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PAGE 2B — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. APRIL 16. 2009
Sports Shorts
MCMS schedules
student-faculty game
Madison County Middle School
will hold a student-faculty basket
ball game Friday, April 17, to raise
funds for the MCMS boys’ and
girls’ basketball programs.
The MCMS female faculty will
face the eighth grade girls at 4 p.m.,
then the male faculty will take on
the eighth grade boys at approxi
mately 5:15 p.m.
MCYA football,
cheerleading signups
ahead April 18
The Madison County Youth
Association (MCYA) will hold
signups for football and cheerlead
ing April 18 from 1 to 4 p.m.
at the Madison County Recreation
Department.
Registration will be at the rec
reation department football field
building. This is the only day the
“$5 off coupon" is valid, accord
ing to organizers. The coupon is
available through Madison County
Schools or parents can print a copy
from the MCYA website, www.
leaguelineup.com/mcya-raiders.
Football registration is $60 and
cheerleading is $30.
For football questions, call Sherry
at 706-795-3978.
For information regarding cheer
leading, contact Wendy at 706-788-
3830. Additional information is also
available at the MCYA website.
Madison Co. Cruisers
schedule starts April 18
The Madison County Cruisers —
a local automobile organization —
starts its schedule April 18 at the
Danielsville City Park, the first of
six shows in 2009 at that location.
All shows ran from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. “All makes and models are
welcome — rat rods, finished and
unfinished," organizers said. “As
long as it has wheels and an engine,
it’s invited. We want to see it all.”
Other show dates are May 16,
June 20, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19
and Oct. 17. The October date is a
special cruise-in, organizers note.
The registration fee for all shows is
$5. For more information, contact
J.J. at 706-255-2196 or James at
706-795-2645.
Rec Dept, summer camp
offered again
The Madison County Recreation
Department is again offering five
one-week sessions of summer
camp for children 6-12, Mondays
through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m.
The sessions are June 1-5, June
8-12, June 22-26, July 13-17 and
July 27-31. Extended care, pre
camp and post-camp is also avail
able. Parents can call 706-795-
6270 for details.
Activities include arts, crafts,
sports, special events, indoor games
and outdoor games.
The cost is $55 per child, which
includes a camp T-shirt, for one
week of camp and $50 for each
additional week of camp. An addi
tional $20 fee will be added for
out-of-county participants. There
will be a $5 discount for multiple
children of the same household
registered during the same weeks.
Space is limited and pre-registra
tion and prepayment are required.
Parents must register their children
at the recreation department. No
registration will be taken over the
phone.
For more information or a reg
istration packet, contact the recre
ation department at 706-795-6270.
Madison Co. Rec Dept,
to offer tennis lessons
The Madison County Recreation
Department is offering youth and
adult tennis lessons for a six-week
session beginning Tuesday, April
21.
The lessons will be held on
Tuesday and Thursday evenings
at Sammy A. Haggard Park on
Hwy. 98 in Danielsville. The fee is
$45 per person and the registration
deadline is April 20. Those signing
up after that will be charged an
additional $5 late fee.
Participants must pre-register
and prepay at Sammy A. Haggard
Park.
Participants need to bring their
own racquet, but balls will be
provided. The rec dept, will have
junior and adult tennis racquets
available for $12 each, but they
must be paid for separately.
Christina Fortson instructs the
class, teaching the fundamen
tals she’s learned through years
of attending clinics. She has been
a USTA league tennis player for
seven years. The time slots are as
follows: beginners 6-8, Tuesday,
5:30-6:30 p.m.; beginners 9-12,
Tuesday, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; beginners
13-18, Tuesday, 7:30-8:30 p.m.;
beginners 19-and-over, Tuesday,
8:30-9:30 p.m.; advanced lessons
for all ages, Thursday, 4:30-5:30
p.m.; ages 6-8 beginner overflow,
Thursday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; ages
9-12 intermediate, Thursday,
6:30-7:30 p.m.; ages 13-18 inter
mediate, Thursday, 7:30-8:30
p.m.; and ages 19-and-over inter
mediate, Thursday, 8:30-9:30
p.m. For more information, call
the recreation department at 706-
795-6270.
Madison Co.
Bass Masters
hosting kids tourney
The Madison County Bass
Masters will host the 11th annu
al Kids C.H.A.M.P.S Fishing
Tournament May 2 at Lake
Russell State Park (just past the
golf course).
“The event was known as the
DARE Tournament in the past
and we plan to keep things much
the same and hope to see the sup
port from the community as in
past outings," organizers said.
Fishing begins at 8:30 a.m. and
weigh-in is at 11:30 a.m.. Parents
need to register each child up
to 17 years old, if they want a
T-shirt, with Bonds Boats and
Marina, North Georgia Sports
or club president Doug Parham
(706-296-7845) by April 17.
Trophies will be awarded to the
top three finishers in the 6-and-
under, 7-10, 11-14 and 15-17
age groups. Any person or busi
ness wanting to assist with priz
es or donations should contact
Parham.
Soccer
continued from page IB
The Raiders went for their sev
enth win Wednesday in their season
finale against Cedar Shoals in a
makeup of a Friday cancellation.
Results were not available at press
time.
Against Winder-Barrow, Ben
Qrtman scored 15 minutes into the
game, hitting a free kick from 25
yards out.
Meanwhile, defenders Spencer
Baird, Russell Adams, Ben Larkins,
Daniel Eubanks and Enrique Zuniga
had their best games of the season,
Mangan said, limiting Winder-
Barrow's talented striker.
However, Winder-Barrow tied the
contest at 1-1 with 10 minutes left
off of a header.
Following a scoreless overtime.
the game was decided on penalty
kicks.
Ian Webster, Daniel Eubanks,
Detrick Yamasato and Ortman all
converted their shots.
But Madison County missed
its sixth and seventh kicks during
sudden death. Bales stopped the
Bulldoggs’ sixth kick, but Winder-
Barrow squirted its seventh kick
through for the win.
“I was tremendously proud of the
team’s effort,” Mangan said. "We
deserved a better result than losing
in penalties for such an effort.”
Madison County entered the
Winder-Barrow game following a
2-0 loss to Loganville April 8.
The Raiders fell despite a solid
first-half defensive effort against the
Red Devils. "The defense remained
pretty organized in weathering
Loganville’s attacks,” Mangan said.
But the team appeared to lose its
“sense of urgency” in the second
half, Mangan said, giving up two
scores as a result of defensive laps
es. "We were disappointed in the
result,” Mangan said. “We thought
we should have shown better than
we did against Loganville."
Madison County returned from
spring vacation a day earlier a bit out
of form and lost 4-2 to Apalachee.
“We showed some rust from
spring break, with several sloppy
goals conceded more from mental
errors than anything,” Mangan said.
Crew Mayne and Ortman sup
plied Madison County’s two goals.
Girls’ soccer
continued from page IB
Friday. The teams got the game
in just before storms pounded the
county.
Danielle Kindley, Maria
Desjardines and Erin Gibson each
scored goals as the Lady Raiders
snapped a two-game scoreless
streak.
“The girls played very well,"
Wilkes said. "They strung some
great combinations of passes
together and were really trying to
win every loose ball."
Prior to the Cedar Shoals win,
Madison County hadn’t scored
since a 1-1 tie with Jefferson
March 24. Following a long lay
off for spring break, the Lady
Raiders returned from hiatus to
lose by a combined 14-0 margin to
Apalachee and Loganville.
But the Lady Raiders played a
“very determined game" on senior
night, according to Wilkes.
“It was a great way to end the
home season for the seniors," he
said.
Track
continued from page IB
also took eighth in the 300-meter hurdles.
The Raiders finished with 50 points, placing
behind Elbert County (95), Mill Creek (93), Miller
Grove (73) and Peachtree Ridge (56).
Kendrick Butler added a second-place finish in
the triple jump, a fifth-place finish in the 300-meter
hurdles and an eighth-place showing in the long
jump.
Other individuals scoring for Madison County
were Jeffery Hicks (fifth, pole vault), A1 Allen (fifth,
100-meter dash), Terry Cobbs (seventh, 100-meter
dash) and Jamal Cooper (seventh, long jump)
In the relays, Madison County managed its best
showings in the 4 x 800 (fourth), 4 x 400 (sixth) and
the distance medley (seventh).
The girls" team did not compete.
TENNIS SENIOR DAY
The Madison County tennis program celebrated senior day this past Thursday. Pictured
are (L to R) Matt O’Rourke, Bailey O’Rourke, Ree O’Rourke, Sarah Powers, Melanie
Powers, Keith Strickland, Phebe Smith, Molly Smith, Rickey Smith, Laura Bowen, Marcus
Bowen, Bruce Bowen, Wes Seabolt, and David Des Jardines.
Sports roundup
Lady Raiders
warmup for region
The Madison County girls’ golf
team prepped the fast-approach
ing region tournament by beating
North Oconee 94-106 Tuesday at
Lane Creek in one of its final regu
lar season rounds.
Coach Doug Kesler said his team
hit the ball well in notching yet
another win. "We did, especially
for the course to be as wet as it
was,” he said.
Kelsey Hochstetler lead Madison
County with a 46 and Cortney
Boggs added a 48.
The team had one more regular
season match before region, play
ing East Jackson Wednesday at
Double Oaks Golf Club, but results
weren't available at press time.
The Lady Raiders play in the
region tournament Monday at
Chateau Elan as they vie for a spot
in the state tournament.
Before beating North Oconee
Tuesday, the Lady Raiders finished
second in a three-team match at
Hammers Glenn April 8.
Madison County shot a 97, fin
ishing behind Rabun County (92)
and ahead of Banks County (110).
Boggs led the Lady Raiders with
a 45. Taylor Morgan added a 52.
Kesler said his team’s round of
97 wasn’t bad, considering this was
its first trip to Hammers Glenn, a
course that can present some dif
ficult shots.
“You can get in trouble in a
hurry ... That’s not bad on a course
that you've never played before,"
Kesler said.
Raider golfers back in
win column
Madison County whipped Banks
County by 29 strokes, 188-217,
at Hammers Glenn April 8 for its
third victory of the season.
This was one of the Raiders bet
ter outings this year, considering
the difficulty of the course and the
conditions.
“The front nine is pretty tight ...
plus it was windy, so that’s not a
bad score,” Smith said.
Three of Madison County’s four
scorers shot below 50.
Zach Rhoden earned low medal
ist honors with a 42, Jake Wilmont
added a 45 and Jacob Fleming
carded a 49.
Colton Phillips rounded out the
scoring with a 52.
Madison County played a
Wednesday match with East
Jackson at Double Oaks and is
scheduled to face Oglethorpe
County today at Sunrise Golf
Course.
Comer’s Little
wins at Hartwell
Comer’s Jimmy Little claimed the
biggest win of the night Saturday at
Hartwell Speedway, surviving five
cautions and 14 top competitors in
the Stock Four Cylinder class.
Little’s win was part of Hartwell
Speedway’s 2009 season opener,
which featured racing in eight dif
ferent divisions.
Two other Madison County rac
ers took home checkered flags on
opening night.
Royce Bray of Hull won the
FASTRAK Crate Late Model
class, and Robin Collins of Colbert
held off a last minute charge from
Chris Nickerson and Rusty Jordan
to claim a victory in the Modified
Street class division.
Other Madison County drivers
who placed were Ila's Brant Carey
(second. Limited Late Model class),
Colbert’s Kenny Collins (third,
FASTRAK Crate Late Model) and
Comer’s Bubba Russell (fourth,
FASTRAK Crate Late Model).
— racing report from Heather
Rhoades
Girls tennis ... cont’dfrom IB
Boys’ tennis ... cont’d from page IB
Smith and Bowen won easily at no. 1
and 2 singles and Powers and LaZear pre
vailed in straight sets at no. 1 doubles.
“Molly, Jeannie and Sarah and Sam
continued their great play," Strickland
said.
The Madison County girls notched
another 5-0 victory a day earlier, blank
ing Clarke Central.
sets (3-6, 6-4, 6-4).
"Blaise Bolemon continues to amaze me with his drive to
win," Strickland said. “He never seems to get frustrated and
knows how to stay in a match."
Hancock and Dooley won easily in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.
"Connor and Josh capped an already great week with a
straight set win to finish the week at 4-0," Strickland noted.
A day earlier, Madison County swept doubles play and
notched a win at no. 3 singles to down Clarke Central 3-2.
Baseball... continued from page IB
The defending state champi
ons scored three runs in the
second, four more in the third,
two in the fourth and ended the
game with an RBI single with
no outs in the fifth.
Meanwhile, Red Devil starting
pitcher Clay Gamer handcuffed
Madison County, holding the
Raiders to just three hits as they
suffered their second loss in the
last three region games.
“A player can make a dif
ference,” Griffeth said. “It's
all about starting pitching and
who’s on and who isn't and who
can dominate and who can’t."
Two days earlier, Madison
County drilled Salem 10-0 to
sweep the season series from
the Seminoles.
Starter Jack May allowed just
two hits over six innings, strik
ing out five and walking none.
Offensively, both Seth
Fleming and Ben Morris socked
three-run homers as Madison
County run-mled another foe.
Morris’s homer came in third
inning, while Fleming's round-
tripper, his third in as many
games, came in the fourth.
Dustin Roberts added two hits
and two RBIs.
From the mound. May used
his change-up, breaking ball
and fastball effectively to work
through the Seminole lineup
with ease.
"He just had three pitches
working," Griffeth said.
Madison County’s 10-0 win
over Salem and subsequent
10-0 loss to Loganville con
tinued a strange trend of one
sided games involving playoff
contenders this year in Region
8-AAAA.
"There have been a lot of
lopsided games between quality
teams,” Griffeth said.
1992
... continued from page IB
recalls a team that put in extra hours without being
asked.
"I remember bus trips where we had three or four
guys go l-for-3, and as soon as they get back, they’re
hitting for another hour,” Griffeth said. “They were a
special group with work habits."
The early season Northeast Georgia Tournament
foreshadowed things to come that year. Griffeth recalls
beating a solid Lovejoy team 5-3 en route to winning
the tournament.
"I kind of remember thinking, man, we just beat a
pretty good team," he said.
Bigger moments would follow.
The 1992 season would showcase many “firsts” in
the Griffeth era - his first team to reach 20 wins, his
first to win a region title and his first to advance to state.
Madison County worked its way through the Class
AAA state bracket that spring before running into
Columbus in the finals.
The championship series was played at Columbus
College.
Griffeth recalled that the field “was like playing on
10 acres compared to what we were playing on.”
Madison County squandered a 5-2 lead in game
one, losing 7-5, and Columbus went on to take game
two.
Though the team fell short of a title, it set the bar
high for subsequent Raider baseball teams.
The 1992 team started a streak of five consecu
tive 20-win seasons as Madison County enjoyed
an ultra-successful decade of the 90s, winning five
region titles. "I think it did (set the tone)," Griffeth
said of the 1992 season. “Like I said, there were no
expectations. There were no region titles won at that
point... They just went out there and played and kept
getting better.”
You Are Invited To
Vintage Blessings Antiques
5th Anniversary Sale
April 16th - 19th
Daily Door Prizes • Grand Prize Drawing on Sunday, April 19
for a Vintage Fainting Bench
All Dealers will offer at least 10% OFF each item over $25.00
Saturday, 12:00 - 4:00, bring in your favorite pieces. Several dealers will
be available to share their knowledge about any of the following items:
Coins ~ Fenton ~ Silver ~ Glass ~ China ~ McCoy
We will also have vintage cars, a quilting demonstration, a sword display and a wind
chime demonstration Saturday afternoon. Local potters, Steve Turpin will be with us
Friday, 12-4; and Wayne Hewell and Jim McLelland will be with us Saturday, 12-4.
* See rules and regulations for daily prizes at the store. *
Vintage Blessings Antiques
1-85 / 441, Exit 149 at Banks Crossing
Commerce Crossing Shopping Center • Commerce, Georgia
www.vintageblessings.net
L. 706-335-0717
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy. • Athens, GA
WINTER CLEARANCE
Golf Clubs & Equipment
must go to make room for spring arrival!
Fittings
Bag Evaluations
Repairs
Putting Green
Equipment
Apparel
Accessories