Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, October 14, 2021
UPSON
BEACON
Athlete of the Week: laquan Bentley
Page 13B
Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
sports@upsonbeacon.com
Jaquan Bentley led the way for
Upson-Lee in its 35-0 victory over
Central-Macon. Since the change in
offensive scheme, Bentley has thrived
in the committee of ball carriers for
the Knights. Bentley rushed for 124
yards and two touchdowns in Upson-
Lee’s win.
Bentley pointed to his work in the
weight room when asked what helped
him improve as a runner. Strength
Coach Logan Winkles has pushed him
to be as strong as he can be.
Bentley played a big role in a big
win for the Knights. He recognized
just how important the homecoming
victory was.
“Coming off losing last year’s
homecoming game really hit us,” he
said. “The least we can do for the sen
iors is give them the memory of a
happy homecoming.”
Intensity is what Bentley’s running
is all about and it is the main key for
Upson-Lee in its last three games of
the regular season. The Knights need
to bring the intensity for every game if
they are going to make a playoff push,
and Bentley will be a major key.
Jacob Stewart/Upson Beacon
Jaquan Bentley checks the sideline before the play.
Gill Places First at National Martial Arts Championship
Trint Gill, a student at Billy D's Karate
Studio, competed in the 31st Annual
National Martial Arts Championship
IKC-ASKL in Columbus on Sept. 11.
Gill mas awarded first place infight
ing and weapons, and fourth place in
forms.
Football,
Continued from 1 IB.
stepped up the last couple
of weeks and played really
good,” said Elder.
Upson-Lee’s offensive
line paved the way for a big
night on the ground for the
Knights. From the first
drive, the Chargers’ defen
sive line was no match for
Upson-Lee’s physicality.
Smith’s 29-yard rushing
touchdown with 1:35 left
in the second quarter was
Upson-Lee’s longest play.
Other than that, the
Knights pieced together
long drives that ate up the
clock and wore down the
undersized Chargers.
With the win, Upson-
Lee moves into the bye
week 2-2 in Region 2-AAA.
The Knights currently sit
in the same position as last
year. Their two losses
mean they have a difficult
path to the playoffs; ho
wever, they still control
their own destiny.
The Knights will play
Mary Persons, Peach
County, and Jackson to
wrap up the season. If the
Knights can win two of the
three, they will be in the
state playoffs by their own
power. If Upson-Lee does
not win at least two of the
three, they will need assis-
Softball,
Continued from 1 IB.
begin the fifth inning; ho
wever, she was able to bail
herself out of trouble and
led the Lady Knights to a
win.
The Lady Bulldogs com
mitted four errors that cost
them four runs in the loss.
Self picked up the only
Upson-Lee run batted in
and Skye Perdue picked up
two hits in three at-bats.
Upson-Lee advanced to
face the top-seeded Pike
County Lady Pirates and
jumped out to an early lead.
Jamie Corbin walked the
first three batters of the
game to set up a base-clear
ing double from Sydney
Knight. An error allowed
Knight to score later in the
inning and Upson-Lee went
up 4-0 after one frame.
The Lady Knights added
another run in the second
to extend their lead.
Ellie Watson started in
the pitcher’s circle less than
two weeks after suffering a
scary eye injury. Watson
stepped up and pitched a
great game for the Lady
Knights, only allowing two
earned runs.
“She did what she al
ways does,” said Coach
Taylor English. “We just
had a few errors behind her
to kind of put her in some
tough spots. She hasn’t
skipped a beat. She still
looks good.”
Trouble came in the
third inning as Pike County
picked up two one-out sin
gles and four errors in the
inning, which led to five
Pike County runs. The Lady
Pirates took a 7-5 lead in
the bottom of the fourth in
ning on three consecutive
singles.
Upson-Lee’s offensive
production slowed when
the Lady Pirates changed
pitchers from Corbin to
Faith Stowers. The change
was a key shift in the game
that allowed Pike County to
stall the Lady Knights’ mo
mentum.
Watson walked the first
batter in the fifth inning
and English relieved the
starter with Jamie Carroll.
Carroll had pitched in one
Courtesy of Billy D's Karate
tance from other teams to
open a lane for the Knights
to sneak into the big
dance.
Upson-Lee’s victory
over the winless Central-
Macon team may not seem
entirely impressive from
the scorebooks and stand
ings, but Upson-Lee over
came a few major hurdles
and still looked dominant
in the win. The Knights
only turned the ball over
on downs one time and
were rarely penalized. It
was the Knights’ most
clean and efficient game of
the season, which bodes
well for the upcoming
stretch run.
game this season and en
tered as a reliever in one of
the biggest games of the
year. She retired the next
three batters in order and
kept the score stagnant for
Upson-Lee.
In the sixth, Self tripled
to score Jillian Gassman
and Knight doubled to tie
the game at seven. Knight’s
RBI total stretched to four
in the game.
Upson-Lee was unable
to respond after Pike
County picked up a run in
the sixth inning, despite the
Lady Knights loading bases
with one-out in the seventh.
Gassman and Sage Rogers
flew out respectively to end
the game.
The remainder of the re
gion tournament was can
celled due to inclement
weather, so Upson-Lee will
enter the state playoffs as
the fourth seed out of Re
gion 2-AAA. Upson-Lee
will face Harlem on Wed
nesday, Oct. 13 with games
at 4 and 6 p.m. Results
were not available by press
time, but will be available at
www. Upsonbeacon. com.
Volleyball,
Continued from 1 IB.
day commented. “There’s a
lot more to it than I
thought there was.”
Upson-Lee played solid
volleyball all season; ho
wever, there could have
been many more wins
along the way. The Lady
Knights struggled to piece
everything together consis
tently, but it traces back to
the youth of the team.
“I think we’re better
than we showed,” Holliday
added. “We’d get little
glimpses that were really
good and then we would
fall off. We’ve got to figure
out how to sustain it and
get there.”
The emergence of
McGee and Weed solidified
Upson-Lee’s plans to be a
region contender. McGee,
Weed, Lindsey Eldridge,
Ma’Kayla Williams, Han
nah Meatows, and others
make up a solid core of re
turning players for the
Lady Knights.
Tbomastou-Upsoi) Chamber oj Commerce
Christmas lime • f
*-*- 5^11111)AValEt
SATURDAY. DECEMBER 11. 2021
6PM @ SILVERTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH
★
5K Run/Walk will begin/end @ Silvertown Baptist Church on Dec 11, pass
through the Greatest Generation Park and down Christmas Lane/R Street in
Thomaston Georgia.
If you are searching for a unique 5K running/walking experience ,
this year, THIS IS IT!
Every December, since the 1970s, residents on 'Christmas Lane/'R Street' in
Thomaston GA, transform their homes & yards into a magical wonderland with
twinkling lights and Christmas decorations galore.
Participants will travel through Christmas Lane and the historic Silvertown
Subdivision, while surrounded by the sounds and sights of Christmas!
We hope that you will join us for our Annual Holiday Tradition & that this event
will become a tradition for you as well!
Awards for this event will be presented to overall top 3 male/female finishers.
Overall top male/female masters. Top 3 male/female finishers in the following categories:
14 & under, 15-19,20-29,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70-79, & 80+.
All Participants of the 5K that register before the Nov 30, deadline will receive a
one-of-a-kind Christmas Lane long sleeve shirt.
Runners/Walkers will also be treated at the end to homemade veggie soup, courtesy
of The Country Cupboard & Deli; as well as Hot Chocolate & Coffee.
%
*
A Show US YOUR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! v
BEST HOLIDAY DRESSED PARTICIPANT WILL WIN A $25 GIFT CARD FROM CHICK-FIL-A. 7
For more information/to register, visit: https://www.ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=88361