The J.Z. George baseball team closed out its 2023 season by winning three of its last four games.
The Jaguars, who finished 4-9 overall and 3-7 in Region 2-2A, defeated Charleston High School 18-13 in the first game of a doubleheader on April 17. The visiting Tigers forfeited the second game.
Dylan Nobles (2-6) got the win on the mound. Colten Acy, Mike Thomas and Gavin Sandifer had two singles each.
The Jaguars then pulled out a thrilling 18-17 victory over Leflore County in eight innings when Ashton Thomas raced home from third base on a passed ball with the winning run.
“The last two or three weeks, these kids have battled through adversity and have wanted to play baseball,” said J.Z. George head coach Tony Banks. “We had that one bad inning where we couldn’t pick up a baseball and make the outs. We made this game interesting with our miscues in the field.
“I am so proud of this bunch of kids. They have wanted to practice and learn this game more and more. That’s been encouraging to me. Their excitement at the end of the game made it worth it all.”
Sandifer, who pitched eight innings for the Jaguars, started the bottom of the eighth by getting on base on a fielding error by Leflore. Thomas was brought in as a courtesy runner and took second on a wild pitch. Colten Acy drew a walk, and a passed ball moved both runners up 90 feet. Michael Thomas also walked to load the bases. Two pitches in to Kaleb Mulvhill and A. Thomas raced home with the winning run.
Sandifer (1-0) allowed all 17 runs on eight hits, walking 10 and striking out five. He hit two batters.
The Jaguars scored all of their runs on only three hits. Keiyhaun Wilks had a single and two-run double, and B.J. Williams had a single. J.Z. George took advantage of 13 walks, 11 hit batsmen and seven errors by the Tigers.
J.Z. George closed out with a 17-1 loss to Calhoun City last Thursday.
J.Z. George softball
The Lady Jaguars picked up their third win of the season with a 17-1 triumph over visiting Holmes County Central Monday in North Carrollton.
J.Z. George scored two runs in the first inning, nine in the second and six in the third. Holmes plated one run in the second.
Saralyn Roberts got the win in the circle as she struck out five. At the plate, she had a single and triple.
Rylan Hancock had two singles, and Abby Clardy had two singles and scored two runs. Tamya Robinson had two singles and scored a run, and Hollie Jones had a double and scored a run. Kaylee Wilkinson had a single and scored a run.
The Lady Jags (3-16) closed out their season last Tuesday with a 17-5 loss to Leake County. J.Z. George scored five runs in the fourth inning. Leake tallied nine runs in the first, two runs each in the second and third innings and four in the fourth.
Dakiya Robinson, Cady Jones and Seniya Harbin all scored in the fourth after reaching on walks. Kaylee Wilkinson had a single, and Roberts and Jones had an RBI each.
J.Z. George archery
The J.Z. George High School archery team shot 2,955 at the AIMS Class 2A division of the state competition last Wednesday at the Kirk Fordice Equine Center in Jackson.
The Jaguars finished third overall in 2A. Mize was first with 3,280 points, and Our Lady Academy came in second with 2,970 points.
The top four male and female scores, and the next four highest scores, are used to get the final team score.
The top four males were Dustin Dickerson (269), Mason James (266), Brayden Counts (259) and Wyatt Goss (253). The top four females were Gallaxie Little (272), Christin Bankston (254), Emma Coy Boyles (235) and Madison Chenault (234).
The next four highest were Jaxson Mulvhill (234), Joshua Fleming (227), Zachary Givens (227) and Kelton Sanders (225).
Others who competed for J.Z. George were Eli Miley (224), AbbyGail Clardy (216), Jayden Stewart (214), Jakilya Ghoston (195), Shy’era Hemphill (169) and Makayla Cobbins (115).
The J.Z. George middle school team competed in the AIMS Class 2A division for middle school teams. The Jaguars shot 2,498, which trailed first-place Mantachie’s 3,109 points.
The top four males for J.Z. George were Keldon Blackmon (237), Wesley Wilbanks (230), Jaelynn Foreman (221) and Jaylon Normal (218). The top four females were Ava Hollis (242), Bella Jones (225), Christyn Earnest (224) and Karen Favela (211).
Others who competed were D’Andre Jones (161), Alahna Daves (159) and Ashfurd Trowbridge (159).
J.Z. George track
The Jaguars placed fifth with 32 points at the Region 2-2A meet held last Tuesday at Winona High School. The Lady Jaguars came in eighth with 16 points in the girls division.
The top four in each event move on to the North 2A meet Friday at Potts Camp High School.
Here’s how the J.Z. George boys fared:
200m dash - Jay James, sixth, 23.92; 400m dash - Jeremiah Williams, fourth, 54.49, Martavis Banks, sixth, 55.17; 1600m run - Jeremy Rias, fifth, 5:39; 4-by-100 relay - fifth, 46.28; 4-by-200 relay - eighth, 1:37.53; 4-by-400 relay - third, 3:37; 4-by-800 relay - fourth, 9:28; long jump - Jemarus Yates, fifth, 17-10.75; triple jump - Nehemiah Williams, seventh, 36-02.50; shot put - Rias, first, 41-04.
Here’s how the J.Z. George girls fared:
100m dash - JaMiya Leahman, fourth, 12.92; 4-by-100 relay - fourth, 54.64; 4-by-200 relay - fourth, 1:58.62; long jump - Leahman, fourth, 14-08.75.
