Section C ■ Bryce Harper broke out of aslumpwithhis12thhomerun of the season and the Washing- ton Nationals beat the St. Louis Sports Cardinals, 2-1. Baseball, 7C Friday, May 27, 2016 ★★ TSSAASPRINGFLING SECBASEBALL Vote TWICE AS NICE looms on sites for tourney ■ Memphis is among choices By Tom Schad [email protected] 901-529-2525 As the Southeastern Confer- ence baseball tournament wraps up in Hoover, Alabama, this weekend, there is a chance that the event may soon have a new home — possibly in Memphis. SEC athletic directors are expected to vote between five bids for the tournament at next week’s spring meetings in Des- tin, Florida, and a decision could be announced by the conclusion of the meetings June 3. Memphis is one of five cities vying to host the event beginning in 2017, alongside Jacksonville, Nash- ville, New Orleans and Hoover, which has been the event’s host for 19 consecutive years. SEC officials have visited AutoZone Park, among other possible venues, and Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau president Kevin Kane said he is optimistic about the city’s pro- posal. “I think we’ve got a very com- pelling story and a very com- petitive bid,” Kane said Thurs- day. “Will they move it (out of Hoover)? We don’t know. … (But) we’ve had very good dialogue with the Southeastern Confer- ence. They know we very much would be honored and would love to host the tournament.” Memphis’ bid — which was submitted by the CVB, the Mem- phis Redbirds and the Memphis SportsCouncilinFebruary—is for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 tour- naments, with options for 2020 and 2021. Memphis submitted an unsuccessful bid to host the event in 2011. “The last time this came up for bid, it was prior to a lot of the changes that have happened here,” Redbirds general manager Craig Unger said. “So this is an opportunity for us to kind of go back to them and show them PHOTOS BY JIM WEBER / THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL some of the changes that we’ve Harding Academy’s Antoinette Lewis (right) gets a hug from Briarcrest’s Alyiah Wells after Lewis threw nearly 40 feet to win the D2 girls shot put made, that we continue to en- state championship on Thursday at Spring Fling in Murfreesboro. Lewis won with a throw of 39-9. hance the fan experience.” Unger cited renovated suites and hospitality areas as one of AutoZone Park’s selling points, in addition to its location in the Whitehaven earns 2nd straight heart of downtown, an area that has grown substantially over AAAgirlstrackchampionship the past five years. Memphis also has the advantage of being aneutral,centrally-locatedcity By John Varlas day at Dean A. Hayes Stadium in SEC country. [email protected] on the campus of Middle Ten- 901-529-2350 nessee State University. They See SEC, 7C scored 98 points, far outpacing MURFREESBORO — Sequels of- runner-up Ravenwood’s 63. ten aren’t nearly as good as And they did it with a boost the original. But “Whitehaven from last year’s star, current State Champs Part 2” earned Tennessee standout Maia Mc- Warriors rave reviews. Coy. The Tigers dominated in the “We had a group chat and sprints and won their second Maia got on there,” said coach overcome consecutive AAA girls track Southwind’s Angelica Lightfoot lands an attempt in the AAA long jump. and field championship Thurs- See TRACK, 6C Her best effort of 18 feet, 4 inches took the state crown. Thunder, CBHS takes state baseball crown stay alive WARRIORS 120, THUNDER 111 ■ championship on Thursday at Feather’s MTSU’s Reese Smith Field. By Janie McCauley “It’s just ending my baseball Associated Press complete game career on a really great note — lifts Brothers to going back-to-back with this OAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry group of seniors,” Feather said. scored 31 points, raising his arms 13th championship “It really means a lot to just be in the early moments to awaken able to play with these guys and Golden State’s raucous crowd, end out on top.” and the defending champion CBHS 6, BRENTWOOD 1 Feather pitched a complete Warriors staved ofelimina- game, allowing one run on sev- tion with a 120-111 victory over By J.T. Mullen en hits with three strikeouts. the Oklahoma City Thunder on [email protected] “I just had faith in our hit- Thursday night in Game 5 of the 901-236-2456 ters,” Feather said. “I knew Western Conference finals. we’ve always been a late-inning The MVP made a snazzy la- For Christian Brothers team. We’ve got a great hitting yup late and dished out six as- High pitcher Michael Feather, team. I just expected us to get sists, and Klay Thompson added Thursday’s Division 2-AA state some runs. I expected that as 27 points as Golden State sent championship game was the fi- longasIheldmyown,thatmy the best-of-seven series back to nale of his prep career. hitters would do the same.” Oklahoma City for Game 6 on The senior was 8-0 and his JIM WEBER / THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL CBHS coach Buster Kelso Saturday night. Golden State team, which had faced adver- CBHS players pile up to celebrate their 6-1 D2-AA baseball championship said his team never stopped trails 3-2 and is trying to become sity early in the season, was on win over Brentwood Academy on Thursday at MTSU in Murfreesboro. battling. the 10th team to rally from a 3-1 aroll,winning30ofitslast33. “It’s difcult to repeat,” he deficit. The last step would be bringing CBHS struggled to find its two-run triple to right field. said. “We started 1-4 and we “We’re not going home! We’re home the D2-AA state title for footing at the plate through The Purple Wave (35-10) didn’t think we’d be in this not going home!” Curry yelled in the second consecutive year. four innings, but that changed went on to score four more runs position. But the kids worked the waning moments. Brentwood Academy struck quickly in the top of the fifth through the final three innings, hard. They are a pretty gritty Kevin Durant scored 40 first, scoring in the second in- when junior left fielder Hayden defeating the Eagles 6-1 for the points and Russell Westbrook ning on a single to left field. Leatherwood connected for a program’s 13th state baseball See BASEBALL, 6C See WEST, 2C 6C » Friday, May 27, 2016 » THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL «« TSSAA SPRING FLING Arlingtongetscrack at AAA baseball title By John Varlas erick Danielson will be try- [email protected] ing to become MUS’ fourth 901-529-2350 straight D2-AA doubles champions. The West Re- MURFREESBORO — The Ar- gion winners will take on lington baseball team is Alec Kadrie and Patrick one victory from the sec- ToomeyofBaylorat11a.m. ond state championship in TheteamofSpencerRichey school history. and Michael Apple won the The Tigers scored previous three years. four runs in the first in- The area will be well- ning before Tate Kolwyck represented in AAA girls homered for the second as Collierville’s Sneha straight day in the second Sinha takes on Brent- inning to defeat Stewarts wood’s Somer Henry at Creek, 7-4. Arlington will 9a.m.andtheHouston face Murfreesboro Siegel team of Menzie Mont- at 5 p.m. today at MTSU gomery and Kelly Carney for the AAA title. go against Brentwood’s Tyler Gent r y ’s two -r u n Katie DeWald and Georgia triple was the big hit in the Fischer, also at 9. first. “We knew this was EAGLES, CARDINALS going to be a fight,” said OUSTED IN SOFTBALL Tigers coach Chris Ring. After a wild victory that “Stewarts Creek has prov- ended late Wednesday, St. en tough the whole tour- Benedict’s softball team nament that they’re going was eliminated from the to fight and never give up. D2-AA tournament with Iwasagoodteamefort.” a15-5losstoChattanooga Girls Preparatory School. TENNIS TITLES The Eagles stayed alive UP FOR GRABS with a 17-14 win over Pope Claire Sullivan of St. John Paul II in which the George’s can win her sec- teams combined for 31 ond straight Division 2-A hits and 15 errors. Shan- singles championship non Dunn went 4 for 4 PHOTOS BY JIM WEBER / THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL when competition wraps and scored four runs and up today at Old Fort Park. Grace Sweat and Jaislyn Christian Brothers goalkeeper Michael Waggoner celebrates after blocking the last penalty kick in a shootout to clinch the D2- The senior, who beat Meredino each had five AA state championship over Montgomery Bell Academy on Thursday in Murfreesboro. Audrey Yoon of Knox- RBIs. Sweat drove in two ville Webb 6-1, 6-0 in the more runs against GPS. semis, faces Webb’s Carina Brighton was eliminated TSSAADIV.2SOCCERCHAMPIONSHIPS Dagotto, who eliminated in the AAA tournament, Caroline Culpepper of St. falling to Gibbs 2-1. Seeley Mary’s 6-1, 6-1. That one Layne allowed six hits and starts at 9 a.m. struck out seven in her final Andres Carro and Fred- high school game. TRACK Shelby County ended up RELENTLESS from 1C sweeping the 400 as Sa- vanna Owens of Briarcrest ran down Jasmine Jefer- Yusuf Sharif. “She told son of Knoxville Webb to GoalieWaggonerdominatesshootoutforBrothers them just how proud she win in 56.08 in Division 2. was of them and just to “She ran a really good keep it going. We’re a fam- race, but I got her at the By John Varlas ily; you’re always going to end,” said Owens, who [email protected] be part of the family.