Ridgeland teams earn tie, win in soccer openers
The Ridgeland Lady Panthers began its 2021 soccer season last Tuesday by drawing with visiting Dade County, 1-1.
Ridgeland (0-0-1) scored in the 12th minute on Annabelle Casto’s first tally of the year, but were not able to find the net again. The Lady Wolverines delivered the equalizer in the 52nd minute.
Keeper Riley Mcbee had 10 saves for Ridgeland, while the Lady Panthers recorded eight shots on goal from Casto, Cece Davenport, Anna Jenkins, Angelica Crowe and Ivey Stargel.
Ridgeland boys 6, Dade County 1
The Panthers led 2-0 at halftime before putting it away with four goals in the final 30 minutes after the Wolverines had pulled to within one early in the second half.
A Dade goal in the 48th minute cut the Ridgeland lead to 2-1, but Liam Kenney answered just two minutes off an assist by Matthew Cole and Harris Graysin added a tally in the 68th minute as Preston Homsombath was credited with the assist.
Cole got a second assist, this time in the 70th minute on a Josh Wingard goal and Lucas Bautista booted home a penalty kick in the 76th minute to close out the scoring.
Homsombath (36th) and Bautista (38th) scored in the first half for Ridgeland (1-0), while Homsombath assisted on Bautista’s goal.
The Panthers outshot the Wolverines, 14-5, with Jeb Broome making four saves for Ridgeland.
Southeast girls 4, LFO 2
The Lady Warriors continued the early, nonregion portion of its schedule last Monday night with a two-goal loss at Southeast Whitfield.
Anesa Merdzo scored both goals for LFO (1-2), while keeper Joanna Matute recorded 16 saves during the match.
The LFO boys did not play on Monday and the Lfo-ridgeland matches, scheduled for this past Thursday in Fort Oglethorpe, had to be postponed.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I did one of those popular diets for the month of January, and I am so mad. I did it because I need to lose weight; sitting around at home during COVID-19 and eating whenever I want to has not helped me at all. But starving myself for a month didn’t help either. My stomach was constantly upset, and I didn’t even lose much weight. I did notice what my cravings are because my patterns were disrupted. But still, I’m left in the same position that I started in: I need to lose weight. What should I do? — Need To Lose
DEAR NEED TO LOSE: Go get a physical from your doctor. Figure out the status of your health, and ask for a referral to a nutritionist. You can work with this person to assess your current eating habits and consider healthier options. You should also incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Don’t let the effect of the interminable quarantine make you unhealthy. Incorporate a few modifications into your daily life, and track your success.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I don’t have any friends. When I was out and about, working and socializing, it felt completely different. I was always the belle of the ball, so to speak. My work was very social, and I knew a lot of people who acted like they wanted to be around me. Now that we can’t go anywhere, I realize that most of those people have disappeared. I have one girlfriend who I have talked to consistently over all these months. The rest — poof! When I have reached out to some of the people I thought were my friends, it fell flat. Should I just let them go? I feel like such a loser. — No Friends
DEAR NO FRIENDS: My mother used to say that you were lucky if you could count your friends on one hand. That’s all you need. Many people are acquaintances. Few are true friends. If you have one good friend, hold onto her — especially after the world opens up again. Don’t take her for granted. The others are part of your social circle. Don’t be mad at them. Just realize who they are and the purpose they serve in your life. The mistake that many people make is attempting to turn relationships into something that they are not.
Use this reflective time to assess your relationships. Who fits into what category? If you identify anyone outside of your one friend who could be a true friend, decide to cultivate that bond. Be attentive, and let that person know how much you value him or her in your life.
When you are clear about the roles that people play in your world, you can manage your feelings and expectations better. It will be easier for you to know who can keep a secret, who gives great advice, who is good for a night on the town, who is a great connector, etc. Being aware in this way will make you a winner!
Gordon Lee rising senior softball player Emma Langston was named by Maxpreps.com as one of the Top 25 players in the nation for the Class of 2022 this past Wednesday.
A three-time Walker County Co-pitcher of the Year award winner, the future Georgia Bulldog is a 47-0 in the circle in three seasons for the Lady Trojans with an career ERA of 0.89. In 273.2 career innings pitched, she has recorded 349 strikeouts against just 54 walks.
Langston was the GACA Class A Public School Pitcher of the Year as a freshman and an All-state first team pick the past two seasons. She has also picked up three AllRegion first team awards in 6-A and helped Gordon Lee to state championships in each of the past three seasons.
She is the only player from the state of Georgia named to the list, which also included Chattanooga
Baylor pitcher Sydney Berzon, an LSU commitment.
The Maxpreps list was complied using high school accomplishments, statistics provided to Maxpreps, postseason local awards, and rankings services, including Flosoftball, Extra Inning Softball, and Softball America.