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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL THURSDAY. JUNE 8. 2023 - PAGE 1B
Sports
Kickboxing champ
Photo submitted
MOSS WINS CHAMPIONSHIP BELT IN WARRIOR COMBAT CHALLENGE
On June 3, Dawson Moss, an 11-year-old from Comer, fought in a kickboxing fight inside a cage for a cham
pionship belt at the Warrior Combat Challenge in Gaffney, South Carolina. Moss fought five rounds and
won by unanimous decision, winning the belt. He is pictured with his coaches Chuck Cawthon and Ceejay
Hamilton and his father Brandon Moss who were all in his comer. He trains at Contemporary Martial Arts
in Hartwell.
SMITH: Fred Barber
This is a flashback to
the times of Fred Barber,
Georgia's classic fullback
of yesteryear, one who
could have originated the
time-honored football
term, “Hard-
nosed.”
A native of
Bainbridge, he
grew up with
equal helpings of
emotional capital
for the outdoors
and Friday Night
Lights. In his day,
if you were a run
ning back, you
did what running
backs did back
then. You took
the handoff and ran over
people. Run over enough
and you find yourself in the
end zone.
In his precocious days,
Fred thrived on compe
tition, but he aspired for
more than fulfillment on
the gridiron. He expected
to make a name for himself
in the classroom. He grad
uated from UGA on time
with a degree in history in
1965 and a year later he
had a B. A. in chemistry,
conferred as well.
That was not enough. He
had long aspired to become
a pharmacist and that came
about three years later,
making him a Triple Dawg
no less. Now he needed a
job. For a hunter-fisher-
man-pharmaceutical afi
cionado, where else would
he want to be than in deep
South Georgia which led
him to Blackshear where
he has lived since.
Fred celebrated his 80th
birthday recently, but I
missed the big celebration,
owing to a pre
vious out-of-
town commit
ment. I would
have enjoyed
showing up to
sing his prais
es, not just as
an excellent
running back,
but a serious
student, a loyal
Georgian, and
a Damn Good
Dawg. I would
have enjoyed reminiscing
with him about the Sun
Bowl at El Paso, Dec. 26.
1964. The Bulldogs had
not been to a bowl game
since the Orange Bowl in
1960. Most of the players
had never flown on an air
liner.
Not many had ever been
to the state of Texas, but to
be in the international bor
der city of El Paso, hearing
about the lore of Juarez on
the other side of the Rio
Grande was an unforgetta
ble experience.
Texas Tech was a team
with one of the premier
players in the country,
punter-halfback Donny
Anderson. He would later
be drafted by the Green
Bay Packers in the first
round in 1965. I see An
derson from time to time
when I am in Dallas, and
he looks like he could still
play today. It is the same
with Fred Barber.
In the 2nd quarter. Fred
ran a flat route to the
right and was wide open
for quarterback Preston
Ridlehuber’s short pass.
He turned up field for 52
yards, looking like a lo
comotive headed for a
mountain pass. There was
no chance the defense
would catch him. It was a
thundering, Lone-Ranger-
Aboard-Silver gallop, but
about the eight-yard line.
Fred suddenly pulled up
limping. He had pulled a
muscle. The good news is
that the Bulldogs drove in
to score the only touch
down of the game, winning
7-0.
In Vince Dooley’s first
bowl game, there was a lot
of hype which was brought
about by the “Serendipity
Dawgs.” that won seven
games. Many fans drove
the 1,487 miles from Ath
ens to El Paso. (1,416
miles from Atlanta).
Throughout South Geor
gia, Fred Barber’s legend
is intact—from Friday
night lights to pharmacist
to outdoorsman. When he
showed up in Blackshear
in 1972 in a pickup truck,
naturally, with his two
bird dogs. Tom Cotton and
Lard beside him, naturally,
and hung out his shingle,
he noticed that to enter
Pearce County you had to
cross a creek or river. He
almost broke out into song,
“Home Sweet Home.”
The good life, with a lit
tle enterprise and energy, is
often at our fingertips. Fred
Barber worked seven days
a week, most of his life. He
would open his pharmacy
before and after church
in order for the sanctuary
folk’s convenience.
His days off were spent
in the woods, fields and
streams, but he also took
in duck hunting trips to
Arkansas and hunted dove
in South America. In deer
season, he could bring
down a 12-point buck and
field dress it in a matter of
minutes.
Not sure who Ed Dodd
had in mind when he cre
ated the comic strip char
acter Mark Trail many
years ago, but there is no
question— if he had come
along a few years earlier,
Fred would have been per
fect for the part. I enjoyed
watching Fred Barber run
the football, and I have
enjoyed a few quail hunt
ing trips with him over the
years.
He was the consummate
fullback in the old full
house backfield formation,
and he was the consum
mate outdoorsman.
Loran Smith is a UGA
announcer and columnist
for Mainstreet Newspa
pers.
Loran
Smith
Piedmont provides nearly 600 free physicals to student athletes
Piedmont Athens Re
gional Medical Center re
cently held its fifth annu
al sports physicals event,
which provided 580 high
school student athletes
from area schools with
sports physicals for the
upcoming school year at
no cost.
During the physicals,
providers complete the
Georgia High School
Association (GHSA)-re-
quired American Acad
emy of Pediatrics Sport
Physical Form, which
includes a vital sign as
sessment, an orthopedic
functional motor screen
ing, and a physical exam.
“In order to compete
in high school athlet
ics, these students are
required to complete a
pre-participation sports
physical exam,” said Ka
tie Terrell, an athletic
trainer at Piedmont Ath
ens Regional Medical
Center who helped to co
ordinate the event. “We
are delighted to volunteer
our time once again to en
sure these students com
plete this important state
requirement.”
Fourteen physicians
and physician assistants
from Piedmont’s ortho
pedic and primary care
offices, 15 athletic train
ers, 14 nurses from the
orthopedic practice and
the hospital’s communi
ty education department.
14 physical therapists
and physical therapy as
sistants, as well as 12
front-office staff mem
bers, were stationed
throughout the Orthope
dics and Sports Medicine
and Sports Medicine Out
patient Rehab facility to
conduct the physicals.
“Piedmont is a bless
ing to our school and
community,” said Cedar
Shoal High School Ath
letic Director and Head
Basketball Coach Dreco
Thomas. “They provide
a service, free athletic
physicals, to our student
athletes, which gives fam
ilies that may not have the
resources the chance to
meet the requirement. It
is very convenient for all
of our athletes.”
Understanding that
there were hundreds of
student athletes in the area
who required their sports
physical exams, Terrell
says they saw a way to
engage with the commu
nity and help students and
families not only com
plete the requirement but
also identify potential
health concerns early.
Today, the event has
grown to include 14 local
schools, many of which
partner with the Orthope
dic Sports Medicine Pro
gram for athletic training
and other sports medicine
services. Monsignor Don
ovan athletes participated
this year for the first time.
“These students work
so hard throughout the
school year. We all real
ly enjoy pitching in and
helping these kids suc
ceed,” Terrell said.
For more information
about Piedmont Athens
Regional’s Orthopedic
Sports Medicine Pro
gram, visit piedmont.org.
School
Ila Elementary School
recognizes Golden Gators
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners,
attitude and citizenship. Kindergarteners honored
include (front row, L-R) Malachi Wiley, Princeton
Byrum, Levi Callaway, (back row) Rhet Griffeth, Lee-
land Beard, Kaylee Baker and Jacob Charles. Jesalyn
Carey is not pictured.
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners, at
titude and citizenship. First graders honored include
(front row, L-R) Leila-Marie Rowland, Nora Gunnells,
Conner McQuaig, (back row) Tristian Smith, Drealyn
Little, Dawson Craft and Aiden Smith.
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners,
attitude and citizenship. Second graders honored
include (L-R) Collins Bradberry, Kylie Ingram, Jace
Crane, Mila Drake and Sammy Joe Baxter. Amy Gon
zalez Jovel is not pictured.
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners, at
titude and citizenship. Third graders honored included
(L-R) Aubree Blalock, Brian Charping, Payton Shelton,
Connor Wright. Kynlee Perdue is not pictured.
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners, atti
tude and citizenship. Fourth graders honored include
(L-R) Ella Brooke Rutledge, Dillon Boswell and Seeley
Bridges.
Ila Elementary’s “Golden Gators” for the month of May
were recently awarded for exemplifying outstanding
achievement in the areas of work habits, manners, at
titude and citizenship. Fifth graders honored include
(L-R) Easton Robertson, Reagan Adams, Maggie Lopez,
Carsen Stewart and Lanier Hill.