Newspaper Page Text
EJCHS Softball
EJCHS Football
Lady Eagles Ready To Start Sophomore Season
By Brandon Reed
Last year, in their inaugu
ral season, the Lady Eagles
of East Jackson accomplished
probably more than most fans
expected from their first year
of high school softball.
The team recorded 23 wins
overall, six losses and one tie.
The Eagles were undefeated
in region play and came home
as the region champions after
defeating North Oconee in the
Region tournament.
That’s going to be a tough act
to follow.
Head coach Jason Rainey,
however, thinks the Eagles will
be up to the task. He said his
team looks good in practice
with just over a week to go
before their season opener at
home against Clarke Central.
“Most of our players have
been playing travel ball, so
they came out here ready to
go," he said. “They’re looking
good. Our returning girls had
a good practice (Sunday), and
it’s great when we see that.’’
Jason Rainey
Most of the 2007 team is
returning, but the Lady Eagles
are entering 2008 without three
key starters. Ace pitcher Hayley
Leissner, shortstop Marley
Pullian and second baseman
Chelsea Kyst all graduated last
year.
But, Rainey said he feels the
team will be as good as last
year.
“It’s going to be hard to play
as well and to have as good of
a record in every game as last
year, but I don’t see any reason
why we should drop off,’’ he
said.
With the absence of Leissner,
Pullian and Kyst, Rainey said
he’ll be looking towards his
seniors to step up into leader
ship roles.
“Autumn Wilbanks, she
played third base last year.
Abby Woodall played some last
year, and she’ll play shortstop
this year. Caitlin Hill, a new
girl here, is a senior. She’s
shown some (leadership skills)
already. I also expect some of
the younger players to jump
up there too. We have a lot
of experience back, and that
changes everything.’’
With the team coming off
of a great first season, Rainey
said that puts some high expec
tations and pressure on this
year’s team that they will have
to learn to deal with.
“That’s something they
haven’t seen a lot of, with
last year being our first year,’’
Rainey said. “After being inex
perienced and doing so well,
there’s going to be a lot of
pressure on them from outside
the dugout to do well. That’s
going to be the toughest thing
for them to handle. They’re still
kids and they’re still young.’’
Right now Rainey said his
team is focusing on the basics.
“We’re just working on our
fundamentals and trying to
improve from there,’’ he said.
“Last year, we were young and
inexperienced. I think this year
we’ll progress a little. I think we
can just get better in general.’’
With just over a week before
the first pitch of the 2008 soft-
ball season, Rainey said he and
his team are just ready to get
things rolling.
“We’re basically ready to get
playing,’’ he said. “Our sched
ule is pretty brutal, so we’re
ready to get started.’’
The Lady Eagles will open
their sophomore season on
Aug. 15 with a home stand
against Clarke Central. Last
year, East Jackson faced the
Gladiators twice, winning both
times.
The first pitch next Friday is
scheduled for 5 p.m.
CHS Football
Tigers Open Official Pre-Season Practice
Tigers Getting Ready
Commerce head coach Steve Savage watches his players during ing host to the Jefferson Dragons on August 29.
practice earlier this week. The Tigers opens their season by play- Photo by Brandon Reed
Park and Rec
Hurricane Shoals' Mini-Golf Course Under Construction
The winding creek through the golf course is just one of the tie-
ins to the local history of the area for the Hurricane Shoals mini
golf project. Photo by Justin Poole
By Justin Poole
A certain image comes to
mind whenever you hear the
term mini-golf. Perhaps images
of the typical putt-putt courses
festooned with campy windmills
and faux mountains.
Then Jackson County Parks
and Recreation Department
wants to swap that image for
one with a more historic theme.
The 18-hole “Spirit of the
River’’ mini-golf course being
installed at Hurricane Shoals
Park is the brainchild of Board
of Commissioners Chairman
Pat Bell. Parks and Rec. director
Ricky Sanders said that the con
cept was originated by Bell to tell
the story of the area. The overall
design of each hole serves as a
timeline for the area, with each
hole telling a story about the
area and Jackson County.
“I envision field trips here to
learn the history of the park,’’
said Sanders. “It is a great thing
for teachers, anytime you can
get kids to learn and they don’t
realize they are learning. Pat has
been a master of that.’’
The first hole focuses in on the
Native Americans in the area
who treated it as a holy site.
The Cherokee and Creek
nations regarded the area,
Hurricane Shoals, as a neu
tral land where blood was not
spilt, not even for hunting. Key
elements in the history tie the
course together, as one of the
following holes illustrates the
killing of a bear at the shoals.
The killing of the bear sparked
conflict between the settlers
and the Native Americans.
Another hole is designed to
incorporate the story from the
1840 flood that destroyed most
of the settlement; this hole has
a unique design where the water
flowing through the course plays
a key role in the game.
“We want folks to come here
and have something to enjoy,’’
Sanders said. “We are excited
and looking forward to getting
open. It will benefit the park.’’
While the history that the
course is built around is intrigu
ing, the actual layout of the
course is equally impressive.
Kermit Simmons designed the
course and has overseen the
construction from the start.
“The biggest challenge has
been building on a slope,’’
Simmons said. “It has been a
challenge, but it makes a bet
ter golf course. This has been a
very pleasant project.’’
The course covers approxi
mately three-fourths of an acre
and winds among trees down
the hill behind the ranger sta
tion. Included in the course
are a walking path that winds
through each hole, bridges, and
a pond with a pump that circu
lates water through the course.
Continued on Page 3B
EJCHS Hits Field For Practice
Eagles Step Up
East Jackson players hit the field in preparation for their season
opener on Aug. 29 at West Hall. This season will be the Eagle’s first
in region play. Photo by Brandon Reed
Auto Racing
Commerce’s Ty Lowe, pictured left, celebrates in victory
lane after picking up the Crate Late Model division win Friday
night at Lavonia Speedway. Photo by Joe Kline
Commerce's Lowe
Grabs Weekend Win
By Brandon Reed
Several area racers found their way into victory lane at area race
tracks over the weekend.
Commerce racer Ty Lowe added some hardware to his tro
phy shelf by winning the Crate Late Model division at Lavonia
Speedway Friday night. It was his second win on area dirt tracks
in as many weeks.
Paul Kelley of Pendergrass and Braselton’s Shane Sawyer put on a
late-race duel at Lanier National Speedway Saturday, swapping the
lead three times in the last five laps before Kelley took the lead for
good. Sawyer made a late charge, but Kelley was able to just stay
ahead at the finish line for the win in the 100-lap Pro Late model
event.
Sawyer also competed in Lanier’s Super Late Model event that
night, finishing third while Jefferson’s Joey Senter finished fourth.
Jason Hogan of Cleveland won.
Maysville’s Joey Love picked up win number 13 on the season in
the Open Wheel Modified division at Lanier.
Bobby Hill of Jefferson grabbed the win in the Hobby stock
division at Toccoa Speedway Saturday night. Jefferson’s Nicholas
Baxter finished seventh in the Stock 4 Cylinder class that same
night.
Lilburn’s Ken Butler III took home seventh-place honors over
the weekend in the Pennsylvania ARC A 200 at Pocono, PA, on
Saturday. John Wes Townley of Watkinsville finished ninth, and
Suwanee driver Michael Phelps finished 14th. Justin Allgaier was
the winner.
Lawrenceville’s David Odell took home a strong second-place fin
ish in Saturday’s ASA Late Model Renegade 125 at Orange County
Speedway in Rougemont, NC. Odell is contending for Rookie of the
Year honors on the tour this year. Jimmy Lang picked up the win.
Dacula’s Andy Lally, along with co-driver Tim George Jr. finished
sixth in class and 23rd overall in the Grand Am sports car event at
the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec on Saturday.
Several NASCAR Sprint Cup teams tested at Road Atlanta in
Braselton to get ready for this weekend’s Cup event at Watkins
Glen, NY. As many as 12 teams were reported to have tested on the
legendary road course, including the teams of Kurt Busch, Bobby
Labonte, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose and Boris Said, as well as
members of Hendrick Motorsports.