Region title punctuates year

The Bulldogs won the Region 3-AAA baseball championship, their first region title since 2001, and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. Harlem's softball team under first-year coach Mike Leverett was the Region 3-AAA runner-up and advanced through the first two rounds of the South Sectional.

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Jimmie Lewis, the Bulldogs' longtime baseball and football coach, announced in May he would step down as athletic director. Lonnie Morris was named as his successor.

On the basketball court, Cedric Boatner blossomed as a junior, and sisters Nicole Wells and Ebony Wells helped lead the Harlem girls to a turnaround season.

Here are The News-Times' five biggest stories out of Harlem for the previous school year. Read the full stories at newstimes.augusta.com/archive.

Bulldogs win Region 3-AAA title

By Stephen Fastenau

May 4, 2008

Harlem coach Jimmie Lewis probably wasn't the most optimistic passenger on the Bulldogs' charter bus as they drove to South Effingham on Tuesday.

Lewis' teams had lost the Region 3-AAA title game to the Mustangs the past two seasons.

"I expected a real tough ball game," Lewis said. "To be honest with you, I didn't know if we could beat them or not, because they've always been tough."

But the Bulldogs broke through, using a big second inning and clutch pitching to hold off the Mustangs 10-5 and win their first region championship since 2001.

Harlem advances to South State Sectional

From Staff Reports

Oct. 17, 2007

Harlem's softball team brought home a runner-up trophy this past weekend at the Region 3-AAA softball tournament in Savannah, Ga.

The Lady Bulldogs took the toughest path through the region tournament bracket. Harlem won 4-0 over Liberty County to start the tournament Friday but lost to South Effingham in the second round.

Harlem (25-10) advanced to the Class AAA South State Sectional in Dublin, Ga.

Harlem's Carlos Beard commits to Francis Marion

By Ashley Brown

Nov. 11, 2007

Harlem High School outfielder Carlos Beard has verbally committed to play baseball at Francis Marion University. The Patriots play in the talent-laden Peach Belt Conference and have produced several recent major league draft picks.

FMU was most impressed with Beard's blazing speed but also loves his overall potential. Beard will be a key figure for Jimmie Lewis' Bulldogs. As a junior, Beard hit .294 and was one of the area's top defensive players.

Athlete Spotlight: Kacee Camp

By Billy Byler

Dec. 5, 2007

Columbia County's high school sports scene has offered several examples of intense, emotional action over the years.

The thrill of victory, agony of defeat and other sports clichs come to life on almost a weekly basis.

Take all of that emotion, intensity, competitiveness and determination, ball it up and there stands Harlem High School senior Kacee Camp.

"She's a great athlete, no doubt about it. She can play," Harlem softball coach Mike Leverett said.

Harlem's Morgan will take soccer career to ABAC

By Stephen Fastenau

May 14, 2008

Meagan Morgan spent the majority of her soccer days in goal before this year, but the Harlem senior was needed in the field, and she obliged.

"She understood," Harlem coach George Berry said. "She's been a team player ever since she's been in middle school."

Morgan will soon be able to return to her favorite spot. She signed on May 5 to play goalie for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

"It's fun," she said. "They stuck me in the goal one time when I was younger and I just liked it, and I stuck with it, and I was good at it."