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September 14,
2023
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Cross Country teams’ hard work paid off at Mustang Stampede
Garin Rickenbaker, back left;
Piper Johnson, back right; Heidi
Thompson, center; Kaela Kear
ney, front left; Brylee Deering,
front right.
The Big Peach Mustang Stampede
held at Allatoona Creek Park in Ac-
worth last Saturday was a showcase
of exceptional talent and fierce com
petition. Amid cool and perfect race
conditions, the young Pickens run
ners emerged as a standout, leaving a
mark on the event with their out
standing performances.
A total of 24 runners represented
PHS at the meet, and their hard work
and commitment paid off with im
pressive results. In an incredible dis
play of determination and resilience,
17 of the 24 Pickens runners
achieved personal best times, setting
a high standard for the rest of the sea
son.
The varsity boys’ team was espe
cially impressive, with all six of their
runners achieving personal best
times. The top six varsity boys for
Pickens High School were:
1. Ethan Carlan (Senior) - Leading
the pack, Carlan showcased his expe
rience and leadership by finishing
first for the team.
2. Luan Michau (Sophomore) -
Michau displayed remarkable consis
tency, securing the second spot for
PHS.
3. Jacoby Stanley (Freshman) - An
emerging talent, Stanley’s perform
ance was nothing short of outstand
ing, coming in at third place for PHS.
4. Jamin Martin (Freshman) - An
other promising freshman who has
exhibited a tremendous work ethic,
Martin’s fourth-place finish high
lighted the depth of talent on the
young PHS team.
5. Winn Rickenbaker (Freshman)
- Rickenbaker’s impressive run
placed him fifth for the team.
6. Shae White (Sophomore) -
White rounded out the top six with a
fantastic performance, demonstrating
the team’s depth and potential for fu
ture success.
The varsity girls from Pickens
High School also left their mark on
the meet, with the top five runners
achieving noteworthy results:
1. Kaela Kearney (Sophomore) -
Kearney, a dedicated and awesome
talent, led the PHS girls’ team.
2. Brylee Deering (Junior) - Deer-
ing’s experience and skill were on
full display as she took the second
spot for the team.
3. Heidi Thompson (Freshman) -
An impressive freshman, Thomp
son’s third-place finish speaks vol
umes about her potential.
4. Garin Rickenbaker (Freshman)
- Rickenbaker’s fourth-place finish
was a testament to the depth of talent
in the PHS girls’ team.
5. Piper Johnson (Freshman) -
Johnson rounded out the top five with
an outstanding performance, rein
forcing the strength of the Pickens
girls’ squad.
PHS Junior Varsity runners also
showcased their dedication and deter
mination, with several of them
achieving personal best times for the
team.
Varsity runners included:
Boys:
Josh Arispe
Zac Myers
Gio Sandoval
Miah Rich
Ryan Johnson
Girls:
Makayla Oliva
Rylee Eaton
Joss Holt
Molly Sebastiani
Coach White was elated with the
team’s overall performance; “This is
just the beginning. The dedication
and hard work our athletes put into
their training is tndy paying off. I am
excited to see how our team will con
tinue to grow and excel throughout
the season.”
Bowling for sport, bowling for scholarships
8th grader wants to encourage other kids to bow!
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@piekensprogress.com
Dustin Minor is in his element when he’s talking
about bowling. The Pickens Jr. High student explains
with great knowledge lane oil patterns and what affects
them, how to pick which ball to use when, and other
bowling deets casual players don’t know about.
His high score of246 and average game score of 198
are a good indication of his skill level.
After I jokingly asked if he’s stopped being invited
to his friends’ birthday parties at bowling alleys, Dustin
and his parents Shaun and Jessica talked about under-
the-radar sport that kids can get involved in on a variety
of levels.
Dustin, an 8th grader, plays on a youth bowling
league, in a bevy of tournaments, and recently made the
Georgia Interstate Bowling All-Stars team. He wants to
encourage other kids to get into the sport. He says it’s a
fun alternative to traditional school sports, can be played
year-round, and provides regular opportunities to win
scholarship money for college in league and tourna
ments. That scholarship money goes into an account and
builds up until the student goes to college.
Dustin’s bowling career began just a few years ago
in 4th grade, and he’s showing no signs of stopping.
“Covid started and I had nothing to do,” he said. “My
uncle told me, ‘Let’s get you off your butt,’ and he took
me bowling. He loved bowling.”
Now Dustin loves bowling just as much. Dustin’s
parents have been amazed by the opportunities the sport
photo/Provided by family
Dustin Minor loves to bowl for the challenge, fun
and “knowing that if you throw that ball just right
you ’ll get a strike. ”
provides for kids.
“You associate bowling with adults, but you have no
idea how much there is for youth,” said Shaun. “It’s also
a year-round indoor sport so weather isn’t an issue.”
After playing a little that first year, Dustin wanted to
keep going so his uncle paid for his first Saturday league
Continued on Page 10B
PHS Softball ousts White County 3-1
On Wednesday, Sept. 6
Pickens hosted White County
at Dunn Field for a region
contest. Both teams were
strong in the circle, but Pick
ens defeated White County 3-
1.
The Nettes were the first
to get on the board in the first
when Lexi Grizzle hit a sac
rifice fly, scoring one run.
White County scored one run
in the top of the third. In the
bottom of the third, the
Nettes broke up the tie when
Ally Long singled, scoring
one run. Then, a wild pitch
followed to extend the lead to
3-1.
Ally Long and Lexi Griz
zle were tough to handle
back-to-back in the lineup, as
each drove in one run for
PHS. Ally Long, Hannah
Parks, Charli Fendley, Made-
lyn Johnson, Lexi Grizzle,
Tough week for Nettes
Volleyball
The PHS Nettes Volley
ball team endured a tough
week of matches. On Tues
day, September 5th, the
girls traveled to Murray
County to play against
Murray and Oakwood
Christian. During each of
their matches, the Nettes
pushed hard for the wins,
but they fell short and lost
to Murray and Oakwood.
After traveling to Mur
ray, the Nettes had a home
game match on September
7th. It was their 3rd round
of region games and their
opponents were West Hall
and Wesleyan. The Nettes
had already come home
with a win against West
Hall, and they were pre
pared to fight to add an
other win. Against
Wesleyan, the girls worked
hard as a team to fight for
every point, in the end, the
girls fell short and lost.
The Nettes’ next home
Match will be on Septem
ber 14th at 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
It will also be their Senior
Night. Come out and Sup
port, Go Nettes.
and Mary Scott Hulsey each
collected one hit for Pickens.
The Nettes turned two double
plays in the game. Lexi Griz
zle earned the win for Pick
ens. She allowed five hits and
one run over seven innings,
striking out two, and walking
three. With this second win
against White County, Pick
ens will win the three-game
series with White County.
The two teams will play
one more time in regular sea
son play.
On Thursday, September
7th Pickens played West Hall
at Dunn Field in another re
gion contest. Before the
game, the Nettes held the
2023 Pink Out Ceremony.
This year they honored
Mayor Steve Lawrence and
Mr. Scott Payne. These men
serve and have served the
community for many years.
Both were diagnosed with
cancer this year. Mr.
Lawrence and Mr. Payne
threw out the first pitch for
the game. Thank you to
Ellie Hollis make a courageous dive for the ball.
everyone who purchased a
shirt this year to help encour
age and support these gentle
men.
Pickens defeated West
Hall 3-1. Pickens got on the
board in the first inning after
an error scored one run. In
the top of the second, West
Hall tied the game at one. In
the bottom of the third, a sac
rifice fly by Skyler Weaver
gave Pickens the lead, 2-1. In
the bottom of fourth,
Cheyenne Coleman singled
on a fly ball to center field
and Madelyn Johnson scored,
increasing Pickens’ lead to 3-
1.
Ally Long, Madelyn
Johnson, Charli Fendley,
Lexi Grizzle, and Cheyenne
Coleman each collected one
hit for PHS. Skylar Weaver
and Cheyenne Coleman each
drove in one run for the
Nettes. Cheyenne Coleman
earned the win for the Nettes.
Coleman gave up three hits
and one run over seven in
nings, striking out five, and
walking one.
The Pickens Nettes will
travel to Gilmer High School
next Tuesday to play the
Gilmer Bobcats.
Racing Across America
Race Recap - 2023 Hollywood
Casino 400
Sydney Wolfe (jumping) Lilly Wendt (on her left).
By Alex Korowotny
Racing Sports
Correspondent
After an eventful first race of the play
offs, NASCAR made its trip back to Kansas
last weekend.
The race started with Bell on pole. A
huge playoff driver incident happened on
lap 4 when Truex Jr, the winner of the reg
ular-season championship, blew a tire and
ended up finishing in last. On the next
restart, Larson took the lead from Bell and
lead for the rest of Stage 1. The only other
big thing in Stage 1 was Byron, another
playoff driver, spinning out on lap 62. Stage
2 officially started on lap 88 with Larson
continuing to lead. The next playoff driver
with issues was Wallace, who was running
in 2nd, when he blew a right-rear tire on lap
108. The race would get flipped on its head
when during a caution period in the middle
of Stage 2, most of the lead lap drivers pit
ted, but Larson and 8 other drivers stayed
out. On the next restart, Larson would get
loose by Chastain and would fall back to
20th, meaning the best car of the day was
now out of the running for the win. Elliott,
Continued on Page 3B
Sports
Fanatic
By
Tommy
Gartrell
Columnist
Surprises!
The first two weeks of
the college football season
produced a bevy of boring
mismatches. However, for
the expected front runners
of the SEC West, early sea
son games can best be de
scribed by beloved
southerner Gomer Pyle’s
trademark phrase.
“Surprise! Surprise!
Surprise!”
Three upsets of three
ranked teams which were
expected to be in confer
ence championship as well
as national championship
contention make us doubt
everything we thought we
knew about the 2023 foot
ball season. Additionally,
these losses bring ques
tions regarding the future
of the programs involved.
First, fifth ranked LSU
fell 45-24 to eighth ranked
Florida State during week
one. Most informed folks
expected a greatly im
proved FSU, but the Semi-
noles dominated the
second half of this game.
Couple the poor second
half performance by the
Tigers and questionable
coaching decisions which
cost them points on several
occasions and head coach
Brian Kelly stands in an
awkward spot.
Is FSU really that good,
or just overrated?
Kelly won the SEC
West last season, his first
in Baton Rouge, but the
notoriously fickle fan base
is liable to abandon him
shortly unless LSU runs
the table.
In Tuscaloosa, 11th
ranked Texas stunned the
number three ranked Crim
son Tide 34-24 on Satur
day night. The Longhorns
basically controlled the
game and physically dom
inated. So great are the
knee-jerk over-reactions
that antidepressants and
blood pressure medication
prescriptions in Alabama
quadrupled.
It was only one ball-
game, yet many fans al
ready condemn head coach
Nick Saban.
Saban turns 72 years
old in October.
Do they actually pro
pose that he retire taking
his 281 victories and seven
national titles with him and
return that program into
the wasteland Saban found
in 2007?
Then, there was un
ranked Miami’s 48-33
upset of 23rd ranked Texas
A&M. The Hurricanes
overcame two special
teams gaffes, 120 penalty
yards and only 77 yards
rushing to embarrass the
Aggies and embattled head
coach Jimbo Fisher. Only a
huge contract buyout is
keeping him in College
Station. That figure ($75
million) might become a
deal to the boosters and ad
ministrators if 2023 is as
disappointing as 2022.
We need more ball-
games before a full ap
praisal of the many big
name programs is clear.
Several facts are obvi
ous already though. Each
of the five major confer
ences contain at least three
and as many as five com
pelling teams. The total
number of key upcoming
matchups increases by 500
percent.
As a fan, I love it too.