Rifle, tennis, baseball plays today

Published 10:10 pm Wednesday, March 1, 2006

MOULTRIE — Two of Colquitt County High’s undefeated teams will be in action and the junior varsity and ninth-grade baseball teams will play their openers in a busy sports schedule today.

The defending Region 1-AAAAA champion Colquitt County girls tennis team will go to Douglas to meet Coffee High today and try to win their third straight match to open the 2006 season.

The Lady Packers are already 2-0 with 5-0 region victories over Houston County and Valdosta already.

Coach Linda Berl will send out a lineup that includes five seniors: Lindsay Jacobs at No. 1 singles, Landi Clark at No. 2 singles, Monique Murphy at No. 3 singles and Gracie Qurnell and Anne Yearta playing together at No. 1 doubles.

Jessica Harvin has played No. 2 doubles with Savanna Lamon against Houston County and with Dresden Melton on Tuesday against Valdosta.

Both No. 2 doubles teams have won their matches.

The Colquitt County boys team will be seeking its first victory of the season when it squares off with the Trojans.

Colquitt County boys coach Grant Hammack has used different lineups in the two matches so far and could change it again today.

The Packers are young and inexperienced and have just one senior.

Both the Packers and Lady Packers will play on Friday and Saturday in the Tifton Rotary Tournament.

The Colquitt County High varsity baseball team has two games under its belt and the B-team and ninth-grade teams will get their seasons under way today.

The B-team, under coaches Craig Pitts and Greg Tillery, will open against Tift County at 5:30 p.m. today at Ike Aultman Field.

The team includes Nathan Cashwell, Blake Cato, Ben Cauthen, Michael Connell, Anthony Cortes, Justin Crawley, Caleb English, Cam Fitzgerald, Jarvis Lambright, Austin McAlpin, Cody McLean, Patrick Taylor, Drew Tillery, Corey Tucker, Stephen Tyus, Bo Williams and Nathan Yost.

The B-team will play a 16-game schedule and will be back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Leesburg to meet Lee County at 5:30 p.m.

The ninth-grade team is scheduled to play 19 games, including its season-opener today at 5:30 p.m. at Tift County.

Coach Daniel Dalton’s team includes Kody Akridge, Michael Amore, Cam Anderson, Jebb Cato, Judd Cato, Andrew Clark, Clark Coleman, Justin Fowler, Scotty Green, Corey Hancock, John Michael Harrison, McClellan Mobley, William Mark Oliver, Chris Phillips and Adam Stanfill.

The freshmen will be busy the first week of the season, with a doubleheader at Valdosta scheduled for 4:30 pm. Friday and single home game against Bainbridge at 5 p.m. Monday and Lee County at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Colquitt County rifle team already has its top four shooters qualified for the state riflery championships, which will be held April 1 at Fort Benning.

But there is still plenty for the team to accomplish.

And not all of it is aimed at the state high school championship.

The Colquitt County team, made up of members of the Marine Corps Junior ROTC program, also has qualified for the National JROTC Championships, to be held March 23-28, also at Fort Benning.

Before then, Colquitt County has two more regular-season matches and the Area 2 match to deal with.

Colquitt County, unbeaten in seven matches so far, will play host to Dodge County today and will go to Worth County for its regular-season finale on Thursday, March 9. The Area championships will be held at either Turner County on Crisp County.

The top four teams will advance to sectional matches, which, according to the Georgia High School Association, will be held March 23, or earlier if agreed upon by the area chairpersons.

Gunnery Sgt. Emmett Bryant said his team understands that a first- or second-place finish in the Area competition will mean shooting at home in the sectional.

The 16 sectional winners qualify for the state championships.

State individual championships will follow the team championships.

The Colquitt County team continues to rely on seniors Yohann Brinson, Jessica Corona and Tori Dampier and sophomore Shontae Robinson. The other team members are Megan Dubberly, Amanda Thompson and Joshua Taylor.

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