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— www.MainStreetSports.com —
September 25, 2008
The Banks County News
Chris Bridges, Sports Editor
706-367-2745, direct line
706-367-9355, FAX
chris@mainstreetnews.com
Leopards claw
their way back
into contention
I f you had any doubts as
to what this year's Banks
County High School
football team is made of, you
shouldn’t worry any more.
After starting the season 0-2,
the Leopards have climbed their
way back to .500 overall and
more importantly sit at 2-1 in
Region 8-AA. Back-to-back
region wins against Dawson
County and Rabun County have
BCHS looking
at a very impor
tant home game
against North
Oconee this
Friday. This will
be as important
a regular sea
son game as a
Leopard football
team has played
in some time.
You can't
help but admire
the grit and determination of this
team. BCHS ventured to Rabun
County last week and recorded a
35-6 victory at a place where it is
never easy to win. However, this
team was not going to be denied.
The Leopards had their usual
group of players leading the way
in standouts like Justin Beasley
and Demetric Dempson. There
was Lyn Hester causing havoc on
both sides of the football.
However, several more BCHS
players are rapidly emerging as
stars and leaders this fall. How
can one not admire the effort
shown by Kane Duncan and Bill
Redmon, both of whom suffered
injuries in a preseason automobile
accident. It’s great to just see both
of them back on the football field
in any capacity, let alone mak
ing standout plays. Duncan has
emerged as one of the top receiv
ers and defensive backs in the
region and Redmon’s interception
return for a touchdown sealed the
deal last week at Rabun County.
Senior quarterback Chris Porter
has looked cool, calm and col
lected behind center this season
taking over for Dustin Worley,
who is now competing at the next
level. At times Porter looks as if
he is a four-year starter standing
in the pocket looking over his
receiver options.
Enough also can't be said about
the offensive line — the men in
the trenches — for coach Blair
Armstrong, coach Chuck Hudson
and the offensive staff. Hester,
Zach Dale, Justin Bowen, Tyler
Husley, Jeff Smith and Nathan
Mathis have all been key contrib
utors to the big yardage gained by
Beasley and the offense. Mathis
is only a sophomore this season
but has shown courage under fire
playing up front.
North Oconee will be a chal
lenge for the Leopards this week.
The game is Homecoming and
the BCHS players will have to
keep their minds on the busi
ness at hand. The game is also
the second annual Shawn Smith
Bowl, and is played in honor of
the former Leopard standout who
died in an automobile accident.
This also adds another emotional
element to the contest.
A three-game winning streak
would be huge for the BCHS
football program, which is look
ing to post its first winning
season since 1997. So much has
already been accomplished this
season but there is still plenty of
miles to be run before this race
is over.
A big obstacle between the
Leopards and their goals awaits
them this Friday. A noisy, sup
portive home crowd would make
a huge difference.
chris
bridges
First & Ten
Chris Bridges is sports editor of
The Banks County News. E-mail
comments about this column to
chris @ mainstreetnews. com.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
BCHS hosts
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
While the Banks County High School
football team has posted back-to-back
region wins, this Friday’s game against
North Oconee County High School is just as
important, if not more so, than the previous
two Region 8-AA contests.
The Leopards, who dispatched Rabun
County 35-6 last Friday, will host the North
Oconee Titans this Friday in a game which
could go a long way in determining a state
playoff berth for one of the two teams, if
not both. Both schools enter the game 2-1
in region play and a win would help the
playoff causes of both.
“North Oconee is a solid team,” BCHS
coach Blair Armstrong said. “They are very
similar to last year. They are a bigger school
than us. They have a very good coaching
staff. We expect it to be a close game.”
The Leopards jumped out to a 14-0 lead
North Oconee in 8-AA contest
in last season's contest
at North Oconee before
the Titans rallied for a
win.
This Friday’s game is
homecoming for BCHS
and the contest will also
mark the second annual Shawn Smith Bowl,
a new tradition between the schools. Smith
was a graduate of BCHS and coached at his
alma mater for one season before moving
on to NOHS. Smith died in an automobile
accident while attending a basketball camp
in Alabama with members of his team.
On the football field, Armstrong said
the Titans lost their front line quarterback
a couple of weeks ago which has caused
them to rely more on a ground attack.
Defensively, they use a base 50 look.
See Preview on page 3B
At A Glance:
BCHS, 2-2 (2-1)
hosts North
Oconee, 3-1 (2-1),
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
LEADING
RECEIVER
Kane Duncan
has been the
top receiver
for the Banks
County High
School football
team this sea
son. Duncan
has been
able to return
from an injury
to be a key
player for the
Leopards.
Photo by
Randy Crump/
Rudeseal
BCHS
defeats
East Hall
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High
School fast-pitch softball
team stepped out of region
play Monday and recorded
a 3-0 win against East Hall.
Kim Thomas recorded
the win going the distance
with two strikeouts while
allowing just three hits.
“Kim threw a great
game,” said Lady Leopard
coach Josh Lord. “Our
infield defense was also
fantastic.”
At the plate, Madison
Franklin, Laura Rose
Pickens and Catlyn Free
paced the offense with
two singles each. Ashley
Denton drove in two
runs while Hayley Baird,
Denton and Kellany Merck
all had one single each.
The victory Monday
came after two region
setbacks last week. BCHS
fell to a powerful North
Oconee club last Thursday
4-1 despite playing well
overall.
“North Oconee is not
16-2 by mistake,” Lord
said. “They have a game
plan that involves utilizing
their speed on offense to
get a few runs and then let
ting their ace take it from
there. We had a nice start
to the game with Hayley
leading off with a triple
and being driven in by
Madison Franklin but we
could not manage anything
after that.”
Thomas once again
pitched well giving up
two just earned runs in the
contest.
See Softball on page 3B
PLAY ON
The Banks County
High School
softball team
continues what
it hopes will be a
march toward the
postseason. (Top)
Ashley O’Kelley
makes a play in
left field during
a game against
North Oconee
High School
last week while
Madison Porter
(left) keeps a run
ner close at first
base.
Photos by
Lyn Sengupta
MIDDLE SCHOOL
BCMS sees
late lead
slip away
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County Middle
School football team was
close to putting its first league
victory in the record books
last week only to see it get
away.
As a result the middle school
Leopards are now 0-2 in league
play following an 18-14 loss
to South Habersham.
Holding a 14-12 lead mid
way through the final quarter,
BCMS could not hold on as
South Habersham rallied with
a big play.
“We had opportunities ear
lier in the game to finish them
off, but we did not capitalize
on them,” said coach Vinxe
Lehotsky. “Despite a much
better performance on the
field, we have put ourselves in
a hole at 0-2 in the league.”
BCMS will host White
County Saturday at 7 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Runners
eager for
next meet
BY KRIS HELLMEISTER
Special to the BCN
In the final months of sum
mer, Banks County High
School cross country runners
do what most teams do for
punishment — they run.
With the first meet of the
season under their belts and
a total of five runners from
the men's team returning from
placing eighth at the AA State
meet last year, coach Kelly
See Run on page 3B
JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL
BCHS JV Leopards see promise in second outing
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High School
junior varsity football team saw
some good as well as some things
that they need to work on in last
week’s contest at Franklin County.
The JV Leopards appeared to
start the contest in good fashion by
returning the game’s opening kick
off 70 yards for the score. The play
by Justin Blalock was called back,
however, on a penalty.
BCHS coaches noted the whole
game went pretty much the same way
as penalties constantly hurt many
positive plays by the Leopards. Two
penalties in a row and a high snap on
a punt attempt led to the first score
of the contest by Franklin.
The BCHS coaches said the
team’s offense and defense played
well overall despite battling the
fact Franklin County moved down
several varsity players. (Franklin
County’s varsity team did not play
last week.)
Dylan Lackey rushed for 15 yards
on eight carries for the Leopards
while Jordan Smith had 12 yards on
five attempts. Alex Banks had two
completions for 15 yards and rushed
eight times for 109 yards, including
a 65-yard touchdown. Blake Cotton
and Nathan Krumnow played center
in the contest with Isaac Mayfield
and Trenton Davis at right guard.
Brian Mathis and Joe Denton lined
up at left guard with Parker Watson
and Zach Sprayberry at right
tackle. Eli Autry, Darrell Childress,
Mitchell Reeves and Caleb McCoy
all saw time at tight end.
The Banks County High School junior varsity football team makes
a defensive play against Franklin County last week.
Photo by Randy Crump/Rudeseal Photo
DEFENSIVE STAND