Varsity Basketball

Girls Basketball – The varsity girls traveled to Hartwell Friday night to take on the Hart Co Lady Bulldogs.  Although OC played well Hart Co won the game 64-48.

Jessica Pulliam fight Banks Co for the ball.

        On Saturday afternoon the Lady Patriots faced Banks Co at home.  Banks Co has a 12-5 overall record this season and notched on more win when they defeated OC 56-29.

        For OC Trenetta Smith was the high scorer of the game with 15 points, followed by Latoria Royal with eight.  OC had a pretty good night on the boards with a total of 17 rebounds.  No one player really dominated but six Lady Patriots had three rebounds each:  Both Smith and Royal, Emily Barnett, Jessica Pulliam, Taylor McDaniel and Aubry Fearnow. 

Boys Basketball – The varsity boys also faced the Hart Co Bulldogs Friday night and were defeated 68-56. 

Clay Ogle shooting for three.

        On Saturday afternoon, OC played Banks Co in a real close game that went into over-time after the game ended in a 45-45 tie.  During the four minutes of over-time somebody from Banks Co put a spell on OC’s basket.  After what must have been close to a dozen missed baskets and tip-in’s by the Patriots, Banks managed four points to defeat OC 49-45. 

        OC started the game on the move ending the first quarter in the lead 11-7.  Banks began a full court press in the second quarter that seemed to give OC some difficulty.  In the last minute of the second quarter Banks had pulled to within one of OC.  Even so, Shaq Fleming blocked a Banks Co shot that would have given them the lead.  OC went into the locker room up by one 21-20.

Xavier Eberhart OC's high scorer with 14.

        The third quarter saw more defense from both teams and Banks finally found the lead, though not for long.  It would be Fleming’s scoring flurry that kept OC and Banks trading the lead.  In fact, back to back jumpers by Fleming tied the game at the end of the third period for OC at 29-29.

        OC would score more points in the fourth quarter than any other quarter.  Xavier Eberhart and Maurice Freeman would lead the way.  A three pointer by Fleming would add to OC’s offense.  Clay Ogle would add a free throw and a basket rounding out 16 for OC.  Unfortunately, Banks would score 16 too, thus sending the game into overtime.

        Banks would take the lead with a three pointer at the 2:16 mark in OT and hold it the remainder of the game.  OC lost a hard fought well-played game against Banks Co. 

        OC had 14 rebounds for the game spread out over six players with Eberhart leading the way with four.  Ogle had three of OC’s seven steals and “Slim” had five of OC’s seven blocked shots.

        OC travels to Jefferson to take on the Dragons Tuesday, January 17^th and then faces off against Elbert Co on Friday, January 20^th at home. 

Mid-Week Updates

OCMS – The middle school wrestlers competed with the varsity wrestlers at Athens Christian Tuesday, January10th.  Only Hayden Fleeman could post a win for the middle school, defeating his opponent with a first round pin.  Garrett McCormack came close but was himself pinned in the third and final round of his match.  OCMS’s next wrestling meet will be against both Madison County and Athens Christian at home on Tuesday, January 17^th.

        The middle school hoopsters are closing in on the end of their season.  Both the boys and girls play Athens Academy away on Thursday, January 19^th.  The boys are on a two game winning streak and the girls are still undefeated on their home court.

OCHS – Both the boys and girls scored victories over Taliaferro County at home on Saturday.  The girl’s game was pretty close throughout with OC finally taking the lead in the third quarter.  Latoria Royal was high scorer for OC with 18 points followed by Trenetta Smith with 11. 

        On Tuesday, North Oconee came to Independence Hall and had their way with both the boy’s and girl’s teams.  Kristen Baker was high scorer for OC with Trenetta Smith second.  Jessica Pulliam, Latoria Royal, Taylor McDaniel and Aubrey Fearnow also put points on the board for OC.

        The boys went down in defeat to North Oconee 67-48. 

        The JV and varsity basketball teams travel to Hart County, Friday, January 13^th and will play Banks County Saturday, January 14^th at home. 

OCMS Basketball

Girls Basketball – The middle school Lady Patriots took on the Lady Wolverines of Prince Ave Monday afternoon.  It was a dog fight from the get-go and only slowed down at the final buzzer when the Patriots claimed a close win 20-19.

OCMS Lady Patriots

        Despite the low score for most of the first quarter both teams started quick, fast and in a hurry.  Kiah Bazzell put up four of OC’s eight first quarter points and would be OC’s high score of the game with nine points.  It was also Bazzell’s blocking and rebounding that went a long way towards OC’s win.

OCMS Cheerleaders

        Prince Ave would shut down OC’s offense during the second quarter allowing OC only two points while scoring seven of their own.  With 22 seconds remaining in the first half OC scored but Prince answered at the other end of the court going into half time ahead 12-10.

        The third quarter saw no let-up in the intensity of the game.  Both teams were playing as if the entire season was on the line.  Allexis Wymbs scored her four points of the game during the third quarter and Bazzell put up three more.  Moreover, OC allowed Prince just two points for the quarter.

        At 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter Prince went ahead 18-17.  OC hadn’t scored since the end of the third quarter.  With 45 seconds left Bazzell was fouled but her field goal was good which put OC up by one.  However, Prince would tie the game again at 19-19 with just 27 seconds to go when a Prince player was fouled and made one of two free throws. 

        Amber Turner would get fouled two seconds later and score her only point of the game at the free throw line, which was enough for OC to take the lead and hold until Prince was fouled with 3 seconds remaining.  Prince would miss the free throw and OC would win the game.

        Along with Bazzell, Wymbs and Turner, Addison Farmer put two on the board as did Bahria Jones and Ashley Waller. 

Boys Basketball – The middle school Patriots played the Wolverines after the girl’s game and it was no less exciting right to the end when OC won 24-21. 

Christian McFalls OC's high scorer of the game.

        It was just before the midway point of the first quarter before OC got points on the board.  In short order Daulton Kitchens, Toney Harper and Fernando Browner put the ball through the hoop.  Harper also got a free throw to put OC ahead of Prince 7-6 at the end of the quarter.  Like their lady counterparts Prince would shut down OC’s offense in the second quarter allowing OC only two points, by Harper, while scoring four of their own.  Prince would take the halftime lead 10-9.

        The Patriots came out in the third quarter determined.  Christian McFalls put up a three pointer just a minute into the quarter.  Harper would get another basket and then McFalls would find the basket for two and then three.  McFalls effort in the quarter made him OC’s high scorer of the game and also gave OC the lead once again 19-14 going into the fourth quarter.

Dylan Pulliam

        The Wolverines found four points and come to within one of the Patriots with a 1:15 remaining.  Dylan Pulliam hit a lay-up and was fouled.  Pulliam sank the shot from the line after he got a second chance due to a Prince player moving into the lane too early.  With 36 seconds left in the game Pulliam was fouled again and in the bonus situation Pulliam sinks both free throws pulling the game out of reach of Prince. 

        Prince would score once more but it was too little and OC would take home the win 24-21. 

        The OC girls are still undefeated on their home court while the boys have won two straight.  OCMS plays again at Athens Academy on Thursday, January 19^th.

        OCMS wrestling Coach Sam Simpson said today that the eight grade wrestlers would travel to Athens Christian, Tuesday, January 10^th to wrestle Athens Christian’s eight graders when the varsity team wrestles Athens Christian’s varsity. 

        You can see all the basketball pictures here:   http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8379354

       

OCMS Basketball

OCMS at St. Joseph - The OCMS Patriots, both boys and girls, defeated St. Joseph today; 21-12 for the girls and 30-21 for the boys.  Details when available. 

OC Basketball

Girls Basketball – The Lady Patriot’s hosted the Lady Dragons from Jefferson Friday night.  OC did pretty well keeping up with Jefferson during the first quarter, but by the end of the game Jefferson had things well in hand defeating OC 68-33. 

Kristen Baker brings the ball down court.

        Jefferson had a couple of girls that just couldn’t miss at the three point line, but OC managed to stay up with the Lady Dragons in the first quarter when Kristen Baker and then Latoria Royal both hit three pointers of their own.  Royal would hit two more field goal along with Tanisha Eberheart to keep OC relatively close.  The second and third quarter would see Jefferson shut down any OC offense. 

        In the fourth quarter OC would finally start finding the basket again when Trenetta Smith hit a three and then a field goal and Eberheart would find the basket twice again. 

Tenetta Smith at the foul line.

        On the evening Smith was OC’s high scorer with nine, Baker was one behind with eight, Royal was one behind her with seven and Eerheart had six.  Eberheart also had four rebounds as did Royal.  Royal and Jessica Pulliam had three rebounds and Royal had a team high of three steals. 

Boys – Jefferson’s varsity boys, like the girls, had the varsity Patriots covered from the start of the game; going home with a 79-48 win.

Josh Jarrells

        OC left their offense in the locker room during the first quarter when Jefferson held them to just three points on the board while they chalked up 20 of their own.

        Led by Xavier Eberhart and Clay Ogle, with a little help from Shaq Fleming’s three pointer, the Patriots fought back and put 13 more on the board to go into the halftime break.

        Quen Laguines and Javon Jenkins both got some court time against Jefferson.  Jenkins hurt his ankle early in the second quarter but was able to make his presence felt in the second half.  Laguines, too, made a difference putting a three pointer on the board and field goal.

Xavier Eberhart being fouled.

        Jefferson had big man Maurice Freeman covered allowing him only three points for the game.  Freeman did, however, have six rebounds and five blocks on the night. 

        One of the few high spots in the game for OC was when, in the third quarter,  Freeman missed a second free throw and a Jefferson player, confused on which end of the court was his, rebounded the missed free throw and did a nice lay-up for two – in OC’s goal. 

        On the night Eberhart was OC’s high scorer with 14 followed by Ogle with ten, Shaq Fleming had six, Laguines five, Josh Jarrells, Maurice Freeman and Justin Stone all had three and Jefferson’s #22 had two. 

        Sources (Maurice Freeman) tell OCHS Sports that all four OC basketball teams – JV boys and girls, varsity boys and girls – had wins today against Taliferrio County.  More details when available. 

        You can see pictures here:   http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8377772

Middle School Basketball

Girls – Girls basketball coach Keith Goodwin said all he told his team at halftime was that they had never lost on that court (the new middle school basketball court).  It seem to do the trick, because at half time OC was down 12-4 to George Walton Academy (GW), but by the end of the game OC had pulled out yet another win, 16-14. 

Shondra Dewberry fight for the ball with two GW players.

        It didn’t start out pretty.  You could tell the girls had been off for a couple of weeks.  They were making mistakes with the basics: passing, shooting, moving the ball up and down the court.  At the end of the first quarter GW had the lead 7-3.  By half time GW had scored another five points while allowing OC one.

OCMS Basketball Cheerleaders

Besides Allexis Wymbs (3 points) scoring OC’s lone second quarter point Tori Wiggins stole the ball from GW at the buzzer.  Little did the OC fans know that this steal would be the start of an OC comeback that would take to the final seconds of the game.

OC Wins!!

OC came out in the third quarter a changed team.  They started playing better, with crisp passes plus they started taking the defense to GW. It took a little time to get moving in the right direction but at 1:41 left in the third quarter Wymbs scored bring OC to withing six of GW ending the quarter 14-8.  The middle school Patriots didn’t allow GW to score a goal in the third quarter.

At 3:05 remaining in the fourth quarter Zykiah Bazzell (6 points) hit from the lane putting OC in the lead for the first time in the game 15-14.

OC and GW would swap the ball back and forth, going up and down the court several times in the final minutes of the game.  But with 2.7 seconds remaining Elizabeth Goodwin (4 points) would make OC’s final point putting the Patriots ahead by two to win the game 16-14.  GW scored only two points in the second half.

Bazzell would be OC’s high scorer with six followed by Goodwin with four.  Wymbs would bag three, Ambernica Turner had two and Gena Mattox would make one from the free throw line.

Boys – The middle school boys faced off against the George Walton boys and lost a heartbreaker 30-29.  This is the fourth loss by the OC boys by two points or less, the three previous games went to overtime.

Fernando Browner laying up for two.

        The boys started the first quarter like a house afire.  In the first two minutes they scored nine to GW’s goose egg, and for the quarter allowed GW only three. 

Dylan Pulliam at the line.

        GW started fighting back in the second quarter making more shots than OC.  With 3:27 remaining GW finally tied OC at 11.  OC lost the ball and GW went ahead by two.  Both teams went up and down the court when, with a little over a minute to go, OC recovered the lead on a jumper by Toney Harper (12 points and OC’s high scorer).  OC went into the locker room ahead by one, 15-14.

Toney Harper working a rebound.

        Coach Harris’s team came out in the third looking like the first quarter team that nearly shut out GW.  Dylan Pulliam (10 points), Harper and Fernando Browner (2 points) would score ten more points for OC but it was OC’s defense that throttled GW to just four third quarter points. 

        The reverse happened for OC in the fourth.  GW started finding the basket and OC’s offense went cold.  GW pulled ahead 28-27 with 1:23 left in the game.  With a minute remaining Jeffery Glenn (2 points) scored two putting OC back in the lead 29-28 but GW would hit a field goal with 42 seconds left in the game putting them ahead by one, 30-29. 

        The middle school Patriots take on St. Joseph Saturday, January 7^th at 10:30am. 

        You can see all the pictures here:   http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8376106

       

       

Mid-Week Updates

OCHS Basketball - The boy’s and girls’ varsity basketball traveled to Jackson Co Tuesday night for a Region 8-AA game. 

The girls, according to Coach Ellis, played hard and are improving; however, they lost to the Lady Panthers 49-29.    Aubrey Fearnow had eight points, Trenetta Smith and Latoria Royal both had seven, Kristen Baker came home with four while Tanisha Eberheart had a basket and Itika Howard had a free throw. 

        The boys, too, came home with a 47-34 loss.  Maurice Freeman was the high scorer for the Patriots with 15.  Both boys and girls teams face Jefferson this Friday night, January 6^th, at home. 

Wrestling – The varsity wrestlers will be at Elberton for the Region Duels this Friday and Saturday, January 6^th and 7^th. 

Soccer – The first day for soccer tryouts for both boys and girls will be Monday, January 23^rd.  After school conditioning for soccer is underway now, see Coach Norton for details.   

J.D. Sharp behind the mask.

Baseball – According to GHSA rules the earliest date for organized baseball practice is Monday, January 30^th.  This is also the date for Golf practice. 

Track and Field – Monday, January 23^rd is the earliest date for organized track and field practice.         

OCMS Basketball – The middle school Patriots take on George Walton Academy Thursday, January 5^th starting at 4:30pm at the middle school.  On Saturday, OCMS travels to St. Joseph’s Saturday, January 7^th for a 10:30am game.  Then on Monday, January 9^th, the middle school teams take on Prince Ave at home starting at 4:30pm. 

Wrestling – The next middle school wrestling meet will be Tuesday, January 12^th, at Washington-Wilkes starting at 4:45pm.