PageFebruary 3B THE 10, NORTH 2021 THEGEORGIA NORTH NEWS GEORGIA February NEWS 10, 2021 Page 3B Lady Panthers falter late in losses to Banks, Elbert; postseason begins Friday By Todd Forrest County last month) while scor- Sports Editor ing 4 points and blocking one [email protected] shot. Cook finished with 3 points, five boards, three dimes Winter weather reshuffled and a steal. Union County Basketball’s The Lady Panthers went 0 already-modified schedule last for 6 from downtown vs. Elbert week, postponing two region and 1 of 5 vs. Banks. Union has matchups and canceling Thurs- missed 27 of 29 attempts from day’s visit to Rabun Gap. 3-point territory over the last Wednesday’s night’s five games. home meeting with Banks The Lady Panthers hit 9 County, initially scheduled for of 15 (60%) from the line vs. Tuesday, ended in a 46-38 loss Elbert County and 9 of 16 (56%) after the Leopards pulled away vs. Banks County. late, doubling up Union County Overall, Union County 14-7 in the fourth quarter. shot 14 of 44 (32%) vs. Banks Trailing 32-31 after three, County and 13 of 48 (27%) vs. the Lady Panthers (2-9, 0-5) Elbert County from the field. could not secure their first re- Looking ahead: Sat- gion victory despite 16 points urday’s regular-season finale from junior Rebekah Chambers at No. 3 Rabun County was - matching a career-high (at Fan- delayed until Monday. nin County, Dec. 2020). The girls’ Region 8-AA Leading 9-8 entering the Tournament is slated to begin second, Banks County raced in Left: Ava Hunter draws a double-team vs. Banks County. Right: Panther pride runs in all age groups at UCHS sporting events. Photos/Karen Clark on Friday at Banks County front 23-15 at the break, limiting accounted for Union’s only 6 points, 10 rebounds and a sophomore Kaylee Helton add- with Union County this year. with Union facing Elbert at Union County’s leading scorer, fourth-quarter baskets as the blocked shot. ed two rebounds and freshman Hunter scored nine of her 7:30 p.m. The girls champion- junior Ava Hunter, to just one Lady Panthers finished just Freshman Lara Turner Sofia McNabb had one board. team-high 15 points during the ship and consolation games are first-half field goal. 3-for-7 at the charity stripe over finished with 3 points, four During Friday’s meeting first half while pulling down 14 on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6 and Chambers (6 points) the final eight minutes. rebounds, two assists and two with Elbert County, the second- rebounds and blocking a shot. 7:30 p.m. and sophomore Ellie Cook (7) Chambers went 7 of 9 steals. Fellow freshman Kyra ranked Lady Devils ran away Turner had 7 points (one Next week’s State Tour- picked up the slack in the third from the floor and 2 for 2 at McKechnie rounded out the from Union County with a 32- shy of her career-high) and nament includes an 8-AA vs. frame, combining for 13 points the line while registering four scoring with 2 points to go with 13 second half during a 60-35 one assist. Hill finished with 6 5-AA first-round matchup. Re- as the Lady Panthers outscored rebounds and three steals. one steal. victory. points, five rebounds, five steals gion 5-AA features a three-way Banks 16-7, pulling within a Cook had 11 points, five Sophomore Corinne Hill Thirty-two turnovers and three assists. Chambers re- battle for first between Callaway point. steals, four boards and sank chipped in three rebounds, one doomed the Lady Panthers in corded her second double-digit (10-6, 6-1), Heard County (15-4, However, one field goal Union’s only 3 of the contest. dime and one steal. Junior Ans- the loss, giving Elbert County rebound game of the season 4-1) and Haralson County (15-3, each from Chambers and Hunter Hunter ended her night with ley Collins had three boards; 70 takeaways in two meetings with 10 (career-high 11 at Banks 3-2). UCHS sends a pair of swimmers to State Atlanta - On Thursday, fourth in Class AA, besting the the UCHS swim team fam- NASCAR 2021 Feb. 4, two swimmers repre- UCHS record that she previ- ily would like to extend their By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter sented Union County High ously owned. thanks to the Union County School at the GHSA State Hunter White dropped Board of Education and Union Harvick To Start His 20th Daytona 500 Championships at Georgia his time in the 50-yard free- General Wellness Center for The 63rd running of the Tech. style, coming in fourth in Class their support and help during Daytona 500 on Feb. 14 at Day- Hannah Sheffield AA. this season. tona marks a milestone in Kevin dropped her time in the 50 -yard In addition, he had a per- The North Georgia News Harvick’s career. It will be his freestyle, coming in third place sonal best time in the 100-yard congratulates all UCHS and 20th career start in the Great in Class AA while breaking breaststroke, securing a second UCMS swimmers and coaches American Race, with his first her own UCHS record. Also, place finish in Class AA. on a remarkable 2020-21 sea- Daytona 500 coming on Feb. 17, Coaches Kelly Helton son. The program’s future is 2002. He started second in that she had a personal best in the race and finished 36th after get- 100-yard freestyle, placing and Emily Stafford, alongside exceptionally promising. ting collected in a multicar acci- dent on lap 150. He is coming off a career best, nine win season, and has to be considered one of the favorites to win this year’s race. “You’ve got to start over just because of the fact you just never know how things are go- ing to shake out, how your cars are going to run, and the deci- sions you’re going to make,” he said. “You just have to start over and forget everything that you’ve done, and I think that’s one thing we do really well as a team. Whether it’s a really good week or a really bad week, or a good season or a bad season, we’re re- ally good at just forgetting about whatever it is that happened and Kevin Harvick 2020 making sure that we’re focused on tona 500 victory, Harvick won the won a race every year since 2011, the things we need to be focused 2010 Coke Zero 400. He has 10 the second longest active streak. on for that particular week.” top-fives and 15 top-10s on the Additionally, he has three or more Five years and one day Daytona oval. wins in all but two of those sea- after his Daytona 500 debut, Har- Outside of the NASCAR sons and double-digit top-five re- vick won the 2007 Daytona 500. Cup Series, Harvick has made 19 sults in all but one. He edged NASCAR Hall of Fam- career NASCAR Xfinity Series Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) er Mark Martin for the victory by starts at Daytona and three IROC announced that it has extended .02 of a second in a frantic green- starts. Of his 47 Xfinity Series agreements with driver Denny Hannah Sheffield Hunter White white-checkered finish. wins, only one is at Daytona, the Hamlin and long-time sponsor To earn a spot in the Day- 2007 season opener. And Har- FedEx with a pair of multi-year tona 500, drivers must first com- vick’s best IROC finish at Dayto- agreements. First quarter vs. Banks, third quarter vs. pete in the Duel, twin 150-mile na is seventh, earned twice (2003 Hamlin is a three-time qualifying races that set the 40- and 2004). Harvick is a two-time winner and defending champion car field for the Daytona 500. Xfinity Series champion (2001 of the Daytona 500. He has 44 Elbert dooms Union men in 8-AA losses Harvick has won his Duel race and 2006) and the 2002 IROC career wins in the NASCAR Cup twice (2013 and 2019). He is cur- champion. Series and the Chesterfield, VA rently on a run of five straight “As a group, we want to native has been a model of con- top-five finishes in the Duel, and win,” he continued. “I would sistency amassing 280 top-ten he has finished among the top-10 rather win races than win a cham- and 179 top-five finishes in 542 in 11 of his last 13 Duel races. pionship at this point. In order to career starts. Nobody has visited Before drivers compete in keep the attitude and enthusiasm victory lane more than Hamlin the Duel, they race the clock in where it needs to be, we need to over the past two seasons, with single-lap qualifying. The two be competitive week in and week his 13 wins in the Cup Series tied fastest cars are locked into the out. If it works out in a champi- for the most over that time. field while the rest of the driv- onship at the end of the year, ul- Racing Joke: Kyle and ers are split into the Duel. Odd- timately that’s the goal, but the his wife celebrated their anniver- numbered drivers are in the first immediate goal when you start sary by visiting the Grand Can- Duel and even-numbered drivers the season is how competitive are yon during the off season. They are in the second Duel. Harvick we from week one to week 36, planned to each ride a pack mule has never started on the pole for and how do we put ourselves in to the bottom of the canyon. the Daytona 500, but he did take a position to win as many races as They hadn’t gone too far the outside pole once in 2002 for possible. If you do that, you’re go- when his wife’s mule stumbled. his first Daytona 500. ing to have a chance to win races, His wife quietly said, “That’s For a select group of driv- and not only win, you’re going to once.” ers, 24 to be exact, a non-points have a chance to make the play- They proceeded a little fur- exhibition race around the Day- offs, progress through the play- ther and her mule stumbled again. tona road course kicks off their offs, and win the championship. “That’s twice,” she said. week at Daytona. The Busch With the playoff format, it really After going a short dis- Clash is comprised of Busch Pole just is what it is. You go, you race, tance, the wife’s mule stumbled winners from last season, past and you see where it falls. For us a third time. His wife quietly re- Busch Clash winners who com- as a team, it’s more important for moved a revolver from her purse peted full-time in 2020, Daytona us to be competitive week in and and shot the mule graveyard dead. Junior Hayden Payne (25) draws contact in the paint during the second half vs. Banks. Photo/Karen Clark 500 winners who competed full week out. Win as many races as time in 2020, former Daytona we can and see where that takes Kyle started to protest over By Todd Forrest nior Lake Hughes added 4 points boards and two steals. John had 500 Busch Pole winners who us in the end.” her treatment of the mule. Sports Editor and two boards; sophomore Eli 9 points, two assists and two competed full-time in 2020, as Other Racing News: Kurt She looked at him and said, [email protected] Underwood had 2 points, three steals. well as any NASCAR Cup Series Busch has been a model of con- “That’s once.” rebounds and two steals; junior Sophomore Griffin Young drivers who made the playoffs in sistency since joining the Chip Weekend Racing: All rac- The Union County men Landon Kight finished with 2 scored a career-high 6 points, and 2020, won a race in 2020 or won Ganassi team in 2019 but will be ing this weekend will be at Dayto- dropped to 0-10 overall following points, six boards and a block. junior Hayden Payne had 4 points a stage in 2020. Harvick checks looking to make a deeper playoff na. Races will be on the 2.5-mile double-digit Region 8-AA losses Despite out-rebounding while hauling in a career-high all of these boxes. In fact, he is push this year, as many speculate Daytona Speedway track, as well to Banks County and Elbert Elbert County 31-24, the Panthers seven rebounds. Snow chipped a three-time winner of the Busch this may be his final full year in as the 3.61-mile road course. County. turned it over 34 times, resulting in 3 points and four boards; fresh- Clash (2009, 2010, and 2013). the Cup Series with his contract Tues., Feb. 9; The Clash in 19 Blue Devil points. man Caiden Tanner had 2 points However, all of those wins came ending at the end of the season. In (Exhibition Race); Time: 7 PM; Saturday’s regular-season on Daytona’s 2.5-mile oval. This Network: FoxSports1. finale at Rabun County was post- Union County finished and a steal. the 2020 Round of 12, he silenced Up next: The Panthers is the first Busch Clash on the 14- retirement chatter with an electri- Thurs., Feb. 11; Duel at poned until Monday. 8 for 31 from the floor, going turn, 3.61-mile road course. fying hometown victory at Las Daytona (Qualifying races) Time: During Friday’s 49-25 0 for 14 from long range. The will open Region 8-AA Tourna- The Busch Clash will mark Vegas Motor Speedway. He has 7 PM; Network: FoxSports1. home loss to Elbert County, Panthers sank 9 of 17 at the line. ment play on Saturday at Banks Harvick’s second NASCAR Cup made it clear that there is a lot left Fri., Feb. 12; Truck Series the Panthers led 9-7 after one, Elbert went 5 of 12 at the charity County. Union will face the host series race on the Daytona road in the tank, expect him to bring Race 1; Time: 7:30 PM; Network: extending its advantage to 15-9 stripe. Leopards at 7:30 p.m. course, but his third overall. The the same energy in 2021. FoxSports1. before holding a narrow 16-15 Meanwhile, Wednesday The boys’ championship Cup Series raced on the Daytona Ross Chastain will be Sat., Feb. 13; Xfinity Se- edge at the break. After a slug- night’s 64-45 home loss to Banks and consolation games are sched- road course for the first time last Busch’s teammate at Chip Ga- ries Race 1; Time: 5 PM; Net- gish start to the third period by was rescheduled from Tuesday uled for Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6 August. Harvick started from nassi Racig. Combining the el- work: FoxSports1. both squads, the Blue Devils due to winter weather. and 7:30 p.m.. the pole and ran among the top- der Busch’s two decades of vet- Sun., Feb. 14; Cup Series finally seized control with a 14-3 The Leopards jumped out In next week’s State Tour- 10 until two separate spins in eran experience with the driving Daytona 500; Time: 2:30 pm; run near the midway point of the to an 18-4 advantage and held nament, Region 8-AA will face the final stage relegated him to ability of Chastain should make Network: Fox. All times are East- quarter. a 29-15 halftime margin. They Region 5-AA in the opening a 17th-place finish. Prior to that CGR an exciting team to watch ern. Down 33-19 early in the eventually ran away late in the round. Like the girls, the boys race, Harvick’s lone appearance in 2021. Based on recent history, Racing Trivia Question: third with a 10-2 run to close the champion will likely be deter- on the Daytona road course came Busch is almost a lock to make Who won the first Daytona 500? fourth, the Panthers attempted Last Week’s Question: period up 54-30 after Union con- mined by Callaway and Heard in 2002 during the Rolex 24 at another playoff appearance in his to make a run, cutting the differ- Daytona sports-car race, where 21st full-time season. The chal- Which driver holds the record for ence to 35-25 until a 14-0 Elbert tinued hanging around at 44-28. County. However, no team in his team finished eighth in class most NASCAR Cup Series wins? 5-AA currently sports a winning lenge will be bringing Chastain’s County outburst finished off the Hughes, Kite and John and 69th overall. No. 42 team back to race-winning Answer. Richard Petty’s 200 wins home team for good. combined for 30 of the Panthers’ record. First-place Callaway is The 2021 season marks his form after last year’s shakeup. tops the list. Junior Daniel Snow turned 45 points, with Hughes scoring 7-9 overall, Heard sits at 9-13 21st year in the NASCAR Cup As we head into the 2021 Gerald Hodges/the Rac- in career-highs with 9 points and a team-high 11 on 3-for-8 shoot- and third-place Temple is 10-10. Series. He has 718 career, point- Cup Series season, Brad Kesel- ing Reporter is a syndicated NA- nine rebounds in 30 minutes. ing from downtown and five Fourth-place Bremen is 1-16 paying starts, with 39 of them owski is once again expected to SCAR writer and author. You Junior Caleb John had 8 rebounds. and last-place Haralson County coming on Daytona’s 2.5-mile be a championship front-runner. may e-mail him at: hodges@ points, one assist and a steal. Ju- Kite added 10 points, eight is 5-14. oval. In addition to his 2017 Day- The 2012 series champion has race500.com.