Published: May 09, 2008 07:07 pm            

BENNY ROGERS: Cleaning off the sports desk

A few random notes, thoughts and observations on this weekend we honor our moms — God’s greatest creation ...

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A big ol’ tip of the cap to Keith Durrett, Tabitha Hull, the Athens Hornet Athletic Booster Club and other volunteers who helped with the annual AHS all-sports banquet this year. They all simply did a great job and made the event extremely organized and fast-paced.

To feed a capacity crowd at Cain Center, recognize all athletes and coaches participating in the AHS sports program and hand out special awards in less than three hours is quite an accomplishment. By my watch it took two hours and 45 minutes, which to me was pretty remarkable.

I’m not sure whose idea it was, or if it was just happenstance, but to let those in attendance help themselves in the buffet line upon arrival was the key to it all. Unlike banquets in which there is an announcement the meal is being served and a seemingly endless line forms, this was without question the way to do it and hopefully will be the blueprint for future banquets.

Thanks to all involved with the banquet for a great night and congratulations to all AHS athletes for a great school year and jobs well done.

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One more banquet note.

Tabitha Hull, who gets my vote for being the best high school athletic secretary in the business, asked me to remind parents and interested persons copies of the slide show presentation at the banquet are on sale for $10.

To purchase a copy, see her at the athletic office, located across the hallway from the high school gym.

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A couple of former Athens Hornet baseball players are doing quite well in their collegiate careers. Wesley Starkes and Trent Montgomery have helped Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College capture the Bi-State Conference championship.

The Golden Norsemen are in Bartlesville, Okla., this weekend competing in the Region II Baseball Tournament.

Starkes started every game at shortstop in conference play and led the team with 142 at-bats in 41 games. He hit .324 and stole 11 bases. He also had a .951 fielding percentage.

Montgomery was in the pitching rotation as a starter and recorded four wins with a 5.40 ERA. He pitched 48.1 innings and recorded 36 strikeouts.

Counting games last summer with their travel squad, which was around 60, and the 80 they’ve played at NEO this season, Starkes and Montgomery have played in almost 150 games in less than a year.

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A reminder to high school baseball and softball coaches that the deadline for submitting All-Henderson County area nominations is Monday.

For a player to be considered, he/she must be nominated by their coach.

Nominations should be e-mailed to sportseditor@athensreview.com or faxed to 903-675-9450.

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This is a big weekend for Trinity Valley Community College athletic director/head women’s basketball coach Michael Landers. He and Kenya Larkin, who played on the 1999 national championship team at TVCC and is now an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, were married at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Congratulations to them and here’s hoping they have a lifetime of happiness together.

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And finally ... Happy Mother’s Day to my wonderful mother, and to yours.

Benny Rogers is sports editor for the Athens Daily Review.

        

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