The Oconee Leader

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This Week: Calendar School Council Meeting for Oconee County High School: noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oconee County High School, 2721 Hog Mountain Road, Athens.

Under the Open Meeting Act, the Oconee County High School Council announces regular scheduled meeting held in the High School Conference Room.

Joan Mann Dance Studio Open House and VFW Building Dedication: 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursday, Joan Mann Dance Studio, 181 VFW Drive, Watkinsville.

Join us for the Mayor’s welcome and ribbon cutting at 5:15 p.m. and stay to enjoy touring the Joan Mann Dance Studio and VFW Building dedication.

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

Library Card Scavenger Hunt!: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All week, Bogart Library, 200 South Burson Avenue, Bogart. Celebrate your library card with a family fun library scavenger hunt at the Bogart Library. Drop by during library hours, pick up a form and win a free prize for participating.

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. Located in front of the courthouse in downtown.

Tail Waggin’ Tutors (formerly Read to Rover): 3 to 4 p.m.

Sunday, Oconee County Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville.

Could your child use a helping paw with reading? Come read with the sweetest dogs ever, Star and Comet. Reading aloud to a dog creates a relaxed, non-judgmental environment that helps children develop their reading skills and builds confidence. All ages.

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

Revival at Rays United Methodist Church: 7 p.m.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Ray’s United Methodist Church, 1521 Rays Church Road, Bishop. Rays United Methodist Church holds Revival services. Dr. Warren Lathem will be our guest evangelist each evening. (706) 769-9658 or email rayschurch@att.net for additional information.

Issue 36

From the Oconee to the Apalachee

Volume 11

Blues and barbecue event benefit for Oconee children Wayne Ford

TheOconeeLeader.com

The Oconee Resource Council in Watkinsville is sponsoring a blues music and barbecue event to raise money for its programs to help children in the county.

The “Blues & BBQ” dinner and concert will take place at 6 p.m.

Sept. 17 at the Thomas Cotton Gin, 3753 Greensboro Highway, Watkinsville.

Tickets for the music, dinner and adult beverages are sold in advance for $30 each and are available at the council office at 12 Durham St. or at Ace Hardware in Watkinsville.

The event features musical performances by Athens blues artist Paul Lombard and the blues group The Original Screwtops.”

Lombard, who will open the concert, is a solo artist who plays Piedmont finger-picking blues and rag guitar, said Screwtops member Alex Murawski.

Lombard has also opened for the Screwtops at The Office Lounge on Jefferson Road in Athens.

“He is good and we really like him,” Murawski said.

The Original Screwtops play frequently at The Office, but have also performed at Hendershot’s Coffee, the Melting Point and they often do private parties.

The group is composed of Murawski on vocals and harmonica, Marcelo Buril, vocals and guitar, Jeff Evans on bass, and Joe Ellison on drums.

The group performs mostly electric blues or traditional Chicago

style blues, Murawski said. About a third of their songs, such as “Falling for You Baby,” are original compositions and several are a collaboration between Murawski and Buril, the latter who is a native of Brazil

Oconee Resource sponsors food programs for children along with a mentor program. For more information call (706) 769-4974.

Follow writer Wayne Ford on Facebook at editor@ theoconeeleader.com

30 new-fired pitchers, cups, bowls taken from porch of Oconee potter Wayne Ford

TheOconeeLeader.com

Jeff Bishoff has been making pottery in Georgia since 1984 and during that time someone may have stolen one piece, but that was not the case on July 14.

On that day, someone wiped out a batch of new wood-fired pottery that he had on the front porch on his rural home located on Salem Road in the Farmington community of Oconee County.

“I couldn’t believe it. I had 30 pots on the porch and somebody took them,” Bishoff said Thursday. “I couldn’t believe these people would take someone’s personal stuff that I had signed on the bottom. That’s pretty low.”

The missing pieces included pitches, jars, cups and bowls and each piece is etched with his name.

On the day of the theft, Bishoff had traveled into Watkinsville for his usual lunch at Krimson Kafe and upon his return he discovered the theft, which he reported to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

The thieves also went to the rear of the house and gathered up all of his seconds, which are pieces he wouldn’t rate as his best due to an imperfection.

“I had two nice folding tables outside by the pots, but they didn’t take them,” he said.

Bishoff, a native of Pittsburg, Pa., does not have a job outside his pottery business. Each year, he hosts two sales in June and December and is one of the longtime potters in Oconee County.

Sometime after the theft, he made a trip to the J&J Flea Market north of Athens, just to see if someone might be trying to sell the pottery, which he valued at $600 to $700.

He doesn’t expect to get his pottery back.

“They are basically history, so I’m making up new pots. That’s all I can do,” he said.

Follow writer Wayne Ford on Facebook at editor@ theoconeeleader.com

Contributed photo Jeff Bishoff (top) has been making pottery in Georgia for more than 30 years and recently had several dozen pieces taken from his porch from his rural home in Oconee County.

Oconee author writes science stories that kids can understand Wayne Ford

TheOconeeLeader.com

Page 2

Contact us:

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Contributed photo The Athens blues group The Original Screwtops plays electric and Chicago-style blues.

Pilfered pottery

Please see EVENTS

Email editor@theoconeeleader. com

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Oconee County resident Mandi Mathis will have a book signing for ‘The Littlest Inventor’ next month at Avid Bookshop.

Mandi Mathis will always remember the time she was shopping in Publix on Atlanta Highway and her son, Sawyer, began crying and screaming uncontrollably. She made a quick exit.

She was unable to understand the outcry.

“No one could understand why. We couldn’t go to restaurants, we couldn’t go to grocery stores. He would just scream and cry,” Mathis said.

Later the child was diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of autism with a sensory processing disorder that caused this reaction.

But despite the sensory issues, Sawyer

is a smart kid who loves science. He often talks of inventing new contraptions.

“Sawyer had an interest in electricity. He loved reading about Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo DaVinci. Things above his grade level,” Mathis said.

And in an effort to provide such stories on a level that Mathis children his age could understand, Mathis began writing stories. Today those stories have been accumulated into a book that was recently published by Sensory World of Arlington, Texas.

Please see MATHIS

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Thursday, September 8, 2016

‘Decision point’ at hand for Oconee recreation department Lee Shearer

TheOconeeLeader.com

Fast-growing Oconee County reached a “decision point” for county-sponsored recreation, the director of the county’s parks and recreation department told Oconee County Commission members.

Use of the county’s facilities increased tremendously in recent years, while the number of people who work in the department has

Mathis

not. Oconee has not increased full-time staff, and has decreased part-time work, he said. That’s putting increased stress on staff and facilities, said recreation director John Gentry in a Tuesday meeting. Gentry asked for additional staff in this year’s budget, but commissioners decided against it.

“We’re at a decision point,” he said.

In just one part of the recreation department’s operations, youth

Continued from page 1

Mathis will have her first book signing of “The Littlest Inventor” at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Avid Book Shop on Prince Avenue in Athens.

Sawyer is in the first grade at Malcom Bridge Elementary School in Oconee County where the family resides. He is also the inspiration for the book.

After his diagnosis of Asperger’s, Mathis said she began to understand what was happening as a result of his condition.

She also wanted books that would embrace his interest in science.

“I was having trouble finding books that were his age level, so I started writing. I was an English minor and journalism major, so I began writing these books for him so he would have something to read,” she said.

“I read them to his preschool class and they loved them so I sent them to an autism publisher that only publishes sensory-related books. There was nothing out there like it that I could find,” she said.

The book is based on her son, who is continually thinking of new inventions, but is a child who on a trip to the grocery store is overwhelmed by the lights and the sounds.

“This book is really about self advocacy and giving them tools to solve their own problems,” Mathis said.

“Kids like Sawyer need book characters like them. They don’t need to read just about kids who have a totally different trajectory in life. And parents needed characters like their kids to read about in a positive way,” she said.

The book is illustrated

by Danielle Ragogna, who also lives in Oconee County and is a family friend.

The book is Ragogna’s first to illustrate for

someone else.

“She’s known Sawyer all her life so she was able to capture a lot of his feelings in the illustrations,” Mathis said.

Ragogna, who works at The Loft in Athens, will also attend the book signing.

Mathis grew up in Eastman, a small South Georgia town. She came to Athens in 1998 to attend the University of Georgia, where she majored in journalism. After graduation, she went to law school at Pepperdine University in California.

During law school, she was an intern for Georgia’s U.S. Sen. Zell Miller in Washington, D.C., and later worked as a law clerk for a Superior Court judge in Walton County.

Today she works in the law firm of Cowsert and Avery in Athens. She and her husband, Jeff, have another son, Tyson, who also attends Malcom Bridge.

Mathis is also on the board of directors for the Butterfly Dreams Farm Therapeutic Riding Program in Watkinsville, that provides a program to help children with autism and various disabilities.

Sawyer has attended the Butterfly Dreams program since he was 3 or 4, she said.

“It’s amazing that when you put a kid on a horse, he calms down and collects himself,” she said.

“It’s like his brain and body can slow down into regular mode.”

While Asperger’s makes him different, Mathis said her son told her that “we’re all different.”

“He’s smart in different ways than we are. He is always thinking,” she said about her little inventor.

Follow writer Wayne Ford on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/WayneFordABH.

programs, participation has gone from 4,500 in 2005 to 7,177 in 2015, Gentry said. That’s not including many other types of activities. Ten years ago, the only “user group” making regular use of facilities was a little league baseball organization, but now soccer and lacrosse organizations have also come on board, he said.

Because of the additional demands on staff, the department has had to cut back on some activities. That’s led to a “slight re-

duction” in revenue projections, he said.

Some recreation departments in the state run activities ranging from one-time children’s programs to adult sports leagues, while others take more of a rental approach, maintaining facilities but doing little programming.

If the county want to continue maintaining its present approach, which includes some programming, the department will need more staff, he said.

The county could reduce activities and leave the organization of activities up to user groups. The county could also foster the creation of new user groups, he said.

Oconee might also be facing increased maintenance costs for its aging park facilities, he said.

The recreation department is at about 48 percent “cost recovery,” Gentry said; the Georgia average is about 23 percent, and the national average, 29 percent, he said.

Oconee County Sheriff’s corporal honored Staff Reports

TheOconeeLeader.com

Oconee County Sheriff’s Cpl. Kandy Marchman was honored recently at a meeting of the Georgia Association of Terminal Agency Coordinators.

Marchman, a deputy since 2001, received the Elaine P. Snow Presidential Award for Outstanding Service for the organization formed to promote stan-

Events

From page 1

Walking Tour of the Artland of Georgia, Downtown Watkinsville Presented with OCAF: 10 a.m. Monday, Oconee County Library. The Oconee County Library and Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation host a free walking tour of the City of Watkinsville’s Public Art Exhibitions. OCAF Director, Cindy Farley, will guide walkers and provide more information about the Artland of Georgia. The tour begins at the Please wear comfortable walking shoes. Registration is required. Free. (706) 7693950 or visit our website at athenslibrary.org/ oconee.

NerdHerd Hangout: 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oconee County Library. Come hang out at the library and geek out with other nerds. You can even bring food, Grades 6-12.

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

Cookbook Club: 7 p.m. Monday, Oconee County Library. Each month attendees all read the same cookbook and prepare a recipe to bring and share. At September’s meeting we will discuss Emeril Lagasse’s Louisianainspired cookbook, Every Day’s a Party. Pick up a copy at the library as they become available or visit gapines.org to place a copy on hold.

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

dardized training for those handling the Georgia Crime Information Center data that dispatchers access.

Marchman is a familiar face in Oconee County as she heads the CHAMPS program, which is presented to fifth grade students at local schools.

“She does a remarkable job. She works hard and we’re proud of her,” Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry said.

athenslibrary.org/oconee Teen Advisory Board: 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oconee County Library.

Teen Advisory Board is a volunteer team of teens that meet once a month. Members make book suggestions for the library, help plan teen programs and assist with displays or other projects. Grades 6-12. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www. athenslibrary.org/oconee.

Agricultural Fair: Tuesday, Athens Fairground, Hwy. 78 and Dunlap Road, Athens. Agricultural fair returning to Athens Area Fairgrounds Sept.1318. Clarke County FFA Alumni is actively organizing events that will educate and entertain the public. During this week there will be youth competitions, livestock competitions, a young entrepreneurs contest, car show, commercial displays, food, local entertainment and amusements; did I mention food. Students from not only Clarke County, but also surrounding counties, will be involved in competitions that include mini booth displays, photography, floral designs, plants, beef cattle, sheep, meat goats, rabbits, and dairy goats. Contest rules and information will be available soon on the website at ​www. athensagriculturalfair.org.

Storytime: 10 and 11 a.m. Tuesday and

Marchman also serves as treasurer of the association.

The organization began in 1990 after those working as terminal agency coordinators wanted to establish a professional association made up of such officers. Elaine Snow was the first president.

Oconee’s Assistant 911 coordinator, Marsha Cole, has won the award twice, including last year.

Oconee High student receives national award

Oconee County High School senior Kelton McConnell was recently recognized as a National Hispanic Scholar by the Merit Scholarship Corporation. The award is given to students who score in the 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino students taking the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying tests. He is the son of Michael and Angela Londono-McConnell.

Wednesday, Oconee County Library. Storytime is for preschool aged children and their caregivers. Come for stories, songs, movement, crafts, and fun! Free and open to the public. For more information, please call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee.

Chess Club: 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oconee County Library.

Interested in chess?

Play at the library!

All experience levels (including beginners) welcome. Ages 7 and up. All programs and events are free and open to the public. For more information, please call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee.

Anime Club: 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oconee County Library. Meet with other fans of anime and manga to discover books, shows, movies, snacks, art, and Japanese culture. Grades 6-12.

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

Athens PROBE College Fair: 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, The Classic Center Theatre, 300 N. Thomas Street, Athens.

The University of Georgia host the annual fair. High school students from the surrounding area will have the opportunity to gain valuable information from approximately 100 southeastern colleges and universities.

Coordinated by the UGA Undergraduate Admissions, this event allows students, parents and those interested in higher education to gather information about schools from across the nation. Admissions representatives will be readily available to answer questions on topics such as admissions criteria, application deadlines, financial aid, SAT/ ACT requirements, and campus life.

Scream Free Parenting Class: 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Grace Fellowship Church of God, 1120 Malcom Bridge Road, Bogart. A Scream Free Parenting Class until Oct. 26.

Cost is $15 for required workbook and childcare is free. To register visit http://graceathens. com/connect/details/ scream-free-parenting/ or for more info. call the church at (706) 7694001.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

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Athens Banner-Herald

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Oconee GED program could be homeless Lee Shearer

TheOconeeLeader.com

Athens Technical College’s GED classes in Oconee County might need to be looking for a new home.

At a meeting recently, county commissioners seemed ready to balk at renewing the program’s lease for space in the county’s government annex on Greensboro Highway.

With the government vacating rented buildings in downtown Watkinsville this week, there just might not be room for the GED program in addition to the government workers who now must move into the annex, some commissioners say.

“I don’t think it wise to move forward with renting space when we don’t have enough space,” said Commissioner Jim Luke, who said he’d be opposed to signing a lease renewal for 2017 and 2018.

“I don’t want anybody to think I don’t want them in the county. I do,” he said.

Meanwhile, county workers are moving out of two rented buildings across the street from the county courthouse in Watkinsville.

Administrative Officer Jeff Benko said he thought the move would likely be com-

pleted last Wednesday.

The program helps people who don’t have a high school diploma prepare for the GED test; a passing score is a substitute and a gateway for further study in college or technical school.

The program operates during business hours but also in the evening, since people studying for the GED often are already working jobs.

“I think we’re going to need that space,” said Commissioner Mark Saxon.

But “it’s something we need to keep in Oconee County if we can,” he added. “I thought we were pursuing alternatives.”

But that might not be the case.

Benko said he had not yet talked to Oconee County School Superintendent Jason Branch about the possibility of using school space.

“I know there’s a need for that type of program,” said County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis.

Commissioners have talked about building more space for government operations in fast-growing Oconee County, but that might be years away.

“We need to act on the location of the administration building as soon as possible,” said Davis, who is stepping down at the end of this year.

St. Mary’s Health Care embarks on $13 million in expansions, upgrades Staff Reports

TheOconeeLeader.com

St. Mary’s Health Care System is embarking on major construction projects to expand and upgrade its hospice house in Oconee County and the surgical suite, boiler operations and emergency fuel supply at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens.

“These projects represent a $13 million investment in further improving safety, comfort and service for our patients, medical staff and visitors,” said Tom Kruer, director of engineering. “In addition, we will be improving energy efficiency and creating space for future growth.”

Work on one project, a $2 million expansion of St. Mary’s Hospice House on Jennings Mill Road, is underway. The project is expanding kitchen and dining facilities, moving liquified oxygen tanks, relocating and improving the nurses’ station, renovating all 12 patient rooms and providing additional space for support functions.

“We built our area’s first Hospice House in 2006 entirely with donated funds, and this expansion also is being funded entirely with donated funds,” said foundation Director Crysty Odom.

Starting in early September, St. Mary’s launches a $6.8 million project to add two additional robot-ready operating rooms to its surgical suite. This project also moves and expands storage for sterile equipment, update the sterile core where surgeons and staff prepare for procedures, and provide a general facelift for hallways and other common spaces.

“This is an extremely complex project that will give us a total of 11 operating rooms,” Kruer said.

“We have been providing da Vinci robotic surgery since 2010 and need to bring additional robotready operating rooms online. These rooms will give us more capacity to meet increasing demand, not only for minimally invasive robotic surgeries but for all types of proce-

dures.”

To create space for the new operating rooms, the first phase of the project moves St. Mary’s Cardiac Rehabilitation gym, Cardiovascular Services Laboratory, Rehabilitation Services and portions of Radiology’s Special Procedures suite.

“Our goal is to create an environment that’s soothing, comfortable, and pleasant, with plenty of light,” Kruer said. He also said the updated waiting room will accommodate new technology to further improve the experience of loved ones while they wait.

The third major project will expand and update support infrastructure that provides hot water and emergency electricity. In this $4.3 million project, which began in late August, St. Mary’s will expand the existing boiler room, add a third boiler and space for a fourth, replace and update heat exchangers, and double fuel capacity for the hospital’s emergency backup generators.

Scarecrow 5K race on day of Oconee County Fall Festival

The Oconee County Chamber of Commerce’s Scarecrow 5K race will be held on Oct. 15, the day of the annual Oconee County Fall Festival.

The race, the oldest 5K in Oconee, usually attracts between 200 to 300 runners.

The race begins at Watkinsville First United Church on New High Shoals Road.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race at 8:30 a.m.

For information on the race or festival contact Julia Estess at (706) 769-7947 or jestess@oconeechamber.org.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Constitution Week

Contributed photo The Rev. John Andrew Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Oconee County will host a program for Constitution Week at 4 p.m. Sept. 17. The Chapter’s Junior American Citizens will lead the program at in downtown Watkinsville at the corner of Experiment Station Road and Main Street. The program begins with bells and will end with the firing of a cannon (shown). People are asked to bring a chair. The DAR began this observance in 1955 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an order establishing Constitution Week.

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

September 8, 2016

Area players suit up for Dogs in Atlanta Oconee County volleyball The Lady Warriors lost to Habersham Central and Clarke Central last Tuesday in a pair of nonregion matches to fall to 7-6 overall. The Lady Warriors play at Athens Academy today (September 8) against Providence Christian and Athens Academy at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. They play at the Lovett Block Party on Friday and at St. Pius X on September 13. They return home on September 15 against Gainesville and Apalachee.

NOHS

North Oconee softball The Lady Titans lost three Region 8-AAAA games last week to drop to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the region. The Lady Titans lost 3-2 to Madison County last Tuesday, 5-0 to Stephens County last Thursday and 3-0 to Jefferson last Friday.

They play at Jefferson today at 5:55 p.m. and at St. Pius X on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Photos by MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

OCHS

Oconee County softball The Lady Warriors beat St. Pius X 6-1 last Tuesday to get the Region 8-AAAA victory, their second region win this season and fifth overall.

The Lady Warriors lost 7-4 to Madison County last Wednesday in a region game and lost 5-2 to Franklin County in a non-region game last Friday. The Lady Warriors host Stephens County today (September 8) at 5:55 p.m.

The University of Georgia opened its season last Saturday in Atlanta against North Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The Bulldogs erased a 24-14 deficit and won 33-24. Pictured in the top photo is Prince Avenue Christian grad Christian Payne (47) congratulating Nick Chubb after Chubb’s touchdown in the first quarter. The middle left photo is Oconee County grad Jaleel Laguins posing on the field after Georgia’s win. The middle right photo is Oconee County grad Billy Seward walking towards his teammates following the win. Pictured below is North Oconee grad Kate Rider (middle) with the University of Georgia cheerleaders leading the Bulldogs onto the field at the Georgia Dome prior to the start of the game. For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com. The Bulldogs host Nicholls State on Saturday at noon.

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Thursday, September 8, 2016

North Oconee football

Titans fall to Morgan County in non-region game, host Cedar Shoals on Friday

By Matthew Caldwell TheOconeeLeader.com

North Oconee made the short trip to Madison for a non-region contest against Morgan County on Friday evening and came up short with a 23-13 loss to the Bulldogs.

The Titans dropped to 0-2 this season, both nonregion losses.

“It is the same ole, same ole when you are talking about as many young kids and even the older kids, we are a very fragile, young football team. It will take a while for them to grow up,” said head coach Terry Tuley. “We are trying to make sure that as they grow, we get better and don’t make the same mistakes. That is the key to getting better as a football team – don’t make the same mistakes.”

The Titans found themselves trailing just 2:14 into the game when a halfback pass by Morgan County went 55 yards for a touchdown on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage.

“That is what you call biting on the worm,” Tuley said. “We spent all week trying to get them to run downhill. Sure enough, here comes toss sweep and he didn’t even think twice.

Nice call on their part. Nice trick play. Successful. Now we are in a hole. If you take that seven off, it’s a pretty close football game.”

A big return by Jermaine Browner helped set up the Titans on the Bulldogs’ 27 on their ensuing drive but it ended with a missed 39yard field goal.

The Titans defense held the Bulldogs to a threeand-out on Morgan County’s next drive. On the punt, the Bulldogs’ punter couldn’t handle the snap and his pass fell incomplete. A flag against Morgan County gave the Titans possession at the Morgan County 8-yard line.

Morgan County’s defense held the Titans to a field goal, and John Bohler’s 25-

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Above, the Titans huddle prior to the start of Friday’s game at Morgan County. Below, Jermaine Browner had a touchdown in the third quarter against Morgan County. For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com.

yard field goal got the Titans on the board with 3:57 left in the opening quarter and cut the lead to 7-3.

Morgan County was inside the Titans’ 10 and was facing a third-andgoal from the 4 when the Bulldogs fumbled on the second play of the second quarter. North Oconee recovered but the Titans fumbled on the ensuing drive and Morgan County recovered at the Titans’ 17.

Three plays into the Bulldogs’ drive, they were in the end zone with a 3-yard run and a 13-3 lead.

A big kickoff return by Cameron Christian on the ensuing kickoff got the Titans inside Morgan County territory at the 36, but

they were facing a fourthand-14 early in the drive.

Turner Daniel’s pass to Garrett Paxson was incomplete but Morgan County was flagged for pass interference, giving the Titans a first down at the 25.

The Titans were facing a fourth-and-15 from the 30 when Daniel completed a 26-yard pass to Brian Mauldin for a first down.

After back-to-back 1-yard gains by Browner, the Titans called a time out with 4:36 left in the half.

Browner got the ball again on third down and this time, he got into the end zone for the Titans’ first touchdown of the game. Bohler’s PAT cut the lead to 13-10 with 4:31 left

Malcom Bridge dominates season opener, beats Haymon-Morris 35-0

Contributed photo

The Malcom Bridge Middle School football team won its season opener 35-0 against Haymon-Morris, the team the Lightning faced in last season’s championship. The Lightning led 28-0 after the first quarter. Cameron Bergeron, Jordan Fick, Tanner Evilsizor, Gavin Bloom and Bubba Chandler all had touchdowns for the Lightning in the game. Their defense had a goal-line stand in the final minutes to preserve the shutout. The Lightning play at Malcom Bridge today (September 8) against East Jackson. Pictured are the Malcom Bridge cheerleaders – Carson Christian, Brooke Coates, Katie Norris, Carly Hoffman, Kinsi Jones, Bella Tripp, Alyssa Terry, Gia Lasher, Jaiden Taunton, Ansley Richardson, Hannah Farmer, Cierra Pitts and Emily Downs. They are coached by Crystal Melton and Shannon Giddens.

in the half.

“Jermaine had an outstanding ball game. He is one of those kids that runs like he weighs 200 but he only weighs 145,” Tuley said. “When he sticks it up in there, he will get rejected a lot. He ran hard on the goal line. One time he missed the hole. We adjusted our blocking and then he

halfway walked in because they blocked pretty well.”

The game remained 1310 until 3:09 remained in the third quarter when Morgan County scored on a 31-yard run to take a 2010 lead.

Another big kickoff return from Browner got the Titans into the red zone.

They started on the Morgan County 15 but ended up kicking a 26-yard field goal to cut the lead to 2013 with 2:06 left in the third.

Morgan County’s next drive ended with a field goal to take a 23-13 lead, but it went 17 plays and ended with 6:41 left in the game.

“I thought we played really well (on defense),” Tuley said. “We got a little tired, reaction time, a little bit slower coming off the ball. In what was

one or two yard gains in the first three quarters, that one long continuous drive where they ate a bunch of clock, they were four and five yard gains and first downs. That is like a boxer. You keep hitting in the stomach and eventually those blows will have an effect and that’s what happened. We didn’t play any less intense. I don’t think we played with less heart. We were just a little bit slower in taking those three steps that normally get us to the ball and they kept it moving. That drive, besides eating the clock, we were forced to get after it and get two scores and that was tough.”

Next up for the Titans is a homecoming on Friday night. The Titans will host Cedar Shoals (2-0 overall) in their first home game of the season. It is also Homecoming.

“It’s a scary process.

They have a lot of skilled people and talent. They get outside and you have the wrong angle, he gets the leverage on you and he has enough speed and can take it. Cedar Shoals will be very much that way.

They will come prepared,” Tuley said. “It will be our first home ball game so that will be nice. With the way the schedule works, we have the distraction of Homecoming early in the season and the first game.

That combination hopefully won’t be lethal. We hope we do better.

“We are looking forward to getting back home. We haven’t been there in a while, since last season.”

Thursday, September 8, 2016

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Wolverines need overtime but beat Athens Christian 7-0 Prince Avenue Christian and Athens Christian needed more than the scheduled 48 minutes on the clock to decide the outcome of last Friday’s Region 8-A contest. When overtime ended, it was the Wolverines who were celebrating at Brad Akins Field. Thomas Huff’s touchdown (pictured) and Jared Pringle’s PAT gave the Wolverines a 7-0 lead on the first possession of overtime. Athens Christian’s possession in overtime ended with a lost fumble, giving the Wolverines the win and a 3-0 overall record. The Wolverines play at Towns County on Friday.

Contributed photo by Jason Myers

Warriors dominate Walnut Grove, improve to 2-0 Oconee County improved to 2-0 this season, both non-region wins, with last Friday’s 41-12 win at Walnut Grove. The Warriors built a 34-0 lead midway in the second quarter. Christian Casey had the team’s first touchdown. Sam Middlebrooks’ pass to Roques Dowdy gave the Warriors a 13-0 lead with 5:39 left in the first. After an interception by Dowdy, Jered Hood gave the Warriors a 20-0 lead with 5:28 left in the first. Hood got in the end zone again late in the first quarter to give the Warriors a 27-0 lead with 1:56 left.

Middlebrooks’s second touchdown pass to Dowdy gave the Warriors a 34-0 lead with 6:52 left in the half. Hood added another touchdown with 1:04 left in the fourth. The Warriors host Morgan County on Friday night.

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Football: Athens Academy routs Lakeview for second win of season From Staff Reports TheOconeeLeader.com

Athens Academy had no problems getting past Lakeview Academy last Friday night. The Spartans scored on their first play and went on to earn a 5414 victory to improve to 2-0 this season.

Jacob Hudson’s 80-yard pass to Matt Moseley got the scoring going. Hudson had a 1-yard touchdown run to take a 13-0 lead.

Hudson’s next touchdown pass went to Payton Bowles to take a 19-0 lead.

Hudson’s 65-yard touchdown pass to Ed Ferguson gave the Spartans a 26-0

lead with 2:45 left in the first quarter.

Hudson had a 55-yard touchdown pass to Ferguson. Bowles had a 4-yard touchdown run with 5:59 left in the second to take a 40-0 lead. Bowles added another touchdown run late in the second quarter and the Spartans led 47-0 at

halftime.

The second half was played with a running clock. Trey Willis had a 33yard touchdown run to give the Spartans a 54-14 lead with 1:55 left in the game.

Athens Academy hosts Athens Christian on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

North Oconee competition cheerleading team wins first meet of season

North Oconee’s competition cheerleading team won its season-opening event last Saturday at Apalachee.

The Lady Titans’ varsity and JV teams will compete again September 17 at North Gwinnett. Pictured are (back row) head coach Ashley Downs, Braelyn Whyte, Sydney Stricklin, Bailey Ellis, Maitland Hood, Kaylee Frantz, Olivia Emerick, Julia Walker, Ashleigh Willis, McKinsey Haley, Ava Sloan, assistant coach Lydia Farman, (front row) Payton Ryan, Maggie Booz, Natalie Babin, Kyler Hardigree, Amelia Hamil, Kendall Brown and Baleigh Hancock.

Contributed photo

PACS drops pair of region games

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Prince Avenue Christian’s softball team lost a pair of region games last week, falling to Providence Christian 4-0 last Tuesday and to George Walton 10-5 last Thursday to fall to 2-2 in the region and 3-3 overall. For the full story and a photo gallery of the Lady Wolverines’ game against Providence Christian, see theoconeeleader.com. Pictured is Mackenzie Kurt.

North Oconee improves to 15-4 overall

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

North Oconee’s volleyball team went into this week with a 15-4 overall record thanks to wins against Chamblee, Fellowship Christian and Walnut Grove last week. The Lady Titans play at Hebron Christian on Monday, at Madison County on Tuesday and at Cartersville on September 17. They play at home September 20 against Jefferson and Madison County.

Pictured is setter Sami Gascho.

Lady Spartans win four last week

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Athens Academy’s volleyball team beat Lakeview and Prince Avenue Christian last Tuesday and beat Mount de Sales and Clarke Central last Thursday to improve to 17-2 overall this season. The Lady Spartans host Providence Christian and Oconee County today (September 8) at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Pictured is Malia Busenitz (4), Caroline Kuhnert (7) and Sydney Williams (11).

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Page 8

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Block, Kalessa win varsity cross country meet at North Oconee

Athens Academy’s Anna Marian Block won North Oconee’s girls’ varsity cross country meet last Thursday with a time of 19:04, 11 seconds ahead of second place. North Oconee’s Mackenzie Morse finished third with a time of 19:57. North Oconee’s girls won with 43 points. Kate Mattison finished fifth (20:33), Gabby Huff-Streiter finished 10 (21:35), Hollis Brown finished 12 (21:50), Peyton Coates finished 13 (21:53) and Melanie Bowden finished 15 (22:00). Athens Academy finished fourth with 93 points. Emily Elder finished eighth (21:01), Sara Irvine finished 28 (23:55) and Emily Doherty finished 32 (24:18). Westminster Christian’s Abigail Snyder finished seventh (20:53), Rachel Snyder finished 19 (22:47), Hadley Kirsche finished 41 (25:22), Lily McElhannon finished 53 (26:40) and Peyton Turner finished 61 (27:53). Prince Avenue Christian’s Madison Britt was 38 (24:52). Taylor Howard was 55 (26:47). North Oconee’s Brady Kalessa finished first in last Thursday’s meet at NOHS with a time of 17:17. Athens Academy finished first overall with 63 points, 13 points ahead of second-place North Oconee. Ryan Iyer led the Spartans with a third-place finish in a time of 17:58. Alex Branch finished sixth (18:18), Jay Bangle finished seventh (18:26), Severen Brown finished 16 (19:09) and Thomas Suarez finished 31 (19:56). North Oconee’s Alex Thomas was fourth (18:04), Jacob Ash was fifth (18:05), David Mustard was 11 (18:55) and Thomas Dowis was 59 (21:22). Westminster Christian’s David Lanclos was 53 (21:00). Prince Avenue Christian’s Buck Leffingwell was 83 . For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com. th

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Malcom Bridge’s Morse, Potts finish first, MBMS sweeps meet Malcom Bridge’s Kelsey Morse (13:18) and Caroline Duncan (14:16) finished first and second, respectively, and helped the Lady Lightning win last Thursday’s middle school cross country race at North Oconee.

McKinzie Frey was fourth (15:41), Kenna Kay was 10 (16:59) and Brynn Halback was 16 to round out the scoring for the Lady Lightning, who had 33 points. Oconee County was second with 43 points.

Phoebe Brodrick was third (14:53), Sydney Matthews was fifth (15:56), Sydney Freeman was sixth (16:31), Mia Senyitco was 14 (17:11) and Holly Moore was 15 (17:11). Prince Avenue Christian was fourth with 99 points. Olivia Shivar (seventh, 16:36) and Molly Meeks (eighth, 16:38) led PACS. Malcom Bridge had three runners in the top three and won the overall middle school cross country meet last Thursday at North Oconee. Davis Potts won with a time of 12:33, followed by Max Pearson (second place, 12:57) and Aidan Landrum (third place, 13:06). Cody Bray (12 , 14:02) and Palmer Beck (14 , 14:27) rounded out the scoring for the Lightning, who had 32 points. Oconee County was third with 74 points. Andrew Guthrie was sixth (13:34) and Jack Stansell was eighth (13:38) to lead the Braves. Wells Pee (17 , 14:33), Luca Peroni (21 , 14:39) and Griffin Roberts (22 , 14:39) rounded out the scoring for the Braves. Kyle McCullough led Westminster Christian with a fifth-place finish in a time of 13:29. Carson Greene was ninth (13:46).

Peyton Sanders (26 , 14:46), Luke Collom (28 , 14:50) and Jack Turner (29 , 15:10) rounded out the scoring for the Lions, who finished fourth overall with 97 points. For more photos, seetheoconeeleader. com. th

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North Oconee JV teams finish second at home meet

North Oconee’s junior varsity teams finished second in last Thursday’s home cross country meet. Anna Cobb led the Lady Titans with a fourth-place finish in a time of 24:18. Anna Marie Garmon finished 14 (25:51), Christa Lynn Moore finished 16 (26:10), Amelia Veal finished 19 (26:30) and Christina Vogt finished 30 (28:06). Wanya Newton led the Titans with a fourth-place finish in a time of 20:56.

Cole Lannon finished 11 (21:43), Colin McCormick finished 13 (21:48), Michael Shirley finished 15 (21:55) and Conar Jensen finished 21 (22:33). Pictured are Caroline Kulp and Sydney Tamborello prior to their run in the race. For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com. th

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Photos by Matthew Caldwell The Oconee Leader

Thursday, September 8, 2016

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