Dowd moves into pantheon of Grizzlies’ top scorers
Staff reports
Welcome to High Fives! Each week we’ll highlight some standout performances from spring sports, along with a photo from our staff. Daily highlights of spring sports are featured on 757Teamz.com and based on information received from coaches.
Baseball
■ Bethel’s Cayden Ochsenfeld threw a no-hitter with 19 strikeouts and had two hits to help the Bruins beat Kecoughtan.
■ Lakeland’s Landon Patton threw a complete-game one-hitter to help the Cavaliers upset No. 4 Western Branch.
■ Western Branch’s Gavin Biernot threw a complete-game three-hitter with eight strikeouts to hand then-No. 1 Great Bridge its first loss of the season.
Softball
■ Granby’s Shaka Holmes pitched a two-hitter and had two hits as the Comets knocked off previously unbeaten and then-No. 1 Kellam 2-0.
■ Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s Ellie Benes had three hits and six RBIs as the Saints beat Greenbrier Christian Academy 11-1 in a battle of top-five teams.
■ Grassfield swept a doubleheader against Indian River as Chase Hartford tossed a no-hitter in the opener and Braelyn Bailey threw a no-hitter in the nightcap.
Boys lacrosse Hudson Pentecost
■ Kempsville’s and Noah Caretta each scored five goals in a victory over Tallwood.
Boys soccer
■ After starting off 5-0, Grassfield went 3-0 last week, including wins over then-No.4 Smithfield and then-No. 11 Nansemond River.
■ Hickory’s Caiden McHale scored four second-half goals to help the Hawks beat King’s Fork.
■ Ocean Lakes’ Noah Ridgway scored the game-winning goal to beat then-No. 6 Landstown in overtime.
Girls soccer
■ First Colonial head coach JoeTueci logged his 400th career victory when the Patriots beat Bayside.
■ Grassfield’s Katie Dowd scored a goal in a win over Nansemond River that moved her into the top five in all-time scoring for the Grizzlies.
■ Catholic’s Addison Merrell notched 13 saves to help the Crusaders finish with a scoreless draw against Cape Henry.
Boys tennis
■ Joseph Hobbs of Norfolk Academy has been all but unbeatable at the No. 1 spot this season. He even registered the Bulldogs’ only victory in an 8-1 loss to Richmond-area power St. Christopher’s on April 15.
■ Grafton’s Rainer Christiansen again has been the Bay Rivers District’s top player so far this year, consistently winning at the No. 1 position.
■ Bruton’s Christoph Schweitzer, a freshman, overcame a 6-3, 4-1 deficit to win at No. 1 in a 9-0 triumph against New Kent.
■ Cox No. 1 player Neil Vanga has paced a team that is contending to repeat as a Class 5 state finalist.
Girls tennis
■ Great Bridge returnees Kayla Kennedy, a 2022 state singles champion, and Chase London have made the Wildcats immediate contenders in Class 5 after moving up from Class 4.
■ Jamestown star Julia Clark’s play at No. 1 singles has the Eagles in serious contention to repeat as Class 4 state champs.