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2007: The last chapter in a look back at the sports year that was
Vaccaro-signing
Heather Vaccaro signs a letter of intent to play softball at Milligan College. - photo by Jessica Holhaus

Nov. 21 – Miller County beats BCHS 48-22 to knock the Redskins out of the state playoffs.

Nov. 24 – Both the boys and the girls RHHS basketball teams beat BCHS in season opening games.

- Young go-kart champions and Richmond Hill residents Casey and Austin Hearn rack up trophies throughout the circuit.

Nov. 28 – BCHS basketball coaches Mario Mincey and Keith Bazemore discuss the upcoming basketball season. Among the projected stars are Winston Johnson, DJ McElroy, Willie Deloach, Ivey Mutcherson, Tara Miles, Mitzi Cross, Brittany Slater and Monteza Bishop.

- NFL star Jacob Bell from the Tennessee Titans lends a hand to Daryl Snider’s Raiders travel soccer team by donating a football autographed by the team. Bell’s nephew, Raider Devon Duijndam, and his fellow Raiders raise nearly $2,000 for the team by raffling the ball.

Dec. 1 – New RHHS boys basketball coach William Altman said his goal with the upcoming season is "to compete in every game and get better with each contest" – something he has lived up to thus far this season. Altman also doted on the talents of Robbie and CJ Bynum, Chakiris Moss, Sean Szad and George Greig.

- The fall Wildcat baseball team wrapped up their season by splitting with Jenkins. Raul Rodriguez excelled on the mound while Ben Auger had the hottest bat. After the game, assistant coach Tim Auger recognized seniors Logan Wolf, Matt Graney, Rodriguez, Auger and Jeremey Goolsby by presenting them with certificates. Auger and head fall coach Lee Boaen have spent nearly a decade with these boys through the rec and travel teams.

Dec. 5 - The 2008-2010 region lineup is announced. It means big changes for both schools. Richmond Hill and Liberty are the only mainstays for region 3-AAA with the others in the new lineup being nowhere close and entailing a lot of travel. BCHS’s region 3-A welcomed Savannah Christian and had to split into subregions to accommodate all the new schools to that class.

Dec. 8 – BCHS basketball player Winston Johnson scores 17 points versus Toombs and the same amount versus SEB a few days later. It wasn’t quite enough to win though as both the BCHS boys and girls lost in those games. Brittany Slater led for the girls.

- Richmond Hill resident and BC student Ryan Gregory signed a letter of intent to attend Belmont Abbey College on a wrestling scholarship.

Dec. 12 – RHMS wrapped up its very first year of tennis. RHHS coach Pat Paruso led the youngsters to a third place finish and established the program as a solid launching pad into the high school level.

- Lady Wildcat Heather Vaccaro signs a letter of intent to attend Milligan College on a softball scholarship.

- RHHS boys basketball beat rival SEHS in overtime. Chakiris Moss and Robbie Bynum led the offense with 14 and 16 points respectively. The girls lost by one point in a heartbreaking 36-35 contest. Tyler Carlson led with 18 points.

Dec. 19 – BCHS softball’s Ashley Barfield reigns supreme throughout the coastal empire by beating out her peers to take home the Hinesville Umpires Association Player of the Year award for softball.

- BCHS football player Justin Bostick is named the Bryan County News’ November Athlete of the Month.

- The RHHS boys and girls basketball teams both defeat Claxton. Chakiris Moss led the boys offense with 17 points while CJ Bynum continues to shine on defense. The Lady Cats shared the offensive spotlight with Colleen Keller, Daisha Davis, Jade Crosby and Tyler Carlson each chipping in on the 43-21 victory.

- Mohammad Mustafa’s Lady Raiders 3v3 team, sponsored by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, dominated a Jekyll Island tournament to earn an invite to nationals this summer. The Savannah Six-Pack team, featuring Richmond Hill’s Lindsey Vasher and Allie Simpson, captured the senior girls division at the event.

Dec. 26 – RHHS boys basketball fares well at a holiday tournament in Savannah while the girls show improvement at the same event with some close losses.

- BCHS awards fall athletes at a banquet. Among the softball winners are Albert Lodge Award – Ashley Barfield, Charlie Hustle Award – Lindsay Seger, Coach’s Award – Samantha Howard, Golden Glove – Tara Miles. Among the football winners are MVP – Mathew Dutcher, Golden Hammer Award – DJ McElroy, Coaches’ Award – Taylor Lucas, Workhorse Award – Ivey Mutcherson, Hit Man Award – Justin Bostick. Best Cross Country Runner Awards went to Jennifer Waters and Isaiah Foster.

 

Next week: A rundown of the top ten sports stories of 2007 and an article spotlighting the Bryan County Athlete of the Year.

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