Page 8A THE TOWNS COUNTY HERALD November 17, 2010 Towns County Sports Towns County’s Leader In Sports T www.townscountyherald.net • E-mail: [email protected] Lady Lions fall in season opener to Lady Saints 64-39 By James Reese Towns County Herald NASCAR 2010 [email protected] By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Sophomore Nikki Winn scored a game-high 15 points EDWARDS SWEEPS PHOENIX RACES for the Young Harris College won both ries. Lady Mountain Lions but it the Nationwide and Sprint “This is the best car I’ve wasn’t enough as Young Har- Cup races this past weekend ever had in the Nationwide ris fell in their historic season at Phoenix International Race- Series,” Edwards radioed to opener to North Georgia Col- way, but the big news is how crew chief Mike Beam after lege and State University 64- close the battle for this year’s the race. 39. Cup championship is. Edwards sat out the The Lady Lions shot 32.7 Edwards was able to second Nationwide practice percent from the field and were conserve fuel, while others, in- session to concentrate on his out-rebounded by the Lady cluding the Chase leader, Den- qualifying effort in the Cup Saints 39-25. Turnovers were ny Hamlin, who led the most car. The lack of practice, how- a problem for the Lady Lions, laps, had to pit for fuel near the ever, made no difference in said. “Along with good perfor- as they coughed up the ball 20 end of the 312-lap race. Saturday’s race. mance, along with hard work, times. “I don’t feel like this re- “That was (owner) Jack you’ve got to have good luck, Winn, a graduate of ally happened,” said Edwards. Roush’s call,” Edwards con- and we had it this year. We did Towns County High School, Ryan Newman, Joey Lo- tinued. “I thought about it, but that. But the old adage is ‘You was 6-for-15 from the floor gano, and followed I thought, ‘Man, I don’t have make your own luck,’ and this and 1-for-4 in 3-point shoot- Edwards across the finish line. the guts to sit out a whole prac- team has done a great job all ing to lead the Lions. Missy Jimmie Johnson did not tice,’ and Mike Beam said, year of doing that.” Conrad, a YHC freshman and lead a lap, but he was able to ‘Hey, the car’s good,’ and Jack Top-10 leaders after 24 also a TCHS graduate, scored 3 conserve fuel and finished said it was good, so it let me go of 25: 1. Bodine-3772, 2. Alm- Former Lady Indian Missy Conrad nails a bucket in the Lady Lions' points and grabbed 3 boards for season opener against North Georgia. fifth. focus on our (Cup car) and get irola-3570, 3. Sauter-3506, 4. the Lady Lions. “I did anything I could the pole there. Sophomore Ellie Parton, Crafton-3397, 5. Dillon-3304, do to stay out of the throttle,” “I wouldn’t have imag- 6. Peters-3231, 7. Horna- also a former Towns County said Johnson. “We ran well, ined this thing would be that Mountain Lions roar in Lady Indian, did not play. day-3135, 8. Skinner-3114, 9. Miata Askew, a fresh- had phenomenal pit stops, and fast today. A great day for us. Starr-3040, 10. White-2880 return to basketball man from Hinesville, scored stayed out of trouble. Man, it’s just unbelievable GM HEADED BACK TO 10 points for the Lady Lions “We were able to work how fast this thing is. After INDY-RACING and Breanna Gleason, a fresh- the magic there at the end and three or four laps, I could do General Motors Co. and man from Adelaide, Australia, save fuel, and now, we’re go- whatever I wanted with it. I’m its motorsports entity - GM scored 7 points. Lauren Smith, ing to have one heck of a points really blessed to have the crew Racing - has committed to a freshman from Madison race going to Homestead.” that I have.” fielding a -branded County, scored 4 points and was down finished Twin-Turbo V6 racing engine led the Lady Lions in rebounds a lap at one point after his team third, followed by 2010 series to compete against Honda in with 6 on the night. left a lugnut off a wheel and he champion Brad Keselowski the IndyCar Series beginning Sophomore Jaynce Ea- had to pit a second time, but he and Reed Sorenson. Aric Alm- with the 2012 season. ley, from Carrollton, came was able to finish sixth. He is irola, Colin Braun, Justin All- Chip Ganassi, after an off the bench to lead the Lady 31 points back of Johnson, and gaier, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and intense flirtation with Ford Saints with 21 points, followed 46 points behind Hamlin. Steve Wallace completed the where he considered joining by Sarah Stinson, a 6-2 senior “We’re lucky to be hon- top-10. their NASCAR program, is from Woodstock, and Tiffany est with you, we just made a cut a tire instead committing to a rela- Marlow, a 6-foot senior from mistake,” said Harvick. “I was during the final 56-lap green- tionship with GM Racing and Gainesville, with 8 points each. pretty down when that hap- flag run and finished 16th in Chevrolet in NASCAR start- Jessica Trice, a 5-10 freshman pened. I talked with Richard the No. 18 Toyota. That shrank ing in 2011 and in IndyCar be- from Knoxville, Tenn. added 7 (Childress), and he told me Joe Gibbs Racing’s lead in the ginning in 2012. points and Jessica Howard, a you never know what’s going owners’ standings to 41 points Ganassi had apparently 6-foot sophomore from Toccoa, to happen. over the No. 22 Dodge owned been leaning toward going finished with 6 points for the “The further we went the by Roger Penske and driven by with Ford over the last sev- Lady Saints. better the car got. We’re going Keselowski. eral weeks but once Ganassi to Homestead next week, and Danica Patrick finished learned that GM was going Philip Uys completes the first dunk in YHC history. we’ll have a fast car. We’ll take 32nd, seven laps down, in her “all-in” for a new IndyCar By James Reese “What a fabulous way our chances there.” 12th Nationwide start. racing engine program, he Towns County Herald to kickoff basketball at Young , Mark Top-10 leaders after 34 changed his mind. [email protected] Harris after 41 years,” Presi- Martin, , and Jamie of 35: 1. Keselowski-5474, Penske Racing will also It didn’t take Coach Pete dent Cox said. “It just doesn’t McMurray were the remaining 2. Edwards-5044, 3. Kyle be one of the teams to commit Hermann’s Mountain Lions get much better than this. The top-10 finishers. Busch-4739, 4. Allgaier-4544, to using Chevrolet engines for long to christen the “Valley of guys came out ready to play. finished 5. Menard-4329, 6. Har- 2012. It was Penske who gave Doom.” They took the lead and held it 11th. vick-4214, 7. Logano-3887, Chevrolet their last Indy 500 Freshman O’Neil Lubin the entire game.” Hamlin limped home 8. Bayne-3886, 9. S. Wal- win in 2002 using an Ilmor came off the bench, got the hot On this night, the Li- 12th, after having to stop for lace-3822, 10. Leffler-3807 built engine. Chevrolet and hand and scored a game-high ons could do no wrong as they a splash of fuel with 12 laps- BOWYER WINS TRUCK Honda will compete for teams 26 points to lead the Lions to evened their season record to to-go. RACE, BODINE CLAIMS in 2011 and then race each oth- a 78-68 victory over the Saints 1-1. Hermann’s Lions shot al- “It’s pretty disappoint- TITLE er on track in 2012. of North Georgia College and most 52 percent from the field, ing,” said Hamlin. “We were Clint Bowyer won Fri- State University. Freshman Ste- Weekend Racing: It’s hit 16 of 21 from the charity in a good position. We’ve had day night’s at on to the 1.5-mile Homestead, ven Viterbo added 17 for the stripe and out-rebounded the good cars and all that, but Phoenix International Race- Lions in Young Harris’ historic Saints 38 to 33. Florida track for all three of return to basketball. things didn’t work out strate- way in his first start in the NASCAR’s major series’. It is The Lions came out roar- gy-wise. We did what we had series since Oct. 20, 2007 at The Lions led wire-to- ing and jumped out to a double- also the last race of the 2010 wire and sank 11-of-12 free to do today, but we didn’t have Martinsville. season. digit lead early and led 35-20 at it there at the end.” Todd Bodine also had throws down the stretch en the end of the first half. Lubin, Fri., Nov. 19, Camping route to the momentous win. who played his high school ball Top-12 Chase leaders af- reason to celebrate. With a World Trucks Ford 200; Start- Coach Hermann, who at Oak Ridge in Orlando, Fla., ter 35 of 36: 1. Hamlin-6462, 12th-place finish at Phoenix, ing time: 7:30 pm ET; TV: dubbed the new YHC arena the led the Lions with 16 first half 2. Johnson-6447, 3. Har- Bodine wrapped up his sec- Speed. “Valley of Doom,” was very points and added another 10 vick-6416, 4. Edwards-6198, ond truck series championship. Sat., Nov. 20, Nation- pleased with his team’s perfor- points in the second half. Former Lady Indian Nikki Winn 5. Kenseth-6151, 6. J. Gor- He leads by an wide Ford 300; Starting time: mance. The Saints didn’t roll nails a free throw in the Lady Li- don-6124, 7. Kyle Busch-6115, insurmountable 202 points 4 pm ET; TV: ESPN2. “Defense and rebound- over and play dead in the sec- ons season opener against North 8. Biffle-6113, 9. Stewart-6074, entering next Friday’s season Sun., Nov. 21, Sprint ing were key for us tonight,” ond half and actually outscored Georgia. 10. Kurt Busch-6033, 11. Bow- finale at Homestead-Miami Cup Ford 400; starting time: 1 he said. “We held them to 27 the Lions 48-43 in the second yer-6028, 12. Burton-5958 Speedway. pm ET; TV: ESPN. percent shooting in the first half. EDWARDS TAKES Bowyer beat race run- Racing Trivia Ques- half and that was big. That’s But down the stretch, it PHOENIX NATIONWIDE ner-up Kyle Busch to the line tion: Which Cup team does what we want and need every was Lubin and Viterbo doing RACE by 1.039 seconds. Johnny Sau- Kevin Harvick drive for? game.” the damage, that is until both Carl Edwards won Sat- ter finished third, followed by Last Week’s Question: It was the first basketball fouled out just moments apart. urday’s Nationwide Series race Matt Crafton and Almirola. Where is the first Sprint Cup win for YHC since legendary With just 35.5 seconds at Phoenix in a cakewalk over Bodine added the 2010 race of the season held? An- Head Coach Luke Rushton led left, 6-foot-8 freshman Philip runner-up Kevin Harvick. crown to his 2006 truck series swer. Daytona International the Lions to a No. 1 national Uys, of Gainesville nailed the The victory was Ed- title. Speedway. ranking 41 years ago. first dunk in Lions’ history to wards’ fourth at Phoenix and “Along the way, we had You may contact the Young Harris President put the game on ice for YHC. his second straight in the se- a lot of good luck,” Bodine Racing Reporter at: hodges@ Cathy Cox was ecstatic over the Next up for the Lions: race500.com. NT(Nov17,C1)ac historic win Monday night. Tennessee Wesleyan at the “Valley of Doom” Nov. 29. Buzzer-beater spoils Mountain Lions’ basketball debut By James Reese Once in charge, the Lions Towns County Herald held the lead until the 3:33 mark [email protected] when Knight, who finished with 19 Close but no cigar. points, nailed a layup and gave the The Young Harris College Cobras a 64-63 lead. Men’s basketball team returned The Cobras extended their from a 41-year hiatus with only one lead to 70-66 on a jumper by thing on its mind: a win. Knight with slightly more than 2 It wasn’t to be as Virginia In- minutes left. The never-say-die termont’s Marquette Knight tipped Lions fought back and tied the Six-foot-six Mountain Lion fresh- in the game winning basket with game at 71-71 on a layup by 6-foot, man Bryson Robinson starts the barely a second left on the clock to 2-inch freshman Matt Preston with season for YHC against Virginia lead the Cobras to a 73-71 win over 12 seconds remaining. Intermont. the Mountain Lions on Saturday at With time winding down, “Without the players that Time Warner Cable Arena in Char- the Cobras’ Tihlee Anderson lifted a we’ve prepared with the last four lotte, NC. layup which was blocked by 6-foot, weeks, it was very difficult,” Coach The Mountain Lions trailed 8-inch Philip Uys, a freshman from Hermann said. “I was very, very by 15 points at the end of the first Gainesville. The block led to the fi- proud of these seven kids. Now half. However, the Lions mounted nal second heroics by Knight, with we’ll come home with everybody a spirited 18-0 scoring run in the a buzzer-beating tip-in. there and it’ll be great.” first 6 minutes of the second half to Coach Hermann said the Coach Hermann expects his take a 42-41 lead. Frank Adams, a game was lost on the boards. team to get better as the season pro- 6-foot, 4-inch freshman from Stone “The whole game comes gresses. Mountain tipped in the go-ahead down to the fact that we got out re- “We don’t have a post- basket for the Lions with 14:36 re- bounded, I think by 18 and it comes season so we’re trying to get better maining in the game. down to a last second rebound bas- and keep improving,” he said. “We Lions’ Head Coach Pete ket, a second shot with one second just want to make sure we defend, Hermann said his players may have left in the game,” Coach Hermann rebound, share the ball and play been a bit overzealous in the first said. “That was happening the hard and the wins will come if we half before settling down to play whole game so it’s something that do those things.” gritty basketball. we’ve got to correct. “I thought that in the first half the players were so excited that they shot too quickly,” Hermann said. “They didn’t give themselves a chance to score. They allowed Virginia Intermont to run out and get easy baskets. We shot the ball too deep and with long rebounds; they were coming at us. They scored at will in the first half on the break.” The second half was a dif- ferent story. “Coming down to the sec- ond half we settled in, made them guard, got better shots better ball movement and played good defen- President Cox gives Coach Pete Hermann a hug following Monday sively,” Coach Hermann said. night’s win.