Jeffress, Beale Receive HCHS Principal’s Awards

93 Awards Presented During Thursday’s Senior Awards Ceremony

Halifax County High School seniors Christopher J. Beale and Zena Jeffress were honored with the Halifax County High School Principal’s Award Thursday night during the school’s annual Senior Awards Night ceremony.
The Principal’s Award is considered one of the top honors for graduates of the school, and is presented annually to the graduating senior who exemplifies excellence in all facets of student life including academics, extracurricular activities and community endeavors.
During the ceremony, HCHS Principal Albert Randolph said that Beale and Jeffress each deserve the honor.
“This is a very special award,” he said, “and this year, we have identified two individuals who are neck and neck (in deserving the award).”
Jeffress is the president of the National Honor Society, was a student ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, served as a peer mediator for all four years of high school and was named a member of the National Honor Society her junior and senior years.
In addition, she was a cheerleader for her sophomore and junior years and attended the Governor’s School her junior and senior years in high school. She served on the school’s Student Council Association for three years and was a member of the school’s award-winning robotics team.
She is also a volunteer at Halifax Regional Hospital and is a Board member on the Halifax County Transportation Commission.
Throughout his career in high school, Beale received five perfect scores on the Standards of Learning examination, was an award-winning competitor on the National Latin Examination and competed on the school’s ACE (Academic Competition for Excellence) team.
In addition, Beale was a member of the school’s marching and symphonic bands, participated on the varsity cheerleading squad and was a two-year member of the school’s varsity soccer team.
“I am very, very proud of both of them,” Randolph said shortly after Jeffress and Beale received their awards. “They are just outstanding individuals as well as students.”
During the ceremony, Caroline Clements was named the Francis J. Mitchell Outstanding Female Athlete.
Because the award is based on points scored and the season for some sports isn’t complete, the T.C. Watkins award for Outstanding Male Athlete will be awarded at a later date.
“Class of 2006, you have just about completed your mission at Halifax County High School,” Randolph announced to the cheers and applause of the audience.
Other awards presented Thursday are as follows:
Class Officers – President Siera Richardson; Vice-President Lee Murphy; Secretary Erica Brandon; Reporter Sekia Watson
Edward Glasscock Scholarship-South Boston Jaycees-Will Hunt, Marynn Skelton
VFW Auxiliary Citizenship-Matt Wilson
Bates Scholarship – Celicia Hartridge, Candi Traynham, Mandy Watts
Sappony Indian Scholarship-Katie Talley
South Boston Junior Woman’s Club Scholarship-April Payne, Marynn Skelton
Halifax Vocational Foundation-D. Henry Harrison Scholarship-Larry Burrell II, Lee Murphy Jr., April Payne, Beth Throckmorton, Mandy Watts
Carrington-Lanier Scholarship-Lee Murphy Jr., Larry Burrell II, Victoria Jackson
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative Scholarship-Melvin Reynolds
Wind Beneath the Wings, Inc.-Robert Brown, Lee Murphy Jr.
Tri-Delta Club-Craig Keys
Little Theatre/Dorothy H. Crews Memorial Scholarship-Honorarium-Dane Ferguson, Eric Nelson, Ben Owen; Dorothy Crews-Kaitlyn Marvin
Turbeville Ruritan Scholarship-Holly Conner, Lee Murphy Jr.
Halifax Youth Football Scholarship-Jeremy Clauden, Bobby Owens, Melvin Reynolds
Halifax County Scholarship to the University of Virginia-Chris Beale
Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship-Annie Barber
DCC Academics – Shameka Claughton, Vera B. Murphy/John M. Langston Reunion Committee Scholrship; Heather Oakes, Amy Jo Murray Bell Memorial Endowed Scholarships, DCC Board Recognition of Achievement Scholarship, Roberts-Hunt Endowed Scholarship; Amanda Toombs, the Ethel C. and Henry A. Mitchell Memorial Scholarship; Mindy Watts, Shirley Day Primiano Scholarship; Jonathan Womack, Climate Control, Inc. Endowed Scholarship; Jeremy Moser, Tobacco Financial Assistance Program; Justin Hill, DCC/Ruritan Club Scholarship
N.C. State-Park Scholarship-Zena Jeffress
Alpha Kappa Alpha Scholarship-Candi Traynham
Halifax County Usher’s Union Scholarship-Sekia Watson
Wal-Mart Scholarships-Clarissa Aguilar, Kaitlin Marvin
Bethune Alumni Foundation Scholarships-Larry Burrell II, Celicia Hartridge, Craig Keys, Lee Murphy Jr.
ABWA Scholarships-Jobeth Cole, Katherien Francis
Iris J. Daniel Memorial Scholarship-Tameka Ferrell
Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship-Jobeth Cole
Senior Exercise Scholarship-Shameka Calloway, Jessica R. Satterfield
National Night Out Scholarship-Erica Brandon, Ashley Jennings
Business Department Award-Bret Lewis, FBLA Student; Beth Throckmorton, Accounting Student; Katie Talley, Outstanding Business Student
Tuck Dillard Scholarship-Bobby Owens
American Legion Post 99 Scholarship – Tameka Ferrell
Mu Alpha Theta Award – Chris Beale
News & Record Award-Frank Morton-Park
Newspaper Awards-Colleen Barnes, Jobeth Cole, Katherien Francis, Katilin Marvin, Kirsten Marvin, Sam Mitchell, Frank Morton-Park, Marynn Skelton
Best Bricklayer Award-Deron Mosley
Outstanding Masonry Award-Anthony Wilkerson
U.S. Marine Corps Excellence Award – Academic-Colleen Barnes; Athlete-Deelynn Leigh, Dane Ferguson
Clark Lovelace Memorial Award – Chris Beale
Adventurettes Scholarship-Jamie Ballou, Candi Traynham
Links Scholarship-Candi Traynham
Art Award-Dane Ferguson, Jessica Saunders
Delta Sigma Theta Scholarship-Tiffany Petty, Whitney Petty
U.S. Army Scholar Athletes-Beth Throckmorton, Charles Crawley
Pinochlettes Club Senior Award-Robert Brown, Blaine Key
SCA-Craig Keys, Zena Jeffress, Sekia Watson
Woodman of the World History Award-Chris Beale, JoBeth Cole, Bret Lewis
Jeffrey Wilkerson Memorial Scholarship-Damon Chambers, Charles Crawley
Foreign Exchange Students-Sandra Benn, Laure Vongerichten
Jason Carr Scholarship-Charles Coursey
Pamplin Leader Award-Holly Conner
Fashion Design Award-Alissa Keaton
Halifax Woman’s Club Scholarship-Will Hunt
Virgilina Alumni Scholarship-Jobeth Cole, Katie Talley, Kathleen Yates
GSGET Students- Colleen Barnes, Robert Brown, Richard Evans, Zena Jeffress, Courtney McGill, Frank Morton-Park, Eric Nelson, Marynn Skelton, Beth Throckmorton, Kathleen Yates
Tuesday Woman’s Club Scholarship-Sherrita Glenn
American Legion Post 8 Citizenship-Zena Jeffress, Sam Mitchell
Science Award-Chris Beale
Runners – Colleen Barnes, Sean Boden, Erica Bovee, Damon Chambers, J’Von Claughton, Shameka Claughton, Caroline Clements, Jobeth Cole, Shaday Coleman, Kenneth Driskill, Jaimee Emswiler, Travis Ford, Scott Gieselman, Trevor Griffin, Emily Kavanaugh, Jessica Lloyd, Sam Mitchell, Eric Nelson, Heather Oakes, Jasmine Parker, Jodie Russell, Jessica Saunders, Stephen Sibley, Justin Sims, Travis Smith, Kelly Snyder, Willie Stephens, Amanda Toombs, Tanesha Traynham, Tiffany Watson, Ryan Wilborne, Brandy Wiles, Felicia Womack, Jonathan Womack, Seth Younger
DAR Good Citizenship-Jobeth Cole
Band Award-Chris Beale
Camerata Award-Dashanna Carr
Hall of Fame Scholarship-Deelyn Leigh, Damon Chambers, Bobby Owens
VHSL-Eric Nelson, Robert Brown, Heather Oakes
South Boston Rotary Club Scholarship-Jonathan Womack
South Boston Rotary Club Vocational Scholarship-Robert Stanger
Vietnam Veterans Scholarship-Local Chapter 840-Shaday Coleman
Early College Scholars-Jonathan Anderson, Emilee Baran, Colleen Barnes, Chris Beale, Michael Boyd, Derek Brooks, Glenn Brown, Robert Brown, Larry Burrell, Damon Chambers, Jeremy Clauden, Caroline Clements, Jobeth Cole, Rickie Compton, Holly Conner, Brittany Cook, Charles Coursey, Charles Crawley, Thomas Crews, Amanda Davis, Michael DeJarnette, Kenneth Driskill, Jaimee Emswiler, Richrd Evans, Dane Ferguson, Sherrita Glenn, Trevor Griffin, Neva Hall, Michael Hare, Shanique Harris, Cecilia Hartridge, Jessica Hetzell, Jeffrey Hodges, William Hunt, Victoria Jacison, Zena Jeffress, Emily Kavanaugh, Alissia Keaton, Craig Keys, Juanita Kincy, David Lacks, Deelynn Leigh, Derwin Leigh, Olivia Leonard, William Lewis, Matthew Lindley, Amber Martin, Kaitlin Marvin, Kirstin Marvin, Courtney McGill, Develyn Michael, Samuel Mitchell, Jessica Morris, Frank Morton-Park, Lee Murphy, Eric Nelson, Vincent Nicholas, Heather Oakes, Chad Overby, Benjamin Owen, Bobby Owens, Jasmine Parker, R. Travis Powell, Chantel Reid, Melvin Reynolds, Sierra Richardson, Theresa Roberts, Holly Rutledge, Jessica A. Satterfield, Jessica R. Satterfield, Jessica Saunders, Stephen Sibley, Marynn Skelton, Timothy Slabach, Patrick Slayton, Travis Snead, Kelly Snyder, Sara Suniga, Katie Talley, Vanessa Thomas, Beth Throckmorton, Amanda Toombs, C andi Traynham, Josh Vaughan, Danielle Vaughn, Jason Wallace, Sekia Watson, Mandy Watts, Ashley Whitehead, Telissa Wilmoth, Matthew Wilson, Jonathan Womack, Shelly Word, Brandon Worley, Kathleen Yates
Nelnet College Guide – Lee Murphy Jr., Candi Traynham
Halifax County Deacon’s Trustees Class Scholarships – Jamie Ballou, Derwin Leigh, Develyn Leigh, Shaniquia Harris
National Honor Society Award-Bret Lewis, Chris Beale
Stanley Cole Agricultural Scholarship-Casey Cassetta
FFA Awards-Sean Boden, Katherien Francis
Joseph C. Ramsey Scholarship-Timothy Slabach
U.S. Air Force Academy – Derek Brooks, Sara Suniga
Dr. Bessie Carr Scholarship-Ashley Jennings
Latin Club Award – Chris Beale
Outstanding Marketing Student – Erica Jones
Scholarships – Craig Keys, $3,400 per year, Virginia Tech; Jonathan Anderson, $5,824 VA Tech; Colleen Barnes, Holt Ed. Scholarship $5,000 Longwood University, Woman’s Club $500; Sarah Burkholder, Education Scholarship $2,700 Roanoke College; Damon Chambers, Recruitment, $3,400 VA Tech; Caroline Clements, Irvin Oakes Ruritan Club $600; Jobeth Cole, Nance Scholarship $2,000 Longwood Univ.; Jaimee Emsiler, Hill Education Scholarship, Longwood Univ.; Travis Ford, FCCLA Scholarship $2,500, Presidential Scholarship $2,500-Johnson & Wales; Craig Keys, Recruitment $3,400 VA Tech; Ronnie Link, Usher Union $2,600; Eric Nelson, $1,000 Scholarship to UNC at Wilmington; Frank Park-Morton, Reed Presidential Scholarship $5000, Reed Grant $26,000 Reed College; April Payne, FCCLA Scholarship $2500; Johnson & Wales Grant $1,200; Presidential Academic Scholarship $2,500; Chantel Reid, Presidential Scholarship $2,500, Johnson & Wales; Melvin Reynolds, Duimas Scholarship-full 4 year NSU, Travis Smith, Ferrum Merit $2,500; Mandy Watts, Hopwood Scholarship $12,000, Scholarship Competition $3,000 Lynchburg College
Roderick Lacy Retired Teacher’s Scholarship-Shaday Coleman
Clark Scholarships – Keith Arendall, Colleen Barnes, Chris Beale, Robert Brown, Larry Burrell, Jeremy Clauden, Jobeth Cole, Holley Conner, Brittany Cook, Charles Crawley, Amanda Davis, Richard Evans, Victoria Jackson, Ashley Jennings, Alissa Keaton, Craig Keys, Deelynn Leigh, Derwin Leigh, Bret Lewis, Kaitlin Marvin, Kirsten Marvin, Sam Mitchell, Lee Murphy, Heather Oakes, Bobby Owens, Jasmine Parker, Jessica Saunders, Stephen Sibley, Marynn Skelton, Patrick Slayton, Kelly Snyder, Katie Talley, Beth Throckmorton, Amanda Toombs, Danielle Vaughan, Josh Vaughan, Jason Wallace, Mandy Watts, Mindy Watts, Matthew Wilson, Jonathan Womack, Kathleen Yates
Perfect Attendance – 2005-2006, Jonathan Anderson, Kirsten Marvin, Jessica Morris, Mandy Watts, Tiffany Watson, Carolyn Wilkins, Kathleen Yates; ninth-12th grades, Keith Arendall, Lakisha Brown, Deelynn Leigh, Derwin Leigh; kindergarten – 12th grades – Javonna Hamlett, Juanita Kincy, Melvin Reynolds
National Merit Commended Students-Colleen Barnes, Marynn Skelton
National Achievement Recognition-Robert Brown
Recognition of State Fire Fighters Certification – Kyle Henderson, Rickie Compton, Richard Hamlett, Jason Ross, Adam Scearce
Virginia Tompkins McLaughlin Scholarship – Larry Burrell II
Swanson Scholarship – Deelynn Leigh
C. Arthur Ware Scholarships – Jeremy Clauden, Pamela Clay, Richard Evans, Lee Murphy, Bobby Owens, Beth Throckmorton
Kathleen Wood Scholarship – Heather Oakes
Udy Wood Scholarship – Sekia Watson
Jason Ramsey Scholarship – Damon Chambers
Francis J . Mitchell Outstanding Female Athlete-Caroline Clements
Principal’s Awards – Chris Beale, Zena Jeffress

 

Halifax County School Board

Thirteen Jobs Eliminated To Trim Budget

Faced with the task of trimming $300,000 from the school system’s 2006-07 budget, Halifax County School Board members opted to eliminate 13 positions at a budget work session Thursday.
Four central office staff and nine classified positions will be eliminated, saving the school system the required funds, according to Deputy Superintendent of Schools Larry Clark.
The decision was made after the Board emerged from a closed session meeting.
Clark said that with personnel costs accounting for 85 percent of the school system’s budget that was the category cuts of that size had to be made.
Halifax Superintendent of Schools Paul Stapleton said it’s possible three or four of the positions slated for elimination could be vacant by June 30 and won’t be replaced. The other cuts will result in job losses, he said.
All the positions cut are non-degreed and unlicensed personnel, Clark said.
The position cuts also preserve the four-percent raise for employees included in the budget, school system officials said.
After making the cuts, trustees approved the 2006-07 budget, Clark said.
Also at the work session, trustees addressed Project Return and a problem with teacher contracts.
Project Return is a computer-based continuing education program that allows students to continue course work in alternative settings.
Halifax is one or 22 school systems participating in the program, according to Stapleton.
“It’s been very beneficial,” he said, before asking the trustees to continue the program next year.
Project Return is funded with grant money, Stapleton told trustees.
The Board voted to continue with Project Return for the 2006-07 school year.
Also, only one school in the county, Cluster Springs Elementary School, is currently in compliance with the School Board’s policy that teachers work seven-and-a-half hour days.
Other county schools have teachers working seven hours and 20 minutes, as stated in their current contracts.
The contracts are not in compliance with school board policy and have not been for some years, Stapleton said.
Stapleton made a point of saying that this was not meant to infer that county teachers didn’t work hard, but rather it was a contractual matter that had to be resolved.
After looking at other school systems in the area, the 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. schedule is the most popular in Southside, Clark told trustees.
The proposed longer workday had caused some friction between teachers and the central office.
“Thank you for explaining this,” Halifax Middle School Teacher Bonnie Bowen said to the Board. “School Board policy is not a problem.
“We wanted to come to an understanding,” she added. “We want your support and we’re here to support you.”
Stapleton took responsibility for any misunderstanding.
“I’ll except blame that we didn’t communicate very well,” he said.
Trustee Steve Anderson made a motion that teacher contracts call for a seven-and-a-half hour workday and allow principals flexibility to set the schedules that work best for their individual schools.
The motion passed to bring contracts in line with policy.

 

ATF To Review NYC’s Gun Stings In Virginia

NEW YORK — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is examining the results of an unusual sting set up by the City of New York, in which private investigators recorded themselves purchasing handguns at shops in several states, including Virginia.
Acting independently of law enforcement, the investigators took hidden cameras into stores to test whether they would participate in a type of transaction known as a “straw purchase,” where one person illegally buys a gun on behalf of someone else.
Black-market dealers routinely use straw buyers to acquire weapons on behalf of people barred from owning guns, like convicted felons.
The exercise was conducted primarily to support a civil lawsuit, filed by the city last week, accusing 15 gun shops in five states of repeatedly selling to questionable buyers.
William G. McMahon, special agent in charge of the ATF’s New York field division, announced Friday that the agency would review the intelligence gathered by the city and target any federally licensed firearms dealers who broke the law.
In a twist, ATF’s inquiry will also include a review of whether the city acted legally in setting up the sting.
Several gun-rights advocates have questioned whether the city broke firearms rules or committed fraud by attempting to simulate straw sales in other states.
During the sting, undercover investigators working for the James Mintz Group visited shops that had a history of selling guns later used to commit a crime.
A male investigator posed as the actual purchaser of the firearm — interacting with sales clerks and examining merchandise — while a female companion stood nearby and acted disinterested.
When the time came to make the sale, the woman stepped in to fill out paperwork registering herself as the legal owner.
Many merchants refused the sale, saying it looked fishy, but at least 15 went ahead with the transaction, the city said.
ATF spokesman Joseph Green said Friday that the actions of both the sellers and the undercover buyers would be examined.
“We are on a fact finding mission right now, and we told them we are going to have to look into what happened. We will have to look into whether any laws were violated,” Green said.
Among the issues being explored: Did the investigators provide accurate information on ATF forms at the time of purchase and did they comply with laws requiring them to be residents of the states where they acquired the weapons?
John Feinblatt, criminal justice director for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said the city took great care to structure the sting in a way that complied with all federal rules.
Between 1994 and 2001, the 15 shops named in the lawsuit sold at least 640 guns subsequently linked to crimes committed in New York, including several fatal shootings. In addition to Virginia, the stores were in Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Police revealed Thursday that a similar sting conducted at shops within city limits had led to the arrest of two licensed firearms dealers on misdemeanor charges.

 

New Season Starts For Comets

The HCHS Baseball Team Hits The Road To Face Forest Park Today At 6 P.M. In The Opening Round Of The Northwest Region Tournament

A new season starts today for the Halifax County High School varsity baseball team.
Halifax County, the regular season Western Valley District champion and the district’s number two seed, will hit the road today to face Cardinal District champion Forest Park High School at 6 p.m. in Dale City in the quarterfinals of the Northwest Region Tournament.
Today’s first round of the Northwest Region Tournament marks a new beginning for the Comets (13-7 overall) who will be seeking to rebound from a disappointing performance in a 7-2 loss to GW here Thursday night in the Western Valley District Tournament championship game.
“We’re just like everybody else right now,” said Comets head coach Kelvin Davis.
“ GW’s got the district championship, but they’re starting all over. Everybody is starting all over now. We’re still in a good situation. It’s just that now the kids have to understand that we lose one game and we’re out of it and it (the season) is over.”
Today marks the third year in a row that the Comets have made their way into the Northwest Region Tournament and the fifth time in the seven years that Davis has coached the Comets that Halifax County has played in the Northwest Region Tournament.
Most of the Northwest Region Tournament games that the Comets have played in have been on the road and the Comets have fared pretty well in those games. That, Davis said, is a confidence booster going into tonight’s game against Forest Park.
“We’ve played well in the Northwest Region Tournament when we’ve had to hit the road,” Davis pointed out.
“If you look back over our season, we’ve played very well on the road. We have confidence that we can go up there and play well.”
A key factor for the Comets today is whether or not they can push aside the disappointment of Thursday night’s loss to GW and the lackluster performance they showed in that game.
Halifax County committed four errors which led to four of GW’s seven runs. Then, to top it off, the Comets failed to generate any real offense, getting only three hits in the game and managing to hit only six ground balls through the seven-inning contest.
“It’s kind of funny,” Davis pointed out.
“ Sometimes it doesn’t bother them as much as it would seem that it did. If you look back at our season, we’ve played games where we looked like the Bad News Bears and then we turn right around and look like a totally different ballclub the very next game. Hopefully we can do that this time. We hope the guys are not thinking so much about losing that championship game and are looking forward to the Northwest Region Tournament.”
Davis said he and his coaching staff have done about all they can do at this point. Now, Davis says, it’s up to the players, most especially the seniors on the team.
“As a coaching staff, we’ve done pretty much all we can do with the team as far as the fundamentals of the game, as far as situation hitting and different things like that are concerned,” Davis explained.
“The breakdowns we had against GW in the championship game was nothing more than poor execution. They (the players) have to do that (execute). That’s something that you have to do with the help of the leadership from your seniors. This is their last year. Now, it’s up to the seniors to show some leadership and help us out in this situation. Hopefully we can have that senior leadership that can get us over the next step.”
Davis emphasized that he and the coaching staff have a great deal of confidence in the players and their abilities.
“I’ve still got a lot of confidence in these guys because I’ve seen so many positive things from them during practices and different games,” Davis pointed out.
“ I know the talent is there. We know what the kids are capable of doing. They’ve just got to get out there between the lines and bring it.”
Forest Park, the Cardinal District regular season champion and tournament champion, enters today’s game with an 18-4 slate. The Bruins defeated Gar-Field 10-3 Thursday to win the Cardinal District Tournament title.
The Bruins are a solid team and were led in the tournament championship game by junior catcher Matt McDaniel who was a perfect 3-3 on the day with six RBIs. McDaniel had a double and a pair of home runs in the contest.
“They have done a great job so far,” Davis said of Forest Park.
“We know they have an outstanding pitcher and a great catcher who is really hitting the baseball well. We sent two guys up there to get a scouting report on them. We’ll look at the scouting report and try to get a feel for this team.”
Davis said Friday his plan at that time was to put senior hurler Jeremy Jeffress on the mound tonight.
“Hopefully he can have a good outing and hopefully we can get some runs and do the things we need to do to win the ballgame,” Davis concluded.

 

Comets Softballers Face Osbourn Park Today

HCHS Seeks To Rebound In NW Region Opener

The Comets varsity softball team has had three days to recover a disappointing 8-3 loss here Thursday to Franklin County in the Western Valley District Tournament title game, but the time for redemption has arrived.
Halifax, the WVD No. 2 seed by virtue of its regular season championship, has a chance to atone for Thursday’s loss in a quarterfinal game today at 4 p.m. against Cedar Run District No. 1 seed Osbourn Park in the first round of the Northwest Regional Tournament.
A win in today’s game pits the Comets against the winner of the Gar-Field-Massaponax contest in the regional semifinals.
Gar-Field is the Cardinal District No. 2 seed, while Massaponax is the Commonwealth District No. 1 seed.
Other Northwest Region Tournament games have Western Valley District Tournament champion and WVD No. 1 seed Franklin County hosting Stonewall Jackson, the No. 2 seed from the Cedar Run District.
The winner of that game will face the Forest Park-North Stafford winner for a spot in the regional semifinals, Forest Park the No. 1 seed in the Cardinal District and North Stafford the No. 2 seed in the Commonwealth District.
Oddly enough, the Comets find themselves in a somewhat similar situation as their first round opponent.
Osbourn Park also won the regular season championship in its district, but lost 3-2 to Battlefield in the first round of the district tournament to set up today’s game.
The Comets’ chances to advance to the next round of the regionals may come down to how they bounce back mentally from the loss to Franklin County, according to coach Melanie Saunders.
“We just have to believe in ourselves again,” emphasized Saunders.
“Once Franklin County jumped out early on us we weren’t able to battle back and that’s not characteristic of us this year, we’ve usually been able to battle back.”
The Comets have benefited from several multi-run innings this season, and came close to getting the big hit on a couple of occasions against Franklin County.
Halifax did make a mini comeback in the district tourney title game, recovering from an early two-run deficit to tie the score at 2-2, but any comeback hopes were dashed by a six-run Eagles’ rally in the fifth.
The Comets committed several costly errors in that inning and keeping their composure will be a must against Osbourn Park, according to Saunders.
“It’s a long road trip to Osbourn Park, and we to just go out and play and have a good time, to play with heart like we were doing before,” she said.
“We have to relax and believe in ourselves. This [WVD tournament championship] was one ball game. We got beat by a good team and we made some errors, but we have to come back from that.
“You’re going to have ball games like the one we had. “But, unfortunately one came in the championship game.”
The Comets have advanced to the Northwest Regionals five times since the 2000 season, including this year, winning their first round contest three times, in 2000, 2001 and 2003.
It’s lone first-round regional loss in that span came here last year, a 3-0 loss to Garfield, something that should serve as incentive for the Comets this time around.
Another fact should serve as incentive.
The 2003 Comets varsity softball team lost a close decision to GW in the Western Valley District Tournament championship game and entered the Northwest Regional Tournament as the WVD No. 2 seed.
That Comets team played one of its best games of the season to knock off a No. 1 seeded Culpepper team on the road in the tourney’s first round.
Saunders is hoping history repeats itself, but realizes that odds alone will not carry the Comets to the second round of the regionals this season.
“It’s been a good season to date,” noted Saunders. “Franklin County is a good team and we’ve played them four times.
“It would have been tough to beat them again, but we could have done it and we knew that we could, but, it just wasn’t our night, we had to produce at the plate and in the field and we didn’t.
“But, you never know and I don’t want the girls to think it’s over, because it isn’t over yet – we have to go up there and give it our all.”

 

HC Motorsports Academy Takes Big Step Forward

Students In The Halifax County Motorsports Academy Competed In Their First Go-Kart Race Saturday At South Boston Speedway

There was excitement, thrills and spins as the Halifax County Public Schools Motorsports Academy held its first-ever go-kart racing event Saturday at the kart track at South Boston Speedway.
Eighth-grader Derek Tuck, sophomore Daniel Wilborn, eighth-grader Angela Ditommaso and eighth-grader Tyler Fennimore each scored a win in the academy’s first racing event.
The four race winners received trophies and were introduced to race fans during pre-race ceremonies leading up to the start of Saturday night’s 150-lap NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series race at South Boston Speedway.
A total of 23 students competed in the academy’s go-kart racing event with the students being divided into fields of four to seven karts.
Another event is scheduled for this weekend.
Paul C. Nichols, Executive Director for Administration for Halifax County Public Schools, said Saturday’s Motorsports Academy go-kart racing event was a huge success and a big step forward for the program.
“It’s a big day for motorsports because we have the first school system in the state and, as far as I know, in the nation, that’s doing kart racing,” Nichols said.
“It’s exciting to have the Mattioli Foundation and South Boston Speedway to work with us to help us get these young people excited about the math and the science and everything else they are going to be doing to be engineers and continue with this career.”
Nichols praised the work of everyone involved in the program and said the Motorsports Academy, which opened this past fall at the start of the 2005-2006 school year, has gotten off to a good start.
“I believe it’s gone very well,” Nichols said.
“ Everybody involved has worked very hard. Everybody has done a great job. It has taken awhile to get to this point. It took some time to get the karts put together and the racetrack to be put down.
“We have a little more work to do,” added Nichols.
“ We’re learning a lot today. I had no idea that kart racing could be as competitive as we’ve seen these young people doing it out here today.”
Nichols said he was pleased with the amount of participation with the 23 students competing in the first racing outing.
Students participating included Derek Tuck, Curtis Reagan, Aron Puryear, Jessica Reeves, Ralph Tuck II, and Casey Barter.
Also participating were Daniel Wilborn, Shane Leskell, Lewis Patrick, B.J. Jones, Angela Ditomasso, Kadeem Winbush, Brent Younger, Coy Lawson, Michael Wilborn and Miranda Comer.
Tyler Fennimore, Keith Elliott, Thomas Owen, Thomas Conner, Tyler Carter, Matt Conner and Luigi Ditomasso also competed in the event.
“I’m really glad to see the participation that we have,” Nichols said.
“One of the things I know that the Mattioli Foundation and NASCAR have been anxious about is to try to get more minority students and more young ladies involved and we’ve got a pretty good turnout from both. We’d like to see more. We’ve got between 25 and 30 young people and that’s a good start.”
Nichols said he feels there will be even greater participation in the near future.
“We’re going to be bringing the sixth graders up to the middle school in a little while and that will give the sixth graders an opportunity to participate,” he explained.
“ So, there will be more participation from that perspective. I think once the young people see all of the fun that this group of young people has had there will be more that will want to participate.”
The Halifax County Public School’s Motorsports Academy was created to open the door for Halifax County students to earn college credit and associate degrees in motorsports-related fields and has been met with support from community leaders, and representatives from automotive and racing-related businesses.
Students will be offered instruction in skills ranging from driving to technical automotive skills to business.
“We know we’ve got to get a lot more student interest in math and science and interest in the lessons that young people have,” Nichols said.
“We know the way to do that is to get them motivated with what they’re interested in. Whether it’s with racing, outdoor sports or hunting or fishing, we’re going to try to help them make the connection with one of our academies so that they can look at careers that they are going to be engaged in and really see the connection that is there.”
The Motorsports Academy received a big boost late last October with the announcement of a major donation from the Mattioli Foundation and the creation of a Drive For Diversity program for 12-15-year-olds that is part of NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity program.
South Boston Speedway owners Dr. Joe Mattioli and Dr. Rose Mattioli, through their private, family-owned non-profit Mattioli Foundation, have supplied 20 racing go-karts, two garage-type buildings and the use of the go-kart track at South Boston Speedway for the Motorsports Academy karting program.
The school system is supplying its diverse student body and the classroom side of the program.
The combination has resulted in a public-private partnership that has created the basis of the new Drive for Diversity program.

Obituaries

Charlie Alton Shearin
Charlie Alton Shearin, 59, of L.P. Bailey Memorial Highway, Nathalie died May 26, 2006, at Virginia Baptist Hospital. He was the husband of Virginia Crews Shearin.
Mr. Shearin was born in Halifax County on August 7, 1946, son of the late Ernest Fitzhugh Shearin and Gracie Gravitt DeJarnette. He was a member of Buffalo Baptist Church and a retired truck driver.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Shearin is survived by one son, Jeffrey E. Shearin and wife, Darleen, of Nathalie; one daughter, Amy N. Shearin of Nathalie; three grandchildren, C.J. Shearin, RaGeena Shearin and Curtis Francisco; one sister, Linda Anderson of Nathalie; two half-sisters, Kathy Madera of South Boston and Gay Clay of Boonsboro, N.C. He was preceded in death by his stepfather, George Edward DeJarnette; and grandmother, Zelma Gravitt.
A funeral service for Mr. Shearin was held at 1 p.m. May 28, at Childrey Baptist Church by the Rev. Alfred Wimmer. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Clyde Edward Delaware
Clyde Edward Delaware, 71, of Clover died May 23, 2006, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Delaware was born on April 30, 1935, in Halifax County to the late Ed Delaware and Sylvia Carden Delaware, and was married to Cindy Delaware. He was a member of St. Matthew Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Sarah D. Green and Cynthia L. Delaware, both of Clover; one son, Keith I. Delaware of Clover; two stepchildren, Anne Delaware and Cornelius Delaware, both of Clover; one sister, Marie Sims of Clover; two brothers, Pete Delaware of N.C. and Charles Delaware of N.J.; his mother-in-law, Lorean Chestnut of Clover; six grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
Mr. Delaware was preceded in death by his first wife, Lillian Delaware; one son, Clyde Delaware Jr.; six brothers and four sisters.
Funeral services were held May 27, at 3 p.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church with the Rev. Mattie Carr officiating. Burial followed in St. Matthew Baptist Church Cemetery.
Kenneth Earl Long
Funeral services for Mr. Kenneth Earl Long will be held at 2 p.m. today, May 29, at the Brooks Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Dennis Ball will officiate.
Burial will follow at the Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Mr. Long, of James D. Hagood Highway in Scottsburg, died Saturday at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 73.
Mr. Long was born in Person County, N.C., on December 25, 1932, the son of the late Taft Long and the late Louise Harper Blackstock.
He was employeed at Burlington Industries and was a member of Scottsburg United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Kenneth Eugene Long and wife Debra of Ellettsville, Indiana and Earl Anthony Long and wife Gail of Alton, one daughter, Lisa L. Lowery and husband Monty of Alton, one brother, Roy Linwood Long and wife Annie of Vernon Hill, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and special friends Walter and Bessie Whitehead.
He was preceded in death by his step-father, Walter Vest Blackstock, three step-brothers, Louis, Billy and Jake Blackstock and one step-sister, Cindy Goins.
Anyone wishing to give memorials is asked to consider the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department, the Scottsburg United Methodist Church or the Providence Presbyterian Church.
Online condolences may be sent to brooksfh@earthlink.net.