Newspaper Page Text
Page 5C
April 13, 2022
^Reporter
Finch elected president of GHSA
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
Mary Persons prin
cipal Jim Finch was
elected the president
of the Georgia High
School Association
(GHSA) on Monday
Finch will replace
Glenn White, the
Floyd County schools
superintendent who
is stepping down after
8 years. The president
chairs the executive council, the
GHSA decision-making body It
is a volunteer position. Finch said
they do pay for mileage. He said
living close to the GHSA offices
in Thomaston makes it conve
nient for him. It’s the first time
Mary Persons has had
someone as president
of the GHSA.
Finch said when
White said in the fall
he wasn’t running
again, he was asked to
rim. White supported
Finch and the rest is
history. A former as
sistant football coach
at Peach County, Finch
said he’s always stayed involved
in the GHSA because he figures
having a seat at the table is better
than not.
Finch, who was elected to a
2-year term, moves up to be a
Monroe County assistant su
perintendent this summer after
15 years as MP principal. Finch
said he expects re-classification
will continue to be a big issue the
GHSA will have to address. The
GHSA voted this weekend to go
from 7 classifications to 6. Finch
said he’s always thought that
was better so that schools don’t
have to travel so far. Finch said
rising gas prices are one reason
more schools were willing to go
down to 6 classifications for high
schools, which will mean less
travel.
The GHSA also approved
increasing the multiplier from
2 to 3 for counting each student
from outside the school’s home
district for enrollment/classifica
tion numbers. The GHSA uses
the multiplier to try to level the
playing field for public schools
that cannot allow students from
outside their zone. That’s why the
Atlanta Catholic school Blessed
Trinity, which played Mary Per
sons in the Class AAAA playoffs
in football in 2017, is now in
Class AAAAAA.
Finch said he doesn’t necessar
ily have an answer to that issue
but said it is something they’ll
continue to have to address.
Finch said they may also have
to address the issue of boys
competing in girls athletics. The
legislature this year passed a law
authorizing the GHSA and other
sporting bodies from barring
boys from competing against
girls, which has become more
common as some athletes claim
to be trans-gender.
Finally, Finch said they have
to deal with recruiting issues.
As colleges now allow players to
profit off their fame, Finch said
that practice may trickle down
into high school.
Finch the GHSA office in
Thomaston has about 13 em
ployees, one of which is another
Fosythian, Penny Pitts Mitchell.
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Globe amaranth a great addition to home garden
The beauty of globe amaranth in a garden is enhanced by
the multitude of butterflies and other pollinators that visit
the amaranth blossoms. (Photo/Terry Johnson)
N ow that spring
is here, it is
time to begin
making the final
decisions as to what we
want to plant in our flower
gardens this
year. If you
are looking
for a plant
that will
bloom from
late spring
into Octo
ber, as well
as generate
nectar for a
wide variety
ofbutterflies,
bees and
other pollinators, and
produce seeds relished by
some of our favorite back
yard birds, globe amaranth
(Gomphrena globose) may
be the perfect addition to
your garden.
I personally was not
familiar with globe ama
ranth (also called everlast
ing bachelor button and
flower of immortality)
until my wife, Donna,
suggested that we plant
some in our garden.
She harbors fond child
hood memories of globe
amaranth growing in
flower gardens planted
by both her mother and
grandmother in northeast
Alabama.
The history of globe
amaranth in America goes
far back in our history.
White, pink, and purple
globe amaranth adorned
gardens in Williamsburg.
Later Georgia Washing
ton and Thomas Jefferson
grew globe amaranth in
their gardens.
I do not know why
the plant’s popular
ity has waned. Perhaps
it is because the seed is
sometimes hard
to find; although
the truth of
matter may be
because we seem
to be constantly
searching for
the newest plant
varieties.
At any rate,
globe amaranth
is a stunning
plant. Globe
amaranth plants
grow upwards of two feet
tall. However, nowadays
dwarf varieties are also
available. As the plant’s
name implies, it pro
duces globe-shaped flower
heads. Well, actually what
we call flowers are techni
cally bracts. Each bract
contains countless brightly
colored leaves surround
ing miniature flowers.
Although globe ama
ranth planted back in the
day was primarily peach-
colored, nowadays they are
available in pink, magenta,
orange, white, purple, and
red. The globe amaranths
we plant are purple.
Globe amaranth is native
to Central America. How
ever, over the centuries
it has found its way into
gardens throughout much
of the world. This showy
ornamental grows well in
Monroe County where
it can withstand the hot
summer sun and often-in-
frequent summer showers
although it performs best
when it is watered regu
larly.
We have had good luck
planting globe amaranth
in flowerbeds and large
pots. However, we have
come to prefer growing
them in pots placed on
our deck. Globe amaranth
grown in this manner has
enhanced the amount of
time we get to enjoy both
the plants and the wildlife
they attract. All we have
to do is walk outside our
backdoor, sit down, and
watch the show.
One of the plant’s traits
that we really like is that it
readily reseeds. Since the
seeds have a low germina
tion rate, don’t be afraid of
planting too many seeds.
If you end up with a thick
stand, you can always thin
the plants later. Here’s a
tip: the seeds will germi
nate much quicker if you
soak them overnight in
water. Globe amaranth
plants are also available at
most nurseries.
The first year we planted
globe amaranth, my wife
purchased a single packet
of seeds. Since then she
plants seeds she collected
the previous year. The
seeds are harvested by
snipping off seed heads
that have lost their bril
liant color. The dried seed
heads are stored in plastic
bags.
When spring rolls
around again after she
has prepared a seedbed
she crushes the dried seed
heads over the soil. This
releases a bounty of white
seeds. She then presses the
seeds into the moist soil.
Butterflies and bees are
the pollinators we most
often see visiting globe
amaranth blossoms. We
have spotted more than
20 species ofbutterflies
nectaring on globe ama
ranth flowers. This roster
ofbutterflies includes the
monarch, American lady,
cabbage white, red-banded
hairstreak, eastern tiger
swallowtail, and pearl
crescent.
However, the flowers
seem to attract more skip
pers than any other group
ofbutterflies. They range
from the tiny least skipper
to the fiery skipper, ocola,
clouded skipper, silver-
spotted skipper, and many
more. Often some of these
butterflies are difficult to
view in garden settings.
However, for some reason,
skippers, in particular, are
more approachable when
visiting globe amaranth
grown in containers.
One of the most surpris
ing discoveries we have
made while growing globe
amaranth in pots is that
birds will visit the flowers
in search of the plant’s tiny
seeds. The first indication
we had that something
odd was taking place was
finding colorful bracts
scattered on the floor of
the deck near the pots
where globe amaranth
plants were growing.
Finally, one day as I was
drinking a cup of coffee
while gazing out the kitch
en window, I saw a group
of globe amaranth plants
violently shaking. When
I focused my attention
on these plants, I spotted
a female cardinal pulling
apart several blossoms.
Then the bird snipped off
an entire flower head and
flew away. Shortly there
after, a male cardinal flew
in and ate his share of the
seeds. Since that time, we
have also seen American
goldfinches and house
finches avail themselves of
the seeds, too.
Each time I gaze at globe
amaranth growing in my
yard, I can’t help but be
lieve that early American
gardeners noticed birds,
other pollinators, and
butterflies visiting their
globe amaranth plants. If
they did, I hope they felt
that the wildlife attracted
to their amaranth plants
enhanced the beauty of a
bed of globe amaranths.
Terry Johnson is retired
Program Manager of the
Georgia Nongame-Endan
gered Wildlife Program. He
has written the informative
column Monroe Outdoors’
for the Reporter for many
years. His book, “A Journey
to Discovery,” is available at
The Reporter. Email him at
tjwoodduck@bellsouth. net.
TERRY W. JOHNSON
Forsyth’s Jacob Moore signs with Shorter University
Jacob Moore of Forsyth signed his
letter of intent to play college football
at Shorter University in Rome last
Wednesday at Covenant Academy.
Coach Chris Oxford, head football
coach at Covenant, said that Moore
had never played football before when
he showed up as a freshman. But he
said said Moore made big strides in
four years, and not just on the field.
Oxford said that football often makes
young boys grow into men because
they learn how to get up when they
get knocked down. “I told my guys,”
said Oxford, “in life, you’re gonna get
knocked down.” Oxford said football
teaches boys how to get up again. Ox
ford said Moore, who played defensive
end and offensive line, loved to practice
and it showed on Friday nights. He
also said Jacob couldn’t ask for better
parents than Brian and Amisha Moore.
Oxford said he was looking forward
to what Moore accomplishes playing
college football. “You haven’t reached
your potential,” said Oxford, “either in
the weight room or in football.” Brian
Moore, who pastors New Providence
Baptist Church in Smarr, said he’s
proud of his son and enjoys watching
him fulfill a dream that God put in
him. He also thanked Moore’s team
mates for pushing him to be better.
Senior Jacob
Moore, seated,
surrounded by
his parents,
Brian and
Amisha Moore,
and his siblings
while signing
a commitment
to play foot
ball at Shorter
University last
Wednesday.
Mary Persons girls tennis team makes state playoffs again
By Trey Bernard
trey.bernard@mcschools.org
The Mary Persons girls tennis
team clinched a spot in the state
playoffs, earning the 3rd seed in
the region by beating Jackson,
the No. 6 seed, at John Drew
Smith Tennis Center in Macon
on Monday, April 11. MP
Girls secured the 3 seed in the
upcoming region tournament
on Wednesday with a 3-2
triumph.
Becky Kenirey improved
to 11-0 on the season with a
6-0,6-0 victory at 1 Singles.
Lauren Thomas ended up going
down with a 1-6,4-6 defeat
at 2 Singles. Claire Campbell
handled 3 Singles with a 6-2,
6-2 victory.
The team of Lauren Haripar
and Jayci Daniels was
outlasted 5-7,6-2,5-7 in a 3
set marathon, but the team
of Katherine Clay and Jayden
Gray clinched the win at 2
Doubles with a 6-7(4), 6-3,6-3
comeback win.
The girls improved to 6-6 on
the season and will face Crisp
County on Wednesday at 11
a.m. at John Drew Smith in
the Region 2-AAA semifinals
to finalize seeding for the
state playoffs. It’s the girls’ 8th
consecutive playoff berth under
head coach Hannah Grossman.