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On the baseball field, East Rutherford (22-3) easily dispatched of its first round 2A playoff opponent at home, West Caldwell, winning 9-0 as Tyler Jacobus threw a no-hitter.
It’s a remarkable feat, but even the two-aces on last season’s Cavalier team, Dakotah Thomas and Drew Reynolds never captured a no-hitter in the playoffs. Thomas did have three in the regular season a year ago.
Who knows if the Cavaliers can repeat as state champs, but things are certainly off to a good start.
Chase (15-7) rebounded from last week to eke a out an 11-10 win in the first round of the 2A playoffs over Smoky Mountain on the road.
Over in Rutherfordton, the Hilltoppers came alive to win their first round 3A postseason game 8-6 over Crest. Despite their inconsistencies this season, it’s the fourth time in five years that R-S Central (8-16) has won a first round baseball playoff game.
Thomas Jefferson’s dream for a state title in 2011 was initially thwarted by a 6-1 loss to Lake Norman Charter (17-4) in the first round of the 1A baseball playoffs.
While the Gryphons baseball team (6-17) is still building up their program, the girls soccer team is in solid shape and was expected to make a run for the 1A title this season. They beat Highlands 2-0 in the first round.
However, they were upset at home in the second round 3-0 by Union Academy (13-5), last Saturday. For consecutive years now, Thomas Jefferson (15-3-3) has lost in the second round of the playoffs, but most of the team are underclassmen. Over the past two seasons, they hold a strong 35-7-3 overall record. Only East Rutherford baseball and basketball have better records during that stretch with Chase softball close behind.
The only other girls soccer team to make the playoffs from the county this season was that of R-S Central’s. The Lady Hilltoppers (8-11) fell to a stout St. Stephens club (18-3-3), 6-0 in the 3A first round match-up.
First round of the softball playoffs were rained out in the area with Chase (15-3) hosting Draughn (17-8). R-S Central (6-13) traveled to Fred T. Foard (19-4) and East Rutherford (11-9) went to North Henderson (16-9) on Wednesday for the make-ups.
At the regional track meets this past weekend, Thomas Camp (Chase) won the 2A high jump and finished second in the long jump to qualify for state. The Lady Trojans Claudette Miller was third in the high jump to make state.
East Rutherford girls, who had just 8 competing finished second overall as a team at the 2A Regionals.
Cheyenne Miller led the way for the Lady Cavs as she won the triple jump and the high jump events. Shanay Watkins ended up fourth in the shot put and Destiny Petty finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles to earn a spot in the state meet at Greensboro this weekend.
Thomas Jefferson’s Jamia Logan won the girls 100-meter and was fourth in the 200-meter dash in 1A to qualify for state. Also making state was teammate, Ryanne Corder, who was fourth in the 1600-meter run and Rachael Tevis picked up third in the 400-meter dash. Levy Floyd was second in the men’s 1600-meter dash for Thomas Jefferson.
