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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2010
TESTING IT OUT
NASCAR Sprint Cup racer David Reutimann was in Jefferson Tuesday testing his
Michael Waltrip Racing owned Toyota on the high banks at Gresham Motorsports
Park. Photo by Brandon Reed
ROCKHOUNDS WIN
ROOKIE LEAGUE TOURNEY
The Rockhounds recently won the Jackson County
Rookie League (5-6-year-old division) tournament after
placing second during the regular season. The team
includes (front row, L to R) Wyatt Wallace, Chandler
(Bean) McDaniel, Andrew Edmonds, Meghan Harris,
Jillian Saul, Brooks Allen, (back row) Hunter Lumley,
Peyton Boyd, Nathan Hitt, Cole Canale, Kade Wells,
Walker Pangle and Elijah DeWitt. Coaches are (back
row) Jason McDaniel and Kenny Wells.
Submitted photo
Sports Shorts
JCCHS tennis
teams holding
conditioning
sessions
THE JACKSON COUNTY
Comprehensive High School tennis
program is offering conditioning ses
sions for all current and rising JCCHS
tennis players.
Workouts are every Monday,
Tuesday and Thursday from 8-11
a.m., except for the week of the
Fourth of July.
JHS holding youth
baseball camp
June 14-17
THE JEFFERSON HIGH School
baseball team is hosting its youth
summer camp June 14-17 from 9
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily for players
ages 6-13.
The cost is $65 for those register
ing before June 11 and $70 for those
registering after that date.
Each camper will receive individual
instruction in hitting, fielding, base run
ning and throwing from JHS coaches
and players.
Games will be played and trophies
will be distributed to contest winners
at the end of the week. Each player
receives a camp T-shirt.
Camp registration forms can be
found online www.jeffersondragons.
com.
Jackson Co. TD
club golf tourney
is July 19
THE JACKSON COUNTY Panther
Touchdown Club will hold its 10th
annual golf tournament Monday,
July 19, at Chateau Elan Woodlands
Course.
Registration begins at 8 a.m., with
a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Lunch will
be provided. Individual and team slots
are still available at $100 per player.
Corporate packages and hole spon
sorships are also still available.
Call Lianne Daniel at 770-536-
3344 (Monday through Friday
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or send an
email to lianne.daniel@gmail.com
to register or obtain sponsorships.
“The JCCHS Touchdown Club’s
purpose is to support and promote
the Jackson County Panther High
School football program,” organiz
ers said.
JCCHS hosting
football camp
July 21-23
A FOOTBALL CLINIC will be
held July 21-23 at Jackson County
Comprehensive High School from
6-9 p.m. Cost is $50 for players in
grades 1-8.
Pre-registration ends July 1.
The camp will accept “walk-ups,”
but t-shirt sizes are needed by
July 1.
Contact coach Billy Kirk at 706-
410-5835 or email bkirk@jackson.
k12.ga.us to register.
Brevet continued from IB
The brevet will stay off the state highways for
the most part, with a few exceptions. There’s an
approximate 10-mile stretch on Hwy. 124 coming
back into Braselton and another 10-mile section
on Hwy. 330 (from the intersection of Hwy. 129)
to Pleasant Hill Church Road.
The addition of two high-profile cyclists to the
Jackson County Brevet roster should bolster the
event’s stature in the cycling community.
Nathan O’Neill, who lives in Braselton. and
Cesar Grajales both ride for OUCH-Bahati
Foundation pro cycling team and both will par
ticipate in the brevet.
O’Neill is an eight-time Australian national
time-trial champion (“that’s unheard of,” Wilhite
said), while one of Grajales’ claims to fame is
beating Lance Armstrong and everyone else in
Stage 6 of the 2004 Tour de Georgia, which
included an arduous stretch up Brasstown Bald.
“These guys showing up and riding in this event
is a huge shot in the arm for us,” Wilhite said.
If Wilhite’s blog is any indication, O’Neill and
Grajales are already drawing a lot of attention.
“When I made the official announcement (last
Wednesday), the activity went out the roof.” he
said.
But. for Wilhite, the brevet means more than
just introducing cyclists to Jackson County and
its nice terrain.
All proceeds will go towards the research efforts
of the Aplastic Anemia Foundation. Aplastic ane
mia is a deadly bone marrow disorder in which
the marrow does not produce sufficient new cells
to replenish blood cells.
Aplastic anemia hits especially close to home
for Wilhite. His wife. Kelly, battles the disease.
“She was diagnosed at 19, and she was basi
cally sent home to die with no more than two
months left to live,” Wilhite said.
Today she’s 43.
“The bottom line, talking to me and Kelly, it’s
only by the grace of God she’s still alive ... we’re
very strong in our faith,” Wilhite said, who’s
been married to his wife for a little over a year.
Wilhite said the treatment for Aplastic Anemia
hasn’t changed since his wife was originally
diagnosed with the disorder nearly 25 years ago
and others face the same frustration.
The aunt of a 14-year-old girl with aplastic
anemia emailed Wilhite and told him that doctors
continue to tell the girls’ parents: “If your child
only had another disease, we’d have options.”
‘That’s unacceptable,” said Wilhite.
And he’s driven to change that.
While cyclists will have the goal of finishing
the Jackson County Brevet June 19, Wilhite has
a fundraising goal in mind for that day.
“I’ve been told the goal that I’ve set is quite
outlandish, but I don’t care,” Wilhite said. “My
goal is to raise $5,000 from this first-year
event.”
For more information regarding the Jackson
County Brevet, visit www.jacksonbrevet.com or
email Wilhite at info@jacksonbrevet.com.
ENTRY FEES
The rate for an individual cyclist is $35.
There’s a $65 family package for parents and all
children 12-and-under. A discounted $30-per-
individual rate is offered for those who are part
of at least a 10-person team.
Those prices will remain through June 12.
After that, all rates increase by $10.
Summer League Baesball
Diamond Panthers win three of four in tourney
The Jackson County Panther baseball team
won three of four games over the weekend —
plating 39 runs in the process — in the Greater
Athens Diamond Classic.
The Panthers, 13-12 this past spring, enjoyed
lopsided victories over Hebron Christian (9-1)
and Clarke Central (17-0) and a victory over
Cedar Shoals (9-5) as they prep for the 2011 sea
son. Jackson County’s lone loss in the tournament
came to Morgan County (7-4).
“We played some really tough competition
last week (Norcross, Gainesville and Stephens
County) and were only able to get one win,”
coach Panther coach Tommy Fountain said. “So
it was good to get things rolling this weekend.”
Panther pitchers Austin Robinson, Matt
Bridgeman and Bryson Evans all collected
victories. John Fernandez threw five strong
Spring League Basketball
innings against Cedar Shoals, but Evans was the
pitcher of record. Tyler Kropp pitched a com
plete game against Morgan County but took the
loss. First baseman Troy McIntyre, who will
have to replace Wabash College signee Zach
Sticher, had a big weekend offensively, coach
Fountain said.
“It was nice to see Bryson, Tyler and Troy have
good weekends, as they are looking to make the
jump from JV to varsity next spring,” Fountain
said. “If Bryson and Tyler can give us two more
arms on the mound and Troy can step in and
swing the bat like he did this weekend, we’ll be
just fine.”
The Panthers play a home doubleheader today
(Wednesday) against Johnson-Gainesville before
taking part in the Northeast Georgia Shootout this
weekend. —from submitted reports
JCCHS girls win six straight in spring hoops
The Jackson County Lady
Panther girls’ basketball team
won six consecutive games in
Spring Suwanee League play.
The Lady Panthers beat
Stephens County (65-21).
East Hall (40-33). Dawson
County (50-41), Jefferson
(39-26). West Hall (56-14)
and Chestatee (45-36).
— from submitted
reports
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WINNING WILDCATS
The Jackson County Wildcats 14-and-under traveling soccer team includes (front row,
L to R) Kourtney Axelberg, Sheena McEachin, Shanna Malone, Susan Jean Flaherty,
Emily Lupica, Kayla Brown, Brianna Manculich, Madison Cagle, (second row) coach
John Wells, Cassidy Steele, Jessica Wells, Hayleigh Smith, Jessica Alacron, Allison
Smith, Isabella Hisky, Caroline Robinson, coach Sean Malone and coach Josh Smith.
Jackson Co. Wildcats thrive as first-year Athena team
THE 14-AND-UNDER
Jackson County Wildcats,
led by coaches John Wells,
Sean Malone, Josh Smith
and Andy Newton, compiled
a 16-2-1 record as a first-year
travel soccer team playing in
the Athena League.
The Wildcats went 7-2-1
during the fall season in the
F-level and was promoted to
E-level for the spring and went
9-0.
Previously a Jackson County
Parks and Recreation team,
the squad comprised players
from middle schools across
the county: Kings Bridge,
West Jackson, Jefferson and
Commerce (adding one player
from Athens in late spring).
The Wildcats entered the
F-bracket of the Athena league
in fall of 2009 after sweep
ing their division in the Athens
Invitational Tournament in
August of that year. The team
placed second in fall competi
tion with its 7-2-1 mark and
then finished as runners-up
in postseason tournaments in
Athens and Douglasville.
As a result of their fall suc
cess. the Wildcats moved to
the E-bracket in the spring and
went unbeaten. The most piv
otal game of the spring slate
came April 17 against the
Fayetteville Crush. With sever
al players out to obligations to
middle school teams or injury,
the Wildcats were given the
option of forfeiting or taking
the field with just 10 players.
The Wildcats chose the latter
and won 2-1. With just four
seconds left in the game, goalie
Jessica “Ika” Alarcon scored
the game-winning goal with a
two-bounce punt from her goal
box that glanced off a Crush
defender and into the goal.
The Wildcats finished the
spring with a postseason trip to
the President’s Cup in Griffin
May 15-16. Matched up against
all D-level teams, the team tied
twice (0-0 and 1-1) and lost its
final game (1-0).
For more information about
the Wildcats, email coach John
Wells at wellsjohn88@yahoo.
com.
Hawley continued from IB
Hawley is a part-time employ
ee, and the BOE originally
rejected the hiring of three retired
teachers for part-time duty —
including Hawley — with a 3-2
vote on May 10.
But it reversed that decision in
late May with a 3-2 vote during
a called meeting, hiring only
Hawley.
The new coach declined to
comment on the BOE situation
but said he’s “really excited” to
be at JCCHS and working with
the kids on a regular basis now.
Hawley comes in on the heels
of Pittman, who spent nine years
courtside for the Lady Panthers
before stepping down this past
season. Jackson County went
13-12 in its final year under
Pittman, who was 110-128 over
all.
Hawley inherits a team that
loses only two seniors and a
program that will drop down to
Class AA this year.
When asked about the poten
tial of the program, Hawley said
that’s something to figure out
later.
“Right now, we haven’t really
focused on that,” Hawley said.
“We’re trying to focus on our
selves at this point.”
Something of a late hire,
Hawley has been in the gym
with his new team since May
26 as it gets ready for the 2010-
2011 campaign.
The Lady Panthers won’t
play many scrimmage games
this summer, other than when
they host a late June summer
tournament. The team is instead
focused on developing individ
ual skills.
Having worked in indi
vidual player development at
the Suwanee Sports Academy,
Hawley believes in a skills-
before-scheme approach,
“My main focus is player
development and getting the
skill level up,” Hawley said.
As the skill set for each
player improves, the offensive
and defensive schemes can be
implemented. Hawley said he’s
interested in seeing how this
plan evolves.
“It’s exciting to roll it out to a
whole program,” he said.
Jackson County will find
how well it works starting in
November when the Lady
Panthers tip off. Until then.
Jackson County will be putting
in its offseason work under the
un-retired Hawley, who likes
what he’s seen so far.
‘The kids have been won
derful,” Hawley said. “They’re
great kids. It’s been a pleasure
working with them.”
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Doug Bower: Enough is Enough
Seeking change by participation
Republican Candidate:
Georgia State Senate District 47
“The pay-to-play political game must
come to an end.” Common Cause
This campaign is dedicated to the Power and
Authority of the Will of the People, not money.
If you support this, vote Doug Bower in
Early Elections and on July 20.
Paid for and approved by Doug Bower
Save Time And Money!
GEORGIA CLASSIC
CLEANERS
is now offering a pick-up & delivery route at
no extra expense to you in the Jefferson and
surrounding areas!
Call 706-338-5297 or 706-353-2378
JSF ENTERPRISES
• Concrete - Driveways, Walkways & Patios
• Landscaping - Seeding, Sodding & Irrigation
• Grading • Hauling • Demolition
• Retaining Walls
• Drainage Repair • Foundation Waterproofing
•Tree Removal ‘Trimming • Debris Removal
For Quick Professional Service, Call Justin Faulkner
770-530-3081
Registration for
Fall 2010 Season
Academy/Select Tryout Dates
World Cup Summer Camp
For details and more visit:
www.barrowsoccer.com