By Stephen Dawkins

The umpire finally decided the rain was falling too hard.
Jemison’s and Thorsby’s baseball teams had played in a constant rain for about an hour and a half on Tuesday, but the game was called with Thorsby holding a 4-1 lead.
The Rebels (11-1) were at bat with runners on first and second bases with no outs when play was halted.
“The way we’re hitting the ball, I think we could play with just about anybody,” Thorsby coach Ab Argent said as the Class 2A Rebels were leaving the field with an advantage over the Class 4A Panthers (4-8).
Thorsby did most of its damage in the top of the first, before most of those attendance became completely soaked with water.
Jemison starting pitcher Cruz Martinez walked three straight batters—Jace Maddox, Brantley Bice and Cory Woodall—and two runs scored on wild pitches.
Jason Price drove home Thorsby’s third run with a solid single up the middle
Catcher Matt Morgan led off the Thorsby second with a base hit, and his courtesy runner, Stephen Mims, scored one out later on a double steal—Mims from third base and Evan Bryan from first.
Thorsby starter Cody Carroll was effective throughout despite the muddy mound and unsure footing of his fielders.
Carroll allowed two hits in three innings while striking out three, but the singles came in the same inning and produced a run.
Jemison’s Jacob Chapman hit safely with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. After a Thorsby throwing error, Jackson Mims drove a ball to deep right-center field.
Chapman scored easily from second base, but Scott Clements was thrown out at home plate to end the inning on a perfectly executed 9-4-2 relay—Maddox to Wesley Smitherman to Morgan.
Because of the weather, the hosts wouldn’t get another shot.
Jemison coach Jason Easterling said the game could be resumed at a date that has yet to decided.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby kindergarteners, first and second graders participated in a “hat parade” Friday afternoon led by the school’s marching band.
The parade ended a week of activities held in conjunction with Read Across America Day, which coincides with the birthday of famous children’s author and illustrator Dr. Seuss. The parade went along with this year’s Read Across America theme, “Grab a Hat and Read with the Cat.”
At the end of the day, school administrators waved goodbye to the students from atop the school’s roof.
Faculty members and administrators also donned hats of all colors and sizes.
“They’ve been reading books throughout the month,” said Thorsby reading coach Karen Watley. “They read books to see who got on the roof.”
Thorsby history teacher Ken Copen, lunchroom manager Debbie Dutton and assistant principal Carlton LeSueur all were good sports and went up on the roof Friday.
Other activities were held throughout the week. Students got to eat some green eggs and ham and pay tribute to their favorite Dr. Seuss book of the same title.
They also wore silly socks and read “Fox in Socks.”
Thorsby joined schools across the county in celebrating the importance of reading for a week.

By Stephen Dawkins

The library at Jemison Elementary School  checked out its 100,000th book of the school year.
The occasion—which occurred during Literacy Week and on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, no less—demonstrates how teachers and administrators have challenged students to read and how the students have responded.
School librarian Regina Young didn’t know exactly what book was the 100,000th to be checked it out or what student checked it out Tuesday.
“She was so busy, she missed it,” JES Principal Louise Pitts said.
“I missed it by about 200,” Young said.
Young stays busy because the library is used so regularly.
Pitts said most libraries use a fixed schedule, where each class visits the library at a certain day and time each week, or a flex schedule, where students visit the library individually after they have finished a book.
The JES library used both types of scheduling, and so as many as 12 classes visit the library on a given day to go along with the students that drop by as they finish a book.
“Ms. Young gives us the best of both worlds,” Pitts said. “Without her doing this, we wouldn’t be learning like we’re learning.”
The emphasis is part of the school’s employment of the Accelerated Reader program, where students are tested on their reading comprehension and their reading level increases as they perform well on the tests.
Each student has his or her own library card, and they have been instructed on how to use them to check out and check in their books without Young’s help.
The school even has a reading coach, Stephanie Halpert.
The students seem to enjoy the challenge of raising their reading level and trying more difficult reads.
“Ms. Pitts, I’m on a 4.3 level!” third grader Brianna Edwards exclaimed Thursday after checking out a new book.
“They love to tell you what level they’re on,” Pitts said.
Young said it’s not uncommon for the library to check out 1,300 books a day, remarkable considering the school has an enrollment of 885.
“That’s becoming our issue now is that so many kids are checking books out, they can’t find them on their level,” Pitts said, but that’s a problem she doesn’t mind having.

By Stephen Dawkins

ISABELLA – Asked what his team did better Thursday than it had earlier in the season, Jemison baseball coach Jason Easterling had an easy answer: “Everything.”
The Panthers swept a doubleheader from Isabella, 9-2 and 12-0, for their first two wins of the season after starting out losing eight straight.
“We pitched better, we hit better, and we played better defense,” Easterling said.
The better pitching was thanks to Jacob Chapman, who earned the win in the first game, and Nick Campbell, who held the hosts to four hits in seven innings in the second game while striking out four.
The better hitting came in the form of Jemison putting together big innings.
Isabella (3-7) was within striking distance, down 5-2, until the Panthers struck for four runs in the top of the seventh inning of Game 1.
An error allowed Patrick Sims to record an inside-the-park home run, sparking the rally.
In Game 2, much of the damage was done on three hits.
Chapman’s second-inning single scored Zak Kaylor and Jacob Bass, then Kaylor drove home Alex Campbell and Donny Eslinger with a hit in the third to make it 5-0, and finally, Scott Clements drilled a three-run home run to right-center field in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Bass and Chapman.
And then there was the defense, including a well-turned 6-4-3 double play—Cruz Martinez to Eslinger to Clements—in the bottom of the third inning.
“I think we may be turning the corner—if we’ll just keep it going, Easterling said.”

At the plate: Jacob Chapman (2/4, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Zak Kaylor (2/4, R, 3 RBI), Cruz Martinez (4/5, 2B)

Our country’s economic recession has affected everyone.
Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed, though, is happy to say his city has weathered the storm quite well.
According to a presentation by Yolanda Watkins, a regional account manager with Revenue Discovery Systems, Jemison’s sales tax revenue has dropped 2 percent since 2007.
“Some cities are down 30 percent,” Watkins told the Jemison City Council on Feb. 15.
“You don’t want to say you’re down, but at least you’re not down by that much.”
Almost one-quarter of Jemison’s sales tax revenue comes from grocers, according to the RDS report. The next biggest contributor is gas stations, with 16 percent; then limited-service restaurants, with 15 percent; and then discount department stores, with nine percent.
Reed said the city’s diverse tax base is what has allowed it, so far, to withstand the economic downturn.
“That is due to the fact that we don’t have the big malls or the strip malls,” Reed said. “We have done extremely well.”
The city has seen the number of tax-paying businesses increase from 600 in 2004 to 1,500 in 2009.

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby senior Kevin Brasher on Tuesday signed to play football for Faulkner University in the fall.
Brasher’s ceremony in front of some family and friends in the school library is proof that hard work can go a long way.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Thorsby coach Billy Jackson said. “You couldn’t ask for a better kid.”
Brasher said he visited Faulkner a couple of weeks ago and liked “the coaches—just all the people down there,” he said.
Faulkner coach Duane McWhorter said Brasher’s grades are more evidence of his willingness to work.
“The first conversation I had with his coach, he talked about his work ethic and he talked about that he’s a good person,” McWhorter said. “Secondly, he’s a good football player.”
McWhorter said he envisions Brasher playing the slot receiver position in the Eagles’ offense.
Brasher was a starting strong safety and backup fullback for Thorsby.
Jackson said he thinks the role will suit Brasher.
“I think he’ll do well for them,” Jackson said.

By Scott Mims

Carolyn Vance of Thorsby was crowned Ms. Senior Chilton County on Friday night and will compete in Ms. Senior Alabama on May 8.
Of the three contestants, all were winners. Faye Brown of Clanton was named Miss Congeniality and First Alternate, while Marie Smith of Clanton was named Second Alternate.
“I can truly say it’s such a pleasure to be elected Ms. Senior Chilton County,” Vance said. “To the best of my ability, I will serve my county’s senior citizens, and I’m very thankful that the people placed their confidence in me.”
For her talent, Vance sang “May I Have This Dance” by Anne Murray. She and the other contestants were judged in talent (30 percent), interview (30 percent), evening gown and poise (20 percent) and philosophy of life (20 percent).
After the pageant, family members, judges and pageant coordinators — including Director Wes Gandy and family — congratulated each contestant. Vance’s husband, Dalton, gave her a kiss and a bouquet backstage. Then family members and others posed for a photo session.
2009 Ms. Senior Chilton County Lucile McFarland said her farewells and officially passed the crown down to Vance.
“I don’t think this would be possible without the sponsors we have,” Gandy said. “We’ve had tons of support throughout Chilton County. The more aware the senior population is of this pageant, I think, the more participation there will be later down the road.”
Vance is married to Dalton Vance and is the mother of four children and grandmother of four.
The state pageant will be held May 8 at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison’s Justin Nemec on Wednesday signed to play college football for Faulkner.

As a senior defensive end for the Panthers, Nemec recorded 28 solo tackles and one fumble recovery.

“A lot of it has to do with his size and his quickness,” Jemison coach Brad Abbott said about Faulkner’s interest in Nemec. “He’s also got a 4.0 [GPA] and a 26 on his ACT.”

Nemec, who checks in at 6’3” and 220 pounds, actually played offensive tackle all four years of his varsity career, and only his senior season did he play defense.

Abbott’s decision to play Nemec on both sides of the ball worked out for Nemec because Faulkner recruited him as a defensive end, Abbott said.

“Just the atmosphere of it really,” Nemec said about what was attractive about Faulkner. “Everybody there is real nice. It just feels like home.”

Nemec also kicked off for the Panthers, which Abbott said demonstrates Nemec athleticism.

By Stephen Dawkins

Thorsby on Tuesday hit like a team in the midst of a playoff run instead of one playing its first game of the season.
The Rebels softball team pounded out six extra-base hits and 14 hits overall in a 15-5, five-inning win over visiting Verbena, who was also playing its season opener.
Ashlin Hilyer, Heather Day and Katie Barnett recorded three hits each.
Hilyer had two doubles, four RBI and four runs scored. Day recorded one double, four RBI and one run scored; and Barnett contributed a double, a triple, two RBI and one run.
Tiffany Morgan earned the win. She allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk over five innings while striking out nine Red Devils.
Haley Kelley and Chanin Hancock both doubled for Verbena. Kelley walked once, and Hancock, who suffered the loss on the mound, drove in a run.
Verbena leadoff batter Mattie Cleckler went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Ashlie Shiers drove in two runs.
Thorsby took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Verbena scored three runs in the top of the third.
The hosts answered with five runs—two on a Barnett triple—in the bottom half of the frame and had the lead for good.

By Stephen Dawkins

The coaches in Corey Clements’ life had a great influence on him.

Clements resigned as Thorsby’s basketball coach after five seasons but hopes he left the same kind of impression on his players.

“Probably the most important people for me growing up were my dad and the people that coached me,” Clements said.

Clements, 34, said he decided to resign so he could spend more time with his 3-year-old daughter, Molly.

“You miss a lot,” Clements said. “The thing about basketball that’s different than football is it’s two or three nights a week, and you’ve got five teams using one gym so you might not be done with practice until late.

“There were times, when we would play on Thursday and Friday, that I would put [Molly] to bed on Wednesday and not see her again until Saturday. That gets old.”

The resignation was accepted by the Chilton County Board of Education at Tuesday’s meeting.

Clements said the decision was still difficult because of all the benefits of the position, such as meeting new people. Clements said his favorite part of the job was getting to spend time with the players and be a part of their lives, as his coaches were his life.

Clements also struggled with the decision because he has been a part of Thorsby basketball for so long. As both a player and coach, Clements has been involved with the program for 18 years.

“It makes it real hard,” he said. “You think about all the people you played with and all the kids you coached. Maybe I’m just sentimental, but it still meant a lot to me to see that maroon and white jersey.”

Clements will still be a fixture at the school, teaching and coaching golf and football.

So, there will be more opportunities for Clements to impact the lives of students like the coaches he remembers so well: Barry Barnett, Clements’ youth league baseball coach for eight years; Jerry Stephens; Marvin Green, Clements’ first high school basketball coach; current Thorsby principal Russ Bryan; and Russell Ricks, who coached Thorsby baseball and basketball during Clements’ senior seasons.

“I loved my coaches, and I hope that the kids will feel that way about me.”