Newspaper Page Text
Page 10 - Friday, April 7, 2023
The Jenkins County Times
thejenkinscountytimes.com
WA
P
By Brad Asbury, Sports Editor
for
'I i 11 : Times
pastorbradasbury@gmail.com
Track and Field
Under the
Bleachers
Baseball is in its first full week. The Atlanta Braves won
their first Opening Day game since 2017. They also won
the first series over division rival Washington Nationals.
Now, as of writing, they are playing the St. Louis Cardinals
and they won the first of three games. The first home games
of the season will start Thursday night. Home games are
nearly impossible to come by this year as tickets are selling
out quickly! Only two teams remain without a loss, that is
the Twins and the Rays. No one, of course, has won 162
games in a season; we will see how long the streak goes this
season for one of these teams.
Monday night concluded the NCAA Basketball season.
There were many surprises in both the men’s and women’s
tournaments this year. One might say, “Nothing went as
expected.” On Friday night in the Final Four, the University
of South Carolina women’s team was defeated for the first
time since March 6th, 2022. This ended a 42-game winning
streak. Eventually, in a lopsided game, LSU defeated
the University of Iowa. There was much controversy
concluding that game, we will discuss that next week. I
observed it from “Under the Bleachers, (actually from the
couch)” and it should be discussed.
On the men’s side, not one “blue blood” team, as they
are known, made it to the Final Four. The last four teams
were FAU, San Diego St., Miami, and the University of
Connecticut (UConn). Only UConn had won a national
championship, and they would win again with what looked
like ease defeating San Diego St.
Most assumed the University of South Carolina women
would win the tournament. They won it last year, and no
one could beat them this year. They looked to be perfect.
Perfection is rare in sports. No one pitches a perfect game
every time, no one bats 1.00 for their career in playing for
full seasons, teams rarely go undefeated for the entire
season, and the examples could continue to prove my point.
I say all the time, “Sports translates in numerous ways to
live.” The idea of perfection, or shall we say the inability
to reach perfection shows itself daily in us. More than
imperfection is the term sin. Sun is the breaking of the law
of God in any way and its consequence is death.
While there is a chance someone will have a “perfect”
game or a “perfect” season, there is only One who lived
in complete perfection. This week we celebrate Him who
died as a criminal, never having sinned Yet, His death was
not in vain, it was in our place. Place your faith in Him and
turn from your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made
him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.”
This week “under the bleachers,” as you point out
everyone’s imperfections (I know you would not do that!),
remember to turn to Jesus daily for He is our only hope.
Region Report
The season is down to its final two weeks of play for local
baseball teams. The position for the state tournament is starting
to take shape as teams finish their last weeks of games against
regional opponents. The War Eagles only have Montgomery
County (this week) and McIntosh County Academy (Week of
April 10) remaining on their regional schedule.
The top team remains in the region, and unless they are defeated
in every remaining game, ECI will hold the top spot in the region.
Presently they are ranked second in the state in Class A Division 2.
They did not have a regional matchup this previous week, but will
play Portal in three games this week; already winning Monday’s
matchup 11-0. Portal is in a close race with McIntosh County
Academy in the region. They defeated Jenkins County in 2 out of
the 3 games played last week.
Montgomery County remains winless in the region and will take
on Jenkins County this week in three games. McIntosh County
Academy, the 10 th -ranked team in Class A Division 2 has the
week off from regional play. If the War Eagles can get at least two
wins against Montgomery County they will seal, at the least the 4
th spot and play in the state playoffs.
Team Regional Record Overall Record
ECI 7-0 15-6
Portal 6-4 7-10
McIntosh County Academy 5-4 15-7
Jenkins County 1-5 9-12
Montgomery County 0-6 3-14
Right
Junior 2nd baseman
Gauge Oglesby
leads off second
during a recent
game. On Tuesday,
April 4, Gauge hit
a walk-off single to
win the game for
the War Eagles over
Montgomery County
5-4. (photo by Anna
Kate Hearn)
Left
Gavin Underwood is
behind the plate for
the War Eagles on
Thursday afternoon
against Portal.
Gavin pitched
against Montgomery
County on Tuesday
afternoon and threw
15 strikeouts out
of the 27 batters
he faced, (photo by
Anna Kate Hearn)
The Girls’ 4X800 Relay team finished 4 th place overall in the
regional meet. The team consists of Top Row (Left to right) Isabel
Bruno and Haley Newton Front Row (Left to Right) AhMiracle
Mozee and RMonie Kent (photo submitted)
The Boys’ 4X 800 Relay Team finished in 6 th place on Wednesday.
The team is shown on the bus after the meet with their medals.
From left to right Ananias Jimenez, Aiden Lovett, Leroy Mozee,
and Kaizen Scott, (photo submitted)
(From Left to Right) Head Coach Andrea Womack, Pierre
Williams 2 ndplace in Triple Jump, Jaquavious Gilmore 1 st place
Shotput and 2 nd place Discus, Shayla Stephens, (photo submitted)
Regional Event
On Wednesday, March 29 th the Jenkins County Middle
School Track and Field teams began the Regional Meet.
The week was hampered by rain and the threats of rain
making the field events take place on Wednesday and the
track events on Friday.
The field teams fared well during the regional meet.
Jaquavion Gilmore had the best showing for the War Eagles
finishing in 1 st place in Shotput and 2 nd place in Discus.
Pierre Williams also had a 2 nd place finish. He finished 2
nd in the Triple Jump event.
The relay teams for the War Eagles also competed on
Wednesday. The Boys’ 4 x800 team finished in 6 th place
and the 4X200 team finished in 4 th . The Girls’ 4x800 had
a 4 th place finish and the 4x200 team finished out in 5 th
place.
At press time, results for the track events had not been
received and will be reported in the week ahead.
The Girls’ 4x200 Relay Team finished in 5 th place at the regional
meet. Team members are (From left to right) Briasia Gray, Braylen
Davis, Chinara Tobie, and Lyric Jones (photo submitted)
The Boys’ 4x200 Relay Team finished in 4 th place. Team members are
as follows (From left to right) Rodriques Burke, Jayden White, Pierre
Williams, and Jaquavious Reed (photo submitted)
Baker Jenkins plays first base this past week for the War Eagles.
The War Eagles lost to Portal 7-2, and 7-5; then they defeated
Portal 3-2 and Montgomery County 5-4. (photo submitted)
Jackson Lanier pitches for the War Eagles during a recent
game. The War Eagles won 2 and lost 2 over the past week.
They lost two games to Portal, defeated Portal in one game, and
won against Montgomery County, (photo by Anna Kate Hearn)
Reid Weathersby was on the mound on Thursday against Portal.
Even though he got the loss, he threw a very good game, throwing
some “nasty ” off-speed pitches, (photo by Anna Kate Hearn)
