SSports


 Section B
Thursday, July 20, 2006


 Major League All-Stars place




second in District 1 tournament


Submitted by Ann Lessman
The Hamilton County Major League (12-and-under)


All-Stars competed for the district championship in Lake
City this past weekend. Hamilton made a good showing


Hamilton County Major League All-Stars: Bottom row Trey Owen, Zack Deas, Joshua Less-
man, Connor Carter, Brandon Cannon and Dylan Brantley. Middle row Zack Medearis, Michael.
Cox, Gerald Bristol, Charles Cone, Derek Johnson and Joseph Cook. Back row Coach Bill.
Owen, Coach David Brantley and Coach Michael Lessman. Photo Submitted


by making it to the title game and coming in as runner-
up.
 Hamilton drew the #1 seed Union County for Game 1
and elected to go with ace Derek Johnson who pitched
an outstanding game for six innings, holding Union
scoreless and then hitting RBI-scoring Gerald Bristol
from second base in a close 1-0 win.
 Hamilton's bats were unable to overcome a close sec-
ond game with Suwannee County that ended in a 2-1
loss, putting them in the loser's bracket for the first time.
 With their backs against the wall, Hamilton faced
Union County for an elimination game. Johnson once
again performed flawlessly, helping his team to a 4-2 de-
cision, sending the senior-laden Union team home and
giving Hamilton a shot at the title game,
 Facing the undefeated Suwannee team and having to
win back-to-back games proved to be more than Hamil-
ton could overcome, ending in a 5-0 loss in the champi-
onship game.
 Coach Michael Lessman said he had to "slay the giant"
for Suwannee by using his ace pitcher against Union.
Hamilton eliminated Union but it crippled his pitching
staff who had. to face Live Oak's ace in the title game, he
noted.
 "Our players can hold their heads high because they
beat the two best teams in North Florida," Coach Less-
man said. "We took two of three games last weekend
from a well coached, great hitting Suwannee Valley team
to advance here and were two for two against another
loaded Union County team this weekend. I haven't ever
seen two better teams at this level and I'm disappointed
that one of them can't represent our district at regionals.
Nothing against Suwannee but those guys are better top
to bottom than anyone around here; they were just un-
fortunate to have to face Derek."


400 action
Florida Department of Agriculture Officer
 Chris McGauley at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona


McGauley (I) with Casey Mears, driver of the #42 Havoline car.


Sterling
Marlin,
driver of
the #14
Waste
Manage-
ment car,
and
McGauley.


Mike Helton (I), president of NASCAR, takes time
out his busy schedule to visit with McGauley.