Newspaper Page Text
BASKETBALL
MCHS vs. Portal, Treutlen Co.
Fri. 6:00 p.m. (H); Sat. 6:00 p.m. (A)
RTCA vs. Bulloch Aca., Frederica Aca.
Thur. 6:00 p.m. (A); Fri. 6:00 p.m. (H)
TCHS vs. Windsor Forest, Twiggs Co.
Fri. 6:00 p.m. (A); Sat. 1:30 p.m. (H)
VHS vs. Tattnall Co., Portal
Fri. 6:00 p.m. (A); Sat. 4:00 p.m. (A)
Wheeler vs. Bacon Co., Dooly Co.
Fri. 6:00 p.m. (H); Sat. 3:00 p.m. (H)
Treutlen vs. Swainsboro, Montgomery Co.
Fri. 6:00 p.m. (H); Sat. 6:00 p.m. (H)
January 10,2024
®tft Aiuante
Section B
Loran
Smith
Orange Bowl,
Spring Practice
The Georgia football team, follow
ing another head turning successful
season, will start winter workouts mo
mentarily. A few days to regroup and
begin classes will segue into winter
workouts.
Interestingly, it has always been
that way, but for different reasons. Play
ers buy in to today’s routine because
it is significant toward their ultimate
goal—to play in the National Football
There are at
least two vi
gnettes from the
past, with which
I am familiar,
that might bring
pause to your
day—the 1939
and 1942 Or
ange bowls.
In 1939, Okla
homa was heav
ily shmoozed by
Orange Bowl
officials to come
play in Miami. The Sooners were heav
ily favored over Tennessee, their oppo
nent.
There was no television in those
days, but this turned out to be one of
the most hyped games in Orange Bowl
history It has long been said that it was
the game that “made” the Orange Bowl.
Tennessee was a team which had
outstanding speed, which it utilized to
upset Oklahoma. Tennessee’s players
were not as big as the Sooners, but they
had more speed. The Volunteers won
17-0.
Orange Bowl officials were giddy
afterwards, not so much that they had
personal affection for Gen. Robert Ney-
land’s boys, they knew that the head
lines would be healthy for their game.
Neyland was an old school, jaw-
to-jaw proponent. Obviously, he was
pleased with the final score, his team
shutting out Tennessee, but when he
showed up in the victorious locker
room, he was a man of few words.
“I am damn well pleased with the
result,” he told his cheering team, but
then added, “Be ready to report for
spring practice, Jan. 15.” There is no
documentation as to what the players
said privately, but common sense would
suggest they didn’t like the General’s di
rective.
Two years later, Georgia played in
Miami, the Bulldog’s first bowl game,
defeating Texas Christian, 40-26. The
game was pretty much over at the half,
with tailback Frank Sinkwich having
the best day, at least statistically.
He set the Orange Bowl record for
total offense with 365 yards, a record
that stood for decades. He became the
toast of the town. When classes for the
winter quarter began, Sinkwich showed
up at the dormitory and saw a note on
the bulletin board.
“Spring practice starts in two
weeks.”
“Not me,” Sinkwich said. So he quit,
which caused consternation through
out the dorm and athletic facilities. To
say nothing about the Athens commu
nity which went into depression. Sink
wich later recanted and went on to win
the Heisman trophy.
It was traditional in that era to prac
tice the entire school year. Scrimmag
ing began when the team reported in
August and continued until the spring
quarter ended in May.
Today’s players want to become
bigger, stronger, and faster, which they
Please see Loran page 3B
By Loran Smith
Lady Eagles Are 12-0
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmail. com
tion.
The Montgomery County High
School Eagles basketball teams had a
busy week as they faced off with
Citizens Christian Acad
emy, Turner
County, and
Telfair County
last week. The
Lady Eagles kept
their run going as
they won all three of
their games, moving
to 12-0 on the season
and are currently ranked #2 in the
state in Class A Division II. The boys
got a win over CCA, but lost their other
two games.
Girls vs. CCA
The Lady Eagles were out in front
14-11 at the end of the first quarter, but
in the second they began to pull away
from the GIAA squad. MCHS held a 39-
28 lead by the end of the first half of ac-
In the third quarter, CCA kept pace
with MCHS, but the lead for the Eagles
was 53-41 heading to the fourth quarter.
MCHS took the win over
CCA, 66-48.
Marley Bell led the way with 23
points, Amire Banks added 20 points,
and Erin Adams posted 11 in the win.
Boys vs. CCA
MCHS held an early lead, but CCA
came back and was up 12-11 halfway
through the first quarter of the game. In
the second quarter, the Eagles led 25-20.
In the second half of the game,
MCHS pulled away to a 55-39 lead, but
CCA came back late closing the lead to
under five points. The Eagles held on
to get the win 70-66.
vs. Turner Co.
MCHS split
with Turner County
on Friday last week.
The Lady Eagles
picked up the win,
52-38. The boys lost a
close game to the Titans,
57-54.
vs. Telfair
MCHS also split with the Tro
jans of Telfair on Saturday. The Lady Ea
gles again won their game, this time by
the score of 66-44. The boys fell in an
other close contest, as the Trojans won
the game 61-58.
This week MCHS hosts Portal on
Friday at 6:00 p.m. and then will be at
Treutlen on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
Toombs Splits With Appling
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmail.com
The Toombs County High
School Bulldog basketball
teams took on the Pirates of
Appling County last Friday
at home. The Lady Bulldogs
fell in their game, but the
boys won their game mov
ing to 11-2 on the year, and
3-0 in Region play.
Girls vs. Appling
The Lady Bulldogs put
up a fight, but could not
keep up with the Lady Pi
rates. Appling cruised to a
45-32 win over Toombs.
Boys vs. Appling
It was a one-sided game
in the boys game. Toombs
jumped out to a 29-7 lead
over the Pirates in the first
quarter and never looked
back. They extended that
lead to 48-17 by the end of
the first half.
In the third quarter the
Bulldogs outscored Appling
30-12 pushing their lead to
78-29. Toombs went on to
win the game 94-36 over
Appling.
Toombs had three play
ers score over 20 points,
with Jesus Quintero leading
the way with 27 points.
Gavin Fletcher added 24
points for the Bulldogs and
Dominic Eason scored 20 in
the win.
This week Toombs was
at Tattnall County on Tues
day after presstime. They
will be back in action on
Friday at Windsor Forest at
6:00 p.m. and then will host
Twiggs County on Saturday
at 1:30 p.m.
Photo by TCHS
Jesus Quintero dropped 7,3-pointers, and 27 points to lead the
Bulldogs past Appling.
RTCA Takes 2 From Edmund Burke
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmail. com
The Robert Toombs Christian Acad
emy Crusaders basketball teams took on
Edmund Burke and Pinewood Christian
last week. RTCA picked up wins in both
games over Edmund Burke but lost to
Pinewood.
Girls vs. EBA
It was a close battle between RTCA
and EBA with it coming down to late free
throws. Bree Wimberly got a couple late
shots to fall with less than 10 seconds to
play to secure the win for the Lady Cru
saders. RTCA took the win, 53-52.
Boys vs. EBA
The boys game also came down to
the wire with the RTCA boys getting a
one-point win as well. Hayden Right was
the difference for the Crusaders with six
three-pointers in the game as RTCA de
feated EBA, 44-43.
vs. Pinewood
The Lady Crusaders struggled to get
the offense going against the Lady Patri
ots, scoring just 14 points in the game.
Pinewood took the win over RTCA, 36-
14.
In the boys contest the Crusaders
kept it closer, but still fell to Pinewood.
Pinewood won the boys game, 49-38.
This week RTCA played Thomas Jef
ferson on Tuesday after presstime. They
will be back in action on Thursday at
Bulloch Academy at 6:00 p.m. RTCA will
be back at home on Friday against Fred
erica Academy at 6:00 p.m.
VHS Over Knights And Panthers
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 1 advance@gmail. com
It was a good week for the Indians
of Vidalia High School as they won
both games over Windsor Forest and
Portal last week.
Girls vs. Windsor Forest
The Lady Indians jumped out to
an early lead, and by halftime they
were on top, 23-10. Windsor Forest
did make a run in the third, but VHS
was still up 31-26 at the end of the
third. VHS pulled away in the fourth
quarter on the way to a 54-38 win.
Boys vs. Windsor Forest
In the boys game against the
Knights VHS was up 22-19 in the sec
ond quarter of the game. VHS kept up
the pressure and held a lead at half
time. In the second half of the game
the Indians pulled away to take an 82-
66 win over the Knights.
Girls vs. Portal
The Lady Indians rolled to a win
over the Lady Panthers on Saturday.
VHS was up 19-4 at the end of the first
quarter and pushed that lead to 36-7
by halftime.
VHS was up 51-18 at the end of
the third, and took the win, 72-23.
Boys vs. Portal
In the boys game the Indians held
a 21-16 lead at the end of the first
quarter. Portal closed in on the VHS
lead in the second, and by halftime the
Indians were on top by just one point
37-36.
VHS had a big third quarter as
they outscored the Panthers 19-9.
That gave Vidalia a 56-45 lead heading
to the fourth. Vidalia held off Portal
and won the game 72-58.
Please see VHS page 2B