About Upson beacon. (Thomaston, Ga.) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 2024)
The Upson Beacon Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Page 8A Struggling Golf Showing No Rust After long Spring Break and Thinking A couple of weeks ago my computer died, and that has made writing my col umns very difficult. I have had to borrow my daughter Hayley’s laptop to write these literary masterpieces, and I’m not trained to use one of these contraptions. I never knew how much I depended on my com puter for writing, storing, and entertaining. For a few years, Hayley has encouraged me to buy a Mac computer, but my old one was good, so I just kept using it. Well, I should be receiving a new Mac computer this week and hope to be able to use it next week. Of course, all of this has nothing to do with a subject for this week’s column. Well, I don’t really have a topic. Sometimes noth ing comes to mind, so I will just share a few thoughts that probably mean nothing to you, the reader. I watch a lot of softball on TV and am amazed at these girls’ abilities. They are really good! There are a few things I see on a regular basis that appear in every game. First, the home plate umpire. Their strike zone is very wide, so wide that the hitter has no chance sometimes. A ball three to four inches off the outside corner is called a strike on a regular basis. Nobody argues because the best way to get thrown out of a game is to argue balls and strikes. Next time you watch a game check out the strike zone. You will be amazed. Next, how can the pitcher deliver the ball with her foot not in contact with the pitching rubber? The pitcher’s foot is always about two feet in front of the rubber when they deliver to the plate. Everyone does it, so I guess no one gains any advantage. Next comes a question. Is there any ath lete that just nauseates you when you see them? Well, I have one! That face is Bryce Harper. I don’t care for the guy, and his mere appearance is sickening. I know that I shouldn’t say things like this, but I saw him today and I just quickly changed the chan nel. Well, I’ve said it and now will try to be more positive henceforth. Have you noticed all the actions and hand signals that base runners do when they get on base after getting a hit? I saw Freddie Freeman hit a double today and he almost did a dance out on second base. I guess that every team has adopted their own gyration. Some players, like Freeman, don’t seem to put much effort into the ac tion, but I guess their teammates expect it. And, speaking of Freeman, I still tune into Dodger games to watch him. Not sign ing him is one of the biggest mistakes any general manager ever made, and the man who is responsible is our own Alex Anthop- olous. Everybody but me loves Anthop- olous, but letting Freeman go was a career breaker for him. Nobody wants to notice the many mis takes that Anthopolous has made, but he has made several. This is a topic for another whole column, and I will research this for future examination. No one gets them all right, but don’t miss out on the big ones. The NFL draft begins on Thursday. I admit that even though I don’t regularly keep up with the NFL, I love to watch the draft. I’ll sit for hours and watch the entire thing. I’ll bet you do too! I’ll see you next week with a new com puter. Yea! Nick Davis swings on the second hole at Raintree Golf Club on April 18. Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Upson-Lee golf had not been in a match since March 28 prior to last week, with 19 days between matches, but if there was any rust for the Knights, they certainly did not show it. U-L defeated Spalding County at the Griffin City Course on April 16, then scored one of the best days of the sea son on April 18 against Taylor County and Mary Persons at Raintree Golf Club. The Knights defeated Spalding 163-186 with U-L tak ing the top four spots individ ually. Cason Blakely led with 37 strokes over nine holes. Whi taker Hawkins shot 39, Jackson Moore carded 43, Trent Coker posted 44, Nick Davis shot 46, and Hudson Chastain finished with a total of 47. For the Lady Knights, the team undercut Spalding by 22 strokes. Erika Legg and Kate Andrews tied at 50 each, Ellie Watson shot 55, and Macey Harris carded 56. With the first match of the week under its belt, U-L came home on Thursday, and the Knights stole the show in boys’ competition. The Knights rolled with a score of 148, besting Mary Persons by 24 strokes and Taylor County by 63 strokes. U- L golfers took home the top five spots individually, with Hawkins posting his best out ing of the season. Hawkins birdied holes one, three, four, and seven with a bogey on nine to finish at three- under-par 33. Blakely shot even-par 36, Coker 39, Davis 40, Moore shot 41, and Chastain finished with a score of 43. The Lady Knights scored a team total of 136, defeating Mary Persons by five strokes. Taylor County did not have a team score. Andrews led the way for the Lady Knights with a score of 43. Watson posted a 46, Legg shot 47, and Harris finished with a score of 52. U-l Golf Honors 2024 Seniors The Upson-Lee golf team celebrated the Class 0/2024 seniors last Thursday prior to the final regular sea son home match against Mary Persons and Taylor County. Seniors include Kate Andrews, Ellie Watson, Hudson Chastain, Trent Coker, Nick Davis, Whitaker Hawkins, and Jackson Moore. Andrew Carroll/Upson Beacon Kate Andrews, escorted by parents Matt and Donna Andrews. Hudson Chastain, escorted by parents Brandy and Clint Chastain. Nick Davis, escorted by his mother Christian Brown, Joe Brown, and his father Mark Davis. Ellie Watson, escorted by parents Jimmy and Laura Watson. Trent Coker, escorted by parents Ben and Christy Coker and Candace and Jared Streetman. Whitaker Hawkins, escorted by parents Jeremy and Trade Hawkins. Kirksey, Rainey Promoted to Coordinators Andrew Carroll Sports Editor acarroll@upsonbeacon.com Upson-Lee Head Football Coach Justin Elder will have two new field generals entering the 2024-25 sea son as U-L announced Chris Kirksey and Bobby Rainey have been pro moted to defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator, respectively. The promotions for both Kirksey and Rainey come as word leaked of former coordinators Logan Winkles and Casey Chafin at the Thomaston- Upson Sports Hall of Fame back in March. Kirksey steps into a role vacated by Winkles and has a tough spot to fill. The 2023 rendition of the Upson-Lee Knights’ defense was among the best in the modern era for U-L in nearly every statistical category. The Knights lost a lot on defense including a starting corner, starting safety, two starting line backers, and a defensive tackle. Kirksey was alongside Winkles every step of the way last season as linebackers coach. Kirksey also has held the title of assistant head coach since 2022 and has quite the resume to back up the promotion. Kirksey previously was the head coach at Taylor County from 2004 to 2014, and then went to Marion County where he coached for five seasons, amassing an impressive 52- 13 record, as well as back-to-back Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and 2019. Kirksey and his 2019 Marion County team made the state championship. For those who felt that U-L needed younger coaches and new ideas, the promotion of Bobby Rainey to offensive coordinator should be a welcomed move. Rainey joined the U-L coaching staff in 2023 as the running backs coach. Rainey coached at Griffin High School for two years prior to coming to Thomaston, including a stint as offensive coordinator at Griffin in 2022. Prior to that, Rainey played in the National Football League with the Baltimore Ravens, where he helped the Ravens secure an NFL Championship in 2013. Rainey played college football at Western Kentucky, where he still holds records for the most rushing yards in a season, most career yards, and most all-purpose yards. U-L will need every bit of the ex perience both coaches have if they are to be successful in 2024. U-L’s region is considered to be one of the toughest in the state with schools such as LaGrange, Mary Persons, Spalding County, Troup County, Whitewater, and Trinity Christian all competing for the top spots this fall. Jackson Moore, escorted by parents Katie and Shane Moore. The Upson Beacon 219 Thomas Street, Thomaston, Ga. 30286 www.upsonbeacon.com | 706-646-2382
