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2B
♦ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2006
BEST
From page iB
She had a perfect field per
centage (24-24)*.
She was a three-year start
er/three-year letterman,
scored nine runs and drove
in 17 others.
She was a key member
in helping Warner Robins
qualify for the AAAAA state
tournament (Elite Eight).
“Sam did an outstanding
job in the outfield for me,”
said Arnett.
• Kristin Graham
School: Warner Robins
Year: Junior
Position: Pitcher/infield
er
Impact: Hit .444 with six
doubles, two triples and two
home runs. She had a .913
fielding percentage (63-69).
On the mound she had
a 13-4-1 record with 166
strikeouts.
She was a key member
in helping Warner Robins
qualify for the AAAAA state
tournament (Elite Eight).
She was a three-year start
er/three-year letterman,
scored 16 runs and drove in
21 more.
“(She did an) outstand
ing job at the plate as well
as on the mound,” said
Demonettes head coach
Brenda Arnett.
• Allison Dickey
School: Northside
Year: Senior
Position: Second base
Impact: A four-year start
er, she hit .240. She also
had four doubles, seven RBI
and a slugging percentage
of .302.
“She is an outstanding
player with great knowl
edge of the game,” said Lady
Eagles head coach Mitch
Horton. “More than that she
was leader for us both on
and off the field.”
# Crystal Greer
School: Perry
Grade: Senior
Position: Center field
Impact: Hit .472 (42-for
-89). Had nine doubles, one
triple and five home runs.
Also had an on-base percent
age of .600, 31 RBI and 17
stolen bases.
“Crystal is an unbeliev
able player with tremendous
talent and athleticism,” said
head coach Jeff Sans. “She
was the backbone to our
defense and the leader by
example and work ethic on
our team this year.”
Other: She was selected
to the Region 4-AAA All-
Region team and has signed
a scholarship to go to South
Georgia.
RUN
From page iB
followed by Mclntosh and
Woodward.
On the boys’ side of the house,
Northside finished 29th. Chapel
Hill was first, followed by Marist
and Dacula.
And finally, in AAA Perry fin
ished 19th. They were behind
North Hall, which finished first,
Westminster in second and Blessed
Trinity in third.
Results of the state cross
country meet held Saturday in
Carrollton:
AAAAA girls
Team scores
Collins Hill - 70
South Forsyth - 161
Brookwood - 162
Grayson - 172
17. Houston County - 533
18. Warner Robins - 565
Individual results locally
Warner Robins girls
Brittney Stewart - seventh - 19:43
Danielle Atkins - 102nd - 22:23
Brittney hill - 141st - 23:55
Brandilyn Cook - 156th
Becky Atkins - 169th - 25:03
Houston County girls
Megan Breitbach - 57th - 21:11
Kiersten Wharton - 59th - 21:13
April Holloway - 120th - 23:04
Kali Korbas - 131 - 23:31
Alyssa Pegues - 175th - 25:18
AAAAA boys
Parkview - 55
Walton - 70
Brookwood - 109
Lassiter - 141
20. Warner Robins - 710
31. Houston County - 827
Individual results locally
Warner Robins
Karl Burkhardt - 90th - 18:06
Marc Kushinka - 18:38
Cameron Luck - 174th - 19:42
• Ashton Jones
School: Perry
Grade: Junior
Position: First base
Impact: Hit .455 (40 for
88). Had 12 doubles, one
triple and one home run.
Also had an on-base percent
age of .547, 37 RBI and four
stolen bases.
“Ashton is one of the best
defensive first baseman I
have seen,” said Sans. “She
plays the position the way
it is supposed to be played,
with intensity and willing to
get her ‘face in the dirt’.
“Offensively she hit in the
‘four hole’ and protected
Marla extremely well. She
has a lot of power to the
gaps and drove in a lot of
runs for us this year.
“Ashton is one of those
types of people you just pull
for - excellent in the class
room, on the field, and in
life.”
Other: Was selected to the
Region 4-AAA All-Region
team.
• Kelsey Gilliam
School: Westfield
Year: Sophomore
Position: Pitcher
Impact: She was the
team’s clean-up hitter and
scored 18 runs and had 11
RBI.
On the mound, she com
piled a record of 16-8 with
122 strikeouts. She went 6-2
- pitching every game - dur
ing the state tournament to
help lead the Lady Hornets
to the championship.
“Kelsey was one of the
most dominating pitchers
in the league,” Culverhouse
said. “Kelsey had very good
control as well, only having
one wild pitch all season.
Her pitching ERA is 1.35.”
Other: She was the
Region 3-AAA Player of the
Year and named to the 3-
AAA All-Region and AAA
All-State teams.
Coach’s corner: “Kelsey
is the type player that will
do anything the coach asks
of her,” Culverhouse said.
“After each game in the
Final Four I would ask her
how she felt.
“Her response was always,
‘I feel fine and I am ready
to go.’ What else could you
ask for?”
* Audrey Clearman
School: Westfield
Year: Sophomore
Position: First base
Impact: Hit .442. She
scored 19 runs and drove in
15. She had a slugging per
centage of .593. She hit .481,
scored nine runs and drove
in six more in leading the
Lady Hornets to the AAA
state crown.
Jeffrey Nakayama - 184th - 19:47
Trevor Whelan - 187th - 19:50
Houston County
Frankie Rios-Maldando - 105th
- 18:28
Jordan Randall - 163rd - 19:33
Logan Cohenour - 198th - 20:13
Kyle Turcotte - 201 - 20:17
Shane Graham - 203rd - 20:20
AAAA girls
Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe - 143
Mclntosh - 157
Woodward - 164
Marist - 166
21. Northside - 552
Individual results locally
Northside
Janay Wilson - 56th - 21:31
Sami Jacobs - 105th - 22:33
Demonica Banks - 122nd - 23:00
Kelly Mckinley - 123rd - 23:00
Brooke Bowen - 167th - 24:11
AAAA boys
Chapel Hill - 86
Marist - 89
Dacula - 135
St. Pius X - 175
29. Northside - 858
Individual results locally
Northside
Steaman Grant - 136th - 18:56
Derek Uebel - 167th - 19:41
Markus Hartman - 167th - 20:01
Daniel Gazaway - 194th - 20:44
Kurt Dzwonkowski - 202nd -
20:44
Cameron South - 203rd - 21:10
AAA boys
North Hall - 42
Westminster - 57
Blessed trinity - 93
Chamblee - 161
19. Perry - 539
Individual results locally
Nicholas Felder - 80th - 18:46
Devin Simpson - 95th - 18:55
Alex Spears - 117th - 19:17
Matthew Philips - 133rd - 19:29
Geremy Skeen - 147th - 19:52
"Audrey was prob
ably the most clutch hit
ter on the team,” said Lady
Hornets head coach Rodney
Culverhouse. “She always
stepped up in the pressure
situations.”
Other: She was named to
the 3-AAA All-Region and
AAA All-State teams.
Coach’s corner: “Audrey
was the player on the team
that kept the girls ‘fired up,”’
said Culverhouse. “Audrey
was going to get dirty in
the game. That is how she
plays. Audrey was one of
the smartest base runners
on the team, as well.”
• Jennifer Wrye
School: Westfield
Year: Sophomore
Position: Catcher
Impact: Hit .361. She
scored 13 runs and drove in
14 others. She hit .481 dur
ing the AAA state tourna
ment, scored three runs and
had eight RBI while helping
the Lady Hornets win the
state title.
“Jennifer was a force behind
the plate,” Culverhouse
said. “She allowed very few
passed balls all season.
“Jennifer is a very smart
catcher as she calls every
game form behind the
plate.”
Other: She was named to
the 3-AAA All-Region and
AAA All-State teams.
Coach’s corner:
“Jennifer always brought
her best game,” Culverhouse
said. “Jennifer caught five
straight games in the play
offs and you would have
thought each game was the
first of the day.”
• Mason Moreland
School: Westfield
Year: Sophomore
Position: Second base
Impact: Hit .312. She
scored 19 runs and drove in
five others. She was 12-of-13
in the stolen base depart
ment.
“Defensively, (she was)
probably the best second
baseman in the state,” said
Culverhouse. “Many teams
thought they had hits in the
hole or up the middle until
Mason dove, stopped the ball
and threw the player out.”
Other: She was named to
the 3-AAA All-Region and
AAA All-State teams.
Coach’s comer: “Mason
was always motivat
ing the team to step up,”
Culverhouse said. “Mason
did a good job of leading by
example. She is another on
that was going to leave the
field with a dirty uniform.”
Second team
• Brianna Hancock
PERRY
From page iB
had six tapes of Syrupmaker games this season,
and perhaps the one of the most interest was that
loss to Monroe.
“They were up 12-0 with about four minutes to
go, and Monroe did a great job,” said Scott. “They
scored, forced Cairo to go three and out, got the ball
back and scored and took it to overtime. It was a
great ball game. It was the first region champion
ship in the history of Monroe High School.”
Scott was still more interested in learning what
to expect from Cairo come this Friday. Perry (7-3)
has already played Jackson and Peach County, twb
schools that are placed among the elite of Class
AAA.
“They are very comparable to Peach, but they
are not Peach County by any stretch,” said Scott.
“We match up better with (Cairo) than we do Peach
County. But they have a good football team other
than that one slip-up against Monroe.
“They have (talent) all over the field. They run
a two-quarterback system that is very good. They
have one, Chris Teal, who is more of a running
quarterback, and then they have another kid who is
a senior, Mike McGhee. Teal plays wide receiver and
running back, a Mr. Everything.”
Cameron Wade, another senior receiver, doesn’t
want to travel to far to go to college. He committed
to Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., a town almost
due south of Cairo.
“You name it, they do it,” said Scott about Cairo’s
formations that go from single back to the I to the
shotgun. “We just have to make sure we’re aligned
correctly and do a good job of swarming the ball.
“They have a great group of athletes on defense as
well. They do a great job of stopping the run. They
are very similar to what we are. Whichever team is
able to run the ball and stop the run is going to win
the game. When they throw, it’s off of play action.
“Their head coach is a former offensive line coach.
They are going to be well coached and very versa
tile on both sides of the line of scrimmage. They
are comparable to Northeast, Central-Macon and
Spalding. Spalding probably had the best defense
we’ve faced this year other than Peach.
“We face a very tough region schedule. So when
you get into the playoffs and you have to cross over
against other regions, sometimes it’s difficult to see
how good they are.”
What is known about Cairo football is that it has
SPORTS
School: Houston County
Year: Freshman
Impact: Recorded a pitch
ing record of 7-3 and had an
earned run average of .097.
She was a key member
in helping Houston County
qualify for the AAAAA state
tournament (Elite Eight).
“Brianna really came up
‘big’ for us in the state tour
nament,” Griffin said. “She
had to pitch four games in
the sectional tournament.
She won three of those
games to help us get to the
Elite 8.”
• Kourtny Thomas
School: Houston County
Year: Freshman
Position: Shortstop
Impact: Hit .406. She had
41 hits in 101 at bats includ
ing six doubles.
Was a key member in help
ing Houston County qualify
for the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight).
“Kourtny did a tremen
dous job for us this year,”
Griffin said. “She hit well
and played defense well. She
had two unbelievable plays
that helped us in the region
championship game. She is a
hard worker and is extreme
ly competitive.”
• Sarah Ling
School: Houston County
Year: Freshman
Position: Right field/third
base
Impact: Hit .385. She had
40 hits in 104 at bats includ
ing 12 doubles. She also had
an on-base percentage of
.429.
Batting in the lead-off
spot, she scored 27 runs and
was a key member in help
ing Houston County qualify
for the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight).
She had a fielding percent
age of .902 in the field.
“She is always working
to make her hitting better,”
Griffin said. “She did an
excellent job in right field.
She has a very strong arm.
She can also play third or
second base.”
• Cherie White
School: Warner Robins
Year: Senior
Position: Outfield
Impact: Hit .309 with one
double. She had a fielding
percentage of .952 (20-21).
She was a four-year let
terman, scored 11 runs and
drove in nine others.
Was a key member in help
ing Warner Robins qualify
for the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight).
• Kittery Maine
School: Warner Robins
Year: Senior
Position: First base
Impact: Had a fielding
percentage of .948 (73-77)
She was a two-year letter
man, scored four runs and
drove in five others.
Was a key member in help
ing Warner Robins qualify
for the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight). Of note:
She hit a walk-off home run
against Houston County in
the state tourney.
Other: Signed a scholar
ship to play basketball at
Liberty.
• Katie Farinelli
School: Warner Robins
Year: Sophomore
Position: Second base
Impact: Hit .323. “We
turned her around and
she became our ‘slapper,’”
Arnett said.
Was a key member in help
ing Warner Robins qualify
for the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight).
A two-year letterman, she
scored 17 runs and drove in
six others.
“She had great coverage at
second base,” Arnett said.
• Jensen Barrett
School: Warner Robins
Year: Sophomore
Position: Shortstop
Impact: She had a .882
fielding percentage (60-68).
On the mound she was 2-1
with 17 strikeouts. She was
a key member in helping
Warner Robins qualify for
the AAAAA state tourna
ment (Elite Eight).
She was a two-year starter/
two-year letterman, scored
five runs and drove in 11
others.
“She was my shortstop
and did a great job,” Arnett
said. “She did a great job of
plugging the middle.”
• Taelor Bousman
School: Northside
Year: Junior
Position: Leftfield
Impact: Led the team in
hitting with a .309 batting
average. Was also RBI lead
with 17, as well as in triples
with two.
“She was also a steady
consistent outfielder for us,”
Horton added.
• Kristen Smith
School: Northside
Year: Junior
Position: Centerfield
Impact: Hit .232 and was
the team leader in stolen
bases with six. “Kristen
developed into a great lead
off hitter and slapper for
us,” Horton said. “(She) did
a great job covering ground
in centerfield.”
• Kim Dominy
School: Northside
Year: Junior
Position: First base
Impact: Hit .243 and had
10 RBI. She also had a .959
tasted state-championship success once before in
AAA by winning the title in 1990. It’s in Grady
County, which runs along the southern border of
Georgia along with other powerful football areas
like Thomasville and Valdosta. And it is the only
high school in the county, which will make the play
off game the No. 1 event in town for this weekend.
“The biggest things for us is to make sure we stay
away from the big play, that we have some success
early and take their crowd, their band, that atmo
sphere out of it,” said Scott. “We will have to walk
into Cairo High School like we own the place. We
are going to have to draw some energy off of that
excitement. If we go out there, have some fun and
understand that the home-field advantage goes to
the team that plays the hardest and hits the hard
est, we’ll be successful.”
Perry had a lot of energy and intensity in last
weekend’s win against Spalding, leading Scott to
call it the best defensive game of the season so far.
“I think our kids understood that we needed to
win that game in order to keep playing,” he said. “I
hope we as a coaching staff can continue to teach
these kids that from here on out it’s either win or
go home. We better play with some energy and some
passion.”
The coach also talked about how the players are
growing in their positions, including Akeen Felder
as a receiver split out wide and at tight end. He has
three touchdown catches in his last three games.
Also, quarterback Casey Hayward got help from the
receivers as blockers in order to score a long touch
down run against Spalding.
Who else is growing? How about freshman kicker
Ray Guin? Faced with a 34-yard PAT attempt, Guin
powered it through with distance to spare. He also
had two fourth-quarter field-goal opportunities to
help pad the lead, and he made both (34- and 27-
yards).
“Like everything, you try as hard as you can to
get better,” said Scott, who wasn’t as confident in
the kicking game during a Sept. 22 one-point home
loss to Jackson. “I think we’ve done that in just
about every phase. (Guin’s) done a great job, no
doubt. That’s huge.”
Huge because the next time Scott sends him on
the field, it could be asking him to give Perry a lead,
maybe even win a game. He said nerves might have
been a problem early, but not anymore.
The winner between Perry and Cairo plays either
at Washington County (a former Perry region rival)
or at home against Troup High (LaGrange) the day
after Thanksgiving.
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
fielding percentage while
playing at first base.
• Marla Patterson
School: Perry
Grade: Junior
Position: Shortstop
Impact: Hit .506 (42 for
83). Had nine doubles, two
triples and five home runs.
Also had an on-base per
centage of .608, 44 RBI and
three stolen bases.
“Marla played shortstop
out of necessity for us this
year,” Sans said, “and did a
great job in the middle. She
directed the defense well
and has a tremendous arm
from the hole. “Offensively
she was our ‘go to girl’ at the
plate - natural power and
can go opposite field with
authority.
“Marla came through for
us in big situations all year
and was a valuable part of
our run production.”
• Ashley Craddock
School: Perry
Grade: Sophomore
Position: Second base
Impact: Hit .436 (34 for
78). Had five doubles and
four triples. Also had an on
base percentage of .553, 26
RBI and 15 stolen bases.
“Ashey hit in the ‘five
hole’ for us and did a great
job of moving runners and
getting around the bases for
us when she needed to.
“She is ‘hard nosed’ at
second and is willing to do
what it takes to make the
play. She’s a competitor and
when you find someone who
is willing to sell out you stick
with them.
“I look forward to the next
two years of her playing at
Perry ... Definitely a ‘tough
out’.”
• Daryl Ann Thompson
School: Westfield
Year: Sophomore
Position: Right field
Impact: Hit .286 in the
No. 2 spot in the lineup.
She was six-for-six in stolen
bases, had six sacrifice bunts
and scored 13 runs.
She was a key member
in the Lady Hornets’ state
championship.
“Daryl Ann is the complete
outfielder,” Culverhouse
said. “She made one error
the entire season. She can
play any of the outfield posi
tions at any time.”
Other: She was named to
the 3-AAA All-Region and
AAA All-State teams.
Coach’s corner:
“Daryl Ann always hustles,”
Culverhouse said. “She gives
you everything she has all
the time.”