Sluggish August has noteworthy highlights

In the sports world, I don't find much value in the month of August. July is fine with the Major League Baseball All-Star game, and I like September with the start of high school, college and pro football. But August doesn't bring much to the table.

It's boring: NFL preseason games, the WNBA playoffs, fantasy football drafts. Let's face it, the biggest sporting event in August is the Little League World Series. No offense to the kids, but there's got to be something better.

Sure, Major League Baseball is going on, but we've got more than a month until the playoffs and the Braves aren't even a factor this year.

Bottom line: August is like the peg game at Cracker Barrel. It's just something to pay attention to until the real stuff comes along.

Fortunately, some of our teams have picked up the slack. Put away the pegs and get ready for the country fried steak. There's sports news to be told.

Off the tee

Dan Trahan, of Martinez, recently advanced to the 2006 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship Finals in the senior division. Trahan launched tee shots of 397, 394 and 384 yards during a regional long-drive competition in Laurel, Miss., to qualify for the championships. In October, he'll head to Mesquite, Nev., for the finals. The event will be televised on ESPN during the Christmas holidays and the total purse will tally $500,000.

Defining dominance

In its first game of the season, Lakeside High School dominated former region opponent Baldwin with a 13-0 Lady Panthers blowout. Lakeside scored four runs before Baldwin even had a chance to bat, and pitcher Andria Batchelor hurled a complete game no-hitter. Her catcher, Hillary Hall, launched a solo home run and went two-for-four in the game.

Happy trails to you

Congratulations to Bartram Trails. The county's youngest golf course hit its one-year anniversary last week. Plans are in the works for an official celebration.

Knights news

The Evans High School softball team, despite losing a half-dozen starters to graduation, hit the diamond last week at full speed. The Lady Knights are 4-2, including a 7-4 win over Class AAAAA Newton - a team that won the Region 2-AAAAA regular-season title last year.

Over the net

Harlem High School's Lady Bulldogs volleyball team got off to a strong start last week with four straight wins to open the season. Harlem lost only one game in four matches with wins over Westside, Butler, Cross Creek and A.R. Johnson high schools.

Tournament champs

Greenbrier High School's softball team upheld a No. 2 ranking in the Class AAAA preseason poll with a six-game sweep in the Madison County Sports Leadoff Classic. Senior Tiffany Blackburn sparked the offense with 13 RBI and went 12-for-18 in the tournament.

Middle school gridiron

The county's middle school football season kicks off this week with three games Wednesday. Evans Middle School will have a bye week while Greenbrier Middle School plays at Grovetown Middle, Riverside Middle School travels to Lakeside Middle and Harlem Middle School goes to Columbia Middle. All games begin at 5 p.m.

Don't forget the girls

Middle school softball also begins this week with Tuesday games. Games start at 4 p.m. and include Evans Middle at Harlem Middle, Grovetown Middle at Riverside Middle and Columbia Middle at Greenbrier Middle.