About The Madison County journal. (Hull, Ga.) 1989-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2025)
PAGE 2B - THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025 Raiders gearing up for region play - =t. Photos by Michael Lafountain Slump continues The Madison Coun ty High School baseball team is coming off an other tough week, drop ping two more games. The Raiders lost a 5-2 game to East Jackson on March 5, followed by a 6-3 loss to Oconee County on March 7. Pitching continues to be a struggle for the Raiders, who have given up 5.9 runs per game so far this season. Mean while, MCHS has scored 3.9 runs per game across the same span. The team currently sits at 2-10, but a chance to turn things around and make a run for the play- offs is still in front of them: region play. The next phase of the season will see the Raid ers face their region op ponents in three-game back-to-back stretches. The span kicks off against 9-3 North Oconee on the road on March 11, followed by a home double-header on March 14. Next up is the 5-5 Flowery Branch Falcons. MCHS will face them once at home on March 18, followed by a road double-header on March 21. Raiders pitcher Jon DiNapoli slings a pitch during one of the team’s recent games. . 1 % .4 Madison Coun ty baseball players (left) stand for the national an them before a recent game. A MCHS base- ball player (right) swings at a pitch during a recent matchup. A “? L- '•HILF ilTm. 5 it(T Georgia Rivers launches Fish Georgia Rivers program with new staff and board members Fish Georgia Rivers will expand access to kayak fishing training and host fishing trips Georgia Rivers is launching a new riv er recreation program to expand access to kayak fishing training and trips. Fish Geor gia Rivers will debut this spring led by new program coordinator Kendon Townsel with support from new board President Isham Colosetti and the entire Georgia Rivers Board. Georgia Rivers is already a leader in the southeast for introducing paddlesports skills and water safety training to the kay ak angler community. This spring, Fish Georgia Rivers will expand the number of leaders across our region who hold nation al certification as kayak fishing instructors with the American Canoe Association. Townsel will help build programming to expand access to safety and skills training for the public, increase access to fishing trips and programming for beginners, and represent anglers when Georgia Rivers ad vocates for river recreation and conserva tion at the State Capitol. For Decatur, GA native Kendon Town sel, kayak fishing took his fishing hobby to the next level, and to competitive kayak fishing. Sitting closer to the water led him to success in the tournament scene in 2023 and 2024, where he won three tournaments and placed top five in 12 of 17 events. “I’m dedicated to bringing newcomers to the water and to fishing,” Townsel said of his particular passion for reaching be ginners. He also aims to use Fish Georgia Rivers to protect the freedom to float on all Georgia rivers. “My goal is to educate all anglers on their own right of passage to float Georgia rivers — and ensure all rivers and streams remain open for public pas sage. If you can float it — you can boat it.” Fish Georgia Rivers was developed by the Georgia Rivers Board of Directors as a way to integrate angler communities into Georgia Rivers programming and advoca cy. Board president Isham Colosetti is an avid fisherman who saw an opportunity to expand the work of Georgia Rivers to in clude anglers and the rivers they love in the Georgia Rivers scope of work. “Programs like Paddle Georgia—and soon Fish Georgia Rivers—are especially close to my heart,” said Colosetti. “They provide opportunities for people to experi ence the beauty of wild places, understand the challenges facing our rivers, and devel op a personal connection that inspires their own advocacy to protect Georgia rivers and work class water trails like the Okefe- nokee Wilderness Canoe Trail. Georgia Rivers board members sup porting these programming opportunities include Delta corporate environmental compliance manager Dika Kuoh as vice president, retired Senior Director of Com munity Relations at the Chattahoochee Nature Center Lynn McIntyre as secretary, and certified public accountant Terry Pate as treasurer. To celebrate the launch of this program, Georgia Rivers is raffling a new Crescent Kayaks Lite Tackle II fishing kayak. This kayak is ideal for beginner anglers with in-hull storage, rod holders, and a robust high seating option. The Lite Tackle II is just over 12 feet long making it a stable platform for beginners to maintain direc tion and carry their favorite equipment. This kayak is donated to Georgia Rivers by Carrollton based Crescent Kayaks, an award-winning small business that was named a Small Business Rock Star in 2023 by the Georgia Department of Econom ic Development (GDEcD) and the Geor gia Economic Developers Association (GEDA). Raffle tickets for a chance to win the Lite Tackle II fishing kayak are just $5 each, and all raffle proceeds support Georgia water trails and river conservation. The raffle drawing will take place on March 4 at 7 p.m. at the Georgia Rivers Mardi Gras Benefit Party to Save the Swamp at Fire Maker Brewing in Atlanta. Purchase raffle tickets at https://rafflecreator.com/ pages/55174/crescent-kayaks-lite-tack- le-ii-raffle-2025 Fish Georgia Rivers will expand the number of professionals across our region who hold na tional certification as kayak fishing instructors with the American Canoe Association. PUBLIC MEETINGS ... FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH you can list your groups meetings! Banks County News . Jackson Herald Madison County Journal. Braselton News Call 706-367-5233 to list your meetings! tops weight loss group Commerce Public Library 1 hr. meeting • Saturday 12 noon BANKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. Meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks County Historical Courthouse at 105 U. S. Hwy 441 North in Homer, GA 12619 • JEFFERSON AMERICAN LEGION Post 56 • Meets 3rd Tues., 6:30 p.m. Joe Ruttar, Commander Phone (860) 949-4037 309 Lee St., Jefferson, GA JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays 12:00 Noon Jackson County Historic Courthouse 85 Washington St., Jefferson Holly McShane, President 706-768-0456 12626 St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m., Sun. 10:00 a.m., Tues. 12:10 p.m. Mon.,, Wed, Thurs. & Fri. 10:00 a.m., Spanish Sun. 8:00 a.m. Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org 706-367-7220 12972 ROCKWELL LODGE F & A.M. No. 191, Hoschton, GA 2nd Tues. at 7:30 p.m. • Dinner at 6:30 p.m. www.rockwelllodge191.com Two blocks behind Larry's Garage West Broad at Hall Street Tri-County : Shrine Club 3rd Thurs, of each month 7:30 p.m. Rockwell Lodge 191 KIWANIS OF JEFFERSON Meetings every 2 nd & 4 th Monday at Noon Cream & Shuga Contact Darryl Gumz at 770-605-6656 for more info. Call 706-367-5233 For all your Printing and Advertising needs!
