Airedale soccer continues to chase first playoff berth
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
The Alma Airedales’ soccer team rolled to a 3-1 win over Farmington on Thursday to keep its postseason hopes alive.
In the process, Alma’s fourth victory of the season set the record for the most wins in a season.
Alma has twice won three games, including a 3-13-1 finish in its inaugural season in 2019. They were also 3-12-2 in 2022.
Dawson Oliver’s goal in the 28th minute put the Airedaleas on the board. Isaac Wald (51st minute) and Seth Canales (65th minute) secured the win.
Lukas Todd had 11 saves for the winners.
The Lady Airedales (4-7-3) finished with a 1-1 tie against Farmington.
Baseball
Easton Daily hit a two-run homer and added an RBI single in the seventh as the Airedales rallied to beat Southside Thursday, 5-3, for their 12th victory of the season—the team’s most regular season victories since 2016.
The win also snapped a 13-game losing streak against Southside. The Airedales hadn’t beaten the Mavericks since a 6-4 triumph on March 16, 2009. Matt Vinson was the winning pitcher that day.
Piercen Howell added a two-run single in the sixth to give Alma its first lead (4-3) of the day.
The Airedales (12-10) resume 5A-West play Monday at Farmington.
Down 3-0 after one inning of play, Daily’s two-run homer cut the deficit to one in the third. The Airedales left the bases loaded in the first and second innings.
Brayden Driscoll tossed 3 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief with five strikeouts to keep it close. Logan English earned the victory with 2 ⅓ innings of relief, striking out three and walking one. Neither reliever allowed a hit.
English, Daily, and Howell finished with two hits apiece.
Track
John Crump and Sam Schlegel continue to sparkle in the hurdle events.
Crump won the 110-meter high hurdles with a PR of 14.91 on Thursday at the Pointer Relays.
Schlegel won the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.03.
Ayden Parker was fourth in the 400, and Schlegel fifth in the 110 hurdles.
Crump was sixth in the 300 hurdles, and Zoye Wofford and Nevaeh Kangas placed sixth in the 400 and 800 meters.
The Airedales’ Weston McCall was fourth (44-5 ½) in the shot put.