SPARTAN BOOSTER #322
April 10, 2006
_____________________________________________________________________________
TODAY! MONDAY, APRIL 10
JV boys golf: GACS JV boys vs. Marist; Berkeley Hills Country Club
4:30pm JV girls soccer: Woodward JV at GACS
5:00pm JV baseball: GACS JV at Blessed Trinity Catholic School; Roswell GA
5:30pm Boys lacrosse: GACS at St. Pius

TUESDAY, APRIL 11
4:00pm Varsity boys & girls track & field: GACS at Wesleyan
4:00pm Varsity boys & girls tennis: Pace Academy at GACS
5:00pm Varsity girls soccer: Blessed Trinity at GACS; Senior Night
5:30pm Varsity baseball: Providence Christian at GACS
7:00pm Varsity boys soccer: Blessed Trinity at GACS; Senior Night

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12
No events scheduled

THURSDAY, APRIL 13
Varsity boys soccer: Area 8-AA/A Tournament; to be determined
4:00pm Junior High boys & girls track & field: Decatur at GACS' Prickett
Track at Spartan Stadium
5:00pm Varsity girls soccer: Union County at GACS; Area 8-AA/A Tournament
5:30pm Varsity baseball: East Hall at GACS

FRIDAY, APRIL 14
Varsity boys golf: GACS at Mannington Tournament; Fields Ferry Golf Course;
Calhoun GA
4:00pm Varsity boys & girls track & field: Spartan Classic; Hank Prickett
Track at Spartan Stadium
5:30pm Girls lacrosse: GACS at South Cobb

SATURDAY, APRIL 15
Varsity boys & girls golf: GACS at Mannington Tournament; Fields Ferry Golf
Course; Calhoun GA
10:00am Boys lacrosse: GACS at Decatur
1:00pm JV baseball: GACS JV at Walker; Marietta GA
___________________________________________________________________________
BASEBALL
Head coach Cliff Shelton

TOMORROW AT HOME: SPARTANS VS. PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN STARS

This story below is reprinted from the Spartan baseball team's website:
http://eteamz.active.com/GACSpartanBaseball/

Spartans 3-1 Lumpkin County Indians
Spartans get a much needed region win [Friday] at Hester Field, knocking off
the visiting Lumpkin County Indians by a 3-1 score. Sophomore Brent Burrows
got the start for the Spartans and started out the game in great fashion,
striking out 7 of the first 9 batters he faced. Brent's great work would
continue thru the 6th inning as he held the Indians to 4 hits, 1 walk and 1
run with 10 strikeouts. Taylor Wood got his first save of the season,
retiring the Indians in order in the 7th. Lastly, but certainly not least,
Lee Chapple made 2 fantastic plays at his first base position in the first
and fourth innings.

At the plate, the Spartans improved drastically over their dismal showing
against Dawson County. In the third, with the score knotted at 0-0, Dillon
Geraghty got things going with a lead off double. Dillon was followed by a
Colton Chapple single. 2 outs later, Landon Bennett stepped into the box and
delivered a 2 out RBI single up the middle to get the Spartans on the board
with a 1-0 lead. The Indians would strike back in the 6th, as a 2 out single
followed by a double to the left field corner enabled the Indians to knot
the score at 1 apiece. But in the bottom of the sixth, a leadoff double by
Patrick Savage and a base on balls to Lee Chapple set the stage for Brock
Bennett's bunt single which plated the winning run. Lee Chapple would also
score on a throwing error by the pitcher. The Spartans totaled 8 hits on the
night.

The Spartans(10-5, 6-3) are home again on Tuesday versus Providence. No
sense in saying it is an important game.......all of them are important from
here on in. Good luck guys!

Dawson County 3-0 Spartans
With the Spartan bats buried deep in the freezer, the Dawson County Tigers
were able to throw a goose-egg at the visitors and capture a 3-0 victory.
Only 2 hits on the day for the Spartans, both of which came in the 4th
inning. With the bases juiced and only 1 out, the Tiger pitcher was able to
coax two ground balls to get out of the inning with no damage done. In the
top of the seventh, the Spartans would have 2 runners reach by walk with 2
outs, but a fly ball to deep center ended the game with GAC on the losing
end.

On the hill, Dillon Geraghty threw six innings, striking out 3, surrendering
9 hits and walking 2 batters.

Wesleyan Wolves 10-1 Spartans
The Spartans turned in what could only be characterized as a lackluster
performance yesterday at Hester Field, falling to the Wesleyan Wolves 10-1.
Wesleyan starter Tony Plagman kept the home team off balance all day with a
good mix of fastballs and off speed pitches, scattering 7 hits. It was not
until the 7th inning that the Spartans managed to get a runner past second
base. The Wesleyan defense stepped up at times also, turning 2 inning ending
double plays in the 3rd and 4th innings.

Initially it appeared that this one may be a pitchers duel, as Plagman and
Spartan starter Taylor Wood carried goose eggs on the scoreboard thru the
3rd inning. But the Wolves broke out in the 4th as 3 consecutive batters
reached safely and 2 runs were pushed across. Again in the 5th, 3
consecutive 2 out hits allowed the Wolves to get two more runs in for a 4-0
lead and the Wolves coasted in from there. Taylor Wood (3-1) took his first
loss of the season, going 5 1/3 innings, surrendering 9 hits, and striking
out 8 batters.

Colton Chapple bagged the only RBI of the day for the Spartans to go along
with his 2 hits. Brock Bennett, John Wood, Landon Bennett, Patrick Savage
and Mark Edwards also contributed hits.

Spartans 13-0 Union County
Winning Pitcher - Brent Burrows 9 K's
Home Runs: John Wood, Lee Chapple, Patrick Savage & Brent Burrows
Spartans win in five innings.

The stories below appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ["AJC"] or
Gwinnett Daily Post ["Post"]:

Wesleyan's Plagman comes up 'huge' in 10-1 victory over GAC
By Corey Clark, Staff Writer
Apr. 4 Post

NORCROSS — Most people are familiar with Tony Plagman because of what he
does at the plate.
Now, observers are going to have start paying attention because of what he
does on the mound as well.

The Wesleyan senior star, who has committed to Georgia Tech, pitched a
complete game on Monday at Greater Atlanta Christian, scattering seven hits
and allowing just one run in a 10-1 region victory over the host Spartans.

Plagman, who already holds numerous school hitting records, kept the
Spartans (9-4, 5-2 in Region 8-AA) off-balance all game from the mound with
a steady diet of curveballs and change-ups.
"He was huge," Wesleyan head coach Mike Shaheen said. "He doesn't blow you
away, but his changeup was outstanding today.

"He's starting to get a lot of looks as a pitcher now ... Georgia Tech might
want to use him as a pitcher, too."

At the moment, the Yellow Jackets are more interested in his bat — and that
didn't disappoint either on Monday as Plagman finished 3-for-4 on the
afternoon.

The Wolves (11-4, 5-2) pounded out 13 hits on the day, including nine off
GAC starting pitcher Taylor Wood, who allowed three earned runs in 51D3
innings pitched.

It was a refreshing sight for Shaheen to see his team swinging the bat well
again, after the Wolves suffered through a recent offensive lull.

"All the sudden we didn't have any self esteem," the head coach said. "It
was like the kid that gets shot down by the girl at school when he asks her
out on a date. So from that point on, he never wants to ask another girl out
on a date.

"So maybe this will give us the confidence we need."

For three innings, it looked like it was going to be a pitchers' dual.

But in the top of the fourth, Wesleyan strung together four straight hits
and scored two runs on RBI doubles from Grayson Garvin and Chris Jensen. The
Wolves scored two more in the fifth, one in the sixth and then put the game
completely out of reach in the seventh with five more runs.

Jensen finished with three hits, Kevin Ruiz added two hits and Garvin,
Connor Wynn, James Ramsey, Adam Johnson and Kyle Edwards each added hits as
well for the Wolves, who moved into a tie for second place in 8-AA with the
critical win.

"We needed this game," Shaheen said. "If we lost this game, we were out of a
shot for the region title. Period. This win puts us back in the ball game."

GAC, which committed four errors on the day, scored its lone run in the
bottom of the seventh when Colton Chapple laced an RBI single to
centerfield. Chapple was the only Spartan with more than one hit.

Spartans 19 Banks County 1
The Spartans traveled to Banks County this afternoon and dispatched the
Leopards in short order as the visitors got a 19-1 victory in four innings.
Landon Bennett had another good day at the plate, going 2-2 including a
grand slam (HR #4 on the year) in the 10 run second inning. Other offensive
leaders included Mark Edwards (2 hits and 2 rbi's), and the Chapple
brothers, who combined for 3 hits and 4 rbi's. Brent Burrows, Dillon
Geraghty, Brock Snead, John Wood, and freshman Ian Graham also had hits for
the Spartans.

On the hill, Brent Burrows went the distance, striking out 9, surrendering
only 2 hits, and one earned run.

GAC 3, Lumpkin Co. 1
NORCROSS — Greater Atlanta Christian starter Brent Burrows threw six solid
innings on Friday, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts as the
Spartans beat Lumpkin County 3-1.
Taylor Wood pitched a perfect seventh inning to record the save as GAC
improved to 10-5 overall and 6-3 in Region 8-AA. Landon Bennett was 1-for-3
with an RBI while Patrick Savage went 2-for-3 with a double and a run. [Apr.
8 Post]

Dawson County 3, GAC 0
DAWSONVILLE - Greater Atlanta Christian could only chalk up two hits as it
was upset by Dawson County 3-0 in Region 8-AA on Wednesday. [Apr. 6 Post]

GACS 13, Union County 0
BLAIRSVILLE — Brent Burrows struck out nine batters in five innings and was
2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs as Greater Atlanta Christian topped
Union County 13-0 in five innings on Thursday.
John Wood was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, Lee Chapple had two
hits, including a home run and Patrick Savage added a home run and three RBI
for the Spartans (9-3, 5-1). [Mar. 31 Post]

GAC 13, Union County 0: Brent Burrows was the winning pitcher for the
Spartans (9-3, 5-1 in 8-AA). He went five innings, giving up three hits and
striking out nine. John Wood went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
Patrick Savage hit a home run and drove in three runs. Burrows went 2-for-3
with a home run and two RBIs. [Mar. 31 AJC]

GAC 19, Banks Co. 1
HOMER — Greater Atlanta Christian collected 17 hits in four innings as the
Spartans blasted Banks County 19-1 on Tuesday.
Hitting heroes for the Spartans (8-3, 4-1) were Landon Bennett (2-for-2 with
a grand slam), Mark Edwards (3-for-3 and two RBIs), Dillon Geraghty (3-for-4
with four RBIs), Lee Chapple (2-for-4 with two RBIs) and Brent Burrows
(3-for-4 with two RBIs).
Burrows also struck out nine over four innings with two hits allowed in
recording the win. [Mar. 29 Post]

VARSITY BASEBALL
SEASON RECORD (10-5)
------------------------------
GACS 9-5 St. Pius
GACS 7-8 Holy Innocents
GACS 9-5 Eagles Landing
GACS 3-1 St. Pius
GACS 6-7 Walker
GACS 5-1 Providence Christian*
GACS 9-5 Pace Academy
GACS 10-0 Rabun County*
GACS 15-3 East Hall*
GACS 6-7 Buford*
GACS 19-1 Banks County*
GACS 13-0 Union County*
GACS 1-10 Wesleyan*
GACS 0-3 Dawson County*
GACS 3-1 Lumpkin County*
(*Region record 6-3)

CLASS AA TOP TEN
BASEBALL COACHES' POLL
--------------------------------
1 Jeff Davis County
2 Dodge County
3 Cook County
4 Buford
5 Walker
6 Calhoun
7 Lovett
8 Wesleyan
9 Westside-Augusta
10 Pike County
[Source: www.gasports.com]

JV BASEBALL

Coach Mike Mitchell reports:
The JV baseball team lost a tough game to Buford on Tuesday [Mar. 28].
Chris Alston and Stephen Pepper pitched well for the Spartans.  Regan Rue
led the hitting attack with three hits and Justin Ernest and Travis Elrod
had two hits each.  Alex Brown drove in three runs with a two-out double.
_______________________________________________________________________________
GOLF
Head coach Gary Richey
Assistant coach Steve Tufts

SPARTAN GOLFERS PLAY AT MANNINGTON TOURNAMENT NEXT WEEKEND

Coach Richey reports:
Our girl's golf team participated in the Carrollton Invitational on [March
27] & finished 5th as a team.  The team consisted of Katie Tufts, Rebekah
Osteen, & Lauren Rogers. Katie Tufts was the high medalist finishing 5th
overall. Congratulations GACS Lady Spartans Golf! [Mar. 28 SH Announcements]

The girl's golf team played Parkview & Brookwood [Mar. 28] at Trophy Club of
Gwinnett.  Katie Tufts led the team with a 38 and the Lady Spartan were
narrowly defeated by Parkview, 85–89.  However, we defeated Brookwood
handily, 89-98.  Congratulations! [SH Announcements]

GIRLS GOLF: Lady Spartans top Providence
LAWRENCEVILLE - Greater Atlanta Christian defeated Providence Christian
Academy 94-103 on Wednesday. Katie Tufts was GAC's top performer, while
Molly Webb was Providence's top scorer.
[Mar. 30 Post]

BOYS GOLF: GAC defeats Providence
LAWRENCEVILLE - Greater Atlanta Christian defeated Providence Christian
Academy 163-186 on Wednesday. Pavle Potparic shot a 36 to lead GAC and Blake
Joiner shot a 39. Lee Bannister was Providence's top performer with a 40.
[Mar. 30 Post]

Parkview beats GAC and Brookwood
SNELLVILLE — Amanda Xu of Parkview carded a 38 on Tuesday as the Panthers
beat both Greater Atlanta Christian and Brookwood at Country Club of
Gwinnett.
Parkview (7-0, 4-0) was first with a team score of 85 while GAC, led by a 38
from Katie Tufts, was second at 89. Brookwood, led by a 47 from Christine
Graham, was third with 98. [Mar. 29 Post]

Gwinnett golf teams improving, but title hopes lie in the future
By DAVID PURDUM
Apr. 7 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Somewhat surprisingly, with the abundance of quality facilities in Gwinnett,
golf is one of the few sports in which a county school has not won a state
championship. That could change in upcoming years.

Established programs such as Parkview, Wesleyan and Greater Atlanta
Christian have contended recently. Peachtree Ridge and North Gwinnett are
two of the county's rising programs and could challenge in the near future.
But the local linksters will have to continue shaving off strokes to be able
to compete with perennial powers Harrison and Glynn Academy, which has won
three of the past four AAAAA state titles.

Entering the golf and other spring sports season, teams in Gwinnett had won
12 state titles this school year. The county record is 15, set in 2002-03.
It seems unlikely that Gwinnett's golf teams will add to the trophy haul...

GOLF SCHEDULE
Day......Date..........Opponent/Tournament.....Location....Boys / Girls
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today April 10 JV boys vs. Marist; Berkeley Hills CC; JV boys only
Friday  April 14  Manington Tournament Calhoun; boys only
Saturday April 15  Mannington Tournament  Calhoun; boys & girls
Tuesday April 18  Dawson Co.  Gold Creek; boys & girls
Sat.  April 22  Maple Ridge Invitational  Columbus; girls only
Friday April 28  Region Tournament  Gold Creek; boys & girls
Monday May 8  State Golf Boys - Rocky Creek Golf Club, Vidalia GA
Monday May 8 State Golf Girls - Vidalia Country Club, Vidalia GA

BOYS GOLF ROSTER
Name / Class
Blake Joiner - Senior
Pavle Potparic - Senior
Jonathan Hull - Senior
Patrick Howard - Junior
Brad Bartlett - Sophomore
Mark Knauss - Freshman
Nate Cho - Freshman
CJ Williams - Freshman
Justin Ernest - Freshman

GIRLS GOLF ROSTER
Name / Class
Katie Tufts - Senior
Rebekah Osteen - Senior
Lisa Licata - Sophomore
Kim Moore - Sophomore
Lauren Rogers -  Freshman
Lindsay Adams - 8th grade
______________________________________________________________________________
BOYS LACROSSE
Head coach Corbin Wilhelmi

TODAY AT 5:30! SPARTANS PLAY AT ST. PIUS

GAC parent Doug Curd reports:
The Boys Lacrosse Team lost a tough one to the Decatur Bulldogs last night
[Mar. 27] at Spartan Stadium. The final score was 7-6. Jeffrey Johnson got
the first Spartan goal in the game and Thomas Bolton added another one but
the Spartans trailed at the half, 4 to 2. Thomas Bolton had two more goals
in the second half, Blake Guy and William Shuford each had one.

Their record is now 5 and 5 and do not play again until after the Spring
Break...Their last two games are on the road against St. Pius on April 10
and at Decatur on April the 15th.

2006 Boys Lacrosse Roster
Name / Grade
---------------------------
Thomas Bolton  12____McLaine Merrick  12_____Ty Smith  11______William
Shuford  11
Ryan Terrana  11_____Alex Davis  10__________Christian Fretz  10__Nate
McCarter  10
Robert Boccolucci  9__Tyler Boyd  9___________Ryan Campbell  9___Nathaniel
Einfeldt  9
Jay Jackson  9_______Jeffrey Johnson  9_______Michael Kennedy 9__Banks Lee
9
Brett Shanley  9______Andrew Starcher  9______Drew Curd  8______Ryan
Daughtery  8
Blake Guy  8_________Stephen Harber  8_______John Hattaway  8__Bryan Savage
8
Justin White  8.............Cooper Wisted  8
[reprinted from www.greateratlantachristian.org ]

GIRLS LACROSSE
Head coach Gerry Hill

FRIDAY: LADY SPARTANS PLAY AT SOUTH COBB HIGH SCHOOL

Coach Hill reports:
The Lady Spartans Lacrosse team closed out the home portion of their
schedule with an 11-5 loss to Starr's Mill last night [Mar. 28].  Savannah
Lazarus netted all five goals for the team.  The Lady Spartans will be off
over Spring Break and play again on Friday, April 14th, when they travel to
South Cobb. [SH Announcements]

2005-06 Roster
Name  / Grade
-------------------
Katie Bolton  11______Stephanie Pendleton 10__Jessica Coan  10_____Meredith
Thomas  10
Paige Colgrove  10____Caroline Foster  10_______Reagan Page  10____Margie
Fisher  10
Austin Macenczak  10__Taylor Bauer  10________Laura Hobbs  10_____Kelsey
McDavid  10
Corbin Aiken  9_______Whitney Deedy 9_______Savannah Lazarus 9___Ellen
Begley  9
Lauren Sgro  9________Megan Thomas  9
[reprinted from www.greateratlantachristian.org ]
______________________________________________________________________________
BOYS SOCCER
Head Coach: Thom Jacquet
Assistant Coach: Joe Aaron, Sean Wickham
Trainer: Chad Dybdahl

SENIOR NIGHT TOMORROW AT 7PM: SPARTANS VS. BLESSED TRINITY

SPARTAN BOYS
SOCCER RECORD (6-7-1)
............................
GACS 2-0 Grady
GACS 2-3 Savannah Country Day
GACS 1-3 Aquinas
GACS 1-4 Lovett
GACS 2-5 Walker
GACS 6-1 East Hall
GACS 4-0 Gainesville
GACS 0-2 Johnson
GACS 5-1 Buford
GACS 1-1 Westminster [tie]
GACS 1-2 Providence Christian
GACS 1-0 Lumpkin County [by forfeit]
GACS 2-1 Wesleyan
GACS 1-2 Marist

TOP TEN POLL AA/A BOYS
1. Aquinas
2. Pace Academy
3. Walker
4. Savannah Country Day
5. Calhoun
6. Lovett (tie)
6. Provident Christian (tie)
8. Holy Innocents
9. Buford
10. Atlanta International School
[Source: SoccerInfo.com ]
_______________________________________________________________________________
GIRLS SOCCER
Head Coach: Troy Bendickson
Assistant Coach: Amanda Cost
Trainer: Chad Dybdahl

NO. 9-RANKED LADY SPARTANS VS. BLESSED TRINITY TOMORROW ON SENIOR NIGHT

Lady Spartans
Soccer Record (7-6)
------------------------
GACS 1-2 Grady
GACS 4-1 St. Vincent's Academy
GACS 1-2 Evans
GACS 0-1 Westminster
GACS 2-10 Woodward
GACS 2-0 North Hall
GACS 9-0 East Hall
GACS 0-2 Gainesville
GACS 12-0 Hebron Christian
GACS 11-3 Buford
GACS 0-4 Providence Christian
GACS 11-1 Lakeview Academy
GACS 1-0 Wesleyan

TOP TEN POLL AA/A GIRLS:
1. Lovett
2. Providence Christian
3. Decatur
4. Walker
5. Pace Academy
6. Galloway
7. Holy Innocents
8. Paideia
9. GACS LADY SPARTANS
10. Calhoun
[Source: SoccerInfo.com]
______________________________________________________________________________
TENNIS
Head coach Dana Davis

TOMORROW AT HOME: #1-RANKED GACS BOYS VS. #2 PACE ACADEMY

Coach Davis reports:
Our tennis girls lost a tough match to a strong Athens Academy tennis team
[March 27] by the score of 3-2. Our girls are now 10-4 and are having a
great year. [The Lady Spartans are ranked #5 in Class AA.] Our guys defeated
Athens Academy by the score of 5-0. Our guys are now 13-1 and ranked #1 in
AA.

Tennis hopes pinned on GAC, Brookwood
By DAVID PURDUM
Apr. 9 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The quest to bring a tennis state title home to Gwinnett lies squarely on
the shoulders of the Greater Atlanta Christian boys and Brookwood girls.

It's become commonplace for GAC to make some noise in the state tournament.
Under head coach Dana Davis and assistant Brad Schultz, the Spartans have
won three of the past five AA titles and boast a 13-1 mark this year. Their
only loss came in the opening match against Woodward.

One of the cogs of GAC's hot start has been freshman Will Lewis. Dillon
Lloyd (No. 1 singles) and Chad Day (No. 2) have been as good as advertised,
but Lewis has provided an unexpected lift at No. 3 singles.

"He's been a great surprise," Schultz said. "He was an unknown that we
didn't even know was enrolled at the school until last fall."

But the Spartans aren't long on the bench, which makes avoiding injuries a
key for a repeat.

"We've got to have everybody come back healthy from spring break," Schultz
said.

Davis spent his vacation on a mission trip in Africa. He's expected to be
back when GAC resumes its own mission to repeat with Tuesday's showdown
against the team they beat in last year's state finals, Pace Academy.

...Gwinnett schools have won 12 state titles so far this year. If GAC or
Brookwood brings home a tennis title, Gwinnett very well could break its
record of 15 championships set in 2002-03.

Athens Academy 3, GAC 2
NORCROSS — The Greater Atlanta Christian girls fell to 10-4 on the season
with a 3-2 loss to visiting Athens Academy on Monday.
The doubles teams of Caroline Greenwood and Abbey Witwer and Brooke Lewis
and Christy Howard were victorious for the Spartans. [Mar. 28 AJC]

GIRLS TENNIS:Athens Academy 3, GAC 2
Winners for GAC (10-4) were Abbey Whitwer and partner Caroline Greenwood
(No. 1 doubles) and Brooke Lewis and Christy Howard (No. 2 doubles). [Mar.
28 AJC]

BOYS TENNIS: GAC sweeps Athens Academy

GAC 5, Athens Academy 0
NORCROSS — Dillon Lloyd, Chad Day and Will Lewis all won their singles
matches en route to a 5-0 sweep for the Greater Atlanta Christian boys over
Athens Academy on Monday.
The doubles teams of Michael Hutchinson and Justin Lumsden and Mason Deal
and Patrick Travers won as well for the Spartans, who are now 13-1 on the
season. [Mar. 28 Post]

GAC swept Athens Academy 5-0 in matches played Monday. Dillon Loyd won at
No. 1 singles, Chad Day at No. 2 singles, and Will Lewis got the win at No.
3 singles. Michael Hutchinson and partner Justin Lumsden won at No. 1
doubles and Mason Deal and Patrick Travers got the victory in No. 2 doubles
for the Spartans (13-1). [Mar. 28 AJC]

VARSITY TENNIS SCHEDULE
Day.....Date.....Opponent.....Location
Tuesday 4/11 Pace at GACS
Monday 4/17 Region Tournament Begins at Buford
_______________________________________________________________________________
TRACK & FIELD
Head coach Brad Kinser

Coach Kinser reports:
Congratulations to the track team for a good final day [Mar. 27] of the
Gwinnett County meet.  Hunter Treadaway led the boys team with two 2nd place
finishes in the hurdles and Justin Schneider also placed 2nd in the 800
meters. Other placers were: Frank Bolling 5th in the 800 and the relay team
of Schneider  Bolling, Michael Hughes and Quentin Plair placed 5th. The
boys' team finished in 4th place out of the 18 county schools. Girls'
placers at last night's meet were Annalise Peters 4th in the hurdles and
Lauren Reid 4th in the 200.

Spartan pole vaulters competed in the Mobile Challenge of Champions over the
spring break. Seniors Michael Hughes was third (15 ft. even), and Annalise
Peters was fourth (11 ft.-6 in.).

Lady Eagles, GAC boys could make strong track run
By JOHN HOLLIS
Apr. 6 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Girls track and Gwinnett County had become nearly synonymous in the late
1980s and early '90s as Brookwood's dynasty reigned atop the state.

The Broncos claimed five state championships over a 10-year span from
1985-94, including three straight from 1990-92.

With the sport's growth throughout talent-rich Georgia, it's unlikely
anybody will command such mastery over the rest of the state anytime soon,
but Collins Hill has come closest.

The Eagles have been among the state's premier programs in recent years,
winning the 2003 state title and finishing third last spring for their
fourth consecutive top-four finish.

The return of 85 percent of last year's team, including big-meet athletes
such as Jackie Drouin and Nicole Okolo, puts Collins Hill in position to
make another run this season.

"We cover a lot of different areas," coach Andrew Hudson said.

The GAC boys, third-place finishers at last year's Class AA meet, also
figure to be in the championship hunt again this spring, giving Gwinnett
County an excellent chance of adding to the 12 state championships its teams
have already claimed this year. The Spartans finished a strong fourth in the
recent Gwinnett County Championships, trailing only victorious Brookwood,
Parkview and Collins Hill.

How the Eagles and GAC fare in their respective state meets next month could
well determine if Gwinnett can match or better its record total of 15
championships set during the 2002-03 school year.

Buford is the last boys team from Gwinnett County to have won a state title
when the Wolves took the Class A crown back in 1982.

"I think we've all done pretty well," Hudson said.

"There's been some debate as to which is the best county in the state for
track. I think we're doing pretty well, but I don't know if we're the best
year in and year out."

CONTENDERS

Collins Hill's girls have finished among the top four in each of the past
four state meets, including a championship in 2003. The Eagles are deep and
loaded with more than enough big-meet athletes to win again at the state
level.

The GAC boys proved they could hang with the big boys from Class AAAAA at
the recent Gwinnett County Track Meet, and that could translate especially
well at the Class AA level...

INDIVIDUAL CONTENDERS: BOYS
GAC's Justin Schneider and Frank Bolling (1,600);
Brookwood's Billy Mateker (800); Dacula's Israel Machovec (shot and discus);
Collins Hill's Nathan Frasier (1,600 and 3,200); Grayson's Brandon Erwin
(200); Wesleyan's Brandon White (3,200); and Brookwood's Sam Henley (110 and
300 hurdles).

Track & Field
Varsity/JV Schedule...Day...Date...Opponent...Location...Participants
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday 4/11 Wesleyan at Wesleyan; All Boys and Girls
Friday 4/14 Spartan Classic at GACS; Top 2 Boys and Girls
Thursday 4/20 Buford at Buford; All Boys and Girls
Monday-Tuesday 4/24-25 Girls Region at GACS; Qualifiers
Monday-Tuesday 5/1-2 Boys Region at Buford; Qualifiers
Thursday-Saturday 5/4-6 Girls State Meet at Albany; Qualifiers
Thursday-Saturday 5/11-13 Boys State Meet at Jefferson; Qualifiers
___________________________________________________________________________
GADA NEWS

Greater Atlanta Christian's Tim Vick was named statewide Athletics Director
Of The Year for all-classifications, and Darlene Werhnyak of Meadowcreek
received the Class AAAAA award at the Georgia Athletic Directors Association
conference last weekend in Savannah. [Mar. 31 AJC]
____________________________________________________________________
THE BEST OF GAC ANNOUNCEMENTS [reprinted from
www.greateratlantachristian.org]

From the desk of DR. MISTY OVERMAN:
GAC has invited the founder of the first anti-porn site called xxxchurch.com
to speak to our  high school students on guarding their hearts and minds.
They understand that this poison can hook them in just 3 days to a
pornography addiction. With facts and awareness, students can become more
cautious of its long-term effects and devastation. Their "edgy" lingo and
methods may seem drastic to you, but I assure you, they speak clearly, the
language that the children understand and are faced with daily.

I invite you, our junior high parents, to attend a parent session on April
13th following the high school presentation at 2:00. While it is as
important to talk with our junior high students as our high school students,
it is a subject we must broach carefully and appropriately. Our current plan
is to have a specific time with high school mentors and the 8th grade boys a
few days after the high school presentation. These students will be guided
through a discussion. If you have questions, feel free to email Dr. Overman,
Rebekah Gilliard, Chaplin Jon Owen or Community Relations Director, Jill
Morris. Please see our website for updates regarding this event on April
13th.
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GREATER ATLANTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
SPARTAN GOLF CLASSIC
Monday, April 24, 2006

A benefit golf tournament on behalf of GACS Athletics
Berkeley Hills Country Club
2300 Pond Road
Duluth, GA  30096

Fee includes greens fee, cart fee, range balls, boxed lunch, and tournament
gifts
Additional opportunities include longest drive, closest to the pin,
putting contest (chance to win $10,000), and mulligans (2 @ $30 per player)
Awards given to top three teams

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8:30 a.m.
Registration Begins
Driving Range Opens
Continental Breakfast Available
10:00 a.m.
Shotgun Start
Post Tournament
Awards Presentation
Door Prizes
Hors d'oeuvres

Sponsorship Opportunities
Tournament Level – ($5,000) Includes:  foursome, exclusive recognition,
premium gifts
Gold Level – ($2,500) Includes:  foursome, prominent recognition, premium
gifts
Red Level – ($1,500) Includes:  twosome, recognition, tournament gifts
Tournament and Sponsorship Contact: Pat Rising @ 678-407-4655 and
psrchfc@earthlink.net
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2006 SCHOOL CALENDAR
April 24 Spartan Golf Classic
April 28 Junior/Senior Banquet
May 5 Celebration Dinner
May 15 GACS Senior Athletes' College Signing Day; 3:15pm; Student-Family
Center
May 25 Commencement
August 10 GACS registration
August 14 First day of school
See the school calendar online at
http://63.243.64.130:84/default/d01/01/2006?display=M&style=B&positioning=A
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|                 KING'S GATE THEATRE
|
|   May 11-13............COMEDY OF ERRORS
|___________________________________________________________________________

SPARTAN ALUMNI

MATT HANDLEY
Georgia State University - Senior
Position: Pitcher [photo below]
Jersey #28
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Duluth, GA
Previous School: Young Harris Junior College

Overview: Matt gained valuable experience as a junior and has emerged as a
quality option for the weekend starting rotation. He is very consistent and
will be counted on to provide solid starts during the Panthers' first season
in the CAA. He joined the Panthers in 2004 after transferring from Young
Harris Junior College where he played as a freshman.

2005: Handley made 30 appearances, including eight starts, as a junior last
season. He finished the year with a 2.89 ERA, one win, three losses and one
save in 53 innings pitched. Matt allowed only nine earned runs in his eight
starts (1.93 ERA). He was the starter of the team's only shutout of the
season, allowing three hits in five innings while combining with four other
pitchers to beat Samford 1-0.

Prep: Handley lettered all four years for coach Cliff Shelton of Greater
Atlanta Christian School. He won a school record 44 games for the Spartans,
and also set records for strikeouts in a game (19) and wins in a season
(14).

Personal: Matt was born on June 6, 1983 in Mission Viego, California. He is
the son of George and Debbie Handley and has two brothers, Jason and
Michael. He was picked in the 50th round of the 2002 First Year Player Draft
by the Atlanta Braves.

Sherill Baker taken 12th overall in WNBA draft
By Corey Clark, Staff Writer

Start spreading the news - one of the best players in the history of
Gwinnett County is heading to New York.

Former Greater Atlanta Christian star Sherill Baker was selected by the
WNBA's New York Liberty with the 12th pick overall in Wednesday's
three-round draft.

"This is a dream come true," Baker said. "Sometimes I have a hard time
believing all this is happening. It's going to be quite an adjustment going
from the South to New York, but I'm so excited about the opportunity. I'm
just looking forward to trying to contribute in any way I can."

The University of Georgia standout becomes the second county product to be
selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft - Meadowcreek grad Jocelyn
Penn was chosen by Charlotte with the ninth pick in 2003.

Baker brings an impressive resume to the Liberty, having set the all-time
SEC steals record for a career and finishing her senior season with averages
of 18.7 points, 4.7 steals, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for the
Bulldogs, who suffered a heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss to UConn last week in
the NCAA Tournament.

"I'm not necessarily looking to start," Baker said in a draft chat on the
WNBA Web site on Wednesday. "I just want to help (the) team and get playing
time. This is another level - more intensity and more physical. So I'm going
to do my best."

Her best is usually plenty good enough.

Baker finished her college career with a staggering 423 steals. In four
years, she averaged 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists for Andy
Landers' team.

Now she'll get to compete against the best women players in the world, and
she realizes she has a few things to work on if she's going to star at the
next level as well.

"I know I need to improve my 3-point shot and probably my stamina," Baker
said. "It's a longer season, so I have to get in better shape and take care
of my body."

A scouting report by WNBA Chief of Basketball Operations Renee Brown and
Senior Director of Player Personnel Angela Taylor had this to say about the
former Miss Georgia Basketball before the draft: "Baker is a guard with
unlimited potential and who could be one of the steals of the draft ... she
is such a quick difference-maker on the defensive end that she can change
the game. She just makes things look easy ... Sherill has become more
aggressive offensively and is unstoppable in transition because of her
quickness with the ball. She needs to extend her range a little bit and
become more aggressive from the perimeter (and) not be afraid to shoot and
work on adding to her slight build."

Sherill Baker racks up honors
Greater Atlanta Christian grad Sherill Baker, who recently completed a
standout career at Georgia, was named the National Defensive Player of the
Year by the Women's Basketball News Service and also was lauded by a pair of
All-America teams.

The guard was a third-team All-American by WBNS and was an honorable mention
All-America by the Associated Press.

Baker averaged 18.7 points as a senior, helping the Bulldogs reach the Sweet
16 of the NCAA tourney before a heartbreaking loss to Connecticut. She led
the nation with 149 steals, setting school and SEC records for season and
career steals along the way. Her 426 career steals is the ninth-best total
in NCAA history. [Apr. 3 Post]

Also, Sherill was selected as the State of Georgia Women's College Player of
the Year after averaging 18.7 points this year for the Bulldogs. [Gwinnett
Daily Post]
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SPARTAN PHOTOS ONLINE
Martin Photography link
http://martinphotography.morephotos.com/mp_includes/index.asp
Gwinnett Daily Post link
http://gwinnettdailypost.mycapture.com/mycapture/index.asp?view=yes&groupingid=2649
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