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May 26, 2011
Track and Field Report
Team awards presented
Triple Crown Racing
Preakness win for Shackleford
The 2011 PHS Track & Field
competitive season has drawn to
a close, with only team awards
left to be presented. Awards were
presented by PHS Track Coaches
Jesse Scott, Adam Wharton and
Ray Langley to athletes who
stood out from their peers in
terms of success in competition,
team spirit and
sportsmanship.Traditional “Var
sity Letters” and “Participation
Awards” were also presented.
Top ’Nette track athletes re
ceived the “Terrific Three
Award” for success in competi
tion in terms of placing high in
their events in most meets, as
well as a high level of commit
ment to training. Receiving the
award for 2011 were Megan
Dixon (pole vault), Haley Mur
phy (sprints) and Ashley Logan
(distance).
Similarly, top Dragon track
athletes received the “Fantastic
Five Award” for consistently ex
ceptional performances in meets
and a high level of commitment
to training. Presented with “Fan
tastic Five Awards” for 2011
were Drew Bellows (distance),
Continued on page 2B
PHS Track & Field Awards
were recently presented at the
conclusion of the 2011 sea
son. PHS Track coaches
Jesse Scott, Adam Wharton
and Ray Langley presented
“Terrific Three Award(s) ” to
(from the left) Megan Dixon,
Haley Murphy, and Ashely
Logan of the ’Nettes. The
award was given to recognize
this trio for a high level of
performance and scoring in
most meets, as well as a high
level of commitment to train
ing.
“Fantastic Five Award(s) ” were presented by PHS Track
coaches to five Dragons from the boys ’ team for consistent
excellence in meet performances as well as a high level of
commitment to training. Pictured (from the left) are Tyler
Craig, Justin Weaver, and Luis Lozoya. Also receiving the
award, but not available for the photo, were Drew Bellows
and Ethan Logan.
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FOOTBALL / CHEERLEADING
Ages 5 -12
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• REGISTER: Now - June 30, 2011
• COST: $150.00
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COST: $140.00 (new uniforms for 2011)
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INFORMATION: info@jysadragons.org
or call Joe Nold 770-380-9176
www.JYSADragons. org
WE NEED VOLUNTEER COACHES
By Don Bryant
After waiting for 33 years for
a Triple Crown winner in thor-
oughbred
horse racing,
the wait will
continue as
Kentucky
Derby winner
Animal King
dom failed to
claim victory
last Saturday
in the Preak
ness Stakes.
The Preakness is the second
jewel of the Triple Crown in
horse racing held the third Satur
day in May at Pimlico Race
Track in Baltimore, Md. Animal
Kingdom finished 2nd behind
Shackleford.
With a full field of 14 horses
for the first time since 2005 and
the second time since 1992, in
cluding nine new horses, Animal
Kingdom was the favorite head
ing into the race. At a distance of
1-3/16 mile, which is 1/16 mile
shorter than the Derby, many
thought the distance would favor
Animal Kingdom with a faster
pace race and enable him to
close stronger than his win two
weeks earlier at the Derby.
After a strong showing and
finishing 4th in the Derby,
Shackleford bolted out of the
gate and never looked back as he
claimed the win going from wire
to wire.
With the No. 11 position to
begin the race. Animal Kingdom
left the gate and started slow run
ning second-to-last. As the race
progressed. Animal Kingdom
made his move toward the out
side, but at the one-half marker
Shackleford was pulling away.
Animal Kingdom made a strong
run to catch him, but after start
ing too far behind he had too
much ground to make up. He
came close though as he finished
one-half length behind for 2nd
place followed by Astrology and
Dialed In, who finished 8th in
the Derby.
In 1978, Affirmed swept the
Kentucky Derby, Preakness and
Belmont to become the 11th
Triple Crown winner of horse
racing.
Grand Slam Tennis
Opening day on the clay
By Don Bryant
Entering last Sunday’s open
ing round of the French Open
tennis tournament, it had been
eight years since player Roger
Federer was not seeded No. 1 or
No. 2 at a Grand Slam tourna
ment.
Federer comes into the tour
nament ranked behind Rafael
Nadal and Novak Djokovic as
the No. 3 ranked player in the
world. He seeks to win his sev
enth overall Grand Slam title and
his second French after winning
in 2009.
After dominating the sport for
many years, Federer has not only
fallen to a No. 3 ranking but has
taken a back seat to the Nadal-
Djokovic rivalry on the current
men’s tour.
Playing on the red clay in
Paris is the most grueling test in
tennis where even the best play
ers struggle.
Entering the tournament, top-
seed Rafael Nadal’s pursuit of a
record-tying sixth championship
at Roland Garros and second-
seeded Djokovic’s 37-0 start to
the season are dominating the
conversation in the tennis world.
Djokovic has won all seven
tournaments that he has entered
this season and all seven matches
he has played against Nadal.
Djokovic defeated Nadal in clay
court finals in Madrid and Rome
this month. After winning two
matches at the end of 2010, the
Serb with a 39 straight match
win is within three wins of tying
the 42 held by John McEnroe in
1984. Guillermo Vilas won 46 in
1977.
Djokovic seeks his third over
all Grand Slam title having won
the Australian Open in 2008 and
2011.
Entering the tournament,
Nadal, whom many consider the
“King of Clay,” has won 38 of 39
matches at Roland Garros taking
the title five of the past six years.
With another win, he would
match Bjorn Borg’s record for
the most titles by a man at the
French.
In last Sunday’s early round
opening matches, there were few
upsets with 17 men and 15
women’s matches played. Two-
time major champion Lleyton
Hewitt withdrew due to a foot in
jury.
Indy turns 100
By Don Bryant
For auto racing fans, Sunday
will be one of the sport’s biggest
events as the Indianapolis 500
celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Beginning in 1911, the Brick
yard is one of the highest profile
sporting events in American his
tory. The race has the world’s
largest spectator sporting facility
with more than 250,000 perma
nent seats and covers 253 acres.
On June 5, 1909, more than
two months before the oval was
completed, the first event held at
the speedway was a helium gas
filled balloon race.
With a $10 million purse, 33
drivers will race 500 miles on
Memorial Day weekend to claim
victory in the IndyCar Series
Premier Race.
Defending champ Dario Fran-
chitti of Scotland is looking to
join Brazil’s Helio Castroneves
as the second foreign three-time
winner. Castroneves is looking to
be a four-time winner.
In last weekend’s qualifying,
Alex Tagliani became the first
Canadian to earn the pole for
Simday’s race. Defending champ
Franchitti could have made it to
the first row had he not run out
of gas on the final lap of qualify
ing. Castroneves missed out on
his third straight pole, starting
16th, the inside of row 6, his
worst starting spot in 11 career
races at Indy.
The 33 car positions in the
race are based on the drivers’
four-lap average speeds around
the 2.5-mile oval. This year’s
entry field includes eight rookies
and four women including Si
mona de Silvestro and popular
American driver Danica Patrick.
Entering this year’s Indy, ru
mors have been that Patrick may
be preparing for her last Indy
race as she may jump to
NASCAR. Patrick has driven in
both IndyCar and the NASCAR
Nationwide Series this year and
last. Her success as a female
driver has made her the face of
the IndyCar Series since 2005.
Her improving performance in
NASCAR has many wondering
if she will jump to NASCAR.
Earlier this year she finished
14th at Daytona after briefly
leading early in the race.
After her finish at Daytona,
she placed 4th in the Las Vegas
Nationwide Race, the best finish
for a woman in a national
NASCAR race.
In 2005, Patrick finished 4th
in the Indy 500 and in 2008 won
her first race in Japan.
2011 PHS Dragons Baseball Banquet
Varsity award winners, L-R: Matthew Cook, Aaron Lohman, Aaron Eubanks, Dillon Trego,
Dylan Childers, Cameron Nicholes, Connor North.
On Friday May 13, the Dragons held their an
nual baseball banquet at the Pickens Coimty Cham
ber of Commerce. After an “awesome” meal
catered by BoJangles of Jasper, many thanks were
given to all the parents and sponsors whom keep
the program going.
Head JV Coach Corey Thompson then recog
nized all the JV players and gave out awards to Eric
Justice-Best Hitter and Sean Stargel-Best Pitcher.
Congratulations to the JV program for their win
ning season.
Varsity Head Coach Jason Nunn then gave
thanks to all his assistant coaches for their hard
work this season. He then recognized all the par
ents, sponsors and volunteers whom make their
program one of the best around. Coach then pre
sented the Diamond Club officers with baseballs
autographed by the 2011 Dragons.
After all the Varsity letters were given out,
Coach Nunn then presented the Golden Spikes
Award to 2011 MVP Connor North. Pitcher of the
Year went to Matthew Cook. Best Hitter of 2011
went to Dillon Trego. Coaches Award was given to
Cameron Nicholes. Seniors Aaron Lohman, Aaron
Eubanks and Sophomore Dylan Childers each
earned Gold Glove Awards for their outstanding
defense during the 2011 season.
As the season comes to an end the Dragons,
coaches and all the parents would like to say a big
“thank you” to all the sponsors who made this year
very successful.