Licking Valley boys track wins Dick Houston Relays title

On Apr 7, 2023

The foursome of Cooper Hornfeck, Ayden Stalnaker, Marshall Carr and Jacob Wheeler ran a time of 3:37.92 on Thursday to win the 1,600 relay and lead the host Licking Valley boys track team to the team title during their Dick Houston Relays.

Matthew Fehrman, Anthony Blizzard, Sam Cooperrider and Sam Busic also won the 6,400 relay (20:25.35) for the Panthers. Individual top finishers in the field events were Marshall Carr in the high jump (5-feet-10), Cooper Hornfeck in the pole vault (11-0) and Trevor Croak in the discus (142-2).

Runner-up Watkins Memorial won four events with Jaeden Ricketts, John Apel, Joseph McIntosh and Elijah Hardiman winning the sprint medley (1:36.67). Ricketts, McIntosh, Hardiman and Daa’Vion Long won the 400 relay (44.69), Ricketts, Apel, Troy Blankenship and Rojan Poudel the 800 relay (1:35.03) and Blankenship, Aidan Johnston, David Martin and Jacob O’Halloran the shuttle hurdles (1:07.59).

Lakewood’s Corey Rafferty, Caleb Rafferty, Samuel Zwayer and Ryan Byers won the distance medley (11:18.66), and Corey Rafferty, Caleb Rafferty, Byers and Kyle Frye won 3,200 relay (8:51.04). Licking Heights’ D.J. Fillmore was the top finisher in the long jump (21-6.5) and Newark’s Sean Lee in the shot put (45-1.5).

Newark girls take title

Nadia Liesen, Amelia Bone, Allison Dietz and Meredith Pyle ran a time of 23:41.54 to win the 6,400 relay, leading the Newark girls to the team championship during Valley’s Dick Houston Relays.

Liesen, Sarah Warner, Ally Carr and Annabel Fish also won the 3,200 relay (11:01.47) as did Cadiera Gordon, Sophia Walters, Aubree Murphy and Brie Gingras in the 400 relay (52.26). Sophie Bidwell was the top individual finisher in the shot put (37-0.5).

Olivia Fink, Amya Thompson, Emma French and Jayah Mitchell won the shuttle hurdles (1:16.12) for runner-up Heights. Fink, Chanell Harris, Kendyl Hunt and Temiloluwa Jaf-Ogunlayi (1:51.7) won the 800 relay and French, Addison Caudill, Liz Killey and Morgan Watkins the distance medey (13:33.0) with Sia Tengbeh recording the top mark in the long jump (14-9.5).

Bella Reynard, Morgan Blume, Joesy Kramer and Reagan Campbell won the sprint medley (1:55.27) for Valley. Posting top field event marks were Watkins’ Abigail Hill in the high jump (4-8), Utica’s Stella Bowman in the pole vault (8-4) and Lakewood’s Landry Driskel in the discus (131-2).

SOFTBALL

Heath wins at Valley

Renae Cunningham hit a solo home run and also struck out seven in five one-hit innings, leading Heath to a 5-3 victory at Licking Valley in Licking County League play.

Sydney Chapman added two hits, including a double, and two runs scored, Kyndall Spicer three hits, Savannah Lawson a hit and two runs scored and Kristal Keeran two hits and an RBI for the Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0). Chapman struck out four in the final two innings.

Abbe McNabb and Rylei Dunlap had a hit and an RBI apiece, Taylor Penick a triple and a run scored and Addison Justice a run scored for the Panthers (3-2, 1-2). Rylee Pitt allowed three earned runs and struck out two.

Heights rallies past Utica

Savanna Christ’s walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Licking Heights a 13-10 victory against visiting Utica in LCL play.

Syd Stout also homered, recording two hits and four RBIs for the Hornets (5-2, 2-1), who trailed 7-1 before scoring eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. Christ had two hits and five RBIs, and Alissa West added a hit and three runs scored and Ava VonBargen a hit, a run scored and two RBIs.

Kristen Ryan totaled two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for Utica (1-4, 0-2). Cheyenne Smith added two doubles and an RBI, Makena Wilson a double, a run scored and two RBIs and Emily Meyers a triple, a run scored and an RBI.

Granville beats Northridge

Megan Lodge and Ally Ernsberger each homered, combining for four runs scored and five RBIs in Granville’s 11-1 victory against visiting Northridge in LCL play.

Morgan Layne and Emily Travis added two hits apiece, combining for three runs scored and three RBIs and Sydney Cottrill a double and a run scored for the Blue Aces (3-1, 1-1). Ernsberger also struck out five in three scoreless innings.

Kenzie Hannahs had two hits, including a double, and a run scored to lead the Vikings (1-3, 0-2). Lexi Thompson added a hit and a run scored and Emily Hanes a hit and two walks.

Newark wins on road

Sarah Sickles and Jaylen Jackson had a hit and three RBIs apiece, fueling Newark in an 8-5 victory at New Albany.

Dez Osler added two hits, including a solo home run, Meah Morris two hits, a run scored and an RBI and Mallory Back two hits and a run scored for the Wildcats (5-3). Syncere Royster struck out three in four one-hit innings.

BASEBALL

Granville cruises

Ezra Kurek homered and doubled twice, piling up six RBIs in Granville’s 15-2 victory against visiting Northridge in LCL play.

Jacob Smith added two hits and three runs scored, Nolan Tracy a hit, four runs scored and an RBI and Colby Rardon a hit, a run scored and an RBI for the Blue Aces (3-1,…