About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2021)
SPORTS DawsonNewscom Wednesday, October 20, 2021 facebook.com/dawsonnews twitter.com/dawsonnews Lady Tigers are onto the next one Dawson softball team pulls off upset against region champ Westminster; advances to Sweet 16 Jacob Smith jsmith@dawsonnews.com On Thursday, Oct. 7, the Dawson County Lady Tigers softball team had their fourth rain out in a row. The team anx iously awaited their next two games to see if they would advance to the state tourna ment. After winning both games on Friday and Saturday, the team advanced to the first round of the GHSA 3A softball state tournament, where they would have to play Region 5-3A champions, The Westminster School in Atlanta. In a hard fought effort by everyone on the Lady Tigers’ roster, Dawson County won both of Tuesday’s games against Westminster to advance to the second round of the state tournament. “Anytime you can win four games in a row, it’s great,” Lady Tigers head coach Justin Rickett said. “The kids have grinded through. It hasn’t always been easy. These kids have had to show a ton of cour age and determination to get through the adversity we had to go through. I’m so proud of them and everything they’ve accomplished.” In game one, the Lady Tigers were victorious 8-2. Sophomore Layne Bailey pitched a complete game, throwing five shutout innings to start the game. In the top of the seventh, the team held a 4-2 lead, but freshman Micah Burruss brought in three huge insurance runs on a bases-clear- ing double that sealed the game one victory for the Lady Tigers. Junior Reese Moore started in the circle for the Lady Tigers in game two, keeping Westminster at just one run into the fourth inning. Senior Olivia Martinez took over pitching duties and held their opponents scoreless until the end of the game. The Lady Tigers won game two 6-1. “Dang, to come down here and think we were only going to allow three runs, I’d take that eight days a week and twice on Sunday’s,” Rickett said. “It’s awesome.” Senior Grade Vaughn and freshman Ace Cochran both drove in two runs at the plate in game two. Burruss additionally scored two runs again in game two. Most importantly, the Lady See Softball 13B An old-fashioned shut-out Photos by Jacob Smith Dawson County News Junior wide receiver Doug Pagel celebrates an amazing toe-tap touchdown in the back corner of the end zone during the 51-0 blowout victory against West Hall on Friday, Oct. 15. Tigers football shuts out West Hall 51-0 for 4th straight victory Jacob Smith jsmith@dawsonnews.com There was not much to talk about at the end of the Dawson County High School football game on Friday night against West Hall. The lopsided scoreboard said everything anybody needed to. The Tigers football team scored seven touchdowns while shutting West Hall out in a 51-0 blowout victory Friday night. “We were able to capitalize, run down, hold them out and come out strong,” Tigers head coach Sid Maxwell said after the game. “We played well on both sides of the ball and special teams. When you execute, you’ve got an opportuni ty.” Seven different Tigers scored touchdowns in Friday night’s win. Senior quarterback Zach Holtzclaw led his receiving core to three of those touchdowns; one a 36-yard bomb to senior Braedon Hubbard, one a beautiful back-of-the-end- zone fade to junior Doug Pagel and another 40-yard bomb to senior Bailey Dameron. Holtzclaw fin ished 12-for-23 with 226 yards passing. Friday night’s win was the Tigers fourth in a row, but a more impres sive streak might be the one Dameron has put together. Not only has Dameron been the Tigers’ lead ing receiver every game this sea son, this is also the seventh game in a row where Dameron has received over 100 yards in the game. He fin ished Friday night’s game with seven catches and 157 yards receiv ing. “[Dameron] has been running routes in the rain for three years to get to this moment,” Maxwell said. “Last year, he was covered up by some pretty good receivers, but he has far exceeded my expectations. He just keeps getting better.” Until Friday, the least amount of points the Tigers had allowed in a single game this season was 13 against Northview earlier in the season. Kade Moledor, AJ Moore, Logan Berry and Cade Adams all contributed for sacks in the game, with Matt Bennett intercepting a pass. Additionally, Walker Massey recovered a fumble in the endzone for a touchdown. “Coach Woodall and my whole defensive staff work hard,” “We can’t make the plays but we can put them into position to make the plays and that’s what the guys did tonight.” See Football |3B Elliott finishes 7th to start Round of 8 From staff reports Dawsonville native Chase Elliott finished the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway in seventh place, his best finish at the track in his last five races. “I appreciate everybody continuing to fight through the day and get our car a lot better,” Elliott said after the race. “I thought by the end, we were decent. Just by that point, obviously, it was too late. I had another one (right-front tire) vibrate again after that, so I’m not really sure what we had going on there. I’m still currently confused. So, we’ll see.” The seventh place finish is Elliott’s third top-10 finish in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. He is currently in fifth place, with the top four driv ers advancing to the championship race on Nov. 7 in Phoenix. Elliott is just eight points under the cut line. Teammate Kyle Larson earned his immediate spot in the Cup Series championship race after win ning Sunday’s race in Texas. “But congrats to [Larson],” Elliott said. “Hopefully, we can join those guys in Phoenix and I’m looking forward to these next two weeks. I think we can run good at the next couple, and I feel like we’re all super close in points.” Elliott started Sunday’s race at from the rear of the field after an issue with pre-race inspection. He wasted no time making his way through the field and was running in the top 20 by lap five. When the competition caution came out on lap 26, the No. 9 Kelley Blue Book team was up to 13th. After pit ting for four tires and fuel, Elliott restarted 11th. The No. 9 car quickly overtook 10th before another quick caution. Following the restart, Elliott rocketed up to sixth by lap 49 and eventually made his way into the top five. Elliott remained in the top five until lap 96 when he had to make a green-flag pit stop for fuel. The driver of the No. 9 ended up eighth when stage one concluded on lap 105. After battling tight-handling conditions for much for the first segment, Elliott reported he needed his Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet to be freed up. He vis ited pit road for four fresh tires, fuel, and tape on the nose. Elliott lined up fifth for the start of stage two and danced around the top 10 until he began to report a vibration. As the vibration progressed, crew chief Alan Gustafson called Elliott to pit road as the KBB.com team entered their pit window and was able to catch the right-front tire going flat before any damage was done. A caution on lap 166 trapped Elliott one lap down in 20th, but he was able to take the wave around to rejoin the lead lap for the ensuing restart. He was See NASCAR 13B Senior Bailey Dameron evades the West Hall tacklers after a catch. Player Of The Week! Davis Glass Dawson County High School freshman and backup quarterback Davis Glass ran the ball into the end zone for the first varsity touchdown of his career Friday night for the Tigers. Sponsored by: AMS Certified Collision Center II' 706-216-0992 m We’ve Gone Green! ‘We will be here when you need us. ” DAHLONEGA DUNKIN DONUTS Industrial Park Rd. 130 Industrial Park Rd, Dawsonville M-F: 8:00 - 5:00 Dawsonville's Premier Collision Center
