By Clint Cox
The Marianna Bulldogs knew coming in that the Rickards Raiders were the real deal. Unbeaten this season, Tallahassee Rickards was ranked in the nation’s top 25 high school teams by some polls. But after the Bulldogs manhandled Rickard’s district rival East Gadsden last Thursday night hopes were high that Marianna could send the Raiders packing in the Class 3A Regional Semi-Finals. The Bulldogs hung close with the Raiders for 19 of the game’s 32 minutes. But in the final 13 minutes of the contest Rickards pulled away for a 66-44 victory. Rickards now advances to the Regional Finals where they will host Jacksonville Ribault on Saturday.
The Dog House was packed and was standing room only after the doors were locked due to the facility reaching maximum capacity. The Bulldogs fed off that capacity crowd and jumped out to a 6-0 lead as Kruize Pinkins, Tre Long and Kenall Leeks all hit buckets. But Rickards battled back to tie the game at 6-6. Marianna didn’t fold though as the Raiders began to rally. Marianna went on a 7-2 run to close the quarter and get the Bulldog faithful on their feet. Pinkins paced the Bulldogs with 5 points in the quarter while Long added 4.
In the second quarter Rickards started heating up from the outside, quickly hitting a three pointer to cut the Bulldog lead to 2 points. Another three pointer from the Raiders and they had their first lead of the game. Marianna struggled to start the second quarter, going scoreless for the first 2 ½ minutes. Tre Jackson finally ended the scoring drought with a free throw to tie the game at 14-14. Rickards reeled off 6 unanswered points before Long got the Bulldogs back on the scoreboard with a bucket. But midway through the quarter Pinkins picked up his second foul and had to leave the game. Rickards quickly took advantage of the big man’s abscense and pushed their lead to 27-16 with a couple of three pointers. Again Marianna didn’t fold the tent and battled back to get within 5 points at the half time break.
Marianna came out to start the second half by cutting into the Raider’s lead. A basket by Pinkins was followed by a basket and free throw from R.J. Bowers. With just over five minutes left in the third quarter Marianna trailed by just one point. Rickards was up 29-28 when things began to turn for the worse for the Bullogs. The Raiders knocked down a three pointer and went on a 7-1 run to take a 36-29 lead. They finished the third quarter outscoring Marianna 8-4 and took a 44-33 lead into the final quarter. They quickly pushed that lead to 48-33 and from there they proved why they are unbeaten on the season. When the dust settled on the game Rickards had outscored Marianna 39-21 in the second half.
Marianna finished the season with a record of 25-4 and were led in scoring by Long and Pinkins who combined for 40 of Marianna’s 44 points. Long led with 25 points and Pinkins followed with 15.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Area Runners Help Out Haiti
By Clint Cox
Area runners, joggers and walkers gathered this past Sunday afternoon to help out the earthquake victims in Haiti. Participants made donations to be a part of a 5K run and/or a 1 mile fun walk/run. Approximately $3,500 was raised by the 117 folks who took part in the event. Numerous community groups participated including: Rivertown Community Church, Department of Transportation, Gentiva, Marianna Fire Department, The Bridge, Marianna Area Running Club (M.A.R.C.), Stryder’s Running Club, the Running Moms Club. The top three groups of participants were recognized in the post run ceremonies and they were (3) Peoples Funeral Home (2) Evangel Worship Center and (1) Marianna MEGA All Star Cheerleaders.
Several others were recognized including the youngest participant who was Jack Eaton at 2 years and 2 months). The oldest participant was longtime area runner Crushall Swilley, who’s age was not announced. The 5K top male runner was Cedric Gillette with a time of 19:41 and Kristina Bokenfohr was the top female finisher with a time of 22:18.
Area runners, joggers and walkers gathered this past Sunday afternoon to help out the earthquake victims in Haiti. Participants made donations to be a part of a 5K run and/or a 1 mile fun walk/run. Approximately $3,500 was raised by the 117 folks who took part in the event. Numerous community groups participated including: Rivertown Community Church, Department of Transportation, Gentiva, Marianna Fire Department, The Bridge, Marianna Area Running Club (M.A.R.C.), Stryder’s Running Club, the Running Moms Club. The top three groups of participants were recognized in the post run ceremonies and they were (3) Peoples Funeral Home (2) Evangel Worship Center and (1) Marianna MEGA All Star Cheerleaders.
Several others were recognized including the youngest participant who was Jack Eaton at 2 years and 2 months). The oldest participant was longtime area runner Crushall Swilley, who’s age was not announced. The 5K top male runner was Cedric Gillette with a time of 19:41 and Kristina Bokenfohr was the top female finisher with a time of 22:18.
CHIPOLA TEAMS Help Fight Breast Cancer
The Chipola College men’s and women’s basketball recently raised $1,000 in the fight against breast cancer. Perry and Young Attorneys donated pink t-shirts for the Pink Zone game at Chipola. The Marianna High School SGA was also a partner in the project. Funds were donated to the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Fund in memory of NC State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow who died of breast cancer. Pictured from left, are: Chipola women’s coach David Lane, attorney Chris Young and Chipola men’s assistant coach Joc Calloway.
TOURNAMENT TEAM HOSTS
Several local sports fans have volunteered to serve as hosts for the 16 teams which will be in town, March 3-6, for the State Junior College Basketball Tournament at Chipola College. Pictured from left, are: (front) Vickie Curry, Tracy Dudley, Caretha Everett, Eddie Hilton, Yvette Pittman, Natalie Hardy, (back) Shannon Eads, Ralph Harrison, John Ellerbee, Leroy Boone, Waymon Moneyham, JoAnn Everett and Patrick Bryan. Not pictured are: Eulice Bryant, Jay Mitchell and Willie Spires.
Big Bend Baseball News:
The Big Bend Baseball League of Florida will franchise two additional teams for the 2010 baseball season. The Chipley Bruins and the Destin Dawgs will join the Bay Co. Brewers and the Jackson Co. Jays to make up the western division of the league. The eastern division will consist of the Chattahoochee Red Birds, Liberty Co. Diamond Dawgs, Gulf Co. Drive, and the Calhoun Co. Horsemen. League play is scheduled to begin the weekend of March 13th and 14th, with all 1st round scheduled games to be played in Chipley, Florida, as the Big Bend Baseball League Kick-off Classic. Follow your local paper for more details
pertaining to the opening of the season as all roads lead to Chipley on March 13th and 14th.
pertaining to the opening of the season as all roads lead to Chipley on March 13th and 14th.
Indians Fall In Season Finales
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Men’s and Women’s basketball squads saw their respective seasons come to a close this past Saturday night in Tallahassee as both team fell in the final Panhandle Conference games of the season. In the ladies contest Chipola fell 73-63. Chipola hung close with the Lady Eagles as they trailed by just one point at the half, 28-27. In that first half there were four ties and 12 lead changes. But after Tallahassee too a 37-34 lead in the second half the Lady Eagles then ripped off 10 unanswered points to see their lead swell to 13 points. Chipola managed to cut it back to a five point game on a 3 pointer from Ance Celmina with seven minutes to play but TCC then went on another 10-0 run to seal the victory. Bianca Jarrett once again led the way for Chipola with 32 points. Celmina added 12 points and Ty O’Neil chipped in 10. The Lady Indians finished the season with a 1-11 record in conference play and 11-17 record overall.
In the men’s game the Indians led for much of the game but the Eagles rallied from a 7 point deficit in the final five minutes of the game to pick up a 67-64 win. The Indians were trailing 17-15 in the first half when they went on a 9-1 run to take a 24-18 lead. TCC chipped away at that lead but the Indians still held a 26-20 lead at the half. Chipola pushed that lead to as many as nine points in the opening moments of the second half before the Eagles went on a 14-4 run and reclaimed the lead. Chipola turned right around and went on their own 14-4 run to take a 53-44 lead midway through the second half. The Eagles battled back to tie the game at 57-57 with seven minutes to play. Down the stretch the Eagles took the lead and although Chipola pulled to within a point several times, they could not overtake Tallahassee. The Eagles hit some key free throws in the final minute and a Dexter Ellington shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game was off the mark. The Indians were led by Keith Dewitt with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Chipola finished 4-8 in conference play and 19-9 overall.
The Chipola Men’s and Women’s basketball squads saw their respective seasons come to a close this past Saturday night in Tallahassee as both team fell in the final Panhandle Conference games of the season. In the ladies contest Chipola fell 73-63. Chipola hung close with the Lady Eagles as they trailed by just one point at the half, 28-27. In that first half there were four ties and 12 lead changes. But after Tallahassee too a 37-34 lead in the second half the Lady Eagles then ripped off 10 unanswered points to see their lead swell to 13 points. Chipola managed to cut it back to a five point game on a 3 pointer from Ance Celmina with seven minutes to play but TCC then went on another 10-0 run to seal the victory. Bianca Jarrett once again led the way for Chipola with 32 points. Celmina added 12 points and Ty O’Neil chipped in 10. The Lady Indians finished the season with a 1-11 record in conference play and 11-17 record overall.
In the men’s game the Indians led for much of the game but the Eagles rallied from a 7 point deficit in the final five minutes of the game to pick up a 67-64 win. The Indians were trailing 17-15 in the first half when they went on a 9-1 run to take a 24-18 lead. TCC chipped away at that lead but the Indians still held a 26-20 lead at the half. Chipola pushed that lead to as many as nine points in the opening moments of the second half before the Eagles went on a 14-4 run and reclaimed the lead. Chipola turned right around and went on their own 14-4 run to take a 53-44 lead midway through the second half. The Eagles battled back to tie the game at 57-57 with seven minutes to play. Down the stretch the Eagles took the lead and although Chipola pulled to within a point several times, they could not overtake Tallahassee. The Eagles hit some key free throws in the final minute and a Dexter Ellington shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game was off the mark. The Indians were led by Keith Dewitt with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Chipola finished 4-8 in conference play and 19-9 overall.
Chipola Softball On A Roll; Marianna’s Hewett Named FCCAA Player of the Week
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Lady Indians softball squad continues to be on a roll as they went 6-1 this past weekend in the Aiken Mizuno Invitational in Aiken South Carolina. The Lady Indians advanced all the way through the tournament to the Championship game on Sunday before falling 5-3 to Middle Georgia. For the tournament they put up some impressive numbers, outscoring their opponents 63-14 and hitting .409 as a team. They also racked up 12 doubles and stroked 5 home runs. Those wins improved the Lady Indians overall record to 17-4 overall and they had run off 16 straight wins before falling to Middle Georgia. The Lady Indians are ranked #2 in the state and they’ll see plenty of more action this weekend down in Panama City. On Friday they’ll take on Chattanooga State (2 games) and SE Community College. On Saturday they’ll square off against St. Pete, Hillsborough and Wallace-Hanceville.
In game one last Saturday they down Gordon 1-02 as Brittany Black was the winning pitcher going five runs and giving up one earned run. Game two saw the Lady Indians whip Stanly 9-1 as they pounded out 15 hits in the win. Skylar Davis was the winning pitcher throwing four innings and giving up no hits. The final outing on Saturday saw them rack up 13 hits in a 8-0 win over Walters State. Trish Bliss had two 2 run home runs in the win and Emma Stevenson picked up the win as she allowed 2 hits and struck out 9 batters in five innings of work.
Michelle Hewett is this week’s FCCAA Softball Player of the Week. Hewett, a sophomore center-fielder from Marianna, batted .727 (16-for-22) with ten runs scored, nine RBI’s and ten stolen bases over seven games. She batted safely in all seven games, recording six multi-hit games and five three-hit outings. She also scored at least one run in six of the seven games and was a perfect 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts. Her top performance came against Stanly on Feb. 20 when she went 3-for-3
with three runs scored and three stolen bases.
The Chipola Lady Indians softball squad continues to be on a roll as they went 6-1 this past weekend in the Aiken Mizuno Invitational in Aiken South Carolina. The Lady Indians advanced all the way through the tournament to the Championship game on Sunday before falling 5-3 to Middle Georgia. For the tournament they put up some impressive numbers, outscoring their opponents 63-14 and hitting .409 as a team. They also racked up 12 doubles and stroked 5 home runs. Those wins improved the Lady Indians overall record to 17-4 overall and they had run off 16 straight wins before falling to Middle Georgia. The Lady Indians are ranked #2 in the state and they’ll see plenty of more action this weekend down in Panama City. On Friday they’ll take on Chattanooga State (2 games) and SE Community College. On Saturday they’ll square off against St. Pete, Hillsborough and Wallace-Hanceville.
In game one last Saturday they down Gordon 1-02 as Brittany Black was the winning pitcher going five runs and giving up one earned run. Game two saw the Lady Indians whip Stanly 9-1 as they pounded out 15 hits in the win. Skylar Davis was the winning pitcher throwing four innings and giving up no hits. The final outing on Saturday saw them rack up 13 hits in a 8-0 win over Walters State. Trish Bliss had two 2 run home runs in the win and Emma Stevenson picked up the win as she allowed 2 hits and struck out 9 batters in five innings of work.
Michelle Hewett is this week’s FCCAA Softball Player of the Week. Hewett, a sophomore center-fielder from Marianna, batted .727 (16-for-22) with ten runs scored, nine RBI’s and ten stolen bases over seven games. She batted safely in all seven games, recording six multi-hit games and five three-hit outings. She also scored at least one run in six of the seven games and was a perfect 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts. Her top performance came against Stanly on Feb. 20 when she went 3-for-3
with three runs scored and three stolen bases.
Tommy Bowden Speaks to Local Fellowship of Christian Athletes Group
Popular coach travels to Marianna to speak to youth group By Sid Riley
Without a lot of fanfare and publicity, Nationally recognized coach Tommy Bowden volunteered his time and influence to address the “Fellowship of Christian Athletes” at their wild game dinner fund raiser on Saturday, January 30. The event was held at the dining facility at the First Baptist Church in Marianna.
When he was approached about the speaking engagement, Bowden accepted without hesitation, expressing his belief in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization and the impact it is having on many young people. Organizers were worried that the speaking fee charged by such a well known individual would exceed the budget for the event. However, when asked “how much” Bowden responded, “There will be no speaking fee, just pay for the gasoline I use and that will suffice”.
His speech was inspirational, and so was the example he set. Another instance of the spirit of caring which endures within our society.
Without a lot of fanfare and publicity, Nationally recognized coach Tommy Bowden volunteered his time and influence to address the “Fellowship of Christian Athletes” at their wild game dinner fund raiser on Saturday, January 30. The event was held at the dining facility at the First Baptist Church in Marianna.
When he was approached about the speaking engagement, Bowden accepted without hesitation, expressing his belief in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization and the impact it is having on many young people. Organizers were worried that the speaking fee charged by such a well known individual would exceed the budget for the event. However, when asked “how much” Bowden responded, “There will be no speaking fee, just pay for the gasoline I use and that will suffice”.
His speech was inspirational, and so was the example he set. Another instance of the spirit of caring which endures within our society.
Indians To Host Conyers Hardwood Flooring Classic
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Baseball squad will play host this weekend to the Conyers Hardwood Flooring Classic. Six teams, including three in the top 15 in the nation, will take part in the three day event that will begin on Friday and conclude on Sunday. Chipola is currently ranked #3 in the nation while St. Petersburg is #12 and Miami Dade is #15. The other three schools taking part in this event are Middle Georgia, Grand Rapids and Kankakee. The Indians enter this weekend’s classic with a record of 9-6 after a rough road trip out west. Chipola took part in the Southern Nevada Classic and went 1-3 in the event. All three loses came to the #1 team in the nation, the College of Southern Nevada. Their lone win came in a ten inning 8-7 win over Cypress College out of California. The following is a schedule of this weekend’s games:
Friday, February 26th
1:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Miami Dade
1:00 p.m. Middle Georgia vs. Grand Rapids (Marianna HS)
4:00 p.m. Miami Dade vs. Grand Rapids
7:00 p.m. St. Petersburg vs. Middle Georgia
Saturday, February 27th
10:00 a.m. Middle Georgia vs. Miami Dade
1:00 p.m. St. Petersburg vs. Miami Dade
4:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Middle Georgia
7:00 p.m. Chipola vs. St. Petersburg
Sunday, February 28th
11:00 a.m. St. Petersburg vs. Kankakee
2:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Kankakee
The Chipola Baseball squad will play host this weekend to the Conyers Hardwood Flooring Classic. Six teams, including three in the top 15 in the nation, will take part in the three day event that will begin on Friday and conclude on Sunday. Chipola is currently ranked #3 in the nation while St. Petersburg is #12 and Miami Dade is #15. The other three schools taking part in this event are Middle Georgia, Grand Rapids and Kankakee. The Indians enter this weekend’s classic with a record of 9-6 after a rough road trip out west. Chipola took part in the Southern Nevada Classic and went 1-3 in the event. All three loses came to the #1 team in the nation, the College of Southern Nevada. Their lone win came in a ten inning 8-7 win over Cypress College out of California. The following is a schedule of this weekend’s games:
Friday, February 26th
1:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Miami Dade
1:00 p.m. Middle Georgia vs. Grand Rapids (Marianna HS)
4:00 p.m. Miami Dade vs. Grand Rapids
7:00 p.m. St. Petersburg vs. Middle Georgia
Saturday, February 27th
10:00 a.m. Middle Georgia vs. Miami Dade
1:00 p.m. St. Petersburg vs. Miami Dade
4:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Middle Georgia
7:00 p.m. Chipola vs. St. Petersburg
Sunday, February 28th
11:00 a.m. St. Petersburg vs. Kankakee
2:00 p.m. Chipola vs. Kankakee
Malone & Graceville Ousted From Playoffs
By Clint Cox
Two of Jackson County’s three high school boys basketball teams were eliminated from the FHSAA playoffs in their respective Regional Quarter-Finals last Thursday. In Class 1A the Malone Tigers battled hard but fell 61-57 to Paxton. The game was tight from start to finish as it was tied at the end of the first quarter and Paxton held a two point lead at the half. They were tied up again heading into the final quarter and Malone had a chance at the end of the game to take the lead but it was not to be and Paxton closed out the game with key free throws to seal the win. TJ Smith led the way for Malone with 24 points while LaDarius McElroy followed with 9. Malone finished the season with a record of 20-6. Paxton advanced to take on FAMU in the Regional Semi-Finals on Tuesday and came away with a 69-52 win. They will play on Saturday in the Regional Finals when they host Arlington Country Day.
The Graceville Tigers were fresh off winning their district championship but their season came to a close with a first round 69-53 loss to Pensacola Christian. Cameron Dozier led the Tigers with 18 points while Bryon Laster chipped in 13. Graceville finished the season with a record of 19-9. Pensacola Christian took on Baker on Tuesday night in semi-final action and posted a 44-24 win. They will next play on Saturday on the road against Port St. Joe.
Two of Jackson County’s three high school boys basketball teams were eliminated from the FHSAA playoffs in their respective Regional Quarter-Finals last Thursday. In Class 1A the Malone Tigers battled hard but fell 61-57 to Paxton. The game was tight from start to finish as it was tied at the end of the first quarter and Paxton held a two point lead at the half. They were tied up again heading into the final quarter and Malone had a chance at the end of the game to take the lead but it was not to be and Paxton closed out the game with key free throws to seal the win. TJ Smith led the way for Malone with 24 points while LaDarius McElroy followed with 9. Malone finished the season with a record of 20-6. Paxton advanced to take on FAMU in the Regional Semi-Finals on Tuesday and came away with a 69-52 win. They will play on Saturday in the Regional Finals when they host Arlington Country Day.
The Graceville Tigers were fresh off winning their district championship but their season came to a close with a first round 69-53 loss to Pensacola Christian. Cameron Dozier led the Tigers with 18 points while Bryon Laster chipped in 13. Graceville finished the season with a record of 19-9. Pensacola Christian took on Baker on Tuesday night in semi-final action and posted a 44-24 win. They will next play on Saturday on the road against Port St. Joe.
Dogs Dominate Jags
By Clint Cox
For the past several years East Gadsden has been one of the power house teams in the Panhandle. But the Jaguars, along with Rickards, dropped this year from Class 4A to Class 3A and that made some speculate that the Marianna Bulldogs might have a much tougher time making it a three peat of going to Lakeland for the FHSAA Final Four. The Bulldogs took an impressive first step on that tough road as they manhandled the visiting Jaguars in the Regional Quarter-finals last Thursday night. Marianna dominated the game from start to finish en route to a 63-43 win. But the playoff road only got tougher as the win over the Jaguars advanced Marianna to take on one of the top teams in the nation in Tallahassee Rickards on Tuesday night. (See story on page one of sports).
Marianna jumped to a quick lead as Kruize Pinkins and Kendall Leeks paced the Bulldogs to a 10-0 lead. The Bulldogs also held the Jaguars scoreless for the first five minutes of the game. Pinkins and Leeks combined for 15 first quarter points to give Marianna a 17-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter Marianna poured it on as Tre Jackson came off the bench to heat things up. A Jackson free throw and then a lay up gave the Bulldogs a 23-11 lead. Moments later Marianna got a three pointer from R.J. Bowers from one corner and then another three pointer from Jackson in the other corner. That gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the half as their lead swelled to 33-13. But the Jaguars closed out the first half with a 6-0 run to close the gap to 33-19 at the halftime break.
For as good as Marianna played in the first half the first five minutes of the third quarter were a different story. East Gadsden turned up the defensive pressure and the Bulldogs went ice cold. The Jaguars went on an 8-0 run to start the second half while Marianna went scoreless until 3 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. East Gadsden had cut the Bulldog lead to 33-27 before the drought ended on a Pinkins free throw. Marianna then went on a run themselves, hitting six unanswered points. When the third quarter ended the Bulldogs held a 40-29 lead.
Marianna showed they could turn up the defensive pressure as they came up with several steals to start the fourth quarter. Jackson nailed a three pointer from the corner and then came up with a steal that was finished off by a left handed layup to give Marianna a 47-31 lead. Jackson added two free throws with 5 ½ minutes to play to give Marianna a 20 point lead at 51-31. A Pinkins dunk got the Bulldog faithful on their feet and pushed the lead to 23 points. From there Marianna went on to the 20 point victory.
Jackson led the Bulldogs, who improved to 25-3, on the season with 19 points while Pinkins followed with 15 and Leeks added 13.
For the past several years East Gadsden has been one of the power house teams in the Panhandle. But the Jaguars, along with Rickards, dropped this year from Class 4A to Class 3A and that made some speculate that the Marianna Bulldogs might have a much tougher time making it a three peat of going to Lakeland for the FHSAA Final Four. The Bulldogs took an impressive first step on that tough road as they manhandled the visiting Jaguars in the Regional Quarter-finals last Thursday night. Marianna dominated the game from start to finish en route to a 63-43 win. But the playoff road only got tougher as the win over the Jaguars advanced Marianna to take on one of the top teams in the nation in Tallahassee Rickards on Tuesday night. (See story on page one of sports).
Marianna jumped to a quick lead as Kruize Pinkins and Kendall Leeks paced the Bulldogs to a 10-0 lead. The Bulldogs also held the Jaguars scoreless for the first five minutes of the game. Pinkins and Leeks combined for 15 first quarter points to give Marianna a 17-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter Marianna poured it on as Tre Jackson came off the bench to heat things up. A Jackson free throw and then a lay up gave the Bulldogs a 23-11 lead. Moments later Marianna got a three pointer from R.J. Bowers from one corner and then another three pointer from Jackson in the other corner. That gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the half as their lead swelled to 33-13. But the Jaguars closed out the first half with a 6-0 run to close the gap to 33-19 at the halftime break.
For as good as Marianna played in the first half the first five minutes of the third quarter were a different story. East Gadsden turned up the defensive pressure and the Bulldogs went ice cold. The Jaguars went on an 8-0 run to start the second half while Marianna went scoreless until 3 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. East Gadsden had cut the Bulldog lead to 33-27 before the drought ended on a Pinkins free throw. Marianna then went on a run themselves, hitting six unanswered points. When the third quarter ended the Bulldogs held a 40-29 lead.
Marianna showed they could turn up the defensive pressure as they came up with several steals to start the fourth quarter. Jackson nailed a three pointer from the corner and then came up with a steal that was finished off by a left handed layup to give Marianna a 47-31 lead. Jackson added two free throws with 5 ½ minutes to play to give Marianna a 20 point lead at 51-31. A Pinkins dunk got the Bulldog faithful on their feet and pushed the lead to 23 points. From there Marianna went on to the 20 point victory.
Jackson led the Bulldogs, who improved to 25-3, on the season with 19 points while Pinkins followed with 15 and Leeks added 13.
Marianna Cuts Ribbon On Multi-Purpose Building
By Clint Cox
Marianna High School, in conjunction with the Marianna Quarterback Club, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday afternoon to showcase the new multi-purpose sports building recently completed. The new facility sits on the south end of the practice field located on the eastern portion of the Marianna High School campus. The new building has approximately 7,000 square feet and includes two seperate locker rooms with restrooms and showers. Several offices are also located in the new building. The most impressive aspect of the new facility however has to be the state of the art weight room.
Marianna High School Principal Mary Sue Neves welcomed those attending the ceremonies and brief comments were heard from Lee Miller, Superintendent of Schools and Steve DeWitt, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach. Stuart Wiggins, Jackson County School’s facilities administrator and Rex Torbett of the Quarterback Club also spoke briefly to the crowd. After the brief speeches, the ribbon was cut and visitors were provided a tour of the facility.
Miller spoke of the efforts of former Superintendent of Schools Danny Sims in securing the funding for the multi-purpose building several years ago. And Torbett spoke of the foresight of the football booster’s club more than 10 years ago that helped bring about a long awaited state of the art weight room. Several of those key boosters from years ago were on hand to see their hard work come to fruition. Folks like Larry Cloud, Buddy Lord and Cindy James and others began setting aside some of the booster club’s fund raising money for the purpose of purchasing the latest in weight lifting equipment. That practice has continued through the years with the recent and current boosters. While the multi-purpose building was funded through the county and state, the weight equipment was not part of the project’s funding. With the recently completed facility and weight room, those funds were put into action. The Quarterback Club purchased $35,000 in state of the art weight equipment to adorn the new weight room.
DeWitt also noted that while some of the weight equipment from the previous weight room in school was moved over to the new weight room, the remaining weights have been transferred to Marianna Middle School to assist their athletic programs.
Marianna High School, in conjunction with the Marianna Quarterback Club, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday afternoon to showcase the new multi-purpose sports building recently completed. The new facility sits on the south end of the practice field located on the eastern portion of the Marianna High School campus. The new building has approximately 7,000 square feet and includes two seperate locker rooms with restrooms and showers. Several offices are also located in the new building. The most impressive aspect of the new facility however has to be the state of the art weight room.
Marianna High School Principal Mary Sue Neves welcomed those attending the ceremonies and brief comments were heard from Lee Miller, Superintendent of Schools and Steve DeWitt, Athletic Director and Head Football Coach. Stuart Wiggins, Jackson County School’s facilities administrator and Rex Torbett of the Quarterback Club also spoke briefly to the crowd. After the brief speeches, the ribbon was cut and visitors were provided a tour of the facility.
Miller spoke of the efforts of former Superintendent of Schools Danny Sims in securing the funding for the multi-purpose building several years ago. And Torbett spoke of the foresight of the football booster’s club more than 10 years ago that helped bring about a long awaited state of the art weight room. Several of those key boosters from years ago were on hand to see their hard work come to fruition. Folks like Larry Cloud, Buddy Lord and Cindy James and others began setting aside some of the booster club’s fund raising money for the purpose of purchasing the latest in weight lifting equipment. That practice has continued through the years with the recent and current boosters. While the multi-purpose building was funded through the county and state, the weight equipment was not part of the project’s funding. With the recently completed facility and weight room, those funds were put into action. The Quarterback Club purchased $35,000 in state of the art weight equipment to adorn the new weight room.
DeWitt also noted that while some of the weight equipment from the previous weight room in school was moved over to the new weight room, the remaining weights have been transferred to Marianna Middle School to assist their athletic programs.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lady Hornets Fall In Regional Semi-Finals
A return trip to Lakeland was not in order for the 2009-10 Cottondale Lady Hornets as they fell 47-37 on the road Tuesday night to Ponce De Leon. The loss came in the Class 2A Region One Semi-Finals and the Lady Pirates had advanced to that game with a 49-45 win over Graceville last Thursday. The Lady Hornets had been on an emotional high after upsetting rival Graceville with a last second shot to capture the District Championship on February 6th. Cottondale followed that exciting win with a solid 54-32 win over the Lady Royals of Jay last Thursday night. Kiki Paul and Shay Wright had the hot hands for the Lady Hornets in the win over Jay as they scorched the nets for 39 of Cottondale’s 54 points. Paul was hot from the outside as she nailed 6 three pointers on the evening, four of them coming in the first half. The Lady Hornets held a comfortable 11 point lead at the half.
Bulldogs & Tigers Capture District Titles
The Graceville Tigers and Marianna Bulldogs captured their respective boy’s district tournament championships and advance to the FHSAA playoffs as the District Champs. Graceville will play host to Pensacola Christian on Thursday night while Marianna will host East Gadsden. The Marianna Bulldogs hosted the Class 3A District One tournament and entered as the number one seed having gone unbeaten in district play this season. The Bulldogs opened up the tournament with a 50-42 win over the Marlins of Arnold High School on Saturday night. Marianna led by 13 at the half and appeared to be on track for an easy victory. But Arnold fought back and got to within four points before the Bulldogs pulled away in the final five minutes for the 8 point victory. Kruize Pinkins and R.J. Bowers led the Bulldogs with 11 points each.
The win over the Marlins advanced Marianna to take on another Panama City school as they squared off against Bay High on Monday night for the championship. Bay kept things close for three quarters but in the end Marianna got a fourth quarter push and posted a 55-42 win for the Championship. Marianna led 15-9 at the end of the first quarter but saw that lead dwindle to 3 points at the end of the first half. Marianna was up 26-23 as the third quarter began and Bay played the Bulldogs even as both squads put up 15 points in the quarter. Marianna held a slim 41-38 lead going into the final quarter and that is when Bay must have felt that someone put a cover on their goal. The Bulldogs held the Tornadoes scoreless for the first six minutes of that fourth quarter and outscored Bay 14-4 to seal the win.
The Bulldogs were led by Pinkins with 14, Tre Jackson and R.J. Bowers each had 11 points and Kendall Leeks chipped in 10 points. With the win Marianna improved to 24-3 on the season.
The Graceville Tigers captured their district championship as they downed Blountstown on Saturday night for the title. Graceville advanced to the championship bout by defeating county rival Sneads 78-71 on Friday night. Cameron Dozier led the way with 27 points as Graceville led most of the night but still had to fight off a pesky bunch of Pirates who would not go quietly. Sneads took an early lead and led by one point at the end of the first quarter. Graceville took the lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it for the rest of the game. The Tigers held a 31-27 lead at the half
In the third quarter Graceville outscored the Pirates 24-20 as both squads shot the ball well. Graceville took a 55-47 lead into the fourth quarter but the Pirates quickly cut the lead back to five on a steal and lay up by Jeff Bell. Jamar White cut the Tiger lead down to 3 midway through the quarter with a bucket to make it a 62-59 game. But each time Sneads mounted a surge, Dozier seemed to answer for the Tigers. John Locke hit a shot to cut the Tiger lead back to 3 points with two minutes to play but Byron Lasiter grabbed a rebound and put it back in for Graceville to push their lead back to five. The closing moments saw Graceville hit enough free throws to keep the Pirates at bay and win the contest.
Kevin Potts hit 11 and C.J. Dozier added 10 for the Tigers. White led Sneads with 19 points, Josh Rogers added 16, Bell hit 14 and Jeff Davis rounded out the Pirates in double figures with 13.
The win over the Marlins advanced Marianna to take on another Panama City school as they squared off against Bay High on Monday night for the championship. Bay kept things close for three quarters but in the end Marianna got a fourth quarter push and posted a 55-42 win for the Championship. Marianna led 15-9 at the end of the first quarter but saw that lead dwindle to 3 points at the end of the first half. Marianna was up 26-23 as the third quarter began and Bay played the Bulldogs even as both squads put up 15 points in the quarter. Marianna held a slim 41-38 lead going into the final quarter and that is when Bay must have felt that someone put a cover on their goal. The Bulldogs held the Tornadoes scoreless for the first six minutes of that fourth quarter and outscored Bay 14-4 to seal the win.
The Bulldogs were led by Pinkins with 14, Tre Jackson and R.J. Bowers each had 11 points and Kendall Leeks chipped in 10 points. With the win Marianna improved to 24-3 on the season.
The Graceville Tigers captured their district championship as they downed Blountstown on Saturday night for the title. Graceville advanced to the championship bout by defeating county rival Sneads 78-71 on Friday night. Cameron Dozier led the way with 27 points as Graceville led most of the night but still had to fight off a pesky bunch of Pirates who would not go quietly. Sneads took an early lead and led by one point at the end of the first quarter. Graceville took the lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it for the rest of the game. The Tigers held a 31-27 lead at the half
In the third quarter Graceville outscored the Pirates 24-20 as both squads shot the ball well. Graceville took a 55-47 lead into the fourth quarter but the Pirates quickly cut the lead back to five on a steal and lay up by Jeff Bell. Jamar White cut the Tiger lead down to 3 midway through the quarter with a bucket to make it a 62-59 game. But each time Sneads mounted a surge, Dozier seemed to answer for the Tigers. John Locke hit a shot to cut the Tiger lead back to 3 points with two minutes to play but Byron Lasiter grabbed a rebound and put it back in for Graceville to push their lead back to five. The closing moments saw Graceville hit enough free throws to keep the Pirates at bay and win the contest.
Kevin Potts hit 11 and C.J. Dozier added 10 for the Tigers. White led Sneads with 19 points, Josh Rogers added 16, Bell hit 14 and Jeff Davis rounded out the Pirates in double figures with 13.
FORMER BASEBALLERS VISIT CHIPOLA FOR ALUMNI WEEKEND
Dozens of former Chipola College baseball players returned to their alma mater Feb. 5-7 for the third annual Chipola Baseball Alumni event.
ESPN analyst Buck Showalter visited Chipola coach Jeff Johnson on Friday. Showalter, the former manager of the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers, brought along his former Chipola teammate Russ Aldridge from the Indian’s 1975 team.
Team Mathis won the Alumni Homerun Derby with members: Jeff Mathis, Jake Mathis, Luis Bautista, David Oswalt, Victor Alvarez and Ethan Martin.
Alumni in attendance included: Richie Smith, Ryan Chaffee, Jaye Chapman, Jeff Bosse, Raynel Robles, Brandon Street, Jake Mathis, Blake Balkcom, Drew Miller, Luke Johnson, Angel Medina, Jose Bautista, Kellen Ludwig, Jonathan Swearingen, Josh Lawhon, Drew Cook, David Credeur, Grant Conyers, Jason Barber, Travis Anderson, Victor Alvarez, Jeff Mathis, Josh Storm, David Oswalt, Alan Horne, Mat Gamel, Liam Shanahan, Andrew Gay, Luis Bautista, Kevin Johnson, Jay Scott and Shawn Larkin.
For information about the event, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.
ESPN analyst Buck Showalter visited Chipola coach Jeff Johnson on Friday. Showalter, the former manager of the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Rangers, brought along his former Chipola teammate Russ Aldridge from the Indian’s 1975 team.
Team Mathis won the Alumni Homerun Derby with members: Jeff Mathis, Jake Mathis, Luis Bautista, David Oswalt, Victor Alvarez and Ethan Martin.
Alumni in attendance included: Richie Smith, Ryan Chaffee, Jaye Chapman, Jeff Bosse, Raynel Robles, Brandon Street, Jake Mathis, Blake Balkcom, Drew Miller, Luke Johnson, Angel Medina, Jose Bautista, Kellen Ludwig, Jonathan Swearingen, Josh Lawhon, Drew Cook, David Credeur, Grant Conyers, Jason Barber, Travis Anderson, Victor Alvarez, Jeff Mathis, Josh Storm, David Oswalt, Alan Horne, Mat Gamel, Liam Shanahan, Andrew Gay, Luis Bautista, Kevin Johnson, Jay Scott and Shawn Larkin.
For information about the event, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.
SPORTSCALENDAR
Marianna High
Multi-Purpose
Facility Open House/Ribbon Cutting
Marianna Quarterback Club in conjunction with Marianna High School would like to invite the public to an open house/ribbon cutting event for the New Multi-purpose facility. Event will be February 22, 2010 at 4:00PM at the multi-purpose facility located at Marianna High School on Caverns Road.
March 6
5K One-Mile Fun Run – benefiting Special Olympics – 1 mile walk/run starts 8:00a.m.-5K race at 8:45a.m – Jackson County Lodge (formerly Citizens Lodge) – Registration 7:00a.m. - 5k - $20 prior to March 3rd and $25 day of race, includes complimentary T-shirt – 1 mile walk/run - $10 – there will be NO BIB TAGS and no posting of race results. Race time will be verbally announced while crossing the finish line.
Multi-Purpose
Facility Open House/Ribbon Cutting
Marianna Quarterback Club in conjunction with Marianna High School would like to invite the public to an open house/ribbon cutting event for the New Multi-purpose facility. Event will be February 22, 2010 at 4:00PM at the multi-purpose facility located at Marianna High School on Caverns Road.
March 6
5K One-Mile Fun Run – benefiting Special Olympics – 1 mile walk/run starts 8:00a.m.-5K race at 8:45a.m – Jackson County Lodge (formerly Citizens Lodge) – Registration 7:00a.m. - 5k - $20 prior to March 3rd and $25 day of race, includes complimentary T-shirt – 1 mile walk/run - $10 – there will be NO BIB TAGS and no posting of race results. Race time will be verbally announced while crossing the finish line.
Indians Fall to Commodores; Split with Pirates
The Chipola Indians basketball squads both fell to the visting Gulf Coast squads this past Saturday night. In women’s action the Lady Indians fell 75-65 to the Lady Commodores. The Chipola men fell to Gulf Coast by a score of 97-85.
The men bounced back with a road win over Pensacola Junior College on Monday night. John Taylor led the Indians with 20 points as Chipola posted a 78-74 win. Delwan Graham also was in double figures with 11 points. The Lady’s once again found the going rough as they fell 75-65 despite a 39 point effort from Biana Jarrett.
Both squads were in action on Wednesday when they hosted Northwest Florida State College. Results of that contest were not available at press time. Both squads will close out the season this Saturday night on the road when they travel to Tallahassee.
The men bounced back with a road win over Pensacola Junior College on Monday night. John Taylor led the Indians with 20 points as Chipola posted a 78-74 win. Delwan Graham also was in double figures with 11 points. The Lady’s once again found the going rough as they fell 75-65 despite a 39 point effort from Biana Jarrett.
Both squads were in action on Wednesday when they hosted Northwest Florida State College. Results of that contest were not available at press time. Both squads will close out the season this Saturday night on the road when they travel to Tallahassee.
CHIPOLA’S HOMECOMING COURT ROYALTY
Members of the Chipola College Homecoming court are, from left: freshman Kaitlin Porter of Chipley, freshman Taylor Reiff of Marianna, freshman Ashleigh Lollie of Grand Ridge, 2010 Mr. Chipola, Quintin Beechum of Campbellton; sophomore Tommy Melvin of Marianna; 2010 Homecoming Queen Sylvianna Garrett of Greenwood; sophomore Tucker Nebel of Marianna; 2009 Homecoming Queen, Courtney Corbin of Graceville; 2009 Mr. Chipola, Kris Sampson of Marianna; freshman Tory Brown of Orlando, junior Anna Beth Parmer of Bonifay and sophomore Allison Ellis of Chipley.
Heads-Up Showdown @ Panama Beach Raceway!
This Saturday, Panama Beach Raceway presents the first Heads-Up Showdown of 2010. All cars must be stock in appearance and run on a 5.70 index. All heads-up racing will also be run with a pro-tree and use 10.5 tires.
For those new to heads-up racing, a 10.5 racing tire is relatively narrow for cars this quick. Even so, many cars will launch their front wheels at the line and carry them considerable distances down the strip. Needless to say, it requires considerable car control. Some of these cars also utilize nitrous or turbo’s.
So if ultra-fast, side-by-side, wheel standing action is your cup of tea, then this weekend’s Heads-Up Showdown is just what the doctor ordered!
Gates open @ 1pm - racing gets underway @ 2pm. Adults are only $15.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Head-Up fees are $50.00, bracket divisions are $40, and test & tune are $20.00.
Then on Sunday, February 21, Campers Inn will present grudge racing, plus open test & tune sessions.
As always, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
For those new to heads-up racing, a 10.5 racing tire is relatively narrow for cars this quick. Even so, many cars will launch their front wheels at the line and carry them considerable distances down the strip. Needless to say, it requires considerable car control. Some of these cars also utilize nitrous or turbo’s.
So if ultra-fast, side-by-side, wheel standing action is your cup of tea, then this weekend’s Heads-Up Showdown is just what the doctor ordered!
Gates open @ 1pm - racing gets underway @ 2pm. Adults are only $15.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Head-Up fees are $50.00, bracket divisions are $40, and test & tune are $20.00.
Then on Sunday, February 21, Campers Inn will present grudge racing, plus open test & tune sessions.
As always, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
CHIPOLA’S VAN HOOK NAMED FCCAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Chipola College’s Ariell van Hook is this week’s
FCCAA Softball Player of the Week.
van Hook, a first-year player from Whittier, Calif., has batted .485 (16-of-33) with two home runs and 12 RBIs over the Indians’ opening 12 games. During Chipola’s season-opening swing through the Southwest, she enjoyed back-to-back 3-for-3, one home run and four-RBI games against Central Arizona and Arizona Western.
van Hook later had a two-hit game against North Idaho and collected three hits and three RBIs in a doubleheader against Lurleen B. Wallace. During the 12 games, van Hook also scored five runs and was walked six times.
FCCAA Softball Player of the Week.
van Hook, a first-year player from Whittier, Calif., has batted .485 (16-of-33) with two home runs and 12 RBIs over the Indians’ opening 12 games. During Chipola’s season-opening swing through the Southwest, she enjoyed back-to-back 3-for-3, one home run and four-RBI games against Central Arizona and Arizona Western.
van Hook later had a two-hit game against North Idaho and collected three hits and three RBIs in a doubleheader against Lurleen B. Wallace. During the 12 games, van Hook also scored five runs and was walked six times.
Hornets & Pirates Ousted From District
By Clint Cox
Two Jackson County boys basketball squads saw their solid seasons come to a disappointing close this past week in the Class 2A District Two Tournament held in Blountstown. One of those squads, the Cottondale Hornets, went in as the number one seed and squared off against the host team on Friday night in semi-final action. The Hornets had beaten Blountstown in both regular season meetings. But Blountstown jumped out to an early lead and then held on for a 60-55 win to end the Hornet’s season.
Marcus Humose kept the Hornets close early on but Blountstown led 16-13 at the end of the first quarter. The Hornets took a brief lead as the second quarter began as Humose hit a bucket and then Dominique Webb hit a shot. Darien Pollock’s shot helped Cottondale hold a 23-21 lead midway through the second quarter. But the Tigers ripped off three straight 3 pointers on a 11-0 run. Humose fired off a 3 pointer of his own with two minutes to play in the first half to stem the Tiger tide but Blountstown held a 32-26 lead going into the halftime break.
The third quarter was a slow scoring affair as neither team could muster much offense. Blountstown outscored Cottondale 8-4 in the quarter and held a 40-30 lead going into the final quarter. For as slow as the third quarter was the fourth quarter was fast and furious action. Both squads found their range and Humose pumped in 17 of his game high 28 points in the final 8 minutes. But each time Cottondale would get within striking distance Blountstown found a way to answer. Two free throws by Humose midway through the quarter cut the Tiger lead to 47-44. But Blountstown pushed their lead back to 7 points before Cottondale’s Trestin White hit a couple of free throws and a basket with just over two minutes to play to trim the lead back to five. Humose hit a 3 pointer with 8 seconds to play to make it a 56-55 Blountstown lead but that was as close as Cottondale could get before Blountstown hit some free throws to seal the win.
The Sneads Pirates had advanced to the semi-finals on Friday with a 61-48 win over South Walton on Tuesday night. John Locke had the hot hand early on as he pumped in 11 points and gave the Pirates a 10 point half time lead. Josh Rogers got the hot hand in the second half as he knocked down 14 points and helped Sneads cruise to the 13 point win. Rogers led the Pirates with 16 points while Jamar White added 13. Terrance Green chipped in 12 and Locke finished with 11. That win propelled the Pirates to the semi-final game on Friday night against county rival Graceville. The Pirates fell in that contest by a score of 78-71. See more on this game on page one of sports. The Pirates finished the season with a record of 17-10.
Two Jackson County boys basketball squads saw their solid seasons come to a disappointing close this past week in the Class 2A District Two Tournament held in Blountstown. One of those squads, the Cottondale Hornets, went in as the number one seed and squared off against the host team on Friday night in semi-final action. The Hornets had beaten Blountstown in both regular season meetings. But Blountstown jumped out to an early lead and then held on for a 60-55 win to end the Hornet’s season.
Marcus Humose kept the Hornets close early on but Blountstown led 16-13 at the end of the first quarter. The Hornets took a brief lead as the second quarter began as Humose hit a bucket and then Dominique Webb hit a shot. Darien Pollock’s shot helped Cottondale hold a 23-21 lead midway through the second quarter. But the Tigers ripped off three straight 3 pointers on a 11-0 run. Humose fired off a 3 pointer of his own with two minutes to play in the first half to stem the Tiger tide but Blountstown held a 32-26 lead going into the halftime break.
The third quarter was a slow scoring affair as neither team could muster much offense. Blountstown outscored Cottondale 8-4 in the quarter and held a 40-30 lead going into the final quarter. For as slow as the third quarter was the fourth quarter was fast and furious action. Both squads found their range and Humose pumped in 17 of his game high 28 points in the final 8 minutes. But each time Cottondale would get within striking distance Blountstown found a way to answer. Two free throws by Humose midway through the quarter cut the Tiger lead to 47-44. But Blountstown pushed their lead back to 7 points before Cottondale’s Trestin White hit a couple of free throws and a basket with just over two minutes to play to trim the lead back to five. Humose hit a 3 pointer with 8 seconds to play to make it a 56-55 Blountstown lead but that was as close as Cottondale could get before Blountstown hit some free throws to seal the win.
The Sneads Pirates had advanced to the semi-finals on Friday with a 61-48 win over South Walton on Tuesday night. John Locke had the hot hand early on as he pumped in 11 points and gave the Pirates a 10 point half time lead. Josh Rogers got the hot hand in the second half as he knocked down 14 points and helped Sneads cruise to the 13 point win. Rogers led the Pirates with 16 points while Jamar White added 13. Terrance Green chipped in 12 and Locke finished with 11. That win propelled the Pirates to the semi-final game on Friday night against county rival Graceville. The Pirates fell in that contest by a score of 78-71. See more on this game on page one of sports. The Pirates finished the season with a record of 17-10.
Malone Makes Playoffs
The Malone Tigers made the FHSAA playoffs as the Class 1A District Two runner up. Malone fell in overtime to FAMU High last Saturday night. They will travel on Thursday to Paxton to take on the Bobcats. Malone had advanced to the championship game against FAMU with a 61-46 win over Altha last Tuesday night. Jean Littles led the Tigers with 14 points and T.J. Smith added 13. Chai Baker was also in double figures with 11 points.
Bulldog Wrestlers Finish Season At Regionals
The Marianna Bulldog wrestling squad sent five wrestlers to the Regional competition this past weekend in Green Cove Springs at Clay High School. Angel Candalaria (119), Blaine Hansford (130), Mike Sawyer (140) Dalton Hendrix (160) and Dylan Reed (189) all finished in the top four of their respective weight classes at the District Tournament held February 6th at Arnold High School in Panama City.
At the Regional Tournament Candalaria, who finished second in the district tournament, won his opening match with a 10-9 win. He fell in round two by pin but bounced back with a pin of his own in round three over his opponent from Baker County. His final match was a loss to Jonathan Bish from Bishop Kenny by pin. Hansford finished fourth in the district tournament but fell in his first two matches at the Regional Tournament to opponents from Clay and Wakulla. Sawyer also finished fourth in the district and also found the going rough at the Regional Tournament falling in his first two rounds.
Hendrix finished 3rd in the district and opened up the regionals with a pin over his opponent from Suwannee. In a close second round match he fell 10-7 to his opponent from Clay. He bounced back though with a pin in round three and then squared off against one of his district foes, Tyler Bragg from Arnold. Hendrix fought hard but the Marlin wrestler managed a pin to win the match. Reed also finished 3rd in the district and also picked up an opening round win at the regionals with a pin over his opponent from Wakulla. Reed fell in round two to his opponent from Nease and then fell in round three to a wrestler from Providence.
The Bulldog wrestling squad is looking forward to a solid season next year as they graduate only two wrestlers from this year’s team. Four of the five wrestlers (Hansford, Sawyer, Hendrix and Reed) that advanced to the Regional Tournament will return.
At the Regional Tournament Candalaria, who finished second in the district tournament, won his opening match with a 10-9 win. He fell in round two by pin but bounced back with a pin of his own in round three over his opponent from Baker County. His final match was a loss to Jonathan Bish from Bishop Kenny by pin. Hansford finished fourth in the district tournament but fell in his first two matches at the Regional Tournament to opponents from Clay and Wakulla. Sawyer also finished fourth in the district and also found the going rough at the Regional Tournament falling in his first two rounds.
Hendrix finished 3rd in the district and opened up the regionals with a pin over his opponent from Suwannee. In a close second round match he fell 10-7 to his opponent from Clay. He bounced back though with a pin in round three and then squared off against one of his district foes, Tyler Bragg from Arnold. Hendrix fought hard but the Marlin wrestler managed a pin to win the match. Reed also finished 3rd in the district and also picked up an opening round win at the regionals with a pin over his opponent from Wakulla. Reed fell in round two to his opponent from Nease and then fell in round three to a wrestler from Providence.
The Bulldog wrestling squad is looking forward to a solid season next year as they graduate only two wrestlers from this year’s team. Four of the five wrestlers (Hansford, Sawyer, Hendrix and Reed) that advanced to the Regional Tournament will return.
Bulldog Trio Becomes Trojan Trio
Last Thursday these three former Marianna Bulldog football players signed letters of intent to join the Troy Trojans football program. They are pictured with their respective family and friends.
Dalton Bennett (Defensive End; Strong Tackle)
Fidel Montgomery (Quarterback; Safety)
Tommy Stephens (Defensive End; Tight End)
Dalton Bennett (Defensive End; Strong Tackle)
Fidel Montgomery (Quarterback; Safety)
Tommy Stephens (Defensive End; Tight End)
Out and About…Wakulla Springs State Park
By Clint Cox
Most folks around here are very familiar with Wakulla Springs. I had been to the park four of five times over the years but most of those times were during the summer so as to take advantage of the cool clear spring waters. Last weekend my darling bride and I took in the park to get the winter experience.
Officially known as Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, it is the home of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, this park plays host to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, deer, and birds. Daily guided riverboat tours provide a closer view of wildlife, and glass bottom boat tours are offered when the water is clear. Swimming is a popular activity during the hot summer months. A nature trail offers a leisurely walk along the upland wooded areas of the park. The Wakulla Springs Lodge was built in 1937 by financier Edward Ball and is open year-round. A full-service dining room overlooks the spring; lodge meeting facilities offer an excellent place for retreats. Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is listed on the Natural Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Natural Landmark.
We were fortunate that the afternoon saw the sun come out and it warmed up enough that all the critters decided it was a good day for sunning. We saw at least 20-25 alligators during out boat tour. It is a bird watchers paradise as I learned that the springs are home to 182 different species of the birds. We didn’t see 182 species that day but we saw plenty and some of them were downright beautiful. The park also has some excellent hiking trails, all of which are relatively rated easy to slightly moderate in difficulty. The trails take you through some of the surrounding forest that are much as they were hundreds of years ago.
The lodge is something special as well. You can refer back to my Simply Put column last week for more on the lodge but I recommend a stay overnight to get the full effect of the park. The rooms and meals are slightly higher that an average stay and dinner out but they were well worth it in my book. The meals that we ate at the dining room were very good and very filling. If you’ve seen my waistline you know that I go for the meals that fill you up. For breakfast I recommend all you carnivores like myself to try the omelet with sausage, bacon and ham.
There are plenty of picnic areas and other spots to just lounge around and of course during the summer the spring beckons you to take a dip, if of course you don’t mind the thought of a few gators lurking around for their breakfast omelet. So if you’re looking for a place to just get away for a couple of days without having to drive a long way, check out Wakulla Springs. I think you’ll find it to be a nice relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of life.
Most folks around here are very familiar with Wakulla Springs. I had been to the park four of five times over the years but most of those times were during the summer so as to take advantage of the cool clear spring waters. Last weekend my darling bride and I took in the park to get the winter experience.
Officially known as Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, it is the home of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, this park plays host to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, deer, and birds. Daily guided riverboat tours provide a closer view of wildlife, and glass bottom boat tours are offered when the water is clear. Swimming is a popular activity during the hot summer months. A nature trail offers a leisurely walk along the upland wooded areas of the park. The Wakulla Springs Lodge was built in 1937 by financier Edward Ball and is open year-round. A full-service dining room overlooks the spring; lodge meeting facilities offer an excellent place for retreats. Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is listed on the Natural Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Natural Landmark.
We were fortunate that the afternoon saw the sun come out and it warmed up enough that all the critters decided it was a good day for sunning. We saw at least 20-25 alligators during out boat tour. It is a bird watchers paradise as I learned that the springs are home to 182 different species of the birds. We didn’t see 182 species that day but we saw plenty and some of them were downright beautiful. The park also has some excellent hiking trails, all of which are relatively rated easy to slightly moderate in difficulty. The trails take you through some of the surrounding forest that are much as they were hundreds of years ago.
The lodge is something special as well. You can refer back to my Simply Put column last week for more on the lodge but I recommend a stay overnight to get the full effect of the park. The rooms and meals are slightly higher that an average stay and dinner out but they were well worth it in my book. The meals that we ate at the dining room were very good and very filling. If you’ve seen my waistline you know that I go for the meals that fill you up. For breakfast I recommend all you carnivores like myself to try the omelet with sausage, bacon and ham.
There are plenty of picnic areas and other spots to just lounge around and of course during the summer the spring beckons you to take a dip, if of course you don’t mind the thought of a few gators lurking around for their breakfast omelet. So if you’re looking for a place to just get away for a couple of days without having to drive a long way, check out Wakulla Springs. I think you’ll find it to be a nice relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of life.
CHIPOLA HONORS DANCE IS FEB. 12
The Chipola College Honors Dance is set for Friday, Feb. 12, from 7 to 11 p.m. in the Chipola Arts Center.
The Ivey Brothers will provide the musical backdrop for the evening which will feature music, food and dancing.
Tickets—$10—are available from any Honors Program student or by calling Bonnie Smith at 526-2761, Ext. 3247
The Ivey Brothers will provide the musical backdrop for the evening which will feature music, food and dancing.
Tickets—$10—are available from any Honors Program student or by calling Bonnie Smith at 526-2761, Ext. 3247
BIRDIE AT CRAA
The public is invited to hear highlights from the upcoming Chipola spring musical ‘Bye, Bye, Birdie’ at the monthly meeting of the Chipola Regional Arts Association, Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Jim’s Buffet in Marianna. The Dutch-treat buffet is 11:30 a.m. to noon, followed by the program. Birdie includes hit songs “Put on a Happy Face,” “Got A Lot of Livin’ To Do,” “Kids,” and more. The show runs March 10-14. Tickets go on sale Feb. 24 in the Chipola Business Office. Call 850-718-2220.
Project Graduation 2010
Project Graduation 2010 is just weeks away, and there is still time for the community to jump in and help us make this worthwhile project a success for our graduating seniors. We have a new order of the Desktop Pet Plants, Syngonium ‘Strawberry Cream’, which were designed and produced by Oglesby Plants International just for this event making them a “one of a kind” gift. The young plant has pink foliage making it a unique Valentine’s day gift, and will last 3 to 6 months before it needs to be transplanted. After being planted into its new home, it will last for many years near a sunny window or on a porch. To purchase these plants for $6.00 each, you may call Claudia Smith at 482-7507 or contact Kathy McCrary at MHS.
There will also be a drawing for a fabulous Justin Coonbottom Catering smoked steak dinner for two. Tickets are available now and can be purchased at Wynn Law Office, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, or by calling Claudia Smith at 482-7507 or contacting Kathy McCrary at MHS. The cost of the tickets is one for $3.00, two for $5.00, or five for $10.00. The drawing will be held February 10th, just in time for Valentine’s day. The winner can have the dinner delivered on Friday, February 12th, or Sunday, February 14th, or any other Friday.
For more information, please visit the MHS website and click on Project Graduation.
There will also be a drawing for a fabulous Justin Coonbottom Catering smoked steak dinner for two. Tickets are available now and can be purchased at Wynn Law Office, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, or by calling Claudia Smith at 482-7507 or contacting Kathy McCrary at MHS. The cost of the tickets is one for $3.00, two for $5.00, or five for $10.00. The drawing will be held February 10th, just in time for Valentine’s day. The winner can have the dinner delivered on Friday, February 12th, or Sunday, February 14th, or any other Friday.
For more information, please visit the MHS website and click on Project Graduation.
Chipola Baseball and Softball Underway
The Chipola baseball and softball squads have kicked off the 2010 seasons with plenty of action. The baseball team got off to a slow (0-2) start but have gone 5-1 in their last six games and now stand at 5-3 on the young season. They split this past weekend in the Fibercare JUCO National Classic here in Marianna. On Saturday the Indians fell to Middle Georgia by a score of 5-4. On Friday they picked up a 4-2 win over Walters State. The Friday win came on the heels of a big win on Thursday as the Indians clubbed St. Johns River 14-0. Two weekends ago Chipola traveled down to Panama City to take part in the First Pitch Classic and also came away with a couple of tough losses as they fell on Saturday to Meridian 8-5. That followed a 6-5 loss on Friday night to Young Harris that negated an outstanding effort from Cody Martin. The freshman from Toccoa, Georgia who went 2-3 with 3 Runs, a double, home run and 2 RBI. They bounced back though from those losses with a big 17-5 win over Pearl River on Sunday.
The Indians were scheduled to play at Alabama Southern on Wednesday however results of that game were not available at press time. They will next be in action at home on Friday as they host a double header, taking on Darton at 11:00 am and then Wallace-Dothan at 5 pm. The Indians are led offensively at this stage by Blake Newalu with a .500 batting average. Eric Sauls follows with a .455 average and 9 RBI. Marianna’s Tyler Wilson is batting .400 with 4 RBI. Michael Revell and Andy Fermin are both batting over .300 and each have 8 RBI.
The Chipola Lady Indians softball squad has a record of 9-3 after twelve games. Like the men the softball squad got off to a slow start going 1-3. But they have rallied to go 8-1 over the last 9 games. They traveled all the way to Henderson Nevada for their first eight games. After losing 3 of their first four outings they bounced back with a 7-4 win over Central Arizona and an 11-8 win over Arizona Western. Ariell Van Hook was the hero in those wins as she went 6-6 with 2 home runs, 8 RBI and 3 runs scored. Their Monday outings in Nevada proved to be fruitful as well as they posted a 3-1 win over Chattanooga State and then a 3-0 win over North Idaho.
Last weekend the Lady Indians kept the momentum up as they got a 3-1 and 12-3 win over Lurleen B. Wallace. They followed those wins with a pair of wins on Sunday as they downed Faulkner State 3-2 and 5-0. The Lady Indians were slated to play a double header on the road Wednesday against Darton and then participate in a tournament this coming weekend in Dothan.
The Indians were scheduled to play at Alabama Southern on Wednesday however results of that game were not available at press time. They will next be in action at home on Friday as they host a double header, taking on Darton at 11:00 am and then Wallace-Dothan at 5 pm. The Indians are led offensively at this stage by Blake Newalu with a .500 batting average. Eric Sauls follows with a .455 average and 9 RBI. Marianna’s Tyler Wilson is batting .400 with 4 RBI. Michael Revell and Andy Fermin are both batting over .300 and each have 8 RBI.
The Chipola Lady Indians softball squad has a record of 9-3 after twelve games. Like the men the softball squad got off to a slow start going 1-3. But they have rallied to go 8-1 over the last 9 games. They traveled all the way to Henderson Nevada for their first eight games. After losing 3 of their first four outings they bounced back with a 7-4 win over Central Arizona and an 11-8 win over Arizona Western. Ariell Van Hook was the hero in those wins as she went 6-6 with 2 home runs, 8 RBI and 3 runs scored. Their Monday outings in Nevada proved to be fruitful as well as they posted a 3-1 win over Chattanooga State and then a 3-0 win over North Idaho.
Last weekend the Lady Indians kept the momentum up as they got a 3-1 and 12-3 win over Lurleen B. Wallace. They followed those wins with a pair of wins on Sunday as they downed Faulkner State 3-2 and 5-0. The Lady Indians were slated to play a double header on the road Wednesday against Darton and then participate in a tournament this coming weekend in Dothan.
Indians Split With Tallahassee
The Chipola Indians men’s and women’s basketball squads played host to Tallahassee this past Saturday night for homecoming and came away with a split on the court. In ladies action the Lady Indians battled hard but came up short in a 66-59 loss. Three Lady Indians were in double figures as Bianca Jarrett led the way with 24 points. Ty O’Neil followed with 16 and Melesha Petterson added 12. The Lady Indians trailed 27-22 at the half and made several runs at the Lady Eagles. But Tallahassee answered each of those runs as Mansa El got hot from beyond the 3 point arch and racked up 24 points on six 3 pointers. With the loss Chipola fell to 1-7 in conference play and 11-13 overall.
The Indians shook up their starting lineup and the shake up paid off as they came out red hot. Aaron Davis was launching 3 pointers from all sides of the court as Chipola jumped out to a huge early lead. Chipola would lead by as many as 21 points in the first half before Tallahassee finally began to respond. A 3 pointer by Tallahassee at the first half buzzer cut the Indians lead to 13 as Chipola led 44-31 going into the locker room. The second half saw Chipola build their lead back up to as many as 17 but again Tallahassee mounted a furious comeback in the closing moments of the game. Chipola was up by 13 points with 3 ½ minutes to play but Tallahassee cut the lead with each possession. The Eagles had a last second shot to tie the game but Chipola prevailed with a 71-69 win. The men improved to 3-5 in conference play and 18-6 overall. Davis led the Indians with 14 points, John Taylor followed with 12 and Dexter Ellington chipped in 11.
Both squads have had a week off and are busy preparing for an upcoming match on Saturday at home when they play host to Gulf Coast.
The Indians shook up their starting lineup and the shake up paid off as they came out red hot. Aaron Davis was launching 3 pointers from all sides of the court as Chipola jumped out to a huge early lead. Chipola would lead by as many as 21 points in the first half before Tallahassee finally began to respond. A 3 pointer by Tallahassee at the first half buzzer cut the Indians lead to 13 as Chipola led 44-31 going into the locker room. The second half saw Chipola build their lead back up to as many as 17 but again Tallahassee mounted a furious comeback in the closing moments of the game. Chipola was up by 13 points with 3 ½ minutes to play but Tallahassee cut the lead with each possession. The Eagles had a last second shot to tie the game but Chipola prevailed with a 71-69 win. The men improved to 3-5 in conference play and 18-6 overall. Davis led the Indians with 14 points, John Taylor followed with 12 and Dexter Ellington chipped in 11.
Both squads have had a week off and are busy preparing for an upcoming match on Saturday at home when they play host to Gulf Coast.
MHS Football Banquet
Marianna High School’s annual football banquet was held January 15, 2010. Family, faculty, and school board members joined the players and cheerleaders in a reception and awards ceremony. Guest speaker for the event was Area FCA Director, Sean Aland. Russell Register with Deep South Sports Broadcasting was the MC for the evening. Awards and recognition were given to:
JV Football and JV Cheerleaders
JV Football Leadership Award
Varsity Football and Cheerleaders
Wendy’s Game Ball – presented by Manager, Mr. Grant Rosborough
“Play of the Week”, where Bulldogs “Lay Down the Law” – sponsored by Mr. Wade Mercer’s Law Office
Offensive Player of the Year – R. J. Bowers
Defensive Player of the Year – Fidel Montgomery
Special Team Player of the Year
Scout Team Player of the Year
John Hudson Bulldog Award – Jaren Bannerman
Team Captains – Tre’ Long and Fidel Montgomery
Coach Steve DeWitt expressed much appreciation to his coaching staff, MHS administration, faculty, and student body, the Voice of the Bulldogs- Mr. Royce Reagan, Deep South Sports Broadcasting- Mr. Russell Register and Mr. Clint Cox, the Quarterback Club, and parents for the support given during the 2009 Bulldog football season.
JV Football and JV Cheerleaders
JV Football Leadership Award
Varsity Football and Cheerleaders
Wendy’s Game Ball – presented by Manager, Mr. Grant Rosborough
“Play of the Week”, where Bulldogs “Lay Down the Law” – sponsored by Mr. Wade Mercer’s Law Office
Offensive Player of the Year – R. J. Bowers
Defensive Player of the Year – Fidel Montgomery
Special Team Player of the Year
Scout Team Player of the Year
John Hudson Bulldog Award – Jaren Bannerman
Team Captains – Tre’ Long and Fidel Montgomery
Coach Steve DeWitt expressed much appreciation to his coaching staff, MHS administration, faculty, and student body, the Voice of the Bulldogs- Mr. Royce Reagan, Deep South Sports Broadcasting- Mr. Russell Register and Mr. Clint Cox, the Quarterback Club, and parents for the support given during the 2009 Bulldog football season.
Panama Beach Raceway to host bracket (plus) T&T day
Panama City Beach, Florida USA - 02.09.10 @ 7:40pm
This Saturday, February 13, Panama Beach Raceway will host bracket racing, along with open test & tune.
Gates open @ 1pm - bracket racing plus open test & tune sessions get underway @ 2pm. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Adults are $10.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Bracket racing is $40.00, test & tune is $20.00
Then on Sunday, February 14, Campers Inn will present grudge racing, plus open test & tune.
Again, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
This Saturday, February 13, Panama Beach Raceway will host bracket racing, along with open test & tune.
Gates open @ 1pm - bracket racing plus open test & tune sessions get underway @ 2pm. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Adults are $10.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Bracket racing is $40.00, test & tune is $20.00
Then on Sunday, February 14, Campers Inn will present grudge racing, plus open test & tune.
Again, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
As promised here is a brief profile of the team members of the 1951 Marianna Bulldogs.
Floyd (Buddy) Jordan: 1957 graduate of FSU, currently manager & Sr. Vice President of an investment brokerage firm in Stuart, FL. Married with three adult children. Second home in Montana.
Robert Earl Standland: Married to Nadine Peacock with 3 adult children. Spent most of his adult life in retail businesses. Is currently employed by the Jackson County Clerk of Circuit Court. He loves his horses and grand-children!
Jack Brown: Graduated from University of AL, spent 2 years as on officer in the Army. Operated the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company for several years, then began a career in Real Estate Appraising and has owned and operate the Title Services of Northwest Florida, Inc. for many years. He and his wife, Dru, live in Marianna and a home in NC.
Jimmy Hayes: Worked the railroads all around the US for 15 years, was in Alaska for a number of years. Retired to Arizona where he has won several awards for his artwork.
Jack Finlayson: He and his wife, Rita, own and manage two restaurants in the Montgomery, Al area. He plays basketball several times a week and he participated in a National Senior Adult Basketball Tournament in California this summer where his team placed high in the winners’ bracket.
Frank Rooks: He and wife, JoAnn live in Marianna. Frank retired as an investigator for the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco. They live on Merritt’s Mill Pond and he still loves to camp, hunt and fish.
John Gause: He and his wife, Joanne (Peacock) have lived in the Dothan area for most of their adult life. They have been active in the mobile home sales industry and he served as manager of TV station WTVY for many years
Charles Grambling: He and his wife Joanne live in Panama City; he was in the insurance business most of his adult life.
Emory Singletary: Lived in Marianna where he and his wife managed Singletary’s Florist for many years. Last known to be living in Panama City.
James Williams: Married Robbie Hall and retired from Zerox. They have two adult children and live in Jacksonville.
Odell Medlock - retired from a cardboard box manufacturing company and lives in Palatka
Jerry “Cooter” Hill: – retired beverage – lives in Cottondale
Billy Joe Tidwell: Lives in Texas and is an electrical contractor.
Lambert Goodson: deceased – was a retired state worker
Jim Hagan: deceased – retired Navy
Grey Wilson (Head Coach) – deceased – left Marianna to coach at his alma mater (Defuniak Springs); also later served as Principal.
Harry Howell (Assistant Coach) – deceased; went on to be longtime Head Football Coach at Marianna; retired from State (old H.R.S.) and lived in Mexico Beach with his wife Emily until his death.
A special thanks to Pat Crisp and Robert Earl Standland for their assistance in this Yesteryear feature.
Send or drop off any pictures of your favorite sports memories to the Jackson County Times.
E-mail: clintcox@jacksoncountytimes.net
Fax: (850) 526-1505
Phone: (850) 209-7319
Office: 2866 Madison St. Marianna, Fl. 32446
Robert Earl Standland: Married to Nadine Peacock with 3 adult children. Spent most of his adult life in retail businesses. Is currently employed by the Jackson County Clerk of Circuit Court. He loves his horses and grand-children!
Jack Brown: Graduated from University of AL, spent 2 years as on officer in the Army. Operated the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company for several years, then began a career in Real Estate Appraising and has owned and operate the Title Services of Northwest Florida, Inc. for many years. He and his wife, Dru, live in Marianna and a home in NC.
Jimmy Hayes: Worked the railroads all around the US for 15 years, was in Alaska for a number of years. Retired to Arizona where he has won several awards for his artwork.
Jack Finlayson: He and his wife, Rita, own and manage two restaurants in the Montgomery, Al area. He plays basketball several times a week and he participated in a National Senior Adult Basketball Tournament in California this summer where his team placed high in the winners’ bracket.
Frank Rooks: He and wife, JoAnn live in Marianna. Frank retired as an investigator for the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco. They live on Merritt’s Mill Pond and he still loves to camp, hunt and fish.
John Gause: He and his wife, Joanne (Peacock) have lived in the Dothan area for most of their adult life. They have been active in the mobile home sales industry and he served as manager of TV station WTVY for many years
Charles Grambling: He and his wife Joanne live in Panama City; he was in the insurance business most of his adult life.
Emory Singletary: Lived in Marianna where he and his wife managed Singletary’s Florist for many years. Last known to be living in Panama City.
James Williams: Married Robbie Hall and retired from Zerox. They have two adult children and live in Jacksonville.
Odell Medlock - retired from a cardboard box manufacturing company and lives in Palatka
Jerry “Cooter” Hill: – retired beverage – lives in Cottondale
Billy Joe Tidwell: Lives in Texas and is an electrical contractor.
Lambert Goodson: deceased – was a retired state worker
Jim Hagan: deceased – retired Navy
Grey Wilson (Head Coach) – deceased – left Marianna to coach at his alma mater (Defuniak Springs); also later served as Principal.
Harry Howell (Assistant Coach) – deceased; went on to be longtime Head Football Coach at Marianna; retired from State (old H.R.S.) and lived in Mexico Beach with his wife Emily until his death.
A special thanks to Pat Crisp and Robert Earl Standland for their assistance in this Yesteryear feature.
Send or drop off any pictures of your favorite sports memories to the Jackson County Times.
E-mail: clintcox@jacksoncountytimes.net
Fax: (850) 526-1505
Phone: (850) 209-7319
Office: 2866 Madison St. Marianna, Fl. 32446
Bannerman Receives “Hud” Award
By Clint Cox
The first John Hudson Football Scholarship Award was presented recently to Marianna High School student/athlete Jaren Bannerman. The scholarship award is presented in memory and honor of John Hudson, longtime assistant coach at Marianna High School and Marianna Middle School. The award is voted on by the Bulldog football coaches and is given to a player who most demonstrates character, discipline, integrity and hustle in both the classroom and on the field.
“Getting a scholarship like this is a great honor and I am very thankful,” said Bannerman. Hudson coached Bannerman when he was at the middle school and that makes the award even more special. “He stayed on me all the time to be the best that I could be. He was tough, but he was also quick to tell me how much he loved me. He was always smiling and was a pleasure to be around,” Bannerman fondly recalled of Hudson.
Bannerman has been a three year varsity Bulldog football player and two year varsity baseball player. When asked if he played any other sports like basketball Bannerman replied “No, I can’t jump so basketball is out for me.” After high school Bannerman hopes to be able to attend college on a football or baseball scholarship. Regardless of an athlete scholarship or not, Bannerman plans to attend college and is leaning toward a major in civil engineering.
The award presenter was Rex Suggs, assistant principal at Marianna and a former coach. Bannerman has a lot of admiration for Suggs and that made the award special as well. Showing great humility Bannerman said getting the award makes him feel bless and thankful. “First I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and ability he has given me. Secondly I am thankful to my parents and grandparents for all they have done and grateful to all the coaches,”
Bannerman, age 17, is the son of Scott and Mendy Bannerman of Marianna. He is the grandson of Buddy and Sharon Bannerman and Linda Hunt.
The first John Hudson Football Scholarship Award was presented recently to Marianna High School student/athlete Jaren Bannerman. The scholarship award is presented in memory and honor of John Hudson, longtime assistant coach at Marianna High School and Marianna Middle School. The award is voted on by the Bulldog football coaches and is given to a player who most demonstrates character, discipline, integrity and hustle in both the classroom and on the field.
“Getting a scholarship like this is a great honor and I am very thankful,” said Bannerman. Hudson coached Bannerman when he was at the middle school and that makes the award even more special. “He stayed on me all the time to be the best that I could be. He was tough, but he was also quick to tell me how much he loved me. He was always smiling and was a pleasure to be around,” Bannerman fondly recalled of Hudson.
Bannerman has been a three year varsity Bulldog football player and two year varsity baseball player. When asked if he played any other sports like basketball Bannerman replied “No, I can’t jump so basketball is out for me.” After high school Bannerman hopes to be able to attend college on a football or baseball scholarship. Regardless of an athlete scholarship or not, Bannerman plans to attend college and is leaning toward a major in civil engineering.
The award presenter was Rex Suggs, assistant principal at Marianna and a former coach. Bannerman has a lot of admiration for Suggs and that made the award special as well. Showing great humility Bannerman said getting the award makes him feel bless and thankful. “First I am thankful to God for giving me the talent and ability he has given me. Secondly I am thankful to my parents and grandparents for all they have done and grateful to all the coaches,”
Bannerman, age 17, is the son of Scott and Mendy Bannerman of Marianna. He is the grandson of Buddy and Sharon Bannerman and Linda Hunt.
Bulldogs Prevail Over Malone
A month ago Malone went to Marianna after a hard fought game the night before against FAMU. Marianna dominated that contest in the ‘Dog House and Tiger fans have eagerly awaited the ‘Dogs coming to the house that Roy built. So on Tuesday night the newly refurbished Roy B. Beall Gymnasium played host to its’ first Marianna vs Malone boys basketball game and although Ole Roy has had a face lift, the game remains the same as this was another classic in this long rivalry.
The crowd was unusually quiet to start the game but quickly began to warm up when Marianna’s Kruize Pinkins rattled the rim with a dunk only to be followed by a thundering dunk on the other end by Malone’s Chai Baker. Malone jumped out to an early 7-2 lead but Marianna battled back and held a slim 13-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started out as race horse basketball with both teams trading the lead back and forth. Jean Little’s 3 pointer gave Malone a 16-15 lead and then T.J. Smith’s 3 pointer put the Tigers up 19-15. Marianna’s Nehimiah Gilbert fired right back with a 3 pointer but Littles countered with a Tiger 3 pointer. This barrage on both sides went on for the rest of the second quarter and when the teams headed to the locker rooms at the half nothing had been settled as the score was tied 33-33.
Malone came out to start the second half with a 3 pointer from Ladarius McElroy and Baker to take a 39-36 lead. Baker added a dunk moments later to keep the Tigers up by 3. Marianna tied the game up at 41-41 and the teams again traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter. A 3 point shot at the buzzer by Tre Jackson gave the Bulldogs a narrow 48-47 lead after three quarters.
Malone surged ahead to begin the final quarter as Maciel Clemmons, Ty Baker put the Tigers up 54-50 with just over five minutes to play. That is when the Tigers appeared to begin running low on fuel. Over the next 2 ½ minutes Marianna outscored the Tigers
8-4 to tie the game up at 58-58 with 2 ½ minutes remaining. That is when Malone ran completely out of gas. The Tigers were scoreless for the remainder of the game while Marianna got baskets from Pinkins, Jackson, and R.J. Bowers to take a 9 point lead. Tre Long closed the game out at the buzzer with a slam dunk to make the final 69-58 in Marianna’s favor.
Pinkins led all scorers with 25 points while Jackson and Long added 12 each for Marianna. Malone got balanced scoring as McElroy led with 13, Littles with 12, Smith with 11 and Chai Baker with 10.
Malone was coming off a 72-63 win over Graceville on Monday night. Malone led 13-10 at the end of one quarter and then took a 31-20 lead at the half. The third quarter saw hot shooting from both squads as Malone barely outscored Graceville 21-19. But the Tigers still held a 52-39 lead and that was enough to hang on for a 9 point victory.
In JV action Marianna posted a 43-26 win over the Malone JV. Qua Royster led the pups with 16 points and Emanuel Batson added 13. Chris Murff led Malone with 13 points.
The crowd was unusually quiet to start the game but quickly began to warm up when Marianna’s Kruize Pinkins rattled the rim with a dunk only to be followed by a thundering dunk on the other end by Malone’s Chai Baker. Malone jumped out to an early 7-2 lead but Marianna battled back and held a slim 13-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started out as race horse basketball with both teams trading the lead back and forth. Jean Little’s 3 pointer gave Malone a 16-15 lead and then T.J. Smith’s 3 pointer put the Tigers up 19-15. Marianna’s Nehimiah Gilbert fired right back with a 3 pointer but Littles countered with a Tiger 3 pointer. This barrage on both sides went on for the rest of the second quarter and when the teams headed to the locker rooms at the half nothing had been settled as the score was tied 33-33.
Malone came out to start the second half with a 3 pointer from Ladarius McElroy and Baker to take a 39-36 lead. Baker added a dunk moments later to keep the Tigers up by 3. Marianna tied the game up at 41-41 and the teams again traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter. A 3 point shot at the buzzer by Tre Jackson gave the Bulldogs a narrow 48-47 lead after three quarters.
Malone surged ahead to begin the final quarter as Maciel Clemmons, Ty Baker put the Tigers up 54-50 with just over five minutes to play. That is when the Tigers appeared to begin running low on fuel. Over the next 2 ½ minutes Marianna outscored the Tigers
8-4 to tie the game up at 58-58 with 2 ½ minutes remaining. That is when Malone ran completely out of gas. The Tigers were scoreless for the remainder of the game while Marianna got baskets from Pinkins, Jackson, and R.J. Bowers to take a 9 point lead. Tre Long closed the game out at the buzzer with a slam dunk to make the final 69-58 in Marianna’s favor.
Pinkins led all scorers with 25 points while Jackson and Long added 12 each for Marianna. Malone got balanced scoring as McElroy led with 13, Littles with 12, Smith with 11 and Chai Baker with 10.
Malone was coming off a 72-63 win over Graceville on Monday night. Malone led 13-10 at the end of one quarter and then took a 31-20 lead at the half. The third quarter saw hot shooting from both squads as Malone barely outscored Graceville 21-19. But the Tigers still held a 52-39 lead and that was enough to hang on for a 9 point victory.
In JV action Marianna posted a 43-26 win over the Malone JV. Qua Royster led the pups with 16 points and Emanuel Batson added 13. Chris Murff led Malone with 13 points.
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days are Feb. 6-7
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established Feb. 6-7 as Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days.
These select days are a great opportunity to get young people outdoors and to introduce them to the excitement of waterfowl hunting.
The statewide, two-day season allows children younger than 16 years old - with adult supervision - to hunt waterfowl, coots and common moorhens. Supervisors (18 years or older) must be present and may assist young hunters, but state regulations prohibit the supervisors from hunting. Hunters younger than 16 years of age do not need licenses, permits or federal duck stamps.
All regulations and bag limits for hunting waterfowl apply to this two-day season. Hunting regulations are available online at MyFWC.com/Hunting or in the FWC’s waterfowl and coot seasons brochure, available at county tax collectors’ offices.
These select days are a great opportunity to get young people outdoors and to introduce them to the excitement of waterfowl hunting.
The statewide, two-day season allows children younger than 16 years old - with adult supervision - to hunt waterfowl, coots and common moorhens. Supervisors (18 years or older) must be present and may assist young hunters, but state regulations prohibit the supervisors from hunting. Hunters younger than 16 years of age do not need licenses, permits or federal duck stamps.
All regulations and bag limits for hunting waterfowl apply to this two-day season. Hunting regulations are available online at MyFWC.com/Hunting or in the FWC’s waterfowl and coot seasons brochure, available at county tax collectors’ offices.
Indians Get Much Needed Victories
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Mens and Womens basketball squads picked up much needed victories this past Saturday night over the visiting squads from Pensacola Junior College. The Lady Indians notched a 71-64 win over the Lady Pirates for their first conference win of the season. Bianca Jarrett led the way with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Lindsey Carr added 19 points and Ance Celmina scored 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. The Lady Indians improved to 1-5 in conference play and 11- 11 overall.
The men downed the Pirates 82-67 as Sam Grooms knocked down 20 points with 6 rebounds. Keith Dewitt had a double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Powell followed with 12 points and 7 rebounds and Marvin Fitzgerald rounded out the fourth player in double figures with 12 points and 8 rebounds. The Indians improved to 2-4 in conference play and 17-5 overall.
Both squads were in action on Wednesday as they traveled to Niceville to take on Northwest Florida State College. Results of those games were not available at press time. Next up for the Indians is a home matchup with Tallahassee this Saturday night.
The Chipola Mens and Womens basketball squads picked up much needed victories this past Saturday night over the visiting squads from Pensacola Junior College. The Lady Indians notched a 71-64 win over the Lady Pirates for their first conference win of the season. Bianca Jarrett led the way with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Lindsey Carr added 19 points and Ance Celmina scored 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. The Lady Indians improved to 1-5 in conference play and 11- 11 overall.
The men downed the Pirates 82-67 as Sam Grooms knocked down 20 points with 6 rebounds. Keith Dewitt had a double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Powell followed with 12 points and 7 rebounds and Marvin Fitzgerald rounded out the fourth player in double figures with 12 points and 8 rebounds. The Indians improved to 2-4 in conference play and 17-5 overall.
Both squads were in action on Wednesday as they traveled to Niceville to take on Northwest Florida State College. Results of those games were not available at press time. Next up for the Indians is a home matchup with Tallahassee this Saturday night.
Six-Run First Inning Helps Chipola to 17-5 Win
By Joc Calloway
A Michael Revell grand slam with 1 out in the first inning was the major blow in a six-run first inning to help pace the Indians to a 17-5 win over Pearl River. Revell’s homerun was followed by an Eric Sauls two-run double which plated Austin Wright and Aaron Etchison to finish the big inning. The Indians recorded 19 hits on the afternoon and 6 batters had multiple hits. Sauls (4-5, 2 2B’s, 3 RBI’s), Blake Newalu (3-4, 2B, run scored), Joey Rapp (3-4, 2 HR’s, 3 RBI’s), LeVon Washington (2-5, RBI), Etchison (2-4) and Revell (2-5, HR, 5 RBI’s).
Chipola starting pitcher Jake Eliopoulos struck out four batters in 2.2 innings while giving up one earned run. Reliever Duncan Midkiff (1-0) recorded his first win of the young season. Midkiff pitched 3.1 innings, allowed one earned run, and had five strikeouts. For Pearl River, Zach Farmer and Temple Harvey both collected two hits apiece.
Chipola will return to action on Thursday, February 4th versus St. John’s River in Marianna. Game time is set for 5:00pm. Also Chipola will play all weekend in the FiberCare JUCO National Classic in Marianna. Game times are at 11:00 on Friday, 4:00 and 7:00pm on Saturday, and 12:00pm on Sunday.
A Michael Revell grand slam with 1 out in the first inning was the major blow in a six-run first inning to help pace the Indians to a 17-5 win over Pearl River. Revell’s homerun was followed by an Eric Sauls two-run double which plated Austin Wright and Aaron Etchison to finish the big inning. The Indians recorded 19 hits on the afternoon and 6 batters had multiple hits. Sauls (4-5, 2 2B’s, 3 RBI’s), Blake Newalu (3-4, 2B, run scored), Joey Rapp (3-4, 2 HR’s, 3 RBI’s), LeVon Washington (2-5, RBI), Etchison (2-4) and Revell (2-5, HR, 5 RBI’s).
Chipola starting pitcher Jake Eliopoulos struck out four batters in 2.2 innings while giving up one earned run. Reliever Duncan Midkiff (1-0) recorded his first win of the young season. Midkiff pitched 3.1 innings, allowed one earned run, and had five strikeouts. For Pearl River, Zach Farmer and Temple Harvey both collected two hits apiece.
Chipola will return to action on Thursday, February 4th versus St. John’s River in Marianna. Game time is set for 5:00pm. Also Chipola will play all weekend in the FiberCare JUCO National Classic in Marianna. Game times are at 11:00 on Friday, 4:00 and 7:00pm on Saturday, and 12:00pm on Sunday.
Chipola Baseball Alumni
Weekend Set for Feburary 5-7
Dozens of former Chipola College baseball players—including former Yankees manager Buck Showalter—are expected to return to their alma mater, Feb. 5-7 for the third annual Chipola Baseball Alumni event.
The weekend begins Friday, Feb., 5, with a game between Chipola and Walters State at 11 a.m. A Golf Outing for Chipola Baseball Alumni and friends tees off at noon at Indian Springs Golf Course. An Alumni Night Social will be held at the Old Ice House Restaurant from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, Feb. 6, events begin at 12:30 p.m. with an Alumni Home Run Derby and Alumni Game. The Indians play a pair of games on Feb. 6: Middle Georgia at 4 p.m., and St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. Chipola baseball alumni are invited to an Alumni Bonfire at Coach Johnson’s home at 8 p.m.
The weekend concludes Sunday, Feb. 7, with a noon game between Chipola and St. Petersburg.
The following Chipola alumni have confirmed their attendance: Buck Showalter, Michael Gibbs, Josh Storm, David Credeur, Tyler Musselwhite, Trey Manz, Andrew Gay, Kurt Lewis, Luke Johnson, Brandon Street, Clay Long, Michael Mitchell, David Oswalt, Drew Cook, Casey Owen, Greg Albrittion, Grant Conyers, Moises Feliz, Josh Lawhon, Nathan Marks, Travis Anderson, Richie Smith, Alan Horne and Michael Gibbs. Several other former players are expected to attend.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
Dozens of former Chipola College baseball players—including former Yankees manager Buck Showalter—are expected to return to their alma mater, Feb. 5-7 for the third annual Chipola Baseball Alumni event.
The weekend begins Friday, Feb., 5, with a game between Chipola and Walters State at 11 a.m. A Golf Outing for Chipola Baseball Alumni and friends tees off at noon at Indian Springs Golf Course. An Alumni Night Social will be held at the Old Ice House Restaurant from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, Feb. 6, events begin at 12:30 p.m. with an Alumni Home Run Derby and Alumni Game. The Indians play a pair of games on Feb. 6: Middle Georgia at 4 p.m., and St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. Chipola baseball alumni are invited to an Alumni Bonfire at Coach Johnson’s home at 8 p.m.
The weekend concludes Sunday, Feb. 7, with a noon game between Chipola and St. Petersburg.
The following Chipola alumni have confirmed their attendance: Buck Showalter, Michael Gibbs, Josh Storm, David Credeur, Tyler Musselwhite, Trey Manz, Andrew Gay, Kurt Lewis, Luke Johnson, Brandon Street, Clay Long, Michael Mitchell, David Oswalt, Drew Cook, Casey Owen, Greg Albrittion, Grant Conyers, Moises Feliz, Josh Lawhon, Nathan Marks, Travis Anderson, Richie Smith, Alan Horne and Michael Gibbs. Several other former players are expected to attend.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
Panama City Chiropractic to host bracket (plus) T&T day @ PBR -
This Saturday, February 6, Panama City Chiropractic will host a special day of bracket racing, along with open test & tune sessions at the Panama Beach Raceway.
Gates open @ 1pm - bracket racing plus open test & tune sessions get underway @ 2pm. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Adults are $10.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Bracket racing is $40.00, test & tune is $20.00
Then on Sunday, February 7, Campers Inn will present a full day of grudge racing, plus open test & tune sessions.
Again, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
Special reminder to all racers, fans and sponsors: sign-up for our new PBR SpeedNews email/text service so we can update you if anything alters our schedule.
It’s spam free and secure. We will never sell or share your email address with anyone. So sign-up today ‘cause it’s free … it’s safe … and most importantly … it’s instantaneous!
Gates open @ 1pm - bracket racing plus open test & tune sessions get underway @ 2pm. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Adults are $10.00 - Kids 10 & under are free. Bracket racing is $40.00, test & tune is $20.00
Then on Sunday, February 7, Campers Inn will present a full day of grudge racing, plus open test & tune sessions.
Again, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. The gates will open @ high noon - and the track goes hot @ 1pm. Adults are $10.00 - and kids 10 and under are free. All on-track grudge and test & tune fees will be $20.00.
Free spectator parking is always provided by the great folks at the Press Print Graphics.
Panama Beach Raceway is an ultra-quick 1/8 mile drag-strip located 2 miles north of Fountain, Florida. From Panama City take Highway 231 north to Highway 167. Turn east at County Road 274 and then south onto Apache Road (just follow the signs).
A detailed map is available at PanamaBeachRaceway.com and the Print Shop 24/7 Dragracin’ Hotline is 850-762-8961.
Special reminder to all racers, fans and sponsors: sign-up for our new PBR SpeedNews email/text service so we can update you if anything alters our schedule.
It’s spam free and secure. We will never sell or share your email address with anyone. So sign-up today ‘cause it’s free … it’s safe … and most importantly … it’s instantaneous!
Tigers Dunk Hornets
By Clint Cox
The Malone Tigers came out red hot and went on to post a 77-58 win over the visiting Cottondale Hornets last Thursday night. T.J. Smith led the way with 22 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter. Smith drilled four 3 pointers in the first quarter to help Malone take a 20-15 lead. Marcus Humose kept the Hornets close early on but Malone continued to pull away in the second quarter. Chai Baker knocked down a couple of 3 pointers for the Tigers as they took a 33-23 halftime lead. Humose hit 9 first half points but the Hornets struggled at the free throw line, making just 6-17 from the charity stripe.
Ty Baker hit back to back buckets to start the second half for Malone they pushed their lead to 12 points. But Humose rallied the Hornets with a bucket and a free throw with four minutes to play in the third quarter. That cut the Tiger lead down to 40-34. Malone then got hot again and went on a 16-4 run to close out the quarter. Ladarius McElroy, Jean Littles and Maciel Clemmons had the hot hands for the Tigers as they took a 56-38 lead into the final quarter. In that fourth quarter Malone put to rest any thoughts of a Hornet come back as they put on a dunking clinic much to the delight of the Tiger fans. Both Bakers and McElroy rattled the rims with thundering dunks in the final moments of the game to put an exclamation mark on the win over their county rival.
Behind Smith, McElroy and Littles each hit 13 points while Chai Baker added 10 points. Humose led the Hornets with 29 points and Trestin White chipped in 11 points.
The Malone Tigers came out red hot and went on to post a 77-58 win over the visiting Cottondale Hornets last Thursday night. T.J. Smith led the way with 22 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter. Smith drilled four 3 pointers in the first quarter to help Malone take a 20-15 lead. Marcus Humose kept the Hornets close early on but Malone continued to pull away in the second quarter. Chai Baker knocked down a couple of 3 pointers for the Tigers as they took a 33-23 halftime lead. Humose hit 9 first half points but the Hornets struggled at the free throw line, making just 6-17 from the charity stripe.
Ty Baker hit back to back buckets to start the second half for Malone they pushed their lead to 12 points. But Humose rallied the Hornets with a bucket and a free throw with four minutes to play in the third quarter. That cut the Tiger lead down to 40-34. Malone then got hot again and went on a 16-4 run to close out the quarter. Ladarius McElroy, Jean Littles and Maciel Clemmons had the hot hands for the Tigers as they took a 56-38 lead into the final quarter. In that fourth quarter Malone put to rest any thoughts of a Hornet come back as they put on a dunking clinic much to the delight of the Tiger fans. Both Bakers and McElroy rattled the rims with thundering dunks in the final moments of the game to put an exclamation mark on the win over their county rival.
Behind Smith, McElroy and Littles each hit 13 points while Chai Baker added 10 points. Humose led the Hornets with 29 points and Trestin White chipped in 11 points.
Bulldogs Tame Tigers & Sink Pirates
By Clint Cox
The Marianna Bulldogs took on two Jackson County rivals last week and came away with back to back wins. Last Thursday night they played host to the Graceville Tigers and recorded a 67-40 win. The Bulldogs got balanced scoring as Kendall Leeks led the way with 18 points and Kruize Pinkins added 13. R.J. Bowers and Tre Jackson each chipped in 9 for the Bulldogs. Cameron Dozier led Graceville with 17 points.
Graceville hung close early on as Marianna held a slim 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Marianna outscored the Tigers 20-8 in the second quarter and began to put some distance between themselves and the Tigers. The third quarter was even more of a struggle for Graceville as the Bulldogs outscored them 19-4 in that quarter. In JV action Marianna won 56-34 as Qua Royster pumped in 25 points and Emanuel Batson hit 16. Delante Oliver-Barnes hit 16 for the JV Tigers.
They hit the road on Friday night, traveling to Sneads and notching a 70-43 win over the Pirates. Nehemiah Gilbert hit back to back 3 pointers for the Bulldogs to start the game and Pinkins dominated inside as Marianna took a 20-10 first quarter lead. Josh Rogers led the Pirates with 5 first quarter points. The Bulldogs outscored the Pirates 17-10 in the second quarter as Jackson heated up from the outside. Marianna led 37-20 at the half.
The second half saw Sneads continue to battle but not make up much ground. A tip in late in the quarter by Pinkins gave the Bulldogs a 46-35 lead going into the final quarter. A Pirate 3 pointer by Terrence Green cut the Bulldog lead to 9 points to start the fourth quarter. But Marianna then went on a 16-0 run as Pinkins, Jackson, Leeks, Tre Long and Gilbert all made sure the Pirates rally was dead in the water. The Pirates, who battled hard for 3 ½ quarters went almost five minutes in the final quarter without a point.
Pinkins led Marianna with 18 points, Leeks followed with 11 and Long added 11 points. Gilbert was the fourth Bulldog in double figures with 10 points. Sneads was led by Jamar White with 11 and Green with 10. In JV action Marianna won 60-35 as Emanuel Batson and Troy Durant each hit 10 points. The Sneads JV was led by Aaron Green with 13 and Devin Hayes with 12.
The Marianna Bulldogs took on two Jackson County rivals last week and came away with back to back wins. Last Thursday night they played host to the Graceville Tigers and recorded a 67-40 win. The Bulldogs got balanced scoring as Kendall Leeks led the way with 18 points and Kruize Pinkins added 13. R.J. Bowers and Tre Jackson each chipped in 9 for the Bulldogs. Cameron Dozier led Graceville with 17 points.
Graceville hung close early on as Marianna held a slim 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Marianna outscored the Tigers 20-8 in the second quarter and began to put some distance between themselves and the Tigers. The third quarter was even more of a struggle for Graceville as the Bulldogs outscored them 19-4 in that quarter. In JV action Marianna won 56-34 as Qua Royster pumped in 25 points and Emanuel Batson hit 16. Delante Oliver-Barnes hit 16 for the JV Tigers.
They hit the road on Friday night, traveling to Sneads and notching a 70-43 win over the Pirates. Nehemiah Gilbert hit back to back 3 pointers for the Bulldogs to start the game and Pinkins dominated inside as Marianna took a 20-10 first quarter lead. Josh Rogers led the Pirates with 5 first quarter points. The Bulldogs outscored the Pirates 17-10 in the second quarter as Jackson heated up from the outside. Marianna led 37-20 at the half.
The second half saw Sneads continue to battle but not make up much ground. A tip in late in the quarter by Pinkins gave the Bulldogs a 46-35 lead going into the final quarter. A Pirate 3 pointer by Terrence Green cut the Bulldog lead to 9 points to start the fourth quarter. But Marianna then went on a 16-0 run as Pinkins, Jackson, Leeks, Tre Long and Gilbert all made sure the Pirates rally was dead in the water. The Pirates, who battled hard for 3 ½ quarters went almost five minutes in the final quarter without a point.
Pinkins led Marianna with 18 points, Leeks followed with 11 and Long added 11 points. Gilbert was the fourth Bulldog in double figures with 10 points. Sneads was led by Jamar White with 11 and Green with 10. In JV action Marianna won 60-35 as Emanuel Batson and Troy Durant each hit 10 points. The Sneads JV was led by Aaron Green with 13 and Devin Hayes with 12.
Lady Bulldogs Deal Defeat to Lady Tigers
By Clint Cox
The county’s two top girls basketball teams, at least record wise, squared off last Thursday night when Marianna played host to Graceville. The Lady Tigers, who have a 20 plus win season already fought hard but fell to the Lady Bulldogs by a score of 43-30. Sharae Williams led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points while Mychea Williams and Wynnterra Pittman led Graceville with 8 points each.
Marianna took an early 7-4 lead and then Williams gave the Lady Bulldogs a 13-6 lead with a basket . Williams pumped in 11 of the Lady Bulldogs 14 first half points and all 7 of Marianna’s second quarter points. The Lady Bulldogs held a 14-8 halftime lead. In the third quarter Graceville battled back as Pittman help the Lady Tigers pulled to within 2 points. Jessica McClendon of Graceville tied the game up a 17-17 and Pittman kept it tied at 19-19 with four minutes to play in the third quarter. But Marianna countered with an 8-2 run to close out the quarter as Williams and Shamiqua Davies came up with buckets. Marianna led 27-21 going into the final quarter and would lead by as many as 8 points before Graceville cut the lead back to six. But Williams took control down the stretch and Marianna went on to post the 13 point victory.
The county’s two top girls basketball teams, at least record wise, squared off last Thursday night when Marianna played host to Graceville. The Lady Tigers, who have a 20 plus win season already fought hard but fell to the Lady Bulldogs by a score of 43-30. Sharae Williams led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points while Mychea Williams and Wynnterra Pittman led Graceville with 8 points each.
Marianna took an early 7-4 lead and then Williams gave the Lady Bulldogs a 13-6 lead with a basket . Williams pumped in 11 of the Lady Bulldogs 14 first half points and all 7 of Marianna’s second quarter points. The Lady Bulldogs held a 14-8 halftime lead. In the third quarter Graceville battled back as Pittman help the Lady Tigers pulled to within 2 points. Jessica McClendon of Graceville tied the game up a 17-17 and Pittman kept it tied at 19-19 with four minutes to play in the third quarter. But Marianna countered with an 8-2 run to close out the quarter as Williams and Shamiqua Davies came up with buckets. Marianna led 27-21 going into the final quarter and would lead by as many as 8 points before Graceville cut the lead back to six. But Williams took control down the stretch and Marianna went on to post the 13 point victory.
Baseball-Softball Registration
Marianna Recreation Department would like to announce for the 2010 Baseball and Softball Leagues for youth ages 5 to 15 will be held February 1st through February 26th from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM at The Marianna Educational and Recreational Expo (MERE) located at 3625 Caverns Road in Marianna. The registration fee for T-Ball will be $35 for residents and $45 for residents outside the city limits. For Dixie Machine Pitch, Dixie Youth and “O” Zone fees will be $35 for residents and $52.50 for residents outside city limits. Dixie Boys fees will be $40 for residents and $60 for residents outside city limits. Softball fees for all leagues will be $35 for residents and $52.50 for residents outside city limits. The fee must be paid with a check or money order, no cash will be accepted. No one will be allowed to register after February 26th. Registration forms may also be dropped off at City Hall. All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate. The age of all boys’ participants on May 1st of the current year will be the player’s age for the entire season. For softball participants age as of January 1st will determine league they participates in.
The leagues and corresponding age limits are:
TEE BALL LEAGUE (BOYS & GIRLS AGES 5& 6)
MACHINE PITCH LEAGUE (BOYS AGES 7& 8)
AAA DIXIE YOUTH (BOYS AGES 9& 10)
“O” ZONE DIXIE YOUTH (BOYS AGES 11 & 12)
DIXIE BOYS (BOYS AGES 13 & 14)
FARM SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 6,7 & 8)
MINOR SOFTALL (GIRLS AGES 8, 9 & 10)
FRESHMAN SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 11 & 12)
SOPHOMORE SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 13, 14 & 15)
Tryouts for Machine pitch will be on March 8th at 5:30pm. AAA League tryouts will be at 6:30pm on March 8th. “O”Zone tryouts will be at 5:30pm on March 9th and Dixie Boys tryouts will be March 9th at 6:30pm. Softball league tryouts will be held on March 4h at 5:30pm for Minor League and Freshman League and 6:30pm for Sophomore League. All tryouts will be held at the MERE Complex on Caverns Road.
The number of leagues and corresponding ages could vary depending on the total number of participants that register. Anyone that may be interested in coaching a team or officiating youth baseball or softball please contact the Marianna Recreation Department at 482-6228 or come by during registration .
The leagues and corresponding age limits are:
TEE BALL LEAGUE (BOYS & GIRLS AGES 5& 6)
MACHINE PITCH LEAGUE (BOYS AGES 7& 8)
AAA DIXIE YOUTH (BOYS AGES 9& 10)
“O” ZONE DIXIE YOUTH (BOYS AGES 11 & 12)
DIXIE BOYS (BOYS AGES 13 & 14)
FARM SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 6,7 & 8)
MINOR SOFTALL (GIRLS AGES 8, 9 & 10)
FRESHMAN SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 11 & 12)
SOPHOMORE SOFTBALL (GIRLS AGES 13, 14 & 15)
Tryouts for Machine pitch will be on March 8th at 5:30pm. AAA League tryouts will be at 6:30pm on March 8th. “O”Zone tryouts will be at 5:30pm on March 9th and Dixie Boys tryouts will be March 9th at 6:30pm. Softball league tryouts will be held on March 4h at 5:30pm for Minor League and Freshman League and 6:30pm for Sophomore League. All tryouts will be held at the MERE Complex on Caverns Road.
The number of leagues and corresponding ages could vary depending on the total number of participants that register. Anyone that may be interested in coaching a team or officiating youth baseball or softball please contact the Marianna Recreation Department at 482-6228 or come by during registration .
Vikings Capture City League Title For Second Straight Year
By Clint Cox
The Vikings captured the Marianna City League football championship recently. The squad, made of of kids ages 11-13, went 7-0 this season. It is the second straight year that the Vikings have brought home the championship as last year’s squad laid claim to the title with an 8-0 record. Nine starters from the 2008 championship team return to this year’s squad. Could a three-peat be in the future for the Vikings. Head Coach Bryan Johnson knows that will be tough, but having 13 returning players is a good start. “The big key for next year will be that all of our offensive line will be coming back. We’ll lose Teon Long as our running back (800 yards on limited touches) but we’ve got some other young men that have a lot of speed coming back that can run the ball,” Johnson commented.
The Vikings captured the Marianna City League football championship recently. The squad, made of of kids ages 11-13, went 7-0 this season. It is the second straight year that the Vikings have brought home the championship as last year’s squad laid claim to the title with an 8-0 record. Nine starters from the 2008 championship team return to this year’s squad. Could a three-peat be in the future for the Vikings. Head Coach Bryan Johnson knows that will be tough, but having 13 returning players is a good start. “The big key for next year will be that all of our offensive line will be coming back. We’ll lose Teon Long as our running back (800 yards on limited touches) but we’ve got some other young men that have a lot of speed coming back that can run the ball,” Johnson commented.
Graceville Narrowly Escapes With Win Over Malone
By Clint Cox
The Malone Lady Tigers entered their home contest against Graceville on Tuesday night having lost almost three times as many games as Graceville. But nobody told Malone they were the underdogs and they fought to the very end before falling 41-38 in a Jackson County girl’s basketball battle.
For Graceville they shook off a sluggish start and had several opportunities to put the game away. But each time they tried Malone refused to roll over. Malone had taken the early lead on a couple of baskets by Vanessa Olds. Venisha Hearns gave Malone a 12-8 at the end of the first quarter. Graceville shook off their sluggish start beginning in the second quarter as Jessica McClendon and Tiara Sorey began to heat up. But Malone kept pace with a steal and lay up by Tessa Shack. Sorey pulled Graceville to within two points on a basket with two minutes to play in the first half. But Malone got a basket in the waning seconds of the half to take a 23-19 lead to the locker rooms.
Graceville came out in the second half and immediately went on the attack. Mychea Williams hit back to back buckets to give Graceville their first lead of the game at 24-23. But Hearns got Malone right back on top with a basket to reclaim the lead. Williams tied the game at 28-28 with two minutes to play in the third quarter. Kendall Asbury hit the final points of the third quarter to put Graceville up 31-28 going into the final quarter.
Graceville went up by as many as 7 points in the early stages of the fourth quarter and appeared on the verge of salting away the game. But Malone once again dug deep and fought back. Olds made it a one point game, 35-34, with just over four minutes to play. McClendon kept Graceville on top with back to back buckets, putting Graceville up 39-36 with three minutes to play. Olds pulled Malone back to within one point with two free throws at the 2 ½ minute mark. Up 39-38 Graceville went into a stall and the game was scoreless for the next two minutes. Malone had two chances late in the game to take the lead but could not get the ball to fall their way. Graceville got two free throws from Williams with seven seconds to play to put them up 41-38. A last second shot by Olds that would have tied the game clanged off the rim, allowing Graceville to hang on for the three point win.
Graceville, which improved to 19-3 on the season, was led by Williams with 14 and McClendon with 11. Wynnterra Pittman also added 8 points for Graceville. Malone fell to 10-9 on the year but are 6-2 in district play. They were led by Olds with 10 points and Hearns with 9.
The Malone Lady Tigers entered their home contest against Graceville on Tuesday night having lost almost three times as many games as Graceville. But nobody told Malone they were the underdogs and they fought to the very end before falling 41-38 in a Jackson County girl’s basketball battle.
For Graceville they shook off a sluggish start and had several opportunities to put the game away. But each time they tried Malone refused to roll over. Malone had taken the early lead on a couple of baskets by Vanessa Olds. Venisha Hearns gave Malone a 12-8 at the end of the first quarter. Graceville shook off their sluggish start beginning in the second quarter as Jessica McClendon and Tiara Sorey began to heat up. But Malone kept pace with a steal and lay up by Tessa Shack. Sorey pulled Graceville to within two points on a basket with two minutes to play in the first half. But Malone got a basket in the waning seconds of the half to take a 23-19 lead to the locker rooms.
Graceville came out in the second half and immediately went on the attack. Mychea Williams hit back to back buckets to give Graceville their first lead of the game at 24-23. But Hearns got Malone right back on top with a basket to reclaim the lead. Williams tied the game at 28-28 with two minutes to play in the third quarter. Kendall Asbury hit the final points of the third quarter to put Graceville up 31-28 going into the final quarter.
Graceville went up by as many as 7 points in the early stages of the fourth quarter and appeared on the verge of salting away the game. But Malone once again dug deep and fought back. Olds made it a one point game, 35-34, with just over four minutes to play. McClendon kept Graceville on top with back to back buckets, putting Graceville up 39-36 with three minutes to play. Olds pulled Malone back to within one point with two free throws at the 2 ½ minute mark. Up 39-38 Graceville went into a stall and the game was scoreless for the next two minutes. Malone had two chances late in the game to take the lead but could not get the ball to fall their way. Graceville got two free throws from Williams with seven seconds to play to put them up 41-38. A last second shot by Olds that would have tied the game clanged off the rim, allowing Graceville to hang on for the three point win.
Graceville, which improved to 19-3 on the season, was led by Williams with 14 and McClendon with 11. Wynnterra Pittman also added 8 points for Graceville. Malone fell to 10-9 on the year but are 6-2 in district play. They were led by Olds with 10 points and Hearns with 9.
Bulldogs Blast Braves
By Clint Cox
The Marianna Bulldogs came out hitting on all cylinders and went on to post an 81-65 victory over the visiting Walton County Braves. After getting out to a big lead, the Bulldogs struggled the rest of the night with turnovers but still managed to send the Braves packing with a district defeat.
Kendall Leeks, Kruize Pinkins and Tre Long helped get the Bulldogs an early 13-3 lead. Marianna led 18-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Braves however grabbed their war clubs to start the second quarter and pulled to within four points at 20-16. The Braves heated up from the outside while Marianna continued to push the ball up the floor in race horse style action. Tre Jackson’s basket and free throw gave Marianna a 31-22 lead with four minutes to play in the first half. Pinkins gave the Bulldogs a 38-27 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the half. When the first half ended the Bulldog held a 10 point lead of 39-29.
Walton stayed within striking distance with occasional 3 pointers in the third quarter. But the Bulldogs began to display their power as Long knocked down a few baskets and Pinkins had a thundering slam dunk to ignite the Bulldog crowd. Pinkins’ slam put the Bulldogs up by 12 points with three minutes to play in the third quarter. A 3 pointer by Jackson with 1 ½ minutes to play in the quarter put the Dogs up 59-44. Pinkins followed with a put back after a missed shot to push the Bulldog lead to 17 points. Marianna took a 14 point lead into the final quarter but Walton quickly hit a 3 pointer to cut it back to 11. From there the Bulldogs managed to beat off the Braves attack and keep a double digit lead for the remainder of the quarter.
Marianna improved to 19-2 overall and concluded their district schedule unbeaten. The Bulldogs were led by Pinkins with 31 and 8 rebounds. Jackson had 15 points and 6 rebounds while Long added 12 points and 4 rebounds. Leeks was the final player in double figures with 10 points and four rebounds. The Bulldogs will next be in action on Thursday when they host Graceville in a triple header (girl’s Varsity, JV boys and Varsity boys for Senior Night. In JV boys action Marianna posted an 85-54 win over Walton. Anthony Speights led the JV ‘Dogs with 25 points, Emanuel Batson followed with 19 and Cameron Barnes added 12 in the win that improved their record to 14-5.
The Marianna Bulldogs came out hitting on all cylinders and went on to post an 81-65 victory over the visiting Walton County Braves. After getting out to a big lead, the Bulldogs struggled the rest of the night with turnovers but still managed to send the Braves packing with a district defeat.
Kendall Leeks, Kruize Pinkins and Tre Long helped get the Bulldogs an early 13-3 lead. Marianna led 18-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Braves however grabbed their war clubs to start the second quarter and pulled to within four points at 20-16. The Braves heated up from the outside while Marianna continued to push the ball up the floor in race horse style action. Tre Jackson’s basket and free throw gave Marianna a 31-22 lead with four minutes to play in the first half. Pinkins gave the Bulldogs a 38-27 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the half. When the first half ended the Bulldog held a 10 point lead of 39-29.
Walton stayed within striking distance with occasional 3 pointers in the third quarter. But the Bulldogs began to display their power as Long knocked down a few baskets and Pinkins had a thundering slam dunk to ignite the Bulldog crowd. Pinkins’ slam put the Bulldogs up by 12 points with three minutes to play in the third quarter. A 3 pointer by Jackson with 1 ½ minutes to play in the quarter put the Dogs up 59-44. Pinkins followed with a put back after a missed shot to push the Bulldog lead to 17 points. Marianna took a 14 point lead into the final quarter but Walton quickly hit a 3 pointer to cut it back to 11. From there the Bulldogs managed to beat off the Braves attack and keep a double digit lead for the remainder of the quarter.
Marianna improved to 19-2 overall and concluded their district schedule unbeaten. The Bulldogs were led by Pinkins with 31 and 8 rebounds. Jackson had 15 points and 6 rebounds while Long added 12 points and 4 rebounds. Leeks was the final player in double figures with 10 points and four rebounds. The Bulldogs will next be in action on Thursday when they host Graceville in a triple header (girl’s Varsity, JV boys and Varsity boys for Senior Night. In JV boys action Marianna posted an 85-54 win over Walton. Anthony Speights led the JV ‘Dogs with 25 points, Emanuel Batson followed with 19 and Cameron Barnes added 12 in the win that improved their record to 14-5.
Chipola Baseball Alumni
Weekend Set for Feburary 5-7
Dozens of former Chipola College baseball players—including former Yankees manager Buck Showalter—are expected to return to their alma mater, Feb. 5-7 for the third annual Chipola Baseball Alumni event.
The weekend begins Friday, Feb., 5, with a game between Chipola and Walters State at 11 a.m. A Golf Outing for Chipola Baseball Alumni and friends tees off at noon at Indian Springs Golf Course. An Alumni Night Social will be held at the Old Ice House Restaurant from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, Feb. 6, events begin at 12:30 p.m. with an Alumni Home Run Derby and Alumni Game. The Indians play a pair of games on Feb. 6: Middle Georgia at 4 p.m., and St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. Chipola baseball alumni are invited to an Alumni Bonfire at Coach Johnson’s home at 8 p.m.
The weekend concludes Sunday, Feb. 7, with a noon game between Chipola and St. Petersburg.
The following Chipola alumni have confirmed their attendance: Buck Showalter, Michael Gibbs, Josh Storm, David Credeur, Tyler Musselwhite, Trey Manz, Andrew Gay, Kurt Lewis, Luke Johnson, Brandon Street, Clay Long, Michael Mitchell, David Oswalt, Drew Cook, Casey Owen, Greg Albrittion, Grant Conyers, Moises Feliz, Josh Lawhon, Nathan Marks, Travis Anderson, Richie Smith, Alan Horne and Michael Gibbs. Several other former players are expected to attend.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
Dozens of former Chipola College baseball players—including former Yankees manager Buck Showalter—are expected to return to their alma mater, Feb. 5-7 for the third annual Chipola Baseball Alumni event.
The weekend begins Friday, Feb., 5, with a game between Chipola and Walters State at 11 a.m. A Golf Outing for Chipola Baseball Alumni and friends tees off at noon at Indian Springs Golf Course. An Alumni Night Social will be held at the Old Ice House Restaurant from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, Feb. 6, events begin at 12:30 p.m. with an Alumni Home Run Derby and Alumni Game. The Indians play a pair of games on Feb. 6: Middle Georgia at 4 p.m., and St. Petersburg at 7 p.m. Chipola baseball alumni are invited to an Alumni Bonfire at Coach Johnson’s home at 8 p.m.
The weekend concludes Sunday, Feb. 7, with a noon game between Chipola and St. Petersburg.
The following Chipola alumni have confirmed their attendance: Buck Showalter, Michael Gibbs, Josh Storm, David Credeur, Tyler Musselwhite, Trey Manz, Andrew Gay, Kurt Lewis, Luke Johnson, Brandon Street, Clay Long, Michael Mitchell, David Oswalt, Drew Cook, Casey Owen, Greg Albrittion, Grant Conyers, Moises Feliz, Josh Lawhon, Nathan Marks, Travis Anderson, Richie Smith, Alan Horne and Michael Gibbs. Several other former players are expected to attend.
For information, contact Brent Shelton at 850-718-2332, or email sheltonb@chipola.edu.
Preseason Region VIII Baseball and Softball Poll Released
Joc Calloway - Chipola Athletics
Earlier today the 2010 FCCAA Baseball and Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll was released. In the baseball division, the Chipola Indians were tabbed preseason #1 with six first place votes. The Indians finished last season 27-18-1, while advancing deep into the Region VIII Tournament. Conference foes Tallahassee is ranked #7 and Gulf Coast is #8.
The Indians will open their season this weekend at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, FL with their first game scheduled against Young Harris on Friday at 11:00am. The Indians will return home on February 4th, Thursday, to host in-state foe, St. Johns River at 5:00pm.
On the softball side of Region VIII, the Lady Indians are preseason #7. Chipola Softball finished third overall in the Gulf Division of the FCCAA Softball Tournament and accumulated a record of 30-19.
The Lady Indians will travel to Las Vegas, NV this weekend to participate in one of the premier junior college softball events of the year. Chipola will play a total of eight games in three days. Of Chipola’s eight opponents, seven have been to the NJCAA National Tournament, with three staking claim as former NJCAA Champions.
For continued updates of Chipola Athletics, call the Chipola Athletics’ Hotline: (850) 718-2252.
Earlier today the 2010 FCCAA Baseball and Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll was released. In the baseball division, the Chipola Indians were tabbed preseason #1 with six first place votes. The Indians finished last season 27-18-1, while advancing deep into the Region VIII Tournament. Conference foes Tallahassee is ranked #7 and Gulf Coast is #8.
The Indians will open their season this weekend at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, FL with their first game scheduled against Young Harris on Friday at 11:00am. The Indians will return home on February 4th, Thursday, to host in-state foe, St. Johns River at 5:00pm.
On the softball side of Region VIII, the Lady Indians are preseason #7. Chipola Softball finished third overall in the Gulf Division of the FCCAA Softball Tournament and accumulated a record of 30-19.
The Lady Indians will travel to Las Vegas, NV this weekend to participate in one of the premier junior college softball events of the year. Chipola will play a total of eight games in three days. Of Chipola’s eight opponents, seven have been to the NJCAA National Tournament, with three staking claim as former NJCAA Champions.
For continued updates of Chipola Athletics, call the Chipola Athletics’ Hotline: (850) 718-2252.
Lady Indians Add to Class of 2010 Joc Calloway - Chipola Athletics
In an environment where there are numerous turnovers on a junior college’s roster, recruiting is an ongoing battle. Since the Christmas break, Chipola coach David Lane has snagged two of the top players for the upcoming 2010-11 season.
Jeniece Johnson, 6’6 center from Washington D.C., is a highly-touted Class of 2009 prospect according to several media outlets. Dan Olsen, one of the top women’s basketball player evaluator, considers Johnson to be one of the top players in her class. According to ESPNU, the powerful center is rated as the 46th best prospect in her class.
Johnson originally signed with Kentucky before deciding to sit out the fall semester.
Coach Lane believes that Johnson will be a key player on next year’s squad because of her physical size and basketball IQ. “It’s hard to compare her to any one particular player because of her physical ability and athleticism. “
Lane says that former four-time All-American, Courtney Paris from Oklahoma best reminds him of Johnson’s ultimate potential, plus some. “J.J. has great hands and quick feet for a person of her stature. Since she has been on campus, she has everything we have asked her to do, plus more.”
The other future Lady Indian will be LaVonda McCall, a 6’0 guard from Montgomery, AL. McCall will provide the Indians with a surge of scoring capabilities in the 2010-11 season. McCall is a Top #200 player according to Dan Olsen’s Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.
Coach Lane is looking forward to the offensive prowess McCall will contribute to the Indians. “LaVonda caught our eye last spring as a consistent scorer and her ability to create her own shot.”
With the presence of Johnson in the paint and McCall on the perimeter, in addition to this year’s returners, Chipola will boost one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
Jeniece Johnson, 6’6 center from Washington D.C., is a highly-touted Class of 2009 prospect according to several media outlets. Dan Olsen, one of the top women’s basketball player evaluator, considers Johnson to be one of the top players in her class. According to ESPNU, the powerful center is rated as the 46th best prospect in her class.
Johnson originally signed with Kentucky before deciding to sit out the fall semester.
Coach Lane believes that Johnson will be a key player on next year’s squad because of her physical size and basketball IQ. “It’s hard to compare her to any one particular player because of her physical ability and athleticism. “
Lane says that former four-time All-American, Courtney Paris from Oklahoma best reminds him of Johnson’s ultimate potential, plus some. “J.J. has great hands and quick feet for a person of her stature. Since she has been on campus, she has everything we have asked her to do, plus more.”
The other future Lady Indian will be LaVonda McCall, a 6’0 guard from Montgomery, AL. McCall will provide the Indians with a surge of scoring capabilities in the 2010-11 season. McCall is a Top #200 player according to Dan Olsen’s Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.
Coach Lane is looking forward to the offensive prowess McCall will contribute to the Indians. “LaVonda caught our eye last spring as a consistent scorer and her ability to create her own shot.”
With the presence of Johnson in the paint and McCall on the perimeter, in addition to this year’s returners, Chipola will boost one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
Hope School Basketball Tournament
On December 10, 2009, Hope School hosted its first Basketball Tournament. The site for the event was Grand Ridge School Gym. The tournament had four teams that participated: Hope School Falcons, defending Special Olympics State Champions; the Gretchen Everhart Owls, from Tallahassee; the Leon Lions, from Tallahassee; and the Silver Sands Sharks, from Fort Walton Beach. The first game was played between the Owls and the Falcons, followed by a game between the Lions and the Sharks. The third game was played between the Owls and the Sharks, and the final game for the trophy was played between the Falcons and the Lions. The winners were: 1st Place- Hope School Falcons, 2nd Place- Leon Lions, 3rd Place- Everhart Owls, 4th Place- Silver Sands Sharks. Students from Hope School attended the event as well as students from Grand Ridge School. Concessions were sold by Hope School’s Special Activity Committee. Hope School wishes to thank Grand Ridge School and Principle Randy Ward for allowing the tournament in their gym. Hope School Coaches state that this will be an annual event. Hope would also like to thank the following sponsors: Pappy Tom’s, Jackson County School Board, Lemon Squeeze, McDaniel’s Grocery, John Brewer’s Studio, Acadia Ranch Too, Sneads Auto Parts, Buy Rite Drugs, Lipford’s Florist, Fibro Inc., Jerus Barbershop, Beauchamp Hardware, B & D Sporting Goods, Comerford Memorial Service, SATS Tutoring, Cavern’s Learning Center, Zaxbys, West Florida Electric, Old Mexico, Chipola Apartments, Chipola FFA Federation, Chris Johnson, Pizza Hut, Cottondale Chevron, Dr. Jana Calhoun, DMD, PA, Kindel Lanes, The Oaks, The Town of Grand Ridge, The Town of Sneads, Grand Ridge School, and Ice River Springs.
Hope School Falcons: Back: Coach Jimmy Martin, Marcus Holland, Roxy Williams, Trey Stuart, Jerrod Garcier, Jordan Clemmons, Coach Don Holland. Front: Chris Moreno, Randy Hartsfield, JJ Barkley, Terry Williams. Not Pictured: Coach Sarah Aase, and Jalisa Wilson.
Hope School Falcons: Back: Coach Jimmy Martin, Marcus Holland, Roxy Williams, Trey Stuart, Jerrod Garcier, Jordan Clemmons, Coach Don Holland. Front: Chris Moreno, Randy Hartsfield, JJ Barkley, Terry Williams. Not Pictured: Coach Sarah Aase, and Jalisa Wilson.
Jackson County Jays Baseball
The Jackson County Jays Baseball Club, a 2009 franchised member of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, will seek to again franchise a team within the league for the 2010 baseball season. Graduating seniors and former graduates from Jackson County schools, and other adults who desire to play more organized baseball in a highly competitive league, should contact the following for more details, ASAP: (please give name and contact number):
Raymond Bentley, Manager
Jackson County Jays 334-479-2350
Harold W. Bailey, Promotions and Publicity
229-662-2066 or 850-524-2151
Should sufficient interest be shown in franchising the Jays in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida for the 2010 baseball season, an organizational meeting will be held the first part of January, date, time, and place to be announced at a later date.
Raymond Bentley, Manager
Jackson County Jays 334-479-2350
Harold W. Bailey, Promotions and Publicity
229-662-2066 or 850-524-2151
Should sufficient interest be shown in franchising the Jays in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida for the 2010 baseball season, an organizational meeting will be held the first part of January, date, time, and place to be announced at a later date.
Chattahoochee Red Bird Baseball
For anyone interested in being a member of the 2010 Chattahoochee Red Birds Baseball Club that plays in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, sign ups are tentatively set for:
Saturday, January 30, and Saturday, February 2, 2010 12:30 P.M. EST; at Therrell Field, Chattahoochee, Florida- Highway 90 East
There are no tryouts; no fees to play, but only serious and dedicated players, ages 17 and up are urged to sign up.
More details will be available at the sign ups. If information is needed sooner, contact Quitman Varn at 850-209-4759 (leave message). First practice is tentatively set for Saturday, February 13, at Therrel Field, home of the Chattahoochee Red Birds.
Saturday, January 30, and Saturday, February 2, 2010 12:30 P.M. EST; at Therrell Field, Chattahoochee, Florida- Highway 90 East
There are no tryouts; no fees to play, but only serious and dedicated players, ages 17 and up are urged to sign up.
More details will be available at the sign ups. If information is needed sooner, contact Quitman Varn at 850-209-4759 (leave message). First practice is tentatively set for Saturday, February 13, at Therrel Field, home of the Chattahoochee Red Birds.
Chattahoochee Red Bird Baseball
For anyone interested in being a member of the 2010 Chattahoochee Red Birds Baseball Club that plays in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, sign ups are tentatively set for:
Saturday, January 30, and Saturday, February 2, 2010 12:30 P.M. EST; at Therrell Field, Chattahoochee, Florida- Highway 90 East
There are no tryouts; no fees to play, but only serious and dedicated players, ages 17 and up are urged to sign up.
More details will be available at the sign ups. If information is needed sooner, contact Quitman Varn at 850-209-4759 (leave message). First practice is tentatively set for Saturday, February 13, at Therrel Field, home of the Chattahoochee Red Birds.
Saturday, January 30, and Saturday, February 2, 2010 12:30 P.M. EST; at Therrell Field, Chattahoochee, Florida- Highway 90 East
There are no tryouts; no fees to play, but only serious and dedicated players, ages 17 and up are urged to sign up.
More details will be available at the sign ups. If information is needed sooner, contact Quitman Varn at 850-209-4759 (leave message). First practice is tentatively set for Saturday, February 13, at Therrel Field, home of the Chattahoochee Red Birds.
Indians Find The Going Rough In Panhandle Conference Play
By Clint Cox
The Chipola Indians basketball squads find themselves in uncharted territory as they have gotten off to a slow start in Panhandle Conference basketball action. Both teams concluded their first tour of duty, so to speak, in the conference this past Tuesday night in Tallahassee and both are at or near the bottom of the conference after one round of conference play.
One the women’s side of the street hard times are not just in their record and conference play. The Lady Indians have played their last two conference games with just seven players dressed out. While both games saw improvements over their first two outings against Gulf Coast and Pensacola, both games saw the ladies somewhat run out of gas in the final moments of the contest. Last Saturday night the Lady Indians fell to the Lady Raiders of Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) by a score of 76-63. That score is not indicative of just how close the game was through 36 of the 40 minutes. After a see saw battle through 36 minutes Chipola led 63-62 with four minutes to play. But those final four minutes proved to be the difference as NWFSC went on a 14-0 run to pull away for the 13 point victory. Bianca Jarrett led Chipola with 25 points and was followed by Cayla Walker with 11 and Ty O’Neil with 10 points.
Tuesday night’s contest in Tallahassee saw the Lady Indians come out red hot as Jarrett, O’Neil and Lindsey Carr got Chipola a 15 point lead with 7 minutes to play in the first half. But the Lady Eagles mounted a rally and cut Chipola’s lead to 40-34 at the half. Chipola shot 60% from the field in the first half. Jarrett and O’Neil continued their hot shooting in the second half and with 8 ½ minutes to play the game was tied 50-50. Tallahassee pulled away for a 7 point lead but Chipola rallied to get the game back to 3 points with 17 seconds remaining. But the Lady Eagles thwarted the come back attempt and held on for a 69-64 win. Jarrett hit 25 points while O’Neil added 15. Carr finished with 11 points on the evening. The Lady Indians fell to 10-10 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
The men’s team has not found the going any easier. After narrowly escaping with a close win over Gulf Coast to open the conference season, the Indians have struggled. In this past Saturday’s game against NWFSC the Indians stayed within striking distance most of the night. But each time they would make a run at the Raiders NWFSC would answer and push their lead back to double digits. Chipola trailed 38-31 at the half but the Raiders quickly pushed that lead to 12 in the second half. That 12 point lead held for the final as the Raiders won 86-74. Four Indians were in double figures as Keith DeWitt led the way with 17 points. Dexter Ellington followed with 14, Lashay Page had 12 and Aaron Davis hit 10.
In Tallahassee on Tuesday night the Indians hung close through the first 13 minutes of the first half. The game featured three ties and five lead changes during those first 13 minutes.
But in the closing moments of the half the Eagles went on a run and took a 38-30 halftime lead. The second half was all Tallahassee as it seemed as if they had put a lid over the Indian basket. Tallahassee outscored the Indians 31-19 in the second half to post a 69-49 victory. John Taylor led Chipola with 14 points. The Indians fell to 16-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Both the men and women are off for a week and will begin their second tour of duty next Wednesday in Panama City against Gulf Coast.
The Chipola Indians basketball squads find themselves in uncharted territory as they have gotten off to a slow start in Panhandle Conference basketball action. Both teams concluded their first tour of duty, so to speak, in the conference this past Tuesday night in Tallahassee and both are at or near the bottom of the conference after one round of conference play.
One the women’s side of the street hard times are not just in their record and conference play. The Lady Indians have played their last two conference games with just seven players dressed out. While both games saw improvements over their first two outings against Gulf Coast and Pensacola, both games saw the ladies somewhat run out of gas in the final moments of the contest. Last Saturday night the Lady Indians fell to the Lady Raiders of Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) by a score of 76-63. That score is not indicative of just how close the game was through 36 of the 40 minutes. After a see saw battle through 36 minutes Chipola led 63-62 with four minutes to play. But those final four minutes proved to be the difference as NWFSC went on a 14-0 run to pull away for the 13 point victory. Bianca Jarrett led Chipola with 25 points and was followed by Cayla Walker with 11 and Ty O’Neil with 10 points.
Tuesday night’s contest in Tallahassee saw the Lady Indians come out red hot as Jarrett, O’Neil and Lindsey Carr got Chipola a 15 point lead with 7 minutes to play in the first half. But the Lady Eagles mounted a rally and cut Chipola’s lead to 40-34 at the half. Chipola shot 60% from the field in the first half. Jarrett and O’Neil continued their hot shooting in the second half and with 8 ½ minutes to play the game was tied 50-50. Tallahassee pulled away for a 7 point lead but Chipola rallied to get the game back to 3 points with 17 seconds remaining. But the Lady Eagles thwarted the come back attempt and held on for a 69-64 win. Jarrett hit 25 points while O’Neil added 15. Carr finished with 11 points on the evening. The Lady Indians fell to 10-10 overall and 0-4 in conference play.
The men’s team has not found the going any easier. After narrowly escaping with a close win over Gulf Coast to open the conference season, the Indians have struggled. In this past Saturday’s game against NWFSC the Indians stayed within striking distance most of the night. But each time they would make a run at the Raiders NWFSC would answer and push their lead back to double digits. Chipola trailed 38-31 at the half but the Raiders quickly pushed that lead to 12 in the second half. That 12 point lead held for the final as the Raiders won 86-74. Four Indians were in double figures as Keith DeWitt led the way with 17 points. Dexter Ellington followed with 14, Lashay Page had 12 and Aaron Davis hit 10.
In Tallahassee on Tuesday night the Indians hung close through the first 13 minutes of the first half. The game featured three ties and five lead changes during those first 13 minutes.
But in the closing moments of the half the Eagles went on a run and took a 38-30 halftime lead. The second half was all Tallahassee as it seemed as if they had put a lid over the Indian basket. Tallahassee outscored the Indians 31-19 in the second half to post a 69-49 victory. John Taylor led Chipola with 14 points. The Indians fell to 16-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Both the men and women are off for a week and will begin their second tour of duty next Wednesday in Panama City against Gulf Coast.
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