Friday, November 27, 2009

Bulldogs Hang On For Win Over Hornets

By Clint Cox


The Marianna Bulldogs and Cottondale Hornets opened the regular season on Tuesday night at the ‘Dog House. Marianna used a big third quarter to get a lead and then hung on for a 59-51 win. Kruize Pinkins led the way for the Bulldogs with 17 points and Tre Jackson chipped in 13. Cottondale was led on the evening by Marcus Humose with 14 points.

Cottondale took an early lead as Jehron Clemmons put back a rebound for two points and gave the Hornets a 6-2 lead. Marianna battled back and took an 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs pushed their lead to as many as five points in the second quarter but Darien Pollock and Humose got the Hornets back in business. Back to back buckets by Pollock and a basket by Humose gave the Hornets a 23-22 halftime lead.

The third quarter belonged to the Bulldogs as they came out smoking. After a Hornet basket by Drew Bellamy Marianna went on a run that was capped off by a 3 pointer from Jackson to chalk up 10 unanswered points by the Bulldogs. The third quarter came to a close with Tre Long nailing a 3 pointer to give Marianna a 40-27 lead going into the final quarter. The Hornets didn’t quit though and they made a run at the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter. Humose hit a couple of 3 pointers and Bellamy had a put back to cut the Bulldog lead to 6 points with just over a minute to play. But the Marianna’s Nehemiah Gilbert hit some key free throws down the stretch to help preserve the lead and seal the victory.

Marianna, 1-0, will next play on Tuesday night when they travel to Bay High. Cottondale, 0-1, will take on another Jackson County rival on Friday night when they play host to the Malone Tigers. In Junior Varsity action the Bulldogs won 44-33. Emanuel Batson led the Bulldogs with 21 points and Chris Bowers added 13. Cottondale was led by Clifford Canty with 8 points.

Pirates & Tigers Take Part In Pre-Season Tournaments

By Clint Cox

Both the Sneads Pirates and Graceville Tigers boy’s basketball squads took part in pre season tip off tournaments. The Pirates traveled to Blountstown last week for a preseason tournament on Tuesday and Thursday nights. On Tuesday night the Pirates battled hard against the Seahawks of Franklin County but fell 55-51. The game was tied with two minutes to play but the Seahawks squeaked by in the closing moments for a four point win. Terrence Green had 16 points for the Pirates while Jeff Davis had 10 and Jamar White added 8 points. On Thursday night the Pirates were minus their football players who were taking part in bowl game in Branford. Sneads took on the Gators of Wewahitchka and even without their football players picked upa 51-40 win. Jeff Bell led the Pirates with 26 points. Sneads opened their regular season on Tuesday at Bozeman. Results of that contest were not available at press time.

The Graceville Tigers took part in a preseason tournament in Poplar Springs and posted two wins. On Thursday they beat Poplar Springs 67-34. Cameron Dozier had a big night as he led the way with 15 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Jamal Miller chipped in 9 points in the win over the Atomics. On Friday night Gracevilled downed Bethlehem 54-34 as Craig Myrick had the hot hand with 22 points. Dozier added 12 points and 10 assists. Graceville opens their regular season scheduled next Tuesday (12/1/09) at Vernon.

Sneads Wins Battle Of Pirates

By Clint Cox

The Sneads Pirates football squad traveled to Branford last Thursday night to play in the Suwannee County Bowl against the Branford Buccaneers. Sneads capped off the 2009 season with an impressive 37-20 win over Branford. Quarterback Terrence Green hooked up with receiver Anthony Dawkins on the Pirates first possession for a 60 yard scoring strike. Jeff Davis added the point after kick to make it 7-0. Davis next booted a 30 yard field goal to give the Pirates a 10-0 lead.

After a touchdown by the Buccaneers Sneads picked off a Branford pass in the second quarter as Jamar White make the grab. That interception set up a 56 yard touchdown run by Green and a point after kick by Davis to up the Pirates lead to 17-7. The Bucs, coached by former Graceville coach Bill Wyles, scored a touchdown to narrow the margin to 17-14. Sneads took control in the second half as they got two touchdown runs by senior Mark Lawson. His first TD run of 3 yards gave the Pirates a 24-14 lead after a point after kick by Davis. Another Lawson scoring run and Davis point after kick made it 31-14. Both squads added another touchdown late in the game as Sneads got a TD run by White to make the final score 37-20. Sneads finished the season with a 6-5 record

Lady Indians On The Road

By Clint Cox

The Chipola Lady Indians hoopsters have packed their bags and been on the road for the last few days. But the traveling has not been the biggest obstacle to overcome but rather the injuries that continue to mount for Chipola. On Friday night they took on Vincennes and came away with a close 59-56 win. Lindsey Carr led the way with 18 points and Ty O’Neal chipped in 17 points. Chipola led several by double digits several times throughout the game but each time Vincennes would battle back. The Lady Indians were up by 8 points at the half and led by 13 in the second half. But Vincennes took a 3 point lead in the second half before the Lady Indians could rally for the win.

On Saturday Chipola took the floor against Georgia Perimeter and fell 71-65. Kendra Powell hit 13 points and Graceville’s Kayla Walker added 9 points. But the loss was costly for the Lady Indians as another player went down with injuries. Guard Tawatha Tucker is out for at least several weeks with a knee injury suffered in the game. An already thin squad got even thinner with the loss of Tucker.

On Monday the Lady Indians had traveled to the Tampa area and squared off against St. Petersburg. Chipola fell behind 16-0 to start the game but battled back to take a lead. In the second half they were up by as many as 7 points but could not hang onto the lead as St. Petersburg heated up from the outside. St. Pete then took the lead and held on for a 70-63 victory. Chipola followed that game up with a Tuesday night contest against Hillsborough. Chipola trailed 37-32 at the half and Hillsborough went on to win 70-61. O’Neal led the Lady Indians with 11 points and Walker added 9.

The Lady Indians will be back in action on Tuesday 12/1/09 when they play host to Florida State College Jacksonville at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center. Chipola will enter that contest with a record of 4-5.

Kotchman Named Chipola College Alumnus of the Year

Tom Kotchman, a major league baseball scout and minor league coach, has been named Chipola College’s 2009 Alumnus of the Year.
Kotchman’s life has been connected to Chipola College since he signed a baseball scholarship there in 1973. He went on to a successful career in professional baseball, but he continues to give back to the little college that gave him his start.

As a major league scout and one of the most respected managers in the minors, Tom has helped sign several Chipola players to big league contracts. But more importantly, he makes regular visits to Chipola to share advice with all the players, not just the big prospects.

Chipola baseball coach Jeff Johnson says, “There are a lot of alumni who say they want to help and some even write checks, but Tom goes above and beyond. Anybody who knows Tom would say that he is a giver.” Chipola president Dr. Gene Prough agrees. “Tom loves Chipola. Even before his daughter Christal played at Chipola, he was always in touch, asking what he could do to help our student-athletes. That connection is still strong today,” Prough said.

Kotchman is very open about the influence that Chipola had on his life. “My time at Chipola playing for coach Ellis Dungan was very important for me as a player and more so as a man,” Kotchman said. “You cannot put a price on the life lessons I learned at Chipola. Years later my son Casey was offered a scholarship to Chipola but was drafted in the first round and is currently playing in the big leagues. My daughter Christal received a scholarship to Chipola where she was the starting shortstop on their national championship softball team. As a family we will be eternally grateful to coach Johnson, AD Dr. O’Daniel, college president Dr. Gene Prough and softball coach Belinda Hendrix for the opportunity that was given to Christal,” Kotchman said.

Christal went on to play for the College of Charleston, and Casey was drafted by the LA Angels and now plays for the Boston Red Sox.

Tom could probably be a major league manager today, but he chose family over his career. In 1990 at age 35, he’d managed an Angels’ Triple-A club to rave reviews and was on the fast track for a major league assignment. But he had a young son and daughter who were growing up with dad out of town, so he walked away from that future as a Major League manager and went home to be a dad. In 1990, he took a scouting position in Florida and a short-season Rookie Ball manager assignment.

“That was so important to me and my sister, having him home with us when we were young,” said Casey. “Choosing us over his career, told me that once the cheering stops, all you have is your family. I was privileged and spoiled to have him do what he did.”

Three decades after Tom played at Chipola, he helped sign a young Marianna High School graduate Jeff Mathis to a big league contract with the Angels. Jeff is the son of one of Tom’s 1974 Chipola teammate’s Danny Mathis.

Tom Kotchman attended high school in Seminole, Florida, and played baseball at Chipola and Georgia Southern. He was signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 1977 and played two seasons in Class A.

The 2009 season marked Kotchman’s 31st year as a minor league manager. In 11 seasons with the Boise Hawks, the team never finished lower than second. He has managed the Provo Angels and since 2005, the Orem Owlz. Through 2009, he had compiled a career managerial record of 1,584 victories with eight league championships, including Orem’s ‘09 Pioneer League title.

Sonny’s Tip Off Tournament Kicks Off Basketball Season

By Clint Cox

Three of Jackson County’s varsity boy’s basketball squads took to the floor at Marianna High School last weekend for the Sonny’s Tip Off Classic. Cottondale and Malone joined the host team Marianna in lifting the lid on the 2009-10 basketball season in action on Thursday and Saturday night. See Ryan Mahoney’s article on this page for the Malone Tigers results.

The Cottondale Hornets took on the Maclay Mauraders on Thursday night and fell 43-37. Maclay took the early lead and never relinquished it, leading by 6 points at the end of the first and second quarters. Cottondale stayed close but could not overtake the Mauraders. At the end of the third quarter the Hornets trailed 30-25. Cottondale was led by Marcus Humose with 20 points and Cody Saye with 10 points. On Saturday night the Hornets squared off against the Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe. Cottondale got balanced scoring in the first quarter but trailed 14-9 going into the second quarter. The Tiger Sharks expanded their lead to 11 points by the end of the first half. Humose hit a jumper to start the second half to cut the lead to 34-20. Drew Bellamy then grabbed back to back rebounds that he put back in for baskets to get the Hornets to within 12 points at 36-24. Port St. Joe held a 46-32 lead going into the final quarter and then the Tiger Sharks got red hot from the outside. Two minutes into the fourth quarter Port St. Joe had seen their lead swell to 55-35. From there they went on to q 70-46 win over the Hornets. Humose again led in scoring with 18. Bellamy added 8 and Saye chipped in 6 points.

The Marianna Bulldogs played the night cap on Thursday and faced off against Port St. Joe. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 13-8 first quarter lead as Qua Royster, Skyler Gause and Kruize Pinkins led the way in scoring. But the Tiger Sharks battled back to take a four point lead at the half with a 30-26 score. The see saw affair continued into the third quarter as Marianna reclaimed the lead by the quarter’s end. Trailing 46-43 Port St. Joe caught fire in the final quarter as they outscored the Bulldogs 23-9. When the final horn sounded the Tiger Sharks had rallied for a 66-55 win over the Bulldogs. Pinkins led the way with 17 points and Royster was also in double figures with 10 points.

On Saturday night Marianna played host to the Blue Devils of Holmes County and posted a 65-37 win. Marianna got out of the gates quickly against the Blue Devils and took a 12-3 lead. They held that same 9 point margin when the first quarter came to an end with the Bulldogs leading 19-10. The Bulldogs poured it on in the second quarter scoring 8 unanswered points to take a 27-10 lead. When the first half ended Marianna’s lead had swelled to 35-13. The second half was more of the same as the Bulldogs emptied the bench and went on to post a 28 point victory.

Marianna was led in scoring by Pinkins with 14 points and Kendall Leeks with 12 points. Tre Jackson and Tre Long both chipped in 9 points. Both Marianna and Cottondale opened the regular season on Tuesday night as the Hornets played at Marianna. See page one of sports for the results of that game.

Troy University Baseball Clinic for the Marianna Mad Dogs

Several area youth from a local Marianna baseball team traveled to Troy, Alabama recently for a Troy University baseball clinic. This is the third year that Head Coach Bobby Pierce and the Troy University baseball team have sponsored a clinic for the Marianna Mad Dogs. The clinic taught infield, outfield, catching, pitching, base running and hitting training and practice. Trevor Tyre, Marianna High School and Chipola College baseball alumnus headed the clinic. After a morning of baseball, the Marianna Mad Dogs were guests at the Troy University football game where Troy defeated Florida Atlantic University 47-21. Marianna Mad Dog Head Coach, Tom Malone says, “This is a great opportunity for our boys.  The lessons they learn at Troy will stay with them a lifetime. We really appreciate the Troy baseball team and especially Coach Pierce for providing such an amazing opportunity to our team and for their consistent support of the Marianna Mad Dogs through the years.”

Pet of the Week - Boomer

This little stocking full of fun is named Boomer. He is an 8-10 week old Chow mix with a super-soft black coat, big brown eyes and is ready to go play in a new home. If you would like to meet Boomer, please stop by the Partners for Pets shelter at 4011 Maintenance Dr., in Marianna. It is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 - 3:00, (we are closed on Thanksgiving Day), and on Saturday, 10:00 - 1:00. For more information, please call 482-4570 or visit www.partnersforpets.petfinder.com

As we stop to consider our blessings, we want to take time to say thanks to the community for their generous support of the pets, and to our great staff and volunteers. Without their combined help, we would not be able to continue.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Lady Pirates Class 2A “Public School State Champs”

By Clint Cox

For the second straight season the Sneads Lady Pirates saw their bid to advance to Lakeland for the FHSAA Volleyball Final Four cut short by the Maclay Lady Mauraders. Maclay ousted the Lady Pirates in three straight sets for a 3-0 victory. That said, Sneads can lay claim to being the “Public School State Champs,” as they were the only public school to make it to the final 8 teams in the Class 2A playoffs.

Set one saw Maclay jump out to an early lead and never look back. Maclay was up 10-2 when Jordan Jackson’s block for a point gave the Lady Pirates their 3rd point of the game. Meagan Smith’s kill later on made it a 16-6 set in favor of Maclay. Smith helped the Lady Pirates muster three points in a row late in the set but Maclay still claimed a 25-13 win. The second set was much closer as Sneads hung with the Lady Mauraders throughout the set. Smith recorded 5 kills as Sneads stayed within a couple of points of Maclay but could not take the lead. A tap over by Kara Alford tied the set at 18-18 but Maclay then outscored Sneads 7-2 to post a 25-20 win. In the third set Sneads got their first lead of the match and a kill by Smith made it a 5-2 lead. Another kill by Smith made it 9-5 but then Maclay began to battle back. The Lady Mauraders tied the set at 11-11 and then began to pull away. Sneads trailed 17-12 but then reeled off back to back points including a service ace by Ashley Smith. But three points was as close as the Lady Pirates could get and Maclay went on to win 25-19.

For Sneads fans the loss to a private school in the FHSAA playoffs for the second straight year rekindled the frustrations of many public school fans, coaches and administrators regarding public schools and private schools meeting in the playoffs. Sneads Head Coach Shelia Roberts echoed those feelings. “It is very frustrating that we have to come to Tallahassee and play a private school for the state playoffs. It’s not right and they ought to fix it,” said Roberts. (See Simply Put on this page for more about this issue).

Even with the disappointing loss to Maclay the Lady Pirates had another outstanding season. The “Public School State Champs” finished the season with a record of 25–7. The Lady Pirates, under the direction of Coach Roberts, have now made the playoffs for seven straight seasons. They have produced three straight 20 plus win seasons and have a combined record in the last three years of 65-26.

Marianna Holds On For Win Over Malone

 By Clint Cox

The 2009-10 High School basketball season got under way this past Monday night as the Marianna Lady Bulldogs traveled to Malone. The Lady Bulldogs held off a late third quarter run by the Lady Tigers and went on to a 49-38 win. Sharae Williams led the Lady Bulldogs with 14 points while Christina Wynn added 8 and Shamiqua Davies chipped in 7 points.

Marianna jumped out to an early 7-5 lead after the first quarter as Wynn knocked down 5 points for Marianna. Autumn Speigner led Malone with four first quarter points. The Lady Bulldogs began to pull away in the second quarter and a layup by Williams put Marianna up 16-7. Temperance Wooden hit five points in the quarter and her 3 pointer gave Marianna a 24-8 lead. Malone closeed the gap in the last seconds of the first half as Curteeona Brelove, just an 8th grader, hit back to back buckets for the Lady Tigers. Marianna held a 24-12 lead at the half.

In the third quarter Malone started to chip away at the Marianna lead. Venisha Hearns came up with a steal and a layup to make it a 27-16 game. Two baskets by Brelove moments later cut the Lady Bulldogs lead to 28-23. Four free throws by Malone pulled the Lady Tigers to within one point of Marianna with two minutes to play in the third quarter. Marianna had been outscored 15-4 by Malone but the Lady Bulldogs closed out the quarter with a flurry. Tia Bass hit a couple of free throws that were followed by a 3 pointer from Davies. Andreal Johnson hit back to back buckets and Marianna had pushed their lead back up to 10 points by the end of the quarter. Marianna led by as many as 14 points in the final quarter and closed out the game with an 11 point victory.

Malone was led in scoring by Hearns with 13 points and Brelove with 10 points. Vanessa Olds also added 7 points.

Hornets and Tigers Fall In Season Finales

By Clint Cox

The Cottondale Hornets and Graceville Tigers both saw a long season come to a close this past Friday night. The Cottondale Hornets played host to the Liberty County Bulldogs and had the Bulldogs on the ropes, leading 18-14 at the end of the third quarter. But the Hornets could not hang on as Liberty County rallied for two fourth quarter touchdowns to win 28-14. The Hornets finish the 2009 season with a record of 1-8.

The Graceville Tigers had to travel for their last game of the season but they didn’t have to travel far. Graceville took on their arch rival Chipley in Washington County and grabbed an early lead. Graceville had a 7-6 lead after a Jacky Miles touchdown and extra point. Miles scored his second TD of the night to give Graceville a lead of 14-6. Chipley countered with a score but missed the extra point and trailed 14-12. Another score by Chipley gave them a 18-14 halftime lead. Chipley expanded that lead as the second half began to 25-14 and then scored again to take a 33-14 lead. Graceville’s final score of the night came on a Garrett Steverson to Chris Works pass. With the loss Graceville finished the season with a record of 3-7.

Bulldogs Grind Out Win Over Pirates

By Clint Cox

SNEADS - In the first ever meeting between Marianna and Sneads on the football field during the regular season, the Bulldogs got their ground game cranked up and captured a 34-14 win over the Pirates. The Bulldog offense amassed over 400 yards on the ground, led by the trio of Fidel Montgomery, Tre Jackson and Chris Bowers.

Marianna struck early on their opening possession when on the fourth play from scrimmage Montgomery went 30 yards for a score. Ryan Rudd added the point after kick to make it 7-0 just two minutes into the game. Both squads traded punts and the Pirates took possession of the ball late in the first quarter at their own 20 yard line. Jeff Davis rambled for a 36 yard gain and that set up a 37 yard touchdown run by Terrence Green. Davis added the point after kick and the game was tied at 7-7 as the first quarter came to a close.

The Bulldogs played ball control offense in the second quarter, putting together two long drives. Both drives were capped off by touchdown runs by Bowers. The first drive used six minutes off the clock and reeled off 11 plays. Bowers scored on an 8 yard run with 7:23 left in the half. Rudd’s point after kick made it 14-7. After a three plays and punt series by the Pirates Marianna put together a 7 play drive that used 3 ½ minutes off the clock. Bowers took it in from 12 yards out to give the Bulldogs a 20-7 lead at the half.

After just 8 offensive plays in the second quarter Sneads got the ball to start the second half. But another three plays and punt series followed and Marianna took possession. Three plays later Jackson bolted 53 yards down the sideline for a score. The two point conversion shovel pass from Jackson to Bowers was good and the Bulldogs led 28-7. Sneads got a big play from senior Mark Lawson on their next possession as he scrambled 49 yards deep into Bulldog territory. But the drive stalled and Marianna took over on downs at the Bulldog 13 yard line. After picking up a first down the Bulldog’s Marjean Dean rambled up the middle for a 10 yard gain. At the end of the play he coughed up the ball and it bounced right to Jackson, who then raced 50 yards for a Bulldog score. Marianna led 34-7 going into the final quarter. The Pirates got another score on the board early in the fourth quarter on a Mark Lawson to Anthony Dawkins 30 yard scoring toss. The Davis point after kick was good to make it 34-14. Jackson picked off a Pirate pass late in the game to thwart any comeback efforts by Sneads.

With the win Marianna completed the 2009 season with a 5-5 record. Sneads also finished the season 5-5 and accepted an invitation to play in the Suwannee Bowl in Branford on Thursday November 19th. The Pirates will take on the Branford High Buccaneers in a battle for the high seas. Branford is coached by former Graceville Head Coach Bill Wyles.

Chipola Men Off To Great Start

By Clint Cox

The Chipola Men’s basketball squad put on their traveling shoes this past week as they played four road games in four days. On Thursday night they took on Bevill State in Jasper Alabama and came away with an 87-78 win. Sophomore Dexter Ellington led the way with 29 points while freshman Lashay Page added 22 points. Then they traveled to Decatur, Georgia to take part in the Georgia Perimeter Classic. On Friday they picked up an 87-67 win over Atlanta Metro.

Saturday’s contest was against Georgia Perimeter and Chipola won 79-66. The Indians led by 5 at the half and were up by 21 points with 3 ½ minutes to play. Fitzgerald served up a double double as he hit 14 points and snagged 11 rebounds. Ellington had 13 points and Kevin Powell and Lashary Page each hit 11 points. Aaron Davis was the fifth Indian in double figures as he chipped in 10 points, all in the second half.

On Sunday the Indians posted a 84-77 overtime win against Northwest Shoals. Their fourth game in four days showed as the Indians fell behind by 8 points in the first half. But they bounced back in the second half and took an 8 point lead. Northwest Shoals fought back as well and tied the game up at the end of regulation. In overtime Chipola caught their second wind and went up quickly to seal the win. Ellington led the way with 27 points while Fitzgerald had a big night with 16 points and 20 rebounds.

The men are now 5-0 on the season and will next play in the Northwest Florida State College Thanksgiving Classic in Niceville. On Friday 11/27 they’ll play against Mississippi Elite and on Saturday 11/28 they take on Howard.

Pack 170 Cub Scouts Attend Webelos Weekend at Camp AlaFlo

Webelo Scouts in Pack 170 of Marianna enjoyed a fun-filled, educational weekend of activities during the Webelos Weekend celebration on November 13-14, at Camp AlaFlo near Enterprise, Alabama. Webelos, or “We’ll Be Loyal Scouts”, in Pack 170 include eight Scouts under the leadership of Mary Ann Hutton and Assistant Cub Master Steve Hutton. These nine and ten-year-old scouts are currently working hard to achieve their Boy Scout rankings by the spring of 2010.

Webelos Weekend was a special time planned for first and second year Webelos. Opportunities were provided for Scouts to earn five activity pins and two belt loops, which are amazing accomplishments for a two-day event. The pins earned by Pack 170 scouts included: READYMAN; OUTDOORSMAN; NATURALIST; FORESTER; and GEOLOGIST, along with the Geology belt loop.

During READYMAN training, Scouts learned important skills to help prevent accidents and get help in emergencies. The character trait of “Courage” is emphasized in this unit, including four basic principles when faced with an emergency: Be strong, Be calm, Be clear, and Be careful.

The OUTDOORSMAN sessions focused on building campfires, cooking, setting up tents, making outdoor beds, tying knots, and other important skills needed for “outdoor living”. Scouts live by the Outdoor Code, which states: As an American, I will do my best to Be clean in my outdoor manners; Be careful with fire; Be considerate in the outdoors; and Be conservation-minded. The scouting way is to leave no trace of your presence in the outdoors.

The FORESTER component focused on helping the Scouts understand how all the living things on our planet work together to keep each other healthy. Scouts studied how forests help keep a livable climate for us and other animals.

For GEOLOGIST requirements, Scouts explored how the earth is made and what fossils can tell us about the earth millions of years ago. Rock samples were available for the Scouts to examine.

Scouts were responsible for cooking their own supper, which was an extremely fun project for the boys. With leader Mary Ann Hutton’s special recipe and her supply of all the needed ingredients, Scouts created their own calzone sandwiches. Bread dough was spread on tin foil, allowing Scouts to put their desired contents inside (turkey, cheese, sausage, onions, peppers, salami, and more), fold over the dough, and seal it shut by using a fork to press all the way around the edge of their sandwiches. The calzones were cooked in Dutch ovens on an open fire until golden brown and ready to enjoy. Delicious chicken noodle soup and cheesecake crackers for dessert were also part of the cooking fun. At the big general assembly that night there were approximately 17 Packs of Webelos present from all throughout Florida and Alabama. Selected by the judges from the numerous entries submitted in the cooking contest, “Mary Ann’s Amazing Calzones” won the grand prize spatula for “TASTIEST” supper! There were also skits, songs, and other awards presented. Following the large group assembly, Pack 170 Scouts made the hike back to their camp site, where they enjoyed hot chocolate before preparing for bed. Breakfast and the closing ceremony were on the schedule for the next morning, with all Scouts having received valuable life skills training and memories they will always carry with them.

To obtain more information about the Scouting program, please feel welcome to e-mail Mary Ann Hutton at cokehut@digitalexp.com, or call her at 209-2818.

High School Boys Basketball

Sonny’s Pre-Season Tip Off Tournament

November 19 & 21, 2009 at Marianna High School

Thursday Nov. 19, 2009

4:30 pm – Malone vs Holmes Co.

6:00 pm – Cottondale vs Maclay

7:30 pm – Port St. Joe vs Marianna

Saturday Nov. 21, 2009

4:30 pm – Cottondale vs. Port St. Joe

6:00 pm – Malone vs. Maclay

7:30 pm – Marianna vs Holmes Co.

Lady Hornets Edged By NFC

By Clint Cox

The Cottondale Lady Hornets opened up the 2009 –10 season by hosting the Lady Eagles of North Florida Christian School on Tuesday night. In a hard fought and close game the Lady Hornets suffered a 55-45 loss.

The Lady Eagles jumped out to an early 11 – 5 before Cottondale began to battle back. A 3 pointer by Khadejah Ward and a free throw by Syrinna Pope cut it to a 11-9 game. But NFC reeled off 6 straight points before Vakia Grimsley hit a bucket to close out the quarter with the Lady Eagles leading 17-11. NFC took a 21-11 lead early in the second quarter but the Lady Hornets then mounted a comeback. Grimsley hit a couple of buckets and KiKi Paul hit a 3 pointer to make it a 25-18 game. Paul then drained a 3 pointer at the buzzer to cut the Lady Eagle lead to 25-21 at the half.

The Lady Hornets came out hot in the third quarter, especially Paul who continued to knock down 3 pointers. With four minutes left in the third quarter a Paul 3 pointer made it 28-27 in favor of NFC. With just over two minutes to play in the quarter her third 3 pointer tied the game at 30-30. Ward then hit a 3 pointer to give Cottondale it’s first lead of the game and then another long range bomb from Paul gave the Lady Hornets a 36-32 lead. When the third quarter came to a close Cottondale held a 37-35 lead.

NFC started the fourth quarter with 6 unanswered points and reclaimed the lead. Grimsley kept the Lady Hornets close with 8 points in the final quarter. But NFC hit several key 3 pointers and free throws in the final three minutes of the game to pull out the 10 point victory.

Chipola Ladies Win Two In Classic

By Clint Cox

The Chipola Lady Indians picked up two wins this past weekend while hosting the 4th Annual Alzheimer’s Classic at the
Milton H. Johnson Health Center. On Friday the Lady Indians posted a 62-56 win over Monroe. Saturday’s contest was one that the Lady Indians would just as soon forget as they fell 90-59. Chipola shot just 27% from the field and were just 5-16 from behind the three point line. Ty O’Neal led the way with 19 points and Malesha Petterson added 14.

On Sunday the Lady Indians got back on the winning track with a 72-67 win over Trinity Valley. Chipola led 34-29 at the half as they shot 60% from the field and hit 2-3 shots from outside the 3 point line. They pushed their lead to as many as 8 points in the second half but each time Trinity would battle back to within four points. Down the stretch the Lady Indians hit key free throws to hold off Trinity for a 5 point win. O’Neal hit key free throws along with Darrlita Taylor, who hit two free throws with :29 seconds to give Chipola a 72-65 lead.

O’Neal paced the Lady Indians with 23 points and 5 assists. Two other ladies were in double figures as Kendra Powell added 14 points and Tawatha Tucker chipped in 11 points. Powell led the squad in rebounds with 12 while O’Neal grabbed 7 rebounds. The Lady Indians improved to 3-2 on the season and will be on the road for the next four games as this weekend they’ll be in Panama City. On Friday they take on Vincennes at 5 pm and on Saturday they’ll play Georgia Perimeter at 1 pm. Both games will be played at Gulf Coast. After this weekend Chipola hits the road again for a Monday game against St. Petersburg and a Tuesday matchup against Hillsborough.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Friday Night Football Preview – 11/13/09

Marianna (4-5) at Sneads (5-4) – History will be made in this contest as these two schools have never met before during the regular season. Throw in the fact that Pirate Head Coach Don Dowling served as the Bulldogs Head Coach for five seasons (2001-06) and you have all the makings of a great game. Sneads broke their 4 game road losing streak last Friday with a 38-30 win over Bozeman. Marianna had an open date but also spent time preparing for their District Runner Up Tie Breaker in Chipley on Wednesday night. Marianna will have to try and stop Pirate workhorse Mark Lawson while the Pirate defense will try to contain a Bulldog offense that is averaging almost 28 points per game.

Radio: WJAQ 100.9 FM

Internet: www.psblive.com



Graceville (3-6) at Chipley (4-5) 7 pm – After a 32-18 win over county rival Cottondale last Friday night Graceville heads down the road to Washington County for their big rivalry with Chipley. Although Graceville won’t make the playoffs this year, they now have back to back wins and would love to close out the season with a win over Chipley. Meanwhile Chipley is a squad that has gotten much better as the season has progressed. After starting 0-3 Chipley went 4-1 in their next 5 games. They are coming off a 35-21 loss to district foe Pensacola Catholic. Also a note of interest is that Chipley Head Coach Rob Armstrong played football at Graceville and later coached at Graceville.

Radio: WFBU 94.7 FM



Liberty County (8-1) at Cottondale (1-7) 7 pm – An already tough and long season doesn’t get any easier for the Hornets in their season finale. They will play host to the Bulldogs of Liberty County. The Bulldogs enter the contest with only one loss and that was to a good Port St. Joe squad. They have wins over four teams that have beaten Cottondale this season (Maclay, Marianna, Franklin Co., Graceville). They also have beaten Bozeman, Wewa, West Gadsden and Blountstown. The Hornets are coming off a 32-18 loss to rival Graceville.

Lady Pirates Advance to Regional Finals

By Clint Cox

The Sneads Lady Pirates avenged a district championship loss to Blountstown with a 3-1 win on Tuesday night over the Lady Tigers in the Class 2A FHSAA Regional One Semi-Finals. With the win over Blountstown Sneads will now advance to the Region One Finals on Saturday in Tallahassee. They will take on Maclay in a rematch of last year’s Class 2A Region One Finals.

On Tuesday the Blountstown Gym was standing room only as both squads had large and loud crowds cheering them on. The first set was a nail biter as neither squad could pull ahead by more than two points. The set was tied 15 different times but the Lady Pirates finally pulled out a 27-25 win. But Blountstown came right back to take an early lead in the second set. Sneads battled back to tie the game at 9-9 but the Lady Tigers pulled away again and went on to win 25-21. Blountstown took another lead in the third set but this time Sneads fought back to not only tie the set a 9-9 but then went on to post a 25-20 win. The fourth and final set was nip and tuck in the early going. The set was tied at 12-12 when Sneads got on a roll and reeled off six unanswered points. Blountstown hung close though fighting to a 19-15 Sneads lead. The Lady Pirates got key kills down the stretch from Meagan Smith, Ashley Smith and Kara Alford to close out the set with a 25-20 win.

After going unbeaten in the district during the regular season Sneads had fallen to Blountstown in the district championship game on October 29th. Sneads had to swallow a bitter pill and advanced to the playoffs as the district runner up. On Wednesday 11/4/09 they traveled to Baker to take on the Lady Gators in Regional Quarterfinal action. The home squad captured a win in the first set by a score of 25-21. But the Lady Pirates rallied to win the next three sets by scores of 25-9, 25-22 and 25-23. The 3-1 win over Baker set up the rematch with the Lady Tigers in Blountstown.

Tigers Down Hornets

By Clint Cox

The Graceville Tigers snagged the bragging rights for the western portion of Jackson County last Friday night with a 32-18 win over rival Cottondale. Graceville jumped out to an early lead and while Cottondale battled to stay close, the Tigers kept the Hornets at bay through out the contest. Cottondale had a tough time stopping the two workhorses for Graceville. Treyshaun White rushed for 102 yards and four touchdowns. Leron Hoover bulled his way for 157 yards and one score.

White gave Graceville the early lead with a 3 yard run that capped a long drive on the Tigers opening possession. After a Hornet punt the Tigers mounted another long drive on the ground. On the first play of the second quarter White bolted 11 yards for the Tiger score. Trailing 12-0 the Hornets got a good run back on the kickoff and then saw Nick Jackson scamper 30 yards to the Tigers 15 yard line. That drive stalled however as a fourth down pass to the end zone fell incomplete. But the Hornets mounted a drive late in the first half that pushed deep into Tiger territory. The first half appeared to have ended though with another incomplete pass into the end zone. But a pass interference call against Graceville gave Cottondale another play and they took advantage. Drew Bellamy tossed a 16 yard scoring pass to Jackson. The two point play failed but Cottondale had cut the lead to 12-6 at the half.

Graceville came out in the second half and drove it right down the field with a steady dose of Hoover. The big fullback finished off the drive with an 11 yard run for a score. White added the two point run and Graceville led 20-6. Cottondale came right back with another good kickoff return by Jackson. A few plays later they got a 28 yard scoring run from Dominique Webb. The two point try failed and Cottondale trailed 20-12. Graceville fired right back as Jacky Miles ripped off a 35 yard run to the Hornet 45 yard line. That set up another score by White, this time on an 8 yard run with four minutes left in the third quarter.

Cottondale got good field position after a failed on side kick, starting at their own 49 yard line. The Hornets drove to the Tiger 7 yard line as the third quarter came to a close. On the first play of the fourth quarter freshman Josh Simmons made a diving catch in the end zone on a 7 yard scoring strike from Bellamy. Again the two point play failed as Graceville’s lead now stood at 28-18. Graceville took possession and put together a six minute drive that culminated with a 20 yard scoring run by White. Trailing 32-18 Cottondale had one last possession but the drive stalled in Tiger territory with four incomplete passes.

With the win Graceville improved to 3-6 and will next play at Chipley for their season finale. Cottondale fell to 1-7 and will host Liberty County in their season ending contest.

Breakaway Dragway Upcoming Events

Thanksgiving Weekend

Wintermadness

Friday

Gates open at 3 PM

Time trials and T/T start at 4 PM



Gamblers Race at 6 PM for Pro/SP & Sportsman and Jrs!



Qualifying for Pro Mods and R/S at 7 pm



Gamblers Race

Pro/SP & Sportsman

Entry Fee - $30

Payback - 80/20

Buy Backs - $10 First Round Only



Gamblers Race ALL Jrs

Entry Fee - $15

Payback - 100%

Buy Backs - $5 First Round Only



Saturday

Gates open at 8 AM

Time Trials at 10 AM

Eliminations (Pro/SP, Sportsman, & Jrs) 1PM

Qualifying (Pro Mods & R/S) 11 am & 1 PM

Eliminations (Pro Mods & R/S) 3 PM



PURSES

Pro/SP Entry $75 Guaranteed

Buy Backs $ 30 1st & 2nd Rnd

Winner - $3000

R/U - $1000

Semi - $500

QTR - $250



Sportsman

Entry $75 Guaranteed

Buy Backs $30

1st & 2nd Rnd

Winner - $3000

R/U - $1000

Semi - $500

QTR - $250



Outlaw Pro Mods Quick 8

Winner - $4000

R/U - $2000

Semi - $1000

Qualify - $750



Outlaw R/S (16 Car Field) Entry $75

NO INDEX!!! WS ARE ALLOWED

NO WHEELIE BARS

Winner - $2000

R/U - $750

Semi - $200

QTR - $100



Jrs 8.90 and Faster

Entry $30

Based on 10 Car Min.

Buy backs $10 first and second Rnd

Winner - $400

R/U - $125

Semi - $50



Jrs 8.90 and Slower

Entry $30

Based on 10 Car Min.

Buy backs $10 First and Second Rnd

Winner - $400

R/U - $125

Semi - $50



Spectators

Friday $10

Saturday $20

Both Days $25 - must be purchased Friday

High School Boys Basketball

Sonny’s Pre-Season Tip Off Tournament

November 19 & 21, 2009 at Marianna High School



Thursday Nov. 19, 2009

4:30 pm – Malone vs Holmes Co.

6:00 pm – Cottondale vs Maclay

7:30 pm – Port St. Joe vs Marianna



Saturday Nov. 21, 2009

4:30 pm – Cottondale vs. Port St. Joe

6:00 pm – Malone vs. Maclay

7:30 pm – Marianna vs Holmes Co.

Bulldog’s District Tie Breaker Rescheduled

By Clint Cox

The Marianna Bulldog’s football squad was scheduled to take part in a district runner up tie breaker on Monday night in Chipley. That tie breaker however was rescheduled until Wednesday night due to the tropical storm that moved into our area on Monday. Results of the Wednesday night’s tie breaker were not available at press time. Marianna was scheduled to take on Walton County for one quarter at 7 pm. The winner of that quarter would then take on Chipley for one quarter and the winner of the second quarter would advance to the FHSAA playoffs as the district runner up.

Chipola Men Win; Ladies Fall & Prepare to Host Alzheimer’s Classic This Weekend

By Clint Cox

The Chipola Men’s Basketball team opened up the 2009-10 season with a 96-73 win over L.B. Wallace last Friday night in the Milton H. Johnson Classic. The Indians, playing under new Head Coach Jake Headrick, were without several players due to injuries but jumped out to an early lead none the less. Chipola led 52-26 at the half. Leading the way for the Indians was Lashay Page with 26 points, including seven 3-pointers. He was followed by Dexter Ellington with 18 points and Marvin Fitzgerald with 10.

The men will pack up their bags for three straight road games this weekend. They take on Bevill State in Jasper, Ala. on Thursday, then head to Decatur, Ga. for a Friday contest against Atlanta Metro and Georgia Perimeter on Saturday. Chipola (1-0) is ranked #13 in the nation and #5 in the state.

The Chipola Lady Indians, ranked #3 in the nation and #2 in the state, mounted a furious rally late in the second half but it was not enough as they fell 63-61 to #14 ranked Monroe Community College. After trailing by as many as 15 points in the second half Chipola battled back to tie the game at 61-61. But the Lady Indians missed a couple of free throws that would have given them the lead. Jasmine Shaw led Chipola with 19 points.

The Chipola Lady Indians host the Fourth Annual Alzheimer’s Classic, Nov. 13-15, in the Milton H. Johnson Health Center. The Classic will once again feature the toughest women’s field of any regular season tournament in the country as five of the seven teams participating are ranked in the top 15 nationally.  The Classic will also feature 10 of the top 15 teams in the country, and 19 of the top 50 junior college players in the country according to Dan Olson’s Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.

The classic tips off Friday, Nov. 13, with Tallahassee and Jefferson College (MO) at 2 p.m.  Pensacola meets Trinity Valley at 4 p.m. A pair of ranked teams will square off in the final game of the day at 6 p.m. when third-ranked Chipola takes on number 14 Monroe Community College (NY).

Saturday’s action starts at noon with Tallahassee and Wallace (Hanceville). At 2 p.m., Monroe plays Pensacola. The final two games of the day promise to provide some great basketball as four top-seven teams are in action.  At 4 p.m., number five Trinity Valley (TX) battles number seven Gulf Coast. The 6 p.m. contest features a top-three match-up between number two, Jefferson College (MO), and third-ranked Chipola College.

 Two games are slated for Sunday, Nov. 15, with Gulf Coast and Monroe at noon, and Chipola and Trinity Valley at 2 p.m.

Pirates Beat Bucks; Headed To Bowl Game

By Clint Cox

The Sneads Pirates did something last Friday night that they had not done all season long, win on the road. In Panama City the Pirates picked up a 38-30 district win over the Bozeman Bucks. While the road win was something new for the Pirates, their workhorse was the familiar Mark Lawson. The Senior rushed for 202 yards and 3 touchdowns to pace the Pirates. He also picked off a pass and returned it for a score as well. Jeff Davis added 82 yards on the ground and a score.

Lawson scored two first quarter touchdowns to get the Pirates out to a quick lead. His 10 yard TD run capped a 75 yard drive and then he ripped off a 53 yard scoring run to put the Pirates up 12-0. Sneads scored late in the first quarter on a 70 yard scoring toss from Terrence Green to Anthony Dawkins to take a 18-0 lead into the second quarter. Bozeman countered with two scores in the second quarter to cut the lead to 18-14. But Sneads found the end zone again with only 22 seconds left in the half when Davis scored on a 14 yard run. Sneads led 24-14 at the half.

Bozeman came out in the second half and put a score on the board with a 33 yard field goal to make it a 24-17 game. Lawson responded with another rushing touchdown of two yards and then added the 2 point run to push the Pirate lead to 32-17. As the game moved into the fourth quarter Bozeman mounted a rally with two touchdowns to narrow the Pirate’s lead to 32-30. But on the final play of the game Lawson picked off a Bucks pass and returned it 56 yards for a score to seal the victory.

With the win Sneads improved to 5-4 on the season and will play host to Marianna on Friday night for the regular season finale. The Pirates have accepted an invitation to play in the Suwannee Bowl in Branford next Thursday night (11/19/09). They’ll take on Branford High which is coach by former Jackson Countian Bill Wyles.

Bulldog Cross Country Competes In Districts

By Clint Cox

There is an old sports adage that says it’s a game of inches. In cross country the adage might be more appropriate to say it’s a game of seconds. The Marianna Bulldog Cross Country team traveled to Tallahassee last Saturday for their district meet and narrowly missed out on advancing to the Regional Finals.

However, in the individual category the Lady Bulldogs Cross Country squad will send one runner on to the Regional Finals. Lindsey Toole ran a race of 22:16 which was good enough to place her 15th out of 70 runners. The top 15 individual runners advance to the Regionals. Other Lady Bulldogs that competed included Tiffany Stephens (27:44), Amber Roedel (32:21) and Audra Peacock (33:00).

In the boy’s action the Bulldogs needed to finish as a team in 6th place or better to advance to the Regionals. While several of the runners put in a personal best, the team placed 7th out of the 14 squads that participated. Joseph Gibson was the lead ‘Dog as he ran a time of 18:46. Close behind Gibson and coming in under 19 minutes were Jesse McGowan (18:49) and Zack Brockner (18:58). Patrick Cox finished 4th for the Bulldogs at 19:39, Angel Morales was 5th at 19:43, Jimmy Lien was 6th at 19:53 and Paul Kelson was 7th at 21:42.

Coach Allan Gibson commended his squad for a race well run and also wanted to thank Ice River Springs Bottling Company for supporting the team this season through the donation of water for the runners.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Friday Night Football Preview – 10/30/09

Cottondale (1-6) at Graceville (2-6) 7 pm – Both schools have found wins hard to come by this season. The Hornets got their first win of the season two weeks ago in a 56-16 win over the Knights of Rocky Bayou Christian School. Graceville demolished the Knights this past Friday night for their second win of the year. But this is the county’s biggest and longest rivalry and you can throw out the records. In fact, given the tough season that both have experienced, a win over your biggest rivalry can make the season. Cottondale will look to Nick Jackson to lead the way while Graceville will counter with the likes of Leron Hoover.

Radio: WFBU 94.7 FM



Sneads (4-4) at Bozeman (4-5) 7 pm – The Sneads road show continues this week as the Pirates are traveling for the third straight week. Last week they traveled all the way to Bratt and fell 10-7 to Northview. This week’s trip to Panama City will be a shorter trip and hopefully the Pirates can break their road losing streak. All four Pirate loses this year have come on the road. The Pirates will take on a Bucks team that playing much better as of late. Bozeman started the season 0-4 with losses to Liberty Co., Vernon, South Walton and Northview. Since that time however they have gone 4-1 with wins over Wewa, Baker, Holmes Co. and Jay. Their lone loss in that stretch came to Freeport.

Internet: www.psblive.com



Marianna (4-5) – open date – Marianna dropped another hard fought contest last week in a 23-22 loss to Port St. Joe. That’s back to back heart breaking losses for the ‘Dogs and they’ll have a open week to lick their wounds. Coming up for Marianna is a county matchup with the Sneads Pirates in the regular season finale. But the Bulldogs playoff hopes are not dead yet so that will be on their minds as well (see Bulldog Playoff Picture) on this page.

Radio: WJAQ 100.9 FM

Lady Pirates Advance To Playoffs As District Runner Up

By Clint Cox
The Sneads Lady Pirates volleyball went five sets against Blountstown last Thursday night in a hard fought contest that went right down to the final point. In the end however Blountstown managed a 3-2 win over the Lady Pirates and in doing so captured the Class 2A District 2 Championship. The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Sneads as they had gone unbeaten in district play during the regular season. After wins on Monday and Tuesday in the district’s opening rounds the Lady Pirates were 16-0 against their district foes. Add to that the fact that Sneads has won the district the last two years and the Lady Tigers were gunning to knock Sneads off.

Playing on their home court in front of a capacity crowd, Blountstown went toe to toe with the Lady Pirates in first set. The score went back and forth and twelve times the score was tied. Meagan Smith, Ashley Smith and Jordan Jackson paced Sneads through the set. Neither team could get ahead by more than two points but Blountstown hung on to get a 25-23 win. Set two saw the Lady Pirates jump out to an early lead as Meagan Smith and Jackson continued to pace Sneads. The Lady Pirates went on to win the set by a score of 25-15. The third set had the Lady Pirates out to another early lead. Ashley Smith, Kara Alford and Jackson paced Sneads to a 12-5 lead. Blountstown battled back to make it 15-11 before Sneads got going again. A tap over by Jackson gave Sneads an 18-13 lead but again Blountstown battled back. After a long crowd thrilling rally the Lady Tigers cut it to a 22-20 lead. But kills by Alford and Sierra Hewett made it 24-20 and the Alford served out the set point for a 25-20 victory.

Up two sets to one Sneads appeared in control and on track to win the district for the third straight year. Sneads took a 5-2 lead in the fourth set but Blountstown hung close. The Lady Tigers took their first lead of the set at 14-13 and then outscored Sneads 7-1 to take a 21-14 lead. Sneads battled back to tie the game at 21-21 but Blountstown then surged to get a 25-22 victory. The fifth and deciding set was nip and tuck. Neither team could get ahead by more than one point and there were nine ties during the set. A kill by Jackson gave Sneads a 12-11 lead but two points later the scored was knotted at 13-13. Blountstown got the final two points for a 15-13 win and the District Championship.

With the loss Sneads fell to 23-5 on the season and were scheduled to play at Baker on Wednesday in the first round of the FHSAA Class 2A playoffs. Results of that contest were not available at press time. If Sneads could win that match they would face the winner of Blountstown vs Northview in round two of the playoffs.

Tiger Sharks Slip By Bulldogs

By Clint Cox

For the second straight week the Marianna Bulldogs lost a close contest at home as they fell 23-22 to the visiting Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe. The Bulldogs trailed by nine points with just under three minutes to play in the game. But the ‘Dogs rallied with a Tre Jackson touchdown and two point conversion with just :33 seconds left on the clock. Now trailing by one point, Marianna then executed an onside kick and Craig Leslie recovered the ball to give the Bulldogs the ball at the Tiger Shark 48 yard line. Marianna picked up 11 yards on a Jackson to R.J. Bowers pass but that was as much as they could muster before the clock expired.

Marianna had taken the opening drive of the game and went on an eight minute drive before being forced to punt. Port St. Joe, starting at their own 10 yard line, scored on their third offensive play as Calvin Pryor went 82 yards for the touchdown. But on the ensuing kickoff Jackson showed that Marianna could come up with the big play as well when he bolted 92 yards on a kickoff return for a score. Marianna converted a two point play on the extra point on a shovel pass from Jackson to Chris Bowers. That was all the scoring for the first half as Marianna led 8-7 at halftime.

Port St. Joe added 9 points in the third quarter on a touchdown and 27 yard field goal. The Tiger Sharks took a 16-8 lead going into the final quarter. Early in the fourth quarter Marianna put together a 10 play six minute drive that covered 82 yards. It culminated with a 15 yard scoring run by Marjean Dean with just under five minutes to play. Marianna went for two but failed, thus they trailed 16-14. Port St. Joe took the ensuing possession and scored on a 30 yard half back pass on a fourth down play. That put the Tiger Sharks up by nine points.

With the loss Marianna fell to 4-5 on the year and will have an open date this week. They are next scheduled to play at Sneads on November 13th. However there is a chance that they may play on November 9th in a district runner up tie breaker. See “Bulldog Playoff Picture” on page B4 for more details.

CHIPOLA BASKETBALL HOSTS GOLSON READING KICK-OFF

The Chipola College Men’s Basketball Team hosted the second annual Accelerated Reading Kick-Off party for some 800 Golson Elementary students Oct. 23 at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center.

The event was the springboard for Golson’s Accelerated Reader program to encourage students to achieve their reading goals this year.

Chipola Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Joc Calloway welcomed the students and introduced Chipola president Dr. Gene Prough who encouraged the students to look at reading as an adventure instead of a challenge.

Rep. Marti Coley spoke of the chance to “travel to different countries or even the moon, without leaving home by reading books.”

The nationally-ranked Chipola Indian Basketball team entertained the students with a slam dunk contest and a Globe-trotter style game.

Chipola coach Jake Headrick said, “This event is one of the several ways our program gives back to the community each year. Through our partnership with Golson, our players are able to interact and promote education with area youngsters.”

Special guest referees were Golson Curriculum Specialists Janie Nolen and Sue Miller. By requiring the players wear silly outfits and read books to earn extra points for their squads, the officials helped to entertain the crowd.

Janie Nolen said, “This event was an excellent way to promote reading and also show how our school works with Chipola College as partners in education.”

CHIPOLA LITTLE INDIANS PROGRAM FOR GRADES 1-8

Chipola Men’s Basketball invites boys and girls in grades 1 through 8 to join the Little Indians.

Participants will learn fundamental skills, ball handling, shooting, passing and teamwork through drills and contests led by Chipola coaches and players. Practice sessions are: Nov. 10, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Little Indians will perform during halftime of a Chipola Indians game. The $50 membership fee includes two free tickets to all home games, a Chipola basketball t-shirt and a DVD of the halftime performance.

For information, call assistant coach Brian Steenhoek at 850-718-2378, or email: steenhoekb@chipola.edu

Malone School Hosts “Old Timers” Game in “New” Gym

The basketball “stars” from yesterday are coming back to play in the “old timers” basketball game at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, November 5, 2009. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the newly renovated Malone gym, begins at 5:00 p.m. Over forty former Malone players are scheduled to participate in the game. Several former coaches will be in attendance, also. The public is invited to attend. There will be a $2.00 charge for the game with proceeds going to benefit the Malone Athletic Department. Concessions will be sold. Malone School officials hope to see many of the former students and their families, along with the Jackson County community, come out Thursday night to support the athletic program and to enjoy seeing former classmates and teachers.

United Gold Wins MERE Soccer

United Gold finished first in the MERE 11-14 Soccer league. Pictured from left, are: (front) Hampton Jordan, Desiray DeClouet, Cristina Carmona, Charles La Fontaine, Nic Helms, (back) John Metzler , Bryan Buchanan, coach Scott Jordan, Maddie Craven, coach Jason Helms, Kevin Carmona and Katy Barfield.

Marriage of Godwin and Yon

Ms. Wyoma Durden, of Sneads, Florida and Autumn, Shane and Peyton Yon, proudly announces the engagement and upcoming marriage of her daughter, and their mother, Brandee Yon to Brian Godwin, of Quincy, Florida. She is the grand-daughter of the late Mr. Hinton Hatcher and Jeanette Barber, of Chattahoochee, Florida. She is currently employed at the Florida State Hospital. The groom is the son of John & Alice Godwin, of Quincy, and the grandson of the late Mr. and Ms. Walter Edenfield of Grand Ridge and Mr. & Ms. Harold Shepard of Orange, Florida. He is currently employed at Barnes Equipment Company in Quincy, Florida. The marriage will be November 20, 2009 at the Gadsden County Courthouse at 1:00 P.M. There will be a brief reception at the home of the groom’s parents in Quincy, from 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. The couple plans a weekend getaway at St. George Island. They reside in Quincy.

Lady Indians Win Season Opener; Chipola To Host Milton H. Johnson Classic

The No. 3 Chipola Lady Indians, ranked #3 in the nation and #2 in the state, tipped off their 2009-2010 regular season on the road Monday in Jacksonville. The Lady Indians posted a 84-75 win over Florida Community College @ Jacksonville. Lindsey Carr led the way with 18 points, followed by Bianca Jarrett with 17, Jasmine Shaw with 16 and Malesha Peterson with 13. The game went back and forth in the early stages before Chipola went up by 9 points. The Lady Indians led 34-28 at the half. In the second half Chipola briefly gave up the lead but reclaimed it moments later. They were able to push the lead to as many as 12 points before closing out the game with a 9 point victory. The Lady Indians were 28-42 from the free throw line. The Lady Indians, under the direction of Head Coach David Lane in his 6th year, finished last year with a record of 30-6 season. They captured a state championship and finished in third-place at the national tournament.

This weekend both the women’s and men’s squads from Chipola will be in action at home as they play host to the Milton H. Johnson Classic. Action begins on Friday at 3 pm as the Gulf Coast Lady Commodores will take on #14 Monroe. At 5pm the Chipola Ladies take on a squad out of Mobile called North American Basketball Association. At 7 pm the Chipola Men square off against L.B Wallace. On Saturday the Chipola squads are back in action as the men take on Mississippi Elite at 3 pm and ladies take on Monroe at 5 pm.

Blue Springs Society, C.A.R. Honors Veterans At November Meeting

Blue Springs Society Children of the American Revolution and Chipola Junior American Citizens Club honored our veterans at their November meeting. Members wrote prayers thanking God for veterans and their families.

The program about Honor Flight and the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC was given by the members. They had been asked at the October meeting to do research on Honor Flight and its founder Captain Earl Morse.

The senior president began the program with a quiz. Veterans Committee Chairman Dillon Melvin gave the most correct answers. The members had learned that the first Honor Flight was in May of 2005, just a year after the World War II Memorial was finally finished and dedicated. They were amazed to learn that the goal of Honor Flight for 2009 is to transport 25,000 veterans from across the U.S. to the World War II Memorial. In July 2009 the DAR presented Captain Morse with a Medal of Honor for “his lasting and unusual contribution to our national heritage as well as displaying the characteristics of leadership, trustworthiness, patriotism, and service.”

The group was divided for two different activities after the meeting. The peewees (ages 10 and under) made cards for our veterans with Hailey Harrison making the most cards. The older members did a clean up at Citizens Lodge Park and checked on the trees they planted to honor their patriot ancestors as part of the Chipola River Restoration Project in 2003.

The Family That Plays Together, Stays Together

Three generations of Spence’s on the Tee By Sid Riley

During last week’s 17th annual Altrusa Golf Tournament at Indian Springs Golf Course, a unique foursome was entered in the competition. It was the Spence family.

Walter and Libby Spence played with their son Dr. Stephen Spence, and his son, Steve (age 11). This was the first three-generational team to ever enter the Altrusa tournament, and probably the first such team to ever enter any tournament in Jackson County. The highlight of the round came on hole # 11, when little Steve chipped in for an eagle. The team finished with a respectable score of 8 under, and they plan to beat that mark next year.

Pet of the Week - Katie & Witchy

These 7-8 week old black and white, slightly long-haired kittens come dressed in tuxedos! Katie and Witchy have a tuxedo style coat, blue eyes and are such fun to play with. These sisters are both ready for adoption and would love to spend the holidays in a new home.

You can meet Katie and Witchy at the Partners for Pets shelter at 4011 Maintenance Dr., in Marianna. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 10:00 - 3:00, and on Saturday, 10:00 - 1:00. If you have any questions about either kitten, or the other pets, please call 482-4570 or you may visit www.partnersforpets.petfinder.com

Tigers KO Knights

The Graceville Tigers got just what the doctor ordered with a 59-12 victory this past Friday night over Rocky Bayou. On Homecoming night the Tigers gave the Homecoming crowd plenty to cheer about as they scored early and often. Tigers coach Todd Wertenberger elected not to start several of his first string team and instead gave plenty of backups and youngsters large amounts of playing time. Even without some of their starters playing Graceville jumped out to a big lead and led 33-12 at the half. The second half was more of the same, lots of youngsters getting plenty of playing time and still scoring points. To top off the night Freshman Rasheed Campbell picked off a Knight’s pass and returned it 80-yards for a touchdown on the game’s last play.

With the district win the Tigers improved to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the district. Next up the Tigers will host arch rival Cottondale on Friday.

Champion Motorsports ...Start Your Engines

Marianna’s new business, Champion Motorsports, was begun by two men who met while attending church. Co-owner Larry Cobb, a 1977 graduate of Marianna High School and part-time missionary to the far ends of the earth, ran Cobb’s Front End auto shop in Marianna for 20 years until selling it. He sold in part to free up time for his mission work in places such as China and Haiti. “That’s my calling,” he said Tuesday during a Jackson County Times interview.

Cobb sold his business five years ago and bought rental property. This enabled him to leave for weeks at a time on “foreign missions.” Then he met Mike Turner at New Hope Baptist Church near Marianna. With Turner’s experience running a motorcycle shop in Atlanta, they decided to use some of the old Barnes Tire property, across U.S. 90 from Winn-Dixie, and open a new shop

Nov. 7, this Saturday, is the grand opening. “Free food, a live band and free “give-aways” will be included in the event”, Turner said.

Services offered at the new business will include truck and car accessories, motorcycle and ATV service and repair, wheels and tires, custom painting, performance upgrades and “full camo wraps” for vehicles, Turner said. They even have leather apparel and helmets for the Harley crowd.

So, when you see the crowd as you drive down Lafayette in Marianna this Saturday, stop in and take a look at the new business in town….and enjoy the food while you are there.

JAGS win at Peanut Festival Cheer Competition

Tiny-JAGS 1st place, Mini-JAGS 2nd place, Youth-JAGS 2nd place, and Junior-JAGS 1st place.

Bullpups Win Big Bend Championship Game

Clint Cox
The Marianna Middle School Bullpups have certainly been on a roll the last few years. And the 2009 season will go down in history as the one that may have topped all the others. The Bullpups used a fourth quarter rally to pull away from Jefferson County in the Big Bend Conference Championship Game for a 30-6 win. In doing so the Bullpups finished the season 8-0, the first 8-0 season in school history.

Jock Wooden was the man of the night as he rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns. His first score came early in the game as he bolted 35 yards for the touchdown. Shaundre McAroy scored the two point play to give the Bullpups an 8-0 lead. Jefferson County countered with a score in the first half after scooping up a Bullpup fumble and returning it 73 yards for the touchdown. A missed extra point attempt however left the Bullpups with an 8-6 half time lead. A scoreless third quarter followed so the Bullpups entered the fourth quarter with a two point lead, by far their closest contest of the season.

Early in the fourth quarter however Wooden took control, scoring first on a 5 yard run to make it 14-6. He followed that up with a 26 yard scoring run. Jonathan Sikes hit Kyle Tanner on a two point pass play to make it a 22-6 game. Derrick Knowles added the final Bullpup TD of the night with a 19 yard run. Knowles then hit McAroy for the two point play to make the final 30-6.

Bulldog Playoff Picture

By Clint Cox

The Marianna Bulldogs playoff are hopes not dead yet. This Friday night the Chipley Tigers take on Pensacola Catholic in Pensacola. If Pensacola Catholic beats Chipley the Bulldogs playoff hopes are still alive. Marianna would then be in a 3 way tie for the runner up spot in the district with Chipley and Walton Co. The three teams would meet for a tie breaker on Monday November 9th. The team’s overall records as of November 9th would determine the seeding and location for the tiebreaker. Both Marianna and Chipley would have a 4-5 record however since Chipley beat Marianna they would be the #1 seed and would host the tiebreaker. Marianna and Walton would play each other in the first round of the tiebreaker. They would play for one quarter and the winner of that quarter would then play Chipley for one quarter. If either quarter should end in a tie, the squads would then use the Kansas tie breaker that is used in regular season games that end in a tie.

If Chipley should win that game Marianna would be eliminated from the playoffs as Chipley would be the district champs and the Crusaders would be the runner up.

Chipola Ford…Part of A Winning Company

Local dealership is proud to be part of Ford Motor Company organization, a privately owned and operated auto manufacturer.

By Sid Riley

This week Ford Motor Company announced third quarter profits of over one billion dollars. While General Motors and Chrysler are in the midst of a restructuring process, emerging from bankruptcy after selling significant portions of their corporations to the U. S. Government and the United Auto Workers, Ford remains an independent producer and marketer of automobiles.

Actually, Ford wisely began the restructuring process in 2005 and is now prepared to operate efficiently in today’s struggling market environment. Ford closed and combined plants, trimmed their overheads, and even developed a strong, unified upper management team after “weeding out’ those top level executives who could not adapt to the new approaches. They thus eliminated roadblocks within their corporate bureaucracy.

Through these efforts the giant corporation became a more productive, efficient company. They simultaneously developed product lines which meet the demands for fuel efficiency while providing the type of performance the American consumer wants. They have also reduced inventories throughout their processes, and have simultaneously improved delivery performance from the factory. What used to be an eight to ten week delivery cycle has been shrunk to a four week cycle. This enables dealerships to operate with less on site inventory, thus saving money throughout the process.

By anticipating the needs of the market and becoming a leaner, better organization before the current market decline occurred, Ford is now positioned to take a leadership role in the industry.

When the story was released about Ford’s quarterly profits, the Jackson County Times decided to interview one of the owners of our local Chipola Ford, Will Rogers. We felt it would be interesting to get his perspective of what is going on in the automotive industry as it relates to Jackson County.

“In my opinion, Ford has demonstrated a high level of professional ability at its upper levels as it dealt with problems within the industry”, Rogers stated. “The foresight they used in obtaining capital, reducing waste and overhead costs, and moving their product designs in the right direction for the new demands of the public are all now paying off for them, and for their dealerships.”

“We have a great product group which offers outstanding gas mileage while maintaining size and power. Our trucks remain leaders in sales for the industry, while our lineup of automobiles covers a wide range of size and pricing. We feel we are ‘on the mark’ for the world of today. Another area where Ford has helped dealers has been the continued availability of financing through Ford Credit. While GMAC was significantly reduced and altered, a situation which negatively impacted many of their dealerships, our financing programs have always been here,” Rogers continued.

“Many people do not realize that an auto dealership is actually five businesses. When they are all operating normally, it is easy to be profitable. However, when two or three are suffering, things can get tough. New Car Sales, Used Car Sales, Service, Parts, and Body Shop, are all actually separately functioning businesses. During the worse months of this current decline, our sales suffered for several months, but the strength of our Service and Parts businesses kept us from getting into trouble. Thankfully, for the past several months all parts of our business are again performing at reasonable levels. I’m not saying sales are back up to what we expect, but they have improved significantly and that part of the business is carrying it’s own weight,” Rogers explained.

“We consider ourselves a family here at Chipola Ford. We spend more time here working together than we spend at home. We try to look out for each other, and that makes our dealership stronger and better. We have made changes which improved our operations and reduced costs, but we never were forced to lay off or fire anyone because of the market. We have let normal attrition reduce our staffing somewhat, but we have worked to enable everyone to keep their job…even during the worse months. Hopefully, that is all behind us now, and we are all looking forward to a great future for our dealership and Ford Motor Company.”

Pirates Nipped By Chiefs

By Clint Cox

The Sneads Pirates made the long trip to Bratt last Friday night and the three hour ride seemed even longer after a hard fought 10-7 loss to the Northview Chiefs. With the loss Sneads fell to 4-4 on the year and 4-3 in district play. They will be on the road again this week, their third straight road game, as they travel to Panama City to take on Bozeman.

Sneads, trying to win their first road game of the year, took an early 7-0 lead as Jeff Davis scored on a five yard run. The score came after a Chief fumble was recovered by the Pirates. Josh Rogers added the point after kick to make it a 7-0 game. Northview came right back on the next possession to score and tie the game at 7-7. Late in the first half Northview booted a field goal to take a 10-7 lead at the half.

The second half saw the Chiefs, while held scoreless, dominate the time of possession battle. Long sustaining drives had them in numerous third and short downs, to which they often converted and kept the drive alive. The Pirate offense had difficulty moving the ball and could only muster 90 yards of rushing on the evening. Mark Lawson led the way with 55 yards on 17 carries. Jamar White led the defense with 12 tackles and 7 assist. Rogers added 7 tackles and 7 assist and Terrence Green added 5 tackles and 7 assist.