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PAGE 2B 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
