Page 8C
MARY PERSONS 2018
9TH GRADE VOLLEYBALL
TE : Pictured from left
to right on the front row:
Madison Whitehead, Emma
Wimberly, Banks McCoy,
Sadie Icenhour and Cadynce
Chason. Pictured from left to
right on the back row: Carlie
Allen, Caitlyn Van Tone,
Tierra Russell, Savana Sand-
ers and Cassey Phillips. Not
pictured: coach Sabrina Dor-
rity. (Photo/Richard Dumas)
al orter
f
August 22; 2018
I
X COUNTRY
Continued from 5C
graduated from last year's
outstanding squad, the core
of MP'S talent was made
up of freshmen a year ago.
Sophomore Ava McKallip
placed fifth in her first-ever
region meet and will be
expected to improve upon
that finish in 2018. Also,
sophomores Sarah Boyer
and Stormie Martin placed
13th and 15th, respectively,
at last year's region meet
while another sophomore
Christina Medlin finished
in 22nd place. Those four
sophomores will be joined
by seniors Hope Brooks
and Chloe Ken as well as a
pair of promising freshmen,
Caroline Hampton and
Maradeth Leverett, who
helped lead MP to a IV girls
championship as eighth
graders.
McElhaney said of her
freshmen: "Caroline and
Maradeth were both eighth
graders who ran region
unattached to the team,
and they actually did ver
very well. So I'm looking
forward to them being part
of that top.five crew. We
lost three runners of my top
five last year, so I'm looking
for them to fill the gaps and
the spaces. Ava and Sarah
look like they're going to
continue to be our lead rdn-
ners on the team. They have
been training hard, so I'm
expecting great things from
them throughout the entire
season."
McElhaney said she ex-
peas West Laurens, which
swept the boys and girls
Region 2-AAAA rifles in
2017, will once again field a
top team, but she said she's
confident that MP will be
right there with them.
She said, "They (MP
runners) did really well this
summer for the most part,
and we did meet up quite a
few times during the sum-
mer for summer workouts
to go on runs together just
building that base andthat
foundation for the season.
So I'm looking for great
things out of the team."
MP will get one of its first
big tests on Sept. 8 when
the Bulldogs host a total of
25 schools for the Bulldog
Distance Classic meet at the
Monroe County Recrearion
Department. McElhaney
said programs from all over
Central Georgia as well as
in the metro-Atlanta area
are expected to attend.
"We are looking for a
number of sponsors to help
fund the meet" McElhaney
said. "It is going to be a
huge event, a huge meet to
bring people in the com-
munity and attention to the
sport:'
McElhaney said the
Monroe County Recreation
Department will also host
the Central Georgia Middle
School championship meet
on Thursda Oct. 4 but will
likely not host the Region
2-AAAA meet this year.
She said the region meet
location has not yet been
finalized but will likely take
place in Macon.
McElhaney starred in
cross country and track at
Lovejoy High School before
moving on to Albany State
University, where she cap-
tured the Southem Intercol-
legiate Athletic Conference
(SIAC) rifle in cross country
on three separate occasions.
She also was a three-time
SIAC champion on the
track in both the 800 and
1,600 meters. McElhaney,
who is in her sixth year at
MP, said she's much more
comfortable going into Year
2 as head coach.
"Year I was really just a
learning experience and
learning all the behind-the-
scenes stuffthat goes into
running a program;' McEI-
haney said. "Year I I wanted
to be injury-free, which I
think I was pretty success-
ful at that, and I wanted to
grow the team from Year
I to Year 2, and I think I'm
pretty successful at that so
far. And I want to continue
to help the program grow
because these kids are part
of our community. They're
great kids. They are great
academically. This is a posi-
rive environment, a positive
sport, for them to partici-
pate in, so of course I still
want it to continue to grow
as well. The thing I learned
from last year is you can't
make everyone happy. So
you have to do what is best
for your runners. They're
the ones that matter. They're
the ones that give their
heart and soul into a race.
So I want to do the best by
them. I'm really looking
forward to this season with "
this group of kids. I didn't
lose a lot last year. I lost
some value, but I didn't lose
a lot. So this year should be
a very successful season"
Assisting McElhaney in '
2018 is staff newcomer
Katelyn Chance) who ran ,
cross country at Georgia
Southern.
McElhaney said of
Chancey: "She's going to be
a pretty good asset to what
the team needs, what the
middle school needs. We're
pretty much coaching the ,
whole team together be-
cause I value her quality of J ""
experience and her input:' -
The MP cross country
squads will next compete
at the Saucony Battle of
Atlanta meet at Nash Farms
Battlefield in Hampton at
7:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Continued from 5C
straight-sets road win at Lee
County on Tuesday, Aug.
14, MP bounced back from
a two sets to one road defeat
at Colquitt County one night
later on Wednesda Aug. 15
with a two sets to one victory
over Baldwin in its home
opener on Thursday.
Huff said she anticipates
that Upson-Lee and perenni-
al power West Laurens, who
ousted MP from last year's
Area tourney, will provide
MP'S toughest tests in Area
2-AAAA.
"We'll see how it is;' Huff
said of her area competition.
"Each game we play we'll
learn from our mistakes and
make changes. And hope-
fully by the next game we'll
be better."
Huff said all three coaches
will work with each of MP's
three squads, which include
a JV team and a Ninth Grade
squad although Hightower
will serve as the IV head
coach while Dorrity will be
the Ninth Grade head coach.
"They bring a lot of new
ideas, ways to solve different
problems, paperwork, stuff
like that as well as support;'
Huff said of her assistants.
'We're all a team. Even
though we have a 9th Grade,
IV, we're all one big team. It's
not separated at all:'
The Volley Dogs were next
Saturday, August 25, 2018 12:00PM
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put in reading this year, Saturday, August 25, 2018, at 12:00pro
we will be celebrating with a carnival! There will be food, fun,
inflatables and activities all over the place!
Come celebrate your ROCKING READING summer!
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MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
scheduled to play at FPD in
a three-team showdown at
6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. MP
will take on Strong Rock at
6:30 p.m. before facing the
home Vikings at 7:30 p.m.
The Volley Dogs will then
host Lee County at 6 p.m.
on Thursday in their second
home match of the young
season. MP will then begin
Area 2-AAAA play at Spald-
ing on Tuesday; Aug. 28
when the Bulldogs face West
Laurens at 6 p.m. before
squaring offwith the home
Jaguars at 7 p.m.
The IV Volley Dogs were
also scheduled to take on
Strong Rock at FPD at 6:30
p.m. on Tuesday before
facing offwith home FPD
at 7:30 p.m. The MP JV will
then host Lee County at 6
p.m. on Thursda The IV
Volley Dogs will then face
West Laurens at 6 p.m. on
Tuesday, Aug. 28 at Spalding
before taking on the home
Jaguars at 7 p.m.
The 9th Grade Volley Dogs
will next face Lee County at
7 p.m. on Thursday in their
home opener.
I
