Pletcher, Hendershot, Shoaf and M-S 3,200-m relay place first at News-Gazette Track and Field Honor Roll meet, Soccer to play in Regional Championship
By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Mahomet-Seymour had champions in two girls’ events and placers in four others on Monday night in the 38th-annual News-Gazette Track and Field Honor Roll meet at Urbana High School.
Poe vaulter Mara Pletcher beat all competitors with a leap of 11 feet, 2 inches.
The M-S 3,200-meter relay unit of Elizabeth Sims, Brisa McGrath, Chloe Allen and Klein Powell was also triumphant with a finishing time of 10 minutes, 23.26 seconds.
The Bulldogs’ 1,600-meter relay placed sixth in 4:21.88.
Other Bulldog placers were pole vaulter Cece Abramson (fifth at 9-2), triple-jumper Sylvia Byron (fifth at 32-7 ½) and 300-meter hurdler Amaya Francom (fifth in 49.34 seconds).
Next up for the Bulldogs is the Class 2A state meet, which starts on Friday at Charleston’s Eastern Illinois University. M-S has four individual participants: Abramson, McGrath, Pletcher and Sims.
Boys’ track and field
The Bulldogs produced two champions and five other placers in Monday’s 38th News-Gazette Honor Roll Track and Field meet at Urbana High School.
Hunter Hendershot dominated the shot put, winning with a toss of 59 feet, 7 inches.
C.J. Shoaf was the top high jumper, clearing 6 feet, 5 inches.
Hendershot and Shoaf also placed in other events.
Shoaf took third in the 110-meter high hurdles (in 15.69 seconds).
Hendershot was seventh in the discus (131 feet, 1 inch).
The Bulldogs had two other placers in the weight events. Morrie Mendenhall was sixth in the shot put (48 feet, 1 inch) and Costen Campion finished eighth in the discus (130 feet, 11 inches).
The other M-S medalist was pole vaulter Colin Balbach, who ended in a tie for third (13 feet, 3 inches).
The Bulldogs return to action today in the Class 2A sectional meet at Monticello. Field events start at 3 o’clock and running events begin at 5 p.m.
Soccer
The Bulldogs started postseason play on Tuesday with a 9-0 shutout victory over Danville in the Urbana Class 2A regional.
Brea Benson was responsible for the team’s first four goals, scoring three of them and assisting Cayla Koerner on the other.
Koerner, Lilia Isaac and Lauren Schnepper all finished the regional semifinal match with two goals.
Haley Lester collected two assists. Teammates assisting on one goal were Nyah Biegler, Schnepper and Amelia Osman.
The Bulldogs’ defense not only raised its school-record season shutout total to 17, but didn’t allow any shots for goalkeeper Grace Larson to defend.
M-S (23-1) faces Centennial in Friday’s 5 p.m. championship match. In an early-season meeting between the schools, the Bulldogs prevailed 7-0.
M-S, which has outscored its opponents by a combined 137-7 margin this season, is seeking its fourth consecutive regional championship.
Softball
Sam Tamburo and Aubrie Shore each blasted home runs on Tuesday as the Bulldogs split an Apollo Conference doubleheader at Mattoon.
M-S won the opener 10-6, but dropped the nightcap 6-5 in a game it led 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Besides Tamburo and Shore, other Bulldogs with hits in both games were Allison Nofziger, Julia McNaught and Karley Yergler.
Tamburo homered in the first game and doubled in the second game. Shore doubled in the first game and homered in the second game.
Ashley Wheeler and Carlee Scott had two hits in the opener. Shore had two hits in the nightcap.
Shore and Yergler split the pitching chores with each starting one of the games.
Shore worked four innings in the opener, allowing three hits, but walking six and striking out six.
She earned the win.
Yergler went 4 1/3 innings in the nightcap. She permitted seven hits, walked one and struck out one. She suffered the loss.
The Bulldogs (17-10) return to action on Friday at Danville.
Baseball
It took 24 games, but the Bulldogs were finally held scoreless.
Visiting Normal Community turned the trick on Monday, blanking M-S 6-0.
The Bulldogs were limited to six hits, all singles, including two apiece from Dawson Finch and Jack McHale.
Finch pitched the first five innings, yielding nine hits while walking five and striking out five.
Ben Greenberger worked two scoreless innings. He was touched for two hits, and walked one while also striking out one.
Greenberger and Jordan Veldman each collected one hit.
The Bulldogs (15-7-2) return to action today at home against Bloomington.
