By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

Last Saturday, the Morgan County High School weightlifting team, comprised of 16 MCHS students, traveled to Jefferson County High School to compete in the AAA weight lifting state championship.
Three competitors, Kevin Warren, Joey Perpoli, and Dee Hubbard, proved themselves state champions at the event, where the team took second place overall.
Additionally, Tevin Waller, Marquis Benton, and Armoni Warren placed third in their respective weight classes, while Ladarrius Walker placed sixth.
“All 16 boys competed very hard and did well,” said Coach Doug Huff after the competition. “I am very proud of all the boys and the way they performed. Their performance as a team earned them a State Runner Up trophy, finishing second behind Washington County. They represented themselves and Morgan County extremely well.”
At the competition, the athletes exceeded their own limitations, setting some personal bests.
“We had numerous new maxes set, with each participant setting at least one new max. These boys have worked hard in the weight room and all that hard work paid off on Saturday.”

Printed in the March 7, 2013 edition

When I found out that I would be in Orlando for a vacation during the Braves’ Spring Training season, I immediately looked up the dates the Braves would be playing at Disney’s Champion Stadium, hoping that I’d get to catch a pre-season game for the first time.
Luckily, there were tickets still available for their March 1 match-up with the Nationals – on the first base line in the second row, no less – so I snapped up two for me and my girlfriend, Alayna Fisher, before I could talk myself out of splurging on the experience.
We left the house in Madison at 9:13 p.m. on the day of the game, figuring that we’d get to Orlando in plenty of time to catch the Braves’ batting practice before the 6:05 game time.

After seven hours of driving, which included two stops – one for McDonald's dollar burgers and one for overpriced gas – the parking attendants at Champion Stadium corralled us into a grass parking lot and we got to exercise a well-deserved leg stretching.
We made it halfway to the gate before I discovered that – partially out of weariness and partially out of excitement – I had forgotten to lock the car...with all of our stuff in it.

Luckily, everything was still there when I arrived, out of breath, back at the car after quickly covering the trek we had just made.
Finally, we made it to our seats on the second row. After looking around for a second, I realized that the foul line met the seats about 15 feet to our right, putting us right in foul territory for right-handers’ late line drives.
In fact, the batboy sat about six feet away from us wearing a batting helmet throughout the game.
Wait... if he needs a batting helmet, don’t I?

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The varsity Diamond Dogs won two of four games last week to put their record so far this season at 4-3. After beating Social Circle last Wednesday 7-3, Morgan County traveled to Lamar County to play a double header against the Trojans. The Dogs lost the first game 3-7 but won the second 10-5. Monday, Morgan County lost 5-11 to Rockdale County in their second matchup of the year.
Stewart Spence drove in three of Morgan County’s seven runs against Social Circle while going one-for-three in at bats for the night, which proved a big help in assuring the Dogs’ 7-3 victory over Social Circle.
Morgan County’s pitching throughout the night was sufficient to hold Social Circle at bay. Ross Kirkpatrick, the starting pitcher, allowed the only runs for the night, and Clark Owen, who relieved Kirkpatrick in the fifth, struck two batters out while walking only two.

In the first game of the double header against Lamar County, Morgan County couldn’t get their offense off to the start it needed to keep pace with Lamar’s scoring.
The Trojans’ pitching racked up seven strikeouts in the first game, while their batters were able to hammer the Dogs’ pitcher Brantley Frost, who gave up four earned runs on eight hits in the first three innings.
However, the Dogs returned to the field amidst miserable weather and proved that they were not just going to lay down for Lamar County in the second game.

By Nick Nunn
Staff Writer

The Morgan County Middle School’s track team competed in their first event of the season last Wednesday in a dual meet against Youth Middle School. The boys’ and girls’ teams complied nine first-place finishes, nine second-place finishes, and 10 third-place finishes.
“We have a lot of first time runners this year and I thought we looked good,” said Coach Pat Hartney about the team overall.
Aris Hubbard and Jessie Pagett earned first in the long jump and 1600 meter race, respectively, and the MCMS girls’ relay teams took first in the 4x400 relay and the 4x100 relay.
For the boys, Dalton Smith put in a win in the shot put competition, and Jordan Hilsman took first in the 800 meter race.
Dalton Shaw, who ran with the MCHS cross country team this year, placed first in both the 3200 meter and 1600 meter races.
“Dalton Shaw is a third year runner,” said Coach Hartney. “He is a very strong distance runner.”

Printed in the March 7, 2013 edition