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About The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2016)
MAY 18, 2016 The Commerce News The Banks County News Phone: 706-621-7204 Fax: 706-367-8056 cameron@mainstreetnews.com Section B CHS Boys’ Golf Tigers slip to eighth at state meet BY CAMERON WHITLOCK The Commerce High School boys’ golf team closed its 2016 season on Monday with an eighth-place finish in the Class A (public) state tournament in Augusta. The Tigers were a favorite to win the title heading into state after romping its competition at the sectional tour nament, but things didn’t play out the way Commerce would have hoped at Goshen Plantation Golf Club. “It was a disappointing day all around,” said head coach Matthew Lund. “Some of our kids were strug gling with back issues and none of them played as well as they did in their practice rounds. Really, none of the teams had a good day. That course was really tough.” In fact, the results from the state sectionals were flipped upside down, as the top three teams heading into the finals — Commerce, Hawkinsville and Charlton County — all finished in the bottom eight on Monday. Trion won the Class A (public) title with a 341. Schley County (365) was second, while Lincoln County (368) was third. Commerce combined for 386 strokes. Sage Culpepper led the Tigers with an 89. Wade McMahan shot a 94, while Josh Campbell posted a 99. Wes ley Counts carded a 104. Jeremy Davis shot a 106, while Andrew Lathem posted a 129 (scores were not added to final totals). While the state meet was a rough outing for his Tigers, Lund was quick to praise the team for its resilience and stamina throughout a long 2016 season. “I’m not disappointed in the boys at all this season,” said Lund. “They grind ed and worked hard through a really long season. I think they traveled more than any team we’ve had. I love all the guys and we are really going to miss our four seniors.” While the Tigers will be without some of their top golfers, Lund expects the rebuilding process to be in full effect this off-season as the Tigers lay the foundation for 2017. Swinging out Wade McMahan is one of four Commerce senior golfers that will graduate in 2016. Photo by Cameron Whitlock CHS Boys’ Track and Field On point Commerce’s Jay Acker crosses the finish line in first place in the Class A (public) boys’ 1600-meter race last Thursday. Photo by Cameron Whitlock A Fine Finish BCHS Girls’ Golf Lady Leopards finish in top 15 at AAA state tournament In the hole Senior golfer Morgan Rylee capped her varsity career with a fourth AAA state tournament appear ance on Monday. The Banks County High School girls’ golf team closed its 2016 season on Monday at the AAA state finals at Pointe South Golf Club in Augusta. The Lady Leopards closed out the season with a 13th-place finish in the state finals after posting their best combined score of the year, a 299. Senior Morgan Rylee led the Leopards with a 93, while Emily Coker carded a 98. Andrea Harris shot a 108, while Josie Burchett posted a 123 (score did not count towards total). “I was very pleased with our girls’ efforts this year,” said coach Josh Shoemaker. “This group of seniors had a great mn of four consecutive years in AAA of finishing in the top 15 in the state.” Calhoun took the AAA state title in an overtime playoff with Blessed Trinity. Both teams shot 257. Oconee County was third with a 264. BCHS Boys’ Track and Field Commerce boys take Class A public title; Acker, Vaquera, Burke win gold medals Four Leopards earn top-8 finishes at Georgia Olympics BY CAMERON WHITLOCK Commerce added another trophy to add to its ever-grow ing display case last weekend as the boys’ track and field team ran away with the Class A (public) state title. After three days of compe tition at the Georgia Olympics in Jefferson, the Tigers proved their dominance. Commerce racked up 99 team points, leav ing second-place Turner Coun ty (62 points) in the dust. Three individual Tigers earned a combined four gold medals, while senior Jay Acker took the Class A (public) indi vidual high-point title. “This is the kids’ champion ship,” said coach Chas Hardy. “They won it. They came out (Saturday) and Thursday and they had it in their mind that they were going to win this and they did. They did everything that they could. They did it perfect, and they’re reaping the rewards now.” Commerce got a jump on its opponents from the get-go, as three individual Tigers earned state championships in their respective events on Thursday. Commerce’s first title came in the shot put, when Adrian Vaquera threw a personal best 46-06.50. Vaquera hit the mark on his third throw, right after returning to competition from an hour-long lightning delay. “I didn’t expect to get more than 45-00 (Thursday), but I hit my PR and I’m very thankful that my coaches and I worked the whole season to get it.” Vaquera also scored points for Commerce in the discus event with a fourth-place throw of 122-00. Fernando Calderon and Tretez Barksdale added to the Tiger point total early on. Calderon placed fifth in the discus (120-03) and sixth in the shot put (41-05). Barksdale was eighth in the high jump with a best leap of 5-08. After multiple weather delays on Thursday, GHSA offi cials opted to go ahead and hold the 1600-meter race while the rest of the field events were still finishing up. That proved disheartening news for Com merce’s Acker, as he was warming up for the pole vault event when the mile races Continued on Page 2B .'V ^®.tl ml 1 w.Wm W \ J J \ V t] IB- jn mXXt 'mAjbw ‘ ! mm K1 " - -4 i Fanatics Commerce fans were out in full force Saturday as students cheered on their fellow Tigers competing in the Georgia Olympics. Photo by Ben Munro Raising the bar Kayne Berryhill highlighted the Leopards’ performace at the Georgia Olympics last week with a third-place finish in the AAA pole vault. Berryhill cleared the bar at 13-06. Photo by Cameron Whitlock Several Banks County High School athletes capped their 2016 season with strong per formances at the Georgia Olympics last week in Jeffer son. Five Banks County boys earned top-eight finishes and found their way onto the podi um at the Class AAA track and field state meet. Kayne Berryhill’s third- place finish in the pole vault highlighted the Leopards’ performances last Thursday. Berryhill leaped over the bar at the 13-06 mark to earn the bronze medal. Bryce Bennett finished eighth in the pole vault with a jump of 11-06. On Saturday, Demetrius Walker placed fifth in the 110- meter hurdles (15.82), while senior Andrew Elliott finished seventh in the 800-meter race (2:00.94). Banks County finished 15th in Class AAA with 13 points. Cedar Grove (74) was first, Blessed Trinity (39) was sec ond and Central Carrollton (35) was third. Other results: Logan Hubbard, 13th- 400-meter run (51.66); Elliott, ninth, 1600-meters (4:34.66); Samual Davidson, ninth, 3200-meters (10:12.91); Hunt er Cochran, 11th, 3200-meters (10:32.04); Bennet, 16th, long jump (19-08.25); Zack Patrick, 15th, discus (101-01).
