This Week in Sports: March 23-28

Spring break is in the rearview mirror and the pace is about to pick up across Warren County.

After a week where the schedule slowed down and some teams were able to reset, nearly every program is jumping back into action with district races beginning to take shape and early-season momentum starting to matter a little more. WCHS baseball will put an unbeaten record on the line, WCHS and Boyd flag football are looking to build off strong starts and WCHS tennis continues to stack wins as one of the steadiest programs going early this spring.

It’s also a week of firsts for several local teams.

Boyd High School soccer is set to make its season debut, while WCMS tennis and WCMS golf will also get their first action of the spring. For those programs, the buildup of preseason practices finally turns into game speed, and early results can go a long way in setting the tone for the rest of the year.

As always, This Week in Sports is brought to you by Westwood Church of Christ, the presenting sponsor of all Main Street Journal spring sports coverage this year.

Let’s get rolling.

Tests continue for unbeaten Pioneers

All eyes will be on the Pioneers as they put their unbeaten season to the test in District 6-4A play. First up is Shelbyville, which features one of the state’s best arms at the top of its rotation.

Warren County will be the first in a loaded district – also featuring Lincoln County, Coffee County and Cookeville – to face off with Stephen Bobo, a highly touted junior who committed to Vanderbilt before the season. The lefty shut out the Pioneers in a 15-0 run-rule win for Shelbyville during a sweep last year, but a new year has given Warren County new hope on the diamond.

A retooled lineup has found ways to win in slugfests, nailbiters and everywhere in between. The Pioneers are coming off an extra-inning win over Smyrna, pushing their winning streak to 12 games to start the year.

Senior Kylan Jones, who is one of the new faces in the lineup for WCHS this year, came through with a game-winning RBI in the ninth. After the game, he spoke with MSJ reporter Sam Griffin about the team’s drive to keep the streak alive.

“Oh, dude, we love it,” Jones said of the 12-game winning streak. “We feed off energy. We know each day that we are better than the team in the other dugout. No matter what . . . Even when we’re not in it the first few innings, we all pick it up and get back at it together.”

Warren County will have its choices of strong arms to throw at Shelbyville on back-to-back nights (road game Monday, home on Tuesday). Senior Lealon Arnold has been the Monday night staple so far this year, going 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 15 strikeouts. Miguel Garcia (2-0, 0.47 ERA) will likely get the second start, though the Pioneers have also been eagerly awaiting the debut of senior transfer Parker Robinson on the mound.

Newcomer Gage Walker (10 IP, 0.70 ERA, 11K) could also factor into the district rotation in the future, while Daylen Holguin (11 IP, 1.91 ERA), Keegan Thompson and Ryder Gilispie have been trusted relief arms for coach Phillip King’s squad.

Preston McAbee, who rolled into the lineup in a big way last week, leads the team with a .474 batting average in 19 at-bats, while Walker is the ultimate table setter at the lead-off spot with a .394 batting average (he’s also drawn eight free passes and stolen 13 bases).

Isaac Smith is also emerging in the order as the sophomore is slashing .387 with a team-high 12 RBIs.

Both district games this week will begin at 6 p.m. Warren County will also face Stone Memorial at home Thursday (6 p.m.) and will have a special Saturday matchup with Milan (1 p.m.) that will feature a pregame ceremony to retire Jimmy Walker’s jersey.

The break is over, grind on gridiron continues

Spring break may have slowed the schedule, but it hasn’t cooled the momentum building on the gridiron for Warren County’s flag football programs.

Both the Lady Pioneers and Lady Broncos return to action this week with something to prove, each showing flashes of explosive potential before the break and now eyeing a fast start coming out of it.

Warren County enters the week at 2-1, powered by a high-octane offense and a defense that has already shown a knack for creating chaos. The Lady Pioneers piled up 825 yards in their first three games while forcing 10 interceptions, an early sign that this group has taken a step forward in Year 2.

Quarterback Chloe Wanamaker has been at the center of it all, making plays through the air and on the ground, while playmakers like Harmoni Kennerly, Maci McBride and Ariyanna Rippy have turned big plays into points. Defensively, Willow Durant has anchored a unit that has consistently put opponents in tough spots.

Still, the sting of a late loss to Blackman before the break has lingered. It’s the kind of game that can either slow momentum or sharpen focus. The Lady Pioneers are betting on the latter as they hit the road Tuesday to face Livingston Academy before returning home Friday night to take on Oakland at Nunley Stadium.

Boyd, meanwhile, has already proven it can handle adversity in its inaugural season.

The Lady Broncos have racked up five wins, including four in varsity play, while taking on a steady stream of public school competition. With a roster made up largely of multi-sport athletes still learning the game, Boyd has leaned on athleticism, depth and a willingness to compete.

Now, after a brief reset, Boyd faces one of its toughest tests yet with a Tuesday doubleheader against Sale Creek and Van Buren County.

WCHS tennis making a racket

District play is starting to take shape for Warren County, and this week will give the Pioneers and Lady Pioneers another measuring stick as they hit the road Tuesday before returning home later in the week.

Warren County will travel to Columbia Central for a key District 9-AA matchup, then turn around to host Cannon County in a non-district contest Thursday at the David Dunlap Tennis Complex.

The Lady Pioneers enter the week red-hot, building a perfect record behind dominant depth up and down the lineup. Izzy Pitts and Abby Graves have been a steady force at the top, consistently setting the tone in both singles and doubles, while the pairing has been nearly untouchable together. Behind them, Anna Graves and Natalie Payne have provided reliability in the middle of the order, and Ashlyn Bailey and Livia Jaco have continued to stack wins as the lineup’s depth has overwhelmed opponents early this season.

On the boys side, Warren County has shown resilience while working through lineup changes and tight matches. Joshua Caten has been a consistent contributor in singles, while Britton Mayfield and Christopher Sandoval have delivered key wins in pressure spots. The doubles team of Brett Peterson and Caten remains a strength when intact, giving the Pioneers a chance to grab early momentum.

Tuesday’s district matchup will be pivotal for both squads as they look to position themselves in the standings, while Thursday’s home match offers another opportunity to build rhythm and continue developing consistency heading deeper into the season.

Here's the full lineup this week for local sports:

Monday, March 23
WCMS tennis vs. Boyd, 4 p.m.
Boyd MS baseball vs. Franklin Road Christian, 5 p.m.
WCMS baseball at DeKalb County, 5 p.m.
WCMS softball at DeKalb County, 5 p.m.
WCMS soccer at Prescott, 5:30 p.m.
WCHS baseball at Shelbyville, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 24
WCMS golf vs. White County, 3:30 p.m.
WCHS tennis at Columbia, 3:30 p.m.
WCHS track at Cookeville, 4 p.m.
WCMS baseball vs. DeKalb County, 5 p.m.
WCMS softball vs. DeKalb County, 5 p.m.
WCHS baseball vs. Shelbyville, 6 p.m.
WCHS softball at Oakland, 6:30 p.m.
WCHS soccer at Shelbyville, 7 p.m.
WCHS flag football at Livingston Academy, 7 p.m.
Boyd flag football at Van Buren County/Sale Creek, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 25
WCMS tennis at Webb, 4 p.m.

Thursday, March 26
WCHS tennis vs. Cannon County, 3:30 p.m.
WCMS tennis at Harris, 4 p.m.
WCHS track at Hixson, 4 p.m.
Boyd MS baseball at South Haven, 5 p.m.
Boyd HS soccer at Currey Ingram, 5:30 p.m.
WCHS baseball vs. Stone Memorial, 6 p.m.
WCHS soccer at Franklin County, 7 p.m.
WCHS softball in Warrior Classic, TBD

Friday, March 27
Boyd HS tennis at Cannon County, 4 p.m.
WCMS softball vs. Avery Trace, 5 p.m.
WCMS soccer vs. Avery Trace, 5:30 p.m.
Boyd flag football at Bledsoe County, 5:30 p.m.
WCHS flag football vs. Oakland, 7 p.m.
WCHS softball in Warrior Classic, TBD

Saturday, March 28
WCHS baseball vs. Milan, 1 p.m.
Boyd HS soccer vs. Dayspring Academy, 2 p.m.
WCHS softball in Warrior Classic, TBD