Newspaper Page Text
— www.MainStreetNewsSports.com —
October 9, 2008
The Banks County News
Chris Bridges, Sports Editor
706-367-2745, direct line
706-367-9355, FAX
chris@mainstreetnews.com
Complete effort
leads to BCHS
win last week
I t was 4:30 last Friday after
noon and Banks County
High School offensive coor
dinator Chuck Hudson made a
declaration.
“I am ready to go.”
The long-time football coach
and top assistant to Leopard head
coach Blair Armstrong was set for
that night’s Region 8-AA game
against East Jackson High School.
Hudson felt good about Banks
County’s game
plan. He felt
good about the
team’s week of
practice. He felt
good about his
team’s chances.
Now it was time
to put the plan
into action on
the field.
The only prob
lem was it was
still three hours
until game time and the team had
still not left for its shortest road
trip of the season to nearby East
Jackson to face the Eagles.
Hudson was be able to find
the necessary patience, however,
for kickoff and that patience was
rewarded with a resounding 42-0
victory. The effort turned in by
the BCHS Leopards was as com
plete a performance as they have
had all season and, in all honesty,
some time.
The domination on both sides
of the football (BCHS outgained
East Jackson 435 yards to 90)
was a sign this football team has
indeed taken steps in the right
direction. The week before, it was
the defense which shined against
North Oconee. In games earlier
this season, the offense stood out.
This Friday night, both sides
of the football told the tale of a
football program which may very
well be on its way up the lad
der. It’s not a quick climb mind
you. Already Armstrong and
his coaching staff has worked
numerous hours with the play
ers. Likewise, members of the
Leopard team has shown the
necessary dedication it takes to be
successful.
In the past, a game like the one
against East Jackson would have
presented a potential pitfall for
BCHS. The game would have
been a possible disaster and have
caused the Leopards to take steps
backwards, erasing the progress
that had been made.
That didn’t happen this past
week. BCHS took control of the
game early and let it be known it
was going to earn a region win on
this night.
It didn’t matter that the
Leopards were playing on the
road. It didn’t matter that it was
homecoming for East Jackson.
Nothing was going to stop BCHS
from being successful on this
night.
Needing a region win in the
worst way, Armstrong’s team
delivered with perhaps its best
performance of 2008. That’s what
solid programs do.
See First and Ten on page 3B
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
BCHS defeats Commerce, begins postseason
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Region 8-AA arrived Tuesday for the
Banks County High School softball team as
the Lady Leopards entered postseason play.
Coach Josh Lord’s team fell to Union
County 6-3 in the opening round of tourna
ment play but rebounded for an 11-0 victory
against Fannin County later in the day to
remain alive.
Kim Thomas earned the win against
Fannin County allowing just two hits while
recording eight strikeouts.
Hay ley Baird was 3-for-3 at the plate with
two RBI, including two doubles in the first
inning. Thomas was also 3-for-3 with two
runs scored and an RBI.
Laura Rose Pickens finished 2-for-3 with
an RBI and run. Madison Porter drove in
two runs while Madison Franklin, Ashley
Denton, Breanna Langston and Catlyn Free
each had one.
“It was good to see us bounce back from
a hard fought loss to get a big win,” coach
Josh Lord said. “We swung the bats well all
game and Kim threw the ball well and kept
their batters off balance. We sent 12 batters
to the plate in the first and scored seven
runs. We added two runs in the third and
one in the fourth.”
The Lady Leopards will play Oglethorpe
County Thursday (today) at 2 p.m.
In the opening game against Union
County, the Lady Panthers held a 2-0 lead
going into the sixth inning. Union had
scored one run in the first on what the
BCHS coaches felt was a missed call.
A batted ball hit a Union County runner
going from second to third. The umpire did
not call the runner out, however, and a run
would score.
See Softball on page 2B
REGION PLAYOFFS
Madison Porter, competing in a game from earlier this
season, has been a key contributor as a freshman
this fall for the BCHS Lady Leopards.
Photo by Lyn Senupta
BCHS, Region 8-AA Football: Bye Week
Wllfi
DEFENSIVE PRESSURE
(TOP) The Banks County High School defense, led by Jeff Smith, Thomas Baker, Tramaine Mayfield
and Matthew Patton, makes another stop against East Jackson last Friday. The Leopards held the
Eagles to 90 total yards including -3 in the second half. (BOTTOM) The defense bottles up anoher
East Jackson offensive play. Photo by Randy Crump/Rudeseal Photo
Leopards continue work in bye week
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
fter six consecutive
games, the Banks
County High School
football team finally reaches its
bye date this Friday.
Coach Blair Armstrong said the
open date comes at a good time.
“It will be good for us mentally
and physically,” Armstrong said
earlier this week.
The Leopard coaches gave the
players Monday off earlier this
week and will do the same Friday.
“In talking with other coaches,
that is what most of them are
going to do,” Armstrong said. “It
does the players good to get away
from it for a little while.”
All Region 8-AA teams are off
this week.
In theory, the off week fell
at a good time for BCHS as it
has extra time to prepare for
Jefferson, who has emerged as the
definite front runner in the region.
On the other hand, the Dragons
have the same amount of extra
preparation time.
“They are definitely going to
be tough,” Armstrong said. “Their
record to this point speaks for
itself. The game will have a play
off atmosphere to it for us. If we
stay in it early, I think we will
have a chance.”
The Leopard coaching staff has
already been busy preparing for
Jefferson, who will visit Homer
Oct. 17 for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
Jefferson is a perfect 6-0 this fall
and has not been challenged to
this point.
Armstrong said the Dragons
used the spread offense effectively
and have jumped on opponents
quickly taking opponents out of
their usual game plan.
“They are very sound and well
very coached,” the BCHS coach
said. “They’ve won before in a
region that was competitive. They
have stepped up to the plate this
season even though they moved
up in classification. They have
made a big impact.”
JV FOOTBALL
Leopards
record
victory
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High
School junior varsity foot
ball team turned in another
strong showing last week in
a 30-0 win against visiting
Oglethorpe County.
Alex Banks rushed for 122
yards on just five carries with
two touchdowns to help lead
the BCHS offense. Teammate
Dylan Lackey added 101 yards
on 10 carries.
It was a balanced offensive
attack for the JV Leopards
as Jordan Smith finished
with 79 yards on nine carries
with a touchdown and Jacob
Blalock added 23 yards on the
ground on three attempts with
a score.
Six other running backs also
carried the football in the win
for BCHS including Jeremy
Greenway, Dean Ewing,
Logan Prater, Kyle Smith,
Bo Garrison and Drew Elrod.
Overall, the JV Leopards had
354 total yards of offense.
The offensive line also drew
the praise of the coaches for
their performance. Helping
lead the way up front were
Nathan Krumnow and Blake
Cotton at center, Isaac Mayfield
and Brian Mathis at guards,
Zach Sprayberry, Parker
Watson, Travis Betts, Hunter
McLane and Joe Denton at the
tackle spots and Caleb McCoy
and Darrell Childress at tight
end.
It was also an impres
sive afternoon for the BCHS
defense. The JV Leopards lim
ited Oglethorpe County to just
70 yards rushing and 21 yards
through the air. The JV Patriots
managed just three first downs.
Linebackers Eli Autry and
Dean Ewing both had four
tackles as did defensive end
Logan Prater. Ewing also bat
ted down a pass attempt.
See JV Football on page 2B
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