RBIs.
Pitching vs. Bluff Dale: Tarpley 4.1 innings, four hits, one run (zero earned), eight strikeouts, no walks.
The Indians conclude the regular season against Bluff Dale in Glen Rose April 29 at 6 p.m. They play for the bidistrict title May 4-6.
GRANBURY SOFTBALL
The Lady Pirates (13-17, 6-6 in District 5-5A) ended the regular season with a 10-0 loss at Aledo April 19.
The Lady Pirates were playing a best-of-3 bidistrict series against Fort Worth South Hills at press time.
TOLAR SOFTBALL
The Lady Rattlers (17-6, 6-0 in District 11-2A) ended the regular season with a pair of nondistrict games, winning 6-0 at home against Benbrook April 19 and 14-3 at Eula April 23.
Hitting vs. Benbrook: Jaylyn Miller three hits, double; Allyson Dobbs two hits, double, two RBIs; Kaira Krause double; Reese Tryon double.
Pitching vs. Benbrook: Tryon four innings, no hits, nine strikeouts, one walk, one hit batter.
Hitting vs. Eula: Dobbs three hits, home run, two RBIs; Tryon two hits, home run, walk, RBI; K. Deaver two hits, RBI, two stolen bases; L. Gardner two hits, RBI; Senne Imel double, hit by pitch, RBI; Ava LeCluyse double, two RBIs.
Pitching vs. Eula: Tryon five innings, three hits, three earned runs, 12 strikeouts, one walk.
Tolar was playing Itasca in bidistrict at press time.
LIPAN SOFTBALL
The Lady Indians (10-6, 4-2 in District 11-2A) fell 4-2 at Cisco April 23. Ashlyn Clark had two hits and stole three bases. Gentry Kirkland hit a triple.
Lipan was playing Hamilton in bidistrict at press time.
