School System Joins Elite Group

Meets Or Exceeds Benchmarks To Join Top School Systems Across The State

The Halifax County Public School system has joined an elite group of systems across the state with Friday’s announcement that for the first time the division as a whole met bencharks set by the state and federal governments, Superintendent Paul Stapleton said.
“This is the first year the local school division as a whole has met the adequate yearly progress (AYP) benchmark established by No Child Left Behind legislation, although 11 individual local schools met the… criterion during the previous year,” Stapleton said.
Last year, only 23 percent – or 31 divisions – across the state met the AYP distinction.
“This could put us in the top 25 percent or the top third,” he said yesterday. “We really don’t know until the statewide results are released by the state.”
Stapleton said the announcement means that all students attending the high school and middle school will be attending schools that have reached or exceeded the benchmarks set by the state.
For a school or division to reach the AYP goal, it must meet or exceed 29 of 35 benchmarks including a participation rate of 95 percent for all students as well as the subcategories of African American, Hispanic and white students, limited English proficient students, students identified as disadvantaged and students with disabilities in statewide testing.
Currently, all students in the Halifax County school system participate in SOL testing.
Last year’s performance rate rose from 59 percent in the 2003-2004 school year to 63 percent for math tests and increased from 61 percent the previous year to 65 percent in the English tests.
Attendance and graduation rates also play a role in receiving the AYP distinction.
A 94 percent attendance rate is required of all students in the division, including the previously identified subcategories.
The graduation rate from Halifax County High School last year was 16 percent higher – or 73 percent – than the currently required 57 percent rate. The graduation rate is based on following the number of entering ninth grade students and determining the number who graduate four years later. Those who move out of the division affect the graduation rate figure.
“We met that in every school in every subject,” Stapleton said.
Eleven elementary schools met the AYP standards this year, the same number as last year, according to Stapleton. “Clays Mill Elementary School did not meet AYP this year due to not meeting only one benchmark, the 65 percent performance rate for all students in English,” he said.
Although the school met all other mandated criteria, it narrowly missed meeting the English requirement for third-grade students.
Stapleton said yesterday that efforts are already under way to rectify the situation.
“It’s the first year they didn’t make it,” he said, adding that no mandates will come from the state level. “It’s up to us to go in there and make sure they make it next year.”
The superintendent said that central office staff will work closely with English teachers at the school to ensure they have all available resources at their disposal.
“It’s not like it was a lot of students,” he said. “We’re talking about a few students in one classroom. We’ve identified them and will work with the teacher(s) involved to help both the teachers and the students.
“It will be a team effort going into (Clays Mill),” Stapleton added. “We’ll make sure we get the people and resources in there to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
But the superintendent said it was not yet time for the school system to rest on its laurels.
“We will be evaluated each year,” he said. “We can’t just sit here and pat ourselves on the back, we need to work hard to maintain the direction we’re going.”
Stapleton said his concern at the moment is to ensure the schools continue to exceed the baseline requirements and offer more for the students.
“We have to be constantly concerned about our school division,” he said. “We can’t just say we’ve made it and are elite, we have to keep working. We have to do a better job of assessing (student performance) throughout the year.”
Stapleton said that for the first time this school year, a system will be in place to assess performance every report card cycle.
“That should give the teachers and principals an opportunity to review a snapshot of where we are and help us again this year improve some more,” he said.

Teaching Children About Land, Soil

New Program In Grades K-8 Will Offer Children Opportunity To Learn About Agriculture

Training begins this week on a new program designed to promote awareness and understanding of the importance of agriculture for the county’s K-8 school children.
The Halifax County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee announced Friday that they will sponsor the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) for all students in grades K-8 during the upcoming school year.
“This group came to us and said they wanted to do this,” said Audrey Davidson, special projects coordinator for the county’s school system. “This is a tremendous opportunity.”
School officials were joined during the announcement by Pat Reese, Virginia’s Farm Bureau Woman of the Year, and State Committee Chair Janice Burton for the announcement.
“AITC is a great program,” said Paul Stapleton. “As state superintendent (a position he formerly held), I encouraged every rural classroom in the state to become involved with the program.
“We think the true beneficiaries of this will be the children of Halifax County,” he added. “We have a responsibility to the children of the county to teach them about agriculture.”
Director of Instruction Joe Griles said that many children today lack the understanding of where the food they buy in the grocery store comes from.
“We want students to understand our heritage and the importance of agriculture,” he said.
“Such an understanding will enhance the quality of life and economic well-being of Virginians,” Reese added. “We want all of the children in Halifax County to be exposed to agriculture. Every child needs to know the importance of the land and the soil.
“Agriculture affects all of us in this country and it’s up to all of us to teach it,” Burton said.
In-service training programs for seventh and eighth-grade science teachers will take place today, with K-6 science teachers receiving training in the program tomorrow.
This year there will be a total of 177 teachers trained in the program that will affect around 4,037 students.
During the training sessions, teachers will be introduced to the program and receive grade-specific Standards of Learning (SOL)-aligned lessons and specific information about agriculture in both Southside and across the state.
“Agriculture in the Classroom is an integrated program of math, science, social studies and language arts lessons,” Burton said. “Students learn about agriculture as they learn the content in these subjects.”
As part of the program, teachers will receive a biennial newsletter that highlights one agricultural topic and provide a new SOL-aligned lesson related to that topic for their classrooms.
School children will also take part in an annual school garden project at their schools, Burton said.
“The purpose of this project is to encourage teachers and students to start vegetable gardens at the schools,” she said. “Students receive SOL-based lessons and seed packets for their school gardens.”
All programs and materials will be provided by the AITC free of charge to the school system.

Accident Yields Felony Charges

A 27-year-old Halifax woman is facing felony charges following an incident at the intersection of Watkins Avenue and Chalmers Street Thursday night, according to Officer T.W. Garner.
Mary P. Brown, of Maple Avenue, has been charged with felony hit and run, driving under the influence and possession of cocaine, Garner reported.
The officer said that at approximately 9:30 p.m., officers were called to the scene for a report of a motor vehicle accident.
Investigator T.M. VanAernem said when Garner arrived on the scene, he discovered that Brown was operating a 1995 Honda when she allegedly struck a 1998 Dodge pickup that was parked on the street.
Brown was taken into custody without incident a short distance from the scene “moments after officers arrived,” according to the investigator.
Garner estimated that $3,000 damage was sustained to Brown’s vehicle and $4,000 damage was sustained by the pickup.
The pickup is owned by Daniel Clark of Edmund’s Street, according to police.
Brown was taken to the Halifax Regional Jail, where she was released on a $2,500 unsecured bond, according to police.

 

Obituaries

Donna Holt Breedlove

Funeral services for Mrs. Donna Holt Breedlove will be held at 2 p.m. today at Childrey Baptist Church with the Rev. Billy Swan officiating.
Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Breedlove, 46, of Wards Road in Rustburg, died Friday at Lynchburg General Hospital.
She was born in Lynchburg on July 12, 1959, the daughter of the late James A. Holt and Eunice Francis Holt and was the wife of Marshall Wendall Breedlove.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Breedlove is survived by a son, M. Aaron Breedlove of Rustburg; two daughters, Wendy Lynn Breedlove and April Laraye Breedlove, both of Rustburg; a brother, James R. Holt of Nathalie; three sisters, Debra H. Francis of Nathalie, Dorita J. Smith of Richmond and Darla H. Crews of Brookneal; four nieces and a nephew.
The family will receive friends at the residence.

Douglas Bruce Frazier Sr.

Funeral services for Mr. Douglas Bruce Frazier Sr., 80, of Willow Street in South Boston, will be held today at 2 p.m. in the Brooks Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jack Stewart officiating.
Interment will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Mr. Frazier was born in Mecklenburg County on October 7, 1924, the son of the late Otis Samuel Frazier and Ida Glasscock Frazier, and was married to the late Janie Wilborn Frazier.
He was a World War II Air Force veteran and a retired training instructor with J.P. Stevens. Mr. Frazier was a member of Buffalo Baptist Church and a former member of the South Boston Volunteer Fire Company.
Mr. Frazier is survived by three daughters, Patricia D. Frazier and Tammy F. Ingram and husband Tony, both of South Boston, and Vickie F. Dickerson and husband Tony of Halifax; a son, Douglas B. Frazier Jr. and wife Kelly of Zebulon, N.C.; three sisters, Elizabeth F. Burnett and husband Jack, and Doris F. Shuford, both of Buffalo Junction, and Emma F. Meeler of South Boston; two brothers, Otis S. Frazier and wife Ann of South Boston and Earl M. Frazier and wife Margaret of Blue Ridge; three granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston Va. 24592.

Jeff Crews

Jeff Crews, 74, of Trinity, N.C. died August 10, at High Point Regional Hospital.
Mr. Crews was born August 19, 1930, in Halifax County to Abraham L. and Bessy Haley Crews. A Korean War Veteran of the U.S. Army, he was a member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Surviving are his daughters, Yvonne Glenn and husband, Don, and Rhonda Roberts and husband, Dave, all of Vancleave, Miss.; stepsons, Rocky Sims of Trinity and Tommy Sims of Sunbury, Ohio; stepdaughters, Wanda Schmitz and Susie Townsend, both of Orlando, Fla., and Linda Marshall of Sunbury; one sister, Isabelle Thomason and her husband, Bobby, of South Boston; a niece, Linda Shelton of South Boston; and 18 grandchildren. Mr. Crews was preceded in death by a son, Roger Davis Crews; and a stepson, Raymond Sims.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. August 13, at Landmark Baptist Church in Archdale, N.C. with the Rev. Amos Mashburn officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
On-line condolences may be made through www.cumbyfuneral.com

Geneva Garrett

Geneva Garrett of Nathalie died August 10, in Brookneal.
She was the daughter of Clarine Adams Williams and the late Richard James Williams.
Ms. Garrett is survived by one son, Gary McLain of West Palm Beach, Fla.; her mother, of Nathalie; three brothers, Juan Williams Jr. of Rustburg, Ray Charles Williams and Louis Bailey Williams of Nathalie; six sisters, Elnora Garrett and Delois Garrett of Nathalie, Mary Magalean Brown of Richmond, Evelyn Harrison of South Boston, Barbara Williams of Henderson, N.C., and Belinda Williams of Danville; and one grandchild, Jade McLain of West Palm Beach.
Funeral services were held August 14, at 2:30 p.m. at Millstone Baptist Church in Nathalie with the Rev. Chester Spruill conducting the service. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Condolences may be emailed to Jeffressfh@aol.com

Rebecca Henderson Richie

Rebecca Henderson Richie, 92, of 2118 Ridge Road, Vernon Hill died August 12 at Woodview Nursing Home.
Mrs. Ritchie was born December 28, 1912, in Halifax County the daughter of the late Charlie Henderson and the late Nora Miller Henderson and was married to the late Garland Archer Richie. She was a member of Oak Level Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Nancy R. Chappell and husband, Jackie, of Vernon Hill; two granddaughters, Becky C. Lewis and husband, Ricky, and Rhonda C. Hunt and husband, Luke, all of Vernon Hill; two great-grandchildren, Garland Comer and Mandy Lewis of Vernon Hill.
Funeral services for Mrs. Richie were held at Oak Level Presbyterian Church August 14, at 4 p.m. with the Revs. Don Nance and Thomas Wright officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Halifax Regional Hospice, 2204 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, or Oak Level Volunteer Fire Department, 2019 Oak Level Road, Halifax.

Shirley Mae Wright

Miss Shirley Mae Wright, 67, of River Road in South Boston, died August 4 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Miss Wright was born in Halifax County on April 21, 1938, the daughter of William Daniel Wright and Maggie Lorene Crews Hall. She was a member of Emanuel Episcopal Church.
Miss Wright is survived by her mother, Maggie Lorene Crews Hall of South Boston, and a brother, Claiborne Hall Jr. of Norfolk.
A private graveside service for Miss Wright was held Sunday.

Doris E. Dobson

GREER, S.C. - Doris Ethel Ellis Dobson, 76, of 104 Woodvale Circle, died August 12, at Allen Bennett Memorial Hospital.
     A native of Anderson County, she was a daughter of the late Addison Lee and Rossie Harris Ellis, a member of Memorial United Methodist Church, a graduate of Carson Newman College and Furman University and a guidance counselor for Greenville County Schools.
     Surviving are her husband, Alvin Charles Dobson; three sons, C. Richard “Rick” and wife LaDonna Dobson of Charlotte, Carlton Lee and wife Patricia of South Boston, Va, and Gregory “Greg” and wife, Anne Dobson of Greenville; two brothers, Charles Henry Ellis of Greenville and Ray Ellis of Oliver Springs, Tennessee; and six grandchildren.
     A granddaughter and 15 brothers and sisters predeceased Doris Dobson.
        Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at Memorial United Methodist Church conducted by the Revs. Arthur Holt and John Rush.  Burial will be in Wood Memorial Park.
     The family is at home.
     Memorials may be made to Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 North Main St., Greer, S.C. 29650.

Eva Brown Collins

A memorial service for Mrs. Eva Brown Collins will be held tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. George Ford officiating.
Mrs. Collins, 96, of Hardings Mill Road, Nathalie, died Friday, at South Boston Manor.
She was born in Charlotte County on August 5, 1909, the daughter of the late Bennie Robert Brown and Ella Wheeler Brown.
Mrs. Collins was a member of Salem A.M.E. Zion Church of New York and also attended Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Nathalie.
She is survived by her daughter, Satimah Dphretaulezz Rasheed of Petersburg, her son-in-law, Bakeer Rasheed; three sisters, Madeline Wolfe of Nathalie, Carole Mjaanes of South Boston and Josephine Diallo of Nathalie; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mrs. Collins was preceded in death by two children, Arleen Ferro and Rudolph Collins.
The family will receive friends at the service on Tuesday.

Jason Dean Tuck

Mr. Jason Dean Tuck, 28, died Sunday at his Robin Hood Road home in South Boston.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time.
Mr. Tuck was born in Halifax County on November 4, 1976, a son of Michael Dean Tuck and Sharon Cline Tuck.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a brother, Chris Tuck of South Boston; a grandmother, Hilda Tuck of South Boston; a grandfather, J.H. Cline of South Boston; and a number of aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was predeceased by his grandmother, Elizabeth Cline, and his grandfather, C.R. Tuck.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to give to their favorite charity.

James Napoleon Coleman

Funeral services for Mr. James Napoleon Coleman will be held today at noon at the Womack Chapel Holiness Church with Bishop Joseph Dixon officiating.
Burial will follow in the Coleman Family Cemetery.
Mr. Coleman, 72, of Pitt Trail, Vernon Hill, died Wednesday, August 10, at the Woodview Nursing Home.
He was born in Halifax County on June 9, 1933, and was the son of the late John Howard Coleman and Rosa Lee Woodson Coleman. He was married to the late Mary Magdalene Johnson Coleman and was a member of the Mt. Zion Holiness Church.
Mr. Coleman is survived by four daughters, Lillia Mae Lee and Alease Coleman, both of Richmond, Ruby Staten of Portsmouth and Nora Veney of Farmham; a son, James Matthew Coleman of Richmond; eight grandchildren; two sisters, Rosa Wilkins and Geraldine Dixon, both of Vernon Hill; a brother-in-law; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Luvenia Reed and Esther Coleman and a grandchild.
The family will receive friends at the home of Rosa Wilkins, 1080 Pitt Trail in Vernon Hill.

Comets Get Off To Good Start

The HCHS Varsity Football Team Shut Out Gretna To “Win” Scrimmage

BY Joe Chandler
G-V Staff Writer

Halifax County High School head football coach John Lacy Harris said last week it would be important for his players to get a taste of success when they faced two-time and defending Group AA state champion Gretna in its first pre-season scrimmage.
The Comets players gave themselves more than just a taste – they produced a nice helping of it.
Halifax County scored a touchdown and held Gretna out of the end zone through the initial phase of the scrimmage that was comprised of three 10-play cycles.
Later, when the two teams went to a “live” game situation, the Comets scored two touchdowns on offense and get a safety from the defense while shutting out the Hawks.
When the night was over, the Comets had handed Gretna, playing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd of between 200 and 300 fans, its first loss on its home field in three seasons.
“I thought we had great effort,” Harris said.
“ The effort was there and that was the number one thing. If the kids have a good attitude and they give good effort, you know you’ve got a chance.”
The big thing, though, Harris said, was that the players showed that Halifax County can be a good football team.
“We saw we can be a good football team,” said Harris.
“Now, we’re going to turn the heat up on the kids because they have now seen it. We’re going to do everything we can these next two weeks to get these kids to improve in practice before the next scrimmage, not just maintain – but to improve dramatically in these next two weeks of practice. These next two weeks will be the determining factors to our season.”
The Comets’ defense came up with a big play early to get things rolling.
After Gretna had marched from its own 30 yard-line to the Comets’ 21-yard line in seven plays on its first 10-play offensive series, the Comets’ defense held and stopped Gretna at the 2-yard line on the last play of the series.
The defensive stand was followed by a good offensive effort when the Comets got the ball for its second 10-play cycle.
After Gretna intercepted a pass from Comets quarterback Rodale Pippen on the fifth play, the Comets restarted at their own 30-yard line and scored on three plays.
Pippen hit receiver Justin Long on a 35-yard strike and got some additional help in the form of a 15-yard penalty against the Hawks that was tacked on at the end of the play.
An eight-yard run from Marcus Coleman got the ball to the 12-yard line. On the next play, Pippen hit Long with a pass over the middle that netted a touchdown.
That score held up the rest of the way, giving the Comets the edge in the initial phase of the scrimmage.
In the “live” game segment, the Comets’ defense made another big stop, turning back the Hawks on a fourth down play at the Comets’ 23-yard line.
On Gretna’s second offensive series, the Comets’ defense came up big again, this time sacking the Gretna quarterback in the end zone for a safety.
Offensively, the Comets backed up the good defensive effort.
Starting its second offensive series from its own 40-yard line, Halifax marched 60 yards in seven plays to score its first touchdown. Willie Stephens picked up his own fumble after taking a pass in the backfield from quarterback Bobby Owens and scampered into the end zone to complete a five-yard play.
That pass to Stephens in the backfield was the fifth completed pass of the series for Owens who had connected on a 39-yard strike to Pippen earlier in the series.
The Comets scored again on their next offensive series with Owens hitting Stephens on a 28-yard pass play over the middle. That play came after the Comets had gotten a break when a penalty nullified Gretna’s interception of a pass by Owens.
Harris said he was pleased by the team’s defensive effort.
“The biggest thing I saw was we faced adversity and the kids bowed their neck and battled back and kept them out of the end zone,” Harris said.
“They not only kept them (Gretna) out of the end zone but they also caused turnovers and we had a lot of people getting after the football. That’s what we’ve got to have in order to be a good football team.”
While the defense forced three turnovers and logged a safety on the night, the offensive unit put up some good numbers as well.
Unofficially, Owens was 8-15 for 145 yards in passing in the “live” game phase of the scrimmage with two touchdowns and one interception. Stephens unofficially had three catches for 43 yards and two touchdowns while Pippen unofficially had two catches for 59 yards.
The Comets unofficially tallied 148 yards of offense and logged five first downs while yielding one turnover.
In the trio of 10-play cycles earlier in the night, Comets quarterbacks Owens, Pippen, Arie Lewis and Stanley Thomas were unofficially a combined 5-19 for 76 yards in passing with one touchdown and one interception.
Unofficially, Long had three catches for 76 yards and one touchdown.
“I think we saw that we’re headed in the right direction,” Harris said of the offense.
“In a lot of our plays, one person not doing his job kept it from being successful. The few times we had all 11 doing their jobs we did have success. We’ve got to have all 11 on the same page, concentrating and focusing on offense.”

Jeffress Showcases Talent In Aflac All-American Game

HCHS Hurler Jeremy Jeffress Records A Strikeout And Shows A 94 MPH Fastball In Brief Relief Stint

From Staff, AFLAC PR Reports

Halifax County High School hurler Jeremy Jeffress had a good outing in Saturday’s third annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md.
Jeffress, playing for the East team, was called from the bullpen in the eighth inning. He struck out Houston’s Kyle Drabek, son of former Major League Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, before having three errors committed behind him.
Jeffress’ fastball touched 94 mph in two-thirds of an inning.
The Comets hurler faced seven batters, logged one walk and one strikeout and yielded two hits in his brief appearance.
The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic is the premier high school all-star baseball event, showcasing the nation1s top 38 rising seniors in an East versus West match-up.
Featuring the game’ s top prep players, the Aflac All-American alumni have had a huge impact in the past two Major League Baseball first-year player drafts.
Overall, there have been 18 alumni selected in the first round, including the past two No. 1 overall selections: Matt Bush (2003, San Diego) and Virginia’s Justin Upton (2004, Arizona).
Devin Shepherd, an outfielder from Oxnard, Calif., earned Most Valuable Player honors at the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic as the West Team defeated the East Team, 8-4 in front of a crowd of more than 4,000.
Shepherd paced the East’s attack, going 2 for 3 with two singles, two walks, one RBI and two runs scored.
The West’s Nathan Bridges started the game’s scoring by slugging a two-run double down the left field line in the top of the second, which drove in Devin Shepherd and Jeff Rapoport, who both reached base on consecutive singles.
Bridges had a strong offensive game, going 2 for 5 with two RBI’s while Rapoport went 2 for 4 with one run and one stolen base.
Brett Anderson was the winning pitcher for the West, which also featured strong performances on the mound from Jordan Walden and Kyle Drabek. Walden, the starting pitcher, and Drabek, the closer, threw two scoreless innings each.
The East Team got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Chris Marrero doubled in Billy Rowell, who walked, and Andrew Clark, who was hit by a pitch.
Both Rowell and Ryan Jackson helped pace the East’s offensive attack. Rowell went 2 for 3 with two singles, two walks, one RBI and two runs scored, while Jackson went 2 for 3 with two singles and one walk. Jackson also made several stellar defensive plays, including a throw to nail Jared Mitchell at home plate on an attempted double steal.
Several East pitchers starred on the mound, including Dellin Betances, who pitched a scoreless second inning, Cory Rasmus, who had two strikeouts while pitching a scoreless sixth inning and Chris Walden, who also had two strikeouts during a scoreless seventh inning.
In festivities held prior to the game, Robby Alcombrack, a power-hitting catcher from Bear River High School near Sacramento, Calif., took first place honors in the third annual Home Run Derby with six home runs. Alcombrack beat other Home Run Derby finalists Kyle Drabek (two home runs), Torre Langley (one home run) and Jeff Rapoport (one home run).
At the Aflac All-American Awards dinner on Thursday, Cody Johnson (Panama City, Fla.) won the second annual Jackie Robinson Award as the Aflac National High School Player of the Year. Johnson was presented with the award by Rachel Robinson, the widow of the late Hall of Fame Baseball Player Jackie Robinson.
Jeffress was one of six nominees for the honor.
The 2005 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic raised over $100,000 for the division of pediatric oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, the game’s official charity, as part of Aflac’s ongoing commitment to support research and treatment of pediatric cancer.
Baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr.,serves as the game’s honorary chairman.

Peyton Sellers Makes It Three Wins In A Row

Peyton Sellers Continued His National Championship Quest With A Win In Saturday’s 150 Lap LMSC Race At South Boston Speedway

BYJoe Chandler
G-V Staff Writer

A late caution wasn’t exactly in Peyton Sellers’ game plan.
But, it turned out to be what the Danville driver needed.
Sellers turned an unexpected string of four cautions in the final 39 laps into a victory in the 150-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Model Stock Car race that highlighted Dodge Night at South Boston Speedway.
“I really wasn’t looking for a caution but they fell into place for me,” Sellers said after edging Owen Miller of Emporia by .785 of a second in a 10-lap shoot-out to the finish that followed the last of the race’s five caution flags.
“When I saw the first caution come I was kind of disappointed because I didn’t think it was going to help. It gave me time to cool my tires a little bit and close the stagger up a little bit and it worked out well for us.”
The win in Saturday night’s 150-lap event was the third in a row for Sellers who has now claimed 10 victories this season at South Boston Speedway and 13 wins overall. It also kept Sellers, the leader in the chase for both the national NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series and South Boston Speedway titles, in strong contention for both championships.
“We’re just racing hard,” said Sellers.
“ Wins would be nice, but we can’t back on wins every week. All we can do is go out and race hard.”
Sellers’ win, coupled with a third-place finish by Drew Herring of Benson, N.C., Sellers’ chief rival for the South Boston Speedway title, enabled Sellers to expand his points lead to 70 points with three points races remaining at South Boston Speedway.
While Sellers basked in the victory, Miller, who drives the Chevrolets owned by Dolly Fallen of South Boston, celebrated his team’s third runner-up finish of the season.
Miller’s runner-up finish combined with a 12th-place finish by Jonathan Cash of Oxford, N.C. who was involved in a spin on lap 111, allowed him to break a deadlock with Cash for third place and take sole possession of third place with three points races remaining at South Boston Speedway.
“It’s a good thing to be third in points with all of the hardships we’ve had,” Miller said, noting that his team has blown four engines and had other maladies.
“ We haven’t gotten a win but we’ve been consistent when we’ve finished. Consistency is a big thing.”
Miller started the race in sixth place, reached second place at lap 108 and was closing in on Sellers and preparing to make a bid when the caution flag came on lap 111 for Cash’s spin. That caution was the first of four cautions that would dot the action over the course of the final 39 laps of the race.
“Those cautions hurt us,” said Miller after driving from sixth place to be a contender at the finish.
“This car is always good on long runs. If we hadn’t had three or four (cautions) in a row, I know we would have had a shot at Peyton.”
Herring, who started fourth but slipped back to seventh and rallied in the final 50 laps to finish third, said it was a good finish considering his circumstances.
“The car was just junk,” said Herring.
“It was one of the worst cars I’ve had up here. We started out pretty good and fell back. I made a dumb move and went to the outside a little too early and fell back. We got back down on the bottom and I started searching a little bit and found a pretty good line and started making some ground up.”
Sellers grabbed the lead from pole winner Justin Johnson of the third lap and led the erst of the way, fighting off several challengers that included Johnson, Deac McCaskill and Miller.
Johnson, of Roxboro, N.C., finished fourth behind Sellers, Miller and Herring with Brandon Butler of Petersburg rounding out the top five finishers.
Wayne Ramsey of Amherst finished sixth in a Ford followed by Ronald Hill of Rougemont, N.C., Rodney Cook of Reidsville, N.C., Scott Worley of Long Island and Frank Deiny Jr. of Mechanicsville.
Sellers averaged 65.625 mph in the race that took 55 minutes and 25 seconds to complete.