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Forsyth County News - Wednesday, April 9,1997
Sports
SFMS golf
piles up the
victories;
season mark
is now 5-1-1
By Stephen Underwood
Sports Editor
The South Forsyth MS golf
team has improved its record to
5-1-1 with a handful of victories
before spring break.
Coach Keith Harrison’s first
year team has at least one more
match remaining as they’ll battle
Gainesville (again) at the Polo
Golf and Country Club on
Thursday, April 17.
The squad also hopes to have a
season-ending tournament, with
up to five teams, at Skitt
Mountain near the end of the
month.
First, they defeated Gainesville
on their own course
(Chattahoochee), 177-182.
Derek Schmeelk led the way
with a 9-hole score of 42. Jason
Crowder added a 44, Shane
Phillips a 45 and Rocky Hunt a
46.
After a tough loss at Pickens
County, the Gators used consis
tency to top Lumpkin County,
179-185.
This time, Chris Ray paced
them with a 44.
Right behind were Crowder,
Hunt and Phillips—all with
rounds of 45.
South met Pickens again, this
time at the Olde Atlanta Club.
The result was a 184-184 tie.
Crowder had the top score, with
a 43, and Chris Collins was next
with a 45.
Hunt and Ray closed out the
scoring with 47 and 49.
Finally, the Gators shot their
way past South Hall, 185-192.
Crowder again was tops with a
45—and his teammates were
steady behind him.
Collins fired a 46, and Ray and
Hunt were each good for 47s this
time.
WED. APR. 9
Baseball
Forsyth Central at Fannin Co.,
4:30 p.m.
South Forsyth vs., Chattahoochee,
NTA(2games).
North Forsyth JV at Gainesville,
4:30 p.m,
mu. APR. 10
Basebal
Forsyth Central vs. Buford, 4:30
p.m.
South Forsyth vs. Roswell, 7:15
pjn. (JV,sp.m.)
North Forsyth JV at Buford, 7 pm.
HU. APR. 11
jForsyth Central vs. Gilmer Co.,
4:30 p.m.
North Forsyth at Jefferson, 4 p.m.
South Forsyth vs. Lumpkin Co., 6
p.m.
SAT. APR. 12
North Forsyth at East Hal, Noon.
.NFHS JV at Buford Tourney.
SFHS JV at Dalton, 1 p.m. (DH).
g_ , •*. * ■ . J*
War Eagles fight to stay alive in Region 7-AA
South “walks” past FC at
home, 9-8; but Gilmer
loss puts them on brink
By Stephen Underwood
Sports Editor
A walk couldn’t have been a more representative way to
have decided Saturday’s Region 7-AA baseball show
down at War Eagle Park.
The free pass issued to South Forsyth’s Scott Smith,
which allowed teammate Greg Lea to cross the plate in
the bottom of the eighth inning, was the 21st of the game.
It also gave the War Eagles a 9-8 upset, extra-inning win
in their rain-delayed battle with rival Forsyth Central.
While a loss of this nature for the Bulldogs—they sur
rendered 15 of the walks—was galling, any defeat would
have been devastating for South. Instead, Coach Don
Hutchins team lived to see another day in the 7-AA race,
standing with a 3-5 mark (6-10 overall). Monday, howev
er, the Eagles again had a precarious status as they lost at
Gilmer Co., 6-5 in 8 innings (see Friday's FCN).
It was the first region loss for Coach Mike Pruitt’s team.
For South, the win also avenged a lopsided defeat to the
Dogs a few weeks earlier. But it was instant redemption
for Smith, the SF catcher, who patiently looked at all six
pitches before the final ball sent him to first base.
The sophomore had a big error in the third, then was
short in a diving attempt to tag out Scott VanderHoff—
the Bulldog who raced home on a wild pitch to Matt
Pritchett to give his team an 8-7 lead in the top of the
eighth. VanderHoff had drawn a 1-out walk and advanced
to third when Casey Kohn’s grounder was missed.
Jared Pendley and Kris Anderson each walked against
hurler Brook Richards, however, to start the bottom of the
inning for South. The former was thrown out on a field-
See CAME, Page 2B
Huge crowd enjoys
youth ball parade
and fairground fun
By Michael Kurtz
Staff Writer
The Forsyth County Park and
Recreation youth baseball and
softball season kicked off in the
traditional manner with the
Opening Day Parade Saturday.
About 75 teams gathered at
Forsyth Central High School
and Otwell Middle School,
decked out in their uniforms,
and waving banners to cheer on
their teams.
The procession headed to
downtown Cumming, around
the square, and ended up at the
Cumming Fair Grounds.
Thousands of cheering parents
and interested spectators lined
the streets of town to root both
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Photo/Tom Brooks
On the straight and narrow
Cyclists and motorists share the road in Forsyth during the Second Annual Up ‘N
Cumming Charity Bike Ride.
Denton Ashway
reviews Turner Field S
RAGE 2B f
for their team —and for a great
season.
Future players, and those of
seasons past, were treated to a
spectacle of color and sound as
the parade made its way to the
finish.
Several of the teams sprinkled
the streets with candy and other
goodies fur the spectators.
Several hours after the festivi
ties had finished, the colors of
the day could still be seen all
through downtown.
Players and spectators alike
were treated to a variety of
activities at the fairground fol
lowing the procession.
See YOUTH, Page 2B
I
I * *
, . , Photo/Tom Brooks
Big hitter
A wild pitch moves South’s Jason Payne, who
had hit a double, to third base as Central's Ron
Riddle gets ready for the next play.
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Photo/Tom Brooks
Sweet ride
A truck full of young Athletics enjoys the treats and the crowds at Saturday’s Youth
Parade.
I ...And Dogs bounce back
to whip Lumpkin County
behind McCullough, 4-2
By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
With a big sixth-inning two-run rally, the Forsyth
Central baseball team defeated region foe Lumpkin
County at VanderHoff Park Monday, 4-2.
“We needed that one,” said Head Coach Mike Pruitt, no
doubt looking back to Saturday. “Lumpkin is a good hit
ting team.”
The region win put Central at 8-1 in 7-AA, with a 12-8
record overall. On Wednesday, Central will face Fannin
on the road with Buford following at home on Thursday.
Adam McCullough did a great job on the mound for the
Dogs, walking only three batters and recording four
strikeouts.
Ron Riddle redeemed himself, after an error, with a
superbly executed double play to end Lumpkin’s chances
| in the top of the seventh inning.
The Indians started out the game with a bang. Barr hit
an RBI double to left center, and Grizzle connected with
a sacrifice-fly to end their first at-bat with two runs.
However, Central tied the game in the bottom of the
inning. Riddle singled, followed by a walk from Todd
VanderHoff. Then Scott VanderHoff ripped a triple to
I center field, scoring Riddle and his brother.
The tie held until the sixth, when Corey Evans singled
I and Matt Pritchett bunted to advance him to second,
s Kohn then hit a long fly-ball to center, putting Evans to
third.
Evans scored on a passed ball for the go-ahead run.
3 Then McCullough added some insurance with a hit that
7 scored Boles and posted the fourth run for the Dogs.
The Indians threatened in the top of the seventh, but
Riddle’s double play sent them home empty-handed.
Local athletes ride and
run for fun... and for
Scottish Rite children
By Michael Kurtz
Staff Writer
The roads and hills of northern
Georgia became a playground for
charity as the Second Annual Up
‘N Cumming Charity Bike Ride
and Run took to the streets.
Around 170 bikers and runners
met at the local workout center
The Firm early Saturday morning
to head out.
The biggest group turned out to
tackle the 100 mile bike course
which covered all of Forsyth
County from Bannister Road to
Bethelview.
Dawson County resident Sam
Glass was one such participant.
Unfortunately, Glass ran into
some problems—and another
rider—early in the ride, and was
forced to call it quits for the day.
Despite bruises on his back and
shoulders, Glass’ thoughts
weren’t about himself.
Ashing looks good
on Lanier this week
PAGE 3B
“I’m more worried about my
bike,” he said. “That’s S4OOO
down the drain.”
But his incident was the excep
tion.
Everyone else was raring to hit
the hills, either on bikes or on
foot.
The ride and run drew athletes
ranging from 9-year-old Karla
Vickery to 56-year-old Jim Allan.
Vickery accompanied her father
on the five kilometer run, while
Allan was poised to hit the gruel- ’
ing 100 mile bike ride.
Several other participants were
more in tune with their limita
tions.
Abbey Aches, a 53-year-old
biker, signed herself up for the
shortest of the bike rides.
On her registration form, she
circled 25 miles, then quickly
See RIQE, Page 2B ,
B
