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Friday, November 17, 2017 Lake Oconee News Page C7 Success Continued from C6 something they lacked last season. “We were up 12, they came back and got within one,” Furtado said. “We had a 1-point lead for, like, a minute there, and then we just pulled it out. Last year, we found a way to lose; [against JMA], we found a way to win. Theyjust pulled it together.” That’s what Furtado hopes to see this entire season, which tips off Nov. 20 against First Presbyterian Day School. So far, through two weeks of practice, he’s noticed sig nificant development. Furtado said having a full year of experience has greatly helped his players. “We haven’t had a lot of practice time, but it’s so much better that second year of the program,” he said. “They understand kind of what you want. We’ve still got a lot of work we want to do but we’re lightyears ahead of last year. It’s not even close.” LOAreturns 10 players, including Stephanie Cervantes, the team’s point guard who earned a first- team nod on last year’ Region 7-A all-region team. Meredith Grill received an honorable mention to the all-region team. The play of Cervantes and Grill will go a long way in determining the type of success the Lady Titans experience this year. Furtado said as good as they are, each one ofthem still has room for improvement. “Stephanie needs to have improved shooting,” Furtado said. “She can get all the shots, she’s a hustler, but she’s got to shoot the ball and she’s got to improve her free throw shooting. She already has all the intangibles but, if she ever gets an outside shot, she’s gonna be a 20-plus scorer, easily.... Then Meredith, she needs to cut down on turnovers. For her to move up, she’s gottobetougherwiththeball. She’s already a good rebounder. She’s got to finish around the basket, knock down perimeter shots.” Samantha Cervantes and McKenzey Harris make up the rest of LOA’s senior class. As important as the four ofthe seniors are in terms oftheir playing ability, Furtado said their leadership and demeanor is just as critical. “This is their last year, so one of the goals is I want them to lead the right way and, so far, they’re doing that,” Furtado said. “They’re working harder right now. There’s still a lot of improvement they need but their leadership’s good, their attitudes are good. Iftheir attitude’s not good, it’s gonna kill us.” Kelli Stevens and Elizabeth Holt saw ample playing time duringtheir freshman season, and each should be important pieces of LOA’s game plan this year, too. In addition to all the returning talent, there are two new players on the team as well. Freshmen Destiny McClendon and Kayla Jo Ogletree starred for LOA’s middle school program over the last couple years. Now, Furtado has them on his varsity team. The Lady Titans will need all those players to come through, beginning right away. LOA has games against Athens Academy, Stratford Academy and Eagles Landing Christian on its schedule and all of those games will happen early. Furtado said it is imperative to play stiff competition in the non-re gion portion of the schedule to better prepare for the team’s region foes. Furtado said he thinks LOA could have a chance to win some of those games, too. “We have atough early schedule,” he said. “There’s no easy teams we face - every team’s gonnabe tough. I think we’ll be in every game this year. What we’re striving for [is] those games that we’re in, we need to try and find ways to pull that out.” In order for LOA to win more games this year, Furtado said there isonekeyareathatmust be cleaned up. Last year, the Lady Titans turned the ball over 444 times, an average of 21 turnovers per game. “One areathat we’re really trying to work on is taking care oftheball,” Furtado said. “Ifyou watched us last year, we had a lot of turnovers. You give that ball away enough times, the other team’s gonna score. It’s not complicated. And we’ve got to make some shots.” As far as overall team goals go, Furtadosaidheisn’tafraidtosetbig expectations for the Lady Titans. Justin Hubbard/Staff Then-junior Meredith Grill fires a shot during one of the Lady Titans' games last season. Grill led the Lady Titans in rebounds per game (7.2) and received an all-region honorable mention for her efforts. ‘We always setthe goals high,”he that is we’ve got to show up every said. “But, if anything, we want to day, everypractice. Our attitude has make the region tournament, so top to be positive every single practice, four in sub-region. But more than every single day.” Worth Continued from Cl enough to play and likely would not play in college. At DSA, though, Worth found nothing but encour agement from owner Gregg Cowan and former players/ coaches Emily Smith, Felicia Lindsey and Luke Allen and others. Traditionally, high school athletes sign their college scholarships at their respec tive schools. Worth, how ever, decided to sign at DSA because she felt that’s where she received the most help. “I know this is bold to say, but I was taught you reap whatyou sow,” she said. “I felt like, honestly, the people here - Gregg, Emily and Felicia and Luke - all the staff here, they were willing to put time and effort. ... I just felt like they’re the ones who helped me and they should get the acknowledgment for it.” The DSA staff and other influential people in Worth’s career were on hand for the ceremony. They received gratitude from Worth’s parents. “God has definitely given her a talent but he also put all of you guys in her path, and for that I’m so thankful,” Jimmy Worth said. “It’s a blessing when people invest so much into your child’s life, sol thank you for being here but I thank you mostly for being a part of that.” “I wantto thank everybody for contributing to making her the ball player that she is,” Connie Worth, Sadie’s mother, added. “Without God putting each one of you in her path, it would’ve been a different story.” Worth was discovered by Emmanuel while practicing at DSA. Cowan brought in then-Emmanuel softball coach Kacey Alexander afew years ago to watch a few DSA players hit in a showcase. He invited Worth to participate, too, even though she was only a sophomore at the time. “Sadie really liked coach Kacey and we just never really thought much more about it other than that was one of the places we wanted to look,” Jimmy Worth said. “It became a situation where sheknewearlyonthat’swhere she wanted to go.” Emmanuel, a Christian college located in Franklin Springs, was the first school that expressed interest in Worth but it was not the only one. Worth said she had offers from a couple junior colleges, including Georgia Highlands College. No other place seemed like as good a fit as Emmanuel, though. “When I met [Alexander], there wasjustsomethingthat kind of clicked,” Worth said. ‘We had different meetings and showcases where they would come in and different coaches would watch. I met a few others, but it just wasn’t the same. My brother went there and I just kind of fell in love with the campus. I was able to play on the ball field anditkind offelt like home. It was just that kind of feeling.” Worth was thrown a cur- veball in late August, though, when Alexander left her post to pursue interests outside of softball. Brock Radaker was hired to replace her in early September and, on Sept. 12, he watched Worth and the Lady Dogs play at Franklin County. Radaker said he liked what he saw, and he thinks Worth has a bright future at Emmanuel. “We are thoroughly excited to officially have Sadie Worth joining our talented Class of 2018 here at Emmanuel College,” Radaker said. “She brings a wealth of softball tools with her to Emmanuel where she will immediately compete as a freshman for playing time at first base. Sadie has a great glove at first base and the potential to consistently hit for power in the future. It has been a pleasure meeting Sadie and her parents, Jimmy and Connie, duringthe recruiting process. They are greatpeople and we are fortunate to have them joining our family here at Emmanuel College.” Through DSA, Worth also got to know a couple of the current Lady Lions, which factored into her decision to attend Emmanuel. Signing with Emmanuel was an easy decision for Worth. What was some times difficult, though, was continuing to play softball despite what others said about her. Worth said she nearly quit afewtimes, saying, “it’s really hard playing for a team when the coaches have no confi dence in you.” She decided to stick with the sport. Now, she’s grateful she did. November 19 Adults $14.50 Children (4-10) $7.25 Under 3 eat free with paying adult 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Museum open each 3rd Sunday noon till 2 p.m. free of charge “I would’ve quit, but I just had this strong urge that, one day, I wanted to use softball to witness to young girls and people and just use that to testify,’’Worth said. “Because of that, whenever I did want to quit - because all you would hear is this negative stuff - before I did it, it was like [God] would say, ‘No, you can’t. You’ve got to finish the drill.’ Now, I kind of look back and I see where he’s put people in my life and how he used softball to shape me.” Before starting college, Worth said she intends to play travel ball next spring to keep in practice. She said she expects to pay her dues during her freshman year at Emmanuel and get a chance to play later. Worth’s faith kept her on the field, but it also molded her career goal off the field. She said she wants to use her faith in her professional life by becoming a Christian sports psychologist. “Basically, what that is, I guess to put it in layman’s terms, you’re like a cheer leader for your team,” she said. “And when things get hard, they would use biblical foundation for [encourage ment]. They’d be like, ‘This seems hard, but Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things.’ It’s kind of hard to explain but, eventually, I want to take that and I kind of want to do what FCA is doing. I want to travel the world and use the sport to witness to people.”
