Newspaper Page Text
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 7B
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
Basketball
East Jackson boys start fast, win big; EJCHS girls pull out close victory
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The East Jackson boys' bas
ketball team started strong and
rode that energy to a lopsided
win.
The Eagles (3-2) beat Flow
ery Branch 62-40 Monday (Dec.
28) in the first game of their hol
iday tournament after opening
the contest with a 17-2 run.
“(I was) very pleased with our
start tonight,” Eagle coach Jarvis
Smith said. “The few games that
we have played, we have not had
good starts.”
Makayl Rakestraw scored
28 points with 10 rebounds in
the win. Jarvis Smith U and
Kendrick Carson each added
10 points. Demarcus Watson
finished with eight points and
eight rebounds. Coach Smith
called the victory “a really good
win” as his team dominated the
Class AAAA Falcons despite
R.J. White, one of the team's top
players, being out sick.
After scoring 17 of the first
19 points, East Jackson went on
to take a 31-10 lead with three
minutes left in the first half af
ter a deep 3-pointer from Rak
estraw, who hit six 3-pointers on
the night. The Eagles led 34-17
at the break.
Rakestraw pushed the lead
out to 39-19 early in the second
half when he knocked down a
3-pointer in the comer. Flow
ery Branch was unable to cut
significantly into the lead in the
third quarter, never coming clos
er than 14 points.
East Jackson warmed back up
as Jarvis Smith U knocked down
a 3-pointer late in the third quar
ter and one early in the fourth
to push the lead out to 52-27. A
pair of treys and a layup from
Rakestraw gave the Eagles their
biggest lead of the night at 60-
27.
The 33-point advantage al
lowed Smith to play his entire
bench.
“It's always a good feeling
for me as a coach when I’m able
to play everyone,” Smith said.
“Those kids show up and prac
tice just has hard, if not harder,
than the rotation guys.”
East Jackson hosted Moun
tain Tuesday (Dec. 29) but re
sults were not available at press
time.
See www.mainstreemews.com
for photos of Monday’s game.
GIRLS’GAME
The East Jackson girls’ bas
ketball team won a close game
Monday to open its holiday
tournament — much closer than
coach Cherrelle Pullen felt it
should have been.
The second-year coach said
she wasn’t pleased with her
team’s overall performance
in a 38-36 win over Class
AAAAAAA Central Gwinnett.
“We make this game difficult
by not being disciplined to the
little things — communication,
being in the right defense,” Pul
len said. ‘Today’s game was
close because of the lack of do
ing the fundamentals correctly.”
Maurissa Thomas led East
Jackson (3-1) with 13 points,
while Antonia Pittman added 12
points.
The game was tied 36-36 un
til Pittman banked in a layup off
the glass with 27 seconds left.
Thomas picked up a steal on the
other end, helping to preserve
the Eagles’ two-point lead. A
missed free from from Kenzie
Whitehead with 5.6 seconds re
maining gave Central Gwinnett
a chance to tie or win the game
at the end. But Joy Harris —
who'd hit five 3-pointers on a
night in a 23-point performance
— missed a contested 3-pointer
at the buzzer as East Jackson
held on for the win.
East Jackson hosted Moun
tain View Tuesday (Dec. 29) but
results were not available.
See www.mainstreemews.com
for photos of Monday’s game.
MainStreet
The MainStreet Newspapers coverage area
comprises Jackson, Barrow, Banks and Madi
son Counties.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emily Crocker, Sr.
Apalachee
Outside hitter
Crocker racked up a school-record 595 kills
along with 260 digs, 76 aces, 22 blocks and 36
assists. She was named Co-Region Player of
the Year for 8-AAAAA.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Brittani Lawrence
Jefferson
The fifth-year coach led Jefferson to a 30-9
record, region title and a Final Four appearance
for the first time in seven years and for only the
second time in program history.
Jenna Crow, Sr.
Apalachee
Outside hitter
360 digs, 75 aces, 93 pet. on serves
Kayla Vang, Sr.
Apalachee
Libero
350 digs for the season.
Abby Bowles, Sr.
Apalachee
Setter
427 assists, 46 aces, 94 pet. on serves
Kassidy Dell, Sr.
Apalachee
Middle and right-side hitter
128 kills, 27 blocks, 36 aces, 93 pet. on serves
Newspapers all-area volleyball team announced
Photo by Ben Munro
Jefferson’s Brittany Lawrence
led the Dragons to a 30-9 re
cord, region championship
and state semifinals appear
ance in her fifth season with
the program.
Megan Crocker, Fr.
Apalachee
Setter
502 assists, 72 aces, 92 pet. on serves
Addison Hoard, Fr.
Banks Co.
Outside hitter
108 digs, 53 kills, 38 aces
Jadelyn McClure, So.
Banks Co.
Setter
133 assists, 138 digs, 87 aces, 68 skills, 12
blocks
Amy Davison, So.
Bethlehem Christian
Setter
81 aces, 31 kills, 144 assists, 120 digs
(13-match season)
Mikayla Torbett, Sr.
Bethlehem Christian
Outside hitter
41 aces, 46 kills, 45 digs (13-match season)
Mya Howard, Sr.
East Jackson
Outside hitter
162 ki I Is, 194 digs, 25 aces, 10 blocks
Allison Lounder, Jr.
East Jackson
Setter
482 assists, 180 digs, 54 aces, 30 kills, 16
blocks
Keely Shultz, Fr.
East Jackson
Outside hitter
132 ki I Is, 194 digs, 50 aces, 10 blocks
Alannah Padilla, So.
East Jackson
Libero
209 digs, 55 aces
Sydney McCutcheon, Fr.
Jackson Co.
Setter
712 assists, 270 digs, 68 aces, 59 kills
Sophie Harris, Fr.
Jackson Co.
Defensive specialist, libero
198 digs, 90 kills, 54 aces
Cadence Thao, So.
Jackson Co.
Defensive specialist, libero
284 digs, 54 aces
Carys Thao. Jr.
Jackson Co.
Outside hitter
185 kills, 190 digs, 37 aces
Katie Hitt, Jr.
Jackson Co.
Outside hitter
243 kills, 244 digs, 61 aces
Gracie Herrin, Jr.
Jackson Co.
Middle hitter
145 kills, 33 blocks
Annabelle Cox, Sr.
Jefferson
Outside hitter
139 kills, 80 digs, 70 aces
Kamdyn Hendrix, So.
Jefferson
Libero
223 digs, 53 assists, 44 aces
Abbey Howard, Sr.
Jefferson
Middle hitter
133 kills, 43 bocks, 45 aces
Olivia Burrage, Jr.
Jefferson
Middle hitter
169 kills, 75 blocks
Maddie Grace Smith, Jr.
Jefferson
Setter
540 assists, 162 digs, 47 aces
Jojo Smith, Sr.
Jefferson
Outside hitter
240 kills, 87 digs, 20 blocks
Vivien Hajdu
Madison Co.
Outside Hitter
124 kills, 156 digs, 123 serves, 70 aces
Hayley Daniels
Madison Co.
Setter and right side hitter
227 assists, 82 digs, 50 aces, 45 kills
Jamie Dixon
Madison Co.
Defensive specialist
122 serves received, 109 digs
Macie Zakroczynski, Sr.
Winder-Barrow
Setter
8.5 assists per match, 3.6 kills per match,
(team played 48 matches), 92 pet. on serves
(school career assist leader)
Sofia Vaca, Sr.
Winder-Barrow
Libero
8.4 digs per match (including 23 against Car
rollton in the state tournament), 95 percent on
serves (team played 48 matches)
Shelby Pillow, Jr.
Winder-Barrow
Middle hitter
6.1 kills per match, 1.6 blocks per match
(team played 48 matches)
Honorable mention: Megan Suber, Sr.,
Commerce; Kamryn Grier, So. Banks Co.; Lola
Pruitt, Fr., Banks Co.
WINTER SPORTS ROUND-UP
Photo by Ben Munro
Commerce wrestler Dawson Legg picks up a win
against an Adairsville wrestler in a dual match Dec.
23.
DEC. 23
Jefferson girls wrap up
tourney with close win,
move to 7-1
The Jefferson girls' basket
ball team pulled out a close
victory in its final game before
Christmas, beating McMinn
County (Tenn.) 74-72 Wednes
day (Dec. 23) on the final day
of the North Murray Mistletoe
Madness Tournament.
Jefferson improved to 7-1.
Deshona Gaither paced the
Dragons with 24 points, five
rebounds and four assists. Livi
Blackstock added 17 points,
eight rebounds and five assists.
Allianne Clark chipped in 15
points.
Jefferson shot 50 percent (29-
of-58) from the floor in the win
and outscored McMinn County
38-22 in the paint.
The Dragons are off until
Jan. 5 when they play at region
opponent Chestatee.
Jefferson boys top Morgan
Co. with big fourth quarter
Jefferson outscored Morgan
County 21-5 in the fourth quar
ter to beat the visiting Bulldogs
Wednesday (Dec. 23) and im
prove to 5-3.
Romaine Harriott scored 18
points with six rebounds, and
Spencer Darby added 14 points.
The Dragons trailed by 13
points at one point in the fourth
quarter and faced a 45-35 defi
cit heading into the final quar
ter.
Jefferson returns to play Jan.
5 at region opponent Chestatee.
Commerce girls fall just
short against Class AA
ranked Elbert Co.
The Commerce girls’
basketball team rallied from a
19-point halftime deficit and
came within a basket of forcing
overtime with Class AA No.
5-ranked Elbert County, losing
47-44 Wednesday (Dec. 23) at
home.
The Tigers (2-7) trailed the
unbeaten Blue Devils (5-0) 36-
17 at the half.
Breanna Sanders paced
Commerce with 23 points,
while Carson Hobbs and Raven
Parks each added seven points.
“We are constantly getting
better and learning more and
more about ourselves,” Tiger
coach Brad Puckett said. "I
know a 2-7 record isn't glamor
ous or impressive, but our kids
are honestly not worried about
that. They know that they are
capable of great things and it
showed against Elbert.”
Commerce outscored Elbert
County 27-11 in the second
half. The Tigers had a shot at
the buzzer to tie the game, but
it fell short.
“My goal was for us to push
the ball up the floor in those last
10 seconds and call a timeout
where we would set up a half
court play,” Puckett explained.
“However, when we got the
ball to one of our better shoot
ers that Elbert had lost track of,
I opted out of the timeout and
let her shoot. The shot was right
on track but just barely short.”
Puckett reiterated that his
team is not panicked about its
2-7 record.
“In fact, our girls probably
believe more than ever that they
are a good team, and we can't
wait for the second half of the
year to prove it,” he said. “I told
the girls the real season starts
in January with the bulk of the
games being region as well as a
trip to region front runner Lake
Oconee. It’s going to be fun.”
Commerce returns to action
Wednesday (Dec. 30,6 p.m.) at
Athens Academy.
Tigers suffer lopsided loss
to visiting Blue Devils
The Commerce boys saw a
brief two-game winning streak
end with a 74-44 home loss to
non-region opponent, Elbert
County
The Tigers return to ac
tion Wednesday (Dec. 30,
7:30 p.m.) at Athens Academy.
DEC. 22
Tigers pick up pace in
second half, beat Madison
Co. 58-48
The Commerce boys’ bas
ketball team found a spark mid
way through the third quarter
and rode it to a 58-48 win over
visiting Madison County Tues
day (Dec. 22). Dudley Dickson
and Ian McConnell both scored
16 points to pace Commerce.
“I told our team before the
game that we’ve got to set the
energy,” Tiger coach Russ
Gregg said. “And I thought we
sort of waited around and wait
ed around. But when we did,
I felt it sort of put us over the
top.”
Commerce, which ran out to
a 13-2 advantage early and led
26-18 at the half, saw its lead
dwindle to 30-26 with less than
five minutes remaining in the
third quarter.
But McConnell ignited a
pivotal run with a hook shot at
the 4:18 mark, followed by a
3-pointer from Jackson Morris
and another basket by McCon
nell. Creed Dunbar later picked
off a pass and scored on a layup
and then picked up an assist
when he hit Matthew Simpson
cutting to the basket for a layup.
Then, in the final seconds of the
quarter, McConnell converted a
layup, capping a 13-2 run and
pushing the lead to 43-28.
Commerce held a dou
ble-digit advantage for most of
the fourth quarter, leading by
16 points at one point. For more
on this story, go to www.main-
streetnewssports.com.
East Jackson girls return
to court with victory
Playing in its first game since
Dec. 4 due to COVID-19 quar
antine, the East Jackson girls'
basketball team picked up a
45-38 win over Meadow Creek
Tuesday (Dec. 22) in a matchup
played at Cedar Shoals.
Antonia Pittman led the Ea
gles with 16 points, followed
by Haven Rollins, who scored
13 points.
East Jackson boys nab win
following long layoff
Behind 22 points and five
rebounds from Makayl Rak
estraw, the East Jackson boys'
basketball team defeated Elbert
County 57-45 Tuesday (Dec.
22) in a game played at Cedar
Shoals. The game marked the
Eagles’ first action in 18 days
due to COVID-19 quarantine.
R.J. White added 12 points
and five rebounds, while Ken
drick Carson finished with 10
points and seven assists.
Demarcus Watson finished
with 13 rebounds.
Jackson Co. girls suffer
senior night loss
Jackson County fell to Prince
Avenue 62-42 Tuesday (Dec.
22) at home to drop to 2-6 on
the season.
The Panthers held their se
nior night ceremony, honor
ing Naomi Sims and Mikenna
Duffy.
"We were missing a few peo
ple, but the main focus was to
celebrate Naomi and Mikenna,”
Jackson County coach Christi
Thomas said. “Those two have
played their hearts out the last
four years for this program. De
spite the score, we were blessed
to be able to celebrate them.”
Jackson County returns to
action Jan. 5 on the road against
region opponent Loganville,
Panthers improve to 5-2
before break
Kalib Clinton scored 18
points and pulled down 12
boards to lead Jackson County
to a 51 -3 8 win over Prince Ave
nue Tuesday (Dec. 22) at home.
Bryce Blake and Bryson
Odom each added nine points.
The Panthers entered the
Christmas break at 5-2 after
winning only seven games last
year.
“We will definitely take the
win, but we still have a lot of lit
tle things that we need to clean
up before we get into region
play after the break,” coach
Bryan Parker said. “We are still
working on figuring out how to
play selfless basketball rather
than selfish basketball.”
Jackson County is off until
Jan. 5 when it plays at region
opponent Loganville.
Kinlaw and Blackstock
have huge nights
in Jefferson girls’ win
Ellie Kinlaw scored a ca
reer-high 28 points and Livi
Blackstock added 24 points as
Jefferson rolled to an 84-62 win
over Calhoun Tuesday (Dec.
22) in a holiday tournament in
Murray County.
Jefferson knocked down 13
3-pointers in the victory. Kin
law shot 5-of-ll behind the
3-point arc. Blackstock was 10-
of-15 from the floor, including
3-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Jefferson boys down South
Carolina team behind
big night from Darby
The Dragons’ Spencer Darby
poured in 26 points Tuesday
(Dec. 22) on the strength of
seven 3-pointers as the Dragons
beat South Carolina school T.L.
Hanna 58-53 at home to im
prove to 4-3.
J.T. Fulkrod added 16 points,
five rebounds and four assists
as Jefferson avenged a 57-52
loss to the Yellow Jackets earli
er this year.
Jefferson shot 54.3 percent
from the floor and 55 percent
from behind the arc, knocking
down 11 3-pointers.
Darby was 7-of-ll from be
hind the arc.
WRESTLING
Eagles go 1-2 at
Winder-Barrow
last week
The East Jackson wrestling
team grabbed a win last week,
beating Winder-Barrow 42-
24 Dec. 22 in dual action at
Winder. The Eagles also lost to
Dacula and Cherokee Bluff the
same day.
Ben Lampe, Xander Engel,
Charlie Wheeler, Jeffery Fuller
and Avery Smith all went unde
feated for East Jackson.
Jackson Co. takes second
at Gladiator Duals
Wrestling in their first dual
tournament of the season, the
Panthers did not disappoint.
Jackson County went 4-1
Dec, 22 at the Gladiator Duals
to finish as runners-up. The
Panthers defeated Loganville,
host Clarke Central, Oconee
County and St. Pius X and lost
to Cambridge,
"We are definitely learning
how to compete as part of a
dual team,” coach Jason Pow
ers said, noting that his lineup
includes wrestlers who were in
middle school last year or are
first-time varsity wrestlers this
season. "Learning how to lose
by a decision, major or even a
tech will be extremely import
ant moving forward ... We are
going to have to stay off our
back and keep opponents in the
20’s or low 30’s to win duals
that we have coming up.”
Powers said the team’s re
turning wrestlers from last year
are setting the pace.
"Our returning varsity mem
bers are wrestling really well
and are leading the way in our
points,” he said. “We must pick
up the pace on our drilling in
the room and find ways to learn
to not give up big points.”
Jackson County will wrestle
Saturday (Jan. 2) at a dual tour
nament at Oglethorpe County.
"I look forward to not only
seeing how our team responds
to the competition but how our
leaders step up to show the way
for our younger varsity mem
bers,” Powers said.
Prior wrestling at Clarke
Central, Jackson County took
fifth in a traditional tournament
Dec. 18-19 at Berkmar, high
lighted by Tyler Vaughn, who
won his weight class. Other
placers were Jacob Crumley
(second), Jose Pacheco (sec
ond), Jett Gonzales (third),
Dalton Hungsinger (fourth),
Ramon Castillo (fourth) and
Cooper Hoffman (seventh).
“This was our last individual
tournament for a while, so the
guys really took advantage of it
and wrestled well... With a few
more breaks going our way, we
could have placed inside the top
four at a pretty tough tourna
ment,” Powers said.
Meanwhile, the Jackson
County girls hosted the Lady
Panther Invitational on Dec. 19
and produced two high placers.
Jamie Helms took second and
Dawnasia Burk was third. Pow
ers said the team has been hit
with injuries.
"However, these girls battled
hard,” he said. "We have several
girls in our line-up this year that
I really feel can make a run at
the podium at the state tourna
ment. I am enjoying watching
them get better each week.”