Spring Fling 2008 Coverage

We enter the top of the sixth inning tied at 0. Pitching duel between Morgan Mosby and Davidson's Ainsley McCullough.

Update - I started typing too soon ... Mosby hits solo homer to left - SBEC leads 1-0

Tied 0-0 in the top of the fourth (SBEC is the visitors) ... Small delay ~ Davidson leftfielder injured and leaves game. Mosby at second base with one out.

Today we have Memphis teams involved in championship finals in baseball, softball, boys soccer and track as well as individuals in tennis and boys track trying to win state titles.

Here is a quick rundown of today's title matches and check back throughout the day as we update the results.

BASEBALL: The nationally ranked Bartlett Panthers baseball team looks to repeat as state champions at 5 p.m. tonight when they play Farragut (42-3).

SOFTBALL: Two Memphis teams must win today against the unbeaten team to force a second championship game on Saturday. In D2-AA, St. Benedict must beat GPS tonight and SBEC must defeat Davidson Academy.

BOYS SOCCER: St. George's plays Webb School of Bell Buckle at noon and CBHS plays Father Ryan at 2:30 p.m. in today's title games.

TRACK & FIELD: Today's boys field events begin at 11 and tonight's running finals begin at 6 p.m.

TENNIS: Action has already begun at the MTSU tennis courts. Houston's Allison Hodges is looking for her first singles state title to go along with her two doubles state medals. Harding's doubles team of April Littleton and Miriam Harding are in the D2-A doubles finals also already under way.

In boys play later today, Lausanne is assured of a state title in D2-A doubles. The final match today features two Lausanne teams. In D2-A singles, SBEC's Martin Thomas meets Alex Metzman of USN for the titles. Will Carter and Watson George, the MUS doubles tandem, plays at 11 today in the D2-AA doubles championship against at team from McCallie.

Kacey Nobert

St. Agnes freshman Kacey Nobert's first-place finish in the Division 2 3,200-meter run Wednesday marked Memphis' first state title in this week's Spring Fling.

Nobert won in 11:12.84, beating out Brentwood Academy eighth-grader and second-place finisher Kaylor Murray by more than 19 seconds. St. Benedict senior Elizabeth Altizer, who's headed to Tennessee, finished fourth in 11:39.04.

Also Wednesday, Cordova senior Joy Buolamwini finished second in the Class AAA pole vault (10-0). Houston's Miranda Strafuss was third (J10-0).

Knoxville West's Jacquelyn Coward set a state record Wednesday in the 100-meter dash preliminaries, finishing in 11.73 to break a 27-year old state record. Tonight, she'll take on Northside's Sharika Nelvis and Bolton's Jamie Curry in the Class AAA 100 finals.

Cordova's Dinesha Bean will get a shot at Coward as well in the Class AAA 100-meter hurdles, where Bean is seeded second behind Coward.

Baseball

In Class AAA, the defending champion Bartlett Panthers are unbeaten and need to beat Science Hill at 4 p.m. to advance into Friday's championship game. It looks like the Panthers are on course to play nationally ranked Farragut in the title game. Farragut is the unbeaten team in the other bracket.

In Division 2-A, Harding plays Davidson Academy at 10 a.m. today in the championship. The Lions are the unbeaten team, so they only need to win once to bring the title back to Memphis. Davidson would have to beat the Lions twice to take the title.

Softball

In Division 2-AA, St. Benedict plays GPS at noon today in the battle of the unbeaten teams. One win by the Eagles and they advance into Friday's championship game.

In Division 2-A, If SBEC's Morgan Mosby pitches like she did on Wednesday, watch out for the Trojans into today's winner bracket final with Davidson Academy. A win today and the Trojans play in Friday's title game.

In Class AA, Covington lost a tough one late Wednesday, 1-0, to Gibbs. Gibbs scored the only run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Chargers have to beat Westview in this morning's loser's bracket game and then beat the Unicoi Co./DeKalb Co. winner tonight in order to play on Friday.

Boys Soccer

In Class AAA, Houston won 2-1 Wednesday night and now plays Oak Ridge at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the semifinals.

In D2-AA, CBHS opens state tourney play tonight in semifinal action against Baylor.

In D2-A, St. George's plays University School of Nashville in its semifinal match.

Track and Field

The girls field events begin this morning at 9 a.m. and the girls running finals are at 6 p.m. Memphis already has a champion, as freshman Kacey Nobert won the D2 3,200 last night.

Tennis

Quarterfinal action in the individual competition begins at 9 a.m. No Memphis area team was able to win a state title, but we should fare better in today's quarterfinals and semifinals play in singles and doubles.

In search of their first team tennis state title since 2005, Memphis University School fell, 4-2, Wednesday to two-time defending Division 2 boys state-champion Chattanooga McCallie in the D2-AA boys final.

Less than 12 hours after being treated in a Murfreesboro hospital for dehydration, MUS senior No. 1 Watson George registered the Owls' lone singles victory, then teamed with doubles partner Will Carter to win, 8-4, at No. 1 doubles. 

But MUS' Cliff Guyton fell, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2, to McCallie's J.P. McLemore at No. 3 singles to give McCallie the 4-2 state-title victory.

Wednesday's scores: Singles - Watson George (MUS) def. David Henry (Mc) 6-3, 6-2; Wes Nelson (Mc) def. Will Carter (MUS) 6-1, 6-0; J.P. McLemore (Mc) def. Cliff Guyton (MUS) 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2; Chris Schlabach (Mc) def. Will Carruthers (MUS) 6-2, 6-2; Thomas Fanjoy (Mc) def. Grant Hopkins (MUS) 6-0, 6-0. Doubles - Watson George/Will Carter (MUS) def. Wes Nelson/Chris Schlabach (Mc) 8-4.

The Purple Wave have yet to get a hit, but are still tied 2-2 in the 5th inning of their D2-AA winner's bracket game against Baylor. A CBHS win sends the Purple Wave into Thursday's championship game.

We would love to know who you all think will bring back state titles to Memphis. Here are a few of my thoughts about who might end up with championships.

Baseball -- Both Bartlett and CBHS are defending state titles. I think both can repeat. Anything is possible in a short double-elimination tournament, but both teams are tournament tough and Phil Clark at Bartlett and Buster Kelso at CBHS will have their teams ready to play. Also look for SBEC to capture the first ever D2-A title.

Softball -- This is the year that Memphis finally breaks the 22-year drought. The last softball championship was Coach Terry Austin's Sky-View team in 1986. I don't know if Bolton and Houston can win in Class AAA, but I would not be suprised to see St. Benedict or even Briarcrest Christian win in D2-AA. Both teams knocked over good teams in sub-state, SBA beat Father Ryan and BCS beat Baylor. So, I think it can happen. In D2-A, St. George's, SBEC and FACS all can win. I think the Gryphons behind the pitching of Ashlyn Chandler will get it done.

Boys Soccer -- CBHS and Houston once dominated at the state. I'm predicting one of them will win a state title. Both teams are playing well and both coaches have won state titles and know how to prepare a team for the post-season.

Tennis -- The White Station boys should reach the finals, but getting that first state tournament will be difficult. I do think both Houston and Hutchison might win girls titles. Both have tough semifinal matches tomorrow, but look for the Mustangs and Sting to win. MUS has won 13 team titles and has a difficult semifinal draw tomorrow at 7 p.m. against Webb and then have to beat two-time defending state champion McCallie on Wednesday. St. George's will battle University School of Nashville for both the girls and boys D2-A titles.

Come back later in the week and I'll preview track & field and individual tennis (singles and doubles competition).

Spring Fling is this week in Murfreesboro. The state decathlon continues Tuesday. Here is a schedule of the events that Memphis-area teams are involved in on Tuesday:

Baseball
Class AAA: Bartlett (32-4) vs. Mt. Juliet (31-7) at Oakland High School, 4 p.m.; Arlington (19-18) vs. Ravenwood (18-4) at Siegel High School, 4 p.m.

Division 2-AA: Christian Brothers (34-8) vs. Franklin Battle Ground Academy (26-11) at BGA, 6:45 p.m.

Division 2-A: Nashville Davidson Academy (32-7) vs. Rossville Christian (20-14) at Lipscomb, 4 p.m.; SBEC (19-16) vs. Harding Academy (17-13) at Lipscomb, 6:45 p.m.

Softball
Class AAA: Ooltewah (42-3) vs. Houston (30-10), at Starplex, 5 p.m.

Class AA: Waverly Central (32-12) vs. Covington (33-5) at McKnight, 7 p.m.

Division 2-AA: Girls Preparatory School (26-4) vs. Briarcrest Christian (21-5) at Starplex, 7 p.m.

Division 2-A: Nashville Davidson Academy (29-9-1) vs. First Assembly Christian (18-6) at Starplex, 5 p.m.; St. George’s (20-4) vs. Southern Baptist Educational Center (15-4), at Starplex, 7 p.m.

Tennis
Girls team semifinals: Houston vs. Tennessee at Old Fort, 9 a.m.; St. George’s vs. St. Andrew’s-Sewanee at MTSU, 1 p.m.; Harding vs. University School of Nashville at MTSU, 1 p.m.; Hutchison vs. Knoxville Webb at MTSU, 3 p.m.

Boys team semifinals: White Station vs. McMinn County at Old Fort, 1 p.m.; St. George’s vs. Davidson Academy at MTSU, 5 p.m.; Lausanne vs. University School of Nashville at MTSU, 5 p.m.; Memphis University School vs. Knoxville Webb at MTSU, 7 p.m.

Track & Field
Final day of the decathlon at MTSU, 10 a.m.