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jenkinscountytimes.com
The Jenkins County Times
Wednesday, April 3, 2024- Page 9
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By Brad Asbury, Sports Editor
WAR EAGLE
pastorbradasbury@gmail.com
R
rJyrtk Under the
Bleachers
Somehow it is already April 1st! It truly feels like April Fool’s Day as I am expecting
someone to jump out and scream, “April Fools, it is just January l.” However, that is
not happening, and the year is flying by. While the year is flying by and it seems hard
to believe it is April 1st, baseball has started, and it makes it more bearable that the
year is going this fast.
Before talking about the MLB, let’s talk about local sports. The Jenkins County War
Eagles baseball team got three regional wins this past week. They beat Portal in three
straight games. The final scores were io-o, 11-7, and 14-5. In the first game, the War
Eagles allowed only 1 hit with Reid Weathersby striking out 10 batters out of the 19
batters he faced!
Over the three games the War Eagles were able to get 33 hits and score 35 runs! In
the 11-7 win over Portal on Friday, Jake Bazemore was able to record a homerun. In
the same game Gray Amerson and Tyler Williams both recorded a double and a triple.
In the 10-0 victory, Blake Aaron, Grey Amerson, Jake Bazemore, Reid Weathersby,
and Tyler Williams all recorded a double. In the 14-5 victory, James Allen and Blake
Aaron recorded 3 RBIs each! It was a great week for War Eagle baseball.
The Jenkins County Middle School Baseball team got two big wins this week
defeating ECI (7-5,9-51 and setting themselves as the number three seed as regional
playoffs begin next week. As of right now, the young War Eagles will play South
Tattnall for the first round of playoffs. The team will play one more regular season
game and will be playing Burke County.
The Braves started hot as the MLB season started. They are 2-1 after the first series
and the bats were popping against rival Philadelphia Phillies. I know there are still 159
more games to play, but this team is fun to watch. There were many good games, big
plays, hard hits, and even two dugout emptying near fights to start the first weekend
across all of MLB. I am certain some fans are panicking as their teams are struggling.
Some are excited as their teams are excelling, but as has already been said the season
is 162 games long and it does not end until October. There is a lot of baseball to be
played.
Tracking back to basketball for a moment, the NCAA Basketball Men’s Tournament
is now heading to the Final Four. North Carolina State, UConn, Alabama, and Purdue
are the final teams left. North Carolina State is this year’s Cinderella team. They won
5 straight games to win their conference tournament to even have a chance to get into
the NCAA tournament. Once in the tournament, they have won 4 straight as a number
11 seed. This year’s final four will feature the following seeds: Alabama (4) vs. UConn
(1) and Purdue (1) vs. NC State (11). Will it be two number 1 teams playing each other,
or will Alabama and NC State surprise everyone? I am not a betting man, but I would
put my money on the higher seeds, they are rolling right now. Do not take my advice
though, if you are looking at my bracket this year you will quickly see I would cost you
a lot of money on my bad guesses this year.
Get out and enjoy the fresh spring air. It is time to leave Under the Bleachers, where
I have been told that it stinks under the bleachers! Go and watch the kids play ball at
the recreation department, I promise you will have fun. Send me some pictures for
your photo of the week.
Lastly, watching NC State make all these comebacks and finish strong has been
amazing. To be honest, we all love a great comeback story. Sunday, we just celebrated
the greatest comeback story of all time. Jesus had been in the grave after His brutal
death on the cross. Three days later, He rose from the grave. This is by far the greatest
comeback story ever told, let us continue to celebrate this story all the days of our lives!
Jake Bazemore hit a homerun against Portal this
week during their 11-7 win over Portal during the
doubleheader. Photo by Danielle M. Davis
Bryer Clayton hit a homerun on
Monday afternoon against ECI!
The War Eagles won 7-5. Photo
by Danielle M. Davis
8th Graders: Joshua Gray, Gatlin Oglesby, Ryley James, and Chandler Cates
celebrated their last home game at Jenkins County Middle School with a win over
ECI. We will look forward to seeing them on the high school field starting next
year. Photo by Danielle M. Davis
The EBA Spartans have won the regional baseball championship! They are 8-4
overall and 4-0 in the region. They have a few more games to finish the season and
then off to the playoffs! Congratulations EBA Baseball. Photo Submitted.
Boys’ Tennis Crowned
Regional Champions
On Tuesday afternoon the Jenkins County War Eagles and Lady War Eagles
Tennis teams faced off against regional rival ECI. Anytime the War Eagles and
the Bulldogs meet up in any sport there seems to be a lot on the line, but this time
when they met up on the tennis court it was for the regional championship.
The War Eagles came out on top with a narrow victory winning 3-2! Caleb
Asbury and Noah Griffith won their singles match, while Jesse Lane and Kamen
Guzman got a win in doubles. The final match that gave the War Eagles the victory
was Noah’s match which was a nail-biter to the very end! The Lady War Eagles
tennis team finished as regional runner-up narrowly losing their match to ECI.
Being that both teams finished in the top two in the region, both will host during
the state playoffs. The War Eagles could host the second round if they were to
advance. When the tournament matchups are released in the next week, we will
update you on the time and opponents.
The boys’ tennis team
was crowned regional
champions after their
win over ECI. Players
are from left to right
Kamen Guzman, Jesse
Lane, Ben Tyler, Caleb
Asbury, Noah Griffith,
Camarion Mozee, and
Jammy Williams. Photo
Submitted.
Principal Rob
Gray presents the
championship trophy to
the Jenkins County War
Eagles! Photo Submitted
HU
Rob Gray presents the
Lady War Eagles with
their regional runner-
up trophy after their
loss to ECI.
ft
The Jenkins County
Lady War Eagles’ tennis
team was crowned
Regional Runner-Up
on Tuesday afternoon.
Players are from left
to right: Kaylen Bragg,
Addi Cates, Nikeya
Smith, Riley Dorrity,
Michelle De La Cruz,
Lynnsey Lane, and
Aubrey Davis. Photo
Submitted.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Jenkins County Girls’ Middle School Track and Field are your Regional Runner
Up! Congratulations to the girls for their wonderful finish. More information about
finish ’
thi;
in next week’s edition of sports. Photo Submitted.
The Jenkins County Boys’ Middle School Track and Field finished in 4th place!
Congratulations to the boys for their wonderful finish. More information about
this finish in next week’s edition of sports. Photo Submitted.