ashland

A-C ball diamond may get water line

The A-C Central school board discussed running a water line to the school’s baseball diamond at last week’s meeting. The discussion was prompted by a request from the Ashland Youth Association to purchase the dugout bleachers at A-C for the AYA’s baseball diamond. The A-C trustees expressed they would rather have the AYA play more games at A-C’s ball diamond so they did not vote to sell the bleachers and instead decided to see if a water line could be run to the school’s field.

Ashland Fire Station

Crisis Management to assist Ashland firefighters

Ashland Fire Protection District Chief Shane Hall reported at last week’s meeting of the district board that Crisis Management Services would be on hand to assist firefighters dealing with emotional trauma. Several of the district’s firefighters responded to the tragic death of Ethan Mahoney the day before the meeting and crisis counselors were being made available to firefighters needing them. At the suggestion of former fire chief Tylor Latham, a moment of silence was held for Mahoney.

Porta Bluejays

PORTA/A-C Central Sports – Softball and Track Results

With the PORTA-AC Central administration making the prudent and compassionate decision to cancel numerous activities last week following the tragic passing of an AC-Central student athlete, the Bluejays competed in just two sporting events last week.  

The PORTA/A-C Baseball Team.

Bluejays notch three wins

Three wins out of five games last week improved the PORTA-AC Central baseball team’s record to 10-8 on the season.  An 8 to 2 road win over Midwest Central on Monday kicked things off for the Jays. They led just 3 to 2 after five innings before pushing across five runs in the sixth to put the game on ice.  Jett Karrick gave up seven hits in seven innings and had three RBIs on offense. Levi Hoagland had a triple and an RBI, Barrett Morse had a double and an RBI and Brady Kinney and Drew Marr each had a single and an RBI. Kendall Davis added a double while Hunter Roberts and Kolin Johnson added singles.

Track

PORTA/A-C Track wins home meet

The PORTA-AC Central Track Teams swept to victory in the boys and girls meet at the PORTA Co-Ed Invitational last week. Jacob Vogel won the 100 and 200 meter dash, Daxton Trueblood won the 800 meters and Justin Zimmerman placed second, Kade Parker won the 1600, Bryson Schachtsiek won the 110 and the 300 hurdles and the long jump, and Isaac Rennecker won the high jump and the triple jump. Alanna Sparks was second in the 1600, Maggie Zimmerman was second in the 3200, Lauren Harrison won the 100 hurdles and was second in the 300 hurdles, Tristan Shaub was second in the shot put and the discus and Summer Perman won the high jump.

Softball

Lady Bluejays Softball results

It was a frustrating week for the PORTA-AC Central softball team as they went 2-2 with both losses coming in rivalry games. The Lady Jays beat Midwest Central then lost to Athens and Pleasant Plains before knocking off Jacksonville to end the week.

Solor Eclispe on Monday, April 8, in Ashland. Photo by Mike Kloppenburg

Solor Eclispe

Solor Eclispe on Monday, April 8, in Ashland. Photo by Mike Kloppenburg

Track

PORTA/A-C Track results – First Place for Bluejay Boys’ Track

It was a very impressive performance from the PORTA-AC Central boys’ track team last Friday afternoon on the campus of Western Illinois University for the Lee Calhoun Invitational. The Jays won First Place in the very competitive, eighteen team event, outscoring second place Monmouth-Roseville by 21.5 points, 97 to 75.5. The Lady Bluejays finished in fourteenth place out of seventeen teams.

Softball

Branson tosses perfect game  – Lady Bluejays crush Hawks

The PORTA-AC Central Lady Bluejay softball team and senior pitcher Gabbie Branson certainly made the most of their only opportunity to play last week.  

Branson tossed her first career perfect game as the Lady Jays destroyed the Riverton Hawks 18 to 0 at Riverton.  Branson struck out ten batters in her four-inning perfecto, while also going 1 for 2 with two RBIs and two runs scored.  PORTA-AC had just seven hits but took advantage of fifteen free passes from the Hawk pitching staff.

Baseball

Exciting action for PORTA/A-C Baseball

It was an exciting last week of baseball for the PORTA-AC Central Bluejays with a nine-inning loss, an eighth inning win, and a two-hit shut out win. The 2-1 week moves the Jays record to 7-6 on the season.  

Mother Nature wiped out the beginning of the week, but the Jays got back in action on Friday when they traveled to Riverton and battled the Hawks on another cool and misty afternoon.  Riverton took the early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first, but the Jays tied it up in the top of the second on three consecutive singles by Hunter Roberts, Brody Landon and Jett Kerrick, and a sacrifice fly by Barrett Morse. Kendall Davis, who got the start on the mound, settled in, and kept Riverton scoreless over the next five innings, striking out eight. On offense, the Jays had multiple chances, outhitting Riverton 11 to 6