Newspaper Page Text
Inside: Prepvoiiey-
ball season to get roll
ing soon — Page 3B
www.MainStreetNewsSPORTS.com
AUGUST 4,
2010
Phone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 387-5417
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Section B
BACK SAFELY
East Jackson’s Taylor Nix
scrambles back to first
during a recent summer
league game.
Photo by Justin Poole
Prep Softball
Lady Eagles
recharged,
ready
By Brandon Reed
FOR ANY program, the start of
a new softball season is always a
fresh challenge.
Sometimes, however, that chal
lenge can be made easier by the
attitude the players bring to the
practice field as they prepare for
their season to get underway.
For the Lady Eagles of East
Jackson Comprehensive High
School, that attitude has been
positive, helping to reinvigorate
the team.
After two strong opening sea
sons that saw the Eagles win back-
to-back region titles, East Jackson
hit a slump in 2009, going only
5-17 overall and 2-7 in the region.
But that was last year, and
the 2010 season is less than two
weeks away.
The Lady Eagles will open the
season with a home stand against
the Lady Tigers of Archer on
Wednesday, Aug. 11.
First pitch is scheduled for 5:30
p.m.
“We’ve got a lot of new play
ers,” said EJCHS head softball
coach Jason Rainey. “That’s given
us a change in attitude. Not in a
negative way, but a fresh perspec
tive. We’ve probably got seven or
eight ninth graders that are going
to contribute. With a small upper
class and all those ninth graders,
you can imagine how new every
thing is.”
Rainey said his team has been
playing in a summer league at
Stephens County, and they have a
pretty good idea of what’s going
on.
“We’ve been practicing and
playing,” he said. “It’s kind of like
how you would have been when
we opened our school. We’re kind
of seeing what I thought it might
be when we first got here, and
that’s exciting to me.
“We have a couple of older
girls that have done well, includ
ing Brooke Yarbrough and two
of our pitchers. But past that, it’s
pretty much all youngsters.”
Those fresh faces could be see
ing some more additions, as try
outs get underway this week.
While that enthusiasm has
its advantages, it also can make
things more difficult as the team
prepares for the new season.
“As crazy as it sounds, nobody
knows each other,” Rainey said.
“You’re mixing upcoming fresh
men with older kids. That’s been-
the biggest part, communication
and making sure everybody is
paying attention or that everybody
is in the right spot. It makes it
exciting and challenging.
See EJCHS on page 2B
E. Jackson at a glance
•Last year’s record: 5-17,
2-7 in region play
•Season opener: Aug.
11 vs. Archer
•What else: East Jackson won
region titles in 2007 and 2008
before slumping in 2009.
Dragway
Saturday Insanity continues at Atl. Dragway
By Amy Glover
ATLANTA DRAGWAY hosted its fourth
Saturday Insanity event over the weekend, as
the rain held off to allow racing in the Open
Comp, 6.50 and 7.50 index
classes.
Bishop’s David Smith and
Lilbum’s Stan Sinack gave
the crowd deja-vu, running
head-to-head in the 6.50
index finals for a second time.
Sinack won their last pairing
on June 19. Smith gained an
advantage with a .003 reaction time, while
Sinack rushed after with a .029 green light.
The two stayed neck-and-neck until the finish
COMING UP
•Saturday
Insanity No
Box Pro
Series points
race, Aug. 7
line, when Smith claimed the win with a 6.51
elapsed time at 109.65 mph. Sinack crossed the
line moments after, in 6.50 seconds at 106.16
mph, giving Smith a .003 margin of victory.
Having gone out in the semi-finals in the last
Saturday Insanity competition, Shane Williams
(Knoxville, Term.) and Mel Abney (Cumming)
were ready to place on top in the 7.50 Index
finals. Williams responded quickly to the tree
with a .005 reaction time, while Abney turned
in a .034 reaction. The win was up in the air
until Williams took hold of the finish line with
a 7.52 second run at 87.42 mph. Abney finished
in 7.51 seconds at 90.76 mph, allowing
See Dragway on page 2B
Sprint Cup champ tests at Gresham
Four-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
champion Jimmie Johnson recently turned in test
laps at Jefferson’s Gresham Motorsports Park.
Photo by Brandon Reed
College Basketball
v
Prep Football
Panthers on the
preseason prowl
Jackson Co. at a glance
•Last year’s record:
4-6 (1-6 in region)
•Season opener: Aug.
27 vs. Johnson
•What else: Jackson County, in its
fourth year under coach Billy Kirk,
moves to Region 8-AA this year.
ByBenMunro
WHILE THERE’S plenty of
rust left to shake off, there was
enough energy buzzing around
Jackson County’s first football
practice for coach Billy Kirk
to give his team a passing
mark for the afternoon.
“It was a great first day
because we’ve got kids that
were flying around and making a lot of plays ... Overall, if I was
to give us a grade, it would be a B+,” Kirk said.
Jackson County kicked off preseason practice Monday with a
two-hour workout in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts.
The Panthers, 4-6 last year, have 23 days to prepare for their
Aug. 27 opener with Johnson at home.
Kirk noted several first-day efforts, including that of sopho
more running back Dustin Scott, who’s returning from a broken
leg. transfer wide receiver Michael Lewis and senior defensive
tackle Alex Nanigan.
Kirk also pointed to those who normally set the tone in practice,
like senior comerback Nick Oney and senior linebacker Kelly
Moates.
Jackson County’s offense has a little catching up to do at this
point, but that’s to be expected early on. When fully operational,
the Panthers, who run the spread, will look to throw the ball all
over the place - stretching the field both horizontally and verti
cally, Kirk explained.
“It will be a lot of fun for our fans to watch and for our play
ers,” he said.
As for the triggerman of the offense, that’s yet to be deter
mined.
TITLE HOPES
Amanda Lampley, who played basketball at Jefferson, is shooting for an
NCCAA national title at Atlanta Christian College. Photo by Ben Munro
Great expectations
Former JHS basketball standout hopes career ends with national title
By Ben Munro
S SHE describes it,
Amanda Lampley’s sum
mer days are filled with
“a whole lot of pick-up games.”
The former Jefferson basketball star said
she’s always seeking a little friendly hoops
competition — doesn’t matter where
— as she preps for what could be a big
final season at Atlanta Christian College.
“Any gym I can find.” Lampley, a
rising senior, said matter-of-factly.
There’s plenty of motivation to
stay sharp over the summer.
The one-time Lady Dragon, who
graduated from Jefferson High School
The Amanda Lampley file
•Age: 21
•Class: Rising senior on the Atlanta
Christian College basketball team
•Sport: Basketball (power forward)
•What else: A JHS 2007 graduate,
Lampley is a top rebounder and defender
for Atlanta Christian College, which
has one of the top women’s basket
ball programs in NCCAA Division II.
in 2007, is an integral part of a
national title contender in the National
Christian College Athletic Association
(NCCAA) Division II ranks.
See Lampley on page 2B
See JCCHS on page 3B
FINDING HIS RECEIVER
Jackson County quarterback Jalen Banks spots an open
receiver during practice Monday. Photo by Ben Munro
SHOWING
OFF THE
SPEED
Cain Finch
runs past
a Dragon
defender
Monday dur
ing the first
day of foot
ball practice
at Jefferson
High School.
Jefferson
opens the
season Aug.
27 on the
road against
Commerce.
Photo by Ben
Munro
Prep Football
Jefferson full speed ahead in practice
ByBenMunro
JEFFERSON’S SEASON opener against
Commerce isn’t until the end of the month, but
that’s a relatively short span in football time.
“It’s only 24 practices,” Dragon coach T.
McFerrin said. “We used to have 32 or 33 when
we had two-a-days. We’ve got to get a whole lot
of stuff in.”
The Dragons play Commerce Aug. 27 at 8
p.m. following an 11-1 campaign in 2009.
Jefferson opened practice in helmets and pads
under mercifully overcast skies Monday as the
Dragons will alternate back and forth between
shorts and full pads this week.
“Overall, I think they were excited to finally
get in pads and get some hitting in,” McFerrin
said.
The Dragons will hold an intra-squad scrim
mage Friday as part of its preparations for the
Jefferson at a glance
Last year’s record: 11-1 (9-0 in region)
Season opener: Aug. 27 vs. Commerce
What else: JHS shoots for its third-consecutive
8-AA title this year, carrying a 20-game regular sea
son winning streak into 2010.
opener with long-time rival Commerce, which the
Dragons have beaten three years in a row.
Jefferson won 30-13 last year.
The Dragons — no. 8 last year in Class AA
— enter the preseason nicked up in some spots.
Four of six starters return on the offensive line,
but Kyle Mosley and Kevin Selleck are both hurt.
It is uncertain when both will be back.
See JHS football on page 3B