Lakeside grad hits meet with his best shot

Former Lakeside High School track-and-field standout Reese Hoffa performed well last week at the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Hoffa, who had a stellar career at the University of Georgia, finished third in the shot put with a throw of 20.64 meters. Hoffa finished just ahead of Adam Nelson, who earned national titles last year in the USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

Pre-meet favorites Kevin Toth (21.22 meters) and John Godina (20.72) took the top two spots in the shot. Godina is a three-time world champion and was a silver medalist at the Olympic Games.

Hoffa's third-place finish earned him a spot on the United States team in the upcoming World Outdoor Championships.

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Belcher's debut

Jordan Belcher isn't your average 18-year-old.

While most of Belcher's buddies are spending time at the beach or earning some cash with summer jobs, the 2003 Augusta Christian Schools graduate was beginning his professional baseball career.

Playing with the Cincinnati Reds rookie team in Sarasota, Fla., Belcher had quite a debut. He was 2-for-4 with a single and a double, and he threw out an opposing baserunner with a bullet from left field.

Not a bad start for Belcher, who was drafted by the Reds in the 41st round earlier this month.

Citadel takes a Chance

During the 2002-03 school year, Evans senior Chance Smith signed a scholarship to play baseball with The Citadel, and the Charleston, S.C. program wasn't exactly taking a chance on the Knights' outfielder.

Smith displayed impressive ability as a starter for Evans the past two seasons, and his best asset can't be taught - he has amazing speed, and he put that talent to use by being an offensive catalyst for the Knights.

As a senior this spring, Smith hit .342 with five doubles, four homers and 22 runs scored.

In addition to his hitting, Smith covers a lot of ground on defense. The Citadel is getting a player with vast potential. Smith could blossom into a great performer at the college level.

Another Charleston move

Former Evans catcher Brandon Barenie will join Smith in Charleston, but they won't be teammates.

Barenie, a 2001 Evans graduate, has signed to play ball with College of Charleston.

Since leaving Evans, Barenie has played at Young Harris College. He was a two-year starter behind the plate for the Mountain Lions, and was a .300 hitter for the junior-college squad. Barenie helped lead his team to a 100-25 record over the past two seasons.

After a solid sophomore season with Young Harris, Barenie was a first-team all-conference selection, and made the state all-tournament team in each of his two seasons.