By Clint Cox
The Marianna High Softball squad is off to a 3-1 start after splitting in games last Monday and Tuesday. Last Monday the Lady Bulldogs dominated the Lady Tigers of Blountstown in a 12-0 rout. Marianna scored early and often, getting 3 runs in the first inning and then 6 runs in the third inning. They added 3 more in the sixth inning as Krista Griffin and Jana Hinson led the way offensively. Griffin went 3-4 with a double, triple and home run. She also scored three times. Hinson was 2-3 with a single and double. Other leading hitters included Sam Smith (1-3, single), Hali Stout (1-2, triple and 2 runs scored) and Allison Hutton (1-2, single). Taylor Smith drew three walks and made the most of them as she scored three times. Eron Milton was the winning pitcher as she went three innings, giving up no runs on 2 hits and striking out five Lady Tigers. Samm Smith went two innings in relief and allowed no runs and struck out two.
Marianna found the going a little tougher on Tuesday night as they fell 5-3 in a hard fought game against Port St. Joe. Lady Tiger Shark pitcher Cayla Minger, recent signee with Gulf Coast, made it tough on Lady Bulldog batters as she struck out 11 and only gave up 2 walks. Marianna made a run at the Lady Tiger Sharks when they plated all three runs in the sixth inning as Hutton, Samm Smith and Taylor Smith all came across the plate. But the Lady Bulldog rally came up short and they dropped their first game of the season. Samm Smith led the Lady Bulldogs on offense as she went 2-3 with 2 singles and scored once. Griffin was 1-3 with an RBI. Milton took the loss for Marianna, going the full 7 innings.
Marianna, now 3-1 on the season, were slated to play at Slocomb on Tuesday night. Results of that contest were not available at press time. They have two more upcoming road trips as they will be at Holmes County on Thursday and at Liberty County on Friday.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Bulldog Baseball Tops Pirates 2/26/09
By Clint Cox
Local fans turned out in large numbers for a beautiful afternoon of high school baseball this past Saturday when Marianna played host to Sneads. The Bulldogs got two runs in the second inning and went on to a 3-1 victory. Dustin Larkin got the starting nod on the mound for the Bulldogs and went three innings, giving up no runs and no hits. Taylor Edge countered on the mound for the Pirates and went the distance, giving up 3 runs and striking out four. In the second inning Zack Smith’s RBI double scored Laramie Dryden. Tyler Searcy later laid down a bunt single to score Dustin Miller. That gave Marianna a 2-0 lead, which held until the fifth inning when Sneads got on the scoreboard. Edge stroked a RBI double to score Bubba Carpenter and made it a one run game. But the Bulldogs countered in the bottom of the fifth when Smith doubled and Larkin brought him home on a RBI single. Brandon Hendrix came in relief of Larkin in the fourth inning, pitching 1 2/3 innings. Colby Johnson came in to relieve Hendrix and went 2 1/3 innings, giving up no runs and striking out six Pirates. Johnson was credited with a save. Both squads evened their early records at 1-1.
In JV action the Bulldogs posted an 11-1 win over the junior Pirates. Michael Mader was the winning pitcher while Taylor Dunham took the loss for the Pirates.
Local fans turned out in large numbers for a beautiful afternoon of high school baseball this past Saturday when Marianna played host to Sneads. The Bulldogs got two runs in the second inning and went on to a 3-1 victory. Dustin Larkin got the starting nod on the mound for the Bulldogs and went three innings, giving up no runs and no hits. Taylor Edge countered on the mound for the Pirates and went the distance, giving up 3 runs and striking out four. In the second inning Zack Smith’s RBI double scored Laramie Dryden. Tyler Searcy later laid down a bunt single to score Dustin Miller. That gave Marianna a 2-0 lead, which held until the fifth inning when Sneads got on the scoreboard. Edge stroked a RBI double to score Bubba Carpenter and made it a one run game. But the Bulldogs countered in the bottom of the fifth when Smith doubled and Larkin brought him home on a RBI single. Brandon Hendrix came in relief of Larkin in the fourth inning, pitching 1 2/3 innings. Colby Johnson came in to relieve Hendrix and went 2 1/3 innings, giving up no runs and striking out six Pirates. Johnson was credited with a save. Both squads evened their early records at 1-1.
In JV action the Bulldogs posted an 11-1 win over the junior Pirates. Michael Mader was the winning pitcher while Taylor Dunham took the loss for the Pirates.
Chipola Cheerleader Extravaganza Draws Giant Crowd 2/26/09
Hundreds of fans turned out to cheer for the cheerleaders at the Chipola College Cheerleader Extravaganza on Feb. 8.
In the varsity squad competition, Marianna High won first place; Holmes County High finished second; Lyman (Longwood, FL) High finished third; Wicksburg High finished fourth and Chipley High finished fifth.
In the Small Varsity competition Graceville High won first and Sneads High finished second. In the small junior varsity squad competition, Marianna J. V. won first. In the large junior varsity squad competition, Pine Forest (Pensacola) High won first; Holmes County High School finished second; Northview (AL) High finished third and Wicksburg High finished fourth.
In the Large Middle School Division, Marianna Middle Cheerleaders won first place. In the Small Middle School Division, Grand Ridge Middle won first place. Marianna Middle won the Middle School Spirit Trophy. Marianna High won the Junior Varsity Spirit Trophy. Chipley High won the Varsity Spirit Trophy.
In the Dance Competition Graceville won first place and Malone finished second.
Marianna High Varsity was named Extravaganza Grand Champion for receiving the most points in the overall competition. Exhibition squads included: JAGS All Stars: Youth Team and Mini Team and Junior MEGA All Stars.
In the varsity squad competition, Marianna High won first place; Holmes County High finished second; Lyman (Longwood, FL) High finished third; Wicksburg High finished fourth and Chipley High finished fifth.
In the Small Varsity competition Graceville High won first and Sneads High finished second. In the small junior varsity squad competition, Marianna J. V. won first. In the large junior varsity squad competition, Pine Forest (Pensacola) High won first; Holmes County High School finished second; Northview (AL) High finished third and Wicksburg High finished fourth.
In the Large Middle School Division, Marianna Middle Cheerleaders won first place. In the Small Middle School Division, Grand Ridge Middle won first place. Marianna Middle won the Middle School Spirit Trophy. Marianna High won the Junior Varsity Spirit Trophy. Chipley High won the Varsity Spirit Trophy.
In the Dance Competition Graceville won first place and Malone finished second.
Marianna High Varsity was named Extravaganza Grand Champion for receiving the most points in the overall competition. Exhibition squads included: JAGS All Stars: Youth Team and Mini Team and Junior MEGA All Stars.
Chipola Ready For State Tournament 2/26/09
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Indians Men’s and Women’s Basketball squads will hit the floor next week at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center in the FCCAA / NJCAA Region VIII Tournament. The Indians completed the Panhandle Conference season unbeaten last Saturday night as they downed Gulf Coast 98-95. They were led by four players in double figures with Jeremy Jacob leading the way with 22 points. Casey Mitchell and Gary Flowers added 21 each and Torye Pelham chipped in 17. The Indians captured their sixth straight Panhandle Conference Championship and retain their number 1 ranking in both the state and national JUCO polls. They will enter the tournament with a 28-1 record and their lone loss of the season came in the second game. Since that time the Indians have reeled off 27 straight wins, a new school record. The men will begin tournament play on Thursday at 6 pm against the Suncoast Conference Runner Up Hillsborough
The Chipola Lady Indians will also participate in the state tournament. They will represent the Panhandle Conference as the runner up after falling to Gulf Coast 60-54 last Saturday night. They were led by Latoya Williams with 14 points and Marnesha Hall and Carolyn Mills with 10 each. The Lady Indians are currently ranked #2 in the state and #5 in the nation. They enter the tournament with a record of 24-5 and will take on Santa Fe on Wednesday at 6 pm.
The Chipola Indians Men’s and Women’s Basketball squads will hit the floor next week at the Milton H. Johnson Health Center in the FCCAA / NJCAA Region VIII Tournament. The Indians completed the Panhandle Conference season unbeaten last Saturday night as they downed Gulf Coast 98-95. They were led by four players in double figures with Jeremy Jacob leading the way with 22 points. Casey Mitchell and Gary Flowers added 21 each and Torye Pelham chipped in 17. The Indians captured their sixth straight Panhandle Conference Championship and retain their number 1 ranking in both the state and national JUCO polls. They will enter the tournament with a 28-1 record and their lone loss of the season came in the second game. Since that time the Indians have reeled off 27 straight wins, a new school record. The men will begin tournament play on Thursday at 6 pm against the Suncoast Conference Runner Up Hillsborough
The Chipola Lady Indians will also participate in the state tournament. They will represent the Panhandle Conference as the runner up after falling to Gulf Coast 60-54 last Saturday night. They were led by Latoya Williams with 14 points and Marnesha Hall and Carolyn Mills with 10 each. The Lady Indians are currently ranked #2 in the state and #5 in the nation. They enter the tournament with a record of 24-5 and will take on Santa Fe on Wednesday at 6 pm.
Boys Advance To Regional Finals 2/26/09
By Clint Cox
Four Jackson County Boy’s Basketball teams made it to the FHSAA playoffs and with round two completed on Tuesday night, three of them remain in the hunt to make a trip to Lakeland.
In Class 1A the Graceville Tigers opened up with a 63-50 win over Laurel Hill. With that win the Tigers moved on to round two as they played host to Paxton on Tuesday night. Graceville led by 9 points at the half and then went on to upset the Bobcats 56-46. Paxton had entered the ball game with a 25-4 record and were considered by many folks a good bet to make it to Lakeland. With the win over Paxton Graceville will travel on Saturday to Gainesville to take on The Rock (23-4). They beat FAMU 63-52 to advance to the Regional Finals.
Moving up to Class 2A the Cottondale Hornets played host to Freeport and won 59-38. With that win the Hornets hosted Baker in round two action on Tuesday night and pulled out a thrilling 72-70 triple overtime win. Baker entered the game with a 24-3 record but quickly realized they were in a slugfest. In a game that saw the lead swing back and forth, both squads played valiantly. Cottondale had a last second shot to win the game in regulation but could not convert, ending regulation with the game tied at 52-52. Nothing changed during the next two overtimes as each team took leads, only to see the other team comeback. Baker had a last second chance to end the game in the first overtime but failed. In the second overtime Cottondale held a two point lead only to see Baker grab a missed shot at the buzzer and put it back in to tie the game at 66-66. In the third overtime Baker took a four point lead but the Hornets came to tie the game at 70-70 on a bucket by Marcus Humose. Dominique Webb’s free throw with 9 seconds to play gave the Hornets a 72-70 and the Hornet defense came up with a last second steal to seal the victory. Cottondale improved to 19-10 and now will travel to Eastpoint on Saturday to take on Franklin County. The Seahawks, 25-5, beat Maclay to advance to the finals.
The Marianna Bulldogs are the county representative for Class 3A and the Bulldogs opened up with a 55-32 win over South Walton last Thursday night. The Seahawks were 19-8 entering the contest and hung with the Bulldogs early on, leading 9-7 at the end of the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter the Seahawks still maintained a 2 point lead at 17-15. From there however the Bulldogs caught fire and shot the Seahawks down. Marianna reeled off 10 unanswered points and went on a 30-5 run through the second and third quarters. R.J. Bowers led the team with 14 points while Kruize Pinkins added 11 and C.J. Blount added 10. The Bulldogs advanced to round two on Tuesday night and hosted Pensacola Catholic. In that contest Marianna manhandled the visiting Crusaders en route to a 64-35 victory. With that win the Bulldogs improved to 20-7 on the season and now hit the road for a Saturday Regional Final matchup with Ribault (Jacksonville).
Also in Class 1A the Malone Tigers entered the playoffs as the District Two runner up and had to travel to Paxton. In a game that went right down to the wire, Malone fell 49-46 to the Bobcats. Malone took it to the Bobcats and led 15-13 at the end of the first quarter. They trailed by one point at the half and were tied with less than two minutes to play in the game. But in the final two minutes Paxton hit a three pointer to take a four point lead and then held on for the 3 point win. Malone finished the season 15-10 and were led by T.J.Smith with 12 points and Mike Peak with 10.
Four Jackson County Boy’s Basketball teams made it to the FHSAA playoffs and with round two completed on Tuesday night, three of them remain in the hunt to make a trip to Lakeland.
In Class 1A the Graceville Tigers opened up with a 63-50 win over Laurel Hill. With that win the Tigers moved on to round two as they played host to Paxton on Tuesday night. Graceville led by 9 points at the half and then went on to upset the Bobcats 56-46. Paxton had entered the ball game with a 25-4 record and were considered by many folks a good bet to make it to Lakeland. With the win over Paxton Graceville will travel on Saturday to Gainesville to take on The Rock (23-4). They beat FAMU 63-52 to advance to the Regional Finals.
Moving up to Class 2A the Cottondale Hornets played host to Freeport and won 59-38. With that win the Hornets hosted Baker in round two action on Tuesday night and pulled out a thrilling 72-70 triple overtime win. Baker entered the game with a 24-3 record but quickly realized they were in a slugfest. In a game that saw the lead swing back and forth, both squads played valiantly. Cottondale had a last second shot to win the game in regulation but could not convert, ending regulation with the game tied at 52-52. Nothing changed during the next two overtimes as each team took leads, only to see the other team comeback. Baker had a last second chance to end the game in the first overtime but failed. In the second overtime Cottondale held a two point lead only to see Baker grab a missed shot at the buzzer and put it back in to tie the game at 66-66. In the third overtime Baker took a four point lead but the Hornets came to tie the game at 70-70 on a bucket by Marcus Humose. Dominique Webb’s free throw with 9 seconds to play gave the Hornets a 72-70 and the Hornet defense came up with a last second steal to seal the victory. Cottondale improved to 19-10 and now will travel to Eastpoint on Saturday to take on Franklin County. The Seahawks, 25-5, beat Maclay to advance to the finals.
The Marianna Bulldogs are the county representative for Class 3A and the Bulldogs opened up with a 55-32 win over South Walton last Thursday night. The Seahawks were 19-8 entering the contest and hung with the Bulldogs early on, leading 9-7 at the end of the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter the Seahawks still maintained a 2 point lead at 17-15. From there however the Bulldogs caught fire and shot the Seahawks down. Marianna reeled off 10 unanswered points and went on a 30-5 run through the second and third quarters. R.J. Bowers led the team with 14 points while Kruize Pinkins added 11 and C.J. Blount added 10. The Bulldogs advanced to round two on Tuesday night and hosted Pensacola Catholic. In that contest Marianna manhandled the visiting Crusaders en route to a 64-35 victory. With that win the Bulldogs improved to 20-7 on the season and now hit the road for a Saturday Regional Final matchup with Ribault (Jacksonville).
Also in Class 1A the Malone Tigers entered the playoffs as the District Two runner up and had to travel to Paxton. In a game that went right down to the wire, Malone fell 49-46 to the Bobcats. Malone took it to the Bobcats and led 15-13 at the end of the first quarter. They trailed by one point at the half and were tied with less than two minutes to play in the game. But in the final two minutes Paxton hit a three pointer to take a four point lead and then held on for the 3 point win. Malone finished the season 15-10 and were led by T.J.Smith with 12 points and Mike Peak with 10.
Lady Hornets Headed To Lakeland; Graceville & Marianna Fall 2/26/09
By Clint Cox
While three Jackson County girl’s varsity basketball teams made it all the way to their respective Regional Finals this past Saturday night, the Cottondale Lady Hornets will be the lone team to represent Jackson County in Lakeland at the FHSAA Final Four. Cottondale earned the trip to Lakeland with a 52-49 road win over the Lady Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe. Shay Wright was the top Lady Hornet as she posted 20 points in the win. With the win Cottondale improved to 21-5 on the season and will take on First Academy on Thursday at 10:30 am (CST).
The Marianna Lady Bulldogs advanced to the Regional Finals for the first time in more than 20 years but came up short in a 65-55 loss to Jacksonville Ribault. Marianna hung close through out the game and trailed by just four points late in the game. But Ribault pulled away in those final minutes for the 10 point victory. Niesha Butler led the way for the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points while Tierra Butler and Janae Godwin each added 10. Marianna finished the season under Head Coach Charles Brown Jr. with a record of 19-8.
The Graceville Lady Tigers traveled to Tallahassee to take on FAMU High and fell 62-43. The final score however was not indicative of just how close the game was even until late in the third quarter when the Lady Baby Rattlers broke open to close the game. FAMU jumped out to a quick lead but Graceville rallied late in the first quarter and trailed just 13-12 when the quarter ended. FAMU then reeled off 15 unanswered points to start the second quarter. Graceville finally broke their scoring drought during the quarter but trailed 31-21 at the half. The Lady Tigers came out in the second half with a newfound intensity. Behind the scoring of Alyssa and Ashley Hogans, along with Cayla Walker, Graceville began a comeback that pulled them to within 2 points, 34-32. Late in the quarter the Lady Tigers still trailed by just two points at 36-34. FAMU however reeled off an 8-2 run to close out the third quarter and led 44-36 going into the final quarter. That final quarter belonged to FAMU as they outscored Graceville 18-7 on the hot shooting of Precious Hall, who finished with 28 points on the night. Graceville, which finished the season at 25-3, was led by Mychea Williams with 13, Jessica McClendon with 8 and Walker with 7.
While three Jackson County girl’s varsity basketball teams made it all the way to their respective Regional Finals this past Saturday night, the Cottondale Lady Hornets will be the lone team to represent Jackson County in Lakeland at the FHSAA Final Four. Cottondale earned the trip to Lakeland with a 52-49 road win over the Lady Tiger Sharks of Port St. Joe. Shay Wright was the top Lady Hornet as she posted 20 points in the win. With the win Cottondale improved to 21-5 on the season and will take on First Academy on Thursday at 10:30 am (CST).
The Marianna Lady Bulldogs advanced to the Regional Finals for the first time in more than 20 years but came up short in a 65-55 loss to Jacksonville Ribault. Marianna hung close through out the game and trailed by just four points late in the game. But Ribault pulled away in those final minutes for the 10 point victory. Niesha Butler led the way for the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points while Tierra Butler and Janae Godwin each added 10. Marianna finished the season under Head Coach Charles Brown Jr. with a record of 19-8.
The Graceville Lady Tigers traveled to Tallahassee to take on FAMU High and fell 62-43. The final score however was not indicative of just how close the game was even until late in the third quarter when the Lady Baby Rattlers broke open to close the game. FAMU jumped out to a quick lead but Graceville rallied late in the first quarter and trailed just 13-12 when the quarter ended. FAMU then reeled off 15 unanswered points to start the second quarter. Graceville finally broke their scoring drought during the quarter but trailed 31-21 at the half. The Lady Tigers came out in the second half with a newfound intensity. Behind the scoring of Alyssa and Ashley Hogans, along with Cayla Walker, Graceville began a comeback that pulled them to within 2 points, 34-32. Late in the quarter the Lady Tigers still trailed by just two points at 36-34. FAMU however reeled off an 8-2 run to close out the third quarter and led 44-36 going into the final quarter. That final quarter belonged to FAMU as they outscored Graceville 18-7 on the hot shooting of Precious Hall, who finished with 28 points on the night. Graceville, which finished the season at 25-3, was led by Mychea Williams with 13, Jessica McClendon with 8 and Walker with 7.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Boys Bring Home Three District Titles; Four Teams Headed To Playoffs
By Clint Cox
Not to be outdone by the girls last week (three district championships) Jackson County boy’s varsity basketball squads won three district titles last Saturday night and will advance in the playoffs. All four of the teams will be in FHSAA Regional Quarter-Final Action on Thursday (2/19/09) at 7 pm.
In Class 1A District Two action in Malone the Graceville Tigers edged the Malone Tigers 57-56 for the championship. Malone led most of the first half including a 12-5 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 27-22 lead at the half. But Graceville rallied in the second half, outscoring Malone 14-9 in the third quarter to tie the game at 36-36 going into the final quarter. In a nip and tuck affair, Graceville prevailed by one point. A pair of Dozier’s led Graceville as Cameron Dozier had 18 points and C.J. Dozier had 12 points. Craig Myrick also added 14 points for Graceville. Malone was led by T.J. Smith with 26 points.
Both squads had advanced to the championship game with lopsided wins on Friday night. Graceville beat Bethlehem 77-42 while Malone beat Poplar Springs 72-33. In first round playoff action Graceville will host Laurel Hill while Malone will travel to Paxon.
In Class 2A District Two Action in Sneads the Cottondale Hornets defeated Bozeman 47-33 to capture the district title. Cottondale led by 3 points at the half and then 6 points at the end of the third quarter. They broke open a close game in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Bucks 22-14 to take home the 14 point victory. Marcus Humose led the way with 16 points while Jacob Herring added 11. Cottondale (17-10) will play host to Freeport (15-12) in round one action.
Cottondale had advanced to the championship game by eliminating the Sneads Pirates 62-46 on Friday night. Sneads jumped out to an early 9-0 lead but Cottondale battled back to trail by one at the end of the first quarter. The lead changed hands throughout the second quarter but the Hornets took a 27-25 lead into the locker room at the half. The game was tied at 31-31 in the third quarter when the Hornets went on a run. Drew Bellamy and Humose got hot and when the smoke cleared the Hornets led 44-36 going into the final quarter. Sneads continued to fight but the Hornets held them off to end the Pirates season. Humose led the way with 25 points while Herring followed with 11 and Bellamy with 10. Sneads, which finished the season 15-11, was led by Sherrick Williams with 16, Terrence Green with 9 and Justin Neel with 8.
In Class 3A District Two action the Marianna Bulldogs entered the district tournament as the number one seed and thus had an automatic bid in the championship game. Chipley downed Holmes County on Friday night and then squared off against the Bulldogs on Saturday. In a close contest Marianna hung on to win by a score of 49-46. Marianna trailed by four points late in the game when R.J. Bowers hit a 3 pointer to spark the ‘Dogs to victory. Marianna was led by Kruize Pinkins with 18 points and Tre Long with 11. The Bulldogs (19-7) will next play host to South Walton (19-8) in first round action.
Girls Basketball Playoff Update
By Clint Cox
All three of the Jackson County girls basketball squads won thrilling victories on Tuesday night and in doing so advanced to the Regional Finals for their respective classifications. Each of the teams is just one win away from a trip to Lakeland for the FHSAA Final Four Championships.
In Class 3A action the Marianna Lady Bulldogs posted a 44-34 win over the Lady Crusaders of Pensacola Catholic last Thursday night. They advanced to the Regional Semi-Finals on Tuesday night and played host to Walton County. After jumping out to a big early lead Marianna fought off the Lady Braves to pull out a 53-46 victory. Marianna led 29-14 at the half but Walton began chipping away at the lead in the third quarter. Going into the final quarter Marianna’s lead had dwindled to five points. Twice during the final quarter Walton cut Marianna’s lead to 3 points. But each time the Lady Bulldogs responded and pulled away for the 7 point win. Niesha Butler led the way with 15 points while Derrika Fitzgerald added 11 and Janae Godwin chipped in 9. Marianna, 19-7, will now hit the road for a Regional Final contest in Jacksonville against Ribault, 22-5, on Saturday night.
In Class 2A the Cottondale Lady Hornets notched a 46-21 win over Baker in first round action. Cottondale held a slim 20-18 lead at the half but exploded in the third quarter by outscoring Baker 12-0 and taking a 32-18 lead into the final quarter. Shaunte Forward led with 19 points while Shay Wright and Kiki Paul added 9 each. With that win Cottondale played host to Ponce De Leon this past Tuesday night in second round action and squeaked out a thrilling 59-55 victory. The Lady Hornets, 20-5, will now travel on Saturday night to Port St. Joe, 21-8, for the Regional Finals.
In Class 1A the Graceville Lady Tigers beat Rocky Bayou Christian School (Niceville) 69-52 in the first round. Kayla Walker hit seven 3 pointers to lead the Lady Tigers with 21 points. Ashley Hogans added 18 and Jessica McClendon chipped in 12. On Tuesday night the Lady Tigers played host to Paxon and notched an exciting 45-43 win over the Lady Bobcats. With that win Graceville improved to 24-2 on the season and will travel on Saturday to Tallahassee to take on FAMU in Regional Final action.
Chipola Keeps On Winning; Ladies Set For Title Bout
By Clint Cox
Both the men’s and women’s basketball squads at Chipola racked up two more wins this past week and the Lady Indians are now set for a winner take all title bout at Gulf Coast on Saturday night. The winner of the ladies contest on Saturday between Chipola and Gulf Coast will lay claim to the Panhandle Conference Championship. Both of the squads have already clinched a FCCAA State Tournament berth but the Conference Championship is still up for grabs.
The Chipola ladies captured a 65-58 win over Northwest Florida last Saturday night. Chipola jumped out to an early lead and led big midway through the first half. But the Lady Raiders battled back to close up the gap. In the second half Chipola finally caught fire again and pulled away for the 7 point victory. Latoya Williams led the squad with 20 points while Carolyn Mills followed with 11. This past Tuesday night the Lady Indians notched another conference win with a 73-59 win over Pensacola at home. Williams once again led the way with 18 points. Gee Gee Williams added 13 and Lenita Sanford added 12 points in the win. That gave the Lady Indians a 9-2 conference record headed into Saturday night’s title bout with Gulf Coast, who also enters with a 9-2 conference record. The two teams split in their earlier conference games, with the home team winning each contest.
The Chipola men needed overtime but they got a thrilling point 83-82 win over Northwest Florida last Saturday night. Malcolm Armstead’s free throw with 0.9 seconds left in overtime gave the Indians the win and helped keep them unbeaten in conference play. Gary Flowers led the way with 31 points. Torye Pelham followed with 14 points, Armstead added 11 and John Kreft pumped in 10 points. They followed that win up with a 91-73 win over Pensacola this past Tuesday night. Jeremy Jacob led the way with 19 points. Flowers added 15 points along with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Armstead chipped in 13 points and Justin Brownlee knocked down 10 points.
Collins Becomes A Lady Commodore
Another Jackson County athlete is Movin’ On Up as Sneads High School volleyball standout Mattie Collins received a scholarship to attend Gulf Coast Community College and play volleyball. The signing took place last Friday morning before family, friends and fellow Pirate students. Collins racked up some impressive numbers during her senior season including 278 kills, 73 service aces, 39 blocks and 137 digs. She helped lead the Lady Pirates to a District Championship and the Regional Finals of the FHSAA playoffs.
Her Head Coach at Sneads, Shelia Roberts, said Collins is very deserving of the scholarship, even if at one time her volleyball future was in doubt. "She told me in the 7th grade that she didn’t know if volleyball was for her. I told her to stick with it and she worked extremely hard over the next five years. She certainly has earned this," said Roberts. Collins was also the FACA Player of the Year this past season, which gave the Lady Pirates back to back winners of this award as last year’s award went to Kali Pringle. Pringle, on hand for the signing, is now playing volleyball for Pensacola Jr. College and will be one of Collin’s opponents next season.
Gulf Coast Community College Coach Terri Bedford was excited about the signing. "We’re excited to get a player like Mattie. Coach Roberts does a great job of preparing her players and they are very disciplined. Mattie should be a great asset to our squad as a left hander that jumps so well and plays great defense," said Bedford. For her part Collins said she will miss being at Sneads but is eager to move to the next level. "I’m excited and looking forward to next season at Gulf Coast but I am going to miss my coach and teammates a lot," Collins commented.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
County Captures Three District Championships
By Clint Cox
All five of the county’s varsity girl’s basketball teams participated in their respective district tournaments this past week. When all was said and done, three Jackson County teams laid claim to a district championship and will be advancing to the FHSAA Regional Quarter-Finals on Thursday (2/12/09).
All five of the county’s varsity girl’s basketball teams participated in their respective district tournaments this past week. When all was said and done, three Jackson County teams laid claim to a district championship and will be advancing to the FHSAA Regional Quarter-Finals on Thursday (2/12/09).
In Marianna the Class 3A District Two tournament saw Marianna hammer Holmes County on Friday night by a score of 59-37. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 18-1 lead and never looked back. Janae Godwin led the way with 13 points and Niesha Butler added 9. The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the Championship game on Saturday against Chipley. In that contest Marianna brought home the win and their first district championship in a long time. With the win over Chipley the Lady Bulldogs will play host to Pensacola Catholic. Marianna enters the playoffs with a record of 17-7.
In Cottondale the Class 2A District Two tournament featured Sneads and Cottondale. On Friday night the Lady Pirate’s season came to a close with a loss to Blountstown. Cottondale squared off against Bozeman and posted a win over the Lady Bucks. Cottondale held a slim 12-8 lead at the end of the first quarter but then exploded for 24 points in the second quarter to take a 36-22 halftime lead. From there they cruised on in for a victory. On Saturday night they matched up against Blountstown and recorded a 51-25 victory. With the district championship win over Blountstown the Lady Hornets, 18-5, will host Baker.
And finally in Class 1A Graceville hosted the District Two tournament and on Thursday night Graceville beat Poplar Springs 65-41 while Malone lost to Bethlehem. That pitted Graceville against Bethlehem on Saturday night and the Lady Tigers pulled off a 57-52 win over the Lady Wildcats. In clinching the district championship the Lady Tigers were led by Ashley Hogans with 20, Mychea Williams with 18 and Alyssa Hogans with 11. Graceville, 23-2, will now host Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) in first round playoff action.
All winners of the Regional Quarter Finals on Thursday will advance to the Regional Semi-Finals to be played on Tuesday (2/17/09).
Indians Capture Conference Championship; Ladies Remain In The Hunt
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Indians basketball squad made it 6 in a row as they locked in the Panhandle Conference Championship with a 89-56 win over Tallahassee Saturday night. That win, coupled with a Gulf Coast loss, ensured the Indians the championship with three games remaining on the conference schedule. Chipola, playing without leading scorer Casey Mitchell due to an ankle injury, got off to a sluggish start but then found their rhythm. Torye Pelham had the hot hand in the first half with 10 points while Jeremy Jacob added 8 first half points. Chipola led 45-26 at the half and continued the route in the second half as Josh Sain got hot from outside the 3 point line. When the final horn sounded the Indians had posted a 33 point victory. Pelham and Sain led with 14 points, Gary Flowers added 12 and Jacob and Justin Brownlee chipped in 10 each. With the win Chipola improved to 25-1 and won their 24th game in a row, which tied a school record. They continue to be ranked #1 in the state and #1 in the nation.
The Chipola Lady Indians remained in the hunt for the conference championship with a 57-35 win over the Lady Eagles of Tallahassee. They led 32-21 at the half as Latoya Williams had pumped in 14 points first half points to lead the charge. Sequoyah Griffin also got into the scoring act with 8 points. In the second half the Lady Indians expanded their lead as they got balanced scoring from Williams, Griffin, Georgien Williams and Lenita Sanford. Latoya Williams finished the night with 20 points and Griffin added 11. Chipola improved to 22-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play. That 7-2 record kept them tied with Gulf Coast, although the Lady Commodores moved a ½ game ahead of Chipola with a Tuesday night win over Tallahassee. At press time Chipola is ranked #1 in the state and #5 in the nation.
Both the Chipola men and women will be back in action this Saturday when they travel to Niceville to take on Northwest Florida State College (formerly Okaloosa Walton College). The ladies tip off at 5:30 while the men go at it beginning at 7:30 pm.
Bulldog JV Basketball Wraps Up Another Successful Season
By Clint Cox
The 2008-09 Marianna Bulldog JV Basketball squad racked up another 20 win season this past Friday night with a 49-35 win over Cottondale. Head Coach Rico Williams has been at the helm of the JV squad for two seasons now and has led his teams to back to back 20-2 seasons. Each team is special to Williams and this year’s squad showed their true character when they rallied around a team mate who lost his mother during the season. "The most important thing for this team was how they came together for their fellow teammate. We prayed at school, before during and after practice to get through this really difficult time," said Williams. He listed the season’s highlight as when Deontrae (Tre) Pringley hit the game winning shot in Malone to beat the Tigers. The only two losses on the season both came to Bainbridge, with one loss being by 2 points in overtime on the road and the other loss coming at home by 3 points. Offensively the Bulldogs were led in scoring by Tre Jackson, Skylar Gause and Kendall Leeks. The "get after them guy" on defense was Devorius Robinson. The "Mr. Hustle" award would go to Chris Bowers according to Williams.
The 2008-09 Marianna Bulldog JV Basketball squad racked up another 20 win season this past Friday night with a 49-35 win over Cottondale. Head Coach Rico Williams has been at the helm of the JV squad for two seasons now and has led his teams to back to back 20-2 seasons. Each team is special to Williams and this year’s squad showed their true character when they rallied around a team mate who lost his mother during the season. "The most important thing for this team was how they came together for their fellow teammate. We prayed at school, before during and after practice to get through this really difficult time," said Williams. He listed the season’s highlight as when Deontrae (Tre) Pringley hit the game winning shot in Malone to beat the Tigers. The only two losses on the season both came to Bainbridge, with one loss being by 2 points in overtime on the road and the other loss coming at home by 3 points. Offensively the Bulldogs were led in scoring by Tre Jackson, Skylar Gause and Kendall Leeks. The "get after them guy" on defense was Devorius Robinson. The "Mr. Hustle" award would go to Chris Bowers according to Williams.
Chipola Alumni Baseball Weekend A Big Hit
By Clint Cox
The Second Annual Chipola Baseball Alumni Weekend was another big hit this past weekend as fans, family and friends gathered for numerous events over the course of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In conjunction with alumni activities, the Rahal-Miller JUCO National Classic featured five former JUCO National Champions that competed on the baseball diamond over the course of three days. Friday began with a round of golf for former players, fans and supporters. The action heated up on the field with Chipola claiming two wins on Friday. They posted a 12-5 win over Walters State and then got an extra innings win over San Jacinto.
Saturday featured a youth baseball camp, an alumni game, a home run derby for former players and an opportunity for area youth and baseball fans to get autographs from former players now in the big leagues. In Saturday’s baseball action Chipola recorded a 3-2 win over the College of Southern Neveda.
The final day of the baseball action saw Chipola jump out to a 3-0 lead over St. Pete with a 2 run home run from Joey Rapp. The Indians led 4-0 going into the fifth inning when they gave up 3 runs. They then got a solo home run from Andy Fermin to make it a 5-3 game. Taylor Martin came on in relief in the final inning with the Indians leading 5-4 and got the final out with runners at second and third base. With the four wins in the three day classic Chipola improved to 6-2 on the season. Chipola is ranked #1 in the state and #2 in the nation. They will be on the road this weekend participating in the Coyote Shootout in Las Vegas. They will play two games on Friday and then a single game on Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday the Chipola Lady Indians softball squad did their part for the weekend by posting two wins at home over Gordan. They won game one 9-0 and game two 2-1. That improved their overall record to 7-2 and they will be back in action this weekend in Dothan with 3 games on Saturday (Enterprise – Ozark, Georgia Perimeter and Lurleen B. Wallace) and 3 games on Sunday (Middle Georgia, Jeff State and Faulkner).
Bulldogs Prevail Over Hornets
By Clint Cox
The Marianna Bulldogs held off a pesky bunch of Hornets last Friday night in Cottondale and prevailed in a 59-50 victory. Marianna led the entire ball game though the Hornets battled hard right to the very end. Each time the Bulldogs would get a double digit lead the Hornets would mount a rally. But each time the Hornets pulled to within four to six points, the Bulldogs would respond to keep the Hornets from getting any closer.
Marianna took an early 16-6 lead before Cottondale’s Nick Jackson hit a 3 pointer to make it 16-9 at the end of the first quarter. Twice in the second quarter Cottondale cut the Bulldog lead to five points. And twice the Bulldogs responded to pull back ahead by double digits. The first half ended with Marianna leading 25-17. Again in the third quarter Cottondale cut it to five points at 29-24. Marianna then went on a 6-1 run to close out the quarter and lead 35-25. Terry Benbow’s 3 pointer and Jacob Herring’s free throw in the fourth quarter cut the Marianna lead to 41-37 with 5 ½ minutes to play. Marianna reeled off 6 points, including a 3 pointer from Tre Long to make it 48-39 with four minutes to play. Herring later cut the Bulldog lead to 6 points with a 3 pointer with just over a minute remaining. Marcus Humose got Cottondale to within 5 points with a free throw but that was a close as they would come. Long ended the night just before the buzzer with a slam dunk that brought the Marianna faithful to their feet.
Marianna was led by C.J. Blount with 21 points and Kruise Pinkins with 18. Long added 11 for the Bulldogs. Cottondale was led by Herring with 17 points and was followed by Drew Bellamy with 11 and Humose with 10.
Bulldog Head Coach Travis Blanton’s squad improved to 18-7 with the win and now readies for the district tournament. If the Bulldogs can record two more wins it would be another 20 win season for Blanton’s ‘Dogs. "Twenty wins is a goal that we set and if we can get that it would be an indication of a very successful season," Blanton commented. In Class 3A the powerhouse once again appears to be Pinecrest, which eliminated Marianna last year in Lakeland in the Semi-Finals. They are once again unbeaten but the Bulldogs have some work to do before they would get a chance for a rematch. That includes winning the district and then the first three rounds of the playoffs. Blanton is a wise coach and knows that his squad will take them one game at a time. The 2008-09 Bulldogs will lose just two seniors and the future for Bulldog basketball looks bright as once again they have a JV squad that posted 20 wins. (See related article on this page).
The Marianna Bulldogs held off a pesky bunch of Hornets last Friday night in Cottondale and prevailed in a 59-50 victory. Marianna led the entire ball game though the Hornets battled hard right to the very end. Each time the Bulldogs would get a double digit lead the Hornets would mount a rally. But each time the Hornets pulled to within four to six points, the Bulldogs would respond to keep the Hornets from getting any closer.
Marianna took an early 16-6 lead before Cottondale’s Nick Jackson hit a 3 pointer to make it 16-9 at the end of the first quarter. Twice in the second quarter Cottondale cut the Bulldog lead to five points. And twice the Bulldogs responded to pull back ahead by double digits. The first half ended with Marianna leading 25-17. Again in the third quarter Cottondale cut it to five points at 29-24. Marianna then went on a 6-1 run to close out the quarter and lead 35-25. Terry Benbow’s 3 pointer and Jacob Herring’s free throw in the fourth quarter cut the Marianna lead to 41-37 with 5 ½ minutes to play. Marianna reeled off 6 points, including a 3 pointer from Tre Long to make it 48-39 with four minutes to play. Herring later cut the Bulldog lead to 6 points with a 3 pointer with just over a minute remaining. Marcus Humose got Cottondale to within 5 points with a free throw but that was a close as they would come. Long ended the night just before the buzzer with a slam dunk that brought the Marianna faithful to their feet.
Marianna was led by C.J. Blount with 21 points and Kruise Pinkins with 18. Long added 11 for the Bulldogs. Cottondale was led by Herring with 17 points and was followed by Drew Bellamy with 11 and Humose with 10.
Bulldog Head Coach Travis Blanton’s squad improved to 18-7 with the win and now readies for the district tournament. If the Bulldogs can record two more wins it would be another 20 win season for Blanton’s ‘Dogs. "Twenty wins is a goal that we set and if we can get that it would be an indication of a very successful season," Blanton commented. In Class 3A the powerhouse once again appears to be Pinecrest, which eliminated Marianna last year in Lakeland in the Semi-Finals. They are once again unbeaten but the Bulldogs have some work to do before they would get a chance for a rematch. That includes winning the district and then the first three rounds of the playoffs. Blanton is a wise coach and knows that his squad will take them one game at a time. The 2008-09 Bulldogs will lose just two seniors and the future for Bulldog basketball looks bright as once again they have a JV squad that posted 20 wins. (See related article on this page).
Boys Basketball Set For District Tournaments
By Clint Cox
Jackson County varsity boys basketball programs begin their respective district tournaments this week. In Class 3A the Marianna Bulldogs will participate in the District Two tournament in Chipley. The Bulldogs will enter as the number one seed with an 18-7 record. They will play in the Championship game on Saturday night at 7 pm against Friday night’s winner between Chipley and Holmes County.
In Class 2A action the Sneads Pirates will host the District Two tournament. Blountstown will enter as the #1 seed and will take on Bozeman on Friday night. Sneads and Cottondale will square off against each other at 7:30 pm. The two Friday night winners will advance to Saturday night’s championship game at 7 pm.
District Two for Class 1A will be hosted by the Malone Tigers. They will take on Poplar Springs at 7:30 pm Friday night. The Graceville Tigers will hit the floor at 6 pm and battle Bethlehem. The winners of these two games will meet again on Saturday night at 7pm for the Championship.
Jackson County varsity boys basketball programs begin their respective district tournaments this week. In Class 3A the Marianna Bulldogs will participate in the District Two tournament in Chipley. The Bulldogs will enter as the number one seed with an 18-7 record. They will play in the Championship game on Saturday night at 7 pm against Friday night’s winner between Chipley and Holmes County.
In Class 2A action the Sneads Pirates will host the District Two tournament. Blountstown will enter as the #1 seed and will take on Bozeman on Friday night. Sneads and Cottondale will square off against each other at 7:30 pm. The two Friday night winners will advance to Saturday night’s championship game at 7 pm.
District Two for Class 1A will be hosted by the Malone Tigers. They will take on Poplar Springs at 7:30 pm Friday night. The Graceville Tigers will hit the floor at 6 pm and battle Bethlehem. The winners of these two games will meet again on Saturday night at 7pm for the Championship.
State JUCO Tourney Brings Thousands to Marianna
More than 2,000 visitors are expected to converge on Marianna for the Florida Junior College Men’s and Women’s State Basketball Tournament set for March 4-7 at Chipola College. Advance tickets are now on sale for the four-day event.
Some 400 basketball players from 16 teams, along with coaches, cheerleaders and fans will fill nearly 200 hotel rooms during the tourney. Numerous Division I College coaches and recruiters also are expected to scout the talent in the competition. Tournament officials estimate that more than $250,000 will flow into the area during the tournament from food, lodging, recreation and incidental expenses.
Tournament administrator Ronnie Myers, a former Chipola player, said, "The tournament is a huge undertaking which requires many volunteers and tremendous financial support. We could not host this event without the generous support of our fans, sponsors and advertisers."
The Jackson County Tourist Development Council awarded a $10,000 grant to the Chipola Appreciation Club to help promote and operate the tournament.
Waste Management is official host sponsor for the event. Other sponsors include: the Florida Lottery, Florida Credit Union League, Community South Credit Union, Envision Credit Union, Jackson County Teachers Credit Union, Tyndall Federal Credit Union and United Solutions.
Robert Trammell, ticket sales chairman, said, "Chipola has one of the finest junior college athletic programs in the country and our people put on one of the best tournaments anywhere. The great traditions established here by coaching legend Milton Johnson are evident today in the quality of this tournament."
Key supporters of Chipola athletics are selling advance tickets. Tournament passes—$25 for adults and $15 for students—will get fans into all 14 exciting tournament games. Single session tickets—two games—are $10 each.
The women’s tournament begins Wednesday, March 4, with the men’s tournament set to tip off Thursday, March 5. Game times are 1, 3, 6 and 8, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The women’s championship is Saturday at 5 p.m., with the men’s championship at 7:30 p.m.
For ticket information, call 718-2220, or visit the official tourney web site at: www.chipola.edu
Some 400 basketball players from 16 teams, along with coaches, cheerleaders and fans will fill nearly 200 hotel rooms during the tourney. Numerous Division I College coaches and recruiters also are expected to scout the talent in the competition. Tournament officials estimate that more than $250,000 will flow into the area during the tournament from food, lodging, recreation and incidental expenses.
Tournament administrator Ronnie Myers, a former Chipola player, said, "The tournament is a huge undertaking which requires many volunteers and tremendous financial support. We could not host this event without the generous support of our fans, sponsors and advertisers."
The Jackson County Tourist Development Council awarded a $10,000 grant to the Chipola Appreciation Club to help promote and operate the tournament.
Waste Management is official host sponsor for the event. Other sponsors include: the Florida Lottery, Florida Credit Union League, Community South Credit Union, Envision Credit Union, Jackson County Teachers Credit Union, Tyndall Federal Credit Union and United Solutions.
Robert Trammell, ticket sales chairman, said, "Chipola has one of the finest junior college athletic programs in the country and our people put on one of the best tournaments anywhere. The great traditions established here by coaching legend Milton Johnson are evident today in the quality of this tournament."
Key supporters of Chipola athletics are selling advance tickets. Tournament passes—$25 for adults and $15 for students—will get fans into all 14 exciting tournament games. Single session tickets—two games—are $10 each.
The women’s tournament begins Wednesday, March 4, with the men’s tournament set to tip off Thursday, March 5. Game times are 1, 3, 6 and 8, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The women’s championship is Saturday at 5 p.m., with the men’s championship at 7:30 p.m.
For ticket information, call 718-2220, or visit the official tourney web site at: www.chipola.edu
Friday, February 6, 2009
Chipola Baseball & Softball Open Seasons
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Indians and Lady Indians opened up the 2009 baseball and softball seasons this past weekend. The Indians, ranked #1 in the state, opened the 2009 campaign with a 6-2 win over Darton College last Friday. David Buchannan got the win on the mound. They followed that win up with a road trip to St. Petersburg for a double header on Saturday. The Indians fell 8-1 and 10-0 in those two contest. They bounced back with a 14-1 win on Sunday against St. Pete. Austin Wright got the win and the Indians got the war clubs going as Jake Rogers went 4-5 with 4 RBI and Jordan Lucas added four hits. Dayne Read posted three hits and Mark Ellis stroked two hits and had 3 RBI. The Indians evened their 2009 record and 2-2 and will be in action on Friday in the Rahal-Miller JUCO National Classic (see related article on page B1).
The Lady Indians softball squad traveled out west to open the 2009 season and participated in the Coyote Invitational in Las Vegas. On Saturday they fell to Salt Lake CC and then bounced back to beat Snow College. On Sunday the Lady Indians went 2-1, beating Northern Idaho CC and Southern Nevada CC. Entering Monday’s contest the Lady Indians were 3-2. Results of Monday’s contest against Yavapai College and a rematch against Northern Idaho CC were not available at press time. They will be back in action this weekend in Albany,Ga. as they take on Darton Collge Saturday and Sunday.
The Chipola Indians and Lady Indians opened up the 2009 baseball and softball seasons this past weekend. The Indians, ranked #1 in the state, opened the 2009 campaign with a 6-2 win over Darton College last Friday. David Buchannan got the win on the mound. They followed that win up with a road trip to St. Petersburg for a double header on Saturday. The Indians fell 8-1 and 10-0 in those two contest. They bounced back with a 14-1 win on Sunday against St. Pete. Austin Wright got the win and the Indians got the war clubs going as Jake Rogers went 4-5 with 4 RBI and Jordan Lucas added four hits. Dayne Read posted three hits and Mark Ellis stroked two hits and had 3 RBI. The Indians evened their 2009 record and 2-2 and will be in action on Friday in the Rahal-Miller JUCO National Classic (see related article on page B1).
The Lady Indians softball squad traveled out west to open the 2009 season and participated in the Coyote Invitational in Las Vegas. On Saturday they fell to Salt Lake CC and then bounced back to beat Snow College. On Sunday the Lady Indians went 2-1, beating Northern Idaho CC and Southern Nevada CC. Entering Monday’s contest the Lady Indians were 3-2. Results of Monday’s contest against Yavapai College and a rematch against Northern Idaho CC were not available at press time. They will be back in action this weekend in Albany,Ga. as they take on Darton Collge Saturday and Sunday.
Girls District Tournaments Begin- 2/5/09
By Clint Cox
It’s playoff time for high school girls basketball and in a rare occurrence, all of the Jackson County girl’s varsity teams will participate in their respective district tournaments without having to leave the county.
In class 3A Marianna will host the District Two tournament. The Lady Bulldogs enter the tournament with a 15-7 record and the #2 seed. They will take on Holmes County on Friday night at 7 pm. The winner of that contest will square off against the #1 seed Chipley in the Championship game on Saturday night at 7 pm
In Class 2A Cottondale will host the District Two tournament. Cottondale will be the number one seed and they will play on Friday against the winner of Tuesday night’s contest between Altha and Panama City Bozeman. Sneads will also participate in the tournament and as the #2 seed they will take on Blountstown. The championship game is slated for Saturday night at 7:00 pm
In Class 1A Graceville will host the District Two tournament. The Lady Tigers will be the #1 seed and will play Poplar Springs on Thursday. Malone and Bethlehem will also be in action on Thursday night with the championship game taking place on Saturday at 7:00 pm.
It’s playoff time for high school girls basketball and in a rare occurrence, all of the Jackson County girl’s varsity teams will participate in their respective district tournaments without having to leave the county.
In class 3A Marianna will host the District Two tournament. The Lady Bulldogs enter the tournament with a 15-7 record and the #2 seed. They will take on Holmes County on Friday night at 7 pm. The winner of that contest will square off against the #1 seed Chipley in the Championship game on Saturday night at 7 pm
In Class 2A Cottondale will host the District Two tournament. Cottondale will be the number one seed and they will play on Friday against the winner of Tuesday night’s contest between Altha and Panama City Bozeman. Sneads will also participate in the tournament and as the #2 seed they will take on Blountstown. The championship game is slated for Saturday night at 7:00 pm
In Class 1A Graceville will host the District Two tournament. The Lady Tigers will be the #1 seed and will play Poplar Springs on Thursday. Malone and Bethlehem will also be in action on Thursday night with the championship game taking place on Saturday at 7:00 pm.
Marianna Bulldogs Squeak One Out At Walton High 2/5/09
By Sid Riley
65 to 64 as Buzzer Sounds
"Last year when the Dogs played this team on their home court in DeFuniak Springs we were down 21 points in the third quarter…and put together an amazing comeback to win the game," Coach Travis Blanton recalled with a hint of a grin, "And then this year we win this squeaker."
It was one of those games that remains nip-and-tuck all the way through. The Dogs trailed 16-14 at the end of the first quarter, led 34-28 at half, led 47-45 at the third, and won at the buzzer 65-64. During an exciting final quarter R.J. Bowers thrilled the bulldog fans by swishing two three pointers and making 2 free throws, while team mates Tre’ Long scored 3 in the fourth quarter, and Kruize Pinkins made two free throws.
High scorers were R.J. Bowers (16), C.J. Blount (16), Kruize Pinkins (15), and Tre’ Long (12).
Marianna plays Chipley on February 14 in the District Play-offs.
Marianna Junior Varsity Wins Again
On Tuesday evening at Walton High in DeFuniak Springs the Bulldog Junior Varsity team won again. This has been a great season for the JV squad. They defeated Walton 76-52.
High scorers were: Tre’ Jackson (19), Kendal Leeks (16), Tre’ Pringley (14)
65 to 64 as Buzzer Sounds
"Last year when the Dogs played this team on their home court in DeFuniak Springs we were down 21 points in the third quarter…and put together an amazing comeback to win the game," Coach Travis Blanton recalled with a hint of a grin, "And then this year we win this squeaker."
It was one of those games that remains nip-and-tuck all the way through. The Dogs trailed 16-14 at the end of the first quarter, led 34-28 at half, led 47-45 at the third, and won at the buzzer 65-64. During an exciting final quarter R.J. Bowers thrilled the bulldog fans by swishing two three pointers and making 2 free throws, while team mates Tre’ Long scored 3 in the fourth quarter, and Kruize Pinkins made two free throws.
High scorers were R.J. Bowers (16), C.J. Blount (16), Kruize Pinkins (15), and Tre’ Long (12).
Marianna plays Chipley on February 14 in the District Play-offs.
Marianna Junior Varsity Wins Again
On Tuesday evening at Walton High in DeFuniak Springs the Bulldog Junior Varsity team won again. This has been a great season for the JV squad. They defeated Walton 76-52.
High scorers were: Tre’ Jackson (19), Kendal Leeks (16), Tre’ Pringley (14)
Battles Becomes A Bull! 2/5/09
By Clint Cox
The Marianna High School Auditorium was packed with family, friends and fellow students as Bulldog running back sensation Bradley Battles signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of South Florida. "I’ve always dreamed of this day so I guess you can say dreams do come true," Battles told the capacity crowd.
As a junior Battles, 5’9" 179 lbs., rushed for 2,098 yards and 25 touchdowns. He followed that up his senior season with 1,968 yards and 23 touchdowns (19 rushing / 4 receiving). Not many coaches have the luxury of having a running back rack up over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns in a 2 year career. Bulldog Head Coach Rob Armstrong knows that he has been fortunate to have coached Battles,. "He is the best that I’ve ever seen," said Armstrong. He also congratulated South Florida on snagging a talent like Battles. "Those coaches need a raise. South Florida is a great program but to land a young man the caliber of Battles (both on and off the field) shows what a great job they have done in recruiting him," Armstrong added.
The Bulls football program is under the direction of Head Coach Jim Leavitt and compete in the Big East Conference. They have been nationally ranked during the past two years, finishing with a combined record of 17-9 and going to two bowls. According to the USF report on Battles he is rated 16th best prospect among athletes by Rivals.com ... Ranked 192nd prospect in Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Rated 26th best prospect in the Florida Preseason Top 100 by Rivals.com ... Ranked 64th best prospect at running back by Scout.com ... Rated 22nd best prospect at running back by ESPN ...
Congratulations Bradley Battles!
The Marianna High School Auditorium was packed with family, friends and fellow students as Bulldog running back sensation Bradley Battles signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of South Florida. "I’ve always dreamed of this day so I guess you can say dreams do come true," Battles told the capacity crowd.
As a junior Battles, 5’9" 179 lbs., rushed for 2,098 yards and 25 touchdowns. He followed that up his senior season with 1,968 yards and 23 touchdowns (19 rushing / 4 receiving). Not many coaches have the luxury of having a running back rack up over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns in a 2 year career. Bulldog Head Coach Rob Armstrong knows that he has been fortunate to have coached Battles,. "He is the best that I’ve ever seen," said Armstrong. He also congratulated South Florida on snagging a talent like Battles. "Those coaches need a raise. South Florida is a great program but to land a young man the caliber of Battles (both on and off the field) shows what a great job they have done in recruiting him," Armstrong added.
The Bulls football program is under the direction of Head Coach Jim Leavitt and compete in the Big East Conference. They have been nationally ranked during the past two years, finishing with a combined record of 17-9 and going to two bowls. According to the USF report on Battles he is rated 16th best prospect among athletes by Rivals.com ... Ranked 192nd prospect in Rivals.com Rivals250 ... Rated 26th best prospect in the Florida Preseason Top 100 by Rivals.com ... Ranked 64th best prospect at running back by Scout.com ... Rated 22nd best prospect at running back by ESPN ...
Congratulations Bradley Battles!
Chipola Baseball Host 2nd Annual Baseball Alumni Weekend- 2/5/09
By Clint Cox
-Special To The Times
Chipola Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson has invited several major league ball players to attend Chipola College’s second annual Baseball Alumni Weekend, Feb. 6-7. The weekend’s events begin at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, with a Chipola Alumni Baseball Golf Outing at Indian Springs Golf Course.
The alumni events are scheduled in conjunction with the Rahal-Miller JUCO National Classic. Chipola, the 2007 JUCO National Champion, will play host to three of the top JUCO teams in America, including WaltersState, 2006 JUCO National Champion; the College of Southern Nevada, 2003 National Champion; San Jacinto, five time JUCO National Champion and St. Petersburg College, 2006 JUCO National Runner-Up. The Rahal-Miller Classic begins Friday, Feb. 6, at 12:30 p.m., with Chipola vs. WaltersState. Chipola plays San Jacinto at 3 p.m. The action heats up Saturday, Feb. 7, with a 3 p.m. game featuring Chipola and the College of Southern Nevada.
Several big name major league baseball players are scheduled to provide instruction at a Chipola Baseball Alumni Youth Camp on Saturday, Feb. 7. Ages 6 to 12 are invited to register the morning of the camp which is set for 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cost is $50. There is no pre-registration. An Alumni Game and Home Run Derby is set for noon Saturday at the Chipola field. The final event of the weekend is a game between Florida powers Chipola and St. PetersburgCollege, Sunday, Feb. 8, at 12:30 p.m.
Current major leaguers expected to participate in the clinic and home run derby, include: Russell Martin, Adam Loewen, Jose Bautista, Matt Gamel and Jeff Mathis. Mathis was drafted out of Marianna High, but he has many friends from Chipola, including his brother Jake Mathis who played for Chipola. Minor league players scheduled to appear include Cole Armstrong, Tyler Flowers, Steve Clevenger, Rene Tosoni, Alan Horne and Jaye Chapman. Former Chipola stars Charlie Dees, Blake Balkcom, Jake Mathis, Jonathan Swearingen and many others are expected to attend the event.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
-Special To The Times
Chipola Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson has invited several major league ball players to attend Chipola College’s second annual Baseball Alumni Weekend, Feb. 6-7. The weekend’s events begin at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, with a Chipola Alumni Baseball Golf Outing at Indian Springs Golf Course.
The alumni events are scheduled in conjunction with the Rahal-Miller JUCO National Classic. Chipola, the 2007 JUCO National Champion, will play host to three of the top JUCO teams in America, including WaltersState, 2006 JUCO National Champion; the College of Southern Nevada, 2003 National Champion; San Jacinto, five time JUCO National Champion and St. Petersburg College, 2006 JUCO National Runner-Up. The Rahal-Miller Classic begins Friday, Feb. 6, at 12:30 p.m., with Chipola vs. WaltersState. Chipola plays San Jacinto at 3 p.m. The action heats up Saturday, Feb. 7, with a 3 p.m. game featuring Chipola and the College of Southern Nevada.
Several big name major league baseball players are scheduled to provide instruction at a Chipola Baseball Alumni Youth Camp on Saturday, Feb. 7. Ages 6 to 12 are invited to register the morning of the camp which is set for 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cost is $50. There is no pre-registration. An Alumni Game and Home Run Derby is set for noon Saturday at the Chipola field. The final event of the weekend is a game between Florida powers Chipola and St. PetersburgCollege, Sunday, Feb. 8, at 12:30 p.m.
Current major leaguers expected to participate in the clinic and home run derby, include: Russell Martin, Adam Loewen, Jose Bautista, Matt Gamel and Jeff Mathis. Mathis was drafted out of Marianna High, but he has many friends from Chipola, including his brother Jake Mathis who played for Chipola. Minor league players scheduled to appear include Cole Armstrong, Tyler Flowers, Steve Clevenger, Rene Tosoni, Alan Horne and Jaye Chapman. Former Chipola stars Charlie Dees, Blake Balkcom, Jake Mathis, Jonathan Swearingen and many others are expected to attend the event.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
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