Adel:  Tuesday's matchup between the #4 ranked Berrien Rebels (19-4, 8-1) and the Cook Hornets (12-7, 8-1) could decide who wins the 2012 Region 1AA Championship.  Both teams sit at the top of the standings with one loss each, Cook's lone loss came to Berrien while their lone loss was to Thomasville.  While their are other games remaining on each team's region schedule following Tuesday, a win by either would put them in good shape to win the title.  Cook has Thomasville and Brooks left to play after Tuesday.  So a win for them and a win over Thomasville would likely give them the championship (Brooks is 0-8 in region play).  Berrien has Fitzgerald and Early County left after Tuesday.  Even if Berrien was to win Tuesday and happen to lose just one of the next two, they would still own the tie breaker over Cook.  To sum it all up, it's a must win for both teams in what is set to be one of the biggest games in AA Tuesday night.

      Cook has lost two consecutive games to the Rebels dating back to last year for just the second time since 1996.  The Hornets made some early mistakes that costed them in the first meeting, allowing seven unearned runs of the eight scored by the Rebels.  However, Berrien's Drew Harrelson didn't make it any easier on the Hornets as he allowed just five hits and struck out seven through six innings of work.  The Hornets are 1-2 vs the big lefty, their lone win being a 6-2 victory in Nashville last season.  Berrien will likely send Harrelson to the hill again as he their ace and big game pitcher.  Cook, having last Friday off, could decide between any of their big four to start, but more than likely Hornet skipper Cleve Edwards would choose between Palmer Betts or Tyler Quick.  Quick started in the first game vs the Rebels and wasn't given much support defensively, he allowed the eight runs (one earned) and scattered just five hits with five strikeouts.  Betts defeated the Rebels last season in Nashville but took the loss in Adel.  

      Tuesday should be an exciting ball game between two region powers.  The Hornets will try to capture what has been their prize 17 times before, a region championship.  Game time is set for 6:30 following the junior varsity matchup.

     Adel:  Blake Garrett pitched four innings to earn the win scattering five hits, allowing just one run, and striking out two.  Zach Folsom pitched the fifth in the five inning, mercy ruled game.  Palmer Betts and Tyler Norton (grand slam) each hit homeruns for Cook.  Garrett also added two doubles.  

     The Hornets are back in action Friday vs Brooks in Adel at 5:45. 

     Suwannee:  The Cook Hornets traveled to North Gwinnett (Suwannee) on Friday to face off against the Dacula Falcons and the North Gwinnett Bulldogs.   On Saturday the Hornets defeated the Falcons by a score of 8-7.  The Hornets started out slow falling behind early by a score of 7-1.  However they battled back capped off by a four run sixth inning to defeat the Falcons.  Zach Folsom earned the win as he entered the game in the fourth and held the Falcons at bay.  

     The Hornets lost the night cap to the Bulldogs, coached by former Hornet Frank Vashaw.  Vashaw's Bulldogs scored early in the first inning with three runs.  They would score two more in the third and hold an early 5-0 lead.  The Hornets staged another late come back led by Palmer Betts' two run homerun.  However it wasn't enough as the Hornets fell 5-3 to the Bulldogs. 

     Adel:  The Cook Hornet Baseball Club will once again face a tough non-region schedule in 2012 to prepare them for what hopes to be a deep playoff run to a state championship.  The region schedule remains the same with home and away meetings versus defending champion Berrien, Fitzgerald, Thomasville, Early Co., Albany, and Brooks.  Cook added three new opponents to the schedule for 2012, 4A South Forsyth, 5A Dacula, and 5A power North Gwinnett, coached by former Hornet head coach Frank Vashaw.  Cook will also play tough competition out of Region 1-AAAAA in Colquitt, Lowndes, and Valdosta.  Remaning on the schedule from previous seasons will be a couple elite programs in AA Jeff Davis, AAAA Thomas County Central, and AAAA Wayne County.  Cook will scrimmage Lanier County and open their season up in Valdosta against Wayne County.  Their home opener will be Saturday, February 25 at 4:00 vs South Forsyth. 

 Below is the link to the remaining schedule. 

http://ga.prepcountry.com/?t=5&wy=2012&s=21&sc=77&w=1

Adel:  The Cook Hornets have a long tradition of producing great starting pitching and on Wednesday that tradition was on display as two of their top pitchers signed scholarships.  Senior Palmer Betts signed with the University of Georgia and team mate Tyler Quick signed on with Valdosta State.  Both pitchers have played a huge role in the success of the program over the past three seasons.

     Betts will enter his senior season as a four year starter, three of those as a starting pitcher.  On the mound, he has posted 13 wins as pitcher, seven of those as a sophomore on the 2010 State Runner-Up team (7-2, 1.24 ERA).  Last season as a junior Betts was 6-3 with a 4.74 ERA.  Perhaps his most memorable start of his career came as sophomore in the 2010 State Quarter-Finals on the road at Pike when he shut down the Pirates in a 5-3 game three win that sent Cook to the Final Four.  Betts is also a .403 career hitter for the Hornets.

    Quick is a three year starter at first base and spent his first season in the starting rotation last season.  He worked some innings out of the Hornet bullpen in 2010 as a sophomore.  Last season as junior Quick posted a 5-0 record.  He was 1-0 as a sophomore earning his first victory in relief in game one of the 2010 Final Four vs Blessed Trinity.