H.S. ROUNDUP: EB’s Willis 1st, Baker 2nd at CVAC cross country championships

NEWTON — East Burke's Cadence Willis was first in girls competition and Elijah Baker was second on the boys side at Tuesday's Catawba Valley 2A Conference cross country championships, hosted by Bunker Hill at Southside Park.

The EBHS boys finished second as a team and the EB girls placed fifth.

Willis timed in at 20:30.14 to claim the win, followed by Lady Cavaliers teammates Aubrey Sanders (16th), Gracie Kaylor (23rd), Genevieve Wilson (34th), Maliena Smith (37th), Regan Parsons (39th), Jocelyn Martinez Lopez (43rd) and Eve Sweet (46th).

Baker clocked in at 18:06.23 and was joined in the top 10 by Ethan Bishop (fourth; 18:21.44) and Marc Denton (ninth; 19:14.93). They were followed by fellow Cavaliers Randy Bradshaw (12th), Kade Tolbert (16th), Benjamin Bolynn (20th) and Eduardo Valencia Soria (33rd).

Patton at MF7 championships

The Panthers participated in the Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference championships on Wednesday at the Brevard High School Cross Country Course in Brevard, with the PHS boys placing second as a team while the Patton girls did not record a team score.

On the girls side, the Lady Panthers were led by second-place Elise Sawdy (20:43.17) and sixth-place Layla McGuire (21:28.69), along with Nora Wykle (15th).

The PHS boys' top finisher was fifth-place Gabe Wykle (17:07.78), who was followed by Panthers teammates Will Evans (15th), Nicholas Parlier (17th), Eliuth Nicolas (22nd), Carter Phillips (25th), Jude Gregory (39th), Bryant Arrowood (43rd) and Jack Taggart (56th).

Freedom at NWC championships

The Patriots were back in action at the Northwestern 3A/4A Conference championships, held Wednesday at the Lenoir Rotary Soccer Complex and hosted by South Caldwell in Lenoir, with the FHS boys placing third as a team and the Freedom girls not recording a team score.

The Patriot boys were represented by Nick Chiota (23rd), Jonah Griggs (26th), Christopher Uren (31st), Frank Harrelson (32nd), Rex Jones (46th), Eric Francisco (51st), Ian Austin (52nd), David Cook (54th), Parker Brown (61st) and Brayan Garcia (62nd).

Running for the Lady Patriots were Chloe Spencer (44th), Abigail Beam (55th) and Santa Chan Mejia (63rd).

GIRLS GOLF

East Burke plays three matches

The Lady Cavaliers played three straight days to start the week, including a nonconference match at Lincoln Country Club on Wednesday, a CVAC match at Lincoln on Tuesday and a nonconference match on Monday.

On Wednesday, Sophia Vaughn competed in a last-chance match to qualify for the NCHSAA 1A/2A West Regional and was successful, qualifying with a score of 56.

On Tuesday, in the final CVAC match of the season, the Lady Cavaliers (172) tied for third behind West Lincoln (128) and Maiden (170), alongside Newton-Conover (172) and ahead of Bandys (176) and Lincolnton (177). Reagan Austin (52) led the team and qualified for regionals. She was followed by Vaughn (57) and Alexis Russell (63).

And in Monday's nonconference match versus Bandys, Jackson Day, Lincoln Charter and Maiden, EBHS was led by Vaughn (51) and Austin (53).

BOYS SOCCER

Patton 4, R-S Central 0

The Panthers (13-3-1, 6-0 MF7) continued their shutout tear through the conference with another win on the road in Rutherfordton on Wednesday, scoring two goals in each half.

PHS held 85% possession in the first half and Abraham Miguel scored twice, taking an assist from Romny Lopez in the 28th minute and scoring again in the 39th minute. Tony Vicente scored off a Trevin Lavoie assist in the 50th minute before Noah Krogel set the final margin with a 54th-minute goal. The Panthers outshout the Hilltoppers 19-4.

Patton's sixth straight shutout to start MF7 play came courtesy of a defensive effort led by Gabe Batz, Jacob Batz, Gabino Vasquez, Jacob Ruiz, Allen Morales, Colsyn Queen and goalkeeper Isai Jimenez, who recorded three saves to finish with another clean sheet.

Newton-Conover 7, East Burke 0

The Cavaliers (1-14-1, 0-9 CVAC) were blanked in conference play at home in Icard on Wednesday, trailing 3-0 at halftime before allowing four more second-half goals.

Goalkeeper Jaydon Fair recorded eight saves for EBHS.

Madison 7, Draughn 0

The Wildcats (3-6, 2-4 Western Highlands 1A/2A Conf.), playing for the first time since Sept. 23, returned to conference action with a shutout loss on the road in Marshall on Wednesday.

DHS allowed four goals in the first half and three more after the break.

Watauga 7, Freedom 1

The Patriots (4-11, 0-5 NWC) fell in conference play at home in Morganton on Wednesday.

No more details were available at press time.

Lincolnton 9, East Burke 0

The Cavaliers suffered a mercy-rule conference loss on the road in Lincolnton on Tuesday, giving up four goals in the first half and five after the intermission to end things early.

Fair recorded 10 saves in goal for EB.

Maiden 3, East Burke 0

The No. 4 Lady Cavaliers (11-11) were swept by the No. 1 Lady Blue Devils in the semifinals of the CVAC Tournament on Wednesday in Maiden, falling 25-11, 25-18, 25-17.

EBHS' offensive leaders included Ashaunah Reinhardt-Phillips (three kills), Amanda McLean (three kills, ace), Raegan Carter (two kills, ace), Karlie Chester (two kills), Hayden Lowman (two kills), Ella Beth Oxentine (kill), Sarah Angel (ace) and Addy Fortenberry (10 assists).

On the defensive side, EB was led by Angel (nine digs, 13 receptions), Hermione Garro (six digs, 10 receptions), Fortenberry (five digs, two blocks), Kyndal Morrison (four digs, block, three receptions), Lindsay Erskine (three digs, five receptions), Reinhardt-Phillips (two digs, four receptions), Carter (two digs, block, seven receptions), Chester (dig, block), Bree Winkler (dig, six receptions), McLean (five blocks, two receptions), Carissa Towery (four receptions), Giselle Martinez (two receptions) and Lowman (reception).

Brevard 3, Patton 1

The Lady Panthers (15-7, 5-6 MF7) lost a four-set conference match at home in Morganton on Tuesday, losing 19-25, 25-22, 16-25, 21-25.

PHS was led offensively by Hannah Huggins (10 kills, three aces), Reece Edwards (eight kills, ace, two assists), Soraya Hartman (four kills, two aces, assist), Kate Clark (three kills, five assists), Anna Lynn Ripley (kill), Carly Setterlind (five aces), Abigail Carpenter (ace, seven assists) and Emma Griffin (eight assists).

On defense, Patton was paced by Setterlind (11 digs, 42 receptions), Ripley (nine digs, 22 receptions), Carpenter (seven digs, block), Edwards (four digs, block, reception), Clark (three digs, six receptions), Huggins (two digs, block, three receptions), Hartman (two digs, reception), Griffin (dig), Jolan Buff (dig, three receptions) and Kynzlee Worley (dig, two blocks).

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