Newspaper Page Text
Inside: see
snap shots from
the Dizzy Dean
World Series
— page 3B
JULY 21,
2010
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Section B
Local Triathlon
Over 250
participate
in Jefferson
triathlon
By Ben Munro
THE FIRST Tri 2 Remember
triathlon in Jefferson drew
268 participants Sunday in
what event organizer Denise
Novicki hopes grows into an
annual event.
“Overall, it went very well,”
said Novicki, who also found
ed the Tri 2 Remember orga
nization. “I’ve got nothing but
positive feedback ... We were
very pleased for an inaugural
event.”
Seventeen-year-old
Matthew Schaefer won the tri
athlon with an overall time of
1:07:43. Michelle McKenzie
was the top female placer
with a 1:18:12.
The top local was Jefferson’s
Rob Alexander, who finished
third with a time of 1:14:04.
Novicki, who started the
Tri 2 Remember organization
three years ago to raise money
and awareness for Alzheimer’s
disease research, said that
if the group can arrange to
use Crow’s Lake again, there
will be more Tri 2 Remember
events in Jefferson.
“If we get the thumbs up
from Mr. Crow, we definite
ly plan on an annual event,”
Novicki said.
Though the triathlon grossed
$25,000 — the net proceeds
haven’t been computed yet
— the event fell short of what
Novicki hoped it would gen
erate.
“It’s expensive to put on a
race,” Novicki said.
The Jefferson triathlon was
the second Tri 2 Remember
event this year. The third and
final destination is Laurel
Park in Gainesville on Sept.
18. The first was held in
Lawrenceville. Novicki hopes
to generate $35,000 off the
three races.
She wants to add a kids tri
athlon next year in addition to
the adult race at all three loca
tions. The age cutoff point is
currently 13.
“That’s something that’s up-
and-coming,” Novicki said.
“It’s an untapped market.”
Meanwhile, the organi
zation hopes to build on a
solid showing at the first-year
Jefferson event.
“It was a lot of fun; I’m
glad it’s over,” Novicki said
with a laugh. “Eve just gotten
a lot of positive feed back.”
HOMETOWN
COMPETITOR
Rob Alexander was the top
local finisher at Sunday’s
Tri 2 Remember triathlon,
finishing third.
Photo by Ben Munro
Dizzy Dean World Series
Jefferson’s run in Dizzy Dean World Series ends
THE JEFFERSON 13-year-old base
ball all-stars caught fire after an opening-
day loss in the Dizzy Dean World Series,
but it wasn’t enough to propel them to the
losers’ bracket finals.
The team, also known as the “Dragons,”
lost its opener to Pinella Park (Fla.) 12-5
Friday, but rallied in the losers’ bracket
with victories over Jackson County 11-0
(Saturday). West Cobb 104 (Sunday)
and Pontotoc, Miss. 6-5 (Monday) before
its season ended Monday with a 14-4 loss
to New Orleans East at Lamar Murphy
Park.
Jefferson won the 13-year-old district
title earlier this summer and finished
second at state to advance to the world
series.
Dizzy Dean Finals
•The 13-year-old championship was
scheduled for this afternoon (Wed.)
at Lamar Murphy Park. There is a “if
needed” game slated for Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Jackson County
13-year-old all-stars exited Dizzy Dean
World Series tournament play after three
games, losing to Dayton, Term. 14-7
(Friday), Jefferson 11-0 (Saturday) and
Carroll County 11-1 (Monday ).
The season is also over for the Jackson
County all-star team—also known as the
“Legends” — which played at the district,
state and world levels of Dizzy Dean all-
star baseball competition.
Jackson County hosted the 16-team
world series tournament at its own home
park, drawing teams from Georgia,
Florida, Mississippi. Tennessee, Alabama
and Louisiana.
Tournament action was scheduled to
conclude either this morning (Wednesday)
in the tournament finals or Thursday in
the “if needed game.”
Pinellas Park had earned a spot in the
championship contest with four victories
and was awaiting the winner of the losers’
bracket.
This is the second straight year Jackson
County Parks and Recreation has hosted
a Dizzy Dean World Series tournament.
The 11-year-old baseball world series was
played at East Jackson Park last year.
MEETING OF THE MINDS
The Jefferson 13-year-old all-
star team gathers at the mound.
College Basketball
STRIVING FOR THE BIG TIME
Former Jefferson Lady Dragon basketball standout Brittney Crews has transferred from Brenau to
the University of Georgia and will tryout for the Lady Dogs’ basketball team. Photo by Ben Munro
Sharpshooter chases dream
Former JHS basketball
standout to tryout for UGA
By Ben Munro
F YOU’RE looking for a
pure shooter, look no fur
ther than Brittney Crews.
The former Jefferson High
School basketball standout
hasn’t seen a three-point shot
yet that she didn’t like.
“Yes, sir,” said Crews, who
played her senior season at JHS in
2007-2008 after transferring from
North Hall. “That’s what I love to
do. That’s what I'm good at.”
The former Lady Dragon three-
point specialist, who played two
years at Brenau University, hopes
her long-range shooting services can
be used at the top collegiate level.
Crews, who left a full scholarship at
Brenau, has transferred to UGA and
will tryout for the Lady Dogs when
classes start in the fall semester, hop-
The Brittney Crews file
•Age: 20
•Class: Rising college junior at UGA
after transferring from Brenau
•Sport: basketball (shooting guard)
•What else: A former Jefferson
basketball standout, Crews will try
out for the UGA basketball team
after playing two years at Brenau.
ing to earn a roster spot on one of
the Southeastern Conference’s pow
erhouses in women’s basketball.
Though playing basketball for
UGA has long been a lifelong
goal, a chance meeting with the
Lady Dogs’ legendary coach
Andy Landers — and an oppor
tunity to show off her shoot
ing ability — helped bring that
dream back to the forefront.
Crews ran across Landers
last summer while helping out
at an area hoops clinic, which
drew coaches from several big-
name Division I schools.
While demonstrating an out-
of-bounds play, Landers asked
for a shooter. Crews, who had
just completed her first season at
Brenau, volunteered instantly.
“In front of all his coaches, he
says, ‘Are you a shooter?" and I say,
‘Yes, sir,’” Crews recalled. “And he
says, 'Arc you sure about that?”’
Following some good-natured
ribbing from the hall of fame
coach, Crews in-bounded the ball,
popped out to an open spot in
the comer and launched a three
-just like Landers drew it up.
“Thank the Lord, I went out
there and nailed it,” Crews said.
She hopes to get the chance to do
that again soon - as a Lady Dog.
Saying that she took “a safe route”
out of high school, Crews accepted
See Crews on page 2B
Drag Racing
Junior
dragsters
face off at
dragway
By Amy Glover
WHILE SATURDAY night
was scheduled to be the National
Dragster Challenge and Junior
Drag Racing League Challenge
at the Atlanta Dragway. the
weather decided differently.
Scattered thunderstorms rained
out the main event, but not
before the Older and Younger
Junior Dragster categories were
able to finish their competi
tion.
Daulton Rogers, 12,
Hiawassee. lined up against
11-year-old Austin Carden of
McDonough in the 8-12 Junior
Dragster finals. Rogers, dialed
in at 9.01, had the tree handi
cap and left the line with a .024
reaction time. Carden, dialed in
at 8.90, chased after with a .112
green light. Carden’s late reac
tion gave Rogers all the distance
he needed. Rogers crossed the
win stripe in 9.03 seconds at
71.29 mph. Carden followed
with a dead-on elapsed time at
73.60 mph, giving Rogers a .06
margin-of-victory. Cole Wood,
12, Jefferson, ended his day in
the semi-finals.
Brittney Hellemn, 14, Buford,
took a bye run into the 13-17
Junior Dragster finals, making
for an all-female competition
against 17-year-old Jennifer
Jarrett, Cartersville. Both girls
dialed in at 7.90, turning the
round into a classic contest
of speed. Jarrett jumped the
gun, cutting a -.038 red light,
handing the win to Hellemn,
who began her victory lap
with a .042 green light. The
two stayed side-by-side, cross
ing the line in 7.86 seconds,
Hellemn running at 83.23 mph
while Jarrett finished at 83.18
mph. 13-year-old Wesley
Mayfield, Gainesville, was the
semi-finalist.
Racing
Grill dominates for win at GMP
AUGIE GRILL beat the
rain, the competitors and the
heat to pick up his second vic
tory of the season at Gresham
Motorsports Park in Saturday
night’s U.S. Auto Sales 100.
Grill held off a hard charg
ing T.J. Reaid on the final
restart with two laps to go to
pick up the win, with Bubba
Pollard third, Ryan Blaney
fourth and Jeff Fultz rounding
out the top five.
“It feels very good to win
tonight,” Grill said in victory
lane. “We didn’t get the pole
and I wish we had but the win
Back in victory lane
•Augie Grill won his second
race this season at Gresham.
His first victory came in March,
which qualified him for a start
ing spot in the 27th annual
World Crown 300 Nov. 14
more than makes up for it. This
car is great to drive and they
have built a good machine.
I’m lucky to drive this car.”
The run didn’t look much
like luck. After rolling off
seventh after an inverted start
from a second fastest qualify
ing run, Grill charged to the
lead, passing Pollard on lap
34, and didn’t look back all
night.
Meanwhile, Pollard would
scramble with Reaid, Jimmy
Garmon. Jason Hogan
and Jeff Fultz for position.
Grill’s strong run was chal
lenged only twice on the night,
both during double file restarts.
Pollard challenged briefly on
one restart near the midpoint
of the race, while Reaid would
make a run on a late restart.
Grill held off both charges to
hold the top spot.
See Gresham on page 2B
Motorsports
RENl
GRACING S
SECOND VICTORY
Augie Grill celebrates his second Super Late Model vic
tory of the year at Gresham Motorsports Park Saturday
night. Photo courtesy GMP Media