Home Blog Page 927

Playoff field set: Georgia vs. Ohio State; Michigan vs. TCU

By
Ralph D. Russo, AP College Football Writer
-
Georgia players hoist the trophy after defeating LSU in the Southeastern Conference Championship football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Georgia, Michigan, TCU, and Ohio State were chosen Sunday to play in the College Football Playoff, giving the Big Ten multiple teams in the four-team field for the first time.

The defending national champion and top-ranked Bulldogs and fourth-seeded Buckeyes will meet Dec. 31 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The second-seeded Wolverines and third-ranked Horned Frogs, the lone first-timer in the final four, will play at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, on the same day.

The national championship game is Jan. 9 at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and it could be a rematch of rivals Ohio State and Michigan in what will soon be Big Ten country as the conference expands.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines have never played outside of their annual regular-season game in a bitter rivalry that dates to 1902.

With some drama, but not much controversy, the CFP selection committee’s top four fell into place over championship weekend. The most interesting part of the unveiling was whether the committee would pair Michigan and Ohio State in the semifinals and whether Alabama might be able to slip in as the first two-loss playoff team.

In the end, the committee sprung no surprises.

Committee chairman Boo Corrigan, the athletic director at North Carolina State, said Ohio State’s wins against Penn State and Notre Dame helped push the Buckeyes in over Alabama.

“As we looked at the total body of work, the committee was comfortable with Ohio State State at No. 4 and Alabama at 5,” he said in an interview with ESPN. Corrigan also said the committee did not make any special effort to avoid having a rematch of Ohio State and Michigan in a semifinal.

Georgia (13-0) won the Southeastern Conference championship game in a rout and Michigan (13-0) similarly took the the Big Ten title.

TCU (12-1) suffered is first loss of the season in the Big 12 championship, falling in overtime to Kansas State. The loss made for an uneasy night for Heisman Trophy contender Max Duggan and the Horned Frogs, but in the end they had already built enough equity during their improbable season to stay in the top four.

Ohio State (11-1) was given a second life in the playoff race when Southern California lost the Pac-12 championship game Friday night. A week after star quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes lost at home to coach Jim Harbaugh and Michigan, they slipped into the final playoff spot, the best of a flawed batch of contenders.

Alabama (10-2) was fifth in the committee rankings, missing the CFP for just the second time in its nine-year history. The Crimson Tide, with a little lobbying from coach Nick Saban, were hoping to become the first team to lose two games and make the playoff.

The committee instead simply moved Ohio State from fifth last week to fourth this week, setting up just the second matchup ever between the Bulldogs and Buckeyes. The only time Georgia and Ohio State have played was in the 1992 Citrus Bowl, a Buckeyes’ victory.

“They got a lot of really great players because we recruit a lot of the same kids,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said.

For Georgia, it is the second straight CFP appearance and third overall. This time, though, Smart’s Bulldogs enter as the No. 1 team and clear favorite after following up last season’s national title with a perfect season. Stetson Bennett and the ‘Dawgs will try to become the first team to repeat as CFP champions.

Ohio State is making its fifth playoff appearance. The last time the Buckeyes were the fourth seed was 2014 when they won their last national title.

Michigan is in for the second time, again as the second seed after losing to Georgia in the Orange Bowl last season.

“It’s a team that really works and competes, and I think they really understand if you want to have good things happen, you got to work, you got to compete for it,” Harbaugh told ESPN.

Last year, Michigan was the first team to reach the College Football Playoff after starting the season unranked in the AP Top 25.

TCU is now the second. The Horned Frogs also are just the 13th different school to make the field in nine years. That lack of variety is one of the main reasons the CFP will be expanding to 12 teams in the 2024 season.

The Horned Frogs, whose only national title came in 1938, have never played Michigan.

Man jumps to his death from Pitts Park bridge, police say

By
Joy Purcell
-
Police say a Demorest man jumped to his death from the Judge Homer Sutton Bridge on GA 197 North on Dec. 2, 2022. (nowhabersham.com)

Police say a Demorest man jumped to his death from the Homer Sutton Bridge on GA 197 North in Clarkesville Friday night.

Danny Ray Still, Jr., 35, reportedly jumped into the Soque River adjacent to Pitts Park but was unable to swim.

A female who was with him called 911 around 6:21 p.m. on December 2. Habersham County E-911 dispatched law enforcement and emergency services personnel to the scene.

“After a brief search, responders located and recovered the body of a white male approximately 200 yards from the reported entry point,” says Clarkesville Police Chief Brad Barrett.

Habersham EMS transported Still to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.

Despite resuscitative efforts by medical personnel, Still died “as a result of injuries sustained from the fall and subsequent underwater submersion,” says Barrett.

“The preliminary investigation into the incident indicates that the male was in the midst of a mental health crisis and, as a result, made the decision to enter the water on his own accord,” says Chief Barrett. “At this time, there is no evidence in existence that would indicate foul play.”

The incident happened as hundreds were gathered a short distance away in downtown Clarkesville for the town’s annual Christmas tree lighting. Chief Barrett says the case remains under investigation.

—

This article has been updated with additional comments from Chief Barrett.

Robert G. Todar

By
Now Habersham
-

Mr. Robert G. Todar of Toccoa, Ga, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 1, 2022, at his home in Toccoa, Georgia, with loved ones by his side.

He was born in the Bronx, New York, on September 22, 1935, and served in the U.S. Army in the Korean War. He was a world traveler, an adventurer, multiple business owner in Toccoa, and an inspiration to all that knew him. He was married to the late Louise Todar.

He is survived by his five children, Georgia Barton of Jupiter, Florida; Bruce Todar of Okeechobee, Florida; Diana Davis of Toccoa, Georgia; Lyne Burnett of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina; and Laura Linn of Chesapeake, Virginia. He also had five grandchildren and three great-children.

He will be greatly missed by all that knew him and is in the hands of the Almighty God looking down over us.

No services are planned at this time.

Habersham Crematory of Cornelia (678-617-2210) is in charge of the arrangements for Robert G. Todar.

Roads Less Traveled: When the moon goes red

By
Tyler Penland
-

This week’s adventure is going to be a little different.

It’s been nearly a month since the lunar eclipse on the early morning hours of November the 8th. I spent a couple hours that morning taking photographs of the eclipse, and I’ve spent the past month processing those images in between work and other adventures. I thought about just sharing the finished product, but where’s the fun in that? Why not show the ugly stuff too.

My telescope of choice is a Celestron 130EQ. It is a classic Newtonian reflector telescope that is excellent for viewing the planets and deep sky objects as well. I have it on a tracking mount to track the stars and make astrophotography a bit easier. Unfortunately, the telescope and my camera don’t get along very well. This is largely a product of poor research on my end before buying. When directly attached the camera won’t focus on what the telescope is seeing thanks to Sony’s mirrorless design. Normally this design is fantastic, but not so much when you have a telescope like mine.

So what did I do? I went to work on the adapter. I sawed it in half and reattached the ends, a project my 1.5 year old son was fascinated by. This still wasn’t quite enough, but when hooked up to a 2x Barlow Lens (a “zoom” adapter for the telescope) I could finally focus on a decent sized area of the sky, almost big enough to shoot the entire moon at once. Almost.

Anyone who saw the eclipse knows that it was both low in the sky and dim. All lunar eclipses are dim, but the combo of eclipse and low sky angle made this one appear even darker. This means that without a longer exposure you won’t be able to get a particularly good photograph. One way to overcome this is taking a lot of photos at once. This can increase the detail and make editing better. The image below is an average of 20 separate 1 to 3 second images taken over the course of a few minutes about 1/4 of the way through the eclipse.

Not very pretty is it? Dark, right? And not to mention it’s not even the whole moon. Remember when I said I could *almost* get the whole moon in one shot? This is what I meant. Here’s the other half.

So far I’m 40 images and probably 30 minutes of processing time as my feeble old laptop merges and stacks the images. Next comes making the whole moon and editing. A quick export to light room, a few clicks and….

Well that sort of worked. I now have the whole moon, you can see some detail, but the overall image is still pretty dark, and for some reason the moon is shaped like an egg.

A few more clicks, some trial and error and…

There we go! A much better view of the moon and it’s round this time instead of shaped like an egg.

To date this is by far the best photograph I have ever gotten of a lunar eclipse. It was a fun first attempt and I will hopefully be more seasoned by the time the next one comes around in 2025.

I hope you enjoyed this foray into photo processing.

I’ll be back next week with a trip to one of my favorite places in the southeast: Linville Gorge.

Have a great week, and perhaps I’ll see you on the road…..

Outside my window

By
Lynn Walker Gendusa
-

It was early Thanksgiving morning, and the streets were empty as I drove to the hospital. A misty rain fell as I scurried to the entrance, where I waited until the clock announced it was time to allow visitors to see loved ones.

My husband was sitting in his room’s recliner on the fifth floor, where all cardiac patients reside after open heart surgery. He was finishing his breakfast, and I needed more coffee since sleep seemed a distant luxury. Suddenly, the monitor above and behind him began to beep loudly with a heart rate number that soared to the stratosphere. It flashed orange, the noise zoomed louder, and I panicked. “What’s wrong?” he questioned when he noticed the fear in my eyes.

Hospital staff began running into his room in less than a few quick minutes. So many dressed in white and blue that I left so they could reach David amid wires and tubes. At the end of the hall, I gazed out the window and thought it was pouring rain on the muddy construction area below, but it was only my eyes streaming tears.

After a while and much work, his heart rate lowered a tad, and I returned to his side. David, one of the strongest men I know, was now lying in a bed, holding my hand to find comfort. Out of the blue, and after many healthy physicals, blood tests, and a life filled with active sports, my iron man needed to rest.

The hospital permitted me to stay the night to help ease both of us. David’s heartbeats stayed slightly below the number that caused a monitor to scream throughout the rest of the day and into the night. I was afraid to sleep as if I could control anything happening to those scrambled lines, high numbers, and chaotic dance rhythms displaying a functioning heart.

“Please, God, bring that heart rate down!” I pleaded a little before 2 am Friday morning. Two minutes later, just as I was about to sit down, something or someone told me to recheck the screen. When I did, the dancing lines were now performing a slow waltz. And the number had dropped 64 beats and was now at normal speed. I called the nurse.

Once she saw the waltz’s slow cadence, she excitedly proclaimed, “There must be an angel in this room!”

It was late on Friday night when I finally reached the entrance to my subdivision. Thanksgiving was over, and I envied those who had earlier dined with family laughing about old memories and holding hands in prayer. Christmas trees sparkled behind windows, and the big lighted tree near the lake threw colors into the water below.

As my car wound through the streets, I felt like I was behind a locked window, looking in awe at the rest of the world. While others gathered to celebrate, they, along with their holiday joy, were somewhere out there, just not in my view.

As tired as I was, when my head touched the softness of my pillow, my eyes would not close. My heart raced with uncertainty amid a million random thoughts. I prayed for calm and heard the voice again, “Lynn, trust me as you always have. Christmas joy is not found outside the window in lights and festivities. Instead, it is found inside your heart where I am and will always remain. Lean unto me and celebrate that I am with you.”

No soul on earth has not experienced the sad, brutal days of living. Those days when hope is distant, fear is present, and “what ifs” abound. Yet in those dark hours when life seems to belong to others, an angel can walk into your room, and a message will illuminate your heart.

Thanks to talented doctors, caring nurses, and countless prayers, my husband today sits in his recliner at home, attached only to the remote, watching football. Our holidays will be different this year, but our joy and thankfulness will abound.

If there is one thing I am assured of in life, God is always with us in our victories and pain. He pulls us out of our darkness and into his bright light, giving us peace and hope.

Yes, Christmas is not found outside our windows; it is within us all year long.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

____________

Lynn Gendusa

About the author: Lynn Walker Gendusa is an author and columnist whose work appears regularly on Now Habersham. Her inspirational writings about home, life, faith, family, and struggles also are featured in newspapers in Georgia and around the country through the USA Today Network. In addition, Lynn’s stories appear in senior magazines and Guideposts and have been featured on MSN.com. Her latest book is “Southern Comfort: Stories of Family, Friendship, Fiery Trials, and Faith.” She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com.

Branson “Jolly” Crumley

By
Now Habersham
-

Branson “Jolly” Crumley, age 95, of Homer, Georgia, went to his heavenly home on Saturday, December 3, 2022.

Mr. Crumley was born on June 12, 1927, in Banks County, Georgia, to the late Morton and Grace Stephens Crumley. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 73 years, Carolyn M. Crumley, and his son, Donald Crumley. and his six siblings. Mr. Crumley was the last of his immediate family.

Jolly was known to his grandchildren as “Pa-pa Jolly.” He was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Banks County. Mr. Crumley was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of the Hollingsworth Masonic Lodge for over 55 years. Jolly was also a Baptist Minister, having pastored numerous churches in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Survivors include daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Randy Rylee, of Maysville; son and daughter-in-law, Kenny and Joyce Crumley, of Gillsville; daughter and son-in-law, Phyllis and John McClure, of Homer; nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 5, 2022, at the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery in Lula with Rev. Jerrell Beatty.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sunday, December 4, 2022, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery Fund,

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.

No. 1 Georgia romps into playoff with 50-30 SEC win vs LSU

By
Paul Newberry, AP Sports Writer
-
Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) reacts as Georgia defensive back Christopher Smith (29) returns a blocked LSU field goal attempt for a touchdown in the first half of the Southeastern Conference Championship football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia swatted away the field goal attempt, the ball spinning to a stop at its 4-yard line. The LSU players trudged off the field, thinking the play was over.

Christopher Smith knew better. He suddenly scooped it up and took off the other way, sprinting 96 yards for a touchdown that epitomized the Bulldogs program.

They were a step ahead of LSU on Saturday.

They’ve been a step ahead of everyone for two years now.

With all sorts of turmoil behind them in the rankings, Georgia headed to the College Football Playoff as the clear No. 1, dismantling the No. 11 Tigers 50-30 in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday.

Stetson Bennett threw a season-high four touchdown passes in another stellar postseason performance, while Smith’s heads-up play gave the Bulldogs an early spark.

“I’ve got good players around me. I’m not that bad at football, either,” Bennett said with a smile. “We’ve got a good team.”

Georgia (13-0, No. 1 CFP) also caught a big break when Smith deflected a pass that bounced off an LSU receiver’s helmet and wound up being picked off by the Bulldogs, setting up a score that contributed to a 35-10 lead by halftime.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels re-injured a sore right ankle late in the second quarter, giving way to Garrett Nussmeier in the second half.

The backup guided the Tigers (9-4, No. 14 CFP) to three touchdowns, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Georgia accomplished something that not even last season’s national championship squad could do — win its first SEC title since 2017. The Bulldogs were denied in this game a year ago by Alabama before bouncing back to beat the Crimson Tide in the title game.

“I don’t want one kid to walk out of our program without an SEC championship ring in their careers,” coach Kirby Smart said. “That could’ve happened. They said enough is enough and got ’em one tonight.”

Georgia heads into the playoff assured of a return trip to Atlanta for a de facto semifinal home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, just 75 miles from its Athens campus.

LSU’s outside hopes of crashing the four-team playoff field were wiped out a week ago by a stunning loss at Texas A&M, one of several upsets that will give the selection committee plenty to think about before its announcement Sunday.

Tennessee and Clemson also ruined their playoff hopes with losses late in the regular season, while No. 4 Southern California is presumably out after getting blown out by Utah in the Pac-12 title game Friday night.

Just as the SEC game was kicking off, No. 3 TCU lost to Kansas State in overtime for the Big 12 championship, further clouding a playoff picture that suddenly looks much more favorable for No. 5 Ohio State and No. 6 Alabama.

No matter who makes the elite field, Georgia is firmly focused on becoming the first repeat national champion since Alabama in 2011-12, having won all but one game this season by double-digit margins.

“I’ve tried not to pay attention to any of it,” Smart said of all the chaos. “It didn’t matter to me. That’s so far away.”

The Bulldogs showed they are more than just a bunch of talented athletes — this is a smart, well-coached group.

When Nazir Stackhouse burst through the middle of the line to block LSU’s 32-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter, Smith knew what to do.

“That’s a scenario we go over a lot in practice,” he said.

He looked toward the sideline to see if it was OK to grab it.

“You’re not allowed to pick it up unless you can score with it,” Smart said.

Smith took care of the rest, dashing to the end zone without a Tigers player in sight.

LSU coach Brian Kelly blamed himself and his staff for allowing the play to happen.

“Obviously, we did a poor job of coaching,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to have our guys alert in that situation. They were not alert.”

LSU quickly tied it up on Daniels’ 53-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte, only to have Bennett take control from there.

The sixth-year senior, a former walk-on who was offensive MVP of both Georgia playoff wins a year ago, struck for four TD passes in a less than 15-minute span: 3 yards to Brock Bowers, 22 yards to Ladd McConkey, 14 yards to Darnell Washington and 3 yards to Dillon Bell.

Just like that, Georgia led 35-7.

“I was in a zone,” Bennett said.

It’s been that way for two years now.

THE TAKEAWAY

LSU: Kelly’s debut season turned a bit ugly the last two weeks, but the Tigers are on the right track. “We want to get back here next year,” Kelly said. “Get back here and win it.”

Georgia: Win or lose in the SEC title game, the Bulldogs were assured of a spot in the playoff. But Smart continues to impress with his ability to keep the team motivated. While there were some huge defensive lapses in the second half, this game was never in doubt.

GOING FOR 2

When Georgia scored its final touchdown early in the fourth quarter for a 48-23 lead, Smart surprisingly called for a 2-point conversion.

The Bulldogs converted it with a trick play, but Smart insisted that he wasn’t trying to run up the score.

“The books says you go for 2 there,” he said.

When asked about the play, Kelly stumbled over his words a bit before finally saying, “I don’t get too caught up in what other teams are doing.”

INJURY REPORT

While Daniels went down for LSU, Georgia also lost a couple of players to injuries in the first half.

McConkey landed awkwardly making a catch along the sideline, inflaming a knee issue that’s been bothering him all year. Tight offensive tackle Warren McClendon sustained what appears to be a mild MCL sprain.

Neither returned after halftime.

UP NEXT

LSU: The Tigers get their postseason assignment Sunday, with the Citrus Bowl among the possibilities.

Georgia: The only question is who the Bulldogs will meet in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve, with TCU, Ohio State, and SEC rival Alabama all in the mix.

James Howard Sutton

By
Now Habersham
-

James Howard Sutton, age 87, of Alto, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2022.

Born on June 17, 1935, in Waynesboro, Tennessee, he was a son of the late Sherman Thomas Sutton and Pearl Gobbell Sutton. Mr. Sutton was a United States Air Force veteran and was retired from Shell Oil Company. He was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church, where he served as a Missionary, Head Elder, and international Lay Minister. Mr. Sutton hosted Loving the Truth on WFMH Radio and was a Field Representative for Adventist World Radio. He was also a member of Kiwanis, Rotary, and served as Deputy Sheriff. He enjoyed being outdoors on his cattle ranch, as well as, fishing and hunting in his spare time. Mr. Sutton was an avid storyteller who also played the Doghouse Bass in the Bluegrass/Gospel band Back Porch Harmony.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother, Sherman Thomas Sutton, Jr.; twin brothers, Bobby Gene Sutton and Harold Dean Sutton; sister, Helen Pearl Beard.

Survivors include wife, Carolyn Roth Sutton of Alto; sons and daughter-in-law, James Matthew Thomas Sutton of Walnut Creek, California, and Andrew Kent Rathbun (Pamela) of Flowery Branch; grandchildren, Eden Grace, Zion Kent, and Avianne Faithe; two nieces, one nephew, and sister-in-law; a host of extended family, neighbors, and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

FBC Cornelia to host Christmas concert December 4

By
Now Habersham
-
An orchestra will accompany the Sanctuary Choir at First Baptist Church of Cornelia during the church's annual Christmas concert. "Glory to the King" will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. (photo courtesy FBC Cornelia)

The holiday season is upon us and you’re invited to celebrate Sunday evening, December 4, at First Baptist Church of Cornelia.

The church will host a community Christmas concert, “Glory to the Newborn King!” starting at 5 p.m.

Under the direction of FBC Minister of Music Randy LeBlanc, the FBC Sanctuary Choir, accompanied by a professional orchestra, will present many of your favorite Christmas carols, including a Carol sing-along.

Katie Grady will be a featured soloist, and the orchestra will present the Mannheim Steamroller arrangement of “Silent Night.”

The concert is free. Donations will be accepted.

The church is located at 325 Oak Street in Cornelia, Georgia.

Indians win OT thriller over White County

By
TFS Athletics
-

The Tallulah Falls School Indians needed an extra frame to secure a win over White County, who forced overtime with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to tie the game at 61 apiece. TFS went on to win 73-66 on Saturday at home.

The Indians opened up with a 12-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Anfernee Hanna 3-pointers and one by Diego Crotta. Vlad Popescu added seven points in the first period, with Hanna recording eight as TFS held a 20-13 lead after one.

It was a low-scoring second quarter, as White County edged TFS 9-7, leaving the halftime score at 27-22 in favor of the Indians. The third period saw the Warriors go ahead momentarily 30-29, but a 3-point play by Hanna reclaimed the lead for TFS at 32-30, and Popescu hit a shot from downtown for the 35-32 advantage. White County got a buzzer-beater to go up 41-39 heading into the final stanza.

After going down by three points, the Indians used an 8-0 run that was highlighted by a go-ahead 3-pointer by Lincoln Hall. That shot put TFS up 49-46. The Indians built a six-point lead, though the Warriors refused to go quietly. The visitors pulled within two points with one minute to go, and were down three with 2.6 seconds on the clock. White County guard Jadon Yeh hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as the horn sounded to send the game into overtime tied at 61.

In the overtime period, Popescu opened up the scoring with a clutch shot from downtown to press the lead up to three.

Popescu led the team in scoring with 26 points (with four 3-pointers), while Hanna chipped in with 21. Hall finished with nine points, Diego Crotta eight, Krystian Jankiewicz five, and two apiece for Joey Lamm and Zakhar Valasiuk. The Indians improve to 5-1 on the season with their second straight win.

The JV team took a 53-40 win to remain undefeated on the season. The Indians got out to a fast start behind three tri-fectas by Jay Taylor. TFS held a 14-8 lead going into the second.

Both teams exchanged buckets until the half, though Andrija Vujacic had a buzzer-beater putback to give the Indians a 30-23 lead going into the locker room. TFS outscored White County 23-17 in the second half to staple down the win.

Vujacic had a game-high 16 points, followed closely by Taylor’s 14. Petar Radovic added 11, Teryk Tilley and Hayden Bootle five apiece, and two by Timothy Bain. TFS JV is now 3-0 on the season.

Varsity, JV girls upended by White County

By
TFS Athletics
-

The TFS girls varsity and JV squads squared off Saturday at home against White County. The #6-ranked Lady Indians took a 73-40 loss, while the JV team also fell in a 50-25 battle.

The Lady Indians fell 73-40 at the hands of the Lady Warriors, though it was just a 12-6 deficit after the first quarter. White County pulled away with a 23-point second frame to take a commanding 35-12 lead at the half.

In the third, the White County lead ballooned up to 62-29. Both teams traded points the rest of the way to finish out the contest. Denika Lightbourne scored a team-high 27 points, followed by Haygen James and Tanisha Seymour with four apiece, two each for Breelyn Wood and Nahia Suarez, and one point for Molly Mitchell.

TFS is now 2-4 on the season with three straight losses.

Meanwhile, the JV team was doubled up 50-25 in its first game of the season. White County held a 16-8 lead after one and 32-15 at the halftime break. The lead reached 29 points before the fourth quarter.

Pola Pilicka led the Lady Indians JV team with eight points, while both Millie Holcomb and Kovanne Strachan had six apiece, and Lana Malbaski had five.

The JV Lady Indians are now 0-1 on the season.

State Park gift ideas for nature loving history buffs (and dog lovers, too!)

By
Now Habersham
-
If hiking trails get your dog’s tail wagging, treat him to a Tails on Trails Club membership. (photo courtesy Suzy Delong/Instagram)

If you’re still shopping for those hard-to-buy-for friends and family members, here are some unique gift ideas from the Georgia’s Park System.

For the Adventurer – Fit 37 lakes, seven waterfalls, three canyons and a swamp into one little stocking. Georgia State Park gift cards can be used on campsites, cabins, yurts, historic site admission, golf green fees, boat rentals, firewood, hiking sticks and more. Gift cards can be purchased at most park offices or online at GaStateParks.org/GiftCards.

For the Spontaneous Traveler – Enjoy unlimited parking at more than 40 Georgia State Parks like Amicalola Falls and Sweetwater Creek. Annual ParkPasses are just $50, and additional discounts are available for seniors 62 and older, active-duty military and veterans. Upgrade to a Combo Pass for just $85 to get admission to more than a dozen State Historic Sites as well. Buy online at GaStateParks.org/ThingsToKnow.

For the Historian – Squeeze 18 museums into one little card with a Historic Site Annual Pass. Perfect for Georgia newcomers, the pass is good for admission to Etowah Indian Mounds, Dahlonega Gold Museum, Roosevelt’s Little White House, Fort King George, and numerous other locations spotlighting the state’s history. Passes may be purchased on GaStateParks.org/ThingsToKnow or at historic sites.

For Your Dog – If hiking trails get your dog’s tail wagging, treat him to a Tails on Trails Club membership. The quest challenges you and your four-legged family member to explore 12 trails across Georgia. Members get a bragging-rights t-shirt and matching bandana. Finish all trails and get a certificate of completion to show off during your next trip to the dog park. To join, visit GaStateParks.com/TailsOnTrailsClub.

For the Outdoor Enthusiast – Most Georgia State Parks have gift shops where you can snag an ENO hammock, sweatshirt, or warm blanket to snuggle in as cooler weather creeps upon us. While browsing, pick up gifts with hometown roots, including Georgia Grown local honey, nature-themed books, hats, stickers, and toys. Find locations on GaStateParks.org/Map.

For the Golfer – Save money while hitting the links with the Georgia State Parks Golf Pass. Benefits include 15% to 25% off green fees, plus 10% off accommodations, pro shop retail and lodge dining. The pass is $35 and can be purchased from any of the eight state park courses. Find locations on GaStateParks.org/Golfing.

For the Horse Lover — Equestrian Trail Annual Passes let your horse-owning friends ride for free at six Georgia State Parks, including A.H. Stephens and Watson Mill Bridge. Purchase online at GaStateParks.org/Equestrian.

For the Romantic – Surprise your sweetheart with a cabin, yurt, or campsite escape far from the holiday hustle and bustle. From mountains to marshes, options include brand new yurts at Red Top Mountain, beautifully renovated cottages at Tugaloo, and the 19th-century Burnham House at General Coffee. Reservations can be made at GaStateParks.org/Reservations.

1...926927928...2,585Page 927 of 2,585
© Copyright 2025 - Now Habersham