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COUNTY SHOWDOWN
Bulldog revival continues
By Morgan Lee
Sports Writer
“It’s great to be a Bulldog right
now.”
With that sentiment, Forsyth
Central boys basketball coach Steve
Barnes summed up the feelings of
every Bulldog player not to men
tion several students celebrating
on the Dawgs court after Tuesday
night’s 49-38 defeat of arch-rival
South.
“We played with poise and just
executed down the stretch,” said
Barnes. “I just can’t say enough
about the guys and what they’re
doing.”
What the Dawgs are doing is
starting to make believers out of their
opponents and themselves. And with
their first victory over the War
Eagles since the 2000-01 season, the
Dawgs’ resurgence three wins in
the last four games continues after
going just 5-45 over the past two sea
sons.
“We’ve got good shooters, but we
had them last year too,” continued
Barnes. “The main difference is that
the kids are playing unselfishly.
We’re also hitting the big shot, which
is something we hadn’t been doing.”
The Bulldogs (3-4 overall, 3-2 in
Region 6-AAAA) seemingly hit
every big shot Tuesday night, as they
pulled off a second-half comeback
that grew in momentum with every
3-pointer made.
The War Eagles (2-3, 2-1) fought
hard throughout the game, but could
n’t find their rhythm in the second
half. After a strong start, South
grabbed the early advantage but
couldn’t hold off the Dawgs’ late
charge.
Trailing 21-17 at the half, Central
began heating up in the third quarter
as the Dawgs’ Phil Paulk (six points)
hit back-to-back shots to tie the game
at 25-25 with 2:48 left in the quarter.
South’s Jacob Patterson (seven
points) answered the tie with a layup.
But Central came right back, taking
their first lead with 1:40 left in the
third quarter when Robert Pendino
(game-high 16 points) buried one of
his four 3-pointers on the night.
South refused to be rattled,
though, as Jacob Patterson again
stepped up, hitting a 3-pointer of his
own that steadied the War Eagles and
gave them a 32-31 lead heading into
the fourth quarter.
Once the final frame began, how
ever, the Dawgs’ budding momentum
bloomed into an offensive barrage as
they nailed two more crucial 3-point
ers and kept the War Eagles from
finding their offensive rhythm
Central outscored South 18-6 during
the fourth.
The lead changed hands three
times at the start of the quarter, but
Pendino put the Dawgs ahead for
good with his final 3 of the game,
41-38, with 1:58 remaining.
South tried to pull back ahead but
went cold down the stretch, as the
Dawgs built a slim lead and made the
War Eagles foul to get the ball.
The second half proved a contrast
from the first, when South gained
control of a hard-fought contest with
clutch shooting.
But the War Eagles couldn’t keep
control of the game, as Central
See REVIVAL, Page 2B
Forsyth strong on the mat
By Travis M. Chaffin
Sports Editor
Forsyth County’s high school grapplers
continue to dominate the mat, as both South
Forsyth and Forsyth Central swept their com
petition Tuesday night.
North Forsyth, meanwhile, hit the road
Wednesday evening to take on the West Hall
Spartans (results were not available at dead
line).
While North Forsyth has yet to compete
and home and South, only once Forsyth
Central’s Tuesday night matchup against
Greater Atlanta Christian and Elbert County
marked its fourth home event this season. The
Dawgs will only wrestle at home once more,
on Jan. 27 against non-area opponents.
North and Central will both be in action at
this weekend’s John Smith Mountaineer
Tournament in Lumpkin County, while South
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Lady Eagles bank on Reitz in win
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competes in the Apalachee Tournament.
Dawgs win seventh straight
In Tuesday night’s tri-match against Elbert
County and Greater Atlanta, the Bulldogs beat
Elbert 54-28.
“They were pretty tough, actually, starting
out,” said Forsyth Central head coach Nick
Crowder, of Elbert County.
“We were down a little bit, but ended up
winning... We have won our past seven dual
meets and now have a winning record. We are
excited about what it going on.”
Against GAC, Central won 60-24.
The Bulldogs’ individual results are as fol
lows (matches against Elbert County are listed
first, followed by matches against GAC):
103: Tyler Phillips won by forfeit, won by
pin; 112: Stewart Shires won by pin, lost by
See STRONG, Page 2B
At left, South
Forsyth fresh
man Kelsy
Reitz sinks the
winning free
throw in the
Lady Eagles’
41-40 victory
over Forsyth
Central.
Above, Robert
Pendino, in
white and
seen with
South’s Chris
Turley, finished
with a game
high 16 points.
Photos/David
McGregor
By Morgan Lee
Sports Writer
A lot of basketball players have probably had
nightmares similar to the situation that South
Forsyth freshman Kelsy Reitz found herself in
Tuesday night at Forsyth Central.
But with two seconds remaining in Forsyth’s
oldest hardwood rivalry and the score tied at 40-40,
the freshman post turned a potentially haunting
moment into thrilling victory as she banked in her
first of two free throws to give the Lady Eagles a
41-40 win.
The shot capped a breakout night for Reitz, who
finished with 11 points and kept intact the Lady
Eagles’ (3-2 overall, 3-0 in Region 6-AAAA) per
fect region record.
“To have a freshman step up like that... All of
her teammates had confidence in her,” said South
head coach Keith Gravitt, of Reitz. “The unity the
See BANK, Page 4B
T BE
Photo/David McGregor
Bulldog grappler Jerry Warren, right, wrestles a 215-pounder from Elbert County
Tuesday night at Forsyth Central. Warren won the match by pinfall.
North
sweeps
visiting
Raiders
By Danielle Schramm
For the Forsyth County News
Tuesday night proved success
ful for .both varsity Raider teams
at North Forsyth. Both teams
exhibited strong wins over the vis
iting Raiders of Riverwood.
The North Forsyth boys team
posted a 41-32 victory, while the
girls managed a 49-30 win.
Raiders dominate
Riverwood, 41-32
Defense proved to be the key
factor in North’s victory at Raider
Arena. The Raiders played a tight
defense, allowing little scoring
after the first quarter. With a one
point lead after the first eight min
utes of play, North began to take
total control of the hardwood.
At the half, North led 23-20
going into the locker room. Once
again, North showed its second
half dominance, bringing its lead
to seven, 32-25, in the third.
In the fourth quarter, North
scored an additional nine points to
Riverwood’s seven. Riverwood’s
last-minute comeback effort was
stopped short by a North’s solid
defense.
“This is out best defensive
effort yet this season, and I am
extremely proud of how the guys
fought for this win,” said head
coach Phil Moore
Dusty Holtzclaw led the
Raider’s offensive effort, scoring
in double digits and leading the
team with 11 points. Seniors
Christopher Light and Matt
Womack each added seven points
to the scoreboard, while seniors
Matt Helland and John Jennings
both finished the game with six
points.
“We played a very hard game,”
Moore said. “We are now 2-1 in
the region and I hope this shows
that there are more region wins to
come.”
North girls show
strength in 49-30 victory
The Lady Raiders posted a
convincing 49-30 victory over
visiting Riverwood, Tuesday
night.
North Forsyth offered up an
impressive defensive perform
ance, holding Riverwood to just
30 points, coupled with the visit
ing Raiders’ paltry 27 percent
shooting effort from the free
throw line.
The North girls, however, were
not defended nearly as well and
thrived under these circumstances.
The Lady Raiders seemingly
took every advantage available
and never allowed Riverwood to
come close to the lead.
Leading by six at the end of
the first quarter, North continued
to expand the margin for a 28-12
See SWEEPS, Page 4B