Newspaper Page Text
Inside: Jefferson
holds off Commerce in a
thriller Friday — page 4B
www.MainStreetNewsSPORTS.com
SEPTEMBER 1,
2010
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Section B
Cross Country
Aikens, team take
second at NE Ga.
Championships
By Ben Munro
JACKSON County senior Brittany Aikens
followed up a first-place finish in the Northeast
Georgia championships last year with a sec
ond-place finish Saturday to help her team to
a runner-up finish overall.
The NEGA Championships were held at
Athens Christian, featuring 18 varsity teams.
The event included races for middle school,
junior varsity and championship teams.
Competing in the varsity race, Aikens ran
a 20:58 to set the pace for the Lady Panthers,
followed by Rachel Pasko who added a top-
10 finish by placing seventh with a 21:41.
Aikens broke 20 minutes in the NEGA
Championships and looks to return to her sub-
20 form this year.
“She should improve ... I’m counting on
her to improve pretty quickly,” coach Joseph
Brubaker said.
Rounding out the scoring were Michayla
Scollon (19 th , 23:09), Sydney Baird (24 th ,
23:38) and Maddie Newton (32" d , 23:41).
The Jackson County girls, who are seeking
a region title this year, made something of a
statement with their second place finish.
With 81 points, Jackson County boasted the
best finish by any Region 8-AA team, includ
ing rivals East Jackson (fourth) and Jefferson
(sixth).
“It will be neck-and-neck all year with
them,” Brubaker said. “It’s a tough region.”
East Jackson had 134 points, followed by
Jefferson (180), Dawson County (329) and
Hart County (401).
“It was good to let people know we’re out
there, but it also kind of put the target on our
backs,” Brubaker said.
Brubaker noted that two freshmen placed in
the Lady Panthers’ top five as Jackson County
finished second by a point.
“It was good to just teach them how impor
tant every place is.” Brubaker said.
See JCCHS cross country on page 6B
TOP JCCHS TIMES
20:58
21:41
23:09
23:38
23:41
Brittany Aikens 2nd
Rachel Pasko, 7th
Michayla Scollon, 19th
Sydney Baird, 24th
Maddie Newton 32nd
RUNNER-UP HONORS
Brittany Aikens finished second in
the girls’ varsity race at the Northeast
Georgia Championships.
Photo by Jessica Brown
Prep Softball
JCCHS set for rivalry game, region showdown
COMING UP
MAKING THE PLAY
Brooke Griggs throws a runner out from
shortstop during a recent game.
By Ben Munro
THE JACKSON COUNTY Comprehensive
High School softball team remains unbeaten
(3-0-2) as it faces a rivalry game with East
Jackson (Thursday) and then a huge region
matchup with no. 3 ranked North Oconee
Tuesday.
Before all that, the Panthers take on Hart
County today (Wednesday) at 5:55 p.m. at
home. Jackson County beat Hart County 7-3
last week.
•Vs. Hart Co. @ home, Wed., 5:55 p.m.
•Vs. East Jackson @ home, Thurs., 5:55 p.m.
Vs. No. Oconee @home, Tues., 5:55 p.m.
The Panthers’ game with East Jackson the
next day (Thursday, 5:55 p.m.) pits Jackson
County against a nearby rival looking for its
first win.
See JCCHS softball on page 5B
TOTING
THE ROCK
Jackson
County run
ning back
Austin
McDonald
had nearly
100 yards
rushing in
just two quar
ters of play
Friday.
Photo by Ben
Munro
Prep Softball
Softball Dragons
ready to face state’s
no. 3 ranked team
By Ben Munro
JEFFERSON ENJOYED it’s 13-1 victory
over nearby rival East Jackson Tuesday night
but knew what loomed ahead.
The Dragons (9-4-1), unbeaten in region
play, will face its biggest Region 8-AA chal
lenge to date with a Thursday showdown with
no. 3 ranked North Oconee (8-3,4-0) at home
at 5:55 p.m.
The Titans were ranked
no. 2 last week.
“We’re not going to talk
about that one until tomor
row (Wednesday),” coach
Brad Puckett said. “We’re
going to enjoy this one.”
But Puckett did say the
senior-laden Titans are
among the state’s very best
as evidenced by their ranking.
“It’s a huge, huge challenge,” he said.
“They’re right up there with the Bufords and
the Union Countys. Every single one of them
can hit it. Every single one of them can field it,
and their pitching is strong, too.”
Puckett — whose team has already equaled
its win total for last year — has been overly
pleased with his team’s recent play. It went
3-2-1 at the Buford Invitational before routing
East Jackson.
See JHS on page 4B
COMING UP
•Vs. N. Oconee
@ home,Thurs.,
5:55 p.m.
•Vs. Oglethorpe
Co. @ home,
Tues., 5:55 p.m.
Powering the Panthers
Senior running back, 0-Line
ignite Jackson County offense
By Ben Munro
USTIN MCDONALD might
have been as disappointed as
anyone that Jackson County
didn’t get to complete the final half of its
game with Johnson-Gainesville Friday.
The Panther senior running back was striding
toward career night with 115 total yards in two
quarters and the go-ahead touchdown before the
game was called after halftime due to lightning.
McDonald and the Panthers (1-0) — who
were awarded a 14-8 victory — hope for more
of the same offensively Friday when they
play Walnut Grove at home at 7:30 p.m.
“I was sad kind of because I would have
had a 200-yard game if we had played
the other two quarters,” McDonald said
of the game being called. “But I’m happy
to have 100-plus yards in one game,”
The two-quarter victory and McDonald’s
stats still go into the record books as the
Walnut Grove @ Jackson Co.
•When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
•Where: Jackson Co. Comprehensive
High School, Panther Stadium
•Last week: Walnut Grove lost to Morgan Co.
26-12... Jackson County beat Johnson-Gainesville
in a lightning-shortened, two quarter game.
•What else: This is Walnut Grove’s second year of
football. The Warriors played five games last year. This
will be Walnut Grove’s seventh game in school history.
Friday night’s games
Walnut Grove @ Jackson Co., 7:30 p.m.
Jefferson @ N.Hall, 7:30 p.m.
E. Jackson @ Oconee Co., 7:30 p.m.
Commerce @ Franklin Co., 7:30 p.m.
Panthers move to 1-0 with an offense
that’s showing some promise.
Against Johnson, McDonald nearly topped
the century mark in just the one half with 97
rushing yards. Combined with 18 yards receiv
ing, McDonald had 115 total yards on 15
touches, according to the finalized tally sheet.
See Panthers on page 2B
PLAY AT THE PLATE
Jefferson’s Lindsey Miles slides home
during the Dragons’ Tuesday victory
over East Jackson. Jefferson remains
unbeaten in region play heading into
a Thursday showdown with North
Oconee. Photo by Ben Munro
RUN SUPPORT
Jefferson’s Carson Newman (no. 7) and Jason Demos (no. 4) close in on
Commerce quarterback Cody Streetman Friday. Photo by Ben Munro
Jefferson @ North Hall, Fri, 7:30 p.m.
JHS to face N. Ga powerhouse after dramatic win
By Ben Munro
AFTER surviving a knock-down, drag-out
with Commerce, Jefferson could perhaps use
an off week.
The Dragons get anything but that.
Jefferson must turn around and play Class
AAA’s no. 6 ranked team, North Hall, Friday
on the road as it tries to protect a 21-game
regular season winning streak. The team’s
exhausting 17-14 victory over Commerce
this past Friday left some players running on
fumes.
“We’re really fired up (for North Hall), but
we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Jefferson
senior Zach Allen, who blocked Commerce’s
potential game-tying field goal last week.
Jefferson @ North Hall
•When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
•Where: North Hall High School, The Brickyard
•Last week: North Hall was off...
Jefferson beat Comerce 17-14.
•What else: North Hall advanced to the sec
ond round of the Class AAA playoffs last year
...The Trojans won three of the last six Region
7-AAA titles. They're now in Region 8-AAA.
“Our team, we’ve got to get in a lot more
shape than we were. We condition a lot, but
it’s a different thing going both ways.”
See Dragons on page 2B