The Oconee Leader

Thursday, September 15, 2016

This Week: Calendar Agricultural Fair: All week, Athens Fairground, Hwy. 78 and Dunlap Road, Athens.

The agricultural fair is returning to Athens Area Fairgrounds Sept.13 to 18. The 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 amusement. 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 under the contests link. athensagriculturalfair@ gmail.com, www. athensagriculturalfair. org.

D.I.Y. Craft Kits: 10 a.m. Thursday, Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville.

On the 15th of each month a new craft kit is released with an easy to complete do-it-yourself craft. All programs and events are free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee.

Baby Music Jam: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Join us for a sing-a-long and lots of fun. Preschoolaged children and caregivers play musical instruments, sing, and dance together. All programs and events are free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www. athenslibrary.org/ oconee., 706-613-3950 OCLF Book Sale at the Oconee County Civic Center: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville.

All are invited to the Oconee County Library Friends annual book sale, hosted each year at the Oconee County Civic Center. Proceeds are used to purchase books, supplies, and more. Thursday is the preview day and open only to Friends members or join at the door for only $10 per person, $25 per family.

Friday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday is half price day and hours are 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. Most books are $2 or less, children’s books range from $0.50 to $2, CDs are $1, DVDs are $3 and credit cards are accepted. Call the Please see EVENTS

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Issue 37

From the Oconee to the Apalachee

Volume 11

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Calling his number

Math instructor Oconee High’s Teacher of the Year Wayne Ford

TheOconeeLeader.com

Photo by WAYNE FORD Jacob Forrester has taught math at Oconee High School for five years.

Oconee to pay $425K for sewer easement

Jacob Forrester is in his fifth year of teaching mathematics at Oconee County High School and during those few years he has made a positive impression on students and his peers.

Recently, during a school assembly he was named the school’s Teacher of the Year.

“When they announced my name for Teacher of the Year, it was almost a feel­ ing of disbelief because I was sitting next to four other phenomenal teachers (nomi­ nated). I know what they do and every one of them deserved it,” Forrester said.

The other teachers nominated were math

teacher Faith Hoyt, social studies teacher Teri Sanders, chorus teacher Katie Wil­ liams and science teacher Jennifer Yauck.

“It’s a great honor,” said Forrester, who has embraced a curiosity about math since he was a boy.

“My job is to communicate math and get the student to think through problems in­ volving math,” he said. “But I think more so than teaching math any teacher’s job is to help a student become a better version of themselves.”

I see students achieving their goals and to feel I’m part of the reason they were able Please see TEACHER

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Gimme an ‘S’

GED classes remain in place

Wayne Ford

TheOconeeLeader.com

Oconee County’s gov­ ernment will pay $425,000 to buy a sewer easement through a golf course.

The Oconee County Com­ mission voted 2-0 with little discussion to go ahead with the purchase Tuesday; Com­ missioner Jim Luke recused himself, and one commis­ sion seat is vacant.

The purchase price seemed steep to some, in­ cluding Jim McGarvey, the president of a group oppos­ ing a separate sewer line project that would be built alongside the county’s sce­ nic Calls Creek and through numerous homeowners’ backyards.

The price is about 25 percent of what the owners paid for the entire 142-acre golf course and club, said McGarvey, the president of Friends of Calls Creek.

The purchase would bring to around $1 million the amount the county has com­ mitted that will benefit pri­ vate businesses, including another sewer line project benefiting a Bogart bakery, McGarvey said.

But according to Wayne Haynie, the price is well below where negotiations began between county offi­ cials and the owners of the Jennings Mill Country Club golf course.

“At one point the value on the easement was over $1 million,” he told commis­ sioners.

Engineers have modified the line’s route to minimize the effect on the golf course, such as by tunneling under trees, Haynie said.

Haynie said the planned

Lee Shearer

TheOconeeLeader.com

Photos by SALLY GUSTAFSON The North Oconee Titans get ready to play against Gainesville Dempsey in the Oconee County Youth Football League on Sept. 10 at Gainesville City Park. For more pictures, go to The OconeeLeader.com.

Please see SEWER

GED classes will contin­ ue to be held in an Oconee County government build­ ing, at least through De­ cember.

County commission­ ers a week ago indicated they would likely balk at renewing a lease agree­ ment with Athens Tech­ nical College to continue holding the classes in the Oconee County govern­ ment annex on Greensboro Highway.

With county offices vacating rented space in downtown Watkinsville last month, and plans for build­ ing more space years away, the government is jamming even more workers into the annex and space is at a premium, argued Commis­ sioner Jim Luke, the most vocal in opposing the lease renewal.

But Luke and the coun­ ty’s two other commission­ ers, Mark Saxon and Bub­ ber Wilkes, said Tuesday that they’d agree to a com­ promise offered by Com­ mission Chairman Melvin Davis to allow the classes to remain through Decem­ ber, the end of the current semester, while county and Athens Tech officials look for another place to house the classes.

Luke said he’d promised Athens Technical College President Andrea Daniel he’d help look for a new site for the classes.

“But first and foremost I owe my allegiance to the taxpayers of Oconee Coun­ ty,” he said.

The GED is a test for people Please see GED

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Maps of proposed bypass route on display Staff Reports

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The group Positively Oconee has made available to the public some maps of the proposed route for the widening of U.S. Highway 441 and a bypass around Bishop.

The maps are in the genealogy room at the Oconee County Li­

brary in Watkinsville and available during normal library hours.

Several landowners along the route have been notified by the Georgia Department of Transpor­ tation that a contractor will be in the area soon doing surveys and collecting soil samples, according to Positively Oconee member Car­ ole Ludwig.

The citizens group wants to “in­ fluence GDOT on the selection of the shortest route that is the least destructive to farms and wood­ lands and protects our wildlife habitat, historic and archeological treasures,” according to Ludwig.

Ludwig said that crossing the Greenbriar Creek tributaries with a four-lane road will increase the

cost by $1 million per bridge.

The group is encouraging citi­ zens to visit the library and exam­ ine the proposed routes.

People can also make comments and have their names and e-mail addresses placed on the group’s contact list by sending mail to Positively Oconee, P.O. Box 1501, Watkinsville, Ga.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

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Matthews to run for City Council in Watkinsville Staff Reports

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Dan Matthews has announced he will run for Post 5 on the Watkinsville City Council during the Nov. 8 election.

Matthews, 53, of Morgan Manor Estates subdivision, is making his fourth attempt at an elected office. He had previously run for the 113th State House seat, a bid for mayor of Watkinsville and a run for a seat on the Watkinsville City Council.

Matthews, who has a son, Lowell Matthews, is employed as office manager at the Krasle Law Firm in Athens.

“I love the City of Watkinsville very much, and the way we are carefully growing,” Matthews said in a prepared statement. “I want to continue in the tradition of former Mayor Jim Luken and work with people to make our city the best place it can be.”

Matthews has worked previously for Oconee County in its welcome center and at Herman C. Michael Park, the latter where he was also a volunteer coach. He also said he has worked as a freelance journalist and writes a blog called Oconee County, GA, Politics.

Candidates to state their cases at forum Staff Reports

TheOconeeLeader.com

Photos by Denise Weimer Below, this doctor’s apothecary will be open for tours during Denise Weimer’s book signing event on Sept. 17 in Maxeys.Above, the Durham home is an historic home in Maxeys.

Author to release novel in Maxeys Staff Reports

TheOconeeLeader.com

Watkinsville author Denise Weimer will release her newest novel “Widow” on Sept. 17 in Maxeys in an event that includes tours of the Durham Apothecary & Museum.

The “Coffee, Tea & History” event from 2-4 p.m. will showcase the apothecary that was restored by Weimer’s parents, Dennis and Faye Short.

“Widow” is the second book in the what is called the Restoration Trilogy. The first novel was “White” while the third as yet unpublished book will be “Witch.”

The event is free and includes a reading from the novel, refreshments, talks on history and people can also visit with experts on herbal medicine and observe artisan demonstrations.

The novel will be available for purchase along with copies of Weimer’s first series of novels called the Georgia Gold Series.

In the new trilogy, the main character Jennifer Rushmore accepts a offer from a man, who is bachelor, to act as coordinator for the restoration of the family’s historic home in a small Georgia community during the

“The apothecary is the ‘crown jewel’ of the Durham property.”

Denise Weimer’s mother, Faye Short

1870s.

The actual house that inspired the story in Maxeys is believed to have been built by Dr. William Meigs Durham and his brother, John, in the 1800s. In June 1877, the local newspaper reported that the Durhams added a “verandah” to the front of

their office building. Due to several distinguishing features, a regional architectural expert believes the building may have been modified from an even earlier structure.

“The apothecary is the ‘crown jewel’ of the Durham property,” said Weimer’s mother, Faye. “The building was designed to reflect the doctors’ success and respectability with plastered and curved walls in the front display and reception area, graduated shelves to the ceiling, and a large compounding desk.”

For more information, see deniseweimerbooks.webs.com.

An Oconee County Election Forum is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Community Center in Veterans Park, 3500 Hog Mountain Road.

The three candidates for the special election on Nov. 8 to fill Post 2 on the Oconee County Board of Commissioners have agreed to participate in the forum, organized by residents Lee Becker, Sarah Bell and Russ Page.

Oconee County School Superintendent Jason Branch also has agreed to answer questions on the district’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education question, which also will be on the ballot.

Representatives of the Georgia Restaurant Association and of Publix will be on hand to discuss the two Sunday Sales referenda, also on the ballot. Invitations have been extended to others who may wish to speak on the referenda.

Citizens will have the opportunity to pose their questions directly to Post

2 candidates Ben Bridges, Chuck Horton and Marcus Wiedower. Each candidate has been asked to make an introductory comment.

By law, Branch is not allowed to advocate for the SPLOST, but he can outline the purpose of the tax request approved by the Board of Education and answer questions about the uses that will be made of the projected $45 million in revenue from the tax over its five-year lifespan.

Bridges, Horton and Wiedower are all running as Republicans to fill the spot left vacant in March when John Daniell resigned from the Post 2 position to run for the board chairman’s position. Daniell is unopposed in the November election.

Becker, Bell and Page plan to video record the event and make it available for viewing on the Oconee County Observations Vimeo site. (https://vimeo. com/leebecker/videos) “We encourage everyone in the county to attend and learn more about the candidates and issues in this important election,” Becker said.

Group will mark grave of a former member Staff Reports

TheOconeeLeader.com

The Athens Chapter of the Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution will soon mark the grave of former member Albert Sydney Johnson III during an upcoming ceremony.

The ceremony is planned for 2 p.m. Sept. 18 in the Bishop Cemetery in Bishop.

Johnson, who died on Dec. 30, 2014, was a resident

of Oconee County since 1970 and was retired from the University of Georgia as Johnson Professor of Wildlife Management in the School of Forest Resources.

A native of Clarkston in DeKalb County, he was a U.S. Navy veteran having served in the Korean War. Everyone is invited to attend.

DAR ready for Constitution Week

The Reverend John Andrew Chapter, NSDAR, celebration of Constitution Week begins with a ceremony at 4 p.m. Sept. 17. The Chapter’s Junior American Citizens lead the program at Watkinsville’s Oconee State on corner of Main Street and Experiment Station.

The Daughters of the American Revolution initiated the observance in 1955.

Arts foundation hosting Frame Sale

The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation in Watkinsville is hosting a Frame Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 24 in the School Street Studios building.

More than 100 quality, gently used and re-purposed frames in a variety of sizes will be available to purchase.

Many frames are archival and include a matt, glass and backing board. Money raised by the sale goes to support OCAF. For more information, see www.ocaf.com or call (706) 769-4565.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Teacher to do it is great.”

Forrester’s love for math dates back to his early years when his grandparents began encouraging him to think about what he wanted to do in life. He knew he wanted to attend college.

Forrester’s parents were divorced and he grew up in Las Vegas, Nev., but at age 14 he decided to move to Georgia and live with his father, whose family has lived for generations in Barrow County.

“My family didn’t have the means to support me through college so I realized my Dad was in Georgia and if I came here I could qualify for the Hope scholarship,” he said.

Forrester attended Dacula High School for the

Continued from page 1 ninth and 10th grades, then transferred to Winder-Barrow High, where he graduated in 2007. That fall, he entered the University of Georgia and majored in math education.

“From a young age I had an innate curiosity about mathematics. I knew I wanted to do something in the math field,” he said.

Forrester enjoyed the challenge of upper-level college math courses that focused on “what is called proof.”

“It’s less about solving a problem and more about why does the method you use to solve the problem work. Why is the mathematics accurate.”

While working on his math degree, Forrester crossed paths with another

Sewer

Continued from page 1

purchase hadn’t altered the overall budget for the project – about $2.5 million for a little less than two miles of 18-inch sewer main.

The county most recently offered about $389,000. If negotiations continued, fees to lawyers, consultants and experts would more than make up the difference between that and the golf course owners’ offer of $425,000, he said.

The county would get about 1.9 acres of permanent easement and another 1.9 acres of construction easement, along with a small amount for ingress and egress.

The McNutt Creek sewer line could help

GED who haven’t finished high school. If they pass, they’ve demonstrated they’ve reached the equivalent of high school diploma-level academic skills, and can move on to enroll in college or vocational classes.

math major and they soon married. Nicole Forrester, who graduated from Roswell High School, currently teaches math at WinderBarrow High.

Outside the classroom, Forrester, who held down third base for his high school baseball team, is a coach for baseball squad and the cross-country team.

The teacher is carrying over his love for these sports to coaching these skills to young people.

And it’s the same in the classroom where he deals in numbers.

“I had a lot of great teachers,” he said describing those teachers who impacted him as ones “knowledgeable about their subject and know how to communicate it.”

reduce county operating expenses and enable the county to get financial help from the state in the form of a low-interest, partially forgivable loan, he said.

The McNutt Creek sewer line will eliminate the need for the county’s largest sewage pumping station, the Jimmy Daniell station. Haynie estimated annual operating and maintenance costs for it at $100,000.

The new sewer line would flow downhill; the gravity-fed line would eliminate the need for the pumping station, needed now to pump sewage uphill on its way to the county’s sewage treatment facility on Calls Creek.

Continued from page 1 Several of the program’s former instructors spoke to the commissioners on behalf of keeping GED classes in the county at a meeting Tuesday.

Eliminating GED classes in Oconee County “would put one more difficulty in

Events library at (706) 769-3950 if you have any questions.

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

Library Card Scavenger Hunt: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday. Bogart Library, 200 South Burson Avenue, Bogart. It’s Library Card Sign-Up Month. 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.

Learn more about your library, too.

Spanish Storytime: 4 p.m.

Friday, Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. Come listen and practice fun Spanish songs and stories. You don’t have to speak Spanish. All ages.

Free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary.org/oconee.

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.

Your Library @ the Oconee Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville.

Join Miss Rebecca at the Farmers Market in downtown Watkinsville for a fun activity. Free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary. org/oconee.

Basic Computer Skills: 3 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oconee Public Library, 1080 Experiment Station Road, Watkinsville. This class will cover

lives that are frequently already overwhelmed,” said one, Nancy Turnbull.

If Oconee County lost the program, it would be the only county in Athens Tech’s service area without a GED preparation program, they said.

Continued from page 1

some basic computer skills, setup and maintenance, and installing and uninstalling software. Limited to 5 participants. Registration required.

All programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call (706) 769-3950 or visit www.athenslibrary. org/oconee.

Constitution Day Program Watkinsville Georgia: 4 to 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, Oconee State Bank, 35 N Main St, Watkinsville. The Reverend John Andrew Chapter, NSDAR, celebration of Constitution Week will begin with a ceremony. The Chapter’s Junior American Citizens will lead the program. The program will begin with bells ringing and end with a cannon firing. Anyone planning to attend the Constitution Day celebration should bring a chair. Free. (770) 402-0376, ruthiependergrass@gmail.com, revjohnandrew.georgiastatedar.org/ pages/.

Blues & BBQ: 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Thomas Cotton Gin, 3753 Greensboro Hwy, Watkinsville. Music by Paul Lombard & The Original Screwtops.

Music, dinner and adult beverages.

All ticket sales in advance. Tickets will be sold at Ace Hardware in Watkinsville. All proceeds benefit children in Oconee County: Food For Kids, Summer Food for Kids, Mentor Program.

National Back-to-Church Sunday: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Browns Chapel Baptist Church, 1030 Brown Chapel Road, Bishop. Browns Chapel Baptist Church will host Back-toChurch Sunday as part of a national initiative. Everyone is encouraged to attend. www.bcoconee.com; (706) 310-0074. Free. office@bcoconee. com, www.bcoconee.com “An Afternoon with Abrams”: 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oconee Veterans Park, 3500 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville.

The Oconee County Democratic Party is hosting ‚“Afternoon with Abrams,” an ice cream social at Oconee Veterans Park with guest speaker Stacey Abrams, the distinguished minority leader of the Georgia’s House of Representatives.

Free.

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This Week: Online

WARRIORS l TITANS l SPARTANS l WOLVERINES l LIONS

September 15, 2016

Spartans down Eagles 19-12 Photo gallery

Athens Academy football theoconeeleader.com

Online

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Owen Roberts (7) and head coach Joshua Alexander celebrate Athens Academy’s win against Athens Christian on Friday night at Slaughter Field. For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com.

Photo gallery

Georgia football theoconeeleader.com

Athens Academy records four interceptions, Big first half, four interceptions help give Athens Academy win over Athens Christian

By Matthew Caldwell

Rolf Reynolds (11) and Ed Ferguson (21) celebrate Ferguson’s touchdown catch in the second quarter. More photos and the full story can be found at theoconeeleader.com.

TheOconeeLeader.com

Online

Photo gallery

OCHS softball theoconeeleader.com

Online

Photos of University of Georgia home football games from throughout this season can be found at theoconeeleader. com

After last Friday night’s game at Slaughter Field against Athens Christian, Athens Academy head coach Joshua Alexander said his team wasn’t going to play scared.

The Spartans lost starting quarterback Jacob Hudson to a season-ending injury in the previous week’s win at Lakeview and had a senior take snaps for the first time.

When the first half was over, the Spartans led 19-0 against the Eagles. Athens Christian tried to mount a comeback in the second half but the Spartans held it off and won 19-12.

“We had a new quarterback. We challenged our kids to help Matt (Moseley) out and he did an un-

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

believable job tonight,” Alexander said. “He has taken no snaps. He has played quarterback three days. We are so proud of him. He is unbelievably awesome. Our team played like we knew they’d play.

They have a good football team. We couldn’t run the ball against them at

times. We had to take some shots. We knew going in we were not going to play scared because we had a new quarterback. We challenged Matt and said we would take care of him. We took care of him and he did a good job for us.”

The Spartans threw on their first three plays of

the game. Even though they were incomplete, the coaches on the sideline were pleased with the reads Moseley made.

The defense didn’t take long to make a play and give the Spartans’ offense another chance.

On the Eagles’ third play of their first drive, Rolf

Reynolds intercepted a pass to set up first down on the Spartans’ 47.

On third-and-seven, Moseley completed his first pass, a 9-yard gain for a first down. Two plays later, sophomore Jack Thomas completed his first pass at quarterback to set up third-and-four. Payton Bowles gained a first down at the Eagles’ 23 to help set up a 37-yard field goal from Drew Byus to get the Spartans on the board with 6:50 left in the opening quarter.

Please see ‘Spartans’

Page 6

Oconee’s Glenn throws out three stealing in loss to Stephens

By Matthew Caldwell

Keely Glenn is congratulated after throwing out a runner trying to steal in Thursday’s game against Stephens County. For more photos, see theoconeeleader.com.

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Oconee County began its second trip around the Region 8-AAAA portion of the schedule last Thursday afternoon at Lady Warrior Field against Stephens County.

After four scoreless innings, the Lady Indians got on the board with two runs in the top of the fifth inning and defeated the Lady Warriors 2-0 to drop Oconee County to 2-4 in the region and 5-8 overall.

“We were facing probably the best pitcher in the region and she is just a sophomore. She moves it well and locates it well.

It is tough to mount any offense against her,” said head coach Bryan Eades.

“We had second and third with one out in the bottom of the fifth and we

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

didn’t take advantage of that. If we get a run or two there, it’s a different ball game. Chloe (Fambrough) pitched well. Our defense was fantastic. You have to be able to scratch a run

across. It is tough against her but you have to be able to do it if you want to win games. You are never going to win if you score zero. We fought well but we have to be able to score.

“We had a chance to win every game except Madison County. That game we didn’t compete very well.

Against Jefferson the first time, we were up 2-0 going into the sixth and got

beat. Against Stephens the first time, they beat us 4-2 and got up 4-0 but we had the bases loaded twice with one out in the game and couldn’t get any runs across. Wins are what matters. We have got to get wins. Coming close and playing well is fine but that is not what it’s about. It’s about winning ball games.

We are in a funk right now and I told them to keep their heads up and keep supporting each other and maybe things will start going our way. The games I thought we had a chance Please see ‘OCHS softball’

Page 5

Thursday, September 15, 2016

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Page 5

Lady Wolverines win pair of region games

Lady Titans rout Cedar Shoals 19-2

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

North Oconee won for the third time this season last Tuesday with a 19-2 win against Cedar Shoals. The Lady Titans returned to the field last Thursday with a region game against Jefferson and lost 7-0 to drop to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Region 8-AAAA. The Lady Titans host Oconee County today (September 15) at 5:55 p.m.

They play in the Oconee Veterans Tournament at OVP on Friday and Saturday.

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

The Prince Avenue Christian softball team won a pair of Region 8-A games last week, topping Athens Christian 6-3 last Tuesday and Hebron Christian 11-1 last Thursday. The Lady Wolverines improved to 5-3 overall and 4-2 in Region 8-A.

‘OCHS softball’ to win, we made a bunch of errors and didn’t give ourselves a chance. Other games we didn’t score the runs we needed, like this one. We have got to get some W’s. We don’t need to go into the region tournament as the fifth or sixth seed. We have four more region games and we need to probably win all four of them. It’s not going to be easy. It’s a tough region but that’s where we put ourselves right now.”

The Lady Warriors got a strong

Continued from page 4 game behind the plate from freshman catcher Keely Glenn, who threw out three base runners trying to steal second base.

“As my dad tells me, every runner is a threat on base so you give 110 percent every time,” Glenn said. “Every runner is a threat so you have to be prepared to throw them out.”

The first runner Glenn threw out was after a two-out single in the top of the first inning. The second one erased a one-out walk

in the top of the third inning and the next one got a leadoff walk off the bases.

“I told her that was as good a performance as I have seen in a long time. She had a heck of a game,” Eades said. “She is very beyond where most ninth graders are behind home plate. It’s because of all of the hard work she puts in plus the talent that she has. She has a cannon for an arm.

Not just that, she blocks pitches well. She manages the game

Lady Spartans go 4-1 at playdate

pretty well. She is a little timid as far as directing traffic as far as knowing when to cut the ball and stuff like that, but all of that will come. That comes from inexperience and being a freshman among older girls. She gives us a solid presence back there. As long as we keep her healthy, we are good back there.”

The Lady Warriors have a busy week. It started Tuesday with a region road game at Jefferson and a region road game Thursday

at North Oconee. They also play Friday and Saturday at Oconee Veterans Park in the Veterans Memorial Tournament.

“We will have seven games in five days. We will have some girls that will get some playing time, especially if this heat stays around in the tournament,” Eades said. “The big games are Tuesday and Thursday. Those are the ones we will focus on and we will do whatever we can on Friday and Saturday.”

Lady Titans win region matches against Stephens County, Jefferson

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Athens Academy moved to 23-3 overall this season after going 4-1 at the Athens Academy Invitational playdate at the Spartan Center on Saturday. The Lady Spartans beat Apalachee, Loganville, Gainesville and Mount Paran but also lost to Mount Paran. Last Thursday the Lady Spartans beat Providence Christian 2-0 and Oconee County 2-0. They are 3-0 in the region. They return to action on September 20 at George Walton.

Lady Warriors beat Providence Christian

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

North Oconee’s volleyball team won a pair of matches last Wednesday evening on the road. The Lady Titans beat Stephens County 2-0 and Jefferson 2-0 to improve to 17-4 overall and 2-0 in the region. The Lady Titans host Jefferson and Madison County on September 20 and host Athens Academy on September 22.

Oconee JV softball beats Stephens County 8-5

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Oconee County beat Providence Christian 2-0 but lost 2-0 to Athens Academy in a pair of non-region matches last Thursday at Athens Academy. The Lady Warriors, 8-10 overall and 1-1 in the region, host Gainesville and Apalachee today (September 15) at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Oconee County’s junior varsity softball team beat Stephens County 8-5 last Thursday at Lady Warrior Field. After Stephens County took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Oconee County got four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead. Stephens County tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the second but the Lady Warriors took a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Stephens County added a run in the top of the fourth and Oconee County scored twice in the bottom of the fourth. The game was called after the fourth inning so the varsity game could begin. Pictured is Brianna Roberts scoring in the fourth inning.

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Page 6

Warriors post first shutout of season, beat Morgan County 21-0

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Wolverines rout Towns County 47-13

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Prince Avenue Christian made the trip to the Georgia mountains to play Towns County last Friday night and returned to Bogart with a 47-13 victory to improve to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the region this season. The Wolverines are off Friday night and return to the field on September 23 at George Walton.

‘Spartans’

Continued from page 4

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

Oconee County improved to 3-0 this season with a 21-0 non-region victory against Morgan County last Friday night. Sam Middlebrooks had a 64-yard touchdown pass to Corderius Paschal with 6:08 left in the opening quarter. The two connected again, this time from 38 yards, to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead with 2:39 left in the first. Middlebrooks connected with Jace Bernales with 10:41 left in the second quarter to take a 21-0 lead. The Warriors play at Cedar Shoals on Friday night.

They return home September 23 to play their final non-region game of the regular season against Eastside.

Titans fall at home

MATTHEW CALDWELL/Oconee Leader

North Oconee lost 40-7 to Cedar Shoals last Friday night in the Titans’ first home game of the season. The Titans dropped to 0-3 overall this season. The Titans play at Clarke Central on Friday night and host Winder-Barrow on September 23 to conclude the non-region portion of the schedule.

Byus had another field goal in the first quarter, this one a 35-yard field goal with 3:24 left to give the Spartans a 6-0 lead.

“Our coaches told us all week to come prepared and be ready to go and we would come out hot,” said senior Ed Ferguson. “We trusted them. They coached so well this week. They had it in our minds that we were going to go out and do great things. It was awesome.”

The Eagles’ next drive only lasted two plays and ended when Owen Roberts came away with an interception, his first of two in the game.

The Spartans started on their own 34 and had four first downs on the drive, including Moseley going 4-for-5 on the drive that ended with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Moseley

to Ferguson for a 12-0 lead with 10:16 left in the second quarter.

After the Spartans defense forced Athens Christian to punt, the offense got the ball on their own 39 with 3:52 left in the half.

Following a 2-yard pass from Moseley to Bowles that left the Spartans looking at third-and-six from their own 43, Moseley connected with Ferguson for a 51-yard gain to set up first-and-goal.

A holding penalty backed the Spartans up to the 14 but on the next play, a roughing the passer penalty against Athens Christian got the Spartans back to the 5-yard line with 1:15 left.

After a 4-yard rush by Ferguson set up second-andgoal from the 1-yard line, Bowles capped the drive with a touchdown and a 19-0 lead following Byus’s

extra point with 28 seconds left in the half.

Athens Christian got its first touchdown with 2:43 left in the third quarter to cap a nearly six-minute drive.

The PAT failed and the Spartans went into the fourth quarter with a 19-6 lead.

The Eagles made it a onepossession game when, on third-and-26 from their own 10, they had a 90-yard touchdown pass to cut the score to 19-12 with 6:53 left.

After another three-andout from the Spartans offense, their second straight of the fourth quarter, the Eagles got the ball on their own 20. On fourth-and-six from their own 24, the Eagles went for it and Ferguson intercepted the pass and returned it to their 27, giving the Spartans possession with 2:53 left in the game.

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