Newspaper Page Text
February 6, 2008
Section
b
The Banks County News
Sports Editor: Chris Bridges
Contact: 706-367-2745
www.mainstreetnews.com
First
&
Ten
★ ★ ★
chris@mainstreetnews.com
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Reflections from
a game that
was indeed super
F or once, this year’s Super
Bowl actually was a super
game.
The memorable battle between
the New England Patriots and the
New York Giants was one you
cared more about (if you are a
football fan) than the commercials.
The game was not decided until
the final minute and that’s all you
can ever ask for in a game that
receives as much hype as this one.
In the end, the Patriots were
denied perfection and the Giants
put on one of the best defensive
displays of football I’ve seen in
some time. It was a great end to a
another great NFL season.
Now, a few random (and scat
tered thoughts) as I recover from
Sunday’s super showdown:
•I admit to pulling for the
Patriots to win the game. I’m a fan
of Bill Belichick’s and I’ve always
enjoyed a sports franchise which
even approaches the dynasty
phase.
However, the only thing would
kept me from really being disap
pointed at the gutwrenching way
the Patriots lost was the fact Tom
Coughlin got the win as head
coach of the Giants. Early this
season, New York fans, and media
for that matter, wanted Coughlin
gone.
“Fire him!” they demanded.
“Get rid of the bum!” they
shouted.
It’s amazing how much
Coughlin seems to learn as the
season went on. I mean, he didn’t
know anything about coaching
after week two of the season when
his team was 0-2. Now, he’s the
Coach of the Year.
If those coaches in the stands in
New York had any guts, they’d be
calling for Coughlin to be fired
today. Of course, they won’t.
They’re too busy singing his prais
ing right now.
Ah, coaches in the stands — you
gotta love them.
•One bad thing about the Patriots
losing is that dinosaur Don Shula
will continue to be trotted out
to talk about his 1972 Miami
Dolphins as the only undefeated
team.
While I respect what that team
did, it gets a little old hearing how
that team was so great. I watched
a replay of Super Bowl VII
Saturday night on NFL Network
between the ‘72 Dolphins and
the Washington Redskins. Quite
frankly, I don’t see how anyone
could make a serious argument
how that Miami team is the great
est of all time.
•I know it’s early, but don’t bet
against the Patriots being back in
the Super Bowl next year. I know
New England will likely lose some
players to free agency, but there
is simply too much talent on this
team to overlook.
Despite winning 18 games
this season (still a remarkable
accomplishment), you could tell
Belichick was about ready to bite
nails after the loss. This will make
the already focused coach even
more focused on getting his fourth
Super Bowl ring as a head coach.
He’s used the “us against the
world” approach to its full poten
tial again and while I don’t think
the Patriots will go undefeated, I
would not rule out a Super Bowl
title in 2009.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of
The Banks County News. Contact
him at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail
at chris@mainstreetnews.com.
Middle School Basketball
BCMS teams finish as tournament runner-ups
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County Middle School basketball
teams finished as runner-ups in the Leopard
Invitational last week, but the second-place
finishes could not put a damper on what were
standout seasons for both teams.
The BCMS Lady Leopards, coached by
Steven Shedd, dropped a heartbreaker in over
time to Towns County 33-27 in the champion
ship game. Ashley Morris, Madison Franklin
and Taylor Kennedy led the BCMS girls with
six points each. Deasha Beasley added four
points with Katlin Parks scoring three and
McKenna Rylee adding two.
“This was a tough loss for us to swallow,”
coach Steven Shedd sad. “We felt like we had
an advantage going into this game since we
beat Towns County the last time we played
them. We also felt since we were playing them
on our home floor it would be an advantage
for us.”
The coach said
looking back, how
ever, he believes
his team may have
been caught up in
the hype of the championship atmosphere and
as a result began the game with a poor start.
“We started out slow and made many men
tal errors both offensively and defensively,”
Shedd said. “We were lucky to be down by
only five points at halftime.”
Trailing 15-10 at the break, the BCMS girls
fought back in the third quarter and went on
a 10-0 run to move in front 20-15 going into
the fourth quarter. Still leading 22-19, the
Lady Leopards saw the lead go back to Towns
County after two 3-pointers.
See BCMS on page 3B
Editorial:
•Impressive role models
found at BCMS
— See page 4A
Leopards play
well at times,
but fall Friday
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
A t times, Banks County High School
varsity basketball coach Mike Ruth
sees displays of sound play from his
Leopards.
At other times, the signs of youth and inexperi
ence shine brighter than the veteran coach would
like.
Such is the case when you are dealing with a
team as young as the BCHS Leopards. The latest
case in point came last Friday when Ruth’s team
made the short venture to East Jackson High
School. At times, the Leopards played beyond
their years, while at others struggled with mis
takes. The end result was an 83-62 loss to the
host Eagles.
“We really played well in the first half,” Ruth
said. “We had some transition baskets and
played good defense.”
As a result, the Leopards trailed just 34-30 and
remained in contention to register a subregion
victory.
In the second half, however, turnovers played
a big role in allowing East Jackson to seize con
trol of the game. During one stretch, BCHS had
five consecutive turnovers which helped push
the East Jackson Eagles to a 27-15 third quarter
advantage.
“It’s been that story all year,” Ruth said.”We
have turnovers in bunches. If we make one, then
we are going to make five or six. We then get
impatient on offense and East Jackson capital
ized on our turnovers.”
The BCHS coach also said it got to the point
where his team could not slow down the Eagles’
top two offensive weapons as East Jackson also
managed to convert some easy scoring attempts.
Chase Armour finished the contest with 17
points to lead the Leopards while Justin Beasley
added 14. Justin Worley finished with eight
while Kane Duncan and Bill Redmon both fn-
ished with six. Ryan Griffin added five points
while Heath Jones and Brett Armour both scored
three points.
Ruth said it is important for BCHS fans to
remember that at times he is playing up to five
sophomores on the court.
“We only have one senior who plays through
out the game,” the coach said. “When you are
young, you often have trouble with fundamen
tals. We are working on things you don’t normal
ly work on this time of the year. When you play
such a young team then you are going to make
mistakes. We are putting in a new press this year
to try and counter the fact we don’t have any
height.”
Also hurting BCHS against East Jackson on
Friday was the fact Kevin Daniel, one of the
team’s numerous sophomores, continued to be
out with an ankle injury.
BCHS Basketball: Subregion Continues
SENIOR LEADER
Dustin Worley, battling against East Jackson Friday, is one of the few upper classmen
for the Banks County High School varsity basketball team this season.
“That hurt our inside game because East
Jackson is a big physical team,” Ruth said.
In the future, playing so many young people on
the varsity level will benefit the team, the coach
said.
“It makes it tough at times now, but in a year
or two when these players are older, we will be
the one with the experienced team on the court,”
Ruth said. “Right now we are just going through
some growing pains. With youth comes mis
takes. That’s something people have to realize
when it comes to our team this season.”
Lady Leopards
continue to
knock on
victory's door
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High School
Lady Leopards have been inching
closer and closer to victory in subre
gion play as of late.
Last Friday they got as close as a
team can without registering a win.
BCHS led in the final seconds
before seeing host East Jackson
make the game-winning free throws
with less than 10 seconds left for
a 49-48 win. It
BCHS hosts
Dawson
County,
senior night,
Friday, 7 p.m.
was the second
heartbreaking
loss in as many
outings for the
Lady Leopards
who also led for
most of the sec
ond half earlier in the week against
Rabun County.
“We played hard,” said first-year
Lady Leopard coach Jerry King. “In
the last two games we have really
played well.”
One didn’t have to look at the state
sheet long after Friday night’s game,
however, to see where the difference
was. BCHS was just 10-of-30 from
the free throw line. In a one-point
loss, that stat simply made King
shake his head in disbelief.
“That’s not going to do it,” the
coach said.
In the contest, the Lady Leopards
benefited from quality play off the
bench from several players includ
ing Erika Evans, Terri Cregar and
Allison White.
“We had a lot of people contrib
ute,” King said. “It was a game we
definitely could have won.”
In addition to the disappointing
loss, another setback for the team
was the injury to standout Lauren
Kennedy, who went down in the sec
ond quarter with an ankle injury.
Kennedy, who was the team’s
leading scorer in several games this
season, was taken to the hospital fol
lowing the injury. King said initially
it was believed his player’s ankle
was broken but it turned out to be a
severe sprain.
The injury is still significant
enough, however, that Kennedy may
be out for the remainder of the sea
son.
See BCHS girls on page 3B
High School Wrestling
Mat Leopards get much-needed break
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High School varsity wres
tling team will be off this weekend and coach
Kasey Hanley said the break will provide his Mat
Leopards with a necessary breather at this point in
the season.
BCHS competed in the Clarke Central Duals last
weekend and will compete at South Forsyth High
School today (Wednesday) along with Starrs Mills.
The wear-and-tear of the wrestling season has
been taking its toll on the Mat Leopards who had
recorded 27 wins going into this week’s action.
“It will benefit us to be off this weekend,” Hanley
said. “Hopefully, we can heal up and get well.”
BCHS finished fifth at last weekend’s competi
tion hosted by Clarke Central. The Mat Leopards
claimed fifth by defeating Hart County 57-21.
Earning pins in the match for Hanley’s squad
were Viet Pham (112), Stephen Giles (119), An
Pham (135), Jeremy Greenway (140), Demetric
Dempson (160) and Jarod Gregory (171).
Bobby Hewell earned a 5-2 win at 189 while
Nathan Holloway (130), Wesley Angel (145) and
Paul Newell (152) each won by forfeit. Greenway’s
pin was recorded during the first two minutes of
his match.
See BCHS Wrestling on page 3B
ON THE NAT
The long and often grueling wrestling season continues for the Banks
County High School Mat Leopards. Photo by Randy Crump