YHC accepted as NCAA candidate

This banner hangs from the back of the Clegg Fine Arts Building. Photo by Logan Polley

With information from wire reports

Young Harris College was accepted as a candidate for membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, on July 12.

After competing as an independent institution last season, the announcement of this achievement brings the YHC athletic program one step closer to its goal of reaching NCAA status at the Division II level.

The first year will be a provisional year, during which YHC must begin to follow the policies and procedures of the NCAA. This requires that coaching staffs for the 12 YHC athletic teams develop schedules that include Division II schools as opponents.

NCAA also requires that members join a conference. So, this year, YHC will be applying for membership in the Peach Belt Conference.

The Peach Belt Conference currently consists of Armstrong Atlantic State University, Augusta State University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, Flagler College, Francis Marion University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southwestern State University, Lander University, University of Montavello, North Georgia College & State University, the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, and the University of South Carolina-Aiken.

If YHC is accepted into the Peach Belt Conference, it will be the conference’s only private college.

After being accepted into the Peach Belt Conference, YHC will have one more obstacle to overcome in order to become an official member of the NCAA’s Division II. In order to be an official member, YHC will be put under review after its first provisional year. After one year as an NCAA candidate, the NCAA will send representatives to the campus of YHC to evaluate the progress of the college and its athletic program. If all goes well in that visit, YHC will then be recommended to move on to the next level of the membership process.

Only time will tell what the NCAA has in store for the athletic program at YHC. Follow the Enotah Echoes online for updates throughout the Mountain Lions’s process of achieving official NCAA membership.

YHC baseball tops Reinhardt, Morrow ends home run slump

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

Today the Young Harris College baseball team used a four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth inning to battle back and defeat visiting Reinhardt University by a score of 11-9.

“I’m not sure that I have ever had a team in all my years coaching that is working as hard as this team to finish the season strong,” said YHC Head Coach Rick Robinson.

YHC (23-20) began the game by scoring one run in each of the game’s first two innings to give the Mountain Lions an early 2-0 lead.

Freshman Travis Donahoo (3-1) started on the mound for the Mountain Lions. The freshman had a shaky inning in the top of the third, which resulted in four runs for Reinhardt (15-23-1). The four-run rally by Reinhardt gave the Eagles a 4-2 lead as the game went into the bottom of the third inning.

Donahoo’s problems on the mound continued when he gave up a three-run Reinhardt home run which gave the Eagles a 7-4 lead to start the fourth inning.

Freshman Jack Morrow started the Mountain Lions’ fifth inning rally with a three-run home run that tied the game up at 7-7. This was Morrow’s first home run since his last blast on March 12 in a match-up with Bloomsburg University that resulted in a 16-3 loss for YHC.

Sophomore Zach Bricknell gave YHC an 8-7 lead after plating freshman Mike Medori on a sacrifice fly ball.

YHC extended their lead to 11-7 in the eighth inning when freshman David Atwood reached base on a double in the gap and scored by way of a sacrifice fly from sophomore Josh Rudnik.

Reinhardt scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth, but it would not be enough as freshman Tyler Isbell sealed an 11-9 Mountain Lions victory.

“Isbell really wasn’t even scheduled to throw tonight,” Robinson said. “He was actually just down in the bullpen getting ready for his weekend start…so he came in to finish that inning and get the save.”

Donahoo, who started the game for the Mountain Lions, pitched four innings, giving up seven runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Donahoo was relieved by freshmen Oliver Pratt, Brice Merritt and Tyler Isbell. Pratt (3-1) earned the win in four innings of relief. Isbell earned his fourth save of the season in relief.

Junior Taylor Smith (1-3) started on the mound for the Eagles. Smith pitched for 4.2 innings, giving up eight runs on nine hits with two walks. Smith was relieved by former Mountain Lion Kendrick McDonald and freshman Jeff Roberts.

The match-up between the Mountain Lions and the Eagles hosted YHC’s tenth annual Steak Night at Zell B. Miller Baseball Field. However, it was an energized Rick Robinson that put a spark in the Mountain Lions when he sprinted back to the team huddle after meeting with Reinhardt Head Coach Bill Popp in the batter’s box before the game.

“The guys really didn’t know that I was going to do that,” Robinson joked. “I think it actually caught some of them off guard. It may have even scared a couple of them.”

YHC baseball falls to Crusaders in game 1; hosts free clinic for youth

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

On Saturday, the Young Harris College baseball team fell 14-10 to the visiting North Greenville University as six team errors plagued the Mountain Lions defense.

The Crusaders (23-9) stuck first by scoring a run in the first inning of game one in Saturday’s doubleheader.

The Mountain Lions (17-18) answered with one run in the bottom of the third off of a run driven in by freshman. David Atwood. Atwood later scored by way of a two-run home run from sophomore Josh Rudnik. This was Rudnik’s fourth home run of the season.

North Greenville plated four runs in the top of the third inning to put the Crusaders on top 5-3 after YHC committed three fielding errors.

“It’s simple. It’s what I’ve said all along,” said YHC Baseball Head Coach Rick Robinson. “When you play defense you win, when you don’t play defense you don’t win.”

YHC scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game up at 5-5.

North Greenville started a late rally in the top of the seventh inning as Adam Taylor plated Brian Giles on a single. The rally resulted in a 9-5 Crusaders lead as the game entered the bottom of the seventh.

The Mountain Lions answered the Crusaders’ rally with one of their own when freshman Jack Morrow plated freshman David Atwood with an RBI single. YHC continued to rally as freshman Evan Carr scored off of a single by freshman Trey Rogers.

Freshman Ryan LaRose put the Mountain Lions within one run of the Crusaders after plating freshman Jack Morrow by way of a single. With one out in the bottom of the seventh and the bases loaded, sophomore Zach Bricknell attempted a sacrifice bunt, but Rogers was thrown out at the plate.

Freshman Tommy Ferguson then plated Mike Medori and Josh Rudnik to give the Mountain Lions a 10-9 lead at the end of the seventh inning.

The Crusaders battled back in the top of the eighth inning as freshman Adam Moore allowed North Greenville to score five runs. The rally by North Greenville gave the Crusaders a 14-10 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

YHC held off North Greenville in the ninth inning with the pitching of freshman Taylor Topping, but the Mountain Lions were unable to recover from the four run deficit resulting in a 14-10 Crusaders victory.

Rudnik (3-3) started on the mound for YHC. Rudnik threw for six innings and allowed four runs on four hits and six strikeouts. Rudnik was relieved by freshmen Oliver Pratt (2-1), Adam Moore, and Taylor Topping.

Drew Provence started on the mound for North Greenville and earned his third win of the season. Provence pitched 6.1 innings and allowed six runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts. Provence was relieved by Caleb Phillips and Nate Richards.

The Saturday doubleheader for the Mountain Lions was preceded by a youth baseball clinic given by YHC players and coaches that was free for all that attended. The clinic started at 11 a.m. and the 35 youth baseball players that attended the clinic were provided a free meal and also invited to attend the doubleheader between the Crusaders and the Mountain Lions.

“We have done that every year,” said Robinson. “People enjoy coming out and watching their kids work with the players. I am all about helping the community and making the community feel part of the college.”

The Saturday also featured YHC baseball’s Junior Day, which attracted a number of high school recruits that have been targeted by the Mountain Lions. The high school juniors were given a tour of the YHC campus and invited to watch the match-up between YHC and North Greenville.

YHC bounces back to defeat North Greenville in game 2

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

In game two of a double header against North Greenville University on Saturday, the Young Harris College baseball team jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat the Crusaders 3-1.

The Mountain Lions put themselves on the scoreboard first with a leadoff home run by sophomore Zach Bricknell to start the first inning. This was Bricknell’s sixth home run of the season.

North Greenville tied the game up at 1-1 in the top of the third inning when Freshman Tyler Isbell walked in a run with the bases loaded.

YHC pulled ahead in the bottom of the fourth inning when an RBI single by sophomore Zeke Gribble plated freshman Trey Rogers to give the Mountain Lions a 2-1 lead. YHC continued to extend their lead after an RBI double by Bowen Klosinski plated Gribble to extend the Mountain Lions’ lead to 3-1.

YHC held on to their lead throughout the game to finish with a 3-1 victory.

Tyler Isbell started on the mound for the Mountain Lions. Isbell pitched for 3.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits and four strikeouts. Isbell was relieved by freshman Brice Merritt (2-4).

“We make no errors the second game and win a 3-1 game,” said YHC Baseball Head Coach Rick Robinson. “When those kinds of things happen, you’re going to win.”

Sean Willingham (1-1) started on the mound for North Greenville. Willingham gave up three runs on three hits and seven strikeouts.

YHC baseball drops game two against King College

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

On Friday, the Young Harris College baseball team lost to King College by a score of 8-1 after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning.

King College (14-10) struck again for two runs in the fifth inning to give the Tornado a 6-0 lead over the Mountain Lions. The final two runs for King College came in the top of the seventh inning.

YHC (17-17) put themselves on the scoreboard in the seventh inning when freshman Mike Medori scored the Mountain Lions’ only run of the game after being drove in by sophomore Zach Bricknell. However, the one run plated by Bricknell would not be enough to put the Mountain Lions in reach of a victory.

With the series split, YHC head coach Rick Robinson felt that the Mountain Lions were facing a competitive King College team.

“The King [College] team is a very good team,” said YHC Baseball Head Coach Rick Robinson. “They do some really good things on the bases, put the ball in play. Their pitchers work fast and throw their pitches for strikes, which really kept us off balance.”

Freshman Brice Merritt (1-4) started on the mound for the Mountain Lions. Merritt lasted 0.1 of an inning, and he allowed four runs on three hits and a walk. Merritt was relieved by freshmen pitchers Adam Moore and Nick Boutwell.

Alex Martin (2-0) started on the mound and earned the win for King College season. Martin gave up four hits, one walk and earned four strikeouts.

This match-up was the second game of the three-game weekend series between YHC and King College. After the YHC loss in game two, the series was tied at one a piece.

“I think in game one we played pretty well,” said Robinson. “We pitched well and did some really good things.”

The Mountain Lions will work off of their positives in game one to win the weekend series over King College.

The winner of the three-game series between YHC and King College will be decided at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 26.

YHC softball splits series with Tennessee Wesleyan

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor
with information from wire reports

Athens, Tenn.– On Wednesday, the Young Harris College softball team ended the night with one win and one loss against Tennessee Wesleyan.

The Mountain Lions won the opener 8-7, but fell 6-4 in the second game of the series.

Lisa Wilson started on the mound for the Mountain Lions in the first game and earned the win. Brittany Allen and Emily Wilson each hit home runs in the win. Wilson’s home run drove in three runs.

Sophomore Victoria Sink started on the mound for YHC in game two, taking the loss.

Kayla Jones and Victoria Hilton each accounted for a home run in the second game.

YHC (9-17) returns to action at 3 p.m. on Thursday in Cleveland as the Mountain Lions take on Truett McConnell.

YHC baseball drops match-up with Reinhardt

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor
with information from wire reports

Waleska—On Wednesday, the Young Harris College baseball team fell 18-5 to Reinhardt College after falling behind by 10 runs in the game’s first inning.

The Eagles (8-13) started out the game with 10 runs in the first inning to get an early lead. Reinhardt had nine hits and capitalized off of one error by the Mountain Lions in the opening inning.

Reinhardt  extended their lead to 12 by scoring two runs in the third inning.

Reinhardt put the final touches on the win by scoring four runs in the fifth inning to go ahead 16-0.

YHC (16-13) then put themselves on the scoreboard by scoring five runs on three hits to put the game score at 16-5.

Reinhardt scored two runs to close out the 18-5 victory over the Mountain Lions.

Nick Galvin (0-1) started the game on the mound for the Mountain Lions. Galvin pitched for 0.2 of an inning giving up 10 runs on eight hits. Galvin would also account for two strikeouts and a walk. The Mountain Lions relief pitching in the game consisted of Tyler Isbell, Blake Fortune, Billy Demersky, Evan Carr and Taylor Topping.

Cory Cox (1-1) started on the mound for the Eagles and earned the win after throwing for 5.1 innings. Cox gave up five runs on four hits an accounted for four strikeouts and 13 walks. Cox was relieved by Chris Fletcher, Ricky Johnson and Jake Waters.

YHC will play North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC on Friday, March 18 at 3 p.m. This will be the first in a three-game series between the teams.

YHC baseball defeats Indiana University of Pennsylvania

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

Yesterday, the Young Harris College baseball team defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania 19-4 in the first game of the Chad Gassman Classic.

The Chad Gassman Classic is a weekend series at Zell B. Miller Field that hosts YHC, IUP and Waldorf College. YHC is competing in the series in its first year as a four-year institution.

Freshman Adam Moore started on the mound for YHC. Moore (3-2) threw for five innings giving up four runs and four hits. Moore earned seven strikeouts while giving up three walks. Freshman Oliver Pratt gave up one hit in his two innings of relief to finish out the game for YHC.

Chris Douglas (1-1) started on the mound for the Crimson Hawks, giving up ten runs in just over two innings.

The Mountain Lions were led by the bats of freshman Jack Morrow, sophomore Zach Bricknell and freshman Ryan LaRose. Morrow struck for three hits on the day while Bricknell and LaRose each had two.

In the first inning, YHC (10-9) jumped out to a 4-0 lead over the Crimson Hawks. The first Mountain Lions run was scored when Morrow knocked in Bricknell with a base hit. Freshman David Atwood would also score in the inning. Atwood’s run was followed by scoring of YHC base runners Rudnik and Moore.

IUP (2-3) answered by battling back in the top of the second inning with a four-run rally of their own when senior Frank Sirolli drove in three runs by delivering a two-out triple. At the end of two innings, the game was tied at four.

YHC busted the game wide open with a six-run rally in the bottom of the third inning to give the Mountain Lions a 10-4 lead.

The Mountain Lions used this same momentum to jump out to a 16-4 lead in the fourth inning thanks to another six-run rally.

YHC sealed the victory by scoring three runs in the sixth inning to give them a 19-4 lead. The score would cause the game to end in seven innings, resulting in a win for the Mountain Lions.

Baseball sees a new ball game

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

Members of the 2011 YHC men's baseball team features one of the youngest rosters in the nation. Photo by Leila Shearon

The Young Harris College baseball team has recently started their 2011 season.

The Mountain Lions will play this season with one of the youngest rosters in the nation, which contains no juniors or seniors. The YHC game plan will also consists of an entirely new starting line-up, with no returning starters from last year’s team.

YHC Head Coach Rick Robinson has an optimistic outlook on beginning the season.

“I am very excited about getting the season started,” said Robinson. “Even though the weather has been terrible the last couple of weeks,  we have been able to get on the field more than in years past, and I feel that we are ready to play. Now, we are at the point where we need to play an outside opponent to determine where our practices need to focus in order to continue to improve.”

The 2011 season will also be the first in which the Mountain Lions will enter play as a four-year institution.

“This is an exciting time in the history of Young Harris College, and it is the baseball programs turn to play a role in the excitement here on campus,” said Robinson.

To begin the season, Robinson plans to start eight freshmen in the Mountain Lions line-up.

“As a coach, when you start eight freshmen both offensively and defensively, you hope they will be able perform the basics and give great effort,” said Robinson. “Defensively, we must be able to catch the ball when it is hit to us and throw the ball to our partner. On the mound, we must focus on throwing strikes and staying ahead in the count. Offensively, we have to figure out ways to put the ball in play.”

In the field, freshman business & public policy major Jack Morrow of Carneys Point, NJ will take over behind the plate as starting catcher for the Mountain Lions.

At first base, Coach Robinson has chosen to split time between freshman Adam Moore of Kennesaw and freshman Brady McCarter of Blairsville. The coaching staff expects for Moore to contribute in the field as well as on the mound this season. McCarter is a former pitcher who has made the switch for 1^st base in a move that coaches feel will benefit the Mountain Lions.

The middle infield will consist of freshman Mike Medori of Newark, DE at second base and freshman Tommy Ferguson of Cumming at shortstop.

The hot corner of the infield will be held down by freshman third baseman Evan Carr of Marietta.

The YHC outfield will contain a number of experienced players, as well as a handful of new players as freshmen David Atwood and Trey Rogers join sophomores Josh Rudnik and Zack Bricknell in the deep portions of the field.

Freshman pitcher James Mills practices his fielding in an early-season exercise. Photo by Leila Shearon

Starting on the mound for YHC will be freshmen pitchers Adam Moore, Travis Donahoo, Taylor Topping and Tyler Isbell. Joining the staff of freshmen will be right-handed sophomore Josh Rudnik, who is expected to anchor the young Mountain Lions staff.

The relief pitching core for YHC consist of freshmen relievers Brice Merritt, Oliver Pratt, Nick Galvin, Nick Boutwell, Billy Demersky, Blake Fortune and James Mills. Red-shirt freshman Clint Ogle and red-shirt sophomore Sean Kelly will also bring experience to the bullpen. Kelley was voted team captain and will return to the mound this season looking to bounce back from an offseason shoulder injury.

The Mountain Lions opened the 2011 season on the road against the University of Montavello. YHC began the series against Montavello with a 14-10 loss to the Falcons. The Mountain Lions went on to drop the next two games to complete the series sweep for Montavello.

YHC won their first game of the season on Feb. 11 in a road match-up with Belmont Abbey College in Charlotte, NC. The Mountain Lions fought for the win as the game went in to extra innings, resulting in an 8-6 win for YHC in the 11^th inning.

YHC will take on Mars Hill College at Zell B. Miller Field on Feb. 22, as the Mountain Lions continue through a stretch of 17 consecutive home games.

Burch in the paint pt. 1

By Ethan Burch, Sports Editor

Enotah Echoes Sports Editor Ethan Burch joined the men's basketball team in early January. Burch was a four-year player at Towns County High School in Hiawassee. Photo by Ashton Jones

As a senior shooting guard for my hometown high school basketball team, I enjoyed playing for a team in front of my friends and family. I played at local Towns County High School, and the Indians were never really known as a Georgia basketball powerhouse. I recall my last game – a region tournament game against Lakeview Academy where my 16 points and defensive play earned me Player of the Game honors in a losing effort. So far as I knew, this was the last basketball game of my very young career. In short, if someone would have asked me a year ago today if I had plans to play college basketball, my answer would have been a definitive “no way.”

It seems that nothing is set in stone.

As north Georgia was facing an unseasonable – and unreasonable – amount of snow and ice, I received an equally improbable call from Young Harris College men’s basketball coach Pete Herrmann about a roster spot. Having shifted my attention from student-athlete to student-reporter in college, the call was a surprise. Nonetheless, I found myself reporting to practice at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 7. On that day, I became a paper Mountain Lion — a sports reporter who doesn’t just write from the sidelines, but writes from the court.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to write about what it’s like to play college basketball by providing you with an inside look at the first men’s basketball team at YHC since the late 1960s. The idea for this article came from the book Paper Lion by George Plimpton. Plimpton was a writer for Sports Illustrated who, in 1963, decided that he would try out for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League as a backup quarterback in order to tell a story of what it is like to be a player in the NFL.

Consider these articles as a “behind the scenes” look at what goes into the making of a college athlete. This story is not being written to mimic the lives of college basketball players – or to suggest that anyone with “hoop dreams” can walk onto a court and compete. Instead, this is my way of showing respect to those who are able to balance the rigors of college athletics and college classes; that is, the true student-athletes. The following is the first entry of many in my quest to become a paper Mountain Lion.

Thursday, January 6

It is the morning after a game, and I am on an assignment to interview Young Harris College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Pete Herrmann. Keep in mind that Herrmann has coached at programs such as Navy and the University of Georgia. I enter the room and come face-to-face with a coach that has led NBA all-stars such as David Robinson.

The only thought in your mind is do not screw up and ask the right questions. What happens when, instead, he asks you a question that you think about as a child or a student-athlete in high school, but never thought to hear at this point in college?

The question, can you play for the team? My answer, anything you want. It was there that an interview that I was conducting for a career in broadcasting and journalism turned my role to college basketball player for the remainder of the season.

Of course I knew that playing in college would be no easy task. I had played from the time I was a child up until my senior year in high school, but never was I recruited to play at a higher level. However, a lack in depth on the Mountain Lions roster opened up a spot that Coach Herrmann chose to offer me.

So I did think about it. I thought about the large time commitment that I was making, but in the end I felt that it was an opportunity that I could not pass up. To play a sport that I love in college, to gain experience that would potentially help me down the road as a writer or broadcaster, and to play under a coach that has developed so many talented players were too many reasons to not pass on this.

This decision is one that was not only difficult for me, but for all college athletes. In many cases, college sports fans only see the athlete that plays on game day. Being a college athlete is much more than that, though.

The college athlete is on the road for nearly three days out of his or her week. For YHC basketball players, the trip usually begins at 1 in the afternoon and the bus returns at midnight. Where in this span do the players have time to work on school assignments? There is the dilemma that student-athletes face.

Though I did think of this time commitment that playing basketball would bring, I didn’t realize just how much work it would take to juggle all of the tasks until I joined the team. After I thought out the decision that every student athlete has to make, I informed Coach Herrmann and began practice the next day.

My feelings were still uneasy, though. The coaching staff was very courteous and highly appreciative, but how would the players respond to my joining the team? These guys had been battling all season to upset teams, fall in close losses, and come away with tight victories. I did not want them to think that I was simply waltzing in and expecting to be part of their team immediately.

As intimidating as it was to practice amongst the college’s best practice players, I stepped in and began to participate in the drills. In doing this, I noticed just how much work these guys had put in to their games. From lifting to individual workouts, the time that each player had spent practicing showed during these drills. As practice concluded, we made our way to the film room. These sessions are developed to help game plan for the upcoming opponent. Studying game film is yet another way that student-athletes must prepare themselves for competition.

After practice, I made my way out of the gym with thoughts of what I had just experienced fresh on my mind. I learned that day that playing college basketball was no simple act, and that my teammates are a great group of players. They came to YHC for the opportunity to win games under Coach Herrmann, and that was a goal that they were set on accomplishing.

The following day would feature a home match-up against Berry College. Not only that, it would be my first college basketball game. This would begin my run at college basketball. How would I fare against the Vikings in the Valley of Doom?