SOFTBALL
The Grain Valley softball team finished second in the Carrollton tournament last Saturday.
The Eagles dropped a 1-0 decision to Trenton in a rain-shortened final.
Despite not being able to play a complete championship game, Grain Valley had plenty of excitement in its first two games.
The Eagles needed 10 innings to defeat Lafayette County 7-3. Syndey Fairfield pitched the duration for the Eagles.
The Carrollton tournament was the second championship game appearance for the Eagles. They won the Raytown South tournament earlier.
GIRLS TENNIS
New Blue Springs South girls tennis coach Craig Dierking put it succinctly and had it right when he described his team’s start as being “really strong.”
The Jaguars are 2-0, having lost only one match in dual victories over Staley and Belton.
“We have a very solid top four --- all returners,” Dierking said. “And, our five through seven, while it’s their first year of varsity tennis, they’re playing like they’ve been playing for years.”
For the third straight season, the Jaguars are led by No. 1 Ashleigh Kaberline, who finished second in districts as a freshman and third as a sophomore. Sophomore Stephanie Adams is a strong No. 2 and pairs in doubles with No. 4 singles player Peyton Flanagan. No. 3 Jordan Sievers plays doubles with Kaberline at No. 1.
Blue Springs South plays host to Liberty Thursday, then is scheduled to compete Saturday at the Blue Springs doubles tournament.
VOLLEYBALL
While Raymore-Peculiar defended its title at the William Chrisman volleyball tournament last weekend, Truman had to get past several Eastern Jackson County opponents to test the champion.
The Patriots swept St. Mary’s, Raytown and William Chrisman to reach the final before losing to Raymore-Peculiar, 25-20, 25-22. Now with a 7-2 record after the long weekend, Truman has had strong performances in junior setter Taryn Nash, who leads the team with 73 assists, and senior Elanor Palaita, who is credited by coach Denise Craig for bringing “this team together.”
“They are a great group of kids,” Craig said by e-mail, “and I am lucky to coach them.”
BOYS SWIMMING
Raytown boys swimming coach Jim Aziere said this flock of Blue Jays might be the best team he has ever had. That’s saying something, considering Aziere has been coaching swimming at the school for 35 years and has won nearly 400 dual meets and assorted other titles.
“They’re really a great group of hard-working kids,” he said. “We sent them to camp in Texas over the summer. They’re willing to work as hard as I ask them to.”
Raytown recently showed its strength by winning 10 of 12 events in a dual win over Liberty.
Thus far, the Blue Jays have qualified for the state championships in all three relay events — the 200-yard medley and 200 and 400 freestyle relays. Individual qualifiers are Tony Hernandez in the 100 butterfly and 100 breast stroke, Taylor Frymire in the 50 and 100 freestyle events, Jeff Scholtzhauer in the 100 freestyle and Thomas Sims in the 100 breast stroke.
“We’re just off in a couple other events,” Aziere said. “We’re going to pick up two more in the 200 free, one more in the 500, and Schlotzhauer in the 100. And we’re just one point off qualifying in diving.”
CROSS COUNTRY
In the season-opening Bob Craddock Invitational, Raytown South senior Stephen Saylor raced against a familiar foe for top honors in the cross country meet.
Saylor finished four seconds behind first-place runner Kevin Colon of Lee’s Summit West.
“This was a good run for (Saylor),” coach Sean Nunn said. “He usually gets the best of Kevin, but Kevin has beat him more than once. My hat’s off to Kevin, he ran a good race.”
An all-state runner in cross country and track, Saylor moves on to new competition this weekend at an elite St. Louis meet in Forest Park. He will face some of the top runners from St. Louis, Potosi and Springfield as well as Missouri Class 2 state champion Max Storms of O’Hara.
“It’ll be neat to see him and Max race,” Nunn said.
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