Overtime

Prep Football

Coaches urged to turn in area stats

Area coaches are encouraged to send in their team's statistic by noon Wednesday - no exceptions - to be included in From The Huddle, which publishes every Friday in The Augusta Chronicle.

Coaches can fax their information to (706) 823-3408 or e-mail Jeff Sentell at jeff.sentell@augustachronicle.com.

Semipro Football

Dragons' mistakes lead to home defeat

The Palmetto Dragons' home debut was unsuccessful as they were defeated 18-7 by the Atlanta Aggression on Saturday night at North Augusta High School.

The Dragons fell behind 10-0 in the game's first six minutes and couldn't recover.

The only touchdown for Palmetto came in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run by Kevin Smith on fourth-and-goal. Smith led the Dragons on the ground with 43 rushing yards.

The Dragons actually outgained the Aggression 185-166, but mistakes ended up costing them the game.

The defense was led by Jon Lee (10 tackles) and Chris Caldwell (nine tackles, three sacks).

More than 1,500 fans turned out for the Dragons' initial home game, which was delayed an hour because the referees didn't arrive on time.

The Dragons will return to North Augusta in two weeks to play the Georgia Patriots. The game starts at 7 p.m.

Minor League Baseball

Jackets now in 2nd with win in Rome

In Rome, Ga., the Augusta GreenJackets scored three late runs to top the Rome Braves 4-1 at State Mutual Stadium in front of 2,577 fans.

Augusta got on the board first in the second inning. Carlos Sosa singled and scored on a Julian Benavidez double to give the GreenJackets the lead 1-0.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the eighth, the GreenJackets took the lead on an RBI groundout by Simon Klink and an RBI single by Nick Conte.

Brian Horwitz added an insurance run in the ninth with an RBI double.

Augusta (31-29) got a win from Sean Martin (6-1), and Kelyn Acosta picked up his fifth save.

The GreenJackets, now six games behind Kannapolis in the Southern Division, open a four-game series at Columbus tonight.

Tennis

Blake completes comeback with win

In New Haven, Conn., James Blake beat Feliciano Lopez, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, completing an improbable run from unseeded challenger to champion of the Pilot Pen in front of a hometown crowd.

Blake, who was raised in nearby Fairfield, was the biggest draw of the tournament and said the raucous crowds gave him confidence as he upset higher ranked opponents every day.

He came out sluggish in the first set, however, and Lopez capitalized, playing to Blake's backhand.

After a rain delay of nearly an hour, Blake battled back, winning a close second set and using a powerful forehand to dominate the third.

The Pilot Pen is only the second singles title for Blake, who has been on the comeback trail since slipping and breaking his neck last summer in Rome.

After that injury, he contracted Zoster, an illness that affected his sight and hearing and temporarily paralyzed part of his face. His father died of cancer that summer.

College Football

Albany State opens season with victory

In Birmingham, Ala., Matt Hawthorne kicked a 33-yard field goal with 5:43 to play in the game to give Albany State a 24-23 victory over Miles College.

Miles had taken a 23-21 lead earlier in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard-run by Johnathan Harris.

Albany State (1-0) was led by quarterback Hosea Harris, who ran 15 times for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Eric Crosby scored a touchdown for Albany State with 39 seconds to play before halftime on a 97-yard interception return.