Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 130, No. 25 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 - $1.00
double
dose
Local high school football teams delivered a double
dose of defeat to their visiting opponents last Friday
night, outscoring them by a combined 115-6. Burke
County High School broke four team scoring records
with their 72-0 romp over Westside, while Edmund
Burke Academy opened region play with a 43-6 win
over Central Fellowship of Macon. For the full sto
ries, see pages 10 and 11. At right, Burke County
cheerleaders perform a stunt during halftime. Below,
EBA head coach Buddy Sorrow watches from the
sideline during kickoff.
Gun incident
prompts school
to up security
By Elizabeth Billips and Anne Marie Kyzer
Staff Reporters
Public school officials are beefing up security at home football
games after a suspended football player was arrested with a gun.
Burke County deputies say they were clearing the campus after
Friday night’s game at Burke County High School when they
saw a large crowd arguing in the parking lot.
As the officers moved closer. 17-year-old Torianio Habersham
backed away from the crowd, reached into his waistband and
pulled out a handgun.
“He was pointing the gun, panning it back and forth at the
crowd,” said Sgt. Dedric Smith, who trained his gun on the
benched running back and told him to put down his weapon.
“There were children running between us and people walking
behind him,” Sgt. Smith continued. “When he realized who I
was he dropped the gun and took off running.”
Deputies seized the fully loaded and charged 9 mm. Luger and
arrested Habersham the next day at his Hancock Landing Road
home.
Deputies say the brunt of the post-game altercation appeared
to be between Habersham and a 15-year-old boy who, along
with others in the group, is suspected of being a gang member.
Habersham, who is cooperating with deputies, denied affiliations
with any gangs. He was charged with possession of a firearm on
school property and possession of a firearm during the commis
sion of a crime. Although the reason for his suspension prior to
Friday night’s game has not yet been released, he has since been
kicked off the football team. School officials say he is awaiting a
tribunal.
Meanwhile, school officials are putting additional security
measures in place for Friday night’s homecoming game and have
more in the works.
BCHS principal Sam Adkins said extra security officers will
be on site, including the Georgia State Patrol, and will have a
presence in the parking lot as well as inside the stadium. Last
Friday, 14 deputies were providing security. Portable outdoor
lighting will be brought in to better illuminate parking lots until
permanent structures are put in place.
Every spectator who enters the stadium must pass through metal
detectors, including those who enter through the pass gate and
player gate. Previously, only general admission spectators were
required to go through metal detectors. Though rumors are ram
pant that Habersham may have had the gun with him in the sta
dium earlier in the night, school officials say he did not but want
to take every precaution to prevent such an incident.
Over the next couple of weeks, the exterior perimeter lighting
will be replaced with stronger, brighter bulbs, and Adkins hopes
to add additional measures in the future such as cameras in the
stadium and possibly the parking lot.
“Friday night was a real wake up call for me,” Adkins told
Board of Education members at a called meeting Monday. “I
hate we’ve come to this but it is what it is, and I feel obligated to
protect our kids and our community. I wouldn’t be much of a
principal if I said we didn’t need to tighten this up.”
BOE chairman Johnny Jenkins said board members backed the
measures completely.
“The sooner we get a lot of this enforced, the better off we’ll
be,” Jenkins said, noting especially his support for the use of
cameras. “If it could save a life, the costs are not too high.”
UAB quarterback has local ties
By Tres Bragg
tresbragg @ bellsouth.net
If you’re a college football fan,
chances are you saw the ending
to the Tennessee vs. University
of Alabama at Birmingham game
last Saturday. What some may not
know is that UAB quarterback,
Bryan Ellis, grew up playing the
game here in Burke County.
Ellis, who is the son of Best
Office Solutions co-owner Sandi
Shields, had always dreamed of
playing the game he loved in
Neyland Stadium (University of
Tennessee’s stadium). Although
he didn’t sport the bright orange
uniform while on the field, the
lifelong dream became reality last
Saturday.
Ellis, a former Burke County
and Edmund Burke student, got
his first start at quarterback Sat
urday when his team faced the
Tennessee Volunteers. Although
Ellis and the UAB Blazers entered
the game as underdogs, their tal
ent nearly ruined Tennessee’s
reputation as an SEC powerhouse
team.
Ellis earned the starting quar
terback position after posting
huge numbers against Troy State
the week before. During the 34-
33 upset over Troy, Ellis com
pleted 23 of 37 passes for 360
yards and 3 touchdowns. His per
formance not only guaranteed
him the starting role against Ten
nessee but was also good enough
to earn him the C-USA Offen
sive Player of the Week award.
After trailing early to the Vols
on Saturday, Ellis and the Blaz
ers made a second half comeback,
forcing the game into double
overtime. UAB coach Neil
Callaway opted for a 54-yard field
goal attempt on fourth and two
but the kick sailed wide right,
handing Tennessee the 32-29 vic
tory.
Ellis posted solid numbers once
again for the Blazers. He com
pleted 29 passes for 373 yards and
1 touchdown. His numbers
earned him C-USA Offensive
Player of the Week for the sec
ond consecutive week.
Shields explained the excite
ment her family has experienced
over the past two weeks. "We as
a family are overwhelmed with
joy and thankfulness as we watch
his dreams become reality,”
Shields said. “Watching him fight
back for three years through three
shoulder surgeries, a broken col
lar bone and a broken hand has
been a real testimony of faith and
perseverance. For his birthday
two weeks ago, he asked me to
make him a plaque that read
‘Don’t give up. Never give up.’
He never has.”
Football lovers can see Ellis in
action on ESPN next Wednesday
as the UAB Blazers take on the
UCF Knights at 8 p.m.
Bryan Ellis has completed 58 passes this season for a total of 777 yards and 4
touchdowns. Most of the stats are from the past two games alone.
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