2B I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, November 7,2018
Dawson bull rider sets sights on second national finish
From staff reports
Currently ranked tenth in the
nation, Dawsonville native
Hunter Adams has again quali
fied for the Junior National
Finals Rodeo and will head to
Las Vegas, Nev. in early
December to compete against
other young bull riders, vying
for the top spot in the nation.
Adams, 19, recently hosted a
meet and greet at
Dawsonville’s Food Truck
Night where he posed for pho
tos, talked to fans and shook
hands with local officials.
Folks signed a banner with
encouraging words that Adams
will take with him to Vegas.
“Community support has
been great,” Adams said. “It
means a lot to me to have folks
pray for me, encourage me and
just want to talk about bull rid
ing.”
There are several additional
ways in which to help Adams.
Cards and notes of encourage
ment can be addressed to
Adams at RO. Box 1342 in
Dawsonville.
All cards and notes will be
given to Adams when he
leaves for Vegas.
A fundraiser has been set up
at www.gofundme.com/on-the-
road-to-vegas to help cover
transportation to and from
Vegas.
Adams will also be in the
annual Dawsonville Christmas
parade on Dec. 1.
“I’d love to shake hands and
say hey to folks,” he said. “So
come on out, have fun.”
Adams achieved the desig
nation of top 10 rider in the
nation in the 2017 Jr. National
Finals Rodeo.
Adams is a graduate of the
Dawson County School sys
tem. He has volunteered with
the Dawson County Parks and
Recreation programs, Special
Olympics and the 2018 ‘Shine
Pedalers Metric.
For the Dawson County News
Dawsonville native Hunter Adams will return to Las Vegas in
December for his second run at the Junior National Finals
Rodeo, where he finished 10th in the nation last year.
t (imintg ziiqb $thonl
Alma fRattr
UMnun county Hail, oh hail,
we'll e'et be faithful ^ our Ainu Matet
Thy ideals uphold Dearest ever known
Ever hail thee, never fail thee
Of Maroon and Gold Our dear high school home
Photos by Bob Christian Dawson County News
The Dawson County Lady Tigers play in a practice match ahead of the 2018-
19 season.
FROM 1B
Basketball
to begin on the road against Flowery
Branch on Nov. 20 with tip-off sched
uled for 7:30 p.m.
Led by returning senior and Clemson
recruit Kaylee Sticker, the Dawson
County Lady Tigers basketball team
also began practicing for the upcoming
season over the last two weeks of
October.
Having lost five players to graduation
last year, Head Coach Steve Sweat talk
ed about the challenges of playing in
one of the “better regions in the state.”
“We will see the effects of that loss
early in the season,” Sweat said. “All
five didn’t start, but all five played for
four years and that represents a lot of
experience.”
Despite the loss of experience Sweat
was firm in his expectations for the sea
son.
“Goal number one is to get to state,
goal number two is to win state,” Sweat
said. “We will need the girls to play ‘up’
— beyond their grade level, fill their
role and do their part.”
With only two starters returning for
the season in Sticker and fellow senior
Anna Lowe, Coach Sweat seemed
unfazed about the doubt in his starting
Luke Chism, senior, takes a shot dur
ing practice in preparation for the
upcoming season.
line-up.
“I’ll know that at the start of the
game,” Sweat said. “More so as the sea
son progress.”
The Lady Tigers get their season
underway against the Falcons of
Flowery Branch at in a 6 p.m. matchup
on Nov. 20.
FROM 1B
Wrestling
“I want to win it,”
Baggett said. “This year
there is nothing holding
me back but myself.”
The team is scheduled
to begin the season with
the Veteran’s Memorial
Duals on Nov. 17,
although Coach Haynes
expressed his concern
that the match would be
canceled. In that event,
the season will begin with
a Duals match at Lambert
High School on Nov. 20.
Bob Christian Dawson County News
Senior wrestler Kelton LeBaron practices spin drills
during preparation for the upcoming season.
A New Beginning
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An Eco Presbyterian Church
“The most loving small church
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Isn’t it time you came back?
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Sunday School 9:30
Worship 10:30
Dr. Bob Strachan 706-216-5516
FROM 1B
Football
Both team’s defens
es stood strong in the
second quarter as nei
ther offensive unit
was able to muster as
much as a first down
and the score at half
time remained 7-0 in
favor of the Tigers.
“It’s a tough game.
Right now we are just
trying to keep them
from scoring,” said
Head Coach Sid
Maxwell at halftime.
“Let’s see how the
next 24 minutes go.”
For 10 of those min
utes the Tigers did, in
fact, hold the Trojans
scoreless until North
Hall sophomore run
ning back JT Fair
broke around the out
side and rumbled 54
yards, taking the ball
to the Tigers 18 yard
line where he was
finally tracked down
by Caleb Bell to pre
vent the touchdown.
“That was a game
saving tackle for
sure,” said Cox.
“Without that tackle I
am not sure we would
have been able to
come back from that.”
Two plays later the
Trojans stood on the
brink of a touchdown
when Kamara, blitz
ing from his lineback
er position, dropped
Fair for a three-yard
loss to end the drive
with only a field goal
and preserve the
Tigers lead at 7-3
going into to the
fourth quarter.
The teams traded
three-and-outs once
again to start the
fourth quarter, and
then the tenor of the
game changed com
pletely as North Hall
finally managed to
open up their passing
game and drove down
the field to take the
lead on a beautiful
20-yard pass and
catch with just over
four minutes remain
ing in the game.
Taking possession
on their own 21, the
Tigers offense ran into a
re-energized Trojans
defense that brought
intense backfield pres
sure forcing Tigers into a
punting situation that put
the game in the hands of
the Dawson County
defense.
With seniors Zac
Baloga and Logan
Barnes leading the
charge, the defense
responded to the chal
lenge with a smothering
series that resulted in
negative yardage for the
Trojans. As North Hall
lined up to punt and
Tigers sophomore
Dakohta Sonnichsen
stood back to receive the
kick, the stadium erupted
with noise as both fan
bases knew, with only a
minute and a half
remaining, that this was
the one last chance for
either team.
Sonnichsen fielded the
punt off a bounce around
his 20 yard line and
demonstrated his speed,
agility and determination
as he weaved his way
through Trojans and
broke tackles for a
52-yard return that
flipped the field and gave
the Tigers the ball on the
North Hall 18 yard line
with just over a minute
remaining on the clock.
Sensing victory slip
ping from their grasp,
the Trojans defense came
out strong and, once
again, stopped the Tigers
in three plays to set up a
game tying 22-yard field
goal by Caleb Bonesteel
that sent the Tigers into
overtime for the first
time this season.
The Tigers won the
overtime coin toss and
took possession of the
ball on the 15 yard line
to begin the free period.
After an inside run
attempt by Kamara that
was stopped cold, senior
quarterback Vaughn
Clark settled into the
pocket and dropped a
dime to tight-end TJ
Wilson as he broke free
across the middle for a
touchdown to give the
Tigers a 17-10 lead and
put all the pressure back
on North Hall.
The Trojans responded
rapidly as they handed
the ball to Fair who
broke around the corner
and cut inside the pylon
for a 15-yard touchdown
only to, reminiscent of
the first period, see the
score erased by a holding
call along the line.
On the second play of
their overtime the
Trojans went with some
trickeration in the form
of a half-back pass from
Fair to Jackson. Not
fooled in the slightest,
senior corner back Noah
Brock smoothly stepped
in front of the ball for
the interception and
sealed the Tigers’ over
time win by a final score
of 17-10.
“It was a heartbreaking
loss and one we will take
with us when we travel
to Lakeview-Fort
Oglethorpe,” said North
Hall Head Coach David
Bishop. “I am sure the
team will use this as
motivation during the
week of practice.”
With the win the
Tigers finished the regu
lar season as the region
7-AAA runners-up and
setting a school record
for regular season wins
with their 9-1 record on
the year.
The team also secured
home field advantage for
the first round of the
GHSA state playoffs that
take place Nov. 9 when
the Haralson County
Rebels, No. 3 from region
6-AAA, will come to
town to face the Dawson
County Tigers.
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Dawson County
Humane Society
is BACK IN
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November!!
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ADOPTION FEES*
Cats & kittens - $25
Adult Dogs - $50
includes solid black and mostly black animals
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Interested in
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Form z^z ation Dawson County Humane Society
706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Road, Dawsonville
adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE benefits the
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd. Flumane Society
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Bradley M. Maple
^Dawsonville
Specialists
CPA, PC
() Veterinary
706-216-0992
706-216-2362
Hospital
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
2390 Thompson Road
Suite 100 Dawsonville
706-265-8381
