Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 3B
Wrestling
Brown readies for wrestling at West Point
By Charles Phelps
Before his April 26th
signing, Owen Brown knew
where he would be wrestling
in college.
When he officially signed,
he said it was more of a “pub
lic statement” to announce
to everyone that he would
be wrestling for the Unit
ed States Military Academy,
better known as West Point
in West Point, N.Y.
Brown said a cousin grad
uated from West Point two
years ago. but before they
attended he didn't know
what West Point was about.
Once Brown could talk to
college coaches, the first call
he made was to West Point,
he added.
“I figured, ‘Hey, my cous
in went there, I know it’s a
great school,’” Brown said.
‘“I know they have a pretty
good wrestling program, so I
might as well contact them.’”
West Point stayed in con
tact, and he went on his first
visit last year.
“I knew that’s where I
wanted to go to school for
my academics the whole
time,” Brown explained. “It
was a matter of getting in and
then a matter whether I was
actually going to wrestle.
“I knew that I was going
to wrestle in college, so it all
worked out perfect.”
Brown calls West Point the
“perfect package” for him
self.
“I do mostly just wrestling
and going to school already,”
he said. “Going there, I know
exactly what I’m going to do
every day.
“I know exactly when
I need to do it. I’m going
to love the structure there
of knowing exactly when I
have class, knowing exactly
when I have practice and not
having too many distractions
WRESTLING FOR THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY
Commerce’s Owen Brown has signed with West Point after going a perfect 44-0 during his senior wres
tling season. Brown was a three-time state champion for the Tigers. Photo by Charles Phelps
other than those two things.
Those are the only things I’m
focused on.”
Brown will be at the acad
emy’s prep school his first
year to “sharpen up” his math
and English skills. Then, he
hopes to make “noise” on the
national scene.
Earlier this spring, he
defeated the No. 4 wrestler in
the country at a tournament
featuring Team Georgia vs.
Team Pennsylvania.
“I know that I can compete
with those top guys,” Brown
said. “It’s just a matter of me
continuing to work hard and
going there and being confi
dent in myself.”
As a Tiger, Brown won
three individual state titles.
As a senior, Brown went a
perfect 44-0.
Kendrix • •• continued from Page 1B
had, because I only had
one job over there at first
base,” Kendrix said.
While Kendrix’s expe
rience in high school had
been more on the left side
of the infield, her transition
to full-time first baseman
went smoothly. Her .977
fielding percentage ranked
fourth on the team.
“I was thorough
ly impressed with her
defense,” said Thomas,
who also serves as the
team’s defensive coach.
Kendrix’s contributions
helped elevate Brenau to a
program-best 52 wins and
the Southern States Ath
letic Conference title. The
team reached the NAIA
National Tournament.
“We all jelled together
really, really well. I think,”
Kendrix said. “And we
all knew what to do in
the right moments.”
The rest of the conference
took notice of Kendrix’s
freshman season as she
was an all-conference
second team selection
and also made the confer
ence’s all-freshman team.
Kendrix said the biggest
stride she made as a fresh
man came more through
her mental approach to the
game than anything else.
“I think I really improved
on being more positive
about myself and uplifting
other people,” she said. “I
think in college. I really
got the hint that you can’t
do it all by yourself. You
have other teammates
that can pick you up.”
Campus life worked
out well for Kendrix, too,
as she said she fit in well
at the 3,500-student uni
versity in Gainesville.
“Oh, I loved it,” she said.
“The environment is amaz
ing. Everybody knows
everybody. All the profes
sors know you. So it’s just
like you’re an actual stu
dent there, not a number.”
Kendrix hopes to
take what she learned
as a freshman and build
toward something big
ger as a sophomore.
“Just keeping a positive
attitude and working for
higher numbers with my
stats next year — and
getting to nationals,”
she said of her goals.
Looking ahead, Thomas
points out that Kendrix has
already been acclimated to
the rigors of 60 games in
three months. He believes
that with continued hard
work, paired with strength
and speed work in the
offseason. Kendrix could
repeat as an all-conference
player in 2018 (Brenau will
be moving to the Appala
chian Athletic Conference).
But he also sees the pos
sibility for so much more
by the time she graduates.
“With her defensive
skills and her offen
sive skills, just putting
it all together, she has
a good chance before
she gets out of here to
possibly be an All-Amer
ican.” Thomas said.
Wrestling • •• continued from Page IB
Youth baseball
TOURNAMENT TIME
Jackson Cole races down the first base line
for the 10U West Jackson (Cole) baseball
team during a recent playoff tournament for
teams from West Jackson, East Jackson,
Banks County and Commerce.
POWER PITCHING
Camden Lorenz delivers a pitch recently for the 10U
West Jackson (Cole) baseball team in tournament that
included teams from West Jackson, East Jackson,
Banks County and Commerce. Photos by Charles Phelps
ON THE
MOUND
Justin
Hanfman
pitches for
the West
Jackson
(Cole) base
ball team
during a
10U tourna
ment game
against
Banks
County.
went 7-0 to capture the
10U team duals title on
Saturday. Camacho went
7-0 in his matches.
The combined Florida
Titan-Jackson County
team gave up no more
than 18 points in any
match.
“Wrestling in Orlando
was a great experience
for all of our kids,” said
Jackson County Com
prehensive High School
head coach Jason Pow
ers.
“To have to wres
tle against that level of
competition only makes
you better in the long
run. Our Jackson County
wrestlers were the back
bone of the dual team
on Saturday as it won
the championship and
then all of them earned
hardware of their own
on Sunday. It’s exciting
to see kids that age that
love the sport so much.
Wrestling is not easy to
do. It is by far the hard
est challenge they have
had in their lives up to
that point. So to have
6,7.8 and years olds to
be willing to go to bat
tle hard to earn a win is
awesome.”
The tournament con-
Our 17 h year of developing players with passion for the game!
Summer Soccer Camps
Camp Sessions
SESSION ONE - Rabbit Hill Park. Dacula Georgia (June 5-9)
SESSION T WO - West Jackson MS Turf Field, Jefferson Georgia (June 12- IS)
SESSION THREE - Reynold’s Plantation at Lake Oconee (July 3-7)
SESSION FOUR — IVest Jackson MS Turf Field. Jefferson Georgia (July 17-20)
SESSION FIVE - Rabbit Hill Park. Dacula. Georgia (July 24-28)
Developmental Camp: For ages 4->4 (msshmi. u. m. v)
Goalkeeper Academy: For ages 8-14 (*u usstavs)
advanced academy Camp: For U9-U12 academy Payers (srs&o* tv 4 V)
College Experience academy: For HS Pia yers (stssm*. i)
For More Information, Camp Descriptions, and Online Registration
www.dassicsocceracademy. com
404-386-9532
eluded a highly-success-
ful wrestling season for
the Panther youth wres
tling program, which
boasted multiple state
champions and three tri
ple crown winners.
“It was phenomenal ...
I’m very proud of every
body and the season they
completed,” coach Spry
said.
Hutcheson, 'Owners
buy local.
Buy Like A Local. 4 Counties, 4 Zip Codes
Adventure Cycles
7400 Spout Springs Rd • Flowery Branch
Buy Local Braselton
Only In Braselton