Iron Horses forge ahead with competitive baseball schedule

A challenging non-region schedule might have cost the Philip Simmons High School baseball team a glitzy record.

 

But it is one of the reasons why the Iron Horses were crowned Region 6-AA champions.

 

The Iron Horses traveled to Andrews High on April 4 and pounded the Yellow Jackets, 11-1, to improve to 8-7 on the season. That record is a result of what happens when you play Class AAAA and AAAAA heavyweights to get ready for league and postseason play.

 

The Iron Horses have been dominant in region play with a 6-0 record thanks to some top-shelf talent. But that tells only part of the story. They have outscored regional foes 66-18.

 

The Iron Horses, who collected nine hits against Andrews, broke open the game with seven runs in the top of the sixth inning.

 

Alex Romanski led the hit parade with a 2-for-2 performance with a double and triple while scoring three runs. He’s been consistent all year, hitting .314 with a team-leading four home runs. He has an .829 slugging percentage.

 

Daniel Scarth went 2-for-4 while Daniel Ebeling hit a two-run double.

 

That was more than enough for pitcher Nolan Clifford, who scattered five hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 10 batters to up his record to 4-1, with a 1.73 ERA. It was his 10th career victory.

 

Senior Charlie Helms, who pitches, catches, and plays shortstop, is having a solid season after being named the team’s MVP in 2024.

 

He is batting .312 and is tied for the team lead with six doubles and 15 hits.

 

Track and field

Philip Simmons and Bishop England both hosted major meets over the weekend.

 

Philip Simmons held its third annual Iron Horse Stampede on April 4 and was impressive in the 24-team meet. The boys’ team topped second-place team Hampton County 113-63.5, while Lucy Beckham edged the Iron Horses 109.5-109 to win the girls’ championship.

 

Corey Steed won the 100-meter dash in 10.60 seconds, while Matthew Yaun won the javelin with a throw of 50.34 meters.

 

The Iron Horses’ other gold medal performances came in the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays.

 

Ashlynn Johnson won the 200-meter dash in 25.94 to earn one of three gold medals for the Iron Horse girls. Flynn Taylor finished first in the 800-meter run and Ashley Roush placed first in the pole vault.

 

Bishop England claimed both boys’ and girls’ championships as it hosted the Father Kelly Classic on April 5.

 

The Bishop England girls scored 191 points, ahead of second-place Wando, who had 132. The Bishop boys also secured a decisive first-place victory with 184 points, with Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence as its nearest challenger with 127 points.

 

Olivia Allen led the BE girls with victories in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective times of 12.38 and 25.84.

 

Caroline Wilson claimed gold in the 800 run with a time of 2 minutes and 36.03 seconds, while Nora Brahim claimed first with a time of 11:30.68 in the 3,200-meter run. Kinsley Watson won the javelin with a throw of 34.02 meters, and AnnaKate Christy claimed first, putting the shot 8.65 meters. The Bishops also picked up gold medals in the 4x400- and 4x800-meter relays.

 

The Bishop boys earned six gold medals.

 

Connor Good claimed victory in the 800 run with a time of 2:02.08, and Ben Huntington won the 3,200 in 11:14.08. Lorenzo Palagano cleared 3.35 meters to win the pole vault.

 

Patrick Asher won a gold medal with a throw of 44.1 meters in the discus, while Cullen Asher putted the shot 13.91 meters to earn a gold medal.

 

The BE 4x800 relay team finished first.