Newspaper Page Text
The Jackson Herald
www.mamstreetnewssports.com
FOOTBALL, 4B
TIGER DEFENSE
COMES UP
BIG VS. ACS
September 27, 2017
Phone: (706) 367-5233
Fax:(706)387-5417
sports@mainstreetnews. com
Section B
Athlete spotlight: Hannah Poole
Power play
East Jackson’s
Hannah Poole puttin
up record-setting
power numbers
By Ben Munro
annah Poole
appeared sur
prised when
informed last
week that
she holds
the single-season home run
record at East Jackson.
“I did not know that,” Poole said.
“Honestly. I
did not.”
But maybe
that distinction
isn’t so surpris
ing considering
the rate at which
balls have been
flying out of
the ballpark.
The Eagle
slugger has hit
eight of the
team's 10 home
runs this season
— including three in one game — in
what's been a stellar junior season.
Not only is Poole driving the
ball over the fence, she’s put
ting big numbers in other areas.
Through 24 games, she’s bat
ting. 432 with 34 RBIs.
East Jackson coach Donnie
Byrom said Poole’s power-hitting
prowess is equal parts preparation
and passion for the game. Poole
worked at a young age with for
mer UGA assistant softball coach
Gerry Glasco and maintains a
year-round training schedule.
“So you add together real
ly high-quality training with
continued on Page 2B
•East
Jackson’s
Hannah
Poole has
hit a school-
record eight
home runs
this season.
Through 24
games, her
slugging
percentage
stands at .889.
GOING YARD
East Jackson’s Hannah Poole hit four home runs in a five at-bat
stretch during a doubleheader earlier this year.
Photo by Ben Munro
Football
Jefferson coach remembers last
year’s tough battle with Red Raiders
By Ben Munro
Jefferson will open region play
against a region opponent that gave
the Dragons a bit of a tussle last year
in its dominant run
•What: Madison
Co. at Jefferson
•When: Friday,
7:30 p.m.
to the 8-AAAA
title.
Jefferson will
host Madison
County on Friday
at 7:30 p.m. in the
first game on the 8-AAAA schedule
for both teams.
The Dragons ran roughshod
through 8-AAAA last year — out-
scoring their opponents 160-35 —
but had a tougher time putting the
Red Raiders away than most foes.
Jefferson only led 14-7 heading
into the fourth quarter of that game
before winning 28-7.
“I’m sure that gives them a lot of
confidence as they look at last year’s
film.” Dragon coach Gene Cathcart
said. “We kind of pulled away in the
fourth quarter there a little bit. It was
a dog fight for three quarters.”
Cathcart added, “I’m sure that
their coaches have used that film as
motivation this week.”
This game marks the first of five
8-AAAA games and Cathcart said
his team can’t afford to stumble out
of the block.
“You don’t really have an opportu
nity to stub your toe,” he said. “We
certainly need to get off to a good
start.”
Jefferson will move into a bye
week next week which coincides
with the school’s fall break. Cathcart
hopes his team’s focus is in the right
place — and he believes it will be.
“I think they’ve seen enough film
continued on Page 3B
Softball
Panthers lock up
No. 1 seed for
region tourney
By Ben Munro
Jackson County has
won two region softball
titles since 2012 and is
trying to position itself to
capture a third.
The Panthers, with a 9-0
region record through last
week, have clinched the
No. 1 seed for the Region
8-AAA tournament, giv
ing them hosting rights
and assuring themselves
of a state playoff spot.
“We seem to be peaking
at the right time,” coach
Chad Brannon said. “We
have yet to have a com
plete game with all three
phases of the game on.”
Though the Panthers
have clinched the top spot
in the 8-AAA standings,
Jackson County still had
a big game left as it was
slated to close the region
schedule against rival
East Jackson this past
Tuesday (results were not
available at press time).
Brannon hopes success
of the regular season will
carry over to the postsea
son. The region tourna
ment starts Oct. 3.
“As long as the girls
focus on playing hard and
never giving in, we should
continue our trend,” Bran
non said. “We do not talk
about winning much, we
just focus on the process
and getting a little better
every day.”
Though the team might
not talk about winning,
the victories kept rolling
in last week. The Panthers
won four games in five
days, outscoring its com
petition 33-7.
After beating region
foe Hart County 5-0 on
Sept. 18, behind a no-hit-
ter from Brooke Kibbe,
Jackson County picked up
region wins over Frank
lin County last Tuesday
(Sept. 19) and Morgan
County on Thursday. Car
oline Davis went 3-for-3
with a two-run homerun
to key a 7-5 win over
Franklin County while the
Panthers routed Morgan
County 14-2 behind four
RBIs from Kacie Holy-
cross (3-for-4).
Jackson County closed
the week with a 7-0.
non-region win over
Oconee County on Friday.
Sara Beth Allen threw a
complete-game shutout,
while Davis drove home
three runs.
Jackson Co. 7,
Franklin Co. 5
Leading hitters: Caro
line Davis 3-for-3, 2-run HR;
Meghan Sorrells 2-for-4, 2
RBIs
Jackson Co. 14,
Morgan Co. 2
Leading hitters: Kacie
Holycross 3-for-4, 4 RBIs;
Logan Wright bases-loaded
2B, 3 RBIs
Jackson Co. 7,
Oconee Co. 0
Leading hitters: Serina
Bergeron 2-for-4; Brooke Sim
mons 2-for-3; Caroline Davis
l-for-3, 3 RBIs.
Pitching: Sara Beth Allen
complete-game shutout
GOOD TIMES
Jackson County’s Kacie Holycross fist bumps coach
Chad Brannon during a recent game. The Panthers
have clinched the top spot in Region 8-AAA for the
region tournament. Photo by Ben Munro
READY FOR A REGION WAR
Commerce’s Tyelon Brock breaks into the open
field on a run in the Tigers’ 35-0 win over Athens
Christian this past Friday. The Tigers face a major
test in Region 8-A play this Friday against sec
ond-ranked Prince Avenue. Photo by Charles Phelps
Football
Tigers set for major Region 8-A showdown
By Charles Phelps
The battle of Region 8-A titans takes
place this Friday night in Commerce
as the Tigers (4-0, 3-0 Region 8-A)
welcomes Prince Avenue Christian (5-0,
4-0) to Ray Lamb
Stadium.
“Best team we’ve
seen so far this year
on both sides of the
ball and with special
teams,” head coach
Michael Brown said. “They’re just well-
coached, just extremely talented.
“They’ve got size, they’ve got speed.
They haven’t lost a regular-season ball-
game in the past two seasons, so they’re
the top dog in the region and there’s a
reason for that. We’ve got a huge test
coming in.”
The Tigers are 5-6 all-time vs. the
Wolverines. The six losses have come in
the past six seasons. The last win came
in 2010. Last year’s 21-14 loss in Bogart
ended with a 1-yard plunge on third-and-
goal with 10 seconds left.
The Tigers are coming off a dominant
35-0 performance last week vs. Athens
Christian. After watching the film of the
team’s performance vs. Athens Chris
tian. Brown said he felt there was a lot of
“improvement” in just about every area.
“As far as the development of our
team goes, we’re getting there,” Brown
said. “It’s a slow process.”
The Tigers are averaging 40.25 points
on offense going into the game. The
defense has allowed 15 points per game.
The defense had a big day last week.
snagging five interceptions from the
Eagles’ offense.
Brown said the “biggest thing” to
Friday night’s game will be the offensive
line blocking the front seven or eight of
the Wolverines’ defense.
“They’ve got some talented kids
there,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to
line up and block and maintain blocks.”
The second thing the Tigers have to do
is make the right reads with the option
game, he added.
“That was one thing that hurt us last
year,” Brown said. “We had some mis
reads at critical moments in the game
that really hurt us.”
Last but not least, not giving up the big
play on defense.
continued on Page 2B
•What:
Prince Ave. at
Commerce
•When: Friday,
8 p.m.