About Barrow journal. (Winder, Ga.) 2008-2016 | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2016)
2016 Barrow County High School Baseball Scoreboard: 1 8 2 6 Flowery Branch 6 Winder-Barrow 10 Wed., March 30 Apalachee 7 Cedar Shoals 0 INed., March 30 Winder-Barrow 12 Flowery Branch 3 Friday, April 1 Cedar Shoals Apalachee Friday, April 1 1 Winder-Barrow 16 Gainesville Monday, April 4 Apalachee Lanier Monday, April 4 Barrow’s only award-winning local sports section as judged by Georgia Press Association and Georgia Sports Writers Association INSIDE THIS SECTION •The Game Plan — 2B •Local Stars — 2B •Wildcat Tennis — 3B •All-Area Basketball — 4B April 6, 2016 Phone: 770-867-6397 Fax:706-621-4115 cbridges@barrowjournal. com Section B ★★★★ High School Baseball: Winder-Barrow High School 8-AAAAA Clash: Bulldoggs fall to Gainesville By Chris Bridges Journal Sports Editor The much-anticipated match up between Winder-Barrow High School and Gainesville High School did not turn out as the Diamond Dogg faithful had hoped Monday. The host Red Elephants, for the moment at least, have the advantage on WBHS in the Region 8-AAAAA race fol lowing an 8-1 victory. The two teams are scheduled to meet again Wednesday (today) at the Charles W. Maddox Complex in Winder. It was the second region loss this season for the Bulldoggs. Gainesville has one region loss after splitting its region series with Loganville High School, which also has one region loss. LHS and WBHS still have a two- game series this season. In Monday's game against Gainesville, the WBHS bats were pretty much silent against Red Elephant starter Collier Scott, who threw six strong innings. Scott also benefited from several quality defensive plays to keep the Bulldoggs in check. WBHS had three hits during the first two innings, but man aged just two baserunners during the next three innings. Gaines ville’s sophomore starting pitch er was pulled after six innings with the game comfortably in hand. Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp said he is planning to throw Jonathan Gettys, a LSU signee, in Wednesday’s rematch. Beau Hanna continued his solid play at the plate for WBHS with an RBI triple in the fifth inning driving in Darrell Wood- all. Either Gainesville, WBHS and LHS will likely emerge as the top seed from the region. Heri tage is currently fourth, but the Bulldoggs swept the Patriots ear lier this season. 8-AAAAA Gainesville 12-1 Loganville 12-1 Winder-Barrow 11-2 Heritage 10-5 Lanier 8-4 Salem 5-8 Clarke Central 4-8 Apalachee 4-11 High School Tennis: Apalachee High School Baseball Notebook AHS boys continue region perfection t¥ *• cm * *£ * it ■*. -W ■SSt- -MBt ■ - P3S JStL. L3 TENNIS SUCCESS The Apalachee High School boys tennis team is having a strong season in Region 8-AAAAA. Chandler Hagan (above), the team’s No. 1 singles player, recently broke the school record for career wins. He is at 39 and counting. (Right) Sophomore Davis Hayes competes in doubles play. Hayes teams with his brother Trey at No. 1 doubles. Photos by Jessica Brown By Chris Bridges Journal Sports Editor The impressive trek through Region 8-AAAAA for the Apalachee High School boys tennis team continued last week with a 5-0 victory against region foe Discovery High School. AHS, which improved to 12-2 overall and 9-0 in region play, has now secured the No. 1 seed for the region tournament, scheduled for April 11-12 in Gainesville. Junior Chandler Hagan won his 13th match of the season at No. 1 singles with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. That win allowed him to surpass Matt Tripp (Class of 2006) as the all-time career leader for tennis victories with 39. Freshman Eli Hagan also remained undefeated this season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles. Cristian Perez clinched the March 30 match with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at No. 3 singles. The Wildcat doubles teams swept for the seventh time this season with Trey Hayes and Davis Hayes winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles and Jonathan Fuller and Jack- son Wadsworth winning 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 doubles. See Tennis on Page 3B BACK AT YOU Cristian Perez returns a serve during a singles match for AHS. Perez plays No. 3 singles for the Wildcats, who are undefeated in region play this spring under the direction of coach Dan Woschitz. High School Golf: Battle of Barrow AHS boys, WBHS girls earn victories in local matchup By Chris Bridges Journal Sports Editor The latest chapter in the Battle of Barrow rivalry took place on the golf course as Winder-Barrow High School and Apalachee High School squared off at Chateau Elan last week. The AHS boys earned a 171-184 win while the WBHS Lady Bulldoggs were victori ous 155-202. Commerce High School also competed in the three-school event. It was the second win against WBHS this spring for the AHS boys. Matthew Cheek (41) led AHS followed by Michael Cook (42), Joey Salvaggio (44) and Chris Cook (44.) Parker Elrod was the low medalist for the WBHS boys with a round of 42 followed by Luke Hetland (45), Will Sorrells (47) and Larry Log- gins (50). Meghan Bramblett led the WBHS girls at 39. See Golf on Page 2B DeMarco continues torrid pace By Chris Bridges Journal Sports Editor Pat DeMarco is in his first season competing for the Winder-Barrow High School baseball team, but if he continues his current pace, his name is going to be remembered for a long time. DeMarco, a junior, has already connected for 10 homeruns this spring and still has another month to go during the 2016 regular sea son. DeMarco connected for three homers in a game against Cedar Shoals this season and then had two against Apalachee High School on March 28. Two days later DeMarco con nected for his ninth homer of the season in a 10-6 victory against region foe Flowery Branch. His three homers performance against Cedar Shoals tied a school record for most in a single game. The record was previously co-held by Tim Barnett, Shawn McNally and Jeff Martin. While it didn't seem DeMarco was previously on track to break the program record of homers in a season, set by Shane Hopper’s 16 mark in 1994, DeMarco is now well over half way there. His coach said being able to adjust at the plate has been the biggest strength for DeMarco, who is in his first season at WBHS after moving from New York. “If he ever had a pitch that fools him or freezes him. he very quick ly adjusts or adapts to whatever they are using to try and get him out,’’ said Diamond Dogg coach Brian Smith. “If someone does get him out, he figures it out the next time. To me, that's what baseball is about. It’s about who can adjust.” DeMarco will face some of the toughest pitching he has seen in the series against Gainesville and Loganville and it’s not out of the question some pitchers will try to throw around him or even inten tionally walk him. Last Friday against Flowery Branch that strategy wasn’t as effective as Beau Hanna, the next WBHS player in the batting lineup, had two triples and drove in five runs. “Batters often get a groove where the baseball seems really big,” Smith said recently. “Pat is doing a great job at the plate and his power has been a big boost to our team and helped give us a nice level of success.” There’s still plenty of things to accomplish in 2016. but the impact DeMarco has had in his first sea son with the Diamond Doggs has already been felt.
