The Grand County High School boys tennis team began its season taking seventh among 14 teams at a tournament in St. George, which took place Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16, while other spring sports games are well underway.
The Red Devils won two out of five team matches over the two-day tennis tournament, defeating Juab 3-2 in their first match on Friday, March 15, and then losing 5-0 to Bonneville, before beating Hunter 3-2. In matches on Saturday, March 16, GCHS again lost 5-0 to Bonneville before losing 4-1 to Morgan to conclude the tournament.
Kai Wainer played No. 1 tennis singles in all five matches, going 3-2 with both losses to Bonneville. Kasey Kemp played four matches in No. 2 singles, going 2-2 with both losses to Bonneville. Hayden Lance played No. 2 singles versus Morgan, losing 4-6, 5-7.
In No. 3 singles, Cody Johnston went 2-2, falling to Bonneville twice, while versus Morgan, Jamey Mascaro lost 1-6, 0-6.
GCHS was missing its No. 1 doubles team, coach Skylar Johnson said. In its place, Lance and Mascaro went 0-4 and Kemp and Johnston went 0-1. The Red Devils were also winless in No. 2 doubles.
“Our first singles position played really well,” Johnson said. “We were missing our first doubles team, but our other doubles stepped it up and got much-needed experience.”
SPRING SPORTS UPDATES
GCHS’ other spring sports teams also continued gathering experience, as on Tuesday, March 14, in Monroe, the boys soccer team beat South Sevier 8-0. Also in the Sevier Valley, the girls golf team competed at the Cove View golf course for the first of two times this season.
Red Devil baseball had a rough go in a double header versus Emery on Wednesday, March 13, in Castle Dale, losing 15-5 and 12-6. In the first game, the Red Devils were done in by a six-run second inning and an eight-run fifth inning, which activated the mercy rule, in which the game ends early when a team is leading by 10 or more runs after at least five innings.
The Spartans took advantage of their opportunities, scoring 15 of their 19 base-runners. Bright spots for GCHS were Luke Williams and Macray Ellis, who each had two hits. Brody Williams took the loss on the mound.
The Spartans picked up where they left off in game two, scoring six runs in the first inning en route to a 12-6 win. Trevin Packard had two runs batted in in the loss. Brayden Cloud was the losing pitcher.
The softball team had better fortunes on the diamond, beating Emery 5-3 in Moab on Tuesday, March 12, before splitting a double header at Manti on Friday, March 15, winning the first game 3-1 and losing the second 11-4. Paige Shumway was the winning pitcher in game one, striking out five batters in five innings. Jaci Shumway came through offensively with two runs batted in.
GCHS jumped out to a 4-run lead in the top of the first inning of game two, but didn’t score the rest of the game as Manti hung 11 runs on the Lady Red Devils. Lainey Bohannon had a triple and two runs batted in, while Paige Shumway had two hits, including a double.
With the exception of boys soccer, each team plays the bulk of next week’s schedule on the road. The boys soccer team was scheduled a road match at North Sanpete on Tuesday, March 19, before three straight at home — versus Emery on Thursday, March 21; Carbon on Friday, March 22; and San Juan on Wednesday, March 27 — with each varsity match beginning at 4 p.m.
The baseball team was scheduled to host Monticello on Wednesday, March 20, but next hits the road for a double-header at Manti on Monday, March 25, at 2 and 4 p.m. Meanwhile, the softball team plays at Emery on Thursday, March 21, and at San Juan on Tuesday, March 26, with each game beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The boys tennis team heads to Richfield and Monroe for matches at 10:30 a.m. versus the Wildcats, and 3:30 p.m. versus the Rams, on Tuesday, March 26, before hosting San Juan on Thursday, March 28, at 3:30 p.m. The girls golf team heads to the Palisades Golf Course in Sterling on Thursday, March 21, at 11 a.m., before returning to Cove View on Tuesday, March 26, at 11 a.m.
The track and field team returns to action at the Carbon Invitational on Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m.
“Our first singles position played really well.”
Spring sports continue early-season action
When: GCHS versus Emery on Thursday, March 21, at 4 p.m.; versus Carbon on Friday, March 22, at 4 p.m.; versus San Juan on Wednesday, March 27, at 4 p.m.
Where: GCHS, 608 S. 400 East
