The Tennessee Fury '96 finished runner-up to Ohio's Lasers Gold this past weekend in the 103-team Amateur Softball Association 14-under girls' fastpitch national tournament at Midland, Texas. This Fury group, which posted a 13th-place finish in ASA 10-under, a fifth-place finish in 12-under and a ninth-place finish as a 13-year-old team last year in Moline, Ill., ended up with a 9-2 record for the week. The Fury were 9-0 with only two runs allowed before the finals. "The kids played great all week. We actually led 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, then made a couple of mistakes and they capitalized on them," Fury coach Kirk Lewis said of the final loss. "They're a very good team. Second's not bad, but I thought we had a chance to win it." Pitchers Cori Jennings and Ashton Edwards were 4-1 and 3-1 and Bricen Hunt also got a win in the tournament. C.J. McClain batted .486 with nine RBIs, Devan Brown hit .387 with seven RBIs and Taylor Parker had 17 RBIs with a .378 average. Morgan Harris hit .375 and J.J. Hamill had a .344 average, while Ashley Conner and Halie Williamson also batted above .300 with six and seven RBIs. Other team members were Lauren Lewis and Libby Sugg.
Golf
• BARRINGTON, R.I. - Chattanooga golfer Brooke Pancake is tied for 14th at even-par 71 after the first round of stroke-play qualifying in the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at the Rhode Island Country Club, and recent University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate Emma de Groot from Australia is tied for 45th at 73. The low 64 after today's round will go into match play Wednesday, and de Groot's UTC teammate Christine Wolf is in a group tied for 94th at 77. Pancake has been starring at Alabama after winning four state championships at Baylor School. Seventeen-year-old Jihee Kim from Korea leads by two strokes after shooting a 66 with eight birdies Monday.
• ACWORTH, Ga. - Dr. Neil Spitalny of Chattanooga earned one of the five spots for the 2011 USGA Senior Amateur in an 18-hole qualifier Monday at the Governors Towne Club. A round of 71 put Spitalny in a five-way playoff for the final three spots, behind co-medalists with 70s. Spitalny qualified for the second year in a row. This year's Senior Amateur will be held Sept. 10-15 at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va.
Basketball
• Ezell Dodd has been hired as an assistant men's basketball coach at Tennessee Temple University after serving as director of basketball operations at Lee University since 2008. He also has assisted in the general operation of the Lee athletic department and with the Lake Forest Middle School football program and has done guest-relations work for the Atlanta Braves. "Ezell worked hard for the Lee University men's basketball program," Lee coach Tommy Brown said. "His knowledge of the game and his ability to get things done on and off the court will take him far in his career." Dodd expressed gratitude to Brown and to Lee president Paul Conn and athletic director Larry Carpenter for the opportunities they provided. "I only wish the best to Lee University," he said. Temple coach Randy Lee said Dodd would focus on administrative duties and "expand into community relations, fund development and recruiting." According to Coach Lee, "He will be instrumental in our future success here at Temple. His attention to detail and approach will allow us to be more efficient and pay immediate dividends within our basketball program."
Kayaking
• Hixson's Bryson Popp and Alex Sumida finished 13th and 16th in their two-man canoe races as part of the USA junior wildwater team in the recent ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in Opava, Czech Republic. With two other American boats they were part of sprint and classic sixth-place team finishes. Haley Popp finished 25th and 26th in women's single-kayak races. She now moves on to the senior women's division.
Volleyball
• New Georgia Northwestern Technical College volleyball coach Maggie Stultz will be holding tryouts Wednesday, Thursday and Aug. 15, 16, 22 and 23 from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. at the Rossville Athletic Complex. Any woman who will be attending the school this fall and who has athletic eligibility there can take part. For more information email dfoley@gntc.edu or call 706-764-3813.