Aug/Sept 2011 Effingham Magazine

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Join Us In Celebrating

5 YEArs

Effingham Magazine Will Be Celebrating It’s 5 Year Anniversary With Our October/November 2011 Issue!

You don’t want to miss out on being a part of this exciting issue! We have tons of surprises in store!

Call your sales rep today to find out how you can promote your business in this special edition.

Look for your invitation to our anniversary party!

Details coming soon!

108 International Drive P.O. Box 1742 Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 827-2760

CONTENTS August/September 2011

sports profiles

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Hall of Famer Former Effingham County football coach Bob Griffith.

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SEHS Softball South Effingham senior Courtney Jenkins.

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Equestrian Champ South Effingham junior Lauren Thompson.

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SEHS Football South Effingham senior Josh Mercer.

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Speedracer

Rincon resident Karla Jacoby races at Oglethorpe Speedway.

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ECHS Football Effingham County senior L.T. King.

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ECHS Softball Effingham County junior Maddie Evans.

36

Bass Fishing Springfield resident Corey Phillips goes national.

50 departments

09 Publisher’s Thoughts

Savannah Christian Effingham resident Donald Chumley leads the Raiders.

SEHS Cheerleading South Effingham junior Caroline Rietkovich.

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ECHS Cheerleading Effingham County senior Abi Johnson.

11 Editor’s Letter 55 Effingham Weddings 61 Dining Guide

PUBLISHER’S Thoughts

On the Cover

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It’s Been Five Years Already!!!!

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W ECHS football player L.T. King and SEHS softball player Courtney Jenkins.

Cover Photo by Todd Wood

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hat an exciting time for Effingham Magazine! This issue serves as the last one of our first full five years! It is hard to believe we have been publishing this magazine for five years……I suppose it is true…..“Time flies when you’re having fun!”

And fun we have had! These last five years have been a remarkable experience.

We have been able to bring you stories of some of the best “subjects” in Effingham County. We have met some terrific people on this journey…… reunited with old friends, made great new ones and have experienced firsthand some things people only dream of.

We have been telling you for a while you will start seeing some new and exciting things from us here at Effingham Magazine. This issue certainly will be proof of that!

This serves as our very first ALL sports edition! We have had so much fun doing this issue. As you know, Todd and I both have sports backgrounds….so diving into this edition has been fun for us both!

We have put together a pretty diverse sports issue….including features from football to softball to horseback riding….and throwing in some auto racing and pro fishing..... not to mention a few others you will see!

Effingham County is known for its love of sports. I think we Julie Hales, Publisher have compiled a very nice issue to highlight some of the best here in our community.

Our next issue, October/November, will serve as our 5 Year Anniversary issue.

This will be a special issue for us, as we recap some of our favorites throughout the last five years and bring you some exciting new things that you will not want to miss!

And, as with any anniversary, we will be having a huge party to celebrate. The plans are “in the works” and details of this special evening will be available soon.

(Visit us at www.effinghammagazine.com or follow us on Facebook) A special thanks to all of you for making the first five years of Effingham Magazine truly amazing! We hope to see you at the party!

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 09

CONTRIBUTORS most memorable sports moments

Laura Kilborn

Clark Byron

My father had been trying for hours to teach me to ride a two-wheeler on our long, curving driveway. He was a patient man, but my ineptitude led him finally to go mow the lawn before it got too hot. But I was determined to do it, and I kept trying until that moment of pure, hallelujah joy when I finally got going – and kept going.

I shrieked for his attention at my moment of triumph, a bliss so sublime that I can recall it like it was last week.

My red-and-white Sears one-speed has long since given way to a carbon fiber-titanium racer, and my adventures have taken me kitesurfing in Australia, hiking in the Himalayas and scuba diving off Bora Bora. But the apex of my athletic experience was that long ago golden morning when I learned to fly on two wheels.

June 5, 1989 – Royals Stadium in Kansas City vs.

Seattle. Tied 3 – 3, top of the 10th. Mariners’ Harold Reynolds on first. Hit-and-run is on. Scott Bradley doubles to deep left. Bo Jackson fields the ball cleanly and from more than 300 feet away throws Reynolds out at the plate!

Katie Turner

My most memorable sports moment was my senior year of high school, playing soccer for SEHS. ECHS vs.

SEHS is always a huge rivalry, but I scored two goals in a row against ECHS in that game. Not only did we win, but I also got my picture on the cover of the sports section in the paper-and in color! Ah, the GLORY!

Barbara Russell

I was at the Orange Bowl the night of Doug Flutie’s ‘Hail Mary’ pass, when Boston College beat Miami with only seconds left on the clock. It looked like Miami had won and people started leaving. We stayed, knowing ‘it’s not over until it’s over,’ and how true it was that night!

Ray Steele

Originally, my favorite moment happened October 14, 1992 when, after years of watching my Atlanta Braves lose, Francisco Cabrera’s 9th inning, Game 7 hit sent the Braves to the World Series. Then, a couple years ago, my wife and kids attended a Savannah Sand Gnats game in which I was the public address announcer for the first time. I later found out my oldest daughter, who was six at the time, spent much of the time mimicking me and doing her own play-by-play commentary, That commentary included burning questions for her audience such as, in reference to some headgear she was wearing at the time, “Do you like my fabulous bunny ears?” As they say, the crowd went wild for that one.

10 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

See Karla Jacoby’s story on Page 28.

-Photo By TODD WOOD

EDITOR’S Letter

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August/September 2011 Julie Hales owner/publisher sales manager julie@idpmagazines.com Todd Wood managing editor todd@idpmagazines.com Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com Lane Gallegos graphic design lane@idpmagazines.com Laura Kilborn account executive laura@idpmagazines.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to Effingham Magazine by submitting a check and subscription information form found in every issue. You may also subscribe by calling (912)826-2760.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Write to us and tell us what you think. Effingham Magazine welcomes all letters to the editor. Please send all letters via email to Todd Wood at todd@idpmagazines.com Letters to the editor must have a phone number and name of contact. Phone numbers will not be published.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Effingham Magazine welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Todd Wood at todd@idpmagazines.com All articles and photos will be reviewed by the editor, and if the articles and accompanying photos meet the criteria of Independence Day Publishing, Inc., the person submitting the material will be contacted. Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Effingham County will be considered.

CALENDAR SECTION We’re looking for your information about clubs, organizations, events and meetings. For events in October/November 2011, copy must be submitted by September 21, 2011. Please email all copy to todd@idpmagazines.com.

Effingham Magazine is published bimonthly by Independence Day Publishing, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Effingham Magazine 108 International Drive Rincon, GA 31326 (912) 826-2760

Favorite Sports Moments

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ome of my fondest memories of my photographic career have been sports related. I still remember my first photo assignment while working at a newspaper, and while it was not the most exciting, I still can remember the photo that ran on the front of the sports page...I was immediately hooked...addicted even.

Soon I was shooting under the Friday night lights of high school football.

Not long after, I began shooting Georgia Southern football and eventually Georgia Bulldog football. Then came my first Bowl Game. I’m not sure of the year, but it was the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in the Georgia Dome. Eventually I began going to Jacksonville on Sundays to shoot NFL football games under Jaguar credentials.

The NFL was obviously the most exciting sports venue I have ever photographed, and it eventually led me to the pinnacle of pro sports events...

The Super Bowl.

Super Bowl week was a circus, but nevertheless fun. I was covering one of Effingham’s very own, Dusty Zeigler, as he and the Giants took on the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately, the Ravens were triumphant, but the experience was among one of my favorite sports moments.

Ironically, three years later I ended up living in Baltimore, where I attended many Ravens games. There’s nothing like Sundays in an NFL city.

There’s a certain feeling in the air, and it is awesome to observe an entire city get behind their favorite team. Whether it was going to the game or packing the sports bars and restaurants, NFL Sundays ranks among my favorite.

Also among my favorite sports moments is when the fall sports season begins. Football, softball, volleyball and cross country all recently got started at the high schools, and college football is a mere few weeks away. The South, in general, really get behind their sports teams, and Effingham County is no exception. The fans here are among the most loyal in the state, and hopefully with the right kind of support, this area will produce some state championships during the fall sports season.

In this issue, you will see many different sports profiles featuring athletes of all types. This was one of the busier issues we worked on, and it is definitely one of my favorites. I even like to think that a few of the athletes we profiled will be the next scholarship recipient or pro athlete.

We know there are many talented athletes participating in their respective sports. These are a glimpse of the players who will play important roles on teams in which everyone’s best effort will be needed and vital to the successes and win column throughout their respective seasons. We hope you enjoy reading about these athletes, but more importantly we hope you will all go out to see them and their teammates give their heart and soul on the playing field. They were also picked for their performance in the classroom as well.

So to all Effingham’s sports teams this season...Good Luck!

-Todd Wood, Editor

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 11

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To honor the impact that Coach Griffith has made on the numerous former players he coached in the State of Georgia, the Georgia Tech Athletic Association has established the Coach Bob Griffith Scholarship. Each year, one of the 85 football athletes of Georgia Tech will receive the Coach Bob Griffith scholarship.

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Hall Of Famer BOB GRIFFITH

The humble, decorated war veteran and former Effingham High coach adds another trophy to his wall Story By RAY STEELE Photo By TODD WOOD “My won-loss record isn’t very good,” claims the man whose teams won 211 football games, roughly two-thirds of the games in which he roamed the sidelines. Still, the way Bob Griffith talks, he believes he could have won more had he not been rebuilding virtually all of the programs he led over his 30-year career. Obviously, Griffith’s record was plenty good, and the man who turned Effingham County High School’s football team from one of the worst in Georgia to perennial playoff contenders has been rewarded with a plaque in the Georgia High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

“It was the worst situation I had ever come into as a football coach,” Griffith says of his arrival at Effingham High in 1981. “The facilities were atrocious. The field looked like a cow pasture. The stadium only seated about 600 people, and those seats were just slabs of concrete with no backs on them.” Despite all that, Griffith wanted to be a Rebel because the school system promised him that it wanted to build a winner, something for which Griffith had already demonstrated an aptitude as a head coach.

“I always wanted to coach football, ever since I was in high school.” That was Atkinson High School in Louisville, Kentucky, and in 1966, a fellow Kentuckian would recruit Griffith to play college football at Virginia Tech, a man who subsequently would become the biggest influence on Griffith’s coaching career. “Jerry Claiborne recruited me to play offensive guard. A 190-pound offensive guard,” Griffith jokes, since most major college offensive lineman weigh 300 pounds or more these days. “I came into school at 220 pounds, and Coach Claiborne made me lose weight.”

His college years also brought Griffith the other major influence on his life, his wife Stella. “We met in 1968 during Spring Break at Daytona Beach,” Griffith says, “and she’s been with me ever since.” Stella would later help bring Griffith to Georgia, as the couple would eventually move to her hometown of Hawkinsville, down I-75 from Macon and Warner Robins. That move would have to wait, though, as Griffith had a call from Uncle Sam to answer first.

“I was redshirted my senior year (at Virginia Tech), which led to me being drafted by the Army.” That was in 1969, which for most soldiers meant Vietnam, Griffith included. “Certainly, a lot of people were against the war, but I was very proud to serve there,” Griffith says, mentioning almost offhandedly the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal with V for Valor he was awarded for his service.

While he was willing to move to Georgia because it was home for Stella after his stint in the Army was up, Griffith also had his career in mind when looking for a place to live. “I knew that high school football was better, of higher quality, in Georgia than in Kentucky.” In fact, moving to Hawkinsville meant that he was a half-hour away from two of the top football programs in the state at that time; Warner Robins High School and, the place where Griffith would be an assistant coach for the next three years, Northside High, also in Warner Robins.

Three years as an assistant doesn’t prepare too many people to be a head coach, but when the lead job at Appling County High School was advertised in 1973, Griffith says he thought he was ready. “Playing major college football helped,” Griffith says of the coaching learning curve, and having played for a College Football Hall of Famer certainly didn’t hurt. “Coach Claiborne (who, by then, was head coach at Maryland) called the school board and gave me a good recommendation, as did Warner Robins High coach Robert Davis, who I had a good relationship with even though we were on rival teams.”

The state of football at Appling High wasn’t as bad as what Griffith would later find at Effingham High, but it was close. “They had been playing football for about 50 years, and the best record the team ever had was seven-and-three.”

Continued on Page 16

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 13

14 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete LAUREN THOMPSON

Horsin’ Around Might Earn Lauren Thompson a College Scholarship

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Story By BARBARA W. RUSSELL Photo By TODD WOOD

auren Thompson, a rising junior at South Effingham High School, is an excellent student and well on her way to earning a college scholarship. She’s a member of National Honor Society and Beta Club; she’s taking all AP courses, and she’s accumulated many hours of community service. But, she has one more thing to add to her resume – she’s an outstanding equestrian. It may come as a surprise, but many colleges now have competitive equestrian teams, and Lauren and other top riders will vie for their scholarships.

“People don’t look at riding as a sport,” said Lauren. Perhaps that’s because many people may only picture her riding lazily along a trail, or maybe galloping across a field, but her horsemanship skills far exceed that. She’s a serious competitor at hunter/jumper horse shows where her form and horsemanship skills are judged while jumping over a course of at least eight fences, performing individual tests on the flat, and answering questions about horse knowledge.

Lauren’s riding resume includes competing and winning at hunter/jumper horse shows, 4-H horse shows, and the fairly new IEA (Interscholastic Equestrian Association) horse shows, and her winnings have been at the local and national levels.

The focus of the IEA is middle and high school students, and one of its objectives is “To promote equestrians as athletes and to provide them with organized competitive opportunities”.

Lauren has been on a local IEA team since the 6th grade, and her coach is Eleanor Ellis of Evermore Farm in Brooklet. Eleanor is also the coach for Georgia Southern’s equestrian team, and Eleanor says, “Lauren is exactly what a college equestrian program is looking for.”

Lauren works hard with her riding, just as any serious athlete does. “As a rider, I must train as an athlete plus train my horse,” she said. “I’ve worked every day my entire life. Riding isn’t a seasonal sport; I don’t get a break. I compete year round, in the heat and the cold, and I don’t stop. I go every day, every week.”

Physical conditioning of horse and rider is only part of the rider’s challenge. “I have to make my horse know what I’m thinking without talking to it,” she said. “It has to know what I want, when I want it, how I want it, and somehow we make the connection.”

Lauren’s equine partner in competitions is named Timbuktoo, affectionately called Timmy. He’s 17 hands high - that’s tall for a horse - and Lauren says he’s quite a character and very sweet to work around. She’s been showing Timmy since she was in the 8th grade, and they’ve formed a close partnership – they’re a team. They’ve won many blue ribbons and championships together in hunter/jumper and 4-H horse shows.

Riding is not an easy sport. It takes a lot of time and training for a horse and rider to become a team capable of competing successfully together.

Competing on Timmy, her favorite horse, is not Lauren’s only challenge as an equine competitor. To be part of an IEA team, riders do not practice or compete on their own horses.

During IEA competitions, riders draw a horse’s name, and that’s the horse they will ride.

Each horse has a different feel and personality: the horses may be fast or slow, sensitive or dull, excited or relaxed, and riders have only a few minutes to ride the horses before they compete on them. That adds another degree of difficultly for the competitors.

In horse shows, Lauren competes as an individual, but since the IEA is a team sport, her performance is important to all her team members. “My role on that team and how I perform plays an important role in my team’s standings at the end of the day,” she said.

Whether Lauren’s competing as an individual or as part of a team, she’s a tough athlete.

She’s got determination, talent and tenacity. She’d be an asset for any equestrian team, and a role model for any athlete.

“We certainly had good job offers,” he says, “but we felt like Effingham County was a great place to raise our family. We had a great working relationship with the school, which you have to have since you spend more than 80-percent of your time inside the school.

None of the other offers were as good as what we had here.”

After a 2-8 first season, Griffith’s Pirates became the best and most consistent teams the school had ever seen. “We went 7-3 in 1974, followed by a 6-4 and again 7-3, and then 8-2 in 1977.”

Unfortunately, thanks to the rules of Georgia’s high school athletic association at the time, Griffith’s Appling teams would not have any postseason success. “Back then, only one team from the region qualified for the playoffs,” Griffith explains.

“We barely lost to Waycross during the 1977 regular season, 1512, and Waycross went on to win the state championship that year.”

Rather than stay put, Griffith applied for the head coaching job on the other side of I-75 at Colquitt County High School, “mainly because it was a bigger school, and the opportunity to advance was better there.” On field success was another matter, as Griffith went just 14-16 in his three seasons in Moultrie. “At every school, you go through a period where the athletes just aren’t there,” Griffith says, “and the years I was at Colquitt County just happened to be that time. We just didn’t have the athletes living in the area to build a consistent winner.” Griffith would find those athletes soon, though it would be on the other side of South Georgia.

Despite the lack of facilities – “we didn’t even have a locker room, much less a weight room,” Griffith says of Effingham High in 1981 – the coach was excited to make the move because of what he was told would be coming. Not only did the school board kick in the brick and mortar, “they allowed me to bring in six assistant coaches, which was pretty much unheard of at that time around here.” On paper, his first season with the Rebels was much like most of the team’s previous seasons – two wins and eight losses, but Griffith and Rebel fans could sense a change. “I remember we lost to Benedictine, which at the time was a football powerhouse, 36-13, and our fans were so excited because we scored more than one touchdown on them.”

Griffith’s second Rebels team not only garnered what at the time was the rarest of the rare for Effingham High, a winning season (6-5), it also brought the school its first ever trip to the playoffs. A Rebels’ season that did not include the playoffs would become the rarity for most of the next decade. After three consecutive eight-win seasons and a season with ten wins, Griffith’s 1987 team reached the pinnacle, almost. Effingham won their first 14 games, among them two wins over Savannah High – like Benedictine, a football power at the time. The first was a thrilling 35-34 victory at Savannah’s Historic Grayson Stadium, and the second was a 43-14 blowout in the region semifinals at Effingham High’s new stadium.

“I don’t believe a high school football team has been better supported than that one,” Griffith says of the ’87 squad, whose dream came to an end with a loss to Morrow in the state championship game. Still, “the championship game set an attendance record that lasted for the next ten years,” and the 1987 team remains the best in school history.

A run to a state title game usually means a chance at a bigger pay check from a bigger school for the head coach, but Griffith and his family didn’t want to leave. “We certainly had good job

16 August/September 2011 |Effingham Magazine

offers,” he says, “but we felt like Effingham County was a great place to raise our family. We had a great working relationship with the school, which you have to have since you spend more than 80-percent of your time inside the school. None of the other offers were as good as what we had here.”

Success breeds expectations for more success, something Griffith found out the hard way the year after the Rebels’ state championship game appearance. “We went 7-3 in 1988, and everyone was asking us what was wrong.” The playoff appearances soon returned, though, and mostly continued through the mid 90’s until the powers that be decided Effingham County was too big to have only one high school.

“We had 28 seniors coming back from a very fine 1995 team, and they split those seniors right down the middle,” Griffith says of losing a chunk of his team to the new South Effingham High in 1996. “We even lost the guy who had been our starting quarterback since he was a freshman.” Griffith thinks both football programs would have been better off had South Effingham started with a freshman team, then gradually moved toward a varsity program. “Instead, while both schools have won a little, both schools have struggled ever since then because of the way they created the South Effingham team.” The drop in on-field success helped hasten what Griffith thought would be his retirement from coaching.

Content with his decision to call it quits after 25 years as a head coach, Griffith was surprised to get a call from the school that gave him his start. “The coach at Appling County left near the end of the 1999 school year, and that left them scrambling to find somebody. A lot of guys who played for me there in the ‘70’s were very prominent in the community by then, and I guess I just couldn’t tell them no.” The move back to the Pirates meant that Griffith would close out his career a winner with 40 victories in four seasons, including a 13-1 record and a trip to the state semifinals his first season back.

After the 2002 season, Griffith was ready to retire again, and this time he would – sort of. “Georgia Tech called and offered me a job as director of high school relations, and I enjoyed that job immensely.” He even got to work for the Atlanta school while living in Statesboro, where the family moved when both of Griffith’s children decided to attend Georgia Southern.

Already a member of Effingham High School’s Hall of Fame, Griffith was awarded the plaque in the Coach’s Hall in Dalton earlier this summer. “It is humbling to be among all the great coaches who are there,” Griffith says, again mentioning what he considers his inferior won-loss record. He is more proud of a scholarship established at Georgia Tech in his name that is endowed by several of his former Effingham players. Most of all, he is happy that Stella has stuck by him for more than 40 years. “Sometimes, being a coach’s wife is the hardest job in the world. People just don’t understand what they go through, especially when you aren’t winning.” Fortunately for Bob and Stella Griffith, those times were few and far between for the winningest coach in the history of Effingham County High.

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SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete JOSH MERCER Story by CLARK BYRON Photo by TODD WOOD

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or South Effingham High School Junior Josh Mercer, it’s about speed, strength, skill and smarts. The 17-year-old varsity running back clocked a 10.81 in the 100 meters – the second fastest time among high school sophomores in the nation, and third fastest high school time in Georgia. Mercer is 5’ 11” and weighs in at 175 pounds and bench-presses 275.

Last season, Mercer was a much-needed bright spot on a 2 and 8 Mustangs team, by producing 898 yards rushing averaging 5.1 yards per carry, 12 catches for 116 yards, and scoring nine touchdowns in 10 games. All of this while carrying an Honor Roll 3.1 GPA.

Mercer has also earned the distinction of being the fastest football player in Georgia in the Class of 2013. “He’s been a gifted young man coming up,” said Mustangs head coach, Donnie Revell. “God has blessed him real well and he’s used that in a positive way.”

Mercer began his varsity career as a freshman and saw plenty of action. He shared starting honors with a senior running back. “Freshmen have to be truly gifted athletes to transition from middle school to a starting position on a varsity team,” said the Coach.

“Very few ever do.” Mercer started his freshman year, racking up 576 yards rushing, along with 14 catches for 116 yards and one TD.

Mercer participated in the Schuman’s National Underclassman Football Combine, a showcase for the most promising high school underclassmen to be seen by major colleges.

He won the Columbia Freshman Combine King and received Fastest Man honors both as a freshman and as a sophomore. Mercer also took MVP in the skill challenges. At the South showcase, Mercer took overall MVP. He ran a 4.38 forty, a 3.94 in the 20-yard shuttle, a 31inch vertical jump and broad jumped nine feet.

Mercer is a three-sport athlete. In addition to football, Mercer anchors the 4 x 100 meters relay squad and runs the solo 200 meters. In the winter, he plays varsity basketball.

“I’m not really that good at basketball,” said Mercer. “I just do it to stay in shape.”

Mercer has attracted a lot of attention from colleges in the Bowl Championship Series.

He ranked among the top players in Region 4 A. Mercer made First Team All Region as a running back. In his spare football time, Mercer also plays free safety when the Mustangs are facing off against teams with a strong passing game. Last year he broke up five pass plays and made 15 tackles.

At this point, it comes as no surprise that Mercer is more than just a blip on the radar screens of BCS schools. According to Mercer, possibilities include Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, USC, Auburn, Mizzou, Oregon; and the list just keeps growing.

But Mercer’s most important role right now is back at South Effingham and helping his Mustangs turn it all around. “His willingness to work hard at what he does just makes him better,” said Coach Revell. “He was a starter as a sophomore but he hasn’t just rode on that.” Coach says that Mercer’s commitment to constant improvement is where his leadership comes out. “The others know that he’s in the position he’s in and is still willing to work hard to be better,” said Revell.

Mercer has set some goals for his junior season. “I want to rush for 1,500 yards and get us to the playoffs,” he said. “I want us to make it to state and win it.”

Mercer accepts his mantle as a leader on the team and wears it with honor and humility. “I’m not really an outspoken guy, I’m kind of quiet, but it’s from my actions,” he said. “If they see me do something good they want to do something good too.”

Coach Revell speaks much of Mercer as a role model, a team player of the highest order, a person of high standards and morals, and his willingness to use his formidable skills to the ultimate success of the Mustangs.

Mercer seems to have a handle on what he wants in the way of a career. A college football scholarship to one of the finest schools in America is a given. “I want to play three years of college ball and major in Physical Education,” said Mercer. “Then, hopefully enter the NFL Draft.” After all that is said and done, Mercer said he’d like to coach. Clearly, he’s received considerable inspiration from Coach Revell and his staff of 12.

“I feel like my dream is beginning to come true,” said Mercer. “I just have to stay focused and work hard.”

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 19

Passion in a small town…..

The goal of the Springfield Merchants Association encompasses growth in Springfield, including, but not limited to, making the city an attractive location for all varieties of new businesses.

New Reader Sign At Hwy 119 and Hwy 21!

Call Jamey Stancell at (912) 247-7785 for advertising rates, personal or business!

Springfield Merchants Association Members Get2It Ever After Bridal TeeZers Team Sports Old Time Bookstore and Antiques Kelly’s Tavern Blocker’s Snack Barrel One Of A Kind Motiques Antiques Poppy’s Barbeque Riggs Funeral Home Effingham Magazine Joann’s Florist State Farm Insurance - Ronnie Brooks Rahn’s Bonding Hey Beautiful Salon Gnann’s Fix-It Shop Effingham Service Center Gil & Son Towing And Recovery 1st Storage And Uhaul Trinkets And Treasures Effingham County Chamber of Commerce De Ja Vu Consignments Walt’s TV & Appliances Low Country Baseball Academy

20 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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The revitalization of downtown Springfield is still foremost in the minds of a very hard working, prominent newly founded organization in Springfield, Georgia……the Springfield Merchants Association.

Since their inception in October of last year, they have grown to over 25 members. Each of the members of this organization share a common goal….to promote new business in Springfield!

If it has been awhile since you have driven through downtown Springfield, you might want to take a little ride. This organization has been very busy. You are sure to see some differences.

The SMA has some new endeavors under way.

They have adopted the old clock that previously hung over the old Webb Jewelers building in Springfield. The clock is currently being restored and will be rehung in the city for all residents and visitors to enjoy!

The City of Springfield purchased a new sign that has been placed at the intersection of Highway 119 and Highway 21. The Springfield Merchants Association is helping to manage the sign and promote business downtown. The sign is being used for advertising for area business, as well as personal messages. For inquiries or advertising rates, please call Jamey at (912)247-7785.

“We are here to help our merchants and to bring future business owners to our city,” states Jamey. “Our members all benefit from the growth, we are all in this together. Right now, there are some terrific commercial rental spaces here. This is a great time to open or relocate a business in Springfield.”

If you are interested in being a member of the Springfield Merchants Association or to learn more about how you can play a part in the revitalization of Springfield, please call (912)7540094 or visit www.springfieldgamerchants.com.

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Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 21

22 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete L.T. King Story & Photo by TODD WOOD

W

ith a name like L.T. King, how could you not become a linebacker? Effingham County High School student athlete L.T. King feels the same way. The six-foot, 220-pound linebacker who bench presses 310 pounds and runs a 4.7 second 40-yard dash knows he was destined to head up defense.

Last season, King and the Effingham County Rebels narrowly missed making the state playoffs thanks to their final season game loss to Glynn Academy. Unfortunate for many reasons, but the loss was especially tough for King since his team would not advance into post season despite his creating an opening kickoff fumble which had Terror fans quiet in their seats.

King and the Rebels finished last season with a 6-4 record under first year coach Rick Tomberlein. The memories of being so close to the playoffs had them working harder than ever in the weight room this summer, and during their first week of full-pads practice.

“L.T. is one of only two starters returning to this year’s defense,” said coach Tomberlein. “He has stepped forward to become one of our leaders, and he has shown he is ready to take on that role as he had perfect attendance during summer workouts.”

King’s high school football career started four years ago, but more importantly his performance in the classroom started also.

A four-year Honor Roll student, King is poised and committed to graduating with honors, which seems to be top priority for this hardhitting Friday night play maker.

“My education has always been important to me,” says King. “ I hope my grades and performance on the field will help me when I have to decide where I will go to college.”

King has many goals he would like to accomplish this season. One is to to take the season game-by-game and hopefully make the state playoffs.

His second goal would be to make the All State team. And ultimately, as every Georgia High School football player dreams, he would like to play in the Georgia Dome.

But, for right now, King is set on just being better than last year, personally and as a team.

“Our younger and less experienced players are going to have to step up,” says King. “So far though, we have been having pretty good workouts.”

This year, King is focused on making more tackles and the idea of playing against wishbone and spread offenses . “I have a lot of fun reading those type of offenses,” he says.

“L.T. is a good leader,” says Tomberlein. “We have some rebuilding to do on defense, but with some leadership and hard work, we should do fine.”

With just a week left until the regular season kicks off, King is humble yet ready for rematches against the teams ECHS lost to last season. “We were playing a good game against Savannah Christian, who eventually was state runner-up again,” he said. “We just need to work on playing on four quarters and we should be alright.”

King is looking forward to his senior season, and he also looks forward to college where he expressed he might be interested in becoming a pharmacist.

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24 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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Pastime Passions Story by BARBARA W. RUSSELL Photo by TODD WOOD

Cornhole: It’s a sport...It’s a game...It’s a “hole” lot of fun

H

ave you recently driven through your neighborhood and seen a group of people having fun throwing a bean bag at a board with a hole in it? Or maybe you’ve been to your favorite local bar and grill and wondered why there was a crowd in a corner hootin’ and hollerin’. If you ventured over to see what was going on, you may also have seen some folks trying to toss a bean bag through a hole in a piece of plywood. What’s all the fun about? It’s a game – actually, it’s an organized sport – called cornhole.

Throw a beanbag, filled with cow corn, into a hole cut into a plywood board, and you’re playing cornhole. It’s that simple, and it’s becoming one of the most popular fun things for families and friends to do together.

It started out as a pastime, but it’s becoming a passion for a lot of folks. Just drive through almost any neighborhood on a Saturday afternoon and you’ll see the popular bags being tossed. Some folks keep their boards and bags stored in their vehicles. They pull them out at tailgating parties, the beach, or a friend’s house, always ready to toss their bags at a moment’s notice.

It’s a game that’s fun for all, one that children and adults can play together, and perhaps that’s part of the reason why it’s become so popular. Let’s face it. We live in a technical computerized world, and while it has become easier for people to connect with each other through cell phones, text messages and emails, all that “connecting” is pretty impersonal. And the computerized games people play - also impersonal. They may be fun, but again – there’s no personal contact, but cornhole brings people together.

In cornhole everyone can be included. The players can be children, teens or adults because age and physical fitness play no part in the adeptness of the player to toss the bag through the hole.

So how did all this get started? The facts aren’t for sure, but the Blackhawk Indians in Illinois played a similar game, with one big difference - they made their bean bags from pig’s bladders! During the 1990’s, university students from Ohio and Michigan began playing cornhole at parties. It began growing in popularity, and here it is in Effingham.

Besides being a sport that’s fun for all, cornhole is also used as a means to help others. Recently, in Rincon, a group of caring citizens organized a cornhole tournament that was held at Dakota’s Bar and Grill to raise money to help with medical costs for Logan Shelton, a teen who was critically injured in an automobile accident. Another recent cornhole fundraiser was held by Habitat for Humanity to help raise money to construct a home for a veteran in Effingham County.

Tournaments are becoming more and more popular.

Teams of two can enter a tournament for a small entry fee in the hopes of winning some prize money, which can run from

From backyards to parking lots of restaurants, and even organized tournaments with cash prizes, Cornhole has quickly become a favorite outdoor pastime in America.

being a percentage of the entry fees to thousands of dollars.

Locally, The Island Grill has tournaments, and a plan is in the works to hold regularly scheduled cornhole tournaments at the Effingham County Fairgrounds. What a great idea for some local fun.

There are cornhole tournaments in Swainsboro every other Friday night, and sometimes they have up to 70 teams participating. During the past year, literally hundreds of cornhole boards and bags have been sold in Effingham – it looks like we could have tournaments with as many, or more teams as those in Swainsboro.

If all this has gotten your interest, a lot more information can be found on the internet. Just type in “cornhole” and you can find out everything you need to know about it: rules, scoring, terminology, how to build a game board, or where to buy one locally.

When learning the rules, you’ll also have to learn the terminology, and there are over 30 terms listed. Terms like: back door, buckets, golden sombrero, pressure cooker and dirty bags have their own cornhole meanings, and they can add some “cornfusion” to your game. But if you’re ready to have a good time with your family and friends, try cornhole, and this pastime may become your passion.

Effingham Magazine |

August/September 2011 25

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete COURTNEY JENKINS Story by CLARK BYRON Photos By TODD WOOD

W

hen Courtney Jenkins steps into the pitcher’s circle for the South Effingham High School Lady Mustangs softball team, it’s lights out for the opposition.

Jenkins is entering her senior year at South Effingham High and the last season of what has been an impressive high school career.

The 17-year-old started pitching in the fifth grade at the age of nine. “One day my dad came home and asked me if I wanted to be a pitcher,” said Jenkins. “I went to a pitching lesson and I loved it.” She began receiving instruction from Coach Sherry Griffin at Calvary Day High School. Soon after, Jenkins came under the tutelage of Coach Mike Goulet.

Jenkins was quite a performer back in her middle school days, winning Most Valuable Player honors. In her freshman year, Jenkins was called up to play varsity ball as her junior varsity season was ending. That was the beginning of something truly amazing.

Jenkins’s sophomore year, 2009, was when her natural athletic talent really began to shine. In September, the Lady Mustangs faced regional rival Brunswick High. After a week of not pitching, Jenkins still struck out the entire side in the fifth inning. She went the distance, allowing just one hit and blanking the Lady Pirates 8-0. At the plate, Jenkins went 2 for 2 with a double and 2 RBIs.

The Lady Mustangs captured the regional title that year by defeating Ware County High School on the Mustang’s home turf. The game was tied and went into extra innings.

The Lady Gators were up with one out and a runner on third. The game was clearly on the line. Jenkins was in the circle for South Effingham. She caused the next two batters to ground out, ending the inning and the impending threat. Then, in the ninth, with two on and nobody out, Jenkins struck out the next two batters and grounded out the last one. The Lady Mustangs shortly wrapped it up with a 2 – 1 victory over the Lady Gators and went on to finish with a season record of 10 – 2, tied with Effingham High for a season-best record.

By the end of her sophomore season, Jenkins had earned all-region first-team honors, going 13-4 with an ERA of 0.60 in 117 innings. She also earned an all-state second team spot, and snagged the first of her two ACE Pitching Awards.

The rules give coaches the option of using a designated hitter in place of the pitcher to reduce the risk of injury. After the first couple of games of the 2010 season, Jenkins asked team coach, Chuck Smith, to have a DH take her spot in the batting order for the remainder of the season. “Batting just messed up my pitching steps,” she said. “It was my decision not to hit.” Coach Smith agreed that it would be best to protect his ace hurler. “It gave us a chance to rest her a bit,” said Smith. The coach also saw an opportunity to put some of his other heavy hitters into the lineup. “We had some really good, big pops in the bats,” he said.

However, Jenkins’s pitching in her junior year was no less amazing. At the Greenbrier Coca-Cola Classic in September, Jenkins pitched both games of a Friday night doubleheader against Lakeside-Evans and got both wins. The Lady Mustangs took 3 of 4 in the tournament.

October brought more great action as the Lady Mustangs took 2 of 3 from the Lady Wildcats of Richmond Hill to clinch a playoff spot. Jenkins got both wins. The Lady Mustangs then bested Savannah Christian and Heritage-Conyers in the playoffs to advance to the championship game.

Jenkins ended her 2010 season with an 18-4 W-L record and an ERA of 1.26. She was one of six local high school softball players named to the All-Region 2-AAAA First Team.

She also grabbed her second ACE Award.

Jenkins carries a 3.5 GPA and begins her senior year this fall. Coach Smith is clearly anticipating Jenkins’s best season yet. “She’s been our pitcher for the last two years. She’s a competitor, a great player, and she’s got a great attitude,” said Smith. “She’s a girl that loves to be in the circle. The bigger the game the better she performs.”

Jenkins said she’s going to hit again this season. Smith agrees. “We’re expecting her to really produce offensively and defensively this year,” he said. “She’s a good runner and we need her out there on the base paths. We’re hoping she’s going to get out there and provide a little spark for us.”

26

August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Effingham Magazine |

August/September 2011 27

SPORTS PROFILES Racing Athlete KARLA JACOBY

Story by LAURA KILBORN Photos by TODD WOOD

It was no accident that brought Karla Jacoby to Oglethorpe Speedway’s race track. And no accident will keep her away, either.

J

acoby, 32, is a neophyte racer in the Pooler track’s Late Models division, the top classification at Oglethorpe Speedway. She has always been drawn to adventurous pursuits like horseback riding and go-kart racing, but she calls this year’s experiences in dirt track racing “the biggest rush ever.” She loves what she is doing, and her attitude and devotion to the sport have caused her fellow drivers to be among her biggest supporters.

“She can be as good as she wants to be,” says Jim Manka, a Street Stocks driver who’s known Karla for three or four years. “It’s just a matter of getting seat time. She can win races. There’s no gender. You can either drive or you can’t. She’s showing she can - she understands how the car works. That wins races.”

On a recent Friday night, Karla arrives a good two hours before her heat race, in which cars get in some practice laps before the feature races later in the evening.

She’s nervous before she drives – after all, she still only has a few Late Model events under her harness – but she spends time with family and friends, prepping her and her stepson’s cars before their turns on the track. Like Jim Manka, Karla enjoys the family feel of the sport, and her kin are well represented at the track: her father-in-law, Ken, owns the car and is crew chief, her husband of two years, Buddy, first encouraged her to try the sport, and her stepson, Justin, races Mini Stocks. Her 5-year-old daughter, Kaci, also is showing an interest in go-kart racing, but she is home tonight. She also has two sons, Hunter, 8, and Dakota, 10.

Buddy himself is a veteran racer, having competed for several years, including time in Late Models at Oglethorpe.

But he is on hiatus now, encouraging his family instead. “I love racing, but it’s time for them to have fun now,” he says.

He’d known Karla several years ago, and he knew she

Effingham Magazine |

August/September 2011 29

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had what it takes to hurtle down a track at 100-plus miles an hour, with nothing between her and the retaining walls but a car that’s little more than sheet metal, bars and wiring. After they got married two years ago, he got her started with gokarts, but Karla wanted to take on Late Models.

“Racing the go-karts was fantastic and a rush, but this is a totally different rush,” Karla says. “He asked me if I wanted to try it and I said, ‘Sure!’”

The learning curve is pretty steep in Karla’s sport, and usually especially unforgiving if you crash into it.

Her nascent career nearly came to an abrupt end when she wrecked at the speedway in mid-April, only a few weeks into her debut season. She recalls coming out of Turn 2 and starting to speed up, then losing control and heading straight for the dirt bank. “The first thing that went through my mind was, ‘This is gonna hurt.’ … I told my husband I was surprised with the way the car looked, I should have got more hurt.”

But she escaped with only a twisted wrist and a bruise after slamming into the dirt retaining wall.

Karla decisively put her fear behind her, knowing that if she wanted to be effective as a driver that she had to. She wanted to get back in the car that very night, but front-end damage made driving it out of the question.

“I told my husband, ‘I gotta come back out in two weeks and try again,’” she says.

Karla did end up taking two months off from the track, but that was for family reasons. Buddy’s beloved grandfather passed away out of state, and then the Jacobys moved from Rincon to Guyton, not an easy job with a house full of kids.

After the family got settled, Buddy strongly supported Karla’s return to racing. He’d had some pretty horrific accidents in his own career, including rolling over five times in one crash. But although he’s her No.1 fan, it’s hard to be detached when you are watching someone you love potentially put her life at risk.

“I stand at the corner of turn 4, I stand on the side of the wall and watch her and my son both. I don’t move, and nobody can talk to me ‘cause I don’t listen anyway,” says Buddy, his ever-present smile fading for a moment. “It makes me nervous ‘cause she can’t tell me exactly what the car is doing right now. She just started, and this is a big step for someone to go into.”

“But this is what she loves to do. If I tell her she can’t race, I’m in trouble,” he jokes, his smile returning.

“He talks about selling it all the time, and I say, ‘Yeah, right,’ she jokes. She knows her man too well to worry about seeing the car on the block, and in fact the family is considering getting a new car for Karla, who works at Napa Auto Parts, next year.

Auto racing is not a poor man’s sport, however, and the purses at small tracks are commensurately small, sometimes only $200. The pain you feel at the pump is minute compared to a Late Model driver’s: Fuel for those vehicles is $10 a gallon. The Jacoby car’s 5-year-old chassis cost $7,500, sheet metal for the body another $4,000, tires are $600 a set, and so on. A top-of-the-line Late Model can cost a total of $50,000.

Shelton Spence, of Smith’s Front End and Auto Repair in Springfield, is one of Karla’s sponsors. Smith’s sponsored Buddy and was glad to step up when Karla decided to race.

“With a little bit of practice, she’s got what it takes.… We’ll

“The first thing that went through my head was, ‘This is gonna hurt.’ I told my husband I was surprised with the way the car looked, I should have got more hurt.” keep supporting her, no doubt about it.”

Jim Manka agrees. “She’s doing a great job with what she has,” says Jim, who’s been competing in tracks around the region for about 17 years. “She’s doing great for how long she’s been in the car. She knows her limitations; she doesn’t drive it to where she’s over her head. It takes a long time. You just don’t jump in one of these race cars and win.”

Indeed, Karla says she really values the advice of the other drivers, and she’s talked with them about strategy, enabling her to learn and gain confidence while they are able to race safely in their comfort zone.

The pits are unbelievably noisy as cars prepare for and run in their Friday night heats. The grandstand’s carnival smells of fry grease, smouldering barbecue and cotton candy are quickly overwhelmed by the hammering reek of gasoline fumes. Cars in various classes look almost like a different species from what you encounter on Georgia 21.

Late Models are the top classification at the 60-year-old Oglethorpe. Karla considered starting off in mini stocks, but reasoned that her class of machine is simply easier to drive. She is among a dozen or so competitors in Late Models at the track.

Some cars are nearly showroom fresh, sleek and shiny, with their garish accent colors pristine. More are like Karla’s, seasoned campaigners with the battle scars to prove it.

Karla’s car is all business, no flourishes except for the brilliant neon of her sponsors’ logos. It weighs 2,300 pounds including the crate motor. As Buddy, a truck driver, says, “All it is, is sheet metal and roll bars,” but this deceptively simple machine is capable of going up to 120 mph. Karla herself is uncertain of

how fast she has actually gone; there is no speedometer.

The cockpit itself is tiny, with gauges only for oil pressure, temperature and RPMs. The car is started with an ignition switch, and goosing its gas pedal causes it to roar like a powerful beast. It is black, like many of the cars, with Buddy’s old #06 dominating the pastiche of logos. Unlike other cars, though, Karla’s has two pink breast cancer ribbons, celebrating her mother’s two-time successful fight against the disease. “I’m so proud of her,” Karla says.

As the time approaches for Karla’s heat, Ken and Buddy continue to make adjustments and offer advice. The car had a flat, but it’s been changed and Karla’s about ready to go.

The 5-foot-6 Karla slips into the cockpit with practiced ease, quickly putting on her safety harness and helmet. Buddy hunkers down and gives her some last minute instructions, then stands and gesticulates as she pulls away, his voice swallowed by the roar of #06’s motor.

The cars line up at the exit to the pit, emitting impatient bursts of noise as drivers gun their engines, waiting for the goahead for their heat. They file out of the pit in orderly single file, then vrrroooommmmm!!!!!!!!

Jim says the thing that impresses him the most about Karla is her confidence. She started off really excited and a bit scared, but she’s tempered those feelings, becoming comfortable in the cockpit. “Now she comes into the pits and tells Buddy what’s wrong with the car (so they can make adjustments). And if she can do that, she can get faster.”

And with all of her hard work, success will be no accident for Karla Jacoby.

Effingham Magazine |

August/September 2011 31

32 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete MADDIE EVANS Story by KATHRYN TURNER Photo by TODD WOOD

W

hile her classmates may be relaxing before their junior year at Effingham County High School, Madison “Maddie” Evans is pushing herself to become the best athlete she can be. An amazing softball player with an intense drive to succeed, Evans knows how to balance athletics and academics, and manages to excel at

both.

Between playing ECHS varsity softball, competing with the Georgia Thunder Travel Softball Team, and playing varsity basketball and tennis, Evans certainly has her hands full. While competing on multiple sports teams and juggling her busy athletic schedule, the upcoming junior has also maintained a 4.0 grade point average.

Evans’ list of accomplishments is beyond impressive. She was a member of the 2010 All Region Team for softball, and she has earned awards for Best Offensive Player for ECHS Softball, The Coaches’ Award and Academic Award for ECHS Basketball, as well as several first place titles with Georgia Thunder-all by the age of sixteen.

“I started as young as you can start with T-ball when I was six, and I loved it, so I kept going,” Evans says. By the time she was eight, she was a member of an all-star travel team, and she has been playing ever since.

Evans thrives under pressure. “If you’re hard on me, I do a lot better,” she says when asked about performing for her coaches.

Even with academics, she loves a challenge. When asked why math was her favorite subject, she says, “I like challenges. When it’s harder to other people, that makes it more fun to say I was able to do it.” There is no denying her competitive streak; the more challenging the obstacle, the harder she works to overcome it.

One of her most memorable accomplishments came in 2007 with her travel softball team, Georgia Thunder. “We won three world series that summer, so it was big!” she recalls. “That was the best year.”

Evans is grateful for all of the people who have helped her along the way. She says her parents, Michelle and Matt Evans, and her siblings, Megan, Merritt, and Macen, are her biggest supporters. And of all of the people who have coached her along the way, her dad is her favorite coach: “He was always there when I was little and always helped me.”

She also gives credit to coaches Jeff Rainwater, Craig Owens, Matt Huntley, Karl DeMasi, and Patty Ontorato for pushing her to be her best. “I never had a bad coach,” she says.

Evans’ mother, Michelle, can’t speak highly enough of these coaches. “Maddie knew they loved her whether she could play ball or not, and I think that’s what makes a good coach,” she says. “That’s why I appreciate all of them. They love her and treat her like she’s theirs, and I think that’s what makes her want to perform for them and want to do her best.”

There is no doubt that Evans puts her best foot forward in every venture she undertakes. The Beta Club member and Honor Roll student has a batting average of 493, ranks 20th in a class of 457, and has lettered in varsity softball, basketball and tennis. She is also active in her church, where she works every Sunday with youth discipleships.

Even though Evans succeeds in academics as well as athletics, she loves the pressure and team camaraderie that come with sports. “When you’re studying, you can always close a book and come back to it,” she says. “In a game, you can never pause it. You have to pass through it, get over it, and get on to what you need to do.”

Her biggest goal now is to continue playing and being seen by scouts so that she can play for a Division 1 school. She has a list of schools that she is considering: “Auburn, Georgia, Alabamathe ones you hear about on ESPN. The ones that everyone’s talking about-that’s what I want,” she says.

With her drive and ambition to be the best, she is positioning herself to do just that. By usually being the youngest person on her teams, Evan has learned that hard work makes up for experience, size, and even talent. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work,” she quotes.

Michelle Evans radiates with pride for her daughter. “I’m proud that she can manage all she manages. She’s very self-directed. She says I push her, but I really don’t have to. She’s got big goals and big dreams,” she says. Though she may set difficult goals for herself, there is one thing everyone knows about Maddie Evans: she loves a challenge.

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SPORTS PROFILES Fishing COREY PHILLIPS

Story by LAURA KILBORN Photos by DENISE GONSALES

I

f bass were on Facebook, they definitely would have a page warning their fellows about the fearsome Steven Corey Phillips. Then, Corey would figure out a way around it and the onslaught would continue.

“A lot of people think bass fishing is just a matter of going out and throwing a bait in the water and trying to catch fish. And at farm ponds that may be so,” said Billy Roberson, treasurer of Coastal Bass Anglers, of which Corey has been a member for more than a decade. “But fish are pretty smart. You wouldn’t think they are, but they’ve seen every lure that’s been thrown at them a thousand times.

“Corey has the abilities as a fisherman to go out there and catch ‘em and to go out and do his homework,” Billy said. “He’s a great study.”

Lest anyone think that fishing is a grind for the affable Phillips, far from it. He loves it. And his devotion to and consistency in the sport have earned him an opportunity that weekend anglers everywhere dream of: The Springfield resident will compete in the FLW/TBF Federation National Championship in 2012. Anglers had to excel in 14 tournaments to earn the right to be among the two competitors from each state in this prestigious event. At stake are $250,000 in cash and prizes, according to a spokesperson for The Bass Federation. The dates and location of the weeklong tournament will be announced in January.

“I fish anywhere. I don’t care where I fish,” said Corey, who is thrilled at this opportunity to catch bass at the highest level.

“It’s an adrenaline rush to figure ‘em out and to get ‘em to bite – there’s nothing else like it,” says Corey, laughing. “It’s an experience that, every time I go out to figure ‘em out and actually get ‘em to bite, there’s just something about it. It’s like a drug.”

Corey, a youthful 41-year-old with a ready smile, picked up this healthy addiction as a boy in Brunswick.

He recalls coming home from school, grabbing his pole, getting on his bike and racing for the pond. It was all just fun in those days, catching bass, brim or whatever else the calm water yielded.

He moved to Springfield in 1998 to take a job with Gulfstream, where he is now an aircraft coordinator.

A co-worker asked him if he had a bass boat, which mystified Corey, who’d always fished from the bank. He started attending CBA meetings and found out he had a lot to learn about his elusive prey.

“The tournament stuff didn’t start until I moved up here,” says Corey, who lives with his wife, Sue Lynn, daughter Katie, 17, son Cody, 12, stepson Luke, 5. “I never heard of a bass boat … but that’s what I loved about it – I didn’t even have to have a boat. I had all my fishing tackle. It was great because I could go with somebody else who had a boat and they showed me the river. And I could have a run on it and figure out what they catch ‘em on. Because what they catch ‘em on here is different than what they catch ‘em on in Omaha.”

Corey started out as a no-boater, an angler who fishes from the shore. Despite this disadvantage, he made it to the TBF Top 6 tournament for the state’s best bass anglers two years running, based on placing sixth or better in the CBA’s standings in its 12 monthly tournaments. Last year, Corey finished second in the CBA with 1,599 points, which are based on the weight of the bass caught.

It was time for him to get serious. Corey counts on strong support from his family, and did not want to buy an expensive boat and place a drain on their finances with an outlandish payment. He decided to see if he could find a good used boat, and in November 2009 was fortunate enough to find a 1991 Ranger bass boat for $6,000 cash. It’s 20 years old but spent almost all of that time in storage, so it is in nearly pristine condition.

The sparkle in Corey’s eyes reflects that of the silver-flecked paint of his boat. “Ranger to me is like the Cadillac of boats,” he said, knowing what a good deal he got for this gem. There is, after all, some luck to fishing. All of Corey’s equipment is stored neatly in the gray-carpeted boat, a dozen rods and reels laid along its sides, compartments filled with box after box of brilliantly colored baits.

“This is my floating tackle box. And I mean literally – my floating tackle box,” he said with a laugh.

Corey’s success in the Georgia Top 6 at Lake Hartwell in April earned him a spot at the Southern Division Championship, where top anglers from seven states competed in early June. This tournament may have presented Corey with his biggest challenge. Held at Green River in Kentucky, the three-day event was in much deeper water than Corey is used to. So he applied his scientific approach to these vastly different conditions, finishing 13th overall and second among Georgians, earning the spot at the nationals.

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“I called my wife from the regionals in Kentucky, and I said, ‘I feel like the Clampetts ‘cause I got the oldest boat out here.’ And she said, ‘Yeah, but you’re catching fish. It doesn’t matter what the boat looks like – it’s the guy fishing out of the boat.’”

Corey laughed at the memory, then turned serious when considering what it takes to succeed in bass fishing. Consistency and flexibility are crucial.

“You’ve got to be able to adapt to different circumstances.

Conditions change from day to day and what you caught ‘em on yesterday you might not catch ‘em on today,” he said. “And you’ve got to figure that out, usually in an eight-hour period, even in our local tournaments around here.”

Corey employs several methods to determine what the bass might go for on any given day. Sue Lynn gave him a fishing diary, in which he keeps records of weather conditions, water conditions, what baits worked at what times and places. He also uses the Internet, checking websites for local information, and for big events like the sectionals, pre-fishes the lake just before the tournament.

“He’s very detail oriented. He pays attention to what’s going on,” said Billy, CBA treasurer for five years and a club member for 14. He also credits Corey’s job with Gulfstream, which enables him flexibility with his schedule so that he can go fish every week. “To get good in our tournaments, you have to get out and spend some time on the river. And he’s very fortunate that he’s got a supportive wife and family, where he has the time to go out and fish … get out and practice.

“And then likewise, when he goes to the lakes, he does his homework. He’s on the Internet, he pays attention to fishing reports, from websites and magazine articles. He just goes out and does well, studies and pays attention. He sees that he’s getting bites in a certain area but not in a certain area, he pays attention. Some people are just more consistent.’’

At the state tournament, Corey decided to innovate by trying a different type of bait. An aficionado of crank baits and spinner baits, he opted for what’s called a shaky head. In contrast to the other baits, which are simply thrown, reeled and worked through the cover, the shaky head is a lead head with a worm that’s thrown and shaken very slowly as it’s worked. “It’s actually what I made the sectionals state team with, and what in the sectionals qualified me for the nationals, something I normally don’t fish,” he says, sounding amazed by the success of the gambit.

“Watching the pros … always when it’s tough fishing they go to that. A lot of guys don’t like fishing it because it’s so slow.

It doesn’t matter if it’s slow – it’s what they’re bitin’.’’ He laughs again. “Just some people don’t have the patience to fish it because it’s so slow.”

With months to go before the nationals, Corey has plenty of time to practice and strategize for the event. He enjoys spending time on the river, which is also the best tonic for stress that he can imagine.

“It’s the only way I unwind. I forget everything. My wife says, ‘I can’t believe you sit out here so long.’ She goes with me when it’s cooler. I tell her, ‘You have to tell me when you’re ready to go. If you don’t, I’ll stay here to dark and it doesn’t matter whether I catch anything or not.’ And she’s like, the first time we went, ‘It’s 4:30 and we’ve been here since daylight, I’m ready to go. I thought you were kidding,’’’ he recalled with a laugh. “And I’m like, ‘No.’’’

“I just love it.”

Too bad for the bass.

SPORTS PROFILES

Coach DONALD CHUMLEY

Story by CLARK BYRON Photos by TODD WOOD

The Journey, and Life Lessons

A

fter graduating from Groves High School in Garden City, Donald Chumley became a defensive end at the University of Georgia. In 1985, Chumley entered the NFL Draft and was snagged by the San Francisco 49ers in the twelfth round.

After spending one season with the ‘Niners, he signed with the Calgary Stampeeders of the Canadian Football League where he played three seasons.

Now, at age 49, Chumley is coach of the Savannah Christian Preparatory School’s football Raiders and the school’s K-12 athletic director. When Coach Chumley came to Savannah Christian six years ago from Benedictine, he took over a football program that was struggling a bit. “It wasn’t a lack of kids or a lack of coaching,” said Chumley. “It’s just sometimes things don’t click.” Chumley said it is easier and more fun to build a program than it is to keep an existing one going. “Once you reach a certain plateau, it’s easy to get complacent,” he said. “When you’re building a program, people can see the progress.”

It didn’t take the coach long to pull things together.

From his very first season, the Raiders became a force to be reckoned with. The team has lost only eight games in the past six years. In the last two seasons, they lost only three, made the state playoffs and went to the state championship game both years.

The regular season is 10 games, but the team’s mindset is that they are preparing everyday for games 11 through 15. “If you’re doing that, the regular season games will take care of themselves,” said the Coach. “We

Effingham Magazine |

August/September 2011 39

talk about games 11 through 15 all year long.” win on the practice field.”

The playoffs happen on high school fields the same as

SCPS is a true college preparatory school. Academically, it regular season games. A team’s seeding position is based is one of the most demanding. The school accepts only those on overall season stats, and determines who gets home field students who demonstrate the ability and commitment to advantage. Last year, SCPS went 9-1 but finished fourth seed excel in college. Coach Chumley and his staff play an integral out of four teams in the region. This meant they were the part in that preparation. Even in sports, academics remains visiting team in all four playoff games. “At that level of play, the number one priority. “The same attitude we have in the every team is good and each takes special pride in being a classroom we’ve taken to the field,” said Chumley. “If you’re not playoff team that gets to play at home,” said Chumley. The living up to your potential in the classroom, you’re of no use to Raiders traveled from one end of the state to the other, playing me on the football field.”

SCPS prides itself on preparing students for all facets of each game and returning home each night.

“To win four in a row on the road to get to the Georgia college life. In 2010, eight Raiders signed with college teams Dome is kind of unheard of,” said Chumley, but win they did. at schools such as Dartmouth, Valdosta State, Gardner-Webb, For the second consecutive year, SCPS earned the right to vie and others. “I think that tells everyone we’re preparing our for the state championship at the Georgia Dome in December. kids to move on to the next level, not just academically but also “We were able to win four in a in athletics,” said Chumley. He row on the road, and of course, reminds his players that even the championship game in the with an athletic scholarship, Georgia Dome is also an away academics, not football, produces game,” Coach said. “Anytime success. “Football just opens the you go on the road into a hostile doors and your academics get environment, and win, it is a truly you through those doors,” the special journey.”

Coach says. “You’re not going to

The Raiders returned to play this game forever.”

The Chumleys live in Rincon the Dome in what was to be a tooth-and-nail battle for the state and say it’s wonderful. Don championship. “We played two Chumley and his wife of 19 great football teams up there years, Angela Deloach Chumley, and we just came up a little on have two children: a son, age 10 the short end,” he said. After a and a daughter, age 12. Angela gallant effort, the Raiders lost the Chumley is a Nurse Practitioner state title to the Clinch County at the office of Dr. Frances High School Panthers from Decker. “When it comes to Homerville. “It takes so much my spouse,” said the Coach, “I to get there and it’s not that we out-punted my coverage.” The don’t want to win it, we certainly family chose Effingham County do,” he said. “But I tell the team for the children’s education. it’s also about the journey and “We’ve been very pleased with getting there, and the life lessons the Effingham school system and “The same attitude we have in the class- South Effingham in particular,” you learn along the way.”

Naturally, winning room we’ve taken to the field. If you’re not he said. “My kids have gotten requires dedication and hard a very high quality education.” living up to your potential in the classroom, The expectation is that when work. “It takes an enormous commitment,” said Chumley. you’re of no use to me on the football field. the young Chumleys reach “Football is a year-round school age, they will be at Football is not a requirement, it’s a privilege, high game.” It also requires a team Savannah Christian Prep with and that is what we tell the players.” to work together to overcome Dad. Under Coach Chumley’s many adversities along the way.

“When you play 15 games a year, leadership, the Raiders have you’re going to have injuries and a lot of things to overcome earned statewide respect. The challenge every season is keeping in a hurry,” said the Coach. “For other kids to step up when the team playing at the same high level. “People don’t realize some kids can’t play who were doing a great job, it’s what high how hard it is to stay on top. When you do win, other people school sports is all about: kids putting kids in a situation where raise their games,” the Coach said. “You must constantly look they’ve got to perform.” Coach Chumley requires every player for ways to improve.” Every season the team begins with the to be ready for action at any moment. Every player that comes same high goal: to go back to the Georgia Dome and win. The to practice has to be ready. More than likely, they will be called team knows the price they will have to pay to reach that goal, upon to step up during the season or the in playoffs. but they say it’s worth it. “We don’t whisper when we say

Seniors must instill the vision in the younger players. No we’re going back to the Georgia Dome, we say that’s where we team wants to be the one that fails to perform at least to the belong,” he said. “If we keep believing in ourselves and doing level of the previous season. “Football is not a requirement, it’s things the right way, we’ll always be successful and we’ll always a privilege, and that’s what we tell the players,” he said. “You have a chance to compete no matter who we play.”

40

August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

Reddick enjoying good season with Red Sox

F

ormer South Effingham baseball standout Josh Reddick recently had much success in the majors with outstanding performances at the plate and in left field for the Boston Red Sox.

In July, Reddick hit his seventh homerun of his Major Leaugue Baseball career versus the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards. Not surprising considering five of Reddick’s seven homers have come against the Orioles. Camden Yards is also the site of his first MLB homerun.

In late July, Reddick was atop the Red Sox lineup with a .367 batting average. He also went 3-for-6 against the Kansas City Royals and was expected to see more playing time.

As of August 4th, the Red Sox were tied with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East with a 6842 record. On August 5th, The Red Sox and Yankees began a three game series.

JOSH REDDICK 16/Right Field Status: Active Born: 2/19/1987 in Savannah, GA Bats/Throws: L/R HT: 6’2’’ WT: 180 Debut: 7/31/2009 College: Middle Georgia JC

Bio: Hit .461 as a freshman for Middle

Georgia College in 2006 and was named the Region XVII Junior College Player of the Year. Participated in the 2009 and 2010 Red Sox Rookie Program.

2010 Highlights: Spent most of the year with Triple-A

Pawtucket but also appeared in 29 games with the Red Sox. Had 4 stints with Boston: 4/20-24, 6/5-11, 6/22-24 and 9/6 through the remainder of the season...Hit safely in 6 of 13 tilts with a plate appearance after his final call-up of the year (8-for -37, .216, 2 2B , HR, 3 RBI, 3 R). Played in the outfield on 25 occasions (15 GS) with Boston...Made starts at all 3 outfield positions, including 6 in right field (15 G), 5 in center (6 G) and 4 in left (6 G)...Picked up 1st career Major League outfield assist on 6/23 at COL. Notched his 1st career steal on 6/7 at CLE and 1st triple on 6/5 at BAL...

Collected career-high 3 hits on 9/8 vs. TB. Hit his 1st Big League homer of the year on 9/22 vs. BAL, his 1st career shot at Fenway...

All 3 of his Major League homers have come against the Orioles (also 8/2/09 at B AL and 9/19/09 at BAL). Finished 4th in the Red Sox minor league system with a team-high 18 home runs in 114 games with Pawtucket. Also led the PawSox in at-bats (451), runs (59), hits (120), extra-base hits (50), RBI (65), total bases (210) and slugging (.466). From the start of August through the end of the season, led Red Sox farmhands with 10 home runs, 91 total bases and 20 extrabase hits...Named Red Sox Offensive Player of the Month for August/ September. Twice named International League Player of the Week: 8/2-8 (6 G, .464, 13-for-28, 5 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI) and 8/23-29 (7 G, .500, 17-for-34, 4 2B, 5 HR, 12 RBI). Led the IL with 7 homers, 12 extrabase hits and 52 total bases over his last 15 games with Pawtucket from 8/23-9/6, hitting .388 (26-for-67) with 15 RBI in that stretch.

Following the season, appeared in 23 games with the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League.

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The Effingham Chamber will host the second annual Effingham Oktoberfest Sept. 23rd and 24th at Rincon’s McCall Plaza. Make plans now to come out and enjoy the Channelheimer’s Oompah Band, german and festival food, arts and crafts booths, children’s area, fun contests and non-stop musical entertainment.

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44 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete Caroline Rietkovich Story by KATHRYN TURNER Photos by TODD WOOD

For Caroline Rietkovich, cheerleading is life.

A

n upcoming junior at South Effingham High School, the honor roll student is a member of the varsity and the competition cheer team, and is a Senior Level 5 cheerleader with Cheer Savannah. She first started gymnastics when she was just in second grade and has been tumbling or cheerleading ever since.

She laughs at the thought that there are still some people out there who don’t consider cheerleading a sport. “We practice almost twenty hours a week and we work just as hard as any other sport,” she says. “So I definitely consider cheerleading a sport!” For those who would disagree, her mother, Patty Rietkovich has just one retort: “She can bench press most of those people who say it’s not a sport.”

Rietkovich has always been successful when it comes to competition. She competed in track in middle school, where she set the record for the triple jump as well as the high jump at SEMS. She also won the first ever middle school pageant at SEMS when she was in the sixth grade. After that, she won the prestigious title of Little Miss St. Patrick’s Day when she was in the seventh grade, and her winning streak hasn’t stopped since then.

In addition to cheering for SEHS football and basketball, she also puts in countless hours with the nationally renowned competition cheerleading team, Cheer Savannah. Her Senior Level 4 team won second place at the UCA Nationals this year in Orlando, Florida. Rietkovich says it was one of the proudest moments of her life: “You’re practicing all year long and then to get so far-and at nationals!” she beams. “It’s an incredible experience, and it’s just amazing to be there.”

Rietkovich lists her Cheer Savannah coach, Stephanie Britt, as the best coach she has ever had.

She has been tumbling with Britt for four years, and she says that Britt’s outstanding knowledge and experience has helped her tremendously. “She can tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong and how to help perfect it, and that’s what makes her a great coach,” she says.

In addition to competing with the best cheerleaders with Cheer Savannah, Rietkovich also follows cheerleading greats like Ryan Martin and does her own research online in her free time.

“I’m always on the computer watching stuff or looking at the rules, seeing how we can make our team better.”

And her hard work has not come without sacrifices. Since she started competing in gymnastics and cheerleading, her body has suffered countless injuries. In addition to whiplash, she has broken both wrists, both ankles, a hip-- too many injuries to count!

Her mother has witnessed the strain on Rietkovich’s body, but what impresses her most is how she always seems to bounce back and drive forward, despite her injuries: “She wears both ankle braces every day in practice, and she takes a lot of ice baths, but she just continues to never give up.”

In fact, the best piece of advice Rietkovich has for young girls interested in cheering or gymnastics is to keep pushing no matter what. “Whenever you’re learning a new skill, it’s hard because you have to teach your body how to twist and to jump,” she says. “But if you give up you won’t ever learn and you won’t ever master the skill.”

Despite all the hard work that Rietkovich pours into athletics, her academic record is just as impressive. She won the award for the highest GPA in cheerleading for eighth grade, and she has been an honor roll student since she can remember. She is also a member of the Beta Club.

She plans to keep up her grades and get into the University of South Carolina, where her father, Ty, played football. Although she doesn’t have a specific career picked out just yet, she knows she wants to work with people. “I’m a people person,” she says with a smile.

Caroline Rietkovich’s enthusiasm is contagious, and she certainly has picked the perfect sport to fit her personality. “This is what I do,” she says confidently. And she does it well.

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 45

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Paul’s Automotive Rincon Library St. Joseph’s Medical Group Carter’s Pharmacy Tractor Supply Enmark Body Works Aaron’s Rental South Coast Pediatrics Springs Apartments Atlantic Southern Bank Frank & Linda’s Jersey Joe’s Pizza 21 South Mini Storage Lovett’s Hardwar The Salon Sweet Water Grill Schnitzel Shack B & M Pool & Spa Glaze Beauty Salon & Milano’s The Loft Café La Dee Da Effingham Eye Care The Donut Connection Ladies & Shears Sunkist Tanning Chevron Effingham Hospital Imaging Center Effingham Family Medicine Chevron Station Papa’s Pizza Ratchford& Rafter Cuttin Up Family Hair Care Janice Ford Family Medicine Luxury Nails & Spa Chevron Gnann’s Fix It Kelly’s Tavern Heritage Bank Styles Hair Studio BB&T Coastal Performing Arts Chevron Dan’s Shop & Go Pretty Pups Ever After Bridal One of a Kind City Of Springfield

Effingham Health Dpt. Ambema Trading Post Tommy’s in Kildaire Medicap Pharmacy Hunter’s BBQ Mack’s Country Store Mack’s Service Station Guyton City Hall Guyton Post Office Ken’s IGA Olive Branch Restaurant Sweet T’s Octane Wild Wood Café Sandra’s Seafood Discount Grocery Sweet T’s Chevron Meldrim Post Office Faulkville Animal Hospital Any Blooming Thing BP Station Chevron One Stop Styles Monte’s Pizza Sweet T’s Tanglez Hair Studio Heritage Bank in Port Wentworth UPS Store Monte’s Pizza Impression Dry Cleaners Family Medicine Dr. Christopher W. Delisle Animal Hospital at Rice Hope Coastal Performing Arts Frames N Games Fitness Witness A Class Act Allure Laser Center Spirit Coldwell Banker Suntrust GA Welcome Center

Solicitor’s Office Hey Beautiful Quick RX JoAnn’s Florist Snack Barrell Effingham Senior Citizens Ijon H Webb Webb’s Farm Services Simply Southern B & S Feed & Seed Chamber of Commerce Eff. Hospital Main Lobby Eff. Nursing Home Lobby Eff. Hospital ER Lobby Eff. Hospital Testing Lobby Springfield Library Effingham Recreation Dpt.

For Questions Or Information On Distribution Points, Please Call Lea at (912)826-2760. or (843)602-1467.

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August/September 2011 49

SPORTS PROFILES Student Athlete ABI JOHNSON Story by KATHRYN TURNER Photos by TODD WOOD

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ne might not expect Abigail “Abi” Johnson to command much attention at first glance. Standing just four feet, ten inches tall, she gives a new definition to the word “petite.” Even so, Johnson has garnered more attention and respect at just fifteen years of age than most students earn in an entire high school career.

The upcoming sophomore at ECHS is on the school’s varsity competition cheer team, on the varsity soccer team, and is also an All Star member of the competitive cheerleading team, Cheer Savannah. Johnson has five years of gymnastics training and competitive cheerleading under her belt, and she has numerous awards to show for the time and effort she has put forth. She is a three-time inductee to UCA All-American Cheer, and her ECHS 2AAAA team boasts five first-place titles as well as a grand champion title.

Johnson’s proudest moment was placing twelfth at the GHSA 2AAAA division finals with the 2010-2011 ECHS cheer squad. “That’s the farthest anybody in this county has ever gone,” she says. “There were 72 squads there, so it was a big deal.” What most people would consider a “big deal” is the fact that, in addition to all the success she has had in athletics, Johnson’s academic achievements are just as impressive.

She is a member of the National Beta Club, the Duke TIP program for high academic achievement, and has been an honor roll student since kindergarten. Last year she won the award for the highest overall GPA for the 9th grade, and in cheerleading she has earned the award for the highest GPA for the past five years in a row.

“I would like to graduate from ECHS with top honors—preferably valedictorian,” says Johnson.

In addition to athletics and academics, Johnson somehow finds time to volunteer and participate in other extracurricular activities as well. She is a member of the First Baptist Church of Springfield, has participated with the Milton Project at the Ga Ports Authority, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Students, and is also a member of the Youth Advisory Council.

With her growing list of accomplishments and her participation in so many extracurricular activities, it is no wonder that she won the title of Miss ECHS when she was just a freshman.

For Johnson, it’s important to be a good role model no matter her age: “A queen isn’t defined by her age or how she wins the crown. It’s what she does while she’s wearing it,” she says. “I want to be somebody that everybody can look up to.”

Considering all she has accomplished by age fifteen, Johnson is certainly role model material. Her mother, Stephanie Johnson, couldn’t be more proud of her daughter. “She gives 110 percent to everything she does—academically, relationships, sports—and she is finding that it is turning around and rewarding her back for what she contributes to others,” she says. Johnson’s dedication to her sport has not come without its price, though. After a wrong landing on a tumbling pass at this year’s state competition, she thought she had torn her meniscus in her knee. Luckily, she didn’t have to have surgery, and her knee healed on its own.

The danger is one aspect of cheerleading that Johnson thinks is underestimated. “Even though most people consider cheerleading a girly sport, it’s really not,” she emphasizes. “We can have one wrong fall and have a girl injured or paralyzed. It’s very very scary at times.”

She credits her favorite coaches, Stephanie Britt and Katie Ward, with the know-how and the dedication to perfect her sport. “Their whole heart is in it,” says Johnson. “They believe in us and they love us.”

Johnson maintains that the time and the sweat is all worth it when she takes the floor to perform. She says she will never forget stepping on the competition floor to perform for the first time: “There are no words to describe it. You’re just feeling every emotion under the sun, and it’s incredible.”

She encourages young girls who are considering getting involved in competitive cheerleading to “go for it.” She says it is an addicting sport that brings her nothing but joy, and Johnson radiates that joy with her positive attitude and effervescent personality. She wants other girls to have the confidence to be themselves, and to always give their all.

“Doing your best is what matters most,” she says. “That’s what motivates me.”

This reigning Miss ECHS has undoubtedly done her best when it comes to athletics, academics and community involvement. Though she may be small, rest assured that Abi Johnson will accomplish 50 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine big things in life.

Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 51

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August/September 2011 53

&

Goode

Pigman:

Selling Houses!

If you think the real estate market is still in the tank, you might need a reality check. Who better to give one than two local real estate professionals who are having so much fun selling real estate they say they need their own reality show.

Kim Goode and Emily Pigman are two seasoned pros at the newly opened Keller Williams Realty Westside office, located in the new Publix Shopping Center in Pooler. The office services all three counties, with plenty of activity in Effingham.

Kim and Emily are members of the Savannah Board of Realtors Distinguished Sales Society. They bring over 16 years of combined experience to the table. “This is our full-time job and we’re very busy,” said Goode. “We’re not busy with rentals; we’re busy with buyers and selling our listings.”

Over the last 18 months, there have been unmistakable signs of a rebounding market. “We’re not just selling foreclosures,” said Pigman, “we’re doing a lot of resale as well.” The agents report a significant shift in the properties they are selling. “A year and a half ago, of any 10 properties we had under contract, six to eight were foreclosures and two to four were resale,” said Goode. “That trend has completely reversed itself.”

Pigman said it’s a good time to put homes on the market. “You’re not going to be able to price your home like you could in 2006, but you’ll make it up on your purchase,” she said.

Goode and Pigman say they are very proud to be working at Keller Williams. “It’s unlike any company I’ve ever worked for,” said Goode. “They put their agents first so the agents can put their clients first.” Pigman said the company is a supportive partner to its agents and that agents are always willing to help each other.

Nancy Thompson, Operating Partner for Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners said, “We are so excited about our recordbreaking year that we are having and feel that we are in business with many of the best agents in the area. Year-to-date 2011, our associates are responsible for 16.45 percent of the total closed volume for the three county area served by the Savannah Multi-List (Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham).”

As for financing options, there are new ones arising all the time. About 95 percent of their buyers finance their new homes. Most remarkable is that 60 percent of the finance buyers are borrowing 100 percent of the purchase price. According to Goode, anything west of I-95 is eligible for a funding program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, called the Rural Development Loan. Under the USDA program, homebuyers can finance up to 100 percent of the cost of the home. Some income restrictions apply but according to Pigman, the requirements are liberal. “The RD program puts 100 percent financing well within reach of a lot of families,” she said.

Goode and Pigman are excited about marketing and selling Emerald Plantation, a 105-lot community in Guyton. An Amenities Complex with a pool and pavilion is part of the package. Emerald Plantation is the area’s only debt-free community. Development has begun and homes are already selling. There are four impressive floor plans from 2,000 to 3,100 square feet, with more plan options being added in the next few weeks. Future homeowners can also bring their own floor plans. Prices range from the $190,000’s to around $300,000.

The builder, Tippins Homes, produces unmatched quality. Features include Hardie Plank ColorPlus siding, architectural shingles, open cell foam insulation in the attic (the best choice for humid climates), granite countertops, marble bathroom surfaces, hardwood flooring, extensive trim work, and soaring specialty ceilings. Outside, the half-acre private lot is sodded and irrigated in front and back.

Many satisfied customers, such as Nancy Taylor-Davis, a first-grade teacher at Blandford Elementary, gives the team high marks: “Emily Pigman and Kim Goode are amazing Realtors and quite a dynamic duo! We needed to sell our home in this very difficult market.

Thanks to their hard work, we were under contract within two short months. We highly recommend Emily Pigman and Kim Goode to anyone.”

Tim Forbes, another happy client, said, “Emily was instrumental in helping Joy and I sell our property and purchase a beautiful home in Rincon. Emily and Kim are a powerhouse team; two dynamic professionals that are unmatched.”

If you’re buying or selling a home, you’ll like what you find on (912) 748-4600 Kim’s and Emily’s website. Search the entire MLS, create a homes wish list, and see Emerald Plantation’s floor plans and details at Kim Goode Emily Pigman SavvyHomeSearch.com. Call Kim or Emily at 912-748-4600 and get 675-0665 224-1158 the full Keller Williams experience.

54 August/September 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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WEDDINGS

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August/September 2011 57

Tiffany & Zachary

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Photography by DENISE GONSALES

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Effingham Magazine | August/September 2011 59

EFFINGHAM WEDDINGS Planning That Perfect Honeymoon With all the planning for the ceremony and reception, the honeymoon can sometimes get neglected. Don’t let that happen to you and your hard-earned money. Here’s some advice to make the honeymoon as special as the wedding.

Do your homework. Before seeking out a travel agent, decide what type of trip you’re interested in and approximately how much you want to spend. The more specific your destination and activity wish list, the less time you’ll waste on unrealistic dreams which are beyond your budget.

Don’t forget to mention to your travel agent that it’s a honeymoon.

Have he/she ask for any available honeymoon perks. Resorts, hotels

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and tour packages will sometimes offer honeymoon perks such as room-upgrades, champagne, flowers, a free breakfast, etc.

Don’t pick the wrong destination. Unless you’re going to Walt Disney World, select a location geared for couples. Avoid places that have singles, families or seniors in mind.

Do stay flexible with your plans. You’ll have greater access to discount fares and other promotions if your time frame is flexible.

Can you leave two days after the wedding, instead of the very next day? Tell the travel agent. This flexibility could save you hundreds of dollars.

Do keep your expectations realistic. No trip is ever one hundred percent perfect. Train conductors go on strike, it rains at the beach and flights gets cancelled. Be mentally prepared for quirks of travel.

Don’t over plan. Allow for some down time in your honeymoon.

Take some time to relax and unwind from the stress of the wedding.

Make time to just do nothing.

Do consider an all-inclusive resort for convenience and luxury.

One of the most widely known is Sandals, which operates in the Caribbean. Included would be airport transfers, three meals a day, plus snacks in your choice of restaurants, accommodations, beer and wine, activities and much more.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask your travel agent about all the nitty gritty details of your trip, including any drawbacks. Ask for a phone number you can use for after-hours emergencies... preferably a toll-free or collect number.

Do prepare a master packing list well in advance of the wedding.

Don’t be surprised if your travel agent charges a fee. Due to the changing nature of travel planning, and commission cuts from the airlines, some agencies have been forced to charge, whereas in the past, they did not.

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The best foods around Effingham

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estaurateur Toshi Hirata is living proof that quality and originality are still the keys to culinary success. Toshi is CEO of Seasons of Japan, a new Japanese quick service restaurant group that simply does everything right.

Don’t let the term quick-service fool you. The food comes to you fast and fresh but there’s nothing “fast-food” about it. The impressive 70-item menu offers the broadest variety of delectable creations born of the very best in Japanese cuisine.

Toshi is a visionary and an innovator. The recipes are all original and the To Advertise flavors, exceptional. in the dining Seasons of Japan uses only the freshest guide, or to find out how premium ingredients.

Meats are the finest to get your certified Angus beef, restaurant, fresh salmon, yellowtail, pub or bar listed please eel, soft shell crab, tuna, call Julie at shrimp and chicken. All (912)657ingredients come from 4120 , or a high-end, authentic Laura at Japanese supplier.

(912) 658 Seasons of Japan 7948 prides itself in specializing in Hibachi, Teriyaki, and Sushi styles of cuisine. As for Sushi, the restaurant boasts 22 varieties in some of the most creative combinations. Sushi is made fresh daily on the premises. “You don’t have to go to a high end restaurant,” said Toshi.

“Sushi prices are just $4 or $5 and it’s the best. No item on the menu is more than $10.”

For a quick and delicious meal, the menu features Express Bowls in your choice of chicken, shrimp, Angus teriyaki beef, and Angus steak. Entrees are prepared in Hibachi style and include the full range of meats and seafood choices. Wraps, soups and salads are also great for dining on a schedule. There is Miso Soup, along with salads such as the standard House salad, Chicken, Shrimp and imitation crab, Avocado salads, and one called

Toshi Hirata, CEO of Seasons of Japan, at his new location in Pooler. *See The Seasons of Japan ad on the back cover.

Effingham Magazine

August/September 2011 61

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Serving the Best Mexican Food Since 1985 Buy 1 Dinner, Get the 2nD half Price haPPy hOur - 2 fOr 1 2PM-7PM 173 commercial Dr., rincOn 912-826-0103

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Bang Bang Salad, which is topped with shrimp tempura and a spicy white sauce.

The Special Menu offers complete plated dinners of certified Angus filet mignon and ribeye.

Steaks can be paired with shrimp or chicken and are served with your choice of fried or steamed rice.

Hibachi Chicken, Shrimp or Steak Yakisoba served with Japanese noodles are also favorites.

Toshi said the most popular dish at Seasons of Japan is Chicken Teriyaki. Naturally, when it comes to Japanese dishes, Chicken Teriyaki is the most familiar and popular in the United States.

However, at Seasons of Japan, it goes much deeper than familiarity. Fresh, authentic ingredients, flavorful recipes and careful preparation make this favorite, as well as everything on the menu, quite extraordinary.

The restaurant will soon offer frozen Chicken Teriyaki that warms up hot and delicious in your own microwave. This and a variety of other premium menu items will soon be in a grocery store near you.

Then, there is a dessert that is truly amazing. It is a Seasoned Fried Cheesecake. Homemade traditional or banana cheesecakes are wrapped in lightly seasoned dumpling dough and then flash fried. The dough becomes warm and crispy while the creamy inside remains cool. The decadent treat is then drizzled with your choice of strawberry, raspberry, caramel or chocolate toppings.

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the story is the sauces. Toshi’s teriyaki, steak, ginger, and yakiniku sauces stand far above comparable products. There is also the very popular white shrimp sauce. “We use about 80 gallons of white sauce a day in each of our restaurants,” said Toshi.

The formulas are all original, and with them, Seasons of Japan is making culinary history.

Kikkoman, the world’s largest manufacturer of premium oriental sauces, has agreed to make Toshi’s sauces. This marks the first time Kikkoman has ever made homemade sauces from recipes outside of its own kitchens. The products will be sold at Seasons of Japan restaurants. Kikkoman said it would monitor the sales volume. If the products do well, Kikkoman will consider manufacturing them for worldwide sale.

Seasons of Japan has seven locations in the Georgia and South Carolina coastal region, including two in Savannah, one in Statesboro, and its Pooler location which opened in February in the new Publix Shopping Center.

Toshi isn’t stopping there. Seasons of Japan is currently in negotiations with Yoshinoya USA to take the restaurant chain national. The Japan-based corporation is the largest of its kind with over 3,000 restaurants in Japan and more than 100 in California. “We are negotiating a partnership with Yoshinoya USA to make us the McDonald’s of Japanese restaurants,” said Toshi. “Other than Benihana, there are no famous Japanese restaurants in the United States and this is a real opportunity.” Quality, originality, service, and price are propelling Toshi and Seasons of Japan into a very promising future.

The Pooler location is open for dine-in and takeout Monday Thursday 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

You can call in orders at 912-748-9383 or see them on the web at seasonsofjapan.com.

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KIDS EAT FREE EVERY THURSDAY! 62 August/Sepember 2011 | Effingham Magazine

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