West Holmes athletes post solid performances

The West Holmes boys track and field team fell 100-32 to Wooster in an Ohio Cardinal Conference dual April 21.

The Knights were led by Maddax Graham, who posted a personal-best throw of 165 feet, 2 inches in the discus, moving up the school’s all-time list. He also placed second in the shot put with a throw of 49-6¼.

Chet Cooper recorded lifetime bests in both events with throws of 113-2 in the discus and 39-10½ in the shot put. Seth Lowe added a personal-best throw of 116-7 in the discus.

Jimmy Wengerd won the 400. Rhett Chaney placed second in the long jump at 20-3, and Noah Grassbaugh placed second in the high jump at 5-2. Mac Craft placed second in both the 100 and 200. Owen Mallasch finished third in the 800, and Marshall Yoder placed second in the 300 hurdles.

West Holmes finished seventh out of 10 teams at the Dover Tornado Relays on April 17.

Graham led the Knights, winning both the discus and shot put for the third consecutive meet. The 4x800 relay team of Parker Garver, Yoder, Mallasch and Wengerd placed third, while Chaney added a third-place finish in the long jump with a personal-best leap of 20-10½.

Girls track & field

West Holmes lost 105-26 to Wooster in an OCC dual April 21.

Scoring for West Holmes were Mallory Marmet, who won the shot put at 33-6 3/4 and placed third in the discus; Katherine Kaster, who won the 400; Iriel Mena, who won the 800 with a personal-best time of 2:25.78; Breslyn Brown, who placed second in the 800 and third in the 100; Alizah Sigler, who placed third in the 400; and the 4x400 relay team of Brown, Sophie Arnold, Chelsea Cooper and Kaster, which won the event in a season-best time of 4:35.56.

West Holmes placed eighth out of 10 teams at the Dover Tornado Relays on April 17.

Marmet paced the Knights with a win in the discus and a fourth-place finish in the shot put. Kaster finished runner-up in the 800, and Brown took third in the 400. The 4x800 relay team of Brown, Arnold, Ellie Babbitt and Kaster also placed third, while Babbitt added a fourth-place finish in the 3200.

Softball

West Holmes fell 8-7 to Wooster in OCC play April 21.

Emma Miller led the Knights at the plate, going 3-for-4, while Zalina Proper added two hits. Briar Cline and Payson Dial each drove in two runs, with Cline also hitting a home run.

In the circle, Gabby Fowler started and allowed six runs (four earned) on 10 hits over five innings, striking out five. Cline took the loss in relief, giving up two runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.

West Holmes dropped a 12-11 decision to Danville in nonleague play April 20.

Payton Hudson led the Knights at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Fowler also drove in two runs, while Miller added two hits.

In the circle, Fowler took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits over three innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Cline worked four innings in relief, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits while striking out four and walking one.

West Holmes used a big fifth inning and strong all-around play to defeat Philo 11-3 in a nonleague clash April 17.

The Knights struck early, taking the lead in the first inning when Fowler doubled to drive in two runs. They broke the game open in the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits. Miller singled in a run, Cline added a two-RBI single, and Dial capped the inning with a two-run double.

Fowler earned the win in the circle, allowing 10 hits and three runs (two earned) over seven innings while striking out six and walking two.

Dial led the offense with three RBIs, going 2-for-4, while Proper and Hudson both collected two hits. The Knights also showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks, with Fowler and Zoe Walter each earning two.

West Holmes was aggressive on the bases, finishing with eight stolen bases, as Cline and Hudson each swiped multiple bags.