But, then again, it would be unfair to say that the Masters Tournament is totally bad. After all, anyone who has been to the historic course will never forget the experience. Some North Augusta residents go almost every year (when getting tickets is possible). Other families, like Junior Sara Pate’s, get to make an easy buck and take a vacation by simply renting their house out.  Pate says, “Other than the cleaning, it’s almost free money.”

This year’s tournament is expected to play out nicely. Many golf fans were expecting a no- show from Tiger Woods. But, after some stroke perfection, the golf giant is ready to come back on top…of the golfing world, that is. Woods has won the event twice already and hopes to maintain his leadership as possibly golf’s greatest of all time.

The Augusta National, which most of us pass by without notice on our way to Carrabba’s, is perhaps the greatest golf course in the world. To us, it seems kind of strange because we never actually think of Augusta as being the golf capital of the world. We usually think of it as another location to cure the boredom of North Augusta. However, in less than a week, Bruce Banner will turn into the Hulk, and a huge increase in both population and Cadillac’s will overpower the residents within a thirty mile radius of the National. So, grab your spiked shoes and put on your plaids, it’s about to be MASTERS WEEK!

What lies ahead for the NAHS team this year? How does the squad look? Perhaps the biggest news this year for the baseball team is the addition of another ace, Jackson Whitley, who recently transferred from Augusta Christian. This left -handed rocket launcher has two things on his side: his size (a.k.a. intimidation) on the mound and his speed (averaging in the upper-eighties).

But if that isn’t enough, North Augusta’s other ace, Taylor Guerrieri, has only gotten better since last year. Taylor has topped the speed-gun at 92 mph and is steadily climbing his way up. With colleges picking up on this fastball, Guerrieri explained that “the only way to stay on my game is to keep practicing.”

Defensively, the Jackets are keeping up with the tradition of excellent pitching. Who could forget NA stars like Tyler Colvin and Marty Gantt? Considering the fact that history repeats itself, it’s easy to see why NAHS is looking forward to a great season.

Behind the plate, Douglas Alexander keeps close watch on any suspicious base runners. “It’s like shooting deer,” says Alexander, speaking about the process involved when throwing down on a steal. “Aim for the chest.” Jokes like this have proved that the team’s best interest is a harmonious blend of determination and enjoying the game. However, the Jackets are still focused on the record, and like always, ready to play some ball.

The bats aren’t looking too shabby either. New varsity players like Vinny Miller and Trevor Hutto, are swinging for consistency and making base hits. Coupled by quick base-running, the offensive side of NA’s game is definitely matching up with its excellent defense.

These multiple aspects are only some of the reasons why NA hopes to dominate the key this year. If anything, Yellow Jacket fans can expect an exciting season. By the time mid-season rolls around, the coldness of this year’s football season’s end will be replaced by the warmth and thrill of baseball season.

The girls acquired a new coach this year, Matt Sawicz. Coach Sawicz was the junior varsity coach in 2005. Those girls he coached then are mostly the current seniors on the team now. “I wanted to make sure they had someone capable of coaching them this year,” comments Coach Sawicz.

On the multiple senior losses, Sawicz states that, “Every program deals with graduating players. We have a good core of returning players. Someone will have to step up, but we can make it through.”

Senior Stacey Scaggs says having Sawicz this year is not a big change. “Most of us who play club during the off season had Sawicz as our coach.”

One thing that has changed due to a new coach is the amount of running and conditioning done prior to the season. Conditioning, or getting in shape prior to the season, is required for all North Augusta athletics. Conditioning will end with the month of January. The season and practices begin February first.

The expectations for the ladies varsity team are no where close to where it was last year. “We just lost so many people. It’s going to be really hard to replace them,” says Stacey Scaggs. “I don’t think we will make playoffs this year.”

Coach Sawicz, however, expects the team to make playoffs. He says, “We have a tough region, but anything can happen.”

In order to improve the team as a whole and acquire their goal of making playoffs, Sawicz says developing individual skills will be imperative. “Most of the girls on the team only play during the high school season. Other teams and programs in our region have girls that play the sport year round. We’ve got to catch up. It’s all about technique, and we have a strong team.”