About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2024)
The Upson Beacon Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Page 1B Thomaston Golf Association Raises $2,500 for U-l Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Twenty-two four-man teams took to Raintree Golf Club on Saturday, March 16 to support the Upson-Lee High golf team during the annual Thomaston Golf Association Tournament, raising $2,500 while competing across the 18-hole course. Two teams carded a total of 18-under-par with scores of 54 each. The Team of Trey Kelly, Tucker Michael, Sam Uphold, and Blake Partman won the match via playoff victory on hole 10 over the team of Zack Woods, Michael Pierce, Kent Strickland, and Ken Pullin. Two teams battled for third place with a score of 17-under and a 55-point total. The third- place playoff went to four holes before the team of Brandon Logue, Brandon Hall, Jonah Gallman, and George Austin de feated the team of Lacy Ellerbee, Coty Hall, Jack Hall, and Johnny Brooks. U-L golf Coach Brian Ogles- bee commented, “It’s great to see the community support. Members of the winning team, from left, are Tucker Michael, Trey Kelly, Every year we have the tourna ment back and we have a wait ing list. Whatever Alex Oglesbee is doing, he’s doing it right. “This would not have hap pened without my brother Alex putting it on,” Oglesbee con tinued. “This tournament is his baby. He’s running it. He came to me eight or nine years ago and said, ‘I have a great idea for a fundraiser, and I’ll run it’. It’s been this golf tournament. He’s been the tournament director and president of the golf associ ation for the last several years.” U-L golf sponsors include Knucklehead Studios, The Blake Partman, and Sam Uphold. Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon Shop, Upson Regional Medical Center, Jennifer Carden Certi fied Health Coach, Classic Con signers, Lily Jane, Slices, Main Street Deli, Little Ones, Huck- aby Properties, Hometown Printers, Highline, and United Bank. U-l Baseball Set for Region Play Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Following the prior week’s rainouts, Upson-Lee baseball faced stiff competition last week with the Knights running against a 7A school and the top-ranked team of Class A-Division II. The Knights fought valiantly but were ultimately unable to come out on top in the matchups. U-L started the week on a high note when they defeated Lamar County on Tuesday, March 12 at Silvertown. The Knights scored four runs in the first inning and run-ruled the Trojans in five innings, 10-0. U-L picked up 10 hits over 10 runs, with just three strikeouts. The night started with an 11 pitch at-bat by Camden O’Neill, who walked to start the game. Con trariwise, Jackson Blakely pitched five innings for the Knights and gave up just two hits while striking out 11. With rain in the forecast on Friday, the Knights and the In dians of East Coweta High School agreed to move a game scheduled for March 15 to Wed nesday, March 13. Campbell Hinson started on the mound for the Knights. The Indians jumped to an early lead off a double and a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Hinson pitched into the fifth inning, giving up three hits and four runs with two strikeouts and three walks. Trey Webb came in to relieve Hinson, and Webb fin ished the game with no hits or Braden Williams makes contact on a pitch against Lamar County. runs and two strikeouts. On the batting side, the early season woes seemed to return for U-L. However, in the sixth in ning, the Knights got the spark they needed when Trae Jones turned in his first trip to the yard this season. U-L cut into the lead more in the seventh inning when JT Reeves scored Jax Harrison on a single. Harrison earned a double prior, and a single by Webb moved Reeves to third. O’Neill then had a sacrifice ground ball that scored Webb to bring the Knights within one. Trace Peaden put the ball in play, but the throw to first was in time and the Knights’ comeback fell short 4-3. The third game in as many days came in Ellaville against Schley County. The Wildcats were ranked the number one team in Class A-DII, and the Knights knew it was a tough matchup going in. To add fuel to the fire, the Knights opted to send Jayden Wise onto the mound for his first varsity start. Things started off shakily for wise, who gave up four runs in the first inning, in cluding a three-run bomb. Wise did not crumble, ho wever. He gave up one more run in the second inning before he locked the Wildcats down with good defense behind him in the third inning for a one-two-three inning. With the Knights down 5-0 in the third, Webb earned a walk on the opening at-bat for U-L and Hinson hit a double to left field. Trace Peaden earned an RBI on a single to right field that put U-L on the board. U-L added another run in the fourth inning after Webb earned an RBI single that scored Jones. Wise came off the mound in Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon the fourth inning and up stepped Hunter Smith, who locked down the rest of the game with only one hit scored by the Wildcats for the remainder. Whereas U-L has struggled getting hits, U-L struggled to turn the hits into runs in this game. The Knights had seven hits on the night, but were only able to plate two runs. Still, Coach Eddie Peyton commented that he felt his team is far better prepared for the sea son than last year. The Knights have faced extremely strong competition during the non-re gion portion of the schedule. U-L entered region play with a record of 4-8. U-L’s past per formances suggest that pitching is in a good position with multi ple hands in the dugout, but can the Knights improve at the plate? That question will be answered over the next four weeks. U-l Golf Has Banner Day in Match with Pike, Taylor It’s ‘Bad Bracket’ Time Well, the bracket has been set for the 2024 men’s NCAA basketball tournament. That means it’s time for me to fill out my bracket, which is always a disaster. I think I know what I’m doing but it never turns out well. I watch a good bit of college basketball throughout the season and should have some idea which teams have a chance to ad vance in the bracket, but I always outthink myself. I even watch lots of late-night bas ketball from the west coast so I should know something about San Diego State, Colorado State, Boise State, Saint Mary’s, and others, but it seldom helps. With all of that said, let’s delve into this year’s brackets. My SEC Tournament Champion Auburn Tigers got a number four seed. They should have had at least a number three seed, but we’ll work from where we are. They should beat Yale in the first round but San Diego State in the round of 32 will be tough. Even if they win that one, they probably can’t beat UConn. The underdog with the highest percent age of upset throughout the years has been the number 11 seed beating the number six seed. This year I think number 11 New Mex ico will beat number six Clemson, and number 11 Oregon has a good shot at number six South Carolina. I always pick a number 12 to beat a number five and this year is no different. I’ll take number 12 Grand Canyon over number five Saint Mary’s and number 12 James Madison over number five Wisconsin. Want a number 10 over a number seven? Try Nevada over Day- ton or Drake over Washington State. Just a bunch of hunches! Tennessee got a number two seed and has a cakewalk to the Sweet Sixteen. Peren nial powers North Carolina number one, UConn number one, Kentucky number three, Kansas number four, Duke number four, and Arizona number two all got good seeds but could have a tough time advanc ing. Only UConn has a solid chance to make the Elite Eight. Everybody’s favorite Gonzaga has had an off-and-on season but has righted the ship to get a number five seed. They have a tough challenge against number 12 McNeese State, who nobody has ever heard of. Could be another number 12 over a number five. Is there a chance for another number 16 beating a number one? It’s happened only twice, and I just can’t see it happening this year. Of course, no one could see it happen ing the two times it happened before. Number ones UConn, North Carolina, Pur due, and Houston look like locks in the number one vs. number 16 matchups this year. The whole bracket is daunting. How am I supposed to pick the winner in all these games? There are a lot of good teams here in addition to some that I know nothing about. Ever heard of Longwood, Oakland, or Wagner? Well, they’re there, hoping to make history. Ok, it’s time to reveal my Final Four. After much scrutiny and changing my mind, I think that the Final Four will be UConn, Houston, Purdue, and (surprise) Baylor. I know that’s three number ones, but I just couldn’t figure out a way for them to get beat. To finish my “Bad Brackets,” I’ll take Houston to be the National Champion. Now, the best advice I can give you is to disregard all my picks and fill out your own bracket. Most likely, you’ll do better than me. Additional Online Sports Content Find additional sports content and updates of Upson- Lee’s track, tennis, soccer, and basketball athletes and teams at www.upsonbeacon.com Shining Light & Keeping Watch on Our Community Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Upson-Lee golf had a day to remember when the Knights welcomed Pike County and Taylor County to Raintree Golf Club on Thursday, March 14. The Lady Knights turned in a season low 123 strokes and bested runner-up Pike by 27. Taylor County finished third with 171. Kate Andrews shot 38 across nine holes. Ellie Watson was right behind her with 41. Erika Legg earned a career best 44 on the day, and Macey Harris finished with a score of 56. Likewise, the boys’ team picked up a win against Taylor and Pike with the boys scoring a team total of 153 to Taylor’s 196 and Pike’s 204. Nick Davis earned a career best 34, two-under-par. Whitaker Hawkins and Cason Blakely tied with 38. Jackson Moore had a strong day with a score of 43, and Trent Coker picked up a score of 44. Hud son Chastain rounded out the Knights team with a 56. Earlier in the week, the Knights hosted Griffin at “The Tree.” The Knights defeated Griffin 166-239 and the Lady Knights de feated the Bears 133-184. Kate Andrews shot a season best 37 that day. U-L was scheduled to face Lamar County and Spalding at The Tree on Mon day, with the Lady Knights scheduled to travel to Field Golf Club on Tuesday for the Lady Granger Invitational. Results were unavailable at press time. U-L is set to host the annual Jim Hick man Memorial Tournament on March 25, and U-L has been designated as the host for the area tournament to be held in April this season. Coach Brian Oglesbee commented, “I’m extremely proud of the kids. They showed a lot of spirit. They have a couple bad holes, but they keep grinding. They keep chopping. I’ve yet to see them just completely give up. They keep grinding, and they keep working hard for their team mates. It’s a lot of heart and a lot of char acter for these kids.” Oglesbee said he has seen a lot of im provement in his team over the past year. “It shows that these kids have decided to, on their own, work and get better over the off season. You can tell the hard work they’ve put in between seasons. Whether you’re talking about Erika Legg or Jackson Moore. Jackson Moore has shaved off more than 10 strokes off his average on the Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon Jackson Moore chips on the opening hole at Raintree Golf Club. season. You can tell he’s working hard. And I think that’s driving the other kids. Whether you’re talking about Kate An drews or Cason Blakely, Whitaker Hawkins, Trent Coker, or Nick Davis. They see the other kids working hard and they’re working hard too.”
