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 Dragon machine rolls over Banks, 35-7
Fresh off a pair of huge wins to open the season, the Jefferson
Dragons will rumble on to the Johnson High School campus Friday
hoping to improve to 3-0. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
The 7-AAA Knights come in to the game at 0-2, having lost overwhelmingly
to Dawson County and West Hall. Jefferson will be looking to
avenge a one-point home loss to the Knights last year, 21-20.
In that game, Jefferson turned the ball over four times and missed
an extra point in the closing minutes that would have sent the
game to overtime.
WIN OVER BANKS COUNTY
Banks County's Leopards were able to keep Jefferson to only six
points during the first half of last week's game, but the Dragons
scored on four of their first five possessions in the second
half to take a 35-7 win.
Courtney Wiley continued his amazing early-season rushing performance,
picking up 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only 12 carries.
The sophomore sensation currently has racked up 488 yards rushing
and six touchdowns in Jefferson's first two games, despite carrying
the ball only 21 times.
The Dragons, who likely expected Banks to be strong on the ground,
were able to shut down the Leopards inside, but Jefferson's concentration
on the line opened up the Leopards' outside game early.
The Leopards kept the ball for more than 16 minutes in the first
two quarters. Banks was also able to hold Wiley at bay in the
first half. Wiley broke a 68-yard touchdown run on the opening
play of the game, but the score was called back on a holding
call.
After that, Wiley wouldn't break another long one until late
in the first quarter. He took off on a 92-yard run to put the
Dragons ahead 6-0. Jefferson missed the point-after attempt.
The Leopards missed an opportunity to tie up the game late in
the second quarter. Banks went on a 12-play, 56-yard drive down
to Jefferson's 1-yard line. But in two plays, the Leopards weren't
able to put the ball in, turning possession over to Jefferson
on downs.
In the second half, the Dragons broke several big plays to take
control of the game. After Jefferson quarterback Kyle Potts found
Blake Gooch for a four-yard touchdown strike, Banks County fumbled
the ball back on its first play from scrimmage of the second
half. Wiley reached the end zone for the second time just two
plays later.
Just before the third quarter ended, Wiley sparked another Jefferson
score with a big run deep into Leopard territory. Potts sneaked
in for the score shortly thereafter.
Brantley Gilbert came on to relieve Potts near the end of the
game, and scored from two yards out to complete Jefferson's scoring.
The Leopards' only score came late in the fourth quarter. After
taking a kickoff from the Dragons, Banks drove 77 yards on 12
plays to take the score.
Lady Leopards
fall to Washington-Wilkes, to face Elbert
After an area loss to Washington-Wilkes last week, the Banks
County Lady Leopards will look to get back on track this week.
Thursday, Banks will travel to Elbert County for a 5 p.m. game.
Banks' game with Elbert will be the first of the Lady Leopards'
final four games.
The Lady Leopards were scheduled to take on Jackson County Tuesday,
however, that game was canceled due to Tuesday's terrorist events.
Last week, the Lady Leopards fell 11-1 to Washington-Wilkes.
The Lady Tigers scored one run in the each of the first three
innings. They added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth
to take a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Lady Leopards picked up their only
run of the game.
With one out, Nina Jordan grounded to the shortstop. The first-baseman
dropped the throw to first, allowing Jordan to stand safely on
first. One out later, Maggie Elrod singled to right field.
Kayla Gragg followed with a single to right field that allowed
Jordan to come around and score, setting the score at 5-1.
In the bottom of the inning, the Lady Tigers capitalized on several
fielding errors to go ahead 11-1 and win the game.
 Panthers fall to Madison County, 35-7
The Jackson County Panthers will travel to Elberton Friday for
a game in one of the most reknowned and easily recognized football
stadiums in the state, Elbert County's Granite Bowl. The game
will be the first region contest for both teams.
Panther head coach Greg Lowe indicated that visitors to such
storied sports venues often struggle simply because they allow
themselves to be intimidated.
"There's a certain myth that goes along with places like
that," Lowe said. "A lot of it is self-fulfilling."
Elbert County comes in at 2-0, having barely gotten by teams
from Harlem and Richmond Academy. After a loss last week at Madison
County, Jackson County is 0-2.
Elbert has had a problem familiar to the Panthers during its
first two games: holding on to the ball.
It didn't take long for the ball to roll the wrong way for Jackson
County. After returning the opening kickoff to the 26-yard line,
the Panthers fumbled the ball away on their first play from scrimmage.
Two Panther offsides penalties later, Raider fullback Tony Freeman
rumbled in for a touchdown to put his team ahead for keeps.
Jackson County fought back with a solid drive of its own, getting
big runs from backs Brandon Shields and Travis Parks before a
holding penalty stalled the effort. The Panthers were forced
to punt the ball away. The punt was perfect, pinning Madison
County on its own 1-yard line.
Chuck Kubiak came through with a crucial open-field tackle to
force the Raiders into a third-and-six situation, and Madison
eventually had to punt.
The Raiders would not punt again until late in the third quarter.
Madison continually hurried to the line out of the huddle all
night, wearing down the Panther defense. Freeman went on the
prowl, breaking out for a number of big runs and scoring again
in the second quarter.
Jackson County's other two first-half possessions both ended
in punts, one of which was blocked by Richard Stowers and returned
by Robert Geiger to the Panther 1-yard line. Quarterback Jonathan
Pou took the ball in on a sneak play to put the Raiders up 21-0.
The Panther defense came up big on Madison County's final drive
of the half, sacking Pou and knocking the ball loose around midfield.
Jackson County recovered, but officials ruled the play an incomplete
pass. Moments later, the Panthers' Vernon Brown picked off a
Pou pass in the end zone to end the drive.
Just as with the first half, the opening play of the second half
was a huge one for Madison County. Freeman eluded the Panther
defense for a 64-yard touchdown run on the Raiders' first play
from scrimmage to make it a 28-0 game. After a Panther punt,
Danté Montgomery went in from 44 yards out for Madison
County's final score of the game.
Madison continued to sweep left for big gains as the game wound
down, but Casey Berryman contributed a huge hit behind the line
of scrimmage to help end the threat. The Raiders punted, and
Jackson County was pinned inside its own 5-yard line.
Despite the long 95-yard stretch that lay before them, the Panthers
mounted a long, sustained drive that took up nearly two-thirds
of the fourth quarter and culminated with a short touchdown run
by Shields at 4:22 to set the final score. Brown and Shields
both contributed big runs during the drive.
Shields finished the game with 96 yards and a touchdown on 24
carries.
"They [Madison County] had the long run early in the second
quarter, the blocked punt and the turnover," Lowe said.
"Other than that, I think they only scored on one legitimate
drive . . . We're just not making the plays right now, and we've
got a hard row to hoe the next three games."
Over the next three weeks, Jackson County will face some of the
better teams in Region 8-AAA, including Elbert County and Hart
County.
 Commerce
Faces Another Bulldog Opponent; Looks To Get Back On Winning
Track Friday
Commerce looks to fare better against this week's breed of Bulldog
when it tangles with Morgan County at Tiger Stadium at 8 p.m.
The Tigers are trying to rebound from a three-touchdown loss
to the Bulldogs of Forsyth Central this past Friday-their first
in nine games.
Protecting the football will be among the main items on this
week's agenda for Commerce. The team committed three first-half
turnovers in the loss to Forsyth Central, leading to 21 Bulldog
points.
Commerce head coach Steve Savage said the defeat should serve
as a wake-up call to the squad.
"Our kids will take from that game that we need to work
harder because we might not be as good as some of us thought,"
he said.
But the coach said the team has seemed to respond well to the
adversity so far.
"The kids came out Monday and had a good practice,"
Savage said.
When Commerce takes on 7-AA Morgan County Friday night, it will
face opponent that looks similar to the Tigers on both sides
of the ball.
Offensively, Savage said the Bulldogs were an option-oriented
team but operated out of the flexbone or double-slot set.
"They run an offense similar to what Georgia Southern runs,"
the coach said.
Defensively, the coach said that Morgan County will show a "shade
weak 50" look while also lining up in a 4-3 set-up occasionally.
Savage added that Morgan County, which sports 67 players and
eight seniors, "has a good mix of size and speed" and
was "a well-coached, sound football team."
"They're a good football team," the coach said. "Their
kids play hard."
Morgan County is also attempting to rebound from a setback last
Friday, falling to Jackson High School 19-7. The team picked
up a 21-14 win over Monroe Area to open the season.
Eighth-year Bulldog head coach Kenny Moore said that his team
expects a to run into a "hard-nosed" Commerce football
team.
"They're well-coached, hard-nosed kids," said Moore,
who coached the team to a 4-6 mark last year.
The Morgan County coach said he looks for the Tigers to enter
the contest fully recovered from last week's loss.
"I know they lost by a large margin last week, but they'll
be a lot better this week," Moore said, whose team lost
35-14 to Commerce last year. "Steve will make some adjustments.
They've got a hard-nosed offensive line. They don't have any
home run hitters like they had with Michael and Monté,
but they're just a hard-nosed football team."
 Boys'
cross country team breezing by competitors
The Madison County boys' cross country team continued its run
of dominance this past week.
The squad improved to 11-0 with wins in home matches Wednesday
and Monday. The Raiders defeated Elbert, Stephens, Franklin,
Hart and Washington-Wilkes Wednesday and topped Prince Avenue,
Washington-Wilkes and Oglethorpe County Monday.
Cross country coach Kathy Drake said she has been elated with
the guys' performances.
"They were awesome," said Drake Monday. "I couldn't
have asked for them to do any better."
Drake said opposing coaches have also offered glowing praise
for her boys' squad.
Madison County's Matt Seawright won the race Monday with a 19:39
finish, followed close behind by teammate Jonathan Hardy, who
took second with a time of 19:40. Patrick Bryant took sixth in
the 37-man race with a time of 20:40. Bryan Bird was seventh
with a time of 20:54 and Josh Booker took tenth with a time of
21:17.
Hardy led Madison County with a fourth-place finish and a 19:31
time in the 63-man race Wednesday. Seawright took fifth with
a time of 19:58. Bryant was 13th with a time of 21:15. Booker's
21:20 earned him a 14th place finish and Bird was 15th with a
time of 21:28.
"We've got really high hopes for our boys in the region
meet this year," said Drake, whose squad will participate
in the region meet Oct. 27 in Winder. "We've already beat
four of the teams in our region."
GIRLS' ACTION
The girls' team has been led this season by Debbie Ebalobo, who
finished second Monday with a time of 24:57, an improvement over
her 25:54 time Wednesday which earned her a third place finish.
Drake said she was pleased that three girls, including Ebalobo,
improved from Wednesday to Monday. Megan Holloman shaved over
a minute off her time, finishing sixth Monday with a 26:18, compared
to a 13th place showing and a 27:38 time Wednesday. Amy Beck
finished 10th Monday with a time of 30:08, down from a 30th place
finish and a 32:38 time Wednesday.
Other girls' runners this week included: Melanie Costyn, 31:20
(Wed.) and 30:53 (Mon.) and Heather McDonald, 32:43 (Wed.)
The cross country teams were scheduled to travel to Cedar Shoals
today (Wednesday) for a six-team meet with Cedar, Athens Academy,
Athens Christian, Monroe and Hart County. The Raiders will then
travel to Cateechee Golf Course Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. to face
Hart, Prince, Stephens, Elbert, Franklin and Commerce.
|
LOCAL
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES/RESULTS
| Banks County |
| (1-1-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
at
JCCHS |
12-7 |
| 9/7 |
Jefferson |
7-35 |
| 9/21 |
Dawson
Co. |
- |
| 9/28 |
at
East Hall |
- |
| 10/5 |
GAC |
- |
| 10/12 |
at
Apalachee |
- |
| 10/19 |
Lumpkin
Co. |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Co. |
- |
| 11/2 |
Rabun
Co. |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
White Co. |
- |
| Commerce |
| (1-1-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Franklin
Co |
29-13 |
| 9/7 |
at
Forsyth Ctrl |
14-35 |
| 9/14 |
Morgan
Co |
- |
| 9/21 |
at
Walhalla, SC |
- |
| 9/28 |
at
Lincoln Co |
- |
| 10/5 |
at
Ath Acad |
- |
| 10/12 |
Wash-Wilkes |
- |
| 10/26 |
Wesleyan |
- |
| 10/2 |
at
Jefferson |
- |
| 10/9 |
Buford |
- |
| Jackson County |
| (0-2-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Banks
Co |
7-12 |
| 9/7 |
at
Madison Co |
7-35 |
| 9/14 |
at
Elbert Co |
- |
| 9/28 |
Hart |
- |
| 10/5 |
at
Eastside |
- |
| 10/12 |
Loganville |
- |
| 10/19 |
at
Franklin |
- |
| 10/26 |
Winder-Barrow |
- |
| 11/2 |
Stephens
Co |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
Monroe Area |
- |
| Jefferson |
| (2-0-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Athens
Christian |
40-6 |
| 9/7 |
at
Banks Co |
35-7 |
| 9/14 |
at
Johns-G'ville |
- |
| 9/21 |
Madison
Co |
- |
| 9/28 |
at
Social Circle |
- |
| 10/5 |
Oglethorpe
Co |
- |
| 10/12 |
Lndmrk
Christ |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Buford |
- |
| 11/2 |
Commerce |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
Wesleyan |
- |
| Madison County |
| (2-1-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/24 |
South
Forsyth |
0-17 |
| 9/1 |
Apalachee |
36-3 |
| 9/7 |
Jackson
Co |
35-7 |
| 9/14 |
at
North Hall |
- |
| 9/21 |
at
Jefferson |
- |
| 9/28 |
Warren
Co |
- |
| 10/5 |
Union
Grove |
- |
| 10/19 |
at
Wesleyan |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Grove |
- |
| 11/2 |
Athens
Christian |
- |
|