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Georgia DNR expands focus on accessible opportunities

By
Staff Report
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Georgia DNR's annual Hunt and Learn experience in North Central Georgia's Newton County is a specialty hunt designed for first time deer hunters with mobility issues who find walking through the woods a challenge.(Georgia DNR photo)

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that it is expanding its accessible hunting opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

The agency hosted its third adaptive hunt since 2021 this month. DNR paired five hunters and a hunting buddy with a guide for the agency’s two-day Hunt and Learn experience on private property in Newton County.

DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon says this is part of a broader effort to make hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities more accessible for all Georgians.

“Numerous barriers exist to getting involved in hunting and fishing and even more so for those with mobility impairments,” says Commissioner Rabon. “We’re proud of our adaptive hunt program, which seeks to remove many of these hurdles, giving more people the ability to enjoy the great outdoors.”

Attendees of the adaptive hunt program have the opportunity to practice time at the rifle range and participate in a deer hunt. DNR’s Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center hosts the event in collaboration with All-Terrain Georgia. This collaboration has enabled the development of innovative all-terrain wheelchairs that can navigate a variety of obstacles. These wheelchairs allow hunters with mobility impairments to better navigate the woods to a specialized hunting blind.

The adaptive hunt program has provided 20 mobility-impaired hunters with the opportunity to hunt since 2021.

For more information about the program, contact [email protected].

Why Habersham County chose 4-way stop over roundabout

By
Staff Report
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Traffic on Level Grove Road outside Cornelia flows through the busy intersection of J Warren Road about 1:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

The recent announcement of a 4-way stop being installed at J Warren Road and Level Grove Road in Cornelia left some wondering why the county opted for that type of traffic device instead of a roundabout.

The county explains its decision, pointing out that the two roundabouts currently planned for Habersham County are being built on state roads. J Warren and Level Grove are county roads. The amount of time and money it would take to construct a roundabout weighed heavily in the county’s decision, says Habersham County Public Information Officer Rob Moore.

Moore says a 4-way stop allows the county to more quickly address traffic concerns at the J Warren and Level Grove intersection. By using funds from its 2023 state Safety Action Plan grant, Habersham can more quickly obtain the resources needed.

Cost analysis

A rough estimate of the 4-way stop project provided by the county puts the price tag at around $25,000. The county will contribute 30% of that, or $7,500. The money will pay for two solar-blinking LED stop signs, one solar radar speed limit sign, two regular stop signs, pavement markings, and rumble strips.

Moore says the county spent “a couple of thousand dollars” on the traffic study used to determine the need for better traffic control at the Level Grove intersection. The estimated project total is less than $30K.

“This project, from first discussion to completion, may be a total of 1.5 to two years,” he adds.

In contrast, installing a roundabout would have taken much longer and cost Habersham much more. For comparison, the county provided this cost analysis on the roundabouts the state Department of Transportation is installing in Demorest and Clarkesville:

SR 105 at SR 115 in Demorest
Engineering = $560,000
Right-of-way acquisition = $410,000
Construction = $3,543,802
Utility relocation = $67,800
Total = $4,581,602

SR 197 at SR 385 in Clarkesville
Engineering = $1,250,000
Right-of-way acquisition = $1,150,000
Construction = $2,575,238
Utility relocation = $192,938
Total = $5,168,176

“State traffic studies, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and construction costs for the roundabouts are about 168 times more expensive than the quick fixes of the county’s four-way-stop intersection,” says Moore. He adds that the state projects may also take around 10 to 15 years to complete from concept, “so they take 7 to 8 times as long.”

Based on the costs, time – in both years and possible lives saved – and the complexity of the projects, the county opted for the four-way stop as its most viable solution to the traffic concerns at J Warren and Level Grove roads.

Jean Ann Owenby

By
Now Habersham
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Jean Ann Owenby, age 81, of Demorest, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

Jean was born in Bloomfield, Missouri on March 26, 1942. She was the daughter of the late Otto Jennings & Nellie May Austin. Jean married the love of her life, Oscar Eldon Owenby, on July 13, 1957. They secretly eloped with the help of Jean’s brother, Bob, and his wife and lived a wonderful life together. Jean and Oscar raised their three sons in Flint, Michigan, then retired in 1989 to Panama City Beach, Florida, for 15 years before moving to Demorest, Georgia, to be closer to their family. She worked in a variety of jobs throughout her lifetime. Some of these were with A.C. General Motors, Farview Ltd, and a variety of part-time jobs she took to support her shopping hobby. In her spare time, Jean was an avid reader and enjoyed being a part of book clubs and playing Dominoes with her cherished friends. She loved shopping and looking for new treasures that she liked to share with the people she cared about. Most of all, Jean loved her family, especially her great-granddaughters, David’s twins, Charlotte & Penelope (2yrs).

Survivors include her husband of an amazing 66 years, Oscar Eldon Owenby of Demorest, GA; sons and daughter-in-law, Douglas & Susan Kay Owenby of Frankenmuth, MI; Dennis Owenby of Oxford, MI; Marty Owenby of Demorest, GA; grandsons, David Owenby; Daniel Owenby and his wife Midori; great-granddaughters, Charlotte and Penelope Owenby.

Jean’s wishes were to be cremated.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held this spring in Georgia.

Details to be announced amongst family and friends at a later date.

An online guest registry is available for the Owenby family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.

Arrangements are in the care & professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens of Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256

Women’s basketball can’t keep pace with Berea in 72-58 loss

By
Danielle Percival
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(Photo by Logan Creekmur)

BEREA, Ky. – On a weekend with the schedule altered by winter weather, the Piedmont women’s basketball team was unable to heat up offensively, dropping a 72-58 game to Berea on the road. The Mountaineers remained undefeated in conference play moving to 7-0 atop the standings.

It was close after the first quarter as the Mountaineers held the lead 16-12, but a strong second quarter by Berea separated the two, with Berea leading 38-24 at the half.

The Lions clawed back and used the defense to keep pace with Berea in the third and fourth quarters with both teams adding 17 points, but the comeback was too late.

Piedmont did not make a single 3-pointer in the game, while Berea drained seven. The Lions posted more rebounds than the Mountaineers with 14 offensive boards to Berea’s eight.

Up next, the Lions will head to Maryville for a CCS showdown on Sunday at 12 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
–The Mountaineers outscored Piedmont 22-12 in the second quarter to take control of the game.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
—Destiny Deetz continued her impressive offensive output leading Piedmont with 14 points.
–Standout freshman Alexandria Willis also scored in double figures with 13 points.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
–This was Piedmont’s second-lowest offensive total of the season behind 54 points against Emory.

Jolly, Darden deliver double-doubles as Lions fall in final minute at Berea

By
Joseph Garwood
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(Photo by Logan Creekmur)

BEREA, Ky. – In another game that came down to the final minute, Piedmont men’s basketball fell 87-83 in a heartbreaker at Berea on Saturday afternoon.

The contest featured 13 lead changes with the score being tied nine separate times as neither side was able to pull away. The Lions took the lead 83-82 in the final minute, but the Mountaineers scored the final five points of the game to pull out the victory.

Despite the loss, Ryan Jolly and Fisher Darden delivered outstanding performances, with both contributing double-doubles. Jolly tallied 17 points to go with a season-best 11 assists, while Darden caught fire from deep, finishing one shy of a career-high with 22 points and adding 10 rebounds for his second career double-double. Darden connected on 5-of-6 three-point attempts for the game.

Noah Reardon was also in double figures in scoring with 15 points while Joe Helenbrook grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the team.

Piedmont’s high-octane offense jumped out to a fast start again, with Reardon converting on three triples in the game’s first five minutes.

After the Lions led 12-9 in the early going, Berea reeled off a 13-2 run to jump ahead by eight with 12:41 remaining in the first half. The Mountaineers led most of the way in the first half but Piedmont rallied to take a 51-46 lead into the locker room.

The Lions led by six early in the second half, but a 9-1 run by Berea gave it the lead back.

The teams went back-and-forth the rest of the way with neither team leading by more than five down the stretch. Trailing 82-78 with under two minutes to play, Jolly delivered a steal and layup followed by a three-pointer from Darden to give the Lions an 83-82 lead.

Unfortunately, the Mountaineers’ Trey Minter finished a tough driving layup in traffic and converted the free throw to finish off a three-point play. Needing a two-pointer to tie as the seconds ticked down, Berea forced a turnover and sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Up next, the Lions will head to Maryville to take on the Scots on Sunday at 2 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
— After Piedmont took a one-point lead with 26 seconds to go, the three-point play by Minter lifted the Mountaineers to victory.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
— Jolly delivered his second double-double of the season, adding a season-high 11 assists.
– Darden knocked down 5-of-6 from deep, leading the Lions with 22 points and pulling in 10 rebounds.
– Helenbrook added a game-high 14 rebounds.
– Reardon joined Darden with five three-point makes on the day.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
– The Lions (14-of-29) doubled the Mountaineers’ output from the three-point line.
– Berea shot 51.8% from the field while holding the Lions to 38.9%.

NEWS AND NOTES:
–This was the first meeting between the two since Piedmont won in double-OT in the CCS Quarterfinals in 2023.

Warming shelters in North Georgia

By
Staff Report
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For those without heat or in need of a safe place to stay in this blistering cold weather, here is a list of warming shelters in North Georgia. If you are aware of other locations, please let us know at [email protected].

The Creek Church
3287 Hwy. 17
Canon, GA
706-961-4969

The Hope Center of Toccoa
158 S. Broad St.
Toccoa, GA
706-898-5050

Dawson County Family Connection
will share information when they receive word
Follow on Facebook

Gilmer County
1561 S. Main Street
Ellijay, GA
706-889-9806
Pets are welcomed

Gwinnett County
Buford Senior Center
2755 Sawnee Avenue

Duluth
Shorty Howell Park Activity Building
2750 Pleasant Hill Road

Hall County
Mike Fisher
Street Outreach Director
770-532-3191. ext. 2027
[email protected]
Please join StreetExit on FB for more up-to-date information.

Bobby Lee Helton

By
Now Habersham
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Bobby Lee Helton, age 50, of Cornelia, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Born in Demorest, Georgia, on June 22, 1973, he was a graduate of Habersham Central High School, Class of 1991. Bobby was employed with Solmax in Cornelia (formerly TenCate Geosynthetics) for almost 20 years. In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, gaming on his PlayStation, and watching Alabama football. Bobby especially enjoyed vacation trips around his birthday to various places. He was of the Non-Denominational Faith.

Survivors include his loving wife of 18 years, Lisa Sosebee Helton; step-children, Ashley, Anthony, & Daniel; grandson, Hayden; parents, Earl & Lenora Helton; sister & brother-in-law, Lisa & Stevie Turner; brother & sister-in-law, Brian & Amanda Helton; mother-in-law & father-in-law, Shirley & William King; several nieces, nephews, other relatives, a host of friends, and his fur baby, Gonzo.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at Hillside Memorial Chapel with Rev. Scott Ledbetter & Rev. Charlie Pugh officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 11:00 a.m. until the service hour on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

An online guest registry is available for the Helton family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.

Arrangements are in the care & professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens of Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256

HCHS varsity basketball sets nets on fire in region wins over Jackson County

By
Zack Myers
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Habersham Central High School freshman Makenzie Gosnell (3) shoots a 3-pointer over a Jackson County High School defender at Raider Gymnasium on Friday, January 19, 2024. (Zack Myers/NowHabersham.com)

Habersham Central High School’s varsity basketball teams took care of business against Jackson County High School at home Friday night.

The games marked the halfway point of the region schedule, which saw HCHS host 5-of-6 matchups. Now, they will be on the road for five of the final six on the schedule.

Girls: Habersham Central 47, Jackson County 40

The Lady Raiders (6-11, 3-3 Region 8-AAAAAA) pulled out a gritty win to take care of the Lady Panthers (4-14, 1-5) and improve their region standing.

While the young squad easily won the hustle plays – the ones that don’t show up on stat sheets – it also shot the lights out.

Led by Karah Dean, the Lady Raiders knocked down 11 3-pointers.

Dean hit five from behind the arc to total her game-high 15 points. The two totals mark a career high in both 3-pointers hit and points for the freshman.

Mackenzie Gosnell hit a trio of 3-pointers, Kyia Barrett hit a pair and Sophie Bramlett knocked down one.

HCHS shot the ball so well, it pushed Jackson County out of its zone defense into a man scheme. Something Bradley said is pretty rare for the Lady Panthers seeing as how their zone defense usually gets the job done.

“Not that we shot a great percentage, but I’ve never seen (Jackson County) play a man and, in the third quarter, they came out of their zone,” Bradley said. “[Head Coach Christi Thomas] does a great job with their zone. I’m really impressed with her team and how they’re coached and how they’re working.”

The Lady Raiders went into the halftime break down 25-23, but the shooting from deep broke dug them out of that hole quickly.

HCHS scored 24 points in the second half – four at the free throw line, two on a layup from Daytona Underwood on a beautiful pass from Barrett from the top of the key to the low post, then 18 from 3-point land.

Despite allowing double-digit quarters in each of the first two, the Lady Raiders gave up six and nine, respectively, in the final two.

For the first time in a win and only the third time in games she’s played this season, Barrett was not the leading scorer for HCHS. She finished the contest with 11 points.

Gosnell finished with nine, Underwood with seven, Bramlett with three. Ahmia Roberts added two points to the total, the opening points of the game.

“Tonight, it wasn’t about Kyia scoring 21,” Bradley said. “People say ‘You need to go score this tonight to help your team win.’ No, it can’t be that way in the game of basketball. If our opponent takes her away, somebody has got to do something.”

Gosnell was a machine on hustle plays for the Lady Raiders, something that didn’t go by unnoticed.

“Mack made a lot of plays that people probably won’t recognize because they ended up being jump balls or me quick-calling a timeout three times where she got it,” Bradley said. “She’s trying to figure out other ways to help her team.”

Bradley said his team made adjustments throughout the game, not just at halftime, and he was proud of their ability to go with changes on the fly.

“We did a good job. We made some adjustments to some of our sets, we drew a new out of bounds play during the game, which is something I don’t ever do, but our kids managed it,” Bradley said. “These close games are going to be games of adjustments. It’s going to be ‘They’re doing this, we have to do that.’

“What I take away from tonight’s game, and one of the things we talked about, is every game is going to be like this,” he continued. “The next five on the road, they’re going to be tough. We have to play with and for each other and I feel like tonight we did that really well.”

At the halfway point, the Lady Raiders are in third place in region standings behind North Forsyth and Lanier.

Next up, the region schedule starts over with a 6 p.m. tip against Shiloh High School on the road in Snellville Tuesday. HCHS got the better of the Lady Generals, 53-43, in the first matchup.

Boys: Habersham Central 75, Jackson County 56

The Raiders (15-4, 4-2) jumped out to a quick lead on the Panthers (8-11, 2-4) and never looked back.

After the first quarter, Jackson County was in a 20-7 hole and the same 13-point deficit held at the halftime break with both teams scoring 17 in the second quarter.

The two squads also tied in the third quarter, but a 22-16 fourth quarter pushed HCHS to its final 19-point lead in the contest.

The Raiders, following the girls’ lead, also knocked down 11 3-point shots in the contest.

Enzo Combs hit three of those long balls and finished with a team-high 20 points.

Jalen Davis led the team with four 3-point baskets and netted 19 points.

Josiah McCurry had a steady game, scoring in each quarter, and finished with 12.

Despite the hot start and the late push of the point differential, the HCHS had a stretch of poor offensive possessions, sometimes evident of the drop of the head from Head Coach Tommy Yancey on the sideline.

“I think we lost a little bit of focus at times tonight,” Yancey said. “That’s one of those things that we just talked to them about. We can’t do that. We can’t lose focus and be satisfied with how we’re playing at any given moment.

“You’ve got to play the game the right way and play each play in front of you,” he continued. “Just be part of the process. The next play, the current play, that’s what you should be worried about. Not what has happened. Win the play in front of you. We kind of lost sight of that at times tonight.”

Jackson County had three players in double digits as well.

Brice Rogers led the Panthers with 20. EJ Heath followed with 14 and RJ Knapp put 13 through the net.

The win for the Raiders was a welcome turnaround after Tuesday’s 64-60 loss to Lanier.

“It’s region basketball. This is what it is. You’re going to have nights where you feel terrible. You’ll have other nights where you feel pretty good. Then you’ll have some nights where you just feel ‘meh’ like we do tonight,” Yancey said. “Yeah, it’s a win. You feel good about the win, but feel like we could have done a lot more. Could have played a little bit better than we did.”

Tuesday’s upcoming game against Shiloh will be one that the Raiders should be hyped up for after the Generals won 77-59 on HCHS’s home court earlier this month.

“It should be fun,” Yancey said. “Should be fun. Something we’re looking forward to.”

At the halfway mark in region play, HCHS sits in second place just behind Shiloh. Shiloh is currently 15-3 with a perfect 6-0 region record.

If the Raiders have any aspirations of getting a top seed in the region tournament, Tuesday’s game would be very important to that chase.

Gainesville, who HCHS beat in overtime by two points, also has a 4-2 region record and sits in third.

Three suspects jailed, one at large following weekend online sex sting 

By
Staff Report
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(Source: Hall County Sheriff's Office)

Three suspects were arrested, and a fourth is being sought after an online child sex sting in Hall County.

Last weekend, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and two other law enforcement agencies took part in the sting, dubbed “Operation Good Shepherd.”

During the two-day operation on Jan. 12 and 13, undercover investigators from HCSO, the GBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and Floyd County Police  Department made dozens of online contacts through social media platforms.

“Four of those who communicated with undercover investigators traveled to a location in Hall County to meet with persons they believed to be under the age of 16 for the purpose of having sex,” says HCSO spokesperson B.J. Williams.

According to Williams, law enforcement officers took three of the suspects into custody on site, while the fourth arrived at the scene and then fled from authorities.

Investigators arrested 38-year-old Dwayne Larry Drake of Hull and charged him with trafficking a person for sexual servitude, sexual exploitation of a minor, and electronic exploitation of a minor. They also took into custody 34-year-old Billy Cason Elder of Watkinsville and 30-year-old Mohammed Sadiq of Winder. Investigators charged both of them with electronic exploitation of a minor.

The fourth suspect, identified as 23-year-old Jaquan Deavonte Clark of Braselton, is wanted for electronic exploitation of a minor. Investigators took out a warrant for his arrest.

Drake, Sadiq, and Elder were booked at the Hall County Jail. Williams says the Operation Good Shepherd investigation remains active.

I.S.S.

By
Justin Hall
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I.S.S. is a movie that depicts America vs. Russia. No, it’s not on some earthly battlefield but rather in outer space. Here’s a thriller that is admittedly well-made with decent performances. Another thing it has in its favor is that it’s intriguing out of the gate and stays intriguing for its first two-thirds. However, its final act devolves into formula and fails to be daring.

The movie takes place aboard the International Space Station (I.S.S.). It features three American astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts working together. What they’re working on remains a mystery. Nevertheless, they’re all bonding really well until a war of some kind breaks out on Earth between the two nations.

Each side has been contacted by their country to take control of the I.S.S. by any means necessary. Oscar winner Ariana DeBose is the leader of the astronauts.

I give the movie some points for it not immediately turning into a gore fest but rather attempting to build tension as each side does its best to hide the message from the other. Of course, in a plot like this, it doesn’t take long before the cat is out of the bag.

I.S.S. is a movie that succeeds in being atmospheric in its structure at the setup, and at first, the drama and suspense draw you into the film: Will these two sides kill each other, or will they work together to make it home?

A lot of the dialogue is predictable, still, there are scenes where the movie aspires to subvert expectations. However, it eventually turns into an ‘every person for themselves’ formula or, should I say, ‘for their country.’

What disappoints me is here’s a movie that had such ambition and potential. It could have broken the conventions of its genre, but in its apparent desire to end safely, winds up leaving moviegoers frustrated and baffled.

I.S.S. launches with great promise, but it ultimately crashes and burns.

Grade: B-

(Rated R for some violence and language.)

One Book Habersham kicks off reading season

By
Nora Almazan
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Pictured, from left, are Katrina Short, Piedmont University School of Education; Shawna Meers-Ernst, Clarkesville Library; Delana Knight, Northeast Georgia Library system; Helen O'Brien retired media specialist, and VFL Volunteer; Dr. Susan Davis, HCS Director of Elementary Ed.; Barbara Brown Taylor; Dr. Don Gnecco, VFL past Board president; Phylecia Wilson, VFL Executive Director; Dr. Chasity Adams, Media Specialist, North Habersham Middle School; Dr. Matthew Teutsch, Director of Lillian E. Smith Center, Piedmont, School of Education. (Nora Almazan/NowHabersham.com)

“A community that reads together grows stronger,” Dr. Susan Davis opened with these words. It was the kick-off luncheon for One Book Habersham.

“We want to expand literacy because reading opens the doors of opportunity for advancement and joy,” Davis added.

New York Times bestselling author Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor was the honored guest and speaker on Friday, January 19. Her insights filled the audience with excitement for learning as she talked about how literacy is the key to a community’s flourishing.

Taylor moved to Habersham County in 1992 to become the rector of Grace-Calvary Episcopal Church in Clarkesville. After leaving the ministry, she taught as a professor at Piedmont University in Demorest. In 1996, she was named one of the twelve “most effective” preachers in the English-speaking world. This spring, Taylor will be named to the Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame among many accolades that she holds.

But to those who came to the kick-off of One Book Habersham, she spoke as if talking with life-long friends.

Barbara Brown Taylor speaks at the One Book Habersham kick-off. (Nora Almazan/NowHabersham.com)

Taylor’s love for books began as a child. Her father and mother made education a priority. She described her first time in a library in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Her father taught at the University in Tuscaloosa. At the age of 6, her mother took her hand and they walked up the stairs of the public library.

“When I walked through the doors, the hush was instant. One moment earlier, the air had been full of car sounds, lawnmowers, and barking dogs, but inside that high ceiling space that was all gold wood and dusty light, in there it was so quiet that I could hear my heartbeat,” described Taylor of the moment she entered her first library.

Her parents taught her a reverence for books and taking care of them. And as she grew older, her love for books and education grew with her. The author of over 50 books and named to the Time Magazine’s top 100 list of most influential people in the world, the passion for reading and learning has served her well.

She answered the question to those who came to hear her speak, “Why do I read religiously?” She emphasized that her question had nothing to do with religion and everything to do with her passion for books.

Reading introduced her to people she would have never met in a lifetime, took her to places she would never have visited or seen, and showed her cultures she would have never known existed.

Building community through reading

Through One Book Habersham, Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham County invites residents to read and share the same picture book. This year’s book selection is Little Red and the Big Bad Editor. 

The idea is to read the book and pass it along. The book is available at all public libraries and schools throughout the community. Also, look for copies in restaurants, banks, and doctor’s offices.

One Book Habersham will culminate with a visit from Author/Illustrator Shanda McCloskey. She will be in Habersham County April 17-19, speaking with students at various events. The community is invited to hear and meet Shanda at an event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, at Wilbanks Middle School in Demorest. Free pizza will be provided.

Volunteers for Literacy began in 1989 as a partnership with North Georgia Technical College. Today, it serves Habersham County residents with programs such as English Language Acquisition, Read to Succeed, and GED Support.

For more information about Volunteers for Literacy, please call 706-949-3157 or email [email protected]

Athens Christian soars past Tallulah Falls in region contests

By
TFS Athletics
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GIRLS

Tallulah Falls was on the wrong end of a 65-45 final Friday evening at home against #3-ranked Athens Christian. The visitors used a large lead early on and never trailed throughout, leading by as much as 25 in the contest.

The Lady Indians fell behind early 9-0 before Allie Phasavang got TFS on the board. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Breelyn Wood, and another by Phasavang, had the girls back in the contest despite trailing 19-13 after one. Athens Christian outpaced TFS 14-9 in the second to take a 33-22 lead into the locker room. Wood had nine points in the first half.

FILE PHOTO – Haygen James (Austin Poffenberger)

The deficit reached 18 by late in the third, as Tallulah Falls was playing from behind at 50-32 heading into the fourth. Haygen James had multiple buckets in the third.

Wood led the Lady Indians with 17 points, while James closed with 10. Millie Holcomb had seven, Phasavang five, and Joanna Molodynska, Molly Mitchell, and Adrijana Albijanic recorded two apiece. TFS is now 6-8 on the season and 0-2 in region play.

BOYS

The Indians fell in a 65-54 region contest on Friday night at home against Athens Christian. Despite holding an early lead in the opening quarter, TFS saw the Eagles pull away late for the victory.

Hayden Bootle had a 3-point play and another pair of lay-ins to push Tallulah up 9-2 early on, but Athens Christian went on a 9-0 run to close the first with an 11-9 lead. The scoring drought continued until near the midway point of the second, when Zakhar Valasiuk hit a corner shot from beyond the arc to pull within 14-12. Judah McIntosh hit a long 3-pointer, then Valasiuk hit another deep shot to keep TFS in contention, and McIntosh sank a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from well beyond the arc. That made it a 27-23 game at the break as the Indians trailed by four.

McIntosh connected on yet another deep ball in the third, but Athens Christian’s lead started to balloon, as the Eagles were up by as much as 20 when the third came to an end, 57-37.

Valasiuk led in scoring with 14 points, with Jay Taylor and McIntosh both finishing with nine. Brian Neely had eight, Bootle seven, Neyo Bain three, and two each for Stevan Gabric and Sam Ketch. The Indians are now 4-14 overall on the season and 0-2 in region play.

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