by Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
Lawton track and field takes seventh at D3 team finals
The Lawton girls track and field team competed in the MITCA Division 3 track and field team state finals on Saturday, in Clare. The Lady Blue Devils were able to finish in seventh place.
They had Tiara Ellis finish eighth in the 100 meter dash, Addisyn Price was 19th in the 200 and Heidi Newhouse and Price were second and 12th in the 400.
Kendra Koster had solid fourth place finishes in both the 800 and 1600 meter runs, with Sofia Oertel taking 18th in both events. Oertel and Ashley Waite were also 15th and 19th in the 3200 meter run.
In the 100 hurdles Alexis Girolami was fourth, while the 300 hurdles had Reese Olson come in ninth and Girolami place 10th.
Their top relay came in the 4×400, as Megan Robertson, Price, Olson and Newhouse teamed up to place fifth.
The shot put saw Arrianna Moneta and Kylee Somers take 17th and 18th and the discus had Somers place 16th and Moneta 20th.
Newhouse won the high jump at 5-02, with Girolami placing fourth. Rylee Oxley was second in the pole vault, where Megan Robertson was also eighth. In the long jump, Tiara Ellis was 19th and Alyssa McNally was 20th.
Gobles girls tally eighth place finish at D4 team finals
The Gobles girls’ track and field team took part in the Division 4 MITCA track and field state finals on Saturday, at Mt. Pleasant. They were able to come away in eighth place.
Kaya Huizenga was able to win the 100 meter dash on a time of 13.31, with Elizabeth Woodard taking ninth. Alyson Tirpp was 13th and Woodard was 18th in the 200 and in the 400 Elli Stender was ninth, Deanna Wood was 12th and Samantha Carlson placed 13th.
Aziza Jumaeva was 20th in the 800 and the 1600 while in the 3200, Carlson was able to finish 17th.
The 100 hurdles had Sasha Doll come in 17th and Helena Carretero finish 20th and in the 300 hurdles, Carretero was 15th.
They also had an impressive second place finish in the 4×200 relay, thanks to run by Deanna Wood, Tripp, Huizenga and Woodard.
Ellie Stender was fourth in the discus and ninth in the shot put, Huizenga was fourth in the high jump, with Doll coming in 15th in the same event.
The long jump saw Samantha Carlson place 12th and Charlotte Zantello come in 15th.
Lawrence baseball plays to split with New Buffalo
The Lawrence baseball team closed out the regular season on Friday, hosting New Buffalo. Lawrence won the opener 10-3 but came up short in game two, 12-9.
In game one, J. Mclemore was the winning pitcher. He pitched six and two-third innings and gave up three runs on four hits, seven strikeouts and three walks. M. Juriga came in to get the last out of the game.
The offense saw Mclemore get a triple, two singles and two RBI, J. Schuman had a double, two singles and scored twice and with one hit each was D. Sikes, L. Lagrow, V. Belmares, Juriga and G. Gonzales.
Juriga took the loss in game two, going six and two-third innings and giving up seven runs, four earned on seven hits, six strikeouts and two walks.
Mclemore had a double and a single to lead the offense and Gonzalez had two hits and drove in two runs.
Lawrence softball takes down New Buffalo in regular season finale
The Lawrence softball team closed the book on the regular season on Friday, hosting New Buffalo in a scheduled doubleheader. The Tigers won the opener 6-5 and game two was called off in the second inning due to rain.
Kelly Johnson was the winning pitcher in game one. Savannah Peek and Leslie reed both had two hits while Kali Reed, McKenzie Leighton and Ashley Reed all had one hit apiece.
On Thursday, Lawrence played to a split against visiting Howardsville Christian.
The Tigers won game one 4-3, on a walk-off stolen base by Alyssa Coombs. Johnson had the win in the circle, striking out six batters.
Alyssa Coombs had a triple and single to spark the offense.
In game two, Haley Camp had four strikeouts, with Johnson seeing time in relief, getting one strikeout.
Leslie Reed had two hits while Kali Reed had one hit and one RBI, Leighton had one hit and one RBI, Ashley Reed had one hit and one RBI and A. Coombs and Morgan Coombs had one hit apiece.
Mattawan boys lacrosse team tops Lakeview to reach regional finals
The Mattawan boys lacrosse team was able to pick up a post season win on Wednesday, May 25, taking down Lakeview, 9-5.
Cole Baima led the team with three goals and Talon Osmun added two goals.
“The team played well defensively and Zach Lloyd shut down one of the best players in the conference,” head coach Erik Frank said.
Mattawan played Portage Northern in the regional finals on Tuesday.
Lady Red Wolves drop recent games
The Paw Paw softball team finished an a previously incomplete game against Vicksburg on Wednesday, May 25, 17-2.
Maggie Sheets had a single and an RBI and Alana Burch and Jordyn Grant chipped in with one hit apiece.
On Tuesday, May 24 Paw Paw lost both games of a home doubleheader against South Haven, 10-1 and 12-1.
Natalie Pierce and Jordyn Grant had two hits apiece and Burch added a single in game one.
Game two saw Grant hit a double, while Burch had a hit, a walk and an RBI and Kalin Wydick also singled.
Paw Paw baseball downs Otsego in home doubleheader
The Paw Paw baseball team was able to celebrate senior night with a pair of wins on Thursday, taking down visiting Otsego 4-3 and 10-0.
In game one, Remi Hahn was able to throw his way to a win, as he went five innings and gave up one earned run and struck out nine. Cullen Sylvester pitched the final two innings to get the save, and didn’t allow a hit.
For the offense, Ethan VanDerSlik had two hits and one RBI, Nick Boyd had two hits, Sylvester had double and an RBI and Hahn also singled.
Game two saw Jake Hindenach get the win, as he tossed five innings and gave up no runs on two hits and also struck out seven.
Hindenach had a two run double on offense as well. Hahn had two hits with Sylvester and Clay Kessen getting one hit and one RBI apiece. Bryson Marinich and Matthew Hartman added base hits as well.
Head coach Derek Vanderburg also pointed out the solid play of catcher Jacob Major behind the plate.
On Wednesday, May 25 Paw Paw lost a make-up game against Wolverine Conference champion Vicksburg, 12-4.
Dylan Abnet pitched well in relief according to Vanderburg, and Major had two hits and Hartman had one hit and two RBI to lead the offense. Micah Major also had a single and an RBI. VanDerSlik, Boyd, Hindenach and Hahn all had one hit apiece.
On Tuesday, May 24 Paw Paw won a pair of games over visiting South Haven, 10-9 and 12-2.
In game one, Sylvester had the exciting walk-off single. John Mccaw earned the win in relief, pitching two innings and giving up one run. Brayden Pease pitched the first five innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits and five strikeouts.
The offense saw Marinich and Sylvester get one hit and one RBI each and Hindenach and Pease had one hit apiece.
Gunnar Goodell had his first career win pitching in the nightcap. He pitched all seven innings and gave up zero runs and struck out four batters.
Hartman and Hahn had one hit and two RBI apiece, Joe Miller had a single and an RBI and Tyler Houston and Major had one hit apiece.
Lawton girls soccer team dominates Covert in district opener
The Lawton girls soccer team had little trouble with Covert in the two’s Division 4 district opener on Wednesday, May 25. The Lady Blue Devils won handily, 10-0.
Tiara Ellis was able to score three goals, Gabby Holloway and Alyssa McNally had two goals each and Cheyenne Shreve, Sofia Oertel and Maria Long added one goal apiece.
Hannah Modderman was in net to get credit for the shutout.
Lawton played in the district semi-finals against Saugatuck on Tuesday.