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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016
BCHS Baseball
Leopards go .500 in
last week's games
BY CAMERON
WHITLOCK
The Banks County High
School baseball team
went .500 in back-to-back
non-region games over the
weekend as the Leopards
improved to 3-2 on the sea
son.
On Saturday, Banks
County knocked off Ste
phens County 6-3 on the
road despite being outhit.
The Indians outhit the
Leopards 9-6, but Stephens
County left 10 runners
stranded on base while
Banks County made the
most of its opportunities.
After a quiet first two
innings, Easton Staton put
the Leopards on the board
with a double to right field,
scoring CJ Thomas, who
was walked on the previ
ous at-bat.
Banks County increased
its lead to two in the top
of the fifth when Walker
Rodgers made it home on
a ground out by Judd Rob
erts.
The Indians cut the defi
cit in the bottom of the
inning, but Banks County
responded with another
one-run inning at the top
of the sixth. Grant Rylee
made it around the bases
after being hit by a pitch
and eventually scored after
tagging up on a deep fly
ball.
A poor seventh inning
of pitching by Stephens
helped the Leopards seal
the deal. Joel Lewis was
subbed into the Leopards
lineup with the bases
loaded and subsequently
walked. Cody Parker also
took his free base as the
Leopards increased their
lead to 5-1. Dylan Patrick
scored the Leopards’ final
run of the game on a field
er’s choice to second base.
The Indians were able to
generate some offense for
a comeback attempt, but
were eventually closed out
by Parker out of the bull
pen. Patrick was awarded
the win as he struck out six
and allowed eight hits in
6.1 innings pitched.
Staton led the Leopards
at the plate with two dou
bles and one RBI in three
at-bats. Roberts, Thomas,
Lewis, Parker and Rylee
each recorded an RBI.
On Friday Banks Coun
ty was shut out by Elbert
County. Banks County
managed only four hits in a
9-0 loss to the Blue Devils.
Elbert County doubled
twice in the first inning to
quickly go up 4-0. From
there, the Leopard infield
and pitching staff struggled.
Banks County committed
four errors and gave up six
earned runs.
Roberts led the Leopards
at the plate, going 2-for-2
with two singles.
Banks County hosted
Rabun County on Tuesday,
but details were unavail
able at press time. The
Leopards will travel to
Elbert County on Friday for
a rematch with the Blue
Devils at 5:55 p.m.
BCHS Boys’ Soccer
Precision passing key
in win over Rabun Co.
BY CAMERON
WHITLOCK
The Banks County High
School boys’ soccer team
picked up its second win of
the season on Friday after
knocking off Rabun County
4-2 at home.
Head coach Michael
Boomer said precision
passing was key to the
Leopards victory over the
Wildcats on a cold and wet
Friday night.
“We started the game
with great passing, and a
number of early shots,”
said Boomer. “Our pass
accuracy was around 80
percent to start the game.”
And while that percent
age went down as fatigue
set in at the end of the first
half, the Leopard offense
got right back on track after
halftime.
Jose Enriquez and
Ramiro Cuadra scored
Banks County’s first two
goals in the first half.
Andres Serrano put a third
goal through in the second
half, while Enriquez scored
his second of the night in
the waning minutes of reg
ulation.
Johnny Leyva, Will
Boomer and Serrano were
all credited with assists.
“The defense also held
strong once again with
great effort from Angel
Molina, Gavino Cristabol
Perez, Cole Hansen and
Jonathan Salgado,” added
Boomer.
Boomer said he believes
the team is “really starting
to gel” as the season pro
gresses. And that’s good
news for the Leopards as
their 7-AAA opener with
Lumpkin County is only
two weeks away.
Banks County (2-2) host
ed Oglethorpe County on
Tuesday, but details were
unavailable at press time.
The Leopards will travel
to East Jackson on Friday
for a non-region matchup
with the Eagles.
Stephenson ... Cont. from IB
A family affair
Seventeen of Jimbo Stephenson’s closest relatives were on hand at the
Georgia Sports Hall of Fame inductee ceremony in Macon last weekend.
Ray Lamb. And although
there is no current record,
Stephenson may have had
one of the longest Middle
School coaching careers
in the state, or even the
nation.
Saturday, Stephenson
was honored with Erk
Russell Spirit Award win
ner Morris Lupton and the
2016 Hall of Fame Class that
included: Chipper Jones,
Hines Ward, Michael
Glenn, Phil Schaefer, Patri
cia Roberts, Luther Welsh,
Jimmy Robinson and Glenn
Wilkes.
Stephenson said he was
star-struck sharing a stage
with professional athletes
such as Jones and Ward.
“It really hit me when I
sat down at the table and
looked at the program with
the order of events,” said
Stephenson. “It had ‘Jimbo
Stephenson’ right under all
those big-time sports celeb
rities that were going to be
honored and you’ve got
Miss Georgia standing up to
sing the National Anthem. I
was fortunate to be able to
get up there (on stage) and
be able to say a complete
sentence.”
Stephenson said his
favorite part of receiving
the honor was bringing his
family along for the ride.
Seventeen of Stephenson’s
closest friends and fam
ily attended the event in
Macon and got the chance
to honor Stephenson, along
with the other Hall of Fame
inductees.
“My favorite part was
my family being able to be
with me,” said Stephenson.
“They were very excited.
It was fun watching them
trying to decide what kind
of clothes to wear. And to
have my grandkids there
getting to meet Chipper
Jones and getting auto
graphed balls was a great
experience on top of every
thing else.”
Stephenson is the first
recipient of the J.B. Haw
kins Humanitarian Award.
The Georgia Sports Hall of
Fame created the award in
honor of the late Hawkins, a
legendary Crawford County
coach. Hawkins is known
as one of the greatest high
school basketball coach
es in state history. During
his 32-year career, he won
over 1,000 games coaching
boys’ and girls’ basketball,
and took 19 teams to the
GHSA state tournament.
Hawkins received count
less awards in the realm
of high school athletics,
but was also heralded as
a community leader and
humanitarian. The Georgia
Sports Hall of Fame cre
ated the annual award to
honor Hawkins and other
coaches who play a role in
the development of young
men and women in their
communities.
“The honor in itself
makes it really special,”
added Stephenson. “To be
the very first one makes it
even more special. It’s not
something that ever entered
my mind that could actu
ally happen. Coach Brown
nominated me locally, but
you figure every high school
in the state of Georgia prob
ably nominates somebody.
So, to win this thing is truly
special.”
Hitters ... Cont. from IB
Close call
Commerce catcher Cade Overstreet tags a Rabun County runner
out as he slides towards home plate during the Leopards’ 11-7 win
over the Wildcats last week. Photo by Cameron Whitlock
scored on Wood’s single, while Bur
nett was driven in by another Flint
double. Wood made it home on a wild
pitch to put the Tigers up 5-1.
Commerce scored one run in the
fourth and one in the top of the sev
enth before Lincoln County could add
another run in the bottom of the sev
enth.
Cole Chancey picked up the win for
the Tigers, striking out six batters and
allowing two hits and one run in four
innings. Ray struck out three batters
and allowed no hits in two innings
of relief.
Flint went 2-for-4 with two RBI and
two doubles. Drew Hulsey was 2-for-3
with a single and a double. Ray and
Cade Overstreet each drove in a run.
On Tuesday (Feb. 23), two Com
merce homeruns in back-to-back
innings lifted the Tigers to a 11-7 victo
ry over visiting Rabun County.
The Tigers already led 3-1 before
Flint stepped up to the plate with
two runners on in the bottom of the
second. Flint homered over the cen-
terfield on his first pitch to extend
Commerce’s lead to 6-1.
DJ Davis led the Tigers off in the
bottom of the third with a solo shot
over the left field wall.
The Wildcats cut the deficit to 7-3 in
the top of the fourth, but Commerce
responded with four more runs in the
bottom of the inning. Overstreet drove
in Charlie Ledford on a ground rule
double to left field, while Trey Parr
hit a two-run double to right field to
put the Tigers up 10-3. Parr scored
the Tigers’ final run of the night on a
sacrifice fly by Price.
The Wildcats managed to rally in
the final three innings but were closed
out on the arms of Johnson and
Overstreet. Johnson struck out three
batters and allowed two hits in two
innings pitched. Burnett got the start
and the win, striking out two batters in
three innings.
Flint went 2-for-3 at the plate with
four RBI. Parr went 2-for-3 with three
RBI. Davis was l-for-3 with two RBI
and a homerun. Overstreet and Price
drove in one run each.
Commerce will travel to Jenkins
County on Wednesday (today) and
Claxton on Thursday (5:30 p.m.),
before playing Hilliard and Charlton
County in a tournament on Saturday.
CITY OF NICHOLSON, GEORGIA
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Demolition and related services
The City of Nicholson, Georgia is requesting proposals from qualified contractors
for the demolition of the structures located at 348 Mulberry Street, Nicholson, Geor
gia 30565. The City of Nicholson seeks to immediately contract with a qualified
demolition company upon the tenns and conditions set for in Request for Proposal
FY16-1, a copy of which is available upon request. All contracts are subject to
Federal and State contract provisions prescribed by law. Criteria for evaluation in
cludes (1) price, (2) contractor’s qualifications and experience, (3) anticipated time
needed to complete the project, and (4) contractor’s proximity to the City of Nich
olson. Proposers shall also cite examples of similar work in other communities, and
include references from within those communities. References will be contacted.
Contractors may submit proposals for services to include all documents in
cluded in the RFP on file with the City Clerk. Questions may be directed to
the City Clerk, City of Nicholson, Georgia, 175 Lakeview Drive, Nichol
son, Georgia 30565, (706) 757-3408. For consideration, proposers must sub
mit their proposals no later than 2:00 p.m., March 15, 2016, to the City of
Nicholson. Proposals received after the above date may not be considered.
The City of Nicholson reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals and
to waive informalities in the proposal process. The City of Nicholson is an Equal
Opportunity Employer. Further in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended, the City of Nicholson does not discriminate on the basis of
handicapped status in the administration or operation of its programs.
Athlete of the Week!
sponsored by:
HYMAN BROWN
INSURANCE
AGENCY, INC.
SOUTHERN TRUST
INSURANCE
COMPANY
DJ Davis
Senior
Commerce High School
Davis hit a one-run homer in the
Tigers’ win over Rabun County last
week.
HYMAN BROWN
INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.
11 State Street • Commerce
(706)335-3900
