Sports briefs
Holder hired
Former Evans baseball player Michael Holder was recently named as an assistant baseball coach at USC Aiken.
Holder, a catcher with the Knights, comes to USC Aiken after serving as a volunteer assistant with Vanderbilt. He spent three seasons mentoring the catchers and overseeing the preparation for the Commodores' field, Hawkins Field.
In the summer of 2003, he served as an assistant coach with the Cotuit Kettleers of the prestigious Cape Cod League.
Holder's previous coaching experience was two seasons as assistant coach at Greenbrier High School and a year as an assistant at Middle Georgia College.
A four-year letter winner as a catcher at Georgia Southern, Holder graduated from Augusta State with an education degree in 2001.
Stars in World Series
The Columbia County Stars traveling baseball team returned home from Michigan last week without a championship.
The 13-and-under team competed in the United States Specialty Sports Association World Series, finishing 13th overall out of more than 100 teams.
The Stars did. however, finish the USSSA season ranked second in the nation. The final standings are based on a year-long points system.
Coach Billy Gamblin said the team would decide in the near future whether they will field a 14-and-under team for next season. Currently, there are no 14-and-under teams in the county.
Local golfers in tournament
Three Evans golfers recently wrapped up competition at a junior golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Meechai Padungsiriseth, Namsub Padung and Margarita Ramos competed in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships at the PGA National Resort and Spa.
Padungsiriseth shot 79-78-157 on the par-72 course, good enough for 31st place in the Boys 10-11 division. Padung finished 17th in the Boys 12-13 division, shooting 69-74-73-216. In the Girls 13-14 division, Ramos carded a 78-79-78-235. She finished in ninth place.
More than 800 players competed in the tournament, which featured players from 31 countries and 43 states.
MELL All Stars
The Martinez-Evans National League All Stars fell short of winning the state tile.
The All Stars finished sixth in the state, after going undefeated leading up to the tournament.
The District 6 champions would have headed to Tampa for the South Regional Championships if they won the state tournament.
Sisters in golf tournament
Two sisters from Martinez, Taylor and Ashlan Ramsey, will be among the competitors in the U.S. Kids World Golf Championships.
The event, held in Williamsburg, Va., granted the sisters exemptions to play in the tournament.
Taylor, 9, in June set a record 1-under-par score for four holes in a 9-and-under tournament at West Lake Country Club. The record was held by Charles Howell III, who is now on the PGA Tour.
Ashlan, 8, has won all four of the local U.S. Kids tournaments in her age group.