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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2008 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3B BCMS ... continued from page 1B BCHS was scheduled to travel to Fannin County Tuesday night — easily the longest road trip of the season — and will close out the reg ular season Friday against Dawson County at home at 6 p.m. Friday will be senior night at BCHS. King said his team is playing well overall in recent subregion outings. “We are playing better defense and are scoring transition points,” he said. “Our intensity level is also up. The girls are playing well. We just can’t seem to get over the hump. If we keep playing like we have been, hopefully something good will hap pen when we get in the region tour nament.” The Region 8-AA tournament is scheduled to begin Monday although it was not known at mid-week where BCHS would play or against whom. Final seedings and pairings will not be official until after this weekend’s games. “Everything is still up in the air right now,” King said Sunday night. “The fourth quarter is where things seemed to fall apart,” Shedd said. “I wish I would have had someone playing a tighter man defense against their shooter but we didn’t and it hurt us.” Kennedy, a sixth grader for the Lady Leopards, connected on a three-pointer with two seconds left to send the game into overtime. “The girls fought hard but we just fell short,” Shedd said. “I asked them to give 110 percent and leave it all on the floor and that is exactly what they did.” The Lady Leopards finished the season 11-3 overall and have post ed a 25-6 record during the past two seasons. “They worked hard at camp this summer and have been dedicated to basketball since October,” Shedd said. “Basketball is a long season and I respect the fact that these girls have enough discipline to dedicate themselves to the sport for four months out of the year. I will really miss our eighth grade class. They are extremely talented and my loss is the high school’s gain.” Shedd said he expects big things from his players at the high school level and hopes to see a region championship in the future. As far as his BCMS program goes, the coach said he will return a strong nucleus for next season. “I hope to see some other girls that did not play this year and some rising fifth graders step up to perform in the place of some of our players who are leaving us,” the coach said. “I believe we have worked hard to create a win ning basketball program here at the middle school and I look to see that continue in the future.” • •• The Banks County Middle School boys battled an old nemesis in their championship game Saturday after noon. Coach John Bertrang’s squad faced Lakview for the third time this season and despite a strong second half rally fell 58-52. The Leopards finished the season 9-4 overall with three of the losses coming to Lakeview. Jacob Blalock finished the championship game with 24 points for BCMS, includ ing 13 in the fourth quarter. “The difference was success at the free throw line,” Bertrang said. “They made their free throws and we didn’t.” Lakeview led 20-12 after the first quarter and 35-22 at halftime. Some strong halftime adjustments by Bertrang, however, allowed BCMS to outscore Lakeview 30-23 in the third and fourth quarters. “We were down by 17 at one point,” the coach said. “We came back and gave them a run for their money.” While disappointed in not win ning the tournament final, Bertrang said it did not take away from what his team accomplished during the 2007-08 campaign. “We lost four players during the season to injury,” he said. “The boys came together and contin ued to work hard and still got the championship game. Many times it’s almost impossible to overcome that many injuries at the middle school level.” Blake Griffin added eight points in Saturday’s title game while Jameson Flynn finished with seven. Bertrang noted that he will have four returning players next season as compared to just two this year who had any true playing experi ence. “Many of our players will move on to the high school level,” the coach said. “As middle school coach I view it as my job to get them ready to play for Coach (Mike) Ruth at the high school. That is very important.” STANDOUT PLAYER Banks County High School's Lauren Kennedy, competing in a game earlier this season, suffered an ankle injury against East Jackson High School Friday night. Photo by Randy Crump/Rudeseal Photo BCHS Girls Basketball... continued from page 1B BCHS Wrestling... continued from page 1B The Clarke Central Duals was divided into two pools. BCHS was placed on what Hanley termed the “tougher side of the bracket.” The Mat Leopards were in the same pool as Commerce, Madison County and Oconee County. BCHS was also competing with the services of some key wrestlers who were either injured or out because of illness. “Some battled even though they had been sick all week,” Hanley said. “I was impressed with the heart we showed even trying to compete.” In the opening match, BCHS fell to Oconee County 40-36. Dempson, Hwell, Travis Betts (heavyweight), An Pham and Greenway each earned pins while Jordan Waters (103) won by forfeit. The Mat Leopards then easily defeated Chatooga, who had to forfeit several weight classes. BCHS then ran into old nemesis Commerce High School in its next match dropping a 43-33 decision. Hanley said overall his squad “just didn’t wrestle well” in the match. Betts, An Pham and Greenway earned pins while Evan Gossett recorded a win. Gregory and Dempson won by forfeit. After falling behind 33-0 to Madison County, the Mat Leopards stormed back for a 42-39 win in what was probably their most impressive showing of the day. Hanley said An Pham, who earned another pin at 130, continued to be impressive with his performance. “I can’t say enough about what he has meant to this team,” Hanley said. “He is the hardest worker we have. He really leads by example.” Holloway, Greenway, Newell and Hewell also earned pins. The pin by Hewell gave BCHS the points needed to earn the team victory. One frustrating part of the tournament was how the brackets fell, Hanley said. Clarke Central, a team BCHS defeated recently, ended up finishing second overall but competed on the other side of the tournament pool. $5 00 OFF Ticket Of t 2O J0 Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only. La Hacienda Commerce La Hacienda Jefferson 173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. 605 Athens Street 706-335-7458 706-367-5095 The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant. PUBLIC HEARING City Of Maysville The City of Maysville will have a public hearing on Thursday, February 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m. and March 3, 2008 6:30 p.m. at the Maysville Public Library to welcome public comment on the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Maysville. For additional information call city hall at 706-652-2274. Your patronage helps provide for those in need. ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Banks County The Banks County Board of Education is seeking bids for lawn maintenance for April through November 2008. Packages with bidding information can be obtained from the Banks County Board of Education beginning February 4, 2008. Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope and marked: Request for Grass Maintenance Proposal. Proposals must be delivered to the Banks County Board of Education Central Office on or before 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2008. NOW OPEN Ama Kishi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. ^ Monday - Saturday y 706-423-0040 228 Steven B. Tanger Blvd. • Commerce, GA 30529 Across From Home Depot White 14K Gold 99 Only With Mirrored Cherry'wood Box KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL GET A HAIRCUT Commerce's Only Barber Shop Family Haircare Bill Wood, Owner Walk-Ins Welcome Wood Barber Shop 581 Ila Road, Lot #1, Commerce (706) 335-5392 • Mon.-Fri. 8-6 Ila Road BLUE GRASS MUSIC At Watson Mill Fish House February 16 (Saturday) Featuring: Waitin On Parts & “CHITTLIN TIME” ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Thursday, February 21,2008 Watson Mill Fish House • 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. This is our final chittiin’ supper of the season. Located off Hwy. 22 between Comer & Lexington on Watson Mill Rd. 706-783-5986 Owned and operated by Susan Saxon Singleton and Greg Singleton NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE LOCAL LEGISLATION Notice is given that there will be introduced at the regular 2008 session of the General Assembly of Georgia a bill to provide for an advisory referendum election to be held in Banks County for the purpose of ascertaining whether the form of government in Banks County should be changed from a three member commission to a five member commission and, if so, how such commission should be elected; to provide for procedures, requirements, and other matters relative thereto; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. This 3rd day of January, 2008 Senator Nancy Schaefer 50th District