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B
Section
March 11,2021
Nettes historic run ends at Elite 8
PHS falls 51-49 to championship-game bound
Cairo, showing Nettes can play with anyone;
See Nettes Season Tribute on Page 10B
The Pickens Nettes bas
ketball team has wrapped up
an amazing season. The team
finished up the year with a 22
and 5 record, and secured a
region championship in dom
inating fashion.
The team put on thrilling
performances in all three
rounds of the state playoffs
before falling in the final sec
onds to the heavily-favored
Cairo Syrupmakers.
The group of young ladies
played with passion and de
termination throughout this
difficult season of Covid
quarantines. Since falling to
Cairo, the Syrupmakers have
qualified for the state cham
pionship game, proving that
the Nettes can play with any
team in the state.
The group was led
throughout the season by the
senior leadership of Kealy
Hillhouse, Cassidy Richards,
Lily Simmons, Marlee Mc
Clure, and Reagan Harwood.
While the storied season is
over, the Nettes will look for
ward to returning a strong
group of contributors next
season.
photo/Bert Wind
Cairo Messenger
The Nettes swarming de
fense kept the game close
until foul shots in the final
seconds ended one of the
grea test seasons in PHS bas
ketball.
Pride of Pickens
members selected for
District Honor and
All-State bands
Submitted by Pride
of Pickens Band
Every year, the Pickens
High School Band has many
students audition for the Dis
trict Honor Band and for a
chance at the All-State Band.
The state is divided into
districts and our district in
cludes Forsyth, Cherokee,
Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin,
Dawson, Lumpkin, Towns,
Union and White counties.
The District Honor Band
results came out shortly after
first round auditions and we
had another great year -
seven students were selected
for the bands.
11-12 Honor Band:
Piper Duncan, 3rd chair
oboe;
Seth Densmore, 14th
chair trumpet;
Eli Galligan, 4th chair
horn;
Owen Galligan, 4th chair
percussion.
Continued on Page 6B
PHS baseball off to
6-2 start
The Pickens baseball
team has started the season
off with a 6 and 2 record.
After sweeping a two-
game series with Dawson
County 8-7 and 10-7 to start
the season, the boys have
continued their winning
ways. The team has since
split a two-game series with
Lumpkin.
The Dragons won the first
contest 16 to 7 but fell in the
second meeting 5-4. The
Dragons played host to Mur
ray County and Wheeler high
school for a round robin dou
ble header event on Saturday,
February 27th.
The team was able to beat
Continued on Page 6B
Track team competes in
Southeast Invitational
Bekah Wise
This past weekend, the
PHS varsity track team com
peted in the Southeast Invita
tional in Dalton, Ga.
The Nettes were led by
freshmen Bekah Wise and
Mia Antinozzi. Wise placed
2nd in the 800m with a time
of 2:29, and was followed by
Antinozzi who placed fifth.
The ladies also had a good
showing in the 400m. Wise
placed 3rd in the 400m with
a time of 1:07, and was fol
lowed closely by Antinozzi.
Leading scorers for the
Dragons were senior Seth
White and sophomore Will
Mia Antinozzi
Hall. White placed 1st in the
1600m run with a time of
4:29, a personal record. Hall
placed 2nd in the 3200m run
with a time of 10:56, a per
sonal record.
Also setting personal
records for the dragons were
Noah Jones in the 1600m
and Eli Eubanks in the
3200m.
The track teams will com
pete this Wednesday at Lam
bert High School in
Suwannee, and this Saturday
in the Creekview Invitational
in Canton.
Seth White
Pickens golf teams
swing in spring
photo/Leslie Young
Soccer celebrates seniors - Pictured (L to R): Cora
Gartrell, Caroline Angelisanti, Reagan Harwood, Made
Buttimer, Sadie Phillips, Ellie Halko, Haley Jarret, and
Peyton Johnson. Not pictured: Kelsi Young.
See more soccer on Page 6B
This past Thursday the
Pickens golf teams traveled
to Crooked Creek Golf Club
to compete against Denmark
High School.
Both groups put on a great
Georgia Ducks Unlimited
( Pickens County Chapter
Ducks 31st Annual
Unlimited Fundraising Banquet
This Friday, March 12
Single Tickets $60
Couples $100
Greenwings $40
GA Mountains Hospice
70 Caring Way • Jasper, GA
Contact Tommy Lathem at 770-547-7071
or Royce Latty at 706-889-6368
performance for their first
match of the 2021 season.
The boys’ team defeated
Denmark by four strokes.
Freshman Seth Cronic led
the Dragons with a score of
39.
The Nettes team (shown
below) lost a close match to
the Lady Danes. Sophomore
Lauren Quarles led the lady
Dragons.
The Pickens Jr. High
team hosted their first match
of the year against Lumpkin
Continued on Page 6B
Sports
Fanatic
By
Tommy
Gartrell
Columnist
Spring
Training
Update
Not that exhibition
game scores really mean
much, but the Braves own
a winning record of 4-3
through two weeks of
spring training action.
Most importantly, Atlanta
is finding answers in posi
tions of need for the com
ing season.
We all realize that this
team consists of several
better than average play
ers who are in or ap
proaching the prime of
their respective careers.
Freddie Freeman, Ozzie
Albies, Dansby Swanson,
Ronald Acuna Jr, Marcell
Ozuna, Travis d’Amaud,
and Max Fried should be
about as solid as they will
ever be during this season.
Then, Atlanta has a
promising crop of early
twenty something young
sters who appear ready to
take another step. Look at
the potentially potent
starting pitchers. Ian An
derson (22 years old),
Bryse Wilson (23 years),
Kyle Wright (25) and
Mike Soroka (23) could
already be a better starting
rotation than a majority of
the 30 MLB teams, but
they must compete for the
two remaining spots in the
Braves starting rotation.
Once Soroka returns from
injury in May, the number
of spots dwindles to only
one and perhaps an occa
sional spot start.
Other than Wright
(6.23 era in 4.1 innings),
this group has yet to sur
render an earned run thus
far in springtime action.
The other projected
starters in Fried, Drew
Smyly, and Charlie Mor
ton also have perfect 0.00
eras in Grapefruit League
play.
Then, Atlanta has some
forgotten arms who could
redeem themselves and
earn a spot on the roster.
Sean Newcomb (27 years)
lost his starting rotation
spot a couple of seasons
ago but he is still a big,
strong lefty who could
earn a place in long relief.
Also, the 24 year old
Touki Toussaint showed
potential over the last few
years but just has not put
all of his game together
yet. Let us not overlook
my favorite “sleeper”
Huascar Ynoa either. This
22 year old Dominican
throws 100 miles per
hour. Could he eventually
surpass the more recog
nizable names and be
come a regular starter? If
not, could he transition
into one of the dominant
closers in baseball over
the next few years? I think
so!
The biggest question
marks for this club remain
at third base, in one out
field spot, backup catcher
and utility infielder.
We keep waiting for
Austin Riley to fulfill the
largely unfair hype sur
rounding him. Remember;
he is only 23 years old.
His defense is solid and
now, he is batting .455
early in spring training. If
this kid gets going, just
imagine how imposing the
Braves lineup becomes to
opposing pitchers.
Continued on Page 6B