Benchmarks 2019 | Section E | Community (Part 1)

SECTION E

BENCHMARKS EDITION March 29, 2019

Page 2

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Friday, March 29, 2019

Tenn.’s Newest State Park Lies Within Easy Reach Of Greene County

BY CAMERON JUDD SUN COLUMNIST Greene Countians, who have long enjoyed the privilege of having a state park, national historic site and several local parks within the county’s borders, now have Tennessee’s newest state park within easy visiting distance.

The rugged Rocky Fork wilderness area, long treasured by East Tennessee nature lovers, hikers and conservation advocates, became Tennessee’s newest state park in 2012, opened to the public in 2015, and has developed since then.

Most recently, it gained an expanded name in honor of one of those who advocated and worked for it: United States Senator and former Tennessee governor Lamar Alexander.

The park’s website gives the following background: “Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park is 2,076 acres of scenic wilderness in Unicoi County, in the southern Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee. The park is approximately 30 minutes from both Johnson City and Asheville, N.C., and 10 miles from Erwin, the county seat.

“Part of the Rocky Fork watershed, the land was designated a Tennessee State Park in October 2012, but wasn’t fully opened and staffed until May 2015. As of January 2019, Rocky Fork State Park has been named after Senator Lamar Alexander for his continued efforts in keeping Tennessee a safe and healthy place to live.”

One of the key background figures behind the preservation of Rocky Fork, photographer and conservationist David Arthur Ramsey of Erwin, boosted public awareness of Rocky Fork through the 2018 publication of a book giving the background of the Rocky Fork preservation effort and presenting a gallery of scenic photographs of the site.

Ramsey told The Greeneville Sun in a 2018 interview that his role in the preservation effort focused mostly on communications between the various people and groups involved in the effort, and on serving as a spokesman for them for media purposes.

Most of the high-quality photos in the large-format book were made by Ramsey and fellow nature photographer Jerry D. Greer. Both are established photographers who live in Northeast Tennessee — Ramsey in Unicoi, Greer in Johnson City.

Ramsey wrote the text, with editing by Frances Figart. The book is copyrighted by Ramsey and Greer. The book’s title is “Rocky Fork: Hidden Jewel of the Blue Ridge Wild.”

The book lists what Ramsey calls the “Champions of Rocky Fork,” a group comprised of 38 individuals and 19 organizations instrumental in the fight to preserve the wilderness nature of the rugged area. Names on the list of individuals reveal the broad range of attention and support the project

SUN FILE PHOTO

Rocky Fork, long considered a high-priority land acquisition for the U.S. Forest Service, was named for the pristine stream that runs through it, which has been said to be the cleanest tributary of the Nolichucky River — Greeneville’s water source.

SUN FILE PHOTO

Sen. Lamar Alexander, center, poses with David Arthur Ramsey, left, and Jerry D. Greer in front of the new sign for Rocky Fork State Park, named for the senator in January. Ramsey, who was one of the original proponents of preserving the Rocky Fork area, has written a book about the effort, which features photos he and Greer took.

received, and include political and public figures from Tennessee and North Carolina such as Alexander, Bob Corker, Phil Bredesen, Heath Shuler, Richard Burr, Ed E. Williams III, Phil Roe, David Davis and others.

Ramsey, with a seemingly characteristic humility, did not include his own name in that list of 38 despite his extensive involvement in the process.

Since the book’s publication, Ramsey has made himself available as a public speaker about Rocky Fork.

One of his most recent presentations occurred in Greeneville at a “Friends of Scouting” breakfast hosted by local scouting leaders early this year.

Ramsey today finds a few take-aways in the turbulent twists and turns of legal and legislative efforts to preserve Rocky Fork. The first he mentions is that the

involvement of all those who made it happen, “is an example of what can happen when people come together in a common cause.”

He recalls hearings and meetings in which people from conflict-prone constituencies — environmentalists, hunters/fishers, mountain bikers, hikers, campers — lined up sideby-side, literally, to harmoniously advocate keeping Rocky Fork a protected wilderness.

A second take-away Ramsey cites: “Rocky Fork today would be little more than the front name on the gate of some private development if not for the leadership of Sen. Lamar Alexander.”

Alexander was one of the public officials who helped champion the Rocky Fork preservation cause and provided political muscle toward making the area

protected public land in 2008. Four years later, the new state park was instituted, ensuring accessibility and protection of the rugged wilderness well into the future.

Ramsey’s book details the machinations of that meticulous process in some detail.

Alexander wrote the foreword to Ramsey’s book, which is available through Ramsey’s website, www. ramseyphotos.com, and at Mahoney’s in Johnson City. Ramsey is a part-time employee of Mahoney’s, a store that sells gear for outdoor recreation aficionados.

The park is surrounded on three sides by the Cherokee National Forest, some of which is in Greene County. The steep, rugged terrain is drained by numerous cool mountain streams including its namesake, Rocky Fork Creek, which flows through the

park. The stream is located in the pristine Rocky Fork watershed and is noted for miles of excellent native trout fishing.

There are miles of old, unmarked logging and wildlife management roads in the area, a delight for hikers. A corridor of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Sampson Mountain Wilderness Area are nearby.

Detailed information about the park, including maps and directions, is available at tnstateparks. com/parks/info/rockyfork.

Information on that site is particularly relevant to those who wish to explore in the wilderness area, which is a habitat for bears and other wildlife varieties that merit cautious awareness on the part of human visitors.

At the January renaming ceremony at Rocky Fork,

Alexander said: “This means a lot to me,” adding that he was surprised at the honor but wished that the name could reflect all the people who had been involved.

“This park is a treasure as the upper East Tennessee gateway to the Appalachian Trail and will be important for the economy of this area.”

Alexander was influential in securing more than $30 million in federal funds to purchase the entire Rocky Fork area, which contains 10,000 acres of mountainous terrain with elevations as high as 4,800 feet. The land had been the largest unprotected tract of property within the Appalachian Mountains.

In announcing the renaming, then-Gov. Bill Haslam said, “This is an extraordinary place and we are naming it for an extraordinary person.”

Benchmarks E Story Index

Benchmarks E Advertiser Index

State’s Newest State Park Lies Within Easy Reach Of Greene County ............................. 2 Greeneville Football Goes Back To Back............................................................................ 3 Greeneville Boys Soccer Wins Back-To-Back State Titles ................................................. 3 Collins Makes Devils Believe In The Process After State Championship ......................... 4 Greene County Athletes, Teams Rack Up Accomplishments ............................................ 5 Reds Off To Successful Start In Greeneville ...................................................................... 6 Andrew Johnson National Cemetery Nearing Capacity .....................................................7 Foster Serving As Superintendent Of Johnson NPS Sites ................................................. 8 Awards Celebrate Community Volunteers, History Initiatives ......................................... 9 More Monuments Dedicated At Veterans Memorial Park ...............................................13 Greene County Fair Officials Hope Moving Up Dates Means Better Attendance ............15 Student-Athletes Honored At Best Of Preps Event ..........................................................16 George Clem School’s Legacy, Athletes Celebrated .......................................................... 17 Emotional ‘South Greene 5’ Program Hits Home ............................................................19

Air Pro Heating & Cooling .................................................................................................. 5 Apartment Guide ................................................................................................................ 9 Assisted Living Guide ......................................................................................................... 8 Building & Construction Guide .................................................................................14 & 15 City of Tusculum................................................................................................................ 11 Consumer Credit Union ..................................................................................................... 4 County Officials Guide .......................................................................................................18 Dental Guide ......................................................................................................................19 Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home ........................................................................................ 6 Eastman Credit Union .......................................................................................................10 Greeneville Federal Bank .................................................................................................. 17 Health & Wellness Guide ..................................................................................................12 Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service ................................................................................16 Landscaping & Lawn Care Guide ....................................................................................... 4 Legacy Fine Jewelers .......................................................................................................... 5 Legal Guide ......................................................................................................................... 8 Link Hills Country Club.......................................................................................................7 Lynn Hope Towing ........................................................................................................... 20 Recreation Guide ................................................................................................................ 8 State Farm/Lisa Crum .........................................................................................................7 Tusculum Monument Company ........................................................................................ 3 Veterinarian Guide ............................................................................................................13 Wine & Spirits Guide .........................................................................................................13

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

Page 3

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN BY DARREN REESE

The Greeneville Greene Devils celebrate their 56-21 win over Haywood in the Class 4A football state championship game at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville on Nov. 29.

Greeneville Goes Back To Back Devils Put Together Consecutive 15-0 State Championship Seasons

BY SAM BUNDY SPORTS EDITOR When the Greeneville Greene Devils football team defeated Haywood 56-21 at Tennessee Tech in November to complete its second straight 15-0 season and win its second straight Class 4A state championship, it was a back-to-back feat nearly a decade in the making.

Caine Ballard, who resigned as Greeneville’s football coach in January, had his eye on the majority of the players who made up Greeneville’s 27-member senior class since they first buckled their chin straps as pee wee players.

He thought they could be a special group, and he was right.

“I so wanted this group to (win back-to-back state championships), and I know how hard it is to do once let alone repeat,” Ballard said. “I knew this group was special when they were 8 or 9 years old.

A lot of them have played together since that time, 18 of the 27 seniors.

“We had our eye on this group a long time ago.

They bought in to the work. I don’t think anybody outworked us.”

Cade Ballard, Caine’s son, quarterbacked the Devils to both state titles.

He put up Playstation numbers this past season, completing 160 of 198 passes for 3,050 yards and 40 touchdowns while throwing just one interception.

Prior to Greeneville’s win over Haywood in the state championship game, Ballard was named Class

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

Greeneville quarterback Cade Ballard poses with his Mr. Football trophy on Nov. 25.

4A’s Mr. Football for the second straight season, the first Greene Devil to win the award twice.

Ballard is the fourth player from Greeneville to win Mr. Football. Dustin Moore won in 1993, Willie Carmichael won in 2010 and Terrell Rollins won in 2011.

Being a two-time winner not only put Ballard in special status among Greeneville athletes, but among athletes across the state.

Minnesota Viking AllPro Safety Harrison Smith,

Kentucky All-American and Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb, Tennessee quarterback and Colorado Rockies AllStar first baseman Todd Helton and Pro Bowl defensive lineman John Henderson are just a few of the great athletes to win just one Mr. Football, putting Ballard in truly special company with two.

“I think it speaks to the culture of our program.

We have been so consistent for years,” Cade Ballard said. “Some of those guys are unbelievable

athletes who were on great teams with great coaches I’m sure. They have gone on to do amazing things at the highest level. But at Greeneville, our coaches and our community and culture has built something special that has allowed this to happen.”

In addition to the Mr. Football award, Ballard was one of six Devils named to the Class 4A all-state team by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association.

Senior receivers Dorien

Goddard and Cameron Hite, and junior lineman Chris Everhart were named to the all-state offensive team.

Senior lineman Jacques Gillespie-Taylor and junior linebacker Ty Youngblood were named to the allstate defensive team.

Beyond wins and losses, beyond golden footballs, beyond individual superlatives, the true measure of success for Greeneville’s state championship football teams the past two years will be what becomes of its players in the game of life.

With the stroke of a pen in December, Ballard, Goddard and Hite got off to a heckuva start on their next chapters.

During college football’s early signing period, Ballard signed with Army, Goddard signed with Virginia and Hite signed with Wake Forest.

“I’m excited for the kids, excited for our school.

Just proud of these guys,” Caine Ballard said. “Look where they signed — Army, Wake Forest and Virginia. That says a lot about our school system preparing our kids academically to be able to go to such good schools.”

In February, four more Devils signed to play college football. Logan Shipley signed with East Tennessee State University, while Jaevon Gillespie, Jordan Gillespie and Tommy Taylor signed with the University of Virginia at Wise.

In January, Caine Ballard resigned as coach after leading Greeneville to

four state championships in 10 years.

Under Ballard, the Greene Devils went 12215, won their conference championship every year, went 31-6 in the playoffs and played in five state championships, winning titles in 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2018.

“When you’re starting out, you don’t even think about all we’ve been able to accomplish. But we’ve been able to get the right people around us and create a culture here that people want to be part of,” Caine Ballard said. “The culture is created around relationships. That coach’s office is as tight a group of men as you will find and that bleeds over to the locker room. When you have that, you can do some wonderful things.

“Four championships in 10 years and having played for five out of the 10 years, no other team east of Knoxville has done that in the last 25 years.

We’re super proud of that for sure.”

Adam Hansel served as interim coach until longtime assistant coach Dan Hammonds was named Ballard’s replacement in February.

“I’m honored to be able to continue to serve this community, our school, our student athletes and this football program in the capacity of head football coach,” Hammonds said. “This has been a program built by the work of many people and we look forward to being able to continue that success both on and off the field.”

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A celebration erupts as the Greeneville High School boys soccer team is awarded the 2018 TSSAA Class 2A State Championship trophy on May 25. The Greene Devils beat Loudon 3-0 in Murfreesboro.

Greeneville Boys Soccer Wins Back-To-Back State Titles

BY TATE RUSSELL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR The Greeneville soccer team came into the 2018 season with one goal in mind: repeating.

After six straight trips to Murfreesboro, the Devils finally broke through in 2017 and won the program’s first state championship. Since then, the only thing the

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guys in green and white had been thinking about was feeling that exhilaration of holding the state championship trophy once again.

In May at the Richard Siegel Soccer Park in Murfreesboro, nothing could deny Greeneville that opportunity as it overpowered Loudon in the closing stretch for SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 4

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Friday, March 29, 2019

Collins Makes Devils Believe In The Process After State Championship

BY SAM BUNDY SUN SPORTS EDITOR Since Andy Collins took over the Greeneville High School baseball program three years ago, the Greene Devils have made two state tournament appearances and won Greene County’s first baseball state championship at Middle Tennessee State University in May. With the Greene Devils having lost just three seniors off the state title team, some folks might be thinking the program is on its way to becoming a dynasty.

But Collins doesn’t want to think in those terms. Instead, he wants the Greene Devils and their fans to remember how the team got to this point.

“The kids are going to be high. The parents are going to be high. Winning a state championship tends to make people more results oriented,” he said. “For me, it hasn’t made me results oriented. It’s made me want to put more into the process, work harder at the process.

“You can’t at all worry about the results. My expectations aren’t to win a state championship again. My expectations are to field the ball well, throw the ball well, catch the ball well, hit the ball well. Work hard at all that and the results will be what they are. You have to have a lot of luck to get the results everybody wants. But you don’t have to have a lot of luck to work at it hard.”

From day one, that’s the approach Collins has wanted his players to have. And he believes it has been their willingness to trust the process and put in the hard work that has led them to greatness.

“The kids have to buy into it. You have to have Augustus

SOCCER

Fraley, Jordan Idell and Jake Goodwin — the three seniors we had — buy into it,” Collins said. “I’ve always gone into a program — whether it’s been Johnson High School, Norcross High School, Tusculum College or even what I did at Gardner-Webb before all that _ right when we go into a program, I maybe provide a sense of energy to it. I want to make sure we’re successful not just right off the bat, but three years, four years down the road as well.

“I’m just so excited about not just what we have done already, but I’m even more driven now.

I always felt like I was doing the right thing. You look back on it and say, ‘Man, what we did and how we did things worked.’ I hope it’s had the same affect on everybody else in the program where they can go, ‘What we’re doing is the right thing and it’s going to propel us even more.’”

The Greene Devils got off to a slow start to their state championship season. After six games, they were 2-4. But Collins sold his players on the mantra of keep grinding and good things will happen.

By the time the Greene Devils reached Murfreesboro for the state tournament, they were playing their best baseball.

Behind a shutout on the mound from Idell, the Greene Devils notched their first state tournament win in school history with a 3-0 victory over Smith County.

The Greene Devils then rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to beat Forrest High School 10-8 in their second game.

After that, the Greene Devils punched their ticket to the state championship game in dramatic fashion when Jacques Gillespie-Taylor belted a three-run,

pretty special.”

Earlier in the postseason, Thompson headed home Greeneville’s lone goal against Sevier County in the Region 1-2A championship game. In the state sectionals, he set up the goahead goal against Catholic with seconds left before halftime.

In the state championship match, he looked in a beautiful pass from J.P. Vital that bounced to his feet on the right side of the 18-yard box. Thompson put a quick touch on the ball to send it past Loudon keeper Noah Feezell just inside the left corner of the frame.

“I saw J.P. looking to the middle, and I had this lane open up on the side of the goal,” Thompson said. “J.P. laid it up perfect, and I just took a touch to finish it.

“It feels amazing to put in all this hard work all season and then see it pay off.

To see us come out on top just feels amazing.”

The goal broke open a scoreless tie in the 54th minute. It seemed to inspire Greeneville to go for more while taking some air out of the Redskins’ sails.

In the 67th minute, a Loudon player pushed over J.P. Vital at the edge of the box in a moment of frustration. The referee awarded a free kick from a few feet left of center. The Devils bench erupted in encouraging shouts of “Devin, that’s your spot!”

Junior center back

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

a 3-0 win that sent them home as Class 2A state champions.

“I am so elated that the boys had a chance to come back here and defend their state championship,” Greeneville coach Jerry Graham said. “We knew we had a quality team coming back this year. We set goals for the season, and their goal was to get back to this field and defend their state title. We never really worried about our record. We wanted to be prepared for games like this and teams like this.

“These guys were ready for it, and they achieved their goal.”

The Devils had to overcome two lightning delays that approached two hours in length. They then had to play on a wet track for the second half, but nothing would stand in their way.

Senior Ryan Thompson had a knack for making big plays in both of the Devils’ title runs. And against the Redskins, he stepped up right on cue.

“I can’t be more proud of any kid than I am of Ryan Thompson,” Graham said.

“He’s a kid that went into a little scoring slump in the middle of the year. We kept telling him that his time was going to come, and did it ever. To break open the game as a senior, that is

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The Greeneville High School Greene Devils celebrate in a dog pile after defeating Riverside High School 11-0 in five innings to win the 2018 TSSAA Class 2A Baseball State Tournament on May 25.

walk-off homer to beat Forrest again, this time 7-5.

And once the Greene Devils took the field at Middle Tennessee State University’s Reese Smith Jr. Field for the state title game, there was no denying them. They run-ruled Riverside 11-0 in five innings to bring home the state championship trophy.

“It wasn’t about me. It was about the kids,” Collins said. “I think they set out to play good baseball and the results took care of themselves.”

In January, Idell was named Class 2A Player of the Year and Collins was named Class 2A Coach of the Year by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association.

Devin Vital, J.P.’s twin brother, came forward and slammed home a goal that allowed Greeneville to take a breath for the first time all night.

“I practice a lot on the free kicks and I was just thinking this is my time to step up,” Devin Vital said.

“Everybody knows that spot is my spot. If the ball is there, I’m going to take the shot. It felt good that my teammates had my back. I just saw the goalie in the middle of the frame, so I hit it as hard as I could to the right side.”

J.P. Vital finished the night’s scoring in the 78th minute when he came fly-

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN BY KENNETH CUMMINGS/JACKSON SUN

Greeneville High School’s Jordan Idell kisses the 2018 TSSAA Class 2A Baseball State Tournament championship trophy after the Greene Devils defeated Riverside High School 11-0 in five innings on May 25.

ing in for a header that got past Feezell.

On the other end of the field, Greeneville’s defense was once again impenetrable most of the evening.

Keeper Quinten Mitchel only had one shot make it to him all night, and the Redskins were only able to get four shots off against the swarming pressure of Devin Vital, Will Albright, Malachi Ashley and Bryant Renner. Midfielders Matthew Fisher, Josh Sanchez and Cade Miles were also key in keeping the ball away from Loudon.

To get to the state championship match, the Devils had to win some hard-

fought postseason contests.

That started with a trip to Sevierville for the Region 1-2A championship. The Devils took a 1-0 win over Sevier County because of a leaping header by Thompson on a rainy afternoon.

Greeneville advanced to the state sectionals where it hosted Knoxville Catholic. The Greene Devils fell behind early in that contest because of a fluke goal the Irish deflected in on a clearing kick. Greeneville moved in front with 15 seconds remaining in the first half when J.P. Vital headed in a cross from Thompson.

Greeneville went on to win 3-1.

Greeneville opened the Class 2A state tournament by cruising to a 6-1 win over Lexington. J.P. Vital scored twice while Miles, Renner, Devin Vital and Connor DeBusk each found the back of the net once.

The Devils had little trouble in the state semifinals, defeating Stratford 5-1 to advance to the state championship match for the second consecutive season.

J.P. Vital earned a hat trick in the win while Miles and Sanchez added goals.

After the season, J.P. Vital, Devin Vital and Mitchel all were named to the TSWA Class 2A All-State team.

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

Page 5

Greene County Athletes, Teams Rack Up Accomplishments

BY TATE RUSSELL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Several Greene County athletes had memorable seasons this year with a dozen qualifying for state in various sports and three claiming individual state championships.

WRESTLING Greeneville’s Trent Knight won his third individual state championship when he defeated Allen Ashworth of Whitwell 15-0 in the 182 pound title match. The technical fall came after three pins in the earlier portion of the tournament. Because of his dominating run through the bracket, Knight was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Class A/2A tournament.

Knight also became Greeneville wrestling’s first three-time state champion. “I’m excited, I’m relieved and I’m just filled with energy,� Knight said. “This is a great feeling to be a three-time state champ, to be the first three-timer from Greeneville is awesome.�

Greene Devil freshman Kodiak Cannedy also took home gold at the Class A/2A state tournament at 126 pounds. He pinned Greenbrier’s Nathan Ford in his championship match. He, like Knight, dominated his bracket, pinning his way all the way through while not ever making it to the third period.

Four other Greeneville wrestlers earned medals at the state tournament. Josh Wallin (106) and Bransen O’Dell (152) finished fourth in their weight classes, while Timmy Charpenter (120) and Robert Freeman (160) earned fifth-place medals.

As a team, Greeneville

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

Greeneville’s Trent Knight waves to the crowd while gesturing the number three after winning his third individual state championship in Franklin.

SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL

placed third in the points standings at the individual state tournament.

The Devils’ LeAndre Dabney, George Duncan, Isaac Haynie and Morgan Montgomery, and West Greene’s Colby Johnson and Tommy Jordan, also qualified for the state tournament.

West Greene senior Kelsi Broyles became the school’s first four-time state medalist after she placed third at 112 pounds.

As a freshman, Broyles placed sixth in her weight class. As a sophomore, she came in second. And as a junior, she finished sixth. “This is bittersweet. I really don’t want it to end, but I’ve got bigger things coming,� Broyles said. “It feels great to wrestle well the last time I wrestle for West Greene, and to finish

today with the highest medal I could come away with.�

West Greene’s Layken Begley (215) earned a sixth-place medal at state.

At the Class A/2A dual wrestling state tournament, Greeneville came in third place when it defeated Hixson 36-34. It came down to the final weight class where Wallin earned a pin and six team points to swing the final result in the Devils’ favor.

The Devils defeated Alcoa 47-36 and Fairview 37-33 to advance through the tournament’s consolation bracket.

TRACK AND FIELD West Greene’s Faith Julian won the Small School State Championship in girls pole vault to highlight

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West Greene’s Faith Julian clears the bar on her ďŹ nal attempt of the day to win the state championship at the state track meet.

local athletes’ strong showing at the state meet.

In a jump-o with Happy Valley’s Natalie Newsome, Julian cleared eight feet to claim the gold medal in dramatic fashion. “I knew that this was going to be my last jump ever. I had made eight feet earlier and I knew I could do it,â€? Julian said. “I had worked so hard to get here and just told myself that if I could do this, it’s over. I knew how disappointed I would be if I didn’t get it, and I just gave it everything. I felt like I had practiced and prepared, but I was exhausted and that

jump was just adrenaline.�

It was a strong day overall for West Greene pole vaulters as Colton Fulk and Chase Jennings finished tied for third in the boys event, while Christiana Ricker was seventh and Lexie Smith was eighth in the girls event.

West Greene’s Juliun Lane came in second in the state decathlon and fifth in the state triple jump. He also qualified for state in the high jump, 300 hurdles and 110 hurdles.

Haley Kells came in sixth in the girls’ triple jump and Abbey King came in eighth in the girls high jump.

West Greene’s Tristan Biddy, Baleigh Teeteller-Malone, Sierra Garber and Hannah Gulley also qualified for the state meet.

Greeneville’s Ty Youngblood qualified for the Large School State Meet in the 110 meter hurdles.

GOLF The South Greene boys golf team qualified for the state tournament for the second year in a row after winning the Small School Region 1 Tournament. The Rebels came in sixth at SEE ATHLETES ON PAGE 6

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Friday, March 29, 2019

Reds Off To Successful Start In Greeneville Despite finishing last in the Appalachian League’s West Division with a 2840 record, the Greeneville Reds’ inaugural season at Tusculum University’s Pioneer Park was a success at the gate.

The Reds, who replaced the Astros in Greeneville following the 2017 season, had the largest per-game attendance increase among all rookie league teams and the second largest increase among all minor league teams.

The Reds had a total attendance of 48,021 last summer, and their 1,529 per game average was 410 better than the Astros in 2017.

The increase in attendance can likely be attributed to the team’s affiliation with the Reds, whose major league team in Cincinnati is nearly as close to Greeneville as the Braves in Atlanta.

The Greeneville Reds are operated by Boyd Sports, which also operates the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in Kodak and the Johnson City Cardinals and Elizabethton Twins of the Appalchian League, all of which have long been successful franchises.

“Nothing against the Astros, but the Astros are a long way away. Houston is not very close,” said former Greeneville general manager Brian Cox during the Reds’ Fan Fest at Pioneer Park in June. “The Reds are five hours away.

And when you think about it, before the Braves were in Atlanta, this really was Reds country. For a long time, the Reds were the closest major league team to Greeneville.

“To get that genuine excitement from folks about Reds and baseball, that’s because Reds fans have really always been here.”

There might not have been a bigger baseball fan at Fan Fest than 97-yearold Arthur Ricker Sr. of Tusculum. Ricker, a World War II veteran, started following the Reds

and players like Johnny Vander Meer via transistor radio in the 1930s.

Ricker recalls Vander Meer being the only pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to pitch back-to-back no-hitters.

He pulled for Johnny Bench, Pete Rose and the World Series champion Big Red Machine during the 1970s, and he used to attend Reds’ games at old Crosley Field when visiting relatives in Cincinnati.

Now Ricker gets to watch the Reds’ rookies develop at Pioneer Park. He threw out a first pitch prior to the start of Greeneville’s season opener.

“I was very well pleased (with the Reds replacing the Astros),” said Ricker, who attended Fan Fest with Edith, his wife of 72 years. “I’m glad it turned out like it did.”

Gookie Dawkins, a former major-league infielder with the Reds and Royals, managed Greeneville last season and is slated to manage the team again this summer.

Shortstop Miguel Hernandez led the Reds with a .301 (66-for-219) batting average last summer.

He had 11 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 29 RBI. First baseman/third baseman Rylan Thomas led the Reds with 10 home runs and drove in 33 runs, while second baseman Jonathan Willems hit eight homers with a team-best 39 RBI. Right-hander Josiah Gray was the Reds’ top pitcher. A second-round pick by Cincinnati in the 2018 draft, Gray went 2-2 with a 2.58 earned run average. In 52⅓ innings, Gray gave up 29 hits, walked 17 and struck out 59.

Gray was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason.

Kristen Atwell was promoted from assistant general manager to GM in November.

Atwell previously served as a graduate assistant coach with the Tusculum College women’s bas-

ATHLETES

the opening round of their tournaments.

BY SAM BUNDY SPORTS EDITOR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

state, shooting a two-day total 662.

North Greene’s Ricky Compton was the highest finishing local golfer, shooting 159 for a 17th place finish. West Greene’s Ty Sauceman placed 20th after shooting a 160. South Greene’s Hunter Hartman (162), Isaac Hoese (163), Peyton Humphreys (167) and Landon Brown (170) all finished in the top 40 as individuals.

In the girls’ state tournament, Mackenzie Evans of West Greene shot a 204 to come in 34th.

CROSS COUNTRY The West Greene and Chuckey-Doak boys cross country teams finished in 10th and 14th place respectively at the state meet in the fall. Chuckey-Doak’s Dillon Messermore was the top local finisher at 14th, and the Knights’ Irving Medina was next to cross in 35th. Joey Willims was West Greene’s top finisher in 49th.

In the girls’ event, South Greene came in 18th as a team led by Morgan Greer, who came in 61st.

TENNIS Four local athletes advanced to the state tournament in tennis.

Greeneville’s Sydni Lollar advanced to the Large School girls individual tournament and South Greene’s Jaelyn Casteel qualified for the Small School girls individual tournament. In doubles, South Greene’s Landon Brown and Turner Reaves qualified for the Small School tournament. All local competitors fell in

BOWLING The Greeneville boys bowling team defeated Cherokee to win the Region 1 Tournament and advance to the state tournament.

The Devils fell to 25-2 to Bartlett in the opening round of the state tournament.

Chuckey-Doak’s Lane Bolton qualified for state as an individual and rolled a 174 average at state.

BASKETBALL The South Greene girls advanced the state tournament for the 30th time in program history. The mark tied the Lady Rebels with Bradley Central for the most state tournament appearances in state history.

The Lady Rebels defeated Grainger for both the District 2-2A and Region 1-2A titles. They then beat Gatlinburg-Pittman 65-60 in the state sectionals.

South Greene fell to Westview 54-42 in the state quarterfinals to wrap up a 28-5 season.

After averaging 24.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.7 assists per game, senior guard Braelyn Wykle was named a finalist for Miss Basketball.

VOLLEYBALL The South Greene volleyball team won both the District 1-A and Region 1-A tournaments and advanced to the state tournament for the 10th consecutive season by making easy work of Copper Basin with a 25-6, 25-5, 25-11 win in the state sectionals.

At the state tournament, the Lady Rebels beat Memphis East 3-0 and

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN BY JOHNNY PAINTER

Greeneville Reds manager Gookie Dawkins talks with fans during the Reds’ Fan Fest at Pioneer Park in June.

ketball program, while also serving as director of women’s basketball operations for one year at Tusculum.

Atwell was also a stadium operations intern for the Pulaski Yankees during the 2017 Appy League season.

“What an amazing opportunity I have been given to fulfill a dream I have had since I was a little girl,” Atwell said.

“Working in Minor League Baseball is one blessing, but being able to run a franchise is another blessing that is finally putting all of my hard work over the years in the spotlight.

“I have lived in Greeneville for almost four years now and can honestly say that I genuinely cherish this community and appreciate their support of our team. ... I am excited to continue to work with our season ticket holders, corporate partners and loyal fan base.”

The Greeneville Reds will kick off the 2019 Appy SUN PHOTO BY TATE RUSSELL League season at Pioneer Park against the Kingsport Greeneville’s Josiah Gray pitches against the Pulaski Yankees during the 2018 Appalachian League season.

Mets on June 18.

Gatlinburg-Pittman 3-1 to be one of the final four teams standings in Murfreesboro. South Greene was eliminated from the tournament with a 3-0 loss to Sale Creek.

South Greene’s Mercedes Collins and Wykle both were named to the Class A All-State team by the TSWA.

SOCCER The Greeneville girls soccer team advanced to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive season and advanced to the state semifinals.

The Lady Devils defeated Elizabethton 9-0 to win the District 1-2A title. They then fell to Seymour 1-0 in the Region 1-2A championship game.

The Lady Devils then took a hard-fought 2-1 win at Knoxville Catholic in the state sectionals to earn a trip to Murfreesboro.

Emily Graham scored just before halftime to put Greeneville in front. Then in the second half, Olivia Brooks headed home a corner kick from Kenly Wilhoit to give Greeneville some breathing room.

In the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament, Greeneville defeated East Hamilton 4-2.

Graham, Macy Vermillion, Lindsey Cook and Ally Johnson all scored in the win. The Lady Devils outshot East Hamilton 40-2.

Greeneville’s offense dried up in the state semifinals against Beech.

The Lady Devils played to a scoreless tie through regulation and then four overtime periods before falling on penalty kicks 5-4.

After the season, Mic Kreibel earned All-State honors, as did Madison Barkley of Chuckey-Doak.

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

Page 7

Andrew Johnson National Cemetery Nearing Capacity

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER For more than 100 years, the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery has been an option as a final resting place for local veterans.

However, that may no longer be the case soon as the cemetery has almost reached its burial capacity.

Two cremation sites remain currently available for new burials, according to the National Park Service.

“Unfortunately, when those sites are filled, we will be considered ‘inactive’ for the first time,” said Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Superintendent Dave Foster. “While we are active, we can accept new burials. After we become inactive, veterans will then have the options to go to Mountain Home or to a private cemetery.”

The Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson

City, operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is the closest cemetery to Greene County that is dedicated to the burial of veterans.

However, after the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery becomes inactive, it will not mean that burials will cease.

According to National Park Service regulations, spouses, minor children and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children of veterans are also eligible for burial in a national cemetery, which may result in burials for several years on Monument Hill. Eligible spouses may be buried even if they also predecease the veteran.

Burials of veterans whose spouse has already been interred at the cemetery will continue as well as interments for spouses and children of a veteran already buried, Foster said.

The Andrew Johnson

National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 2,000 veterans, and is one of the few operated by the National Park Service that include individuals who served in conflicts after the Civil War. Buried on Monument Hill are veterans from the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the War Against Terrorism (Afghanistan).

Burials are scheduled at the time of death of the veteran, spouse or child.

Interment in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery is open to all members of the Armed Forces and veterans having met minimum active service duty requirements who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, according to the

SUN FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU

Cub Scouts Thomas Messer, standing, and Colten Brown, kneeling, place American flags on graves at the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in observance of Memorial Day.

SEE CEMETERY ON PAGE 8

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Volunteers Larry Aguilar, left, and Maryann Both collect wreaths from tombstones in February at the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. The cemetery has almost reached capacity.

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The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Friday, March 29, 2019

Foster Serving As Superintendent Of Johnson NPS Sites

BY CAMERON JUDD SUN COLUMNIST When former Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Superintendent Lizzie Watts departed Greeneville in January 2017 to become superintendent of three National Park Service sites in West Virginia, the question of who would replace her became a conversation point in the community.

Watts left a legacy of community relationships, with rapport among veterans and veterans groups among the historic site’s stakeholders because of the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.

The process of replacing her was carried out in an unhurried, studious manner. Several members of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site and National Cemetery staff, as well as other National Park Service associates from other areas, served as interim superintendents over a period of months, essentially serving as an on-the-job application/ audition process.

On Thursday, March 15, 2018, NPS Southeast Regional Director Stan Austin announced the selection of David Foster as superintendent of the site and the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.

“David is a highly disciplined leader who engenders trust, cooperation and respect,” Austin said in a news release. “His focus on strategy and stakeholder engagement will serve David well as he launches a

David Foster

new chapter as park superintendent.”

Foster joined the NPS in 2009 after having served 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps with deployments to Kuwait, Iraq and the Horn of Africa in support of the global war on terrorism.

While in the military, he held leadership assignments at the company and battalion levels and retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Foster began his NPS career as a subject-to-furlough maintenance worker at the Blue Ridge Parkway and has since served as a maintenance worker, utility systems operator, maintenance supervisor and facility manager on the Parkway. In 2014, Foster was selected by his peers to receive the class leadership award upon graduating from the NPS Facility Manager Leaders Program.

“I am honored to be selected as the next superintendent at Andrew Johnson National Historic Site

CEMETERY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

National Park Service.

Also eligible are members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who die while on active duty or performing training duty, or who have 20 years of service in reserve components of the Armed Forces creditable for retired pay.

While the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery is currently the only national or state cemetery dedicated to veterans’ burial locally, there are other locations in the region that have available space.

“Andrew Johnson National Cemetery has provided a wonderful final resting place for over 2,000 of our country’s heroes, and I wish it were possible for the cemetery to continue offering burials well into the future,” said Congressman Phil Roe (R-1). “Since we first learned the cemetery was running out of space, my staff and I have examined additional options for a possible path forward, and unfortunately, there do not appear to be any possible solutions given the lack of contiguous property available.”

“Eligible veterans can rest assured that should they wish to be buried in East Tennessee, there is available space at Mountain Home Cemetery, which has contiguous expansion options available should they be needed in the future,” Roe continued. “I am committed to ensuring every veteran who serves honorably is laid to rest with the kind of respect they have earned.”

The Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City is operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“We remain committed to our Tennessee Veterans and their families by continuing to expand and maintain the Mountain Home National Cemetery as the national shrine it is,” said Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves. “The most recent expansion created additional burial capacity and we have plans to open new burial sections over the next few years.”

Mountain Home is one of the 133 national cemeteries operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. Eligibility requirements

and National Cemetery. As a veteran, I am especially humbled by the privilege of overseeing one of the final resting places for our nation’s heroes,” Foster said.

“I am excited and look forward to working with the amazing park staff, volunteers and community in preserving this national treasure.”

Born and reared not far from Northeast Tennessee in western North Carolina, Foster earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.

At the time of his appointment, Foster and his wife Terri lived in Bedford, Virginia. They have two children: Autumn, a graduate of Liberty University, and Brian, a senior at Regent University at the time of his father’s appointment.

A May 2018 reception welcomed Foster to Greeneville. Andrew Johnson Heritage Association hosted the event with support from Andrew Johnson Bank at the Andrew Johnson Clubhouse.

“It is important to welcome David Foster to our community and recognize the excellent work done by the staff of the site. We are very fortunate to have a national park in our community, which not only preserves the history of our 17th president but also tells the story of a critical period in American history,” said Joyce Doughty

on behalf of AJHA. “It is an honor to not only be the site of the President Johnson’s home and final resting place, but also the final resting place of our honored veterans.”

Andrew Johnson National Cemetery, cared for by park staff, is one of only two nationwide actively administered by the National Park Service.

The other is Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia.

With annual visitor levels exceeding 50,000, the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site provides a significant economic impact in the community.

The park also offers educational opportunities. In 2018, more than 700 students participated in programs such as one focusing on African-American history, presented

by Bright Star Touring Theater, and another by a visiting group of Navajo Dancers.

Both programs were sponsored by AJHA, an organization that has become a strong touchpoint between the NPS site and the Greeneville-Greene County community and has been designated its official “friends” group.

The nonprofit association was founded in 1982

by President Andrew Johnson’s great-granddaughter, Margaret Johnson Patterson Bartlett. Its mission is to perpetuate Johnson’s legacy, particularly in support of public history education, including that carried on routinely at the

for interment in these cemeteries are similar to those required for the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.

Since the announcement was made a few years ago that Monument Hill was nearing capacity, there have been proposals discussed publicly of sites for an annex to the national cemetery. One is a portion of the former Greene Valley Developmental Center property. Another is space at Kinser Park.

No action has been taken about either proposal. Both would require measures by several state and federal governmental entities if pursued.

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Hill. A temporary exhibit, “Handmade with Love,” featured small items that the Johnson family used for sewing and sending greeting cards, at the Johnson homestead during the holiday season.

The historic site also regularly carries out public activities involving proper protocol for retiring flags, decoration of veteran graves by scouting groups and others, and more.

Representatives of the Johnson sites are frequent participants in community festivals such as the Emancipation Day celebration held near the former George Clem School site.

They also take part in educational local library events and programs at area schools.

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Johnson historical sites.

Educational activities at the Johnson sites include frequent visits by school field trip groups, senior citizen organizations, church groups and bus tour participants.

The Johnson sites offered several special public programming events throughout 2018, both before and after Foster’s appointment. Some of these were held in conjunction with site-relevant national holidays.

Free ranger-led tours of the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery were held in May in observance of Memorial Day. President’s Day activities also took place, including a walking tour of the Johnson grave area on Monument

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GreenevilleSun.com

Friday, March 29, 2019

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Greeneville Mayor W.T. Daniels, left, and Exchange Club Book of Golden Deeds Chairman Kidwell King, right, present Exchange Club of Greeneville’s highest honor to Dr. George Blanks, center.

Exchange Club member Bill Onkst, right, presents an award to Frank Mengel in recognition of his support of the club. Mengel was recognized with a rare award presented to non-members who “go the extra mile” to assist the club.

Awards Celebrate Community Volunteers, History Initiatives

Guide ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

BY SARAH R. GREGORY ASSISTANT EDITOR Civic club awards and other honors in the last year have celebrated local citizens committed to volunteerism and preservation of the community’s history.

Dr. George Blanks, of Greeneville, was bestowed Exchange Club of Greeneville’s highest honor, the Book of Golden Deeds, in a June ceremony. The award recognizes his volunteerism and “track record of continued, unselfish giving.”

At the same event, the Exchange Club presented Frank Mengel, of Greeneville, with a rare award for non-members for his routine, behind-the-scenes work to ensure the club’s activities and events are successful.

Also in spring 2018, several citizens and initiatives dedicated to preservation of Greene County history were recognized with Awards of Excellence from the East Tennessee Historical Society.

Carolyn Gregg earned an Award of Distinction for her role in preservation of Blue Springs Lutheran Church and Cemetery.

The Greene County Genealogical Society and Stevie Hughes received an Award of Distinction for a three-volume series on Greene County’s Civil War veterans.

Greeneville Greene County History Museum was awarded a Community History Award for restoration of its Earl W. Fletcher Jr. Memorial Veterans Gallery.

Greene County’s Steve Ricker was presented the Award of Excellence for Lifetime Achievement in Living History Interpretation.

BLANKS GETS BOOK OF GOLDEN DEEDS As is custom leading up to the annual ceremony each June, Blanks’ selection as the Exchange Club’s Book of Golden Deeds recipient was kept a closely guarded secret.

The award has been presented locally since 1966 and nationally since 1919. The roster of local honorees includes prominent names like Clyde B. Austin, Dr. C.B. Laughlin, Edith O’Keefe Susong, Dr. Hal Henard, Scott M. Niswonger and others.

Highlighting a slate of activities, events, initiatives and more that Blanks has been involved with, Greeneville Mayor W.T. Daniels said before announcing Blanks as the honoree, “This person has done more for this community accidentally than most people have done on purpose.”

Among undertakings listed were Blanks’ membership on the Greeneville Greene County History Museum Board of Directors and his work on artifacts

there; volunteerism and maintenance efforts at the Dickson-Williams Mansion, including the popular Lyrics on the Lawn summer concert series hosted by Main Street: Greeneville; re-enactments as both a Union General and a Confederate soldier for students, tourists and others; numerous projects with the Greene County Heritage Trust; and a slate of initiative in the arts, music and education, including his roles with Washington College Academy and its school of Arts and Crafts.

MENGEL GOES ‘THE EXTRA MILE’ At the same June ceremony, Exchange Club leaders made another surprise move, presenting a rare award to non-member Frank Mengel.

Exchangite Bill Onkst took the podium for the uncommon award, saying, “Sometimes … there’s someone who goes the extra mile, even if they’re not a member of the club. They see a need and they fill it, or they see a problem, and they step up and solve it.”

Mengel’s wife, Paige, is an active club member, meaning he often attends events like the club’s annual banquet, activities and community service projects.

Club members said Mengel often fixes issues with audio/visual equipment, has written computer programs to track and display statistics at the group’s annual Field Day athletic event for kids and the numbers drawn at its annual Extravaganza.

Additionally, Mengel provided space for the club to safely store its more than 700 American flags placed at Veterans Memorial Park each year to honor Greene County soldiers killed in action; he has also been responsible for hauling them, repairing them when needed and caring for the labels that designate each to a particular soldier.

HISTORY INITIATIVES RECOGNIZED Several volunteers and initiatives dedicated to preserving and promoting Greene County history were recognized in 2018 by the Eas Tennessee Historical Society.

Gregg’s Award of Distinction recognizes her status as historian for the Blue Springs Historical Association and follows her compilation of the book “The History of Blue Springs Church and Cemetery, 1811-2016.”

The work includes biographies and photos of the church’s ministers. Another work, “Blue Springs Church, Community, and Colleges” by Gregg SEE AWARDS ON PAGE 11

Page 9

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Friday, March 29, 2019

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