Friday, June 25, 2010

Grand Ridge Tee Ball All- Stars

Brady Tye, Tristan Jones, Brayden Harrell, Aedin Eubanks, Tyler Edenfield, Kaylee Grammer, Justin Tye, Taylor Brown, Zack Edenfield, Bella Varum, Payton Edenfield, Wyatt Burch, Tyler Brown, Coaches, Tony Tye, Tullis Tye, Mac Edenfield, & Donnie Edenfield

Summer League Basketball Schedule

Week 3 – June 24 – Thursday


4 pm – Mt. St. Olive vs Sneads

5pm – Marianna vs Sneads

6 pm – Marianna vs Mt. St. Olive

7 pm – No Game



Week 4 – June 28 – Monday

4 pm – Marianna vs Chipley

5pm – Marianna vs Malone

6 pm – Chipley vs Mt. St. Olive

7 pm – Mt. St. Olive vs Malone



Week 4 – June 29 – Tuesday

4 pm – Sneads vs Port St. Joe

5pm – Sneads vs Bay

6 pm – Bay vs Blountstown

7 pm – Blountstown vs Port St. Joe

Graceville – Marianna World Championship

What started as an office jab of “my team can beat yours”, ended in an exciting t-ball game and much more.
Natacha Phillips of Marianna and Rod Adams of Graceville, work at David H. Melvin Engineering, Inc.
Without an official All-Star team in Marianna or Graceville at the t-ball level, they decided to form teams in each city to play each other, as they both have sons in t-ball.

Game day was set for June 5th, and after a lot of hard work and practices, hopes were high for both teams. Graceville traveled to Marianna and agreed to play under Marianna’s new rules of either three outs per inning or seven runs, whichever occurs first.

The Graceville team, towering over the Marianna boys, crushed the ball in the first inning and they appeared to have Marianna on the ropes. Marianna fought back and managed to get three outs and held Graceville to five runs. The second and third innings were both “slug fests” and both teams scored their seven runs with many exciting close calls and near outs by the players. In the fourth inning, Gavee Watson of Marianna lunged to make a triumphant double play by catching a fly ball and tagging the runner that was streaking to third base, thus holding Graceville to six runs.

Marianna scored seven runs in all four innings to win the game, twenty-eight to twenty-five. Both teams played exceptionally well and portrayed great sportsmanship and great character.

Congratulations to both teams!

Could this be the start of something big for next season?

EAST MEETS WEST IN BIG BEND ALL-STAR GAME

The Eastern Division All-Stars of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida evened the score by claiming the win over the Western Division All-Stars by a score of 10-2 at Chipola Baseball field Saturday in Marianna, FL. The Western Division All-Stars took the win over the East last year, but the big bats and solid pitching by the Eastern All-Stars proved too much for the West this year.

Leading in the hitting department for the Eastern All-Stars were Richie Smith (Liberty), Travis Anderson (Liberty), and Ben Faurot (Calhoun), who cleared the bases in the third inning with a grand slam home run that set the tone for the scoring in the remainder of the game for the East. These three players were awarded co-MVP for the Eastern All-Stars.

The Pitching for the East was solid as Austin Horton (Gulf), Chad Bailey (Calhoun), and Austin Riano (Red Birds), in relief, held the West in check throughout the game. Riano threw the last five innings in relief giving up only one run. Congratulations to the All-Stars on both sides of the diamond for a great performance in the second annual Big Bend Baseball All-Star game.

Eric Ramsey (Gulf) received the award for the oldest All-Star on the field while Mr. Faurot (father of Ben Faurot) claimed the prize for the oldest father of an All-Star on the field. Congratulations!

Thanks to Chipola College President Gene Prough, Athletic Director Dale O’Daniel, and Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson and his staff for allowing the use of their baseball facilities. Thanks a million from the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida!

Sunland Super Sonics Win 15th State Championship!

The Jackson County Sunland Super Sonics finished their 2010 Volleyball season May 14-16 in Orlando at the State games. The Sonics won their 7th straight State Volleyball Championship (2004-2010) adding to the total State Volleyball Championships to 15.

The Sonics also have a streak of 5 straight State Basketball Championships, a total of 18 championships and in the last 4 seasons they have a 52 and 8 record.

In Softball State Championships they have a total of 17 and 7 straight from 1999-2005.

9U Benders Win Marianna Tournament

Travel Ball USA hosted the “Watermelon Smash” tournament in Marinna on June 14th. Teams from Panama City, Santa Rosa Beach, Blountstown, Tallahassee, and Dothan Alabama competed for the championship. It was an extremely hot day with temperatures reaching the high 90’s throughout the day. The Benders went 4-0 on the day to secure their second tournament win in the past four weeks.

FWC Encourages Boaters to Slow Down in Areas of Oil Cleanup Efforts

Because of the large number of oil containment booms and cleanup equipment being deployed around the state in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Boating and Waterways Section is asking boaters to slow down where oil cleanup is under way.

The FWC encourages all boaters to operate at slow speed within 300 feet of all authorized booms. Boaters operating near any oil-containment booms or cleanup equipment should exercise extreme caution and comply with all applicable navigational rules. Oil-skimming equipment is large and cumbersome, and it is restricted in its ability to maneuver. As a result, boaters should be prepared to stay clear of these vessels when operating near them.

Failure to operate at slow speed in these areas could result in injury, damage to vessels and damage to the containment booms. Additionally, the wake that results from a vessel operating above slow speed in areas where a boom has been deployed can reduce the effectiveness of the boom, resulting in further environmental damage.

FWC officers and local marine units will be on the water encouraging boaters to operate at slow speed in those areas where cleanup efforts are under way.

Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, Inc. News

Game Results: June 20th

Gulf Drive-10
Calhoun Horsemen-5

Liberty Diamond Dawgs-15
Chattahoochee Red Birds-4

Destin Dawgs-6
Jackson Jays-5

Bay Brewers
Washington Bruins (Rescheduled)

League Standings:
Western Division W L Pct.
Bay County Brewers 9 5 .642
Washington County Bruins 7 5 .583
Destin Dawgs 6 6 .500
Jackson County Jays 0 14 .000

Eastern Division W L Pct.
Gulf County Drive 9 3 .750
Liberty Diamond Dawgs 11 4 .733
Calhoun Horsemen 8 6 .571
Chattahoochee Red Birds 4 10 .285

Next Week’s Games June 27th

Destin Dawgs at Bay County Brewers 2:00 P.M CDT

Calhoun County Horsemen at Chattahoochee Red Birds 3:00 P.M. EDT

Liberty Diamond Dawgs at Gulf County Drive 2:00 P.M. CDT

Washington County Bruins at Jackson County Jays 2:00 P.M. CDT

Brief Summary

League standings in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida remain the same as the previous weekend as the Gulf County Drive continued to hold first place in the Eastern Division with a win over the Calhoun Horsemen by a score of 10-5. The Liberty County Diamond Dawgs remain in second place by defeating the Chattahoochee Red Birds in Bristol 15-4. The Calhoun Horsemen hold on to third place even though they were defeated by Gulf Drive 10-5. Thus, no change in the Eastern Division standings for the week.

Likewise, in the Western Division, the standings remain the same with the Bay County Brewers holding a close lead over the second place Washington County Bruins, both teams rescheduling their scheduled game for a later date. The Destin Dawgs remain in a solid third place, improving their record 6-6 with their close win over the Jackson Jays 6-5.

Follow Big Bend Baseball League news each week in your local newspaper. Better still; support your local baseball team each week and bring a kid to the game.

LaDray Gilbert

This week’s Yesteryear photo is of LaDray Gilbert, former Malone Tiger baseball standout. LaDray graduated from Malone School in 2000 and went on to earn a law degree from Florida A & M College of Law (Orlando) in 2008. After working for about a year in the Orlando area he returned to his home county to “hang out his shingle” in Marianna.


LaDray was raised in Malone but instead of hitting the tradition rich hardwood floors for Malone basketball, he picked up a bat and ball instead and became a standout baseball player for the Tigers. He played under Head Coach Randy Ward and was a member of the Tigers baseball squad that made the playoffs both his junior and senior seasons. In fact in both those seasons the Tigers were eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual Class A State Champions. In 1999 the Tigers won the first three games of the playoffs beating Ponce De Leon 2-0, Oak Hall 1-0 and Warner Christian 3-0. That earned them a trip to Tampa and the FHSAA Final Four at Legends Field. Malone fell in the semi finals to Brito Miami Private, who went on to win the State Championship. In 2000 Malone made it to the second round of the playoffs after beating Ponce De Leon 13-0 in the opening round. They lost to Arlington Country Day, the eventual Class A State Champions. LaDray was good enough on the baseball diamond to earn a baseball scholarship to FAMU. At FAMU he not only played baseball but he went on to earn a B.A. Degree in business administration.

He is the son of Johnnie Lee Gilbert and the late Carnell Gilbert, both of Malone. He is a member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and has gotten involved in local athletics by helping coach one of Malone’s 14-15 year old youth baseball teams. Gilbert Law Firm is located at 2880 Green Street in Marianna.

See next week’s Times for a new Yesteryear feature and remember to 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. 32448

Friday, June 18, 2010

Governor Crist announces free fishing weekend in honor of Father’s Day

Gov. Charlie Crist announced on Tuesday another free fishing weekend to encourage people, especially dads and their kids, to get out and catch saltwater fish along Florida’s beautiful coastlines. The announcement follows a briefing on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill’s impact to Florida waters with President Obama in Pensacola. All Florida residents and visitors are invited to fish statewide for saltwater species without a license during the upcoming Father’s Day weekend, June 19-20. All other saltwater fishing rules continue to apply.
“Extending a special, free fishing weekend is another reminder that Florida is still the fishing capital of the world,” Crist said. “Our vast Gulf and Atlantic coastal waters are open for fishing, and I encourage everyone, particularly fathers and their families, to take advantage of this free fishing weekend in Florida.”

Crist previously designated this year’s Memorial Day weekend and the first weekend in June as free fishing weekends. Chairman Rodney Barreto of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was pleased with the governor’s new declaration.

“Gov. Crist’s actions to extend another free fishing weekend will help bring families together to enjoy the outdoors and lend a hand to Florida’s fishing communities, which have been suffering due to mistaken perceptions that fishing is not open because of the BP oil spill,” Barreto said.

The FWC continues to vigorously monitor the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and is working closely with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson to prepare for any action that might be needed to further protect Florida’s saltwater fisheries and ensure that Florida seafood is safe to eat.

Crist and the President were briefed on the oil spill by Adm.Thad Allen at a Pensacola seafood restaurant. Afterward, Crist joined the President for a tour of Pensacola’s shore.

Go to MyFWC.com/Fishing for more information regarding fishing regulations in Florida.

Marianna Swim Team

The Marianna Swim Team Marlins attended the Piranha Valdosta YMCA and placed 2nd overall on Saturday June 12, 2010. Let’s keep supporting the Marianna Swim Team their next meet is this Saturday in Moutrie, GA.

For any information about this press release please contact Carol Marks 850-482-3020

Carr, Riggs and Ingram Hold Annual Golf Outing

On Friday, June 11, the accounting firm of Carr, Riggs, and Ingram held their annual golf outing which is a demonstration of gratitude for the ongoing relationship between their organization and their clients. It is also an occasion of socializing and networking.

This was the fourteenth year the company has sponsored the event, which was free for the seventy eight invited participants. Even though the temperature was hovering near 100 degrees, a good time was had by all.

Bulldogs Take Two In Summer League Action

The Marianna Bulldogs were the lone Jackson County team to hit the floor this past Tuesday night in the Summer League action at Marianna High School. The Bulldogs were victorious in both outings, first posting a 47-30 win over the Blue Devils of Holmes County. Marianna jumped out to an early 9-5 lead and then increased that lead to 15-5 midway through the first half. Tre Jackson and Kruize Pinkins did most of the damage for the ‘Dogs. Jackson continued to burn the nets and Marianna took a 24-11 halftime lead. Quay Royster and Skylar Gause got the ‘Dogs going in the start of the second half as Marianna lead swelled to 30- 16. Holmes County made one run in the second half and narrowed the margin to as few as 9 points. Jackson and Pinkins reentered the game and took care of business, send the Blue Devils to the locker room with a 47-34 loss. Jackson led the way with 17 points while Pinkins followed with 12. Royster and D.J. Granberry each added 6 points in the win.

Game two of the night for the Bulldogs saw them take on the Monarchs of Mount St. Olive, a private school out of Dothan. This turned out to be a close game right down to the wire and in fact it took overtime for the Bulldogs to hang on for a 64-62 win. Again it was the Jackson and Pinkins show that helped Marianna cruise to an early 21-8 lead. With the Bulldog starters taking a seat on the bench the Monarchs fought back to tie the game at 24-24 and then took a 29-26 lead at the half. In the second half Jackson, Pinkins and Kendall Leeks got the Bulldogs a quick lead again and that lead held through most of the half. But the starters again got a breather and again the Monarchs took advantage, roaring back to take a 57-56 lead with less than a minute to play. Jackson came up with a steal and a layup that gave Marianna a 60-57 lead with only seconds to play but a long 3 pointer by the Monarchs at the buzzer sent the game into overtime. Jackson quickly got a steal and finished this one with a slam dunk. Gause hit a couple of free throws and Marianna led 64-60. The Monarchs added a last second shot but it was not enough to pull off the upset over the Bulldogs. Jackson led Marianna with 18 points while Pinkins followed with 13.

Rotary captured the O-Zone City Championship

For the 11-12 year old division at the MERE this season with a record of 7 - 1.
Team Members: Jared Hendrix, Jack Craven, Kiley Bryan, Avery Evans, Austin Collins, (back) Austin Torbett, assistant coach Bryan Craven, Tommy Weeks, Calvin Griffin, head coach Jeremy Proctor, Hunter Eddins, assistant coach Jeremy Barber and Hampton Jordan.

Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, Inc. News

Game Results: June 13th
Destin Dawgs-6 Chattahoochee Red Birds-3
Gulf Drive-8 Washington Bruins-2
Bay County Brewers-19 Liberty Diamond Dawgs-16
Calhoun Horsemen-13 Jackson Jays-5
League Standings:
Western Division W L Pct.
Bay County Brewers 9 5 .642
Washington County Bruins 7 5 .583
Destin Dawgs 5 6 .454
Jackson County Jays 0 13 .000

Eastern Division W L Pct.
Gulf County Drive 8 3 .727
Liberty Diamond Dawgs 10 4 .714
Calhoun Horsemen 8 5 .615
Chattahoochee Red Birds 4 9 .307

ALL-STAR GAME, SATURDAY JUNE 19th, 2:00 P.M. CDT, CHIPOLA BASEBALL FIELD.
EASTERN DIVISION ALL-STARS VS WESTERN DIVISION ALL-STARS


Next Week’s Games June 20th
Chattahoochee Red Birds at Liberty Diamond Dawgs 3 PM EDT
Gulf County Drive at Calhoun County Horsemen 2P.M. CDT
Bay County Brewers at Washington County Bruins 2:00 P.M. CDT
Jackson County Jays at Destin Dawgs 2:00 P.M. CDT

Brief Summary
A Change in standings for both the Eastern Division and the Western Division in the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida.
In the Eastern Division, the Gulf County Drive takes soul possession of the first place with a victory over the Washington County Bruins 8-2. The Liberty Diamond Dawgs slipped to second place for the first time this season after their defeat at the hands of the Bay County Brewers 19-16. The Calhoun County Horsemen improved their record to 8 and 5 by beating the Jackson Jays to hold to a solid third place in the Eastern Division.
In the Western Division, the Bay County Brewers regained first place over the Washington County Bruins with their win over the Liberty Diamond Dawgs. Therefore, for the week, Gulf County Drive takes possession of first place in the East while the Bay County Brewers regain first place in the West. But please note that the top three teams in each division of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida are separated by only a few percentage points.

Follow Big Bend Baseball League news each week in your local paper. Better still; support your local team with your attendance each week.

Mad Dogs take 2nd at Marianna Tournament

The Marianna Mad Dogs survived the 100 degree heat and took home second place in the Travel Ball USA Watermelon Smash tournament held Saturday, June 12, at the M.E.R.E. Sports Complex in Marianna. The Mad Dogs fell to the Eastside Bandits 18-0 in the first game and defeated the Southern Sluggers 11-9 in their second game. The Mad Dogs, seeded #4 going into the championship rounds, defeated the #1 seed Eastside Bandits 11-9, earning a spot in the final championship game against the Southern Sluggers. It was 0-0 until the third inning when the Sluggers scored, making it 1-0. That score held what seemed like forever, until the Sluggers broke out with seven runs and the Mad Dogs losing 8-0 and the Sluggers avenging their earlier loss.

Chipola Players Selected in Major League Baseball

With the success that Chipola College baseball program has achieved in the past decade, it is not unusual for several current and former Indians to hear their names called during the yearly MLB Draft.

In the second day of the draft on June 8, five current Chipola players and two former players were drafted by major league teams.

Current Chipola player LaVon Washington was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the second round with the 55th overall selection. The 5’11 centerfielder was drafted in the first-round by the Tampa Bay Rays a year ago, but opted to attend Chipola. Playing in 41 games, Washington batted .327 with 8 homeruns and 25 RBIs.

Pitcher C.J. Riefenhauser, a native of Mahopac, NY, was selected in the twentieth round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Riefenhauser took the mound for Chipola in 18 games with an ERA of 4.93.

Other Indians, Austin Wright, Rodney Quintero, and Joey Rapp also were selected on the second day of the draft. The Boston Red Sox picked Wright in the 23rd round. The seven game winner for Chipola had an ERA of 3.90.

Quintero, a right-handed pitcher who had an ERA of 4.46 in 17 appearances, was taken in the 25th round by Houston. Rapp, who hit 10 homeruns on the season with 28 RBIs, was selected by the Washington Nationals as the first pick of round 28.

Former Indians David Buchanan and Adam Duvall also heard their names called on the second day of the draft. Buchanan, a 6’3 right-handed junior at Georgia State University, was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh round. Last year, Buchanan was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Mets. Duvall was selected in the eleventh round by the San Francisco Giants after being named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big East First Team in his senior season at Louisville.

Summer Children’s Programs Set at Chipola

Chipola College will offer programs for children of all ages this summer.

Chipola Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson will offer two camps. A Pitching Camp for ages 7-18 will meet June 14-15. Cost is $100. A Hitting Camp for ages 7-18 will meet June 16-17. Cost is $100. All baseball camps meet from 9 a.m. to noon. For information, contact Assistant Coach Brent Shelton 718-2332.

Chipola Softball Coach Belinda Hendrix will offer two Softball camps. A Fielding, Hitting, and Hustling Camp for all ages will meet June 21-22, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cost is $50. A Pitching Camp for all ages will meet June 23, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Cost is $50. For information, contact Coach Hendrix at 718-2358.

Swimming lessons will be offered for ages four and up. Lessons are based on a combination of nationally-recognized methods. The following sessions are scheduled: Session 2: June 21-July 1, registration deadline is June 14; Session 3: July 12-22, registration deadline is July 6; and Session 4: Aug. 2-12, registration deadline is July 26. Classes are available at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. Sessions are Monday through Thursday for two weeks of 45-minute lessons. Cost is $45 and pre-registration is required, with a $5 late registration fee. An Adult Swimming class is scheduled for July 26 - July 29 with classes available at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Registration deadline is July 19. Cost is $40. For information, call pool manager Rance Massengill at 718-2473.

Men’s Basketball Signs ESPNU Top 60 Recruit

All the waiting for Chipola Coach Jake Headrick came to an end earlier today when one of his top recruits for the upcoming season finally made his decision.

Geron Johnson, a 6’3 guard from Dayton, Ohio and ranked as the #56 player in the country by ESPNU, joined the Chipola Family after careful deliberation with his family.

A super athletic combo guard that has explosive speed and an ability to get to the rim with ease, Johnson will bring his game to Chipola as the Indians look to rebuild after a 19-9 season under first year coach Jake Headrick.

“Geron instantly brings our team some size, athleticism, and an ability to create to create for him and others at the guard position,” said Chipola Coach Jake Headrick.

In his senior year at Dunbar High School, Johnson led his team to the Division II Ohio State Championship, going for a game-high 24 points and earning MVP honors as his team defeated previously unbeaten Port Clinton 64-50 to win the fourth state title in school history.

Summer League Basketball Schedule

All Games Played At Marianna High School

Week 2 – June 17 – Thursday

4 pm – Malone vs Chipley

5pm – Bay vs Sneads

6 pm – Chipley vs Sneads

7 pm – Malone vs Bay



Week 3 – June 22 – Tuesday

4 pm – Bay vs Blountstown

5pm – Port St. Joe vs Malone

6 pm – Malone vs Blountstown

7 pm – Port St. Joe vs Bay



Week 3 – June 24 – Thursday

4 pm – Mt. St. Olive vs Sneads

5pm – Marianna vs Sneads

6 pm – Marianna vs Mt. St. Olive

7 pm – No Game

PBR Results 6-12-10

Q16 Winner -

Waylan Dykes

R/U - Tim Castetter

Semi - Travis Howell

Semi - Dennis White

Qtr - Danny Howell

Qtr - Michael McCorvey

Qtr - Amy Crosby

Qtr - Charlie Johnson



All Run Race

Winner - Kenny Godwin

R/U - Wayne Hunt

Friday, June 11, 2010

Courtney Lipford Happy to Continue Her Softball Career

Leon High shortstop Courtney Lipford never intended to continue playing softball in college.
But that all changed when she homered and tripled in a game against Lincoln earlier in the season, catching the eye of Lurleen B. Community College softball coach Tommy McDaniel.
“He told me that I have the best power that he’s ever seen,” Lipford said.
She accepted a full scholarship to the school in Andalusia, Alabama. Lipford celebrated with teammates and coaches Tuesday afternoon in the Leon media center.
“It’s an example of what hard work and commitment can do in life,” Leon principal Rocky Hanna said at the ceremony.
A three-year varsity player for the Lions, Lipford has emerged as a major power threat this year in the No. 3 spot of Leon’s lineup. This season, she leads Leon with a .500 batting average and a Big Bend-best five home runs along with 22 RBIs and 19 runs.
“This is basically the best season I’ve played my whole life,” Lipford said.
Lipford, who plans to major in nursing, said there’s a good chance she’ll be in the Saints’ starting lineup as a freshman.
“Hopefully I’ll be one of their best hitters when I go there,” Lipford said.
She is the daughter of Curtis Lipford and Crystal of Blountstown and the grand-daughter of Hook and Dianne Barber of Marianna and A.G. Burnley of Tallahassee and Janet Kent of Blountstown, Florida.

Summer League Basketball Schedule

All Games Played At Marianna High School

Week 2 –
June 15 – Tuesday
4 pm – Marianna vs Graceville
5pm – Port St. Joe vs Blountstown
6 pm – Marianna vs Blountstown
7 pm – Graceville vs
Port St. Joe

Week 2 – June 17 – Thursday
4 pm – Malone vs Chipley
5pm – Bay vs Sneads
6 pm – Chipley vs Sneads
7 pm – Malone vs Bay

Panama Beach Raceway

This Saturday, June12th, Orangeman Custom Cars presents a Quick 16 and regular bracket race.  Gates open at 5 PM and time trials will start at 6.  Spectators are $15.  Entry Fee for the Q16 is $50 and for the regular bracket race is $40.  Must run 6.30 or faster to qualify for the Q16.
 Sunday, June 13th, Orangeman Custom Cars presents: Funday Sunday.  A day full of testing and grudge racing.  Gates open at 2 PM.  Spectators are $10.  Entry fee is $20.

Summer League Tips Off

 The boy’s basketball summer leagued tipped off this week at Marianna High School.  Tuesday night’s action saw both Malone and Marianna hit the floor and apparently someone forget to tell them that it was just a summer league game.  The two squads went at it like it was a typical Malone vs Marianna game during the regular season and the Tigers held on for a 69-65 win. 
Marianna jumped out to an early big lead as bigmen Kruize Pinkins and Kendall Leeks dominated inside.  The Bulldogs led 9-2 before Malone started heating up on the shooting of Ladrius McElroy.  Marcus Leonard pumped in a three pointer as the Tigers cut it to a 14-8 game.  Midway through the first half Malone went on a run as Chai & Ty Baker started doing the damage.  Chai pulled the Tigers to within two points at 20-18 and moments later McElroy tied the game at 24-24.  Jean Little got into the action with five points late in the first half and Malone took a 37-30 halftime lead.
Leeks and Pinkins went right to work in the second half and Marianna quickly tied the game at 39-39.  But Malone responded as the Chai & Ty show heated up and back to back buckets by Ty gave Malone a 45-41 lead.  Austin Williams came off the bench for Malone and hit a couple of three pointers and gave Malone a 53-46 lead.  The Tigers expanded that lead to as many as 10 points, 61-51 with just over two minutes to play.  The Bulldogs made a valiant run at the Tigers as Leeks, Pinkins and Tre Jackson scored to pull the Bulldogs to within two points at 65-63.  But with 12 seconds to play Malone got two free throws from Chai Baker and then held on for the four point victory.   
In game one Marianna beat Port St. Joe 64-50 as they got excellent perimeter play from Quay Royster and Tre Jackson.  Malone downed Bay 46-28 in game two of the night with fine performances from McElroy and Chai Baker.

Chipola Softballers Named All- American

Chipola College Softball players Emma Stevenson and Kellie Todd have been named to the NJCAA Division I Softball All American Team.
Emma Stevenson was named to the First Team as the number one pitcher in the nation.  Kellie Todd was named to the Second Team as Catcher.  Steven is a freshman from Harrisburg, NC, and will be returning next year.  Todd is a sophomore from Ocala, and will be taking her softball skills to the next level next year to play at the University of Central Florida.
Stevenson collected 21 wins and only 3 defeats, while picking up 4 saves on the season. Her ERA for the year was a jaw-dropping 1.067. Catcher Kellie Todd’s .435 batting average and defensive prowess helped land her on the NJCAA Second Team All-American list. She logged 300 putouts and threw out 22 runners stealing.
 “It’s a great honor for our program for Emma and Kellie to be recognized as NJCAA All-Americans,” said Coach Belinda Hendrix.  “We were fortunate to have extremely talented individuals in the circle and behind the plate for us this year.”

Both Stevenson and Todd helped the Chipola Lady Indians to an astounding 49 wins, capturing the Panhandle Conference Championship, the NJCAA Region VIII Championship, and a fifth place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament.

Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, Inc. News

Game Results: June 6, 2010

Chattahoochee Red Birds-(G1-9, G2-15)   
Jackson Jays (G1-4, G2-5)  

Gulf Drive (G1-6, G2-7)
Bay Brewers (G1-3, G2-0)

Destin Dawgs-11           
Liberty Diamond Dawgs-6

Calhoun Horsemen-11       
Washington Bruins-0

League Standings:

Western Division            W    L    Pct.
Washington County Bruins        7    4    .636
Bay County Brewers        8    5    .615
Destin Dawgs            4    6    .400
Jackson County Jays        0    12    .000

Eastern Division           W      L      Pct.
Liberty County Diamond Dawgs    10    3    .769
Gulf County Drive            7    3    .700
Calhoun Horsemen        7    5    .583
Chattahoochee Red Birds        4    8    .333
   
Next Week’s Games:   June 13, 2010
Destin Dawgs at Chattahoochee Red Birds  3 P.M  EDT
Liberty Diamond Dawgs at Bay Brewers 2 P.M. CDT
Gulf County Drive  at Washington County Bruins  2 P.M. CDT
Calhoun County Horsemen  at Jackson County Jays  2 P.M. CDT (Sneads)

Brief Summary:
In the Eastern Division of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida the Liberty Diamond Dawgs remain in first place with a 10-3 record even though the Destin Dawgs dealt them a loss of 11-6 this past Sunday.  Gulf Drive pulls back into second place with a 7-3 record sending the Calhoun Horsemen back to third place with a 7-5 record.  Gulf Drive helped it’s standings with a double header sweep over the Bay Brewers 6-3 and 7-0.
In the Western Division the Bay Brewers by losing a double header to Gulf Drive fell to second place behind the Washington Bruins even though the Bay Brewers lost to the Calhoun Horsemen 11-0.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Tad Scott, pitcher for the Calhoun Horsemen, pitched the leagues first no hitter since the league was organized in 2009, against the Washington Bruins striking out eleven.

Former Chipola Indian Leads MLB in Home Runs

In front of the largest crown in Toronto since opening day of the season, 30,089 fans watched as former Chipola Indian, Jose Bautista hit two towering home runs to help the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the New Yankees 6-1 on Friday night.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak by the Yankees and the two homers increased Bautista’s major league-leading total to 18.
“This is uncharted water for me, but it feels good,” said Bautista, who had a previous career high of 16 home runs in a single season.
The former Chipola great led off the second inning with a home run ball that went off the facing of the third deck in left field.  Later in the fourth inning, Bautista found almost the same area for a two-run shot. Bautista would finish the night with a leadoff double in the eighth to go 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs on the night.
Bautista was a member on Chipola Baseball squad before being drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in the 20th round of the 2000 amateur draft.  His official signing came in May 2001, the same year the Indians captured the Panhandle Conference Championship and was the NJCAA Region VIII Runner-up.
For the latest news about Chipola Athletics, visit www.chipolaathletics.com .

Friday, June 4, 2010

Panama Beach Raceway

This Saturday, June 5th: Orangeman Custom Cars Presents a Quick 16 Bracket Race and a Regular Bracket Race.  To run in Quick 16 you must run 6.30 and faster.  Gates open at 3.  Time trials start at 4.  Spectators are $15.  Entry for Quick 16 is $50.  Entry for regular bracket race is $40.
Quick 16 payout:  Winner - $1000, R/U - $300, Semis - $100, QTRS - $50.
Winner of Quick 16 will receive an EXTRA $250 bonus sponsored by Orangeman Custom Cars!
Regular Race payout per class based on 35 car min per class: Winner - $1000, R/U - $200, Semi - $100, QTR - $50. The winners of each class will run for an EXTRA $250 bonus sponsored by Orangeman Custom Cars!
Racers can enter both races.
Funday Sunday, June 6th: Orangeman Custom Cars presents the Orangeman Custom Cars Car Club Challenge, Test and Tune, and Grudge Racing.  Testing is $20.  One additional person is $5.  Two plus spectators are $15 a car load.  Gates open at 2.  Racing will start at 3.

Chipola Summer and Fall Registration Deadlines Set

Application deadline for Chipola College’s Summer Session II is June 3.  Registration is Thursday, June 24.  Classes begin June 28.
Applications for Admission are available in the Admissions Office located in the Student Service Building or on-line at www.chipola.edu
Students must request a final high school transcript to be sent to Chipola as part of the application process. Students must also take the College Placement Test unless otherwise qualified by ACT or SAT scores.
Federal financial aid may be available to qualifying students. For information and assistance call 850-718-2293. Students may also apply for scholarships through the Chipola Foundation. For deadline information and assistance call 850-718-2445.
New students planning to enroll in Fall 2010 classes will be eligible to register early by taking a special condensed Orientation class this summer. The course will be offered in the day or evening on the dates of July 19-22 and July 26. Students who take the summer orientation class may register for Fall classes, July 12-15.  Students must be cleared for admission for the Fall Term by June 30 in order to register.
Chipola offers the Associate in Arts Degree, the Associate in Science Degree and Workforce Development programs. The college also offers Bachelor’s Degrees in Business, Nursing, Special Education, Elementary Education and Secondary and Middle School Education with majors in Math and Science.
For information, call 850-718-2311.

Former Lady Indian Captures National Title, Another Finishes Runner-up

Chipola College Athletics has been blessed in previous years by seeing countless former student-athletes succeed athletically after they transfer from Chipola.
This year the Chipola Softball team witnessed one of their former players help Simon Fraser University capture the NAIA National Softball Championship and another come within one swing of the bat of capturing a national title for Valdosta State University.
Former Lady Indian, Brittany Mayers, helped lead the Simon Fraser Clan to an improbable national title after losing six of their last eight regular season games.  However, after finishing runner-up in their conference tournament, Simon Fraser University advanced through the championship bracket at the national tournament to defeat Oklahoma City University 4-3 in the final game.
Mayers, a member of the 2009 Chipola Softball Team, started every game for Simon Fraser and had a batting average of .305 with 25 RBIs and 4 homeruns.
Another former Lady Indian that achieved enormous success with her new team was Alyssa Shirey.  Shirey worked effortlessly behind the plate for Valdosta State University to lead them to the NCAA Division II National Championship game.
With her team down 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning and one out, Shirey came up with a single to give hope to her team.  Nevertheless, after loading the bases with only one out, opponent Hawaii – Pacific’s defense stepped up to end the game and win the national title by collecting the final two outs.    
Earlier in the week, Shirey was honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association by being named a First Team All-American and as the Gulf South Conference East Division Player of the Year for 2010.  The senior catch is no stranger to success as this is her second time to make the NFCA’s All-American List as she earned second teams honors in 2009.
Shirey was an NJCAA All-American catcher at Chipola College and was a key member of the 2007 NJCAA National Softball Championship squad.  Shirey batted .416 on the year with 58 RBIs and 20 homeruns.  Her 20 homeruns ranked Shirey at #7 in the NCAA Division II Softball category for homeruns this year.

Chipola’s Ellington Signs Letter of Intent

Starting shooting guard for the 2009-10 Chipola College Men’s Basketball team, Dexter Ellington, has decided where he will continue his collegiate journey after signing a National Letter of Intent on Thursday.
 Ellington, a 6’1 sophomore from Culthbert, GA, will now take his skills both in the classroom and on the court to Texas Southern University in Houston, TX.  Ellington, who transferred to Chipola after playing his freshman year at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas, was instrumental in leading the Indians to a 19-9 record overall under first year head coach Jake Headrick.  
“After thinking about my future, I believe Texas Southern will be a great fit for me,” said Ellington.  “I am very grateful for my one year at Chipola and I am very appreciative of the work my coaches did with developing my game.  I can’t wait to continue to improve at Texas Southern”

Alligator Hunters Must Resubmit Applications

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is working to get things back on track after learning about a problem with alligator hunting permit applications. Active Outdoors, the company that provides the FWC’s licensing and permitting system, said a coding error resulted in the recording of incorrect harvest period choices for many of the Florida alligator hunting applications.
The FWC has taken steps to ensure that Active Outdoors has fixed the problem, but because the company was unable to recover customers’ selected harvest periods, new applications will have to be submitted before a random drawing can be conducted and permits issued. The agency will be accepting new applications between June 1 and June 14. Everyone who previously submitted an application will have to resubmit a new application during the new application period.
Meanwhile, Active Outdoors general manager David Dutch issued a statement saying, “Active Outdoors, vendor for the FWC licensing system, recently discovered we had an issue with the alligator application process that requires applicants to resubmit their applications.  We deeply regret this error, and we understand and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to FWC staff and its constituents.  In addition, Active Outdoors, in furtherance of our commitment to FWC and its constituents, is waiving all convenience fees for online Internet purchasers of the licenses awarded as a result of the random draw.  Florida residents buying online will save over $9. Active Outdoors will forego an estimated $75,000 in revenue from these waived convenience fees while covering all costs of the online purchase, including processing the payment and printing/mailing the license.”
Erin Rainey, head of the FWC’s Recreational Licensing Section, said prospective gator hunters had submitted 9,681 applications during the original application period. The FWC is contacting all applicants via e-mail or the U.S. Postal Service to inform them of this issue.
The FWC had planned to post the results of the random drawing on its website on May 27, but resolving the problem made that impossible.
“Customer service is a high priority in this agency, and we are disappointed with the service provided by the vendor in this instance,” Rainey said.
The start of the alligator hunting season, Aug. 15, will not be delayed.
For more information about gator hunts, visit MyFWC.com/Gators.

Summer Children’s Programs Are Set at Chipola

Chipola College will offer programs for children of all ages this summer.

Swimming -Swimming lessons will be offered for ages four and up. Lessons are based on a combination of nationally-recognized methods.
The following swimming instruction sessions are scheduled: Session 1: June 7-17, registration deadline is June 1; Session 2: June 21-July 1, registration deadline is June 14; Session 3: July 12-22, registration deadline is July 6; and Session 4: Aug. 2-12, registration deadline is July 26. Classes are available at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. Sessions are Monday through Thursday for two weeks of 45-minute lessons. Cost is $45 and pre-registration is required, with a $5 late registration fee. An Adult Swimming class is scheduled for July 26 – July 29 with classes available at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.  Registration deadline is July 19. Cost is $40.
For information, call pool manager Rance Massengill at 718-2473.

Baseball - Chipola Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson will offer two camps.  A Pitching Camp for ages 7-18 will meet June 14-15.  Cost is $100.  A Hitting Camp for ages 7-18 will meet June 16-17.  Cost is $100.  All baseball camps meet from 9 a.m. to noon. For information, contact Assistant Coach Brent Shelton 718-2332.

Softball - Chipola Softball Coach Belinda Hendrix will offer two Softball camps. A Fielding, Hitting, and Hustling Camp for all ages will meet June 21-22, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.  Cost is $50. A Pitching Camp for all ages will meet June 23, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.  Cost is $50.  For information, contact Coach Hendrix at 718-2358.

Big Bend Baseball League of Florida, Inc. News

Game Results: May 30, 2010
Chattahoochee Red Birds-5
Washington Bruins-3  

Bay County Brewers-21
Calhoun Horsemen-16

Liberty Diamond Dawgs-(G1-10, G2-12)
Jackson Jays-(G1-8, G2-2)

Gulf Drive
Destin Dawgs (Rescheduled)

League Standings:
Western Division W L Pct.
Bay County Brewers 8 3 .777
Washington County Bruins 7 3 .700
Destin Dawgs 3 6 .333
Jackson County Jays 0 10 .000

Eastern Division   W   L   Pct.
Liberty County Diamond Dawgs 10 2 .833
Calhoun County Horsemen 6 5 .545
Gulf County Drive 4 4 .500
Chattahoochee Red Birds 2 8 .200

Next Week’s Games:   June 6, 2010
Jackson County Jays at Chattahoochee
Red Birds 2:00 & 4:00 P.M. EDT (DH)
Liberty Diamond Dawgs at Destin Dawgs 2:00 PM CDT
Bay County Brewers at Gulf County  Drive 2:00 P.M. CDT
Washington County Bruins at Calhoun County Horsemen 2:00 P.M. CDT

Brief Summary:
In the Western Division of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida the Bay County Brewers jump back into first place by defeating the Calhoun Horsemen 21-16.  While the Washington County Bruins fell back to second place after losing 5-3 to the Chattahoochee Red Birds.  Thus, the Bruins and the Brewers continue to fight it out for soul possession of first place in the Western Division.
In the Eastern Division of the League the Liberty County Diamond Dawgs increase their hold on first place by taking a double header from the Jackson Jays in Marianna by scores of 10-8 and 12-2.  In the first game the Jays held an 8-7 lead over the Diamond Dawgs going into the last inning when the Dawgs clawed back with three runs to win 10-8.   Credit must be given to the Jays in their effort to upset the first place Dawgs in the Eastern Division.  Also, credit goes to the Jays for four new players who joined the club this past week for the first time.
Continue to follow Big Bend Baseball each week in your local newspaper.

Summer League Basketball Set To Begin

It’s that time of year again.  With the local schools letting out for the summer that also means it’s time for the annual June Boys Basketball Summer League at Marianna High School.  Four of the five high school varsity programs from Jackson County will be taking part in the summer league this year.  They include Marianna, Malone, Graceville and Sneads.  In addition to the Jackson County schools, Chipley, Blountstown, Port St. Joe and Bay will also participate.  There will be two nights of basketball per week for all four weeks of the month of June.  Each week the Jackson County Times will provide a list of the remaining games for the month of June
Week 1 – June 7 – Monday
4 pm – Graceville vs Chipley
5pm – Chipley vs Sneads
6 pm – Graceville vs Blountstown
7 pm – Blountstown vs Sneads

Week 1 – June 8 – Tuesday
4 pm – Marianna vs Port St. Joe
5pm – Malone vs Bay
6 pm – Marianna vs Malone
7 pm – Port St. Joe vs Bay

Week 2 – June 15 – Tuesday
4 pm – Marianna vs Graceville
5pm – Port St. Joe vs Blountstown
6 pm – Marianna vs Blountstown
7 pm – Graceville vs Port St. Joe

Week 2 – June 17 – Thursday
4 pm – Malone vs Chipley
5pm – Bay vs Sneads
6 pm – Chipley vs Sneads
7 pm – Malone vs Bay
Week 3 – June 22 – Tuesday
4 pm – Bay vs Blountstown
5pm – Port St. Joe vs Malone
6 pm – Malone vs Blountstown
7 pm – Port St. Joe vs Bay

Week 3 – June 24 – Thursday
4 pm – Graceville vs Sneads
5pm – Marianna vs Sneads
6 pm – Marianna vs Graceville
7 pm – No Game

Week 4 – June 28 – Monday
4 pm – Marianna vs Chipley
5pm – Marianna vs Malone
6 pm – Chipley vs Graceville
7 pm – Graceville vs Malone

Week 4 – June 29 – Tuesday
4 pm – Sneads vs Port St. Joe
5pm – Sneads vs Bay
6 pm – Bay vs Blountstown
7 pm – Blountstown vs Port St. Joe

Jump Starting The Jays

A special baseball meeting was held last Thursday night in Marianna by officials of the Big Bend Baseball League of Florida.  The meeting, held at  Jim’s Buffet and Grill, was in an effort to recruit additional players for the Jackson County Jays baseball club.  The Jackson County Jays are a member of the  Big Bend Baseball League of Florida and play in the West Division. The league, which is an adult baseball league, has a total of 8 teams that are divided into two divisions (East and West).   The league’s top ranking officials were present at the meeting.  In attendance were League Commissioner Morrell Bailey, Assistant Commissioner Don Stephens (West Division) and Harold Bailey, Director of Publicity and Promotions.  Homer Hirt was also present to show his support for the Jackson County team.  Carol Schauf, the league’s secretary was also present along Harold Bailey’s wife.  Both the ladies were there to try and keep the men folk straight.
The Jays have had difficulties in fielding a competitive team and are in need of additional players.  “With five High Schools in Jackson County that graduate high school baseball players every year there is no reason that Jackson County should not be able to field a solid team,” commented Harold Bailey.  In fact Bailey noted that Jackson County is the largest county in geographical terms of the counties represented in the league.
Several current and prospective players showed up for the meeting and began developing a list of prospects to start calling.  Those prospects included former players from Sneads, Malone, Marianna, Cottondale and Graceville.  Derek Welch, who played at Malone, is one of the players taking the lead on trying to get some additional ball players.  He was getting some help with the prospective list from former Malone Tiger Aaron Conrad and former Marianna High student Dylan Sellers. Their efforts must have paid off as four new players showed up for the games this past Sunday and the Jays gave the first place Liberty County Diamond Dawgs a run for their money, leading at one point 8-7.  Liberty County rallied for a 10-8 win in game one of the double header.  
Anyone wishing to get more information on how to become a member of the Jackson County Jays may contact Derek Welch at 693-0611.