Newspaper Page Text
— www.MainStreetNewsSports.com —
October 23, 2008
The Banks County News
Chris Bridges, Sports Editor
706-367-2745, direct line
706-367-9355, FAX
chris@mainstreetnews.com
Important
lessons taught
in heat of battle
he Banks County High
School football team was
in the middle of a hotly
contested game against region foe
Jefferson last Friday night.
The visiting Dragons entered
the contest undefeated and basi
cally unchallenged. No opponent
had been able to come close to
slowing down Jefferson’s spread
offense, which seemed to be get
ting even more potent with each
passing game.
The BCHS
Leopards, how
ever, made it
known early
on they were
not going qui
etly. Coach Blair
Armstrong's
team was pre
pared to give
the Dragons
their toughest
challenge of the
season. It was obvious from the
opening kickoff.
As the game wore on and the
two teams traded punches like
two championship contenders in
boxing, a situation occured on the
BCHS sideline which probably
went unnoticed by those in the
stands. It is worth noting, how
ever, because it shows the type
of coaches who are leading the
Leopard program.
Defensive coordinator Paul
Hoch was talking with one of the
BCHS players who had become
frustrated with how a series of
plays had gone against the home
team. The player had begun
criticizing his own teammates for
what they were not doing on the
field.
Hoch immediately told the
player that he would not tolerate
that type of behavior. It didn’t
matter that the player in question
was one which BCHS desperately
needed on the field to have a
chance to win.
“I will sit you out the rest of the
game to prove my point,” Hoch
told the player. “I will lose this
game to show you we are going
to do things the right way. That
is not something you are doing to
do.”
The player quickly got his head
back on straight and was back in
the game helping his team give
undefeated Jefferson all it could
handle. Hoch had made his point
and all it took was a few direct
comments from the defensive
coordinator.
Everyone wants to win foot
ball games. Coaches, players and
fans want their team to win every
Friday night. Every school across
this state dreams of that magical,
undefeated season.
However, high school athletics
can also be used as extension of
the learning process for student-
athletes. The lesson Hoch taught
his standout player on the BCHS
team last Friday night was a valu
able one. It was a lesson that no
one player, regardless of how
great he is, is bigger than the
team. Even with the Leopards
challenging an undefeated oppo
nent, Hoch had the bigger picture
rightfully in place.
As I watched Hoch and the
BCHS coaching staff at work last
week, it made me think if I had
a son, the Leopard team would
be the place I would want him to
play.
Yes, winning is important, but
there are other lessons which are
also being stressed within the
BCHS football program.
Lessons which will stay with
these players far beyond their
years on the gridiron. Lessons
about life and what’s important in
that game.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of
The Banks County News. E-mail
comments about this column to
chris @ mainstreetnews. com.
HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Several players have standout season for BCHS
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Banks County High School fast-pitch
softball team fell one-game short of advanc
ing to the state sectionals this fall.
While narrowly missing that goal was a
disappointing, the Lady Leopards did man
age to record 13 wins in 2008 and will lose
just two seniors (Samm Kennedy and Kathy
Davidson) to graduation this spring.
Hayley Baird was the team’s top batter
with a .398 average with 35 hits and 19 runs
scored. Madison Franklin, a freshman on
this year’s team, finished with an impressive
.318 batting average including 28 hits with
six doubles, nine RBI and 18 runs scored.
Ashley Denton finished with a .325 mark
and drove in 25 runs. Kim Tomas drove in
13 runs and scored 14.
Jordan Rogers earned eight wins in 2008
while Thomas had five.
“We had a strong showing at the region
tournament with big wins against Fannin
County and Oglethorpe County,” coach
Josh Lord said. “Our pitching was great all
year. Most games we lost were by the same
formula — not managing enough offense
to overcome a couple costly defensive mis
takes.”
In addition, the injury bug took its took
toll on BCHS.
“Our players and coaches spent countless
hours at practice working to get better each
day,” Lord said. “I feel like we did. We were
one win away from not only making state,
but from tying a BCHS school record for
single season wins (set in 2006). The level
of competition we faced this year was prob
ably better than that year overall so in some
ways, this could be viewed as our most suc
cessful season. Our players will be hungry
to build on this year, and we look for good
things to come.”
JUNIOR
STANDOUT
Junior catcher
Haley Baird
was a threat
for the BCHS
Lady Leopards
both behind
and at the plate
this fall. Baird
will be one of
the key return
ing players for
BCHS next sea
son.
Photo by
Randy Crump/
Rudeseal
Photo
Fannin County @ BCHS, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
OFFENSIVE STARS
Demetric Dempson, scoring Banks County’s first touchdown against Jefferson last Friday, will help
lead the Leopard offense against Fannin County this week. Photos by Lyn Sengupta
SOFTBALL AWARDS
BCHS to be
recognized
Sunday
The Banks County High
School softball program will
hold its annual sports recog
nition program Sunday at 2
p.m. at First Georgia Bank in
Homer.
All members of the Lady
Leopard varsity and junior var
sity softball teams will be hon
ored during the event which is
scheduled to take place from
2-4 p.m.
For additional information,
contact coach Josh Lord at
jklord@banks.kl2.ga.us.
REC. DEPARTMENT
Basketball
registration
continues
Leopards face must-win game this week
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
At this point in the 2008 season,
it pretty much comes down to
mathematics.
The Banks County High School
football team needs wins to
stay in playoff contention. The
Leopards will also need a little
help from some other teams to
make it past week 10 of the 2008
campaign.
At A Glance:
Fannin County
(6-1,5-1 )@ BCHS
(3-4,3-3), Friday,
7:30 p.m.
First things
first, however,
and that begins
this Friday
night when
Region 8-AA
foe Fannin
County High School makes the
long trek to BCHS for a 7:30 p.m.
kickoff.
“We have to win out to stay in
the playoff chase,” Leopard head
coach Blair Armstrong said this
week. “We will also have to have
a couple of other things happen,
but right now we have to focus on
this week because Fannin County
is going to be a tough test for us.”
The always tough Rebels from
Blue Ridge will once again be
big up front which helps clear the
way for their wishbone offense.
“They also have some fast
backs but we feel we are better at
this point in the season than we
were last year when they beat us,”
Armstrong said. “Our kids are
anxious to face them again. We
are strong and more mature than
we were last season.”
The BCHS coach also believes
playing the contest at home will
be to his team’s benefit as the trip
from Fannin County takes a mini
mum of two and a half hours.
The Rebel wishbone attack,
something not seen much more
in high school football or at any
level for that matter, presents a
different type of challenge for
the Leopard players and coaches
this Friday. It is different than the
spread offense that Jefferson used RUSHING LEADER
last week. Justin Beasley had another big effort
See Preview on page 2B against Jefferson.
The Banks County Parks
and Recreation Department is
now accepting registration for
basketball until Friday, Oct.
31.
Teams are available for play
ers ages 5-12. The fees are $40
per player.
For additional information
contact the recreation depart
ment office at 706-677-4407
or go to to the department's
website at www.bankscounty.
recware.com.
SENIOR NIGHT
Athletes to be
honored Fri.
Banks County High School
students involved in fall ath
letic events will be recog
nized prior to this Friday’s
game against Fannin County.
In addition, senior mem
bers of the BCHS band will
be recongized.
Friday is the final regular
season home football game
for the Leopards for 2008.
JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL
Leopards play well, but fall
to Jefferson 34-19 last week
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
For the Banks County High School junior varsity foot
ball team, it was a case of winning everywhere but on the
scoreboard last week.
The JV Leopards fell to Jefferson 34-19 despite com
piling 415 yards of offense. Six turnovers by BCHS
proved to play a big factor in the outcome.
Dylan Lackey was the leading rusher with 133 yards
with Alex Banks adding 82 yards. Jordan Smith finished
with 51 yards on the ground while Jeremy Greenway,
Jacob Blalock and Kyle Smith also contributed.
See JV on page 3B
TOUGH
UP FRONT
The defensive
line has been
a key element
to the BCHS
junior varsity
football team’s
success this
fall.
Photo by
Randy Crump/
Rudeseal
Photo