The Oconee Leader

This Week: Calendar Oconee County Chamber of Commerce May Coffee: 8 a.m. today, Pillow to Post, 2061 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville.

TOPS weight loss: 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, 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.

Issue 20

From the Oconee to the Apalachee

Volume 11

GICL Crankin’ For the Kids Mountain Bike Endurance Race: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Heritage Park, 2543 Macon Highway, Watkinsville. Join the Georgia Interscholastic Cycling League on Saturday, May 21, 2016 for their annual fundraiser, Crankin’ For the Kids, a Mountain Bike Endurance Race fundraiser. 100 percent of all proceeds for this event will go to the Georgia Interscholastic Cycling League, to help get more kids on bikes in Georgia.

The event features a 6/3 hour MTB endurance race, kids race, grill-off, silent auction, and other fun family festivities!

For more information and to register: http:// georgiamtb.org/ crankin-for-the-kids/., (706) 769-3965, www. oconeecounty.com/ ocprd/index.php/oconeeparks-2/15-general/75heritage-park Oconee Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oconee County Courthouse, 23 N Main Street, Watkinsville.

The market is open rainor-shine on Saturdays through the last Saturday in November. Located in front of the courthouse in downtown Watkinsville.

Online Galleries

Washington Farms

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

Contact us:

Email editor@theoconeeleader. com

Twitter @TheOconeeLeader

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Deep into the playoffs The Oconee County Warriors boys soccer team (top) and the Westminster Christian Academy baseball team (left) went deep into the playoffs, as the Warriors competed in the Final Four of the Class AAA state tournament and Westminster Christian advanced to the GICAA state championship series.

Stories, page 4

Key repairs save historic structure at OCAF

By Rob Peecher

TheOconeeLeader.com

Critical repairs to OCAF’s School Street Gym have not only saved the structure but have also preserved the historic aesthetics of the building.

Construction was still going on last week when Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation director Cindy Farley and member John Kirschner – who is helping to oversee the project for OCAF – toured the former gymnasium and discussed the project.

“Over the years, the back left corner where the locker room was, has deteriorated quite a bit,” Kirschner explained. “The building was sagging, and we knew it was bad, but when we got in there we found it was even worse than we thought. The runoff had pushed dirt up against the building and caused it to rot, and the substructure was rotted.”

Kirschner explained that both the old locker room and the bathrooms on the left side of the gymnasium had been affected by runoff, but when construction began they discovered that a beam had been cut and there were other issues with the joists. The gymnasium is 80 years old.

“It was much worse than we thought it was,” Farley said. “We were in danger of losing the back corner of the gym.”

The contractor hired to do the work, Structural Resources out of Athens, has attempted to match everything from the style of the building to the colors of the pain to keep the building’s historic look.

ROB PEECHER/The Oconee Leader John Kirschner describes the construction at the School Street Gym on the OCAF campus in downtown Watkinsville. Among the projects, new drainage system was installed to protect the building.

“Aesthetically, we wanted it to be as close as we could get it,” Kirschner said. “In the locker room we saved the boards where kids wrote on them.”

He pointed out among the pencil markings inside the old locker room where Billy Cannon signed his name and wrote, “Senior 5960, LSU #20.” Along with Billy’s signature, basketball team number and, presumably, the school he intended to attend after graduation,

there are numerous other markings in the old locker room where players left their memory.

Kirschner pointed out that Structural Resources dug a drain and tied it into the city’s stormwater drainage system. Structural Resources also put in a block foundation to prevent the same sort of rot from occurring in the future.

Please see ‘OCAF’

Page 3

Sewer project, fast food on Oconee commission’s action list

By Mike Sprayberry TheOconeeLeader.com

Bogart gets sewer, fast food could come to Macon Highway and a car dealership to Georgia Highway 316.

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners last week voted to move forward with a joint sewer project with the city of Bogart, approved a rezone request for a Macon Highway development to possibly include fast food and further discussed changes to the county’s Ethics Ordinance to like-

ly be approved in June. Chairman of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners Melvin Davis explained the Board’s actions from last week, touched on a rezone request for a potential car dealership and provided updates on the county’s budget and the Mars Hill Road widening project.

The Board of Commissioners approved two task orders not to exceed a combined $140,500 with Carter & Sloope, Inc. for sewer improvements as a joint Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax

project with the city of Bogart.

“The Bogart sewer project was approved and is in progress now,” said Davis. “We should have the bid for that installation available by the end of the month. We will probably have a recommendation with the company that receives the low bid by the first of June. If it does get in in time, we may have it on the agenda at the end of this month for action in June.”

The rezone request on Macon Highway allows a development in progress there to possibly include

a restaurant with drive-through service.

“That’s the development going right across from the Athens Ridge apartments on the opposite side of Macon Highway,” said Davis. “That is supposed to be a commercial development for offices or maybe restaurants. This will add to that and one of the things it will allow in there is a drive-through type restaurant if one wants to come.

Please see ‘BOC’

Page 3

Page 2

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A different way to go camping If you’re going to go camping, my recommendation is that you get to be friends with my buddy Rodney before you do.

Rodney and I paddle down rivers together frequently, but we’ve never done an overnight trip before. We had planned a grand 3-day adventure for this past weekend, paddling down the Ohoopee with a crowd of friends.

But life started acting up last week for both of us, and by Wednesday evening we knew we’d have to cancel our plans.

So instead, Rodney and I did a 1-night, 1-day trip down a section of the Oconee neither of us had ever paddled.

As I told Rodney, most all of the camping I’ve ever done was a minimalist sort of journey into the wilderness. I pack in on my back everything I’m going to need, and before I put anything into my pack I weigh it carefully in my hands and then in my mind. How heavy is this?

I’m thinking. Will I really need this?

My goal when I go camping is that everything is lightweight, easy to set up and take down, and easy to carry out of the woods. As a result, I have a couple of little camp pots that I cook in, and I cook on an open fire. I have lightweight insulated bags that I typically use for coolers, and I’ll freeze a bottle of water or two to stick in the insulated bags with whatever I’m trying to keep chilled.

Mostly, I think about the things I will need to have with me to survive and what I might need in an emergency. I always take a length of rope, even though it’s always been unnecessary. I always take a little first-aid bag. Anything that might provide comfort is set aside for an extra bottle of water.

Packing Friday afternoon, I almost grabbed a long-sleeved shirt – which weighs nothing – but chose not to bring it even though my pack was already pretty light.

Even if I’m not hiking – Rodney and I planned to camp and then paddle seven miles down the Oconee – I keep everything easy and lightweight because at some point the stuff is going to have to be picked up and toted away.

Friday night Rodney and I met out in the wilderness with our canoes. Rodney

was there hours ahead of me, and he’d already paddled his canoe up the Oconee River and found a spot to camp. He’d already cleared the campsite of underbrush – using clippers, of all things – and put up the tent. I’ve never taken clippers into the woods in all my life.

While Jean and I drove Rodney’s truck down river to the spot where we planned to take out on Saturday, Rodney paddled all our gear back down to the campsite, so when I finally arrived at the camp, everything was set up.

In addition to the clippers, there were other things I’d never seen at a campsite before. When I go hiking or camping, I find a nice big rock or a fallen tree to sit on.

Rodney had two little camp chairs set up beside the tent. Rodney had two enormous plastic coolers and a very big, portable gas-fired griddle.

“This isn’t camping like I camp,” I told him. “I’m not saying my way is better. It’s just different.”

I would never admit it publicly, but Rodney’s way of camping is probably better.

What you have to understand about Rodney is that he didn’t do any of this for himself. He did it all for me. Rodney is one of these unique people whose only goal in life is to make other people happy.

He wanted this to be an experience for me, not just a camping trip.

When he started cooking dinner – steak tacos – he was busy cutting onions and searching for seasoning and getting out everything else he needed.

“What can I do to help you?” I asked him a thousand times. Finally he got tired of me asking.

“You want to help?” he asked. “Hold this.” He handed me a bag of tortilla chips. Then he poured a bottle of salsa into a bowl.

“Eat that.”

To read the full column, go to TheOconeeLeader.com

Thursday, May 19, 2016

4-H state qualifiers

Five Oconee County 4-H members qualified to compete at State 4-H Congress this summer in Atlanta recently at Northeast District Project Achievement held at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. More than 300 4-H members from North Georgia participated in the competition. Oconee winners are Ayah Abdelwahab in the Physical, Biological and Earth Sciences Project, Hayden Guthrie in the Housing, Equipment and Environment Project, Andrew Hunt in the Textiles, Merchandizing and Interiors Project, Emily Queen in the Computer Information Technology Project and Kiana Washington in the Performing Arts – Vocal Project. Pictured (left to right): Hayden Guthrie, Ayah Abdelwahab, Kiana Washington, Andrew Hunt and Emily Queen.

Prince Avenue Christian teachers honored as 2016 Educators of the Year In the spirit of recognizing the commitment and dedication of the faculty at Prince Avenue Christian School, each year the school recognizes individual teachers as The Colossians 3:23 Educators of the Year, nominated by their peers as remarkable and doing “everything as unto the Lord”.

This year’s Educators of the Year are second grade teacher Dawn Crane, middle school science teacher Jenny Aldin, and band director Miles Adams. Each teacher received a crystal vase and a generous cash award donated by a friend of the school.

Crane has been a teacher at Prince Avenue since 2008. Crane graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to coming to Prince, she taught for seven years in Clarke County Schools.

Aldin has also been teaching at Prince since 2008. She received her BSED in Middle School Science/ Language Arts from UGA. She taught two years in public school before staying home with her four children. During the time at home, she homeschooled her children and taught science for a homeschool coop.

Adams came to Prince Avenue as

Dawn Carne, Jenny Aldin, Prince Avenue Head of School Seth Hathaway, Miles Adams

Band Director in 2013. Miles has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Berry College, a Master’s Degree in Music Education from UGA, and an Educational Specialist Degree from UGA. Previously, he served for 30 years as the Band Director at Jackson County High School. During that time, he also taught in the elementary and middle

schools in that county. Miles also served for 12 years as the Fine Arts Coordinator for Jackson County Schools.

The Colossians 3:23 Educators of the Year program began in 2007 and is supported through the funding of an anonymous donor. Each recipient is recognized at the school’s Honors Day ceremonies in May.

Oconee leaders graduate from Georgia Academy for Economic Development The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces Oconee County graduates from the 2015 Region 5 Multi-Day Training Program. Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional eco-

nomic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from 12 counties in Northeast Georgia. The Academy provided each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the local, regional, and state levels.

Oconee County graduates at the May 4 ceremony included John Pritch-

ett, Nathan Bartlett, Kay Keller, Stan Mitchell and Eric Skipper The Academy’s multiday program, taught one day a month over a fourmonth period, includes training in the basics of economic and community development, plus specialized segments on business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development, planning, and other essentials for community success.

In addition, the curriculum features specific leadership skills such as consensus building, ethics in public service, collaborative leadership and other segments needed for effective community leadership in economic development.

Local elected officials may receive certification training credits through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association for completion of this program.

UNG’s economic effect nears $500 million An annual study of the University System of Georgia’s economic impact shows that the University of North Georgia had a $496 million impact on the communities in its region during fiscal year 2015, up 14 percent, or $62 million, from the previous year.

“In addition to the important role UNG plays in educating students, the university has a significant and increasing economic impact on northeast Georgia,” President Bonita C. Jacobs said.

“The value the university adds to the region’s quality of life and cultural opportunities, the health of our communities, and the preparation of a highly educated workforce to meet the region’s needs is tremendous.”

UNG, which has campuses in Blue Ridge, Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville, and Oconee County, also had a regional employment impact of 5,033 jobs in the same period. The employment impact includes on-campus positions and offcampus jobs that exist due to the institution.

Most of UNG’s $496 million economic impact consists of initial spending by the university for salaries and benefits, operating supplies and expenses, and other budgeted expenditures.

Included in UNG’s economic impact is $209 million in spending by UNG’s more than 17,000 students, which alone created 2,698 jobs in the study area.

— Staff Reports

Thursday, May 19, 2016

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Athens Academy receives grant work for summer from USDA/NIH

Athens Academy was awarded a research grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health to use bioinformatics to evaluate influenza sequences in the GenBank Influenza Research Database this summer. This work is a continuation of a project undertaken by Athens Academy’s Evolutionary Genetics class in conjunction with the USDA’s Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory.

The continuation of the project includes hiring students over the summer to examine more than 400,000 sequences in the GenBank Database to identify errors in flu sequence. Students will further this work by contacting the submitters of any problematic sequences in an effort to have those sequences corrected.

“Thanks to our efforts to improve the quality of the influenza sequence database, scientists from all over the world will have access to better tools for influenza research and projects,” said EvoGen instructor Nikki Chester.

Chester will supervise the students for the summer project.

Drs. David Suarez and Erica Spackman, scientists at SEPRL, provide scientific advice and guidance along with their expertise on avian influenza. Students who would like more information should contact Chester at nchester@athensacademy.org. Applicants must be a rising junior in high school or older, and must be available to work a minimum of three of the six weeks of the project (dates of the project provided upon inquiry). Previous experience in the study of evolutionary genetics is preferable but is not required. Knowledge of other languages is also beneficial.

The deadline for inquiries is Friday.

‘OCAF’

Continued from page 1

Inside, two sections of bleachers were removed so that OCAF can use part of the back section for storage, and the new bathrooms will now be handicap accessible. Kirschner is also replacing the upper windows along the sides of the gym.

The project is costing just under $100,000, Kirschner said.

Farley explained that the project is part of a $1.8 million capital campaign OCAF started last year. So far, $700,000 of the money has been raised from private donations and corporate or foundation grants.

The work at the gym is one of the first projects under the capital campaign.

“This was identified as one of the critical issues,” Farley said.

The capital campaign includes upgrades to almost all of the former school buildings now occupied by OCAF in downtown Watkinsville. Some of the projects will allow OCAF to expand its programs by increasing usable space at OCAF and others are necessary for the upkeep of the buildings, such as a new roof for the 1902 building.

OCAF uses the old gym for exhibits and other programs such as the popular Mingle With Kringle event at Christmastime.

Page 3

Honoring teachers

The University of North Georgia hosted this month’s Oconee Chamber of Commerce After Hours to honor teachers who were awarded Mini Grants. The Education Foundation of the Oconee Chamber offers Mini-Grants to Oconee County teachers & staff who wish to implement creative, innovative educational projects for which funding is not available through regular school sources. Congrats to all the teachers who received a Mini Grant. Front row from left to right: Kristin Barnett (AA), Allison Coleman (AA), Diane Parr (CFES), Valerie Greer (CFES), Amy Arnold (CFES). Back row from left to right: Julie Boyd (AA), Susan Howard (OCPS), Wendy Harrison (MBMS), Chris Booz (MBMS), Barbara Moore (WCA), Lawrence Stueck (AA).

‘BOC’ “I don’t think they had a recommendation or company in mind to come. I think it was just one of the conditions of the rezone that could happen. That would be the side adjacent to Athens Ridge. Prior to this, it was a commercial development that could include restaurants, but it had not been zoned to include fast food. This allows for fast food, but it’s more so just for commercial development.”

Recently proposed changes to the county’s Ethics Ordinance were further discussed by Commission members, but will not be considered for approval until next month.

“The Board will act on the Ethics Ordinance May 31 and final action will be on June 7,” Davis explained.

“That was to allow plenty of time to make sure the Board knew what was taking place. The changes

Continued from page 1 would give the Special Master a little leeway where he can request additional information if needed or he can dismiss a complaint a little easier if he desires and there were no ethics violations involved.”

Also on the horizon for the Board of Commissioners could be a proposed car dealership on GA-316 near Jimmy Daniel Road and Virgil Langford Road. The dealership is still in the early stages of development as the Planning Commission must first consider the rezone request before making a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.

“That has been submitted to Planning and will be on the agenda for the Planning Commission I think at the end of the month,” Davis said.

“If not, it will probably be on their agenda at the end of June.”

Davis also provided brief updates on Phase 1 of the Mars Hill Road widening project (from Oconee Connector to Butler’s Crossing) and the county’s budget for FY 2017.

“The Mars Hill Road widening is moving along well to my knowledge. Hopefully, the bridge at Barber Creek will be completed within a month and we can get that opened up for traffic sometime near the end of the summer. They are pretty much still on time with what they have done. Phase 1 should be done

by July 1, 2017.

“The county budget will be presented at the end of may and we will vote on it the first week in June. It looks like it will be around $25 million and change. It is a little higher than FY 2016 which it should be because we’ve got a lot of expenditures and needs to address.”

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

This Week: PACS

WARRIORS l TITANS l SPARTANS l WOLVERINES l LIONS

May 19, 2016

‘I am proud of my guys’ Track

Ga. Olympics Page 5

Titans

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Westminster Christian’s baseball team following Saturday’s game three in the GICAA state championship series. Pictured are head coach Nate Donatelli, Jake Grantham, Nick Robinson, Hollan Johnson, CJ Smith, Eli Smith, Tyler Brugh, Luke Bartel, Johnmark Daniell, Xander Haymore, Win Dyleski, Christian Delmarter, Harrison Ricketts and assistant coach Chad Herrin. For photos of the Lions in the championship series, see theoconeeleader.com.

Westminster Christian Academy baseball

Triathlon

Dominicali signs Page 6

Online

For photo galleries of Westminster Christian in the state championship, see theoconeeleader.com

Upcoming

Several athletes have signed in the last couple of months to play collegiate sports.

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

Lions fall 7-6 in decisive game three of championship series

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

Down by four runs going into the top of the seventh inning in game three of the GICAA Division II-A state championship series, the Westminster Christian Academy Lions sent nine batters to the plate.

They were able to plate three runners but with the bases loaded and two outs, The Campus got the final batter to strikeout to end the game and beat the Lions 7-6 to win the state championship on Saturday at WCA. “I am proud of my guys,” said head coach Nate Donatelli.

The two teams were battling in game three because they split the first two games of the series on Friday. The Lions won game one 4-2 and The Campus won game two 2-0. The Lions were the visiting

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Dirt and chalk flies when Jake Grantham slides head first into first base in the third game of the championship series on Saturday.

team in game three because The Campus won the coin toss following game two.

Batting first in game three, the Lions got on the board first with

one run but it could have been more.

Harrison Ricketts scored on a bases-loaded walk by Johnmark Daniell to give the Lions a 1-0

lead, but the Lions left the bases loaded.

“We could have used some more runs early,” Donatelli said. “That would have changed the tone of the game a little bit but it is what it is.”

The Campus responded with five runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 5-1 lead, and that’s how the game remained until the fifth inning.

Nick Robinson and Luke Bartel started the fifth with back-to-back singles. Bartel scored on a single

by CJ Smith, and Bartel scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 5-3.

The Campus struck back in the bottom of the fifth and scored two runs to build its lead back to four runs, 7-3.

Bartel drew a one-out walk in the Please see ‘WCA baseball’

Page 5

Oconee County soccer

Warriors fall to eventual state champion Decatur in PKs

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

Last Tuesday night marked the end of a season and an era for Oconee County’s boys’ soccer team.

The Warriors lost 2-1 (4-2 PKs) to Decatur in the Final Four of the Class AAA state tournament to end their season. It was the final game for head coach Colin Connors, who announced prior to the state tournament that he was resigning from Oconee to take the head coaching position at Archer.

“It was an amazing 16 years – two years as an assistant under Coach Rock, I learned a ton from him, and 14 years as a head coach. I learned something every year and hopefully got better,” Connors said.

“This community is a special community. In general Oconee County and the soccer community, Athens and the Oconee area, is awesome to be a part of. This specific program, the players I got to coach

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Oconee County head coach Colin Connors carries his daughter following the Warriors’ loss to Decatur last week. For more photos of the game, see theoconeeleader.com.

were amazing and the parents were all great and the administration. I am hopeful Archer will even come close to everything I was blessed with here.”

It was the second game this state tournament the Warriors went to PKs in.

They beat Westminster 2-1 (6-5 PKs) in the second

round.

“Good teams are hard to beat by a goal. Sometimes you end up tied. PKs are sometimes a crapshoot,” Connors said. “It’s not like they are luck. We practice them. It just wasn’t our night.”

Decatur got the first goal of the game with 20:42 left

in the first half.

Simon Hunt, who had the game-winning PK against Westminster and the gamewinning goal in the 1-0 win against Dawson County in the Elite Eight, found the back of the net again. Hunt scored off a corner kick from Thomas Murray with 21:37 left in the second

half to tie the game at 1-1.

“Big-time player. He about had a second one,” Connors said. “It’s a play I had. I haven’t used in a long time. We saw something on film where we thought we could run that play and we ran it. It’s al

Please see ‘Warriors soccer’

Page 6

Thursday, May 19, 2016

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Page 5

Area athletes shine at Georgia Olympics

Kevon Hudson Prince Avenue

first-long jump, fourth-100M

Drew Swan Athens Academy second place-800M

Kaleb Bryant Athens Academy

second-400M, third-triple jump

Ryan Iyer Athens Academy fifth place-1600

Alex Branch Athens Academy fourth place-3200

Michael Hans Oconee seventh-1600, fifth-3200

Harper Sigler North Oconee second place-800M

Conner Krieger North Oconee seventh place-discus

Thomas Moore North Oconee second-1600,

Ethan Brown Oconee sixth place-shot put

Michael Miller Oconee fifth place-discus

Chase Major Oconee seventh place-400M

Ben Griffith Prince Avenue sixth place-discus

‘WCA baseball’ top of the seventh inning, and Ricketts followed with a hard-hit fly ball that sailed over the right-field fence for a home run to cut the lead to 7-5.

“He got a hold of that one,” Donatelli said. “I thought it was going to hit the scoreboard for a second.”

CJ Smith followed Ricketts with another hard-hit ball in the inning, but The Campus third baseman made a leaping catch for the second out of the inning.

Hollan Johnson followed with a single and he reached third on a bloop-single to left field by Jake Grantham.

Daniell, who had a big hit two years ago that helped the Lions win the 2014 state championship, came through with a single to right field that plated Johnson to cut the lead to 7-6 and send Grantham to third base.

“I told him when he was coming up to bat in the seventh you’ve been here before, and he was clutch for us again,” Donatelli said.

Xander Haymore followed Daniell with a walk to load the bases, but the game ended with a strikeout.

Following the postgame handshakes, the team huddled down the left-field line and Daniell told the team he was proud of them.

Paul Mullinax Athens Academy

fifth-discus, sixth-shot put

Continued from page 4 “It was tough. I told them this is going to hurt for a long time, and it may always hurt, but they should always hold their heads high and be proud of the way we played,” Donatelli said. “We came up a little bit short but I am proud of the way they carried themselves, the way they kept after it and kept on fighting. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys.”

After using Ricketts and Smith on the mound in games one and two, respectively, the Lions’ plan for game three was using several pitchers. Johnson got the start and went one inning. Daniell came into pitch in the second inning. It was his first time on the mound this season and he went 3 1/3 innings. Eli Smith pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.

“That was (Daniell’s) first appearance for the season and it was behind in the state championship game. He kept us right in it. I am proud of him and the effort he showed. He had a big hit in the seventh too. He had a good day for us.

The Lions finished the season with a 17-4 record and the GICAA state runner-up.

“We had a great season, just came up short in the end,” Donatelli said. “They gave it everything they had. Sometimes that happens.”

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Page 6

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Stephen Kreyenbuhl with family and coaches Allie Dominicali with family and coaches

North Oconee’s Dominicali signs with championship triathlon team at Queens University of Charlotte

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

North Oconee senior Allie Dominicali has run and swam for nearly her whole life.

After taking up biking, Dominicali will get a chance to participate in all three sports in college. She signed with Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) to be on the triathlon team.

“I am so excited. I started out in high school thinking I would do cross country in college,” Dominicali said.

“After so many years of running, I realized the toll it was taking on my body.

My family friend Ben Goss introduced me to triathlon because I have swam since kindergarten and I have been running since I was really little. I decided to take up road biking and totally fell in love with it because it will combine the sports I love the most and let me keep doing them throughout the rest of my life. It’s a lifelong sport.

You build and get stronger.

You can go up distances.

It makes it so exciting to me because I have so many goals way down the road that I have still yet to achieve. That’s what I am most excited about.”

Queens added a triathlon team in 2015 and won a national championship in

its first year.

“Recently, women’s triathlon because an NCAAfunded sport. It’s very new,” Dominicali said. “I went to a race in October this past year. I got to see them have their collegiate championships and Queens won nationals. It is getting bigger, especially out here.

There are so many kids who are already doing it.

It’s progressing as a sport.

“It is cool being able to start paving the way for something I think can become something so big.

I have already seen how many kids are starting to do it now. I can’t wait to see where it goes and help people get there. It has been quite a process figuring all of this out since it’s so new and seeking out the coaches, but it is definitely such an honor to pave the way for many triathletes to come in the future.”

Dominicali looked at Arizona State and Marymount (Va.) as well as Queens.

“Queens was my first visit and they did so well at nationals, so seeing that those teammates will be able push me so much was a really big factor,” Dominicali said. “Also, it is a beautiful campus.

It’s closer to home. I have younger siblings and I am a homebound person. I was

‘Warriors soccer’ ways nice when that works.”

After the remaining time in the second half and two five-minute overtime periods went scoreless, the Warriors and Decatur were on their way to a PK shootout.

Decatur scored on its first three attempts. The first two Warriors had their shots saved by Decatur’s keeper.

Down 3-0, Nick Morin came up to keep the Warriors’ season alive and he scored to make the score 3-1.

Gilbert Herrera-Bleyle saved Decatur’s fourth shooter and Owen Hallauer scored for the Warriors to cut the lead to 3-2.

Decatur’s fifth shooter came up needing to score to end the game, and he did just that, starting its celebration and ending the Warriors’ run.

“I am disappointed, obviously. It was a great game,” Connors said. “We battled.

PKs are a tough way to lose.”

The Warriors closed the season with a 16-6 overall record. They were also region champions for the third straight season. Con-

like, a three-hour car ride, an amazing campus and an incredible coach, there is no reason why I wouldn’t want to go there.”

Queens built a new science building recently, and Dominicali said she wants to possibly major in biology.

“It was incredible,” Dominicali said of the science building. “They have so many different ways to work. Whiteboards all over the hallways. All of the collages of scientists.

It is incredible. Even when I was there, they were doing more construction for improvements. It is such a beautiful school and it’s still getting bigger. It is going to be really cool to be so close to Charlotte because it’s such a good outlet for hospitals to go do hours. I am really looking forward to it.”

“I have a ton of coaches and my parents have definitely helped me get here.

Triathlon is a three-way sport. I do cross country for this high school. I do swim team for this high school and I do a club team. Those are all different coaches that I am so thankful for.

And my triathlon coach who put me in this position in the first place has helped me get here every step of the way.”

Kreyenbuhl signs with Algoma University in Ontario to wrestle

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

Chicago is heading to Canada.

Stephen Kreyenbuhl, the North Oconee senior who is originally from Illinois and nicknamed Chicago, signed to join the wrestling team at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

“It is something I have worked a lot for, especially since my dad passed away last year. Everything is coming to fruition. It’s a lot. There was a lot of anxiety but I know where I am going for the next four years, which is exciting as well,” Kreyenbuhl said. “I used a recruiting web site and they said we are interested in you. I sent them everything – videos, statistics. They sent me an email and said this is what we can offer you, please come for a visit. It was a great experience. It is such a blend of urban and rural. It is the perfect blend. There

are two colleges within the city. It is a very small campus. It only has about 1500 but it has a big college feel at the same time with athletics and clubs and everything like that.”

Sault Ste. Marie is located near the USA-Canadian border across from the upper peninsula of Michigan.

“I have been there once so I have the feel for what the travel is going to be like,” Kreyenbuhl said. “I am very nervous because I am leaving my family but they also understand this is the best opportunity for me financially and educationally.”

Kreyenbuhl was signed to wrestle in the 195-pound weight class but added it could change. This season for North Oconee, he started at 235 pounds but competed in the 195-pound weight class.

“In about a span of three months, I cut about 3040 pounds. It’s doable for me,” he said.

During his time at North

Oconee, he went 135-52 and qualified for state twice. He also played football.

“I have always wanted to play some type of athletics because I know it’s a platform for me to help with my education financially.

In my financial plan, I don’t want to leave college with any kind of debt,” Kreyenbuhl said. “I would like to be an educator. I would like to major in History or a double major with History and English or History and Political Science.”

Kreyenbuhl started to wrestle seven years ago in Illinois.

“I remember on a ride home from football practice, a coach gave me a ride home and said, ‘Why don’t you try wrestling? You are pretty good at football.’

I said sure,” Kreyenbuhl said. “I showed up to a practice and I fell in love with it. After you have wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”

Cagers win tournament championship

Continued from page 4 nors said he was very happy with the season.

“Final Four. Region championship. A lot to be proud of,” Connors said.

“This team played hard.

Improved a lot. Very coachable. Very fun to coach.

Coach (Brent) Leitsch was fun to work with. He brought a lot to what we were doing. It was a very enjoyable year. I am proud of what we accomplished.

Of course we would have liked to win two more, but region championship and Final Four is pretty nice.”

Morin named Divarsity.com AAA player of the year Following Oconee County’s win against Dawson County, head coach Colin Connors called senior Nick Morin “one of the best players in the state and the best player in this area and in the region.”

On Thursday morning, Divarsity.com announced its award winners for this season and Morin was named their Class AAA

state player of the year.

Morin played in four Final Fours and was a member of the state runner-up as a sophomore. He had a team-high 13 goals and team-high 11 assists this season for the Warriors. He will play in the state allstar game as well.

Contributed photo

The Atlanta Cagers East sixth-grade girls’ travel basketball team, composed of seven Oconee middle school basketball players and two Athens Academy basketball, players competed in Cumming on April 30-May 1. The Cagers brought the championship trophy back to Watkinsville after defeating Peak Performance NGA 32-28 in the championship game. Ava Hinzman led the Cagers with 13 points.

Thursday,galleries May 19, 2016 Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Oconee Leader • Go to theoconeeleader.com for picture

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• A6 aThens Banner-herald Page 7

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