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Bruisers Claim Exciting Athletic Finishes
Softball, rowing, tennis, and a pentathlon competitor tasted victory in the past week of athletic action.
Softball, rowing, and a pentathlon competitor started the second week of May in style. The GPS rowing team celebrated their eighth straight win in the Carney Cup competition with Baylor School on Monday, May 8; the softball team defeated Baylor 3-0 at home on Tuesday; and sophomore Emily Morrison qualified for the state Pentathlon competition with a second-place finish in the Division II-East Region matchup.
The much-coveted Carney Cup trophy is awarded to the winner of the GPS vs. Baylor Varsity 8+ rowing competition, which the Bruiser rowers won in commanding fashion on the Tennessee River. The trophy is named for Marian Carney, mother of three GPS graduates and wife of Terry Carney, who aided in starting the crew program at GPS in the early 90’s. Winning rowers on the Varsity 1 boat were Anna Oglesby, Larkin Brown, Allison Smith, Rebecca Guhde, Mary Louise Whitfield, Lilli Anne McClanahan, Delaney Swann, Corley Compton, and Olivia Evans. Rowers on the top finishing Varsity 2 boat wre Cathy Gray, Samantha Pickett, Elizabeth Brown, Molly Ballenger, Ellie Swann, Olivia Friddell, Ashlen Carroll, Mary Kenley Tugman, and Annemarie Bonadio.
Thanks to freshman Ariana Whatley’s double in the fourth and her own run as well, the softball Bruisers’ three runs stood up to Baylor’s hitting. Pitcher Shelby Walters didn’t allow an extra-base hit, throwing a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Although state tournament seedings are yet to be determined, GPS and Baylor will inevitably meet again; this Bruiser win evened the series. Other hits by GPS came from Kaitlyn Songer, who went three for three, and a single from Macie Stanfield. A walk from Hannah Kincer started the three-run fourth inning. Read coaches' quotes and more on the softball game here.
Emily Morrison finished second in the Pentathlon qualifying on Tuesday, with three personal bests. Morrison finished second in the 100 hurdles and 800 meter run. She tied for first in the high jump and won the long jump with a jump of 15-5. She was third in the shot put. Morrison’s personal bests came in the high jump, shot put, and 800 run. Because the winner has elected not to compete in the pentathlon at Spring Fling, Morrison is the automatic entry for the Division II-East Region.
TENNIS UPDATE: The Bruisers will be facing Harpeth Hall in a quarterfinal match to qualify as a team for Spring Fling. Bruisers who last week earned individual spots at the state tournament include Maddox Bandy, Ellie Edwards, Maggie Eslinger, Kate Thel, and Corinne Spann.
Bandy won the region singles title by defeating Baylor opponents Drew Hawkins in the semifinals and Landie McBrayer in the finals. Edwards, Eslinger, Thel, and Spann finished third and fourth in doubles competition (the top five teams move on to state. 
