Newton Citizen

LOCAL

Georgia senior softball team wins World Cup

The Georgia Nuggets softball team, a 65-and-over squad of seniors based out of Grayson, won the International Softball Federation World Cup's B Division last weekend in Salem, Va.

The Nuggets defeated West Virginia 10-9 in the finals with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bud Whitehead, tournament MVP, drove in the winning run.

He was joined on the all-tournament team by Stan Yarborough, Verlyn Hammond, Don Lunday and Mike Hopkins. The team is managed by Ed Davis.

Force lineman Grice earns All-AFL second-team honors

Offensive lineman Shane Grice was the only member of the Georgia Force honored when the Arena Football League released its All-Arena First and Second teams Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2, 307-pound Grice was named to the second-team offense after starting all 16 games for the Force (10-6) this season and anchoring a line that allowed a an AFL-low six sacks for the season.

Grice and his fellow linemen also helped Georgia produce an AFL all-time high of 5,259 total yards - including a league-best 4,964 yards through the air - as the Force won their third South Division title in the last four years. The Force begin play in the AFL Playoffs on July 7 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Gwinnett to host 2009 NCAA Division III tennis tournament

The Gwinnett Sports Commission and Oglethorpe University have teamed up to host the 2009 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championships at Collins Hill Athletic Club in Lawrenceville. The tennis tournament, which features the nation's top eight teams and top 32 individuals, will be held May 19-24, 2009.

Silverbacks out of Open Cup tournament

MIAMI - The Miami FC Blues knocked the Atlanta Silverbacks out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win Tuesday.

The only goal of the match was scored by Alex Afonso, who struck a pinpoint bomb past a diving Ryan McIntosh for the decisive score.

"We didn't clear the ball, and Alfonso hit one heck of a shot," Silverbacks coach Jason Smith said. "We should've cleared the ball, but I can't take anything away from the goal."

Atlanta outshot Miami by an 11-8 margin and took nine corner kicks to the Blues' six. But those advantages weren't able to get the Silverbacks on the scoreboard.

Miami will take on Major League Soccer squad FC Dallas in the third round of play.

STATE

Kickoff time set for Georgia-Central Michigan

ATHENS - Georgia's Sept. 6 home game against Central Michigan has been set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

The game will be televised by FSN South.

The starting time has not been set for Georgia's Aug. 30 season-opener against Georgia Southern.

- From staff, wire reports