BRIEFS

Granard football

practice begins

Aug. 12

Granard Middle School will begin football practice on Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Players must have a physical performed by their family physician. Physical forms are available at the school office. Players should wear shorts, tennis shoes and a T-shirt to practice.

Football

registration

underway

Signup is now underway for anyone ages 4-12 who wants to play Gaffney Little League football. Bring a birth certificate to Sagesport, Shoe Show or the Cherokee County Recreation Department. The deadline is August 9.

Blacksburg All-Stars facing

elimination

The Blacksburg Major League All-Stars hope to stay alive Friday with a victory in a Southeast Regional baseball tournament in Georgia.

Blacksburg opened the tournament with a 11-2 loss to Winterville, N.C. Tyler Cobb and Brook Hope scored Blacksburg's runs against Winterville.

Blacksburg will play an elimination game at 8:30 p.m. tonight against the winner of a game between Woodruff and Alabama. If the Wildcats win, they will play at least one more game this weekend.

Saratt perfect

in All-Star

appearance

Justin Sarratt retired all three batters he faced in starting Tuesday's Coastal Plain All- Star Game.

Sarratt, a rising Clemson junior, pitched the first inning as the National team beat the American team 5-3 in an All- Star game at McCrary Park in Asheboro, N.C. He was among three members of the Thomasville Hi-Toms selected for the National all-star squad.

"It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting the guys from the different teams," Sarratt said. "I'm just working hard to get better. I want to increase my velocity and hit my spots better. I have a lot to improve on with my pitching."

The Hi-Toms have gone 13-4 in the second half of the season to claim first place. There are two weeks remaining in the summer baseball league before the Pettit Cup championship.