Sports

Lady Blue Devil Terrace Hester (right) scored 10 points in Elbert County’s 54-48 loss against Putnam County Jan. 7 in the Inferno in Elberton.(Photo by Cary Best)

Lady Blue Devil Terrace Hester (right) scored 10 points in Elbert County’s 54-48 loss against Putnam County Jan. 7 in the Inferno in Elberton.(Photo by Cary Best)

Lady Devils play to mixed results

The Lady Blue Devils experienced a roller coaster of emotions last week. Elbert saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end with a 54-48 loss to Region 8-AA opponent Putnam County Jan. 7 in the Inferno.
Blue Devil sophomore Jamil Burton (right) led Elbert County’s 73-61 win over Putnam County with a career-high 28 points Jan. 7 in the Inferno in Elberton. (Photo by Cary Best)

Blue Devil sophomore Jamil Burton (right) led Elbert County’s 73-61 win over Putnam County with a career-high 28 points Jan. 7 in the Inferno in Elberton. (Photo by Cary Best)

Blue Devils search for region wins

The young Blue Devils split a pair of region games last week and will look to remain relevant heading into the second half of conference play this week. Elbert began the week with a 73-61 win over Region 8-AA school Putnam Jan. 7 in Elberton.
Lady Blue Devil freshman Aaniah Allen (center) scored 16 points in Elbert County’s 57-54 region victory at Banks County Jan. 3 in Homer. (Photo by Cary Best)

Lady Blue Devil freshman Aaniah Allen (center) scored 16 points in Elbert County’s 57-54 region victory at Banks County Jan. 3 in Homer. (Photo by Cary Best)

Fantastic freshmen win seven in a row

Elbert’s fantastic freshmen have blazed their way into school history. After racking up an undefeated middle school record of 33-0, the highly touted crew entered varsity ranks with much anticipation. Hardly anybody, however,  could have predicted their most recent successes.
Blue Devil freshman Quan Moss drives to the basket during Elbert County’s 71-31 loss at Banks County Jan. 3 in Homer. (Photo by Cary Best)

Blue Devil freshman Quan Moss drives to the basket during Elbert County’s 71-31 loss at Banks County Jan. 3 in Homer. (Photo by Cary Best)

‘Struggling’ Devils look for wins

Struggling was the word coach Don Hurlburt used to describe his current crop of Blue Devils. Elbert, now 4-10 on the season, has dropped its last six games in a row by a combined total of 122 points. To add insult to injury, the most recent losses came against two region opponents.
Mat Devils (L-R) Gavin Brady, Tyshawn Hughes and Brice Noggle each won their weight class during the East Metro Invitational Jan. 4 at Monroe Area High School. (Photo courtesy of Blue Devil Wrestling)

Mat Devils (L-R) Gavin Brady, Tyshawn Hughes and Brice Noggle each won their weight class during the East Metro Invitational Jan. 4 at Monroe Area High School. (Photo courtesy of Blue Devil Wrestling)

Mat Devils to battle for state berth

Winning nearly every tournament they’ve entered this season (19-1), a dominant Mat Devils team will enter the Area 6-AA Duals at Monticello High School Jan. 11 with momentum.
Carol Baker, whose company (Classic Race Services) times runners for the Twilight Stroll, gives instructions to runners before the 5K start. (Photo by Jones)

Carol Baker, whose company (Classic Race Services) times runners for the Twilight Stroll, gives instructions to runners before the 5K start. (Photo by Jones)

Twilight stroll takes a new path

A driving rain didn’t deter some 59 runners who completed a new course during the 17th Annual Twilight Stroll by the Granite Bowl’s 5K race Jan. 3. Franklin County resident Diego Martinez (15) won both the 5K (18:02) and 10K (38:56) races.
Rookie receiver Mecole Hardman was one of six Kansas City Chiefs selected for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl set for Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. (Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs)

Rookie receiver Mecole Hardman was one of six Kansas City Chiefs selected for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl set for Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. (Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs)

Rookie Hardman selected for NFL Pro Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In the process of the Kansas City Chiefs dismantling the Chicago Bears, 27-3, on Dec. 22 at Soldier Field in Chicago, NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth was marveling about the Chiefs’ team speed.
Lady Blue Devil freshman  Niya Moon scored 21 points in Elbert County’s 47-36 win over Wade Hampton of Greenville South Carolina in the McDonald’s Shootout Dec. 27 in Hartwell. (Photo by Cary Best)

Lady Blue Devil freshman Niya Moon scored 21 points in Elbert County’s 47-36 win over Wade Hampton of Greenville South Carolina in the McDonald’s Shootout Dec. 27 in Hartwell. (Photo by Cary Best)

Elbert to play Hart for McDonald’s Shootout title

Despite a slow start in the McDonald’s Shootout, the Lady Blue Devils find themselves in the finals of the holiday tournament held in Hartwell Dec. 27-30.
Blue Devil freshman guard Trustin Allen shoots over Jaguar Isaiah Sanchez in Elbert County’s 65-40 loss to Cedar Shoals Dec. 20 in the Inferno. (Photo by Dan Giles)

Blue Devil freshman guard Trustin Allen shoots over Jaguar Isaiah Sanchez in Elbert County’s 65-40 loss to Cedar Shoals Dec. 20 in the Inferno. (Photo by Dan Giles)

Region win softens non-region losses

Week six saw the Blue Devils pick up a needed region win but drop two non-conference games against top-10 opponents. To start the week, Elbert beat Region 8-AA foe Rabun County 64-35 Dec. 17 in Tiger.
Freshman Lady Blue Devil point guard Terrace Hester (left) drives past Lady Jaguar Deneshia Roach in Elbert County’s 46-42 win over Cedar Shoals Dec. 20 in Elberton. (Photo by Dan Giles)

Freshman Lady Blue Devil point guard Terrace Hester (left) drives past Lady Jaguar Deneshia Roach in Elbert County’s 46-42 win over Cedar Shoals Dec. 20 in Elberton. (Photo by Dan Giles)

Lady Devils beat Cedar, Hart

After starting the week off on a sour note with a region loss, the Lady Blue Devils turned things around by beating GHSA Class AAAAA Cedar Shoals and rival Hart County for a second time this season. Elbert fell 67-41 at No. 3 state ranked Rabun County in Tiger Dec. 17.