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August 14,2008 Section B The Banks County News Sports Editor: Chris Bridges Contact: 706-367-2745 www.mainstreetnewssports.com First & Ten ★ ★ ★ chris@mainstreetnews.com BY CHRIS BRIDGES 10-year mark of unbelievable Falcon season T en years. A decade. Where does the time ago? Has it really been that much time since the Atlanta Falcons became the Cinderella story of the NFL? Under head coach Dan Reeves, who was no stranger to the Super Bowl, the Falcons com piled a 14-2 record and suddenly found themselves on the biggest stage of all. Even a decade later, I still find it hard to believe. I say that because as a die-hard fan of this state’s NFL franchise, I had about given up hope that the Birds would even advance to a Super Bowl. The Falcons from time to time would be listed on a graphic as one of those “teams who have never been to a Super Bowl.” Occasionally, one of those franchises would be removed from the list, but not Atlanta. Going into the 1998 season, expectations were not exactly centering on talk of a Super Bowl trip. In fact, there were many who didn’t think making the playoffs were even that likely. However, a strange thing began taking place. Atlanta began winning. The Falcons then continued winning. Even those who were scepti cal suddenly were running out of reasons to doubt when Reeves’ team was 14-2 and held a division title. It seemed nothing was going to be able to stop the team from making it to the Super Bowl. It had overcome injuries, the skep tics, the critics and even health problems to its head coach. The Falcons had a bye in the opening round of the playoffs (making the path to the Super Bowl even clearer) and hosted the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round in the Georgia Dome. Would this be where the luck ran out? Would the dream of a season suddenly be shattered? No, the winning continued and now all of Atlanta and the state was taking notice as the Falcons prepared for a trip to Minnesota against the once-beaten and high- powered Vikings. The football experts all pre dicted Minnesota would win. The Vikings were playing at home and had been practically unstoppable all season. I was a nervous wreck by game time but as play progressed a funny thing happened. Atlanta was hanging in there. From time to time my better half Pam would enter the room and ask, “What's going on now?” “We’re still in,” I would say. Falcon fans all know about Morton Anderson's overtime kick which sent us into spontaneous celebration. “We did it!” I screamed as the kick sailed through the uprights. “Oh goodness,” my better half responded, knowing I would be in full Super Bowl mode for the next two weeks. We haven’t been back since (we did make one NFC title game) but the ever faithful fan in still believes each year at this time. Maybe it’s just something about having not football to watch for several months. Maybe it’s just knowing there's always hope. Maybe it’s just that I have a full case of “Falcon Fever,” as the song by Travis Tritt says. All I know is I’m ready again. Chris Bridges is sports editor of The Banks County News. Contact him at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail at chris @mainstreetnews. com. Fast Pitch Softball BCHS set to begin season at Lanier Point Tournament BY CHRIS BRIDGES For the Banks County High School fast- pitch softball team, the time is now. The time is at hand for a new season. Coach Josh Lord's squad will begin the 2008 cam- pagin Friday and Saturday at the annual Lanier Point Invitational Tournament in Hall County with two games Friday and another contest Saturday. The tournament games will begin what will be a tough fall slate for the Lady Leopards, who are competing in a region with three pre season top 10 teams. “We are indeed in a tough region,” Lord said this week. “I feel like we can play with anybody though. We shouldn’t have much trouble getting mentally prepared to play.” Jefferson, East Jackson and North Oconee are each in the preseason top 10 from 8-AA and Lord said his team should not need any extra motivation when they face those foes. “It is a testament to the talented players and quality coaches in our region,” Lord said. “We are really looking to turn a corner this year and get Banks County into the conversation of teams to really watch out for. There are no guaranteed wins on our schedule. We can not afford to have an off day. We have to bring the intensity and focus each day. That is our main goal — to be ready to play every time out and compete hard. If we do that, we'll have a chance to win.” Some of the keys to success for the Lady Leopards this fall, Lord said, will be quality pitching. “Our pitchers will have to throw strikes so the defense can stay ready,” he said. “During summer work and early this preseason, our infield has been a strength. Our outfield has shown a good bit of improvement as well. We are replacing four outfielders from a year ago. Our defense will have to make the routine plays and think ahead.” Manufacturing runs will also be vital for BCHS. See Softball on page 3B On Deck: • Friday vs. Flowery Branch, 5 p.m. and Provi dence, 8 p.m. • Saturday vs. Pickens, 11 a.m. • Games at Lanier Point Invitational Tournament FULL CONTACT WORK The Banks County High School football team ushered in practice in full gear last Friday afternoon. Players work on drills under the direction of coaches Paul Hock and Tony Bowen. Photos by Chris Bridges Scrimmage time Leopards to host Johnson as regular season draws near QB DRILLS Chris Porter works during Friday afternoon's practice session at BCHS. Porter is one of the quarterback candidates for the Leopards this fall. BY CHRIS BRIDGES F ollowing an emotional week for players, coaches and the entire school as a whole, the Banks County High School football team had to turn up the level of intensity a notch at practice last Friday afternoon. The Leopards began full contact work as the season opener on Aug. 29 continues to inch closer with each passing day. Players and coaches alike were deal ing with the loss of teammate Cody Gowder who died in an accident the previous week end. Teammates Bill Redmon and Kane Duncan were injured the accident and are sidelined at this point. Both Redmon and Duncan watched Friday afternoon’s prac tice session. “The kids have continued to work hard,” BCHS coach Blair Armstrong said. “It has been emotional because you are always concerned about the emotional state of your kids. Anytime you have a childhood friend taken from you it is very hard to deal with.” Practice was cancelled the Monday after the accident but the players returned to the practice field the following day. “We had a great practice then,” Armstrong said. “They have dedicated the season to Cody and it is something for us to rally around. It is always dif ficult when you are dealing with the memory of a friend.” Armstrong hopes the bond of being on a team will help the players deal with the loss. The Leopards have been preparing to host Johnson High School in their pre season scrimmage Friday at 7:30 p.m. Full contact practice began last Friday and the coach said he likes where the team stands at this point in the preseason. “You are always worried about not being where you should be at this point but we had a great summer and got so much accomplished,” Armstrong said. See Football on page 3B Countdown to kickoff: 15 DAYS Cross Country BCHS runners prepare for fall campaign BY CHRIS BRIDGES Under Kelly McDuffie’s guid ance and leadership, the Banks County High School cross country program has grown by leaps and bounds in recent seasons. The Leopards and Lady Leopards will look to continue their recent success this fall when the new season begins Tuesday, Sept. 9, against East Jackson High School on the road at 4:30 p.m. With the new season now less than a month away, BCHS run ners can be seen making their way across the campus as preseason work has begun in earnest. “I am really excited about the upcoming season,” McDuffie said. “I have had more runners to say that have been running over the summer. That is what a coach wants to hear.” Jorge Diaz and Ivan Diaz attended camp at Truett McConnell College to better improve their skills. Both runners helped lead the Leopards to the Class AA state cross country meet last fall. “They will definitely be looked upon to lead us again this season,” McDuffie said. Making it to the state meet is the goal for both the Leopards and Lady Leopards in 2008. The BCHS boys qualified last season while the Lady Leopards advanced the previ ous year. “They now know what it is like to reach that level and they want to make it back,” McDuffie said. The first scheduled home meet for the upcoming season is set for Sept. 25. Additional meets may be added to the schedule, McDuffie said. BCHS, who has revamped its home course in recent weeks, will also compete at the annual MainStreet Newspapers Invitital in Jefferson in October. The Region 8-AA meet is set for Nov. 1 with the state meet schedule for the fol lowing week in Carrollton. Up Next: •Sept. 9 @ East Jackson •Sept. 20 @ East Jackson Eagle Run Legends of Local Racing Irvin among those honored at reunion BY BRANDON REED Racing pioneer and Banks County resident Tommie Irvin was one of sev eral racecar drivers honored Saturday at the inaugural Lakewood Speedway Reunion, held at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville. Irvin not only raced at the legend ary Atlanta track, but can also boast a victory there. Irvin was victorious on the 1-mile dirt track in 1955 in a race held in con junction with the annual Southeastern Fair. Irvin says that victory was the big gest of his career. The trophy still has a place of honor in his store. The track, which was built in 1916 around a former reservoir for the city of Atlanta, was known for its speed and its danger. The first turn was a tight cut between the lake and Lakewood Avenue. Irvin said in a 2007 interview that the track was a fast one to race on. “You got as fast as you wanted to go,” he said. “When you went into that upper turn, you would be running a good bit over 100 miles an hour, which was fast at that time. But when you came down through that lower turn, you’d come out at around 60 or 65 miles an hour. You lost all your momentum going around that lower turn. But coming down that straight away, you could get on up there. You were really running.” Along with winning the 1955 Southeastern Fair event, Irvin was present for one of the most legendary moments in the track’s history. See Racing on page 3B LOCAL LEGEND Tommie Irvin was one of sev eral former drivers who turned out at Saturday's Lakewood Speedway reunion. Photo by Brandon Reed