AMERICUS —
Americus-Sumter, Southland, Schley County, and Marion County will be playing their final regular season games of the year on Friday. There will be a heavy favorite in each of the contests this weekend with the exception of the Americus-Sumter game, which is good news for some of our teams and potentially bad news for some others. Anything is possible in football, however, so each team will have a chance to win or lose based on the intensity they bring to the game.
Americus-Sumter faces a must-win situation this weekend in Americus when the Crisp County Cougars come to town for the final Region 1-AAAA match-up for each team. The Panthers must defeat the Cougars at home and hope for a Worth County loss to Monroe to claim the number four seed for Region 1-AAAA in the State Playoffs. Americus-Sumter lost to the Cougars 8-7 last year in Cordele, but won the two previous years in close games. The Cougars are having a down year, and through nine games this season they have only been able to score 58 points compared to the Panthers’ 208 points. Americus-Sumter will need to keep the Cougar offense at bay and find their stride again on offense, but with some help they could wrap up a playoff spot this weekend.
Southland will also be at home this weekend to end their regular season against a very powerful Deerfield-Windsor Knight team this sits atop GISA Region 1-AAA. The Knights have won every game this season with the exception of an early season match-up with North Florida Christian, including a sweep of their region schedule so far. The key for Southland will be to get the offense going early to throw off the game plan of the stout Knight defense that only gives up 13 points per game on average. Southland will be looking to defeat the Knights for the first time since 2006, and they are sure to throw everything they have at Deerfield in their final game of the year.
Schley County will also be the heavy underdogs this weekend against the Dooly County Bobcats as they travel to Vienna. Schley County is riding high after winning back-to-back games, and they will bring their ‘A’ game to try and make it three in a row over the powerful Bobcats. The Wildcats will have to play better on defense to hang with Dooly County after giving up an average of 42.2 points per game in their nine games this season. If Schley County can get the defense to play at a high level then they have a real chance to take the upset in Vienna with their potent offensive attack.
Our one local team that will be a heavy favorite in their game will be the Marion County Eagles. The Eagles will travel to Talbotton to take on the Central-Talbotton Hawks in a game that Marion should win easily. Marion County brings a 7-2 overall record into the contest including a 5-1 Region 4-A record, while Central-Talbotton brings in a 0-9 overall record and an 0-6 region record. The Hawks are averaging only 7.6 points per game on offense while giving up 41 points per game on defense so far. The Eagles have been very balanced on offense and defense this season, and they will try to dominate the game on both sides of the ball. Marion County has won every contest between the two teams since 2001, and they should keep that streak alive this year.
This is the final weekend of the year that all of our local teams will be in action. Marion County will play next week in the State Playoffs, and Americus-Sumter still has a chance to gain a playoff spot as well. It is amazing how quickly the football season flies by, so come out and catch your favorite team’s last regular season game if you get a chance.
Local Sports
Local football teams prepare for final regular season games
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Collins’ state title leads Schley Co. to 12th place finish at state meet
As Haley Collins crossed the finish line in the GHSA Class A 800 meter run, she became a state champion. Collins’ dominating performance in the event gave her team 10 points to help lead the Schley County Lady Wildcats to a tie for 12th place in the 30 team meet.
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Lady Panther basketball standout Kahler Fletcher signs with Emmanuel College
On Tuesday afternoon in the Americus-Sumter High School South Campus media center, senior basketball standout Kahler Fletcher ended a long recruiting process by signing a national letter of intent to continue her basketball career at Emmanuel College in Franklin, Ga.
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Talented SCPRD track and field team performs well at state finals
The Sumter County Parks and Recreation Department (SCPRD) track and field team dominated their area meet to qualify 40 participants for the state meet at Carrollton High School’s Grisham Stadium last weekend. The SCPRD team followed their stout area showing by performing exceptionally well in the state meet to close out their 2013 season.
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Local businesses help fund new basketball jerseys for Boys and Girls club
Several local businesses partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Americus/Sumter County and the Americus Police Department to buy new uniforms for every member of the organization’s young men’s basketball team recently. The Boys and Girls Club is located at 551 Hosanna Circle.
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Raiders advance to quarterfinals with convincing win in deciding game 3
The Southland Academy Raiders quickly found themseleves with their backs against the wall in the first round of the GISA Class AAA baseball playoffs last weekend. After surrendering nine runs to the Loganville Chirstian Academy Lions in the first inning in the first of a three-game series, it looked as if Southland might be traveleing back to Americus early. The resilient Raiders were not looking for an early return trip, however, and after a tremendous comeback in a 11-10 opening game loss Southland rebounded with two dominating victories to move on to the quarterfinals on Thursday.
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Lady Eagles dominate final track meet to claim Class A state championship
The GHSA Class A state track meet held this past weekend was just another meet for the Marion County Lady Eagles. After dominating the area and sectional meets earlier this season, the Lady Eagles went out on top by dominating the state meet to earn their school its second state championship of the weekend following the boy’s tennis team’s title-clinching match win on Saturday morning.
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Eagles claim state tennis title behind singles sweep
The Marion County boys tennis team made history this season with the school’s first ever state championship in tennis. They faced area rival Irwin County in the state final and were able to earn the championship with wins in the three singles positions.
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Sumter County Gymnastics Academy excels in state championship meets
Over the past three weekends, Sumter County Gymnastics Academy has competed in the 2013 State Gymnastics meets. April 19-21, the Level 4s, Prep 1s and Prep 2s competed in Cobb County and April 26-28, the Level 2s, Level 3s, and Prep Beginners competed in Bainbridge.
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Americus-Sumter gymnastics team wins 2013 Gym Nest meet
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Relay team propels Wildcats to 9th place finish at state meet
The Schley County boy’s track team knew that the competition would be tough at the GHSA Class A State Meet last week, but that didn’t stop the Wildcats from claiming a ninth place finish in the 29 team season finale.
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