Cats down Raiders

DALTON — Ricky Rodriguez thought he tied Dalton’s soccer game against Southeast Whitfield 14 minutes into the second half, but the goal was waived off. Undeterred, the Cats senior striker came back to tie the game with seven minutes left, sending it to overtime tied at 1.

After a scoreless overtime, the game came down to a penalty-kick shootout, which the Cats won 4-2 on Monday night at Harmon Field.

“The game was frustrating up to that point,” Rodriguez said of the time before his tying goal. “It was hard to get the passing game going and the ball moving like we should. But this win gives us a lot of momentum to keep pushing and fighting through the hard games and finding ways to win.”

In the second half of the non-region matchup, Rodriguez kicked the ball through the net off a rebound after Raiders keeper Cesar Maldonado bobbled a free kick. But the goal was waived as Rodriguez was called for goalie interference, resulting in Catamounts coach Matt Cheaves being yellow carded for arguing.

Nineteen minutes later, Rodriguez scored on a breakaway on a pass from Jacobo Estrada, who set the play up by cutting across the middle of the field.

The Raiders (5-2) took the lead in the first half on striker Mickey Guerrero’s breakaway goal in the 34th minute when he took possession of a loose ball off a Southeast inbounds pass. The lead stuck until Rodriguez’s goal gave the Cats (4-1) — ranked No. 10 in the latest EuroSportScoreboard.Com Class 4A coaches poll — new life.

“With seven minutes to go, we really should have been able to hold on to that lead and get the victory,” Raiders coach Jamison Griffin said. “You’ve just got to win those.”

In the two five-minute overtime periods, Southeast had the only shot on goal.

In the shootout, both the Cats and Raiders missed their first attempts. Rodriguez broke the scoring seal in the second round and was matched by Southeast’s Amrando Morales. Dalton’s Jacobo Estrada and Southeast’s Bernabe Rangel each converted their shots in the third round, and Dalton’s Israel Mata put the Cats ahead to start the fourth round.

Then the game got even more interesting.

Southeast’s Alam Tirador’s shot on goal hit top-center on the crossbar and bounced straight down, possibly crossing the plain. The head official conferred with the line judge and decided it wasn’t a goal. Cats defender Nino Silva then put the game away with the clinching goal.

“It definitely went in,” said Tirador, a junior wing. “Our keeper saw it. That’s just how it goes sometimes, you know? But we’ll be all right, we’ll get them next time. We’re looking forward to it.”

The two teams play again March 26 at Southeast.

• Southeast girls 1, Murray County 0: The Lady Raiders (2-5) got the game’s lone goal from Diana Paramo. Anahy Rangel got the assist. Miriam Ceja earned the shutout with four saves. The Lady Indians fell to 0-4.

Varsity baseball

• Northwest Whitfield 2, Pope John Paul II 1: In a game played at Heritage-Catoosa High in Ringgold, the Bruins won behind a strong performance on the mound from Cody Jones.

In a complete-game effort, Jones allowed one run on one hit, walked two and hit one batter while striking out six.

“He did a really good job,” Northwest coach Todd Middleton said. “All of our pitchers are building up their endurance and we’re getting their pitch counts where they need to be for us to open region play on Saturday. He did a good job hitting his spots and getting his work in today.”

At the plate, Ethan Parker was 2-for-2, while Kaine Gibson added a double as the Bruins (5-1) tallied five hits. They scored both of their runs in the third inning on an error, with Hunter Key and Parker coming home on Carter Thames’ slow grounder to third, which was thrown away.

Pope John Paul II, out of Hendersonville, Tenn., picked up its run in the sixth.

“The defense played well behind Cody,” Middleton said. “We needed to swing the bats a little better. We just didn’t score enough today to suit what we’ve been doing. But (Pope John Paul II) did a good job, too, the played good defense when we put it in play.”

Northwest will play a makeup game at Heritage-Catoosa at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

• Dalton’s game today, originally scheduled to be held at LaFayette, will instead be played at Dalton due to unplayable conditions on the Ramblers’ field. First pitch for the varsity contest is set for 5:55 p.m., with the junior varsity game to follow.

Varsity golf

• Southeast Whitfield girls 96, Northwest 114: Megan Collins claimed medalist honors with a 43 to help lead the Lady Raiders (2-1) to victory in the nine-hole match at Spring Lakes. Southeast’s Katelyn Burke also turned in a counting round at 53, as did Northwest’s Taylor Boyd. Alicia Cole and Sarah Kate Fearing each turned in a 61 for the Lady Bruins.

Varsity golf

• North Murray boys 171, Gilmer 205: At Whitepath Golf Club in Ellijay, the Mountaineers (5-1) played nine holes and were led by medalist Brandon Parris, who shot a two-over 38, Colby Hipp (40), Tyler Duckett (45) and Ryan Ensley (48).

• North Murray girls 123, Gilmer 135: The Lady Mountaineers (1-1) were led by Medalist Jocelyn Blair, who shot a 56, and Dara Dople (67).

Varsity tennis

• Southeast boys 5, Ridgeland 0: The Raiders swept their way to victory in the Region 6-3A match, improving to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the region. Singles victories were supplied by No.1 Tyler Mimbs, 6-0, 6-0, No. 2 Nathan Fields, 7-5, 7-5, and No. 2 Adam Rodriguez, 7-5, 6-1. In doubles, the winners were Gavin Hill and Ben Lopez at No. 1, 6-1, 6-0, and Brandon Posey and Darshan Patel at No. 2, 8-0 in a pro set.

• Southeast girls 5, Ridgeland 0: The Lady Raiders (2-2, 1-1) also made it a sweep with singles victories from No. 1 Casey Crump, 6-0, 6-0, No. 2 Whitney Napier, 6-0, 6-0, and No. 3 Amanda Posey, 6-0, 6-0. In doubles, No. 1 Isabelle Limas and Khushbu Patel won 6-0, 6-0, while No. 2 Makenzie Flood and Jaimie Carter won 6-0, 6-2.

• Dalton boys 3, Calhoun 2: In non-region play, the Catamounts (5-1) edged their way to the road win with a doubles victory from No. 2 Pratik Bhatter and B.J. Rowland, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4). Dalton also won singles matches at No. 2, as Price Puryear claimed a 6-3, 6-4 victory, and No. 3, as Blake Garrett triumphed 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.

• Calhoun girls 4, Dalton 1: The Lady Cats lost for the first time in six matches to start the season. Their lone victory came at No. 1 doubles as Malaka Awad and McKensie Carlisi won 6-3, 6-0.

• Sequoyah girls 4, Northwest 1: In a Region 7-4A match in Canton, Adrienne Orem won 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1 singles for the Lady Bruins (2-5, 0-2 in 7-4A).

• Sequoyah boys 4, Northwest 1: The No. 2 doubles team of Austin Poole and Nathan Davis won 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 for the Bruins (1-6, 0-2).

• Christian Heritage girls 9, Berean Academy 0: The Lady Lions swept in a season-opening victory with singles victories from Bradley Townsend, 9-7, Emma Reigel, 8-2, Catherine Landers, 8-6, Ali McClure, 8-2, Ann Kathryn Anglea, 8-4, and Katie Long, 8-5. In doubles, Townsend and Reigel won 8-4, Camden Hardaway and Katie Beth White won 8-5 and Long and Anglea won 8-1.

JV soccer

• Southeast girls 4, Murray County 1: The Lady Indians’ (1-4) lone goal came from Kayla Terro, assisted by Raven Henry.

JV tennis

• North Murray boys 3, Dalton 2: North Murray swept singles play to pick up the victory, with wins from No. 1 Drew Mosteller, 8-0 in pro-set play, No. 2 Dylan Davis, 9-8 (7-5), and No. 2 Ross Whitman, 8-5.

The Cats, who fell to 2-1, picked up the doubles victories with No. 1 Hector Pieto and Diego Sanchez winning 9-8 (7-4) and No. 2 Caleb Satterfield and Vishaakh Patel winning 8-6.

• Dalton girls 5, North Murray 0: The Lady Cats (3-0) secured the sweep with singles victories from No. 1 Sheridan Fromm, 8-0, No. 2 Rachel Bakker, 8-1, and No. 3 Alison Rogers, 8-0, plus doubles wins from No. 1 Jordan Walker and Mariel Broadrick, 8-1, and No. 1 Rebekah Cannon and Mary Erwin, 8-4.

MS baseball

• Westside 16, Eastbrook 2: Trey Hasty had a two-run double and Mason Allen added a two-run single as the Rockets (1-1) took advantage of walks issued by the Mustangs. Phillip Hammonds picked up the win for Westside on the mound.

• New Hope 10, Valley Point 0: Edwin Hernandez went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and was the winning pitcher as the Kodiaks (4-0) won in five innings via the mercy rule. Hernandez allowed one hit, walked three and struck out one in three innings on the mound.

Also for New Hope, Levi Wilson was 3-for-4 with an RBI, Connor Beard was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Tanner Cockburn was 2-for-2.

• Dalton 3, McCallie 1: The Cougars (2-0) were led by Jake Roberts, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and third basemen Grant Sane, who made a leaping catch in the fifth inning to turn a 5-3 double play. Hunter Nelson got the win, going six innings and giving up a run on three hits and three walks while striking out seven. Chandle Coley got the save, giving up a hit and striking out one.

MS soccer

• North Whitfield girls 5, Gladden 0: Regina Pacheco had three goals and an assist for the victorious Lady Pioneers (2-0), while Daniella Padrón and Maria Rivera each added one goal. Katie Barnett was in goal and had two saves as she posted the shutout.

• Valley Point boys 2, New Hope 1: The Green Waves (2-0) got goals from Daniel Palamo, who was assisted by Daniel Alvarez, and George Soto, whose penalty kick found the net. Omar Cruz had the lone goal for New Hope (1-1).

• New Hope girls 7, Valley Point 0: Julianna Gomez had four goals, Andrea Garcia added two and Clarissa Martinez kicked in the other as the Lady Kodiaks (2-0) rolled. Gracie Holmes was in goal for the shutout.

• Eastbrook girls 3, Westside 3: Andrea Lopez turned in the highlight effort with three goals for Eastbrook (1-1-1), while Westside’s Perla Casillas and Ashlee Huynh each had a goal and an assist and Brenda Trejo scored. Eastbrook’s Amber Avila and Imelda Arenas played good defense, coach Ralph Noble said.

• Eastbrook boys 8, Westside 1: The Mustangs (2-1) got goal-happy with two from Alex Garcia and one apiece from Jaime Arenas, Ramiro Guerrero, Anthony Ortiz, Cristobal Ortiz, Armando Rangel and Renaldo Sendate. Westside’s point came from an Eastbrook own goal. Noble credited Diego Nuñez with outstanding defense.

MS softball

• Christian Heritage 5, Lookout Valley 4: Ransley Defoor went 2-for-2 with a walk and scored the game-winning run for the Lady Lions (2-0).

Defoor was stealing second in the fifth when Emmie Blackwell’s pinch-hit single pushed her all the way to third, and Micah Kilgore’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice to first allowed Defoor to come home.

Megan McKinney pitched all five innings to pick up the win, allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk while striking out eight.

MS tennis

• Christian Heritage boys 8, Silverdale Baptist 1: The Lions rolled in their season and Independent Schools of Chattanooga opener with singles victories from No. 1 Phillip McClure, 8-1, No. 2 Devin Sanders, 8-0, No. 3 Evan Townsend, 8-0, No. 5 Jacob Myers, 8-2, and No. 6 Matt Cook, 8-6. They got doubles wins from No. 1 McClure and Townsend, 8-1, No. 2 Sanders and Myers, 8-0, and No. 3 Jonathan Lewallen and Cook, 9-7.

• Christian Heritage girls 5, Silverdale Baptist 4: Singles wins were supplied by No. 2 Courtney Pirkle, 8-6, No. 4 Sydney White, 8-1, and No. 5 Morgan Devitt, 8-1; doubles victories came from Pirkle and White at No. 2, 8-1, and Claire Duddleston and Erin White at No. 3, 8-4.

MS track

n Valley Point girls 66, Ashworth 39: Tasha Bridges took three individual events and ran on two winning relay teams to help the Lady Green Waves to a season-opening victory. Bridges was first in long jump (13 feet, 7 inches), 100-meter hurdles (19.99 seconds) and the 100-meter dash (14.25).

Other individual winners for Valley Point were Kirsten Nigh (discus, 80-6), Gaby Gonzalez (200 m, 31.00) and Angie Purkey (400, 1:10). The Lady Green Waves’ Hannah Ridley, Gonzalez, Purkey and Bridges took the 4x100 relay in 58.59, while also winning the 4x200 (Bridges, Gonzalez, Ridley, Tileah West) in 2:10 and the 4x400 (Purkey, Sydney Covington, Isabel Salinas, Serena Ramsey) in 4:58.

n Valley Point boys 54, Ashworth 47: Valley Point’s Alex Clowers won three individual events (high jump, 5-0; 100, 11:56, 200, 23.10), while teammate Kyle Parrish claimed two (shot put, 38-0; discus, 100-0) and Tyson Cooper picked up another (1,600 m, 6:03).

The Green Waves also won the 4x100 relay (Trystan Fossett, Kyle Whaley, Garrett Bivens, Clowers) in 51.91, while the 4x400 team (Jacob Robinson, Whaley, Jonathan Gowan, Clowers) won in 4:38.

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