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Inside: Dragons begin spring practice — page 2B
MAY 13,
2009
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Section B
JHS BASEBALL
JCCHS FOOTBALL
JHS to host Titans in playoff action
Dragons defeat Model to advance to round two
By Brandon Reed
A SWEEP of the Model
Blue Devils in round one of
state playoff action on Friday
means the Jefferson Dragons
advance to round two today
(Wednesday), as they'll play
host to the Titans of Blessed
Trinity in a double header.
The Titans come to Jefferson
with a 10-4 record in region
6-AA, and a 20-8 overall
record.
On paper, it promises to
be a good game. The Titans
have scored 245 runs total,
just slightly more than the
233 scored by Jefferson this
season. But Blessed Trinity
has allowed 132 runs to be
scored against them, while
the Dragons have been stingy
in that department, allowing
only 67 runners across the
plate.
First pitch in game one is
scheduled for 4:30 p.m., with
game two to follow at 7 p.m.
In case of a split decision, the
“if’ game will be played on
Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
GAME ONE
Jefferson meant to show
they meant business early, and
got on the board in the bottom
of the second to draw first
blood. As they held Model’s
bats silent, Jefferson added
another run in the bottom
of the third, and a third in
the bottom of the fifth while
pitcher Chris Beck held the
Blue Devils to one hit on the
game. Beck helped himself
at the plate by delivering two
home runs, as Jefferson went
on to win 3-0.
Beck went the distance to
record the win, striking out
JHS TRACK AND FIELD
Jefferson finishes 11th in Georgia Olympics
coach Tim Corbett said the
meet overall went as smooth
as they have had in recent
years.
“(I) have to attribute that to
all the good help,” he said. “A
lot of people have been with
us a long time, and as always,
we interject a few new faces
as we have to. From con
cessions to the information
booth to the officials, every
thing went well.”
As for how Jefferson did at
the meet, Corbett said he felt
his team had enough quality
to score over 20 points, but
he said, “That didn't work
out.”
“In AA, when you look at
the group, the points really
got spread out a lot. No
single group of schools took
command. Westminster was
the odds on favorite, and they
held on to win.
“I can’t complain about
(placing 11th). We were able
to get to the finals, and that’s
what it's all about.”
With the season just over,
Corbett is already thinking
about next year. Several team
members will be returning
for 2010, including Porter,
Kies, Derrick Perkins and J.J.
Damons, as well as several
team members that didn't
make it to the state meet.
“I want to start thinking
about next year and start
making plans. We've got
some of those guys involved
in other sports, but they'll be
involved in some track things
this summer.
“I’m really happy with the
way things turned out. I feel
like we did pretty good.”
By Brandon Reed
THE JHS boys track team
finished up their season by
hosting the Georgia Olympics
over the weekend.
Jefferson finished in a three
way tie for 11th with Lovett
and Greater Atlanta Christian,
with all three scoring 16
points. Jefferson trailed state
champ Westminster, who
scored 62 points, Mitchell
County, Screven County,
Chattooga, Henry County,
Charlton County, North
Oconee, Decatur, Blessed
Trinity, Southwest, Pepperell,
Northeast and Tattnall
County.
Tyler Porter came away as
the state champion in the pole
vault with a height of 15’ 0”.
Josh Kies placed fifth in
the discus.
The team of J.J. Damons,
Zac Crosby, Derrick Perkins,
Wesley Milton, Josh Watkins
and Michael Stephenson
placed seventh in the 1600-
meter relay.
Jefferson was host to the
Georgia Olympics, and JHS
athletic director and track
STATE CHAMPION
Jefferson’s Tyler Porter won the state championship in the pole vault during
Thursday’s track events in the Georgia Olympics. Photo by Hannah Botts
■ *
L° ■
J
Kyle Hardy connects with a
Friday afternoon. Jefferson
nine batters in the process.
At the plate, Beck went 2-2.
Kyle Hardy went 3-3. Corey
Wilkins went 2-3. Jamie
Sexton went 1-4 with an RBI.
Jake Fields went 1-3.
GAME TWO
At the beginning of game
two, it looked like it would
be more of the same for the
Jefferson Dragons, as they put
four runners across in the top
of the first, followed by one
run in the top of the second
BIG SWING
pitch during the first state playoff game against Model
would go on to win game one 3-0.
Photo by Brandon Reed
while pitcher Chris Swancey
worked to keep the Blue
Devils’ bats silent.
But Model seemed deter
mined not to have a repeat of
game one, and in the bottom
of the third, put two runners
across to get on the board for
the first time all night.
The Dragons answered by
scoring three more in the top
of the fourth. Model kept
swinging, coming up with two
more runs in the bottom of
the fifth. Both teams would
put one runner across each
in the sixth before Jefferson
put the game out of reach by
scoring four runs in the top of
the seventh.
Model would score one
more time, but get no closer
as the Dragons swept the Blue
Devils with a 13-6 victory.
Swancey recorded the win,
striking out five while giving
See Dragons on page 2B
PREPARATION
The Jackson County Panthers got to work last week in
spring practice for the 2009 football season.
Photo by Brandon Reed
Spring practice
underway for JCCHS
By Brandon Reed
THE JACKSON County Panthers hit the field last week for
the start of spring football practice at JCCHS.
While many parts of the process are similar to the past, the
message that coach Billy Kirk is trying to get through to his
players is one of confidence.
“We are trying to tell our kids ‘It can be done' at Jackson
County,” Kirk said. “We have had some confidence issues in
the past and we need to understand that so everything we say to
our kids has been positive.”
That positive influence may be just what the doctor ordered
for the Panthers. Jackson County started off their 2008 season
by breaking a ten-game losing streak with a victory over Our
Lady of Mercy. The Panthers would come close to winning in
several more games, and come away with a tie decision against
Prince Avenue.
Kirk says so far, he’s been very pleased with the team's prog
ress.
“I finally got my guys on here for the most part and the old is
gone and we continue to start fresh each year,” he said. “I feel
like the coaches we have here are here to build a program and
they understood the challenge of the process.”
See JCCHS on page 2E
JCCHS TRACK AND FIELD
Lady Panthers take
sixth at region meet
By Brandon Reed
THE JACKSON County
girls track team came away
from their region meet with a
sixth place finish, while one
girl will move on to the state
meet next week.
Jackson County earned 66
points in the region meet,
which was delayed last week
due to rainy weather. The
Lady Panthers finished behind
region champ Elbert County,
Eastside, Oconee County, Hart
County and Franklin County.
Brittany Aikens was the
region champion in the
3200-meters and will move
on to the state meet this week
end. Aikens also placed third
in the 1600-meters.
Other placers included
Rachel Pasko, who placed
fifth in the 1600-meters.
Claire Colin placed sixth in
the long jump, fifth in the tri
ple jump and sixth in the 300-
meter hurdles. Krishawnda
Ledford placed eighth in the
long jump. Zoe Evans placed
sixth in the shot put. Megan
Carter placed sixth in the tri
ple jump. Charlotte Foster
finished third in the 100-meter
hurdles. Lauren Turner fin-
JUMP UP
JCCHS’ Lindsey Slaton
takes part in a recent
meet.
ished seventh in the 300-meter
hurdles.
The 4x400 team placed
sixth in their event. The
4x100 team placed sixth in
their event.
The state meet is scheduled
to get underway Thursday in
Albany.