AREA ROUNDUP: Locals perform well at Panther Invitational

By OANow Staff

Published: September 20, 2008

SMITHS STATION — More than 400 runners competed in the four races at the 16th Annual Panther Invitational on Saturday.

In the girls varsity 5K race, Columbus (Ga.) High took the team title, with Smiths Station finishing second and Auburn High taking third.

Yalonda Taylor of Smiths Station finished second individually in the race, Mauri Tickal of Opelika finished third, Jasmine Garcia of Smiths Station finished fourth and Courtney Ruggles of AHS finished fifth.

In the boys varsity 5K race, Auburn High took first place in the large-school division, Opelika finished second, and Smiths Station took fifth.

Dadeville finished fifth in the small-school division.

Patrick Gomez of Auburn High won the race, Andy Henderson of Smiths Station took third, Clayton Humphries of Opelika was fourth and Jesse Crouch of Smiths Station was fifth.

Dadeville’s Jerime Beck finished third in the small-school division.

Auburn Junior High won both the middle school 3K races. Wacoochee finished third in the girls race and second in boys. Opelika was second in the girls race and fourth in the boys.

Local runners took the top five in the girls race, with Emma Garner of Opelika Middle winning, and AJHS runners Frances Beasley, Janine Smith, Autry Eastman and Jenna Muschara finishing second-fifth.

Kelniqies Smith of Wacoochie Middle School won the boys race. John Strother of AJHS was second, Quincy Smith of Wacoochee was third and Elliot Hagans of AJHS was fourth.

Lanett rolls past Horseshoe Bend
NEW SITE — Lanett improved to 4-0 on the season and 3-0 in Class 2A-Region 5 with a 42-14 win over Horseshoe Bend on Friday.

Scutt Morgan had 11 carries for 102 yards and three touchdowns, Anthony Evans had 100 yards on 13 carries and two scores, Antonio Harper scored a touchdown and had 51 yards on eight carries and Dee Silmon had five carries for 49 yards.

The win was the 17th in a row in the regular season for the Panthers.

Lanett will travel to face rival Valley next week.

Ballard takes first-ever loss at Trinity
SHARPESBURG, Ga. — A furious rally in the second half was too late to overcome a 24-0 first-quarter deficit as Ballard suffered its first ever loss, 57-49, at Trinity Christian.

The Eagles (5-1, 2-1 ICSGA West Region) tied the game midway through the fourth quarter but were unable to keep Trinity out of the end zone.

Kyle Hammock was 5-of-11 passing for 114 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for three more.

Judson Butler had 15 carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass and Jacob Hall had 86 yards rushing and a touchdown reception, as well as led the team with 14 tackles.

Ballard will play for the first time under its newly-installed lights next week as it hosts North Georgia Christian at 6:30 p.m.