The Goochland Gazette – 04/28/2022 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Goochland History: Years ago, pulpwood offered residents way to make a living > page 2

Volume 66 Number 17 • April 28, 2022

Supervisors adopt budget for FY2023 By Roslyn Ryan Editor

As the Goochland County Board of Supervisors officially concluded the 2023 budget process on April 19, voting unanimously to adopt the $124.4 million spending plan, board chairman Neil Spoonhower took the opportunity to inject a moment of levity. “I like metaphors and a lot of times the budget process is like Thanksgiving dinner,

where you work, work, work all day and in 45 minutes you’re done,” said Spoonhower. “But the nice thing is we’ll be nibbling on his budget all year long.” While the quip elicited a good-natured groan from the dais, Spoonhower’s fellow board members seemed similarly relieved to have concluded yet another budget planning journey, one that, as is typically the case, included countless meetings and work sessions to complete.

“This is a long effort,” noted acting county administrator Manuel Alvarez, himself a former county supervisor. “I didn’t think when I was appointed interim that I would be around for it, but here I am, and it’s, it’s actually been fun working with our staff. They’ve done a great job, all employees, because everybody participates in this process from day one –it has been an amazing experience for me.” see Budget > 3

Goochland Relay returns after two-year pandemic pause

Goochland’s Relay for Life made its much-anticipated return on April 23 after two years of largely virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured, from the bottom left: sisters Callie, Lily and Nikki Chenault spent the evening helping to raise funds for cancer research as part of the Providence Church Cure Chasers team; luminary bags lined the track at the Central High School Cultural and Education Center; Relay organizers Ruthie Whitehead, Shauna Sprouse and Val Pace. Photos by Roslyn Ryan

Health district grants aim to aide access to vaccines and immunizations By Roslyn Ryan Editor

A new funding opportunity just announced by the Chickahominy Health District will be aimed at helping local community-based organizations to promote COVID-19 vaccinations and other routine immunizations. The goal, according to Chickahominy Health District Director Dr. Tom Franck, is to help increase access to immunizations for those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. “The Chickahominy Health District is seeking proposals from diverse organizations to support our goal of ensuring greater equity and access to vaccines,” said Franck. “Community-based organizations are essential partners in the public health system. We’ve been working together successfully in response to COVID19 to protect those most at risk, and we look forward to continuing these efforts.” Grant awards can range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $80,000, with funds available from May 1, 2022, until June 30, 2024. Applications will be accepted on a

see Grants > 11

Thursday

April 28, 2022

Serving Goochland County

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Since 1955

Goochland History Revealed

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Photograph courtesy of Mason and George Smith

Decades ago, pulpwood was key commodity Fifty years ago when this photograph was taken, pulpwood was an important commodity in Goochland County. Trees were felled, stripped and cut into 5-foot lengths for transport. The men who did the logging were skilled and very strong. Here the men are carrying and loading the logs by hand. In this picture are Roy Jackson, Charlie Jackson, Neal Allen and Charles Turner. Thanks to Ben Owens for helping George Smith with the names of these men.

GoochlandCares celebrates Volunteer Appreciation Week Contributed report

During last week’s Volunteer Appreciation Week, GoochlandCares recognized and thanked over 225 volunteers who support the nonprofit organization’s mission to provide quality health care and basic human services for Goochland residents in need. While many things have changed during the past year, GoochlandCares volunteers and staff have been able to maintain all programs for clients. In 2021, volunteers donated 17,587 hours at GoochlandCares – a value of over $884,172.

Throughout the week of April 18-22, GoochlandCares celebrated volunteers with special treats, client testimonies and a meal provided by Lasagna Love. GoochlandCares appreciates its volunteers every day, but Volunteer Week is dedicated to honoring all volunteers as well as encouraging volunteerism throughout the year. Visit GoochlandCares any day of the week, and you will see volunteers donating their time and talents. They are bringing food curbside to clients, sorting donations in the Clothes Closet, taking

blood pressure at the Free Clinic, answering and making phone calls, and much, much more. A group of teen volunteers works monthly to pack grocery bags. Local churches provide dinners for staff while the building is open late on Tuesday evenings. Performance Food Group donates turkeys and sides to clients for Thanksgiving and sends volunteers to help distribute. What you may not see are the remote volunteers who have helped during the pandemic. Volunteers packed pet see Volunteers > 3

Calendar ................................ 4 Classifieds ......................12-15 Obituaries .............................. 4 Opinion .................................. 6 Sports .................................7-8 TV Listings ........................9-11

CONTACT US Toll Free - (877) 888-0449 Office - (804) 746-1235 Joy Monopoli Publisher (804) 775-4614 Fax: (804) 819-5529 Laura McFarland Managing Editor (804) 363-1577 Roslyn Ryan Editor (804) 339-7956 Robby Fletcher Sports Editor (804) 380-0497 Cindy Adams Classifieds (804) 775-4616 Fax: (804) 344-8746 Denine D’Angelo Production Manager (804) 775-4624

Thursday

Serving Goochland County

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

April 28, 2022

Since 1955

Pet of the Week

Volunteers continued from >2 food at home, wrote thank you notes, met on committee meetings via Zoom and more. A Capital One team created a brand refresh. A Genworth

Budget continued from >1 The county’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget, which begins on July 1, 2022, will maintain the real estate tax rate at $0.53 per $100 assessed value for calendar year 2022, and also decrease the personal property tax rate by 20 cents to $3.75 per $100 assessed value. The FY 2023 total county budget is a $16.9 million (12.0%) decrease from the 2022 budget. The FY 2023 $74.4 million county general fund budget represents an $8.9 million (13.5%) increase from

associate provided a staff development series. There are many ways to be involved at GoochlandCares depending on your schedule, interests and talents. If interested, fill out the volunteer application at GoochlandCares.org/ volunteer or call Diane Reale at

(804) 556-0712. GoochlandCares is a private, 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation that provides basic human services and health care to Goochland residents in need. GoochlandCares envisions a community where everyone’s basic human needs

are met. For more information visit www.GoochlandCares.org or contact Adair Roper, aroper@ GoochlandCares.org, (804) 556-6260. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/goochlandcares.

the FY 2022 budget. Built into the FY 2023 budget are several tax relief and tax reductions for county residents in need, including an increase in the real estate property tax relief amount for the elderly and disabled from $900 to $1,000. In addition, the 2023 plan provides eligible fire rescue volunteers one automobile free of personal property tax. As in years past, county leaders focused much of their attention while crafting the budget on education and public safety. Total county planned investments in education for fiscal year 2023 increased

$1,000,000, or 4.1% over the prior year (not including capital improvements). The budget for public safety grew by $3.2 million or 19.8% over the current fiscal year. In an effort to maintain a strong workforce, the county will be providing a 3% pay increase for all employees in the coming fiscal year, as well as a 2% increase for all nonpublic safety employees. In addition, the adopted budget sets aside funding for market level adjustments resulting from a salary benchmark study that Goochland County is currently conducting. The FY 2023 Budget also

marks the fifth year of utilizing a 25-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to meet the capital needs of the county and schools. The FY 2023 – FY 2047 CIP contains $505.5 million for forecasted projects including needed investments in education and public safety such as new elementary schools, a new courthouse and new fire stations. The first-year amount in the CIP for FY 2023 is $16.5 million and includes investments in new HVAC equipment at Goochland High School, a new ladder truck and a new West Creek fire station.

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“I am Groot! I am roughly 2 years old, weighing 55 pounds, and spent my early life living in a yard with many dogs, kinda fending for myself. When I arrived at the shelter, staff and volunteers thankfully noticed that I was uncomfortable with many things in my new environment. Over the last couple of months, a group of folks here have helped me learn to control my impulses and trust them instead of freezing or resorting to jumpy-mouthy tactics. I can now easily be redirected to sit or lie down (they say I’m smart!), but I still might try to communicate this way if you don’t understand me. I think that’s why they’re taking a special approach to my adoption. They’re looking for a buddy for me who won’t mind coming to the shelter for a few training sessions to get to know me, and they’re even going to provide in-home sessions if you and I hit it off. Cool, right? Ok, I gotta go cuddle up in someone’s lap now, but you can read on if you’re interested in giving me a home! ... I am Groot!” The Goochland Animal Shelter is located at 1900 Hidden Rock Lane in Goochland. For more information on Groot, as well as the many more still in need of homes at the Goochland Animal Shelter, call (804) 556-5302.

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Thursday

April 28, 2022

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

Serving Goochland County Since 1955

Obituaries LEONARD ARCHER III Leonard James Jude Archer III. At 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 10, 2022, Master Firefighter Len Archer, responded to the most important call of his life when Our Lord and Savior called him home to heaven. He ARCHER was sur-

rounded by family when the call came. Len passed away from complications related to treatment of his Stage 4 Terminal Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis of July 2018. His cancer was deemed an Occupational Exposure while on duty over the course of his long career in the fire service so he is considered a Line of Duty Death and his name will be added to the roster of Fallen Firefighters. Len began his firefighting career

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as a volunteer with Mattituck Fire Department on the east end of Long Island, N.Y. in October 1979, with badge number 481. In 1980, he took a job with Myrtle Beach Fire-Rescue where he stayed until 1982. He was hired by Richmond Fire Bureau in 1985 with badge number 170 where he served for 32 years in the suppression division and arson investigations section where he was a certified K-9 Handler. After retiring from Richmond, Len began work for Louisa County Fire & EMS where he was forced to hang up his helmet for the last time after about six months due to health conditions. During his time in Myrtle Beach while working an off-duty security job, Len met Paula and fell head over heels in love with her. He loved her with every fiber of his being from the day they met until the last breath, and now his love continues for her until they are reunited according to God’s plan. Len was in his fourth year as a cancer survivor. He was a man of great faith and that led him to not fear cancer but to meet it head on. He decided to participate in an experimental drug study program so that he could help fellow and future cancer

patients by allowing medical data to be gathered. He spent his last years of his life taking a drug which eradicated his body of the cancer but caused secondary health issues. Even with those issues, he lived three years longer than expected and he and Paula made the most of it. He was always smiling and joking and he worried more about helping others than the help that he needed. They have lived the last two years in The Villages in central Florida where it’s always warm and sunny. Len was thrilled to never have to shovel snow again. After Len’s diagnosis, he made a point of traveling to many fire departments and speaking about cancer prevention initiatives amongst our ranks. Firefighters, please honor his memory by taking steps to avoid preventable cancers and by always using proper PPE to make it as difficult as possible for cancer to get to you. Len’s walk with God gave him the peace he needed to get through the journey. He encouraged all of us to trust in God as we watched His miracle in Len’s life. Len continued his Christian Music Ministry through his cancer years until health issues prevented him from continuing in the last

year. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Paula Ager Archer; their daughter, Virginia Mae Lee (Roy); and granddaughter, Amber Lynn Lee. Len was predeceased by Lt. Ellie Archer on November 19, 2020. She was his faithful Accelerant Detection K-9 Partner in the Richmond Fire & Police Investigations Unit who was with him 24/7 even in retirement. A Firefighter’s memorial service with full honors will be held on Friday, April 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. at Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 11220 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, Va. 23059. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Len’s favorite charity, The RFD Foundation which provides financial support to The Metro Richmond Flying Squad, an all-volunteer agency which provides rehab support to firefighters, police officers and EMS Personnel on incidents every day across four different political jurisdictions. Donations can be made payable to RFD Foundation and mailed to Richmond Fire & Police Credit Union, 200 W. Grace St., Richmond, Va. 23220. The service will be available through live stream at https://subspla.sh/3369726, beginning five minutes before the service.

ERNEST SHINAULT Ernest Walker “Ernie” Shinault, 71, of Columbia, Virginia, went to be with his Lord on Monday, April 18, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Helen Shinault; his halfSHINAULT b ro t h e r, Teddy Baze; and his son, Herb W. Shinault. He is survived by his brother, David Shinault; his four daughters, Sonya Duer (Kirk), Debbie Erb (Chris), Helen Shinault, Wendy Shinault; and 11 grandchildren. He was an employee of Nabisco for over 30 years. He loved working on cars; he was a “certified” backyard mechanic. He loved hunting, fishing and NASCAR. The family received friends on Friday, April 22, 2022, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., at the Mechanicsville Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 8014 Lee-Davis Rd., where funeral services were held Saturday, April 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers in his memory, please donate to The Wounded Warrior Project or The American Cancer Society.

Community Calendar Thursday, May 5

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Goochland County will be observing the National Day of Prayer on the courthouse green at Goochland Courthouse at 12:20 p.m. In the event of rain the event will be held at Goochland Company 5 Firehouse.

Tuesday, May 10 “College: Getting There From Here” will be held at the

tern and allow your mind to drift. All supplies will be provided, no experience needed. Finished pieces will be displayed in the library to spread the peace and joy! Call (804) 749-3146 or visit the library at Saturday, May 14 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for “Meditative Practice: more information. Crochet” will be held at the Cochrane Rockville Branch Saturday, May 21 Library will be held from 2 - 3 Friday, May 13 p.m. for those ages 12 and up. “Meditative Painting: Friday Book Group will be Crochet a simple, repetitive patsee Calendar > 5

Cochrane Rockville Branch Library from 6 - 7 p.m. for those ages 18 & up. Justin Williams of Edward Jones Financial will shares the features and benefits of 529 college savings plans and savings strategies to help you reach your goals. Registration required. Call (804) 749-3146 for more information.

held at the Goochland Branch Library from 11 a.m. – noon. Call (804) 556-4774 or visit the library at 3075 River Road West for more information.

Thursday

April 28, 2022

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

Serving Goochland County Since 1955

In The Garden

From Culver’s Root to Spiderwort, Virginia remains a garden paradise Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe in the position you arrange them in, the Tree): A large shrub or small tree, this species itself may spread from any spot Virginia native delivers gorgeous white, you initially plant it in. Select varieties Virginia has a long and rich horticul- fringe-like blooms and is a great substitute such as ‘Miss Manners’ if you really only tural history. From Native Americans for, and a major upgrade from, the highly want a small patch. teaching early Western settlers about invasive Bradford pear tree. important food crops to the plant hunter Fall Blooms: John Tradescant, sent by King Charles Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderwort): Hamamelis virginiana (Witch the First of England, horticulture in the With blooms from May through August, Hazel): Smelling and seeing these blooms Virginia colonies is heavily documented this front of the border perennial provides as most other plants are fading is delightstarting in the 1600s. Specifically, plants a lot of flower power for very little mainful. With the right weather patterns, you collected in the colony were a source tenance. can cut a few blooming branches for of wonder for Europeans experiencing your Thanksgiving table centerpiece. American native plants of all kinds for the Chrysogonum virginianum (Green first time. So much so, that when Linnaeus and Gold): A great ground cover in To find the detailed cultural needs began publishing his new, improved taxo- shade, the cheery yellow blooms on this and dimensions of each of these plants, nomic system for naming plants in 1735, plant have made it the ‘Favorite Native’ visit the Missouri Botanical Gardens many American plants native to the East of the executive director of the Charlotte Plant Finder database at www.mobot. Coast were named after Virginia. Botanical Garden. org/plantfinder. And when shopping for How can you tell if a plant is named for the Commonwealth? The clue is in Summer see Garden > 11 the second part of the two-word Latin Blooms: plant names. The first word in a botanical Itea virginica ca name indicates the genus the plant comes ): from and the second word is the “specific (Virginia Sweetspire): ns epithet.” A specific epithet is an adjective A shrub that begins e, that describes that specific member of the blooming in June, ’s varieties like ‘Henry’s genus. It can describe anything from a n leaf characteristic to a flower color, but in Garnet’ have been some instances it describes the location of bred to heighten thee gorgeous red color off discovery, like Virginia. Today many of these “Virginia” plants the foliage in fall. are terrific ornamental garden additions Veronicastrum and, as you might have guessed, are happy to grow in the conditions found in the virginica (Culver’s state for which they are named. These Root): Tall candeplants are also great functional additions labra-like blooms to your garden. As native blooming plants, are mobbed by bees they can provide pollen and nectar for while strong stems pollinators throughout the growing sea- help these perennials son. While the complete list of Virginia avoid any flopping plants is too long to include here, the sam- in the back of the pler list below may help you find a few to border. try in your own landscape. Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Spring Blooms: Plant): The comMertensia virginica (Virginia mon name of this Bluebells): A beautiful spring ephemeral plant may be a bit with pinkish blue blooms that arrive in deceptive. While Photo courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Gardens late March just when early moving bum- the flower buds Veronicastrum virginica (Culver’s Root) is one of many plants ble bee queens need a nectar source. will obediently stay named for the Commonwealth. By Cathy McCarthy Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Goochland County Fire-Rescue

Annual testing of county’s dry hydrants set to begin May 1 Contributed report

Goochland County FireRescue and Emergency Services will begin their annual testing and preventative maintenance program for dry hydrants on May 1, 2022. Dry hydrants in ponds, lakes and streams throughout the county are a relied upon means of rural water supply to support fire suppression. Trident Mobile Service, LLC will perform the testing, preventive maintenance and inspections this year. You will see them throughout the county over the next couple

Calendar

months. Goochland County FireRescue and Emergency Services is contacting homeowners and property owners to notify them of the upcoming inspections. They anticipate completing the dry hydrant testing by early summer. Kirsten Martin with Goochland County FireRescue and Emergency Services is coordinating this year’s inspections and may be reached at (804) 556-5366 or kmartin@goochlandva.us if there are any questions or concerns.

from 10 – 11 a.m. Call (804) continued from >4 556-4774 or visit the library at 3075 River Road West for Sunflower” will be held at the more information. Cochrane Rockville Branch Library from 1 - 2 p.m. for those ages 14 and up. Follow Take & Make Programs along to create a beautiful Remarkable Bookmarks Sunflower painting. No art Pickup begins Monday, experience needed! Call (804) May 16 at the Goochland 749-3146 or visit the library at Branch Library for ages 18 & 16600 Pouncey Tract Road for up. Create bookmarks with more information. affirmative words using craft paper and magnetic strips. Tuesday, May 24 Activity includes titles with Goochland Mystery Book affirmative thoughts. Call Group will be held at the (804) 556-4774 for more inforGoochland Branch Library mation.

Thursday

OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

April 28, 2022

With ‘wants’ cut, more funding may be the only solution for new school project By Roslyn Ryan Editor

We’ve all heard it, but when it comes to spending money responsibly it’s almost always a wise idea to remember what an esteemed group of musicians from London told us many decades ago: you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you can get what you need. The tricky part, of course, is figuring out what falls under “wants” and what falls under “needs.” Lately, this is a problem with which the Goochland County School Board has become all too familiar. When it was revealed earlier this year that the $30 million dollar price tag for the muchcelebrated new Goochland Elementary School had ballooned to an eye-popping $54 million, school board members were quick to jettison several features of the project that were deemed wants rather than needs. Suddenly gone were the beautiful walls of glass that were included in the original design to help bring more natural light into the

classroom. The metal-clad exterior was replaced with less-expensive brick, and even the shape of the building itself was reworked and compacted. At one point in the paring-down process, items on the chopping block included everything from basketball hoops to whiteboards to bike racks. Still, even with the willingness to give up certain “extras,” the school board has been left in a truly unenviable position. With the original plan clearly untenable, they are now faced with a host of less-than-appealing alternatives ranging from starting over from scratch on a new piece of property (one with fewer costly site issues) to abandoning the new construction altogether and simply renovating the current Goochland Elementary School. Neither choice was met with much enthusiasm during a recent meeting between the school board and the board of supervisors, but both seemed less painful than the solution both elected bodies seemed to be tiptoeing carefully around for

the better part of two hours: going back to the citizens, who had overwhelming supported the new school in a bond referendum last November, and asking for more money. It isn’t hard to see both the rock and the hard place that the school board now finds itself in. But the funds have been borrowed and the interest is accruing. Doing nothing is not an option, and neither is building a subpar facility. If asking for more money would allow the school division to construct a quality building that will continue to serve the community for years to come— even with a few less window or whiteboards—that is what should be done. There is reason for hope should officials decide that more funding is needed. Residents have already agreed, through their support of the bond referendum, that the county needs a new elementary school. They have also said, by electing the current school board members and supervisors (in most cases to multiple terms), that they trust them to do what is right. So logic

Editorial & Business Office and Mailing Address: 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, VA 23116 Phone – (804) 746-1235 Toll free – (877) 888-0449 Fax – (804) 344-8746 Online: www.goochlandgazette.com

Publisher Managing Editor Editor Sports Editor Sales Representative Classifieds Production Manager

Joy Monopoli

jmonopoli@RSNVA.com

would follow that, if the elected bodies say that they have culled every possible “want” from the project and still need additional funds to complete the new school, the citizens will agree that borrowing those funds is the best course of action. No, it isn’t the ideal solu-

“With the original plan clearly untenable, they are now faced with a host of less-thanappealing alternatives.” tion, but at this time it would appear to be the best path forward. As so often happens, not everyone will get what they want. The students of Goochland, however, will get what they need.

rryan@gooochlandgazette.com

Robby Fletcher

rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

Tom Haynie

thaynie@mechlocal.com

Cindy Adams

cadams@mechlocal.com

Denine D’Angelo ddangelo@mechlocal.com

Since 1955

This old house By Jim Ridolphi Contributing Columnist

I couldn’t remember the last time the old house on Cutshaw Place stood empty. I suppose it was back in the early 1950s when we first moved in the small brick Cape Cod located near Willow Lawn. In those days, we didn’t have an abundance of furniture and the rooms seemed large and unfilled to small prying eyes. As I sat on one of the many boxes stacked and ready to move last week, I realized it was once again empty and a sense of sadness descended upon me. Even though life moves on and the possibilities of the future did not include the old house that had more than lived up to any and all expectations, it’s still sad to say goodbye to a place that represented so much history, so much triumph and tragedy. It welcomed our small family as we moved to Richmond from Montgomery, Alabama. Located just west of Staples Mill Road, we enjoyed the benefits of being in the country in those first years when Willow Lawn was just a plan, and Broad Street narrowed to two lanes heading west.

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS The Local welcomes your signed letters to the editor on topics of interest to Goochland residents. Letters must include your address and a daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters. We do not guarantee that every letter received will be published. Letters reflect the opinions and positions of the writers and not The Goochland Gazette.

Laura McFarland lmcfarland@powhatantoday.com Roslyn Ryan

Serving Goochland County

Send letters to: The Goochland Gazette 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd. Mechanicsville, Va. 23116 Fax: 344-8746 E-mail: editor@goochlandgazette.com © 2022 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. CAC Audited Circulation: 8,014.

That was almost seven decades ago, but as we emptied every nook and cranny in the house, reminders of those early days were routinely revealed. As anyone who has moved from a long-term residence can attest, some of the most interesting items are found stuck in the drawer of an old dresser or discarded in the back of a closet. I looked at an old playing card emboldened with the name of the first company where my father worked when we first came to town. Laying beside it was a clouded plastic remnant of a key ring from Emrick Chevrolet, where he bought his first new car, a 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne with a three speed transmission on the column. Tucked away in the roof of one of the eaves I discover an old photo of the Class of 1965 of John Randolph Tucker High School. I recognized my sister and some of her friends from that first graduating class. I collected similar items in a box as we moved box after box of dishes, books. Looking down at the items in the box, I realized that collectively, they may appear as random junk to any onlooker. But, each represented a small portion of the history of Cutshaw, a legacy of family, friends and memories. It also became abundantly apparent the house would never be defined by its contents, and the true history of the house could better be told by the generations who occupied it. For example, consider the number of children who called Cutshaw home. My sister and I were the first group to live our formative years there, and my four children all have associations with the residence. The old house has seen its share of celebrations and also a

see House > page 11

Thursday

April 28, 2022

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

Serving Goochland County Since 1955

Boys lacrosse team off to great start By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

losing in on the final seconds of what would be an 11-7 win for the Goochland boys junior varsity lacrosse team against Orange County on March 16, head coach Matt Leynes could sense the moment firmly cemented in history. In the first game in program history, the Bulldogs were able to secure a victory despite boasting a roster that had nearly as many newcomers to the sport as it did experienced lacrosse players. In fact, Leynes counted 10 of his 24 players had never picked up a lacrosse stick until the team began their offseason conditioning just two months before their first game. That victorious moment, Leynes says, stands atop his personal coaching Mount Rushmore. “That will go down as one of the top moments in my coaching career,” Leynes said. “You can’t make it up, that’s something special, and to do it at home as the first game in program history, it just meant so much.” While Leynes has been coaching the sport for over eight years, including running his own travel team, he saw the coaching position with the JV Bulldogs in their inaugural season as an opportunity he had never tackled before, and seeing how the team has progressed to a 5-2 record in its first few months of infancy, he can’t help but be pleased. “Every one of my 24 players wants it and is committed to the game of lacrosse. It just makes it easy on the coach to deliver,” Leynes said. Leynes credits the sup-

Photos by Robby Fletcher

Left, freshman team captain Andrew Craddock makes a run up the field with the ball in the mesh of his stick as he quickly turns defense into offense in Goochland’s 10-9 win against Charlottesville on April 15. Right, junior Adger Cardani surveys the field moments before he scores an early first quarter goal.

port from athletic director Joe Fowler, principal Chris Collier and Goochland Middle School vice principal Patrick Gordon as key components to getting the program up and running, and with the necessary team resources to draw interested athletes in, the program is already fast tracked to have a varsity team along with the current JV team by next season. Among the pioneering Bulldogs are a few players familiar with Leynes as a coach with his team Tomahawk Lacrosse, including freshman midfielder and captain Andrew Craddock as well as goalie Wyatt Richardson. Craddock, who has played lacrosse since the third grade, is one of the more experienced

players on the team, and says he sees the rapid progress the team has made firsthand. “A lot of people on this team are just naturals at this game,” he said. One of the most fast-developing aspects of the team has been the three-man defensive back line consisting of juniors Josh Usry and Easton Bowman along with freshman Charlie Darr, all three of whom have never played lacrosse up until this season. The trio all come from football backgrounds with Goochland, and Usry says the unique physicality of lacrosse drew him into the new opportunity. “Although the physicality rules are different, it’s kind of the same mindset in football

and how you’re supposed to hit,” Usry said. “That physical mindset of you versus the other person translated well to lacrosse and I liked that.” While even Usry will admit he still needs to improve on his stick-handling and defensive skills, he’s quickly grown into a talented and vital part of the team’s early success, even being named a team captain. “Being a leader on the team is one of the greatest opportunities I’ve been presented with. I really do love this team,” he said. “I know it’s very unusual for someone who is not necessarily the best or they’re still developing their skills to be a team captain, but I just try to do my best to have a relationship with everybody on the team and try my best

to take criticism from people.” The Bulldogs have also found a true star in the goalscoring department with junior Adger Cardani, who is averaging four goals per game and Leynes says is a top-tier, varsity-level talent. Leynes also credits Cardani as a humble leader the team has rallied behind over the course of the season. While Goochland’s success has been a welcome surprise to all involved with the program, Leynes says the hardest obstacle is yet to come. When the Bulldogs elevate from the JV level to varsity next season, the teams of the Jefferson District won’t go easy on the new kids. That hasn’t stopped this group before though, and

with wins against respectable programs like Monticello, Mechanicsville and Charlottesville, this scrappy and rising young group has sky-high ambitions of competing with the best of the best in the district once they reach the next level. “I really hope that Goochland lacrosse can grow and that we one day will have a chance of being in that top spot at the varsity level,” Craddock said. With a coach that cares passionately about teaching the game the right way, and a team of 24 kids that have consistently given it their all, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think that these trailblazing Bulldogs have what it takes to reach those heights.

Thursday

April 28, 2022

SPORTS: Youth, High School, College, Recreational, Professional

Serving Goochland County Since 1955

Goochland track and field steps up in busy week By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

ompeting in two meets in three days, the Goochland track and field team showed out on both occasions with several great performances. In the first meet hosted by Lousia County on Wednesday, April 20, the Bulldog boys finished in second place out of seven schools, while the girls finished in third to round out a stellar day. Then on Saturday, the Bulldogs traveled to Fork Union to compete in the heavily anticipated Gus Lacy Track Classic, where the girls finished 10th out of 19 competing schools and the boys finished 13th out of 21. It was a tremendous week on the track, especially for sophomore Jade Taylor, who won first place in two hurdles events while also setting a new Goochland record in the 300meter hurdles. After placing third on Wednesday in the 300 hurdles

with a time of 50.20 seconds, Taylor stepped up in her next appearance with a blazing 48.15-second pace that not only won Goochland the competition, but broke a record that’s been untouched since 2004 when Carlotta Jackson set it at 49.65 seconds. Taylor wasn’t just content with that historical time though; she also placed second in the 200-meter dash and first in the 100-meter hurdles at Louisa before placing fourth at Fork Union in the 100 hurdles. In the 200, she finished the race in 27.84 seconds. Her 16.16-second 100meter hurdle time that gave her fourth place was even faster than her 16.40-second first place effort, a fantastic feat for a runner that’s quickly becoming a star in the making. Taylor wasn’t the only winner on Wednesday for the girls, fellow sophomore Leilani Burgess took home first with her 200-meter dash result of 27.70 seconds and in the 400-meter dash at 1:06.34. At the Gus Lacy Track

Classic, she also turned in a third place high jump result of 4 feet, 9 inches, showcasing her versatility to the traveling Goochland fans in attendance. On the boys side, senior Omarion Quarles had a great week as well, highlighted by a photo finish victory against Central’s NyJae Carter in the 100-meter dash at Louisa. Quarles won by just 0.03 seconds in a nail-biting finish that saw him cross the finish line at 11.96 seconds. He followed that performance up with a fantastic run in the 200 dash as well, winning that in 23.94 seconds. His teammate Jack Alston was close behind in second with a 24.48-second finish. Later on at Louisa, junior Wyatt Davis and freshman Owen Walton turned in solid second and third place results in the 400-meter dash among 29 runners, with a time of 55.65 seconds for Davis and 57.05 for Walton. In the 800-meter, eighthgrade standouts David Johnson and Maverick Busher also finished second and third,

Photos by Nick Cooley

From left to right: sophomore Jade Taylor competes in a hurdles competition, sophomore Megan Reid runs in a relay and freshman Owen Walton competes in a relay after running the 400-meter dash on April 20.

with Johnson finishing at 2:23.04 and Busher at 2:30.52. It was also a great week for senior Alexander Rosenbaum, who won the shot put and discus competitions at Louisa and placed in the top-10 in both at Fork Union. In his first place shot put performance, Rosenbaum bested 23 competitors with a

39-foot, 5.50-inch distance, while his discus throw of 12703 shattered any chance for his opponents to win, with the next best result coming in at 98-04. Rosenbaum improved on both of those results later in the week, though his 128-04 discus throw placed him in fourth and his 40-09.00 shot

put distance was good for sixth place in a stacked competition. The Bulldogs will compete again on May 6, when they travel to the Caroline Invitational held in Milford, Virginia. Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com.

Bulldog roundup: Multiple teams battle the Hornets By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

The baseball team gave a strong defensive performance against the Orange County Hornets on April 21, a team that stands among the best in the Jefferson District with a 7-2 record. Despite a solid performance, the Hornets were able to pull out a 2-0 victory. It was still an impressive night on the mound for junior A.J. Condrey, who allowed just five hits in six innings pitched. He also struck out four batters.

It was also a productive day for Corey Mullins at bat, with the sophomore going two-for-two to lead the Bulldogs offense. The Bulldogs will face Western Albemarle next on April 28. In the softball team’s game against Orange County, who are a perfect 9-0, the Bulldogs suffered their toughest loss of the season against a rolling Hornets team that has looked unstoppable to start the season. Losing 8-1, the Bulldogs did get a run at the top of the sixth after a Jayden Staton ground out advanced Abrielle White to

home. The Bulldogs will travel to Western Albemarle in their next game on April 28. The boys and girls soccer teams also had matchups with Orange County, with both taking tough losses. The boys fell to the 5-1-1 Hornets 5-2 in the road contest, but goals by sophomore Duncan Pillion and junior Gintautas Putinas show that the team is still making progress offensively. The girls, meanwhile, lost 4-0 to a Hornets team that is undefeated at 6-0. The girls travel to Caroline for a match-

up on April 29 while the boys host that same Caroline team that day. The girls lacrosse team continues to look for its first win of the season, with the girls last playing at home against the Charlottesville Black Knights, who left with an 18-0 win. The girls play again in a road matchup with Thomas Dale on April 28 at 6 p.m. Rounding the week up, the tennis teams fell in matchups against Albemarle on April 20, Photo by Robby Fletcher with the boys losing 8-1 and Senior Marina Stratiou makes a run at the net in Goochland’s matchup against James Monroe on April 19. the girls falling 9-0.

Thursday

THURSDAY EVENING 4 PM 4:30 5 PM ESPN

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C (3:00) NFL Live (N) (Live)

NBCSW

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E (2:00) Trackside Live! (N) (Live)

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6-CBS

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