By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–A handful of Union City spring sports teams will go into Spring Break feeling good about themselves.
Both UC Middle School track teams were the class of four-team fields Thursday, while the UC High School tennis and softball programs also won convincingly in their final competitions before beginning an extended break.
Purple and Gold highlights from Thursday are as follows:
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK
UC dominates in both girls’ and boys’
In a Quad Meet that included Lauderdale Middle School, Three Oaks, and Fulton County, Union City’s teams were easily the class of the group.
The Tornado girls beat their closest opposition (Lauderdale) 114-37, recording 13 first-place finishes.
The UC boys came in first in 10 events and totaled 101 points to Lauderdale’s 30.
The list of standouts for the Purple and Gold was long.
Debrionna Jones won first in the long jump, shot put, and discus for the girls’ team. Kennedi Robinson took honors in the 1600 and 800, setting a new program record in the 1600 with a time that was 10 seconds better than the old mark (6:15.41).
Arianna Walker was first in the 200 meters and second in the 100-meter hurdles, and teammate Katana Bonds won first in the 100 and was runner-up in the long jump. Clare Atwill won the 100-meter hurdles, Uriah Davis was first in the 400 and Allysia Davis claimed high jump honors.
The Lady Tornadoes also swept the relay events, winning the 4×200 (Edie Rodgers, Indeya Hogsett, Sh’nyla Moss, and Uriah Davis), the 4×100 (Rodgers, Moss, Bonds, and Atwill), and the 4×400 (Robinson, Hannah Moon, Rodgers, and Atwill).
Brylee Robinson was second in the 800 and Madison Hillin came in third in the 1600.
The Union City boys were strong, too, getting first place performances from Kalen Roberson (discus), Davis Hayes (shot put), and Gavin Morgan (high jump).
Tayshun Gentry won two races, the 400 and the 100-meter hurdles, while Kenny Moss led the pack in the 100 and DeAngelo Monroe was first in the 200.
Just like the girls’ team, the boys won first in all three relay events.
The team of James Turner, Monroe, Jaylan Ross, and Moss crossed the finish line first in the 4×200 and also the 4×100. Aiden Reid, Andrew Beard, Jayden Evans, and Turner made up a winning group in the 4×400.
Reid had a second-place finish in the 400, the same as Beard in the 1600. Coleman was runner-up in the discus and Roberson was second in the discus.
Ross was third in the 100 while Grant Sinclair claimed third place in the 1600.
Union City will compete next in the Dyersburg Invitational on April 15.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
UC 23, Gleason 0
Already ahead 8-0, the Lady Tornadoes erupted for 15 fourth-inning runs to complete a mercy-rule triumph on the road.
UC pounded out 19 hits in all, paced by a 5-for-5 effort by Sophie Theobald that included a pair of doubles. Theobald also drove in five runs and scored three more.
Bayleigh Long carried a big stick, too, with two doubles, a single, and four runs scored. Anna Lynn Cheatham went 3-for-4 and knocked in three runs, while Emmaline Qualls and Marlee Theobald scored three times apiece.
Lainey Barker, Caty Jo Hoffman, and Emma Powell all had a pair of RBI each.
All 11 Union City players who got into the contest either had hit or scored a run.
Cheatham did her part in the pitching circle, too, striking out six and allowing just four singles to claim the win.
UC will play next on April 9, at Obion County Central.
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
UC 7, Halls 0 (G)
Halls 4, UC 2 (B)
The Lady Tornadoes dominated visiting Halls in the girls’ match, winning for the sixth time in nine outings.
Shelby Bondurant put away Paris Taylor 8-5 at the No. 1 singles seed while Gracyn Callicott, Annie Wade, Mimi Jenkins, and Eric Gill all cruised in their matches.
Jenkins and Molly Kizer got a test at the No. 1 doubles slot before winning 8-5 against Taylor and Erin McKendree. Wade and Bondurant won easily in the two-slot, 8-1.
The UC boys came out on top in a pair of singles matches (Eli Ervin and Charleton Wisener), but ultimately dropped a 4-2 decision to square their record at 2-2.
Ervin and Wisener both posted 8-3 victories.
Union City’s girls will be back in action on April 9-10 in the Hendersonville Invitational.
Girls
Singles
Shelby Bondurant vs Paris Taylor 8-5
Gracyn Callicott vs Erin McKendree 8-0
Annie Wade vs Julia Caldwell 8-1
Mimi Jenkins vs Emma Webb 8-1
Erin Gill vs Emma Smith 8-0
Doubles
Molly Kizer/Jenkins vs Taylor/Mckendree 8-5
Bondurant/Wade vs Caldwell/Smith 8-1
Boys
Singles
Owen Rogers vs Logan Turner 1-7
Eli Ervin vs Hayden Cherry 8-3
Charleton Wisener vs Austin Gaines 8-3
Alex Del-Castillo vs Will Newman 0-8
Bryce White vs Bronson Rasp 2-8
Gavin Pledge vs Kaden Stafford 6-1
Doubles
Roger/Wisener vs Turner/Gaines 4-7 Tiebreak
Ervin/Del-Castillo vs Cherry/Newman 6-8
Pledge/Jack Tulley vs Rasp/Stafford 7-8 Tiebreak
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER
West Creek 7, UC 0
Originally scheduled to play at Liberty Tech in Jackson, a change of plans took the Tornadoes to Clarksville where they fell to a strong WC squad.
Union City (2-2) could manage but two shots total, just one on goal.
Freshman Ka’Jaylon Bell did provide a highlight as he set a school record for most saves in goal with 14.
The Tornadoes’ next match will be April 13 at home vs. Peabody.