Newspaper Page Text
Inside: Dragons end spring practice — page 2B
MAY 19,
2010
Phone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 387-5409
sports@mainstreetnews. com
Section B
JHS TRACK AND FIELD
OFF THE GROUND
Derrick Perkins takes part in the triple jump during last
week’s boys state track and field meet at JHS.
Photo by Brandon Reed
Dragons pick up state title
IT WAS a record-breaking meet for the Jefferson Dragons.
After a six-year drought, the Dragons picked up their first state
title in track and field, coining home with top honors in 8-AA by
six points over Westminster.
Jefferson scored 41 points on the meet to Westminster's 35.
McIntosh County Academy, North Oconee, Chattooga, Screven
County, Decatur, Gordon Central and Jordan rounded out the top
ten.
Jefferson’s victory came on the shoulders of strong performances
by several Dragons.
Tyler Porter made history in winning the pole vault.
Porter’s vault of 16’ 7 1/4 inches broke the Class AA meet record
of 15’. 8” set by Porter’s uncle, Chris Keen, back in 1988.
But Porter’s state mark was bested by Gainesville’s Paul
Malquist, who cleared 16’ 8” later in the day.
Josh Kies picked up two wins, one in the shot put and the other
in the discus.
Derrick Perkins placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdles and sixth
in the 300-meter hurdles
Sky Porter took sixth in the pole vault.
“Winning state was certainly unexpected, but it is certainly that
much sweeter as those few kids that scored deserve the best,” said
coach Tim Corbett. “It’s nice to see good things happen to great
people who have put in quality time over years of training. In addi
tion, these same individuals represent the best at JHS. As a group,
they are solid academically, have great character and of course have
done what it takes to achieve at the highest levels athletically.”
Corbett said the meet was perhaps the smoothest in over a decade
thanks in no small part to the many volunteers that helped out.
“The response of our staff across the system, elementary through
See JHS on page 2B
AUTO RACING
CLASSIC IRON
David Sosebee waves to the crowd as he pilots a
vintage Ford racecar around the track during Georgia
Racing Hall of Fame night at Gresham Motorsports
Park. Photo courtesy GMP Media
Odell grabs win on
historic night at GMP
HISTORY WAS the theme
of the evening and David
Odell, Tina Stephens and
Brittany Finley authored their
own new chapters in the sport
scoring big wins at Gresham
Motorsports Park Saturday.
Odell notched his first major
Late Model Stock car win cap
turing the CARQUEST Auto
Parts Pro Late Model 100-lap
main event while Stephens
and Finley became the first
women to win at the new
track on a night when mem
bers of the Georgia Racing
Hall of Fame made the track’s
history come alive.
Odell ran a strong race,
benefiting from a late tangle
by leaders Bubba Pollard
and Johnny Henderson. He
then made his own luck grab
bing the top spot from Shawn
Simpson on the restart with
14 laps remaining and then
held off a late-race challenge
from Beau Slocumb to win
his first major event since
capturing a Truck race at Opp
Speedway in Alabama several
See GMP on page 3B
JCCHS FOOTBALL
Panthers wrap up spring practice
GET OPEN
Jalen Banks sends the ball on its way during last week’s spring practice.
Photo by Brandon Reed
By Brandon Reed
THE JACKSON County
Panthers are pumped up for
the fall.
They wrapped up spring
practice on Saturday with their
annual scrimmage game. The
team, split into two groups,
had a strong showing, with the
white team winning 32-14.
As the team moves into the
summer, coach Billy Kirk says
they take 91 kids with them out
of 93 that originally came out.
“We got a ton of participation
and excitement for our football
program,” Kirk said. “During
Saturday night’s scrimmage,
we had a bunch of kids make
some great plays. It is really
good to see some kids step up.
We lost that senior leadership
from last year, so to see some
of these other kids step in and
make some plays is great.”
Kirk said that overall, offen
sively, he thought Saturday’s
scrimmage was a great effort on
both sides.
“We put up a lot of points,
completed a lot of balls, and
threw a lot of balls. It was great
to see.”
Kirk said the defense also
played well Saturday.
“We were looking for depth,
and we’re two and three deep in
places and not much of a drop
off when the second group goes
in. or the third group, in places,”
Kirk said.
If there’s one place that the
Panthers are a little short on.
Kirk added, it’s linemen.
“We’ve had a couple of
move-ins that are going to help
us on the offensive line,” he
said. “Overall, we’re so much
further ahead than we were last
year. I think we’re more ath
letic than we were last year in
JHS BASEBALL
some places. I think that trans
lates into nothing more than
having a lot of summer to work
and get ready for the fall. It’s
a great, great start to the 2010
season.
Now the focus turns to the
summer months, and working
to keep that excitement and
enthusiasm level up until the
start of the season.
“I think one of the things we
try to do is transition spring
to summer,” Kirk said. “The
kids understand that they are
now kind of in charge of the
team. Up until spring started,
we didn’t know who our lead
ers were going to be. We try
to hand the team over to those
leaders. We’ve had an account
ability program here for the
past four years. We’ve had
90-plus percent participation in
those four years.”
Kirk said another aspect to
the excitement level for the
Panthers is the move to 8-AA
this coming season.
“Our kids are excited about
playing some of those teams
we’re going to be playing,” he
said. “We’re going to line them
up and play them one at a
time. Right now, our focus is
See Panthers on page 4B
Dragons eliminated by Blessed Trinity
By Brandon Reed
THE JEFFERSON Dragons
saw their bid for the state base
ball tide come to an end last
Thursday, as they were bested
in a tie-breaking game against
Blessed Trinity in the second
round of state playoff action.
The Dragons ended their sea
son as the region 8-AA champs,
going 19-1 in the region and
25-5 overall.
BLESSED TRINITY
Jefferson played host to the
Titans of Blessed Trinity in the
second round of state playoffs
beginning last Wednesday.
The Titans took control early
on, putting seven runs on the
board in the top of the first
inning. After holding Jefferson
scoreless in the bottom of the
first, Blessed Trinity put three
more runs across in the top of
the second.
The Dragons were able to
score in the bottom of the
inning, but the Titans responded
by putting five more runs across
in the top of the third. Jefferson
scored again in the bottom of
the third.
The Titans then scored
nine more runs in the top of
the fourth, and then held the
Dragons scoreless in the bot
tom of the inning.
Blessed Trinity went on to
win 24-2 in a five-inning game
on the ten-run rule.
Jake Fields recorded the loss,
giving up eight hits and 10 runs
in two innings.
Fields went 2-2 at the plate.
Caleb Meek went 1-2.
GAME TWO
Jefferson had to fight back
in order to stay alive in state
playoff action and force a game
three.
The Dragons got off to a
good start by putting two runs
across in the top of the first
inning. The Titans responded
by putting a run across in the
bottom of the inning to cut
Jefferson’s lead to one.
Both teams went scoreless
over the next three innings,
with Jefferson finally breaking
through by scoring in the top of
the fifth. Blessed Trinity would
be unable to answer, as the
Dragons came away with a 3-1
victory, forcing a game three on
Thursday.
Jamie Sexton recorded the
win, giving up just two hits and
one run while striking out three
in seven innings.
Jake Fields led at the plate,
going 3-3 with three RBIs and
two home runs. Andrew Bartek
went 1-3 at the plate. Caleb
Meek went 1-2. Jason Demos
went 1-4.
GAME THREE
The Dragons and the Titans
faced off in the deciding game
in round two of the state play
offs on Thursday.
The Titans shuck first, put
ting one ran across in the bot
tom of the first. The Dragons
responded by putting two runs
across in the top of the second
to take the lead.
Blessed Trinity struck back
in the third inning. After hold
ing Jefferson scoreless in the
top of the inning, the Titans put
two runs across in the bottom of
the third to move their lead out
to a four ran advantage.
The Dragons added another
ran in the top of the fourth. The
Titans would respond in the
bottom of the fourth by putting
six runs across to pad their lead,
then add another two in the bot
tom of the sixth.
In the end. Blessed Trinity
came away with the 13-3 vic
tory, eliminating the Dragons
from state playoff action.
Kyle Hardy recorded the
loss, giving up seven hits and
five runs while striking out one
in three innings.
Andrew Bartek led the
Dragons at the plate, going 2-2
with two RBIs and one home
ran. Jake Fields went 2-3.
Lucas Redd went 1-2.
HERE IT COMES
Drew Carson fires the ball towards first base during Wednesday’s doubleheader with
Blessed Trinity. Photo by A! McLeod