Dragons baseball opens season with win over Bruins
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports February 11, 2026
Jasper, Ga — It was opening day for the Pickens Dragons baseball team on Tuesday, February 10th as they hosted a former region rival in the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. The Dragons, came into this season with lofty expectations as they were ranked in the top ten in AAA, and in the top 25 in the state of Georgia. The Dragons, were able to come away with a 10-5 win to open the season.
Senior and Auburn signee AJ Rice, would take the mound for the Dragons and was as good as advertised in his outing. Rice, would work around a 1-out single as he picked up a pair of strikeouts and a fly out in the top of the first. In the bottom of the inning, Gadsen State signee Robert Turner, would reach with a lead off single. After advancing to 2nd on a passed ball, Rice, would drive Turner in with an RBI double to make it 1-0 Dragons.
Rice, would advance to 3rd after a fly out by Carson-Newman signee Kam Jenkins. Dawson “boogie” Lowit, would then be hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Matthew Davis Jr., would bring in Rice with an RBI ground out to make it 2-0. Heading to the second inning, Pickens led Northwest Whitfield, 2-0.
Rice, would end his night on the mound tossing a clean top of the second with two more strikeouts and a ground out to send it to the bottom of the frame. Jennings Allen, would lead off the bottom of the second with a single. He would then advance into scoring position after stealing 2nd. Allen, would advance to 3rd on a wild pitch. Allen, would come in to score as Brock Teal would reach on an error.
Drew Dunlap, would drive in Teal with a double to make it 4-0 Dragons. After a fly out, Rice, would draw a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. The Bruins, would get out of the second with a fly out and a pop out to send it to the third with the Dragons leading, 4-0.
Dylan Walls, would come on in relief of Rice in the top of the third. Max Harrison, thought he had a lead off ground rule double. The field umpire, ruled that he did not touch first base while rounding the bag and was called out. Walls, would then pick up two strikeouts to send it to the bottom of the inning. Davis Jr, would draw a lead off walk to start the bottom of the third.
After a pop out, Davis Jr, would steal 2nd to advance into scoring position. Teal, would then work some 2-out magic as he would drive in Davis Jr with an RBI single to make it 5-0. Dunlap, would keep the inning alive by drawing a 2-out walk. Turner, would bring in Teal with an RBI single to make it 6-0. Rice, now playing 3rd, would knock in both Dunlap and Turner with a 2-RBI double to make it 8-0 Dragons heading to the fourth.
The Bruins, would get on the board in the top of the fourth as they would plate four runs. Everett Grubbs, would come on in relief of Walls, and pick up the final two outs of the top of the fourth. In the bottom half of the fourth, Davis Jr, would reach for the second time after a 1-out single. Davis Jr, would steal 2nd and 3rd, but would be left stranded as the Bruins picked up a strikeout and fly out to send it to the fifth with the Dragons leading, 8-4.
Grubbs, who stayed in for the top of the fifth, would pick up a strikeout, a ground out, and a fly out in a clean frame. Dunlap, would reach with his second double of the game with 1-out in the bottom of the inning. Turner, would drive Dunlap in with a 2-run home run to make it 10-4. After a ground out, Jenkins, would draw a full count walk to reach. Tanner Bail, who pitch hit for Lowit, would line out to second as they went to the sixth with the Dragons ahead, 10-4.
Turner, would come on in relief of Grubbs in the top of the sixth. He would work around a 2-out hit batsman as he struck out the side in his lone inning of work on the mound. The Dragons, would go down in order in the bottom of the inning as they would go to the seventh with the Dragons up, 10-4.
Jackson Nunn, would come on in relief of Turner to try and close things out in the top of the seventh. The Bruins, would end up cashing in on a lead off double to plate a run, but Nunn would hold them to just that as the Dragons would come away with a 10-5 win.
Dragons Stats:
Robert Turner: 3-4 with 2 singles, 1 home run, 1 steal, 3 RBI, 3 runs scored, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 1 HB, 3 K on 19 pitches
AJ Rice: 2-3 with 2 doubles, 1 walk, 3 RBI, 1 run scored, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 4 K on 26 pitches
Kam Jenkins: 1 walk
Dawson Lowit: 1 HBP
Matthew Davis Jr: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 walk, 3 steals, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored
Jennings Allen: 1-4 with 1 single, 1 steal, and 1 run scored
Brock Teal: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 steal, 1 RBI, and 2 runs scored
Drew Dunlap: 2-2 with 2 doubles, 1 walk, 1 steal, and 2 runs scored
Everett Grubbs: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K on 17 pitches
Jackson Nunn: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 HB, 1 K on 19 pitches
The Dragons, will be back at Dunn Field on Friday as they take on the Sequoyah Chiefs in non-region action. First pitch is set for 6 pm.
Starks Ks 10 as Dragons defeat Wildcats
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports February 14, 2025
Jasper, Ga — After opening up the 2025 season with a road win at Sonoraville on Monday, February 10th, the Pickens Dragons, were home for the first time as they took on the Woodland Wildcats in non-region action. The Wildcats, were coming off a 14-0 win over the Rome Wolves on Monday. Behind a stellar performance on the mound by Christian Starks, and a 4-RBI night by Sam Hammontree, the Dragons, were able to pick up a 12-2 win in 5 innings.
Starks, started off the ball game hot as he would strikeout the side on 12 pitches in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the first, Auburn commit A.J. Rice, would just barely miss a lead off home run as he would slide in for a triple. Starks, would then help himself out as he would bring Rice in on an RBI ground out. Back to back singles from Cade Sutton and Kam Jenkins, would put runners at 1st and 2nd with 1-out.
Sutton, would advance to 3rd after a fly out by Dawson Lowit. Sutton, would then come in to score after a throwing error by the pitcher. Courtesy runner Coleman Keener, would make it all the way to 3rd on the error. Jennings Allen, would drive in Keener with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Dragons. Hammontree, would make good use of the wind as he belted a 2-run home run over the left field fence to make it 5-0 Dragons heading to the second.
It was more of the same for Starks in the top of the second as he would again strike out the side to send it to the bottom of the inning with the Dragons leading the Wildcats, 5-0. In the bottom of the second, Rice, would reach by drawing a full count walk with 1-out. Rice, would then advance to 2nd after a pick off throw got past the 1st baseman. Rice, would then steal 3rd. Rice, would score after Sutton would reach on a 2-base error to make it 6-0 heading to the third.
Starks, facing the bottom of the Wildcats order in the top of the third, would again strike out the side to bring his total up to 9 for the game. In the bottom half of the third, Lowit, would reach after getting hit with a pitch. Allen, would reach base after a fielder’s choice as Lowit would be forced out at 2nd. Dawson Holland, would reach with a 2-out single to put runners at 1st and 2nd.
The Wildcats, would force a pop up to end the potential scoring threat. Heading to the fourth, the Dragons, led Woodland, 6-0.
Starks, started off the top of the fourth by recording his 10th strikeout in a row. He would end his outing by forcing a pair of ground outs to send it to the bottom of the frame with the Dragons still leading, 6-0. Rice, led off the bottom of the fourth with a double. Starks, would then reach base after getting hit with a pitch. A grounder from Sutton, would move Rice and Starks over to 2nd and 3rd.
Jenkins, would then be hit with a pitch to load the bases with 1-out. Lowit, would be hit with a pitch for the second time as Rice would come in to score to make it 7-0. The Dragons, would leave the bases loaded as Woodland would force a pop out, and a ground out to send it to the fifth with Pickens leading the Wildcats, 7-0.
Ezra Faber, would come on in relief of Starks in the top of the fifth. The Wildcats, would get on the board as they plated 2 runs on 1 hit, 1 hit by pitch, and a couple of walks to cut the Dragons lead down to 7-2. Holland, would lead off the bottom of the fifth by drawing a walk. Faber, would follow that up by also drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Rice, would advance Holland over to 3rd after a fly out to right.
Starks, would drive in Holland with an RBI single to make it 8-2. Faber and Starks, would then pull off a double steal to advance to 2nd and 3rd. A wild pitch, would allow Faber to score and move Starks over to 3rd. After Jenkins would draw a walk, Lowit, would be hit by a pitch for the third straight at bat to load the bases. Allen, would then draw a bases loaded walk to make it 10-2 Dragons.
Hammontree, would come up to bat looking to potentially end the ball game with a walk-off. He would do just that as he would split the left center gap with a 2-RBI double to give the Dragons a 12-2 win in five innings.
Stats for the Dragons:
A.J. Rice: 2-3 with 1 triple, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 steal, and 3 runs scored
Christian Starks: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 HBP, 1 steal, 2 RBI, and 1 run scored & 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K on 55 pitches
Cade Sutton: 1-4 with 1 single, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored
Kam Jenkins: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 HBP, and 1 walk
Dawson Lowit: 3 HBP, and 1 RBI
Jennings Allen: 1-3 with 1 single, 1 walk, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored
Sam Hammontree: 2-4 with 1 home run, 1 double, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored
Dawson Holland: 1-2 with 1 single, 1 walk, and 1 run scored
Ezra Faber: 1 walk, 1 steal, and 1 run scored
Coleman Keener: 1 run scored
The Dragons, will be back on the road on Friday, February 14th as they head up to take on the Bruins of Northwest Whitfield in a battle of old region rivals. First pitch is set for 5:30 pm.
Dragons drop non-region game to Phoenix
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 10, 2022
Jasper, Ga — Coming into their game against the 5-0 Sonoraville Phoenix on Friday, December 9th, the Pickens Dragons were off to a 3-1 start. Those three wins were against Fannin, Copper Basin, and most recently, Gilmer on Tuesday night. While the Dragons fought the entire game, a 19 point halftime deficit was too much to overcome as the Phoenix came away with the 71-56 win.
The Dragons, opened up with the first points of the ball game as Isaiah Williams made a layup to make it 2-0. Sonoraville tied it, with a Bryson Shellnutt bucket. Camden Dunn got the lead back for Pickens with a layup to make it 4-2 early. The Phoenix, then went on an 8-0 run getting a three by Blake Cole, a bucket and a free throw make from Shellnutt, and a bucket from Donovan McDaniel to make it 10-4. Dunn stopped the Sonoraville run with a basket to make it 10-6. The Phoenix went on a mini 4-0 run getting buckets from Jaxson Pate and Shellnutt to make it 14-6. Jaden Stewart got his first points of the night to make it 14-8. For the rest of the first it was 3-2 in favor of Sonoraville as they took a 17-10 lead into the second.
Dragons looking for a shot on offense
Freshman Mccord Purdy opened the scoring in the second quarter as he cut the Phoenix lead down to 5. Sonoraville, then went on a 7-0 run as Jordyn Stoney hit two free throws and a three pointer. Pate concluded the run with a bucket to make it 24-12. Kadyn Hampton, split a pair of free throws, but stayed with the ball and got a layup out of it to cut the lead down to 24-15. Purdy followed it up with a three pointer to make it 24-18. After McDaniel picked up 4 quick points, Caleb Lanford got a bucket to make it 29-20.
The Phoenix, then went on an 8-0 run to stretch their lead out to 37-20. Lanford again ended a Sonoraville run with a bucket to make it 37-22. Another 7-0 run by the Phoenix made it 44-22. Lanford hit a three just before the buzzer to make it 44-25 Sonoraville at the half.
Dragons on defense against the Phoenix
Camden Dunn opened up the second half with a three pointer to make it 44-28. Stoney answered with a three of his own making it 47-28. Dunn, not to be outdone, hit another three that started a nice run for the Dragons. Stewart and Williams both made buckets and James Tilley hit a three. All told it was a 10-0 run making it 47-38 Sonoraville. McDaniel, hit a pair of free throws to make it 49-38. Stewart hit a three to make it 49-41. The two teams then traded baskets and it was 51-43. A bucket by Pate got the Phoenix lead back to double digits at 53-43. Both teams then traded free throws, and it would be 54-45. Hampton the made a basket to cut the lead down to 54-47. McDaniel hit a pair of free throws to make it 56-47 Sonoraville going to the fourth.
Dragons working the ball offensively
The Phoenix got things started in the fourth with a three pointer by Ethan Hibberts. Purdy answered with a three of his own to make it 59-50. Sonoraville then got a pair of threes from McDaniel and Stoney to stretch their lead out to 65-50. After a bucket by Lanford, the Phoenix again hit a pair of three pointers to make it 71-52. Purdy and Stewart picked up the final four points for the Dragons as Sonoraville got the win, 71-56.
Dragons leading scorers:
Camden Dunn: 12 points
Jaden Stewart: 11 points
McCord Purdy: 10 points
Caleb Lanford: 9 points
Kadyn Hampton: 7 points
Isaiah Williams: 4 points
James Tilley: 3 points
The Dragons, will be right back at it on Saturday, December 10th as they head to Tunnel Hill to take on the Northwest Whitfield Bruins in another non-region contest. Tip off is set for 4:30 pm.
Dragons pick up big region win over Northwest Whitfield
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 8, 2022
Jasper, Ga — After the Nettes thrilling win over the Lady Bruins, it was time for the Pickens Dragons and the Northwest Whitfield Bruins to take the floor. Coming into the game, the Dragons had won two straight, and came in with a record of 7-9 (1-3). The Bruins, came into the game with a record of 10-2 (2-2). During halftime of the girls game, Pickens High School recognized Dragons head boys basketball coach Mike Duffie on achieving 500 wins in his career. Duffie accomplished the feet on the road at North Murray during a Christmas Tournament in December. The ball was painted by PHS Art teacher Nikki Towery. The ball featured every school that Duffie has coached throughout the years as well as the trademark cowboy boots he wears during games.
500 win ball presented to coach Mike Duffie
As for the game, the Dragons got off to a fast start in the first quarter as Luke Rogers went on a 4-0 run to give Pickens the early lead. After a pair of free throws from the Bruins, Rogers made a third bucket of the first quarter to make it 6-2. Northwest Whitfield would cut the lead to 6-4, but Rogers and Collin Kellogg would respond with a 4-0 run to make it 10-4. A bucket and a free throw by the Bruins made it 10-7. Rogers, stayed hot as he went on a 3-0 run to make it 13-7. Northwest Whitfield chipped away at the Dragons lead again with a pair of free throws to make it 13-9. There went that man again as Rogers made a bucket and the free throw to make it 16-9. After a bucket by the Bruins, Jaden Stewart hit a three and Caleb Keith made a bucket to make it 21-11 Dragons going to the second.
Dragons on offense in the first quarter
In the second quarter, the Bruins started off on an 8-0 run to cut the Pickens lead down to 21-19. Kellogg and Isaiah Williams made back to back buckets to make it 25-19. A 5-0 run by Northwest Whitfield cut the lead to 25-24. The pair of Williams and Kellogg again stretched the lead out for the Dragons as the 4-0 run closed the first half, giving the Dragons a 29-24 lead going into the break.
Dragons defending the Bruins
The 4-0 run to close the first half by the Dragons turned into a 9-0 run overall as Stewart hit a three and Kellogg made a bucket to start the third quarter with a 5-0 run, and make it, 34-24. After a three pointer by the Bruins, Kadyn Hampton hit a pair of free throws to make it 36-27. A 5-0 run by Northwest Whitfield then cut the Dragons lead to 36-32. Pickens, answered with a 9-0 run with 6 of those 9 points coming off of three straight Hampton buckets. Caleb Bryant capped off the run with a three pointer to make it 45-32. After a bucket by the Bruins ended that run, the Dragons started a new one as they went on a 7-0 run with 6 of those 7 points coming from Bryant as he made two baskets and two free throws. Rogers also made a free throw during the run to make it 52-34. The Bruins made a free throw to close out the scoring in the third and we’d head to the fourth quarter with Pickens ahead, 52-35.
Dragons on offense in the second half
In the fourth quarter, the Bruins got the scoring started with a bucket to make it 52-37. A bucket by Stewart and a pair of free throws from Rogers made it 56-37. After a three by Northwest Whitfield, the Caleb’s (Keith and Bryant), combined for a 5-0 run as Caleb Keith hit a three and Caleb Bryant made a bucket to make it 61-40. Following a bucket by the Bruins, Hampton made a pair of free throws to make it 63-42. A 5-0 run from Northwest Whitfield made it 63-47. A pair of free throws by Stewart closed this one out as the Dragons came away with a 65-47 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Luke Rogers: 17 points, 12 rebounds
Kadyn Hampton: 12 points, 12 rebounds
Jaden Stewart: 10 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Caleb Bryant: 9 points
Collin Kellogg: 8 points, 7 rebounds
Caleb Keith: 5 points
Isaiah Williams: 4 points
7-AAAA Region Standings:
Central-Carroll: 9-5 (4-0)
Heritage: 7-5 (4-0)
Cedartown: 4-6 (2-2)
Pickens: 8-9 (2-3)
Northwest Whitfield: 10-3 (2-3)
Southeast Whitfield: 5-9 (1-3)
Ridgeland: 5-8 (0-4)
The Dragons, will carry a 2 game region winning streak and a 3 game overall winning streak into next Friday as they head to Southeast Whitfield to take on the Raiders. Tip off for that one is scheduled for 8:30.
Dragons pick up first region win of the season
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 5, 2022
Jasper, Ga — The Dragons came into their game against the Ridgeland Panthers with some momentum after defeating their rivals, the Gilmer Bobcats last Thursday and looked to carry that momentum over into 2022. These two teams had similar records coming into the game with the Dragons at 6-9 and the Panthers at 5-6. Both teams were looking for their first win in 7-AAAA play as well. Even after their fourth quarter lead fell apart, the Dragons were able to brush that aside and defeat the Panthers 61-57.
In the first quarter, both teams went back and forth as it looked to be one of those games that was going to be tightly contested. Pickens, got two late three pointers to end the first quarter and take a 15-12 lead over Ridgeland going to the second.
Dragons setting up offensively
The second quarter was much like the first quarter with both teams finding success offensively. Also like the first quarter, the Dragons went on a late run to close out the first half with a 31-24 lead over the Panthers.
Dragons on defense in the second
In the third quarter, the Dragons used a great mixture of offense and defense to push their lead out to 17 at one point in the frame. Ridgeland was able to cut it down to 51-37 as we headed to the fourth quarter.
Jaden Stewart with the three attempt
The fourth quarter, well the fourth quarter was just plain nutty. The Panthers, who started the quarter down 14, came all the way back to take a 1 point lead. That lead for Ridgeland wouldn’t last long as the Dragons were able to retake the lead with a bucket to make it a 1 point lead for them. With the lead, the Dragons went to the free throw line to try to extend their advantage. After a miss, players from both teams had a grasp on the ball. Ridgeland called a timeout. However, it was a timeout that they didn’t have. After going 1 for 2 on the technical free throw shots, the Dragons were again fouled to go to the line shooting the 1 and 1. After a miss on the front end of the free throw shots, Kadyn Hampton came away with the ball after a scramble, and was fouled. Hampton, made both free throws as the Dragons came away with a 61-57 win.
Leading Scorers For The Dragons:
Caleb Keith: 23 points
Luke Rogers: 14 points
Jaden Stewart: 9 points
Caleb Bryant: 5 points
Kadyn Hampton: 4 points
Collin Kellogg: 3 points
Isaiah Williams: 3 points
7-AAAA Region Standings:
Central-Carroll: 8-5 (3-0)
Heritage: 6-5 (3-0)
Northwest Whitfield: 10-2 (2-2)
Cedartown: 4-6 (2-2)
Southeast Whitfield: 5-8 (1-2)
Pickens: 7-9 (1-3)
Ridgeland: 5-7 (0-3)
The Dragons, will be back at it on Friday night as they welcome the Northwest Whitfield Bruins to the Dragons Den. A win for the Dragons could move them up from 6th place, to that 3rd-5th place spot depending on how other games go across the region. Tip off for this one is set for 8:30.
Dragons face Generals in region battle
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports October 31, 2021
Ringgold, Ga — It was a rainy day and a cool night on October, 29th as the Pickens Dragons traveled up to Ringgold to take on the Heritage Generals in 7-AAAA action. Coming into the game, the Generals were in a tie for second place in the region with Northwest Whitfield, while the Dragons were in a tie for fourth in the region with Central-Carroll. Pickens, needed a win to stay in that hunt for possibly the second seed going into the playoffs. In a tough match up, the Generals came away with a 24-14 win.
The Dragons, won the toss and elected to differ to the second half. After converting a third and long, Heritage was able to put the first points on the board after a 4-yd touchdown run. With 8:20 to go in the first quarter, the Generals led Pickens, 7-0. The rest of the quarter was a stalemate and we would head to the second quarter with Heritage ahead, 7-0.
Dragons defense looking to stop the run
The second quarter mirrored the first quarter as the Generals put up the only points in the frame. At the 6:40 mark of the second quarter, Heritage got in on a 5-yd run to make it 14-0. That would be your score heading into halftime in this soggy played ball game.
Collin Kellogg swings it to Devin Hand
In the third quarter, the Generals again would add to their lead with a 44-yd field goal at the 7:43 mark to make it 17-0. After a drive that took just over five minutes of game clock, Miguel Salto punched it in for the 3-yd touchdown to put the Dragons on the board for the first time. With 2:41 left in the third, Heritage led Pickens, 17-7. That would remain the score heading to the fourth quarter.
Dragons looking to punch it in the end zone
At the 7:08 mark of the fourth quarter, the Generals tacked on points with a 7-yd touchdown run to make it 24-7. Showing the fight that they always play with, the Dragons came back with a score of their own as Devin Hand got in with a 1-yd touchdown run with 3:05 left to make it 24-14. In the end, Heritage was able to hold on for the 24-14 victory.
7-AAAA Football Standings:
Cedartown: 7-1 (4-0)
Northwest Whitfield: 6-3 (3-1)
Heritage: 6-2 (3-1)
Central-Carroll: 4-5 (1-3)
Pickens: 4-4 (1-3)
Ridgeland: 1-8 (0-4)
*Southeast Whitfield: 2-8 (0-0) *Playing a non-region schedule
For the Dragons, they will close out the 2021 regular season on the road as they take on the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. By the looks of it, Pickens, can still find themselves in the playoffs with a win next week, and with a little help from their friends over at Ridgeland if the Panthers defeat Central-Carroll. The Bruins, will be looking to wrap up the #2 seed for 7-AAAA with a win so a lot on the line next week for both sides. Kickoff is set for 7:30.
Tilley, big 6th inning lift Dragons past Bruins
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 20, 2021
Tunnel Hill — The Pickens Dragons (8-6, 2-4) were looking to salvage the series with the Northwest Whitfield Bruins (12-3, 2-1) after the Bruins took the first two games of the 3-game set. Behind a masterful performance from James Tilley and scoring 6 runs in the last two innings, the Dragons were able to pick up a 7-2 win over the Bruins.
In the top of the 1st, Connor Shouse kept his hot start going from game 2 with a lead off walk. Hunter White then hit a 1-out single. Seth Densmore then followed with a walk. Drake Sutton, was then hit by a pitch as Shouse would come in to score. Pickens, would leave the bases loaded, but the Dragons took a 1-0 lead going to the bottom of the inning. Northwest Whitfield was able to tie things up in the bottom of the 1st. Going to the 2nd, the Dragons and Bruins were tied at 1.
In the top of the 2nd, Shouse drew his second walk of the game with two outs. Shouse, stole 2nd, but was left stranded at 2nd after Northwest Whitfield forced a fly out. In the bottom of the frame, Tilley needed just 6 pitches to retire the Bruins and send us to the 3rd, still tied, 1-1.
In the top of the 3rd, Densmore and Sutton were both hit by pitches to put runners at 1st and 2nd with just 1 out. The Bruins, like they have throughout the series, got out of another jam and sent us to the bottom of the 3rd, still 1-1. In the bottom of the 3rd, Tilley improved upon his impressive outing by picking up his 4th strikeout of the game. Going to the 4th, Pickens and Northwest Whitfield were still tied at 1.
With 1-out in the top of the 4th, the Dragons had Parker Rhodes at 3rd and Shouse at 1st. The Bruins were able to force a double play to send us to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom half of the 4th, Northwest Whitfield took advantage of two Dragon errors to take a 2-1 lead. Tilley, didn’t let it get to him as he picked up his 5th and 6th strikeout to help keep the Bruin lead at only 2-1, going to the 5th.
In the top of the 5th, White got on base after reaching on an error. White, would then be thrown out at 2nd on the steal attempt. Densmore then drew a 1-out walk. The Bruins then got back to back strikeouts to send us to the bottom of the frame. In a half inning where Tilley threw 23 pitches, he and the Dragons somehow kept the Bruins from scoring to keep the score at 2-1.
In the top of the 6th, Pickens finally broke through. Trace Ledbetter led off the top half of the inning by getting hit by a pitch. With 1-out, Tilley was also hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. After a passed ball allowed the runners to move up a base, the hot hitting Shouse drove both runs in with a 2-RBI single. Anthony Antinozzi, kept the line going by reaching on an error. White, followed with a single to score both runs. Densmore then drew his 2nd walk of the game. White came into score after a single by Sutton. A 2nd run attempted to score behind White, but was thrown out. Going to the bottom of the 6th, the Dragons now led the Bruins, 6-2. In the bottom of the inning, Tilley once again faced a little trouble, but a couple of strikeouts help he and the Dragons get out of it with no damage done to send us to the 7th, Pickens on top, 6-2.
In the top of the 7th, Tilley got things going with a 1-out walk. Shouse followed with his 3rd single of the game. Antinozzi, drove in a run home to make it 7-2 Dragons going to the bottom of the inning. White came on in relief of Tilley who threw 106 pitches in 6 innings of work. White, was able to retire the Bruins in the bottom of the 7th to seal the win for the Dragons in game 3, 7-2.
7-AAAA Baseball Standings:
Cedartown: 9-4 (6-0)
Heritage: 10-2 (3-0)
Northwest Whitfield: 12-3 (2-1)
Central-Carroll: 7-6 (2-4)
Pickens: 8-6 (2-4)
Ridgeland: 3-9 (2-4)
Southeast Whitfield: 8-7 (1-5)
Next week, the Dragons will be back in action on Tuesday as they begin a series with the Heritage Generals. Heritage, was out of region play this week. Game 1 of the 3-game set, will be on Tuesday, March 23rd at Heritage. First pitch is set for 5:30.
Late inning rally falls just short for Dragons
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 20, 2021
Tunnel Hill, Ga — After falling in a tough game 1, the Pickens Dragons (7-6, 1-4) traveled up to Tunnel Hill to take on the Northwest Whitfield Bruins (12-2, 2-0) in game 2 of the 3-game set. After another back and forth ball game between these two teams, the Bruins were able to come away with a 6-4 win.
In the top of the 1st, Dragons starter Connor Shouse, got the game going with a lead off double. Hunter White, brought in courtesy runner Colby Brooks in on a sacrifice fly to give Pickens an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the 1st, a long half inning led to 2 runs for Northwest Whitfield as the Bruins took a 2-1 lead going to the 2nd.
In the top of the 2nd, Jarod Whitmore, led off with a walk. Northwest Whitfield, was able to get out of a jam to send us to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, the Bruins plated a run to extend their lead to 3-1 going to the 3rd.
The top of the 3rd saw Shouse lead off with his second double of the game. Anthony Antinozzi, followed that up with an RBI triple to drive in courtesy runner Brooks to make it 3-2. White, followed that by bringing in courtesy runner Tee Knight on another sacrifice fly to tie things up at 3, going to the bottom of the 3rd. The bottom of the 3rd, was another long inning, but Shouse and the Dragons were able to get out of it to send us to the top of the 4th, all tied at 3.
Pickens got a 2-out walk from Shouse in the top of the 4th, but that would be all. In the bottom of the 4th, Shouse picked up his 4th strikeout and kept the Bruins scoreless to send us to the 5th, still knotted at 3.
In the top of the 5th, the Dragons got a 1-out walk by designated hitter Seth Densmore, and a 2-out single by Whitmore. A fly out forced by Northwest Whitfield kept the runners at 1st and 2nd, and sent us to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the 5th, Drake Sutton came on in relief of Shouse, who moved over to 3rd base. Sutton was able to shake off a tough start to the inning as he and the Dragons kept the Bruins off the board to send us to the 6th, still tied at 3.
In the top of the 6th, James Tilley, got on with a 1-out single. Northwest Whitfield, would then pick off Tilley at first for the second out. That play turned out to be a really important play as Shouse came up and hit his third double of the game. Shouse, would be left stranded at 2nd after the Bruins forced a pop up to send us to the bottom of the 6th. In the bottom of the inning, Northwest Whitfield retook the lead after plating 3 runs. Going to the top of the 7th, the Bruins were now ahead, 6-3.
In the top of the 7th, the Dragons were able to get a solo home run by Jackson Moore, but that would be all. The Northwest Whitfield Bruins took game 2, 6-4.
Dragons Stats:
Connor Shouse: 3-3 with 3 doubles and a walk
Anthony Antinozzi: 1-4 with a triple and 1 RBI
Hunter White: 2 RBI
Seth Densmore: 2 walks
Jackson Moore: 1-1 with a home run, 1 run scored, & 1 RBI
Drake Sutton: 1-4 with a single
Jarod Whitmore: 1-2 with a single and 2 walks
James Tilley: 1-3 with a single
Colby Brooks: 2 runs scored
Tee Knight: 1 run scored
Dragons drop series opener to Northwest Whitfield in extras
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 17, 2021
Pickens County, Ga — Tuesday, March 16th was a windy, rainy filled day but it also was game day as the Pickens Dragons (7-5, 1-3) welcomed the Northwest Whitfield Bruins to Dunn Field for game 1 of a 7-AAAA three game set. The Dragons, were coming off of a tough series with Centrall-Carroll last week and looked to get back on track against a Bruins ream that was out of region play last week, and came in with a 10-2 overall record. In a back and forth game that saw both teams trade the lead, Northwest Whitfield came away with a 3-2 win in 8 innings.
In the top of the 1st, Dragons starter Jackson Moore needed just 12 pitches to retire the Bruins and send us to the bottom of the frame, and the Dragons to the plate. After a 1-out single by Anthony Antinozzi and a 2-out single by Seth Densmore, the Bruins were able to get out of the early jam and send us to the 2nd, still scoreless.
In the top of the 2nd, Northwest Whitfield picked up a hit, but were held scoreless as we headed to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the 2nd, Jarod Whitmore led off with a double, and later scored on a passed ball to give Pickens a 1-0 lead going to the top of the 3rd.
Moore continued his impressive outing in the top of the 3rd as he needed just 9 pitches to retire the Bruins and send the Dragons bats back to the plate. In the bottom of the 3rd, Antinozzi and Hunter White both drew 1-out walks. Both runners then advanced to 3rd and 2nd base respectively after a passed ball. Northwest Whitfield, again avoided a potential big inning by the Dragons as we would go to the top of the 4th, Pickens still ahead, 1-0.
In the top of the 4th, the Bruins broke through and plated 2 runs on a double. With 2 runs already in, Northwest Whitfield was looking for more, but Drake Sutton came in and got the last out of the inning with his first pitch to send us to the bottom half of the frame. In the bottom of the 4th, the Dragons would be retired in order. Going to the top of the 5th, the Bruins now led it, 2-1.
In the top of the 5th, Sutton was able to work around a 24-pitch inning as he and the Dragons defense held Northwest Whitfield scoreless. In the bottom of the 5th, the Dragons were able to cash in on a lead off walk drawn by James Tilley as Antinozzi was able to bring him in on a grounder to 2nd base and tie the ball game up at 2 going to the 6th.
The Dragons brought in JP Nunn on in relief in the top of the 6th and Nunn continued his impressive start to the season by retiring the Bruins on 11 pitches. In the bottom of the 6th, with 1-out, Whitmore would secure his 2nd triple of the game. After the home plate umpire ruled catchers interference, Trace Ledbetter took 1st base. Parker Rhodes then drew a walk to load the bases. Unfortunately for Pickens, the Bruins were able to force a popup, and barely make a catch in deep right field, to keep the game tied at 2 going to the 7th.
In the top of the 7th, Nunn kept rolling as he retired Northwest Whitfield on just 10 pitches to send us to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the 7th, the Dragons would go quietly in order. We headed to the 8th inning, still tied at 2.
In the top half of the 8th, things got interesting to say the least. Nunn, got two quick outs to start the inning. The Dragons, thought the third out was made at first base, but a catchers interference call was made by the home plate umpire and awarded the base to the Bruins batter. Later in the inning, with a Bruin runner on 3rd base, the third strike got away from the catcher. Antinozzi, threw it to 1st base where it looked like the runner was out. The field umpire however ruled that the throw pulled the 1st baseman off the bag and the run scored giving Northwest Whitfield a 3-2 lead going to the bottom of the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, Whitmore got on base for the third time with a 1-out single. The Bruins were able to get the final two outs to get the win, 3-2.
Dragons Stats:
Anthony Antinozzi: 1-3 with a single, a walk, and 1 RBI
Hunter White: 1-3 with a single and a walk
Seth Densmore: 1-4 with a single
Jarod Whitmore: 3-4 with 2 triples, 1 single, and 1 run scored
Parker Rhodes: 1 walk
James Tilley: 1 walk, and 1 run scored
These two teams will play games 2 and 3 of the series in a doubleheader on Friday at Northwest Whitfield. First pitch for the first game of the doubleheader is set for 5:30 pm.
Dragons fall to Lions in tough series finale
PHS Baseball, Team FYN Sports March 13, 2021
Pickens County, Ga — After the craziness that was the first game of the doubleheader, the Dragons and Lions took a much needed break, then began game 2 of the doubleheader and the 3rd and final game of the series. Central-Carroll, scored runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 7th innings to get win in the series finale, 8-2.
In the top of the first, the Lions would get a base hit, but would leave the runner stranded as we would head to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Anthony Antinozzi would find himself at 3rd after a 1-out triple. Hunter White, drove in Antinozzi with a sacrifice fly to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead over Central-Carroll going to the 2nd.
In the top half of the 2nd, the Lions were able to plate 2 runs to take a 2-1 lead. After two quick outs in the bottom of the 2nd, Trace Ledbetter reached after an error and Parker Rhodes reached after a single. Central-Carroll, was able to escape the potential Dragon threat as we headed to the 3rd, Lions leading, 2-1.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, Central-Carroll was able to take advantage of some ill-timed miscues in the top of the 3rd which helped lead to 3 runs for the Lions. Going to the bottom of the 3rd, the Lions led Pickens, 5-1. The bottom of the 3rd saw the Dragons go quietly in order as we would go to the 4th with Central-Carroll leading, 5-1.
After he came in during the top of the 3rd, JP Nunn, settled in and retired the Lions on just 8 pitches in the top of the 4th. In the bottom of the 4th, Seth Densmore led off with a single. Jarod Whitmore then reached on an error, and Ledbetter follwed by drawing a walk. After a controversial strike out call of Rhodes for the 2nd out, the Lions forced a pop up for the 3rd out to send us to the 5th with Central-Carroll leading the Dragons, 5-1.
Nunn, got into a little bit of trouble in the top of the 5th, but was able to escape with no damage down to keep it 5-1. In the bottom half of the 5th, after a 1-out single by Antinozzi, and a walk drawn by White, the Lions again were able to escape a potential big inning by the Dragons after forcing a double play to send us to the 6th with Central-Carroll still ahead, 5-1.
In the top of the 6th, Nunn continued his sold work in relief as he again only needed 8 pitches to send us to the bottom of the frame. Pickens, would go down in order in the bottom of the 6th as we headed to the 7th, Lions leading, 5-1.
In the top of the 7th, Central-Carroll was able to add 3 runs as they extended their lead to 8-1. In the bottom of the 7th, James Tilley drew a 1-out walk. With 2 outs, Antinozzi drew a walk himself. White, then drove in Tilley with an RBI single. The Lions, were able to get the 3rd and final out of the game as they picked up the win in game 3, 8-2. With the win, Central-Carroll would take the series, 2-1.
Dragons Stats:
Anthony Antinozzi: 2-3 with a triple, a single, a walk, and 1 run scored
Hunter White: 1-3 with a single, a walk, and 2 RBI
Seth Densmore: 1-4 with a single
Trace Ledbetter: 1 walk
Parker Rhodes: 1-3 with a single
James Tilley: 1 walk, and 1 run scored
7-AAAA Baseball Standings:
Heritage: 9-2 (3-0)
Cedartown: 6-4 (3-0)
Central-Carroll: 7-3 (2-1)
Pickens: 7-4 (1-2)
Southeast Whitfield: 7-4 (0-3)
Ridgeland: 1-8 (0-3)
Northwest Whitfield: 10-2 (0-0)
Next week, the Dragons will begin another 7-AAAA series. This one, will be against the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. This will be the first region series of the season for the Bruins. Game 1 of the 3 game series is set for Tuesday, March 16th at Dunn Field at Pickens High School. First pitch set at 5:30.
Dragons split with Bruins, finish region schedule at 8-4
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 10, 2021
Pickens County, Ga — After the Dragonettes picked up a win over the Lady Bruins, the Pickens Dragons (12-11, 8-4) looked to complete the varsity sweep as they welcomed the Northwest Whitfield Bruins (11-8, 5-6) to the Dragons Den. These two teams first played on January 22nd with the Bruins picking up a 71-62 win. The Dragons, came into the game winners of three straight, including two in region play. The Dragons, led the whole way through in this one as they claimed a 66-54 victory.
Northwest Whitfield got things going to start the ball game as they hit a three pointer to take an early 3-0 lead. Pickens came back with a three pointer from Tucker Lowe, to tie things up. That three pointer for the Dragons started what would end up being a 10-0 run as Owen Moss had 5 of the 10 points and Noah Sutton had the other 2. The Bruins, countered that 10-0 run with a 5-0 run as they hit a three pointer and a two pointer to make it 10-8. A bucket by Luke Rogers, increased the lead for the Dragons to 12-8. After a pair of free throws from Northwest Whitfield, Pickens went on a 6-0 run as Lowe hit another three, and Will Roliand banked in a three at the buzzer to end the first quarter. Going to the second, the Dragons led the Bruins, 18-10.
Dragons in-bounding the ball
Lowe started the second quarter hitting his third three pointer of the first half. After Northwest Whitfield made a bucket, Moss hit his second three of the first half to give the Dragons 24-12 lead. A 5-0 run by the Bruins cut the lead down to 24-17. Sutton put an end to that run with a bucket to make it 26-17. Northwest Whitfield came back with a bucket to make it 26-19. Pickens then went on a 5-0 run as Rogers hit a bucket and Jaden Stewart hit a three to male it 31-19. After a free throw from the Bruins, Moss made a free throw, and Ean Goodwin made a bucket as the Dragoons took a 34-20 lead into the half.
Dragons working on the defensive end
Northwest Whitfield started the second half with a bucket to make it 34-22. The Dragons went on a 4-0 run as Moss and Rogers hit back to back buckets to make it 38-22. After a three pointer by the Bruins, and a free throw make by Lowe, Northwest Whitfield went on a 5-0 run to make it 39-30 Pickens. Sutton, again put an end to the Bruin run with a bucket. Lowe hit two free throws to make it 43-30. After a bucket by Northwest Whitfield, Moss and Rogers again teamed up for a 4-0 run to make it 47-32. The Bruins then went on a 7-0 run to cut the Dragons lead to 47-39. A three pointer from Lowe ended the third quarter as Pickens took a 50-39 lead into the fourth.
Dragons on offense in the 2nd half
Northwest Whitfield, hit three free throws to start the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 50-42. The Dragons came back with a 4-0 run as Kadyn Hampton and Sutton hit back to back buckets. A 5-0 run by the Bruins cut the lead down to 54-47. Sutton, came up big for Pickens as he hit two free throws, then hit a bucket to make it 58-47. After a free throw by Northwest Whitfield, great rebounding and hustle plays led to a 6-0 run from Pickens as Sutton, Lowe, and Hampton all scored. Both teams then traded buckets as the Dragons led 66-50. The Bruins went on a 4-0 run to end the game as Pickens came away with the win, 66-54.
7-AAAA Boys Basketball Region Standings:
*believed region tournament standings
Cedartown: 10-9 (9-3) #1 seed
Heritage: 14-7 (9-3) #2 seed
*Pickens: 12-11 (8-4) #3 seed
*Central-Caroll: 17-8 (8-4) #4 seed
Northwest Whitfield: 11-8 (5-6) #5 seed
Southeast Whitfield: 4-17 (1-10)
Ridgeland: 5-16 (1-11)
At this time, the Dragons do not have any other regular season games scheduled before the region tournament. We will definitely keep everyone informed should they choose to add another game.
Nettes sweep Lady Bruins, overtake 1st place in region
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 10, 2021
Pickens, County Ga — After having the weekend to prepare, the Pickens Dragonettes (17-4, 9-2) welcomed the Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins (9-9, 9-2) for the second of their two regular season games. On Thursday, February 4th, the Nettes went to Tunnel Hill and defeated the Lady Bruins 50-48. That was their first ever win against Northwest Whitfield in 19 games. The 20th game against these two teams was one of the most important. With the home crowd firmly behind them, the Nettes came away with a 50-30 win.
To start the first quarter, the Lady Bruins got back to back buckets to take a 4-0 lead early. Cassidy Richards, got the Nettes on the board with a pair of free throws to make it 4-2. The two teams were even the rest of the quarter as Northwest Whitfield took a 10-8 lead into the second.
Nettes with the ball in the 1st
Richards got the second quarter started with back to back three pointers to give Pickens a 14-10 lead. After the Lady Bruins hit a bucket, the Nettes countered with a three pointer to make it 17-12. A free throw would be the last point Northwest Whitfield would score in the first half as the Nettes went on an 8-0 run aided by Carmyn Mullins, Richards, and Amanda Nelson to close the second quarter. Going to the half, Pickens led the Lady Bruins, 25-13.
Nettes allowed 1 field goal in the 2nd
The third quarter began with Carmyn Mullins making a free throw, and Reagan Harwood hitting a three pointer to give the Nettes a 29-13 lead. After a 4-0 run by Northwest Whitfield, Pickens went on a 9-0 run getting scores from Nelson, Carmyn Mullins, Harwood, and Caroline Mullins to make it 38-17. A bucket by the Lady Bruins closed the third quarter as the Nettes led 38-19 going to the fourth.
Nettes driving against the Lady Bruins
A free throw for the Nettes kicked off the fourth quarter to make it 39-19. Northwest Whitfield, went on a 6-0 run as they cut the lead to 39-25. After Carmyn Mullins made a bucket, the Lady Bruins hit a pair of free throws. Pickens and Northwest Whitfield then traded buckets as the Nettes still led, 43-29. Nelson hit three free throws out of four attempts to make it 46-29. After a free throw from the Lady Bruins, Carmyn Mullins, Nelson, and Caroline Mullins all hit a free throw to seal the 50-30 win for the Nettes.
7-AAAA Girls Basketball Region Standings:
*via MaxPreps
**Southeast Whitfield/Ridgeland game is missing a score from Monday
Pickens: 17-4 (9-2)
Northwest Whitfield: 9-9 (9-2)
Heritage: 14-6 (7-3)
Cedartown: 13-6 (8-4)
Central-Carroll: 11-13 (4-7) (5th seed in region tournament)
**Southeast Whitfield: 1-18 (1-9)
**Ridgeland: 3-19 (1-10)
With the win, the Nettes take over 1st place in the region standings. With a win over the Southeast Whitfield Lady Raiders on Friday, Pickens will win the regular season region title, clinch the #1 seed in the upcoming region tournament, and punch their ticket to the 4A state tournament. Tip off for the game on Friday is set for 6 pm.
Stewart drops 18 as Dragons sweep Bulldogs
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 3, 2021
Pickens, County Ga — After picking up a big win last Thursday against the Southeast Whitfield Raiders, the Pickens Dragons welcomed another region foe to the Dragons Den in the form of the Cedartown Bulldogs. In their previous meeting on January 8th, the Dragons took home a 54-41 win. Coming into the game, the Bulldogs held the 2nd spot in the 7-AAAA standings at 8-2, while Pickens came in as the 3rd place team at 6-4. Aided by a breakout game from Sophomore Jaden Stewart, the Dragons came away with a 49-40 win.
The two sides traded buckets to begin the ball game as Cedartown took an early 4-2 lead. Noah Sutton & Tucker Lowe hit back to back three pointers for the Dragons, to put them up 8-4. After a bucket by the Bulldogs, Pickens went on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead out to 16-6. 6 of those points came from two three pointers from Stewart. After a quick 4-0 run by Cedartown, the Dragons countered with a 5-0 run to end the quarter as Ean Goodwin got a tip in bucket and Stewart hit his third three of the quarter. Going to the second, Pickens led the Bulldogs, 21-10.
Dragons found success early on offense
To start the second quarter, the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run to cut the Dragons lead down to 21-18. Stewart and Luke Rogers hit back to back buckets for Pickens to increase the lead to 25-18. After a bucket by Cedartown and the two teams hitting a free throw each, Stewart nailed his fourth three pointer of the first half. The Bulldogs got a late bucket just before the end of the first half as the Dragons took a 29-23 lead into the break.
The Dragons played aggressive defense
After Cedartown hit a bucket to start the third quarter making it a four point game, Stewart kept his hot shooting going by hitting his fifth three pointer of the night. After the two teams traded free throws, the Bulldogs connected on a bucket to male it 33-29 Dragons. Pickens countered with a 6-0 run getting buckets from Owen Moss, Goodwin, and Stewart to make it 38-29. After a bucket, a free throw, and two technical free throws, all from Lowe, the Dragons took a 44-32 lead into the fourth.
Sophomore Jaden Stewart had a big night
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs would outscore Pickens 8-5, but the Dragons were able to hold on and pick up a big region win, 49-40. With the win, the Dragons sweep the season series from Cedartown and stay in third place in the region standings by themselves.
7-AAAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Heritage: 14-6 (9-2)
Cedartown: 9-9 (8-3)
Pickens: 10-11 (7-4)
Central-Carroll: 15-8 (6-4)
Northwest Whitfield: 11-7 (5-5)
Ridgeland: 5-13 (1-9)
Southeast Whitfield: 4-17 (1:10)
On Thursday, the Dragons will be on the road as they head to Rome to take on the Unity Christian Lions in non-region action. Unity Christian, is out of the GAPPS 1-A North region. They are 11-9 overall and 6-1 in their conference. Tip off is set for 6:30 pm.
Dragons to battle for third place on Monday
PHS Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports February 8, 2020
The Pickens Dragons came into the 6-AAAA Region Tournament semifinals on Friday looking to continue the momentum built on Tuesday with their big quarterfinal win over Ridgeland. To earn a trip to the region championship and host a first State Tournament game, they’d have to get past the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. After a battle, the Bruins took this one 65-47.
The opening quarter, was very closely played with both teams finding success early. Going to the second quarter, Northwest Whitfield took a 15-11 lead.
Will Roland with the basketball
In the second quarter, the game stayed close with both teams trading shots like a heavyweight fight. Both the Dragons and the Bruins scored 17 points in the frame as Northwest Whitfield to a 32-28 lead over Pickens into the break.
Dragons defending the Bruins
In the third quarter, things started to get away from the Dragons a bit as they found very little luck on the offensive end. The Bruins, outscored Pickens 18-7 in the frame to take a 50-35 lead going to the fourth.
Luke Rogers with the basketball
In the fourth, the Dragons attempted to make a comeback, but the Bruins were able to stop any attempts at one and came away with the 65-47 win.
Leading the way for the Dragons were:
Noah Sutton: 13 points
Tucker Lowe: 9 points
Luke Rogers: 9 points
Daniel Tetterton: 8 points
The 6-AAAA Boys consolation game had been scheduled for today at 5:30 pm but do to weather, that has now been moved to Monday. The Dragons will battle the Heritage Generals for third place at Southeast Whitfield on Monday. Winner will travel to North Oconee for the first round of the 4A State Tournament.
Dragons win big to secure a state tournament spot
PHS Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports February 5, 2020
On Tuesday, Feb, 4, the Pickens Dragons traveled to Dalton to take part in the 6-AAAA Region Tournament being held at Southeast Whitfield. Pickens, came into the tournament as the #3 seed and looked to do something they had only done six times in their history. That is, make the state tournament. The Dragons took on the #6 seed Ridgeland Panthers. The first two meetings between the two teams were very close. This time, Pickens picked up an 87-47 win.
In the opening quarter, the Dragons got off to a fast start knocking down shots from both inside and outside the paint. Pickens used that blazing start to amass a 25-12 lead over the Panthers going to the second.
Luke Rogers passing to Noah Sutton
In the second quarter, the Dragons continued their torrid pace they set in the first quarter. Grabbing rebound after rebound, diving for loose balls, and continuing to work hard on both ends of the floor. Pickens, outscored Ridgeland in the second, 21-8, to take a 46-21 lead into the break.
Aidan Sanchez working down low in the paint
The third quarter, was the most back and forth quarter of the game as the Panthers got things going on their end. After a slow start to the second half for the Dragons, they were able to pick it up as well. Ridgeland won the quarter 18-17, but Pickens continued to lead the game going to the fourth, 63-39.
Dragons working defensively against the Panthers
The Dragons ended the ball game strong scoring 24 fourth quarter points and holding the Panthers again to just eight. Pickens also got everyone in for playing time and they were productive as well. For the seventh time in school history, the Dragons punched their ticket to the state tournament with an 87-47 win.
Leading the way for the Dragons were:
Noah Sutton: 34 points
Tucker Lowe: 12 points
Luke Rogers: 10 points
Zac Tetterton: 6 points
Owen Moss: 6 points
Pickens, will now turn their attention to the Northwest Whitfield Bruins for the semifinal match up in the 6-AAAA Region Tournament. Winner of that one will earn not only a trip to the region championship, but the all important first round home game in the 4A state tournament. Game time is set for Thursday at 5:30 pm.
Dragons fall in another tough region game
PHS Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports January 25, 2020
The Pickens Dragons (16-7, 6-5) took to the road on Friday night to take on the Northwest Whitfield Bruins in a 6-AAAA region contest. Coming into the game, the Bruins held the 2nd seed, while the Dragons occupied the 3rd seed. Northwest Whitfield, came away with the win, 75-53.
In the first quarter, the Bruins came out on a 9-0 run to start the game. Pickens, got things going after that with buckets by Owen Moss, Noah Sutton, and a three pointer by Tucker Lowe to cut it to 9-7. A Moss jumper got the Dragons within one at 12-11. Northwest Whitfield made a bucket to close the quarter to take a 14-11 lead into the second.
Dragons trying to get the offense going
Early in the second quarter, a couple of Will Roland buckets cut the Bruins lead down to three on a couple of occasions. After a three by Northwest Whitfield, Luke Rogers cut it to 21-17 with a bucket. After both teams traded buckets, Northwest Whitfield went on a 4-0 run to make it 32-21 at the half.
Pickens playing defense in the second half
Pickens opened up the second half with a 4-0 run to cut the Bruins lead to 32-25. Northwest Whitfield responded with a 10-0 run to make it 42-25. A free throw by Lowe and buckets by Ean Goodwin and Sutton made it 42-30. After trading buckets for a bit, the Bruins closed the third with a 7-0 run to make it 55-35 going to the fourth.
Owen Moss driving in the lane
The fourth quarter, was pretty close scoring wise as the Dragons got a good run in the middle of the frame thanks to Lowe, Sutton, and Rogers. Northwest Whitfield came away with this one, 75-53.
Leading the way for the Dragons were:
Noah Sutton: 15 points
Tucker Lowe: 11 points
Luke Rogers: 8 points
Will Roland: 7 points
6-AAAA Boys Standings:
Lafayette: 20-2 (11-0)
Northwest Whitfield: 14-10 (9-2)
Pickens: 16-7 (6-5)
Heritage: 10-14 (6-6)
Gilmer: 9-9 (5-6)
Ridgeland: 6-16 (2-9)
Southeast Whitfield: 0-23 (0-11)
Pickens, will be back at it on Saturday afternoon as they head to Adairsville to take on the Tigers in non-region play. Tip off for this one is set for 5:30 pm.