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The Upson Beacon
Thursday,
December 23, 2021
Page 7B
Santa, Please...
You know, big fella with the red suit, I
send this list every year and have done so for
a few decades. You have been able to answer
some of my wishes, but I reckon that a few
have been beyond what even you could work
out. I’m going to try again this year and if
you could grant just a couple of my requests,
I would be happy.
First, I want the Braves to resign Freddie
Freeman. I’m sure that is a wish of all Braves
fans. This should be an easy one.
Then help Travon Walker to make the
best decision in regards to his playing future.
He’s a quality young man and deserves the
best.
Please help my grandson, Ty Rechtoro-
vic, to have a great baseball season at Gard-
ner-Webb University. He loves to play and
always gives his best, so a break-out year
would be great.
My youngest grandson, Luke Spraggins,
will be trying out for the Pike County ninth-
grade baseball team in January. He’s a very
good player and I ask that you help him do
his best in the tryouts.
Would another trip to the World Series
for the Braves be too much to ask? You really
came through last year, so asking for
another championship may be stretching it
a bit, but I’ll ask anyway.
Even you may not be able to help the Fal
cons, but I will ask that they get a few good
players in the NFL draft so that they can
begin to build a contender.
A really important request is that we be
able to hold our Thomaston-Upson Sports
Hall of Fame induction banquet in March.
The pandemic caused us to cancel the ban
quet last year, so we really need to have an
event this year. I’m depending on you here!
I’d love to have a year’s supply of Gator-
ade. Man, I love that stuff and drink it every
day, so just drop off a few cases a month, in
different flavors.
I ask for successful seasons for all
Upson-Lee sports’ teams. I don’t get to go to
the games as much as I once did, but I surely
hope that these young athletes have success
and win championships.
I ask that you meet the needs of and
bless old friends like Bobby Alexander, Ron
nie Lowe, Bill Aplin, Woody Woodall,
Wayne Johnson, Harold Tarrer, Jack Smith,
Gramps Royal, Jessie Wilder, James Wynn,
Brent Norris, Martha Pennyman, Dennis
Colbert, Stone Fagan, and so many others.
And while you are giving things, I ask
that you take away a few things. A few
pounds, huh?
There are so many wishes that I could
list, but space limits my ability to do so. On
a personal note, I ask that you bring good
health and safety to my family. Give us safe
travels and allow us to enjoy each other for
another year. Allow each of us to have suc
cess in all of our endeavors and to make a
positive difference in the lives of others.
You’re a good guy, Santa, so I’m depend
ing on you making a strong effort to meet all
of my wishes. Thanks in advance for your
kindness.
Ole Jim
Jereuntay Davis lets a three-pointer fly against Griffin. Jacob Stewart/Upson Beacon
Knights Split Week After Tough loss to Griffin
Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
sports@upsonbeacon.com
After losing a 17-point lead
with six minutes to play in the
fourth quarter on the road
against a non-region rival,
Upson-Lee was able to bounce
back and get a region road win
over Crisp County 36-34.
Upson-Lee finished the
first quarter of its first contest
of the week against Griffin tied
18-18, but when Griffin’s
Arnez Jackson left the game
with a dislocated shoulder,
Upson-Lee took control to
build a 17-point lead which the
Knights took well into the
fourth quarter.
Griffin went on a 10-2 run
in the fourth quarter that
Upson-Lee looked to have sti
fled when Joshua Atwater hit
a corner three to put the
Knights up 65-53, but the
Bears kept coming back. The
Knights struggled to slow the
game down when they needed
to, and turnovers allowed
Griffin to make it a game.
Griffin’s shooting allowed
them to come back and win it.
With 23 seconds to play in
a two-point game, Griffin had
possession with the chance to
tie or win the game and
Upson-Lee remained in its
two-three zone despite Grif
fin’s 12 made triples in the
game.
Marcus Slaton blocked the
go-ahead three-point attempt
out of bounds and when the
Bears got another chance, Ke-
marion Alston picked up a
costly foul behind the arc.
Griffin nailed all three of its
free throws and Alston’s
runner was no good at the
buzzer as the Bears defeated
Upson-Lee 70-69.
Coach Christopher Owens
put it simply following the
loss: “We just didn’t finish the
game.”
Upson-Lee showed its
struggles to control the ball
and score in a slow-paced set
ting. Owens was displeased
that the Knights struggled to
work in their offensive sets
with the lead and it ultimately
cost them the game.
Alston finished with 28
points and TJ Searcy posted
10 in the loss.
When Upson-Lee arrived
at Crisp County High School
for the Friday night region
Knights Basketball, 9B
Fighting Knights Cruise to Two Region Wins
Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
sports@upsonbeacon.com
Upson-Lee wrestling
picked up two impressive re
gion wins last Monday over
Americus-Sumter and Crisp
County. The Fighting Knights
dominated in both matches,
winning 72-12 over Americus-
Sumter and 84-5 over Crisp
County.
With the two wins, the
Fighting Knights improved to
13-3 as a team and remained
in second place in Region 2-
AAA standings.
Eight Upson-Lee wrestlers
picked up non-forfeited wins
against Americus-Sumter:
Trent Young, Tyler Culbreth,
Demari Kenan, Russell
Kaczmarek, Cooper White,
Kody Adams, Trever Young,
Knights Wrestling, 9B
Trent Young leans back to take his opponent to the mat.
lady Knights Make Progress
Despite Two losses
Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
sports@upsonbeacon.com
The Upson-Lee Lady
Knights played two strong
halves of basketball last
week. Unfortunately, those
two halves were not in the
same game. The Lady
Knights fell to Griffin 53-
27 and Crisp County 55-
39-
Upson-Lee has now
lost five consecutive
contests, but the Lady
Knights showed areas of
improvement.
Upson-Lee trailed Grif
fin 23-11 at halftime of the
first game of the week. The
Lady Knights played well
defensively and were able
to limit turnovers. Aaliyah
Duranham scored nine
points for Griffin in the
first quarter, but Upson-
Lee held her scoreless in
Lady Knights, 9B
Jacob Stewart/Upson Beacon
Aziyah Perry attempts to get the shot off in traffic.
Niterrian Walker, KJ Rockemore, and De'Travious Mathis were all captains in the season opener
for Upson-Lee against Lagrange. All three seniors received all-region honors.
Seven Knights Earn All-Region Awards
Jacob Stewart
Sports Editor
sports@upsonbeacon.com
The Georgia High
School Association an
nounced the Region 2-
AAA All-Region awards for
the 2021 season and seven
Upson-Lee Knights were
honored.
Niterrian Walker and
Jadarius White earned
first-team honors. White
led the team with 90 tack
les, 1.5 sacks, and 10 tack
les for loss. Walker played
on both sides of the line for
the first time this season.
He racked up 38 total
tackles and two sacks.
De’Travious Mathis, TJ
Searcy, and KJ Rockemore
earned second-team
honors.
Mathis led the team
with 862 rushing yards
with three touchdowns
and picked up 16 receiving
yards. Late in the year, he
played cornerback and
All-Region Awards, 9B