The middle school Volley Hounds held tough with an experienced squad from ACE Charter last Monday, showing the growth of the program in its first season. ACE won the JV matches 25-11 and 25-12 prior to the varsity middle school match seeing the visiting Gryphons fend off a challenge from Jones County in 25-16 and 25-17 wins.
The next home middle school match is Sept. 10 against Upson Lee.
In middle school football last week, both middle schools picked up the win, giving Jones County a sweep. Gray Station shut out ACE 26-0 with Clifton Ridge taking a 20-8 win against Jasper County. CRMS plays next Wednesday at Putnam County with Gray Station hosting Jasper County.
In softball, last week’s results included a 12-4 Clifton Ridge win against Jasper County. Clifton Ridge and Gray Station will take on each other Sept. 17 at JCHS.
Middle school boys win Peake Invitational; girls finish second
Jones County’s middle school runners asserted themselves as among of the top cross-country teams in middle Georgia last week as they found themselves near the front of the pack at last Tuesday’s Peake Invitational in Macon. The boys runners took first with the girls claiming runner-up honors.
The boys’ first-place win, with an average time of 13:31.92 was led by Easton Belshan’s 13:07.48, good for fifth overall. Rhett Renner finished seventh at 13:14.46, ahead of Cruz Hudgins’ 13:20.67 and the 13th-place run by Colton Gordon in 13th.
Peyton Simmons, Knox Watson, and Spencer Moore came in 21st, 34th, and 37th with times of 14:08.98, 14:42.60, and 14:53.04.
In the girls’ race, where Jones County had an average time of 15:56.37, Madison Marshall finished fourth at 14:20.02 and Phoebe Palmer came in sixth, running 14:31.91. Sydney Vaughan ran 16:16.34 to finish 19th in front of Kaitlyn Flickinger’s 16:21.62 in 21st. Other top finishers were Lili Cook in 23rd, Baleigh Gowan in 27th and Kloe McMillan with times of 16:31.93, 17:14.39, and 17:35.27.
