Former Raider Westbrook wins 4th straight

Madison County's Jake Westbrook has now won four straight games on the mound for the Cardinals. Jake and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated San Francisco 8-2 on Monday night at home. Westbrook, 11-8, is one win away from matching his 2011 win total. He pitched 6 complete innings allowing 2 runs, both earned, while giving up 7 hits in Monday's win. Westbrook struck out 4 batters and didn't allow a walk in his 6 innings of work. Westbrook's earned run average is now 3.76.

A championship title they'll always remember

Column published in last week's Madison County Journal. www.mainstreetnews.com. Column titled: "Finally, these girls are State Champions"

By Dallas Bordon
dallasb32@yahoo.com

At the midpoint of the regular season, Coach Rodney Rogers made it clear to his All-Star shortstop Elizabeth Stoyle that this would finally be the year they win the state championship. Elizabeth, “E” as known by her teammates, found it hard to believe what her coach was telling her especially after hearing the same thing for 4 years. Much to her surprise, her coaches were already confident that the formula they mixed had enough potency to win a state title.  For Stoyle, along with Kayla Argo and Taylor Garrison, this was their final shot at winning a senior league state championship. Both Argo and Stoyle were taking their fifth shot at the title while teammate Taylor Garrison was making her third appearance in the state tournament. With a combined team effort and that right mixture of talent, coaches Rodney Rogers, Jeff Garrison, and Lance Wade made sure these three girls would go out with a bang this time around. “Eight girls from this year’s team played last year and were heartbroken and they have been waiting since last July for the chance to play for state again,” said Rogers. “This has been a long time coming for many of these girls as they have made 4 to 5 runs at a state championship.”

With a little more talent added to the formula in 2012, the Senior League All-Star girls have claimed the District 7 title as well as the state championship and are ready to represent Georgia in the Southeastern Regional Tournament in Ft. Myers Florida July 28. This season’s formula had a little northern flavor in the mix with the addition of Dani Lukas; the new kid on the block from New York. Lukas was the winning pitcher in all four state tournament games for Madison County. Her resume reads; seventeen innings pitched allowing just eight runs on eleven hits while tossing 14 strikeouts with just one walk allowed. Not to go unnoticed was Lukas and teammate Elizabeth Stoyle’s team high of seven hits each in the tournament. Despite her success in the tournament, Lukas would be the first to tell anyone that her performance wouldn’t have been possible without a great group of teammates wearing the red and black. Behind Lukas was an outstanding defense that made three diving catches from Anna McCarty, KC Wade, and Kayla Argo. All three highlight plays came at key moments of each game.

This same mixture of talent outscored their opponents 42-9 in the four games.

Each player played a key role from the pinch running of McCarty and Kirsten Casper to Brianna Morgan’s duties sporting the catcher’s equipment behind the plate working each game in the heat. There wasn’t one player that didn’t give an all out effort while facing the tough competition of West Point, Western of Macon, Oglethorpe County and Pioneer of Columbus.

The right formula for success reached beyond those playing inside the white lines however. Madison County’s (football turn softball) version of the 12^th man made an impact. The parents and fans that pulled the coolers of water to the stands in their red wagons each game and pitched tents for shade all represented Madison County in fine fashion. Coach Rodney Rogers expressed his appreciation to all of the parents for their part in making this All-Star run a success. “I would like to thank the parents of the girls for bringing them to each practice and for being understanding when I made some bad decisions from time to time,” said Rogers.

The road to the championship didn’t end at Criswell Park in Monroe with the state championship title. Madison County is now poised at making a run for the regional championship and then who knows maybe a slot at the World Series. The right formula might just be in the mix.

Win or lose, this will be a season to remember for these ladies. “No matter what happens in their lives they will always be the 2012 State Champions and no one can ever take that from them,” said Rogers.

Madison County girls capture state title

Dani Lukas was Madison County's winning pitcher

By Dallas Bordon 

Madison County's winning pitcher Dani Lukas said she has never been to Florida. 

That's about to change for Madison County's winning pitcher of all four games of the senior all star state tournament. Lukas moved to Madison County from New York and has only seen parts of the south. She will be packing her bags soon as the Madison County Senior League All-Stars punched their ticket to the regionals beginning July 27 in Fort Myers, Fla. 

Madison County swept this week's state tournament, winning four straight, capped off with a title championship 6-2 win Thursday over District 8 champion Pioneer of Columbus. Lukas pitched all seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out four. Lukas contributed at the plate by delivering a key two-run double in the sixth inning pushing Madison County out in front 5-2. Elizabeth Stoyle led Madison County with three hits followed by two from Brianna Morgan and one each from Tatum Harris, Taylor Garrison, Kayla Argo, and Lukas. 

On defense, Argo flashed some leather in the top of the first inning by making a diving catch to kill a Pioneer threat. 

Madison County posted the game’s first run in the first inning. Pioneer tied the game in the fourth and added their final run in the top of the sixth. Madison County scored a run in the fourth and fifth innings before delivering the knockout punch with Lukas's double in the sixth inning. 

Madison County will now represent Georgia in the Southeast Regional Tournament July 28. Madison County will face North Carolina in the first game at 11:30 a.m. Madison County finishes the state tournament outscoring its opponents 42-9.

See the complete championship game recap in the July 26 Journal.

Emmanuel College construction update

Read on http://www.goeclions.com/

Franklin Springs, GA---The new Emmanuel College athletic center construction project is in high gear as the start of the school year is rapidly approaching.

The air conditioning is running in most of the building and the basketball goals have all been installed.  The finishing touches are being put on the drywall in both the pool wing and bowling alley wing as the painting is continuing upstairs in the main arena office spaces.  Tile has been placed in the pool wing locker rooms and almost all the exterior windows are now in place.

Next week all the hardwood flooring arrives for the main arena and the lighting and scoreboards will be finished soon. 

Pictured this time are views of the athletic training room in the pool wing, the swimming pool, and the main entrance structure on the front of the building.

Check back soon for more updates as the finishing touches are placed on this wonderful addition to the EC campus.

  

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Madison County Girls headed to Regionals in Florida

Brianna Morgan

Madison County's Senior All-Star girls softball team will be representing Georgia in the Southeast Regional on July 28, in Ft. Myers Florida. Madison County defeated Pioneer of Columbus on Thursday in the state tournament in Monroe, Georgia to claim the title. Madison County defeated Pioneer 6-2 and outscored their opponents 42-9 in four games of the state tournament. Madison County will face North Carolina in game one on July 28, at 11:45.
See the full game recap of Madison County's state tournament win in next week's issue of the Madison County Journal.