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Wednesday, May 24,2023
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3B
A Memorial memory
never to be forgotten
The last living link to an almost-forgotten story that
happened during an almost-forgotten time, took her last
breath a month ago. Her name was Mildred Lawson.
It’s easy to mourn a life well spent and well served to
God, country, and community. But the real sadness for
me came when I realized that there was no witness left
to tell the story of a particular day
when America was fighting wars
on multi-continents.
Across America, men as young
as 18, who had never left their
hometowns, were called to travel to
foreign lands, to step into fields
where bullets rang out and death
grimly awaited.
Britain, a small country with courage and heart, had
been fiercely fighting off the massive German army,
alone, for over two years. Then came the Japanese
attack on Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor that brought a sleeping
giant to life and sent our military to the Pacific to fight
Japan and to Europe and Africa to help the Allies fight
off the Germans who had already claimed Paris.
Should this kind of history interest you, I highly rec
ommend The Splendid and The Vile By Erik Larsen
who recounts the Battle of Britain and illustrates valor
at its grandest. The German Air Force was mightily
trained, having prepared for two decades. Hero pilots
from World War I led the Germans, yet stunningly,
embarrassingly, Royal Air Force fighters, averaging 20
years old with mere weeks of training, fought back and
won air battle after air battle.
Winston Churchill begged America to intervene.
“My mother was American,” he resorted to telling
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who wanted to join
the fight (he had once served as Assistant Naval
Secretary) but Americans were resolute: Stay out.
Pearl Harbor, however, proved there was no choice.
We had to fight.
When Miss Mildred left for her eternal visit with the
Lord, she was the last survivor of four who could tell
the story of two country boys filled with moxie and
enormous patriotic spirit. They struggled through the
horrific Depression, traveled out of the hills and found
opportunities toward better lives. They could raise fami
lies without worrying how to scrounge up food.
The way they figured it was this: They owed it to
America, to give their service and, if necessary, their
lives.
Miss Mildred and my Mama were married to those
two men: Ralph and Tooney (a nickname). Both men
had been exempted from the war because they were
married and each had a baby. Shortly after Pearl Harbor
collapsed, Daddy, Mama, Aunt Ozelle, and Uncle Tom
headed to Newport News, Virginia, so the men could
help build battle ships in Norfolk. After a time, they
returned home.
It was 1943 and even with the strength of America
and Russia entering the battle zone, Germany, Italy, and
Japan were formidable. Many were the times, that it
appeared the war in Europe could not be won by the
good guys - Britain and her Allies.
In a small Southern town, Daddy and Tooney
devoured the newspaper stories and listened to Edward
R. Murrow as he reported for CBS Radio from London.
One midday, as Daddy reached over to turn off the
radio after listening to Murrow’s latest report, they both
shook their heads.
“They won’t draft us,” Tooney said, thinking aloud.
Daddy nodded. “That’s right.”
Tooney suddenly brightened. “But we could enlist!”
Daddy studied on it for two seconds then exclaimed,
“Grab your hat and let’s go.”
Together, they joined the Navy and were quickly dis
patched — on different ships — to the midst of the
South Pacific battle zone where they remained until the
war ended.
The twist to this story? The wives, each left with a
baby and a job, did not know until 15 years after the
war’s end that their husbands had volunteered.
“I’d wrung his neck,” Miss Mildred recalled, laugh
ing.
To all the soldiers and their families: Thank you!
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of the forth
coming novel, St. Simons Island—A Stella Bankwell
Mystery.
Ronda Rich is a best-selling author of What Southern
Women Know (That Every Woman Should). Visit www.
rondarich.com to sign up for her weekly newsletter.
RONDA RICH
Columnist
FROM 1B
Grigsby
Wrestling.”
As for his camaraderie
with the middle school
team — Grigsby doesn’t
expect much to change.
The relationships he built
over the years contributed
to a tight-knit program
that Grigsby plans to fur
ther cohere going for
ward.
“Those guys are my
future and I couldn’t be
more committed to their
success,” Grigsby said. “I
plan for the middle school
program to share in varsi
ty practice time and
coaching. Moving for
ward, I want those guys
to feel like one big team
— 6 th grade through 12th
grade — where skills are
developed and where
maximum effort yields
head-turning results.”
FROM 1B
Athletes
Moledor were then
announced as the two
DCN Athletes of the Year,
after each played an
invaluable role in their
respective teams.
Felkai fueled the vol
leyball team back to the
state playoffs while
Moledor contributed on
both defense and offense
to help lead the football
team to a region champi
onship.
Following all of the
announcements, the play
ers, coaches and families
all had the chance to take
photos together and enjoy
the moment.
Of the 16 athletes nom
inated, which included a
combination of seniors
and juniors, four were
repeat nominees and five
are set to continue their
athletic careers at the col
legiate level.
The DCN would also
like to thank presenting
sponsor John Megel
Chevrolet/Ford.
Moledor’s versatility invaluable in
football’s region championship run
Rio White Dawson County News
Kade Moledor was chosen as the 2023 DCN Boys
Athlete of the Year.
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
There are student-ath
letes who thrive in the
limelight and there are
others who focus on the
task at hand, regardless of
how much attention is paid
to them.
That second description
fits Kade Moledor espe
cially well after he played
an integral — and versatile
— role in the football
team’s Region 7-3A cham
pionship season in 2022.
While the high school
football season typically
reveals a spotlight on suc
cessful programs, the
perennially playoff-bound
Tigers went into the 2022
season with slightly less
fanfare than usual.
After the graduation of
quarterback Zach
Holtzclaw and several
other impactful seniors,
other programs within the
realigned region were
looked at as having poten
tial breakout seasons.
But none of that both
ered Moledor or the rest of
the Tigers program, who
proceeded to earn a perfect
6-0 mark against all region
opponents.
Instead, Moledor —
who played both lineback
er and running back — set
a very firm example in
training, practicing and
performing with a level of
focus that rendered any
outside noise or doubts
irrelevant.
During his senior year,
he accrued 90 tackles and
five sacks, earning him
First Team All-Region
honors and the region’s
Defensive Player of the
Year award.
His particular role on
defense was far deeper
than just the numbers,
though. Moledor served as
a fulcrum, helping bring
additional pressure against
the run game while having
the athleticism to provide
mid-range coverage
against the pass.
Eventually, his ability to
help lead a stout defense
resulted in two shutouts
and two other games
where only 7 points were
allowed.
And if he didn’t have
enough work to do on
defense, he also served as
one of the main running
backs, carrying the ball
101 times for 532 yards
and 5 touchdowns.
No matter which side of
the line he was on,
Moledor’s work ethic and
determination ultimately
proved most important to
the team’s journey to a
region championship win
over their rivals.
After his decorated high
school career ended, he
received an opportunity to
play Division I football at
North Carolina A&T — a
fitting accomplishment for
what he gave to the
Dawson County football
program.
“He’s an outstanding
young man. Sometimes
you can make leaders, but
in this situation, [Moledor]
was born to do what he
does — and that’s lead
others,” head coach
Maxwell said at his col
lege signing day. “Each
day he came in to get bet
ter. Not only did he get
better, but he would make
those around him better
and people would try to be
more like him.”
Larson dominates All-Star Weekend
in sport’s return to North Wilkesboro
Elliott finishes fifth, continues to show consistency on track
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
On a warm, pleasant
evening in the mountains
of North Carolina, 24
NASCAR Cup Series
cars started their engines
under the bright lights of
North Wilkesboro
Speedway for the first
time in 27 years.
Years of grassroots
efforts and big-name help
from the likes of Dale
Earnhardt Jr. and Marcus
Smith culminated in the
2023 All-Star weekend
— which included a
Truck Series race and
two Cup Series races.
By far the strongest
driver all weekend was
Kyle Larson, who won
his first Truck Series
entry of the 2023 season.
Driving the No. 7 truck
of Spire Motorsports,
Larson displayed a teach
able moment for the
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Chase Elliott leads the field during the NASCAR
Cup Series All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro
Speedway on May 21 in North Wilkesboro, N.C.
many young up-and-com-
ers who had to watch him
handle the field at
Saturday’s Tyson 250.
But during practice and
the heat race for
Sunday’s All-Star event,
Larson initially had trou
ble finding speed, quali
fying 16th.
Earlier on Sunday, the
All-Star Open was held,
from which three more
drivers — Josh Berry, Ty
Gibbs, and Noah
Gragson — moved on to
the main All-Star Race.
By the time Richard
Petty and Darrell Waltrip
gave the command
Sunday night, the rau
cous crowd and packed
stands signified a special
moment for NASCAR.
Larson initially saw his
night go backward, being
sent to the rear after
speeding on pit road
early in the race.
But around the 50-lap
mark of the 200-lap
event, Larson launched to
the front and never
looked back.
He would not relinquish
the lead at any point,
securing his third career
All-Start race win and the
million-dollar prize.
Chase Elliott also had a
solid night, finishing fifth
on the slippery track.
Elliott and the No. 9
team will pick back up
next week for one of
NASCAR’s crown jewel
races — the Coca-Cola
600 at Charlotte Motor
Speedway on Memorial
Day.
FROM 1B
Felkai
She partnered up with setter
Kirklyn Porter — who herself had
a stellar season after returning to
the team — to create one of the
most formidable one-two punches
in the region.
“I was proud of her for making
the most of it,” Porter said of
Felkai’s position change. “She’s
used to being on the setting side of
things and making everybody else
look good. But she can do both,
which is really a great attribute for
her.”
And after every point, set and
match, her voice could be heard
around the entire gym as she
encouraged her teammates in any
way she could.
With her contributions as both a
great player and leader came a
unique identity for the 2022 Lady
Tigers — one that saw the team
fight tooth and nail against every
opponent while radiating a certain
closeness.
“We understand that there is
competition with every team we
play and that we need to respect
each opponent,” Felkai said during
the season. “But we’re coming
together and truly believe there’s
no team that can take us down if
we’re playing the way we need to
play.”
Eventually, the team put together
a 26-win season that included wins
against rivals Lumpkin County and
eventual state semifinalist White
County.
After finishing third in the region
tournament, the Lady Tigers
clinched a state playoff berth —
completing their season-long task.
Felkai’s years of training and
accomplishments on the high
school and club levels eventually
earned her a chance to play
Division I college volleyball —
signing with Lehigh University ear
lier this school year.
FROM 1B
Concert
pair of songs.
Band director Nicholas
Gattis explained how the
symphonic band attempted
to relay their notes and
sounds toward a broader
context.
“Each piece is uniquely
challenging in its own
right. The hardest part is
creating the soundscape for
the listener to understand
what we, composers and
musicians, are trying to
communicate,” Gattis said.
“Painting a picture with
sound is a very mature
concept that took a lot of
practice to achieve the best
musical effect as we
focused on creating an
environment in the audito
rium.”
To begin the night, the
band first played “Land of
Enchantment” as their
Earth-themed piece.
Composed as a tribute to
the landscape of New
Mexico, Dawson County’s
woodwinds provided a
glimpse into the sparse
desert while a variety of
percussion instruments
were used to create a mys
tic aura.
The next piece was a
natural transition into
Wind, as the sound of per
cussive whirling tubes elic
ited images of tumble
weeds while the expressive
tones of the many soloists
gave the piece a feeling of
the Old West.
The entire brass section
would be fully on display
for “Spontaneous
Combustion”, which
served as the Fire section.
Requiring a fast pace
and strong precision, this
piece brought out each
musician’s energy and cre
ated a dramatic, nearly cin
ematic setting for the audi
ence.
To wrap up the concert
and their year, the sym
phonic band let it loose
with a compilation of
famous tunes by the 1970s
band Earth, Wind & Fire,
with many band members
donning sunglasses and
standing up to perform.
Gattis made a variety of
announcements on
Thursday night, including
the recognition of varsity
letters, two new inductees
into the band’s Hall of
Fame, and the winner of
the John Phillip Sousa
Award.
Last year’s Sousa award
winner, Palmer Hartley,
made an appearance to
present the 2023 award to
senior Ace Park, who was
chosen for reflecting the
award’s recognition of
“superior musicianship and
outstanding dedication.”
Park served as the
marching band’s drum
major in 2022 and was a
critical part of the band for
all four years of high
school.
The two new members
of the Tiger Pride band
Hall of Fame are Ava
Upton and William
Holloway, who both made
the All-State band this
year. They were just the
third and fourth Dawson
County All-State represen
tatives.
Heading into next year,
the marching band will
start up band camp in July
in preparation for a season
that will include two
regional competitions and
a show theme set to feature
Southern roots.