Kait McCarter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Lady Panthers, Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports January 19, 2020
Kait McCarter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Union Co. Lady Panthers!
McCarter, a senior post who doesn’t mind stepping out to the wing, has been instrumental in Union Co.’s (16-4, 7-2 Region 8-AA) pursuit of getting back to the state playoffs.
While it doesn’t also show in the stat book, McCarter is dominating defender and rebounder and is a two-year starter for first-year head coach Crystal Beach.
McCarter has been on varsity all four years of high school and has been a contributor for the Lady Panthers since arriving on campus.
For her efforts, McCarter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Sawyer Drake is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Panthers!
Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers January 19, 2020
Sawyer Drake is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Union Co. Panthers!
Drake, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, had a week of strong performances as Union Co. (11-8, 6-3 Region 8-AA) swept three region games to move into third place in the region standings.
Drake scored 11 points Tuesday, Jan. 14, as the Panthers defeated Elbert Co. (7-13, 4-5) 64-52 on the road. He followed that with a game-high 19 points, including an emphatic second-half dunk, in a 67-49 victory against Monticello (5-14, 3-6) on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville.
The senior was also instrumental in the Panthers’ 46-38 victory at Putnam Co. on Saturday, Jan. 18.
For his efforts, Drake is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Union Co. Panthers!
Panthers sweep the week, move into third in Region 8-AA
Lady Panthers, TeamFYNSports January 19, 2020
The Union Co. boys basketball team went 3-0 in region games last week to move into third place in Region 8-AA with a chance to move even higher during the coming week.
Senior Sawyer Drake bodies up a Monticello defender Friday, Jan. 17. Morlock scored 10 points in the Panthers’ win.
The Panthers (11-8, 6-3) started the week with a very important win on the road at Elbert Co. (7-13, 4-5) by a 64-52 margin. The Blue Devils currently sit in fourth place in the region.
Senior Sawyer Brey looks for options against Monticello on Friday, Jan. 17. Brey finished with seven points in the win.
Senior Pierson Allison led all scorers with 17 for the Panthers, followed by fellow senior Sawyer Brey with 12, and Sawyer Drake, also a senior, with 11.
Cayden Rich, another senior, scored nine, while junior Kaston Hemphill put up six.
Senior Kyle Morlock chipped in four points, sophomore Landon Kight scored three, and sophomore Landon Cox rounded out the scoring with two.
The Panthers continued their winnings ways Friday, Jan. 17, at home against Monticello (5-14, 3-6). Union Co. fell behind early in the first quarter, 8-2, but put together separate runs of 9-0 and 15-0 to take a 29-17 lead into halftime. The Panthers continued to push in the third quarter to go up by more than 20 before closing the game for a 19-point victory, 67-48.
Drake finished as the game’s high scorer with 19 points, followed by Allison with 12, and Morlock with 10. Brey scored seven, sophomore Lake Hughes added five, Hemphill and Cox each scored four, Kight scored three, Rich put up two, and Lariscy added one in the victory.
Sophomore Landon Cox works on defense against Monticello on Friday. Cox scored four points in Union Co.’s victory.
The Panthers closed the week by putting away Putnam Co. (4-15, 3-6) by eight points, 46-38, on Saturday, Jan. 18, in Eatonton.
Heading into this coming week, Union Co. has a chance to make a big move in the region with three important conference games.
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Panthers have a chance to avenge a 45-40 loss to region-leading Social Circle (15-5, 8-1) that occurred on the road Dec. 17. That games is in Blairsville.
Union Co. then travels to Tiger on Friday, Jan. 24, to take on Rabun Co. (6-13, 4-5), which the Panthers defeated Jan. 3, 63-48, in Blairsville.
The team ends the week with a rematch at home against Putnam Co. on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Union Co. Lady Panthers go 2-1 in region games
Lady Panthers, TeamFYNSports January 19, 2020
With two Region 8-AA wins last week, the Union Co. girls basketball team kept pace in the region standings and set up two big showdowns in the coming week that should all but determine the seedings heading into the region tournament.
Sophomore Riley Allison puts the offense in motion against Moticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville. Allison finished with five points in the win.
The Lady Panthers (16-4, 7-2) went on the road to take down Elbert Co. (13-7, 5-4) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, by a narrow, four-point margin, 49-45.
Union Co. opened that game on a 25-12 run to get to halftime, and maintained that 13-point lead through the end of the third. The Lady Blue Devils proved why they have moved into fourth in the region standings this season after finishing near the bottom last season by putting on a late run to close the gap before finally falling by four.
Sophomore Ava Hunter led the Lady Panthers with 22 points in the win.
Union Co. followed the victory with their most well-rounded game of the season in a 62-38 rout of Monticello (3-15, 2-7) on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville, that wasn’t as close as the final score.
Senior Brooke Dockrey looks for options against Monticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsville. Dockrey scored six points in the win.
The Lady Panthers opened that game on a 25-0 run, allowing first-year head coach Crystal Beach to go to her bench early and often.
Nine players scored in the game for Union Co., with only Hunter in double-figures with 10.
Freshman Ellie Cook scored nine, junior Kyla Locklear scored eight, senior Andelin Hill scored seven, and fellow senior Brooke Dockrey scored six.
Freshman Corinne Hill put up five, along with sophomore Riley Allison, who also had five.
Senior Kait McCarter and sophomore Rebekah Chambers each added four.
The starters – Hunter, Andelin Hill, Dockrey, McCarter, and Cook – played sparingly after the 25-0 start, allowing Beach to get her younger players a lot of time of the floor.
Union Co. stumbled to end the week, losing 61-45 to Putnam Co. (17-2, 8-1) on Saturday, Jan. 18, in Eatonton.
Sophomore Caley Davis takes a shot against Moticello on Friday, Jan. 17, in Blairsvlle.
The Lady War Eagles currently sit atop the region standings, along with Rabun Co. (18-1, 8-1).
Rabun Co.’s only loss of the season came to Putnam Co. 58-54 on Jan. 10.
Putnam Co’s only region loss came to Banks Co. (8-12, 4-5) on Dec. 13 by a 37-30 margin.
Union Co. currently sits in third place in the region. The Lady Panthers’ two region losses have come to Rabun Co. (50-46 on Jan. 3 in Blairsville) and Saturday’s loss to Putnam Co.
The Lady Panthers will have plenty of opportunity to make a move into first place in the region this week.
Union Co. starts the week at home against Social Circle (5-13, 2-7) on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Blairsville. The Lady Panthers defeated the Lady Redskins 56-24 on Dec. 17 on the road.
Union Co. then takes on Rabun Co. on Friday, Jan. 24, in Tiger, before hosting Putnam Co. on Saturday, Jan. 25, in Blairsville.
Brooke Dockrey is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Lady Panthers, Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports January 13, 2020
Brooke Dockrey is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Dockrey, a senior guard, was instrumental in three big victories for Union Co. (14-3, 5-1 Region 8-AA) last week as the team kept pace atop the region standings.
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Dockrey scored just three points but her defense, rebounding, and ball handling were essential as Union Co. defeated region foe Banks Co. (8-10, 4-3) by a score of 45-40 in Homer.
Dockrey scored four points Friday, Jan. 10, as the Lady Panthers won in blowout fashion, 43-13, against Olgethrope Co. (2-12, 0-7) in Blairsville.
Dockrey finished the week with six points for Union Co. against area rival Fannin Co. (13-5, 4-3 Region 7-AAA) as the Lady Panthers earned a 62-47 victory.
For her efforts, Dockrey is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Awards given to Panthers at Union Co.’s annual football banquet
TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football January 10, 2020
An historic season for the Union Co. High football team came to an end Thursday, Jan. 9, as the Panthers held the annual awards banquet at Antioch Baptist Church in Blairsville.
From left, seniors Josh Orr, Sloan Sutton, and Zion Ross were recognized Thursday night.
The team’s 15 seniors were recognized at the banquet, along with individual honors awarded for standout performances during the season.
The group of seniors were a part of 33 wins during their four-year career.
The 2019 Panthers set a school record for wins with 10 and won a state playoff game for the first time in school history by defeating South Atlanta 19-15 on Nov. 15 in Blairsville.
Head coach Brian Allison said he was also proud of the fact that the entire team of 50 players managed to have academic success with an average of 80 or above in school, including 34 players with averages of 90 or above.
From left, Cayleb Rogers, Logan Helcher, Jonah Daniel, and Pierson Allison were recognized by Coach McCombs (right) Thursday night.
Among other awards he received, senior quarterback Pierson Allison was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while junior Jonah Daniel was named the Offensive Back of the Year.
Allison finished the season with 2,954 yards passing and 28 touchdowns, while accounting for 413 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 51 carries.
Daniel led the team with 1,570 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.
The Iron Panther award went to senior offensive lineman Drake Groves, while junior Aaron Helton was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Junior kicker Mason McCombs was named the Special Teams Player of the Year after going 43-of-46 on point-after attempts and 4-of-5 on field goals with a long of 48 yards.
From left, seniors Pierson Allison, Sawyer Drake, and Bobby Rogers were recognized Thursday night.
Seniors Kyle Morlock and Sawyer Drake were named Co-Wide Receivers of the Year.
Drake netted 1,253 yards and 10 touchdowns on 78 catches in 12 games, while Morlock had 591 yards and six touchdowns in just eight games played.
John Mancuso, a senior, was named the Defensive Player of the Year, while Defensive Back of the Year went to junior Kaston Hemphill.
Mancuso was the team leader in tackles with 117 (81 solo, 36 assists), and Hemphill tallied 78 tackles (52 solo, 26 assists).
From left, seniors John Mancuso, Cayden Rich, and Kyle Morlock were honored Thursday.
Outside Linebacker of the Year was awarded to senior Noah Underwood, with fellow senior Sloan Sutton being named Inside Linebacker of the Year.
Sutton was second on the team with 104 total tackled (45 solo, 59 assists), while Underwood tallied 80 tackles (39 solo, 41 assists).
Defensive Lineman of the Year went to senior Nathaniel Ledford.
Junior Clayton Lester was the recipient of the team’s Academic Award.
Brian Allison also awarded the team’s Captain’s Awards to seniors Pierson Allison and Mancuso.
Pierson Allison, Daniel, Mancuso, Drake, Morlock, McCombs, Underwood, Cayden Rich, and Sutton were also recognized for being named the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week during the season.
Editor’s Note: TeamFYNSports would like to thank the sponsors for the Union Co. High football team’s 2019 season: Circuit World, Graphic Expressions, Day’s Chevrolet, Flash Media Group, Ingles, Pepsi, Nicholson Tire, Bill Potts Insurance, Downtown Pizza Company, and North Georgia Metals. Without their participation, our coverage and recognition of these student athletes would not have been possible.
Panthers lose on late comeback by Rebels
TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers December 9, 2019
The Panthers led by nine entering the fourth quarter but couldn’t keep a scrappy Fannin Co. boys basketball team from putting up 19 points in the frame and lost, 53-51, Saturday, Dec. 7, in Blue Ridge.
Sophomore Lake Hughes goes up for two of his nine points in the loss to Fannin Co. on Saturday in Blue Ridge.
Union Co. (2-4) went cold on offense in the fourth, managing just eight points in the loss.
Panther head coach Corey Garrett gave all of the credit to Fannin Co. for earning the big comeback win.
“They made some huge shots down the stretch, and we just couldn’t answer them,” Garrett said.
Despite the loss to the rival Rebels, Garrett said there is plenty to be excited about moving forward.
“We’ve only had five practices with our full team and two of those were over Thanksgiving and were really just about conditioning,” Garrett said.
Senior Pierson Allison lines up a free throw against Fannin Co. on Saturday. Allison scored a team-high 16 points in the loss.
The Union Co. football team reached the second round of the state playoffs this season, meaning the players who play both football and basketball missed the start of the basketball season.
Those players include some of the team’s most productive seniors: Pierson Allison, Kyle Morlock, Cayden Rich, and Sawyer Drake, along with newcomer, junior Kaston Hemphill.
“Our biggest challenge is just getting better at the little things,” Garrett said of his team. “It’s a big of an odd situation. I wasn’t the coach last season, and even though we are running a lot of the same stuff, the styles are different.”
Garrett was the coach of the girls team last season before taking over the Panthers this year.
“We are still trying to gel so that we can play exactly how we want to play,” Garrett said. “But most of those things will work themselves out eventually.”
As for the loss to Fannin Co., Garrett said that Allison had taken the SAT the morning before the game. Also, Drake injured his hand in a car door earlier in the day and missed the game. The timetable for his return is uncertain.
“Not that any of that is an excuse for our loss. Fannin Co. played very well, especially in the second half, and we just did not have an answer for them,” Garrett said.
Allison scored a team-high 16 points in the loss. He currently leads the team with nearly 17 points per game in the four games he has played so far.
Senior Kyle Morelock (No. 15) blocks out Fannin Co.’s Kaeden Twiggs (No. 5) during the game Saturday. Morlock finished with 10 points in the loss.
Morlock is averaging slightly more than 13 points per game through four games. He scored 10 against the Rebels.
Before his injury, Drake was scoring 11 points per game in the three games he played.
Sophomore Lake Hughes scored nine, while senior Bryson Lariscy added six for Union Co.
Rich scored three and sophomore Landon Cox added a made free throw to round out the Panthers scorers.
Up next for Union Co. is the Region 8-AA opener against Elbert Co. on Friday, Dec. 13. That game begins at 7:30 p.m. in Blairsville.
“Elbert lost nine seniors from last season, but they are very athletic and very well coached, so we are going to be in for a challenge,” Garrett said.
After that, the Panthers travel to Monticello at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, for another region matchup.
To read about this week’s Player of the Week for the Panthers, click here.
Historic season comes to end for Panthers
TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers November 25, 2019
The most historic football season in Union Co. High history came to an end Friday night as the Panthers fell in the second round of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AA state playoffs.
The Panthers (10-2) lost 14-7 on the road at Metter, the No. 1 seed out of Region 2-AA.
Senior wideout Sawyer Drake goes up for a catch against Metter. Drake had a team high in catches in the loss.
And while the end result was disappointing, the 2019 season has been nothing short of historic for the program.
For the first time since the school began playing football in 1957, the Panthers won a GHSA state playoff game when they took down visiting South Atlanta 19-15 on Nov. 15 in Blairsville.
The win was one Union Co. had waited a long time for, especially head coach Brian Allison.
Allison played four years for the Panthers, and has been their head coach for 17 seasons so far.
Not once in those first 20 seasons did Allison experience a playoff win with the Panthers.
Junior Jonah Daniel carries the ball against Metter. Daniel scored the lone Union Co. touchdown Friday night.
The historic game against South Atlanta changed all that.
As to the game Friday night at Metter, which lies nearly an hour West of Savannah, the Panthers played hard-nosed, stubborn, defensive football all night, giving the Tiger’s triple-option running attack all that it could handle.
The defense was led, as it has been all season, by a pair of seniors. Defensive back John Mancuso and middle linebacker Sloan Sutton set the tone for the Panthers defense all night. Juniors Kaston Hemphill and Clayton Lester also played well, making tackles everywhere and helping slow down the Tigers’ attack.
Senior linebacker Sloan Sutton brings down Metter’s Aaron Collins on Friday night.
As a unit, the defense forced two punts and a turnover-on-downs, while giving up two scores to account for all five meaningful Metter drives on the night.
But on offense, Union Co. just couldn’t get the passing game going against a fast, athletic Metter defense that had three takeaways, one of them to seal the game as the Panthers were driving to tie things up.
Trailing 14-0 midway through the fourth quarter, the Panthers put together their best drive of the night after the defense stopped the Tigers on fourth down.
With first-and-10 from their own 17 and 5:41 left to go in the game, the offense finally started clicking.
Completions to seniors Kyle Morlock and Sawyer Drake, a huge third-down catch from junior Mason McCombs, and a big run by junior Jonah Daniel all led to a first-and-10 from the Metter 12-yard line.
Daniel did what he did all season, taking the handoff and finding his way into the end zone to give Union Co. their first score of the night and close the game to 14-7.
After a failed onside-kick attempt, the defense forced the second Metter punt of the night. The kick was perfect and pinned the Panthers’ offense on its own 5-yard line with less than 3 minutes remaining.
After three unsuccessful passes, Union Co. faced fourth-and-10 from their own 5-yard line with less than two minutes to go and no timeouts.
Senior quarterback Pierson Allison attempted to hit fellow senior Kyle Morlock with a pass, but the ball fell incomplete.
But a defensive pass interference call gave the Panthers new life and a first down on their own 21-yard line.
Three plays later, Union Co. had fourth-and-two from the 29 with 1:20 to go. A catch by senior Cayden Rich kept the drive, and the Panthers’ season, alive for at least a few more seconds. The play resulted in a first down at the Union Co. 33 with less than a minute to go.
But it wasn’t to be for the Panthers. Two plays later Allison threw the last of his three interceptions to effectively end the game.
With the loss, Union Co.’s historic season is at an end.
New head coach set to lead Lady Panthers
Sports, TeamFYNSports November 19, 2019
If the Union County girls basketball program wants to get back to the Class AA state playoffs this season, it will be under the direction of new coach Crystal Beach.
Lady Panthers head coach Crystal Beach
Coming from Class AAAAA’s Buford High, where winning seems to be a common theme among all sports, boys and girls, Beach has brought a winning mentality to Blairsville.
After taking over in June, Beach said she was impressed by how quickly the team, particularly the seniors, embraced her and bought in to her vision.
“The reality is, it’s pretty straight forward: you’re either on board or you’re not and everybody jumped on board,” Beach said. “They love Coach Garrett, but they were excited too.”
Corey Garrett, who coached the team the past two seasons, is now the head boys coach.
While she said moving from metro Atlanta to the north Georgia mountains has been a “big adjustment,” Beach said the school and community has been “warm and welcoming” since she arrived.
She has also found some similarity to where she grew up in Culpepper, Virginia.
Beach played softball at Virginia Tech and has been coaching basketball and other sports for more than a decade in some capacity.
While this may be her first year as a high school basketball head coach, she won two state titles as coach of the Buford volleyball squad.
After taking over the Lady Panthers, Beach said there was immediate focus and dedication to buy-in to the new system.
“They’ve been so coachable, especially the seniors,” Beach said. “I’m so proud of them.”
As to the upcoming season, Beach said the team has the makeup to surprise a lot of people.
“We’ve got senior leadership, young talent, and we are deeper than you might think,” Beach said. “We’re going to take it game-by-game, but I think this is a really great group of talented young women.”
The Lady Panthers are slated to kickoff the 2019-20 season tonight at Towns County.
PREVIEW: Union Lady Panthers have eyes on postseason
Sports, TeamFYNSports November 19, 2019
The Union County Lady Panthers looked to be as advertised last Tuesday night in their preseason scrimmage with Rabun Gap in Blairsville.
Ava Hunter, last season’s Class AA Freshman of the Year, put up 28 points. Senior wing Andelin Hill scored 11, while senior Kait McCarter added nine.
Lady Panthers senior Andelin takes a shot during a scrimmage last week.
Union County won 61-41, but scrimmages don’t mean much in the long run.
What may mean quite a lot is the Lady Panthers look to be in prime position to get back to the state playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
Led by first-year head coach Crystal Beach, who seems to have energized the squad, the team seems to have all the weapons in all the right places to make a run through the region.
To make that run, the team is going to play with as much pace as possible, according to Beach.
“We like to run fast as much as we can,” Beach said. “We want to use the entire floor to our benefit.”
They showed that willingness to run Tuesday, and they don’t plan on slowing down.
The Lady Panthers went 14-11 last season, finishing fifth in Region 8-AA, just a game away from the state playoffs.
This season, Union County’s varsity squad is made up of seniors Brooke Dockrey, Hill, McCarter, and Sarah Sanchez; junior Kyla Locklear; sophomores Riley Allison, Rebekah Chambers, Ansley Collins, Caley Davis, Hunter, and Emma Roxbury; and sophomores Ellie Cook, Kaylee Helton, and Corinne Hill.
If they are going to use speed as the foundation to get over the hump, its all going to start with Dockrey, who will run the point.
Last season, Dockrey led the team with 101 assists, while averaging 6.2 points per game. While some players would be looking to increase their scoring average, Dockrey seems intent on upping her assists.
“I’m going to be looking for more assists this season. It’s my job to control the floor and make sure everything runs smoother,” Dockrey said. “It’s not necessary for me to score; I have to make sure my teammates are scoring.”
When it comes to scoring, Dockrey has plenty of weapons at her disposal.
Sophomore Ava Hunter drives to the basket last week.
Hunter, who is the team’s most dangerous offensive player, led the team with 14.1 points per game as a freshman and seems capable of upping that number this season.
Of course being named the Freshman of the Year also means Hunter is likely to see a few more double – and triple – teams from opposing defenses.
When that happens, the Lady Panthers have strong options, including Hill and McCarter.
McCarter, who is still getting her basketball legs after the end of volleyball season, was second on the team with 10.1 points per game last season. She led the team by pulling down 7.7 rebounds per game. While she likes to play in the post, McCarter shot 39 percent from the 3-point line last season and said she plans to “keep shooting.”
“I like to play out on the wing sometimes, but I definitely don’t mind playing in the post,” McCarter said, adding that she believes the Lady Panthers “have it in us to go to state” this year.
Hill scored 9.9 points per game last season and shot 34 percent from beyond-the-arc.
She plans for both of those numbers to go up during her senior year.
“I’ve worked a whole lot since last year,” Hill said. “Every morning by six or seven, shooting as much as I can.”
What does she think its going to take to get back to state? Simple.
“We can get there by going as hard as we can – every pass, every shot, every practice, every rep – all season,” Hill said.
Dockrey echoed her fellow senior. “We’ve got to treat every game like it’s a championship.”
The goal for Union is the same as most teams: Win a region championship and go to the state playoffs.
But to win a region title in Region 8-AA means going through some stiff competition.
Rabun County went 28-2 overall last season, and went 14-0 on the way to the region title. The team lost four seniors off a team that reached the state quarterfinals. Two of those seniors, Brooke Hendricks and Georgia Stockton, were the team’s leading scorers in the playoffs last season.
Banks County (23-7, 10-4) reached the second round of the state playoffs as the No. 2 seed in 2018-19. They return seniors Heather Vaughn and Sadie Simpson, along with freshman Kamryn Grier. Vaughn is a sure-handed shooter, and Simpson (6-foot-2) and Grier (6-foot) are a tough matchup.
Both Putnam County (16-9, 9-5) and Monticello (15-14, 8-6) were first-round exits as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. Putnam County does return senior Jashanti Simmons, who put up 20.3 points per game last season, along with four other seniors.
The Lady Panthers’ pursuit of the playoffs will start on the road this season. The team’s first four games are out of town, beginning tonight, Nov. 19, at Towns County with tip set for 6 p.m.
After that, the team plays at Fannin County on Nov. 22, at North Hall on Nov. 25, and at White County on Nov. 26.
The Lady Panthers don’t play their home opener until Dec. 3, when Tallulah Falls comes to town.
Union County opens play in Region 8-AA on Dec. 13 against Elbert County at home.
For the Lady Panthers full 2019-20 season schedule, click here.
Four Lady Panthers make all-region volleyball squad
Sports, TeamFYNSports November 14, 2019
Four Union County High volleyball players – seniors Kait McCarter, Adelia Pyle, and Izzy Zamora, and sophomore Riley Allison – have been named to the Region 8-AA All-Region Team.
The four Lady Panthers players led the team to a 15-20 record this season. The team reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament before being eliminated.
For Union County this season, Pyle led the team in kills with 112 and digs with 97. She also added 17 aces with an 87.7 serving percentage.
McCarter had 49 kills to go with 43 total blocks, while Zamora, who served as the team’s libero until an injury in the region tournament, added 51 digs and an 88.5 service percentage.
Allison netted 57 kills and 27 digs, while putting in 10 aces and a 90.8 service percentage.
To read about the Lady Panthers earning a spot in the quarterfinals, go here.
Sophomore Riley Allison was named all-region after accounting for 57 kills and 27 digs this season.
Senior libero Izzy Zamora had 51 digs and an 88.5 serving percentage this season to earn a spot on the all-region team.
Senior Kait McCarter made the all-region team after netting 49 kills and 43 totals blocks this season.
Senior Adelia Pyle led the team in kills (112) and digs (97) this season to earn all-region honors.
Quarterfinal spot earned by Lady Panthers volleyball
Featured Stories, Sports, TeamFYNSports October 27, 2019
Senior Adelia Pyle goes up for a kill for the Lady Panthers. Pyle had 11 kills in the win against Harlem.
HARLEM, GA – The Union County volleyball squad earned a spot in the Class A/AA quarterfinals with a 3-0 win against Harlem on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
The victory, at Harlem, was by a 25-15, 25-23, 25-14 margin.
The Lady Panthers (15-19) were led by senior Adelia Pyle’s 11 kills. She also added two aces, a block and 13 digs in the win.
Pyle was followed by fellow senior Kait McCarter and sophomore Morgan Fussell, who had seven kills each in the match.
Fussell also had five blocked shots to lead Union County.
Sophomore Riley Allison tacked on four kills and two aces for the Lady Panthers.
Freshman Saylor Noe led the team with three aces, while junior libero Haley Noe added two.
Allison was third on the team with 12 digs in the match, while Haley Noe led the team with 14.
Sophomore Maci Williams was the team-leader in assists with 10.
The victory set up a quarterfinal matchup with Region 7-A/AA champion Gordan Lee.
Andelin Hill is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Lady Panthers, Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports December 22, 2019
Andelin Hill is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Hill, a senior guard, has been instrumental in helping Union Co. jump out to a 9-1 overall record and a 3-0 record in Region 8-2A.
In two wins last week, Hill’s consistent defense, ball handling, and decision-making led the Lady Panthers to an important region win and a win against an area-rival.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Hill and the Lady Panthers made the long ride south to get a convincing, 56-24, win against region-foe Social Circle. Hill scored six points in the game, but only played a few minutes in the third quarter before sitting out the remainder of the game.
The Lady Panthers faced a much tougher test Saturday in Blairsville as old foe Gilmer came calling for a non-conference game.
Hill scored 12 points in the game and was a big part of a pressure defense that allowed Union Co. to build a big second-half lead before hanging on late against the scrappy Lady ‘Cats to earn a 54-52 win.
For her efforts, Hill is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Ava Hunter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Lady Panthers, Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports December 16, 2019
Ava Hunter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Hunter, a sophomore post player, continued her strong play in two wins for Union Co. (7-1, 2-0 Region 8-AA) last week.
“Ava is one of the best competitors I’ve ever seen,” Union Co. head coach Crystal Beach said of Hunter.
Hunter, who was the Class AA Freshman of the Year last season, surpassed 500 career points Saturday, Dec. 14, during a 56-39 win at Monticello. She finished with a game-high 21 points to help the Lady Panthers earn their second region win of the season.
On Friday, Dec. 13, in the first Region 8-AA game of the season against Elbert Co. in Blairsville, Hunter scored 16 as Union Co. earned the 58-46 victory.
For her efforts, Hunter is the TeamFYNSports Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Bryson Lariscy is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Panthers!
Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers December 9, 2019
Bryson Lariscy is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Panthers!
Lariscy, the team’s starting senior point guard, is the leader of Union Co.’s boys basketball team both on and off the court, according to head coach Corey Garrett.
“He’s working his tail off this season,” Garrett said. “He basically runs our practices. You have the coaches on the side, obviously, at every practice, but it’s really Bryson who is running the show and actually helping improve his teammates.”
Garrett said that Lariscy’s contributions to the team rarely show up in the stat book.
“From day one, he has led our team with his energy and his body language. He’s one of our best defenders, especially in the open court, and he just helps us in so many ways that you can’t see just looking and stats.”
Larsicy scored six points for the Panthers (2-4) in a narrow, 53-51 loss to Fannin Co. on Saturday, Dec. 7, in Blue Ridge.
For his efforts, Bryson Lariscy is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Panthers!
To be considered for the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week, a player must play in all games the team plays during that week and must not have any unsportsmanlike conduct (ejections, etc.). Stats considered for Player of the Week run from Monday through Saturday, with Player of the Week being selected Sunday each week.
Panthers struggle, fall to Rabun County in Blairsville
Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football November 9, 2019
Senior quarterback Pierson Allison evades defenders during the game Friday night.
Ten drives and just seven points told the story Friday night for the Union County football team in Blairsville.
The Panthers (9-1, 6-1 Region 8-AA) lost to top-ranked Rabun County (10-0, 7-0) for the second-straight season in the region championship game, this time by a score of 49-7.
While the weather was cold, the sky was clear and the conditions seemed poised to help the Panthers rushing attack.
Instead, Rabun County quarterback, sophomore Gunner Stockton, put on a show, accounting for seven touchdowns. Six of those came on the ground as the Wildcats came to town and beat the Panthers at their own game.
The seven points are the fewest Union County has scored in a game this season.
The game was still in reach for the Panthers at the start of the second half. Rabun County held a 21-0 lead after a rough start for the Union County defense.
In the third quarter, the Panthers turned the ball over on down and were forced to punt, but kept the Wildcats off the board to stay within striking distance at 21-0 heading into the final frame.
Junior Kaston Hemphill (No. 3) and senior John Mancuso (No. 9) make a tackle Friday night against Rabun County.
The defense, which had held strong for nearly a quarter and a half, finally broke in the fourth, giving up four scores in the final quarter in the blowout loss.
The one offensive bright spot for the Panthers came with 2:22 to go in the game as senior quarterback Pierson Allison hit junior Mason McCombs for a 15-yard score that moved the score to 42-7.
Apparently offended that Union County scored, the Rabun County coaching staff decided to keep in the starters and march down the field to score with just 55 seconds left. The Wildcats could have taken a knee and let the clock run out, but decided that Stockton needed just one more score as he ran in his sixth rushing touchdown of the night to end the game.
Union County had seven turnovers on the night, including three fumbles, two interceptions, and two turnovers on downs. The Panthers were forced to punt twice and scored once to account for all 10 drives on the night.
Union County will have to clean up the turnovers before next week. The Panthers, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AA, will face South Atlanta (7-3, 5-2 Region 6-AA), the No. 3 seed from that region, next Friday in Blairsville for the first round of the Class AA state playoffs.
The Hornets are coming off of a 20-6 victory against KIPP Atlanta Collegiate on Thursday, Nov. 7.