BROOKLET - Tuesday afternoon, Southeast Bulloch senior Ashley Clifton officially signed to play softball at East Georgia College during the 2010-11 season.
Clifton will have a unique opportunity to help build the foundation for a program as next season will be the inaugural campaign for EGC.
"Ashley is a real strong kid," said EGC coach and former Georgia Southern outfielder Jordyn Nail. "She's the kind of girl that's going to work hard for us and be committed as we start to build this program."
As one of three seniors on this year's Yellow Jacket squad, Clifton served as the ace of the SEB pitching staff. Filling in for the departed Megan Barnwell, Clifton steadily improved throughout the season and pitched the Jackets to within a game of clinching a spot in the GHSA state playoffs.
"Ashley has done it all for us in her time here," said SEB coach Aimee Civalier. "She has hit fourth in the lineup since her freshman year, so we're definitely going to miss her. I'm sure that we'll be hearing good things from her at the next level, too."
From staff reports
SEB, Claxton finish first
BROOKLET - Southeast Bulloch hosted Claxton and Portal Tuesday in track action with the Lady Yellow Jackets placing first on the girls' side and the Claxton boys finishing at the top.
On the girls' side, it was SEB with 93 points, CHS with 37 and PHS with 30.5.
The CHS boys won with a score of 84. Southeast scored 67 and the Panthers finished with 27.
First-place finishers for the Lady Jackets were Savannah Morris (3200-meter, 1600m), Miranda Price (pole vault, 300m hurdles), Dineshia Baker (400m), Brianna Gates (100m dash, long jump), KeeKee Hendrix (800m), Nira Byrd (200m, triple jump), the 4x100m relay team of Crystal Mikell, Baker, Byrd and Gates and the 4x400m relay team of Hendrix, Byrd Baker and Gates.
Second-place finishers were Lindsey Lynch (3200m), Byrd (400m, long jump), Gates (200m), Baker (triple jump), the 4x100m relay team of Price, Hendrix, Cierra Johnson and Wachovia Benjamin and the 4x400m relay team of katie Ann Tucker, Leslie Wilson, Kasey lanier and Price.
Third-place finishers were Wilson (1600m), Tucker (800m), Macy Harden (300m hurdles), Baker (high jump), Emily Herndon (discus) and Hannah Denmark (shotput).
In boys' action, first-place finishers for SEB were Rob Ware (pole vault), Tim Montgomery (1600m), Denzel McBride (800m), Derek Dobson (triple jump), Terrell paulson (high jump), the 4x100m relay team of Dobson, Anthony Gardner, Paulson and Dominique Rawles and the 4x400m relay team of Gardner, Bodie Collins, Paulson and McBride.
Second-place finishers were Montgomery (3200m), Gardner (400m) and Robby Spivy and David Johnson, who tied in the shotput.
Third-place finishers were Chris Boatwright (3200m), Dustin Deal (pole vault), Forrest Strickland (1600m), Collins (400m), Salik Murphy (300m hurdles) and Spivy (discus).
Southeast Bulloch will host the annual Plankenhorn Invitational Saturday at 10 a.m. As of Tuesday, 16 teams had already signed up to participate.
Kegerreis named SoCon PotW
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Georgia Southern's Kristi Kegerreis has been named the Southern Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for all matches March 8-14 the league office announced Tuesday.
Kegerreis finished the week undefeated as the Eagles went 3-0 with wins over Wofford (7-0), UNC Greensboro (4-3) and Bethune-Cookman (7-0). The senior is the second Eagle to earn the honor this season with junior Melanie Rolle notching the first accolade in February.
The Player of the Week is awarded by the conference office.
BA JV wins WJMS meet
The Bulloch Academy junior varsity girls' track team won the William James Invitational Saturday at Statesboro High School for the second consecutive year.
The Lady Gators notched 94 points in the eight-team meet for the win. Southeast Bulloch Middle School was second (91) and host William James Middle School was third (87).
In the boys' meet, William James blew away the 10-team field, amassing 143 points for the win. Langston Chapel Middle School was second (85) and Southeast Bulloch Middle School was third (85). The Gators tied for ninth.
In the girls' meet, the Lady Gators had four first places, three seconds, four thirds, one fourth, a fifth and a sixth.
Hendley Kimbrell won the 100-meter hurdles and took second in the triple jump and the long jump. Ashley Burke won the 3200m run and took second in the 1600m run. Pate Lomax won the 800m run and was third in the 400m dash and the high jump. Ashlee Lanier won the discus and was third in the shot put.
Heather Jacobs was third in the 3200m run and Danielle Atkinson tied for fourth in the high jump. The 4x400m relay team (Burke, Kimbrell, Lomax and Claire Branch) was fifth and the 4x100m relay team (Kimbrell, Lomax, Branch and Page Spence) was sixth.
In the boys' meet, Chris Williams was fifth in the 3200m run and Connor Fordham was fifth in the shot.
Roberts from Southeast Bulloch Middle School won the girls' high-point trophy and Smith from William James Middle School won the boys' high-point trophy. Bulloch's Hendley was second for the girls' high-point trophy.
Bulloch Academy junior varsity track teams travel to Lyons for a multi-team meet at Robert Toombs Christian Academy on March 18.
Ball hat tricks for SHS
WAYCROSS - The Statesboro Blue Devils (4-3-1, 3-2 Region 2-AAAA) shut down Ware County 7-0 in soccer action Tuesday on the road.
David Ball got the hat trick with three SHS goals, Adam Purvis added two of his own and Trent Doty and Zac McLendon each scored one.
Goald were assisted by Patrick O'Malley, Alan Rodriguez and Eric Quiterio.
Keeper Jonathan Gary earned the shutout in the net.
Statesboro returns to region action Friday at Effingham at 7 p.m.
Statesboro blanks Ware
WAYCROSS - The Statesboro Lady Blue Devils shut out Ware County 5-0 Tuesday in soccer action.
Gloria Avalos and Caroline Coffey each scored twice in the win, and Tory Thompson added another.
Thompson had an assist to go along with her score, and Taylor Saratt assisted two others. Laura Minick added an assist.
Keeper Makayla Patterson earned the shutout for the Devils.
Statesboro travels to Effingham County Friday at 5 p.m.
BA tennis sweeps Curtis
AUGUSTA - Both the Bulloch Academy boys (1-1) and girls (3-0) defeated Curtis Baptist in tennis action Tuesday.
The girls won 5-0, and Megan Barber, Erin Sullivan and Ally Cheshire got singles wins. Kate Anna Akins and Mary Catherine Spigner, and Morgan Anderson and McKenzie Webb won doubles matches.
Curtis forfeited both doubles matches, and BA's Brandon Walker (2-6, 6-4, 10-8) and Steve Burnsed (6-0, 6-2) won singles matches to secure a 4-1 victory for the Gators.
Bulloch returns to action Thursday hosting Edmund Burke Academy at Forest Heights Country Club.
Devils place third at Coffee Co.
DOUGLAS - The Statesboro Blue Devils finished third out of 14 teams Saturday in the Coffee County Golf Invitational.
CCHS won the event, while Lyons placed second.
Low scorers for the Devils were Hunter Collins (77), Walker Hill (80), Chas Shiels (82) and Jonathan Bachant (86).
Statesboro travels to the Taylor-Made Adidas Invitational at Burke County for its next match on Saturday.
LCMS tops BA JV
The Bulloch Academy junior varsity Gators dropped a 4-2 decision Tuesday to Langston Chapel.
John Paul Padillia was on target for the Gators, scoring each of BA's goals on direct kicks.
The Gators (2-3) return to action Thursday when they host South Effingham at 6 p.m. The Lady Gators host SEMS Thursday at 5 p.m.
If you have a score to report, please call the Statesboro Herald sports desk at (912) 489-9408.
