Sports

DWS boys, girls wins region track & field titles — again

Danny Aller

ALBANY — The Deerfield-Windsor boys and girls track and field teams ran away with the GISA Region 3-AAA title Tuesday — literally.

And while there was no shortage of highlights from the Knights and Lady Knights, leading the way for the girls was defending state champ Kelly Conway, while the boys were paced by pole vaulter John Smith, who once again shattered the school record during the meet.

But let’s start with Conway — the girl who has yet to meet a running event she can’t dominate.

Conway, who was The Herald’s Player of the Year for both cross-country and girls track & field in 2007, cruised by the field once again, this time going home with four individual region titles: The 3,200 meters, 1,500 meters, 800 meters and 300-meter high hurdles.

Conway also was the meet’s high-point winner with 18 total points.

As for Smith, he also walked away with three region championships Tuesday as well as the high-point winner with 19 1/2 points. Smith won the titles in the pole vault (15 feet, a new school record), 100 meters and 200 meters.

But while Smith’s and Conway’s feats highlighted the match, that was far from all the news on the day for Deerfield, which repeated as region champ for both boys and girls.

Other region title winners for the girls included Ivy Puckett (high jump), Megan Moss (shot put), Kelly Bates (pole vault), Torri Knight (110-meter hurdles), Melissa McClure (100-meter dash), Laine More (400 meters, 200 meters) and the Lady Knights also won the region championship in the girls 4X100 relay event.

The Knights, meanwhile, were just as stellar, getting individual title wins from Taylor Withers (3,200 meters, 1,500 meters), Andre Young (long jump), Ja’Voris Bland (triple jump), Bradwell Lanier (discus, shot put), Andy Clack (400 meters) and wins by both the Knights’ relay teams in the 1,600 and 400-meter relay.

Of course, not to be forgotten were a few performances by one athlete from Sherwood: Nile Knapp.

Knapp cruised to the win the 300-meter hurdles, finishing with a scorching time of 43.76.

Tennis

LEE COUNTY BOYS REPEAT AS REGION CHAMPS

Well, folks ... they’ve done it again.

Led by No. 1 singles player Matt Vansant — who remained undefeated on the season and is the reigning Herald Player of the Year for boys tennis — dominated his match against Thomas County Central’s Bryan Smith, 6-2, 6-3, to help lead the Trojans to their second consecutive Region 1-AAAA championship with a 3-2 win against the Yellow Jackets.

But while Vansant was busy picking up key points, it was unsung doubles duo of Drew Ringham and Matt Brooks which sealed the win.

After dropping the first set, 4-6, Ringham and Brooks rallied to beat TCC’s Jesse Fender and Blade Daughtry, 6-0, 6-3 to finish off and capture the region crown.

“It was the match everyone was watching because it all came down to them,” first-year Lee County coach Blair Johnston said. “But when it was over, I was so proud of my guys for sticking it out and picking up that point we needed to wrap up the title.”

The Trojans finish a perfect 3-0 in region play and will host the first round of the state tournament next week.

As for the Lee County girls, they suffered another crushing defeat Tuesday, this time at the hands of the Lady Yellow Jackets, 3-2.

The Lady Trojans, which started out region play 1-0, have now lost two in a row and will have to travel for the state tournament next week.

Picking up the only wins for Lee on Tuesday was Brittany Moates at No. 2 singles and the doubles team of Katie Brown and Mallory Swearingen.

Golf

DEERFIELD DOMINATES AGAIN

The defending state champion Class AAA Knights’ golf team downed Southland in dual match Tuesday— and someone other than DWS star T.J. Mitchell shined for a change.

Ashton Pellicano, the 2007 Herald Player of the Year, was the top shooter along with Collin Ho as both fired a 73. Mitchell, a Georgia signee, pitched a 74 and Neal Wethington rounded out the scoring with a 76 as Deerfield with a score of 296 to Southland’s 302.

However, worth mentioning was the play of Southland No. 1 golfer Kathryn Fowler, who is the team’s top golfer on a co-ed squad.

Fowler was the match’s low medalist with a 68, followed by Kevin Lee (74), Jay Buchanan (78) and Mason Law (82).

Deerfield still has yet to lose a match or tournament they’ve competed in all year and the two teams will face one another again Thursday when they travel to Houston County for the Region 3-AAA tournament.

Baseball

SHIVER CATCHES FIRE IN WESTWOOD WIN

Put Brett Shiver on any field, and have him play any sport, and the result will likely be the same: He excels.

Shiver, a three-sport star for the Wildcats, had another big afternoon for the baseball team in a 4-2 win against Southwest Georgia Academy.

Not only did Shiver pitch a complete game, giving up just five hits, but he also belted his third homer of the season — a two-run shot in the sixth inning — to give Westwood a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Shiver (2-0) recorded five strikeouts and was 2-3 from the plate to help the Wildcats improve to 4-5 overall. They play again Friday at home against Fullington Academy.

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