NovemberTHE NORTH 18, 2015GEORGIA THE NEWSNORTH November GEORGIA 18, NEWS 2015 Page Page 15A 15A Winter sports off an running Benton MacKaye Trail celebrates 35th Anniversary at Union County, Woody Gap By Todd Forrest North Georgia News [email protected] We all know that life doesn’t get any better than living in the North Georgia Mountains in autumn, but that chill in the air is beginning to bite a little too hard, so it’s time to move indoors. Our reward? A full plate Maintainer volunteers of indoor sports in Blairsville On November 7th, the tired BMT trail signs. and Suches. BMTA’s Annual Meeting not BMTA’s Trail Worker of At Union County High only celebrated the 35th year the Year for 2015 was awarded School, basketball season got of the Benton MacKaye Trail, to Ralph Heller. He received underway with a scrimmage but it also honored 51 Trail the association’s special Pulas- contest at Hayesville, NC last Maintainers, who gave gener- ki (trail tool) which he keeps week. ously of their time and talent until next year’s meeting. The Both the Panthers and by working on the Benton Pulaski holds engraved names Lady Panthers got a chance MacKaye Trail a combined of present and past Trail Work- to shake off the rust as their total of 4,674 hours in GA/ ers of the Year. coaches got a look at how they TN/& NC (including travel & The BMTA can always stack up against someone other work hours). Red maintainer use more maintainers to help than themselves. shirts were given to all vol- with trail work. For more infor- The guys were still with- unteers with 30+ hours on the mation on how to participate in out its football players but with trail. The Top Ten Maintain- the BMTA, on and off the trail, the Panthers’ season ending last ers, with the most number of group hikes etc. go to www. Friday, the multi-sport athletes hours, were also awarded re- bmta.org and/or Facebook. Ralph Heller N(Nov18,Z10)CA will make the jump from the gridiron to the hardwood this week. Union County will dive NASCAR 2015 into action immediately when By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter both teams host Class AAAA’s Gilmer County on Tuesday Luck and rain favors Earnhardt at Phoenix night. Following a 6-day break, Union County’s 6-8 center Chase Shook with a dunk vs Rabun PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Dale they will host Dawson County County last winter. Shook looks to lead the Panthers to their third Earnhardt Jr. was the winner of straight trip to the Class AA Playoffs in February. Photo/Todd Forrest Sunday’s rain-delayed Sprint on Monday the 23rd. The ladies Cup race. varsity will get underway at 6 Murphy, NC. The wrestling program is The race was delayed for p.m. on both nights, with the Those two will begin a another sport that won’t reach over six hours, getting the com- guys to follow. string of 8-straight home games full strength until the conclu- mand to start engines at 9 p.m. ET JV will begin at 3:45 and before they head back on the sion of the football season. and taking the green flag at 9:27. 4:45, also both nights. road, but not until the calendar If none of those sports During a late race caution on lap As for the Woody Gap turns to February. pique your interest, the Union 195, it started raining again, just Falcons and Lady Falcons, The fastest growing sport County Swim Team has also after NASCAR red flagged the their seasons tipped off on Nov. in Union County is wrestling. gotten underway at both the event at 11:30 on lap 219, the rain 3rd at North Georgia Christian Under the direction of Coach high school, and middle school came down hard. With more rain in the forecast, NASCAR decided Academy. Michael Smith-Foot, the Pan- level. to call it and made it official. Nov. 10th saw the Woody thers wrestling program is no Earlier this month, both “We had an idea that the Gap home opener vs War Hill longer in its infancy stages and UCHS and UCMS traveled to rain was in the area, but all the lap on pit road on Lap 8, he fell near future. Academy. On Nov. 13th they is ready to compete with the Clarkesville for a swim meet. circumstances that played out at to 41st, likely costing him an op- Jones main racing role this would host Tallulah Falls. Both big boys. The teams combined for the end are just kind of luck, I portunity to make the final Chase season has been in the trucks. high school teams as well as This weekend, the old 20 Top 10 finishes, including think,” Earnhardt said. “I think field. He leads the truck championship the middle school teams were high school gym (The Pit) will UCMS’ Grace Weldon’s first the reason why we won this race Joey Logano needed to with three victories and has two in action during the home play host to the Union Invita- place performance in the 50- is because of the way we qualified win and his third-place finish was wins in the Xfinity Series. contests. tional. yard freestyle. to give ourselves a position to be not good enough to put him in the “It’s a good thing for me up front all night. When some- Chase. that I can get in the seat and get Up next is a trip to Tallu- The grapplers will hit For further information thing like this quirky happens, we Carl Edwards the last experience in the Cup Series,” lah Falls on Dec. 4th, followed the mats at 9 a.m. so be there on Union County’s winter were able to capitalize.” Chase contender finished 12th, Jones said. “The hard part of that by a visit to Faith Christian early to cheer on our upstart sports, check next week’s North Kevin Harvick led 143 but came up shy. is I don’t get to do it every week... Academy in Mt. Airy on Dec. wrestling program. Georgia News sports section laps, but had to settle for second. All the cards are on the It’s still a tough deal whenever 11th. The middle school wres- for basketball previews and “It’s kind of bittersweet for table. Each of the four drivers has you hop into that situation and The next time they will tling program is also busy this results, as well as a wrap up me,” Harvick said. “The caution equal points. Whoever finishes don’t know everybody well and see action in Suches is Jan. week with a competition at and pictures from the week- came out at the wrong time and the highest at Homestead will be you don’t really have a lot of ex- 6th against Atlanta Jewish Pickens County on Tuesday and end wrestling tournament, the we didn’t get to make up ground the 2015 Sprint Cup Champion. perience in that series and that car Academy, then on Jan. 8 vs at Towns County on Saturday. Union Invitational, and more. under green. Sometimes you win “Rowdy” Kyle either.” some of those things, sometimes Dominates Xfinity Race In March 2013, Kyle you don’t. But the big picture is “Rowdy” Kyle Busch led Busch Motorsports signed the UCHS 2015-16 basketball schedule what it’s all about.” 190 laps on the way to victory in young Byron, Mich. native to Day Date Opponent Location Varsity JV Shootout... Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, the 200 lap Xfinity Series race drive in five Camping World continued from 14A Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Saturday at Phoenix. Truck Series races in the team’s Tuesday Nov. 10 Hayesville Away 5:30/7:00 Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Top-10 finishers: 1. Busch, No. 51 Toyota Tundra. In the second half, as Keselowski and Aric Almirola 2. Brad Keselowski, 3. Eric Jones, He returned in 2014, driv- Tuesday Nov. 17 Gilmer Home 6:00/7:30 3:45/4:45 Mancuso was handing off to were the remaining top-10. 4. Daniel Suarez, 5. Ty Dillon, 6. ing in 12 truck events, and three Lynch with the game on the The four drivers advancing Regan Smith, 7. Chase Elliott, 8. races with the team’s No. 20 in Monday Nov. 23 Dawson Home 6:00/7:30 3:45/4:45 line, it was almost as if Joe was to the Championship Round of Darrell Wallace Jr., 9. Elliott Sa- the Xfinity Series. He won three The Chase at Homestead-Miami dler, 10. Kasey Kahne. truck races that season. Tuesday Nov. 24 Lumpkin Home 7:00/8:30 4:00/5:30 passing the proverbial torch on to Bo, who will be joined by Speedway are: Kevin Harvick, Top-10 points leaders with Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Tuesday Dec. 1 Lumpkin Away 6:00/7:30 3:45/4:45 Cole Dockrey and Chad Buz- Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and one race remaining: 1. C. Bue- Racing has been busy mapping zard in what should be one of the Martin Truex Jr. scher-1157, 2. Elliott-1139, 3. T. out a future that will take Jones Friday Dec. 4 Towns The Pit 7:00/8:30 4:00/5:30 “We’re excited about the Dillon-1135, 4. Smith-1133, 5. full time into Xfinity next season deepest and most talented Union opportunity to go down there,” Sadler-1044, 6.