Sports

June 15 will be a day of free hikes hosted by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. Above, participants view the East Tennessee scenery during a previous hike. (Contributed photo)

From Staff Reports

On Saturday, June 15, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) will host a day of free, guided group outings in the Highlands of Roan. The eight excursions include options for a variety of skill, age, interest, and mobility levels — including hikes along the Appalachian Trail, botanical expeditions, sustainable homestead farm tours, yoga, and family activities.

“The June Jamboree is an annual celebration of all the conservation work that SAHC has done in the Highlands of Roan — a region that includes some of the most beautiful, ecologically significant land that we have protected,” says Israel Golden, AmeriCorps Conservation Education and Volunteer Outreach member serving with SAHC. “The diversity of habitat in the Roan is startling, and it is exciting that so many people will be able to come out to see and learn about it during the June Jamboree.”

In the afternoon, event guests are invited to gather at SAHC’s Big Rock Creek Preserve for an afternoon social, with light refreshments provided. June Jamboree outings are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Register online at Appalachian.org or contact Israel@appalachian.org or 828.253.0095 ext 205 with questions.

June Jamboree Outings Include:

Hike #1 – Highlands of OM: Yoga on the Roan

Location: Roan Mountain Gateway, near Carvers Gap | Start Time: 11 a.m. | Est. End Time: 1 p.m.

Leader: Laura Boggess, Mars Hill University Biology/Environmental Studies & E-RYT200 registered Yoga Instructor

Difficulty: Easy (2)* | 0.5 miles, 100 foot elevation change

Join us for a peaceful yoga session in the Highlands of Roan, surrounded by scenic views protected by SAHC. The session will begin with an easy 10-minute hike to an idyllic pasture on the Davenport-Pritchard Tract. Students of all levels will enjoy a soothing, relaxing, and restorative experience. No yoga experience required.

Hike #2 – Roll and Stroll at the Rhododendron Garden

Location: Rhododendron Gardens, near Carvers Gap  |  Start Time: 11 a.m. | Est. End Time: 1 p.m.

Leader: Carl Silverstein, SAHC Executive Director

Difficulty: Easy (2)* | 1 mile, 200 foot elevation change

The group anticipates that the Rhododendron Gardens on top of the Roan will be blazing with color this time of year. Participants will stroll approximately 1 mile across gentle terrain with stunning views of the Roan landscape. On this leisurely walk, participants will learn about a number of SAHC’s land protection projects that can be viewed from the gardens. This family-friendly offering is designed to provide people of all abilities with an opportunity to get outside and enjoy some of the properties SAHC has diligently worked to protect over the last four decades.  This trail is paved and wheelchair/stroller accessible.

Hike #3 – Roan & Groan: Hump Mountain – Carvers Gap

Location: Shell Creek Community | Start Time: 9 a.m. | Est. End Time: 3 p.m.

Leader: Israel Golden, SAHC AmeriCorps Member

Difficulty: Strenuous (10+)* | 8.5 miles, approximately 3,000 foot elevation change

This challenge hike will begin on the 324-acre Hump Mountain tract that SAHC protected in 2016 and transferred to Cherokee Nat’l Forest in 2018. This tract of land was a conservation priority for over 40 years. From Shell Creek, the group will hike up to Bradley Gap and then traverse along the Appalachian Trail over Little Hump Mountain, Grassy Ridge, Jane Bald, Round Bald and end at Carvers Gap! The 8.5-mile hike will traverse many beautiful grassy balds with views in all directions — of Yellow Mountain and Grassy Ridge to the west and Grandfather and Linville Gorge to the East, in addition to numerous SAHC preserves. Along the route there could be Gray’s lilies in full bloom and migratory birds flitting around the edges of the balds. At the end of the hike participants will be shuttled back to their cars at Shell Creek.

Hike #4 – Botanical Exploration of the Roan

Location: Cloudland to Roan High Bluff

Start Time: 10 a.m. | Est. End Time: 2 p.m.

Leader: Gary Kauffman, Botanist/Ecologist for National Forests in North Carolina

Difficulty: Moderate (4-5)* | 2.5 miles, 110 ft. elevation change

Join Gary Kauffman as he leads participants on a Botanical Exploration of the Highlands of Roan. Gary will identify the flora that makes the mountaintop their home. On this slow-paced, plant-focused 2.5- mile hike participants will learn about the plant communities of the Roan, rare species, recreational impacts, and climate change. Participants will observe Grassy Bald, Spruce Fir, and Rocky Outcrop ecosystems and see breathtaking vistas of SAHC-conserved land. Plan on a leisurely, educational stroll!

Hike #5 – Sustainable Homestead Farm Tour

Location: Fork Mountain Preserve | Start Time: 12 pm | Est. End Time: 2 pm

Leader: Marquette Crockett, SAHC Roan Stewardship Director; Jess Laggis, SAHC Farmland Protection Director; and Pat Tompkins

Difficulty: Easy (2-3)* | 1 mile, 100 ft. elevation change

Join Roan Stewardship Associate Marquette Crockett, Farmland Protection Director Jess Laggis, and Pat Tompkins on an educational hike around a sustainable small farm. This unique 195-acre tract is part of our 430-acre Fork Mountain Preserve and was conserved by SAHC in 1995. Long-time resident and caretaker Pat Tompkins has homesteaded this farm for decades and has a wealth of knowledge to share about caring for the earth and living sustainably. Participants are invited to tour her small homesteading operation and learn about sustainable agriculture along the way. This hike will be capped at 15 people.

Hike #6 – Explore Big Rock Creek Preserve

Location: Big Rock Creek  |  Start Time: 11 a.m.  |  Est. End Time: 1 p.m.

Leader: Abigail Snow, Community Farm Intern

Difficulty: Easy (2-3)* | 0.25 mile

Bring your family to hike our short nature trail and play in the water at SAHC’s beautiful Big Rock Creek Preserve. This shorter hike is designed to get everyone outdoors and exploring some of the beautiful water protected by SAHC. Learn about basic stream and pond ecology, look for crayfish and salamanders. Everyone is welcome to bring fishnets, buckets, or other toys to play within the creek and pond. However, we ask that all equipment be gently cleaned before using it in this high-quality trout stream. This hike is for kids 7 years and older. Parents are welcomed to participate as well. Please bring water-appropriate clothing and shoes plus appropriate day hiking materials.

Hike #7 & 8 – Carvers Gap to Grassy Ridge

Location: Carvers Gap Trailhead

Difficulty: Moderate (5-6)* | 4.5 miles, 650 foot elevation change

Hike #7 Start Time: 8:30 a.m. | Est. End Time: 12:30 p.m.

Hike #7 Leader: Travis Bordley, SAHC Roan Naturalist & Nature Photographer

Hike #8 Start Time: 10 a.m. | Est. End Time: 1 p.m.

Hike #8 Leaders: Bettye Boone & Saylor Fox, Volunteer Award Recipients This new version of a classic and rewarding hike is full of adventure atop the highest elevation balds in the Highlands of Roan, widely considered among the most spectacular scenery along the Appalachian Trail. Hike #7  – An early start allows this hike to be leisurely paced, focused on enjoying a late Spring morning and photographing the splendor of the balds, blooming rhododendron, flame azalea, patches of spruce fir forest and rare plants such as Gray’s lily and Roan Mountain bluets. Hike #8 – For those who enjoy a faster paced hiking experience.

Afternoon Social   Location: Big Rock Creek Preserve | Time: 1 to 4 pm

After your adventure on your Jamboree outing be sure to stop by our afternoon social where friends and family can gather and share hike experiences while learning about SAHC’s recent accomplishments, including land protection and stewardship news. Drinks and light refreshments will be provided. Big Rock Creek Preserve, formerly the home of Trailridge summer camp, contains 127 acres of high elevation forest and streams. A short walking trail has been created at the preserve, thanks to SAHC volunteers, the National Parks Conservation Association and Nature Valley.

About Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is a non-profit land trust conserving land and water resources in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Since 1974, SAHC has protected over 75,000 acres of unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic views, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation. More info at Appalachian.org.

Halie Hawkins clears a jump during the recent TSSAA state meet held at Middle Tennessee State University. (Contributed photo)

By Keeli Parkey

Halie Hawkins concluded her athletic career at Unicoi County High School with a top-10 finish in the pole vault at the TSSAA Spring Fling Track Championships held at Middle Tennessee State University on Thursday, May 23.

“Halie finished the day in ninth out of 16 vaulters and a jump of 9 feet,” UCHS head coach Thad Higgins told The Erwin Record. “It’s always a proud moment to have any athlete represent UCHS at the state meet, but to have an athlete be one of the top 10 vaulters in the state is really incredible. I was also proud of how Halie overcame unexpected obstacles and remained mentally tough. We’re so proud of Halie for how she competed throughout this entire season and especially for how well she represented UCHS at the state championship.”

Going back to the state meet for the second time was a special experience for Hawkins, who will continue her track and field career at Milligan College next year.

“Getting to represent your school and town at the state meet is an amazing experience,” Hawkins said. “The atmosphere is unlike any other meet I have ever been to. When an athlete hears the phrase, ‘You are going to Murfreesboro,’ you can’t help but get excited. It’s the best of the best. Being among the top track and field athletes in the whole state is really cool.”

This year, Hawkins competed in a different division than she did two years ago due to reclassification by the TSSAA.

“We moved up to the large schools division,” Hawkins said. “This made getting to state much more difficult these past two years. Last year it was heartbreaking when I just missed the cut at sectionals by one placing. This year I knew I had to work really hard to make crucial vaults in order to even make it to state.”

Hawkins qualified for the state meet with a jump of 10 feet at the sectionals held at Hardin Valley on May 11.

“Our section has become very competitive, specifically in pole vault,” Hawkins said. “There are about four of us in this section that are from different schools. We have become really good friends and we have pushed one another, as a result all our heights have increased. We compete against one another but are the ones cheering one another on. We borrow poles, hang out before and after our vaults – even the coaches are really helpful to all of us. It’s very unique. We are all going on to vault in college so it will be fun to continue that.”

Hawkins said last week’s state competition started out well.

“In warmups I felt fantastic,” she added. “In fact I had my best vault I have ever had. When the bar went up however I had a crucial first miss at my opening height of 9 feet. When it’s hot the poles tend to flex a lot more and I was feeling really good and carried some extra energy into it so I hit it on the way up. I regrouped and made it on my next attempt, but it still hurt my overall placing.”

At the next height – 9’6” – Hawkins ran into some bad luck.

“I had three unlucky misses,” she said. “This sport is notorious for having lots of variables. Some days it comes together for you and others the variables just get kind of tricky. You can change one little thing and it has an impact on five others. The strides, my energy, pushing the standards back or forward, which pole I use, how high my grip is on the pole, what height I enter competition at, all that has to come together on top of what I do to take off and turn in the air. It’s so much to think about. That’s what I love about it though.”

Despite the bad luck, Hawkins said she is ready to continue competing.

“Even the top vaulter in the state can have a bad day and no height,” she added. “For me the pieces just didn’t quite come together on Thursday. I still ended up ninth though. Top 10 in the state isn’t bad. I am super excited to see what heights the next season holds.”

From Staff Reports

The Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce is again teaming up with CASA of Northeast Tennessee to host the 8th Annual Achin’ for the Bacon 5K River Run on Saturday, June 29.

Runners and walkers of all ages are invited to participate in the race. The race will begin at 9 a.m. and a portion of the proceeds will benefit CASA.

The race features a flat and fast course along a section of the Nolichucky River. The start/finish line of the race will be in the parking lot of the Mountain Inn and Suites (former Holiday Inn Express) located at 2002 Temple Hill Road, Erwin.

From Temple Hill Road, racers will continue to Jackson Love Highway and then to Industrial Park Drive.

Runners will race down Industrial Park Drive to the Linear Trail access point near the Trail Gazebo and race back on the Linear Trail alongside the Nolichucky River.

Electronic tag timing and professional race management from We Run Events will be provided again this year.

Following the race, awards in various categories will be given. Registration will begin at 7 a.m.

All participants will receive a race T-shirt, racer goodie bag and a complimentary bacon and pancake breakfast following the race.

The cost to preregister for the Achin’ for the Bacon 5K River Run is $25. The cost on race day is $30. Preregistration is available through June 27.

For more information call the Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce at 743-3000.

Registration is available at https://www.athlinks.com/event/achin-for-the-bacon-5k-river-run-24816.

The Unicoi County High School softball team poses for a picture with their District 1-AA tournament plaque. Pictured from left, back row, Halie Hawkins, Kerstin Buchanan, Bella Bogart, Gabby Davis, Kaylia Street, Leah Edney, Caroline Podvin, Samantha Chavez, Jimena Rodriguez, Betsabe Chavez and Hannah Shelton; front row, Abbie Grindstaff, Kaylee Lamb, Cassie Selvage, Chloe Powers, Allee Griffith, Carly Kinsler, Ashtan Vance and Kiley Bennett. (Contributed photo)

By Keeli Parkey

Days after winning another district crown, the Unicoi County High School softball team’s 2019 season came to a disappointing end.

Playing Grainger on Monday, May 13, in the Region 1-AA semifinals, the Lady Devils (35-10) were held to only five hits and left nine runners on base in a 9-4 loss at Lady Devil Diamond in Erwin.

“We didn’t play well and we didn’t hit the ball like we can,” UCHS head coach Grady Lingerfelt said. “They have a really good pitcher and she handcuffed us. We also had a couple of miscues here and there and it ballooned on us.”

Grainger got on the scoreboard first Monday night – scoring one run in the first inning and three in the fourth. The Lady Grizzlies took complete control of the game with a 5-run fifth inning and held a 9-0 lead.

“They got some hits back-to-back,” Lingerfelt said. “They hit a lot of little bloopers that were just out of our reach. We really had an unlucky night. They are a good ball team. They are solid and are well coached. Rusty Bishop is a very good coach.”

The Lady Devils did their best to get back into the game. In the bottom of the sixth, senior Carly Kinsler hit a 2-run double for a 9-2 score, but that was all UCHS could get on the scoreboard that inning.

After holding Grainger scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Lady Devils scored another run thanks to a solo home run by senior pitcher Allee Griffith. They scored their fourth and final run of the game – and the season – when senior Chloe Powers scored on a ground out by Hannah Shelton before the final out of the game.

“The girls kept fighting right until the end, even though we were down 9-0,” Lingerfelt said. “That says a lot about them and our senior leadership.”

Powers had 2 hits in the loss. Halie Hawkins, Griffith (1 RBI) and Kinsler (2 RBIs) each had 1 hit.

• • •

The Lady Devils made it to the district championship round after battling their way out of the losers’ bracket. UCHS fell to East, the tournament’s host team and second seed, on May 6 and had to face Elizabethton on May 7 to keep the season alive.

The Lady Devils made easy work of the Lady Cyclones, winning the game 8-0. Griffith struck out 6 batters.

Kiley Bennett was 3-3 at the plate in the win. Hawkins (2 RBIs) and Powers (1 RBI) each had 2 hits. Cassie Selvage, Samantha Chavez (2 RBIs), Griffith (1 RBI) and Bella Bogart each had 1 hit. Carly Kinsler and Ashtan Vance each had 1 RBI.

“We beat a good Elizabethton team on Tuesday,” Lingerfelt said. “We went into the game with a very positive attitude after a tough loss the night before.”

The win over Elizabethton set up another matchup between UCHS and Sullivan East. To win the district, the Lady Devils had to defeat the Lady Patriots twice on Wednesday, May 8, and that is what they did.

Unfortunately, Lingerfelt was kept away from the field by illness.

“I wasn’t there, but coach Ray Webb and coach Pat Goddard stepped in a did a great job for us,” Lingerfelt said.

In the first game, UCHS survived a seventh-inning rally by East to win 7-5 and force a decisive second game. Griffith had 6 strikeouts in the win. Hawkins, Bogart (1 RBI) and Vance each had 2 hits. Selvage (1 RBI), Powers (1 RBI) and Bennett (3 RBIs) each had 1 hit. Griffith also had an RBI.

In the second game, the Lady Devils left little doubt as to which team would be the district champs.

“We came out in the first inning and got 10 runs,” Lingerfelt said.

UCHS went on to win the game – an another district crown – by a 12-6 score.

Hawkins hit 2 home runs and had 2 RBIs in the game. Chavez (2 RBIs), Griffith (1 RBI), Powers (2 RBIs) and Bogart (1 RBI) each had 2 hits in the win. Bennett (1 RBI) and Vance (2 RBIs) each had 1 hit. Griffith threw 5 strikeouts. 

After the district championship game, it was announced that Lingerfelt was named the Three Rivers Conference Coach of the Year. Hawkins was the league’s Player of the Year and Griffith was the Pitcher of the Year. Named to the All-Conference team were Kiley Bennett, Samantha Chavez, Chloe Powers, Cassie Selvage and Ashtan Vance. Bella Bogart received honorable mention honors.

Also, Hawkins was selected as the District 1-AA tournament MVP. Griffith, Bogart, Bennett and Chavez were named to the all-tournament team.

Lingerfelt said the senior players were key to the Lady Devils’ success this season.

“All of our seniors are quality kids,” he added. “They have worked hard and done a lot for our program.”

While the season didn’t end as he had hoped, Lingerfelt said it was still a success.

“We lost six starters last year and to come back and to win 35 games this year is very good,” he said. “I’m proud of what the girls did this season. I think it was a very successful season. We won 35 games; we just didn’t win the right ones. It was a good year and I was really pleased with our effort.”

Jordan Bridges was the winning pitcher for UCHS against Johnson County in the District 1-AA tournament. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

The 2019 District 1-AA tournament started off on a high note for the Unicoi County High School baseball team.

The Blue Devils (12-18) went into the tournament as the fifth seed and faced fourth seed Johnson County (12-10) on Saturday, May 4, at Milligan College. Head coach Chad Gillis saw his team jump on the Longhorns early in the game and never let up.

“I thought we played well today,” Gillis said.

The Blue Devils held a 5-0 lead before Johnson County put two runs on the scoreboard. UCHS then added two more runs and held on for a 7-2 victory.

Key to the win was the pitching performance of sophomore Jordan Bridges, according to Gillis. Bridges had 6 strikeouts and gave up 2 runs on 8 hits.

“Jordan earned his second win, this one being his biggest, against a good hitting and motivated Johnson County team,” Gillis said. “He really kept them off balance the entire game and our defense backed him up flawlessly.”

The approach by the Blue Devils at the plate was another key to the game.

“We faced a pitcher who has given everybody in the conference trouble, but we made some adjustments at the plate and got the big part of the bat to the ball a couple of times,” Gillis said.

Brett Strother was 3-4 in the win. L.J. Mitchel was 2-4. Ramon Avila, Peyton Whitson, Garrett Manuel and Bridges each had 1 hit.

Awaiting the Blue Devils in the tournament’s winner’s bracket semifinal was Elizabethton, the number one seed, on Sunday, May 5, at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Elizabethton.

Behind the pitching performance of Evan Carter, the Cyclones (22-7) defeated the Blue Devils 6-0.

“He has been dominant all year,” Gillis said of Carter. “I did like our aggressiveness tonight against him. We put the ball in play a lot more than the first time we faced him. Multiple guys in the lineup made them make plays to get us out.”

On the mound for UCHS against ‘Betsy was freshman Bryson Peterson. In his first varsity start, he gave up 6 runs on 8 hits and had 1 strikeout.

“I was really impressed with the outing from Bryson tonight,” Gillis said. “He had made some varsity relief appearances early in the season, but I thought he did well on the big stage. He held one of the hottest teams in the area to 6 runs and threw the entire game. I really liked how he approached the game and how he fought through some tough situations and made big pitches.”

The loss on Sunday sent UCHS to a do-or-die game in the losers’ bracket on Monday, May 6, against Happy Valley (9-18). The Blue Devils did what they had to do to keep their season alive.

“I thought we played well tonight,” Gillis said. “We were excited to be at the field competing.”

Avila took to the mound for UCHS on Monday.

“Ramon set the tone on the mound after giving up 1 run in the first inning,” Gillis said. “He later gets out of a jam in the second and third innings then he seems to cruise. We made some plays defensively to help. Caleb Crain made a great diving catch in the outfield to rob a base hit.”

Offensively, the Blue Devils were able to get runners on base and across the plate. Both Whitson and Strother had triples with runners on base. Manuel hit a line drive off the left field wall for an RBI.   

UCHS won the game 8-1.

Avila earned the win, his third of the season. He gave up 1 run on 6 hits and had 5 strikeouts.

Whitson, Strother, Manuel, Bridges and Avila each had 1 hit.

The Blue Devils were scheduled to face Sullivan East (15-13) on Tuesday, May 7, after The Erwin Record’s press deadline for this issue. It is a do-or-die game for both teams. East lost to Sullivan South (19-9) 6-5 on Monday.

If they defeat East, the Blue Devils will play on Wednesday, May 8, at 5 p.m. against the loser of Tuesday’s game between Elizabethton and Sullivan South. The games are being played at TVA Credit Union Ballpark.

Samantha Chavez puts the bat on the ball against Sullivan East on April 23. The sophomore’s 5 RBIs in the game helped lift the Lady Devils to the conference-clinching victory. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

Another season. Another conference crown.

The Unicoi County High School softball team clinched the Three Rivers Conference title last week with a 12-1 victory over Sullivan East on Tuesday, April 23, in Erwin.

Going into the game, the Lady Devils (30-8, 11-0) held a one-game lead over the Lady Patriots – having defeated them earlier this season in Bluff City.

“It is going to be a tough game,” UCHS head coach Grady Lingerfelt told The Erwin Record before Tuesday’s showdown.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Kiley Bennett scored on an RBI-single by Halie Hawkins to put the Lady Devils up 1-0. UCHS added another run in the bottom of the fourth when Samantha Chavez scored on an RBI-double by Ashtan Vance.

UCHS took complete control of the game in the bottom of the fifth – scoring 6 runs, including a 2-run home run by Chavez, for an 8-0 lead. Cassie Selvage, Allee Griffith and Hawkins all had RBIs in the crucial inning.

The Lady Patriots managed to score one run in the top of the sixth inning before Chavez’s 3-run home run put the game away for UCHS.

“We played well; it was a very good win,” Lingerfelt said. “Allee pitched well for us and Samantha has been hitting the ball very well.”

East was the preseason pick to win the league, but the Lady Devils had other ideas.

“We played some of our best games against East,” Lingerfelt said. “They have a very talented group of players.”

Griffith had 8 strikeouts in the win. UCHS had 12 hits at the plate. Chavez led the way with 3, including 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. Hawkins had 2 hits and 2 RBIs. Vance had 2 hits and 1 RBI. Selvage (1 RBI), Chloe Powers, Griffith (2 RBIs), Carly Kinsler and Bennett each had 1 hit.

The Lady Devils completed their clean sweep of conference opponents with a 6-2 victory at Elizabethton on Monday, April 29.

UCHS held a 3-1 lead for much of the game before scoring 3 important runs in the top of the seventh and final inning. Kinsler’s double first scored Leah Edney; then Chavez scored on a single by Vance for a 5-1 lead. Vance then scored on a double by Hawkins for a 6-1 lead.

Elizabethton tried to rally during the final at-bat, scoring one run, but the Lady Devils held them at bay.

Griffith earned the win in the circle at ‘Betsy on Monday. She had 3 hits, including a home run, and 1 RBI. Hawkins had 2 hits, including a home run, and 2 RBIs. Chavez, Kinsler (1 RBI), Bella Bogart and Bennett (1 RBI) each had 2 hits. Vance had 1 hit and 1 RBI.

The Three Rivers Conference standings are as follows: UCHS in first place at 11-0; Sullivan East in second place at 10-2; Sullivan South in third place at 8-4; Elizabethton in fifth place at 3-5; Johnson County in sixth place at 2-8; and Sullivan Central in seventh place at 1-8.

The Lady Devils will open the District 1-AA tournament on Friday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at Sullivan East. Their opponent will be determined later this week. The tournament will continue next week.

• • •

The Lady Devils played in annual Tiny Day Classic in Greeneville from Thursday, April 25, through Sunday, April 28.

They went 3-1 in pool play, defeating Cloudland, 10-1; South Greene, 9-2; and North Greene, 9-0. Their only loss in pool play came at the hands of David Crockett on Friday. In that game, UCHS trailed 4-1 going into the final inning. The Lady Devils scored two runs, thanks to a 2-RBI double by Powers, but they could not get another run across the plate. Crockett won the game 4-3.

Despite the one loss in pool play, the Lady Devils qualified for the tournament’s gold bracket with Crockett, Morristown East, Greeneville and Grainger, Lingerfelt said. They faced Greeneville in the first round of tournament play on Sunday and lost in a nailbiter.

Greeneville to a 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning, but the Lady Devils responded in the top half of the third when Vance scored on an error by the shortstop. Each team was held scoreless until the bottom of the final inning when Greeneville scored on a sacrifice-fly to win the game 2-1. The loss eliminated the Lady Devils from the tournament.

Bennett had 2 hits in the game. Hawkins, Powers and Chavez each had 1 hit.

“I thought we played pretty well,” Lingerfelt said of the Tiny Day. “Close games help you get better and playing good teams will make you better.”

L.J. Mitchell fields a ground ball at third base. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

Another regular season is almost in the books for the Unicoi County High School baseball team.

The Blue Devils (10-16, 5-7) played their last Three Rivers Conference series of the season against the Johnson County Longhorns on Tuesday, April 23, and Wednesday, April 24.

Playing in Erwin on Tuesday, the Longhorns broke open a scoreless game with a couple of timely hits in the top of the fourth inning. Compiling the problems for the Blue Devils were a couple of walks and errors.

The Blue Devils managed to put one run across the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, but that would be their only score of the game and Johnson County won 5-1.

Peyton Whitson (4-3) took the loss on the mound, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits and striking out 9.

“I thought Peyton did well outside of the fourth inning,” Blue Devil head coach Chad Gillis said.

Brett Strother was 2-4. Jordan Bridges, Whitson, Drew Keasling and L.J. Mitchell each had 1 hit.

The next day, the Longhorns bested the Blue Devils again, this time by the score of 11-5.

“We started out the game by capitalizing on their mistakes, scoring 3 in the second inning,” Gillis said. “They put together some hits in the bottom of the second to go up 4-3. We made a mental mistake to extend an inning where they ended up scoring 4 more runs.”

Metcalf took the loss on the mound. Ramon Avila, Whitson, Metcalf and Garrett Manuel had 1 hit each.

The Blue Devils finished the conference schedule in fifth place with a record of 5-7. The conference standings ended as follows: Elizabethton in first place at 12-0; Sullivan South in second at 9-3; Sullivan East in third at 8-4; Johnson County in fourth at 5-6; UCHS fifth at 5-7; Happy Valley in sixth at 1-10; and Sullivan Central in seventh at 1-11.

The District 1-AA tournament begins this week. The Blue Devils will face Johnson County on Friday, May 3, at Elizabethton Twins Field beginning at 7:30 p.m.

• • •

One of the final games of the regular season for the Blue Devils was a 3-0 non-conference loss at Dobyns-Bennett on Monday, April 29.

Metcalf took the loss on the mound, but pitched well, according to his head coach.

“Kaleb did well on the mound to hold DB to 3 runs,” Gillis said. “He gives a chance when he is on the mound.”

Unfortunately, the Blue Devils couldn’t get anything going offensively.

“We faced some Division 1 arms that we really haven’t seen this year and they put us down quick,” Gillis said. “We got some guys on base, but just couldn’t get them across the plate.”

The Blue Devils were scheduled to wrap up the regular season on Tuesday, April 30, at Science Hill.

The 2019 Unicoi County High School Lady Devil track team includes, pictured from left, back row, assistant coach Cameron Higgins, assistant coach Samuel Bratton, head coach Thad Higgins and assistant coach Bettina Chirica; middle row, Mirand Avila, Kayla Hicks, Halie Hawkins, Iliana Martinez-Lopez, Natalia Mendoza; front row, Cheyenne Wilson, Clarita Ozuna, Rachel Altemose and Cynthia Mendoza. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

The 2019 Unicoi County High School Blue Devil track team includes, pictured from left, back row, assistant coach Cameron Higgins, assistant coach Samuel Bratton, head coach Thad Higgins and assistant coach Bettina Chirica; middle row, Nathan Lincoln, Adam Lewis and Phoenix Holt; front row, Wyatt Miller, John Campbell, Danny Lowery and Kenneth Perciful. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

The Unicoi County High School track and field program has had another successful season, according to first-year head coach Thad Higgins.

The Blue Devils and Lady Devils have competed at the following meets: at Science Hill on March 18; at Volunteer on March 26; at North Buncombe on March 27; at Science Hill on April 2; at Science Hill for the Tri-Cities Classic on April 6; at the DB Texas Roadhouse Relays on April 13; and the sectional pentathlon on April 22 (only Lady Devils Halie Hawkins and Kayla Hicks competed at this meet).

“It’s incredible that we have had the amount of success that we’ve had this season,” Higgins recently told The Erwin Record. “We compete against schools that are much larger than ours, with track teams that have many more people than we do, and yet our athletes continue to place high in our meets.”

Those results include:

• John Campbell – first and second place in the 800-meter;

• Wyatt Miller – second place in the 800-meter;

• Halie Hawkins – first place in the pole vault and shot put; second place in the pole vault, shot put and discus; and third place in the pole vault;

• Natalia Mendoza – second and third place in discus;

• Kayla Hicks – first place in the 400-meter; and third place in discus;

• Cheyenne Wilson – first place in 800-meter and second place in 1600-meter;

• Rachel Altemose – second place in long jump.

“We have a much smaller guys team this year, but that hasn’t stopped them from competing at a high level,” Higgins said. “Wyatt Miller ran distance last year and cross country this past fall, but he’s stepped up and begun to pole vault. I’m very excited to see what he can do in that event over the next couple years. Likewise, we have some new faces that have stepped up and gotten out of their comfort zone. Nathan Lincoln has run wherever we’ve asked him to and has been dancing back and forth between sprinting events and mid-distance. Phoenix Holt is another one that we’ve had try almost every event. John Campbell is still running really well in the 800-meter and has even had some top finishes this season.”

The Lady Devils have also had success this season, according to their head coach.

“Our competition record really attests to the fact that our girls have been successful this season,” Higgins said. “We’ve had top finishers on the girls’ side from almost every meet this season. We’ve also already had three girls qualify for the sectional.”

Having two athletes compete in the girls’ pentathlon on April 22 was a highlight of the season.

“The girls’ pentathlon was a really fun event to get to go to this year,” Higgins said. “We don’t always have athletes who are diversified enough to compete in the event. It says a lot about the caliber of athletes we have competing this year that we took not one, but two girls – Halie and Kayla – to the sectional pentathlon.”

Throwers for both the Blue Devils and Lady Devils have had success this season, as well.

“Our throwers have also been working incredibly hard this season,” Higgins said. “They spend a lot of time separated from the rest of the team because of their event, but in spite of this, they’ve done a great job of coaching and supporting each other. Natalia Mendoza is our senior thrower and she’s done a great job of being a leader and setting a standard for a high work ethic. Kenny Perciful has even already qualified for the sectional meet.”

• • •

The teams also competed in the conference meet held at Dobyns-Bennett on Friday, April 26. They were scheduled to compete at Science Hill on Tuesday, April 30, and at the invitation-only DB Ballad Health/Tri-Cities Sports meet on Friday, May 3.

“Our athletes have been working really hard this season and I don’t expect that to stop,” Higgins said. “As we’re nearing the end of the season I believe that we’ll see even more athletes qualify for the sectional meet.

“Unfortunately, athletes don’t get to progress to the postseason if they don’t meet certain qualifying standards for each event. If they meet these standards then they can progress to the sectional meet. I’d like to take as many as possible to the sectional meet so that our athletes have a chance to qualify for the state championships.”

Jeff King (Contributed photo)

By Richard Rourk

Each year, approximately 30,000 runners travel to Massachusetts for the Boston Marathon. Among that group this year were two runners from Unicoi County – Jeff King and Jennifer Norris.

King, a Unicoi County native and assistant coach for the Unicoi County High School girls’ basketball team, decided to start running a few years ago.

“About 7 years ago, when my oldest daughter Riley was a senior in high school they had held a 5K to raise money for cancer, and I thought that was a good cause so I ran it,” King said. “I thought I was going to pass out before I could get to the finish line, and my time was around 30 minutes. I remember thinking I was so out of shape.”

According to King, he would try to run one more race to force himself to run a little more and to try to get in better shape.

“So about three months later I scheduled another 5K race and I continued to train until the race. I finished 3 minutes faster than the first 5K and I was hooked.

Green, who is a Spanish teacher at UCHS, had a similar path to Boston.

“I would watch the Boston Marathon every year and I always wanted to go, and I realized the only thing stopping me was myself, because I never thought I could be fast enough to qualify,” Green said. “After watching the race in 2017, I found a qualifying race in Cary, North Carolina, and I worked so hard to train for that marathon. I qualified for Boston at the Tobacco Road Marathon in 2018.”

For Green the qualifier changed her life.

“That was a defining moment for me, both mentally and physically,” Green said.

To prepare for the Boston Marathon King and Green had to put in serious training hours.

“For this marathon I typically ran between 60-70 miles a week,” King said. “John Hensley, my training partner, and I ran six days a week and usually on Saturday we do a pace run of 20-24 miles. We typically do a track day on Wednesday and rest of the days we just run 6-10 miles at a comfortable pace.”

Green put in a similar training schedule.

“I am a teacher and a doctoral student at ETSU, and I have two young boys; so in order to get my training runs completed and not miss their activities, I always ran in the morning before school,” Green said. “There were many, many 4 a.m. treadmill runs.”

The two finished the Boston Marathon in very humid conditions. King ran a 3:13:19, with a 7-minute, 22-second pace per mile.

“We had a big storm blow through that morning and the humidity was pretty bad, but I was still happy with my time,” King said. “My quads were cramping pretty bad at the finish.”

For Green, the event was about finishing her first Boston Marathon, not about the time.

“It was a hard day, but I put my head down and made it to the finish line,” Green said. “My ultimate goal in going to the Boston Marathon was to finish, so I am proud of that – regardless of the time.”

The experience was a once-in-a-lifetime event for the two runners.

“Boston is unlike any marathon or race I have ever been in,” King said. “It’s like running in a sea of people, but everybody was friendly and I really enjoyed the experience.”

Green’s experience was memorable as well.

“It was humbling and hard, but amazing. I boarded the bus to the starting line that morning soaked from thunderstorms; it was dumping water on my head as the temperatures reached the upper 70s during the race, and I dealt with some excruciating leg cramps during the last mile of the race,” Green said. “You cannot complete 26.2 miles without a fight, and I fought that entire race.”

King plans on returning in 2020.

“My time did qualify me for next year’s Boston Marathon,” King said. “John (Hensley) just qualified for Boston at the Knoxville Marathon so I plan on running it again with him.”

Green plans on taking a break before talking about the Boston Marathon again.

“I do not anticipate returning to Boston right away; however, I love the marathon and would like to plan a fall marathon, as well as a few half marathons,” Green said. “I am enjoying this rest time right now.”

The two runners said they enjoyed their time in Boston.

“My wife Kerri and I really enjoyed the city. There is so much history,” King said. “We toured the Freedom Trail and visited several historical sites.”

For Green the experience at the marathon was overwhelming.

“The crowds were unreal, and the streets were lined the entire 26.2 miles,” Green said. “I had never experienced crowds like this before when running a race and as soon as I crossed the finish line, I was in tears.”

Green felt all the hard work pay off as she finished the marathon.

“I had poured so much work and sacrifice into that race, crossing the finish line was overwhelming,” said.

King and Green had advice for runners who are currently training.

“I would encourage anyone thinking of running to give it a try,” King said. “My rule of thumb is that most of your training needs to be at 60 percent of your max level,” King said. “If you can’t talk you’re probably running too fast, slow down and enjoy the run.”

Green added that the marathon is achievable, and it takes hard work, but it is worth it.

“It is worth every early morning and every training run,” Green said. “The strength you gain in training for a marathon is so much more than physical.”

The two runners admitted that it takes a team to prepare a runner to compete.

“My wife has been my biggest supporter,” King said. “She is the one who I wake up at 4 a.m. when I’m doing a morning run and she goes to most of my races to support me, and sometimes she will run a 5K with me,” King said. “Both my daughters Rilie and Kenedy always brag me up, and I appreciate John running with me. We have run in 6 inches of snow, 15-20 degrees days and wind/rain. No matter the conditions he is always ready to go.”

For Green, her support system came from those closest to her.

“I could not have made it to Boston without the support and encouragement of my family, friends and everyone at Unicoi County High School,” Green said.

Daniel Raygosa chases down possession of the ball against Cocke County on April 11. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

Mistakes cost the Unicoi County High School boys soccer team in conference play last week.

Playing at Sullivan South, the Blue Devils (5-3, 2-2) fell 3-1 in a game they needed to win to improve their league standings.

“Honestly, we gave the game away with some crucial errors,” UCHS head coach Justin Ciralsky said. “We were not focused mentally. South’s team capitalized on a couple of our mistakes for two goals in the first half and then they scored a great free kick for the third.”

There were some bright spots in Kingsport last week.

“We dominated possession for the entire game, but in the second half we started playing much better,” Ciralsky said. “We scored an amazing whole team goal, and unfortunately we hit the post a few times. We weren’t able to play our game and we lost a very costly important game.”

Daniel Meza put the ball in the net for UCHS at South.

• • •

The Blue Devils rebounded from the loss to claim a 6-1 victory over Cocke County on Thursday, April 11, in Erwin.

“The game against Cocke County was much better,” Ciralsky said. “They moved the ball well and played with more heart and focus. The JV boys played much of the game and did well.”

Scoring for the Blue Devils in this game was Armando Saldana, Martin Porras and Matt Hensley.

Ciralsky said his team needs to keep focused as the postseason approaches.

“If we don’t play with heart and focus on doing the little things well, than we won’t be successful during the remainder of the season,” he added. “If we can come together and play our game, then I think we have the possibility of making it through the regional tournament. We will see; it’s up to the players.”

• • •

The Blue Devils hosted Elizabethton on Tuesday, April 16, after The Erwin Record’s press deadline for this issue. That was another game the team needed to win to stay near the top of the league standings.

“We needed to win the South game to secure second or third going into the tournament and because of the loss we must beat a strong Elizabethton team for a chance at second or third,” Ciralsky said.

They are also scheduled to host Chuckey-Doak on Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m.

Garrett Manuel makes contact at the plate against Mt. Heritage on April 11. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

The Unicoi County High School baseball team earned three victories last week, including two important Three Rivers Conference wins.

On Wednesday, April 10, the Blue Devils (10-11, 5-4) traveled to Sullivan Central (1-13, 1-9) for a conference doubleheader with the Cougars. Head coach Chad Gillis’ team won the first game, 11-3.

“This was a good win coming off a tough weekend,” Gillis told The Erwin Record.

The Blue Devils started the game slowly, but came alive late in the game.

“We came out with a lack of enthusiasm, but put it together in the end to get a good conference win,” Gillis said. “We ended the night with nine hits, most coming late in the game. It was good to see us putting up some crooked numbers in this one.”

Keaton Casey (3-2) was the winning pitcher for UCHS. The senior allowed 4 hits and struck out 6. Kaleb Metcalf came on in relief and closed out the game.

Peyton Whitson (2-4 with 2 RBIs) and Brett Strother (2 hits, including a home run, and 5 RBIs) led the way at the plate.

Caleb Crain, Drew Keasling, Ramon Avila and Metcalf each had 1 hit.

In the second tilt of the evening, Whitson (4-1) turned in a commanding performance on the mound – throwing a complete game with 16 strikeouts – and led the Blue Devils to a 6-1 win.

“We came out with a little more energy in the second game,” Gillis said. “Peyton gave us another dominating performance on the mound and just went after their hitters. Peyton has been very successful this year and gives us a chance every time he gets on the mound. He fills the zone up and keeps the defense on their toes. Peyton deserves his success because he earned it in the offseason. We just seem to play better when he is on the mound.”

The UCHS defense backed up Whitson, as well.

“Defensively, we made the routine plays to get us in and out quickly most innings and that was good to see,” Gillis said.

Whitson had 2 hits and 2 RBIs in the victory. Crain also had 2 hits. Casey, Strother, Keasling and Metcalf each had 1 hit.

• • •

The Blue Devils took an early lead and held on for an 11-4 victory over Mt. Heritage (North Carolina) on Thursday, April 11, at Baxter Field in Erwin.

“We scored seven runs in the first two innings, but gave up three in the second inning,” Gillis said. “We were getting guys on base with walks and getting timely hits by multiple kids throughout the lineup. This was a slow game with a lot of walks and freebies all around. I felt like we may have lost some intensity late in the game, but we got the win.”

Avila (2-0) was the winning pitcher for the Blue Devils. He threw 6 innings and had 3 strikeouts. Crain pitched an inning in relief.

“Ramon didn’t have his best stuff today, but he found a way to make it work,” Gillis said.

Casey, Crain, Strother, Keasling, Metcalf, Avila and L.J. Mitchell each had 1 hit.

• • •

The Blue Devils won a nailbiter at Cherokee (9-11) on Saturday, April 13.

“This was a very quick game because both teams really struggled to hit the opposing pitchers,” Gillis said.

Sophomore Jordan Bridges was on the mound for UCHS and earned his first varsity win.   

“Jordan started for us today and did a tremendous job,” Gillis said. “He really kept them off balance and continuously got fly ball/ground ball outs. Jordan has really improved the last two weeks. He has given us a chance to win in the last two games he has started.”

The Blue Devil defense also turned in another solid outing.

“Defensively, we didn’t have any errors and made every play in this game,” Gillis said.

While things were going well defensively, the Blue Devil offense couldn’t get anything going.

“We had a couple of chances to score midway through the game, but we just couldn’t get that timely hit,” Gillis said.

In the end, it was Mitchell who came through.

“In the top of the seventh inning, L.J. hit an eventual game-winning solo home run,” Gillis said. “I was really excited that L.J. had that big hit to put us up. That was his first home run for the season and it was a big one.”

The Blue Devils won the non-conference game 1-0.

Bridges gave up two hits and no runs with 4 strikeouts in the win. He also had 1 hit. Casey, Crain, Whitson, Avila and Mitchell all had 1 hit.

• • •

The Blue Devils traveled to Elizabethton for a conference game on Monday, April 15, and hosted Elizabethton on Tuesday, April 16, after The Erwin Record’s press deadline for this issue.

They are scheduled to host Wolcott High School at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, and Jefferson County on Saturday, April 20, at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils will return to conference play when they travel to Johnson County on Monday, April 22, at 5 p.m. and play host to Johnson County on Tuesday, April 23, at 5 p.m.

Caleb Crain makes a throw to first base. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Keeli Parkey)

By Keeli Parkey

The Unicoi County High School baseball team opened last week with a Three Rivers Conference victory, then battled AAA teams in a local tournament.

Playing at home on Tuesday, April 2, the Blue Devils (6-10, 3-3) relied on their offense to defeat conference foe Happy Valley (5-10, 1-7) by a score of 11-6.

“Any conference win is a good win, but we gave them too many chances in this one,” UCHS head coach Chad Gillis said. “We gave up too many walks and hit batters. Luckily, we provided enough offense to pull it out.”

A four-run inning led by Blue Devils Drew Keasling, L.J. Mitchell and Ramon Avila gave UCHS a 4-3 lead. UCHS added two more runs on a two-out hit by Peyton Whitson.

“We held them scoreless in the third and scored three more runs with Keasling starting off the inning again,” Gillis said. “I was proud of the way Casey, Caleb Crain, Drew, L.J., Ramon and Jordan Brigdes played offensively. These guys were on it tonight and carried us with their bats. We are still making mistakes that we shouldn’t be making at this point in the season, but we are improving with every game we play.”

Casey (2-2) was the winning pitcher for the Blue Devils against Happy Valley. He gave up 4 hits, 5 runs and had 6 strikeouts. Avila came on in relief for two innings giving up one run and had 4 strikeouts.

Casey was 2-3 with 3 RBIs in the win. Crain was 3-4 with 3 RBIs. Keasling was 2-2. Mitchell was 3-3 with 3 runs scored. Avila was 2-4.

• • •

From Thursday, April 4, through Saturday, April 6, the Blue Devils competed in the Tribe Classic hosted by Dobyns-Bennett.

Up first for UCHS was Science Hill (10-7) in Johnson City on Thursday. Unable to get hits when they needed them, the Blue Devils fell to the Hilltoppers, 6-1.

“There are a lot of positives to pull from this loss,” Gillis said. “First, Kaleb Metcalf is proving to be consistent on the mound with his performances. The score does not do his outing justice.  Kaleb kept them off balance and frustrated most of the night. One kid really had Kaleb’s number tonight and he had 4 of their 6 RBIs.

“I thought Kaleb did a great job, along with our defense,” Gillis continued. “We had guys diving all over the field and wanting to make plays defensively. We had opportunities to score in both the first and second innings, but couldn’t get that big hit when we needed it. I’m proud of how we played and we are getting better with every game.”

Metcalf took the loss for the Blue Devils. He also went 1-3 at the plate.

Casey was 2-3 at the plate. Brett Strother and Keasling each had 1 hit.

On Friday, the Blue Devils earned a 7-0 victory over Knox Karns (12-7) at Dobyns-Bennett in Kingsport.

“We played well Friday against Karns,” Gillis said. “It was good to see the team bounce back after losing to Science HIll on Thursday.”

Avila set the tone of the mound, getting his first win of the season.

“Karns was another good team that just couldn’t get anything going offensively against Avila,” Gillis said. “He really kept them off balance all night, which produced a lot of fly ball/ground ball outs. Drew Keasling also threw out two runners from behind the plate.”

Patience at the plate was key to the win.

“Offensively, we were drawing multiple walks and then getting a big hit which scored multiple runs,” Gillis said.

Whitson was 3-4 at the plate in the victory. Strother was 3-5. Metcalf was 2-2. Keasling was 1-2.

The Blue Devils opened play on Saturday with a 12-0 loss to David Crockett (5-10) at Dobyns-Bennett.

Crain took the loss for UCHS and was 1-2 at the plate. Darren Soulier was 1-1.

Later on Saturday, the Blue Devils lost 5-1 to tournament host Dobyns-Bennett (11-7) in Kingsport.

Bridges took the loss for UCHS.

“I was really proud of Jordan’s effort on the mound,” Gillis said. “He battled hard for 6 innings and consistently held off DB’s rallies.”

Casey, Metcalf, Garrett Manuel and Avila each had 1 hit in the loss.

• • •

The Blue Devils currently sit at fourth place in the Three Rivers Conference standings. Elizabethton (13-4) is in first place at 6-0; Sullivan East (9-8) is in second place at 6-2; Sullivan South (11-4) is in third place at 5-1; Unicoi County (6-10) is in fourth place at 3-3; Johnson County (5-5) is in fifth place at 2-4; Happy Valley (5-10) and Sullivan Central (1-11) are tied for sixth place at 1-7.

UCHS is scheduled to travel to Sullivan Central for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 10, beginning at 5 p.m. The Blue Devils are scheduled to host Mt. Heritage on Thursday, April 11, at 4:30 p.m. and travel to Cherokee on Saturday, April 13, 2:30 p.m. They will travel to Elizabethton on Monday, April 15, for an in-school game and will host Elizabethton at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.

The 2019 Unicoi County Middle School golf program includes, pictured from left, back row, head coach Gene Renfro, Luke Berry, Caleb Peterson and Noah Jones; front row, Hayden Hottinger, Kameron Bell, Carson Woodward and Leslie Calain; not pictured, Eli Bratton and Noat Attaway. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Keeli Parkey

For the first time, students at Unicoi County Middle School have the chance to hit the links for their school.

“The program was started to give an opportunity for student-athletes at the middle school level a chance to play a new sport and help build the program for the high school as well,” said UCMS head coach Gene Renfro.

Matches began last month and Renfro, who is also the head coach of the Unicoi County High School golf program, likes what he sees from his Jr. Blue Devil and Jr. Lady Devil golfers.

“(The season) has gone well,” Renfro said. “There has been a lot of learning and improvements by everyone. For the amount of golf played by everyone before the season, the progress has been noticeable.”

Playing for the Jr. Blue Devils this season are Eli Bratton, Noah Attaway, Luke Berry, Caleb Peterson, Noah Jones, Hayden Hottinger, Kameron Bell and Carson Woodward. Playing for the Jr. Lady Devil team is Leslie Calain.

Renfro also said the middle school program will be an asset to the golf program at the high school.

“The teaching of the game at UCMS will help as the student-athletes come to UCHS to play to be prepared more quickly,” Renfro said. “Hopefully, it makes the program better as a whole.”

School officials and a local golf course have been key supporters of the new program, according to the head coach.

“I would like to thank the administration for adding the sport and the Erwin Elks for use of their facilities for practice and matches,” Renfro said.

The next match for the UCMS golfers is scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at Warriors Path.