Jeff Hart

Max Pentecost of Winder-Barrow High was selected by the Texas Rangers Tuesday with the 234th overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft.

The dream had to end for one Cinderella team Monday at Gerald McQuaig Field. Fortunately for Buford, the glass sleeper fit just right as the Wolves won their first state baseball title in 34 years with a 5-1 win over Pike County in the deciding game of the two teams' Class AA championship series.

In a series many expected to be pitching oriented, the hitters from both Buford and Pike County apparently disregarded the memos in their best-of-three, Class AA state title series Saturday at Gerald McQuaig Field.

It's been more than 30 years since Buford last played for a state baseball title. Monday, the pitching of Georgia Tech signees Jake Burnette and Josh Heddinger sparked the Wolves to a Class AA semifinals sweep of Appling County at Gerald McQuaig Field and a shot at their first title since 1978.

There would be no letdown this year for Buford in the quarterfinal round of the Class AA state playoffs. The Wolves dispatched a scrappy Pierce County team in a two-game sweep of their best-of-three series Tuesday with 11-8 and 12-1 wins at Gerald McQuaig Field.

Even the scouts were in early-season mode when it came to the end of spring football practice for most area schools Friday.

Several area athletes had a big day at Day 2 of the Georgia High School Association's girls track and field championships at Hugh Mills Stadium.

Raul Ibanez snapped a tie with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning, Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Friday night.

Just as White County coach John Brown feared, the pitching depth of Allatoona proved to be too much for the Warriors Thursday in their deciding Game 3 matchup in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs.

Buford stormed into the third round of the Class AA playoffs after pummeling Calhoun 12-1 and 15-3 Wednesday in the two teams