Kyle Parmley
Homewood Softball
Homewood's Jakaria Byrd in a game last season.
Over the course of the year, The Homewood Star will keep you up to date on the various Homewood High School athletic teams. For previous weekly updates, click here.
BASEBALL
Homewood
The Homewood baseball team got its week off to a strong start with a 9-2 win over Heritage Christian last Monday in the Patriots’ home opener. Sloan Squires picked up his second win in as many games, as he went six innings and gave up three hits, walked one and struck out eight. Homewood’s offense broke through in the third inning with four runs, with run-scoring singles by Michael Kash, Jackson Smitherman and Daniel Patton. Crawford Doyle had one of his two doubles in the fifth inning, plating a pair of runs.
The Patriots picked up a confidence-building 3-1 win over Cullman on Tuesday as well. Justin Perreault pitched a complete game, allowing only an unearned run in the final inning. He walked four and struck out nine in the contest. Homewood’s offense got on the board in the fourth inning on Charlie Goode’s run-scoring single. John Hale hit a two-run homer in the following inning to extend the Patriots’ lead.
Homewood improved to 4-0 on Thursday when it defeated John Carroll 16-0. Goode allowed just one hit in 4 2/3 innings on the mound to earn his first varsity win. Kash, Patton, Alex Ray and Andrew Rohdy each notched two hits in the game. Ray was particularly impressive, putting up two doubles and two RBIs in his first varsity start. Patton and Hale each drove home two.
Homewood dropped its first game on Friday in a 10-9 defeat to Southside-Gadsden. The Patriots led 9-6 heading to the seventh, but gave up four runs in the final frame to lose. Hale was solid on the mound for the Patriots, allowing two unearned runs over the first four innings. At the plate, Kash and Smitherman each had two hits.
John Carroll
John Carroll was unable to make its lead stand up in a 9-8 loss to Shades Valley on Tuesday afternoon. The Cavs plated five runs in the first inning but saw the Mounties rally to claim a 7-5 lead after four innings. John Carroll tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh, but Shades Valley walked it off with a single in the bottom of the seventh. Luke Lalisan drove in two runs for the Cavs, while four other batters registered an RBI as well. William Ydarraga racked up three hits.
John Carroll pulled off a thrilling 13-11 victory over St. Clair County on Wednesday. The Cavs took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth inning and put up six runs in the following frame. St. Clair County scored five in the seventh before coming up shy. For the Cavs, Carson Weldon drove in three runs. JT Weisberg, TJ Messina and Jake Willett each drove in a pair of runs.
The Cavs fell to crosstown foe Homewood 16-0 on Thursday. On Friday, John Carroll was defeated 14-0 by Gardendale.
SOFTBALL
Homewood
Homewood opened its softball season last Monday with a 6-3 win over Mountain Brook. The Lady Patriots got seven strong innings of work from Zoe Couch in the circle, as she gave up three runs on five hits while striking out seven. Hunter Dunn doubled and drove in two runs for Homewood, while Ella Walker went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. For the Spartans, Chloe Hontzas knocked in a pair of runs.
The Lady Patriots notched a big win on Wednesday, rallying to beat Pleasant Grove 19-7. Pleasant Grove jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings, but Homewood scored 18 runs over the final three innings to come back and blow the game open. Sisters Hunter and Emily Dunn each homered in the contest, with Hunter Dunn going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Katherine Howell, Narcissa Murray, Couch and Emily Dunn all had two RBIs. Couch finished the game in the circle, hurling the final five innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine.
Homewood competed in the Rumble on the River at Pell City over the weekend. The Lady Patriots dropped both games on Friday, falling to Pell City 5-0 and to Curry 7-0.
The Lady Patriots rebounded on Saturday to win both of its games in the tournament, beginning with a 5-4 triumph over Ramsay. Homewood jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second inning, but Ramsay tied the game with three runs in the third. Couch scored the winning run in the bottom of the fourth on an error. Hannah Gibson doubled, homered and drove in two runs in the win. Homewood then beat Cleburne County 6-4 in eight innings. Hunter Dunn went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs to lead the charge.
John Carroll
The John Carroll softball team got last week off to a great start with a 14-4 win over Clay-Chalkville on Tuesday. The Cavs scored two runs in the first inning to jump ahead then put the game away with eight runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Charlotte Phillips and Alyssa Barnes each had three RBIs, while Macey Ogle and Kayla Coley-Drayton each plated two runs. Ogle also pitched four innings and gave up four runs while striking out seven.
John Carroll fell to Shelby County 15-3 on Wednesday. The Cavs notched three runs in the top of the first inning, but Shelby County immediately rallied for six runs in the bottom half, then posted eight runs in the third to effectively put the game away. John Carroll scored its runs on three consecutive bases-loaded walks by Coley-Drayton, Gracie Mills and Claire Boone.
SOCCER
The Homewood boys soccer team had an excellent week. It beat Pelham 1-0 on Tuesday, Shades Valley 2-0 on Wednesday and won the Florence Soccer Challenge over the weekend.
The Patriots tied Fort Payne and earned victories over Austin, Athens and Florence en route to the title. Collins Keith was named tournament MVP. The Homewood boys are now 6-0-2 on the season and will host McAdory on Tuesday.
The Homewood girls tied Hoover 0-0 on Monday and routed Shades Valley 10-0 on Tuesday to improve to 5-0-1 on the season. Lizzie Oliver registered a hat trick in the win over Shades Valley, while Grace Ann Thomas, Eleanor Kyle and Maddie Massie each scored twice.
The Lady Patriots will play at Hewitt-Trussville on Monday and at Chelsea on Thursday before competing in the Cullman Shootout next weekend.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Homewood track and field teams began their outdoor seasons on Thursday in strong fashion. The Patriots girls and boys won the Five Team Battle Royale, hosted by Mountain Brook.
Lainey Phelps (500, 1,000 meters), Makiyah Sills (80-meter hurdles, 200-meter hurdles), Maggie White (shot put, discus) and Alex Brooks (pole vault) all won events for the Homewood girls.
Blake Busby (300-meter dash), Crawford Hope (2,000 meters), Sam Dill (high jump, long jump), Walker Smith (pole vault), Josh Thomas (triple jump) and Tobias Thomas (shot put) all won events for the Homewood boys.
Homewood will return to the track on Thursday at the Husky Seven Way Meet, hosted by Hewitt-Trussville.
— What else would you like to see mentioned? For any suggestions, feel free to email sports editor Kyle Parmley at kparmley@starnespublishing.com.
