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BASEBALL, 3B
EJCHS'S ADAIR
SIGNS WITH
EMMMANUEL
VOLLEYBALL, 3B
EAGLES
TO BEGIN
SEASON WITH
NEW COACH
August 2, 2017
Phone: (706) 367-5233
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Section B
SOFTBALL PREVIEW ISSUE
Commerce
Tigers aim
to rebound
from 3-win
season
By Charles Phelps
Last season was not a
memorable one for the Com
merce High School softball
team.
A young team experienced
its growing pains throughout
the season, finishing 3-20 for
the year and going 3-9 in
Region 8-A. But, the team
went 2-2 over its final four
games of the season, defeat
ing Towns County and Prov
idence Christian Academy.
And, 2017 is a new season,
and for second-year head
coach C.J. Wilkes, the mes
sage for her squad is simple,
stay positive.
“I noticed the girls have
good attitudes,” she said.
“They’re optimistic as well
and they see that were
improving.
“I always tell them, ‘This is
a game of you can’t go down
in the middle of the game.
You’ve got to stay strong.
Let’s be as optimistic as pos
sible and stay up. Keep our
energy high.’ Good things
will come if we do the lit
tle things right. We have our
fundamentals down. That’s
what we’ve been focusing
on a lot over the summer. If
we can just get the basic fun
damentals (then) those little
things are going to turn into
big things on the field.”
Wilkes has also been aided
by former Jefferson head
coach Melissa Mullis as her
second season at the helm
begins. Wilkes was coached
for one season by Mullis.
“She’s super knowledge
able,” Wilkes explained.
“She’s a big help. Just knows
all aspects of the game.
“Just as a young coach,
and not much experience,
having her (here) she’s just a
wealth of knowledge.”
Commerce returns two
seniors from last year’s
squad: Harley Ingram (first
baseman) and Alishia Webb
(pitcher).
“I’m really looking to
them to be strong leaders
on and off the field.” Wilkes
stated.
Unlike last season, Com
merce is having position bat
hes, Wilkes added, thanks to
a “strong” freshmen group
of players and new transfer
players
“Super optimistic about
this group and I think we’re
going to definitely see suc
cess,” Wilkes said.
Try-outs began on Tues-
continued on page 3B
NEW YEAR,
NEW ENERGY
Commerce coach C.J.
Wilkes is telling her
squad to stay positive
and maintain high ener
gy as the season gets
set to start.
Jackson Co.
New Panther coach ‘pumped’ for season
By Ben Munro
Chad Brannon’s debut as Jackson
County softball coach is just over a
week away, and the moment can’t arrive
swiftly enough for the former Panther
assistant.
“We’re excited,” said Brannon, whose
team opens the season on Aug. 9 at
North Oconee. “I’m pumped. I pretty
much lived up at the park most of the
summer.”
He’ll inherit a Jackson County roster
that returns two seniors and a six-mem
ber junior class off a state playoff team
from last year.
The statistical leader of that junior
group is Division-I prospect Caroline
Davis, who hit a scorching .429 with six
homers and 28 RBIs last year. Fellow
juniors Serina Bergeron (.407). Joni Lott
(.361) and Brooke Simmons (.281) also
put up big numbers last year.
“They’re something special for sure,”
Brannon said of the junior class.
There’s also young talent to com
plement the veteran leaders. Sara Beth
Allen (So.) hit .352 and swiped 26 bases
as a freshman last year. The Panthers
have added speedy freshman Madison
Miller, a slapper “who can just scoot,”
according to Brannon.
Brannon said this team possesses a
good mix of speed and power and intends
to remain aggressive on the base paths.
That said, Brannon said he’s always
been a defense-first coach “and that’s
what we’ve worked on most of this
summer.” Brannon said he’ll have the
continued on page 2B
READY TO LEAD
New Jackson County Panther softball coach Chad
Brannon celebrates with players last year while he
was a Panther assistant. Photo by Ben Munro
DREAM SEASON
Kate Woodall races toward home plate during East Jackson’s state
championship victory last year against Calhoun. The Eagles will look to
players like Woodall to lead the team as it tries to defend its Class 3A
state title this fall. Photo by Ben Munro
East Jackson
Title
defense
begins
East Jackson ready for new season
after championship run in 2016
By Charles Phelps
When Donnie Byrom
took over as head coach
of the East Jackson Com
prehensive High School
softball team, the players
were talented but they had
to learn how to win.
The players were quick
studies as they learned
how to get to Columbus
in 2015. Then, last season,
they figured out how to
win in Columbus by win
ning the Class AAA state
championship.
As the 2017 season
approaches, the team will
be without five “enor
mously important” players
due to graduation; howev
er, the girls still remaining
know “how to win” and
“get big” in big moments,
Byrom explained.
The Eagles have, at
least, six returning play
ers with big-game experi
ence: seniors Mary Hol
lis, Mackenzie Arnold and
Kate Woodall; juniors Lau
ren Barrett, Hannah Poole
and Gracie Wilber.
Byrom called Wood-
all’s home run at Franklin
County the turning point
of last season, because it
taught the team how to win
again.
“We’re counting on Kate
for a lot of leadership.” he
said.
Poole had the game of
her life in Columbus in the
semifinals, accounting for
all six of the Lady Eagles’
runs vs. Pike County.
“Now, when I mention
Columbus it’s not some
thing that they have no
idea what I’m talking
about.” Byrom explained.
“They’ve been twice.
“They’re going to fight
for that opportunity to get
back there.”
continued on page 3B
Jefferson
Dragon coach expecting
big things again this fall
By Ben Munro
Jefferson softball coach Kacie Bost-
wick doesn’t flinch when asked the
question; Does she expect her team to
return to the Elite Eight in Columbus
this fall?
“Absolutely,” the third-year coach
said. “If we’re not then I’ll be disap
pointed. I do expect us to be back there.”
Expectations are high with a roster
that includes five seniors and seven
starters off a 28-win team that finished
ranked No. 4 in Class 4A a year ago.
“I think last year kind of set a prec
edent for what we want to be, what we
want to work towards,” Bostwick said.
“Our kids have done a good job this
summer of maintaining that expectation,
so I am really excited to see what these
kids have coming back this season.”
Jefferson must replace last year’s ace
and one of the program’s most deco
rated pitchers, Caroline Mitchell. But
the Dragons do return an experienced
Emily Perrin, who went 4-3 last year
with a 1.48 ERA pitching behind Mitch
ell.
“I think she had a really good role
model to kind of watch and kind of
follow in those footsteps last year,”
Bostwick said.
Bostwick said Perrin, who struck out
67 batters in 52 innings last year, has
always had the skill set but just needed
to build confidence.
“She’s worked really hard over the
summer,” Bostwick said. “I think men
tally she’s in a better spot this year than
she was last year. I think she’s going to
do a really good job.”
continued on page 2B
A SEASON TO REMEMBER
Jefferson’s McKenzie Tyner slides into third base
during a game last year. The Dragons are coming
off a 28-win season in 2016 that included a region
title and trip to the Elite Eight in Columbus.
Photo by Ben Munro