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Friday,
March 1,2013
Tribune & Qeorgian
Sports
Gone fishing
Terry Lacoss: Sheepshead tournament brings
out about 450 boats.
see 3B
B Section
Youth
hit the
matin
county
event
Andy Diffenderfer
sports@tribune-georgian.com
Youth wrestlers up
through eighth grade were
paired last Saturday for
round-robin tournament
matches at Camden Middle
School.
Nearly 100 local and
Florida wrestlers gathered
for mat action in grade-level
divisions K-2, 3-5 and 6-8.
Of the 21 sets of round-
robin competitions, county
grapplers claimed 14.
Camden Middle boasted
several group winners, in
cluding Christopher
Harkins, Raydan Wilder,
Tyler Dahlgren, Zach Vitale,
Lyndin Thornton, A.J.
Woodard, Antonio Stewart,
Martinik Wilkins and Harris
Sutton. Mikey Packard and
Jack Dewey represented St.
Marys Middle in the win
ners’ circle at the one-day
event.
Dahlgren, Thornton,
Woodard, Stewart and
Wilkins all went 4-0 in their
five-wrestler brackets.
Wilder, Vitale and Sutton
were unbeaten in three
matches, and Harkins 2-0 in
a three-man group.
One of six in his cluster,
Packard sported a perfect 5-
0 mark, and Dewey was tops
in his five-man pool.
Among the K-2 set, Cam
den entrants shined as Ryder
Wilder was a spotless 4-0 in
a five-wrestler bracket, and
Bradley Patterson an un
blemished 3-0 in a four-man
pack. Riley Dahlgren of
Camden placed first in his
division for grades 3-5.
Submitted photo
Eighth-grader Bunmi Smith won his division at the Lib
erty Nationals in Kansas City, Mo.
Wrestler Smith
wins Liberty
Nationals meet
Andy Diffenderfer
sports@tribune-georgian.com
Before he even hits high
school, local wrestler
Bunmi Smith is building
up quite a resume.
The Camden Middle
School eighth-grader
added to an impressively
growing list of mat accom
plishments over the week
end, storming to the
14-and-under, 145-pound
title at the Liberty Nation
als meet in Kansas City,
Mo.
Smith, who turns 14 in
April, roared through his
bracket, winning his first
match by technical fall,
then recording a second-
period fall and winning the
championship bout by
major decision. The
Cougar, who has already
won prestigious tourna
ments like the Dixie Na
tionals and the Georgia
Grind, is working toward
lofty goals of four state
high school champi
onships with the Wildcats.
Smith relies on tech
nique and athleticism on
the mat, and working with
the high school program
has been an important part
of his development.
Smith is eyeing more
national tournaments —
and titles — and said
someday he’d like to wres
tle collegiately.
“I’ve really been work
ing hard,” he said Tuesday
afternoon before hitting
the practice mats at the
Camden Middle gym.
“Working harder and
harder every day”
CCHS gymnastics
seeks higher marks
CCHS gymnastics schedule
Saturday, March 2: Jones County (Gymnest
in Macon)
Saturday, March 9: Cartersville (Cartersville
Twisters), 10 a.m.
Friday, April 5: Pike County, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, April 19: State qualifiers (Lovett)
Friday, April 26: State meet (Westminster)
Andy Diffenderfer
sports@tribune-georgian.com
After second-place plac-
ings in its first two meets
last weekend, the Camden
County High gymnastics
program is shooting for
higher scores as the season
winds its way to state in
April.
First-year coach Ashton
Lessard has nine gymnasts
in the CCHS program,
which competed last week
end in Tifton and Macon.
“I think the motivation
really is just being able to
represent their school in a
sport that they really love,”
she said.
CCHS sophomore
Kacie Moore won the all-
around in Tifton on Friday
with a 32.225, which in
cluded firsts on the bars
and floor exercise. Team
mate Alexa Valdez, a jun
ior, was second in the
all-around at 28.75. As a
team, Camden, at 78.575,
finished second behind
Thomas County Central
and ahead of Americus-
Sumter.
On Saturday, Moore was
second in the all-around to
Camden Thomas of Johns
Creek, and CCHS second
as a team in a four-school
field with Johns Creek,
Americus-Sumter and host
Jones County.
“My expectations were
exceeded this weekend,”
Lessard said. “They really
impressed me. I have to set
my standards a little
higher.”
The Wildcat program
also includes senior
Michaela Young, senior
Summer Norton, senior
Niakia Fontes, junior Kim
Castro, sophomore Jade
Herrera, senior Natasha
King and sophomore Ligia
Escobar. Norton took
eighth in the all-around in
Tifton.
Lessard wants to attract
more participants, and be
lieves high marks and good
results will be a good way
to do that. All the Camden
gymnasts, she said, are
very encouraging of their
teammates.
“I do think the better we
See SCORES, page 2B
SMMS ties
Hilliard
in tourney
Andy Diffenderfer
sports@tribune-georgian.com
The St. Marys Middle baseball
Bobcats were doubled up by
Bethune and scored two late runs
to forge a tie with Hilliard in a
round-robin tournament last Sat
urday
In a five-inning meeting with
Hilliard, the Bobcats scored single
runs in the fourth and fifth to sal
vage a 6-6 deadlock. A four-run first
got St. Marys off and running, but Diffenderfer | Tribune & Georgian
Cole Loden of St. Marys Middle swings in a Sat-
See RUNS, page 2B urday game with Bethune.
Camden piles up firsts at meet
Andy Diffenderfer
sports@tribune-georgian.com
Camden Gymnastics’
Xcel Silver and Platinum
teams won their divisions
and its AAU Level 3 team
placed second last Saturday
at the Camden Princess In
vitational in Kingsland.
Twenty-nine gymnasts
from the local program
took individual first places
— or at least tied for first
— in event competition
held at the Camden Com
munity Recreation Center.
Xcel Silver
With a half-dozen per
formers taking firsts, Cam
den’s 112.8 team tally ruled
the Silver division.
Lillie Barnes’ winning
37.95 in the all-around was
made up of first-place ef
forts in the vault (9.5), un
even bars (9.6), balance
beam (9.3) and floor exer
cise (9.55). Also finishing
first for Camden were
Chloe Thrift in the all-
around (37.2), bars (9.7),
beam (9.15) and floor
(9.45); Greta Carter in the
all-around (36.15) and
vault (9.05); Ella Marro-
quin on the beam (9.3) and
bars (9.4); Alana Harding
on the floor (9.3); and Lau
ren Coppage on the vault
(9.35).
Jennifer Tate’s highest
finishes were seconds on
the vault (8.6), bars (9.325),
beam (9.15) and all-around
(36.25). Olivia Burns took
second on the beam (8.8)
and tied for second on the
bars (9.4), while Kiyah
Fuller’s 9.45 on the floor
was good for second.
Thirds went to Ashlynn
Carthan on the bars
(9.175) and beam (8.95).
Xcel Platinum
Four gymnasts earned
first places as Camden put
up an unbeatable 107.9
team mark.
Rachel Johnson had four
firsts — on the beam
(9.15), bars (9.15) and floor
(9.35), and in the all-
around (36.05) — and
Kelsea Collins three, in the
vault (9.1), beam (9.15) and
all-around (34.4). Erin
Murray took first on the
floor with a 9.35, and Hay
den Sanders first on the
vault with an 8.5.
Alison Collins was sec
ond on both the vault
See PRINCESS, page 2B
Submitted photo
Tierra Acoff (left), Lauren McCaulley and Nina Kalinin nab medals at invitational.
Miracle League putting on 5K run March 30
Justin’s Miracle Field is hosting its
fourth annual Bunny Hop 5K
race/walk and one-mile fun run on
Saturday, March 30, in downtown St.
Marys. Pre-registration through
March 22 is $15, and from March 23
to race day $20. The fun run is $10.
Visit www.camdenmiracleleague.com
or email jeff@camdenmiracle-
league.com for a registration form.
Sports news, photographs can
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