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PAGE 2B
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016
The Game Plan
I’ve got no issue
I never go way out of my way to watch
preseason football. If I’m at home and there
is a game on I might watch some of it, but
there is usually nothing worth watching
in the preseason. But this year was very
different. There was actually something
interesting that happened during a
preseason game — well, technical
ly it was before the game, but still
significant!
By now nearly everyone in the
country has heard about the San
Francisco 49er’s quarterback Colin
Kaepernick who decided not to
stand during the national anthem
before a preseason game.
And if for some reason you hav
en’t heard about this, well there you
go, enjoy!
Kaepernick has since been criti
cized and ridiculed by millions of
people and on many different fronts.
When I first heard about it I had
one response: well that’s dumb. I
consider it an honor to stand and sing the
national anthem with other countrymen,
especially at big sporting events. So at first
glance I thought it was pretty foolish.
But then I heard the reason behind Kaeper-
nick’s protest. Here is what the quarterback
said in defense of his position: “I am not
going to stand up to show pride in a flag for
a country that oppresses black people and
people of color.”
Okay, now this is getting interesting.
Here’s what I want to say first and foremost.
I’ve got no issue with Kaepernick choosing
to do this. Really, I don’t have any problem
with it. Standing for the national anthem is
a choice, a right if you will. When I go to a
game and the national anthem begins I make
the conscious decision to stand up and join
in — but at the end of the day it’s a choice
I make and it’s my right to choose to do so
or not.
with Kaepernick
Kaepernick has that same freedom and
he chose not to stand. He has a conviction
to stand up (or sit down) for something he
believes in and wants to see changed, what’s
wrong with that? It sounds like the man is
trying to raise some awareness to something
that has been tearing parts of our
country up for awhile now.
Ultimately, I’ve got no issue
with this Kaepernick’s decision
to sit during the national anthem.
However, I will say this: I don’t
personally think sitting during the
national anthem is the best meth
od of protest he could have cho
sen. I am on board with seeing our
country’s justice system reformed
and seeing the same change that
Kaepernick wants to see. I long
for a day when my minority
brothers and sisters don’t feel
marginalized and oppressed - I
long for that day. I just don’t think
sitting during the national anthem
will accomplish much to see that come to
fruition.
It’s a worthy gesture in the field of pro
test. I’m just not sure how effective it will
be in seeing any actual real change. I can’t
imagine anyone seeing Kaepernick sitting
during the national anthem and saying to
themselves, “O.K., we really need to reform
our country’s treatment of black people and
people of color.”
At the end of the day, I support Kaeper
nick (and any American) choosing to stand
(or, uh, sit) for something they believe in
— I’m just curious to see how effective this
will be.
Tyler Rollason is a Winder-Bar
row High School and Universi
ty of West Georgia graduate. You can
e-mail comments about this column to
ty rollason @yahoo. com.
Snapshots
MAKING CONTACT
Winder-Barrow High School’s Cathleen Nugue swings away during the
Lady Bulldoggs’ home game against county and region rival Apalachee
High School last week. Photo by Jessica Brown
LOCAL STARS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Kamm, Sullivan set for another
collegiate season at VSU, GSU
Players with Bar-
row County ties are
set for a new college
football season.
Mitchell Kamm is
beginning his junior
season with Valdosta
State University, which
begins the 2016 season
Saturday against Albany
State in a home game.
Kamm played for Beth
lehem Christian Academy
his senior season where
he rushed for a school
record 1,690 yards and
20 touchdowns in 2013.
Also during that season.
Kamm had 112 tackles,
including 24 for loss
on the defensive side of
the football while gain
ing All State honors.
Chandon Sullivan is
entering his junior season
at Geor
gia State
Univer
sity. The
Wind-
er-Bar-
KAMM
row
High
School
graduate
was an
honorable mention All-
Sun Belt Conference per
former in 2015 and was
the Conference Defensive
Student-Athlete of the
Week for Nov. 16, 2015.
His Athlete of the
Week honors came fter
he grabbed his second
interception and broke
up two other passes
with six tackles in a
strong defensive effort
in win at Texas State.
Also
in 2015,
Sullivan
returned
an inter
ception
25 yards
for a
SULLIVAN
touch
down vs.
Arkan
sas State and the first
pick-six in Georgia
State history. He also
had a third-down
sack in the game.
See College on Page 7B
Considering
buying or
selling?
770-867-9026
www.maynardrealty.com
1 ★
Brock Landis
WBHS
Farm Bureau
would like to
congratulate the
Players of the Week
for their exceptional
performances!
770-867-2188
High School Football: Scouting Reports
Winder-Barrow High School @ Northview
•The Game: Winder-Barrow High School @ Northview, Friday, 7:30
p.m., Northview Stadium
•Records: WBHS 1-1, Northview
0-1
•Last Week: WBHS defeated
Walnut Grove 41-7; Northview had
a bye (lost to Lanier in season
opener).
•Last meeting between the
teams: First meeting between the
teams
•Coaches: WBHS: Heath Webb,
third season at Winder-Barrow
High School, 12-12 record, 8th sea
son overall as head coach, 30-34;
season at Northview, 25-38 overall
•Key Players: WBHS: LB Mason White, DB/WR Deon Williams; C Dylan
Brown, WR Casey Thurmond, RB Javonne Hughes; LB Nate Millwood, QB
Brock Landis
•Listen In: Game will be broadcast on WJBB 107.1 FM.
•Notes: The Winder-Barrow High School football team made a nice
rebound last Friday with a 41-7 victory against visiting Walnut Grove at
W. Clair Harris Stadium. The Bulldoggs had big performances from Brock
Landis and Javonne Hughes on the offensive side of the football. Through
two games this season, Landis has passed for 308 yards and four touch
downs while Hughes is already at 243 yards on the ground.
Teague Moore is having a big 2016 receiving as he has 126 yards and two
scores through the first two games for WBHS.
Hughes has also been a threat out of the backfield with 80 yards receiving
and a touchdown.
Backup quarterback Will Sorrells is 6-of-8 through the air for 67 yards.
Northview is coming off a bye week. The Titans opened the season with
a 34-13 loss to Lanier High School, which like Winder-Barrow, competes in
Region 8-AAAAAA. Riverview, coached by Chad Davenport, is a member
of Region 7-AAAAAA.
WBHS head coach Heath Webb said the coaches were pleased with the
team's play in the trenches last week. Sophomore defensive end Logan
Cash played really well, Webb said, with five tackles, eight assists, two
tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Offensive linemen Dylan
Brown and Cameron Best were also standouts.
•They Said It: WBHS head coach Heath Webb on last week's vic
tory: "I always say you are going to go as far as your linemen take you.
Our defensive front was dominant and our offensive linemen were road
graders. Those guys took the brunt of the punishment after the first game.
They accepted the challenge and stepped up.”
— Scouting reports compiled by Chris Bridges/photos by Jessica Brown
WHITE
Riverview: Chad Davenport, seventh
Apalachee High School @ Union Grove
•The Game: Apalachee High School @ Union Grove High School, Friday,
7:30 p.m., Wolverine Stadium
• Records: AHS 0-1; Union Grove
0-2
•Last meeting between the
teams: First meeting
• Last Week: Apalachee fell to
River Ridge 27-13; Union Grove was
defeated 60-28 to Whitewater
•Coaches: AHS: Steve Sims,
second season at Apalachee, 0-11
overall; Union Grove: Craig Melton,
second season at Union Grove, 1-11
•Key Players: AHS: WR Ethan
Morris, QB Ryan Miller, WR/DB Will Smith; TE/DE Jason Craig; RB Stephen
Massillon; K Justin Pretel; FB/LB Coree Dunlap
•Notes: The Apalachee High School football team had some bright spots
in its 2016 season opener although the Wildcats eventually fell 27-13 to
visiting River Ridge. A 96-yard touchdown run in the first half by senior
Stephen Massillon set a new school record, breaking a march which had
stood since the 2000 season (92-yard run against White County by Bobby
Duncan.) Ethan Morris also caught a 70-yard touchdown pass from Ryan
Miller in the second half.
Turnovers were costly for AHS including a fumble at the River Ridge two-
yard line in the first half stopped what might have been a touchdown drive.
The game was close throughout. River Ridge moved in front 13-0 and
appeared set to perhaps lower the curtain on the Wildcats late in the first
half. The Knights had recovered another fumble deep inside AHS territory
but then fumbled the football back to the Wildcats. Despite being backed
up deep in its own end of the field, AHS scored its first touchdown of 2016
on Massillon's run on second down.
This Friday's game at Union Grove appears, on paper at least, for a
chance for AHS to earn its first win in the Steve Sims era. Union Grove is
0-2 this season and has been outscored 105-34 in two games (55-6 loss
to Woodland, Stockbridge and 60-28 to Whitewater High School. The
Wolverines compete in Region 4-AAAAA.
They Said It: AHS coach Steve Sims on Union Grove: "We'll see
what happens when we get there. It's going to be about Apalachee and
how well we block and tackle. If we do those things, we will have a chance
to win.”
SMITH WILLIAMSON
Whisperin’ Bill Anderson
Is Coming Back to Commerce!
The Bill Anderson Performing Arts Center
At Commerce High School
September 6, 2016 - 6:00pm
Bill will be signing his new book, “Whisperin’ Bill Anderson,
An Unprecedented Life in Country Music,” and singing a few songs!
Admission is FREE. Books will be available for purchase at the event.