Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 1C
February 25, 2009
The best
coverage
for Monroe
County sports
Rule violation removes
MP from state tourney
Mary Persons' boys basketball sea
son came to an abrupt end Thursday,
even after the team won its way into
the state tournament. That’s because
on Friday, MP administrators
learned the team had used an ineligi
ble player. The Bulldogs were forced
to forfeit all seven of their wins,
including a region tournament win
over Rutland that had earned them
an unlikely berth in the state play
offs.
After struggling all season, luck
seemed to be changing for the
Bulldogs in the region tournament at
Woodland last week. The Dogs beat
Eagles Landing Tuesday and upset
third seed Rutland 56-48 on
Thursday. The celebration was short
lived however, when school adminis
trators became aware that senior
player Johnny Lackey was ineligible
because of a GHSA transfer rule. On
Friday MP principal Jim Finch noti
fied the Georgia High School
Athletics board of the situation and
MP was banned from the state tour
nament. The school also had to pay a
fine.
"It's a very sad situation for those
boys. They worked very hard to get to
the playoffs. It's been a rough year
for them losing (star player) Terrence
Shannon," said athletic director
Rodney Walker. "But the rules have
to be followed."
Basketball coach Robert Worthy
said he is still trying to sort out the
details and said he had believed
Lackey, who wasn’t a starter, had
transferred legally from Lamar
County in the fall.
However, under GHSA rules, trans
fers are only eligible to play sports if
their family unit moves into the dis
trict. But that apparently was not
the case with Lackey. His father does
live in Monroe County but his moth
er, who has custody, lives in Lamar
County. If an athlete moves into a
new district and his or her family
does not move, the athlete is not eli
gible to play sports until after one
year.
Rutland beat Jackson on Saturday
in a game for the right to replace
Mary Persons as the fourth seed in
the state tournament. The state play
offs begin Saturday. South Atlanta is
the top team in 4AAA and will play
Thomson (R3 #4). Number 2
Spalding will play Burke County (R3
#3). Third place Woodland will face
off against Liberty County (R3 #2)
and Rutland must play Washington
County (R3 #1).
THE LADY BULLDOGS basket
ball team also ended its season in the
region tournament, losing in first
round to Jackson, 52-40. Beneidra
Colbert had a strong showing and a
game high 19 points.
The Lady Bulldogs will be return
ing four starters from this year's
team.
"Although it always hurts to not
make it to the big dance, I look for
ward to next year with much opti
mism," said first-year girls coach
Lang Oglesby. "Sophomores Asia
Buckner, Emily Davis, Morgan
Stewart, Shamaya Winfield and
Chelsy Hunter were able to get much
needed experience this year. Next
year, they will have the stage to
themselves. I wish we could start
next week,” said Oglesby.
Softball draft
Saturday
The Monroe County Softball
Committee announces that
the draft for the upcoming
2009 fast pitch softball sea
son will take place at 10 a.m.
Saturday Feb. 28 for ah age
groups.
Players will need cleats, bat
and glove. If you have not
already done so, please regis
ter your child to play by fill
ing out a form and returning
it to the Monroe County
Recreation Department.
Forms are available online at
www.monroecountyrec.com.
The registration fee is $30.
C Team football banquet held
The Monroe County Middle school’s c-team football banquet was held earlier this month.
Awards were presented to three players. Most improved offensie player - Jalin Grier; Most
improved defensive player - Avram Scarlett; Coach’s award - Jordan Banks. Also pictured
are c-team coaches Glen Watson (left) and Ricky Wilson.
MP hits the links
Mary Persons boys golf team: Drew Coleman, Daniel Weeks, Jordan Willis, Jake
Colvin, Trey Epps, Jeffrey Tanner, Tom Dent, Kevin Gomez, Matthew Epps.
Mary Persons girls golf team: Cassi Moye, McCall Trammell, Ashley Tempel, Chandler,
Paige Johns, Lauren Camp, Karrye Moore, Tess Hammock. The Mary persons golf teams
are coached by Ronnie Shipman.
MP softball coach Ronnie
Shipman is the now the new golf
coach as well. Shipman recruited a
few of his softball players and gath
ered a few more ladies to form a
girls team this year. Both the boys
and gilrs golf season begins
Tuesday with a trip to Cotton
Fields in Ola.
“Some of the kids need a little
more practice, but I believe we have
some strong players this year,” said
Shipman. “Both teams received new
golf shirts and hats this week.
This year is the larrgest Mary
Persons golf team in recent memo
ry, with a total of 9 boys and 8
girls.
2009 Mary Persons
Golf Schedule
DATE
OPPONENT
SITE
Feb 24
Ola
Cotton Fields
Mar 5
Northeast
Forsyth CC
Mar 9
Jackson
Forsyth CC
Mar10
Lamar Co.
Forsyth CC
Mar 16
Jackson
Hickory Hills
GC
Mar 17
Northeast
Bowden
GC
Mar18
Ola
Forsyth CC
Mar 19
Lamar Co.
Morgan Dairy
Mar 24
Upson-Lee
Forsyth CC
Mar 26
Eagles Landing Forsyth CC
Mar 31
Upson-Lee
Upson-Lee
Apr 2 Eagles Landing Eagles Land
ing CC
Apr 13 Monticello & Northeast
Hunter Pope GC
Apr 16REGI0N TOURNAMENT Spalding
All matches start at 3:30
Freshman Candler Proffitt (#6) leads the Bulldogs with six goals in
four games, (file photo)
Perfect start to
soccer season
for Bulldogs
The Mary Persons soccer
season is off to a 4-0 start
for both the girls and boys’
teams and senior center
mid Erik Haygood became
the first MP soccer player
to sign a national letter of
intent last week.
Led by powerhouses
Lauren Perez and Hilary
Hogg, also known as the
“Strika Crew,” the MP
ladies have outscored their
opponents 36-3 in four
games. The boys are also
undefeated. Leading the
Bulldogs in scoring so far
this season is freshman
Candler Proffitt, with six
goals in four games.
Perez and Hogg have
scored 25 goals, with Perez
at a slight lead over Hogg,
13-12.
MP opened regular sea
son play on Feb. 10 with
wins over first year
Senior Lauren Perez makes it
look easy.
Howard. The Lady Dogs
trounced the Lady Huskies
9-0. Hilary Hogg scored
See Dogs Page 3B
Haygood commits to Delta State
MP senior Erik Haygood became the first Bulldog soccer player to
sign a national letter of intent to play college soccer last week. Erik
committed to Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. By Erik side as he
signed were his parents Kathie and Jay Haygood. Also pictured
are MP principal Jim Finch, soccer coach Keith Groeper and MP
athletic director Rodney Walker.
‘Stangs season ends
Both the boys
and girls Monroe
Academy basket
ball teams lost in
the first round of
the playoffs last
week.
On Tuesday, the
Lady Mustangs
hosted Briarwood,
but lost 56-23.
Thursday, the
Mustangs fell to
John Hancock, 66-
52, ending their
season as well.
Monroe’s Karley Barcus (20) shoots the
ball. (Photo/Will Davis)