About The Eatonton messenger. (Eatonton, Ga.) 18??-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 2025)
Sports c LANCE McCURLEY/Staff Putnam County senior wide receiver Jayson Smith (14) makes a catch in mid-air over a Winder-Barrow defender. Lance McCurley Sports Reporter Atlanta’s MLB All-Star festivities Last week, our state capital hosted Major League Baseball’s All-Star festivities, and I believe it was a big success. It would’ve been a whole lot better if the Braves didn’t suck and had more players competing, though. Regardless, the Home Run Derby was a fantastic start. I liked the format, which featured eight participants and had the top four advancing to the next round, with the next two top-placers competing for the Derby title. Unfortunately, Atlan ta’s Austin Riley didn’t make it past the first round, but as a homer (pun intended) for players from the Peach State, it was nice to see Baxley native Byron Buxton hit a 466-foot bomb. It was also fun to watch Oneil Cruz, a 6-foot-7 infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, smack a 513-footer to the cheap seats. Cal Raleigh, the Home Run Derby winner, has become one of my favorite players to follow. His nick name, “Big Dumper,” suits him well. It was also a cool story to see, with his dad pitching and his brother catching. A few weeks ago, Big Dumper was on an episode of Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast, and he was hilarious. He led the league in home runs heading into the All-Star break, and I am excited to see how he finishes. The grand finale of Atlanta’s MLB All-Star festivities was, of course, the All-Star game. The American League has dominated over the last decade, winning eight of the previous 10 All-Star games. So, as a diehard Braves fan, it was fantastic to finally see the National League get a win, even if it took a tiebreaker to do it. I also enjoyed the tie-breaker format, in which each team had six players come to bat to see who could hit the most home runs and secure the game-winning run. That was much more fun than watching boring extra innings. Although I dislike the Philadelphia Phillies, Kyle Schwarber’s clutch performance secured the National League’s victory. He blasted three consec utive bombs near Truist Park’s Chop House to secure the team’s win. Overall, the event was fantastic for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. We missed out on this wonderful event in 2021, the year legendary Hank Aaron died, but it was heartening to see him finally honored. The photo of his wife standing among the seated fans at Truist Park watching the tribute to him should win a Pulitzer Prize. I didn’t get a chance to attend, but I hope that in my lifetime, I can someday go — and it be in Atlanta again. War Eagles host padded camp Lance McCurley lance@msgrnews.com The Putnam County football team hosted a padded camp on Tuesday and Thursday last week. Beyond the War Eagles, the teams that participated included Eagle’s Landing Christian, Howard, Riverdale, Lake Oconee Academy, Warren County, Stratford Academy, Dodge County, Northeast Macon, Baldwin, Wind er-Barrow, and Sequoyah. The camp took place at Putnam County’s practice fields behind the school. The teams took the field 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, as coaches adjusted their players to the heat. The teams faced off against opponents in three 60-minute sessions each day of the camp. Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin said he thought the War Eagles performed well against the competition. “The padded camp was great,” Harvin told The Eatonton Messenger. “We were able to compete against some good quality opponents and get a solid look at what we are good at and some things that we need to work on.” CONTRIBUTED Senior Natalie Sills has been a dominant pitcher and solid infielder throughout her high school career with the Lady Gators. On Tuesday, after a lengthy weather delay, the War Eagles took the field against Warren County and performed well. Their defense played stingy against the Screaming Devils’ wing-T offense, showing they could stop the run. Junior outside linebacker Bryson Brown made his presence known as a solid run stopper. Several of Putnam Coun ty’s defensive backs, including Rodney Hines and Bill Waters, played well on the perimeter. The group chased down several Warren County ball carriers when they got loose. Offensively, the War Eagles rotated quarterbacks between Ethan Whatley and Branan Griffin. They also lined up in the wildcat formation, where several tailbacks took direct snaps and followed the offensive line for extra yards. Due to the late start caused by weather, Putnam County faced one other opponent before the camp ended around 8 p.m. The padded camp then began early Thursday morning as players and coaches alike worked to avoid the scorching heat. The War Eagles played against MORE CAMP » B3 Thursday = July 24, 2025 • The Eatonton Messenger Lady Gators look to leadership for improved season LANCE McCURLEY/Staff Putnam County senior quarterback Branan Griffin tries to shake off a defender. Lance McCurley lance@msgrnews.com The Gatewood softball team aims to rebound in 2025 after finishing with a disappointing 3-17 record last season. The Lady Gators have a veter an-laden roster this season, with five seniors returning. Gatewood head coach Dena Stancil said she is excited about this senior class. “I’ve got five seniors who have put in the work. They’ve really, really grown a lot,” Stancil said. “I had three of them start varsity in eighth grade and the other two are also solid. The leadership going into this season is something that, with five of them, we just haven’t had that kind of leadership before. We’ve had leadership, but with five of them, it feels completely different as we head into this season.” The Lady Gators’ seniors include Riley Roberts, Lily Huskins, Natalie Sills, Ellie McMillan, and Cora Tkacik. “I’ve got Riley Roberts and Natalie Sills returning as two key players. They pitch, and they’re two solid outfielders,” Stancil said. “And I’ve also got Lily Huskins, who’s just a good, all-around utility-type player with excellent leader capabilities. “Ellie McMillan has caught for me since she was in eighth grade. This year, you’ll see her a lot, probably out from behind the plate as we try to prepare the younger ones for the years to follow. She’ll probably have a bigger role in the infield,” Stancil continued. “And then Cora Tkacik, who’s very strong for me. She’s got great leader ship potential. I’m seeing a lot of good out of those five already this summer.” Stancil also expressed a lot of faith in the younger players on the team, emphasizing the depth they add. She has seen significant growth in the freshmen who gained valuable experience at the varsity level as eighth graders. “The effort they’ve put in over the summer, the maturity they’re already showing me before their freshman year has MORE GATORS » B2
