Page 6C September 18, 2019
iR Orter
By I ha l Dum s
forsyth@mymcr.net
After los'mS three straight contests by a single
rtm each last week, the Mary Persons softball
squad faces an uphill battle to qualify for the
AAAA state playoffs.
The Lady Dogs, 7-12 overall (1-5 in Region
2-AAAA) trail Spalding by a game-and-a-half
for the fourth and final playoffseed. MP will
likely have to win at least three of its final four
region games to qualify for state for the sixth
straight year.
Facing perennial power West Laurens at
home on Thursday, MP fell behind 1-0 in
the top of the first when the Lady Raiders
scratched across a run against MP ace Mallory
Turner. However, the Lady Dogs answered
with a run in the bottom of the second when
MacKenzie Childs doubled to left-center,
plating Emma Cantrdl to tie the game at 1-1.
The Lady Raiders redaimed the lead, 2-1, in
the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout, but
West Laurens' advantage was short-lived. MP'S
Nazafi Jackson doubled down the leftfield line,
scoring Karsin Bass and squaring the game at
2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. However, the
Lady Dogs could have added more runs, but
they stranded a pair of runners to end three
consecutive innings.
West Laurens then took back the lead 3-2 in
the top of the sbcth on a sacrifice fly to leftfidd.
MP had one last chance in the bottom of the
seventh, when Alissa Rozier and Jackson drew
back-to-back walks to lead off the inning.
However, the next two hitters, Victoria Vining
and Turner, respectively, each grounded back
out to the mound and each time the lead run-
ner was erased at third base. With runners on
first and second and two outs, Cantrdl roped
a line-drive to left-center, but West Laurens
centerfielder Jakerra Wilbur made a running
catch to dose out the 3-2 Lady Raiders' win.
MP head coach Hannah Grossman said
despite another dose loss to West Laurens,
she's optimistic her team is trending in the
right direction with just two weeks left in the
regular season.
"It's frustrating when you play rough innings,
but today we played a full game," Grossman
said. "We played the whole seven innings. We
fought hard. We had runners in scoring posi-
tion and we couldn't get those hits, especially
in that seventh inning. So that hurt a little bit.
But I told my team earlier, 'It's like we're on a
roller coaster. We're about to hit that peak and
fall over.' We had three one-run losses this
week, and we're about to start going down that
roller coaster. I have confidence after today's
game because we played well."
Two nights earlier, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, the
Lady Dogs' furious home rally fell just short
in a 6-5 loss to first-place Perry. The Lady
Panthers scored a pair of runs in the top of the
first on a sacrifice fly by Abby Ussery followed
by a bases-loaded walk issued by MP's Turner
to Cason Chance. Perry then added three
more runs in the top of the second. Raegan
SteUa took home on a double steal for Perry's
third run. A flyball off the bat of AliRae Dykes
dropped in leftfidd, plating Terra Odom for
Perry's fourth nm. Then, Dykes came around
to score on a wild pitch to put Perry ahead 5-0.
Perry added one more run in the top of the
third on an Odom RBI double, and it momen-
tarily appeared the blowout was on.
With MP trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the
third, Jackson hit a towering blast to left-center
for a double, scoring Childs and Rozier to
make it 6-2. The Lady Dogs got one more run
back in the bottom of the fourth when Emma
Heath scored from second on an errant throw
from rightfield. Still trailing 6-3 in the bottom
of the fifth, MP added two more runs, the first
on a rocket double by r~ctoria V'min$ o
the rightfielder's head to score Bass. lackson
then crossed home plate later in the inning on
a wild pitch to trim MP'S deficit to just one at
6-5. MP had a chance to tie the game later in
the same frame, but Vining was gunned down
at home plate to end the inning while trying to
tag on a short flyball to centerfield.
Down to their last chance, the Lady Dogs
mounted a mini-rally in the bottom of the sev-
enth against Perry reliever Madison Homen.
Jackson reached on an error with two outs in
the inning, and Vining followed by roping a
single to rightfield to move runners to first and
second. Turner then nearly played the hero
role, driving a deep flyball to leftfield that was
caught just a few feet shy of the fence for the
game's final out.
One night earlier, on Sept. 9, MP dropped
yet another heartbreaking one-run contest, 11-
10, at Pike County. The Lady Dogs fell behind
5-1 through two innings before scoring four
runs in the top of the third to tie the game at
5. Pike County then scored three runs in the
bottom ofthe fourth to take an 8-5 lead before
MP cut it to 8-7 with two runs in the top of the
fifth. Trailing 11-8 in the top of the seventh,
MP scored a pair of runs in their final at-bat
Mary Persons senior Mallory Turner pitched a gem against West Laurens on Thursday, but
took a hard-luck loss as the Lady Dogs fell 3-2 at home to the Lady Raiders. MP football
team members look on from leftfield. (Photo/Richard Dumas)
but fell just short by a single run.
Grossman said MP can't keep digging itself
into early deficits if it wants to turn its season
arOund.
"We need to be game ready from pitch ond'
Grossman said. "We tend to start going about
the fourth inning."
The Lady Dogs will next host Jackson at
5 p.m. on Wednesday in a non-region dash
before heading back on the mad to take on re-
gion rival Howard at 5 p.m. on Thursday. MP
will then host non-region Crawford County
at 5 p.m. on Monday on Senior Night before
hosting region foe Spalding at 5 p.m. on Tues-
da ; Sept. 24 in the Lady Dogs' home finale.
Meanwhile, the MP IV softball squad will
conclude its 2019 campaign with a home
contest against Jackson at 6:30 p.m. on
Wednesday. The IV Lady Dogs fell 4-0 at
home in three innings against West Laurens
on Thursday, giving up all four runs in the top
of the first.
Also, the Monroe County Middle School
softball team will next travd to Upson-Lee
Middle for a road contest at 5 p.m. on Thurs-
day. The C-Team Lady Dogs will then face By-
ron Middle on the road at 5 p.m. on Tuesday,
Sept. 24.
/Ridmrd
forsyth@mymcr.net
The Mary Persons boys cross
country team captured the
Greyhound Invitational meet
at Jones County High School in
Gray on Saturday for its second
straight victory of the season.
MP finished with 71 points to
top easily 18 other squads. Pike
County came in second with 95
points, followed dosely by Jones
County in third place with 98
points.
MP's Justin Wachtel recorded
his fourth individual win of
the season in as many races,
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recording a victorious time of
15 minutes, 40 seconds to beat
second-place Jonathan Greene
of Evans, who posted a time
of 16 minutes, 24 seconds, by
about 44 seconds.
MP'S other counting times
were recorded by: Logan
O'Neill, who placed fifth
overall out of 160 total varsity
boys runners with a time of 17
minutes, 27 seconds, Connor
Battles, who placed 16th with a
time of .18 minutes, 14 seconds,
Holden Haworth, who placed
24th with a time of 18 minutes,
28 seconds, and Alec Remick,
who placed 25th with a time of
18 minutes, 29 seconds.
Other MP vargxty boys
nmners who competed on
Saturday but failed to record
counting times included:
Weston Dunwody, who placed
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35th with a time of 18 minutes,
47 seconds, Alex Hanson, who
placed 77th with a lime of 20
minutes, 29 seconds, and Bryce
Lynch, who placed 85th with a
time of 20 minutes, 47 seconds.
Other varsity boys squads
who competed in Gray on Sat-
urday in order from highest to
lowest finish include& Locust
Grove, Vidal~ Evans, North-
side (Columbus), Heritage,
Baldwin, John Milledge, War-
ner Robins, ACE, Monticello,
Mount de Sales, Woodland
(Stockbridge), Spalding, Social
Circle, Howard and Putnam
Count.
Meanwhile, the MP JV boys
cross country team placed
third out of eight teams at the
Greyhound Invitational in Gray
on Saturday.
The IV Dogs finished with
107 points as Jones County
took the IV boys championship
with 21 points. Vidalia placed
second with 74 points. Freddy
Baehre of Heritage took the IV
boys individual rifle with a time
of 17 minutes, 42 seconds, best-
ing second-place Levi Skinner
of Jones Coun~ who posted a
time of 18 minutes, 29 seconds,
by about 47 seconds.
Michael Necastro recorded
MP's top IV time of 20 minutes,
59 seconds to place 15th out of
91 total IV boys runners. MP'S
other counlkng W times were
recorded by:. Dylan Garza, who
placed 19th with a time of 21
minutes, 8 seconds, Clayton
Drm'~ who placed 29th with a
time of 21 minutes, 53 seconds,
Christopher Martin, who
placed 32nd with a time of 22
minutes, 6 seconds, and Luke
McBride, who placed 38th
with a time of 22 minutes, 21
seconds.
Other MP IV boys runners
who competed on Saturday but
failed to record counting times
indude& Austin Adams, who
placed 40th with a time of 22
minutes, 30 seconds, Leighton
Judd, who phced 43rd with a
time of 22 minutes, 34 seconds,
Mitchell Whittidd, who placed
52nd with a time of 23 minutes,
37 seconds, Jacob Beclgood,
who placed 54th with a time of
23 minutes, 48 seconds, Ben-
jamin Robinson, who placed
63rd with a time of 25 minutes,
26 seconds, Marshall Cause};
who placed 79th with a time of
27 minutes, 57 seconds, Landon
Smith, who placed 81st with a
time of 29 minutes, 13 seconds,
Brock Brown, who phced 84th
with a Krne of 29 minutes, 45
seconds, and Ham Whitson,
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed proposals will be received by Janice Hall, City
Manager, in the Welcome Center at 63 North Lee Street
Forsyth, GA 30129 up to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 15,
2019 and immediately thereafter publicly opened and read
for the furnishing of labor, material and equipment entering
into the demolition of the existing structure and sitework at
the site of the future Forsyth City Hall, 28 E. Main Street,
Forsyth, GA 31029.
Bids will be received for Single Prime. All proposals shall be
lump sum.
Pre-Bid Meeting
An open pre-bid meeting will be held for all interested
bidders on Monday, September 30, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the
site of demolition, 28 East Main Street, Forsyth, GA 31029.
The meeting will address project specific questions, issues,
bidding procedures, bid forms, and will include a tour of the
existing building. Note that this will be the only opportuni-
ty to enter the building prior to bidding.
Plans may be obtained by contacting Daniel Jencks at
Clark Nexsen by email at djencks@clarknexsen.com.
Complete plans, specifications and contract documents will
be available for download.
The City reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all
proposals.
Signed: Janice L. Hall
City Manager, City of Forsyth, GA
i
who placed 85th with a time of
30 minutes, 6 seconds.
Other IV boys squads who
competed in Gray on Saturday
in order from highest to lowest
finish induded: Northside (Co-
lumbus), Locust Grove, Pike
Coungr, Evans and ACE.
Also, the Monroe County
Middle School boys cross coun-
try team placed fourth out of 16
teams at the Greyhound Invita-
tional in Gray on SatnrdaF
Monroe County finished with
136 points as Evans took the
C-Team boys team title with
33 points. West Laurens placed
second with 52 points fol-
lowed by Gray Station in third
place with 91 points. Montana
Archer of Social Cirde was
the C-Team boys individual
champion with a time of 10
minutes, 46 seconds, topping
second-place Sawyer Cripps of
Evans, who finished with a time
of 11 minutes, 19 seconds, by
about 33 seconds.
Monroe County's top individ-
ual finisher was Kayden Mays,
who placed seventh out of 219
total C-Team boys runners
with a time of 12 minutes, 30
seconds. Other Monroe County
boys runners who recorded
counting times indude& Gavin
Harris, who placed 13th with a
time of 12 minutes, 46 seconds,
Wes Stapleton, who placed
31st with a time of 13 minutes,
27 seconds, Cole Battles, who
placed 49th with a time of 13
minutes, 58 seconds, and Todd
McCall, who placed 60th with a
time of 14 minutes, 22 seconds.
Other Monroe County C-
Team boys runners who com-
peted on Saturday but failed to
record counting times induded:
Ike Dunwo,who placed
66th with a time of 14 minutes,
28 seconds, Mac Roeser, who
placed 101st with a time of 15
minutes, 7 seconds, Breydan
Fun&, who placed 114th with a
time of 15 minutes, 33 seconds,
and Caleb Moore, who placed
193rd with a time of 18 min-
utes, 39 seconds.
Other C-Team boys squads
who competed in Gray on
Saturday in order from highest
to lowest finish include& East
Laurens, Oak Hill, Henderson,
ACE, Vidalia, Mount de Sales,
John Milledge, Locust Grove,
Greenbrier, Rehobath Road,
Bonaire and Clifton Ridge.
MP's boys varsity, IV and C-
Team squads will next compete
at the Rock Ranch Invitational
in Yatesville at 5:30 p.m. on
Thursday, Sept. 26.
1,
