WESTFIELD — Jackson County had eight duos competing in the Special Olympics Indiana cornhole state tournament Oct. 1 at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Five of them returned home with gold medals.
Derrick Martin and Elijah Noble won 23-6 and 23-11 to win their division. Averie Brennan and A.J. Engel won 23-3 and 24-3 to earn gold medals. Dale Hickman and Billy Allman won 23-12 and 23-15 to sweep their division.
Also, Austin Hernandez and Tony Lowe won their first match 21-6 and won the second one by forfeit to take first place their division, and Alysha Sandlin and Rob Smith won 21-11 and 12-0 to earn gold.
Placing second and earning silver medals were Becky Klosterman and Cassie Brock, who won 22-19 and lost 21-3, and Zack Campbell and Blake Oathout, who won 21-1 and lost 21-12.
Tim Ashburn and Donald Bennethum lost both of their matches to place third in their division and earn bronze medals.
Cornhole is one of the EKS Games sports offered by Special Olympics Indiana. Also Sunday, soccer, in its first year, was played at Grand Park, and distance running and walking and flag football both took place at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis.
Other EKS Games sports — equestrian, golf and softball — had their state tournaments in September, while volleyball will take place in November.
Named in honor of Special Olympics’ founder, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Games is the second-largest annual sporting event for Special Olympics Indiana. Throughout the fall, state tournaments are held at multiple locations in eight traditional and Unified sports.
More than 2,000 athletes and Unified partners compete in EKS Games and qualifying events leading up to the state finals.
Now, Jackson County athletes turn their attention to bowling, which they have been practicing since the last week of August. The county tournament is Oct. 10 at Scottsburg Bowling Lanes, the Area 2 tournament is Nov. 4 at Blackiston Bowl in Clarksville and the state tournament will be Dec. 2 at a site to be determined in Indianapolis.
Then basketball will start with the first practice Nov. 15 at Girls Inc. of Jackson County in Seymour.
For information about the Jackson County program, visit facebook.com/jacksoncountyspecialolympics.