About The Sylvania times. (Sylvania, Ga.) 2022-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2022)
thesy lvaniatimes .com The Sylvania Times Wednesday, November 23, 2022 - Page 13 PART XXIII 1947-48: Basketball Returns Burton Kemp Sports Editor After winning the First District football championship in the fall of 1947 something else was afoot for the next sports season at SF1S and that was basketball. It had been years since there had been basketball in Sylvania. Specific to the girls in a small article in the Sylvania Telephone was “First string will be selected and given uniforms over Thanksgiving holidays. First ‘bout’... will be held with Jackson there on the Friday following Christman holidays.” Of course, over Thanksgiving holidays the boys were preparing for their District Championship football game. Principle among the reasons for no basketball was that the largest school in the county, housed in the county seat no less, had no gym. While Newington, Hiltonia, Bay Branch, and Rocky Ford within the county and Millen and Girard just outside the county had gyms, not so for Sylvania High School. But for the 1947-48 school year, there were basketball teams that practiced twice a week in Hiltonia’s gym, “Through the generosity of the Hiltonia schools,” was the line. Home games were played on a dirt court behind the school. It was not far from the court that had been used in the 1920s, which was more in front of the school. According to Roland Stubbs, “You could be dribbling down the court and hit a rock and the ball go off the court. Fun.” Apparently Jackson High School also had a dirt court. When the rosters were released for the Gamecocks, whose Head Coach was Jack Lyons, the starters were Roland Stubbs, Clarence Wilcox, Dupont Smith, Frank Zeagler, and Billy Zeagler. Other team members were Wendell Joyner, Wytch Stubbs, Thad Chambliss, and Bernard Thompson. For the Lady Gamecocks the Head Coach was Mrs. Reuben Oliver and the assistants were Mrs. Virginia Miller, Miss Lillian Eason, and Mrs. Jewel Johnson. The starters were Audilee Boyd, Ann Evans, Elizabeth Connor, Evelyn Long, and Pat Smith. Other team members were Ilajean Bazemore, Trudy Wells, Rosemary Bazemore, Betty Mock, Helen Kimbrough, Carol Hillis, Dorothy Mock, Mary Hobby Mills, Reva Joyce Black, and Betty McKinney. Cheerleaders for the teams were Jacqueline Hall (captain), Mary Dean Miller (co-captain). Sue Powell, Jane Thompson, Shirley Rouse, and Ann Ria Boyd. Very little ever made the Sylvania Telephone relative to basketball. On January 16, 1948 it was reported that the Lady Gamecocks and Jackson tied 22-22 after a four minute overtime in which each team scored four points. The teams had tied the previous week as well. The boys lost to Jackson 22-16. The girls’ First district Tournament was in Soperton beginning on February 25. The Lady Gamecocks lost to host Soperton 55-12. Soperton got the winner of Swainsboro v. Waynesboro. For the boys the tournament was in Portal and it began on February 18 against Brooklet. The winner was to play the Statesboro- Waynesboro winner. No mention was ever published as to the outcome. After the tournament was over on February 27 it was printed, “Uniforms have already been bought for next year’s teams.” In the spring there was so much baseball there were seemingly enough teams for every boy in the county to belong to a team. There was the Sylvania Baseball Association and their Wildcats. They played a 40+ game schedule that spanned the summer in the Ogeechee League. The other teams in the Ogeechee League were Statesboro, Metter, Glennville, Jesup, Swainsboro, Millen, Waynesboro, Thomson, and Wrightsville. These guys were from all over, including college players, got paid out of the gate receipts, had an All Star Team, etc. Their preseason included visits to the Sylvania Park by Mercer University and a team made up of Marines from Parris Island. Officials running the Sylvania team included President Herbert Williams with assistance from Alex Boyer, Fred Houser, Claude Pinckney, Joe Lariscy, Denver Riggs, Harry Minkovitz, and James H. Evans, Jr. Ralph Waters was the Secretary/ Treasurer and Clyde Hollingsworth was the Director of the League. There was an American Legion baseball team that was eventually managed by Head Football Coach Jack Lyons. Mack Thompson helped until Lyons, who was also named the summer recreation director, could take over after basketball season. Sharpe Motor Company provided the uniforms. Also Thompson organized something called the Screven County Baseball League which over the summer featured teams from Sylvania, Goloid, Farmdale, Woodcliff, Hiltonia, and Newington (the Indians). In late August Sylvania played Hiltonia for the championship in a three of five series. Rocky Ford, which finished the regular season unbeaten, had begun playing “out of town teams” and did not participate. Somewhere in there was a very, very seldom mentioned Sylvania High team that, as of May 7, 1948, was 7-0 and set to host Springfield High School on May 11. Further, as sports went, on July 2 the city of Sylvania opened two new clay tennis courts on the east end of Church Street (today the comer of William Tell Sharpe and Martin Luther King). Remarkably, for a city with no gym, the courts were lit. That comer is still owned by the city, is still flat, and in places made up of very hard clay. 2022-23 Screven County Lady Gamecock Basketball Number Name Grade 1 Rasheena Richardson 11 2 CeCe Roberson 12 3 Skyler Jordan* 11 4 Razaila Simon* 10 Junior Varsity 5 Olivia Jackson 10 10 Ray’ven Tyler 10 Name Grade 11 Anna Smith* 9 Jada Dockery 9 12 Alailah Scott 11 Jamaya Dockery 10 14 Kyla Oglesby* 9 Jah’miya Reed 9 15 Kadence Morris* 10 Temaj Roberts 9 20 Kiara Scott 11 Tionna Stewart 9 21 Asia Roberson 12 22 Mariah Liggins 12 23 Ta’myia Tyler 12 24 Delydia Cox 11 25 Nakayla Roberts 12 33 Avan Mingle* 10 “Varsity 7 and Junior Varsity Screven County High School Varsity Boys Basketball Team Roster 2022 - 2023 No. Name Position Ht Wt Classification #1 Deon Dixon Post 6T” 150 Freshman #2 Jase Hughes Guard 5’7” 135 Freshman #3 Dylaun Adams Guard 6’ 165 Senior #4 DeAndre’ Flowers Guard 5’7” 140 Junior #5 TaCorey Grant Post 64 185 Junior #10 Kashard Prescott Guard 5’7” 160 Freshman #11 Javian Jacobs Guard 6’ 130 Junior #12 Brandon Smith Post 6T” 160 Junior #14 Attison Lee Guard 6T” 160 Senior #15 Jayden Adams Post/Guard 6’4” 150 Junior #20 Jaden Arnett Post 5’io” 190 Junior #21 Andre’ Michaud Guard 5’io” 175 Freshman #22 Deven Oliver Guard 5’n” 170 Junior #23 Kenyon Barnes Post 6T” 155 Junior #24 Tarvis Gilmore Post 5’io” 150 Freshman #25 Jordan Gresham Guard 6’ 150 Junior 6hristiarP 0 Mascot! All grades were allowed to offer suggestions, then vote for their favorite name. We are thrilled to announce that RICKY WILDCAT is the name of our new mascot! This name was picked in honor of our beloved teacher, Mr. Rick Smith, who recently passed away. It was very heartwarming to witness what an influence Mr. Rick had been on these young lives. (SCA Ricky Wildcat with Heidi Mixson and Danielle Brown) CONGRATULATIONS * s Certificates of Deposit from Farm Bureau® Bank G 2-Mo nth CD 4.39 0/ +c> APY* 4.29 0/ /o APY- 4 18 % * ■ APY' 14-Month CD 0/ Zo APY' 7^ Month CD % APY’ Screven County Farm Bureau Stop by at 104 Rocky Ford Rd, Sylvania GA 30467 Or cad Chris, Ray or Johnnie at 912-564-7891 'Annua! Percentage yield <APY). The advertised APYs are accurate as of 10/26/2022 and subject to change without nolce. Minimum Imlkal deposit of $1,000. Tbs APY assumes inle-rest remains oh dieposii until maluriiy and a withdrawal will reduce earnings. Federal withdrawal restrictions a|p^ly_ Fees could reduce earnings on tbo accoLini and a poniiity will bo imposed for oarty withdrawal- The Bank rosorvos tho right to limit deposits laken under this program See complete? terms and conditions at www.farmbLireau.bank. Thi3 offer Is not available in all slates and rates and terms are subject to charwe without notice. Farm Bureau. FB r and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by, and used by Farm Bureau Bank FSB under licoreso from, iho American Farm Bureau Federation 10 70?? FA.HA4 lit iRil/X t / /*/! A/A'
