By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Last week, the Morgan County High School soccer teams completed their regular season by facing region opponents Oconee County and Jackson County. The girls’ team lost both games, 0-4 against Oconee and 1-2 against Jackson. The boys also lost to Oconee County 1-7, but beat Jackson 6-2 to finish off the season.
Although the Morgan County girls lost 0-4 to Oconee, Coach Jessica Ward contended that the team, “played a phenomenal game.”
“They held a top 10 ranked team in the state to 0-1 in the first half,” said Coach Ward. “The Lady Dogs played with lots of heart and determination and, when it was all over, they said it was fun. I am very proud of the hard, heartfelt play and their positive attitudes.”
The boys’ 1-7 loss to Oconee County came against a team with a 5-1 region record so far this year.
The girls’ team also had a tough 1-2 loss against Jackson County last Friday to finish off their season.
After the first period, Jackson County was ahead 1-0, but Susanna Peppers tied the score for Morgan County early in the second period.
Unfortunately, Jackson broke away later in the period to score the winning goal, with Morgan County losing their last game of the season 1-2.
“The Morgan County ladies played great,” said Coach Ward. “The game really could have gone either way.”
 The boys’ team, however, finished off their season with a 6-2 victory over Jackson, which coach Brandon York described as a, “brilliant way to end the season.”
Neither team will continue on into the postseason this year.

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Last week, the Morgan County High Schools tennis teams competed in the 8-AAA region tournament, where the boys placed second in the region and the girls placed fourth, earning both teams a chance to move on to the AAA state bracket.
Monday, the boys competed in the first round of the state bracket, beating Sonoraville in three matches.
In the region tournament last Wednesday, both teams easily made their way through the first round of play and were set to play Thursday, the next day, for their final places.
The girls competed on the second day against North Oconee high school but lost, giving them a fourth-place finish in the region.
The boys, however, beat North Oconee in three matches to move onto the championship game against Oconee County, but they lost to the Warriors, finishing second in the region.
The Morgan County boys took on Sonoraville in the first round of the state playoffs Monday afternoon at home.
Wolfgang Busenitz, Sam Cooper, and the doubles team of Drew McHugh and Garrett Gardner won the first three matches against Sonoraville, which were enough to call the match, but Caleb Plumley and the doubles team of Sutton Trulock and Chan Courchaine got a chance to compete nevertheless, beating Sonoraville and giving Morgan County a 5-0 sweep.
Tuesday, the girls’ team played against Cartersville away for their first matches of the state tournament. The results were not available at the time of printing.
Next, the boys’ team will take on Buford for the second round of playoffs. They play Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Buford.

Printed in the April 25, 2013 edition

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The Morgan County High School JV baseball team has extended its perfect season to 15-0 with wins against Salem and Monroe Area last week. After a 12-0 shutout against Salem High School last Tuesday, the Dogs took both games of a doubleheader against Monroe. The first of two scheduled five-inning games ended in the third inning 18-3, but the second went the full five innings with Morgan County winning 16-7.

This week, the JV team is preparing for their end-of-the-season tournament, which they will host at home this Saturday beginning with a game against Jefferson at 10 a.m.
Neither team was able to manufacture a run in the first inning of the JV Dogs’ game against Salem last Tuesday.

However, that proved to be the calm before the storm, as Morgan County came out in the bottom of the second inning to score nine runs, while keeping Salem at none.
Max Wadsworth, who also pitched the first four innings for the Dogs allowing four hits but no runs, started the second inning off for Morgan County with a base on balls.
Ross Gasque, the next batter up, also walked before Luke Zimmerman drove both Wadsworth and Gasque in with a double, scoring the Dogs’ first two runs.

Singles by Ben Meier, Wadsworth, Gasque, and John Milledge Wells – as well as the ability of Sam Couch, Austin Rapier, and Zimmerman to reach base on errors – assured the remaining seven runs for Morgan County, who was ahead 9-0 at the end of the second inning.
“We’re the kind of team where you don’t want to give us an extra out,” said Coach Doug Connelly about the runs they were able to earn because of Salem’s errors throughout the game.

At 8:21 a.m., last Friday morning, my phone starts ringing. Still nine minutes away from my alarm, I’m wondering who could possibly be calling me so early.
“Patrick Yost,” it says on the screen.
I’m not late. What did I do?
“Hello?” I answer with sleep still in my voice.
“What are you doing today?” he asks.
Hmm... What am I about to sign myself up for?
“Nothing, I don’t think,” I respond.
“How would you like to go to the Masters today.”
“Uh... yeah. When do we leave?”

An hour later, I was at the office ready to leave with Patrick and Artrose Cooper. We would pick up Sherry Stevens on the way.
After swooping through Buckhead, we were on I-20 moving toward Augusta a bit faster than Patrick’s Volvo station wagon would have otherwise enjoyed.

Dark skies and rain to the east were troubling but not quite enough to be a deterrent.
We stopped at a Marriott away from the course to pick up our passes and drop off the car.
At the lot, Patrick had to explain more than once that we were allowed neither our phones nor our cameras. We didn’t like it, but we were forced to capitulate.
We were also warned not to lose our passes. Patrick hinted at his doubts of coming away from the ordeal alive if one of us were to misplace the laminated equivalent of Wonka’s golden ticket.

Sufficiently scared, we hopped in a shuttle headed to the course while clouds were still blocking out the sun.
By the time we arrived, however, the sun was out in full force, and my eventual sunburn was underway.

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Last Saturday, the Morgan County Middle School track team competed in the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s annual track and field championship. The boys’ team placed sixth in the championship, earning 33 points, while the girls placed fifth with 49 points.
Notable performances by the boys included Dalton Shaw’s first-place finish in the 3200-meter race, Dalton Smith’s second-place in the shot put, and Jordan Hilsman’s fourth-place finish in the 800-meter race.
Caroline Zant was the star performer for Morgan County’s girls, placing first in the high jump and triple jump, earning fourth in the 100-meter hurdles, and being part of the second-place team in the 4x400-meter relay, which also included Tyra Green, Morgan Howell and Aris Hubbard.
Ellie Conn also earned a first-place finish for Morgan County in the discus throw.

Printed in the April 18, 2013 edition.