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OCTOBER 5, 2016 The Commerce News The Banks County News Phone: 706-621-7204 Fax: 706-367-8056 charles@mainstreetnews.com Section B Chattin' with coach East Jackson shortstop Faith Grooms talks with East Jackson head coach Donnie Byrom at a recent game against Jackson County. Photo by Ben Munro EJCHS softball player Faith Grooms commits to Brenau BY CHARLES PHELPS East Jackson senior softball player Faith Grooms fell in love with softball when she was 3 years old. Fourteen years later, at age 17, her love for the game hasn’t dwindled. Instead, she loves the game “more than ever,” and it continues to grow deeper. “The feeling I get when I’m between the lines is indescribable,” Grooms explained. “There’s no greater feeling than being a lead er for your team. Softball is just a passion of mine. I’ve always loved it.” The shortstop’s passion for the sport is a big part of her life and it’s going to con tinue to get bigger over the next four years. Grooms has committed to play college soft- ball at Brenau University in Gainesville. Playing at the next level, though, was never a given for Grooms and that’s some thing she knew. “I knew that it was something that I was constantly going to have to work for,” she said about getting a scholarship. “I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. “But I never doubted myself, because I knew that I would always give all that I had to make playing at the next level possible.” She chose Brenau due to the coach, the players who made her feel welcomed on her visits and the education program. This season for the Lady Eagles, Grooms has a .454 batting average with an on-base percentage of .495 and is slugging .680. She has 44 hits, most of any player on the team, which includes 29 singles, 10 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 25 RBIs. She has also scored 35 runs, most of any player on the team. On the base path, she’s just as lethal. She is a version of Rickey Henderson, the MLB’s all-time leader in steals. This season, Grooms has racked up 33 stolen bases. To get those numbers, Grooms’ focus is at a high level, finding herself in the proverbial “zone.” “I always block the crowd out,” she describes. “When I get on the field, I only care about my teammates, who are like my sisters, and what my coaches say. “Nothing else matters. It’s not hard to get in the zone for me, because once the first inning starts, playing as hard as I can with my team is the only thing I care about.” The stats also show she’s a consistent player, she said, but they aren’t the most important thing to being successful for the team. And won’t be the lasting impact she leaves behind at East Jackson. “My team leadership is also an important aspect, because if you start something or are the first to make things, like I have to do as a lead-off (hitter), things are contagious,” she said. “I also want my younger teammates to realize that time is precious when it comes to high school sports and you should never take a moment for granted. You should always leave the field after every game with no regrets, because you don’t want to look back on what could be your last game and say that you didn’t go as hard as you could have.” She adds she would “sacrifice” anything for her team to win. “It feels awesome knowing that every girl on the team has my back,” she said. “They’ll be there for me through anything and every- See “Grooms” on 2B Clinch playoff berth Lady Eagles finish 2nd in Region 8-AAA Setting the ball East Jackson’s Desiree Green sets the ball for a team mate during last week’s area matches against Morgan County and Monroe Area. Photo by Charles Phelps BY CHARLES PHELPS The East Jackson Lady Eagles’ volleyball team held a five-point lead in the second set against in-area rival Morgan County last Tuesday. The significance — whoever won the match won Area 8-AAA and clinched the No. 1 seed for the Class AAA state playoffs. Having led the entire set, the Lady Eagles looked to be in prime position to close it out, but Morgan County had other plans. Up 21-16, the Lady Eagles watched as Morgan County scored five unanswered points to tie the set at 21. After four more ties in the set, Morgan County won the set, 28-26, and took the third set, 25-22, to clinch the Area 8-AAA crown. “It was a back-and-forth battle, pretty much the whole time,” head coach Rob Allen said, “a lot of rollercoaster highs and lows. We gave them a lot of points with our serves.” See “Volleyball” on 3B Tigers aim to get back on track Carrying the rock Running back Cole Chancey runs to the left side looking for running room against the Prince Avenue defense. Chancey led the Tiger offense with 124 rushing yards on 33 carries and scored the Tigers’ two touchdowns. Photo by Charles Phelps BY CHARLES PHELPS The Commerce Tigers began Region 8-A play on fire, picking up their first two wins by a combined 91-22 over Hebron Chris tian Academy and Lakev- iew Academy. Two weeks ago, a touch down with two minutes left in the game by Athens Christian gave the Tigers their first loss of the year, 21-14. Last week’s game against Prince Avenue Christian looked like a game des tined for overtime but a touchdown with 10 sec onds left sent the Tigers to their second-straight loss in region. This week, the Tigers (3-2, 2-2 Region 8-A) look to get back on track against region foe Providence Christian Academy (1-3, 0-3). “They are a better team than they were last year,” head coach Michael Brown said. “They are bigger and more experienced this year.” The Tigers own the series record, 2-0. The Tigers put up 45 points in last year’s shutout perfor mance. In 2014, they put up 49 points. Brown isn’t resting on the past two seasons ahead of this Friday night’s match up. “I expect those guys to come up here and play us hard,” he said. “A win isn’t a given. We’re going to have to earn it.” The Storm will visit Commerce led by Mitchell Miller (quarterback), Matt Estell (defensive lineman), David Sloan (wide receiv er), Kendall Adams (run ning back), Daniel Martin (linebacker), Henry Kim (running back). Loss to Wolverines Before last Friday’s show down in Bogart, Brown called the Prince Avenue Wolverines the “dominant” team in Region 8-A. For nearly 48 minutes, Commerce showed the dominant team that it has the wherewithal to go toe- to-toe with one of the best teams in the state. But that’s why games are 48 minutes, as the Wolverines needed a 1-yard touchdown plunge on third-and-goal with 10 seconds left in the game to get past the Tigers, 21-14. “Once again, you have to point the finger at me in calling the offense and in not getting the kids ready and prepared enough for everything they were going to see,” Brown said. Commerce was led by running back Cole Chanc- ey’s 124 rushing yards and two scores on 33 carries. Will Thomas contributed 29 yards on four carries. On the game’s opening drive, the Tigers’ offense marched 69 yards in 10 plays and capped it with Chancey’s first touchdown on a run of seven yards. The extra point was no good and the Tigers led 6-0 with 6:26 left in the opening quarter. The Tiger defense held the potent Wolverines’ (6-0, 5-0 Region 8-A) to a three-and-out on their first possession. But on their second possession, the Wolverine offense came alive, going 97 yards in seven plays, taking the lead See “Tigers” on 2B
