High school students were back in the classroom on Monday morning and some of the students were back on the ball field on Monday afternoon playing in significant region games or practicing for games to be played later this week.

The regular season of high school soccer is winding down but the playoffs, both region and state, are right around the corner.

The Fayette Indians won the title for the 6 and under age group at the Super NIT tournament held this past weekend, April 7-9 in Fayetteville.

The New Vision Church men's basketball team won the Fayette County Church "C" League Championship.

Peachtree City’s local swim club Southern Crescent Aquatic Team competed at the Southern Zone Eastern Senior Sectional Championships in Nashville, Tenn., March 9-12.

• Austin Spurlin of Fayetteville, Ga. placed second in the co-angler division of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division event on Lake Seminole. Spurlin caught five bass, weighing 16 pounds, 01 ounce for a total of $1,414.

Landmark Christian traveled to meet Our Lady of Mercy on Thursday evening. The War Eagles struck early and never looked back.

Class A State Basketball Champion teams Burdett Park Trojans and Sandtown Park Knights display victory banners after receiving a proclamation from District 7 Commissioner William “Bill” Edwards.

Last Friday’s game between the McIntosh and Starr’s Mill varsity lacrosse teams may have been a sample of things to come.

It hasn’t been a spring break filled with days on the beach, but a number of local teams have had a lot of fun this week by picking up some nice region wins.

Peachtree City’s local swim club, Southern Crescent Aquatic Team, had an impressive showing at the 2006 NCSA Junior National Championships in Orlando, Florida March 21-25.

What a way to start the season. The 7-8 Sharpsburg Red Sox clinched first place at the March Madness at Old National tournament to qualify them in the USSSA World Series.

The Concorde Fire South were the U-10 Girls Lightning Challenge Champions.

Once water temperatures hit 50 degrees at Lakes Hartwell and Burton, the annual walleye pilgrimage from within these reservoirs to their headwaters begins, according to biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD). Mid-to-late March typically is the prime time to target this species.

Renowned sprinter Robbie McEwen (AUS) of Davitamon-Lotto , current No.1 ProTour rider Floyd Landis (USA) of the Phonak Hearing Systems, and defending champion Tom Danielson (USA) of Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team headline the field of professional cyclists who will compete at the 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia. Event organizers, Medalist Sports, announced today the 8-man rosters for each of the 15 teams, comprised of six ProTour teams, two U.S.-based Professional Continental teams and seven Continental teams from the America Tour.

Thursday night was a big night for the McIntosh boys and girls soccer teams as they both defeated Woodward Academy. The wins created a three way tie for first between them, Whitewater and Woodward. The Lady Chiefs (8-5) won 1-0 on penalty kicks with a 4-3 advantage, while the boys won 3-0. Scorers for the Lady Chiefs in penalty kicks were Kerri Reid, Kelsey Quinn, Caroline Austin and Chelsea Clements. Scorers for the boys were Michael Mateos, Bilal Duckett and Allen Stien. Duckett and Mateos also recorded assists in the win.

Whitewater’s Wildcats picked up two huge wins recently. They defeated Douglas County 17-7 in six innings last week with Jonah Jaurigue getting the win on the mound, while Miles Head and Justin Carpenter were among the players who delivered the big hits. On Saturday, Whitewater got perhaps their biggest baseball win in school history by defeating Northgate 7-6. Tom Bohrer was the winning pitcher and Head, Carpenter and Jordan Elder delivered the big hits in the game.

The Fayette County boys and girls tennis teams have one more region match before region tournament play starts. The team will return from spring break and will play at Lovejoy on Apr. 11. In the days leading up to the break, the boys and girls both defeated Mundy’s Mill, while losing to Newnan.

Ray Marden of the Fayette County Civitan Club, presents an award to Emma Lee of the Joseph Sams School for her performance in the Softball Throw at the Fayette County Special Olympics, which were held March 17 at Whitewater High School.

The 2006 Georgia Men’s Gymnastics State Championships took place on Saturday, March 25. Gym South Men’s Optional Team competed and had one of its most successful state meets in Gym South’s 20 year history.

The Fayette County Championships took place at Starr’s Mill this past Wednesday and Thursday and Starr’s Mill’s boys and girls both placed first. Sandy Creek’s girls placed second and Sandy Creek’s boys placed third.

Sandy Creek picked up two region wins this week. The Patriots (7-3) handed Creekside a 16-0 loss on Monday and then defeated Whitewater 9-4 on Wednesday. Tyler Betsill was the winning pitcher in the game and also drove in four of the Patriot’s nine runs. Other big hitters were Duncan Midkiff, who went 3-for-4 and Brent Brewer, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

The Starr’s Mill Panthers (12-0) found themselves ranked first in the GaSports.com coaches poll this week. Many people around the program state that Coach Brent Moseley doesn’t like that kind of attention and who can blame him. He’d much rather not focus on polls during the season and be ranked first at the end of the season when it counts.

After being handed losses last Friday, the McIntosh boys and girls soccer teams traveled to Coweta County on Tuesday and picked up some wins. The Lady Chiefs (7-5) faced Newnan (5-6) and won 3-2 with Olivia Tucker, Bethany Austin and Jessalyn Moore scoring goals. Tucker and Meghan O’Rourke also recorded assists in the win. Coach Marcia Clark also credited captains Brittany Schneider, Caroline Austin and Kelsey Quinn with playing well and helping the team fire up their intensity level throughout the match.

Day one of the Fayette County Championships of Track and Field is in the books. The second day of track action took place after this paper went to press. Starr’s Mill played host to teams from Fayette County, McIntosh, Our Lady of Mercy, Sandy Creek and Whitewater on Wednesday afternoon. Those athletes who placed in the top three in their events on Wednesday were:

The McIntosh Chiefs are riding high at this stage of the season. The team consists of players Kristen Adlington, Rachel Adlington, Marybeth Black, Kristen Cobb, Stephanie Daughenbaugh, Emma Fisher, Megan McPherson (Captain), Jessica Piester, Whitney Plummer, Maggie Poffenberger, Courtney Rollings, Lyndsi Tufte, Keegan Vining and Kendall Wilde. Coached by Coach Karcz and Coach Doyle.

The 7/8 Eagles placed 6th in the regular season. Not to be deterred, they played hard and came back to win first place in the post-season tournament.

The Homeplate Chili Dogs 8U baseball team went 5-0 to win the Sharpsburg Shootout held in Sharpsburg on March 8-12. In the front, from left, are Drew Peurifoy, Dane Bullock, Jarred Baker, Matthew Sparr, Matthew Mullins, Hunter Guess.

It is too early to say if the balance of power has shifted.