The Johnson C. Smith University women’s basketball will take a 14-5 record into its Saturday home game against Chowan and will its No. 10 ranked in Division II’s East Region on the line.
And while the season has been successful so far, there are plenty of roadblocks along the way to Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
“Each game is going to be a challenge for us,” said Lady Golden Bulls coach Vanessa Taylor, the former Lady Packer and Colquitt County Hall of Fame member. “There is so much parity in this conference.
“We’ve just got to grind it out game to game.”
The Lady Golden Bulls have remained on task despite losing first-team All-CIAA performer Wendy Stywalt to grades and having 6-1 senior forward Demetia Bell out of the lineup at times with an injury.
The Lady Golden Bulls, who are 7-5 in CIAA and 1-1 in the West Division, have remained on task by making adjustments and playing outstanding defense.
They ranked No. 1 in the conference in fewest points allowed before losing 71-54 to Saint Augustine last Thursday. The 71 points were the most the team has allowed all season.
As the defending conference tournament champion, the Johnson C. Smith women have been the big game for their conference opposition this season.
“We just have to go out and match their intensity every night,” she said.
Of this and that:
• Tim Cokely resigned as the head football coach at North Florida Christian on Monday and has been named as the head coach at Great Atlanta Christian.
Cokely was the head coach at Colquitt in 2005, 2006 and 2007, posting a 14-18 record.
He coached at North Florida Christian for 10 years, winning five state championships, before coming to Moultrie.
After being let go following the 2007 season, he returned to the Tallahassee school and won his sixth state championship.
He has a 121-42 record as a head coach.
• Freshman Nicolle Thomas, another former Lady Packer, came off the bench to hit a first-half 3-pointer that gave the Auburn women a lead they never surrendered in their 67-53 upset of Georgia on Sunday.
Auburn is now 12-10 and 3-6 in the SEC. Georgia falls to 18-4 overall and 5-4 in the conference.
• Moultrie’s Ashley Stafford grabbed four rebounds for the Columbus State women in their 62-46 Peach Belt Conference victory over Augusta State. The Lady Cougars are 11-8 overall and 5-4 in conference.
• Former Moss Farms diver Hannah Moore was first on 1-meter with a 289.30 and was second on 3-meter when the University of Georgia women’s swimming and diving team defeated Alabama and South Carolina on Saturday at the Gabrielsen Natatorium.
The Lady Dogs are now 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference. They now have won 71 straight at home.
The Georgia women and men’s team are now preparing for the SEC Championships, which will be held Feb. 17-20 at the Gabrielsen Natatorium.
• Moultrie’s J.Todd Tucker won $10,000 with his fourth-place finish in the FLW Outdoors event on Lake Okeechobee last weekend.
Tucker had a four-day total of 58 pounds, 14 ounces.
Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., took the $50,000 first prize with 71 pounds, 9 ounces.
• Former Colquitt County assistant coach Mike West, the defensive coordinator at Fitzgerald the past five seasons, has been named head coach at Metter High School.
West played on three Division I-AA national championship teams at Georgia Southern and has has been an assistant coach on three teams that have reached the state finals: Mitchell-Baker in 1992, Tift County in 1997 and Thomas County Central in 2000.
During his career, West has coached under Jim Hughes, Ed Pilcher, Jack Johnson, Charles Winslette and Robby Pruitt, all of whom have won state championships.
• The Colquitt County basketball teams are off tonight and Friday.
Tonight’s Region 1-AAAAA schedule has Lowndes at Coffee at Tift County at Warner Robins.
On Friday, Coffee will go to Tift County, Lowndes will travel to Northside and Houston County will go to Valdosta.
Local Sports
Taylor has Johnson C. Smith on the move
- Local Sports
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Swimmers and divers head to state
Five swimmers and three divers are in Atlanta today to compete in the Georgia High School Association’s 2012 State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center Friday. The Class AAAAA diving championships will begin at 9 this morning. The Class AAAAA swimming prelims will start at 6:30 p.m. today. The finals will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday. Representing Colquitt County High are, front, from left, divers Anastasia Jimenez, Elizabeth Ann Kirkland and Haley Goodman; back, swimmers Peyton Childs, Austin Vines, Ethan Sobalvarro, Cole Wilkes and Austin Hawkins. The swimming and diving finals will video stream live on GHSA.tv.
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Cokely to take over Marianna football program
Former Colquitt County head football coach Tim Cokely is leaving Greater Atlanta Christian to take over the program at Marianna (Fla.) High.
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Tennis teams to open seasons today in Tifton
The Colquitt County High tennis teams will travel to Tifton today for Chick-fil-A Tift County High School Invitational to begin a season in which both teams appear to have legitimate shots at Region 1-AAAAA championships.
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Middle school soccer sweeps openers
Olivia Griffin connnected on a penalty kick in overtime to give the Colquitt County middle school girls soccer team a victory over Lee County in their season-opener in Leesburg on Thursday.
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Peach signs with Thomas University
Cook High senior Kaitie Peach signs to play softball next season at Thomas University. She is the daughter of Wesley and Sheila Peach, formerly of Moultrie. She is granddaughter of Darrell and Gayle Burgess and Thomas and Helen Peach, all of Moultrie. She was a first baseman for Cook the last four seasons, was an all-star for Adel-Cook for five years and plays travel softball for CHOAS. Shown with Kaitie as she signs are, front, from left, Wesley Peach, Sheila Peach and Thomas University coach Bill Wilson; back, Cook head softball coach Scott Ray and assistant coaches Christy Duke and Paula Simmons.
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10-and-under champions
- Middle school soccer teams to open today
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Heading to Arkansas State
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Conference champions
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls basketball team celebrates its South Georgia Athletic Conference championship. The team includes, front, from left, coach Sheila Williams, Za'Nautica Downs, Akia Sutton, Ty'Asia McNeal, Shy Seay; and back, Sydnee Dalton, Shay Stanfill, Kiarra Lovett, Abiyah Spencer, Coach Jon Scroggins, Angel Kinchen, Chyna Calhoun, Michaela Bennefield, Istajhe Johnson, Ashuntee Stewart and Ja'nysia Brown. Not shown, Coach Tamika Seay and Emily Dozier.
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Lady Pack clinches top seed for region tournament
Makeba Ponder’s free throw with 6 seconds remaining gave the Colquitt County girls a 55-48 victory over Lowndes on Tuesday on the William Bryant Court at the Gladys Espy Gymnasium and ensured the Lady Packers would have the top seed in next week’s Region 1-AAAAA tournament at Tift County.
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