Tuesday Roundup: New doubles pairings lead Lady Raiders past Knights

BONNE TERRE – North County tennis teammates Lauren Politte and Lucy Pace stood across the net from one another while competing for the Class 1 state doubles title last season.

Now the top two returning singles players in the MAAA conference, they are adjusting to new doubles partners, and results have been positive through two outings.

North County began defense of its regular-season championship on Tuesday against a short-handed Farmington lineup, and cruised to an 8-1 triumph.

Politte was joined by Alli Scott for an 8-1 win against Abigail Thurman and Abbie Wigger, while Pace and Camille Skaggs vanquished Olivia Lugo and Addison Waller-Brenneke by the identical margin.

No. 3 tandem Kinley Tracy and Mariah Coonce recovered from a blown two-break lead against Peyton Cleve and Tessa Hand, and prevailed 8-6 to complete a doubles sweep.

Politte used steady speed and deep placement to carry the No. 1 singles match 8-3 against Thurman, whose forehand cross-court winner on the run marked a highlight in defeat.

Thurman was elevated into the top spot with the Knights lacking senior Diep Phan, who will soon become eligible after missing part of the preseason for an overseas academic endeavor.

Annabelle DeVoto attempted to tough out an already injured ankle after skipping the doubles phase, a task made more difficult by having Pace as her singles opponent.

Pace rode her aggressive first serve and superior mobility to a 6-0 lead, and DeVoto wisely opted to retire and avoid further risk after yielding a third service break.

Skaggs continued a strong afternoon by topping Olivia Lugo 8-1. Scott held off Wigger 8-5 and Coonce downed Cleve 8-4 as North County (2-0, 1-0) claimed five singles contests.

Farmington (0-1, 0-1) averted a team shutout as Waller-Brenneke outlasted Tracy 8-5 in a No. 5 match that featured an abundance of shorter rallies.

Cleve and Hand trailed their doubles match 1-4 before securing five of the next six games. A clutch baseline return by Cleve earned a tying break before Hand served them into a 6-5 lead.

The Lady Raiders refocused at the changeover, and capitalized on a double fault to break back at 7-6. A serve up the middle by Tracy led to an alert putaway by Coonce at match point.

Singles Results:

1. Lauren Politte (NC) def. Abigail Thurman, 8-3

2. Lucy Pace (NC) def. Annabelle DeVoto, 6-0, retired

3. Alli Scott (NC) def. Abbie Wigger, 8-5

4. Camille Skaggs (NC) def. Olivia Lugo, 8-1

5. Addison Waller-Brenneke (FA) def. Kinley Tracy, 8-5

6. Mariah Coonce (NC) def. Peyton Cleve, 8-4

Doubles Results:

1. Politte/Scott (NC) def. Thurman/Wigger, 8-1

2. Pace/Skaggs (NC) def. Lugo/Waller-Brenneke, 8-1

3. Tracy/Coonce (NC) def. Cleve/Hand, 8-6

Potosi 5, Fredericktown 4

FREDERICKTOWN – Tori Krebs and Lani Elder secured a crucial tiebreaker at the No. 1 ranking while helping Potosi sweep the doubles stage on Tuesday.

Sydney Bell and Emiley Geen responded with subsequent singles wins for Fredericktown, but the visiting Lady Trojans emerged with a 5-4 decision.

Gracie Lawson and Kya Gibson triumphed 8-4, and Jessica Littrell joined Kensington Davies to roll 8-3. Littrell and Gibson added 8-1 singles victories for Potosi (1-0).

Clara Basden and varsity newcomer Sarianah West gave Fredericktown (0-1) a singles majority.

Singles Results:

1. Sydney Bell (FR) def. Tori Krebs, 8-2

2. Emiley Geen (FR) def. Lani Elder, 9-8 (2)

3. Jessica Littrell (P) def. Grace Lewis, 8-1

4. Clara Basden (FR) def. Gracie Lawson, 8-4

5. Kya Gibson (P) def. Danielle West, 8-1

6. Sarianah West (FR) def. Lauren Farrow, 8-1

Doubles Results:

1. Krebs/Elders (P) def. Bell/Geen, 9-8 (4)

2. Lawson/Gibson (P) def. Lewis/Basden, 8-4

3. Littrell/Davies (P) def. D West/S West, 8-3

Arcadia Valley 5, Saxony Lutheran 4

JACKSON, Mo. – Lily Pursley won her singles and doubles matches, and Arcadia Valley improved to 2-0 on the girls tennis season after edging Saxony Lutheran 5-4 on Tuesday.

Alyssa Glanzer, Elena Lara and Pursley triumphed in singles action for the Lady Tigers.

Maddie Coles paired with Lily Pursley, and Riley Brogan teamed with Reese Brogan to give a majority in the earlier doubles phase.

SOFTBALL

Farmington 17, Festus 1

FESTUS, Mo. – Angelia Davis, Jayce Jarvis and Jayden Tucker each belted home runs, and the Farmington softball team routed Festus 17-1 on Tuesday.

Shelby Bowling had a team-high four RBI while going 2-for-3 with a double, and Jarvis scored four times during a 3-for-4 performance with two RBI.

Tucker tallied three hits and three RBI. Anna McKinney was 1-for-1 with an RBI and run scored, while Elly Robbins and Davis each scored three runs.

Avery Graham pitched a dominant five-inning one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and two walks allowed. She also ripped a double at the plate for Farmington (4-2).

Leadoff batter Anna Arman had the lone Festus (0-1) hit with a triple.

Seckman 11, North County 1

IMPERIAL, Mo. – Claire Knoll limited the North County lineup to one run on seven hits while striking out eight, and Seckman pulled away for an 11-1 victory on Tuesday.

Emma Maness doubled twice and Josie Lindsey, Audrey Davis and Grace Deen added two hits each for the Jaguars, who scored eight times in the fifth inning to end the contest early.

North County (0-1) committed four errors during its delayed season opener. Sammi Waller allowed six earned runs on 10 hits and three walks while collecting three strikeouts over four frames in the loss.

Zoey Cheek finished 2-for-3, and Madi Pyeatt provided an RBI single and walk to lead the Lady Raiders. Makenna Pierce, Autumn Bullock and Amy Layton also had hits.

VOLLEYBALL

Potosi 3, Union 2

POTOSI – Sophomore middle hitter Ava Robart spiked 18 kills and added four blocks on Tuesday as the Potosi volleyball team stormed back to overtake Union 8-25, 22-25, 25-10, 25-20, 15-7.

Senior setter Kadence Sadler compiled 39 assists and six digs, and Audrey Neel totaled 25 service points plus nine digs and four kills in the five-set season opener.

Paige West and Blair Sitton bolstered the offense for Potosi (1-0) with 10 kills apiece. West also picked up five digs, and Sitton executed two blocks.

Farmington 3, Notre Dame 0

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Farmington head coach Haley Baker described the showing by her team as “phenomenal” on Tuesday evening, and the final score supported her claim.

Jelena Gray delivered 15 kills, 10 digs and three blocks, and Grace Duncan made a team-high 15 digs as the visiting Knights walloped Notre Dame 25-8, 25-13, 25-9.

Sophomore Maddie Mills provided a major defensive spark with seven blocks while putting down five kills, and Jade Roth added eight kills with two blocks and three service aces.

Farmington (4-2) received 13 digs along the back row from Brynn Johnson. Emily Bauer dished out 15 assists, and Cheyenne Strohkirch contributed 10 more.

The Knights will face Festus for their home opener on Thursday.

Dexter 3, Arcadia Valley 0

DEXTER, Mo. – Cate Newstead-Adams connected on six kills and made eight digs, but Arcadia Valley collectively struggled on Tuesday as Dexter rolled 25-19, 25-10, 25-14.

Hannah Tripp posted four kills, four digs and six service points for the Lady Tigers. Paige Newstead-Adams had eight assists with seven digs, and Taylor Lorenz totaled seven assists plus five digs.

Arcadia Valley (0-1) picked up 10 digs from senior Riley Brogan, who played a tennis doubles match earlier in the day at Saxony Lutheran.

Ste. Genevieve 3, Festus 2

STE. GENEVIEVE – Dru Koetting remained steady with 21 kills, nine digs and two aces on Tuesday as Ste. Genevieve topped Festus 25-20, 25-23, 20-25, 9-25, 15-10 after wasting a two-set advantage.

Arie Taylor produced all around the court with 10 kills, 14 digs and two aces, while outside hitter Tessa Grass knocked down nine kills and made five digs for Ste. Genevieve (1-1).

Senior libero Maya Watts paced the defense with 17 digs while serving three aces, and setter Joleigh Parker amassed 30 assists with eight digs and two blocks.

The Dragons were further helped by 10 assists and six digs from Devyn Basler, plus seven digs from Lexy Parmer. Alli Byington picked up nine digs, and equaled Hope Schmelzle with three kills each.

De Soto 3, Bismarck 0

BISMARCK – De Soto pounced on host Bismarck in the first set by running a quick offense, and earned a 25-7, 25-17, 25-20 volleyball sweep on Tuesday.

Ashley Hawkins and Jada Dickey sent down nine kills each for Bismarck (0-1) during its season opener.

Alyssa Brake and Ashley Hawkins shared team-high honors with five blocks.

CROSS COUNTRY

Fleet Feet Kickoff

ARNOLD, Mo. – The Farmington girls placed fourth out of 15 varsity teams, and the boys stacked up sixth among 23 at the Fleet Feet Kickoff cross country meet on Tuesday.

Temperatures in the upper 80s tested runners, many of whom participating in their first race of the season, on the abbreviated two-mile course at Arnold City Park.

Josh Allison paced Hillsboro to the boys team title after turning the fastest time of 9:37. Emily Willman (12:06) of Sullivan was the girls individual champion as Eureka claimed team honors.

Farmington emerged with four varsity medalists, earned by placing within the top 30. Evan Fuller (10:33) crossed 14th overall out of 184 boys, while Caden Mungle (10:56) narrowly missed the medal cut by one position.

Chloe Wood (12:35) took 13th in the girls competition, followed by Knights teammates Aiden Moriarty (13:02) and Brooke-Lyn Forman (13:08).

Stone Gill (10:35) highlighted the meet for Arcadia Valley in 17th place. Emma Dettmer (13:20) was 34th representing the Lady Tigers.

BASEBALL

Bismarck 8, Arcadia Valley 3

IRONTON – Garrett Mork compiled 10 strikeouts while scattering six hits over 6 2/3 innings on Tuesday, and Bismarck topped Arcadia Valley 8-3 in fall baseball action.

Mork also starred at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three RBI, and gave the Indians a 4-0 advantage with a two-run single in the second inning.

Lucas Dickey finished 2-for-3 with a double while Gage Grounds, Carter Hedrick and Joey Randazzo each added singles for Bismarck. Jesse Mack picked up the final out in relief.

Colin Whited suffered the loss for Arcadia Valley after yielding five runs on six hits and five walks while fanning seven over 4 2/3 innings.

Bismarck picked up three unearned runs off Alex Nash in the sixth to extend a 4-1 lead.

Jackson Dement and Whited paced the Tigers offensively at 2-for-4. Wyatt Smith and Nash chipped in doubles while Ralph Salinas, Nolan Inman and Dawson Boessing singled.

North County junior Camille Skaggs hits a forehand return during doubles tennis action against Farmington on Tuesday in Bonne Terre. 

Farmington junior Addison Waller-Brenneke hits a backhand return during singles tennis action against Farmington on Tuesday in Bonne Terre. 

North County junior Lucy Pace hits a forehand return during singles tennis action against Farmington on Tuesday in Bonne Terre. 

Farmington senior Abigail Thurman serves during singles tennis action against North County on Tuesday in Bonne Terre. 

North County senior Lauren Politte hits a return while approaching the net during singles tennis action against Farmington on Tuesday in Bonne Terre. 

Farmington senior Olivia Lugo charges toward a short volley during singles tennis action against North County on Tuesday in Bonne Terre.