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Inside: Lady Dragons second at region — page 2B
MAY 5,
2010
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Section B
JHS BASEBALL
EJCHS TRACK AND FIELD
Dragons snare fourth region title
READY TO RUN
Jason Demos looks for an opportunity to try to steal second at a recent game.
Photo by Justin Poole
By Brandon Reed
A PAIR of victories in
Friday's season closer gave the
Jefferson Dragons their fourth
region championship.
The wins over Riverside
Military Academy locked the
Dragons in as the 8-AA champs
as they get ready for the start of
post-season play.
Jefferson will open state tour
nament play Friday at home, as
they play host to the Crawford
County Eagles in a pair of
games.
The Eagles enter the post
season fresh off a pair of wins
over Mary Persons and Macon
County. Crawford went 9-5 in
region 5-AA and 13-10 over
all.
On paper, the Dragons have
scored more runs than the
Eagles, 213 to 165. while allow
ing fewer runs to be scored
against them, 91 to 146.
First pitch in game one on
Friday is slated for 4:30 p.m..
with game two set for 7 p.m.
The “if’ game is scheduled for
2 p.m. Saturday.
RIVERSIDE
The Jefferson Dragons
closed out their regular season
by playing host to the Riverside
Eagles in a doubleheader on
Friday.
The Dragons took control
of the game early. After hold
ing the Eagles scoreless in the
top of the first, Jefferson put
eight runs across in the bottom
of the inning to jump out to a
huge lead.
The Dragons would add
another two runs in the bottom
of the second and four more
in the bottom of the third, all
while keeping the Eagles from
scoring.
Riverside got their first run
on the board in the top of
the fourth, getting one runner
across to score. But they would
JCCHS BASEBALL
get no more, as the Dragons
went on to win 14-1 in a game
called after the fifth inning due
to the ten-run rule.
Jake Fields recorded the win.
giving up just one hit and one
run while striking out seven in
five innings.
Drew Carson went 2-3 from
the plate, with four RBIs,
including one home run. Lucas
Redd went 1-1 with four RBIs.
Jamie Sexton went 2-4 with
three RBIs and a home run.
Fields went 1-1 with an RBI.
Kyle Hardy went 1-2.
GAME TWO
It was a similar story when
the two teams took to the field
for the final regular season
game later that evening.
The Dragons again took an
early lead, putting two runs
across in the bottom of the first
after holding the Eagles score
less in the top of the inning.
Riverside would respond by
putting one run across in the
top of the second. They would
go on to hold Jefferson score
less in the bottom of the sec
ond, then add two runs to their
tally to take a 3-2 lead in the
top of the third.
The Dragons would tie the
game 3-3 by getting a run
across in the bottom of the
third, and then began to break
out in the bottom of the fourth.
After holding the Eagles score
less in the top of the inning,
Jefferson scored three runs to
make it a 6-3 game by the end
of the fourth.
Riverside moved to within
two runs by scoring in the top
of the fifth, but saw their chance
at a comeback blown away as
Jefferson scored eight runs in
the bottom of the inning. That
gave the Dragons the 14-4 vic
tory with the game ending after
the fifth due to the ten-run
rule.
Lucas Redd recorded the
win, giving up just two hits
and one ran while striking out
three in a little over an inning
and a half.
Jake Fields went 2-2 at the
plate with four RBIs and two
home runs. Kyle Hardy went
2-4 with three RBIs and one
home ran. Caleb Meek went
2-4 with two RBIs. Cain Finch
went 1-1 with an RBI.
Panthers end year with winning record
By Brandon Reed
THE JACKSON County
Panthers were looking to end
their season on a positive note,
and to come away with their
first winning season overall
in at least a decade when they
traveled to Lawrenceville to
face the Archer Tigers last
Thursday.
That’s exactly what they
came home with, as they
defeated Archer 16-2 in five
innings.
The Panthers started the
night off by scoring on a sac
fly from Quinn Grogan that
brought Rob Williams home,
and put Jackson County
ahead 1-0.
The Panthers next scored
three runs in the top of
the second, when Austin
Robinson scored on a wild
pitch. Pinch runner Austin
Gabriel would score on a
wild pitch as well.
Following a scoreless third
inning, Jackson County had
a big inning in the fourth.
Austin Robinson hit a sin
gle between third and the
shortstop that scored two
runs. Quinn Grogan walked
with the bases loaded to add
another run to the tally. Rob
Williams scored on a balk
and John Florentine scored
when Trey Sorrells grounded
out to short. Another wild
pitch brought Grogan home.
Ken Miller scored on a
passed ball and Zach Sticher
scored when pinch hitter
John Fernandez reached on
an error. In all, eight Jackson
County runs were scored in
the top of the fourth.
The Tigers would try to
close the gap in the bottom
of the inning. With the aid of
two errors, Archer got their
first two runs on the board.
The Panthers would answer
in the top of the fifth. Austin
Robinson scored off of a sac
fly from Josh Andrews. A
pinch hit from Jonathan Filpo
scored Rob Williams. Miller
added an RBI single, and
Sticher added an RBI sac fly.
The game ended on the ten-
run rule after five innings,
with the Panthers winning
16-2.
Austin Robinson recorded
his seventh win of the season,
putting up a record of 7-3
on the year. Ryan Shekey
pitched a scoreless, hitless
fifth inning.
The Panthers ended their
season 13-12.
Fountain said it was huge
for the team to finally get
over the hump and get to a
winning season.
“We didn’t meet our final
goal of getting in the play
offs, but we definitely made
a big stride in the right direc
tion and met two out of our
three goals.” he said. “To
have the first winning sea
son in a decade is big and I
hope our seniors realize the
groundwork they have laid.”
Fountain said the success
the team has seen is a testa
ment to what the coaches,
players, administration, par
ents and boosters are doing
for Jackson County baseball.
“I told our administration
and booster club when I got
here that winning somehow
has a way of solving a lot
of problems,” he said. “It’s
taken us three years of hard
work, but we believe we’re
at that point that winning can
now be the standard and not
the goal.”
CLOSE SLIDE
Jackson County’s Tre Sorrells tries to tag a runner during a recent game.
Photo by Brandon Reed
LONG RUN
East Jackson’s Amanda Anderson, seen here from ear
lier action, took seventh in the 800-meters at the 8-AA
region meet last week. Photo by Brandon Reed
Lady Eagles place
fifth in region meet
AFTER BEING delayed by two days, the East Jackson Lady
Eagles finally got to take part in the finals of the girls 8-AA
track and field region meet at EJCHS last Wednesday.
In the end, the Lady Eagles placed fifth, scoring 43 points to
overall winner North Oconee’s 228. Jefferson placed second
with 101.5 points. Rabun County was third with 69 points.
Dawson County was fourth with 66.5. Oglethorpe County,
Walnut Grove. Fannin County and Banks County rounded out
the field behind East Jackson.
After being delayed by rain, the final track events were held
Wednesday following last Monday’s opening day, which saw
Brooklyn Watkins qualify for state competition by tying for
second in the pole vault.
On Wednesday. Watkins placed fifth in the 100-meter hurdles.
Amanda Anderson placed seventh in the 800-meters. Courtney
McDowell placed fourth in the 3200-meters. Carly Caswell
placed seventh in the 3200-meters.
On the previous Monday, Malika DuBose placed eighth in
the shot put. Carissa Raylee placed fourth in the high jump.
Courtney McDowell placed sixth in the 1600-meters.
Up next is the girls state meet, to be held May 6-8 in Albany.
JHS BOYS TENNIS
SINGLES WIN
Blair Buffington recorded the lone win against
Westminster Tuesday night. Photo by Mike Buffington
Jefferson netters ’ year
ends against Westminster
AFTER A strong season,
the Jefferson boys' netters saw
their year come to a close this
week with a loss to Westminster
Tuesday evening.
The week started out strong,
as the Dragons downed Greater
Atlanta Christian 3-0 to advance
to the top 8 in class AA play.
Singles players Zach Bost.
Blair Buffington and Ben
Daniel picked up the victory,
losing only two games out of
a combined 38 in their three
matches. The boys’ number
two doubles team of Sky Porter
and Aaron Martin were lead
ing their match when play was
halted following the singles vic
tories.
Up next was a matchup with
Westminster. That's where the
post-season came to an end for
the Dragons, as they fell 3-1.
The lone victor against
Westminster was Blair
Buffington, who won in sets of
6-3, 6-0. While both doubles
and the third singles player lost,
the first singles match stopped
before finishing.
The Dragons ended their sea
son as the region champs, going
14-1 on the year.