Patriots drop opener to Social Circle 48-41

  • Darius Heard was one of Oglethorpe County’s top players in the opener. He rushed for 111 yards and three TDs on 19 carries and completed all four of his passing attempts for 40 yards. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)
    Darius Heard was one of Oglethorpe County’s top players in the opener. He rushed for 111 yards and three TDs on 19 carries and completed all four of his passing attempts for 40 yards. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)
  • Payton Prince encourages his teammates during Oglethorpe County’s game against Social Circle on Aug. 16. Prince, a running back, finished 94 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)
    Payton Prince encourages his teammates during Oglethorpe County’s game against Social Circle on Aug. 16. Prince, a running back, finished 94 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. (Sarah Coyne/The Oglethorpe Echo)
  • Oglethorpe County’s Justin Jackson and Jordan Johnson (1) celebrate a long reception by Jackson in the Patriots’ 48-41 season-opening loss to Social Circle on Aug. 16. Jackson finished with two catches for 51 yards. (Mark Johnson/The Oglethorpe Echo)
    Oglethorpe County’s Justin Jackson and Jordan Johnson (1) celebrate a long reception by Jackson in the Patriots’ 48-41 season-opening loss to Social Circle on Aug. 16. Jackson finished with two catches for 51 yards. (Mark Johnson/The Oglethorpe Echo)
  • OCHS receiver Jackson Tatum tries to evade Social Circle’s Jude Nelson (8) and Levi Kendall in the season-opener on Aug. 16. Tatum had two catches for 15 yards. (Mark/The Oglethorpe Echo)
    OCHS receiver Jackson Tatum tries to evade Social Circle’s Jude Nelson (8) and Levi Kendall in the season-opener on Aug. 16. Tatum had two catches for 15 yards. (Mark/The Oglethorpe Echo)
  • Oglethorpe County’s Keagan Moates grabs the jersey of Social Circle quarterback Luke Cross and tosses him to the ground for a sack on Aug. 16. Moates also had five tackles in the 48-41 loss to the Redskins. (Mark Johnson/The Oglethorpe Echo)
    Oglethorpe County’s Keagan Moates grabs the jersey of Social Circle quarterback Luke Cross and tosses him to the ground for a sack on Aug. 16. Moates also had five tackles in the 48-41 loss to the Redskins. (Mark Johnson/The Oglethorpe Echo)

    Darius Heard rushed for three touchdowns and Jordan Johnson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, but Oglethorpe County dropped a 48-41 season-opening decision to Social Circle last Friday night.

     

    The Patriots had 330 yards of offense behind Heard, who rushed for 111 yards on 19 carries, and Payton Prince, who had 94 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries.

     

    Heard also completed all four of his passing attempts for 40 yards. Hunter Hall was 5-for-7 for 55 yards passing.

     

    Caden Hartrum led the Patriots with three receptions for 18 yards, Justin Jackson had two catches for 51 yards and Jackson Tatum had two catches for 15 yards.

     

    Defensively, Dalton Hilley led the Patriots with 12 tackes, including three for loss. Heard had seven tackles, Keagan Moats had five tackles and a sack, and O’Maury Huggs had four tackles and a sack.

     

    OCHS will play at East Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23. East Hall defeated Banks County 16-14 on Aug. 16.

     

    OCHS softball now 7-1

     

    Carolyn Barner went 3-for-4 with two doubles and Emilee Cutsail had two hits, including a triple as OCHS softball defeated Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy 14-4 in five innings to improve to 7-1 and 1-0 Region 8-A Division I.

     

    Reese Campbell was the winning pitcher with two strikeouts. 

     

    On Saturday, the Patriots defeated Putnam County 14-4 in five innings and East Jackson 6-0. 

     

    Emily Wisham was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Zharia Burgess was 3-for-4 with two RBIs against Putnam County. Campbell was the winning pitcher and had two RBIs.

     

    Against East Jackson, Cutsail had two hits, Barner had two RBIs and Campbell had four strikeouts to get the win.

     

    “Overall, we are continuing to grow and get better as a very young group,” coach Brianna Dickens said. “We are having a lot of competitive at-bats throughout the entire line up and doing jobs in scoring situations. Reese has been throwing well and giving us a great shot to win every time we play. This group has been working hard and continuing to have fun playing every day.”

     

    OCHS lost to Lincoln County 7-3 on Aug. 15 as Burgess had three hits. On Aug. 13, the Patriots defeated Clarke Central 6-2 behind two hits from Khloe Eidson and Campbell, who was the winning pitcher.

     

    The softball team plays at Providence Christian at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22 and at Lake Oconee Academy at 11 a.m. Saturday.

     

    Volleyball splits two matches

     

    The OCHS volleyball team defeated Westminster Christian in two sets, but fell to East Jackson in three sets on Tuesday night. 

     

    Sofia Horsley set well, and Leanna Newton, Kenzie Henderson and Elizabeth Cook were standout hitters.

     

    The Patriots are 2-3 with a win over Hart County and losses to Prince Avenue and Morgan County.

     

    OCHS hosts Social Circle at 5 p.m. and Monroe Area at 7 p.m. Thursday.

     

    OCMS teams start strong

     

    The Oglethorpe County Middle School football team started 2-0 this season. 

     

    The Patriots defeated Malcom Bridge 20-14 on Aug. 8 and Banks County 20-6 on Aug. 15.

     

    The OCMS softball team lost to Bethlehem Christian 11-4 on Aug. 14.

     

    The OCMS volleyball A team won all three matches in a preseason tournament on Aug. 17. The B team won one of three matches.