From staff reports

The inaugural Sports Talk/Stump On Sports Tennessee/Georgia All-star softball and baseball games will feature top senior talent from the Northwest Georgia area.

Catoosa County will be well represented on the Georgia glitter squad.

Ringgold standout Anthony Parker will be joined by Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe stars, J.D. Davis, Billy Carter, Kyle Taylor and Josh Coulter on the Georgia team coached by Wendell Clowers.

The nine-inning Tennessee/Georgia baseball game is scheduled for 7:30 on June 18 at the award-winning Ballpark at Ridgeland.

The game will be preceded by a Battle of the Sexes softball game between Northwest Georgia banker Bobby Hudgens’ 14-Under Frost Falcons girls softball team, and the 14-under Colonels boys baseball team coached by Mark Hydas.

“I think something like this is long overdue, and a very good opportunity for the kids from both states who have never played against each other to see how good the other players really are,’’ Hydas said. “Not a single coach or player I have mentioned the game to has had anything negative to say about it.’’

Hydas said that this will be an excellent opportunity for those who have not signed to get one last look from the college and professional scouts he expects to attend.

“The coaches and players are already talking about next year and we haven’t played this year’s game yet,’’ Hydas said.

Gene Lively, who is retiring at Central, has been selected to manage the Tennessee team. Steve Garland of Soddy-Daisy, and Joe Wingate of Ooltewah, have been selected as assistant coaches for the Tennessee Stars.

Clowers led LFO to the school’s first region championship in more than 25 years and has been selected as the manager of the Georgia Stars. Gordon Lee’s Greg Payne, who has led his Trojans to back-to-back state tournament appearances in his first two years as a high school head coach, and Chris Jones of Lafayette, have been selected as assistants for the Georgia Stars.

The idea for the game originated during the Stump On Sports All-star football banquet when LFO’s J.D. Davis told Stump Martin he would like to have the opportunity to play in an All-star game against the Tennessee players in the area in football.

“We have hosted the Tennessee/Georgia All-star softball game twice and I thought this would be a good idea for the boys to get in on the act,’’ Martin said. “We’ll have the softball and baseball games this year, and hopefully we can obtain a sponsor to have boys and girls All-star basketball games and golf matches next year.’’

Martin said he would love to see a football All-star game too.

The Tennessee/Georgia softball game is scheduled for June 17 at Frost Stadium. The top graduating seniors from Georgia and Tennessee will meet in a doubleheader starting at 7:30 p.m.

The game will be preceded by the Dixie Majors Old-timers Fastpitch All-star game at 5:30.

“This will give the kids something to look forward to each year,’’ Hudgens said. “The athletes usually get picked to All-star teams and never get to play a game. Now they will get to see what they can do against players from another state.’’

With the majority of the LFO and Ringgold softball players underclassmen neither team has a representative on the All-star team.

The All-stars for the games are picked from six counties each in Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee.

The Tennessee teams were picked from players in Hamilton, Bradley, Polk, Sequatchie, Marion and Rhea counties.

The Georgia teams were picked from Catoosa, Walker, Dade, Chattooga, Murray and Whitfield counties.

The rosters were set by select media and coaches in both states