The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1408154
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, September 8, 2021 B-1 SPORTS Submit sports items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: sports@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg www.UebelhorGM.com Jasper • 1-800-937-8721 CHEVROLET Girls' soccer puts up a fight with low player numbers By Matthew Haycraft Pike Centrals girls' soccer team played Tell City on Wednesday, Sep- tember 1 taking the win, 4-2. The team competed with only eleven players due to quarantines, so subs were pulled in for this game. Despite the low number of players, the Lady Chargers did well with Al- li Holder scoring a goal and Kahle Young scoring three goals for the team. Kennedy Willis had two assists, with Holder and Kahle Young hav- ing one assist each. According to Head Coach Chad Western, Keena Young, Mallory Hunt, Lillian Thompson and Jaylynn Capehart held down the defense and gave the team a great chance to win. Albany Ashley, Hannah Wood- ford, Jasmine Leighty and Lainey Leighty played mostly as midfield- ers and helped control the direction of the game. "We had a nice group effort to get a win with only eleven girls," com- mented Coach Western. The Lady Chargers also played against Boonville on Thursday, September 2, again with only hav- ing eleven girls. The team had two injuries and was shorthanded all night, but still gave a good fight, according to Coach West- ern, losing 3-0 to the Lady Pioneers. The first half, the Lady Chargers had a few opportunities to score but just couldn't make it happen, while Boonville passed them, by making three goals in this period. In the second period, the Char- gers pulled up a very strong de- fense keeping Boonville scoreless for the period. The Lady Chargers still missed good chances to score but kept upbeat throughout the sec- ond half of the game. Coach Western commented wrap- ping up the week's matches by say- ing, "Back-to-back games with on- ly 11 girls is a tough situation. We are very proud of the team battling all night." Weisman places first at Alan Hopewell Invite By Matthew Haycraft Chargers Cross Country faced off against Castle, South Knox, Heri- tage Hills, Gibson Southern, Evans- ville Harrison, North Posey, South Spencer, Mount Carmel, Mount Ver- non, Boonville, Heritage Hills, Evans- ville Reitz and Tecumseh at the Al- an Hopewell Invite hosted at Gibson Southern on Thursday, September 2. Charger freshman Xavery Weis- man took home first place in the girls freshman and sophomore divi- sion with a time of 19:39. Anna White- head, Charger sophomore, placed ninth with a time of 21:57 and Kay- Tennis defeats Wood Memorial 4-1 By Matthew Haycraft The Pike Central Charger boys' tennis team ended up playing four days in a row with Tues- day's match against Washington having a rain delay. The boys' tennis team defeated Wood Me- morial on Thursday, September 2 by a score of 4-1 on the Charger home courts. At Thursday's match, coaches decided to use modified scoring and play five singles matches due to number of players. In number one singles Charger freshman Eli Arnold defeated Alton Falls of Wood Me- morial 6 -4, 6 -4. Charger freshman Parker Knust defeated Trojan Lucas Gress 6 -0, 3-0 in number two singles. Pike Central freshman Nate Carter, lost to Wood Memorial's Carter Miller 0 -6, 0 -6 in number three singles. Charger freshman Adon Lemond defeated Trojan Anthony Gress in number four singles 6 -4, 7-5. Charger freshman Jayden Bolin defeated Trojan Lathan Maikranz 6 -2, 6 -2 in number five singles. Head Coach Brent Beck stated, "It was nice to get a win over Wood Memorial on Tuesday, especially with an all-freshman lineup." SOUTH SPENCER 5, CHARGERS 0 Chargers tennis played South Spencer on Wednesday, September 1 at home and lost, 0 -5. Charger Eli Arnold lost to Trey Embry, Reb- els senior, 4-6, 2-6 in number one singles. In number two singles, Knust was defeated by Rebel senior Huston Compton 4-6, 4-6. Car- ter fell to Rebels sophomore Cole Wheatley 0 -6, 1-6 in number three singles. Pike Central varsity lost by default in num- ber one and two doubles during the match against South Spencer. Chargers junior varsity also played two sin- gles matches. Pike Central's Lemond lost 8 - 7, 6 -4 and Bolin was defeated by the Rebels 8 -2, 6 -6, 7-6. WASHINGTON 4, CHARGERS 1 The Chargers faced Washington on Tues- day, August 31, losing 1-4. Eli Arnold, defeated Hatchets junior Jayden Meredith in number one singles, 5 -7, 6 -1, 6 - 4. Coach Beck commented that Arnold's win during this match was the highlight of the week. Parker Knust, was defeated by Hatchets se- nior Jaylyn Rook, 0 -6, 0 -6 in number two sin- gles. Nate Carter, lost to Washington senior Ca- leb Armstrong 2-6, 0 -6. In number one and two doubles the Pike Central Charger lost to Washington by default. Coach Beck wrapped up the week's games stating, "Overall the kids played pretty well de- spite our 1-2 team record for the week." Pike Central will play their next match at Southridge Wednesday, September 8 at 4:30 p.m. Despite missing players Charger volleyball still counting wins By Matthew Haycraft Pike Central Charger volleyball may be missing some players due to COVID quarantine, but that has not stopped them from taking home some wins this last week. On Monday, August 30 the Lady Chargers varsity faced off against Evansville Reitz on their home court. Lady Chargers suffered a loss to Re- itz by a score of 7-25, 12-25, 16 -25 on their first game of the season due to quarantines. Head Coach Stephanie Shedd stat- ed, "We played hard with the girls that were able to play. I was proud of our teamwork and hustle. Everyone was glad to get a game under our belts." When playing their second game of the season against Forest Park on Tuesday, August 31, Lady Chargers Lady Charger senior Al- li Holder passes the ball back downfield during Lady Chargers soccer game action against Tell City. See more pho- tos on page 5. Pike Central senior Morgan Anderson paces herself during the Alan Hopewell Invite on Thursday, September 2 at Gib- son Southern. Matthew Meadows, freshman quarterback, lines up to pass during game action at Pike Central against South Spencer on Friday, September 3. Arie O'Neal in the foreground pre- pared to assists if needed. Charger freshman Eli Arnold bul- lets the ball back across the net during the Charger boys' tennis match against Wood Memorial on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Pike Central. Jayden Bolin, Charger freshman, jumps up to serve the ball to his op- ponent during the Charger boys' ten- nis match against Wood Memorial on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Pike Central. See HOPEWELL on page 2 See WINS on page 2 See FOOTBALL on page 6 CHARGER FIGHT WITH HEADS HELD HIGH By Matthew Haycraft Friday, September 2 marked the first game of the season for the Pike Central Chargers. They faced off against South Spencer, losing by a score of 55 -0. This was the first game for Pike Central in a month with their last time playing being the season scrim- mage at Crawford County, due to COVID quarantine. South Spencer, on the other hand, had two games under their belts for the season, with two losses, one at North Posey and the other against Mount Vernon. Even though these were losses, the team has had a chance to observe problems and issues that have need worked on and fix them, whereas Pike Central is just at its beginning. Pike Central faced South Spencer in the previous season, losing 48 -0. Looking farther back, Pike Cen- tral has only beaten South Spencer twice in school history. So this game proved to be a challenge for the Chargers not forgetting COVID quarantines re- duced the squad to 15 eligible players. Pike Central Chargers were missing both their se- nior players Wyatt Frasure, middle linebacker/half- back; and Sammy Coleman, noseguard/backup full- back along with Julian Gish, sophomore, their best receiver and free safety. Head Coach Kelly Brashear stated, "We only have 22 players on our roster, so when any of them are not able to play, it's hard to compete. Needless to say, all of our dressed players received plenty of playing time, so that's a positive for our freshmen to get some varsity experience under their belts." Starters for Pike Central included freshman Con- ner Loveless as noseguard, freshman Paul Thomp-