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PAGE 8B
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2010
JHS GIRLS TENNIS
JHS GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Lady Dragons lose to North Oconee
THE JEFFERSON Lady
Dragons lost one and won
won with their last two match
es, falling to Oconee County
before defeating Lakeview.
North Oconee defeated
Jefferson 4-1, with Jefferson's
only victory coming at num
ber one singles, where Bell
Blankenship won in sets of
6-3, 6-2.
On Tuesday, the Lady
Dragons improved to 4-1 with
a 4-1 victory over Lakeview
Academy.
Bell Blankenship won at
number one singles with
set scores of 6-4 and 6-4.
Miranda McGarity won 6-0,
6-0 at number two singles.
Taylor Bost and Tristan
McGarity won in set scores
of 5-7, 6-2 and 11-9 at num
ber one doubles. At number
two doubles, Erin Roberts
and Alison Salsman won 6-2,
6-2.
RETURN TO SENDER The Lady Dragons will
Miranda McGarity sends the ball back across the net at next travel to Walnut Grove
a recent match. Photo by Mike Buffington on Thursday.
JHS bests Commerce, Banks County
THE JEFFERSON girls
track team bested Commerce
and Banks County Tuesday
to win their season open
er, scoring 102 points to
Commerce’s 33 and Banks
County's 28.
Erin Knight took top hon
ors in the 800 meter and
in the 1,600 meters. Kasey
McDonald won the shot put
and the discus.
Daniella Watson won the
high jump. Eden Starnes
won the long jump. Marcayla
Hester took top honors in the
triple jump.
Iniki Allen won the 100-
meter hurdles.
The team of Holly Baron,
Eden Starnes, Savannah
Holland and Marcayla Hester
won in the 1,600 relay.
Jefferson will play host
to GAC, Riverside, Hart
County and Flowery Branch
on Friday.
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HEAVE HO
Macy Ann Holland sends the shot on its way during
Tuesday’s meet at JHS.
JHS BOYS GOLF
Dragons bested by Jackson Co.
CUTLER FINCH
THE JEFFERSON Dragons
golf team split the differ
ence against Jackson County
and Clarke Central last week,
coming in ahead of Clarke
Central but trailing the
Panthers in the end.
Jackson County scored 185
to win. Jefferson shot 196,
while Clarke Central had
214.
Senior Michael Baker led
the Dragons by shooting a
44. Nick Stowe shot a 49.
Patrick Hilton shot a 51.
Cutler Finch shot a 52. Cory
Dams shot a 54.
Up next for Jefferson is
a pairing with Oglethorpe
County on Thursday.
Start time is slated for 3:30
p.m.
Pittman continued from IB
credited to the Lady Panthers’
defense.
“I felt like from last year
to this year, we needed to
improve defensively,” he
said. "On the year, we held
teams to an average of 43.3
points per game. If you hold
a team to 43 points, you’re
giving your team a chance
to win.”
Pittman also noted that for
the third year in a row, the
team was up in wins.
“I was real proud for the
kids,” He added. “It was a
testimony to them.”
The program recorded its
100th victory with Pittman
as a coach earlier this year.
Overall, Pittman’s record
at JCCHS is 110-128.
“I’m proud of that,” he
said. “I’ll be honest with
you, with some of the things
that we've dealt with over
the years, I’m real proud of
the way the record stands.
Six of the nine years, we've
won double digit victories,
which I think you can be
proud of.”
“I am real proud of the
fact that through hard work
and through a lot of time
and perseverance of the kids
and through support, we've
been able to be competitive
year in and year out, have
a respected program in the
community and the area and
to do some special things,”
Pittman added.
Pittman pointed towards
the rivalry with Winder-
Barrow and beating them in
some big games, as well as
a quadruple overtime game
with Newton County in the
region tournament that came
out in favor of Newton as
some of his most memorable
moments over the years.
He also pointed to the five
girls that have gone on from
the program to play college
basketball as being high
lights of his tenure.
“I feel like I can take pride
in leaving the program in
probably the best shape it’s
been in for a long time,” he
said.
Pittman also credited the
current booster club’s sup
port of the program, saying it
is “one of the best we've had
in a long time.”
As to his future, Pittman
says just because he’s leav
ing the basketball program,
that doesn't necessarily mean
he won’t continue in his role
as a math teacher.
“The math department that
I teach with is great, and I
like the teachers that I teach
with,” he said. “In the tough
times that we’re having eco
nomically, there's not going
to be tons of jobs out there.
So from that standpoint, and
from the fact that I’m really
pleased and happy with the
people I work with, if I’m
there teaching again next
year, I don’t have a problem
with that at all. It will be
fine with me.”
Pittman said he will not
be involved with the deci
sion making in hiring a new
coach for the program.
However, he did say that
when the girls tip-off for
the first time next season, it
won't be easy on him.
“If I’m still teaching there,
it will be real hard,” he said.
“That will be real difficult
just because I feel like I
have a lot of time and ener
gy invested in those kids.
But more than that, it will
hard from a standpoint of
wanting them to succeed. I
don’t have any other desires
for them but for them to be
successful in whatever they
choose to do.”