Newspaper Page Text
Inside: Eagles take fourth at invite
page 3B
MARCH 11,
2009
Phone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 387-5409
sports@mainstreetnews. com
Section B
JHS FOOTBALL
JCCHS BASEBALL
Navas to leave JHS,
become A.D. at Duluth
By Brandon Reed
BILL NAVAS, who coached
the Jefferson Dragons foot
ball team to the 2008 8-AA
title, resigned as head football
coach last week.
Navas announced in an
email released on Friday that
has accepted an administra
tive position at Duluth High
School.
He will serve as Duluth’s
Director of Athletics.
“It was a tough decision,”
Navas said. “I’ve always
wanted to get into the admin
istrative side of things. At
first, I really wasn’t very inter
ested in the job, but the more
I went through the job, the
more I liked what they had to
say and the direction they’re
trying to go. I thought it was
a great fit.”
The decision means that
Navas will be getting out of
the coaching business.
“I don’t know if coaching is
out of my blood yet,” he said.
“I guess I’ll have to cross that
bridge when I come to it. On
Friday nights. I’ll be getting
antsy, and we’ll have to see
how things go.”
Navas said working with
Jefferson Athletic Director
Tim Corbett helped prepare
him for the next step in his
career.
“I’ve learned a lot just by
watching him, and I have a lot
of respect for the job he does
here. That’s going to be a
good springboard for how I’m
going to approach and handle
things at Duluth.”
Corbett said that while he
hates to see Navas go, he
JHS BASEBALL
NAVAS
appreciates the job he has done
with the football program.
“Coach Navas, the entire
football staff and certainly the
athletes involved are to be
commended,” Corbett added.
Navas said he feels like the
program, which not only won
the 8-AA title last year, but
also experienced their first
undefeated season in recent
memory, will continue down
the path he has started it on.
“We’ve got great kids,” he
said. “Our kids will be at every
practice, they will be on time
for every practice, they will
work hard and they will play
hard. I think that the program
will continue to prosper. I
want to do everything I can to
make this transition as smooth
as possible and continue to
develop our kids.”
Corbett said that the pro
cess is already underway to
hire someone to move forward
with the program.
“We’re gathering potential
candidates at this time. We
are considering all who might
See Navas on page 2B
Jackson County splits Saturday games
By Brandon Reed
AFTER A break in action
due to last week’s wintry
weather, the Jackson County
Panthers came back with some
hot plays to split their next
two games against Osborne
and Clarke Central during the
Panthers Diamond Day on
Saturday.
Next up for Jackson County
is a trip to Athens where they’ll
face the Athens Christian
Eagles on Thursday.
The Eagles are looking to
put the brakes on a three-
game losing streak, while the
Panthers hope to add to their
early season win tally.
First pitch is scheduled for
5 p.m.
OSBORNE
The Panthers started off
Saturday’s “Diamond Day” by
hosting the Osborne Cardinals
at noon.
After a scoreless first
inning, Jackson County drew
first blood by putting a runner
across in the bottom of the
second to take a 1-0 lead.
Osborne responded in the
top of the third, however, put
ting three runs on the board
to take a two run lead. Both
teams’ bats fell silent for the
bottom of the third and the top
of the fourth.
But the Panthers struck
back hard in the bottom of
the fourth, as they scored six
runs to take a commanding
7-3 lead. They would pad that
lead by one more run as they
held the Cardinals scoreless
through the rest of the game.
The Panthers would end up
pocketing an 8-3 victory for
their second consecutive win.
John Florentine recorded
the win on the mound, pitch
ing five innings and giving up
four hits. Austin Robinson and
Codye Elrod led the Panthers
offense, as both went 2-3 with
an RBI.
CLARKE CENTRAL
The Panthers wrapped up
their day with the nightcap
against Clarke Central, who
had also defeated Osborne
earlier in the day.
After two scoreless innings,
the Gladiators got on the
board first, putting two run
ners across in the top of
the third. Jackson County
answered by putting a run on
the board in the bottom of the
inning. But the Panthers’ bats
fell silent through the fourth
and the fifth, while Clarke
Central added two more runs
to their tally, then four more
in the top of the sixth.
Jackson County mounted a
valiant comeback effort, as
they put up five runs, capped
off by a grand slam by Rob
Williams.
Still down by two in the
bottom of the seventh, the
Panthers loaded the bases
with two outs. A line drive
by Robinson looked like the
break Jackson County needed,
but it was snagged by Clarke
Central’s shortstop in a div
ing stop, ending the Panthers’
comeback, and giving the
Gladiators an 8-6 victory.
See JCCHS on page 3B
MAKING CONTACT
Jackson County freshman Quinn Grogan gets a hit early in Saturday’s game against
Osborne. The Panthers would go on to defeat the Cardinals 8-3.
Photo by Brandon Reed
JCCHS TRACK AND FIELD
Dragons defeat Madison, Riverside
UNLOADING
Chris Swancey fires a pitch towards the plate during last week’s game against
Madison County. Photo by Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
AFTER THE cold weather
that caused cancellations and
delays last week, the Jefferson
Dragons have been on a hot
streak, winning their past
two games against Madison
County and Riverside Military
Academy to improve their
record to 3-1 overall.
The Dragons will travel
to Homer to face the 3-1
Leopards of Banks County
in the first region pairing of
both teams for the season.
First pitch is scheduled for
5:30 p.m.
MADISON COUNTY
The last game Jefferson
played before last week’s win
ter weather set in was the Red
Raiders of Madison County.
The Dragons suffered a lop
sided 8-0 defeat in the pairing,
and were determined not to
allow a repeat to occur when
the two teams met again last
Thursday.
Madison County had other
ideas, however, and after a
scoreless first inning, the Red
Raiders jumped out to a two
run lead in the top of the sec
ond. After holding Jefferson
scoreless in the bottom of the
second, Madison padded their
lead by adding another run
to their total in the top of the
third.
That was when the Dragons’
bats came to life. Jefferson
went to work on Madison
County’s pitcher, Dustin
Roberts, and before the inning
was over, the Dragons had put
three runners across the plate
to tie the score 3-3.
After a scoreless fourth, the
Dragons would add one more
run to their tally in the bot
tom of the fifth. Jefferson
would go on to hold Madison
County at bay and take the 4-3
victory.
Chris Beck recorded the win
from the mound, with Jamie
Sexton picking up a save after
coming in to pitch in the top
of the seventh. Beck pitched
three innings, giving up three
hits but no runs, and striking
out eight. Sexton struck out
two during his stint on the
mound.
Jason Demos went 2-4 at
the plate with an RBI. Beck
went 1-3 with a homer and
two RBIs. Connor Phillips
went 1-1 with an RBI. Lucas
Redd went 2-3 with an RBI.
RIVERSIDE
Up next for the Dragons was
a trip to Jefferson to face the
Eagles of Riverside Military
Academy.
The Eagles took to the field
looking to turn a 0-3 season
around.
The Dragons, on the other
hand, were determined that
they would not be a part of
Riverside’s plan.
After a scoreless first
inning, Riverside drew first
blood by putting two runners
across in the top of the sec
ond. Jefferson responded by
putting three runs on the board
in the bottom of the inning to
take a 3-2 lead.
The Eagles tried to mount
a comeback, but then found
themselves held scoreless
over the course of the next
four innings.
Meanwhile, the Dragons
continued to add to their lead,
putting one run up in third,
three in the fourth, and three
more in the sixth.
Riverside tried once more to
mount a charge, putting one
See Dragons on page 2B
BIG JUMP
Charles Smothers took second in the triple jump at the
Eagle Invitational on Saturday. Photo by Justin Poole
JCCHS gets track and
field season under way
By Brandon Reed
THE JACKSON County track teams got their season started
with a fifth and a sixth place at the Eagle Invitational at East
Jackson Comprehensive High School Saturday.
The girls finished fifth overall with 56 points, trailing Dawson
County, Oglethorpe County, Habersham Central and East
Jackson.
The boys placed sixth with 32.5 points, trailing Oglethorpe,
Habersham Central, Banks County, East Jackson and
Commerce.
The girls brought home one first place in the meet, as
Krishawnda Ledford took top honors in the long jump. Other
placers included Claire Collin, who placed fourth in the triple
jump; Christa Beth Vaughn placed third in the high jump;
Brittany Aikens placed third in the 3200 meters; Rachel Pasko
placed fourth in the 3200 meters, and third in the 1600 meters;
Charlotte Foster placed fifth in the 100 meter dash, and sixth in
See Panthers on page 3B