JF takes 3 of 4 from Brookies

  For a Jefferson Forest student, there's nothing like beating Brookville.

Mike Forster

Jefferson Forest's Greg Brownson tossed a superb game in the Cavs' win over Brookville.

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It doesn't matter in what:  football, basketball, track, ACE, theater, tiddlywinks, UNO, thumb wrestling...

Ask any Brookville student, and you'll find the feeling is mutual.

So, smiles abounded in the eastern part of Bedford County following three big wins by Jefferson Forest varsity squads.

The Cav baseball crew unleashed a barrage in topping their Bee counterparts, 

The last time these two teams met, Brookville ace David Goulding was nearly untouchable.  The two squads had to go into extra innings before JF finally prevailed.

This time around, the Cavs seemed to have cracked the Goulding code, while throwing a mystifying Greg Brownson at the Bees.

The Cavs jumped on Goulding, a strong candidate for top pitcher in the Seminole, early.  In fact, JF loaded up five runs in the second inning.  

That five-run bonanza stanza featured hits by Cameron Byrd, Bryan Miller, Michael Carter and Christian Sanderson (a 2-RBI single).

Antonio Fazio contributed a sacrifice fly and Alex Bowker chipped in a timely sacrifice bunt during the JF festivities.

Although the Cavs would put up another three runs in the third (on hits by Mark Heideman, Cal Hodgert and Sanderson),  all that Brownson would need was gleaned during that second inning.

That's because the senior righty was magnificent on the mound.  Brownson went the full seven innings in improving his record to 4-1.

More impressively, he struck out 11 Bee hitters along the way.  Brownson yielded three hits against one of the more potent lineups in the Seminole District.

This was a clutch performance by Brownson.  He picked the perfect time to come up with a superb outing.

It was also a clutch performance by the entire JF team.  Pitching and defense have become most dependable.  Once again, the Cavs turned in an error-free performance.

That the bats are showing such pop has to be raising the concern of teams across the district and, for that matter, of teams across Region III.

To have had such success at the plate against a pitcher of Goulding's caliber is, indeed, a feather in the collective Cav cap.

This was a game that Head Coach Jim Thacker had termed a "must win."  Thacker is not much on hyperbole.  Indeed, a loss to the Bees would have made a Cav run at a district title most problematic.

Instead, the Cavs stand 5-2 and are neck-and-neck with Amherst (5-2) and E.C. Glass (6-2).

Soccer rolls

Meanwhile, the JF soccer teams dismantled the Brookvillians in workmanlike fashion.

The Cavs showed that an early season 1-0 win over the Bees may not have been their best work.  This time, JF hosted, clobbering the Bees to the tune of 7-1.

The defending State (AA) champions notched their 34th consecutive win.  In doing so, the team showed that it has a plethora of offensive weapons in its satchel.

Michael Sciarrino, Ben Jackson, Matthew Crider and Austin Griffith each scored, with Crider nabbing the hat trick and Sciarrino scoring twice.

Crider seems to be all mended up from some early-season bang-ups.  That doesn't portend well for upcoming foes.  The sophomore is big, strong, fast and works wonders with the soccer ball.  Now that he's healthy?  Oy!

Sciarrino saw his energetic pace of play pay off with those two goals.  This guy plays at one speed:  all out.  His deft darts from the right wing are deadly.

The Brookville goal was an own goal against JF, meaning that Forest has scored more goals against Forest than have over half the teams that make up the Seminole District.

The Lady Cavs had as much success as did the men.  They topped Brookville, 4-1, in a game that was shifted from Monday to Tuesday due to the weather.

The Lady Cavs, however, found themselves in an early hole, following a Bee goal three minutes before the break.

That edge lasted less than a minute, however, when Cassidy Ratliff struck to even the match.  Katie Cousins then scored just before the whistle blew to reestablish order in the JF soccer universe.

Both Ratliff's and Cousins's goals were fed by Callie White.

Lauren Nicholas provided some breathing space early in the second half on an assist by Riley Lee.  Ratliff then returned the favor to White as she fed the junior forward for JF's final goal.

As usual, the JF back line was like a ring of iron.  As a result, keeper Allie Gossen only had to contend with a total of three shots.

The win leaves JF with a mark of 7-1 in the district, still trailing unbeaten Glass by a game in the standings.