Means Gets 5th at Dega

Jimmy Means Racing made Forest City especially proud this past weekend in Talladega. The Xfinity team based right here in Rutherford County with young Joey Gase driving had their best weekend so far this season.

Gase, who survived one minor incident during the 147 lap event at the biggest track on the NASCAR circuit proved worthy of a good finish. He started 39th and worked his way up to the top 10 on several occasions throughout Saturday's race. On the final lap, 22-year old Gase pushed his way from tenth to register a fifth. It's Gase's first Xfinity top five in his young career.

Means has seen his ups and downs in the sport, winning a race as a crew chief in 1998 for Ed Berrier and housed Moy racing at his shop in Forest City during that time. For 15 years, Means has been an Xfinity Series owner and that was his team's best finish during the decade and a half span. Congrats to Jimmy, Joey and the team. Hopefully, they can see more success of that nature down the road.

Panthers Draft

Dave Gettleman and Ron Rivera went outside the box, which really shouldn't be surprising. Carolina made just five of nine picks, trading the other four away.

Shaq Thompson, Devin Funchess, Daryl Williams, David Mayo and Cameron Artis-Payne were all picked by the Panthers.

It was definitely a bit of a shock that they took the linebacker Thompson in the first round, considering they need offensive line help. Thompson is a defensive playmaker and more than likely will start for the Panthers. Carolina got o-line help, when they took Williams, but at a right guard spot. They traded three picks away to get Funchess in the second round at wide receiver. Apparently, the Panthers feel like they can make Funchess a likely starter and a dual threat with Kelvin Benjamin. While Funchess can make some interesting grabs, he isn't Benjamin, but there is a lot of upside. Mayo was the second linebacker taken by the Panthers in this draft, which was strange. They scored again when running back Artis-Payne fell to them in the fifth round, which could shift into the departed Deangelo Williams spot sooner than later.

While they did find talent in their picked prospects, I just don't think they addressed what they needed. I thought the Atlanta Falcons had the best overall draft. The Falcons did exactly what they needed to do in the draft and without the sound effects on crowd noise.

High School playoffs

Seeding for softball and baseball are Saturday afternoon May 9. The first round takes place May 13.

East Rutherford, R-S Central and Chase baseball are solidly in the field. The same thing applies in softball as well in the 2A bracket.

Thomas Jefferson softball is holding out hope for a 1A postseason spot, but more than likely won't make the bracket. The same thing is going on with the baseball team. Both sit fifth of the seven teams in their conference.