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 Tigers-Dragons To Add Latest Chapter To Old Series
Commerce-Jefferson Contest Full Of Region
Implications This Year.
They've been "going across the river" to play each
other since Harry Truman was in the White House and the Hudson
car ruled the road.
And while a lot has changed since 1947, the Commerce-Jefferson
backyard battle has remained a constant fixture of the fall in
Jackson County.
Friday night, Commerce will cross the North Oconee River once
again to meet Jefferson for the 56th time overall and 51st in
a row in the latest installment of one of Northeast Georgia's
oldest rivalries and perhaps one of its longest continuous matchups.
Like always, 365 days of bragging rights are on the line.
"It's special for the players," Commerce head coach
Steve Savage said whose team has a six-game winning streak against
their cross county foes. "Whoever loses this game is going
to feel bad for a year and whoever wins this game is going to
feel good for a year."
And for coaches, it's one of those games that makes them choose
their words carefully-if they choose to say any at all.
"When you say something about this game, it gets all twisted
around...so no comment," Jefferson coach Bob Gurley told
the Jackson-Herald.
But whoever wins this year's matchup will have plenty to talk
about, espeically with Region 8-A implications at hand.
Whoever wins this game is assured of no worse than a second-place
finish in the region and still has a shot at the region championship
Commerce is currently tied with Class A's number-one squad, Buford,
for first place in the region after a 24-15 win over Wesleyan.
Jefferson, on the other hand, comes into the contest 0-1 in the
region after being shellacked 41-0 by Buford last week.
Despite being shut out by the Wolves, the Dragons still bring
an impressive offensive unit into the contest. In fact, Jefferson's
"Wing-T" attack was averaging 29 points per game heading
into the Buford contest.
Savage said that Jefferson sports an "outstanding"
signal caller in Kyle Potts, complimented by a receiving corps
led by senior standouts Blake Gooch and Ryan Gurley.
"Most teams are lucky to have one good receiver; they've
got four or five," Savage said.
Savage added that Dragon tailback Courtney Wiley is a game-breaker.
"He's got the capabilities to take it to the house every
time he touches the ball," he said.
Defensively, the Dragons have been sound this year, surrendering
just 19 points a game this year-with that average being inflated
a bit after sustaining an offensive barrage last week from Buford.
The Jefferson defensive unit operates primarily out of a 4-3
set led by linebacker Jeremy Smith and defensive backs Potts,
Gurley, Cooch and Brantley Gilbert.
Despite sound offensive and defensive numbers, the outcome of
the contest could depend largely on what Dragon team shows up
Jefferson has been erratic this year, shooting out of the gates
with lopsided wins over Athens Christian and Banks County, but
then fell in a 14-11, turnover plagued loss to Madison County
followed by upset loss at Social Circle. The team rebounded with
a 42-20 over Oglethorpe County and picked up an impressive 23-14
win over then 4-1 Landmark Christian before falling to Buford
last week.
THE SERIES
Overall, Commerce has dominated this rivalry of between the schools
separated by nine miles and a river.
The Tigers hold a 35-15-5 edge over Jefferson and in addition
to winning the last six, have won 17 out of the last 19.
And the early years of the rivalry closely resemble the past
19.
The series started in 1947 with Commerce winning the 14 out of
the next 20 contests.
However, Jefferson sustained a five game winning streak from
1966-1971-their longest in the series.
Savage, who played for the Tigers from 1969-1972, remembers that
losing streak well.
"Part of my memories against Jefferson weren't very good
at all," he said. "It wasn't until my senior year that
we beat them."
After Jefferson's streak, the rivalry reached its most competitive
point in between 1972-1982 when the team's split the series 5-5-1.
Gurley, who played for Jim Stoudenmire from 1975-1978 in the
midst of that stretch remembers the magnitude of those Commerce-Jefferson
games.
"The thing I remember is getting there at 7 p.m. to warm
up and there's not an empty seat in the house," he said.
Getting ready
for the battle
Shoulder pads. A helmet. Cleats. A jersey. Knee pads. A mouthpiece.
They're all tools for a football player.
But perhaps the most important tool-the one that pushes farther
on a run, that hits harder despite the cold, that keeps playing
through the pain-is the mind. And the Banks County football coaching
staff focuses on preparing the mind before each game, from the
meal, to the bus ride, to the locker room.
Preparing for the game is almost as important as actually playing,
and it's something the Leopards don't take lightly.
THE FOOD
Banks County started their Friday afternoon last week with a
meal. Each pre-game meal is prepared for the team by a local
church.
Friday's meal-sloppy joes (limited to just two per person, one
if you're starting that night), potato chips, a dessert and a
drink-was cooked by the ladies of Mt. Sinai Congressional Holiness
Church. They had made enough to feed 200.
The players filed into the lunchroom at the high school and took
their seats, waiting for head coach Greg Moore to send them to
the food.
"We're not going to a picnic tonight, we're going to a war,"
Moore told them. Then they began to eat.
The players ate in silence, as they started to focus on the task
that lay ahead later in the evening. And after the meal was over,
they headed into the locker room to dress and get ready to board
the bus.
ON THE BUS
The bus ride up winding Hwy. 129 is a long one, straight through
the mountains of North Georgia.
The Leopards split up onto two buses, the starters taking one
and the rest of the team on the other. Moore and defensive coordinator
Butch Bennett take the bus with the starters.
Most of the players sat quietly for most of the ride, focusing
on the approaching game. Others sat back with their eyes closed.
And others managed to catch a quick nap.
Moore studied his playbook, occasionally scribbling down notes
or another play. Bennett, too, looked over some of the defensive
sets.
As the team neared Union County High School, the coaches woke
up the sleeping players. Bennett slipped to the back of the bus
for a while to go over some defensive plays with the players.
THE LOCKER ROOM
The Leopards arrive in Blairsville several hours before kickoff.
They step off the bus into the chilly mountain air and the blistering
wind.
The players head into the visiting locker room. The coaches walk
over the field, looking for inconsistencies in the playing surface.
And then it's back into the locker room.
Banks' assistant coaches grab tape and begin wrapping up some
of the players. Jonathan Bagwell and Cory Bolton get their ankles
taped. Nick Baker gets his arm wrapped.
Then the team gathers together in a small area in the locker
room.
Moore says a few words, telling the players not to focus on the
cold.
After his talk, the Leopards, still without shoulder pads, step
outside to walk the field. They spend several minutes covering
the field from endzone to endzone and gather on the 30 for a
brief prayer.
For the rest of the story see this weeks Banks County News.
 Panther duo qualify for state cross country meet
For the first time in the history of the program, Jackson County
Comprehensive High School will be represented by two participants
in Saturday's boys' state cross country meet in Carrollton.
Kelly Parr and Daniel Elder ran fifth and sixth in Saturday's
region meet to qualify for the state meet. Parr finished the
region course in 16:37, and Elder posted a new personal best,
just four seconds behind Parr.
Michael Rudio and Mitch David also ran new personal-best times,
as did JV runners Rob Butler, Chris Cornelison and Dustin LaBarge.
The eighth grade Butler's 20:16 was good for eighth overall among
JV runners. James Sullivan also participated in the JV race.
Other varsity runners were John Richardson, Adam Hughes and William
Butler.
Megan Lerette just missed qualifying in the girls' meet, finishing
ninth at 22:30. The top eight runners from each region advance
to the state meet. Lerette's time was a new personal best.
Christina Nowak was 11th at 22:43, and Nikkee DuBose posted a
new personal-best time of 25:55. Nicole Rizzo also ran for the
varsity Lady Panthers.
 Madison
County to host Athens Christian Friday
Madison County and Athens Christian will resume the new Hwy.
29 rivalry Friday in Danielsville.
The Raiders, 7-1, will host the Eagles, 4-4, at 8 p.m., the final
home game for Madison County. The Raiders will end the year at
North Hall Nov. 16, a game rescheduled after the terrorist attacks.
Madison County coach Tom Hybl said the Eagles have improved significantly
since the last meeting, a 43-0 drubbing by the Raiders.
"They (Athens Christian) have done a really good job,"
said Hybl. "You talk about a team that has really improved
since the first of the season....We'll have to play an excellent
football game to compete."
Seventh-year Athens Christian head coach Van Beacham agreed his
team has improved. The 26-member Eagles have beaten Glascock
County twice, as well as Towns County and Riverside last week,
14-7.
"We've been very pleased with our young men," said
Beacham. "They've picked up on what we teach and shown improvement
each week."
The team is led by senior fullback Bud Winderweedle, who has
rushed for approximately 550 yards. Other seniors include Jonathan
Gurley, wide receiver and defensive back; Rusty Prather, offensive
tackle; Jeff Faw, offensive tackle; and Owen Bullard, tight end
and defensive end.
Beacham said Madison County will be tough to beat.
"Madison County does a great job," said Beacham. "Hybl
and his staff do a wonderful job on both sides of the ball. Their
players are well disciplined and carry out their responsibilities.
(Tony) Freeman and (Richard) Stowers are hardnosed runners. And
their quarterback (Jonathan Pou) is a seasoned veteran who does
not make many mistakes."
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LOCAL
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES/RESULTS
| Banks County |
| (2-7-0) |
| 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 |
0-30 |
| 10/19 |
Lumpkin
Co. |
0-20 |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Co. |
0-35 |
| 11/2 |
Rabun
Co. |
21-18 |
| 11/9 |
at
White Co. |
- |
| Commerce |
| (5-3-0) |
| 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 |
26-49 |
| 10/26 |
Wesleyan |
24-15 |
| 11/2 |
at
Jefferson |
14-0 |
| 11/9 |
Buford |
- |
| 11/16 |
Morgan
Co. |
- |
| Jackson County |
| (1-7-0) |
| 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 |
0-47 |
| 10/19 |
at
Franklin |
21-14 |
| 10/26 |
Winder-Barrow |
0-35 |
| 11/2 |
Stephens
Co |
3-34 |
| 11/9 |
at
Monroe Area |
- |
| 11/16 |
at Elbert
Co. |
- |
| Jefferson |
| (4-4-0) |
| 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 |
23-14 |
| 10/26 |
at
Buford |
0-41 |
| 11/2 |
Commerce |
0-14 |
| 11/9 |
at
Wesleyan |
- |
| 11/16 |
at
Johns-G'ville |
- |
| Madison County |
| (8-1-0) |
| 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 |
14-0 |
| 10/26 |
at
Union Grove |
14-10 |
| 11/2 |
Athens
Christian |
49-6 |
| 11/16 |
at N. Hall |
- |
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