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Page 6 - The Wiregrass Farmer, December 31,2014
Sports
Rebs fall to Americus-Sumter
by Brad Christian
The Turner County Rebels
and Lady Rebels hosted the
3rd annual Ronalda Pierce
Holiday Hoopfest on Friday,
Saturday, and Monday at the
Turner County Civic Center.
There were eight games each
day as schools such as Coffee
High, Americus-Sumter, Ter
rell County, Lanier County,
Early County, Brooks County,
and Thomas County Central
made their way to Ashbum to
participate in the three day
event.
On Friday night, the Lady
Rebels hosted Brooks County.
The Lady Rebels, who came in
undefeated, jumped out to an
early lead and managed to
build it to a 36-20 lead by half
time behind 12 first half points
by Taylor Daniels. To their
credit, the visitors from Quit-
man, who play in Region 1-
AA, hung in tough but were
unable to make a big enough
second half push. The Lady
Rebels were just too strong
down the stretch as they ad
vanced to the tournament
semifinals by winning 55-45.
Junior Mylashia Yancey fin
ished with a game high 20
points, which is right around
her season average. Daniels
finished with 12 points, all in
the second half. Also having a
strong game was Brishuana
Barnes with 12 points and 11
rebounds.
The semifinal game would
have the Lady Rebels taking
on Thomas County Central.
The Lady Rebels trailed at
halftime for the first time all
year as they were losing 25-21
at the break. But whatever
Lady Rebel head coach Tasha
Kimble said to her squad at
halftime apparently worked.
They outscored the Lady Jack
ets 14-6 in the third quarter to
flip that four point deficit into
a four point lead. They were
able to add to that lead in the
fourth quarter as they eventu
ally took the victory 43-33.
Xariah Office led the way for
the Lady Rebels with a game
high 13 points.
The finals matchup would
pit the Lady Rebels against
Americus-Sumter, who is
coached by former Lady Rebel
coach Sherri Harris. It would
be a battle of unbeaten teams.
The Lady Rebels seemingly
fought from behind the whole
game. A nine point deficit was
slowly trimmed down point by
point. In fact, the Lady Rebels
actually came back to take the
lead at one point late in the
game. But the Lady Panthers
found a way to make plays
down the stretch to win the in
tense game in front of a packed
gym 64-60. The victory al
lowed the Lady Panthers to
win the Hoopfest champi
onship.
Meanwhile, the boys were
also in action Friday, Saturday,
and Monday .On Friday night,
it was apparent the Rebels
would have little to no problem
with an overmatched Brooks
County Trojan squad. It was all
Rebels in the first half as they
jumped out to a 41-19 halftime
lead behind 12 points from
sophomore Tamarrion Terry.
The second half was more of
the same with Rebel head
coach Dr. Tyrone Kellogg
emptying his benches over the
course of the second half en
route to a stress free 73-39 vic
tory. Terry led the way for the
Rebels with 20 points and 14
rebounds. Also scoring in dou
ble figures was junior DeAn-
dre Pierce with 12 points.
That win advanced them to
the semifinals where they
would take on Fanier County.
The Rebels jumped out to an
early 30-14 lead midway
through the second quarter but
a late 11-0 run by the Bulldogs
trimmed that lead to 30-25 at
halftime. The Rebels never re
ally could totally pull away
from the Bulldogs. In fact, the
visitors from Fakeland only
trailed by two midway through
the fourth quarter and had pos
session with a chance to take
the lead. But too many mis
takes by the Bulldogs and
some clutch shooting by the
Rebels allowed the home team
to pull away for the 64-55 vic
tory.
Kellogg said after the game
that while he was glad his team
was able to win, he knew they
still needed to get better. “We
have got to learn to put other
teams away,” he said. Once
again, the double double ma
chine of Terry led the way for
the Rebels with 20 points and
11 rebounds. Also scoring in
double figures were Shaquille
Baldwin with 15 points and
Quan Hillmon with 11 points.
They played Americus-
Sumter in the championship
game Monday night. The
Rebels fought through
turnovers and poor shooting
most of the night and found
themselves in a nine point
deficit at halftime. Fike the
Fady Rebels, they kept chip
ping away at the lead in the
second half but couldn't ever
get over the hump. Americus
eventually pulled away for a
61-53 to make it a clean sweep
of championship trophies for
the visitors from Americus.
At the end of the tourna
ment play, the Rebels (10-2)
and Fady Rebels (11-1) still
found themselves sitting with
impressive overall records.
Only one game is on the
schedule for this week and that
is a Saturday night trip to
Rochelle to take on Wilcox
County beginning at 6:00.
The boys took 2nd in the tournament.
The Lady Rebels and the 2nd place trophy from the holiday tournament.
Photos Susan Baker
Help 4-H continue its programs
With the holiday season
there are many gifts exchanged
and given. Would you con
sider giving another gift that
will benefit a child?
As the year 2014 comes
close to being history, there is
still time to participate and
support young people with a
charitable contribution. Turner
County 4-H is classified as a
501(c)(3) organization and all
contributions are tax-de
ductible according to IRS stan
dards. Your gift will carry over
into 2015!
There are many activities
for young people through the
year with camp, DPA, judging
teams, shooting sports, animal
projects and educational con
ferences. These trips and op
portunities have steadily
increased in cost over the last
several years.
Increased financial support
is necessary to maintain high-
quality, fun and educational
programing for which 4-H is
known.
Your contribution can be
designated to support a specific
purpose that is important to
you, or left unrestricted to be
used where the need is great
est. Any amount is greatly ap
preciated and no amount is too
small.
Gifts help maintain the tra
dition of making the best bet
ter. Together, we can make a
difference in the lives of young
people.
Consider making a donation
to support the youth of today
and the leaders of tomorrow
through your gift to Turner
County 4-H. Gifts may be
mailed to Turner County 4-H,
222 Rockhouse Road Room 1,
Ashburn, GA 31714.
YEAR
(Continued from Page 3)
Week 3
Amber Stephens is
TCM/HS Teacher of the Year
and the System Teacher of the
Year. Teacher of the Year at
TCES is Cassandra Jackson
and Special Services School is
Jaclyn Myers. STAR student is
Hannah Rooks and she chose
Debbie Fletcher as her STAR
teacher.
JROTC hosted Area II Re
gion Drill Competition and fin
ishes with second and third
place.
The Jail Museum is in need
of immediate repair work and
is closed siting safety concerns
for visitors.
Sycamore City Council was
split in a vote to put in a bas
ketball court on N. Railroad St.
Mayor Wayne Woodruff voted
yes to break the tie and support
his idea. The money will be
raised privately.
Week 4
It’s Fire Ant Festival time.
Gone With The Fire Ant is the
theme.
The Tabernacle gets grant
for general repairs. A ribbon
cutting was held for Bailey and
Flake Satellite TV. Ashburn
becomes a ‘Purple Heart City’.
Rescue Smokers returning
to BBQ Pitmasters for a
chance at redemption after los
ing in the semi-finals.
APRIL
Week 1
Despite a soggy start, the
19th annual Fire Ant Festival
ended with a bang. David
Whiddon becomes the latest
winner with only a few min
utes left to find the ant. Clues
were explained as usual.
According to a new national
health report Turner County
ranks very low. Overall health
ranking puts Turner County at
155 of 159 counties.
The Chamber is seeking a
new President after Shelley
Zorn took a position in
Thomasville. The incoming
President will also serve a joint
position as Director of the
Turner County Development
Authority.
Week 2
Spring has sprung.
At the County Commission
meeting an engineering con
tract is put on hold.
A second trial for Debra
Pilkinton on murder charges
also ended with a hung jury.
Eight women and four men
voted 11-1 to acquit.
The City of Ashbum’s Main
Street program launches idea
for a farmer’s market. Interest
from the farming community
determines the success of this
program.
A Turner County Public
Safety lunch was held at the ag
building.
Turner County High School
FCCFA members attend the
weekend leadership confer
ence. 4-H participated in the
State Fivestock Judging Con
test in Athens. The team placed
8th out of 13 teams.
At the BOE workshop
meeting a longer school year is
predicted for next year. With
budget cuts the school year
was shortened from 180 days
to 165 to save money.
Nick Denham, Keith
Reynolds and Will Williford
are running for the County
Commission District 5 seat.
Week 3
The Sycamore Police De
partment says it will no longer
void or reduce traffic tickets to
a lesser offense.
An Ashburn man who was
set on fire is in stable condition
in Augusta. Marshall Hamp
ton was taken into police cus
tody on arson and aggravated
assault charges with more
charges possibly.
Nichole Winter wins the Ki-
wanis Club Talent Show and a
$500 scholarship.
The school may expand
MTC partnership. Ray Jordan
is looking at replacing three re
tiring teachers with instructors
from MTC.
Fee Ann Clark attends chief
school and is now certified as
Sycamore Chief of Police.
Health Plus is now Ashbum
Primary Care.
Week 4
TCES teacher Amanda Bai
ley presented a list of things for
the BOE to consider. In order
to improve the schools it will
need to be a community effort.
The school system continues to
have a decline in enrollment
and teachers are leaving due to
the shortened school calendar
which means they will not re
ceive pay for a typical full con
tract.
Josh Gravitt is the new
County Extension Agent for
Turner County.
A couple of celebrities drop
by the Giant Peanut and post
their visit on social media.
Another success for the
Jump rope for Heart as it raises
$6,000.
Artie Eld hosted a luncheon
to show his appreciation for the
First Responders.
Week 5
Mr. Nehemiah Collins cele
brated his 100th birthday.
The Turner County Rebel
wrestlers and basketball team
is honored by the Ashburn City
Council.
Mayor Jim Hedges’ idea to
bring a replica of the Vietnam
Wall to Ashburn is set for Sep
tember. Other surrounding
counties will be participating
in the event.
The class of 1959 is spear
heading the creation of the
Coach Bill and Doris Hardin
athletic/academic scholarship
for the 2014 year.
A family fun night took
place at the elementary school.
MAY
Week 1
Turner County Rebels Bas
ketball Day declared May 1
and TCHS Rebels Wrestler’s
Day May 2 by the Ashburn
City Council.
Three different DOT proj
ects for Ashburn may happen
next year. New sidewalks will
projected for downtown Ash
burn on Hwy 41 and 112 and
Carlos Avenue around the
YRC and park.
TCES held its first ever
concert which will be an an
nual event. The Turner County
Arts Council set dates for the
Summer children’s theater au
ditions.
Middle/High school stu
dents attend the Y-Club’s
Christian Fife Conference.
After school students put their
art on display at the library.
More evidence that the
Crime and Punishment Mu
seum has paranormal activity.
Week 2
APD believes gangs are in
volved in connection with the
recent fights and arsons on the
west side of town.
A report shows food stamp
use is up in Turner County ac
cording to the USDA Food and
Nutrition Services. An increase
of 7.7 percentage points since
2007 when the recession
started.
Sycamore City Council says
no tax hike. Also the Council is
hoping to get grants for paving
at a mobile home park and get
ting a new lift station.
The school board is split on
the system calendar. Field day
takes place at the elementary
school.
Week 3
Superintendent Ray Jordan
says a series of reports show
Turner County is making
progress in educating students.
In other school related matters,
the board was split on the con
tract by Southern Management
in which an increase of $746 a
month was requested. Retirees
from the Board of Education
were saluted.
Dirt roads are in bad shape
with the unusually heavy rains
in late winter and spring. Road
Superintendent JB Newell asks
for patience as his department
is working as fast as they can.
A school bus and two wreckers
get stuck.
American Fegion Post 98
presents a $400 check to help
fund the JROTC Summer
Camp.
Week 4
Mortar boards fly once
again as the Class of 2014
graduates.
Veterans are remembered
with a ceremony at Elrod Park.
A runoff election will be
held in July for the County
Commission race between
Nick Denham and Will Willi
ford.
Two lucky TCES students
with perfect attendance were
winners of new bicycles,
Kolton Orozco and Natalie
Nutt.
JUNE
Week 1
Focal resident Joshua Jer
maine Floyd was killed after
being hit by a train as he
walked down the tracks at Or
chard Hill.
In Rebecca sixteen people
were taken to Tift Regional
hospital after a chemical acci
dent at a vegetable packing
plant.
School Superintendent Ray
Jordan announces his retire
ment effective September 30.
After a five month criminal
investigation into the diversion
of controlled substances, a well
known Sycamore resident and
owner of Tifton Drugs was
charged after a raid at her phar
macy. Three others, all of Ash
bum, were also charged.
Rescue Smokers make it to
the Grand Finale of BBQ Pit-
masters on the tv show Desti
nation America.
DAR presented a flag to
JoAnne Brown at the Victoria
Evans Memorial Fibrary.
Week 2
A street fee hike of $1 is in
the proposed budget for the
City’s next fiscal year. The
City is also looking at quitting
the regional drug task force.
Instead, use the money to hire
a new City police officer to
work full time on gang and
gang violence.
The Georgia Education De
partment rolls out a new testing
system which will replace the
CRCT and EOCT. The Geor
gia Milestones Assessment
System is aligned to the Com
mon Core Georgia Perform
ance Standards (CCGPS) and
requires more from students in
order to better prepare them for
college and career.
Week 3
Rescue Smokers bring
home the money! They won
the Pitmasters Grand Champi
onship, a big trophy and the
grand prize of $50,000.
Sycamore City Council has
decided it will also drop from
the Dmg Task Force. This will
save the City $5,000 a year.
Also, past due property taxes
are being turned over to a com
pany who specializes in
preparing tax sales for munici
palities.
The proposed $1 increase in
the street fee is not sitting well
with many residents but City
Manager Ben Taylor said it’s
needed to balance the budget
because the City did not get all
the FOST it expected.
Andrea Pierce is honored by
American Fegion Post 98 as
she was chosen Fegionnaire of
the Year.
The Turner County Music
Boosters meet their new band
and chorus director Michael
Staub.
The School Board’s attempt
at creating a cyber academy
are disappointing. Enrollment
saw only 2 elementary children
and 22 for the Middle/High.
A decision by the BOE to
hire a new Middle/High
School principal is split.
Michael Simmons of Darien
takes the position as Howard
Akers leaves to take a position
in another Fanier County.
Year in Review resumes next
week
