GISA Sports Roundup: Lady Hawks volleyball growing up fast
From Staff Reportssports@newnan.com
Playing the second of back-to-back matches over consecutive days, The Heritage School’s girls varsity volleyball team continued to showcase the growth of its fledgling program on Tuesday in a loss at home against Calvary Christian, the No. 2-ranked lineup behind Trinity Christian among Class AAA schools.
Coming off a hard-fought, five-set victory over Oak Mountain on Monday, the Lady Hawks made Calvary work for a 25-20, 25-17, 25-17 victory. Heritage School, with a lineup dominated by freshmen and sophomores, held its own against a veteran lineup on Tuesday.
Over the past week, the Lady Hawks have put together their first region victory in a four-game effort over Stratford at home last Thursday. Heritage School's only losses have come to Calvary and Trinity Christian, the top-two programs in the GISA.
A win Monday over Oak Mountain gave Heritage School its second consecutive victory during an afternoon where its middle school squad also picked up a win. Setter Allie Browning led the 25-22, 14-25, 15-5 middle school effort. The varsity rallied to hold off the Lady Warriors 15-25, 25-10, 17-25, 25-21, 15-12 behind six kills from both Emily Taylor and Abbie Duke. Monique Renaud had nine aces while leading the varsity in digs.
Both the Lady Hawks JV and varsity lineups defeated Stratford last week. Maggie Crosby served 33 points in the JV’s 25-13, 22-25, 15-10 victory. Heritage School's varsity, meanwhile, received a team effort that included four aces from both Hallie Hunt and Isa Gutierrez. Renaud led the defensive effort and Hailey Pierce finished with a team-high eight kills.
CROSS COUNTRY
The Heritage School’s boys cross-country team, ranked third in this week’s GISA poll, put together an impressive effort at last Saturday’s Lion’s Prowl meet at Loganville Christian, with junior Josh Mattingly winning the event while leading three Hawks among the top-four finishers.
Sophomore Ruthie Powell led the Lady Hawks by winning the girls event in 21:58 while Heritage School's only other runner, senior Mackenzie York, placed sixth overall.
Among boys, Mattingly crossed with a time of 18:38, more than a minute ahead of second-place finisher, Mill Springs sophomore Devin Hazzard.
Fellow Hawks junior runners John Dean Uglum (19:44) and Tanner Brandner (19:47) finished together in third and fourth place, respectively, less than three seconds apart. Teammate David Martin, a sophomore, also crossed among the top-10 in seventh position in 20:11, while Tom Pattiz’s 12th-place finish capped off a first-place team finish with 27 points, well ahead of Mill Springs (56) and host Loganville Christian (108).
Nine schools participated at the meet including Trinity Christian, which finished eighth. Other Hawks finishers included sophomore Tristin Stoffle (30th, 21:27), senior Donald Breyne (33rd, 23:31), sophomore Tripp Brown (36th, 23:41) and freshman Gage Warren (42nd, 24:00).
Trinity Christian was led by freshman Ben Peacock (25th, 22:29) and junior Daniel Leuhm (28th, 22:48). Freshman Alex Rhodes placed 32nd in 23:25 and sophomore Caleb Nixon also finished among the top-50 in 24:42, placing 47th.
The Lady Lions placed second among four teams behind only Holy Spirit in a five-point difference between the top-two lineups. Freshman Nicole Zaubi led Trinity’s girls while placing third in 24:21.
Senior Hannah Miller (26:44) and Brook Koller (28:25) finished eighth and 10th, respectively. Senior Skylar Lamb (17th) and junior Maddie Chapman (21st) completed the Lady Lions’ scoring.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Both Heritage School's middle and lower school football teams travel to Flint River Academy today after splitting games last week at home against Griffin Christian.
The Hawks middle school team dominated in a 33-6 victory that included touchdowns from Chase Evans, Kirby Arnall and Tommy Nell to take a 21-0 halftime lead. Hamp Smith, who added a two-point conversion on Heritage School's opening score, ran back the second-half kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown and Will Haugen added a late score before the end of the third quarter to push a 33-0 lead.
Evans scored his touchdown on a 25-yard run and Arnall scampered 35 yards on an option-keeper at quarterback. Nell’s touchdown came from 5-yards out.
Jake Trammell led the Hawks’ defensive effort while also adding several big gains from his fullback position on offense.
Heritage School's lower school team lost to Griffin Christian 12-0.
