Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 3B — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 19, 2009
Boys’ Golf
Raider golfers may experience growing pains this year
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
If Madison County’s boys’ golf team is to
have any success this year, it will have to over
come a considerable amount of inexperience.
“We’re young, young, young,’’ coach Chris
Smith said. “We’ve just got a lot of work to
do.”
Madison County started its season March 5.
So far it is 1-1 in matches and finished last in
an 18-hole tournament.
Smith said the team has to improve in sev
eral areas.
“We’ve got to get a lot better in the short
game and off the tee — everything pretty
much all around,” he said. “The kids just don’t
know what to do when they get into a bad
situation.’’
Madison County started the season with a
victory over Oglethorpe County March 5 at
Sunrise Golf Course. The Raiders shot a 195.
The Patriots’ score wasn’t available.
Jacob Fleming led the team with a 47. Alex
Young (48) and Wilmont (49) both broke 50.
The Raiders then finished last out of 24
teams at the Apple Mountain Invitational
Saturday, shooting a 377.
Madison County placed behind three region
teams — Habersham Central no. 2 (17 th ,
328), Habersham Central no. 1 (18 th , 330) and
Heritage (19 th , 334).
Wilmont led Madison County with an 85,
finishing 79 th out of a field of 124. Zach Roden
(90), Fleming (93) and Young (109) rounded
out the scoring. Brody Dudley (111) also
competed.
Madison County fell to Franklin County
192-195 Tuesday at Highland Walk.
Top scorers were Wilmont (43) and Matt
Papp (49).
Matches with East Jackson (March 2) and
Oconee County (March 3) were canceled due
to the recent snowstorm. There’s no word
yet if they’ll be made up.
Baseball
• • • continued from page IB
Dustin Roberts pitched three and two-third innings of scoreless relief in
Madison County’s 12-2 win over Stephens County Friday. Ben Munro/staff
clutch two-out, three-run homer in the
third inning.
The Broncos, 34-3 last year, added runs
in the fourth and fifth.
Madison County limited Brookwood to
just four hits, but the three-run homer was
the difference in the ball game.
Matthew Robinson finished with a
single and a double and drove home a run
to lead the Raider offensively. Kennison
and Dalton each had singles.
The Raiders left six runners in scoring
position.
"We had our chances,” Griffeth said.
One day earlier, the Raiders scored a
dozen unanswered runs to come from
behind to beat Stephens County 12-2 in
just six innings Friday.
Madison County enjoyed offensive
outbursts in the second and sixth innings,
scoring four and six runs respectively, as
it won for the second time this year.
Dustin Roberts’ mound performance
factored heavily in the win, as well.
He pitched three and two-thirds innings
of stellar relief, facing just 12 batters,
allowing only two base runners and retir
ing the side in order in the third and fifth
innings.
Making Roberts performance all the
more impressive was that he threw the
day before against Jefferson.
"And he didn't want to come out,’’
Griffeth said. "He said he felt great. He
was a real big picker-upper.”
Robinson came on and worked a per
fect sixth inning. Raider pitching surren
dered just five hits.
Offensively, Madison County pounded
out 11 hits.
Roberts had two hits and collected three
RBIs. Dalton drove home two runs with
a single and also had a double. Kennison
had two RBIs and a single. Seagraves had
two hits.
Seth Fleming also had a RBI single
and Morris’s two-run double in the sixth
inning upped Madison County’s lead to
12-2, bringing the 10-run mercy rule into
effect.
The big win over Stephens County fol
lowed a 4-3 loss to Jefferson March 5.
Jefferson, which Madison County
beat 8-0 on Feb. 26, scored three runs in
the third and one in the fifth to beat the
Raiders. Madison County scored two in
the second and one in the third.
Dalton ripped a two-run homer, his
second of the year, and Robinson had a
single and a double, but Dragon pitching
limited Madison County to six hits.
“They've got some good arms over
there,” Griffeth said. “The first kid they
started had a pretty good arm and good
breaking stuff... Then they brought
(Chris) Beck in and he’s lights out.’’
Boys’ Tennis
Raider tennis team loses after long layoff
Unable to shake off the rust
from a winter weather hiatus,
Madison County's boys lost
to Habersham Central 3-2
Tuesday.
This could have easily been
the Raiders' (1-2) first region
win, coach Keith Strickland said.
“The boys played a match that
could have easily been us 4-1,”
he said.
Habersham Central had
already played seven matches
this year, compared to Madison
County’s two.
The coach said that top
singles player Marcus Bowen
"came out on fire” in winning
his match in straight sets and
that no. 2 singles player Jeffery
Branson played well despite
losing.
Jake Scarborough and
Chris Dove supplied Madison
VOTE FOR KATHY STAMPS
For Danielsville City Council
I til niiiirii JlhiiilniHi !■ Ilmkiri Jwj MiiElj
Hbh inJ ■. Mu^ IT, IIIH.lKn >1m
That* lkr jvnr rapport!
County’s only other victory,
taking their match at no.l dou
bles in three sets.
“Jake Scarborough and Chris
Dove started a little sloppy but
turned it around in the final two
two sets, playing some really
good doubles,” Strickland said.
Connor Hancock and Josh
Dooley lost a seesaw match at
no. 2 doubles.
“As they gain experience,
they will be able to win the big
points and take matches like
this one,” Strickland said.
Winners vs. Hab. Central
•No.l S Bowen, W, 6-2,6-2
•No.l D Scarborough/Dove,
W, 2-6,7-6,6-4
Sd
rs
SCAPING &H0HSE ARENAS
•BIVER8AND
• TOPSOIL
•HVEBBOCK
• WHITE HAND
• Kl I jTj Til If r
• FEA GRAVEL
WILLIAMS SAND
770-967-6601 OB 706-789-3779
DuDdnflbt GA * wirevillUmatniupartH .rail
|Bp,1»M.lb.lLb^UUblW, !-■ J
State
champions ...
continued from page IB
lead over Douglas-Coffee and led 37-31 at the half.
However, the team fell behind 44-39 with 4:36 left in the third
quarter.
But Madison County regained the lead at 50-48 on Skelton's three-
pointer, followed later by Williams’ three pointer at the buzzer to stake
Madison County to a 53-51 lead going into the last quarter.
The team took the lead for good at 57-56 on Marguez Henson’s
layup with 3:45 to go. Madison County extended the lead to five on
an assist from Williams to a wide-open Freeman under the basket. A
running layup in the lane by Skelton finished off Douglas-Coffee as
Madison County claimed the nine-point victory.
Stone said the team had the right chemistry to win a championship,
pointing out that eight of the 10 players on the roster played together in
an Athens premier league earlier in the winter and went undefeated.
Still, winning a state title pleasantly surprised Stone, who hadn't
enjoyed a victory at district in his five years of coaching all-stars.
“I figured we had a pretty good chance to go pretty deep into region
(district), but I didn’t ever think we’d go off and with a state champion
ship with them,” he said.
Madison County won despite not having a roster loaded with
12-year-olds.
Key performers like Skelton, Freeman, Williams and Hanson are
only 11 years old. Sam Bartlett is 10 and Cade Hancock is actually
playing up one age group.
Madison County would seemingly have a stacked roster for next
year.
But several off this team might tryout for roster spots on Madison
County Middle School’s seventh grade team.
“They'll play middle school, I imagine, next year,” Stone said of the
nucleus of 11-year-olds.
The state championship team included Sam Bartlett, Hunter
Chandler, Cade Hancock, Malik Freeman, Marguez Henson, Chris
Newton, T. J. Skelton, Eric Smith, Cameron Stevenson and Eric
Williams.
Stone was assisted by David Hancock and Tim Skelton.
Soccer
continued from page IB
Had the team converted a few of its chances on offense, it would have
pulled off a major upset.
Though his team was discouraged, Mangan wasn't.
‘The team was extremely disappointed to come up with a loss from
a 15 second breakdown in the back,’’ Mangan said, noting Salem's only
score. “But I was very proud of how they played. It's the best game the
team has put together so far this year.
Most of the credit for Friday’s solid performance went to the defense,
especially Spencer Baird, Russell Adams, Ben Larkins and Daniels
Eubanks.
“Defensively, the back four had the best game they have put together
as a unit so far,’’ Mangan said.
The coach also noted the efforts of goalkeeper Jason Bales, who he
said had a great game, “stopping several breakaways that kept us in the
game,”
Offensively, Ben Ortman hit the crossbar on a set piece that very nearly
tied the game,
Mangan added that the Raider forwards did an “excellent job staying
physical with a tough, big defensive unit.'
“I was very impressed with their gritty performance,” he said.
Madison County is still trying to make up three games it missed due
to inclement weather.
Madison County
Board of Commissioners
ADVERTISEMENT FOR
SEALED BIDS
The Mildis on County Board of Commitsioncts
in seeking bids for paving portions of Sprarlin Mill
Drive (County Road #£20),
Specifications may he obtained by contacting
Road Superintendent Charles Tfcmplc at T06-T9S-
62.60.
Bids should be sealed and clearly marked on
the outside 'Sealed Bid for Favlrtg Sp rati in Mill
Driw p and received no later than 12:00 Hoon on
March 27, 2009 La the office of the Chairman of
the Board of Commissionera located at 91 Albany
Avenue in Danielsville, Georgia.
The Board of Commissioners reserves the
right to reject any and all bids.
Anthony Dove
Chairman
Caregiver Workshop: TA<? Strains & Odns ofCaregiving
A workshop offered for
Professional and Family Caregivers
Barry Jacobs, Psy>D,
author of “Iimofionflf Guide for the Caregiver"
Friday, April 3 nl , 2009
tocajiftf zit Atfens Medical Cbtferi
Sci'i.w.'i ioii'ii'irimj -
hcibi'jrcf )hi< uiflin Mspffqf
CcitiJiratrs and Fragrant information available for
-sell UFulicatipn of Cunii nui in- Edimiiidn Credit
RtgKtratioiU &l? -8:45 am
fFbe-regHmswn reguirecU
I'noEi*mi: 8.45 am. -1 JO pm
$20 per person
Continental breakfast
and lunch will be provided
For more information,
call (706) 475-56 ao
j Athens Regional
W MEDICAL CEmil
WINTER CLEARANCE
Golf Clubs & Equipment
must go to mate room for spring arrival I
Certificates
Available
Fittings
Bag Evaluations
Repairs
Putting Green
Equipment
Apparel
ccessories
706-612-1159
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. • Athens, GA