THE NORTH GEORGIA NEW August 14, 2013 Page 13A As season approaches, annual Meet the Team event offers plenty for Panther fans on Friday By Todd Forrest North Georgia News [email protected] If you haven’t noticed by now, our blood has begin to turn Meet the 2013 a darker shade of purple over the MeetMeet the the 2013 2013 last few days. Schools are back in ses- UCHS Panther Football TeamUCHS and Coaches Panther Football Team and Coaches sion and it’s almost that time of UCHS PantherUCHS Football Football Team Field and Coaches year again. UCHS Football Field Finally. UCHSFriday, Football Aug. 16, 2013 Field It’s time to break out the (No Cost) purple and gold Panther gear, 6:30 – 8:30 PM Friday, Aug. 16, 2013 begin dusting off the fall ward- * Autographs * GamesFriday, * Wing Aug. Eating 16, Contest 2013(Compliments of Zaxby’s) robe that should include plenty * Door Prizes * Free Popcorn * Bring your camera for photos 6:30 – 8:30 PM (No Cost) Food will be available for purchase. of purple sweatshirts, jack- 6:30 – 8:30 PM* Autographs(No Cost) * Games * Wing Eating Contest (Compliments of Zaxby’s) ets, hoodies, and other apparel * Autographs * GamesCelebrate with * theWing team before Eating the season* Contest Door begins. Prizes(Compliments * Free Popcorn of Zaxby’s) * Bring your camera for photos needed for three intense months Meet the 2013Autographs Panther Football Players. of Union County football. * Door Prizes * FreeTake Popcorn your picture with your * favorite Bring player. your cameraFood for photos will be available for purchase. The Fourth Annual “Meet SpecialMeet Appearance the by UCHS 2013 Cheerleaders the Team” will be held this Fri- Food will be availableGames for purchase. day at Mike Colwell Memorial UCHS Panther Football Team andCelebrate Coaches with the team before the season begins. Stadium at 6:30 p.m. to mark The Zaxby’s hot-wing eating contest was one of the highlights of last year’s Meet the Team. Even the Wing Eating Contest Meet the 2013 Panther Football Players. the unofficial start of the 2013 cheerleaders weren’t afraid to get in on the action and challenge the guys. Photo/Todd Forrest Celebrate with the team before the season begins. season. MeetUCHS the(Compliments 2013 PantherFootball of Football Zaxbys) Field Players.Take your picture with your favorite player. This event has been gain- Special Appearance by UCHS Cheerleaders ing momentum over the years Take yourFriday, pictureDoor with Aug. Prizes your 16, favorite 2013 player. and the attendance at the 2012 SpecialMeet Appearance the 2013 by UCHS Cheerleaders edition more than doubled the UCHS Panther6:30 –Free 8:30Football Popcorn PM Team(No Cost)and Coaches turnout from 2011. * Autographs * Games * Wing Eating Contest (Compliments of Zaxby’s) The Union County Pan- * Door Prizes *Bring FreeUCHS Popcorn your FootballCamera * Bring for Field Photos your camera for photos ther players will be on hand Friday, Aug. 16, 2013 to sign the free pictures that FoodFood will will be be available available for for purchase. purchase our handed out upon arrival. 6:30 – 8:30 PM (No Cost) Last year, the gracious Panthers Celebrate withFood the will teambe available before for purchase. the season begins. signed for more than an hour * Autographs * Games * Wing Eating Contest (Compliments of Zaxby’s) until every single autograph * DoorMeet Prizes the * Free 2013 Popcorn Panther * Football Bring your camera Players. forMeet photos the 2013 demand was met. Take your picture with your favorite player. “Meet the Team” was an Celebrate with the team before the season begins. idea created by Jacque Bentley. MeetSpecial theMeet Appearance the 2013 2013 Panther by UCHS FootballUCHS Players. Cheerleaders Panther Football Team and Coaches After chairing the event for two Take your picture with your favorite player. years, Bentley passed the reigns UCHS PantherSpecial Football Appearance by UCHS Team Cheerleaders andUCHS Coaches Football Field to Quarterback Club Secretary 2013 UCHS Football schedule Kathy Mancuso in 2012, who Meet the Team Day will feature has done a wonderful job in the contests for all ages. Aug. UCHS22nd vs White Football County (Scrimmage) Field 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, 2013 further development the yearly and skill levels. Aug. 30th vs Towns County 7:30 p.m. event. Each year, the event has This is a can’t-miss event When the smoke cleared, and the barbecue sauce and tears were Sept. 6th @Friday, Fannin County Aug. 7:30 16, p.m. 2013 6:30 – 8:30 PM (No Cost) grown. With new ideas and larg- and a good way to ring in the wiped away, sophomore Chase Barnett was crowned the champ of Sept. 13th @ Andrews N.C. 7:30 p.m. Food will be available for purchase. er crowds it will only continue 2013 season which looks to be the hot-wing eating contest. Barnett will be back as a junior this Sept. 20th BYE WEEK year to defend his title. Photo/Todd Forrest 6:30 – 8:30 PM (No Cost) to improve with the enthusiasm a promising one. Everyone is Sept.Meet 27th @ the Washington-Wilkes 2013 * Autographs 7:30 p.m. * Games * Wing Eating Contest (Compliments of Zaxby’s) that Mancuso brings under her invited to attend and for all the Food will be available for purchase. leadership. die hard Panther fans out there, Oct. 4th vs Oglethorpe County * Door Prizes * Free Popcorn * Bring your camera for photos The first event in 2010 this is a good way to ease the * AutographsUCHS *Oct. PantherGames 11th @ Riverside Football * Wing Military Eating TeamAcademy Contest and7:30(Compliments p.m. Coaches of Zaxby’s) was held at Zaxby’s of Blairs- pigskin withdrawals. * Door PrizesOct. * 18th Free vs Popcorn Greene County 7:30 * Bring p.m. your cameraCelebrate for with photos the team before the season begins. ville, who originated the idea For those new to Union Oct. 25thUCHS vs Rabun FootballCounty 7:30 p.m. Field Meet the 2013 Panther Football Players. of the hot-wing eating contest. County football, this is an ex- CelebrateNov. 1st @ with Social the Circle team 7:30 before p.m. the season begins. This heated (in more ways than cellent opportunity to meet the Nov. 8th vs Friday,Jefferson 7:30 Aug. p.m. 16, 2013 Take your picture with your favorite player. one) free-for-all has become one beloved Panthers and get into Meet the 2013 Panther Football Players. of the highlights of the evening the habit of spending your Friday 6:30 – 8:30 PM (No Cost) Special Appearance by UCHS Cheerleaders FishTake for your Food picture Fishing with your favoriteTournament player. with players, cheerleaders, fam- nights at Mike Colwell Memo- Food will be available for purchase. ily, friends, and fans all cheering rial Stadium. SpecialMatthew Appearance 25 Food Min by- the UCHS tournaments Cheerleaders end in October, the brave contestants. The pads will begin pop- * Autographsistries * Games presents “Fish for * Wing Food Eatingoccurring Contest the second(Compliments Saturday of Zaxby’s) Last year’s champion was ping on Thursday, Aug. 22nd * Door PrizesFishing * Tournament”. Free Popcorn 60% of of *each Bring month your rotating camera between for photos sophomore linebacker Chase when hosts White County for a tournament money goes to feed Lake Chatuge, Woods Grove Barnett. This year, the junior will 7 p.m. scrimmage. needy families in our area. The Boat Ramp and Lake Nottely, be back to defend is crown and Things will get very in- remainingCelebrate 40% with will go the to team tour- beforeDeaver the Road season Boat Ramp, begins. from looks to be the last man standing tense, very quickly when rival namentMeet prize money. the 2013 Panther7 a.m. Football - 1 p.m. Players. when the sauce clears on Friday Towns County visits on Aug. Prize money will be Tournament schedule: night. 30th for the season opener. awardedTake for your 1st picture Place, with 2nd yourSeptember favorite 14 - player. Chatuge; and The Indians and their new head Place and 3rd Place and biggest October 12 - Nottely. As an addition to the last fish. Special Actual prize Appearance amount by will UCHSFor Cheerleaders contact information year’s event, the high school coach are already expecting to Autograph seekers won’t be disappointed as all Panther players and depend on number of entries. call David Crisp at 706-897- cheerleaders performed and celebrate victories over rivals coaches will be on hand to sign autographs and pose for pictures Entry fee is $50 per boat, 5347. participated in the Wing Eating Hayesville, NC and the Panthers until each and every request has been granted. Photo/Todd Forrest Contest. to kickoff the 2013 season. Games and contests be- Come out and meet the Marine Corps League Golf Tournament tween the children attending Panthers on Friday night before The 17th Annual Marine within our communities through- were held on the field with plenty they meet the Indians on the field Corps League Golf Tournament out the year and charities of of competition between all ages at the end of the month. will be held at Chatuge Shores Union and Towns counties and Golf Course, Hayesville, NC on worthy military charities. For October 10, 2013. The tourna- more information please call ment benefits children, elderly, Bobby Jarrard at 706-896-6084 families and individuals in need or Walt Scott at 706-897-9610. Trout stocking sites week of August 5-9, 2013 Fannin: Rock Creek and Toccoa River Lumpkin: Etowah River and Nimblewill Creek Union: Cooper Creek Note: Information is subject to change. Please call the hatchery at 706-838-4723 for questions. The hatchery also provides trout for the state. Please contact Georgia DNR for information on sites stocked by the state. BMTA Hike Mountain Scenic BMTA Hike, Sat- urday, August 24th, 5 miles in High Hikers and out along Emery Creek in The Union County High School Cheerleading squad will be per- Fans of Union County Head Coach Brian Allison will be able to Hiking Club the Cohuttas. 12 stream cross- Mountain High Hikers forming again this year. They will also be available for pictures and chat with the Panthers’ head honcho, even while he enjoys a slice of ings ending in a pair of waterfalls. autographs. Photo/Todd Forrest pizza. Photo/Todd Forrest schedules two hikes each Tues- Bring hiking poles and wear stur- day, occasional specialty hikes, dy shoes. Rough footing as trail climbs over some large boulders. and regular trail maintaining trips NASCAR 2013 Plan to get wet! Meet at Home - all in the beautiful mountains By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Depot in Blue Ridge. Pre-regis- of Georgia and . tration required. Contact Pam and Check the website www.moun- It’s “Rowdy” Kyle at the Glen 8. Larson-665, 9. Bayne-661, 10. Richard Sullivan, pams11@tds. tainhighhikers.org for schedule Kligerman-656. net or 706-374-5281. and meeting locations. displayed one of “My car was really good after DRIVER CHASE his better driving performances on the five or ten laps,” said Keselowski. SCENARIO Kyle Busch always makes a He is a driver on the move. Statistical- way to victory in Sunday’s Sprint Cup “But on that last short two-three lap has clinched race exciting. Personally, I think his ly, Richmond is Newman’s best track race. restart, we couldn’t quite catch Kyle.” a berth in this year’s Chase which team has experienced more than the among the five remaining before the Starting fifth, he didn’t take Martin Truex tried several begins September 15, after the Rich- average amount of bad luck. If things Chase. He has 13 top 10s in 23 starts the lead in the 90-lap race until lap times earlier in the race to get around mond race. turn just a little in their favor, like they there and may need another to secure 65. During the last 25 laps, he sur- Kyle, but never succeeded. will make the did at the Glen, he could be on top. a berth in the Chase. vived four restarts, and fought off six “This being a road course, I’d Chase. The Racing started off well, NOTE: The SPEED Channel, challenges by runner-up Brad Kesel- say we held our own,” said Truex. “We cars aren’t as fast relative to the com- but has slowed down lately. His team which is owned by Fox, will cease to owski, and third-place finisher, Martin were good on short runs, but couldn’t petition as they were last year, but that is not on an upswing. exist after Aug. 16. SPEED is owned Truex. quite catch Kyle near the end.” doesn’t mean he won’t be in the final and his Ford team and operated by the Fox Sports Media Each time someone tried to Carl Edwards was fourth, fol- number. have suffered the same fate as Carl Group. On Aug. 17, 2013, it will be pass, Busch raced that much harder. lowed by Juan Montoya, Clint Bow- has had a so-so Edwards, mediocre performance. replaced by Fox Sports 1. The last restart came with three laps- yer, , Jimmie Johnson, season. He’s run well at some tracks, His average finish over the last five Fox Sports 1 will air live sport- to-go. When the green flag was given, , and A. J. Allmendinger. and at others he’s bombed. This will races is 18.4. Biffle is between a top- ing events, including college sports; Busch was gone. The best the other Polesitter , be his last year at 10 guaranteed Chase spot and a Wild basketball, soccer matches, the Whel- leaders could hope for was to finish who led the most laps, got bumped “Rowdy” Kyle Busch, Cup win- Racing. He will probably make the Card one. en Modified Tour, UFC mixed martial second. into the wall on lap 83 by , ner at the Glen Chase, but don’t look for him to chal- has shown brief arts, and the NASCAR Truck Series. “We really had an awesome who was substituting for Tony Stew- mate Jr. The track was lenge for the championship. moments of speed, and I expect he Weekend Racing: The Cup car,” said Busch. “The engine ran art. Ambrose finished 31st. blocked and several more cars ran Carl Edwards and his Roush will make the Chase, but his team and Truck teams are at the 2.0-mile great and it was fun to drive. I knew spun coming out into them. Fenway Ford team are still searching hasn’t impressed me lately. Michigan International Speedway, that I had to keep my position, be- of a turn on lap 15, and hit the in- Top-10 leaders with four for the right package with the new To qualify for the Chase on while the Nationwide Series visits cause if someone got out in front of side fence, heavily damaging his car. races before the Chase begins: 1. Gen-6 car, but Edwards has shown points, needs to fin- the 2.4-mile, 15-turn, Mid-Ohio road me, it was going to be hard to pass He returned to the track but finished Johnson-808, 2. Bowyer-733, 3. Ed- speed in qualifying, even if he hasn’t ish up front over the next four races. course in Lexington, Ohio for the first them back.” 36th. wards-728, 4. Harvick-707, 5. Kyle converted excellent starting spots into Another option for Brad is a win, time. At the end, Brad Keselowski During lap 80, Kasey Kahne Busch-693, 6. Earnhardt-670, 7. quality finishes. But he’s running fast which could come at any of the next Sat., Aug. 17, Truck Series had the second-fastest car. spun, and was then hit by his team- Kenseth-659, 8. Keselowski-634, 9. enough to qualify for the Chase. four tracks race 12 of 22; Starting time: 12:30 Biffle-627, 10. Truex-625. All Dale Earnhardt Jr. needs to Kurt Busch has driven his car p.m. ET; TV: Fox Sports 1. FREE Baseline Concussion Testing for KESELOWSKI GETS grab a Chase spot is have a respect- to the limit this year. Collectively, 11 Sat., Aug. 17, Nationwide Se- NATIONWIDE VICTORY able finish next Sunday at Michigan of Busch’s 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup ries race 22 of 32; Starting time: 2:30 Brad Keselowski held off and the sort of steady, consistent per- wins have come at the last four tracks p.m. ET; TV: ESPN. all School-Age Athletes. Sam Hornish to win Saturday’s Na- formances in the final four races that in NASCAR’s regular season, Michi- Sun., Aug. 18, Sprint Cup race tionwide road course race at Watkins have become commonplace for Earn- gan, Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond. I 23 of 36; Starting time: 1 p.m. ET; TV: To schedule or ask questions call Glen. hardt and crew chief this have to say that Busch is favored to ESPN. finished third, year. make this year’s Chase. Racing Trivia Question: PRO MOTION REHAB followed by , Elliott Jeff Gordon made a statement, Martin Truex Jr. might be an Where is Ryan Newman’s home- Sadler, , Justin All- two Sunday’s ago at Pocono, where outsider looking in. His team’s cars town? & WELLNESS CENTER gaier, , Nelson Piquet, and he got his runner-up finish the old haven’t had the speed of the Hendrick Last Week’s Question: . fashioned way, by earning it. But af- or Stewart-Haas cars of late, and that Where did Dale Earnhardt Jr. make his Top-10 leaders after 21 of 33: ter his dismal 36th-place finish at the could affect him. first Cup start? Answer. In an exhibi- at 828-837-0400 1. A .Dillon-730, 2. Hornish-727, 3. Glen, he needs to have better luck in Ryan Newman’s win at the tion race at Motegi, Japan in 1998. Smith-725, 4. Sadler-718, 5. Vick- the final four races if he is to make the Brickyard was huge. It helped turn a You may e-mail the Racing Located in Murphy, NC ers-712, 6. Allgaier-685, 7. Scott-674, 12-driver field. poor season into possibly a great one. Reporter at: [email protected].