Newspaper Page Text
The Jackson Herald
Sports
www.mainstreetnewssports.com
INSIDE
East Jackson football’s
record tying victory over
East Hall
PAGES 4B
Septem ber22,2021
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Section B
Volleyball
Panthers dominant in sweep of Apalachee
Photo by Kyle Funderburk
Cadence Thao (right) hypes up teammates Gracie Herrin (left) and Carys Thao
(middle) before Jackson County’s third set against Apalachee on Tuesday
(Sept. 21).
By Kyle Funderburk
kyle@mainstreetnews.com
WINDER - After winning
the first two sets against re
gion rival Apalachee, head
coach Ron Fowler had
one request of the Jackson
County volleyball team:
don’t take your foot off the
gas.
The Panthers responded
by mauling the Wildcats
25-4 in the third set to de
feat Apalachee 3-0 on the
road.
“We really didn't want
them to let up.” Fowler said.
“In the past, we have had
sets where we played really
well and we get the wins.
I feel like we let up some
times. We told them, ‘we
have to stay disciplined.’ I
think that’s ultimately what
showed there. We stayed
disciplined.
“Every point mattered.
We’ve been saying it
doesn’t matter if we’re up
24-0 or down 24-0, every
point matters. As long as
we stay disciplined and
we’re where we need to be
on the court, that’s the end
result. I think we made a lot
of really good adjustments
just from last week to this
week.”
None of the three sets
were close by the end, and
Jackson County (12-11, 1-1
Region 8-AAAAA) only
trailed once all evening.
However, the beginning of
the first two sets were very
competitive. In the first set,
Apalachee kept the Pan
thers from extending their
lead past three points. That
was until an eight-point ser
vice run by Sophie Harris
gave Jackson County a 21-
10 lead.
Apalachee (12-13, 0-2
Region 8-AAAAA) still
had some fight left in it in
the form of an eight-point
service run which includ
ed a few aces. Fowler had
to call timeout twice to re
group the team. Following
the second timeout, the
Panthers clamped down
on the set and scored four-
straight points to win 25-18.
See Volleyball, page 2B
Cross Country
Jefferson boys
win first place at
Apalachee, girls
finish second
Matthew Schroeder’s fourth-place finish
at Apalachee on Saturday (Sept. 18) led
the Jefferson boys cross country team to a
first-place finish out of 23 schools.
Jefferson’s girls’ team completed a great
day for the Dragons by finishing second
out of 18 schools. Kiley Powell led the
Fady Dragons with a ninth-place finish.
Schroeder completed the 5K course in
16:58.09, less than three seconds behind
the winner, Nathan Solomon from Shi
loh High School. Ben Davis finished 13th
(17:50.03), Nate Ferguson finished 15th
(17:52.59) and Garrison Fee finished 22nd
(18:14.09) rounding out the list of Drag
ons who finished in the top 25.
Zachary Day (26th - 18:25.13). Char
lie Cosmano (30th - 18:32.05) and Luke
Marooney (42nd - 18:50.21) each ran the
course quick enough to finish in the top
third of a field consisting of 151 runners.
With its top five runners finishing 26th
or better, Jefferson scored 80 points and
defeated Archer High School by just two
points.
See Cross country, page 2B
Volleyball
Dragons extend
winning streak
By Kyle Funderburk
kyle@mainstreetnews.com
Jefferson has now won five-straight
games to close out Region 8-AAAA play
following victories over Chestatee and Ce
dar Shoals on Tuesday (Sept. 21).
Chestatee gave the Dragons a scare, but
ultimately Jefferson won 2-0; 25-21 in the
first set and 25-22 in the second set.
Cedar Shoals didn’t out up as much of
a fight. Jefferson defeated the Jaguars 2-0;
25-2 in the first set and 25-10 in the second
set.
Jefferson (15-8, 5-1 Region 8-AAAAA)
will likely enter the Region Tournament as
the No. 2 behind Flowery Branch. Before
the Dragons can worry about the post sea
son, they still have five non-region games.
Jefferson returns to action on Monday
(Sept. 27) at home against Brookwood and
Hebron Christian.
JEFFERSON 2
NORTH OCONEE 0
Jefferson was caught with its best offen
sive weapons on the sidelines in the third
set Thursday (Sept. 16) at North Oconee.
Trailing 13-12 after failing to hold a
seven-point lead, and needing a big play
to force a rotation. Jefferson finally got it
from its young front line. Olivia Burrage
and company returned to the court to lead
one final charge for Jefferson to win 16-14.
Burrage scored the game-winning point on
an emphatic block.
‘It’s the hardest thing ever, to watch the
team suffer like that,” Burrage said. “Once
you get on the court, you really have to
play your best to get the whole team back
See Jefferson, page 2B
Photo by Kyle Funderburk
Jordan Perry pumps up the Jefferson crowd ahead of the Dragons season opener against Rabun County on Aug. 20..
Jefferson starts region play against Flowery Branch
Flowery Branch at Jefferson
Who: Flowery Branch at Jefferson (Memorial Stadium)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Jefferson 4-0, Flowery Branch 3-1
Coaches: Gene Cathead, Jefferson (fifth season at Jefferson, 44-
9; 17th season overall 153-51); Ben Hall, Flowery Branch (fifth season
at Flowery Branch, 36-14; ninth season overall, 80-22)
What else: Flowery Branch head coach Ben Hall previously
coached at Jefferson from 2013-to-2016. He led the Dragons to a 44-8
record and a pair of Region Championships, one in Region 8-AAA and
another in Region 8-AAAA. In Hall's last season, Jefferson ventured to
the state semi-finals, but came up short in a rematch to Thompson...
Friday will be Hall's first trip back to Jefferson since 2017. When he
left Jefferson for Flowery Branch, the Dragons were in the middle of a
home-and-home non-region series with the Falcons. Gene Cathead's
Dragons defeated Hall's Falcons 35-29.
By Kyle Funderburk
kyle@mainstreetnews. com
While state media and na
tional recruiting sites made a
pilgrimage to Memorial Sta
dium for Jefferson’s season
opener, the true biggest game
of the season is this Friday at
home against Flowery Branch.
The Falcons are Jefferson’s
first Region 8-AAAA oppo
nent of the season and the re
sult of the game will surely
resonate throughout the rest of
the season. Flowery Branch is
currently 3-1 with its lone loss
coming from a shootout with
Gainesville. Fast year, the Fal
cons were Region 8-AAAA
runners-up with their only
blemish in region play being a
40-10 loss to Jefferson.
With North Oconee, East
Hall and Cedar Shoals all pos
sessing losing records, all signs
point to Friday being a must-
win game for both squads.
However, as of this week, no
one’s record matters according
to Jefferson head coach Gene
Cathcart.
See Dragons, page 3B
Tigers look to get into a rhythm against Mount Paran
Mount Paran at Commerce
Who: Mount Paran at Commerce (Ray Lamb Field at Tiger Stadium)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Commerce 1-2; Mount Paran 2-2
Coaches: Mark Hollars, Commerce (first season at Commerce, 1-2;
sixth season overall, 31-27); Mitch Jordan, Mount Paran (14th year at
Mount Paran, 97-52)
What else: Last year was the first time Commerce and Mount Paran
had ever met. The Tigers were victorious 41 -9... Head coach Mark Hollars is
somewhat familiar with Mount Paran from his time at Nodh Cobb Christian.
Both schools were in the subdivided Region 6-A Private. However, North
Cobb Christian was in Division A, while Mount Paran was in Division B. The
two schools did meet in 2018, with Hollars's squad winning 28-10.
By Kyle Funderburk
kyle@mainstreetnews. com
2021 has been a disruptive
year for the Commerce football
team thus far. After five weeks,
the Tigers have only played
three games since one was can
celled and a new opponent was
scheduled for a later date. Plus,
they’re on a two-game losing
streak with their last outing be
ing a 27-14 loss at Elbert Coun
ty-
Now, Commerce has a
chance to enter what head coach
Mark Hollars calls a “football
rhythm.” The Tigers have sev
en-straight weeks of football to
play not counting the A-Public
State Playoffs.
“Right now we’re looking
forward to getting in a rhythm
of playing.” Hollars said. “Over
the next seven weeks we won’t
have a bye week now. We can
See Tigers, page 3B
Panthers hope to bounce back
against speedy Clarke Central team
Clarke Central at Jackson County
Who: Clarke Central at Jackson County (Panthers Stadium)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Records: Jackson County 2-2; Clarke Central 1 -2
Coaches: Rich McWhorter, Jackson County (third year at Jackson
County, 9-15; 32nd year overall, 297-94-2); David Perno, Clarke Central
(sixth season at Clarke Central, 40-23).
What else: In seven tries, Jackson County is yet to beat Clarke
Central. The two school's (then separated by just 20 miles) played ev
ery year between 2002-2007. The closest the Panthers came to beat
ing the Gladiators was 2003. Clarke Central won that contest 24-14 on
route to a Region 8-AAAA Championship. Jackson County and Clarke
Central have only met as region rivals.
By Kyle Funderburk
kyle@mainstreetnews. com
Jackson County’s region
schedule doesn’t get any easier
following a heartbreaking loss
last week at Walnut Grove.
The Panthers host Clarke
Central, the defending Region
8-AAAAA Champions, this
Friday (Sept. 24) night with
hopes of pulling off the upset.
To do, the Panthers have to find
a way to match what head coach
Rich McWhorter believes is the
fastest team in the region.
“No question, this will be
the fastest football team.”
McWhorter said. “Football is a
game of speed. If you’ve got it,
it’s a great thing. If you don’t
have it, you need to figure out
other ways to play the game
and play it smarter.
“When we have the ball, we
need to keep the ball. We can’t
punt it over after three downs.
We have to have great field
See Panthers, page 3B
o