Newspaper Page Text
Sports
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1990
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SUff photo - Mike Wobbei
These softball fans appear to be intent on the action at Coal Mountain Park this past Saturday afternooi
I Mike TR"
Webber
Georgia waters
set for a record
As far as a dream-come-true season
is concerned the past college base
ball season in Georgia was one for the
record books.
This was a year in which not one,
but two Georgia college baseball
teams qualified for the national fin
als. The University of Georgia
brought home the trophy. Middle
Georgia College, for finishing second,
earned plaques and patches com
memorating the event
Having two teams within one state
makinga run at the finals is like light
ning striking twice in the same place.
It became a stranger occurrence
when not one, not two, but three play
ers on those two teams came from
within driving distance of each other.
Ron Buffington and Clint Carper
played their high school baseball at
Forsyth Central for coach Byron Orr.
Pete Freeman, a catcher for Steve
Webber’s Georgia Bulldogs, played
his high school baseball for Jim
Haight just down the road at Milton
High School.
Until they built South Forsyth High
School Milton was about the closest
high school to Forsyth Central.
Georgia finished the season at 52-
19. In winning the national title they
became the first Southeastern Con
ference’s team to ever accomplish
such a feat
Middle Georgia had a chance to
make it two national titles in one year
for Georgia colleges. The Warriors of
Robert Sapp finished the regular sea
son with a 48-4 mark.
For a high school team that never
finished higher in third place in sub
region 8-AAAA North, placing second
nationally isn’t such a disgraceful
moment.
“There’s a lot of pride in what we
did,” said Carper. “We might not have
won it but there were a lot of schools
and players wishing they in our
position.”
Buffington, a mighty starter with a
hot fast ball in high school, learned
some new lessons in college. Sapp
handed Buffington the ball in the
bullpen and labeled him a key to
holding lean leads. There he became
a long-inning reliever (3-6 innings).
He wound up the season with one
victory while pitching 20 2/3 innings.
“I’ve got to work on my velocity
(speed) this summer,” said
Buffington.
Carper, an outfielder-turned
catcher in high school, was returned
to the outfield this season although
most of his time was spent at home
plate as a designated hitter. Carper
wasn’t given a scholarship. He had to
earn his way on this team. After col
lecting a .414 average and all-District
all-star awards it’s easy to under
stand why Sapp took a chance on this
freshman.
Speaking of victories by freshman
it may be time to dwell on another
freshman, this one from Athens who
stayed home to play his college ball.
This one’s name in Stan Payne. He
hadn’t thrown a ball in competition
for nearly two weeks. He allowed a
hard-hitting Oklahoma State team
four hits in seven innings.
The performances by these fresh
men dispels rumors that freshmen
can’t play with the men.
“That was a year where nearly ev
erything was perfect,” said Buffing
ton. “Maybe it was good we didn’t win
itell this year. Itgives fis something to
work for next year.”
It’s time for basketball camp
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Staff photo - Mike Webber
Forsyth Central baskeball coach Bobby Smith will coach camp
Former FCHS baseball players return as heros
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Carper and Buffington
Forsyth Count y News
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
Ron Buffington and Clint Carper,
former Forsyth Central players who
paid their dues to college baseball’s
society earlier this year, saw their
debts repaid as their Middle Georgia
team came within one game of a na
tional title.
Both players were freshmen at the
two-year school in Cochran, Ga.
Middle Georgia College wound up
the season with a 51-6 record.
“That was a year to end all years,”
said Buffington, a pitcher for the
Warriors. “When you sit back and
consider what happened it couldn’t
have worked out any better. I know it
was the best exposure of my entire
life.”
Carper, a designated hitter who hit
.500 last year at Forsyth Central, con
tinued his strong hitting at Middle
Georgia. His .414 average in the Dis
trict Tournament earned him a posi
tion on the all-tournament team.
|l “It was a great year,” said Carper.
“I guess you could say we really en
joyed ourselves.”
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
In June and July the Cumming Recreation
and Parks Department is co-sponsoring a se
ries of youth basketball camps this summer
with Forsyth Central High School and South
Forsyth High School.
Bobby Smith and Jerry Cauley, boys and
girls varsity coaches at Forsyth Central, will
handle those camps. The boys camp will be
held at Otwell while the girls will work out at
Forsyth Central. Richard Gill and Doug
Fields, boys and girls varsity coaches at South
Forsyth, will direct the activities. The camps
will both be held at South Forsyth High
School.
“We’re excited about once again having the
opportunity to work with these young people,”
said Central’s Smith. “It gives us a chance to
help them and it also enables the young peo
ple to learn some different things about bas
ketball. I really felt last year’s camp built
enthusiasm.”
All camp sessions will stress fundamental
basketball skills and will feature team play,
one-on-one competition and free throw con
tests. Cost for tne camps is S3O per individual.
“It’s a real good situation, having high
school coaches working with young people,”
said Cumming Recreation and Parks Depart
ment athletic director Greg Little. “This is
something not everybody has a chance to do.”
The Forsyth Central boys camp at Otwell
will be held June 25-29. Boys age 8-10 will
practice from 1:30-4 p.m. Boys age 11-14 will
practice 9 a.m.-12 noon.
The girls camp will be held on the same
dates. Girls age 8-10 1:30-4 p.m. with the 11-14
age players going from 9 a.m.-noon.
This will be the first time both Forsyth Cen
tral camps are held on the same dates.
South Forsyth’s boys and girls will meet on
different dates. The boys will attend camp
July 9-13. The 8-10 boys age group will meet
1:30 a.m.4 p.m. while the 11 to 14-year-old
players will meet 9 a.m.-noon. The girls are
scheduled to attend camp July 16-20. with ages
8-14 meeting from 9 a.m.-noon.
“We’re hoping to have enough girls to hold
two sessions this year,” said Cauley. “There’s
been more interest every year we’ve held this
camp.”
Children are urged to participate in camps
at the school which they will feed into at the
middle school or high school level, but may
participate in either or both camps if they
desire.
Youths must be registered through the
Cumming Recreation and Parks Department
office at Cumming City Park. No registration
will be accepted on site at the camps. Office
hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
For additional information, call 781-2030.
Buffington, who was a long-inning
reliever this year, wound up the 199 C
season with a 1-0 record. He received
the opportunity to start three games,
one of which he was victorious in. On
March 16 he went four innings while
beating Lake Michigan College. His
first-ever college start came against
Brewton-Parker as he went five in
nings and allowed one run.
“This was a year where I learned a
lot more about pitching than I ever
knew existed,” said Buffington.
He was the only left-handed hurler
on coach Robert Sapp's staff. He saw
two innings of action during Middle
Georgia’s playoff string. He pitched
one inning against Gordon Junior
College, striking out two, during the
state tournament He also collected
one strikeout during an inning of na
tional tournament exposure.
“I want to be a starter next year,”
said Buffington.
Carper agreed to being in the line
up next year.
“We worked hard this year and it
paid dK” he said. “We’re going to be
ready for more of the same thing this
coming season.”
FCHS tennis players
honored at banquet
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
The Forsyth Central High School
boys and girls varsity tennis teams
held their annual banquet last week.
Both teams had several award
winners.
Christine Pitts was honored as the
Most Valuable Player on the girls
varsity.
Ali Streetman was honored as the
team’s Most Improved Player while
Leigh Godsey received recognition
with the Coaches Award
Ferrell Allen, Stephanie Harwell
and Kelly Kohn were recognized for
their contribution as senior players.
Ben Shugart received the Most
Valuable player on the boys team.
Jonathan Bennett won the coaches
award while Ryan Feeney was
named Most Improved.
Shugart, Bennett Chip Jordan and
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Ron Buffington shakes hands after winning game
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MVP Christine Pitts
Mike Estler were also honored as se
nior players.
Georgia’s
fishing luck
There are three million licensed fish
ermen in Georgia, and another three mil
lion who can fish without licenses be
cause of age (under 16 and over 65)
According to the Georgia Department of
Natural resources these fishermen con
tribute nearly S3OO billion to the state’s
economy.
Lake Lanier ranks as the most-utilized
Corps of Engineers reservoir in the en
tire country. More than 24 million people
visited its banks last year.
Georgia also has four other reservoirs
that rank in the nation’s top 10 in visita
tion. They are Allatoona, Hartwell,
Clarks Hill and George.
Georgia also holds the longest unbro
ken world fishing record. On June 2,1932,
George Perry caught the world record
largemouth bass in the Ocmulgee River.
The fish weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces.
What is interesting is that the record
has held out all these years despite the
largemouth bass being the South’s No. 1
game fish.
Still, there are several other species of
fish that continue to attract fishermen to
Georgia's waters and banks.
Here is a list of some popular Georgia
fish and their state records.
Georgia records
Top marks
Species Weight
Largemouth bass 22-4
Spotted bass 8-12
Suwanee bass 3-9
Smallmouth bass 7-2
Shoal bass 8-3
Striped bass 63-0
Hybrid Bass 22-6
White bass 5-1
Redeye bass
Black Crappie 4-4
White Crappie 5-0
Sunfish 1-43/4
Bluegill 3-5
Brown trout 18-2
Rainbow trout 15-0
Brook trout 5-10
Channel catfish 44-12
White catfish 3-10
Blue catfish 62-0
Carp 35-12
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