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— www.MainStreetSports.com —
September 18, 2008
The Banks County News
Chris Bridges, Sports Editor
706-367-2745, direct line
706-367-9355, FAX
chris@mainstreetnews.com
FAST-PITCH SOFTBALL
BCHS rebounds to defeat Fannin County
TEAM
LEADER
Hayley Baird
continues to
be a strong
defensive
player for the
Banks County
High School
softball team
this fall
for coach
Josh Lord.
Photo by
Randy Crump/
Rudeseal
Photo
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
After suffering a disappointing setback to
Union County two days earlier, the Banks
County High School softball team returned
to the field determined to get back on track
against Fannin County.
The end result was a 6-2 victory against
the visiting Lady Rebels as Jordan Rogers
went the distance in earning the win. Rogers
allowed just one earned run and did not give
up any walks.
A four-run fifth inning gave the Lady
Leopards a 6-2 cushion. The inning was
capped by a two-out, two-RBI single from
Madison Porter.
“We played pretty well,” said BCHS coach
Josh Lord. “It was good to see us bounce
back from a tough loss at Union County.
Fannin’s pitcher throws a pretty good drop
but we had a good approach in place from
working in practice the day before.”
By the numbers:
Ashley Denton leads the Lady
Leopards with a .392 batting
average followed by Hayley
Baird at .368.
Brittany Cook had a big day at the plate
with three hits including a double, rur
scored and RBI. Kim Thomas, who playec
first base, also had three hits and drove ir
a run.
Porter finished the day with two singles
and drove in two runs. Madison Franklir
added a single and scored two runs while
Hayley Baird had a single and scored a run
Ashley Denton had an RBI and Courtne>
Entrekin scored a run in the victory.
See Softball on page 3B
Banks County @ Rabun County, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
DEFENSIVE SURGE
(Top) Chase Armour (86) and the Banks County High School defense makes a play against Dawson
County last week. Members of the Leopard defense, including Thomas Baker (below), will look to stop
Rabun County this Friday in another Region 8-AA battle. Photos by Randy Crump/Rudeseal Photo
Leopards aim for
second win in row
At A Glance:
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
T he Banks County High School football
team will look to make it two in a row this
week when it ventures to Rabun County
for a showdown with the Wildcats.
Coach Blair Armstrong’s team defeated Dawson
County last Friday for its initial win of the 2008
season. The victory also put the Leopards in the
win column in the Region 8-AA
standings evening their record at
1-1. (BCHS is now 1-2 overall).
Rabun County enters this week’s
contest at 0-3 overall and 0-2 in
region play under first-year head
coach Danny Durham who previ
ously directed the Franklin County High School
program.
While on paper Rabun County has struggled at
times this season, Armstrong and his coaches have
been emphasizing to their players not to overlook
this week’s foe.
“Rabun gave Union County (who is undefeated)
fits and led North Oconee a couple of times,”
Armstrong said. “They were beaten by Riverside
pretty decisively but they are a team that can beat
you. We will have to step up our play to another
level.”
BCHS, 1-2 (1-1)
@ Rabun County,
0-3 (1-2), Friday,
7:30 p.m.
8-AA
battles...
u
See Preview on page 2B
JV FOOTBALL
Leopards'
opponent
forfeits
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High
School junior varsity foot
ball team was set to compete
last week but did not have an
opponent.
The junior varsity
Leopards were scheduled to
face Riverside last Thursday
but the JV Eagles forfeited
the game.
This week the BCHS JV
will try again when it trav
els to Franklin County for a
scheduled 5:30 p.m. contest.
The team will then have an
off week before playing its
first home game of the 2008
season against Oglethorpe
County Oct. 2.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Turnovers
costly in
BCMS loss
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Despite compiling more
than 300 yards on the ground,
the Banks County Middle
School football team fell to
North Habersham Middle
School last week 42-24.
It was the first setback of
the season for the BCMS
gridiron Leopards after
beginning the new campaign
with consecutive wins.
BCMS was hurt by eight
fumbles, head coach Vince
Lehotsky said, seven of which
were lost. North Habersham
was able to score off five of
the BCMS turnovers.
“We obviously won’t win
games that way,” Lehotsky
said. “Fumbles had not been
an issue for us until this
game.”
The coach said the loss
was tough since the game
was a league contest.
The BCMS football team
was scheduled to meet South
Habersham Middle School
earlier this week.
CROSS COUNTRY
BCHS teams open season in meet at East Jackson
BCHS looks to
even overall
record Friday
A fter an admittedly
frustrating first two
weeks of the season,
the Banks County High School
football team got the train moving
in the right direction last Friday
night.
Coach Blair Armstrong’s
Leopards recorded their first
victory of the 2008 season with
a 48-27 win against visiting
Dawson Countv.
The victory was
important not
only because
it was the first
o
of the still
■ 1 ~ mr - :
relatively young
campaign
but because
—
it evened the
chris
Region 8-AA
record for BCHS
at 1-1. Things
bridges
First & Ten
certainly look a
lot rosier when your region mark
is 1-1 rather than 0-2.
With region win No. 1 now in
the record book, the Leopards
went back to work this week in
preparation for this Friday's 8-AA
contest against Rabun County.
While the Wildcats have struggled
somewhat this season with a new
coaching regime, it will be impor
tant for BCHS not to overlook
their opponent this week.
While improvements have been
made by the Leopards in several
areas, the program is not to the
point where it needs to be chalk
ing up automatic wins or over
looking any foe, regardless of its
region or overall mark.
While BCHS defeated Rabun
County last week, the Wildcats
have given the Leopards trouble
in recent seasons and it seems
playing at their stadium always
gives them at least a touchdown
advantage.
There were many highlights
for Armstrong’s team in its first
win of 2008 last week. Senior
Justin Beasley continued his pace
for another All-Star season with
274 yards rushing. Teammate
Demetric Dempson added 122
yards on the ground. Dempson’s
ability in the backfield is going
to make it impossible for teams
to concentrate solely on Beasley
even though the temptation to do
so is great.
Quarterback Chris Porter con
tinues to improve at his position.
On one pass play, the senior stood
at the pocket and looked over the
entire field before firing a strike
for a completion and first down.
Porter continues to grow at the
quarterback spot and his leader
ship shows in each passing series.
With 551 yards of total offense,
one cannot forget about the play
ers who often get overlooked:
the linemen. With Lyn Hester,
Zach Dale, Nathan Davis, Justin
Bowen, Tyler Hulsey and Jeff
Smith clearing the path, the
BCHS backs were able to have
huge nights. One cannot overes
timate the impact they had in the
win last Friday night.
The Leopards are entering a
key two-game stretch in the 8-AA
schedule. This week’s road game
at Rabun is followed by a home
contest against North Oconee.
Wins in these contests would
improve BCHS to 3-2 in region
play with an off week to follow.
It would put the Leopards in great
position to make a serious run at a
state playoff spot.
It will be important to not look
too far ahead, however. What is
important is concentrating on
Rabun County. Right now a win
against the Wildcats is all that
matters. Continuing last week’s
winning momentum is essential to
long-term success this season.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of
The Banks County News. E-mail
comments about this column to
chris @ mainstreetnews. com.
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Running with heavy hearts, the
Banks County High School cross
country teams began the 2008 season
last week.
Both the Leopards and Lady
Leopards competed at East Jackson
High School along with Jackson
County, Cedar Shoals, Riverside,
Commerce and host East Jackson.
The BCHS runners dedicated the
meet to the memory of school mate
Tyler Bush who had died from inju
ries in an automobile accident.
The BCHS boys were third over
all with 70 points while the Lady
Leopards were fourth with 80
points.
Coach Kelly McDuffie was
impressed with her runners’ efforts.
“In the midst of everything going
on at school with the loss of Tyler,
the runners did a great job,” the vet
eran cross country coach said. “The
run was dedicated to him.”
Ivan Diaz turned in the top time
for the BCHS boys in 18:28 which
was just one tenth of a second off his
state meet time. Keiffer Hellmeister
set a personal best mark of 19:26.
See Run on page 2B