Newspaper Page Text
February 20, 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
A dedication
for his school
and his job
I ’ve always believed work
can only be so much fun.
Why is that? Well, if it
weren’t that way then it wouldn’t
be called work.
In my case, I enjoy what I do.
I’ve wanted to be a newspaper
reporter since my college days. I
wasn’t one to change majors five
times. I didn’t hesitate once I told
my advisor that journalism was
the path I wanted to take.
I now work for a company
that is a dream for someone who
enjoys community publications.
MainStreet Newspapers, which
publishes The Banks County News,
prints four other weekly papers as
well. What could be better right?
Well, as I said it’s still a job and
while it may seem like a castle
from the outside, there are many
times when the days seem way
too long and the hours of rest not
enough. That’s just the way it is
for me and for most people at their
respective jobs.
One person I know, however, I
can honestly say has never shown
signs of being the least bit tired
of his job or the duties associated
with it. In fact, he has to be the
only person I know who’s this
way. Banks County High School’s
Kandy Parks seems to have more
energy for his job than anyone I’ve
known. I admire him for it and
admit to being a little envious.
Anyone associated in any way
with BCHS knows about Kandy.
In addition to his work duties at
the school during the day, Kandy
is the basketball manager for the
varsity Leopards. He brings a
new level of enthusiasm to the
job which I doubt anyone could
match.
No matter how early I get to a
basketball game, Kandy is already
there. In fact, I don’t think he
would even think about leav
ing the campus on game day. As
game time approaches Kandy is as
excited as any of the players. He
takes his job seriously and makes
sure all of his pregame tasks are
performed to perfection.
As game time approaches for the
varsity boys, Kandy is ready for
action. He sits on the last seat of
the BCHS bench so he can have
quick access to the water cooler in
order to keep the players provided
with plenty of it. He can be seen
passing around towels to play
ers when they exit the game for a
breather. Yes, Kandy is as valuable
to the team as anyone. It wouldn’t
be a BCHS basketball game with
out him there.
Those who have been around
Kandy also know he is not shy
when it comes to talking. He will
fill you in on anything and every
thing. I smile to myself because
he is probably the only person I’ve
known who even comes close to
talking as much as my maternal
grandfather used to. I could only
imagine the conversations those
two could have had.
Recently, Kandy was recognized
for being with the basketball pro
gram for 20 years. That’s quite
a track record for anyone and is
something Kandy is definitely
proud of.
Here’s hoping Kandy will be
with the BCHS program for the
next 20 years. His dedication is
something everyone who knows
him admires.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of
The Banks County News. Contact
him at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail
at chris@mainstreetnews.com.
High School Wrestling
Mat Leopards to send four to state tournament
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Battling in arguably the toughest area in the
state, four Banks County High School wres
tlers emerged from the 3-AA tournament last
weekend to qualify for the traditional state
competition.
An Pham (130), Demetric Dempson (152),
Jared Gregory (160) and Tremaine Mayfield
(heavyweight) will represent the BCHS wres
tling program this weekend at the Class AA
state individual tournament at the Gwinnett
Arena.
Coach Kasey Hanley’s team was once again
competing at less than full strength at area.
“It’s been like that a lot this year,” the coach
said. “We had hoped to send eight wrestlers to
state but it didn’t work out that way.”
Stephen Giles (119) and Jeremy Greenway
(140) both finished fifth in their respective
weight classes just missing a spot at state. The
top four wrestlers
from each weight
class at area move
on to state so Giles
and Greenway will
be alternates.
“We came out and
wrestled flat Friday
night,” Hanley said
“We wrestled better
On to state:
•An Pham (130), Dem
etric Dempson (152),
Jared Gregory (160)
and Tremaine Mayfield
(heavyweight)
)f the area competition.
Saturday morning but
we had not scored enough points Friday to
compete for the team standings during area.
We were able to rebound to be in contention
for third place.”
Hanley estimated BCHS could have finished
as high as fifth although since team trophies
were awarded for the top three schools, that
final standing was not clear as of Sunday
night.
See State Wrestling on page 3B
BCHS Basketball: Looking to the Future
SOARING FRESHMAN
Banks County High School's Erika Evans made an immediate impact for the Lady
Leopards this season as a freshman. Evans will be one of several returning players for
coach Jerry King next season. Photos by Lyn Sengupta
Lady Leopards
turn thoughts
to the future
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
erry King admits his Banks County High
School Lady Leopards were playing their
best basketball toward the end of the
2007-08 season.
With that in mind, the first-year coach said he
would have liked for his team to have been able
to have played a little longer to continue improv
ing on what it had been building. Despite a loss
in the first round of the Region 8-AA tourna
ment last week, King said he believes there is a
foundation the returning players can build on for
next season and beyond.
Year in Review
“We progressed a good bit this season, King
said Sunday while reflecting on the season. “In
the last six games the girls started to finally see
our system work. Our transition game developed
and we got to where we could change defenses
and switch presses. The girls saw we could have
some success.”
The Lady Leopards were battling subregion
foes close late in the season and finally broke
through with a win against Dawson County in
the regular season finale. A close opening round
region tournament game against Rabun County
followed before BCHS dropped a close contest.
“I thought we were playing better by the end
of the year,” King said. “I wish we had been able
to get a region tournament win.”
With the season now over, King will have the
chance to oversee a compete offseason program
with his players. Last summer King used the
system that was already in place.
“Last offseason we were really just trying to
get to know each other,” the coach said. “Now,
we will know how to break down our weak
nesses. I will also take each player and build on
their strengths. We will play against some good
competition this summer.”
One vital key to the future of the program,
King said, is for the players to get stronger.
Three players have suffered ACL injuries and
King said a strong weight program will have cut
down on those risks.
“There’s always a chance of injury, but I
believe if the girls are stronger they will be less
likely to suffer injuries of those kind,” he said.
In addition to a stricter weight program, King
said his players will attend two team camps this
summer as well as some jamborees. The return
ing players will also be involved in team build
ing activities and work through June.
When the new season arrives next winter,
BCHS will compete in a revamped subegion.
The Lady Leopards will compete in the south
part of the regon along with East Jackson,
Jefferson, North Oconee and Washington Wilkes.
King said BCHS will play everyone in the subre
gion twice and have crossover games with every
one once. Rabun County and Union County will
play BCHS in two crossover contests.
King will have to replace seniors Andrea
Hunter, Allison White and Randi Seabolt but a
solid nucleus does return. Hunter was recently
named to the all subregion team and scored 24
points in the final game of the season.
Freshman Erika Evans was running the point
by the end of the season which allowed King to
move Lauren Kennedy down low. In the region
tournament game, Kennedy, who was an honor
able mention all subregion player, scored 20
points against Rabun County.
Lacey Saxon, another honorable mention all
subregion player, also returns.
King has also already begun working with the
younger players at Banks County Middle School
as several eighth graders competed for the fresh
man and junior varsity teams this season on
occasion.
“I feel confidence with what we have coming
back,” the coach said. “We took the first steps
this year and want to continue the process.”
Experience to
be ally for
Leopards
next season
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Overall youth and inexperience
proved to be two factors that worked
against the Banks County High
School varsity Leopards for most of
the 2007-08 season.
For veteran coach Mike Ruth,
a season of experience this win
ter should pay dividends down the
road.
“We had just three seniors this
year,” the long-time BCHS coach
said. “We had a couple of juniors but
many nights we were playing four
and five sophomores on the floor at
one time. Our point guard was also a
sophomore and when that is the case
you are going to experience some
growing pains.”
Despite taking their lumps this
season, Ruth is excited about the
nucleus which returns next sea
son. The coach said the players are
already eager to begin offseason
work and are looking forward to
summer camps.
“The coaching staff as a whole
feels pretty good about what we
have coming back,” Ruth said this
week. “We will be playing on the
south side of the region which will
probably be the tougher side.”
See BCHS boys on page 3B
DUSTIN WORLEY
High School Baseball
Diamond Leopards set for new campaign at on-
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Excitement abounds for the 2008 baseball
season at Banks County High School.
The Diamond Leopards are looking to build
on the momentum made from qualifying for
the postseason last spring and the team will
begin play at the new BCHS baseball com
plex, which is located on campus.
A slew of returning starters should also
help make things fun to watch for fans of the
Leopards this season.
“We’re really excited about the upcoming
season,” said coach Joe Lord. “All the players
and coaches have been working really hard
and we look to build on what we were able to
accomplish last year. We’ve increase our win
total for three years in a row and we look to
continue that streak.”
Everything gets started this Friday as BCHS
will host a preseason srimmage against
Flowery Branch at 5:30 p.m. A field dedica
tion ceremony will be held at 4:30 p.m.
“Needless to say, we are thrilled to be at our
new facility,” Lord said. “It’s one of the nicest
in the state and we are really proud of it.”
The work in building the Diamond Leopard
program actually dates back numerous sea
sons. Lord said he believes several years
•Friday, Field
dedication, 4:30
p.m.; preseason
scrimmage vs.
Flowery Branch,
5:30 p.m.
of hard work, offseason
workouts and summer
play should pay divi
dends now as the team
begins using its new
complex.
“We still have our work
cut out for us, but I don’t
think we are flying under
the radar anymore,” the coach said. “We do
have a lot to prove. I feel like we turned a
corner last year and we want to keep moving
forward. We have players who love baseball
and are willing to put in the time and effort it
campus facility
takes to get better.”
The subregion schedule will provide some
what of a new setup this spring. BCHS is set
to play each subregion opponent three times in
2008 for a total of 15 games.
“I like this setup,” Lord said. “I think when
the dust clears, your best teams will be the
ones sitting on top. We’re on a Monday,
Wednesday, Friday/Tuesday, Thursday region
schedule. I think that benefits us. We should
have a good bit of pitching depth and that
should work in our favor.”
See Diamond Leopards on page 2B