PC wins in battle of first-year coaches

By Tom Shanahan, Correspondent

CARY - The Athens Drive and Panther Creek baseball teams opened the 2012 season with a Tri-Nine Conference game under rookie head coaches directing programs with vastly different histories.

Athens Drive is a traditional power known as the alma mater of Josh Hamilton, the 2010 American League MVP for the Texas Rangers. Ryan Westbrook, promoted from the JV coach, is charged with the task of maintaining the Jaguars’ status.

“There’s pressure because this is a great program that’s always won and this is a tough conference,” Westbrook said. “But one advantage is I’ve been here eight years. I’ve coached these for kids two and three years and now some of them for a fourth. I know their strengths and weaknesses. We just have to keep working hard.”

Meanwhile, Panther Creek head coach Dan Hall arrived as an assistant from Durham Jordan hired to turn around a program that has never posted a winning season. This is his first experience as a head coach.

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