|
Weather |
|
|
|
Local
News |
|
|
|
SPORTS NEWS FOR
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2001
 |
Preseason scrimmages:
Rebels Down Henry County and Jackson South Side |
|
This past Tuesday afternoon, the McKenzie Rebels
traveled to Paris to take on the 5-A Patriots (of
Region 6-AAAAA). The Patriots returned seven offensive
players from last year's 5-6 squad. Coaches have
picked the Patriots to finish third (behind Brentwood
and Dickson County) in their seven-team region.
McKenzie trailed early in the scrimmage 13-7. Taylor
Holland began to execute the option and the Rebels
offense opened up. David Duncan scored on a
thirty-yard run. Holland scored two touchdowns,
Brannon Milton scored on a two-yard run, and Shane
Barksdale scored on a sixty-five yard run. McKenzie's
defense gave up several big plays, but the offense
tallied 47 points in a 47-20 victory.
"It's good to beat a 5-A team but our intensity level
is not where it must be to be competitive with our
schedule," commented head Coach Wade Comer.
This past Friday afternoon, McKenzie entertained the
AAA South Side Hawks. Coach Jerry Hayes' Hawks are
preseason picks to be at least runner up in Region
6-AAA. South Side is coming off a school best 12-2
state semifinal finish.
McKenzie began the scrimmage on defense and stopped
the Hawks. They then took the ball on offense and drop
deep into South Side territory before being stopped at
the Hawks 12-yard line. A fourth down pass was
incomplete and McKenzie returned the ball back over to
South Side.
A couple of long running plays put South Side in
McKenzie territory. The Hawks outdistanced the Rebel
defense on a long fifty-plus yard touchdown. But the
remainder of the scrimmage was dominated by the Big
Red defense. Mitchell Hall, Eric Gilbert, Jonathan
Adkisson, Josh Stenberg, Matt Merrick, Brannon Milton,
Jazz Taylor, Howard Nolen, and Carone Tharpe all
played with inspiration and held the Hawks to only
seven points.
Offensively McKenzie was able to get good minutes from
its offensive line. Milton had a long rushing evening
breaking tackle after tackle and punishing Hawk
tacklers. Josh Stenberg ran behind good blocking for
several long yardage plays.
Carone Tharpe scored on a fifteen-yard touchdown catch
from Holland. Milton and Stenberg scored also and the
Rebels won a 19-7 decision.
Coach Comer commented, "We still have a long way to go
in many phases of our game to be where we want to be,
but our intensity level was better this scrimmage."
McKenzie's final competition before the regular season
begins will be in jamboree action this Friday night.
Again the Rebels will take on another top quality
opponent. In the fourth quarter fans will get to see
McKenzie battle Hollow Rock-Bruceton. The Tigers are
picked by many to again compete for the Class A Title
with USJ.
In the Tiger offensive backfield will be Adrian
Jamison (5'11"-175 lb. Sr.), along with fullback Jonte
Willis (6'1"-200 lb. Sr.), Patrick Willis (6'1"-200
lb. Jr.). Jamison had a banner year in 2000 scoring 33
touchdowns while rushing for close to 2000 yards. Also
producing some yardage for the Tigers is senior John
Jordan (5'11"-176 lbs.). Jordan has terrific speed and
is capable of taking the ball from end zone to endzone.
The Tigers quarterback will be Coach Rod Sturdivant's
son Rick (6'3"-180 lb. Sr.). The Central High Tigers
have good size in the offensive and defensive line
with Grant Hollingsworth (6'1"-230 lb. Sr.), Sammy
Robertson (6'3"-295 lb. Sr.), Chris Cole (5'9"-244 lb.
Sr.) and Chris Lowe (6'4"-245 lb. Sr.).
McKenzie last played the Tigers in jamboree action in
1996, downing the Tigers 20-14 in two quarters of
play.
The jamboree will feature Huntingdon taking on Henry
County in game one, followed by Martin Westview and
Lexington in the second stanza, West Carroll trying to
knock off Camden and finally the Big Red vs. the
Tigers to close out the night.
Tickets are available at McKenzie High School or any
MHS football player. The cost is $4.00 per ticket with
McKenzie keeping all advance ticket monies. Tickets
purchased at the gate will be $5.00 and split between
the eight participating teams.
|
|
Ray Talley Names New Wildcat Football Head Coach |
Bethel President Robert Prosser named Rayford "Ray"
Talley, Defensive Coordinator for the Bethel College
Wildcats since 1996, the new head coach for the
Wildcats. Talley is the fourth head coach since Bethel
reinstated football in 1993. He served as defensive
coordinator under Ralph Ferguson and defensive
coordinator and assistant head coach under Sherman
Johnson. Announcing Coach Talley's employment,
President Prosser stated, "Bethel College is pleased
to put in place a proven head football coach who has
experience at Bethel College as a defensive
coordinator. As a high school coach in Hanceville,
Alabama, Coach Talley won ten area championships and
finished in the top four in Alabama three times."
When questioned about his new duties and
responsibilities, Coach Talley said, "I am reacting to
a situation and the other coaches and I are trying to
make it the best we can for our players. We will try
to organize the program so the players can be the best
players and people they can be."
Prior to his tenure at Bethel, Talley served as the
head football coach, assistant principal, and
mathematics teacher at Hanceville High School in
Hanceville from 1976-1996. He led his teams to ten
area championships and twenty-nine playoff games,
Hanceville finished in the top four for the state of
Alabama three times during his career. From 1974-1976,
Coach Talley was the head coach at Falkville High
School in Falkville, Alabama. He led that team to the
Tennessee Valley Area Championship in his second year
at the helm. From 1965-1974, he served as the head
baseball coach and defensive football coordinator at
Cullman High School in Cullman, Alabama. Cullman teams
won six football and six baseball titles during Coach
Talley's years there. During this time, Cullman also
played for the Alabama large schools football
championship. Talley is a member of the Cullman High
School Hall of Fame and the National All-Stars Bowl
Hall of Fame.
Besides his nearly 40 years as a coach and educator,
Coach Talley is also a retired colonel. He served in
the U. S. Army from 1962-65 and spent a total of 31
years in the army and the Army National Guard,
retiring as a Colonel in the Communication Electronics
Branch.
Coach Talley replaces Sherman Johnson at the held.
Coach Johnson resigned after three seasons for
personal reasons.
|
|
|
|
Football Jamborees Set for Weekend |
Football season begins this weekend with area teams
involved in both senior and junior high action.
Friday, August 17
Friday night, eight teams will converge on
Huntingdon's Paul Ward Stadium at 7:00 p.m. for
football action. The evening begins with Huntingdon
and Henry County meeting in quarter one, followed by
Martin Westview and Lexington in quarter two, West
Carroll and Camden Central in quarter three and
McKenzie and Hollow Rock-Bruceton in quarter four.
Admission at the gate is $5.00, but all teams have
tickets for sale. Most schools are charging $4.00 for
advanced ticket sales.
Also on Friday night, Milan will participate in
jamboree action at Jackson's Rothrock Stadium in the
fourth quarter action against Jackson Central Merry.
Jackson's Northside, USJ, JCS, Trinity Christian and
South Side, along with Trenton Peabody will also be
playing at Rothrock. Advanced tickets are $4.00, while
they will be $5.00 at the gate. Games will begin at
6:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 18
Saturday night, McKenzie Touchdown Club will host
their annual junior high jamboree at Rebel Field.
Advanced tickets will be $3.00 while tickets at the
gate will cost $4.00. Quarter one pits Inman against
Dresden, quarter two will find Huntingdon playing
Medina, quarter three will have West Carroll meeting
Camden and the final game will be between host
McKenzie and Hollow Rock-Bruceton. Games begin at 6:00
p.m.
The regular season will begin on Friday, August 24
with McKenzie hosting Obion, West Carroll traveling to
Jackson Christian School, and Hollow Rock-Bruceton
hosting Huntingdon.
Junior high games will begin the following week also.
However, West Carroll's Junior High War Eagles will
host Greenfield this Thursday night at War Eagle
Stadium.
|
|
Hole-in-One at Methodist Hospital's Summer Classic,
Carroll Lake Golf Club |
By Deborah Turner
Despite heavy morning rains, 29 teams showed up on
Friday, August 10, 2001 for Methodist
Healthcare-McKenzie Hospital's Sixth Annual Summer
Classic Golf Tournament held at Carroll Lake Golf
Club. With only a slight delay, teams from as far away
as Jackson enjoyed 18 holes of golf without the
blistering heat of recent days. Following the
tournament, participants returned to the clubhouse
with ravenous appetites where grilled hamburgers and
lots of trimmings awaited them.
Proceeds from the tournament will be used for the
development and enhancement of the Methodist McKenzie
Wellness Center. The Wellness Center currently
features aerobic and strength training equipment plus
a paved outdoor walking track for total fitness. The
Wellness Center is available to the public for a low
monthly fee as a part of Methodist Healthcare's
commitment to provide a wide range of health services
to the community.
The highlight of the day came when Ron Jordan, a
member of the Jordan's Trading Post team, hit a hole
in one on the sixth hole. No novice to golf, Jordan
was nonetheless thrilled with his good fortune.
"It was just amazing," he said, "I didn't think
nothing about it; I just wanted to get it on the
green. It was definitely amazing.
"Carroll Lake is a good place to play golf and I want
to thank Phil Williams for donating the recliners," he
continued. Williams' Furniture Company donated
his-and-her Strata recliners to anyone making a
hole-in-one on hole number six. He was also awarded 36
dozen Swift golf balls worth $1500.00 as well as a set
of Wilson Fat Shaft irons.
Now 24 years old, the Huntingdon resident has been
playing golf for 12 years and played while attending
school at Clarksburg High School. This is his eighth
year to play in tournaments.
His father and two uncles completed the Jordan's
Trading Post team. Manning the store in Huntingdon,
his grandfather, Robert Jordan, had yet to learn that
his grandson had followed in his footsteps to land a
hole-in-one. The elder Jordan achieved his hole-in-one
while vacationing in Van Buren, Missouri some five
years ago.
Taking first place in the Championship Flight was
Carroll Lake Golf Club with a score of 54, winning
team members gift certificates of $100 each. Playing
for the Club were Peter Toon, Bruce Wright, Jamie
Barker and John Roberts.
The Tri-County Motors team came in second place,
taking home gift certificates of $75.00 each. Winning
players were Charles Beasley, Lyndell Barker, Bobby
Jack Cantrell, and John Petering.
In the First Flight, first prizes of $50 were awarded
to the members of the Carroll Insurance Agency team.
They were: Jimmy Carroll, Jerry Boyd, Al Oliver and
Gayle Griffith.
Second place winners were Robert "Scooter" Miller,
Danny McElhiney, Dick McCormick and Hoot Gibson for
the Methodist Hospital-McKenzie team, winning $25
each.
In the Second Flight, the McKenzie Industrial Board
team claimed first place winnings of $50 each. Team
members included Billy Barksdale, Bob Rutledge, John
Baumgardner and David Barksdale.
Second place winners were the Roche Diagnostics
Laboratory team. Team members Michael Ridley, Derek
Merritt, Lisa Perry and Mike Balius won $25 each for
the victory.
Other prizes awarded included the longest drive for
women, won by Tammy Cole; the longest drive for men:
Peter Toon; putting contest winners: Pat Bishop and
Ray Swift; and closest to the hole winners: Frank
Ridley, Robert Barger, Peter Toon, Mike Balius, and
Ron Jordan. Jr. Door prizes of $25 each were awarded
to ten participants with other door prizes including a
variety of donated items.
|
|
|
|
