B2 | DAILY POST-ATHENIAN www.dailypostathenian.com SPORTS | FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2020 CENTRAL: Baker, Rule create chances before sealing win SPORTS CLIPS FROM B1 chances, but not on target, Hixson had a few chances, awhile before deciding to ACMS tennis swept by Cleveland though a free kick sailed but none that materialized call the game. up 1-0. Rule had another just over the bar. into serious threats and the Because a half was played The Athens City Middle School tennis teams were shot a few minutes later Kellan Baker and Rule had half ended with Central it is an official game with swept by Cleveland Middle on Thursday. The girls were that was saved by Hixson’s ample opportunities to find ahead 2-0. the Chargerettes picking edged out 5-4, while the boys fell 9-0. goalie, who made several space, but couldn’t find the Lightning began flashing up the 2-0 victory. For the ACMS girls, Mina Kurowski and Sophie saves of balls shot right at back of the net until Rule at halftime and the referees O’Donnell won singles by forfeit. Maggie Peterson and her. scored again with 12:15 left called a halt to the game. EMAIL: scott.power Madison McDonald won their doubles match 8-8 (7-5 Rule had several other in the opening half. The officials waited for @dailypostathenian.com tiebreak), and O’Donnell and Kenadie Miracle won by forfeit. Peterson lost her singles match 8-8 (8-6 tiebreak), and McDonald lost 8-0, Madi Bean 8-1 and Miracle 8-0. For the boys, Denney McPhail lost singles 8-2, Trevor Currier 8-2, Brayden Medrano 8-0, David Puchalski 8-0, Landon Clontz 8-0 and Damien Buchanan 8-0. McPhail and Medrano lost doubles 8-2, Currier and Puchalski 8-1 and Clontz and Grayson Coombs 8-0. Athens Baseball Club starting Sunday The Athens Baseball Club will begin practice 5 p.m. Sunday at Bicentennial Park, forming a travel team of players from Athens and McMinn, Meigs and Monroe counties. Anyone who will play 9-year-old baseball this year and does not turn 10 before May 1 can attend. For more information, call Chip Barnes at 423-506-7577. McMinn boys, girls golfers sweeps Meigs BY SCOTT POWER PREP GOLF Sports Writer McMinn Boys 186, NIOTA — McMinn Coun- Meigs Boys 199 ty’s golf team swept Meigs at McMinn Girls 102, JOHN MINCHILLO | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Springbrook Golf & Country Meigs Girls 106 Miami Marlins center fielder Lewis Brinson walks away from home plate after placing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt on home plate Club on Thursday, but nei- as his teammates and the New York Mets walk off the field on Thursday in New York. The Mets and Marlins jointly walked off the ther coach was happy with the leaderboard for the field after a moment of silence as they chose not to start their scheduled baseball game Thursday night. his team’s performance. Meigs girls as Madison Brad- The unscheduled match ford and Macey Bunch each was put together on short fired a 53. Zoe Womac fin- notice after Meigs had a ished with a 59 and Michelle Mets, Marlins walk o  eld in protest match against Copper Basin Bradford carded a 60. canceled and the McMinn A victory is never a bad BY JERRY BEACH boys came away with a 186- thing, but McMinn Coach The Associated Press 199 victory. Jerry Quirk wished his team Isaac Akins fired a 39 as had performed better. NEW YORK — The New the runaway medalist for “It’s always nice to win, York Mets and Miami Mar- either side. Noah Graybeal but we have to go back to lins jointly walked off the shot a 46, Ethan Jones a 50 practice and work on a few field after a moment of and Walker Combs a 51. things,” Quirk said. silence, draping a Black Lives Other scores outside the Meigs Coach Danny Wil- Matter T-shirt across home top four for McMinn were son was pleased with half plate as they chose not to Wesley Graybeal a 53 and of his team as the girls were play Thursday night. Marshal Overboe with a 60. very competitive. After other games around For Meigs, Trey Peaden led “Our girls played well baseball were postponed to the way with a 47 and Con- tonight and competed hard,” protest social injustice, the ner Mason shot a 49. Braden Wilson said. Mets were late to take the McClemore shot a 51 and “The boys didn’t play well field Thursday and never Alex Shaumburg shot a 52. today, but that happens submitted a lineup to the Outside the top four were sometimes. We will just public or the umpires. Nei- Bryson McKenzie with a 55 have to keep working hard ther starting pitcher threw and Preston Miller with a 60. to get better.” any warmup pitches. The The McMinn girls won 102- McMinn will host Walker teams stood around their 106 in what was a competi- Valley at 4 p.m. at Spring- dugouts in full uniforms tive match. brook. shortly before the 7:10 p.m. Karaline McCall shot a 50 Meigs will host McMinn scheduled first pitch, and the JOHN MINCHILLO | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS for McMinn and Kendall Central and Polk County at national anthem was played The New York Mets and Miami Marlins stand on the field and bow their heads before a scheduled Coffey carded a 52. 4 p.m. at White Oaks Golf and all players and coaches baseball game on Thursday in New York. Outside the top two were Course. stood. Emily Miller with a 54 and Mets outfielder Dominic that’s what you saw tonight.” inson Day, which was pushed for his comments later Haevyn Hawn with a 59. EMAIL: scott.power Smith — a Black man who Both teams held clubhouse back from the usual April 15 Thursday, saying in a state- A pair of players topped @dailypostathenian.com wept Wednesday night while meetings Thursday after- due to the pandemic. ment the idea to walk out and discussing the shooting by noon before Conforto, the “It needs to be an ongoing return was actually hatched police of a Black man in Wis- Mets’ player representa- thing,” Brinson said. “It can’t by Mets Chief Operating consin over the weekend — tive, met with Brinson and just be one day out of the Officer Jeff Wilpon. led New York onto the field. Miguel Rojas, the Marlins’ baseball year that we bring “I have put myself and this NHL puts o two days Players took their positions, player rep. light to everything.” organization into this con- then reserves and coaches Conforto said Rojas came The teams walked off versation in a way that takes filed out of both dugouts and up with the idea of the teams about two hours after a vid- away from the real point,” of games amid protests stood silently for 42 seconds. walking off the field, and that eo appeared on the league’s Van Wagenen said on a con- Members on each team it came together at the last official website in which ference call Thursday night. BY JOHN WAWROW “Black and brown commu- doffed caps towards the minute. Conforto and Smith Mets general manager Bro- “I’m disappointed in myself.” AP Hockey Writer nities continue to face real, other side before returning were seen talking with Brin- die Van Wagenen said that Manfred said in a state- painful experiences. The to their clubhouses, leav- son and Rojas as the teams his players did not want to ment that he has not tried Vegas forward Ryan Reaves NHL and NHLPA recognize ing only the black T-shirt at warmed up. play and they were waiting to override players’ wishes to was struggling with the deci- that much work remains to home. “We wanted to do some- to hear from the Marlins protest by not playing. sion of whether to sit out be done before we can play “The words on the shirt thing special,” Rojas said. about coordinating a post- “Over the past two days, the Golden Knights’ playoff an appropriate role in a dis- speak for themselves, just “We wanted to do something ponement. players on a number of game to protest racial injus- cussion centered on diver- having it in the center of different.” Van Wagenen also criti- Clubs have decided not to tice, when he discovered the sity, inclusion and social everything, just knowing Smith, who implored cized Baseball Commission- play games,” he said. “I have players around the NHL had justice.” that both teams are unified, people to give their time er Rob Manfred’s handling of said both publicly and pri- his back. The announcement came and that we agreed to do to inner-city communities player protests this week and vately that I respect those Reaves woke up Thursday an hour before the Philadel- this,” said Marlins outfield- on Wednesday night, said alleged Manfred was pres- decisions and support the to find a text from Tampa phia Flyers and New York er Lewis Brinson, who was he’d heard from players in suring New York to stage need to address social injus- Bay Lightning defense- Islanders were to play Game Miami’s leadoff hitter and the NBA and NFL as well as a symbolic walkout against tice. I have not attempted in man Kevin Shattenkirk, 3 of their series in Toronto, stood near the batter’s box baseball players such as Jack players’ wishes, rather than any way to prevent players prompting a conversation with Vegas and Vancouver to for the silent display. “And Flaherty who were interest- a full postponement. from expressing themselves that helped lead the NHL to face off in Edmonton Alber- it was the right thing to do.” ed in donating money and “That’s Rob’s instinct,” Van by not playing, nor have I postpone four playoff games ta, later on Thursday. The scene capped a whirl- time to his foundation. Wagenen said in a conver- suggested any alternative over two days. The other postponed wind 20-hour span that “It’s still overwhelming sation he didn’t appear to form of protest to any Club “That, I think, was more games were Game 4s on Fri- began with Smith’s emo- at this moment, just to see know was being streamed personnel or any player. Any powerful that the conversa- day: Boston against Tampa in tional press conference fol- how moved my peers are, on MLB.com. “At a leader- suggestion to the contrary tion started with white play- Toronto, and Dallas against lowing the Mets’ 5-4 victory. my teammates, my brothers, ship level, he doesn’t get it. is wrong.” ers on other teams wanting Colorado in Edmonton. “It really touched all of the front office, the coaching He just doesn’t get it.” Wilpon also said in a state- to talk,” said Reaves, who The NHL is pushing back us in the clubhouse, just to staff, everybody who talks to Van Wagenen said in the ment that the walkoff-and- is Black. “And I think that’s its schedule to have the four see how powerful his state- me on a daily basis,” Smith video — after specifying the return plan was his. the most powerful thing that games played Saturday. ments were, how emotion- said. “Just to see how moved conversation “can’t leave this “To clear up any misun- happened today. You see us Blake, who is Black, was al he was,” Conforto said they were, it made me feel room” — that Manfred want- derstandings, it was my sug- all coming together here.” shot in the back seven times “He’s our brother, so we really good inside. It made ed the Mets and Marlins to gestion to potentially look The NHL is back on Sunday by police in Keno- stand behind him and we me feel like we are on the walk off the field together into playing the game lat- pause a month into its sha, Wisconsin. The shoot- stand behind (Black Mets right path of change.” shortly before the sched- er because of scheduling playoffs, which followed a ing sparked protests, and led outfielder) Billy (Hamilton). The 42-second moment of uled 7:10 p.m. first pitch, issues,” Wilpon said. “Bro- 4-1/2-month break caused by to the NHL being questioned All the players who stand up silence came a day before then come back and play at dy’s misunderstanding of a the coronavirus pandemic. for allowing its playoffs to against the racial injustice, Major League Baseball plans 8:10 p.m. private conversation was and The decision to postpone proceed Wednesday, when we stand behind them. And to hold its annual Jackie Rob- Van Wagenen apologized is inexcusable. two sets of second-round numerous other leagues — games Thursday and Fri- starting with the NBA — day was prompted by the postponed games. threat of members of the “We needed to make a Golden Knights and Van- stand, and I think this is the TWU announces conference-only soccer schedules couver Canucks preparing to appropriate form of action,” From staff reports 2 at Brenau. TWU plays its home Oct. 31 home against Milligan. sit out Game 3 of their series, Canucks captain Bo Horvat openers Sept. 30 against Reinhardt, Both teams finish the regular season and in the face of withering said. “I couldn’t be prouder Tennessee Wesleyan has announced with the women kicking off 1:30 p.m. at home against Montreat, with the criticism from Black play- of our group of guys to come its soccer schedules for the fall, and men 4 p.m. men playing Nov. 4 and the women ers accusing the league of up with this solution.” which will be conference-only due The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs Nov. 7. being slow to acknowledge Shattenkirk texted Reaves to Appalachian Athletic Conference travel to St. Andrews Oct. 3, then The AAC tournaments will feature the police shooting of Jacob upon learning the Golden (AAC) regulations. That makes for return home Oct. 7 to face Truett- the top eight teams in the men’s stand- Blake in Wisconsin. Knights were preparing to an 11-game season for the men with McConnell. The women play Oct. 10 ings and top 10 in the women’s stand- “After much discussion, not play, and was struck by six home games and 14 games for the at home against Columbia College, ings. NHL players believe that the the tough guy’s message. women with seven at home. then both teams travel to nearby rival The men’s team is the defending best course of action would “When we got with them Both men’s and women’s teams will Bryan College on Oct. 14. AAC regular-season champion after be to take a step back and not to speak with Ryan Reaves open their seasons on the road Sept. 15 The schedule proceeds for both a 15-4-2 overall and 9-1-1 conference play tonight’s and tomor- and talk about the issue at at Bluefield College in Virginia. The squads as follows: Oct. 17 home record in 2019. The women were co- row’s games as scheduled,” hand and how important this men have the next 15 days off, while against Columbia International, Oct. champions during the regular season a joint statement released is, I think it was something the women continue with two more 20 home against Kentucky Christian, last year with a 17-4 overall and 12-1 by the league and the NHL we were fully behind,” Shat- road games Sept. 19 at Allen and Sept. Oct. 24 at Union, Oct. 28 at Point and conference record. Players’ Association said. tenkirk said.