Cheney hits the ground running at Clemson
Track and field athletes do not get a lot of attention unless they make it to the Olympic games like former Lakeside standout Reese Hoffa. But former Evans sprinter and hurdles champ Roy Cheney is making quite a name for himself.
The Clemson junior got the 2004-05 season off to a terrific start in December at the "Clemson Opener" at Clemson University.
The field included big-time programs such as the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State University and Virginia Tech.
Cheney competed in three events and had a solid showing in each. He finished sixth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.00 seconds. He was even better in the 200 meters, coming away with a third-place finish with a sizzling time of 22.08 seconds.
His best showing came in Clemson's dominating performance in 4-by-400 meters. Cheney teamed with Michael Bolling, Scott Kautz and Lydell Perry for a time of 3:16:27, which was good enough for Clemson to win the event.
Cheney and the Tigers are in the field for the Kentucky Invitational in Lexington this Friday and Saturday.
Dobbs and the Dogs are ninth in preseason poll
Former Harlem standout Johnny Dobbs surprised some when he helped lead UGA to the College World Series last season. Dobbs transferred to Georgia from Chattahoochee Valley Community College, where he was a Junior College All-American. He was expected to pitch sparingly for the Bulldogs in 2004.
Boy, were the experts wrong. Dobbs was dominant late in the season as UGA made a run at the national championship before finishing third in the nation.
Dobbs finished the season 6-2 with an ERA of 3.75. He also struck out 44 batters and walked only 13 in 48 innings. The right-hander also held opposing hitters to a .219 batting average.
Based on last season's success, UGA has garnered plenty of national attention. The Dogs are ranked ninth in the country in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll. They are also ranked 10th by Baseball America.
Along with Dobbs, the Dogs return 22 other starters. UGA opens its season with a three-game series vs. Elon University Feb. 18-20.