By Drew Granthum | Staff Writer

Thorsby’s Cody Carroll recently announced his intention to sign a baseball scholarship to Wallace Community College in Selma.

Carroll posted a 12-1 record with a 2.55 ERA this season for the Rebels. In 79.2 innings pitched, he struck out 115 batters, and allowed only 22 walks during Thorsby’s historic season. The team reached the state semifinals for the first time in school history.

He said he planned to continue pitching at Wallace and wherever he went after that.

“I hope to pitch for them, and play for them for a year or two, then transfer out to a bigger school,” he said.

Thorsby coach Ab Argent had nothing but praise for Carroll, the 2010 Clanton Advertiser Player of The Year.

“They’re getting a good pitcher, a good kid,” he said. “He meant a lot to our program. He’s a hard worker and comes from a good family.

Argent also said Carroll has the potential to become even better at the collegiate level.

“He’s got a lot of upside, and not a lot of innings pitched,” he said. “I wish we had him another year, and I wish him well.”

Carroll, who also had offers from Auburn-Montgomery and Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in Andalusia, said he chose Wallace because they would pay for tuition and books.

By Theadoris Morris

Following Thorsby’s annual Christmas parade on Saturday, Dec. 4, the Parent Initiative Team is hosting a fundraiser at Thorsby High School to raise money for new auditorium curtains.

A Christmas supper will be held in Thorsby’s lunchroom from 5–7:30 p.m.

Meal tickets are $5 and are being presold for adults and children.

“This is our first time doing this, but we hope to make it an annual event,” said Pam Price. “We hope it goes well because we have some good prizes.”

A child’s meal ticket includes one hotdog, chips, cookie and drink as well as a Christmas craft for the child to take home that night. The children’s meal and craft activity will take place in the Hunt Memorial Gym.

An adult ticket includes one bowl of soup, cornbread and dessert. Those who dine in at the school will be provided a drink.

In addition to the meal, a silent auction will be hosted by radio personality “Dollar Bill” Lawson from 6–8 p.m. in the Thorsby lunchroom.

Bingo cards will be sold at $1 per game, and door prizes will be given away throughout the night.

“The town hall is donating a big gift, and we have lots of gift cards for food places and gas cards,” said Price. “Each teacher at the school is coming up with a basket to give away.

“I’ve heard that teachers are putting together movie, music and candle baskets; I heard one teacher is even putting dollar bills on a wreath to give away.”

By Scott Mims

Thorsby’s annual Swedish Fest Pageant continues to see high participation, as a total of 86 contestants will compete Monday and Tuesday nights, Oct. 11-12.

The pageant will be held at the Thorsby High School auditorium at 6 p.m. both nights. Admission is $5 per person at the door.

There are six categories, which will be dovetailed over the two nights — Monday night, the Tiniest Miss (ages 2-4), Little Miss (8-10) and Junior Miss (13-15) will compete. On Tuesday night, the Tiny Miss (5-7), Young Miss (11-12) and Miss Swedish Fest (16-19) will compete.

Pageant Director Marika Porter said participation is about equal to that of last year.

“We’re running about 90 every year,” she said. “We’re very pleased with that.”

Contestants in the Miss Swedish Fest category will compete for a $1,000 scholarship, Porter said.

Also, for the first time, Junior Miss and Miss contestants will kick off the pageant with an opening dance number.

All winners will represent Thorsby at different events throughout the year such as parades, grand openings, Independence Day, Movies in the Park and Halloween on the Farm.

“We try to do anything affiliated with Thorsby,” Porter said.

The reigning Swedish Fest Queens are Makiley Porter (Tiniest), Gracie Owens (Tiny), Kaley Easterling (Little), Resha Grace (Young), Alyson Childress (Junior Miss) and Alyssa Childress (Miss).

Following are all contestants in the 2010 competition:

•Miss Swedish Fest: Connie Dale, Jonica Hicks, Marisa Hilyer, Linlee Karn, Haley Kelley, Caitlin Lucas, Macy McGriff, Lacey Mims, Candace Pierce, Kalyn Shannon, Brianna Veazey and Hanna Yeargan.

•Junior Miss: Kelsie Barrett, Kandice Cleckler, Darian Green, Laken Hayes, Alexis Mason, Marissa Muir, Anna Grace Parnell, Elizabeth Ray, Makenzie Ray, Catherine Rowe and Kelsea Smith.

•Young: Madison Gunn, Taylor Hayes, Shanda Manasco, Kayla McNeil, Mallory Stewart, Carlea Swindle, Hannah Tierce and Brooke Wilkerson.

•Little: Elizabeth Ann Alstott, Adi Piper Argent, Madalyn Barrington, Claea Bice, Stella Bice, Megan Black, Lacey Caudle, Jaden Chandler, Zoey Collum, Kinley Copen, Destiny Knight, Mary Addison Minor, Reagan Powell, Claire Staggs, Alyssa Stilwell, Taylee Sullivan, Zoey Watley and Lindsey Elizabeth Wood.

•Tiny: Hannah Benson, Alena Connell, Addyson Grace Gilliland, Addison Hayes, Laura Hayes, Emma Jones, Brooke Lewellen, Emilee Smith, Halle Sullivan, Haylie Patterson, Marybeth Porter, Olivia Claire Parker, Gracen Nicole Powell, Kalyn Smith, Kerragan Traywick, Abigail Whittle, Kailee Williams and Mattie Woodall.

•Tiniest: Caylene Bice, Anna Cate Burnett, Alli Kate Calhoun, Kylee Connell, Alexa Deavers, Allie Fulmer, Anna Gothard, Cresley Haggard, Anna Lewellen, Emma Grace Penley, Ella Claire Price, Lynnsie Shimel, Addison Spearman, Madison Taylor, Madison Thornton, Kallie Traywick, Caitlyn Varden, Addyson Williams and Mary Leigh Williams.

A hearty crowd turned out for some early morning summer baseball on Friday, as the Peach Classic Baseball Tournament continued with its second day of games at Clanton City Park.

The Thorsby Rebels scored eight unanswered runs to defeat the Benjamin Russell High School Wildcats 8-3.

Falling behind three runs in the second inning after a BRHS RBI single, the Rebels relied on Tanner Bush for a quick pick-me-up. Bush drove in one run, and another Thorsby player reached home on a throwing error, bringing the deficit to one run.

After THS’s Stewart Scott reached first on a blooper single, Matt Morgan brought him home with his own single, tying the game.

With victory in sight, the Rebels didn’t let up after that.

Blake Elkins ripped an RBI double, scoring Andrew Farris and Brantley Maddox for a two-run lead at 5-3 in the third inning. Adding another run was Elkins on another Bush single.

BRHS opted to change pitchers, but Thorsby wasn’t done with the onslaught. Wesley Smitherman smacked a two-run double, bringing home Farris and Bo Hoffman.

Cody Carroll started the game and picked up the win, as relief pitcher Stephen Mims entered the game in the fourth inning and allowed no runs.

Thorsby then played Holtville High School, whose players sat under the City Park shade to watch their next opponent’s victory.

THS coach Ab Argent is pleased with what he’s seen so far this summer, coming off of a victorious doubleheader at Isabella High School last week. With five seniors graduating two weeks ago, they’ve begun rebuilding the varsity baseball team. But Argent thinks the summer games will build skills and character as they make their transition.

“We’ve got a good nucleus,” he said. “We want to play these games to see who can do what. It’s a really good level of competition for our kids.

“It’s just a good chance for us to compete close to home against good teams like Benjamin Russell and Holtville.”

Thorsby defeated Holtville 2-1 in seven innings to complete the Friday doubleheader. Shane Beam started the game while Brantley Maddox, Bo Hoffman and Tanner Bush finished in relief.

By Ben Flanagan

Thorsby High School senior Lindsay Pease is a long way from home. A lot of miles separates Alabama and Wisconsin.

Actually, Pease has come to call Thorsby home. She was born in Waukesha but moved at 3 years old.

Either way, the move over to Jacksonville, Ala., shouldn’t be too tough. She’ll enroll at Jacksonville State University this fall to study secondary education mathematics to become a high school math teacher.

Her own math teacher inspired her to seek a similar career path. High school students don’t typically want to become math teachers while still in high school.

But maybe valedictorians do.

Pease learned she would walk away from THS with that distinction late last semester. Needless to say, she was thrilled by the honor, which she considers her greatest academic achievement so far.

“I was extremely excited,” Pease said. “I always dreamed about being valedictorian, and I was so glad I accomplished it.”

She accomplished much more on top of that feat. Pease was a member of the National Honor Society, the varsity softball team, BETA Club, FCCLA, Spanish Club. She also served as the editor of the school yearbook.

Her time spent working on the annual stands as her favorite collective high school memory.

“That’s what my whole senior year revolved around,” she said. “It was everything I hoped it would be. We’ve gotten a lot of great compliments, some people saying it’s the best we’ve ever had so far.”

She’ll have to look back on the yearbook to relive those fond memories as she moves on to that next step she so desires to take. Pease is ready for bigger and better things, though she will never lose sight of where she came from.

“I have a lot of great memories,” she said. “There are a lot of friends that I’m going to miss. Thorsby High School was a great school to go to.”

Pease said she will always cherish learning math and English under Kelly Crawford and Jeanette Williams, respectively. Pease’s parents are Jeff and Shari Pease. She has one sister, Jessica.

Army National Guard Pfc. Matthew D. Liveoak has graduated from Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox, Ky.
During the nine-week training period, the trainee received instruction in drill and ceremony, weapons, rifle marksmanship and bayonet training, chemical warfare, field training and tactical exercises, armed and unarmed combat, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, traditions, and core values.
Liveoak is the son of Jimmy and Janet Liveoak of Jemison.
The private is a 2005 graduate of Thorsby High School.