The Oconee Leader

For hundreds of photos and updates about Oconee events and people, go to theoconeeleader. com

This Week: Calendar Introduction to Behavioral Health and Addictive Disease Training: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Bogart Community Center, 141 E. Thompson Street, Bogart. The free 8-hour training program includes class instruction on: Introduction to Behavioral Health and Addictive Diseases Mental Health Law Overview of Community Resources Living in Recovery. The course is taught by trained CIT Coordinators.

Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation Members’ Exhibition: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, 34 School St., Watkinsville.

Free. (706) 769-4565 , www.ocaf.com Crafternoon: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oconee County Library.

Drop in for a fun, self-directed “Make it and Take it” craft. Check our Facebook page on Wednesdays to find out what we’re doing - Oconee County Library Children’s Section. All ages.

Free. (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary. org/oconee.

Intro to Knitting 5-Part Workshop with Dorothy Algie: 3 p.m. Thursday, Oconee County Library. Ever wanted to learn how to knit? Now is your chance. This hands-on workshop is for very beginners and supplies are provided.

Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Free. (706) 7693950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

TOPS weight loss: 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Government Annex Building, Highway 15, Watkinsville. Meetings are held each Thursday.

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is a nonprofit support group for weight loss. Members can share challenges, successes, or goals, hear a brief program and discuss plans for the week.

(800) 932-8677 or www. tops.org.

First Friday on Main: 6 p.m. Friday, Downtown Watkinsville, Main Street, Watkinsville.

Searching for fun and free entertainment for the whole family this Friday night? Look no futher than Main Street!

Every first Friday from April through December, downtown Watkinsville rolls out the red carpet for families to come out and enjoy activities the whole family participate in. From free tractor hay rides, inflatables, shows and popcorn for the kids, to outdoor music, great shopping and quality restaurants for Mom and Dad, there is something for everyone. Free. www.watkinsvillefirstfriday.com/ Oconee Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oconee County Courthouse, 23 N Main Street, Watkinsville. The market is open rain-or-shine on Saturdays through the last Saturday in November.

Please see EVENTS

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Contact us:

Email editor@theoconeeleader. com

Twitter @TheOconeeLeader

Issue 26

From the Oconee to the Apalachee

Volume 11

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Major step up for former Oconee High star

GENE J. PUSKAR/Associated Press The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Adam Frazier (right) celebrates with teammate Chris Stewart after both scored on a three-run double by David Freese in the second inning of a game Sunday in Pittsburgh. Former Oconee High School standout Frazier was promoted to the majors last week. Story in Sports, page 4.

Pipeline foes pressing their case

By Lee Shearer

TheOconeeLeader.com

Oconee County planners penciled in a route for a controversial wastewater pipeline on Calls Creek long before they told the public of their plans, according to Oconee County blogger Lee Becker.

But Calls Creek homeowners who’ve organized to oppose the proposed pipeline still believe Oconee County commissioners might wind up listening to the group’s arguments against the wastewater pipeline, according to Jim McGarvey, leader of a group called Friends of Calls Creek, organized to resist the pipeline plans.

About 80 houses, about 40 on each side of the stream, are on the roughly 3-mile stretch of Calls Creek where a wastewater pipeline would run, taking treated wastewater from an existing treatment plant on Calls Creek down to empty it into the Middle Oconee River.

Becker, a University of Geor-

JOHN ROARK/Oconee Leader Cindy Mitchell McGarvey (center) speaks with neighbors about the proposed sewer pipeline that would cut through their Hickory Hills neighborhood in Watkinsville.

gia journalism professor, found plans for the pipeline dating back to at least March 2015, he reported in his Oconee Observations blog.

But two county commissioners have now visited with Calls Creek homeowners to see what they’re

complaining about, and others have indicated they’ll visit, McGarvey said.

“We just want them to look at alternatives,” McGarvey said.

Oconee County Utility Department Director Wayne Haynie ear-

lier this year promised to examine several other alternatives, but has issued no report.

“We keep hearing they’re going to look at alternatives,” McGarvey said.

But so far, the commission hasn’t voted on doing alternative studies, he said.

Opponents are hoping commissioners will heed a planning document from 2005 one of the group’s members unearthed — showing the Calls Creek option was the lowest-ranked alternative of several that an engineering firm evaluated.

Alternatives include building a wastewater treatment plant on the Middle Oconee River to supplement or replace one already on Calls Creek, upstream of where the pipeline would be, and different routes to get treated wastewater from the Calls Please see PIPELINE

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Monday looks to be a blast

By Rob Peecher

TheOconeeLeader.com

One of the county’s most popular events will return with a bang Monday as Oconee County launches its fourth annual July 4th Spectacular fireworks show.

John Gentry, director of the Oconee Parks and Recreation Department, said the July 4th Spectacular is one of the most popular events Oconee County hosts, and folks coming out to see the fireworks and enjoy the activities at the park should anticipate a large crowd.

“This has grown each year, and we’re anticipating anywhere from 9,000 to

10,000 people based on the number of vehicles we’ve had at the park the last two years,” Gentry said. “It’s just a great family atmosphere. It’s free to come and observe the fireworks, and people can buy food – we’ll have plenty of food vendors – and we’ll have live entertainment.”

Gentry said the park opens at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 4 and the music will start around 6:30 p.m.

The afternoon activities will feature more than a dozen food vendors selling food, and the Scott Brantley Band and the Holman Autry Band will be providing live music. The UGA Men’s Ensemble will also perform some patriotic

FILE/Oconee Leader Oconee Parks and Recreation Director John Gentry says the annual fireworks show at Oconee Veterans Park will likely draw a large crowd.

songs, and Tommy Murray will sing a tribute to the flag, Old Glory.

The Kids Zone will also return as part of the day’s activities, but Gentry said this year the inflatables will not be free. For $10,

kids can get a bracelet that allows them unlimited access to the inflatables, or kids can enjoy them for a $1 each turn. Gentry said charging for the inflatables helps the county limit the cost of staffing for the

event.

He noted, too, that the sponsors offset the cost of the fireworks show so that almost all of the $47,000 Please see FIREWORKS

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Thursday, June 30, 2016

DOT to fund intersection work

By Mike Sprayberry TheOconeeLeader.com

One key intersection in Oconee County is set to receive a facelift thanks to additional road improvement funds awarded by the Georgia Department of Transportation in the last few weeks.

The installation of a traffic signal and realignment of the intersection at Mars Hill Road, Virgil Langford Road and Rocky Branch Road was approved by GDOT as well as $250,000 of state money to complete the project. Construction on those improvements could be complete in four to six months. The county was also notified that it would receive $569,000 in GDOT funds for other road improvements in Fiscal Year 2017.

“One of (the sources of funding) is a Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) from GDOT,” said Melvin Davis, Chairman of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners. “We received notification in April that due to House Bill 170 and taxes collected by the state on gas purchases, there might be some additional LMIG funds this fiscal year.

“We get funding annually from GDOT to use LMIG funds based on a formula using each county’s centerline road mileage on county roads as well as the population of each county.

We applied and had to submit a project for additional LMIG money and a grant application for that. We submitted a project putting a signal for safety purposes at the intersection of Mars Hill Road, Virgil Langford Road and Rocky Branch Road.”

The applications for the project and the grant were approved and GDOT is expected to foot a large portion of the bill for the improvement.

“We received notification in the last couple of weeks that we would get some funding for that to the tune of $250,000,” said Davis. “The coun-

ty will have to put in a minimum of an additional 30 percent of our grant to fund that project.”

According to Davis, Oconee County may end up paying more than an additional 30 percent as that particular intersection is expected to require some additional tweaks that other intersections do not.

“It may cost more because we have to realign the road a bit and put in the signals and stop bars. We may have to put in more than 30 percent. It may cost a heck of a lot more than that.

We may have to put in an additional 50 or 60 percent, but that $250,000 will help us complete that project.”

With the project and state funding approved, Davis said he expects construction to get underway and be completed quickly.

“I trust that we will start on the project reasonably quickly. It depends on when we can get some work done, but I hope it would be completed in the next four to six months.”

Aside from the supplemental LMIG money the county was just awarded, Davis also elaborated on the county’s standard LMIG funding for Fiscal Year 2017 and the projects he expects it to cover.

“Now, for Phase II, for our annual LMIG funding, we just received notification that for our funding based on that same formula for FY 2017, we will receive approximately $569,000.

So, we got approximately a 30 percent increase in the allocation for this year over last year.”

Davis also noted that the county is required to match at least 30 percent of the FY 2017 LMIG funds and that some counties in Georgia do not have to supply as many local dollars for similar projects.

“That is the penalty for TSPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) being defeated,” explained Davis. “The counties that (voted against TSPLOST) had to

Fireworks cost is paid for by sponsors. Walton EMC is the primary sponsor this year.

“The sponsors make this manageable,” Gentry said. “The fireworks, stage and sound alone run roughly $30,000.”

The other thing people should expect if they’re coming out to the July 4th Spectacular is traffic.

Gentry said when the event begins at 5:30 the park staff will only use the Hog Mountain Road access as an entry to the park. All cars exiting the park will go through the back of OVP, past the dog park, and exit onto

Continued from page 1 Hodges Mill Road. At the end of the event, cars will exit either on Hog Mountain or on Hodges Mill based on where they are parked.

Parking is also available at Herman C. Michael Park across Hog Mountain Road from OVP on Elder Road.

“We’re encouraging people to come early and carpool,” Gentry said.

The activities will all be held at the soccer fields to the right as people enter OVP, but parking will be throughout the park.

Pets, alcohol, personal fireworks

Events Located in front of the courthouse in downtown Watkinsville.

Oconee 4th of July Spectacular: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oconee Veterans Park, 3500 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville. Independence Day celebration featuring fireworks for the whole community. Volunteers are needed, please email Whitney Sperlik at wsperlik@

match LMIG funding with 30 percent and those regions that passed TSPLOST only have to match with 10 percent. That was due to legislation. That is not a GDOT rule.”

Projects likely to be funded with the $569,000 in FY 2017 LMIG funds are prioritized by the county’s public works department based on each county road’s condition, said Davis.

“Our public works department each year rates our roads’ conditions based on GDOT guidelines and how bad they are. They receive a score and we take those ranked near the top as the ‘worst conditioned roads in the county’ and go as far as we can down that list making repairs so they can come off the ‘bad list.’”

According to Davis, some of the roads in line for improvements in the coming year will include some in subdivisions. The process of repairing such roads can span a cycle of up to two decades and costs about $100,000 per mile.

“When we resurface roads, they usually last about 18 to 20 years.

We are now looking at resurfacing roads that were last paved in 2001 and 2002. Maybe (they require repairs) because of some heavy winter months with water freezing and causing cracks and deterioration.

Maybe it is because we have more cars on the road. Normally, it will take on average, depending on the condition of the road, about $100,000 per mile to resurface a road.”

The county is also expected to improve road safety with additional funding to restripe some roads.

“We will be receiving additional dollars on road safety projects for the striping of roads in Oconee County,” said Davis. “We will be able to make sure people are able to drive on the road with enough reflector in the paint in the center lines and the white lines on the sides of the road. We will be doing a lot of that in the coming year.”

and tobacco products are not allowed at the park, Gentry noted.

Gentry said a fireworks show is something the county has discussed at least as far back as 2002, but it wasn’t until four years ago when Ellis Pain Center offered to be the primary sponsor that the county was able to start hosting the event.

Gentry said the event is rain or shine, but if severe weather forces the event to be postponed it will be held on Tuesday, July 5. People can call 706-769-2965 on July 4 for event updates if they are concerned about the weather.

Continued from page 1 oconee.ga.us. No pets, alcohol, tobacco products or personal fireworks allowed. Food and drink concessions available. Free.

Storytime: 10 and 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oconee County Library.

Storytime is for preschool aged children and their caregivers.

Come for stories, songs, movement, crafts, and fun! Free. (706)

769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Lego Club: 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oconee County Library. Let’s build! Join us in creating Lego art and playing Lego-based activities. Lego blocks provided!

Ages 3-11. Free. (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee.

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Athens Banner-Herald

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A summer full of futbol For soccer fans, this summer is as good as an off-season can be without a World Cup. There have been days in the past month when there were international soccer games on from 9 a.m. to midnight (if you include pregame shows). Five games a day.

In France, nations are competing for the Euro Championship, and in the United States this summer it’s been the Copa America tournament featuring nations from South, Central, and North America.

As a soccer fan, I’ve found it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Last week I squeezed in a meeting that devolved into an hour-long discussion about soccer between me and the other soccer fan at the meeting. Everyone else in the room looked at their phones in their laps and ignored us. So even when I’m not watching it, I’m talking about it. Truthfully, all the games – the shots, the saves, the fouls, the goals – have started to run together in my memory.

Somehow, I very clearly remember Argentina playing against Croatia.

In terms of volume, it’s like the World Cup on steroids. The combination of the Euros and the Copa lacks some of the worldwide excitement of the World Cup, but we’re getting more games on the television.

A lot of my snobbish soccer friends have complained that the Copa tournament has been poor compared to the competition among the big European teams, but I’ve enjoyed the Americas tournament thoroughly. Some of the more intense games have been in the Copa tournament, and some of the European games have been dull battles of defenses.

Wednesday night, one of the Copa games was delayed and didn’t finish until somewhere around 1 a.m.

Getting up the next morning was a rough chore, but I managed to do it.

The next night there were no games scheduled. As the tournaments advance beyond what’s known as the group stages, the games get fewer and more spread out, so that we go from five games a day to two or three games a day with no games on some days.

So Thursday, Jean and I settled down in front of the television, and I started flipping channels.

“There’s no soccer game tonight,” Jean told me.

Reflexively, my foot kicked out at an imaginary ball. I threw my hands in the air to complain to a nonexistent referee. I stuttered and spluttered incomprehension. I was going into soccer withdrawals.

“What do you mean there’s no soccer tonight?”

I demanded. “Euros! Copa!

Me watch soccer!”

“No soccer,” Jean said.

“Soccer Saturday. No soccer tonight.” She spoke slowly so I could try to understand the words.

How can they do that to a person? They flood your television day after day with almost more soccer than even the most rabid of soccer fanatics can handle, and then just like that they cut you off.

“So what we watch?” I asked, still unable to put together a complete sentence as I came out of my

soccer withdrawal stupor.

“We could watch the Brexit vote totals come in,” Jean suggested.

I don’t have a dog in that fight, and while I have some opinions about and interest in what’s going with the European Union, it’s really none of my business. I’ll just say that when they were writing the European Union’s constitution several years ago, I followed it fairly closely and suspected at the time that it would turn into a mess.

So when the campaign began in Britain for a referendum to leave the European Union, I wasn’t particularly surprised and I was interested to see how the thing would turn out.

So with no soccer to watch, Jean and I stayed up late watching vote totals come in from places in England, Scotland and Wales that we recognized because of their soccer teams. When places like Wolverhampton or Leeds or Dunfermline announced vote totals on the Brexit referendum, Jean and I would cheer and chant and sing songs like a couple of vote tallying hooligans, not because of the vote but because we knew the town’s team.

It was not edge of your seat action like a soccer match might have been, but we made the best out of it.

And when the BBC finally called it for the Leave folks, we headed up to bed and it was approaching 1 a.m.

I slept soundly that night, and when the alarm started ringing and rattling Friday morning, it was greeted with groans and disbelief.

“Can’t you turn that off?” I asked Jean.

“Can’t you turn that off?” she asked me.

All Friday morning I was in a stupor. When I got to the office I could not think clearly or articulate an idea.

I had a fog in my brain like I’d been celebrating Brexit with champagne and Newcastle brown ale.

Ken, my business partner, was growing increasingly aggravated with my lack of attention, and finally he asked, “What is wrong with you? Were you up all night watching soccer again?”

I explained that instead of soccer we’d been watching vote tallying on the BBC. What I’ve learned is that staying up late to watch vote totals from Britain is more dangerous than staying up late to watch soccerball if you want to be productive the next day. The thing about the vote totals, particularly those read to you

by Englishmen on the BBC, is that they will lull you – or maybe the right way to put it is bore you – into a deep, deep sleep from which it is nearly impossible to wake with a clear mind.

Fortunately, evening soccer resumed on Saturday night. Unfortunately, the US lost to Colombia.

Rob Peecher is the author of Four Things My Wife Hates About Mornings, available at Amazon.com.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Creek to be monitored after spill

By Lee Shearer

TheOconeeLeader.com

Oconee County utility workers will monitor a stretch of wastewater pipe near Barber Creek more closely after the county’s latest major sewage spill last week.

A ruptured 10-inch pipe released an estimated 100,000 to 120,000 gallons of wastewater into Barber Creek, estimated Oconee County Utility Director Wayne Haynie.

The pipe carries about 130,000 gallons a day of wastewater to the county’s Rocky Branch land application wastewater treatment site.

A stream sampling team from the county’s Calls Creek wastewater treatment facility caught the spill.

They saw wastewater flowing in a ditch beside Malcom Bridge Road and into Barber Creek near a bridge over the creek.

“Based on sight and odor, the crew notified management and the required notices were made” to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, the Oconee County Commission and the county’s environmental health department, Haynie wrote in an email.

Workers walking the creek didn’t see any sign of the spill – no color changes, odors, no damage to aquatic life or sewer debris, Haynie wrote.

Oconee workers spread lime over where the sewage flowed from the break to Barber Creek, then covered the lime with mulch.

The 10-inch pipe of polyvinyl chloride is a “force main” in which sew-

FILE/The Oconee Leader A ruptured 10-inch pipe released an estimated 100,000 to 120,000 gallons of wastewater into Barber Creek.

age is pumped uphill under pressure from the county’s Mars Hill pumping station to the Rocky Branch facility, and was rated to handle 160 pounds per square inch of pressure, Haynie wrote. The county now installs more durable ductile iron pipes, said Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis.

The ruptured pipe carries wastewater from commercial establishments in and around Epps Bridge Parkway and some industrial flows in the area of Bogart and Georgia Highway 316.

Two other sewer pipe projects this summer will divert some of the pipeline’s flow to other pipelines, Haynie wrote.

Haynie said utility department workers will begin watching the pipe-

line more closely, driving the road along the pipe at least once daily.

They’ll also “investigate all air valves to make sure they are the right type and are working properly, allowing the pipe to fill and drain, reducing the possibility of water hammer,” he wrote.

Steam monitoring will continue through the summer and fall, he said.

In late October, an estimated 50,000 gallons of partly treated wastewater went into Calls Creek from the wastewater treatment plant on Calls Creek.

That spill was the county’s eighth of the year.

Follow education reporter Lee Shearer at www.facebook.com/ LeeShearerABH or https://twitter. com/LeeShearer

Athens Banner-Herald

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Oconee briefs Athens Academy wins its sixth Strength of America Award in a row Athens Academy has received the Strength of America Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the President’s Council on Fitness, Pulliam Sports and Nutrition for the sixth consecutive year.

Led by Coach Bryan Pulliam, Athens Academy’s strength and conditioning program was measured in four major categories: supervision, education, program, and facilities. The award will be presented during the NSCA’s National Conference Awards Banquet in July in New Orleans.

The Strength of America Award recognizes high schools that represent the gold standard in strength and conditioning programs.

Watkinsville resident graduates from James Madison University

Alexandra Lokey Pate, of Watkinsville, graduated with a degree in intelligence analysis from James Madison University during the May 6 commencement exercises.

Pate was among nearly 3,875 students who received undergraduate, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degrees.

Wofford College announces Spring ’16 Dean’s List Three students from the Oconee County were on the Wofford College Dean’s List students for

the Spring 2016 semester.

The students are: Sarah Elizabeth Chuboff, of Watkinsville; Nicholas Byars Colvin, of Statham; Madison Dianne Eberhardt, of Watkinsville; and Elizabeth Marie Roche, of Bishop.

Watkinsville student earns degree from Clark University

Hannah F. Kelnhofer, of Watkinsville, received a degree from Clark University on May 22. Kelnhofer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and culture. During the 112th Commencement exercises, Clark awarded 558 bachelor’s, 568 master’s and 30 doctoral degrees.

Oconee County students named to Georgia Southern Dean’s List

Georgia Southern University recently recognized nearly 2,600 students for excellence in academics on the 2016 Spring Semester Dean’s List. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester.

The following students from the Athens area were named to the list: Kayla Bannister, of Watkinsville; Roberto Bernales, of Bogart; James Crean, of Bogart; Adam Hill, of Watkinsville; Emily Jackson, of Bishop; Avery Kenimer, of Bogart; Brandon Lee, of Bogart; Nichole Lunceford, of Statham; Mary Reeves, of Bishop; Coleman Thurston, of Watkinsville; Kelsey Walshe, of Watkinsville; and William Yeomans, of Watkinsville. ­— Staff reports

Pharmacist receives national honor

JOHN ROARK/The Oconee Leader Residents gather earlier this month at the Momany family home to discuss a proposed sewage pipeline that would pass through the Hickory Hills neighborhood.

Pipeline Creek plant to the Middle Oconee River.

One of the alternative routes, along U.S. Highway 441 between Athens and Watkinsville, would be longer than the Calls Creek route, at about 4.33 miles, McGarvey said. But the county government already has easements for all but about .35 miles of that route, he said.

Opposition from homeowners isn’t the only reason for the commission to slow down on its plans for the pipeline, however, McGarvey said.

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Continued from page 1 In that 2005 study, planners projected Oconee County’s population would reach 50,000 by 2015, he said.

In fact, the county’s population is about 36,000, he said.

County commissioners are considering plans that would raise the Calls Creek treatment plant’s capacity to 1 million or even 1.5 million gallons a day.

The Calls Creek plant now processes about 440,000 gallons a day of wastewater, about two-thirds of its permitted limit,

and it could be years before it reaches its limit, much less reach 1 million gallons a day or 1.5 million gallons a day, McGarvey said.

And it might not be a sure thing that the state Environmental Protection Division allows Oconee County to put more wastewater into Calls Creek than the 667,000 gallons per day it’s now allowed, he said.

Follow education reporter Lee Shearer at www.facebook.com/ LeeShearerABH or https://twitter. com/LeeShearer.

Beth B. Phillips of the University of Georgia’s College of Pharmacy has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The 2016 Fellows were honored last week during the ASHP Summer Meetings and Exhibition in Baltimore.

The ASHP Practitioner Recognition Program rewards excellence in pharmacy practice by granting recognition through the FASHP designation. Members who have achieved FASHP status have successfully demonstrated sustained commitment or contributions to excellence in pharmacy practice for at

least 10 years, contributed to the total body of knowledge in the field, demonstrated involvement and leadership in ASHP, and have been involved in and committed to educating practitioners and others.

ASHP represents pharmacists who serve as patient care providers in acute and ambulatory settings. The organization’s more than 43,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. For more information, visit ASHP’s website, www. ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.SafeMedication.com. ­— Staff reports

For hundreds of photos and updates about Oconee events and people, go to theoconeeleader.com

This Week: OCHS

WARRIORS l TITANS l SPARTANS l WOLVERINES l LIONS

June 30, 2016

Moment of a lifetime Softball

Payne signs Page 5

NOHS

Contributed photo by Dave Arrigo/Pittsburgh Pirates

Adam Frazier follows through for his first career Major League hit, a single to center field in the bottom of the sixth inning

Competitive cheer

Camp Page 5

Online

Frazier gets first career MLB hit in first career at-bat Oconee standout was promoted to Pittsburgh Pirates last week

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

For photos of Oconee’s Adam Frazier playing against Gwinnett prior to his promotion to Pittsburgh last week, see theoconeeleader.com

Upcoming

Last Thursday evening, Oconee County High School graduate Adam Frazier heard what every baseball player wants to hear – you’re going to the show.

Frazier was promoted to the Pittsburgh Pirates after spending time this season in Triple-A with Indianapolis.

“Pretty awesome,” Frazier said. “Found out in the team meeting after the game last night. All the emotions kind of hit you at once. All the guys going crazy for you and just realizing a chance at a dream coming true.

“Right now I’m pretty tired. Trying to catch up on some rest before heading to the field. I’m sure it’ll all hit me later. Don’t know if I’m playing tonight or

what number I’ll wear. Just going to show up and do whatever they want me to do. Happy to be here.”

He had to wait a few innings to get his chance. He was scheduled to pinch-hit in the bottom of the fifth but the inning ended with him standing on deck.

With the Pirates making a double-switch, Frazier was put in the field at second base in the top of the sixth inning.

He led off the bottom of the sixth inning. With two balls and two strikes on him, Frazier hit a single to center field off Dodgers left-handed pitcher J.P. Howell and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 28,226 fans at PNC Park.

“There’s Adam Frazier! A lined single to center field off the veteran lefty! Adam

Frazier, what an at-bat!,” said Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown on the Root Sports Pittsburgh telecast.

“Folks, you are going to like this kid. He is a battler.

He is a spark plug.”

“What a thrill,” said Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass.

“What a moment,” Brown added.

In 68 games for Indianapolis, Frazier was leading the International League with .333 average and 87 hits. He had 16 doubles, four triples and 17 stolen bases.

Last week Frazier was in Buford for a bit of a homecoming for the Indians’ series against Gwinnett for a four-game series.

“It is fun. We had a bunch of people come out last Please see ‘Frazier’

Page 5

Contributed photo by Dave Arrigo/Pittsburgh Pirates

Adam Frazier got into Friday night’s game in Pittsburgh as a second baseman. For more coverage, see theoconeeleader.com.

Oconee County Rookie Softball All-Star team finishes third in state

Several athletes have signed to play collegiate sports.

Their stories will be featured in upcoming editions of The Oconee Leader.

The Oconee County allstar rookie softball team (7-8 year old group) won the District 10 All-Star Tournament, advanced to the Sectional Tournament where they finished second, and advanced to the state tournament where they finished third in the state. Pictured are (back row) Coach Jason Hagwood, Manager Travis Saxon, Coach Michael Youngblood, (front row) Abigail Keith, Naomi Couch, Zoe Hill, Kinlee Hagwood, Mary Linda Veit, Tracy Toney, Taylor Saxon, Lexi Rainey, Mary Bright Dillard, Kennedy Wiedower, Savannah Higgins and Joana Brugh.

Contributed photo

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Oconee Leader • Go to theoconeeleader.com for picture galleries

Page 5

2016 North Oconee competition cheerleaders

Lady Titans competition team attends camp in preparation of 2016 season From Staff Reports TheOconeeLeader.com

North Oconee’s competition cheerleading varsity and JV teams earlier this month were one of four high schools at skills camp run by Rob Spencer of Dreamquest. It lasted three days and was focused on building each teams’ tumbling and stunting skills which are the foundation of a competitive routine.

“After camp this week, I think we all saw how much potential the team has and I couldn’t be more excited to see what is in store for us this season,” said senior Natalie Babin.

Babin, Maggie Booz and Kaylee Frantz were named an All-American at the end of camp after demonstrating elite levels of jumping, tumbling and stunting that would place them in the top 20 percent in the country.

This year’s competitive cheerleaders on North Oconee are seniors Natalie Babin, Kendall Brown, Amelia Hamil, Baleigh Hancock, Kyler Hardigree; juniors Kaylee Frantz, McKinsey Haley, Maitland Hood, Julia Walker, Ashleigh Willis, Kerstin

Roni Payne with family and Oconee head coach Bryan Eades

Payne gets to continue playing softball, signs with Furman

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

Kaylee Frantz, Maggie Booz and

‘Frazier’ of people come out last night and a bunch of people the next few nights. It’s the closest I have been home yet. I got to stay at home last night and I enjoyed that,” Frazier said before last Tuesday night’s game.

Frazier graduated from OCHS in 2010 and went to Mississippi State University where he helped the Bulldogs advance to the 2013 College World Series. He was selected 179 overall and in the sixth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Frazier has worked his way up the ranks in the Pirates system. He was with A short season affiliate Jamestown in 2013 where he hit .321 with 27 RBI in 58 games.

In 2014, Frazier played in 121 games with A advanced affiliate Bradenton. He had 124 hits, hit .252, had three triples, 37 RBI and scored 62 runs.

He was promoted to AA and played with Altoona in 2015. In 103 games, he had a league-leading .324 batting average, a th

Natalie Babin

Kay; sophomores Bailey Ellis, Olivia Emerick, Ava Sloan, Braelyn Whyte, Claire Cobb, Anna Clausen, Anna Barnett, Mattie Scaffe, LeAnna Truluck, Mackenzie Chandler, Charlotte Hudson; freshmen Maggie Booz, Sydney Stricklin, Tori Morgan, Campbell Hancock, Chapin White, Fiona Cashin, Payton Ryan, Nina Palamino, Jasmine Setchel and Ava-Cate Beasley.

The team is coached

by Ashley Downs, Lydia Farman and Patti McNutt.

The season opens Sep-

tember 3 at Apalachee and includes meets at North Gwinnett (Sept.

17), Grayson (Oct. 1), Johns Creek (Oct. 8), Peachtree Ridge (Oct. 15) and Chestatee (Oct. 29).

The region competition is November 5 at Putnam County and the state competition is November 1112 in Columbus.

North Oconee will host its annual kiddie camp July 14-16. Anyone interested in registering can email Downs at adowns@ oconeeschools.org.

Continued from page 5 .384 OBP, two home runs, four triples, 21 doubles, 34 RBI and 59 runs scored.

“It is a great learning experience. Professional baseball is tough. You play every day. We are in the middle of the season right now and it takes a toll on your body.

I got to experience some good things. I moved up pretty quick. My first full season, I struggled a little bit and got humbled. I learned a lot about what it takes to succeed in a full professional season,” Frazier said.

Prior to this season, he got to spend time in spring training with the Pirates before getting promoted to Triple-A. “I learned a lot and learned it is right where I want to be,” Frazier said.

“It was fun to see how they go about things and see the atmosphere in a big league clubhouse is, which is nothing crazy, to pick some of those guys’ minds and to see how they prepare and take things that you like and discard things you don’t like.”

Oconee County graduate Roni Payne was a two-year starter for the Lady Warriors softball program, playing in several positions.

That will get to continue as Payne signed with Furman University as a utility player.

“It is great to know the game and be able to learn how to fit in wherever they need you,” Payne said. “I am so excited to be able to go a school that is so academically prestigious and have a chance to play Division I softball at the same time. It is the best of both worlds.”

Payne said academics played a large role in her decision to attend Furman where she wants to major in both political science and psychology.

“Academics came first and then softball.

You have to have somewhere to go with your life,” Payne said. “I want to have a political science major with a focus on

pre-law and double major in psychology.”

Payne was noticed by Furman at various showcases. Payne plays travel softball for Elite Force out of Dunwoody.

“We started emailing and I started going to the school for camps after we started talking,” she said. “It is going to be really exciting (to play in college). I am excited to be with the team. They are all great and the coaches are all great. They all played professional softball. It will be awesome to have such knowledgeable people to look up to and play for.”

Payne is the second Lady Warrior senior from the Class of 2016 to have the opportunity to play at the collegiate level at a strong academic school. Jesse Michael signed with Emory University.

“For her going out of state and playing at a very good school, it is nice she will get to continue to do what she obviously seems to enjoy doing,” said head coach Bryan Eades.

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Thursday, June 30, 2016

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