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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. APRIL 23. 2009 — PAGE 3B Sports roundup Wilmot shoots 87 at region, MGHS takes sixth By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com The Madison County golf team capped a rebuilding year by finish ing in the middle of the pack at region. Led by senior Jake Wilmot's 87, the Raider golf team finished sixth at the Region 8-AAAA tourna ment at Chateau Elan. Madison County shot 378 as a team. “Considering the way the wind was, I thought they played pretty good,” coach Chris Smith said. “I was happy with how they finished. I think we did well considering how young we were.” Habersham Central won the region and Heritage finished sec ond. Brody Dudlely, also a senior, carded a 92, and Colton Phillips also broke 100, shooting a 95. Smith said his team could have scored lower if conditions were a little less windy or the team was more familiar with the Chateau Elan course. “If our kids had played that course every day, they would have known what clubs to hit,” Smith said. The coach hopes his group will build on its sixth-place finish as the team loses just two seniors Jake Wilmot shot a 87 at region Monday to lead the Madison County boys’ golf team. Ben Munro/staff next year. "I think they're excited about getting out and playing all sum mer,” Smith said of the returning group. Madison County entered the region tournament on the heels of two victories. The Raiders downed East Jackson 187-254 April 15 led by Wilmot's 43. Zach Rhoden, Dudley and Nathan Bray all shot 48. "We hit the ball really well, but we had problems putting on those greens,” Smith said. “They had been punched and were not rolling well at all.” Smith said he thought his team could have shot in the 170s had the greens been smoother. Madison County followed with a 207-212 win over Oglethorpe County at Sunrise Golf Course April 16, led by Lee Morgan's 47. Rec Dept, soccer scores released Here are the results from recent soccer action at the Madison County Recreation Department: 12 & UNDER April 6 Stingers 2, Blazers 0 Raging Rhinos 2, Wolverines 1 April 20 Stingers 3, Wolverines 1 Blazers 1, Raging Rhinos 1 Hull’s Bray wins at Lavonia Royce Bray took the top spot in the FASTRAK Crate Late Model division in racing action over the weekend at Lavonia. Bray, Hull, was one of four Madison County drivers to place at the track. The others were Colbert’s Steven Segars, who finished third in the Limited Late Model; Bubba Russell, Comer, who took fourth in the FASTRAK Late Model class; and Robin Collins, Colbert, who was third in Enduro competition. — submitted by Heather Rhoades Baseball continued from page IB behind in fourth place. "Yeah, it’s going to be fun these last few games,” coach Charlie Griffeth said. The Raiders trailed region lead er Heritage by half a game, as of Wednesday morning. Madison County, slated to have faced Apalachee Wednesday after noon (results weren't available at press time), closes the regular sea son with Clarke Central (Friday), Cedar Shoals (Monday) and Winder-Barrow (Wednesday). The Raiders are vying for a second-straight playoff berth and a 20-win season. "This is what it's all about,” Griffeth said. "That’s why you give up half your summer and freeze during practice before the season.” The Raiders went up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth Monday with a homer from Dustin Roberts. However, Rockdale County evened the score with a solo homerun off Robinson, who took the mound in the seventh inning in relief of starter Jack May. But Bracken Turner reached base in the bottom of the sev enth and moved to second on a sacrifice, setting up Robinson's game-winner. Though Robinson blew the save, he earned the win from the mound with his one inning of relief. May worked six innings for a no-decision, allowing two earned runs, six hits and two walks while striking out six. Offensively, Madison County was able to overcome one of the best pitchers in the region, Buck Farmer, who has signed with Georgia Tech. Farmer throws between 88-90 mph and has good command of three pitches. “I would say he’s got the best stuff in the region,” Griffeth said. Madison County jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Farmer and Rockdale County. Turner led off the third inning with a double and later scored off an error for the Raiders’ first run. Bo Dalton then drove home the Raiders' second run with a two-strike, two-out single in the fourth. The win was much-needed for a Madison County team that had lost three of its last five region games after a 10-0 start. “Yeah, it was," Griffeth said. “It was a game we needed confi dence-wise.” •Hab. Central 5, MCHS 3 (April 17): Madison County fell to a lower-rung region team Friday, losing 5-3 to Habersham Central. Habersham scored three times in the top of the fourth inning en route to the upset victory. Habersham, which entered the game tied for eighth place in Region 8-AAAA, added an insurance score in the top of the seventh. Madison County tried to rally with a two-out, two-run double from Ian Drake in the bottom of the seventh, but the comeback fell short. Drake drove home all three of the Raiders' scores. The game was tied 1-1 until the top of the fourth when Habersham Central broke the stalemate with an RBI double. The visitors then tacked on two more insurance runs, scoring from third twice off of groundouts to pull ahead 4-1. •MCHS 10, Monroe Area 0 (April 16): The Raiders run-ruled Monroe Area for the second time this year with a 10-0 stomping of the Purple Hurricanes April 16. Madison County struck for four runs in the first, one in the second, four more in the third and another in the fourth. Roberts, who had two hits, homered and drove home three runs while Ian Drake also went deep. Matt Dean added to the hit parade with three RBIs. May earned the win, holding the Purple Hurricanes to just one hit in four innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. Robinson provided an inning of scoreless relief, striking out one. Ian Webster heads the ball during Madison County’s season finale against Cedar Shoals. Ben Munro/staff Raiders finish season with offensive flurry By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com It was a tale of two halves on Senior Night. Fortunately for Madison County (7-9), the Raiders reserved their most explosive half of the season for last. Madison County rallied from a 3-0 deficit with seven second- half goals to drill Cedar Shoals 7-3 last Wednesday. “I was proud of the team’s heart to come back from such a big deficit in such an emphatic way,” coach Trevor Mangan said. "It was a good way to end the season.” Madison County’s highest scoring output to that point had been six goals, but the Raiders managed to surpass that mark in a 35-minute span in the second half. Brandon Wilson got the team on the board by pouncing on a loose ball and putting it into the side netting. Then senior Daniel Eubanks scored a goal from outside the box to cut the lead to 3-2. Senior Ben Ortman supplied two goals and Wilson added another, and senior captain Spencer Baird and Austin Mize joined the offensive outburst as well, with each adding a score. Madison County trailed 2-0 at the half and gave up the Jaguars' third goal in the first two minutes of the second half. $ 5 00 0FF D^l ff JJJUare. VSla nJFi osi(patiJUflti-17iitp.iviJt La Hacbada Commerce la Hoc ten do Brnaltoa mSmm&bmwBIwl. S311 Mghw* S3 Spring Overstock Sale Your Choice Washer Dishwasher Microwave/Vettt Come See Us Soon! 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