|
 Jefferson loses battle with clock, falls 28-21 to
Social Circle
In what head coach Bob Gurley termed "the worst team performance
we've had all season," the Jefferson Dragons endured their
second loss of the season Friday, 28-21 at Social Circle. In
addition to turning the ball over three times, Jefferson failed
to control the game clock in crucial situations, and Social Circle
capitalized each time.
"We can point to that as the cause of the loss," Gurley
said of his team's poor performance against the game clock, "but
I can look at the film and point to 29 other things as well.
We were unmotivated, and we had a lack of intensity throughout
the game. When you come out that flat, you hope you can play
well enough to get through it. We didn't play well enough, and
Social Circle played a good game. We were climbing out of a hole
all night long, and we had too many missed opportunities."
Social Circle took the opening possession for the game's first
score, while Jefferson struggled offensively in the first quarter.
The first Dragon drive ended on a fumble, but the second drive
was a greater loss. A high snap on a Social Circle punt attempt
gave Jefferson an easy sack and possession of the ball just 30
yards away from the end zone, but a holding penalty and two sacks
led to the drive netting a negative 15 yards. Tyler Murphy punted
the ball dead at the Social Circle 10, but the host Redskins
drove 90 yards to score as the first-quarter clock expired. The
PAT attempt failed, and Jefferson trailed, 13-0.
For the rest of this story see this weeks Jackson Herald.
Leopards to
host Spartans Friday
Friday night will not be the best time for one of the state's
top-ranked teams in Class AA to come to Homer.
The Leopards are without their leading rusher and tackler Seth
Brownlee, who succumbed to a shoulder injury in last week's game
with East Hall. Banks County is also coming off two scoreless
weeks of football and a game last week that saw seven fumbles
with five turnovers.
"With Brownlee out, we're going to move a few people around
and see what we can do," head coach Greg Moore said. "We're
not going to change what we're doing a whole lot because when
it starts clicking, it'll start clicking."
Greater Atlanta Christian brings a 4-0 team to Bobby Morris Field
this weekend. GAC has outscored its opponents 128-46 in four
games thus far. Last week, the Spartans pouned White County 36-3.
"They are extremely big," Moore said. "Their nose
guard weighs 285 and he's a good player."
GAC runs the I-formation on offense, with speed in the backfield.
Defensively, the Spartans are a straight-50 team.
"We're going to try to control the ball and keep it away
from them," Moore said. "Their tailback can score on
you at any time."
 Ladies of fall take center stage this week
With the arrival of October, area softball and volleyball teams
are preparing to close out their seasons. Area tournaments are
going on this week at various locations, but teams within the
Mainstreet Newspapers coverage area aren't having to travel very
far.
The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department is hosting
both the 8-AAA/AA and 8-A slow-pitch softball area tournaments,
and Jackson County Comprehensive High School will be the site
of the 8-AAA area volleyball tournament Saturday. Madison County
is hosting the 8-AAA fast-pitch softball tournament.
The 8-AAA/AA slow-pitch event will be the first to wrap up, finishing
tonight at Lamar Murphy Park. During Tuesday's opening rounds,
Jackson County defeated Banks County before falling to Elbert
County in round two. Banks County's season ended with a convincing
defeat at the hands of Washington-Wilkes. Washington and Jackson
County were to square off today for the final sectional playoff
spot.
8-AAA/AA SLOW-PITCH
Elbert County's wins Tuesday over Washington-Wilkes and Jackson
County guaranteed the Lady Devils a spot in next weekend's state
sectional event at Lanier Point.
8-A SLOW-PITCH
Meanwhile, Jefferson was to open its 8-A area tournament today,
also at Lamar Murphy Park. The Lady Dragons are the top seed,
and earned a bye in round one. They were to face the winner of
today's Rabun Gap - Lincoln County game later this evening.
Commerce was to open against Warren County today at 4:30 p.m.,
then face Buford if they win the opener. If Commerce downs Buford
and Jefferson gets through its first game unscathed, the two
rivals would meet Thursday at 4 p.m.
8-AAA VOLLEYBALL
Jackson County's VolleyCats will host the opening rounds of the
8-AAA area tournement Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. The Cats
will take on Hart County, while Madison County is playing Monroe
Area across the gym. Subsequent rounds will follow throughout
the day, and the semifinal match is set for a 6 p.m. start.
The 8-AAA volleyball championship will be hosted Tuesday at 7
p.m. by the winner of Saturday's semifinal match.
8-AAA FAST-PITCH
Jackson County's fast-pitch softball team earned an opening-round
win in thrilling fashion over Stephens County Tuesday, 5-4 in
nine innings.
Down 3-0 in the fourth inning, Jackson County rallied to tie
in the bottom half. Courtney Franklin drove in two runs with
what looked to be a routine infield ground out. The covering
infielder fired to third base for the out, but the throw was
wild and the tying runs crossed over. Pitcher Brandi Townsend
held Stephens in check for the remainder of the game.
Stephens drove a run across in the eighth on a sacrifice and
a shallow single, but Jackson County knotted it again when Haley
Freeman pushed Kayla McNeal across with a single up the middle.
Stephens County looked to have the game in hand in the ninth,
as the Lady Indians loaded the bases with one out, but Townsend
recorded a crucial strikeout and an easy infield popup ended
the threat.
Hannah Freeman lined hard to first base in the bottom half of
the ninth, and the Stephens infielder couldn't come up with the
ball. Callie McGinnis came across for the game-winning run.
Jackson County will meet Hart County Thursday at 2 p.m. at Madison
County. If the Lady Panthers win, they will play at 10 a.m. Saturday,
likely against Madison County. A loss Thursday would mean a trip
to the consolation bracket, and a 6 p.m. matchup with Elbert
County.
 Tigers
Carry Big Road Win Over Lincoln County Into Athens Academy Match
Up
While Commerce's 13-12 come-from-behind win over Lincoln County
will be savored in the 2001 scrapbook, it will also give a boost
to a young Tiger team that has some top-notch competition ahead
of them in the next couple of weeks.
Commerce, who picked up two late scores Friday to down Lincoln
County for the third time in a row, has Athens Academy looming
on the schedule this Friday and Washington-Wilkes to tangle with
next week.
"This win (over Lincoln County) will give us confidence
because we're a young team and really hadn't had a big win yet,"
quarterback Rob Brown said after the win over the Red Devils
Friday night. "We had beaten teams like Walhalla but this
was Lincoln County."
The mission for the Tigers is to now find a way to get past Athens
Academy-perhaps the most dangerous offensive team on the Tigers'
schedule.
The Spartans are led by all-state quarterback and University
of Georgia signee Joe Tereshinski Jr., who racked up 2,023 yards
and 17 scores through the air last year.
But head coach Steve Savage pointed out that the standout quarterback
isn't the lone weapon in their arsenal.
"They'll be the best football team we'll play this year,"
Savage said. "Not only do they have a good quarterback,
they've got a good running back in Trey Young. They also have
a lot of receivers that can catch the ball...And the offensive
line is the best we've seen. For us to stop them it will take
a supreme effort defensively."
Other key players on the offense side of the ball include wide
receiver David Allen, who snagged 62 passes last year for 1,105
yards, and senior offensive lineman Brad Brezina.
The head coach said that while the Spartans' offense is based
in the I-formation, their scheme is much more complex than that.
"They show you a lot of different formations," he said.
Savage also said that the Spartans' defense-which lines up in
the "50"- has traditionally given the Tigers headaches.
"Athens Academy's defense has always given us problems,"
he said. "They always play us tough. We've had a lot of
close games. It will be a tough challenge."
The Spartan defensive unit is led by lineman Adam Evans and linebackers
Brezina and John Tereshinski.
The Commerce Tigers lead the series against the Spartans 8-1,
including a 20-15 win last year in which Monté Williams
romped for 306 yards on just 19 carries.
The two teams have become familiar foes over the past 11 seasons,
meeting eight times since 1990.
 MCHS
squeezes by Warren Co.
Raiders force two crucial miscues in 14-7 win. Madison County
has rushed down the field like an avalanche at times this year.
Not so Friday night. The yards came as slow as inches in a tug
of war.
But the Raiders forced two crucial miscues and grabbed a hard-fought
14-7 win over a quick Warren County team.
"I didn't think we were very sharp, but we did what was
necessary to beat a solid team," said Raider coach Tom Hybl,
whose squad improved to 4-1.
Hybl said Warren County was as tough on defense as any team Madison
County has faced.
"They have tremendous athletes who can run," said Hybl.
"They are well-coached on defense."
Neither offense showed much success. Madison County managed just
134 total yards of offense to Warren County's 143.
The game's first key play came in the second quarter in a scoreless
game. Travis Calloway punted the ball to the Screaming Devil
four-yard line. Madison County sacked the Warren County quarterback
and Dustin Walker recovered the fumble at the three-yard line.
Two plays later, Raider quarterback Jonathan Pou carried the
ball in from the one yard line to put Madison County up 6-0.
The PAT failed.
Tony Freeman sacked the Warren County quarterback on the Screaming
Devils' next possession, forcing another fumble, which was returned
by Kevin Cash to the Warren County 13.
Richard Stowers carried the ball in from one yard out with 5:23
to go in the first half. Pou's pass to Tony Freeman was good
on the two-point conversion attempt and the Raiders led 14-0.
Warren County's lone score came with 4:15 to go in the third
quarter on a three-yard run by Raphael Meyers.
Hybl said several people turned in notable performances. He said
Josh Moyer, who led the team with 14 tackles, played "his
best game of the year." Others Hybl praised include Steve
Austin, Kevin Cash and Richard Stowers, who the coach said ran
the ball hard. Hybl said Calloway's punting was crucial to the
Raiders' success and he lauded B.J. Johnson's performance in
the secondary with a cast on his arm.
|
LOCAL
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES/RESULTS
| Banks County |
| (1-4-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
at
JCCHS |
12-7 |
| 9/7 |
Jefferson |
7-35 |
| 9/21 |
Dawson
Co. |
0-28 |
| 9/28 |
at
East Hall |
0-28 |
| 10/5 |
GAC |
0-48 |
| 10/12 |
at
Apalachee |
- |
| 10/19 |
Lumpkin
Co. |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Co. |
- |
| 11/2 |
Rabun
Co. |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
White Co. |
- |
| Commerce |
| (3-2-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Franklin
Co |
29-13 |
| 9/7 |
at
Forsyth Ctrl |
14-35 |
| 9/14 |
Morgan
Co |
ppd. |
| 9/21 |
at
Walhalla, SC |
35-24 |
| 9/28 |
at
Lincoln Co |
13-12 |
| 10/5 |
at
Ath Acad |
7-34 |
| 10/12 |
Wash-Wilkes |
- |
| 10/26 |
Wesleyan |
- |
| 10/2 |
at
Jefferson |
- |
| 10/9 |
Buford |
- |
| Jackson County |
| (0-4-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Banks
Co |
7-12 |
| 9/7 |
at
Madison Co |
7-35 |
| 9/14 |
at
Elbert Co |
ppd. |
| 9/28 |
Hart |
3-51 |
| 10/5 |
at
Eastside |
7-47 |
| 10/12 |
Loganville |
- |
| 10/19 |
at
Franklin |
- |
| 10/26 |
Winder-Barrow |
- |
| 11/2 |
Stephens
Co |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
Monroe Area |
- |
| Jefferson |
| (3-2-0) |
| Date |
Opponent |
Score |
| 8/31 |
Athens
Christian |
40-6 |
| 9/7 |
at
Banks Co |
35-7 |
| 9/14 |
at
Johns-G'ville |
ppd. |
| 9/21 |
Madison
Co |
11-14 |
| 9/28 |
at
Social Circle |
21-28 |
| 10/5 |
Oglethorpe
Co |
21-6 |
| 10/12 |
Lndmrk
Christ |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Buford |
- |
| 11/2 |
Commerce |
- |
| 11/9 |
at
Wesleyan |
- |
| Madison County |
| (5-1-0) |
| 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 |
ppd. |
| 9/21 |
at
Jefferson |
14-11 |
| 9/28 |
Warren
Co |
14-7 |
| 10/5 |
Union
Grove |
35-6 |
| 10/19 |
at
Wesleyan |
- |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Grove |
- |
| 11/2 |
Athens
Christian |
- |
|