NovemberTHE NORTH 25, 2015GEORGIA THE NEWSNORTH November GEORGIA 25, NEWS 2015 Page Page 13A 13A Nix and Chambers headline NASCAR 2015 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Union softball’s list of accolades “Rowdy” Kyle Busch Wins It All By Todd Forrest HOMESTEAD, Fla.— North Georgia News Not only did Kyle Busch win [email protected] the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, but he also won the last race of the season. Now that the 2015 soft- Busch’s season ended ball season is in the books, much better than it started. He several Union County Lady broke his right leg and left foot Panther players continue to in an Xfinity Series race prior receive high marks for their to the Daytona 500 and missed performance. 11 races. To make the Chase, Six Union County play- NASCAR rules required that ers were named to the 8-AA he finish 30th or better during All Region Team with Laken the regular 26-race season. Chambers being selected He finished 28th and had twice. one victory, which made him The junior was named Chase eligible. the 8-AA Pitcher of the Year Busch’s hard work and also picked up First Team showed during Sunday’s race. He had led 41 laps, but was honors for her offense. running third behind Brad Kes- Senior infielder Karley elowski and on lap Nix was named First Team 253 of the 267-lap race, when a All Region after being chosen caution for debris came out. to play in the Senior Georgia He and the other leaders Dugout Clinic All Star game Karley Nix Laken Chambers pitted for four fresh tires. On at LaGrange College on Nov. the restart, Busch quickly took Kyle Busch 14th and 15th. over the lead from Keselowski. The top 80 seniors from Kevin Harvick attempted to all classifications in the state close on Busch, but with only were allowed to participate. eight laps remaining in the The 80 players were race, all Harvick could do was divided up into four teams watch as Busch’s No. 18 Toyo- and Nix’s team (players from ta pulled away from him. Regions 7 and 8) finished the “What a great day,” said Busch. “This is the dream of round-robin tournament with a lifetime. With all the things a 3-0 record. we went through being here is Nix joined Social Cir- unbelievable. I’ve got to thank cle’s Haley Barnes, who was my wife and team for all the named the 8-AA Player of the help and not allowing me to Year, as the only two players give up.” from Region 8-AA. The championship was This fall, Nix was sec- his first Sprint Cup title and the ond on the team with a .431 fourth for car owner Joe Gibbs. Chris Buescher batting average and a .458 on On Friday night, Busch’s truck scher. “It’s just an awesome think I had the right mental- base percentage. She was tied team driven by Erik Jones year for our organization, for ity to go win a championship,” for first place with 44 hits and claimed the series champion- our team. The guys did a tre- said Jones. “I think at that point her 31 runs scored were good ship, giving Busch an owner’s mendous job – no DNFs all we were just focused on win- enough for second. She was title. year, no mechanical failures, ning races. fourth on the team with 19 Kevin Harvick would nothing that we beat ourselves “I kind of switched my RBIs - pretty impressive for have won his second Sprint Cup on. We were flawless in that re- mentality to the point of take the championship if he could have gard and it put us in the position wins when we can get them, but someone that batted second passed Busch, but he finished to go out and win this thing like we need to take these seconds, in the lineup. She was also Maddie Garrett Lydia Arrowood second, 1.86-seconds back. we did today. We didn’t have to thirds, fourths and fifths when tied for second with 2 triples “We had a lot of trouble go out and win the race in or- we can get them, as well, and and tied for third with 9 stolen getting off the corners,” said der to bring the championship not try to force anything. The bases. Harvick. “The longer the runs, home. We had to make sure we last eight races or even a little Ahead of Nix in batting the more problems we had. To- finished and did just that. I’m bit before that we had a streak average was Chambers, who day, it didn’t go our way.” so happy we were able to pull it of top-10s here all the way to hit .444 with a team best .500 Brad Keselowski fin- off and, again, so proud of my the end. I don’t know the exact on base percentage, a .707 ished third, while Joey Logano team. They really stepped up to number it ended up at, but just slugging percentage, and a and Kyle Larson rounded out the occasion and made sure this finished in the top-10, being 1.207 OPS (on base percent- the top-five. happened.” consistent, being competitive age + slugging percentage). “Oh man, what a day,” The No. 22 car, owned and running up front and con- She was first in homer- said Chase contender, Jeff by Penske Racing won the tending for wins, that’s all we uns with five, RBIs with 38, Gordon, who finished sixth. Owners Championship. needed to do throughout the doubles with nine, and tied for “We had a decent car, but the Daniel Suarez was the rest of the year, and that’s what first in hits with 44. handling wasn’t what we had Xfinity Series Rookie of the we did.” hoped for. I was loose for most Year. Jones became the young- From the circle she won of the race. Final top-10 points lead- est driver in Camping World 18 games with a microscopic “But it’s still a great day. ers: 1. C. Buescher-1190, 2. Truck Series history to win a 1.33 ERA, while striking out I’ve had a great career, and Elliott-1175, 3. T. Dillon-1172, championship at just 19 years, 145 in 158 innings. while this wasn’t my best race, 4. Smith-1168, 5. Suarez-1078, 5 months and 21 days. Union’s other First it’s been a wonderful experi- 6. Sadler-1075, 7. Wallace The owner of Jones’ No. Team selection was senior ence, and I thank all my fans.” Jr.-1071, 8. Scott-1032, 9. 4 Toyota is Kyle Busch. It is catcher Maddie Garrett, who Matt Kenseth, Kurt Gaughan-902, 10. Reed-902. the first Owner Championship spent her first year behind the Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Erik Jones Captures he has won. plate in 2015 after three years Denny Hamlin were the re- Truck Crown Final top-10 points Jillian Lawn in the outfield. Kendra Tanner maining top-10 finishers. won the leaders: 1. E. Jones-2. Red- Garrett hit .330 on the The junior shortstop was tied with Chambers for The fourth Chase con- last Truck Series race of the dick-884, 3. Crafton-877, 4. year and was third on the team was one of the most feared the fewest strikeouts among tender, Martin Truex Jr. fin- season, but it was young Erik Sauter-809, 5. Peters-804, 6. with a .445 on base percentage leadoff hitters in the Region, players with 100-plus plate ished 11th. Jones who claimed the champi- Hayley-866, 7. Hamric-733, 8. and fourth on the team with a and the 1-2 punch she formed “We did our best, but ob- onship. Townley-730, 9. Kennedy-690, appearances. viously we are disappointed,” John Nemechek finished 10. Gallagher-677. .473 slugging percentage. with Nix at the top of the Rounding out the All Her impressive on base order, proved deadly to the said Truex. “The car just didn’t second in the race, followed by Racing Trivia Ques- Region picks is sophomore handle the way we needed it to. Tyler Reddick, Ben Kennedy, tion: Where is Martin Truex percentage was due to her opposition. first baseman Jillian Lawn, Making the Chase was a great Timothy Peters, Erik Jones, Jr.’s hometown? team-high 16 walks. Her 23 Tanner was fourth on who was tied for second with experience and we’ll build on , Daniel Hem- Last Week’s Question: RBIs were good enough for the team with a .340 batting 2 homers and has second to it.” ric, Cameron Hayley, and John Who will be third. She was tied for second average and a .426 on base herself with 31 RBIs. Top-20 final points lead- Wes Townley. driving for in 2016? Answer. with 2 homers and had second percentage. She was second She was tied with Gar- ers: 1. Kyle Busch, 2. Harvick, “Well, after Gateway He will replace Jeff Gordon at place all to herself in the dou- with a .538 slugging percent- rett for fifth on the team with 3. Gordon, 4. Truex, 5. Ed- back here in the summer Hendrick Motorsoprts. bles category with seven. age and a .964 OPS. a .330 batting average. She wards, 6. Logano, 7. Keselows- months, we finished 23rd, and I You may contact the More importantly, her Her 15 walks were sec- was fifth in slugging at .457 ki, 8. Kurt Busch, 9. Hamlin, think we were down 20-some- Racing Reporter by e-mail at: success behind the plate re- ond behind Garrett while her and OPS at .826. 10. Johnson, 11. Newman, 12. thing points to Crafton, third in [email protected]. placing a 4-year starter can’t 8 triples and 33 runs scored Finally, her 6 doubles Earnhardt, 13. McMurray, 14. points, and at that point I don’t be overstated. And when were tops on the team. She were third most on the team. Menard, 15. Kenseth, 16. Bow- you’re the catcher of the also stole nine bases, good Union six selections yer, 17. Almirola, 18. Kahne, Bowling scores Region Pitcher of the Year, enough for a third place tie. were second to Social Circle’s 19. Larson, 20. Biffle. that speaks volumes about Third on the team in Buescher And Roush Monday Night Ladies: rison 194, Bob Landis 213, seven and tied with Rabun Win Xfinity Title Nell Rice 181, 189, 182, 105, 209, Nell Brown 188, the bond she formed with not batting average at .356 was County’s six. only Chambers, but the entire another second team selec- Chris Buescher’s 11th- Monita Rodgers 189, Sarah Dewey Allen 216, 195, Ines Wilkes had place finish in the season- Chumbley 184, Inez Berg- pitching staff. tion; junior third baseman Bergstrom 196, Don Ransom four girls named All-Region ending Xfinity race was good strom 187. Kendra Tanner was one Lydia Arrowood. 183, 199, Susan Ganitch 179, while Greene and Oglethorpe enough to earn him his first Blairsville Youth: Sa- 184, 177. of three Lady Panthers named She was fifth on the had two each. series title. vannah Karisny 154, 156, Second Team All-Region. team with 21 runs scored and Thursday Night Mixed: Kyle Larson, who led Justin Dunger 104, Nick Tony Lynch 202, 224, Se- 160 laps, was the race win- Love 113, DJ Robbins 120, ries 616, Tim McVay 201, Lady Panthers... continued from 12A ner, followed by Austin Dil- Eric Fox 118, Jacob Fox 153, 204, Chuck Reeves 274, 222, lon, Erik Jones, Brian Scott, Dalton Ayerr 132, Derek Har- Series 664, Sarah Chumb- ready to go. “We’re going to keep do- In the first round of State, , Daniel Suarez, “Bailey Daniel will be ing what we’ve been doing,” Union dropped a hard fought 68- wood 110, Woo Wooten 91, ley 187, Doug Roberts 204, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Regan Mikaela Caldwell 97. Dewey Allen 200, 246, Series playing point guard and she’s just Coach Tucker said. “We’re going 64 battle to Darlington. Smith, and Darrell Wallace Jr. a sophomore and that’s a pretty to use the 1-1-3 full court (de- “This is a great group of Tuesday Night Church 638. Buescher’s title run League: Joe Rumfelt 172, big load but she’s a pretty good fense) and we’re going to shoot kids, the parents are great and I came in only his second sea- player too.” the ball on offense.” believe we’ll be right there (in son in the Xfinity Series. The 160, Sarah Pawli 165, Rob Coach Tucker will enter Last year the Lady Pan- the mix for a Region 8-AA title) championship marked the fifth Pawli 174, Charlie Reynor his fifth year at the helm and by thers were 19-7 and 10-1 in Re- at the end,” Coach Tucker said. time a Roush Fenway Racing 163, 227, Carolyn Roy 127, Brian Roy 126, Curtis Brown now his players have plenty of gion 8-AA but fell in the Region “We’re going to be okay. I think driver has won an Xfinity Se- Championship on a half-court we’re going to surprise some ries championship and the third 130. On-line registration is experience running his system Young at Heart Seniors: that they’ve all bought into. buzzer-beater by Rabun County. people.” time in the past five seasons. now open for Upward Indoor “This is the biggest mo- Bruce Burnett 203, 193, Ken Soccer for boys and girls in ment in my career,” said Bue- Thigpen 190, Claudia Har- grades Kindergarten through Panthers... continued from 12A 8th Grade at www.hopb.org or can give us some minutes on some minor changes but of- effective.” at www.fumcunioncounty.org. varsity.” fensively, we’ve gone to a Coach Jones pointed Skatehealthy and Boards The registration price The Panthers will fea- completely different offense,” out that there has been a rule to participate is $60, through ture five seniors and four Coach Jones said. “We’ve had change regarding rebounding for the Lord Skate Competition December 10, 2015, and an juniors, but that doesn’t equal some really good guards over and battling for position under December 12, 2015, 11 additional $10 will be applied experience, according to Coach the last few years and those the basket for the 2015-16 a.m., local skaters will take thereafter. Payment plans are Jones. are going to be some big shoes season. to Meeks Park for the Second available, if needed. Conve- “We’re not young age- to fill.” According to Jones, fol- Semi-Annual Skatehealthy nient weekly practices com- wise, but we’re young in ex- Luckily, Jones has lowing a shot attempt, once and Boards for the Lord Skate mence January 11, 2016, while perience,” he said. “We have Shook, a 6-foot, 8-inch senior a potential rebounder has es- Competition. The first skate games will be held every Sat- Chase (Shook) who started that could not only become tablished position, you can’t competition was a huge suc- urday between January 30 and on varsity and Lawson (Baen- the best big man in 8-AA, but displace him from that posi- cess with skaters from the tri- March 5, 2016. ninger) who played on varsity garner some Statewide atten- tion or its a foul. The new rule state area in attendance; this Registrants should at- but that’s it.” tion, as well. will decrease the physical play skate competition is expecting tend the evaluation that will This season the Pan- “When you have a 6-8 and gives the smaller guys an to be no different. Skaters of be held on Thursday, Decem- thers must replace six seniors kid on the block, you want advantage when larger players all levels are invited! There ber 10, 2015 on a drop-in ba- that included four starters that to get him the ball,” Coach try to box them out. will be a beginner, intermedi- sis between the hours of 5:30 accounted for nearly all of Jones said. “In the offense we “It’s going to be tricky ate, and advanced division. and 7:30 p.m. at the House of Union’s offensive produc- run, he’ll find himself 15-feet during the first few games to This advent is absolutely free Prayer Family Life Center lo- tion. In Coach Jones’ first two from the basket but he can hit see how they call that,” Coach to enter! cated behind the sanctuary. seasons, he had practically the that jumper and people don’t Jones said. If you want to sign up, For more information same starting lineup both years, respect (his jump shot). Last year, the Panthers have any questions or would regarding registration, contact but now, in year three, Jones “But we’re still going to were 17-12 and placed third like to sponsor the next event, (706) 745-5925. Information goes from a guard-heavy team try and get Chase the ball as in Region 8-AA. They lost at please call Skip Larson (706) regarding Upward Sports can to one that relies on post play. much as we can on the block. Coosa, 68-62 in first round of 455-2087 or Ben Newell (706) be found online at www.up- Defensively we made If we can do that, it will be very State. 994-1656. N(Nov18,Z7)CA Ben Newell ward.org. N(Nov18,A1)SH