About The Advance. (Vidalia, Ga.) 2003-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 2021)
(Eift Aiiuancg The ADVANCE, December 29,2021 /Page 4B Photo by Carroll Williams Rileigh Robinson hit a 3-run home run to put VHS in the lead in the third inning of the Indians rematch with Bre men. HERlThGS WEfi/TAEf The Vidalia Heritage Academy Eagles football team are the GAPPS Division 1A State Champions. Review continued from page 3B the Patriots of Habersham School out of Savannah. The Eagles had been a scrappy team all year long but were outmatched in the Championship as they fell in both games of the double header on Friday in the best- of-three series. The Eagles finished the season with a record of 15-7 as the State Runners-up. VHS All Sports For the 7th time in the last 8 years, Vidalia High School was awarded the Re gion 2AA All-Sports Cham pionship Trophy. Winning the Championship Trophy that many times is an ac complishment on its own but winning the award this year held a special place among the Vidalia Athletes, Coaches, and Staff. For the first time in the award’s his tory, the trophy now bears the name of Vidalia’s long time Athletic Director and Head Girls Basketball Coach, Chunk Reid. Vidalia teams were able to win 10 of the 20 Region Championships in Region 2AA, and current VHS Ath letic Director Tommy Dai ley said that is a standard that reaches far and wide. “Our athletes and the par ents of our athletes put a lot of faith into how we were doing things, which enabled us to push them to reach their potential and that in evitably made our athletic programs successful.” Summer Champions Several youth baseball and softball teams from both the Lyons Recreation De partment and the Vidalia Recreation Department had great runs in the as they claimed District Champion ships. From LRD the 8U girls brought home the title from the tournament at Effing ham County. The lOUboys won their title at the tourna ment that was held at Partin Park. And the 10U girls also won the District Tourna ment that was held at Partin Park. The VRD 8U boys picked up their District Championship in Effing ham County. The 12U boys won the tournament that was also held in Effingham County. The VRD 12U girls won their District title just down the road at Partin Park. At the GRPA State Tournament the LRD lOu Girls brought home the State Championship. Lyons took out Wayne County in the Champion ship in a very high scoring contest. LRD won the game 24-23 to earn their title. The LRD 14U girls also won the State Champion ship. Lyons face Coffee County in the Champion ship. Coffee won the first game, 4-3, to force a second game. But in that second game the girls from Partin Park took a 7-2 win to claim the title. VRD Swim & Coach Hilton The Vidalia Recreation Department Swim Team had a great showing at the GRPA B State Swim Meet in Fort Oglethorpe on July 16 and 17. Fourteen swimmers competed in the meet with numerous swimmers mak ing it to the finals and bring ing home awards. This year, the team also had several state champions. Lake Wright brought home a state championship in the 13-14 boys 50-yard breast stroke with a time of 34.26. The 15-18-year-old mixed relay team were state cham pions, bringing home 1st place in the 200-yard free style relay with a time of 1:40.48, just shy of the cur rent state record of 1:39.44. This team consisted of Con ley Brown, Reece Brown, Jackson Crawley, and Au tumn Harris. In the 15-18 men’s division, Jackson Crawley also earned state championship titles in both the 50-yard freestyle, with a time of 22.90, and in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.40. For 29 years, Rob Hil ton has coached the VRD Swim Team and under his tenure, more than 28 State Champions have been crowned. This year, he was assisted in coaching by his former swimmers Cole Reg ister and Jessica Gordon. Coach Hilton announced that this was his final year coaching the Vidalia Recre ation Department Swim Team. His many years of ser vice to this sport have been greatly appreciated and the community and swimmers are thankful for all that he has given. VHS Softball It was another great year for the Vidalia High School Indians softball team as they made another run at a State Championship. They again made it to Columbus for the State Championship Tournament and battled their way to a State Runner- up finish. Earlier in the season the VHS pitching staff had a week to remember as three different pitchers threw no hitters over three straight games. All three pitchers, Tymber Harris, Bailey Hol land, and Madison Starr threw no-hitters as the Indi ans defeated Bacon County, Islands, and East Laurens. The Indians also brought home the Region Championship as they fin ished the year with a Region record of 14-1, with their only loss coming to rival Jeff Davis early in the season. VHS moved into the State Playoffs. They swept Josey and Elbert County to punch their ticket to Colum bus. In Columbus they dropped their first-round game to Bremen but came back through the losers’ bracket with wins over Union County, Jeff Davis, Bremen, and Dade County to earn their spot in the State Championship Game. In the Championship they took on defending PUBLIC NOTICE DRIVES, the titles and registration system will be upgraded over the New Year's weekend. Georgia Department of Revenue and County Tag Offices' for Motor Vehicle Operations including in person, online, and kiosk services will be unavailable beginning Thursday (12-30-2021) at 7 P.M. through Monday (01/03/2022). The system should be up and running Tuesday, January 04, 2022. Toombs County Tax Commissioner's Office 100 Courthouse Square Suite 21 Lyons, GA 30436 State Champion Heard County. Vidalia gave it their all but fell short in a 10-6 loss. The Indians overall hit an astounding 10 home runs during their six games in the State Championship Tour nament. VHS finished the year as the State Runner-up in AA and with a record of 32- 7. The Indians will lose sev eral players off this year’s team. Those graduating are Bailey Holland, Rileigh Robinson, Jesslyn Collins, Alii Taufinann, Logan Men ard, Janna Hyers, and Matlin Mead. VHS Cheer The Indian Competi tion Cheerleaders put every thing together at the right time in their season this year. They had placed well at sev eral competitions during the season. VHS hosted the Region Championships, and with a solid performance, they claimed the title. It was the fourth Region Champion ship for VHS over the past eight seasons. That also had the Indians ranked as they #3 team in the state in AA. They then took the trip to Macon to compete at the Centreplex for the State Championship. They had another great showing but came up just Vi point be hind Bleckley County for the title. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team,” said Vidalia Head Coach Ann Michele Toole. “In this sport you have 2min 30sec to maxi mize your opportunities to fully execute and they did an amazing job in their final performance of the season. It was a tight run in the top three of 2A, with a mere .5-point separation and a three-way tie determined by officials.” Toole added. VHA Football The Vidalia Heritage Academy Eagles played their first varsity season during the 2017-18 school year, they didn’t win a game. This season, just five years later, well, they not only went 10-1 on the year, but brought home their first GAPPS 1A State Championship, and they did so in dominating fashion. The Eagles of VHA av eraged over 50 points a game this season on their way to that title. On Friday, November 26, they traveled to Cumming to take on the Warriors of Horizon Chris tian Academy for the State Championship. Horizon were also the defending State Champions and were averaging over 40 points a game this season. The game was played on the Astroturf field at Pinecrest Academy, also in Cumming. The Eagles were in con trol of this game throughout as they held a 46-28 lead at halftime. They took the win 66-36 over the Warriors. VHA got an incredible performance from Ethan Sikes with 296 yards and 5 touchdowns on just 11 car ries, Josiah Smith added 238 yards on 16 carries with 2 touchdowns, Ledger Curl had 30 yards and James Hutcheson ran for just 12 yards, but had several plays called back on penalties. Jo siah Smith also threw for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Eagles had 661 total yards of offense in the game. John Smith caught 3 passes for 97 yards and 2 touch downs. Mason Beacham, James Hutcheson, and Josiah Smith are the three seniors on this team, and all have been key players on both sides of the ball for this State Championship team. Recap As you can see, it was and great year for local sports. So many of our stu dent-athletes had outstand ing years with lots of teams and individuals winning Re gion, Area, District, and State Championships. The coaches across all the schools continue to do an incredible job not only in training these kids in the sports that they play, but also in shaping them to be better people as they grow up. The local support has been amazing as always, from the community to the school staffs and faculty. Let us all continue to support everything that leads to the betterment of the local youth across all sports and activities in the new year. CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION DETERMINATION Water Meter Replacement City of Vidalia Toombs County, Georgia DW2022005 The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has conducted a review of the above subject project in accordance with the State’s Environmental Review Process (SERP) for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) projects. The EPD has determined that this project is eligible for a categorical exclusion. Accordingly, the EPD is exempting the project from further substantive environmental review requirements under Georgia’s SERP. The proposed project involves replacement of water meters throughout the City’s water distribution system. The project also involves installation of the backflow preventers (BFPs) at the meter locations that are not currently equipped with a backflow prevention device. This project is eligible for a Categorical Exclusion because it meets the following specific criteria, outlined in the DWSRF SERP: Installation of new or replacement of existing backflow prevention devices and/or meters at existing customers service connections; Furthermore: • The project will not require issuance of a new or modification of an existing ground water or surface water withdrawal permit; • The project is not known or expected to have a significant adverse effect on the quality of the human environment, either individually, cumulatively over time, or in conjunction with other Federal, State, local or private actions; • The project is not known or expected to directly or indirectly have a significant adverse effect on: or threatened species; or environmentally important natural resource areas, such as floodplains, wetlands, important farmlands or aquifer recharge areas; and cultural resource areas, such as archaeological and historic sites; habitats of endangered species; • The action is cost-effective and is not expected to cause significant public controversy. This determination shall become effective after thirty (30) days following its distribution by EPD and can be revoked if significant adverse information is made available. The documentation to support this decision is on file with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and is available for public scrutiny upon request. A copy of the proposed project documentation is also available for review at the City Hall in Vidalia, Georgia. All interested agencies, groups and persons supporting or disagreeing with this decision are invited to submit written comments, within thirty (30) days of the publish date of this notice to: Georgia Environmental Protection Division ATTN: Asmita Patel, Environmental Engineer Drinking Water Program 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE, Suite 1362 East Atlanta, Georgia 30334-9000 After evaluating the comments received, EPD will make a final decision regarding approval of the project planning documents. No administrative action will be taken on the project for thirty (30) calendar days after publication of this Notice in a local newspaper that serves the City of Vidalia area. Publish Date: 12/14/2021 Manny Patel, Program Manager Drinking Water Program Georgia Environmental Protection Division
