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PAGE14A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008 Sports The Banks County News Sports Editor: Chris Bridges Contact: 706-367-2745 www.mainstreetnews.com First & Ten ★ ★ ★ chris@mainstreetnews.com BY CHRIS BRIDGES Armstrong changing mindset, tone of BCHS athletics W hen rumors began circulating of Blair Armstrong coming to Banks County High School, many people, myself included, didn’t know how much stock to put into it. Afterall, this was the head coach of the state championship school, competing at the highest level in the state. No way would he give that title up to make the move to Banks County High School. Shows how much some of us knew. Of course, as it turned out, Armstrong did make the bold move to Homer and took the reigns of the Leopard athletic program. He even began work at BCHS last spring and quickly began putting his stamp on the program. He became involved in the school system as a whole and the entire community as the well as the high school’s athletic pro gram. It has not been a year since his hiring, but that decision — both Armstrong’s willingness to come here and school system officials work to get it done — has already paid off in so many ways. First, there has been a com plete change in the mindset of the overall athletic program at BCHS, if not the overall makeup of the school. Armstrong’s posi tive approach to his job has been a breath of fresh air and has caused many people around the region, and even the state, to take notice of BCHS athletics. If you look closely, you may notice from time to time Armstrong being quoted in our state’s largest newspaper on a variety of topics involving high school athletics. Armstrong is so respected in his field that sports writers look to him for him opin ion on matters ranging from state championship tie-breaker methods to reclassification decisions to games being played in the Georgia Dome. Armstrong believes in the positive impact of the press on his players and program. Leopard players could be seen listed on area statistical leaders throughout the football season. Detailed stats were provided to anyone who wanted them and getting in con tact with the head coach/athletic director was never a problem for anyone as he always has his trusty cell phone clipped to his belt. The gridiron Leopards were inches away from breaking their state playoff drought this past fall. A play here or a play there and BCHS would have been in the postseason in November. Additional regular season wins were also within grasp as victo ries against Commerce and North Oconee were just out of reach. The hiring of Blair Armstrong to lead the BCHS football pro gram, as well as to direct the school’s overall athletic makeup, was something that was similar to a miner discovering that elusive pan of gold. Great things are in store for BCHS in all sports. That was ensured when Armstrong was hired away from Peachtree Ridge last winter. If ever there was a case if “their loss was our gain” this was it. These are exciting times for BCHS athletics. Sit back and enjoy the ride. Things are about to get even more interesting. Chris Bridges is sports editor of The Banks County News. Contact him at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail at chris@mainstreetnews.com. Region 8-AA Reclassification Deadline for Buford High School appeal looms Jan. 4 BY CHRIS BRIDGES If Buford High School is going to become a member of Region 8-AA for the next two years it will have only one more chance to do so. The deadline for Buford High School to make its final appeal to be moved into the region by the Georgia High School Association is Friday. Buford High School can pay a $2,000 fee to have a final appeal heard by the entire GHSA appeals committee in Thomaston. Buford High School’s initial appeal was voted down 11-1 by members of the reclassification com mittee. Only Commerce High School principal Donnie Drew, a member of the reclassification committee, voted to allow Buford High School into 8-AA. Buford High School officials have claimed the Gwinnett County based school should be moved to Region 8-AA from Region 6-AA because it faces too much travel time currently. School officials say travel into the downtown Atlanta area requires student-athletes to miss too much class time. Buford officials contend placement in Region 8-AA, where several North Georgia mountain schools are members, would mean less travel time. A source has told The Banks County News the appeal by Buford is more about allowing the school to be more competitive in other sports besides football. While Buford is a state power on the gridiron, it has not been as dominant in other sports competing against private schools in Region 6-AA. All current members of Region 8-AA are opposed to Buford moving into 8-AA. Football schedules have already been tentatively set by 8-AA members and the additional of Buford or anyone else (Greene County High School also initially appealed to stay in 8-AA) would cause all football schedules to be tossed and completely reworked, which would be difficult at this late date. BCHS is scheduled to open the 2008 season against Washington-Wilkes. Banks County 2007: Sports Story of the Year COACHING SHOCKWAVES The hiring of Blair Armstrong as athletic director and head football coach at Banks County High School stunned the high school sports community in the area last winter. Armstrong, shown coaching the Leopards during the 2007 season, said he had previously been interested in working at BCHS but the timing was not right until this past offseason. Photos by Randy Crump/Rudeseal Photography State championship coach brings new level of excitment to BCHS BY CHRIS BRIDGES anks County School System officials have made it clear in recent months they are willing to do what it takes to make the athletic program a success. A new athletic complex at Banks County High School will feature new baseball and softball fields and a new tennis complex. Improvements have been made to the BCHS football stadium as new bleachers, restrooms and concession stand have been added to the visitor’s side. Improvements have also been made to the football practice field. Long-term plans also include improvements to the high school’s track. Local school officials also made a big move in 2007 by hiring a state cham pionship coach to help oversee the high school’s athletic program. Blair Armstrong was hired from Year in Review Peachtree Ridge High School, fresh off a Class AAAAA state football championship. Armstrong is also the athletic director for BCHS, but has already made an impact throughout the school system and in the community down to the recreation level. Armstrong’s hiring is the 2007 Banks County sports story of the year. The new football coach went to work assembling his coaching staff bringing assistants Carl Cole and Chuck Hudson with him from Peachtree Ridge. Armstrong kept some members of the previous staff and hired some new coaches as well. See Review on page 15A High School Basketball Lady Leopards hold on to defeat rival Commerce BY CHRIS BRIDGES The signs of improvement continue for the Banks County High School Lady Leopard basketball team. Coach Jerry King’s squad defeated rival Commerce 51-47 for third place in the annual holiday tournament hosted by Commerce High School last week end. The win saw the Lady Leopards bounce back from an opening-round loss to Social Circle the previous day. “It was good to bounce back,” King said. “It really came down to free throws. We have improved in that area. We went to the line a lot in the fourth quarter.” BCHS was 8-of-12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter but was 6-of-6 in the game’s final two minutes. That per formance proved to be the difference in the victory. Lacey Saxon and Andrea Hunter pro vided the one-two scoring punch for the Lady Leopards against Commerce. Saxon finished with a team-high 13 points while Hunter, who has played well all season, finished with 11. Ericka Evans added eight points. See BCHS girls on page 15A TOURNAMENT VICTORY Jessica Grisham and the Banks County High School Lady Leopards defeated Commerce for third place Saturday at the annual holiday tournament hosted by the Lady Tigers. BCHS is now off until Jan. 11 when it travels to Rabun County. Photo by Randy Crump/ Rudeseal Photography