Wednesday, April 6,2022
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3B
Girls track team notches 4th win heading into spring break
By: Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
Another set of positive
results gave the Dawson
County track and field
teams momentum head
ing into spring break and
the senior day that looms
after that.
The girls team had the
edge over opponents
North Hall during the
most recent meet on
Thursday, March 31,
improving to a 4-2 record
this season. The boys
team fell short to go to a
3-3 record.
“Both teams are really
focused right now going
into the break,” head
coach Arron Haynes said.
“We are seeing improve
ment at every meet with
lots of personal best
marks each meet. They
will be working on their
own most of spring break
while keeping an eye on
the region meet in two
and a half weeks.”
Some of the early high
lights from the girls team
included a pair of top fin
ishes in field events. Eva
Bishop won the shot put
at 28 feet even while
Jocelyn Thompson won
the long jump 14 feet 3
and one-half inches.
Later on, the running
events would present
more opportunities for
top finishes. In the
sprints, Vita Govorkova
won the 100-meter race
while Lauren Kurtz won
the 200-meter.
The Lady Tigers would
also win three of the four
relay races, enough to
give them a 77.5 to 66.5
win over North Hall.
On the boys side, a
strong Trojans field team
pulled the momentum
their way early, but there
were still notable top fin-
ishes from Dawson
County.
Ethan Smith continued
his success this season by
winning the 800-meter
and 1600-meter races.
Aaric Muelenburg won
the 400-meter race while
Chandler Bagley contin
ued his winning ways in
the 300-meter hurdles
despite feeling under the
weather.
Will Kurtz won the 200-
meter race while the boys
team would also win three
of the four relay races. In
the end, the boys team fell
86-59 to North Hall.
The DCHS track and
field team will have their
next meet on senior day,
which will be on Tuesday,
April 12. After one addi
tional meet, the region
meet will then take place
on Thursday, April 21 at
Cherokee Bluff as well as
Lriday.
Rio White Dawson County News
Vita Govorkova starts one of the relay races at the
track meet against North Hall. She helped her
team win multiple relays while also winning the
100-meter race.
Photos by Rio White Dawson County News
Christian Roper hits a tee shot during the golf team's busy week
of events. He shot a career-best score of 33 during Monday's
match at Chestatee Golf Club.
FROM 1B
Golf
and this week was a drastic
improvement. This week proved
that they can compete with anyone
in [class] AAA and deserve a spot
in the state playoffs.”
Also helping the team to that
achievement was Seth Jackson,
who shot a 39 and had an eagle on
the par-four 6th hole. He drove the
green and proceeded to hit the putt
for eagle.
Will McNatt and Jeremy Ray
both shot 41 to round out the suc
cessful day for the boys team.
The girls team finished third with
an aggregate of 171, with
Samantha Dewendt leading the day
with a score of 41.
Dewendt would show her consis
tency again the next day, as
Dawson County would face White
County.
She shot a 42 on Tuesday as the
girls team fell to the defending
state champions with an aggregate
of 179.
“Every player is improving,”
girls head coach Tyler Baker said.
“We are looking to compete at the
Area Tournament.”
Meanwhile, the boys team won
again, this time shooting a com
bined 158 and winning by 21
strokes.
This time, it was senior Alex
Hughes who led the way with a 37,
while Ray shot 39, McNatt shot 41
and Logan Casey also shot 41.
The busy week for the golf teams
wrapped up on Wednesday, as the
boys team traveled to Apple
Mountain Golf Club in Clarkesville
to participate in the Apple
Mountain Invitational.
The Tigers would play a full 18
holes this time around and were led
by Hughes, who shot 77.
Roper finished close behind with
a 78, Ray shot 81 and Jackson shot
84 to give the team an aggregate of
320 and finish in a tie for seventh
place at the tournament.
Next up for the golf teams will
be one more regular-season match
before the Area Tournament. The
Tigers will face East Lorsyth on
Tuesday, April 19, at Chestatee
Golf Club.
After that, the Area Tournament
will begin on Monday, April 25, at
Apple Mountain.
Samantha Dewendt swings her driver during one of the team's matches last week. She led the girls
team with scores of 41 and 42.
FROM 1B
Soccer
players as well. With only
three seniors leaving from
this year’s squad, there
will be plenty of room for
improvement next season.
On the boys side, they will
be losing six seniors from
this year’s team but also have
a rising crop of younger play
ers who will be looking to
expand their roles.
“We are losing six great
seniors...these guys have
done a tremendous job of
setting the example of
true leadership for the
future,” boys team head
coach Patrick Muenchen
said. “I hope next year we
will pick up where we left
off and get better.”
Muenchen also said
that he was proud of the
team for not giving up
against Cherokee Bluff
and that he felt the team
acted with class in the
face of defeat.
Overall, the girls team
finished the season with a
4-8-3 record with a 2-5
mark in region play,
while the boys team fin
ished 7-8-2 with a 3-4
record in the region.
Monroeville, Alabama
About 15
years ago, I was
zipping down
1-65 South,
headed toward
a press conven
tion that was
being held on
the Alabama
coast.
A mile
ahead, I saw an exit sign:
Monroeville, Alabama. I
hesitated, perhaps two
seconds, then barely hit
the brakes and slung off
the interstate for a black
top, gentle road that would
lead me to one of the most
renowned towns in the
South.
Let’s be honest: if I had
known the town was a
good 20 miles or more off
the interstate, I would
have kept going. Even
halfway there, I almost
turned around. But I didn’t
for two reasons: 1) I knew
I would always regret
being so close yet not see
ing it 2) My friend, Stevie
Waltrip. She has always,
in the 35 years I’ve known
her, longed for a signed
edition of To Kill A
Mockingbird.
If I could find one for
her then I’d give a treasure
to someone who has been
a treasure to me.
Harper Lee - those who
knew her - called her
“Nelle” was still alive
then. She and her sister,
Alice, never missed a
Sunday of preaching at the
Methodist church or lunch
afterwards at a local
home-cooking diner. They
liked to be normal and
they didn’t like anyone
messing with that normal.
I did not find Harper
Lee (the town’s people
were keenly loyal in keep
ing her whereabouts a
secret) or a signed copy of
To Kill A Mockingbird.
A gift shop clerk said,
“One day, Nelle was in
here, picking out a birth
day card. A woman recog
nized her and asked if she
would sign her copy of To
Kill A Mockingbird. Nell
never said a word. She
looked at her then turned
and walked out. She never
came back and got that
card either!”
After a fruitless search,
I was about to leave
Monroeville when I decid
ed to stop by the town’s
newspaper office and
speak to the publisher.
Graciously, he explained
that Nelle liked to be left
alone so “we just leave her
alone. This is her home
and we’re glad she still
comes down her from
New York City and spends
time.”
“When was
the last time
you saw her?” I
asked.
He pursed his
lips, focused on
something lay
ing on the desk
then slowly
shook his head.
“I don’t know,”
he scratched his cheek.
“Maybe four or five years
ago.”
The receptionist, whose
desk looked straight out
the front glass entrance
where a newspaper box
set, had been listening to
our conversation.
“Well, I see her every
Wednesday,”
“You do!” he exclaimed.
“Yes. Every Wednesday,
she walks down here, and
buys a copy of the paper
from that box.”
The publisher’s eyes
widened then he looked
back at me. “I never had a
clue.”
Last summer, on the
way back from Mobile, I
decided to drive the beau
tiful Alabama backroads
to the other side of
Montgomery. I stopped at
a Monroeville diner for an
early lunch then ate quick
ly so I could give my table
to Alabama Power line
men. They took off their
hats and thanked me.
Every person in that
diner said grace before
taking a bite.
Lrom the diner’s park
ing lot, I took a photo of
the town’s water tower
then I preceded down
town. In the center of
town is its crown jewel:
the courthouse that is
identical to the one from
the movie - inside and
out. Director Robert
Mulligan brought a set
designer from L.A. with
the directions, “Recreate
this courthouse down to
the last stone.”
In the courthouse is a
museum celebrating Miss
Nelle, and her childhood
pal, Truman Capote, the
inspiration for the eccen
tric Dill who, during a
childhood summer, taught
Scout (Nelle) the power
of imagination and story
telling.
It’s a visit well worth
taking for those who like
quiet towns - even
famous ones - with hos
pitable people who say,
“We’d be mighty glad to
have you come back
sometime.”
Ronda Rich is the best-sell
ing author of Mark My
Words. Visit www.rondar-
ich.com to sign up for her
free weekly newsletter.
RONDA RICH
Columnist
