Newspaper Page Text
PAGE IB
September 24, 2008
The best
coverage
for Monroe
County sports
IT’S GOOD TO BE KING: With 242 yards on 29 carries Friday night, Quin “Bill” King was just eight yards shy of
breaking a school record for most yards rushing in a single game. Charlie Walker rushed for 249 yards in the Nov.
3,1995 win over Jackson. Sounds like a challenge, “Bill”. (Photo/Gina Herring)
Bulldogs take the
sting out of Hornets
BY GINA HERRING
The Mary Persons offense,
sluggish for the first three
games, broke loose Friday
against South Atlanta. Senior
back Quin King had a career
high 242 yards rushing on 29
carries and came close to
breaking a school record. King
scored three of MP's six touch
downs. Meshari Walton scored
the other three.
For the first time this season,
the MP defense struggled a bit
against a fast South Atlanta
offense.
The Bulldogs got the ball to
start the game. Drew Coleman
connected with Malcolm
Redding for a 17-yard gain
into Hornet territory. King
trudged ahead for 17 more
yards on the next three plays.
But, an errant MP pass was
intercepted by the Hornets at
the South Atlanta 33-yard
line. Three plays later, the
Hornets broke loose for a 51-
yard run and the first score of
the night. The extra point was
blocked by Chaz Avery, but
South Atlanta was on top, 6-0.
The Bulldogs may have been
stung, but they weren't down.
King got the ball five times
and marched to the endzone to
score for the Bulldogs. The
PAT was perfect from James
Brooks and the Dogs took the
lead for good.
On their next possession, the
Hornets were forced to punt.
The Bulldogs got the ball at
the South Atlanta 30 and it
was King and Walton taking
turns taking it to the endzone,
with Walton doing the honors
this time. The extra point was
wide left. MP 13, South
Atlanta 6, with 11:55 to play
in the half.
On the first play of the
Hornets' next possession, MP
forced a fumble and it was
recovered by Devarick Jones at
the South Atlanta 17-yard
line. King later ran it in from
the 1-yard line for another MP
touchdown.
The Hornets fumbled the ball
See MP DOGS Page 2B
Garrick James (15) takes down the South Atlanta ballcarrier, stopping him
short of a first down. (Photo/Gina Herring)
Is Jackson in store for a
BLACKOUT?
Mary Persons Uutldogs
horsyth. Get.
The Mary Persons Bulldogs are
gearing up for their biggest game
of the year so far - the Backyard
Brawl — and they need your help.
How about a blackout?
It worked for the Georgia
Bulldogs against Auburn last year,
so why not try it? Although the
MP Bulldogs will be wearing white
uniforms, as is standard at away
games, Dog fans are being asked to
wear black and get to the stadium
as early as possible to blackout
Jackson’s famed Red Devil Hill.
With rinky dink seating for visi
tors, Jackson does little to welcome
MP fans. So, we are urging fans to
get to the stadium at least an hour
early to be sure to get seats before
the Jackson fans can get there.
Who knows? MP fans can make
this a Bulldog home game.
Last year the Bulldogs overcame
a 14 point deficit to beat the Red
Devils 24-21. No doubt the Devils
will be looking to even the score.
But this year's Red Devils are not
Jargon Rift Devtls
Jo-rfrwft. Ga.
the same as last year. The 2007
season was dismal for the Red
Devils, who only won three games
and missed a trip to the playoffs.
But this year, Jackson has
outscored opponents 107 to 24.
They have nine returning starters
on both sides. They have speed.
Every time these two teams take
the field all bets are off. It doesn't
matter what the stats say, it's
going to get bloody. And both
Jackson and Mary Persons go into
the game undefeated.
Directions to the game
The Jackson stadium is located at
the corner of Franklin Ave. and
College St. From Forsyth, take
Hwy. 42 North to mile marker 25
and turn left on Brownlee Rd. Go
about 7.5 miles and turn right on
Freeman St. Turn left on Franklin
Ave. Stadium is on the left.
Parking is limited and so is seat
ing. Get there at least an hour
before game time to get a decent
seat. Tickets at the gate cost $7.
Backyard Brawl
Friday, Sept. 26
7:30 p.m.
MP vs. Jackson (4aaa)
Red Devil Hill
Last met: Oct. 12, 2007
MP 24, Jackson 21
Lady Dogs break
school record with
fourteenth win
The Mary Persons Lady Bulldogs
softball team beat Spalding 2-1 in
a nine inning showdown Tuesday
and broke the school record for
most wins in a season. Kyla
Tanner pitched 8 strong innings to
get the win and Sarah Bennett
came in to get the save. Leading
hitters were Amber Sawley (1-3),
Lauren Camp (3-4) and Marleigh
Dennis (1-3).
The Lady Bulldogs lost a heart-
breaker to Rutland 4-3 to go to 4-1
in the region and 14-6 overall on
Thursday. Leading hitters were
Deena Deaton (2-4), Lauren Camp
(2-4) and Marleigh Dennis (2-3).
The Lady Bulldogs play
Woodland Sept. 23 and will travel
to Jackson on Thursday. The final
games of the regular season are
this weekend in the Johnson
County tournament. The region
tournament begins Oct. 6 in
Jackson.
• • •
The junior varsity Lady Bulldogs
remain undefeated after beating
Rutland 8-0 last week. Adair
Woodward pitched a no-hitter.
Leading hitters were Maegan
Fowler (1-1), Adair Woodward (2-
2) and Nieci Fryar (1-2).
Kyla Tanner pitched 8 innings in the win
over Spalding, (file photo)
Earlier in the week, the JV Lady
Bulldogs beat Spalding 11-5.
Adair Wooward pitched the com
plete game and got the win.
Leading hitters were India Lyons,
Adair Woodward and Rebecca Arp.
The JV Lady Bulldogs play
Jackson at home Wednesday at 5
p.m. and again on the road
Thursday following the varsity
game at 5 p.m.
Mustangs thrill excited home crowd
BY WENDELL RAMAGE
All the elements that make one
a football fanatic converged on
McMichael Field Friday night as
the Monroe Academy Mustangs
burned the Griffin Christian
Crusaders, 27-19, in a non-region
match that, in its last six min
utes, ignited Mustang pride to a
flaming frenzy. Whether one
wanted big-yardage runs and
passes, hard-nosed goal-line
defenses, helmet-cracking tackles
and sacks, interceptions or fum
bles, the game provided them all
in duplicates.
The Mustangs grabbed a 7-0
first-quarter lead, but Monroe
fans still didn't get any breath
ing room. The Crusaders so
quickly answered MA's TDs, kept
the score so uncomfortably close
and so persistently threatened
that about all the home crowd
could do was shiver with excite
ment and cheer wildly.
After each team swapped the
ball, Mustang Micah Spivey
returned a Griffin punt to GC's
39. From there the offense put
together its first scoring drive.
Trey Epperson gained nine yards
before Aaron Purser hammered
out three more for the first down
at the 27. Epperson then breezed
around right into the end zone.
With 2:38 showing on the clock
in first quarter, Spivey's kick was
good, and the Mustangs were
cruising 7-0.
Before MA's celebration had
quieted, Griffin took a turn at
cheering. Simon Colwell punted
to the 16. On first play and in
emphatic fashion, Tyler Guess
tackled Crusader Kyle Daniel at
the 16 before Daniel had gained
an inch. The Crusaders then
staged an eight-play passing
assault with just enough rushing
to keep the Mustangs honest.
The visitors' largest gain came
on the fifth play when Christian
Lawver connected with Zack
Richie for 59 yards at the MA
four. Two plays later, Lawver
passed to Anthony Lewis in the
end zone. Richie added the extra
point and, in a young second
quarter, the teams were tied 7-7
and stayed that way until half
time.
The third quarter began with
Monroe receiving. Richie kicked
41 yards for Griffin, but Simon
Colwell returned the kick 26
yards to his own 49 where the
Mustangs coordinated a disci
plined drive of eight plays, cover
ing 51 yards. Colwell, Epperson
and Purser split rushing duties
with Colwell getting the scoring
nod from eight yards out. Spivey
contributed another PAT and,
with 7:39 remaining in third,
Monroe was on top 14-7.
Two minutes later, before
Monroe fans could exhale, Griffin
answered with a TD. The drive
included five plays, covered 78
yards and ended when Lawver
scored on a seven-yard run.
Richie's kick was no good, but
Monroe fans wanted more securi
ty than a one-point, 14-13 lead.
Two and a half minutes later,
home fans would have been
happy to have a one-point lead.
The Crusaders controversially
reclaimed the football with an
on-side kick at the 50-yard line.
Daniel rushed for 10 yards in
two carries while Lawver com
pleted three of four passes to
Riochie for 42 yards. The score
came on an 11 yard Lawvern-
Richie pass. Lawvern's pass for
two was incomplete, but the
Crusaders were out front 19-14.
With 16 seconds left in third
quarter, Monroe answered the
Crusaders' challenge in dramatic
fashion. The scoring drive
included six plays and covered 76
yards, including two spectacular
runs, one by Purser for 34 yards,
immediately followed by one
from Epperson for 29 yards. The
TD came on a Purser four-yard
run. Colwell's try for two failed,
but Monroe had retaken the lead
20-19.
The fourth quarter was marred
See MUSTANGS Page 3B