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Lake Oconee News
Friday, December 29,2017
Justin
Hubbard
Sports Editor
Top local
sports
moments
of2017
Last week, I essentially
listed my favorite sports
moments of the year on the
national scale.
I thought it would be fun
to take a look back on our
area’s sports moments this
year and list a few of my
favorites.
But before I begin, a
disclaimer: Someone is
bound to go overlooked. I
mean no disrespect leaving
out certain teams or stu
dent-athletes. I’mjust writ
ing about the top moments
that immediately stick out
in my mind when recalling
Lake Country’s best sports
moments of 2017.
With that said, let’s
begin!
- Putnam football wins
at Warren County
Putnam football
just wrapped up a sec
ond-straight rough season.
The War Eagles won only
five regular season games
after posting a 1-9 record
the year before.
The opener was a blast,
though. Putnam played
at Warren to kick off the
season. I covered that game
for Lake Oconee News and
The Eatonton Messenger.
The War Eagles beat the
Screaming Devils, 21-6, to
start the 2017 season on a
high note.
Unfortunately for them,
the good feelings evap
orated halfway through
the season. Still, Putnam’s
win at Warren was a great
bright spot in an otherwise
underwhelming season.
- Slate posts a top 10
finish
You can read more about
this inside this week’s sports
section Year in Review, but
I want to quickly mention
Rafe Slate’s impressive run
during this year’s Legends
racing competition.
The 16-year-old, who
lives in Eatonton, proved
he belonged as he won a few
races and finished among
the state’s - and nation’s -
best in the Legends Semi-
Pro division.
I had a great time get
ting to know Rafe and
his family, which owns
and operates Solid Rock
Racing, during the year.
Hopefully, 2018 will bring
SEE HUBBARD » C8
Justin Hubbard/Staff Justin Hubbard/Staff
Marquesha Mallory stops and shoots a short-range field goal last Greene County junior Anton Kilpatrick drives hard to the paint and
week against the Lady Irish. lays up a shot while drawing a foul.
Lady Tigers snap losing streak
Justin Hubbard
justin@lakeoconeenews.us
Greene County’s girls basketball
team lost twice last week during
the annual Prince Avenue Christian
School Christmas tournament.
The Lady Tigers lost last Monday
Bops fall at Aquinas
to Athens Christian, 51-47, then were back on the winning note by
tookanother defeat Tuesday against the end of the week.
Prince Avenue Christian, 40-30. During last Saturday’s game
Fortunately for Greene’s girls, they at Aquinas, the Lady Tigers and
Lady Irish went back and forth.
Each team’s defense was stout, and
Greene earned a 34-25 win with a
strong defensive performance in the
second half.
Greene’s boys had mixed results
SEE GCHS» C2
MORGAN COUNTY
Morgan girls lose five in a row
Justin Hubbard
justin@lakeoconeenews.us
The Morgan County girls basket
ball team has not won since Nov. 25,
but that has not shaken the confi
dence of the Lady Dogs.
Morgan (2-7) is offto a disappoint
ing start following last year’s run to
the Final Four round of the Class
AAA state tournament. The Lady
Dogs’ five-game skid is bookended
by losses to Buford.
The Lady Wolves visited Madison
on Nov. 28 and handed Morgan
a 70-28 defeat. Last Tuesday, the
Lady Dogs traveled to Buford and
fell again, 64-29.
Lady Dogs head coach Joshua
Reeves said he and the team knew
what they were getting into when
they scheduled the one-loss Buford
team.
“When you come to Buford, you
kind of know what you’re going to
get,” Reeves said. “You’re gonna get
max competition. They’re a great
basketball team and, to be honest
with you, we want to get better. We
want to come out here and fight as
hard as we can, and we want to get
better. And I think if Buford is the
absolute best that you’re gonna see
- and I think they’re the best team
in the state, hands down, no matter
what classification - if you can come
out and see their pressure, then it’ll
help you with whatever pressure
you’re gonna see down the line.”
The potential to improve was a
key reason the Lady Dogs played
Buford. Reeves said he also thinks
getting knocked around attimes has
its benefits.
“We saw the best pressure you can
possibly see,” Reeves said. ‘We saw
some good players, and I feel like we
can transition that into later in the
season and get better.”
Morgan was aware of its slim
chances of beating Buford heading
into last Tuesday’s game. Their first
meeting was certainly a tough game
andlastweek’s matchup sawthe Lady
SEE MCHS » C2
Justin Hubbard/Staff
Miranda Powell pulls up to attempt a short-range jumper during last
Tuesday's game at Buford.
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