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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
WESTFIELD
From page iB
walks in five innings. His
strikeout total reached nine.
Hornet coach Billy Sellers
had no problems with the
pitching of his senior left
hander Matt Weaver, who
fanned five in 3 2/3 innings
of work. Westfield got into
trouble, though, with six
walks issued by the hurlers
and some defensive break
downs.
Tattnall had two runners
on base after two two-out
free passes in the home first
inning. Smelter, with an
inside-out swing, put a ball
just inside the line in right
field for a two-run double.
The score was still 2-0
in the home third when a
leadofT walk came around to
score. Tattnall executed its
sacrifice, something the visi
tors struggled with in its first
chance, and Jake Massey sin
gled off the pitching rubber
to make it 3-0.
There was nothing small
about the fourth inning as
the Trojans erupted for six
runs on five hits, one walk
and one error. The ball had
no carry to it on this after
noon as Tattnall catcher
Justin Steele found out with
a deep fly to center with the
bases loaded and one out. It
was a sacrifice fly and 4-0
edge.
Massey and his teammates
who followed went for the
line drive and grounder hits
the rest of the inning. After
Massey’s hit made it 5-0,
Smelter sent a tough ground
ball towards third base. The
resulting throwing error
plated two more.
Jordan Brooks ended the
scoring rally with a two-run
single. The Trojans then had
two hits and two walks to get
the last run in the fifth.
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Houston County’s Alex Baugham signs a soccer scholarship with Darton College,
Monday at the school, as teammates and Bear coaches Tony Jones, left, and Chris
McCook look on.
SIGN
From page iB
as well as athletically,” said
Wimsatt. “I hope I get the
most out of it and will try
to advance to the next level,
as high as soccer will take
me. I think it will be a good
foundation for me either
way because I will get a
great education at Mercer.”
On the academic side,
Wimsatt either wants to
major in business or psychol
ogy. He will use the next two
years to get a feel for what
he wants to do. The field of
psychology is one that would
leave him with some inter
esting choices.
“I want to get into some
thing like life coaching,” said
Wimsatt. “Working with peo
ple, especially people my age.
SELLERS
From page iB
he played a key role in all
those region titles - six or
seven, he said, “if I had to
make a guess” - as well as
Westfield’s success at state
(minus the past couple of
years and that elusvie state
championship).
He also took over a
Westfield baseball program
12 years ago in total disar
ray.
“They came to me ... the
. Westfield’s Tony Albritton
had the only hit off Smelter
with a fourth-inning sin
gle. Eighth-grader Bryce
Traughber earned a chance
at some playoff varsity pitch
ing in both games Saturday.
He had two strikeouts in the
first game.
The Westfield walks got
Tattnall’s offense going in
the second game. The Trojans
batted first, but never swung
at any of the first 10 pitches
and had two baserunners.
Michael Avery and Smelter
drove those runs in.
The second inning for
Tattnall put the game out of
reach as nine runs touched
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Westfield’s Tony Albritton slides in hard at second to break
up a double play.
Maybe being a psychologist
for an athletic team.”
So Wimsatt could go from
perhaps playing for a profes
sional soccer club to getting
into the heads of players who
use their heads quite often.
He said he always sets his
goals as high as possible, and
pro soccer is indeed the limit
for his sport.
'“I understand the need for
education is far more than
the need for athletics,” he
said. “I’m going to push at
both as hard as I can, and I’ll
see how far I get.”
Playing in the midfield,
Wimsatt has the chance to
be a “creative” player. More
importantly, though, he
wants to enjoy himself on
the field.
“It’s a game that allows you
to be yourself,” he said. “I
just like playing, getting out
headmaster and the previ
ous baseball coach ... and
said they needed someone
to coach as ‘interim’ until
they could find somebody
else.
“I guess it’s been 12 years
and they never found any
body.”
Two products of Sellers’
baseball success story was
battling Southland for the
championship in 2004 and
the fact seven of the last
eight years, the team has
had a winning record.
“It’s been fun,” Sellers,
home. Ridge Brown had two
hits, including a two-run
double, alone in the frame.
Kyle Redmond also had a
two-run double and Avery’s
single plated two.
Westfield’s only run of
the day came in the bot
tom of the second. Jarrod
Taylor accounted for the only
Hornet hit off Blake Hobby,
and John Thomas Rust drove
in the run. The fast-working
Hobby fanned five in four
innings.
The Trojan reserves,
brought in for the fourth
inning, scored four runs on
three hits and two Hornet
errors.
there and doing it. Whether
you play on a big team or
in the backyard with your
friends, it’s still soccer.
“(Midfield) allows you to
be the quarterback of the
team. People look for you.
If you have a good game,
they have a good game. You
can distribute the ball left or
right. It brings the best out
of you.”
Wimsatt’s playing career
has taken him from Robins
Air Force Base to the Central
Georgia Soccer Association
to the Olympic Development
Program to the big clubs in
Atlanta. Then there’s his
experience with the atmo
sphere at Houston County
High matches.
“It was an opportunity
for me to understand the
importance of teamwork,”
said Wimsatt. “School pride.
who will continue in the
role he’s held for many
years as the executive direc
tor of the GISA Coaches
Association, said of his 14
years.
“A lot of long hours here.
A lot of great friendships
made.
“There is sadness after
being here so long. But
sometimes change can be
good. It can be a little bit
invigorating.
“So, one half hates its but
one half looks forward to
the new challenges.”
SPORTS
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Westfield first baseman Matt Weaver leaps for a foul ball out of play during the Hornets’
GISA AAA state playoff doubleheader loss to Tattnall Square Saturday in Macon.
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ENI/Gary Harmon
Bears soccer player Lewis McDaniel signs a soccer scholarship with Itawamba
Community College, Monday at the school, as his father Billy, mother Keike and Jones
and McCook look on.
I have a coach who excels in
the ways of motivation and
tactics. It was an experience
that overall made me a bet
ter man, which in turn made
me a better soccer player.”
Baughman joins the Darton
Cavalier program in Albany.
Darton is the host for the
2008 Region XVII champion
ship tournament and already
is boasting a strong recruit
ing class for the new season.
That class not only includes
the former Houston Bear but
four other prospects from the
nation’s top rated high school
program in Florida.
“The coach came up during
the first Warner Robins game,
and he was real impressed
with me,” said Baughman
about his own recruiting pro
cess. “He was real good get
ting back with me on emails,
calling me all the time. It’s a
WOLFE
From page iB
Jeff Knox of Augusta, who
led wire-to-wire and was the
only player under par. He
defeated defending champi
on David Noll Jr. of Dalton
by four strokes. Knox, who
led Noll by one going into
the final round, extended his
lead with a final-round 73 to
finish at 3-under-par 207 for
the 54-hoie tournament.
Dave Womack of
McDonough, playing with
real great school. He let me
play with the team, and it’s a
bunch of good guys.”
Baughman had to miss his
junior season of high school
play, so he was grateful to get
back on the field as a senior
and be part of Houston
County’s continual winning
ways.
“It pushed me to work
harder this year and be bet
ter,” said Baughman. “I’m
real composed. I keep it calm
on the field.”
Baughman hopes to go from
Darton to a four-year school
and also earn a Master’s
degree. Like Wimsett, he’s
looking to enter the psychol
ogy field.
“People tell me I’m a peo
ple person,” he said. “I fig
ured that would be good for
me.”
McDaniel has made the trip
Knox and Noll in the final
group, finished third at
213 with a final-round 74.
Savannah’s Danny Nelson
placed fourth at 214, while
Ryan Parnell of Atlanta
took fifth at 216. Four play
ers tied for sixth at 218 -
Lee Gerdes of Macon, Bob
Aged Hand-cut
Steaks
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008
out to Fulton, Miss., to get a
look at Itawmba and get a
feel for his new college home.
He took part in a practice
with the team and caught
the eye of the coaches.
But he’s not looking to talk
to people lying on couches.
McDaniel has his sights set
on the stars. So at Itawmba
he will begin work towards a
degree in engineering, aero
space to be more specific.
His plans after Itawmba
are to transfer to Georgia
Southwestern State in
Americus. Then, he’s look
ing to enlist in the U.S. Air
Force.
But first, he looks back on
high school memories.
“It was a really unique
team, a one-of-a-kind team,”
said McDaniel. “It had a lot
of team chemistry. It’s like a
family out there.”
Royak of Alpharetta, and
Jack Larkin and Danny
Whigham Jr., both of
Atlanta. Rounding out
the top 10 at 9-over 219
were past champion Doug
Hanzel of Savannah, Mike
Cromer of Norcross and
Matt Robbins of Cumming.
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