Newspaper Page Text
jßaider boys
suffer last
minute loss
to Dawson
Co., 43-39
By Stephen Underwood
. Sports Editor
* The North Forsyth boys basket
-1 ball team nearly broke its losing
I streak against Dawson County
1 Saturday night, but couldn’t quite
2 hold on to an advantage they had
-held most of the game.
- ZWith a 44-39 defeat, the Raiders
lost for the 13th time in 14 games.
Friday night, North was topped by
.Region 7-AA foe Gilmer County,
59-45, to fall to 1-6 in the loop.
Saturday’s tough defensive game
was so low-scoring through the
first half that observers had to
wonder if the total score would
top the the thermometer reading.
’ Yet the Raiders probably set a
'team record for fewest points
allowed in a half as they moved to
a 14-8 advantage.
North improved to 25 points in
the final two quarters, but gave up
36. Matt Horne led the Raiders
effort with 20 points, while Smith
Tailant added 11. The duo com
bined for all of North’s points in
the first half, but - along with
Matt Greer - they were lost to
fouls during the game’s crucial
Conclusion.
Dawson trailed 34-29 when
Ryan Bennett fought his way
through traffic for two of his six
points on the night to start the
comeback. A quick turnover that
B.J. Day turned into a 3-point
play - nailing a short jumper and a
free throw - knotted the score at
34- before a stunned North
crowd.
Day had five of his team-high 11
points in the crucial 15-5 run that
carried Dawson to victory.
Day then swiped the ball and
was quickly fouled. He converted
the front end of the 1-and-l for a
35- lead. North gambled and
came up snake-eyes on their next
possession, as a long down-court
pass sailed out of bounds
untouched.
Day again converted l-of-2 free
throws to push the lead to 36-34.
On the Raiders’ next trip down
. Sports Editor
_ . . , Photo/Jonathan Hamilton
.Ready to rumble
'r 7 •
: War Eagles Arthur Murray (right) and Jefferson’s Herrington (left) shake before their match at 125
founds that was part of the Amicalola finals.
SOUTH from IB
enced squad that is showing
solid improvement,” he said. “We
wrestle a tough schedule; at the
tournament at Sequoyah we were
the only Class AA team that par
j ticipated. This is the first time
that we have seen most of these
teams because of the AAA and
AAAA schedule that we wres-
I tie.”
Murray had a great tournament
at'l2s, including a semifinal
match where he was trailing 9-2,
but pifned his opponent in the
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, ... Photo/Lori Stegall
Going high
Raider Matt Horne (14) puts one up against the Tigers Saturday
night in a 20-point effort.
the floor the guests were whistled
for an over-the-back foul, giving
North a chance to pull even. But
Robby Smith was only able to
sink l-of-2 to cut the lead to 36-
35.
Neal Cain and Kasey Wilson
each hit free throws on Dawson’s
next two possessions to increase
their lead 38-35. But with 32 sec
onds left, the hosts chopped the
lead to 38-37 as Tallant sank two
free throws. Shane Hall then hit a
pair a free throws for Dawson to
make it 40-37.
With Dawson holding a 42-37
lead, they called for a foul on an
apparent clean blocked shot but
two more free throws were missed
by North. The Tigers pretty much
iced the game on their next pos
session with a basket, then Marc
Shirley sank free throws for the
final two points for the Raiders.
Against Gilmer on the road,
North trailed 22-11 at the half.
But by outscoring the Bobcats 11-
second period. He went on to
lose on points in the final to
Herrington of Jackson County.
Cherry beat McCord of Hart for
his consolation title, while
Wheeler topped Hinson of Hart
County.
Allen was also pleased with the
victories that some of his young
wrestlers picked up. Dennis
Selby was the best of the rest as
he won two at 152.
Travis Wright won once at 119,
then lost lead and got
6 in the third, they pulled within
28-22.
The hosts exploded for 21 points
in the final period, though, while
holding North to 13. Gilmer’s
Wes Tankersley led the charge
with 13 of his game-high 18
points.
The Raider effort in the final
quarter was led by 9th-grader
Edward Turner, who scored all
nine of his team-high points in
that stanza. Patrick Garrett
accounted for the rest with four
points.
Other Raider scorers included
Smith with eight, Home with six
and Shirley with five.
When Gilmer took their first
half lead, it was Kris Plumley net
ting 10 of his 16 to pace the
effort.
North was to try and get Gilmer
back at home Tuesday, then will
travel to Lumpkin County - the
team they have beaten already in
the region - on Friday.
pinned in another. Wayne Carter
won once at 140 before getting
knocked out. Russell Morgan
won his first match of the year
for South at 189, and George
Massey got a win at 275.
South’s match with Fannin
County Tuesday was postponed,
but the War Eagles will travel to
a big invite at Dalton this week
end. Central hosts Pickens
County Thursday, then travels to
the Coal Mountain Classic at
North
NORTH from IB
could definitely be a stepping
stone.”
North was consistent throughout
the game Saturday, scoring
between 15-17 points in each of
the first three quarters.
At Gilmer Friday, North was
within three points at the half, but
a 21-13 third-quarter deficit
proved to be their downfall. The
period increased the Lady Cat
lead from 26-23 to 47-36.
The huge thorn in the Lady
Raiders’ collective side was, not
surprisingly, Amanda Parker. The
top-notch wing poured in 38
points, one of the top efforts of
her career.
After netting five in the opening
quarter, she had 11 points each in
the next three.
Gaines paced North again with
22 points. Kelley Dunn and
Alicia Turner each hit eight
points, while Lotspeich added
seven. No one else had more than
seven for Gilmer.
The Lady Raiders were to host
Gilmer Tuesday night in an
opportunity to avenge Friday’s
defeat at Raider Arena. Friday,
they head to Lumpkin County.
DUALS from IB
on points, pinned his Dade foe,
and got a forfeit against
LaFayette.
Carroll also won a big match
Tuesday- by technical fall -
against Jones of Buford, who had
beaten him three times before. “It
was a real good win for Jason,"
said Lowe. “He worked real hard
over Christmas break.”
Also going 4-for-4 in
Chatsworth was Jeremy Hamilton
at 135. He won on points vs. the
ranked foes and by pin against
the others. “The guy he beat from
Dade was really good,” said
Lowe.
Two-time winners Friday
included Jesse Raner at 112 (pin,
forfeit), Eric Baraney at 189
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - W«drw«day, J»nuary 13,1898 I
Jr
Photo/Lori Stegall
Under the boards
I -»
Lady Raider Lauren Honea (44) battles under the basket for a
rebound Saturday.
(both on points), Keith Vickery at
heavyweight (two pins), Andrew
Head at 171 (two forfeits) and
Roger Maxie at 215 (two for
feits).
Other single winners were Tony
Smith at 119 (pin vs. Dade), Toby
Hamby at 130 (points vs. Dade),
Josh Harrison at 140 (pin vs.
Murray), Jonathan Douglas at
145 (pin vs. Woodland) and
Patrick Gunter at 160 (pin vs.
LaFayette).
“Toby really showed a lot of
character in his pin,” said Lowe,
referring to the way the 130-
pounder came back after getting
pinned three times. “And Josh
had two tough losses by points.”
Against Murray, all of North’s
wins came before the 145-pouhd
class. But they won four of the
last five vs. LaFayette.
Then vs. Woodland, a tech fall
win for Baraney and pin by
Vickery were huge in gaining die
tie. North had a big early lead vs.
Dade, but couldn’t quite hold on
vs. Dade.
In the rout of Buford Tuesday,
Raner, Douglas and Ryan Bishbp
won by pin, Gunter won by
points, and seven won by forfeit.
In the 69-9 romp over Eastside,
Carroll, Nathan Kennedy (125),
Hamby, Hamilton, Baraney, Kip
Bishop, Ryan Bishop and Vickery
all won by pin. Gunter and Josh
Harrison won on points and two
others won by forfeit.
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