March 17, 2010 THE TTOWNS COUNTY HERALD Page 9A

SportsTowns County’s Leader In Sports ■ E-mail: [email protected]

MarchDecember 17, 2, 20102009 www.townscountyherald.net Hiawassee, Georgia Four-run inning dooms Mountain Lions Time to talk turkey - turkey season opens March 20 by Mickey Seward, YHC Turkey hunters across agement Areas offer excellent bow, crossbow or compound SID the state are practicing their turkey hunting opportunities. bow. Wabash Valley College yelps and clucks in prepara- Through the WMA system, Conservation of the wild took advantage of a four run tion for the upcoming turkey resident hunters have access turkey in Georgia sixth inning and received a season. Opening day is Sat., to nearly one million acres of The comeback of the stellar pitching performance as Mar. 20 and the Georgia De- prime hunting land for just $19 wild turkey is one of Georgia’s the Warriors defeated Young partment of Natural Resourc- a year. great conservation success sto- Harris College 7-6 in a non- es’ Wildlife Resources Divi- Success rates and total ries. Although the bird popula- conference baseball game Sat- sion anticipates that the 2010 harvest numbers from 2009 tion currently hovers around urday in Young Harris, Ga. season should be good, and may help indicate which 300,000 statewide, as recently The Warriors (12-3 over- harvest levels should be simi- WMAs hunters should target as 1973, the wild turkey popu- all) trailed 6-3 going into the lar in comparison to the past this year. lation was as low as 17,000. sixth, but forced Young Har- several years. In the northwest, Crock- Intensive restoration efforts, ris (14-3 overall) to send four “There should be many ford-Pigeon Mountain and such as the restocking of wild pitchers to the mound in the in- vocal 2-year old gobblers Berry College WMA reported birds and increased emphasis ning. Young Harris starter Ben available for harvest this year the highest harvest rates. In the on biologically sound hunt- Watson, who, with the excep- thanks to the high reproduction northeast, Dukes Creek WMA ing seasons, have helped re- tion of a three run third inning, rate in the summer of 2008,” and Wilson Shoals WMA had establish turkeys in suitable had a solid fi rst fi ve innings, Adam Camara tries to cover home on a passed ball but the ball gets says Kevin Lowrey, Wildlife the highest harvest rates. In habitat in every county. This was allowed to start the sixth, away and the Wabash Warrior scores in 7-6 win. Photo by Jim & Resources Division wild tur- west central Georgia, hunt- resurgence is due to the efforts but was removed after walk- Lisa Bryant key project coordinator. ers should try Joe Kurz WMA of private landowners, hunters ing leadoff hitter Keith Koser. an RBI single to the fi rst bat- ting the defi cit to 5-3 in the Statistics from the 2009 and Rum Creek WMA. In east and conservation organizations Kendric McDonald came on in season harvest summary indi- central Georgia, Di-Lane Plan- like the National Wild Turkey relief and would face just two ter he faced B.J. Willis, but third on RBI singles by Rojas would settle the Mountain Li- and Rhodes and an error that cate that an estimated 56,113 tation WMA and Tuckahoe Federation. batters, getting Ed Rivera to resident Georgia hunters WMA reported high harvest The Georgia Chapter fl y out to right fi eld and giving ons down and keep them in the allowed another run to score. game the rest of the way. In The Mountain Lions would get bagged 27,323 turkeys last rates. In the southeast, hunters of the National Wild Turkey up a single to Steve Hodgins. year. The bird to hunter ratio should visit Dixon Memorial Federation has donated more New reliever Adam Camara fact, that single was the only another run when Marsh belted hit he would allow in 3.1 in- a solo homer over the left fi eld (harvest rate) for 2009 was .49 WMA and Sansavilla WMA. than $3,220,977 since 1985 immediately threw a wild pitch birds per hunter - the same as Middle Georgia hunter should on projects that benefi t wild that moved the batters up a nings of work. fence to make the score 6-3. Still trailing by just one But three batters later, Bollen- in 2007 and 2008. According try River Bend WMA. turkey and other wildlife. The base, then gave up a two-run to Lowrey, Georgia’s current Finally, in southwest NWTF works cooperatively single to Mel Rojas, Jr. After run, Young Harris couldn’t get bacher would enter the game anything going against Bollen- and turn the tide. turkey population is estimated Georgia, River Creek WMA in partnership with the Wild- Michael Mosby followed Ro- at 300,000 birds. and Chickasawhatchee WMA life Resources Division and jas’ single with a single of his bacher, who entered the game Voigt nearly matched in relief of starter Danny Gif- Bollenbacher’s dominance. Georgia turkey hunt- had the highest harvest rates. other land management agen- own that put runners on fi rst ers are privileged with one cies with the focus on habitat and second bases, respective- ford and shut the Mountain Li- In addition to the one hit he A special WMA license ons down the rest of the game allowed, he would walk just of the longest turkey seasons is required for any person enhancement, hunter access, ly, Camara unleashed another nationwide. With a bag limit wild turkey research and edu- wild pitch. Rojas never slowed to earn the victory. one batter and fan four in 3.1 16 years or older who does down after touching third base The Mountain Lions innings. Camara (2-1) was of three gobblers per season, not possess a valid honorary, cation. There currently are 96 and sprinted home. The throw were cruising along against saddled with the loss, allow- hunters have from Mar. 20 sportsman or lifetime license state chapters of the NWTF from catcher Brett Armour to Gifford, touching him up for ing two runs in one-third of an through May 15 to harvest when hunting wild turkey on with membership totals of Camara, who was covering four runs in the fi rst, thanks to inning. Watson allowed four their bird(s). a WMA, Public Fishing Area more than 16,000. the plate looked like it was in an RBI double by Matt Lobacz runs (three earned) on six hits Because most hunters or State Park. In addition, both For more information time to nab Rojas, but the ball and a three run home run by and fi ve walks in fi ve innings. pursue wild turkeys on private a valid hunting license and a regarding wild turkey hunting trickled out of Camara’s glove, Michael Squires. Young Har- He struck out seven batters. lands, the Wildlife Resources big game license are required opportunities, WMA hunting allowing Rojas to score. ris went a head 5-0 in the sec- Chris Holloway and Marsh had Division reminds hunters to to legally hunt wild turkey. opportunities, 2010 wild tur- Camara struck out the ond when Matt Lowery lifted a two hits each for Young Har- always obtain landowner per- Wild turkey legally can be key hunting seasons, regula- next batter before walking Ja- sacrifi ce fl y to centerfi eld that ris, and Squires fi nished with a mission before hunting. hunted with shotguns, loaded tions or license requirements cob Rhodes and giving way scored Daniel Marsh. game-high three runs batted in. WMA hunting opportunities with No. 2 or smaller shot, any in Georgia, visit www.gohunt- Wabash Valley would T(Mar17,TCH Spts1)ac to the inning’s third reliever, Georgia’s Wildlife Man- muzzleloading fi rearm, long- georgia.com. NT(Mar17,Z1)SH Steven Voigt. Voigt gave up march right back, though, cut- Softball goes 3-1 at Wallace State Invitational by Mickey Seward, YHC SID NASCAR 2010 Young Harris College’s By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter softball team fi nished 3-1 at LET’S GO RACING BOYS the Wallace State Invitational While Kurt Busch’s after splitting its two games victory last Sunday at Atlanta Saturday in Hanceville, Ala. was impressive, it took a back The Mountain Lions defeat- seat to the on-track combat be- ed Jefferson Davis 4-3 in an tween and Brad eight-inning affair to open the Keselowski. day Saturday. Victoria Sink The Edwards-Keselows- ki confl ict features a few chap- struck out 14 batters for Young ters written over the past season, Harris. Later in the day, Snead including the incident at Talla- State topped the Mountain Li- dega last April, the Nationwide ons 14-3. Series race at Memphis last Friday, Young Harris October, the Nationwide Se- won two games by defeating ries race at Daytona just a few Indian Hills 5-3 and Colum- weeks ago, and now the Kobalt Carl Edwards bia 7-3. The Mountain Lions Tools 500 at Atlanta. were scheduled to play Jef- Carl Edwards offered line and go in circles for three Racing, and Home swift retribution to Brad Ke- to four hours is boring. Depot took a chance with him ferson College later that night, selowski for what Edwards Edwards and Keselows- at the Sprint Cup Series level. but when the game scheduled perceived to be either an in- ki created excitement. But for every Logano, there before the YHC-JC game went tentional or foolish move by What happened between are 15 drivers who are still late and temperatures plum- Keselowski early in the race these two drivers last week waiting on sponsorships to get meted, the contest was called that damaged his car. wasn’t the fi rst time something their shots. off. After a love tap from like this happened in NASCAR. has Young Harris improved Edwards, Keselowski’s car Dale Earnhardt Sr. only been able to sell Nation- wide sponsorships for Joey to 9-10 overall with the 3-1 went fl ying, upside down and hooked Darrell Waltrip as the showing at the tournament. into the outside retaining wall. two raced for the win at Rich- Logano and this Keselowski was unhurt, and mond, sending both viciously season. Development driv- The Mountain Lions are sched- Edwards admitted it was done into the fence. ers Brad Coleman and Matt uled to return to action March intentionally. The Allison brothers -- DiBenedetto will have to wait 20, when they open Georgia How was NASCAR to Bobby and Donnie – squared on the sidelines until a differ- Junior College Athletic Asso- respond after telling everyone off with Cale Yarborough after ent sponsor steps up. ciation play at South Georgia they will allow drivers to dis- Cale and Donnie crashed each Busch said he is running College in Douglas. T(Mar17,TCH more Nationwide Series races play their personalities without other on the fi nal lap of the Spts2)ac dropping the hammer every 1976 Daytona 500. than he would like to, just to time a driver loses his cool? Earnhardt claimed he keep everyone at JGR on the Emily Wilson slides in safely at third during one of three games in “Have at it boys,” is only meant to "rattle his cage" payroll. weekend softball invitational. Photo by Jim & Lisa Bryant what Robin Pemberton said. after spinning “It's a pain to sell spon- So, how could NASCAR out in turn two late in a Bris- sorship; I know fi rsthand,” suspend or levy any serious tol race to win ... and heard the Busch said. “The only reason I New athletic website for YHC penalty? Bristol crowd's boos for the did my truck deal was because said he fi rst time in his career. I had Miccosukee and then I Young Harris College’s beginning this fall,” said Mickey phenomenal job designing YH- didn’t think Edwards deserved I believe that NASCAR didn't have Miccosukee. Now Department of Athletics, in con- Seward, YHC’s sports informa- Cathletics.com,” Seward said. the probation. is intent on allowing drivers to I've got to go and try to sell my- junction with ATHLETICSITE. tion director. “YHCathletics.com “They worked tirelessly to make “I guess they're trying to police themselves on the track. self and try to get some spon- com, introduced www.YHCath- will give Young Harris College an sure that Young Harris College intervene a little bit, but try- “Boogity, boogity, boogity, sorship for our truck deal so all letics.com, the new offi cial online athletics web site that is on par had a unique Athletics web site ing to stay out of it,” he said. let’s go racing, boys,” said of the money doesn't have to home of Mountain Lions Athlet- with those of colleges and univer- that would make everyone associ- “I didn't think any suspension Darrell Waltrip. come out of my pocket. ics, Friday. The new web site is sities that we see ourselves com- ated with the college proud. I’m or anything like that was defi - Keselowski said this “I feel like I can prob- the only offi cial source of infor- peting against in the future.” thrilled to have had the opportu- nitely going to happen, or was week that his in-your-face ably sell my races, but I'm go- mation, multimedia, and more di- ”Scott McCain and ATH- nity to partner with ATHLETIC- worthy of happening. They're driving style has separated ing to have a struggle in trying to sell Brian Ickler's races. It's rectly from the Young Harris Col- LETICSITE.com have done a SITE.com on this project. going to leave it [in the driv- him from other young driv- lege Department of Athletics. ers'] hands, and we'll see where ers and put him on a road to no different than (Kevin) Har- it goes from there. success that the vast major- vick going back and running Along with the new address “You have to say this, ity of “developmental” drivers his Nationwide car. He wanted and look for Young Harris College NASCAR has stuck to their won’t visit. to help Cale Gale come along, Athletics’ offi cial web site, YH- guns to let the drivers talk it out With that in mind, Ke- and nobody wanted to spon- Cathletics.com offers expanded and work it out. The message I selowski said he’ll continue sor Cale so he (Harvick) had efforts to provide alumni, fans kind of got out of NASCAR’s to race hard, hold his line and to step in the car and run for and media with complete informa- decision was, if you get your- keep pushing forward, and that people that wanted the Cup af- tion on all Mountain Lions sports. self in this kind of a bind, yes, includes this week’s Cup race fi liation and the big name that The site features capabilities to we're going to intervene a little at Bristol. got the coverage.” offer live statistics, audio, video, bit, but we're going to let you Five or six years ago, Weekend Racing: The schedules, rosters, statistics and and the other driver and owner NASCAR was experiencing Cup and Nationwide teams up-to-the-minute news about all of talk about it, because it's their a youth movement. Young gear up for their fi rst short track event of the season at Young Harris’ teams. race cars, and it's you driving drivers were being groomed YHC Director of Athletics the race car. That's the mes- in the Truck and Natiowide Bristol. sage [Helton] sent, and kind of Series, and then brought up Sat., Mar. 20, Nation- Eric Geldart said the new website what he said at the beginning into NASCAR’s big league se- wide Series Scott’s Turf Build- will benefi t many different groups of the year, too, that they were ries, Sprint Cup. But since the er 300, race 4 of 35; Starting in different ways. kind of going to put it back in economy went sour, that strat- time: 2 pm (ET); TV: ABC. “Prospective student-ath- our hands. He's staying true to egy has changed. Sun., Mar. 21, Sprint letes seeking information on the that point.” Sponsors no longer want Cup Food City 500, race 5 of Young Harris College athletic NASCAR is close, side a fresh face; they want some- 36; Starting time: 1 pm (ET); program will access a friendly, by side racing. Wrecks will hap- body who knows how to win. TV: Fox. informative and well-designed pen and tempers will fl air but The big budgets have been Racing Trivia Ques- website,” Geldart said. “Easy that is the sport of NASCAR. If slashed, so the large corporate tion: How many race tracks identifi able links provide all that fans didn’t come to see that sort sponsors don’t have the mon- does Bruton Smith’s Speed- is needed to introduce and follow of thing, then what happened ey, to go through the learning way Motorsports Corp. own? Last Week’s Question: YHC Athletics. The website is a between Edwards and Kesel- process with a young driver. major place for YHC Athletics, owski wouldn’t have overshad- Teams that base their fu- How many members of the owed Kurt Busch’s win. tures on developing young tal- Flock family raced in NA- alumni and all who seek informa- Most fans loved it, because ent now have to rely on older, SCAR? Answer. There were tion regarding Intercollegiate Ath- with Jimmie Johnson’s domina- more experienced drivers. four; Fonty, Tim, Bob, and letics at Young Harris College.” tion, there hasn’t been much to Most of the top teams Ethel Flock Mobley. “Providing our student- keep the emotions going. created driver development You may contact the athletes, coaches and fans a qual- programs, but only a select few Racing Reporter at: hodg- This is the kind of stuff ity web site is vitally important T(Mar10-24,M4)SH that makes racing fun. Just to make it to the top. Joey Loga- [email protected] N(Mar17-A9) as we transition to senior college watch a bunch of cars fall in no came through the ranks at gg competition for all of our teams