The fifth-ranked Lady Blues sent their seniors out in style Friday at the Graham High School softball fields. After honoring Tatum Westerman, Angel Frazier, Rainey Ortegon, Bobbie Jo Hart and Jayden Harrell, the Lady Blues defeated Mineral Wells 14-0 in a 5-inning run rule-shortened game. Reese Calhoun struck out 10 batters and earned a shutout while the Lady Blues combined for 19 hits.
Graham High School will be represented by 13 athletes this week at the 4A Region 1 track meet in Lubbock. These athletes advanced last week during the area track meet Friday, April 21 at Wylie High School.
Dominic Monroy (100 meters), Zathin Reyes (110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles), Aaron McBride (shot put), Peyton Kinman (high jump), Rylan Monsey (high jump) and Ty Carter (long jump) will represent the Steers.
The Steers saved their best district game for last Friday at the Graham High School baseball field. Looking to end the district schedule with momentum going into the final week of the regular season, the Steers defeated Mineral Wells 11-0 in a six-inning run rule-shortened game.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, the Steers’ offense exploded for a combined nine runs in the fourth and sixth innings Friday, April 21.
The Graham Steers will see postseason play after an 8-0 shutout victory. Needing one win in the final two games of the district schedule, the Steers earned the needed win in Mineral Wells against the Rams.
Ryder Taylor threw a complete game Tuesday, April 18 with 10 strikeouts and no walks to earn the playoff-clinching victory. The Steers earned seven hits and took advantage of six defensive errors from the host Rams.
The Lady Blues soccer program, fresh off of its winningest season in program history, will have a new head coach in charge when it takes the field next season. Graham ISD announced Casey Weil as the head soccer coach of the team Wednesday, April 19.
Steers outfielder Ty Carter and Lady Blues shortstop Tatum Westerman have earned The Leader’s Athletes of the Week honors. Both athletes are being recognized for their play in games played between Thursday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 19.
Both senior athletes played key contributing roles in wins for their teams this week in Mineral Wells.
Ty Carter
With a district championship already earned and two games left in the district schedule, the 4A No. 5 Lady Blues opened their final two-game series of the district schedule with a 9-1 win over the Lady Rams. With the win, the Lady Blues improve to 22-4-2 (7-0 district).
The Lady Blues entered the game after climbing two spots in the Texas Girls Coaches Association poll. After taking advantage of a pair of errors by the Lady Rams to open the game, the Lady Blues scored a run before recording a hit in the game.
The 4A seventh-ranked Lady Blues’ turnaround season hit a major milestone Friday night in Glen Rose with a district championship. With their 3-0 win over the Lady Tigers, the Lady Blues are District 6-4A champions. The championship was clinched with a one-hit shutout by pitcher Reese Calhoun.
While Calhoun tamed the Tigers with her 10-strikeout game in the pitcher’s circle, the Lady Blues’ offense went to work with 11 hits.
The Graham Steers’ bats continued to struggle Friday as the team suffered its third shutout defeat of the district season. Held to two hits while committing four defensive errors, the Steers were defeated 4-0 by the Tigers at Glen Rose Friday, April 14.
Tate Loesch and Noah Jilek gave the Steers a positive start with back-to-back singles to open up the game. Loesch opened the game with sending the first pitch of his at-bat to center field on a line drive.
Newcastle High School’s Ty Strawbridge and Graham High School’s Paris Tate have been named this week’s Athletes of the Week by The Graham Leader for their recent athletic achievements.
