PageDecember 3C THE 9, NORTH 2020 THEGEORGIA NORTH NEWS GEORGIA December NEWS 9, 2020 Page 3C First-half struggles hound Panthers in weekend losses at Towns, Stephens By Todd Forrest Sports Editor [email protected]

Union County dropped a pair of road games over the weekend, 58-28 at 10th-ranked Towns County and 78-57 at Class AAA Stephens County. In their two losses com- bined, the Panthers were out- scored 33-8 in the first quar- ter and 73-30 in the first two frames. After winter weather canceled last Tuesday’s home contest with Gilmer, the Pan- thers returned to action for the first time since Nov. 24 when they visited Towns County on Friday. Panthers 28, Towns County 58 - Falling behind 14-2 after one and 30-5 late in the second, Union County’s Friday visit to Hiawassee was all but over by halftime. Trailing 33-10 at the break, the Panthers played Towns to an 11-11 tie in the third before getting doubled up (14-7) in the fourth. Juniors Lake Hughes, Caleb John and sophomore Eli Daniel Snow scores on a reverse layup during the Panthers’ Nov. 24 meet- Junior Landon Kight led the Panthers with 18 points at Stephens County - a career high and the most by a Underwood led Union County ing vs. Towns County . Photo/Todd Forrest Union County player during the young 2020-21 season. Photo/Todd Forrest with 6 points each. 10 from fellow senior Kolby The Panthers scored 23 added seven. South Forsyth. The Warriors Basin, TN. Although, Fannin Austin Taylor and Landon Moss. points in the third, pulling with- Senior Kaston Hemphill own double-digit victories over County did lose a 57-54 contest Kight added 3 points apiece Panthers 57, Stephens in 15. Kight (8 points), Hughes returned from the gridiron to East Jackson and Chestatee and to Pickens, who defeated the while Landon Cox and Keyton County 78 - At Stephens Coun- (6 points on two treys) and John score 6 second-half points. a 53-52 win over Banks County, Panthers by double-digits in last Chitwood scored two each. ty, the Panthers trailed 19-6 led the charge, combining for Juniors Daniel Snow and Cox where White County allowed a month’s scrimmage. Unlike the previous two after one and 40-20 at the 14 points chipped in five and four, re- 12-point lead to evaporate in the Tuesday’s meeting with outings, where Towns County’s break during a 78-57 loss on Kight finished with a ca- spectively. fourth quarter. Tallulah Falls will tip follow- transfers outscored its locals Saturday. reer-high 18 points - all coming On Tuesday, Union Union County will visit ing the 6 p.m. girls contest. (37-26 vs Union and 47-40 vs Union tried making in the second and third quarters County will host Tallulah Falls Fannin County on Saturday. The White County girls game Tallulah Falls), the Indians’ things interesting during the as the Panthers attempted to (3-2), who lost 88-71 at Towns The Rebels have been without will get underway at 5 p.m.; home-grown talent did most third and early stages of the climb out of an early hole. County last week. White County their football players and are the Fannin girls game begins at of the heavy-lifting behind 24 fourth but were never able to John scored nine, Un- (3-4) will visit UCHS on Thurs- 1-2 on the year. The lone victory 4 p.m. in Blue Ridge. points from Aidan Berrong and seriously threaten. derwood had eight and Hughes day coming off a 43-39 loss at was a 60-53 win over Copper Union swimmers riding early-season hot streak Clarksville - The Union Hannah and all of our swim- NASCAR 2020 County High School and mers for how they represent By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Middle School Panthers swim our schools and community.” team kept up their Saturday Other notable moments Corey Lajoie Joins routine of breaking records from Saturday’s meet in- and setting new ones at the cluded a first place finish by Corey LaJoie has signed a Jingle Jam Swim Meet on Lily Helton in the 50-yard multi-year deal to drive the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports Dec. 5. Freestyle, a first place finish full-time in 2021. The action-packed day by Grace Cook in the 100- LaJoie, 29, completed his consisted of 28 top-10 times yard Freestyle and a first place fourth Cup season this past year. in 13 different events. finish by Andrew Nushtayev He ran 32 races in 2017 for BK “There were several in the 50-yard Breastroke. Racing, drove in 23 events in UCS athletes shining bright, Another first-place per- 2018 for TriStar Motorsports and but perhaps the brightest was formance belonged to the had spent the past two seasons junior Hannah Sheffield, who middle school girls’ team in at , running a full qualified for State and set a the 200 Medley Relay, giving schedule. school record with her per- the UCMS girls a first overall “The next chapter of my formance in the women’s 50 at the event. racing career provides me with a Freestyle with her time of The Panther Swimmers unique opportunity to play a key Hannah Sheffield role in working with a motivated 26.07,” Union County coach will be practicing hard this leadership group to build a com- Kelly Helton said. “Hannah “Hannah is a dedicated week as they gear up for the petitive NASCAR Cup Series also set the school record with swimmer and student-athlete Winter Snow Meet in Clarkes- team from the ground up,” said her time of 2:27.89 in the 200 that gives 110% effort in all ville on Dec. 12. LaJoie. “I’m thankful to work di- IM event. she does. We are so proud of rectly with Spire Motorsports and all of our partners as we build on LaJoie At Charlotte In 2020 the proud and competitive tradi- five starts, earning a win at the Next morning Alliga- Wrestling home opener Friday vs. White tion associated with the No. 7. ROV- tor puts on his best Sunday suit, We expect to be a force in the ga- AL and two top-five finishes. In takes his hat and starts to leave rage for years to come.” 2020, Allmendinger piloted the his house. Miz Alligator asks His best finish in 129 ca- No. 16 Chevrolet for 11 races, where he is going. reer Cup starts is sixth in the 2019 and recorded two wins, his first- “I’m going to meet Brer July Daytona race. He finished a ever on an oval at Atlanta Motor Rabbit so he can show me how season-best eighth in the Daytona Speedway, as well as a back-to- trouble stands.” 500 this past year. back win at the Charlotte ROV- “Well, if you’re going to “I’ve never wanted to not AL. see trouble, so am I.” do it from the time I was 7 years “As a part time driver for They begin to argue and old and my dad started to make in the Xfinity se- pretty soon, all 14 of the alliga- me build my own race cars,” ries, I have really enjoyed work- tor children hear them and come LaJoie, son of two-time Xfinity ing with all the women and men sliding down the river bank into champion Randy LaJoie, said. in the organization these past two the room. “He wanted to make my years,” said Allmendinger. “The They make such a racket path hard enough all the way love of showing up to NASCAR that in order to save his ears, Al- through the times where he knew races has returned for me, and I ligator roars, “Quiet, all right. All opportunities were going to dry truly have enjoyed myself on and of you can come.” up and even when you’re not in off the race track.” They get out to the broom the best cars. The resilience that Kaulig Racing recently sage field, and here comes Brer you have to learn, it breaks you announced the return of 2020 Rabbit. He tells them to stand down to the foundation of why Championship 4 contender, Jus- in the middle of the field and he you want to do it. If your founda- tin Haley, as well as the addition will go get trouble and bring it to tion is based off of, well because of to its stable, who them. my dad hired some good people will contend for the 2021 NXS Brer Rabbit runs to the far and I won a lot of go-kart races, Championship alongside All- edge of the field and cuts a piece that ain’t what’s going to keep mendinger. of dry broom sage and puts fire on you going. It’s the fire, the feeling LOOKING it. Then he runs round and round you did this with your buddies or FOR TROUBLE the field till the fire completely your team and it’s because you In light of all the problems engulfs the alligator family. were the better man that day.” associated with the current trou- Miz Alligator sees the red LaJoie’s results do not bles and the covid-19 virus, we fire and smoke and says, “I think stand out, but one has to factor have decided to forgo the weekly that’s the trouble Brer Rabbit is the teams he was with and the racing joke, and share a piece of bringing to show us.” financial challenges they faced. timeless folklore that was told to All the baby alligators He’s pondered whether it would me by my grandfather, John Hart- jump up and down and say, be better to run with a more com- ley Hodges. It was related to him “Ain’t trouble pretty, Ma. Ain’t petitive team in the Xfinity Series by his father, John Allen Hodges, trouble pretty.” and go for wins vs. running in the who served as a bugler in the U. Soon the hot fire gets pack in Cup. Each time he thinks S. Cavalry during the War Be- close, the smoke gets bad, and running Cup is better. tween The States. This tale, like all the alligators take out for the “The guys that I race most folklore, is designed to en- other side of the field, but they around any given Sunday, they courage common sense. meet fire there, also. Senior Turner Cone and the Union County wrestling program will lace ‘em up for Friday’s home-opener when they host a 4 p.m. tri-match with Towns County and White County. Before Friday’s home opener, Union run 24th to 28th and are guys that It’s about trouble, and They turn around to the County pays a visit to Towns County at 4 p.m Tuesday. Next week, Union County hits the road but will remain are capable of winning Xfinity probably has its origins in West other side. More fire. nearby with visits to Lumpkin County and Gilmer. The Panthers’ final match before the holidays will be Dec. races,” LaJoie continued. “I’m Africa. Finally, they all shut their 22 at Johnson-Gainesville. All Union home matches are at The Pit. Photo/Todd Forrest learning the same tricks of the One day long ago, Alliga- eyes, put their heads low to the trade, how to move around, car tor was floating in his home creek ground and burst through the fire control on Sunday that I would thinking how satisfying life is. In and never stop until splash, they Local Racing Report: Tri-County be on Saturday. those days, he’s dressed up in a all make it back to the creek. By Blake Lynch in second was No.00 Adam Jason Deal. Coming in third “There’s times, sometimes white suit good enough for Sun- After they take off their Racing Reporter Brooks. In third was No.01 was No.14 Sylvan Schutte. a string of six, seven weeks in a day. He lives in the water with all dirty suits, they sit around and row you’re wondering what in the fish he can eat, so he never has talk about it. North Georgia News Shannon Jones. Coming in Coming in fourth was No.12 fourth was No.16 Phil Wood. Drew Deaver. In fifth was the hell am I doing, do I know to work for a living, and he never, “It’s all Brer Rabbit’s how to drive a race car? But ever has met up with trouble. fault,” said Alligator. Coming in fifth was No.3 Al- No.17 Brett Shook. then you’ve just got to go back “Good morning, Alligator. But even as the words Brasstown. NC - Tri- len Cantrell. Super Late Modules- to those times where you didn’t How are you today,” asks Brer come out of his mouth, Alliga- County Racetrack hosted its Street Stock - Coming Coming in first was No.8 Da- have the best car and you had to Rabbit, as he stopped to pass the tor knows in his heart that’s not season finale this past week- in first was No.12 Roger Bea- vid Payne. Coming in second move around and you had to find time of day. rightly so. He’s the one that asked end with a full racing program, ver. Placing second was No.44 was No.x15 Shawn Chastain. different areas to get after it and After a few sociabilities, to see trouble. plus Super Late Modules. Chuck Sims. Coming in third Placing third was No.55 Kip you remember that feeling of ac- Brer Rabbit mentions all his Racing Trivia Question: Here are the top five was No.J69 Jim Weller. Com- Chochran. Finishing in fourth complishment you had and that troubles. How many Cup Series races did from each class: ing in fourth was No.91 Clint was No.38 Jamie Oliver. Com- was kind of what kept my flame “Trouble. What’s that, win in 2020? Modified Street - Com- Watkins. Coming in fifth was ing in fifth was No.102 Ste- going of not giving up.” Rabbit. I ain’t never seen trou- Last Week’s Question: ing in first was No.88 Ricky No. 33 Brady Hunt. phen Segars. ALLMENDINGER ble.” Which Cup Series team will Kyle Smith. Coming in second Beginner 602 - Com- FWD - Coming in first RETURNS TO “You ain’t seen trouble? Larson be driving for in 2021? ing in first was No.22 Tucker FULL-TIME RACING Great Peace. I can show you Answer. He will drive the No. 5 was No.37 Michael Barnett. was No.2BB John Burnett. AJ Allmendinger will be trouble, Alligator.” Chevrolet. Coming in third was No.44 Anderson. Coming in second Coming in second was No.101 returning to full-time competition “I’d like that Brer Rabbit. Gerald Hodges is a syndi- Bobby Elkins. In fourth was was No.44 Jay Lynch. Taking Brent Lynch. Coming third with Kaulig Racing for the 2021 I’d surely like to see how trouble cated NASCAR writer and au- No.23 Charles Devine Jr.. home third was No.100 Coo- was No.10 Blake Lynch. Com- Xfinity Series season. stands.” thor. His books may be viewed Placing fifth was No.27 Mike per Twiggs. ing in fourth was No.7 Dustin Allmendinger, who retired Brer Rabbit told Alligator and ordered online at Amazon. Davidson. Crate - Coming in first Hooper. In fifth place was from full-time racing in 2018, to meet him in a broom sage field com. You may contact him by e- Pony - Coming in first was No.9 Brian Kinnersley. No.401 Brandon Lynch. joined Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity about 100 yards from Alligator’s mail at: [email protected]. was No.47 JJ Garrett. Coming Finishing second was No.7 lineup in 2019, where he made house the next day at noon.