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Inside: JHS hosts East Jackson Friday — page 3B
MARCH 10,
2010
Phone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 387-5409
sports@mainstreetnews. com
Section B
JCCHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
JHS BOYS BASKETBALL
VETERAN COACH
After nine years as head girls basketball coach, Chad
Pittman resigned the position last month.
Pittman resigns as
Lady Panthers coach
By Brandon Reed
AFTER NINE years and 110 victories, Jackson County girls
head basketball coach Chad Pittman has decided it's time to
move away from the JCCHS basketball program.
Pittman resigned as coach the morning of February 22, but
waited until this week's basketball banquet to make the official
announcement.
“I just feel like currently, with things going on with my fam
ily, it’s kind of a good time to make a change,” Pittman said.
The team had one of its best years in recent memory over the
2009-10 season, going 13-12 overall and 5-9 in the region.
Pittman said that he tried to make his decision early enough
to give school officials enough time to be able to find a quality
replacement.
Pittman teaches math at JCCHS, and is a self professed ‘‘math
nerd”. In looking over his team’s statistics, he said he was
pleased with the accomplishments.
“I told the kids it wasn’t really me,” he said. ‘‘It was what they
were able to accomplish through hard work.”
For the third straight year, the Lady Panthers shot the ball bet
ter from the field and from the free throw line. Also for the third
straight year, the team increased their steals, which Pittman
Dragons head for the Final Four
Jefferson defeats Westminster, Callaway
TAKE THE SHOT
David Watson puts a shot up during Friday’s playoff game against Callaway.
Photo by A! McLeod
FOR THE first time in 27
years, the Jefferson Dragons
boys’ basketball team is
heading for the final four in
Macon.
They got there by winning
very close games against
Westminster and Callaway
that easily could have gone
against them. But the Dragons
fought back both times to put
themselves in a position to
contend for the state title.
Their next opponent will be
a tough one, as they will face
off against the Thomasville
Bulldogs on Thursday.
Thomasville went 23-4
overall and 12-1 in their
region, and enter Thursday’s
game off of a victory over
Henry County.
Tip-off is scheduled for
5:30 p.m. at the Macon
Centreplex.
WESTMINSTER
It was expected to be a close
game, but it turned out to
be almost too close for the
Dragon Nation's comfort.
Both teams fought for con
trol of the court early on,
with the score going back and
forth through the first eight
minutes. By the end of the
quarter, the Dragons held a
one-point advantage, 11-10.
It was more of the same
through the second quarter,
as the Dragons and Wildcats
continued to look for advan
tages. By the half, it was still
Jefferson in control, now by
three points, leading 27-24.
The third quarter was all
Jefferson, however, as the
Dragons broke the game wide
open, outscoring Westminster
JCCHS BASEBALL
16-6, and carrying a 43-30
lead into the end of the third.
But the Wildcats weren't
through, and began working
their way back into conten
tion in the fourth quarter.
They scored eight points in
the opening minutes of the
quarter, cutting the Dragons'
lead to five.
At one point, Westminster
See Dragons on page 4B
AUTO RACING
KURT BUSCH IN JEFFERSON
NASCAR racer Kurt Busch spent Tuesday testing
his Sprint Cup car at Gresham Motorsports Park in
Jefferson. Photo courtesy GMP Media
Gresham season
opener set for Saturday
Panthers beat East Jackson, remain undefeated
IF THE pre-entry list is
any indication, Saturday's
Champion Racing Association
(CRA) Super Series Super
Late Model event is going
to produce plenty of thrills
for fans attending the season
opening race at Gresham
Motorsports Park in Jefferson
this Saturday.
A total of 27 Super Late
Model teams and drivers
have already entered the 125-
lap event with several oth
ers expected to be on hand
with the 2010 season takes
the green flag this Saturday.
A longtime staple of the
Gresham facility when it
was known as Jefco, Georgia
International and Peach State
Speedways, Saturday's race
will mark the first time the
Super Late Models have com
peted at GMP since 2008.
See Pittman on page 8B
Heading the list of CRA
stars at GMP this Saturday
will be 2009 CRA champion
Johnny Van Doom. Also pre
entered in Saturday’s 125-lap
headliner are Johanna Long,
Cale Gale, Eddie Van Meter,
Mike Garvey, Chase Elliott,
Jeff Fultz, Scott Hantz, Ryan
Crane, Augie Grill, Russell
Fleeman and Casey Roderick
just to name a few.
Saturday's GMP season
opening program will also
feature Outlaw Late Models,
Trucks Renegade Street Stocks
and multiple divisions of US
Legends International Legend
and Bandolaro racers.
For more informa
tion, go online to www.
GreshamMotor sport sPark.
ticketforce.com or call 706-
367-9461 during regular busi
ness hours.
THE STRONG start to
the season continues for the
Jackson County Panthers,
as they go 7-0 overall after
picking up four victories last
week, including one over East
Jackson.
Up next for the Panthers is
a Thursday home stand that is
also a rematch over their most
recent victims, the Spartans of
West Hall.
First pitch is scheduled for
5:30 p.m.
JOHNSON
Coming off a victory just
days earlier off of the Knights,
the Panthers were looking to
extend their winning streak
when they hit the field last
Thursday against Johnson.
The Panthers took control
early, scoring four runs in
the top of the first. Johnson
answered by scoring two runs,
but would then face a drought
at the plate through the
next three innings. Jackson
County, meanwhile, added
another run in the top of the
third, two more in the top of
the fourth and an additional
two in the top of the fifth to
pad their lead. The Knights
scored three runs in the bot
tom of the fifth, but would
move no closer. After a score
less sixth inning, the Panthers
put the nail in the coffin by
scoring five runs in the top of
the seventh, and would go on
to win 14-5.
Larry Evans picked up
the win, making him 2-0 on
the season. He pitched four
innings, giving up two hits
and striking out six batters.
Austin Robinson led at the
plate with four hits and three
RBIs. Trey Sorrels had one
home run and three RBIs.
Quinn Grogan had two hits
and two RBIs.
OSBORNE
Up next was a Saturday
game, as the Panthers played
host to the Cardinals of
Osborne.
Things started off on an even
keel, with both teams scoring
one run in the first inning.
After holding the Cardinals
scoreless in the top of the sec
ond, the Eagles took the lead
when Ken Miller scored on
a Trey Sorrells single to give
East Jackson a 2-1 edge.
Osborne's bats came to
life in the top of the third,
scoring five runs to make it
a 6-2 game. The Panthers
responded by scoring three
in the bottom of the third on
a three-run homer from Zach
Sticher, cutting the lead to just
one run.
After a scoreless sixth,
the Panthers contained the
Cardinals in the top of the
fifth, and then scored six runs
in the bottom of the sixth to
move out to a five-run advan
tage. That’s where it would
stay through the final two
innings, as the Panthers won
11-6.
Ryan Shekey picked up the
win, pitching three innings in
relief and giving up one hit
while striking out two.
Sticher led at the plate
with three hits and five RBIs.
Alston Robinson had three hits
and one RBI. John Florentine
had two hits and one RBI.
EAST JACKSON
Up next for the Panthers was
a pairing Saturday afternoon
with their in-county rivals, the
Eagles of East Jackson.
The Panthers jumped out
to a 2-0 lead after a dou
ble by Ken Miller brought
in Rob Williams and Austin
Robinson in the top of the
first. The Panthers added three
more runs in the third, when
a grounder by Trey Sorrells
scored two runs. An RBI
single from Andy Williams
extended Jackson County's
lead out to 5-0.
The Panthers added their
final run of the day in the
fourth inning, Quinn Grogan
was hit by a pitch with the
bases loaded, bringing in a
run to make it 6-0.
The Eagles would try to
surge late, adding two runs in
the sixth and one in the sev
enth, but would get no closer
as Jackson County won 6-3.
Austin Robinson recorded
See Panthers on page 2B
SAFE AT HOME
Ken Miller crosses the plate to score at a recent game.