Cedillo, Carruth, Hessert, Washington Earn Softball Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

EAST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Sarah Cedillo, LF, Sr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist senior left fielder Sarah Cedillo (Humble, Texas) hit .444 (4-for-9) with three RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases as the No. 7 Tigers swept LeTourneau. She knocked in two runs in the 5-0 victory. 

EAST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kennedy Carruth, RHP, So., Belhaven

Belhaven sophomore righty Kennedy Carruth (St. Francisville, La.) earned her ASC-record seventh Pitcher of the Week of the season by going 2-0 with 15 strikeouts, and a 0.00 earned run average as the No. 6 Belhaven swept Louisiana College. She allowed just one walk and six hits over 11 innings to move to 20-2 on the year.

WEST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Karis Hessert, C., Jr., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons junior catcher Karis Hessert (Royse City, Texas) hit .750 (6-for-8) in a doubleheader sweep of McMurry. She had a double and home run in each game, en route to six RBI, four runs scored, and 14 total bases.

WEST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kaylen Washington, RHP, So., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons sophomore right-hander Kaylen Washington (Abilene, Texas) earned a complete game, 4-1 win over McMurry. She struck out nine without a walk and allowed just four hits.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

Belhaven senior outfielder Abby Trahan (Hackberry, La.) hit .428 (3-for-7) with a double, RBI, and a run scored as the No. 6 Blazers swept Louisiana College.

Mary Hardin-Baylor freshman third baseman Elisabeth Paul (China Spring, Texas) went .667 against Concordia Texas this week. She went 6-for-9 from the plate, slamming two doubles and driving in two runs. Paul also scored one run, and two pinch runners scored in her place. She was responsible for five total runs against the Tornados and recorded two hits in all three contests.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES IN THE CIRCLE.

Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore right-hander Bayleigh Grogan (Wimberley, Texas) threw nine innings against Concordia Texas last week, giving up just one earned run. She struck out five batters and walked just one. Grogan opened with a seven-inning win over the Tornados, giving up six hits with just one run. She followed that with two innings in relief, throwing three strikeouts and not allowing a single hit.

East Texas Baptist junior righty Preslye Cox (Rusk, Texas) threw a seven-inning shutout, striking out eight batters in a 5-0 win over LeTourneau. She walked just one batter and allowed two hits.

Liu, Martinez Named Baseball Players of the Week

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

HITTER OF THE WEEK – A.J. Liu, LF, Jr., UT Dallas

UT Dallas junior left fielder A.J. Liu (Plano, Texas) closed the regular season on a 10-game hitting streak as he was 8-for-13 from the plate with eight runs scored and three RBI in the Comets’ three games last week. He was 3-for-3 with four runs scored and an RBI double Tuesday as UTD earned a 21-8 midweek home victory over Hardin-Simmons. Liu was then 5-for-10 with four runs scored and two RBI Saturday in a doubleheader road sweep of Ozarks. In Saturday’s second game, he was 3-for-6 with a double and a triple, scoring three runs.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Raul Martinez, RHP, Jr., LeTourneau

LeTourneau junior right-hander Raul Martinez (Tyler, Texas) improved to 5-2 on the year with 11 strikeouts over seven innings in a 5-1 win over East Texas Baptist. He allowed just one run and five hits without walking a batter.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

Howard Payne’s sophomore shortstop Joey Villarreal (League City, Texas), led the Yellow Jackets at the plate, going 6-for-12 with three RBI, two runs, a sac fly, and one stolen base in the series against Sul Ross State. 

Belhaven sophomore outfielder Caleb Whittle (Dorsey, Miss.) hit .500 (5-for-10) with three doubles, a homer, three RBI, and a stolen base as the Blazers took the series from Louisiana College.

East Texas Baptist right fielder junior Will Kelley (Alexandria, La.) hit .500 (5-for-10) with two RBI and two steals as the Tigers took two out of three from LeTourneau. He drove in both runs in a 4-2 win, going 3-for-4.

Sul Ross State freshman shortstop Isaac Aleman (San Antonio, Texas) batted .667 (4-for-6) with a pair of doubles, a home run, four runs batted in, two runs scored, and a walk-in a doubleheader sweep of Howard Payne on Friday.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND

UT Dallas junior righty Carter Cochrane (Houston, Texas) improved to 8-0 this spring, after earning an 8-1 complete-game victory to open a Saturday doubleheader at Ozarks. Cochrane limited the Eagles to seven hits over 7.0 innings, striking out four without a walk.

Howard Payne senior right-hander Xavier Haines (Belton, Texas) recorded 12 strikeouts in a 3-2 loss to Sul Ross State. He allowed six hits and two walks in the complete-game effort.

Louisiana College freshman righty Harris Coleman (Madison, Miss.) threw his first career complete game, earning the 6-3 win in nine innings and allowing just four hits and two walks to go with seven Ks.

East Texas Baptist sophomore right-hander Isaiah Alvarenga (Grapevine, Texas) pitched another seven-inning complete game to move to 8-2 on the year. He allowed one earned run and five hits while striking out seven in a 4-2 victory against LeTourneau.

Sul Ross State junior righty Isaiah Moya (El Paso, Texas) threw 8.1 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks in a 3-2 team win against Howard Payne.

McMurry Wins 13th Women’s Track & Field Crown.

JACKSON, Miss. – McMurry won its 13th title in women’s track & field at the 2021 American Southwest Conference Track & Field Championships at the Belhaven Track Complex Saturday.

The War Hawks, who also won championships every year from 1999-2004 and 2006-2009 and 2017 and 2018, scored 232 points, edging out Hardin-Simmons, who had 207. East Texas Baptist (114), LeTourneau (105), Concordia Texas (75), Belhaven (38), UT Dallas (19), and Ozarks (0) followed them. UTD competed in its first Track & Field Championship.

McMurry’s Kelby Tidwell was the Hight Point Athlete of the meet after scoring 35 points, including a win in the pole vault. Teammate Ellie Ryan was the Outstanding Field Athlete after winning the hammer throw, and Janeth Chacon was the Outstanding Freshman for winning the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

LeTourneau’s Alexis Segura won the 1,500 meters en route to Oustanding Track Athlete. McMurry’s Cody Knight, Rexi Parcells, Cody Brotherton, and Michael McCarroll were named the Year’s Coaching Staff.

Segura and Destani Warner of Hardin-Simmons earned All-Conference for the third time.

2021 Women’s Final Standings

1. McMurry 232

2. Hardin-Simmons 207

3. East Texas Baptist 114

4. LeTourneau 105

5. Concordia Texas 75

6. Belhaven 38

7. UT Dallas 19

8. Ozarks 0

2021 Award Winners

Outstanding Freshman Athlete: Janeth Chacon, McMurry

High Point Athlete: Kelby Tidwell, McMurry

Outstanding Field Athlete: Ellie Ryan, McMurry

Outstanding Track Athlete: Alexis Segura, LeTourneau

Coaching Staff of the Year: McMurry (Cody Knight, Rexi Parcells, Cody Brotherton, Michael McCarroll)

2021 ASC Track & Field All-Conference Teams (First Place Finishers – First Team, Second Place Finishers – Second Team)

Women’s

First Team

Brittany Acosta, Hardin-Simmons

Bianca Bagwell, Concordia Texas

Abby Bramlett, Hardin-Simmons

Kynnedi Brown, Hardin-Simmons

Kaitlyn Callaway, Hardin-Simmons

Najwa Campbell, McMurry

Janeth Chacon, McMurry

Dani Cooper, Hardin-Simmons

Paighton Corley, Concordia Texas

Sambresha Everett, East Texas Baptist

Keni Fisher, Hardin-Simmons

Logan Haller, Hardin-Simmons

Sarah Horan, LeTourneau

Margo Mendoza, McMurry 2

Ellie Ryan, McMurry

Alexis Segura, LeTourneau 3

Kelby Tidwell, McMurry 2

Nikki Tolbert, Hardin-Simmons

Destani Warner, Hardin-Simmons 3

Second Team

Gracie Almond, East Texas Baptist 2

Ashaunti Barnes, Belhaven

Sierra Benner, LeTourneau

Kelsi Bouldin, Belhaven

Chisom Bright-Osigwe, East Texas Baptist

Jazmin Chacon, McMurry

Lynda Farmer, Hardin-Simmons

Emerald Garcia, Hardin-Simmons

Carly Kantrowitz, McMurry 2

Frances Knight, Belhaven

Bayli Luke, Concordia Texas 2

Kennadie Ransberger, East Texas Baptist

Randa Slone, East Texas Baptist2

Tia Steen-Baker, East Texas Baptist 2

Corbin Stulir, McMurry

Maurissa Winford, Belhaven

Cienna Womack, East Texas Baptist

3 – Three-time All-Conference

2 – Two-time All-Conference

Event Winners

Women

100-meter dash – Destani Warner, Hardin-Simmons 12.36

200-meter dash – Sarah Horan, LeTourneau 25.30

400-meter dash – Sarah Horan, LeTourneau 56.37

800-meter run – Bianca Bagwell, Concordia Texas 2:27.52

1,500-meter run – Alexis Segura, LeTourneau 5:08.16

5,000-meter run – Janeth Chacon, McMurry 19:39.94

10,0000-meter run – Janeth Chacon, McMurry 42:16.72

100 meter-hurdles – Najwa Campbell, McMurry 15.38

400-meter hurdles – Kynnedi Brown, Hardin-Simmons 1:04.97

3,000-meter steeplechase – Brittany Acosta, Hardin-Simmons 12:42.82

4×100-meter relay –  Hardin-Simmons (Dani Cooper, Abby Bramlett, Keni Fisher, Destani Warner) 48.55

4×400-meter relay – Hardin-Simmons (Nikki Tolbert, Abby Bramlett, Kynnedi Brown, Dani Cooper) 4:03.58

High Jump – Logan Haller, Hardin-Simmons 1.52 m (4-11.75)

Pole Vault – Kelby Tidwell, McMurry 3.24 m (10-7.5)

Long Jump – Keni Fisher, Hardin-Simmons 5.55 m (18-2.5)

Triple Jump – Logan Haller, Hardin-Simmons 10.96 m (35-11.5)

Shot Put – Sambresha Everett, East Texas Baptist 11.26 m (36-11.5)

Discus – Margo Mendoza, McMurry 38.35 m (125-10)

Hammer Throw – Ellie Ryan, McMurry 39.64 m (130)

Javelin – Kaitlyn Callaway, Hardin-Simmons 38.61 m (126-8)

Heptathlon – Paighton Corley, Concordia Texas 3,829 (new championship record)

War Hawks Claim 17th Men’s Track & Field Title

JACKSON, Miss. – McMurry won its 17th title in men’s track & field at the 2021 American Southwest Conference Track & Field Championships at the Belhaven Track Complex

The War Hawks, who won 14 straight championships from 1999-2013, another 2017, and again in 2019, scored 215.5 points, followed by Hardin-Simmons (174.5), LeTourneau (98), East Texas Baptist (88), and Belhaven (76).

UT Dallas, competing in its first Track & Field Championship in program history, was seventh with 58 points and was followed by Ozarks with four.

McMurry freshman Dazhaun Walton was the High Point Athlete and Outstanding Freshman Athlete after finishing with 24 points. He won the 200-meter dash and was part of the winning 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams.

Ravon Davis-Conway of Concordia, Texas, won both the long jump and triple jump en route to the Oustanding Field Athlete award.

War Hawk Jayden Sloan was the Outstanding Track Athlete after breaking the 400-meter dash record in 47.20 seconds. He was also a part of the 4×400 meter relay team that took first.

They voted McMurry’s Cody Knight and Rexi Parcells, Cody Brotherton, and Michael McCarroll as the Year’s Coaching Staff for the second time.

Two student-athletes earned All-Conference honors for the third time – Detaveon Lewis and Mack Broussard of East Texas Baptist.

2021 Men’s Final Standings

1. McMurry 215.5

2. Hardin-Simmons 174.5

3. LeTourneau 98

4. Concordia Texas 97

5. EasTexas Baptist 88

6. Belhaven 76

7. UT Dallas 58

8. Ozarks 4

2021 Award Winners

Outstanding Freshman Athlete: Dazhaun Walton, McMurry

High Point Athlete: Dazhaun Walton, McMurry

Outstanding Field Athlete: Ravon Davis-Conway, Concordia Texas

Outstanding Track Athlete: Jayden Sloan, McMurry

McMurry (Cody Knight, Rexi Parcells, Cody Brotherton, Michael McCarroll) 2

2 – Two-time Coaching Staff of the Year

All-Conference (First Place Finishers – First Team, Second Place Finishers – Second Team)

First Team

Ben Adams, Belhaven 2

Griffin Davis, UT Dallas

Ravon Davis-Conway, Concordia Texas

Jayden Gonzales, McMurry

Matthew Gregory, Concordia Texas

QuoShane Kelly, Belhaven

Kelton Kemp, Belhaven

Caleb Kwiatkowski, McMurry

Detaveon Lewis, East Texas Baptist 3

Michael Limones, McMurry 2

Jermond Lovely, McMurry

Graeme Maclean, UT Dallas

Erik Moore, LeTourneau

Lorien Nightingale, LeTourneau 2

Layton Ranson, Hardin-Simmons

Jayden Sloan, McMurry

River Smith, Hardin-Simmons 2

Dazhaun Walton, McMurry

Sutton Welch, McMurry

Jacob Williams, McMurry

Jamari Williams, McMurry

 

Second Team

Javarian Belcha, Hardin-Simmons

Ethan Blocker, McMurry

Mack Broussard, East Texas Baptist 3

Jordan Flores, Hardin-Simmons

Brett Jackson, Concordia Texas

E.J. Konah, Hardin-Simmons 2

Ivan Lockhart, East Texas Baptist

Sammy Magallan, Hardin-Simmons

Rangel Miller, East Texas Baptist

Eric Monroy, Hardin-Simmons

Brandon Powell, East Texas Baptist

Alpha Roberts, McMurry

Rylan Rogers, McMurry

Parnelle Shands, Hardin-Simmons

Tevin Smith, Concordia Texas

Carlos Torres-Izquierdo, East Texas Baptist

Jessy Villagomez, McMurry 2

Daelen Warren-Fruge, Hardin-Simmons

Daniel Zarzoza III, McMurry

3 – Three-time All-Conference

2 – Two-time All-Conference

Event Winners

100-meter dash – Detaveon Lewis, East Texas Baptist 10.81

200-meter dash – Dazhaun Walton, McMurry 21.95

400-meter dash – Jayden Sloan, McMurry 47.20 (new record)

800-meter run – Graeme Maclean, UT Dallas 1:57.01

1,500-meter run – Graeme Maclean, UT Dallas 4:07.72

5,000 meter run – Lorien Nightingale, LeTourneau 15:50.81

10,0000-meter run – Griffin Davis, UT Dallas 33:23.18

110-meter hurdles – Kelton Kemp, Belhaven 14.79

400-meter hurdles – Kelton Kemp, Belhaven 53.92

3,000-meter steeplechase – River Smith, Hardin-Simmons 10:11.01

4×100-meter relay – McMurry (Caleb Kwiatkowski, Jamari Williams, Jermond Lovely, Dazhaun Walton) 41.52

4×400-meter relay – McMurry (Jacob Williams, Dazhuan Walton, Jayden Sloan, Michael Limones) 3:17.27

High Jump – Layton Ranson, Hardin-Simmons 1.93 m (6-4)

Pole Vault – Jayden Gonzales, McMurry 4.35 m (14-3.25)

Long Jump – Ravon Davis-Conway, Concordia Texas 6.90 m (22-2.75)

Triple Jump – Ravon Davis-Conway, Concordia Texas 14.36 m (47-1.5)

Shot Put – Matthew Gregory, Concordia Texas 14.77 m (48-5.5)

Discus – QuoShane Kelly, Belhaven 42.15m (138-3)

Hammer Throw – Sutton Welch, McMurry 47.41 m (155-6)

Javelin – Ben Adams, Belhaven 53.68 m (176-1)

Decathlon – Erik Moore, LeTourneau 5,569 (championship record)

Concordia Texas Claims First Men’s Tennis Championship

RICHARDSON, Texas – Concordia Texas won its first American Southwest Conference Men’s Tennis Championship by defeating Hardin-Simmons 5-4 at the UTD Tennis Courts Saturday.

The Tornados (13-4), who were the second seed from the West Division, trailed 2-1 after doubles, including an 8-5 victory from Esteban Arredondo and Michael Davis at No. 3.

The Cowboys (10-7), who were the top seed from the West, earned doubles win at No. 1, with Alex Pavkovich and Desmond O’Shea winning 8-4 and Josh Lopez and Davyn Williford taking an 8-6 victory at No. 2.

Concordia won at No. 3, 5, and 6 singles to go up 4-2. HSU answered with wins at No. 2 and No. 1 to tie it back. The balance tipped in favor of the Tornados when Joeri Bregman won at No. 4 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Arredondo was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and joined by Bregman, Adrian Munguia, and Evan Pena Jr.

The Tornados earn the ASC’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Championship.

All-Tournament Team

MVP – Esteban Arredondo, Concordia Texas

Joeri Bregman, Concordia Texas

Adrian Munguia, Concordia Texas

Evan Pena Jr., Concordia Texas

Alex Pavkovich, Hardin-Simmons

Desmond O’Shea, Hardin-Simmons

John Edwards, UT Dallas

Chase Daniell, McMurry