Newspaper Page Text
PAGE IB
October 8, 2008
The best
coverage
for Monroe
County sports
Dogs blow early lead
Second homecoming loss in three years
BACK IN ACTION: Jeffry Powers (24) re
turned to play Friday night wearing a brace
on his right arm. Powers carried the ball 27
times for 90 yards. (Photo/Gina Herring)
BY GINA HERRING
It was not a happy home
coming for Mary Persons
fans and former class
mates. Despite some
impressive plays, the Dogs
could not overcome mis
takes and lost to a rookie
Woodland team, 23-16.
The Bulldogs looked
tough in the first quarter,
snatching up a Woodland
fumble at their own 8-yard
line and making it all the
way to the Wolfpack 17.
But, on fourth and seven,
the Bulldogs attempted a
field goal. Kicker Dalton
Rozier missed the mark
and the ball went back to
Woodland.
The Wolfpack promptly
punted it back three plays
later, giving the Bulldogs
great field position at the
MP 46-yard line. A 49-yard
pass to Chris Bowden put
the Dogs inside the
Wolfpack five. Jeffry
Powers, back after five
weeks recovering from a
dislocated elbow he suf
fered on the first snap of
the season, pushed ahead
to the one. Quarterback
Drew Coleman leapt over a
defender into the endzone
for an MP touchdown. The
PAT was good and MP led
7-0 with 1:10 to play in the
first quarter.
Woodland wasted little
time answering. Taking to
the air, the Wolfpack
scored a touchdown of
their own with 8:44 left in
the half. A two-point con
version gave them the
edge, 8-7.
A Bulldog fumble two
plays later gave the
Wolfpack the ball back, but
Marquis Perkins snagged
an errant Wolfpack pass
and the Dogs were back in
business.
The Woodland defense
dug in its heels and held
the Dogs to just four yards
and MP was forced to punt
it away.
Woodland
returned the
favor. The MP
offense managed
to get to the
Woodland 14-
yard line, but
tuned it over on
downs after fail
ing to convert on
fourth and one.
Perkins inter
cepted another
Woodland pass
on the next
Wolfpack posses
sion to end the
first half. The
Dogs went into
the locker room
down by one.
The Bulldogs
got the ball first
in the second
half, but fumbled
it away at the 50-yard line.
Woodland quickly turned
that mistake into a touch
down and another two-
pointer to go ahead 16-7
with 8:42 left on the clock
in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs seem to
come alive and fans saw a
glimmer of hope late in the
third when Chaz Avery
grabbed MP's third inter
ception of the night. But,
despite making it all the
way to the Woodland
seven-yard line, the Dogs
had to settle for a 24-yard
field goal from James
Brooks. With the clock tick
ing to 1:44 left in the third
quarter, the Bulldogs
remained behind, 16-10.
The offense got another
chance after a quick three
and out for the Wolfpack,
but fumbled it away at
their own 18-yard line. The
Wolfpack took full advan
tage and went ahead 23-10
with 9:05 to play in the
game.
With little time to waste,
MP took to the air.
Coleman connected with
Bowden and Perkins to get
in Wolfpack territory, but a
fourth-down interception
knocked the wind out of
their sails.
Woodland punted it back
and MP shot into the end-
zone. Two long passes to
Kendall Head and Bowden
landed the Dogs on the
Woodland four-yard line.
Cory Nash took it in from
there to bring the Dogs to
within seven. With 4:05 to
play, the MP fans held
their breath and hoped for
a homecoming miracle.
The Bulldog defense held
the Wolfpack and the
offense had one last
chance. With just under
two minutes to play, the
Bulldogs had 84 yards to
go to score. But after two
incomplete passes and only
two yards on two subse
quent attempts to run up
the middle, MP turned the
ball and the game over on
downs.
The Bulldogs play Eagles
Landing Friday night at
home. Kick-off is at 7:30
p.m.
Mustangs battle to win
homecoming game
BY WENDELL RAMAGE
In an exciting come-from-behind win,
the Monroe Academy Mustangs celebrat
ed homecoming in Forsyth Friday night
with a 20-16 region win over the John
Hancock Rebels. Monroe's offense and
defense made early dramatic statements
with the offense scoring with its first two
possessions and the defense holding the
Rebels on fourth down their first three
possessions.
Mustang Micah Spivey opened the game
with a 46-yard kick. The Rebel offense
bogged down and had to turn the ball
over on downs at the 35. Trey Epperson
picked up eight yards and a face mask
penalty and gave the Mustangs a first
down at the 19. Epperson carried three
times for five yards before Simon Colwell
scored the TD. Spivey's kick was no good,
See MUSTANGS Page 2B
Autumn Duckworth (center), daughter of Mark and Denise Duckworth of Forsyth, was crowned the
2008 Monroe Academy homecoming queen during half-time festivities Friday at Ted McMichael Field.
The court also included seniors Macy Farmer, daughter of Mark and Lane Farmer of Barnesville, and
Anne Kreppes, daughter of Bryan and Martha Krepps of Griffin. (Andrew Brooks Photography, Macon)
BAM! Chandler Williams (6) slams in three runs on a triple in game one of the region 4AAA tourna
ment Monday to give the Lady Dogs the win over Woodward Academy.
Lady Bulldogs win two on
road to region championship
PROUD MOMENT: Senior Deena Deaton
(2) shows off the ball she connected with
for her 100th career hit in the MP win over
Rutland Monday night. (Photos/Lori Ne
smith)
BY GINA HERRING
Two region tournament
wins for the Mary Persons
Lady Dogs sets up a
rematch with Jackson
Tuesday in the region
tournament.
Monday night the Lady
Bulldogs beat Woodward
Academy in eight innings,
6-3, in game one of the
4AAA regin tournament
at the Butts County
Recreation Department in
Jackson.
The game was tied 2-2
at the end of seven.
Woodward scored one in
the top of the eighth to go
ahead of the Lady Dogs, 3-
2. But, the local girls
weren't ready to give up
and scored four runs in
the eighth to win it. The
winning runs came off the
bat of junior Chandler
Williams, who knocked in
three runs on a triple.
Other leading hitters
included Amber Sawley
(1-1), Kyla Tanner (1-1)
and Deena Deaton (2-2).
Deaton got her 100th
career hit in game two as
the Lady Dogs took care of
Rutland by a score of 3-0.
The game was scoreless
going into the
sixth inning. MP
scored three in
the sixth and
held the Lady
Hurricanes to no
runs.
Other leading
hitters in the
Rutland game
included Sarah
Bennett (1-2),
Kyla Tanner (2-
3) and Amber
Sawley, who hit
a perfect 3 for 3.
Tanner pitched
all 15 Lady Dog
innings Monday,
striking out 12
batters in the
two games.
Tanner’s season
record improved
to 64 strike-outs,
shattering the
school record for strike
outs in a season, which
was at 57.
The Lady Dogs will face
the Lady Red Devils of
Jackson Tuesday at 6:30
p.m. The Lady Dogs lost a
close one to Jackson on
Sept. 25 by a score of 2-1.
The winner of the MP-
Jackson match-up goes on
to the region champi
onship game to be played
at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Even if the Lady Dogs
lose Tuesday, they are not
out of it yet. The tourna
ment is double-elimina
tion. The loser of
Tuesday's game plays
Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
for a slot in the region
championship game.
C-team Cheer Dawgs take
second at competition
The Mary Persons C-team cheerleading
squad placed second at the Sandy Creek
High School chering competition Sept.
27. The competition cheerleaders are:
(Top Row-1 to r) Morgan Holliman,
Madison Trammell (Captain), Chesna
Walston, Kala Wright, Aujamia Penamon
(Middle Row-1 to r) Jayme Branch,
Megan Benitez, Ashlyn Dell, Madison
Bradford, Morgan Butler (Captain), Andi
Buchanan, Timara Harvey, Sydney
Walker, Brooke Wyatt, Meredith
Sanders, Kendra Necastro, Casey
Rowland (Bottom Row-1 to r) Lily
Phelan, Breanna Walker, Danesha
Evans. Breanna Walker (bottom row-
center) also took first place in the jump-
off competition.
The Mary Persons C team, junior varsi
ty and varsity cheerleading squads each
placed second in the Jones County
Invitational held Sept. 13.