The Warrenton boys' volleyball team both started and finished strong on Thursday.

The problem for the Warriors was that the middle portion of the team’s four-set match wasn’t as strong in the 25-6, 14-25, 19-25, 25-27 loss to visiting Orchard Farm.

Senior Teegan Williams praised his teammates for coming out strong on Thursday after losing to Timberland to open the season.

“That felt great, I really thought we were going to take it home,” Williams said. “It was great to get a set under us after that happened at Timberland.”

View the photo gallery from Thursday's contest

In the first set, Williams benefited from dynamic team play, as a major portion of his 12 kills came in that set.

Warrenton Coach Jake Brown noted a shift in the team’s fortunes as Williams' hot start cooled.

“We had so much adrenaline, it was like we had an adrenaline dump that second game, we were really flat,” Brown said. “Then, we just had self-inflicted wounds, hitting the ball into the net. We weren’t getting the same opportunities. (Teegan) was getting a good ball, setting it for him where he likes it, just off the net, and he was able to get down on the ball, not letting it float so much.”

In the final set, Warrenton (0-2) trailed by as many as eight points before a rally saw the team take the lead at 24-23, thanks to some strong serves from Williams.

Again, Brown saw plenty of things he liked in the fourth set.

“There were some real nice things in that fourth game,” Brown said. “We were down, we fought back, tied it and took the lead. I was really proud of our guys, we were on a short roster.”

Senior Brayden Brown led the Warriors with 13 kills while Williams added his 12. Junior Matthew Faubion led the team with 19 assists.

Warrenton returns to action against North Point on March 31^st.

WRIGHT CITY BASEBALL 19, WELLSVILLE-MIDDLETOWN 1 (3 INN) – The offense quickly got to work in a road win on Thursday.

Wright City (3-1) scored five runs each in the first and third innings, wrapped around a nine-run second.

Sophomores Tyler Martin and Leighton McDonald each drove in four runs, while juniors Carter Pierson and Nathaniel Hesse each drove in three. Hesse had a bases-loaded double in the third to clear the bases.

Carter Strunk earned the win for the Wildcats.

Next, Wright City will take to the diamond for a pair of games on Saturday. First, the Wildcats will host their Warren County rival, Warrenton (2-3), at 10 a.m., before taking on Hannibal (1-4) at 3 p.m.

WARRENTON BASEBALL 14, HAZELWOOD WEST 4 (6 INN.) – A six-run second inning proved to be more than enough as Warrenton rolled to victory at home.

The biggest hit of the inning, by Ric Standley, brought in a trio of runs.

 Warrenton Coach Eric Burle said that putting the ball in play proved pivotal for the Warriors.

“We had good, timely hitting and limited our strikeouts, which has been an issue at times this year,” Burle said. “(We) got a lot of production out of the latter half of our lineup.”

Amongst some of the production was: Keeton Young (2-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI, two runs scored), Easton Holt (1-for-1, 2B, two walks) and Keegan Lehmkuhl (1-for-3, two runs, 2 RBI).

Burle added that the team’s younger arms played important roles in the win.

“Three freshmen – Jaxson King, Mason Haas and Mason Eultgen – combined to pitch five of the six innings,” he said.

Warrenton will be at Wright City on Saturday to first play the host and then immediately turn around and play Hannibal in a key game.

“Hannibal is a district opponent,” Burle said.