Polk County Sports

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The Onalaska Lady Cats prepare for the game.By Brian Besch
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Onalaska needed just four games to down their old coach and the Latexo Lady Tigers Tuesday in a 21-25, 25-21, 25-14 and 25-16 match.

“It has been a struggle a little bit, just finding pieces that fit where they are supposed to be. Tonight is the first time they have looked that good this season so far.”

Kenadi Houser (25) passes to a teammate.To hear new Onalaska head coach Connor Nichols, one may not expect much from the Lady Cat volleyball team. However, expectations are high, as the spikers by the lake are now 5-2. It matches their win total all of last year just eight days into the 2021 season.“With that, it showed me that we have a lot of potential and a lot to look forward to this season. Keori Perry, that is the most production we have had out of her all season kill-wise. Our passing was on from everybody and that was the best setting performance that we have had all season. Just all around, it was a good performance from everybody.”In the first game, the Lady Cats came back from down six to make it a one-point difference at 22-21, but could not catch Latexo, now under the direction of Greg Horn. 

They let a lead slip away in the second, but regrouped to get their first win of the match. A large lead in the third made for an easy victory, and they then came from behind to win the fourth convincingly. 

At this point in the season, Nichols said Autumn Adams, Kaleigh Park and Perry have stood out as top performers. However, she is optimistic about the entire squad.

“I think we are going to be pretty good this season. I love that they come out every day and they want to work and want to put in the effort. We are struggling with the chemistry part of it a little bit. That is a new coach and all of that, so we have to work that out. After that, it is moving in the right direction, I think.”The Lady Cats will next travel to take part in the Leon tournament. They will not return home until Sept.3, when they host Caney Creek.

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The Livingston Lady Lions received their first volleyball win of 2021, opening the season with Corrigan-Camden. Livingston needed four games to put away the Lady Dogs 25-18, 19-25, 25-17 and 25-21.

Every game was close, but a few key Livingston runs made the difference Tuesday in Lion Gym. For new head coach Macy Box, it is beginning a few steps ahead of where she thought the team would. She said the team has exceeded her hopes “probably three times what I was expecting.” There was the thought it could take a few years to reach the point they have, based on records from the previous season. 

“They've proved me wrong and they proved me wrong Saturday in our scrimmages,” Box said of the progress. “I say that in a very proud way. I thought it would take a little more time to really buy in, but they bought in from day one and it really showed tonight. The girls really showed up. We still have some kinks to work out, but it is all going to come together, and I am super excited for district. Corrigan was a big competitor for us, and I couldn't be more proud of the way things turned out.” 

Jon’Toyrian McNeal, Janae Bland and Taryn Orn stood out to Box in the win.“Duecey (McNeal) stepped in and helped us out a lot,” she said. “She has an eye for the court that I have actually never seen before. She can see the court as she is in mid approach, which is not something you can coach. That is an intangible that we are thankful for.”

Corrigan-Camden was able to fight back in the second set to pull even. After a Livingston win in the third, the Lady Dogs held a 15-10 advantage in the fourth set that soon disappeared, turning the match in favor of the Lady Lions.

“We are going to hustle after the ball and we are going to dive everywhere,” Corrigan-Camden coach Sage Gardner said of the team’s positives. “We're going to do what we can to get the ball back over. Passing looked good tonight, we've just got to finish it and put the ball away. We are going to have to step up practice and get a little more intense. We've been doing a lot of big groups with all of our teams, and we are going to have to start splitting away to get the work in that we need.”Corrigan lost five seniors last year off a very experienced playoff group, but have another four this season to lead.“We lost our offense last year, in a sense, having someone who can put the ball away every time,” Gardner said. “With this team, they've got heart, they've got hustle, and our passing is better than it was last year. We are just going to have to find it and get there.”Tuesday was the opening game for both squads, and there is still about a month before district play. However, the season couldn’t come soon enough for Livingston’s new leader.

“I've been waiting on this game for a few months now,” Box said. “My girls have really bought in, which is exactly what I was hoping for. They have shown up and they are just as excited as I am, which is the reason why we won tonight.”

The Lady Lions will next take part in the Woodville tournament Thursday through Saturday, while Corrigan-Camden enters tournament play in Lumberton.

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Team will participate in Dixie Youth World Series

The Dixie Youth Baseball Livingston 10U All-Stars are state champions after sweeping Lindale in a best two-of-three series over the weekend. The week before, they played five games in regionals, emerging without a loss there as well. In June, the team was able to defeat Cleveland amongst other teams in the district round. The squad of ages 9 and 10 to this point are undefeated. 

They are now set to travel to Laurel, Mississippi, site of the Dixie Youth World Series. The Livingston youth are scheduled versus North Carolina in the opening round Aug. 7. Other states involved will include Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina Florida and Georgia. 

Head coach Shannon Goins said the core of the team has been many of the same kids each year. This year’s group includes Jax Ruiz, Cade Randolph, Corbin Cude, Bentley Jernigan, Aiden Haynes, Jake Young, Brayden Goins, Ryder Surrency, Mikey Murphy, Paxton Drake, Braxon Smith and Ezekiel Angel.

“This isn't the only thing they do; they play youth football, basketball and soccer,” Goins said. “That is the thing about it, when you have good athletes and they play all these sports and they play good together, good things come out of it. We've done really well and out of all of Livingston, this is what was voted as the top 12 (players) in the league. They have had to work their way through all these tournaments to get to this point and they have been very successful with it.”

The coach said a strong work ethic and knowledge of the game has been the strength pushing the team’s success. 

“They seem to understand enough about the game that it helps them,” Goins said. “They are smart base runners and know when to work hard to get a ground ball when we've got runners on second and third to get a run in, because one run can make a difference. That is understanding the layout of the game and what they have to do to tack on as many runs as they can when they can. They put in the work every week and try to keep getting better. By doing that, they've obviously been rewarded.”

Livingston has faced formidable pitching, according to Goins, and he feels the team has an advantage in tournaments with a deep staff that can take the mound at any time.

“We work hard on pitching, and we have tremendous pitching on the team. I would pitch 10 out of the 12 kids all day long. The first hour of every practice they work on pitching. That is key and you have to throw strikes. Walks are bad, and we work hard on throwing it up there and trusting in your defense.”

There is a belief that this squad has enough to not only compete in Mississippi, but also bring a title back home to Polk County.

“We are super proud of them, and this group is working hard to try to accomplish something that has never been done. Livingston has never won a World Series. There have been a few teams that have gone, but nobody has ever won it. We're hoping they understand that, and they keep working hard and maybe come home with a victory.”

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BRIAN BESCH | PCE Landon Leggett singles in the sixth inning.

Livingston Lion baseball lost 6-5 in extra innings and heartbreaking fashion Wednesday to Bellville. They will need wins Friday and Saturday to continue the season. 

Every out was important Wednesday and the last out of each inning seemed the most difficult to secure. 

Down 4-2 and down to their final strike, Cooper Brown reached base with an infield single. Jacob Haynes drove him in with an RBI-triple. In just his second at-bat back from injury, Landon Leggett delivered his second hit of the game, tying it at four each. All was accomplished with two outs. 

"Every out and every pitch matters," Livingston coach Wade Halfmann said. "We had two strikes. Every pitch matters. We saw adversity for the first time in the playoffs. We saw adversity, and we overcame it. Down 4-2 with two outs, we overcome adversity. There is unbelievable fight in these kids. Did we make mistakes? Yes, we did. I didn't say a word about it -- they know. These guys are ball players." 

In bonus baseball, Tay McNeal led off with a base hit to center field. Ruiz then singled, getting McNeal to third. Tyler Seek fouled off five pitches before getting the fly ball into the outfield needed to get the go-ahead run home. 

Brown, who threw two-plus innings of relief, got two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth. Then, a batter was walked, followed by a single. Brown finally got the ground ball he needed, but the throw from third base sailed beyond first, allowing both runners to score and the Brahmas to take Game 1. 

Ruiz, Leggett and Haynes each had two hits for the Lions, while those three plus Walker Findley and Gage Morris had a run batted in. 

Halfmann is known as a motivator, but gave a different answer when asked how he would get his team energized after a deflating loss. 

"I don't. It's their turn. This is a series now. Some of these kids have been in the playoffs, one and done. They left in their sophomore year saying that it was alright and that they will have next year. Now, there isn't a next year. If they want to keep playing, they will find it within them to look in the mirror and say that they are somebody. I believe they are."