Oct 29, 2016 Wetumpka Herald

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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM

VOL. 11, NO. 41

Faulk has history with ethics commission puters for potentially personal reasons may be at the root of the single count of ethics charges pending against the Elmore County commissioner.

Joe Faulk, Elmore County Commissioner Faulk was arrested Oct. 25 on the felony for District 4, facing a charge for use of his ethics violation and will be tried in the court public office for personal gain, has a history of District Judge Glenn Goggans, according with the Alabama Ethics Commission.

In 2010, Faulk was fined $500 and ordered to online court records. No trial date has yet to repay $504 related to a hotel bill for a 2008 been set, according to the Elmore County court clerk’s office. trip to Washington, D.C. According to Alabama Ethics In addition, an Alabama Ethics Commission’s general counsel Hugh Evans in Commission decision in 2015 to forward to 2015, it turned over to the attorney general’s the Attorney General’s office information regarding the use of county phones and com- office information regarding Faulk’s use of

By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

county phones and computers as well as documents related to the improper filing of travel vouchers.

At the time that information was turned over to the attorney general’s office, Faulk told the Herald he was the victim of a political dispute with Elmore County Commission Chairman David Bowen.

“The bottom line is, when I opposed him,” Faulk told the Herald in July 2015, “it became his personal goal to take me down.

He’s made it personal and is trying to make me look like the Antichrist or something.”

See ETHICS • Page 2

Wetumpka Haunted history tour successful

David Granger / The Herald

By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

Richard Edgar of Deatsville says his cotton crop lacked mature top bolls in spots, but otherwise fared well despite the current drought. His corn crop, he said, fared worst of all.

Farmers look to skies as drought digs in

David Granger / The Herald

CANDY WALK

Planters hope for rain before planting winter seed varieties

By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

Deatsville’s Richard Edgar has known but one vocation all his 57 years – farming.

It’s what his father did before him and what his son, Jonathan, 24, is doing alongside him now.

On Thursday morning, Edgar was in the process of harvesting a field of soybeans north of Alabama Highway 111 and one of cotton south of the highway.

Unfortunately, he needed a bearing for his combine before he could continue to harvest his soybeans. It was a dealer-only part, so he was forced to order it.

See DROUGHT • Page 3

Today’s

Weather

87 58 High

Low

Above, Beverly Wright and Cathy Thornton with Remax Cornerstone Realty hand out candy as part of the Candy Walk in downtown Wetumpka Tuesday. Chloe Collins, 4 wearing her Ariel costume from The Little Mermaid during Tuesday’s Candy Walk.

CONTACT US 334-567-7811 • Fax: 334-567-3284

SEHS students Tribute to vets set for Trinity Episcopal host mock election

By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

Stanhope Elmore High School students got a crash course in the presidential election process Thursday as senior students of Government/Economics teacher Gena Jacobs manned three polling stations around the school for students to cast their ballots.

Jacobs said that the purpose of the exercise is to teach students about the voting process and being responsible.

“It has been a lot of fun for my students,” she said. “It really gives them an appreciation for how it all works.”

Jacobs said that the school chose to go with paper ballots instead of computer based See ELECTION • Page 5

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Several hundred participants have flooded downtown Wetumpka the last several days in the hopes of learning more about the city’s colorful history and perhaps having an encounter with the paranormal.

The inaugural Wetumpka Haunted History tour began Wednesday evening as four groups of area residents were treated to a number of downtown buildings and businesses, selected specifically for their interesting history and brushes with the paranormal.

Central Alabama Paranormal Investigations has been working with the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce and area businesses to identify paranormal hotspots throughout the city.

The results of their investigations help to lead to this year’s tour.

CAPI co-founder Johnny Rushing and his son and fellow co-founder Corey Rushing led two of the four groups on tours Wednesday night. Tours were also held on Thursday and Friday nights and will be held this evening as well.

The primary tour, which is four See HAUNTED • Page 5

By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

SUNDAY: HIGH 88 LOW 57

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Capt. Edwin Carter, whose Army-issued communion kit and chalice are shown here, was chaplain in Gen. George S. Patton’s army.

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A communion kit and a chalice owned by Capt. Edwin R. Carter, chaplain of Gen. George Patton’s army and, later, rector at Wetumpka’s Trinity Episcopal Church, will be among the items on display at the Musical Tribute to Veterans and Gallery of Honor set for Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, at Trinity Episcopal.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Gardner Perdue, co-chair of the church’s Veterans Day committee, said in addition to items brought for display by veterans among the general public, Carter’s communion kit See VETERANS • Page 3

Page 2 • OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

Ethics

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

Obituaries continued from page 1

Attempts to reach Faulk for comment were unsuccessful.

Bowen told the Herald all he knew about the ethics charge against Faulk was what was in the media and declined further comment.

Earlier this week, Mike Lewis, communications director for the attorney general’s office, would only say that Faulk’s “arrest was made following a complaint and an arrest warrant” issued by an Elmore County magistrate.

Joy Patterson, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s office, reiterated Friday she could only say Faulk’s charge was use of public office for personal gain and she knew none of the specifics.

Faulk’s arrest took place around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, according to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin, who said officials with the attorney general’s office made the arrest in the Sheriff’s Office parking lot before Faulk went through the booking process.

Faulk had made his $5,000 bond by the time the Herald talked with Franklin at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Faulk has served District 4 on the county commission since 2000, including serving four-plus years as commission chairman. Prior to joining the commission, he was a member of the Millbrook City Council for six years and served the city as mayor pro tempore for four of those years.

Linda Hartin Thompson

THOMPSON, Linda Hartin, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama passed away Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at the age of 71. Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Don Myers officiating. Burial will follow at Rocky Mount Cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mrs. Thompson is preceded in death by her parents, John P. “Beady” & Mamie Ruth Hartin, and brothers, John Wesley Hartin and Willie Joe Hartin.

She is survived by her husband, Ronnie Thompson, children, Craig Thompson, Scott Thompson, Pamela (Mike) Hines, Jeff (Tracy) Thompson, Jennifer (Buck) Biggers, sister, Lottie (Lloyd) Huckaby, grandchildren, Jessica Thompson, Jonathon Hines, Matthew Hines, Brady Hines, Kaleb Hines, Spencer Thompson, Charley Thompson, daughter-in-law, Sheila Worrell Thompson.

Pallbearers will be Matthew Hines, Brady Hines, Sam Sherrill Hartin, Jonathon Hines, Kaleb Hines, Jason Huckaby, and Wayne Dickey. Visitation will be held Friday, October 28, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home. If you choose, in lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Assoc. Online Guest Book available at www. gassettfuneralhome.net

Thomas Lee “Tommy” Self SELF, Thomas Lee “Tommy” a resident of Millbrook, Alabama went to be with the Lord Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at the age of 51. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 28, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Justin Teate officiating. Burial will follow at Wetumpka City Cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mr. Self is preceded in death by his parents, Frank & Geneva Self, sister, Charlotte Self and his nephew, Seth Clark. He is survived by his sisters, Frankie Clark, Deborah (Jerry) Hathcock, nieces, Amanda Berkstresser, Marcia Walker, Ashley Harbin, nephews, Devin Farmer, Eric Clark, and Matthew Clark and numerous great nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Devin Farmer, Jim Berkstresser, Matthew Clark, Jason Walker, & Jerry Hathcock. Honorary pallbearers will be Kim Burton, caregivers and staff at PHP of Alabama. Visitation will be held Friday, October 28, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. until service time at Gassett Funeral Home. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net

Paul Emfinger, Jr. EMFINGER, Paul Jr.; a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama was born on July 25, 1927 in Elmore County, AL and passed away on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at the age of 89. The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 29, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home. Funeral services are Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Gerald Wood officiating. Interment with U.S. Army military honors will follow at Pine View Memorial Gardens. Mr. Emfinger was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Emfinger. He is survived by son, Philip P. Emfinger (Connie); daughter, Faye E. Mims (Lewis Ciniglio); grandson, Brian Emfinger; granddaughter, Tiffany Emfinger; and sister, Ovelle E. Dozier (James). Pallbearers will be Lewis Ciniglio, Butch Gantt, Dwayne Strength, Rudolph Evans, James Cook, and Mark Baker. Honorary pallbearers are the men of Calvary Baptist Church. The family expresses heartfelt thanks to Lake Martin Hospice; caregivers, Greta Wells, LaSandra Edwards, Lucy Godwin, Victoria Kelly, Emma Powell, and Renee Holman. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions are requested to Calvary Baptist Church, 504 West Osceola Street, Wetumpka, AL 36092. Online Guest Book available at www. gassettfuneralhome.net

Edgewood Academy Fall Festival Students battle with pugil sticks as part of an Alabama National Guard station at Edgewood Academy’s Fall Festival Tuesday.

William Carroll / The Herald

Depot players host theatre festival, competition ideas, for networking and for collaboration.”

ACTFest officially Wetumpka will be kicked off Friday night, the focus of communibut begins in earnest ty theatre in Alabama today. Throughout the beginning this morning next two days, the seven as the Wetumpka Depot community theatre groups Players host ACTFest17, will perform for the adjuthe Alabama Community dicators and guests alike.

Theatre Festival that will Each group may perform bring seven community a “cutting” of up to sixty theatre troupes together to minutes from their properform, network, collab- duction. orate and compete at the Today, the theatre Wetumpka Depot Theatre. groups and their produc“Seven community the- tions include: atres will come together • “The Curious here in Wetumpka this Savage,” performed by weekend for a weekend of Prattville’s Way Off doing shows,” said Kristy Broadway at 8 a.m.

Meanor, executive director • “The Dixie Swim of the Wetumpka Depot Club,” performed by Players. “There will be Millbrook Community adjudicators that respond Theatre at 9:30 a.m. to the shows, but there • “Hiram: Becoming will also be a chance for Hank Williams,” perthe theatres to exchange formed by Pell City

By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

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Players at 6:30 p.m.

• “Rabbit Hole,” performed by Leeds Theatre and Arts Center at 8 p.m.

• “War Stories,” performed by the Auburn Area Community Theatre at 9:30 p.m.

Sunday’s performances include: • “The Glass Menagerie,” performed by the Wetumpka Depot Players at 9:30 a.m.

• “Steel Magnolias,” performed by Pelham’s South City Players at 11 a.m.

The panel of experienced adjudicators will respond orally after each production.

“Audiences enjoy hearing the adjudicators’ responses and compare them to their own, while the companies benefit from the constructive criticism offered,” said Sue Ellen Gerrells, festival chair.

Adjudicators also choose two entries to represent Alabama at the 10-state Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), to be held in

March in Lexington, Kentucky. The winners at the SETC and in other regional competitions advance to the prestigious American Association of Community Theatre’s AACTFest in Rochester, Minnesota, in June.

Two Alabama-based theatre groups have advanced to AACTFest in the past: Wetumpka Depot Players and the Mobile Theatre Guild.

“We’re proud to host ACTFest,” said Meanor.

“It’s a privilege to bring different theatre groups into our space for this competition and networking opportunity. It allows us to opportunity to celebrate the important role that community theatre plays in our cities and towns.”

ACTFest passes and tickets to individual shows are available by calling 334-868-1440 or may be ordered online at wetumpkadepot.com. A festival pass is $40 and tickets to individual shows are $10.

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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Drought Birmingham office, said the average year-to-date rainfall for Montgomery (the nearest NWS station) as of Wednesday is 43.1 inches. Thus far this year the area has had 35.4 inches of measurable rain, he said – a deficit of 7.7 inches.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, updated Thursday morning by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska, most of Elmore County is in severe drought, with the northwestern most part of the county in an extreme drought.

Edgar, who planted wheat, soybeans, corn, cotton and just a few acres of hay this year, said his cotton crop, had good yields despite the extended drought.

“We would have made a few more top bolls on the cotton,” Edgar said.

“The cotton yields are real good even where we are, but we had a few top bolls that didn’t fully mature because of lack of water.

“We had a period of rain in August right around here. For about two weeks within that time we had mostly little rains, but some significant rains that really made our cotton and our soybeans.”

Edgar said the last decent rain in his area occurred the day Auburn played Texas A&M, Sept. 17. He said he had decided to go to the game after it rained too much for them to harvest

continued from page 1

corn.

“We decided to go to the Auburn game and it didn’t rain much at all over there,” Edgar said.

“But my son called me from home and said it was raining so hard he’d lost satellite signal.”

Edgar said that, of his 1,050 acres, more than a third of it was planted in corn this year. It was that crop, he said, that fared worst.

“We had been dry in July and that really affected our corn yields,” Edgar said. They were off dramatically. We had 370 acres of corn this time. It was just the way our rotation worked out and some opportunities we had to book some early, we planted a little more. I have some landowners (from which he leases acreage) that prefer grain crops to cotton and so my rotation gets kind of forced out of synch sometimes and it was that way for corn this time. Unfortunately this wasn’t a good year for that.”

Edgar has only 40 acres that were planted in hay this year, but that hay suffered, too, yielding only about 30 percent of what it normally would, he said.

“I personally don’t have cows, but neighbors and friends that do, they’re already having to feed scarce hay,” said Edgar. “So there’s some concern about what the winter and spring will bring.”

What really could be

Veterans would be there for viewing and relayed a scene from the movie “Patton” that featured mention of Carter, who was rector at Trinity Episcopal from 1972 until 1976.

“The weather in the European theater had been bad for days,” Perdue said. “He told Chaplain Carter to write him a prayer for good weather and he would deliver it to the Lord.

The chaplain wrote the prayer, Patton prayed and the next day the weather was clear. Patton said, ‘Bring me that chaplain.

I want to promote him because he is in good with God.’” Perdue said that, while the communion kit may be the star relic among the gallery items, other veterans are invited to bring photos, medals or other memorabilia from their military careers.

“Last year, we had about 40 or 50 items on display, including medals, photos, captured flags, weapons, just things that people want to bring and show,” Perdue said. “And we will have people that stay in the room with the items so that they don’t get gone.”

The eighth annual veterans event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the church, but the gallery will be open from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Perdue said there will be people available at the church to accept items for display in the gallery beginning that morning.

This year’s featured

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016 • Page 3

hurt, Edgar said, is his winter planting of wheat and canola. Before those seeds are put in the ground, he says an inch of rain is needed – minimum.

“As far as our operation,” Edgar said, “what’s really being delayed or hampered is any winter-seeded crops, planting any wheat or a canola variety we’re looking at. It’s just too dry to attempt to plant anything right now and expect to be successful.

“We need to get it planted by the end of November, so that window is still open. We could have been planting already, but, with the warm temperatures that we’ve been having, the pests could have eaten anything we planted.“ But there is concern about what, in the way of rainfall, the future will bring. According to Holmes, the outlook for any significant amount of rain isn’t good in the foreseeable future.

“There is a disturbance that looks to be coming through around (November) the 5th or 6th, but these have just been clipping our area and staying north of us, so the outlook really isn’t good then,” Holmes said.

“With the soils and the vegetation and everything else as dry as the conditions are, we really aren’t in a good situation to develop clouds in the area. We’ve had strong high pressure in the Deep South since May,

mostly over Texas, and we’ve really gotten stuck in a feedback cycle.”

What’s more, Holmes said, a La Nina is expected to develop during the winter months, which normally means a drier-than-normal winter.

Edgar said any profit this year will be hard to find, although crop insurance helped with his corn losses.

“We hope to break even,” he said. “When I say break even, we hope to pay back most of our out-of-pocket expenses. I won’t get paid this year.”

Because of the extended dry period, on Oct. 12, Gov. Robert Bentley issued a no-burn order for 46 counties in Alabama, including Elmore. Other counties included in the order are Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston.

David Granger / The Herald

Richard Edgar of Deatsville says his cotton crop lacked mature top bolls in spots, but otherwise fared well despite the current drought.

His corn crop, he said, fared worst of all.

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continued from page 1

artists are Montgomery’s Madrigal Voices and Millbrook’s Jess Meuse of “American Idol” fame. According to their Facebook page, the Madrigal Voices, organized in 1985, will be singing “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” arranged

by Peter J. Wilhousky, “A Tribute to the Armed Services,” arranged

by Lloyd Larson and “America the Beautiful,” arranged by Buryl Red.

Meuse will contribute additional patriotic music.

Each year, the tribute is dedicated to a veteran who served both the country and the local community. The first event in 2009 was dedicated to Patton’s chaplain, Capt. Carter. This year, the event is dedicated to the memory of Capt Conrad Ward (Ret.), a U.S. Navy aviator who called Titus home.

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Steve Baker, Publisher William Carroll, Managing Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of The Wetumpka Herald

Page 4 • OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

OPINION TheWetumpkaHerald.com

“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.”

--Thomas Jefferson ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

The Herald strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and, above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.

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T

Young students learn lessons on politics

hursday morning I went out to Stanhope Elmore High School to work on a story about the school’s mock presidential election. During that story, I spoke with several students including, not only those quoted for the story, but several others who were either waiting to vote or who had already voted.

Just like real voters, some had a grasp of what they were doing while others were simply casting a ballot.

Speaking with those students involved as election workers it was clear that they had learned a lot about the process, even learning some things they weren’t aware of.

For instance, several students commented that many of the students who voted actually had no clue why they were voting for a particular candidate. Many voted for candidates because their parents or friends were casting votes for the same candidate. Others because

WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

they were responding to some sound bite they had heard on television.

The students working the polls figured this was just a feature of their fellow students and their lack of in depth knowledge of politics. Interestingly it is actually quite common. Many adults also vote for candidates based upon what their friends or family members think, or because of something they saw or heard on television.

Others vote simply along party lines, even if the candidate fails to meet any of the criteria that fits the party platform. Others offer anti-votes, merely voting against someone as opposed to for anyone else.

When I was in high school, which was back

in 1992, I remember a similar mock election my senior year.

Students had the opportunity to pick George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton or Ross Perot. Of course we all know who won the real election, but being a Mississippi school we actually went pretty strongly for Bush, with Clinton and Perot actually having a pretty close duel for second place if my memory serves me correctly. Students at my high school were very similar to students at SEHS, just learning the process with many hoping someday to actually participate in the election process.

Lessons like these are important for students in that they learn the importance of getting involved in the election process.

Several students I talked to discussed issues like their rights and how important those rights are to being an American. If students take nothing else out of their lessons it should

be that. The importance of our election process to the country and what it means to be American. I have always thought that it is actually quite appropriate that national elections fall very closely just before Veterans Day. I think it is important that we exercise one of our most fundamental rights during the same period of time we remember those who fought for those rights. Sadly, even with the upcoming elections, only a portion of those eligible to vote will participate in the process, but the right retains its significance to our national identity. As students around the county, state and nation participate in mock election exercises, let them be forever mindful of just how special that right is.

William Carroll is the managing editor for the Elmore County newspapers of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.

334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE WETUMPKA HERALD (681-260) is published twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wetumpka Herald, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 360920099. ISSN # 1536-688X. We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all.

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ADMINISTRATION Steve Baker, publisher steve.baker@thewetumpkaherald.com William Carroll, managing editor william.carroll@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Corey Arwood, staff writer corey.arwood@thewetumpkaherald.com Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com Cory Diaz, sports editor Cory.Diaz@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . . Ext. 306 SALES Molly Brethauer, marketing consultant molly.brethaur@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . Ext. 313 Stacy Adams, marketing consultant stady.adams@thewetumpkaherald.com . . . . . . . Ext. 305

God, Mama and midnight in Montgomery

I

joined the Army, because it was the first door at the recruiting complex. I graduated basic training from Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, 24 years ago this week.

It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. Heck, it’s hard to believe I’m that old. I’ve often had a love-hate relationship with Army, particularly when I was on active duty. For example, I loved serving the nation, but I hated waking up early, running and shaving, yet those were the first three things I did every day.

That door opened up so many opportunities.

It’s been quite a journey but almost a journey that never happened.

My career in the Army started out bleak at best. I started out on a dreaded road march in dreadful weather before I ever even donned the uniform.

My recruiters gave me a bus ticket to the Military Entrance Processing Station located in Montgomery.

I had to go there for a physical. As I waited

JODY FULLER Guest Columnist

for the bus to arrive, I realized that I didn’t have my driver’s license in my wallet, and proper identification was a requirement. I’d used it earlier in the day and had mistakenly left it in the pocket of another pair of pants. I had no choice but to call my recruiter to come pick me up. Although he didn’t show his frustration, I’m sure he was not pleased.

Later that evening, my brother was kind enough to loan me his car so I could make the 60-minute trip to Montgomery. I was on a lonely stretch of the interstate about 20 miles shy of Montgomery when the car stalled on me. I was able to let the car come to a halt on the side of the road but was unable to get it to restart. It turned out that I threw a rod. I don’t even know what that

means, but it wasn’t good. Apparently, it’s important for the car to be in the right gear.

I was parked next to a sign indicating the next exit for the next town was four miles ahead.

There is no doubt God has a sense of humor, because the name of the town four miles ahead was Shorter. By this point, it was cold and rainy. There was nothing short about my inevitable four-mile road march in the less than desirable conditions. I was miserable.

No one stopped to help as I waited near the car for a bit, so in spite of the weather, I prayed and then started walking. I knew there was a truck stop at the next exit. I’d walked no more than a hundred yards or so when an early 80s model Chevette pulled over to help. After a quick rundown of what’d happened, he took me to the truck stop so I could use the payphone.

He waited to ensure that I reached my mother before driving away.

Before I could thank

him, he disappeared into the night. I never did get his name. Our encounter was brief, but I appreciated his kindness. Coincidentally, I find it remarkable that he was a captain serving in the United States Army.

My mother came to pick me up. It was midnight in Montgomery when we got to our motel.

I don’t know if I would’ve even enlisted had that captain not stopped to pick me up.

I may have been so turned off by the negative experience that it may have altered my entire life. Who knows?

What I do know is that God and mama were looking out for me that night and for that, I am forever grateful.

Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller.com.

For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com.

ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

Election

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016 • Page 5

Haunted

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continued from page 1

ballots because she felt the process would be more realistic for the students participating. She also said that the students would just be voting for presidential candidates and provided a sample ballot with the four potential selections.

SEHS student Tavis Taite, 17, said that the students in Jacobs’ class have been working for the last two weeks getting prepared for the big day.

“So far it has been running smoothly,” Taite said early Thursday morning. “I am doing the exit polling. We are trying to get an idea of the demographic of the students who vote for candidates.”

Taite said he had learned a lot about how the voting process works from the exercise.

“It is hard to give them (students) an incentive to vote,” he said. “A lot of them don’t even know why they are voting for someone.”

Fellow student Bristol Benton agreed with Taite’s opinion on the student voters.

“People really don’t know what is going on, they really don’t know who to vote for,” she said.

Both Taite and Benton said that students have been voting for candidates for a variety of reasons, many because their parents support a specific candidate, others for more interesting reasons.

“One person said they didn’t want to get deported,” Taite said.

Benton said she worked as a poll worker during the exercise. She said that all of the students in the school were given cards with their precinct information, which they are required to present at the voting locations.

Student Kyle Pietrzak, 17, said that his role was to make sure to mark people down on the voter rolls when they presented their information.

“My job is to make sure that no one is voting illegally,” he said. “The more you do it the easier it becomes.”

Pietrzak also said that many students were unsure who to vote for and generally didn’t appear to be voting based on specific issues.

“I think many of them just know about the celebrity aspect (of the candidates),” he said.

Pietrzak said the whole experience has been very interesting and fun.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I’d do this (work the polls) all day if I could.”

A final tally of the mock election results was not available at press time.

hours in length, takes participants on a walking tour of downtown Wetumpka. This reporter followed Johnny Rushing’s tour group, which started in the Chamber of Commerce’s building and made its way around town, finishing up across Court Street at the old Lancaster Hotel building.

Rushing, who has performed investigations in the majority of buildings on the tour, said that the Chamber building was home to what he called an “aha” moment for one participant during a previous investigation of the structure. Rushing said that the individual was a skeptic who became a believer after observing the chandelier in the portion of the Chamber that houses one of the old bank vaults rotate on command.

Rushing said the Chamber has been the scene of several incidents of unexplained activity. Witnesses and investigators have observed a gentleman wearing a top hat and appearing either at the top of a second floor stairway or on the stairway itself.

The model of a gentleman wearing a top hat was actually part of the theme for the tour, depicted on signage for the tour and on T-shirts sold by the Chamber.

One of the most well known Chamber stories is of the scarecrow located on the upper floor of the building. Chamber employees and other witnesses have observed the scarecrow in one location, only to find it in another location at a later time.

Rushing said that investigations at the Chamber have turned up knocking sounds and shadow people in the basement, cold spots on the second floor and various other unexplained sounds.

During the extended tour Wednesday night, Chamber Assistant Director Jamie Young said participants heard a loud crashing sound and what sounded like the voice of a young boy.

The tour also included such sites as the “Big Fish House,” so called because of its use in the movie “Big Fish.” According to Rushing, paranormal activity at the home includes apparitions of a boy and a lady and sounds consistent with footsteps, shuffling and various knocking sounds.

William Carroll / The Harold

Central Alabama Paranormal Investigations co-founder Johnny Rushing (center orange vest) tell Wetumpka Haunted History tour participants about the history of horse trading along the Coosa River in front of the law firm of Bailey & Poague on Hill Street.

From the “Big Fish” house, the tour continues down the row of stores along Company Street, including stops at Scent Wizards, Austin’s Flowers and Gifts, the Vault Variety store and the River Perk. All along the corridor were ghostly tales of disembodied voices, apparitions and even a mysterious painting that appeared out of nowhere. The businesses themselves were an important part of the tour as the goal of the endeavor is not simply to tell ghost stories, but to show participants the types of items available at downtown businesses.

The tour later continued to two locations that the CAPI team has not had the opportunity to investigate yet, namely the Fain Theatre and the Old Calaboose jail located behind the theatre along the Coosa River.

Rushing said that in his group’s investigation of the downtown area, two specific locations stood out as the most haunted – the Chamber building and the Elmore County Historical Society Museum located in the old post office on Main Street.

During a tour of the museum, local history buff Joe Allen Turner regaled participants with tales of murder and mayhem around the museum and what he referred to as Wetumpka’s “dark and bloody square.”

According to Rushing, the museum has a lot of paranormal activity,

including several electronic voice phenomena, several shadow people and investigators actually being touched by unexplained forces.

Rushing said that during an investigation of the building, one of his investigators had a very expensive camera knocked from his hand by an unexplained force.

Rushing’s tour concluded with a walk on the second floor of the old Lancaster Hotel. A former brothel, among other things, the hotel is also the home of paranormal activity including voices and the sound of an old clock ticking.

In total, the tour stopped at over a dozen locations in Wetumpka and will continue tonight with a final tour. Participants can participate not only in the three-hour regular tour, but in a two-hour extended tour, which includes participation in an actual paranormal investigation.

After the first night, Young said the response has been very positive.

“We had a lot of people who said it was great,” Young said. “Several suggested that we have more tours, maybe in the spring, and a daytime tour.”

“It was generally positive,” Chamber Director Gerry Purcell said regarding the response. “Several people said they were interested to see how we were going to continue to develop the tour in the future.”

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The Wetumpka Herald

Page 8 • OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

Edgewood Academy student wins top honors at AISA event

By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

Edgewood senior Morgan Brown took home top honors recently at the AISA state speech tournament held at Faulkner University.

Brown won the competition with a speech on the effects of social media on political campaigns. Morgan advanced to the state competition after winning the District VI competition Oct. 18.

Brown said that after winning the district title she had to go up against 11 other students statewide, including fellow Edgewood student Kevi Hansen.

“They take the winner and runner up in each of the seven districts statewide,” Brown said. “All of the districts but one participated in the event.”

Brown said she was honored and humbled by the experience of winning.

“It was awesome,” she said.

“There were so many good speeches.

I really wasn’t expecting it.”

Brown said this is her first year

competing in the statewide event.

“It was really fun,” she said. “I am not that big on public speaking, but it really helped build my confidence. I think it will help in the future.”

Brown said that her speech on the effects of social media on political campaigns had what she called a kaleidoscope theme.

“In the age of radio and early television, we lived in a black and white world,” she said. “As we moved into the Internet age we have so many more ideas available that you can pick your own color. So we have gone to a kind of kaleidoscope worldview.”

Brown said that in selecting her speech she thought it was important to have a metaphor.

“I spoke with my mom and dad about it, and they thought it was a good idea,” she said.

Brown said she is planning on attending college after graduation, but hasn’t yet made a final decision.

“I have always wanted to go to Submitted / The Herald the University of Alabama,” she Edgewood Academy senior Morgan Brown took home fi rst place in the AISA state oratorical contest said. “But I haven’t made my final besting 11 other competitors from around the state of Alabama. decision yet.”

Area Calendar October 29

ECLECTIC COTTON FESTIVAL: The Eclectic Cotton Festival Dog Show will be held at 10:30 a.m. in front of Town Hall. All dogs are welcome to enter the contest, owners must bring proof of rabies vaccinations with them. All pets must be on leashes and the contest is free to enter.

There will be awards for biggest lap dog, smallest dog, best trick, best costume, ugliest and most unusual dog. A best in show trophy will be provided to the best overall participant. Registration for the event is prior to the commencement of the show.

FALL FESTIVAL: Rock Springs Baptist at 375 Rigsby Rd, Tallassee, is hosting its annual community Fall Festival on Sat, Oct 29, beginning at 5 p.m. All guests, all ages, are welcome. Program features a free hot dog supper, hay ride, cake walk, and marshmallow roast, games, face painting, go fish and much more. Children in costume are welcome. Come, bring canned beans or corn for ministry to a food pantry.

HALLOWEEN DANCE: Eclectic Youth Football and Cheerleading League is hosting a Halloween Dance and Drive from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Elmore County High School old gym.

The event is for children ages 4 to 12 and admission is free with a canned food item or $3 donation. Refreshments and glow sticks will be available for purchase.

Canned food and donations will be given to the Eclectic Kindness Ministry. For information contact eyfcleague@gmail.com.

October 30

Calvary Baptist Church Wetumpka will be hosting its annual Fall Festival on October 30th from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Come on out for a great night of games, candy, fun and fellowship.

October 31

Cain’s Chapel UMC will be taking applications for Christmas boxes through Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. We are located at 96 Lightwood Road, Deatsville in the Holtville/Slapout community.

In order to be eligible, you must live in the Holtville area and have children who attend or be eligible to attend when old enough schools in Holtville. You must bring proof of all income, expenses and a social security number for each family member.

Only children 12 and under will be eligible for our Angel Tree. Applications will only be taken on the dates and times listed above in the church office. We will not accept any applications beyond 5 p.m. Nov. 3. For more information, call the church office at 334-569-2375, Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

November 5

Camp Stew and Indoor Yard Sale Cedarwood Community Church, Hwy 231 N. Wallsboro, Wetumpka from 7 a.m. to noon. Stew is $8.00 per large container that is microwaveable and reuseable.

All proceeds from stew and yard sale go to church building fund. For more information, you may contact Laura Knight at 567-2457; Jo Parker at 514-0242 or church office at 567-0476.

November 6-9

The Wetumpka Church of Christ will host a Gospel meeting beginning Sunday November 6th through Wednesday the 9th with Mel Futrell.

Brother Futrell currently serves as the pulpit minister at the Shades Mountain church in Birmingham. The theme of the meeting is “Christ Above All”. Sunday 6th services begin with Prayer service at 8:30 a.m.

Bible study at 9 a.m. Worship assembly at 10 a.m. The sermon title will be “Pictures of Christ”. Immediately after services all are invited to a meal and fellowship. Visitors are encouraged to stay and enjoy good food and fellowship. Monday through Wednesday services begin at 6:30 p.m.

Monday 7th - “The Uniqueness of Christ” Tuesday 8th - “The Cross of Christ” Wednesday 9th - “Jesus the Human Being” Nursery will be provided at all services.

Visitors, family, friends, are cordially invited to come worship with us.

November 7-9

Living by Faith Worship Center presents Fall Revival 2016. The speaker for all three nights will be Pastor Juanita Jackson.

November 15, January 10, February 4 and March 14

The Wetumpka Public Library, along with the Elmore County Museum, invites veterans and family members to sign up and participate in a free monthly reading discussion program on the experience of war, beginning September and ending in

March. Discussions will be held in the Elmore County Museum from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: November 15th, January 10th, February 14th, and March 14th. All books and films will be provided for each participant in advance of each discussion. Recent veterans of the global war on terror are particularly encouraged to participate.

November 14-21

Eclectic United Methodist Church will serve as a drop-off location for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child—the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.

During National Collection Week, Nov. 14 – 21, Eclectic residents will donate shoeboxes—filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and fun toys, such as a doll or soccer ball—for Operation Christmas Child to deliver to children in need around the world.

This year, Eclectic residents hope to contribute several hundred shoebox gifts toward the 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children.

November 15, December 13

Calvary Baptist Church Wetumpka will be offering Grief Share “Surviving the Holidays” from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

They will be meeting in the fellowship hall. Please contact the church office at 567-4729 or visit our website at www. calvarybaptistwetumpka.org for any questions concerning this matter.

ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016 • Page 9

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OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

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with 8:50, an 18-yard pass to senior Tyius Evans at 2:22 and a final 50-yard pass to Evans with 1:38 left in the game. But it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

With the loss, the Cougars’ finish the season with 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the region.

Despite the victory over Central Coosa, Friday marked the end of Childersburg season as well. The win brought the Tigers’ season record to 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the region.

continued from page 11

chances and we just couldn’t do anything offensively.”

On the other hand, the Bulldogs started racking up points early.

Drake’s touchdown pass for Wadley came with 6:13 left in the first quarter and was followed up by a kick for the extra point for a Bulldogs lead of 7-0 for the duration of the quarter. Their next score came in the second quarter as a three-play drive enabled Wadley senior Tyrese Sheppard to rush the final 8 yards with 11:01 left on the clock. Next came Nunn’s 36-yard rushing TD with 6:56 left in the first half that was set up a three-play drive and followed up with another extra kick to expand Wadley’s lead at the first half to 20-0.

It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that any more points were put on the board. That came when a three-play drive set junior quarterback Connor Fordham up to rush the final 5 yards for the Bulldogs’ last touchdown of the night for a final score of 26-0.

“They played a really good ball game,” Franklin said. “They did a good job of executing. Hats off to Wadley. They were able to execute their game plan really well and we weren’t. That’s all you can say about it.”

Despite Thursday’s loss, the No. 4 seeded Generals are still playoff-bound. Next week Horseshoe Bend heads to north Alabama to face Fyffe, ranked No. 1 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and No. 1 seeded, in Round 1 of Class 2A playoffs, while No. 1 seeded Wadley hosts Loachapoka in Class 1A’s first round of playoffs.

Childersburg’s Maurice Bennett intercepted the ball from the Cougars and rushed for the TD with 5:58 left, which was followed by the 2-point conversion. The additional TD’s were made from a 15-yard rush by Kidd at 5:20 on the clock and junior Takairee Kenabrew rushing for 49 yards with 1:56 left.

Central Coosa fought just as hard in the final quarter of the game by scoring four more times in the fourth.

Graham made those with a 41-yard pass to Hill with 10:50 to go, a 21-yard pass to senior Jevon McKinney

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

HOLMAN FLOOR COMPANY

However, the Tigers answered by scoring twice more in the third, first with a pass to senior Kwayne Calhounwith 10:08 on the clock, along with a 2-point conversion, then with a 5-yard rush by Kidd with 3:42 left. At the end of the quarter, the Tigers edged out a 38-36 lead.

Then things went full throttle in the fourth quarter. Childersburg scored a staggering five additional touchdowns. First came a 42-yard pass to junior Daniel Morris and a 2-point conversion at 11:04. Then came another Tigers TD from the 4-yard line at 10:24. Next,

Cougars

Horseshoe Bend’s Cade Worthy is sacked by Wadley’s Caden Messer Thursday night.

Generals

12

ALABAMA’S BIGGEST WEEKLY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL EDITION

Edgewood Academy senior Blake Walters (65) tries to bring down Fullington Academy quarterback William Mashburn Thursday night.

Holtville.......................... 41 Beulah............................ 39

Stanhope Elmore .......... 42 Selma ............................. 36

Fullington Academy ..... 35 Edgewood ..................... 26

Area Scoreboard

High school football from The Alexander City Outlook, The Wetumpka Herald & The Tallassee Tribune

SPORTS EXTRA

October 29-30, 2016

2 2016 SPORTS EXTRA

yards and later stamped the drive with a 26-yard touchdown strike to junior Matt Williams.

“We had a really good plan coming into this week, some stuff we’ve been working on all year long. Drez has been our playmaker all year long as an eighthgrader,” Folmar said. “We had that package for him to come in and had some things that Cooper could do as well.”

Both teams traded scores before halftime. Mitcham notched his second touchdown from 21 yards out, and less than three minutes later, sophomore Tyler Abernathy counters for EA with a 46-yard rushing score pulling the Wildcats within, 21-14, at the break.

After Mitcham notched his third rush-

ing touchdown on the night, this time from 24 yards, Edgewood made a mad dash for the lead in the third. Down 28-14, Crawford scored on a quarterback sneak with 6:21 left in the quarter.

The ‘Cats fielded the ensuing onsides kick and Abernathy got his team back in the game, capping a 49-yard march with a powerful 7-yard touchdown run, as Fullington clung to a 28-26 lead with 4:30 remaining in the third.

But the Trojans responded on its next possession, marching down the field and quarterback Will Mashburn punching it in from a 1 yard, putting his team ahead, 35-26.

“I think when you’ve these young kids, they don’t really know quite how to

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

Cory Diaz / The Wetumpka Herald

overcome adversity yet. When a couple of things don’t go our way, it tends to go the other direction on us,” Folmar said “It’s a learning experience for our young guys. I’m proud of the way we fought, proud of the way we got back in the game, just a couple of bounces, calls and turnovers that didn’t go our way. That was just the hand we were dealt tonight.

“They’re a really good football team, that’s an 8-2 football team that’s got a really good chance of winning a state championship over in Georgia. All but two starters are junior high kids on our defense, so for us to get some stops and get to them like we did says a lot about our young guys.

Edgewood Academy junior defensive back Matt Williams (28) wraps up Fullington Academy quarterback Will Mashburn (5) during Thursday night’s game at Charles P. Storr Field.

Fullington Acad. (Ga.) 35, Edgewood 26

Edgewood stumbles in finale finish season 0-10

By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Edgewood Academy couldn’t win one for its lone senior, as the visiting Fullington Academy held on against the Wildcats, 35-26, in both teams’ season finale at Charles P. Storr Field.

Senior lineman Blake Walters, a member of three varsity undefeated state championship teams at EA, and the ‘Cats looked to climb back into the win column for his final high school game, but ran out of steam down the stretch.

“Super proud of my guys, can’t say enough about them,” first-year Edgewood head football coach Eric Folmar said.

“For Blake to still be here through all of this, as the only senior to stick it out, he could’ve easily left and gone anywhere in the world like other guys and won every game on his schedule.

“But that young man has a lot of character and a lot of pride, and that’s the foundation that we’ll build this thing back on.”

The ‘Cats found themselves behind the 8-ball 1:30 into the game when Trojan running back Lane Mitcham raced around the edge for a 52-yard touchdown.

On the opening play of the second period, Mitcham connected with wide out Jaden Harvey on a sweep pass score from 45 yards, extending Pinehurst, Georgia-based Fullington lead to 14-0.

With junior Cooper James at quarterback for the first two possessions, one ending with a fumble, Folmar made the switch to eighth-grader Drez Crawford and the move immediately paid off. The 5-foot-7 athlete broke his first touch 26

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

Wadley 26, Horseshoe Bend 0

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Horseshoe Bend’s Drew Hill tries to break a tackle to drive the ball down the field for the Generals Thursday against Wadley.

11

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

1A top seeded Wadley overtakes Horseshoe Bend

By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor

To say Thursday was not Horseshoe Bend’s night might be an understatement as the Generals fell to still undefeated Wadley 26-0.

Horseshoe Bend hosted the Bulldogs at Battle Stadium but it was clear from the get go that Class 1A, Region 5 Wadley came for a fight as the Bulldogs mastered both sides of the ball throughout the night with junior Courdarious Nunn leading the night with a 36-yard rushing touchdown and a 30-yard passing touchdown received by fellow junior Taqavian Drake — all in the first half.

The Generals couldn’t catch a break, with Horseshoe Bend game leader Drew Hill only rushing 56 yards and receiving an 8-yard pass from Dakota Hill. But it wasn’t enough to help put points on the board for the home team or to prevent their opponents from doing so.

“We didn’t play well enough to win,” said Horseshoe Bend head coach Jason Franklin.

“Defensively we gave up

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SELMA — Selma High School came back from 20 points down Thursday against Stanhope Elmore but couldn’t hold on for the win, losing a close 42-36 contest.

The Saints had several quick scores, including two kickoff returns for scores as well as a fumble recovery for another, while the Mustangs moved the ball methodically on the ground. The visitors’ last drive ate up half of the fourth quarter, preventing Selma from having enough time for a second comeback.

The home team scored first off a pass from Tyreshon Freeman to Kordez Ervin to go up 6-0. Stanhope answered with a long drive in which the Mustangs ran the ball 11 times before Travarasia Duncan scored on a 3-yard dash.

It didn’t take Selma long to answer though. The Saints returned the ensuing kickoff back for a score. A successful 2-point play by Freeman gave Selma a 14-6 lead.

The teams traded punts before the Mustangs scored again off a 4-yard reception

By JUSTIN AVERETTE For The Wetumpka Herald

Mustangs withstand furious rally, win finale

Selma attempted an onside kick to start the second half.

Stanhope recovered and took advantage of the good field position, scoring off an 11-yard run by Quandaries Daniels.

The Saints had a near disaster on the next possession after not fielding the kickoff.

However, Amarian Molette recovered a fumble to make up for the special teams’ mistake.

The teams again traded punts before the Mustangs

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

added a safety and another touchdown to go up 34-14.

It would be the largest lead of the night before the Saints started a ferocious comeback.

The rally was aided by Jonathan Pressley, who returned a kickoff for a score, and Taqwillis Chappell, who returned a fumble recovery for a score. A run by Brandon Hope put the Saints up 36-34 in front of the cheering crowd with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.

Justin Averette / For The Herald

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

However, the Mustangs added one more score in the final quarter, a 12-yard run from Duncan, and had the time-consuming drive to stall the Saints.

Selma High School got the ball back with 39.9 seconds left and got beyond midfield before time expired.

Selma finishes the season 1-9 while Stanhope Elmore closes the season with a 4-6 record, including a win by forfeit over Prattville.

Stanhope Elmore High School Freshman running back Travarasia Duncan splits the Selma Saints defense during the teams’ game Thursday night. Duncan had a couple of scores on the night that helped the Mustangs to a 42-36 win in their final game of the season.

by Kadin Anderson. The team missed the PAT and Selma clung to a 14-12 lead about midway through the second quarter.

Selma had to punt on its next possession, and the Mustangs put together another long drive, capped by a 8-yard TD run from Duncan, his second of the night, with 57 seconds left before the break.

Freeman was picked off by Kerenski McGhee to end the half.

Stanhope Elmore 42, Selma 36

10

Edgewood Academy cheerleaders Jordyn Burleson, right, and Katie Guthrie pose on the sidelines before kickoff. Top: Eighth-grade Wildcat quarterback Drez Crawford (3) skirts through several Fullington Academy defenders for yardage. Middle left: Edgewood eighthgrade linebacker Joseph Benton (54) lays a hit on Trojan running back Lane Mitcham. Middle right: EA head football coach Eric Folmar disagrees with a call during Thursday night’s contest. Bottom: Sophomore running back Tyler Abernathy (27) carries the ball through the middle of the Fullington defense.

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

Cory Diaz / The Wetumpka Herald

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Reeltown 33, Loachapoka 27

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“We’ve got to get off the field, we’ve got to get better defensively that’s the number one thing, we’ve got to get off the field and play better fundamental football,” Johnson said.

The Rebels fought for their win against the Indians Thursday.

Overtime loomed as the final minutes of the game wound down, but they managed a touchdown with only seconds to spare raising the score to 33-27 in the end.

At first glance the game seemed like a given Reeltown victory.

In both the first and second quarters the Rebels held off the Indians and racked up two touchdowns.

They closed out the first half with a Rebel shutout, but the second proved anything but.

The Indians came out swinging and landed blow after blow until Reeltown was reeling, teetering on a tied game with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter.

But the fought back in overdrive with an aggressive press down field to Indian end zone.

And with 15 seconds left in the game, and a tied 27-27, Rebel Jamon Matthews dove over the line and into the end zone.

A good kick for the extra

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

point would close out the game 27-33.

But with the last seconds on

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

It was ultimately thwarted from a Rebel interception on the See REELTOWN • Page 5

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the board winding away, the Indians scrambled down field in a final desperate attempt.

Reeltown’s Cameron Faison tries to keep Loachapoka defense from taking down the Rebels carrier Thursday night.

Corey Arwood / The Outlook

Hard fought battle ends in ‘ugly’ 33-27 win

By COREY ARWOOD Outlook Staff Writer

•

Reeltown Rebel Coach Matt Johnson said Thursday’s game at home against Loachapoka High School was definitely a rivalry, and even though it was “ugly” it was still a win.

Now he said their focus was to “get better” for their last scheduled game on-the-road in Leesburg at Sand Rock High School.

He said it was going to be a “big big game” against a good team in a tough region.

But as for the tense and dynamic game with the lastsecond win over the Indians, Johnson said, “A ugly win is always a good win, it definitely wasn’t pretty.”

He went on to say of their matchups against the Indians, “It’s always a rivalry it’s very rare that it’s not a real good game.“ He credited Loachapoka coach Jerome Tate and said their season record did not reflect their team this year.

He reflected on the game and talked about what he thought they needed to address going into next week.

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2016 SPORTS EXTRA

Mitch Sneed / The Outlook

Wildcat running back NeColby Maxwell breaks a tackle on his way to a 69-yard second quarter touchdown Thursday night. Despite 136 yards in the first half

by Maxwell, the Wildcats found themselves down 49-15 at intermission.

9

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

BEAUREGARD — The final regular season game is a time when a playoff-bound team hopes to be peaking as they get ready to begin a postseason run.

For Benjamin Russell, Thursday’s game with Beauregard instead proved that the Wildcats need to regroup and refocus before heading to Tuscaloosa to face No. 1 Hillcrest next week.

Benjamin Russell spotted Beauregard 42 points Thursday night and despite battling back the Wildcats could never dig out of that hole.

Beauregard, ranked No. 7 in Class 5A, rolled up 568 yards total offense including 295 yards from LaDamian Webb in a 63-35 rout of Benjamin Russell at Dicky Brown Field.

NeColby Maxwell ran for 241 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns and Da’Vede Herron had an electrifying 82-yard punt return for a touchdown but the Hornets were just too much.

Webb had three touchdowns on runs of 10, 9 and 10 yards in the first quarter alone and added a 74 harder in the second quarter for the Hornets.

If there was anything positive to be taken away from the game for the Wildcats, it has to be that they didn’t quit despite a huge deficit.

It wasn’t until 6:43 left in the first half that the Wildcats got on the board when Maxwell ran 69 yards for a touchdown. Landon Cotney added an 8-yard touchdown, but Benjamin Russell was down 49-15 at the half.

In the second half the two teams swapped scores.

By MITCH SNEED Editor

Maxwell had a 7- yard TD run, Herron had his big punt return and Kraige Abercrombie had the Wildcats final score on a 17-yard run.

Beauregard showed it is the real deal. In addition to Webb’s

heroics, Jacob Callaway had 99 yards and two touchdowns, wide receiver Kentavious Thomas hauled in a 48-yard TD pass from receiver Quatavious Seroyer on a double pass in the third quarter.

The loss dropped the Wildcats to 3-7 and 3-3 in the region. That 3-3 mark keeps them in the No. 4 position headed into the post season.

That No. 4 seeding means the Wildcats drew the state’s No. 1

Class 6A team in Hillcrest.

Beauregard finished the regular season 8-1 and 6-1 in the region, with its only loss being a 34-28 loss to Central of Clay County.

Benjamin Russell Quarterback Landon Cotney looks for an open receiver second quarter Thursday night’s 63-35 loss at Beauregard.

Mitch Sneed / The Outlook

Wildcats look to regroup after loss to Hornets

Beauregard 63, BRHS 35

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last play of the game.

The win brings Reeltown to season record of 6-4 overall and 5-2 in the region. The No. 3 seeded Rebels next head to Sand Rock Friday for the first round of 2A playoffs.

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2016 SPORTS EXTRA

Reeltown’s Makevon Hughley, above left looks for blocks on the edge against Lochapoka Thursday night.

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The second quarter seemed to belong to the home team as the Cougars scored three more times. First when an eightplay drive set Graham up for his second touchdown with a 1-yard rush with 9:01 left. Then a fumble by the Tigers after kickoff set senior Jaterious Hill up to rush 2 yards with 8:35 on the clock.

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

seconds on the clock and a 2-point conversion. But at the half, the Cougars led at the half 30-24.

The second half was a true battle for the lead. Graham made the first score of the third quarter with a 43-yard touchdown rush for the Cougars with 10:46 on the clock.

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The Cougars’ third TD of the quarter came when Graham sent a 14-yard pass to senior Jevon McKinney for the score with 1:33.

Childersburg also scored in the second with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Takairee Kenabrew with 4:55 left in the quarter and also with a 6-yard rush with just 30

Central Coosa’s Raymond Graham tries to escape a tackle while running the ball down the field during Friday’s home game against Childersburg.

Childersburg 82, Coosa Central 64

Coosa’s season comes to a close

By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor

Central Coosa’s season ended Friday, along with the Cougars’ playoff dreams with an 82-64 loss to Childersburg at home.

But the Cougars can hold their heads high as this was truly one hard-fought cat fight with the Tigers. Leading Central Coosa in scoring was senior quarterback Raymond Graham, who scored four rushing touchdowns and threw for three more.

He also made 267 yards rushing on 23 carries and made nine passes for 162 yards throughout the night.

But in the end, Childersburg came out on top. Driving the scoring was junior quarterback Jelan Kidd who had four rushing touchdowns.

Throughout the night it was anybody’s game with the battle beginning early as both teams put points on the board in the first quarter with a touchdown and 2-point conversion each, first by Kidd for Childersburg with a 12-yard rush with 7:48 on the clock, then by Graham for Central Coosa at 4:22, tying up the score at 8 all for the rest of the quarter.

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OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

Bulldogs boot losing streak with game winning field goal

By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Colton Autrey, Hunter Adams and Holtville all felt like they’d done it a bunch of times.

But when the junior place kicker split the uprights on the 27-yard, game-winning field goal, giving his team the final 41-39 lead, with 5 seconds left at Beulah, it was the first time the Bulldogs celebrated a victory in 30 games.

“I was very confident, I knew it was in my field goal range,” Autrey said. “I knew I was going to make it.”

Right before halftime, Autrey nailed a 42-yarder to give Holtville a 24-7 advantage at the break -- the first time it led that deep in the game since the season opener versus Marbury.

“I had complete confidence in him,” Adams, HHS’s head football coach, said.

“Believe it or not, every Thursday in our game-simulated practice, we practice that hurry-up, get the field goal unit out there and they have to make it in 15 seconds. It puts pressure on (Autrey) and the guys.

That scenario presented itself tonight, and they executed it well.”

The Dawgs (1-9) scored four times on the ground, led by sophomore Drew Nobles with two touchdowns. Senior

2016 SPORTS EXTRA

quarterback Zach Weldon and junior upback Evan Headley each added one, building a 38-14 lead against the Bobcats heading into the fourth.

But Beulah wasn’t done, scoring 25 straight points taking the lead on a short field goal with just 50 seconds to go.

“We had a lot of mental errors there that allowed them to get back in the ballgame, but our kids never quit,” Adams said.

Holtville took the ensuing kickoff and march right back down the field, looking like it had been there before, reaching the Bobcat 10 before calling a timeout to set up Autrey’s attempt.

“My confidence was in the middle of the field, and we got it to the middle,” Autrey said. “I shot it up there, and it went in. “(I’ll remember) the screaming and the yelling, and everybody hugging me.”

A celebration 30 games in the making, Adams said it felt good.

“First and foremost, it feels good for the kids. These kids spilled their guts for me and the other coaches, so this is welldeserved,” Adams said. “They needed to see the fruits of their labor and their perseverance.”

Holtville 41, Beulah 39

Herald

7

William Carroll / The Wetumpka

Holtville junior place kicker Colton Autrey (14) kicks a field goal earlier this season.

PAGE 10 • OCTOBER 29-30, 2016

SPORTS TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Visit our sister website: TallasseeTribune.com

ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND

BROWN SELECTED TO JUNIOR NATIONAL TEAM CAMP

By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor

Realizing her dream of playing for Alabama for the first time, Elissa Brown thought she’d topped her first fall semester at the Capstone.

But an e-mail she received on Sunday launched the former Elmore County High star’s fall to new heights one day after UA’s fall softball schedule ended.

Brown found out she was one of 20 players invited to the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp, taking place over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Clearwater, Florida.

“My mom asked me if I had checked my e-mail, she was surprising me, Brown recalled. “(My mom, dad and sister) were together and we got to read it together. It was real exciting for all of us.”

Running through drills and simulated games over the two days, Brown and 19 current college and high school upperclassmen will compete for 17 Junior

National Team roster spots, evaluated by the USA Selection Committee. The team will compete this summer in a number of exhibition games as well as defending its gold medal from last season at the 2017 World Baseball Softball Confederation Junior Women’s World Championship on July 24-30 in Clearwater.

“I hope to just really do my best and try to make the team. I know they’re all good,” Brown said. “But I want to do my best, make more friends because that’s what I’ve done every other time I’ve been chosen for something.

“Make more friends, create new memories, represent Eclectic and the University of Alabama. I’m just happy that I even got chosen to go. But I want to do what I know I can do.”

Batting leadoff and getting a hit in her first at-bat this fall, and playing in center field, left field and some second base, Brown said coming off a successful fall camp, where Alabama went 8-0 during its annual three-weekend, Fall Brawl sched-

Photo by UA Athletics

University of Alabama freshman and former Elmore County High standout Elissa Brown (1) throws the ball during a game with Alabama State Oct. 16 at Rhoads Stadium.

ule, has prepared her to tryout for the Junior National Team.

“I’ve gotten a little stronger, so we’ll see how I measure up to those other girls because I know they’re doing the same thing.”

Brown said receiving an invite to the National Team camp created another

dream, and she hopes to realize that dream of seeing USA across her jersey.

“I have thought about it. This is a big deal,” Brown said. “Hopefully, I get down there and represent. This is an amazing accomplishment, feeling of hopefully representing your country. I’ll see where it takes me.”

ZAP EXTERMINATES FIELD TO LEAGUE TITLE The Zap Pest Control Softball Team won the YMCA Men’s Softball League Championship Monday night. The team is (Back row, left to right): Walter Quinn, Nathan Taylor, Brian Overton, Frank Bertarelli (coach), Collier McConnell, Don Wilson (coach), Dray Phantom. Front row, left to right: Jeremy Pruitt, Landon Bertarelli, Scotty McClurr, Joe Mann, Patric Ovia, and Scott Headley.

Submitted / The Herald

Indians defense rewards turnovers with title belt

By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor

Keeping its eye on causing more turnovers, Wetumpka’s defense turned its focus to gold this season.

As a whole, the Indian defense has created 19 turnovers through 10 games, already eight more than they forced in 11 games in 2015, en route to helping the program to an 8-2 record and the Class 6A playoffs.

The takeaway title, the unit bought in -- literally.

An idea from junior safety Nick Turner back in the spring, the entire Wetumpka’s defense chipped in $10 each and bought themselves a WWE-styled turnover championship belt.

“I came up with the idea to motivate us and keep us stronger as a team,” Turner, who leads the defense in turnovers with four interceptions, said. “Just push us to work harder every day. It’s a good motivation. It gets my blood running, and I’m ready to go back out there and do it all over again.”

Turner approached defensive coordinator Tyler Johnson about the belt, an idea he got from Alabama where the reigning national champions have a customized turnover belt. Admittedly, Johnson initially didn’t know what to think.

“The Old School in me went, you should just want to get turnovers to get turnovers,” Johnson said.

“The other part of me went, that’s how the game has changed. Now, they like that stuff. I started thinking about it, well that might be pretty cool.”

Johnson decided to buy the belt, at $300 on sale, as it made it debut at Wetumpka’s spring jamboree.

“We brought it out for the spring game to see how it went and they really enjoyed it. I thought the first three, four games it would exciting, and then it wasn’t going to be that exciting,” Johnson said. “Now, when they get a turnover, they’re not worried about slapping hands, they’re worried about the belt.”

Senior defensive tackle Trent Holley was the first turnover titleholder of the 2016 season, falling on a fumble on the second series of the season-opener at Prattville. Since, the Indians have collected 13 picks, three returned for touchdowns, and six fumble recoveries, with nine different Tribe defenders holding the belt so far.

“Me personally, when I’m out there, I don’t really think about it. I’m just worried about doing my job, making the plays I need to make,” Holley said. “But when you’re out there and you’ve got an opportunity,

Cory Diaz / The Herald

Wetumpka junior safety Nick Turner (1) shows off the defense’s turnover championship belt after an interception against Stanhope Elmore earlier this season.

you take it.

“You want the ball and you want that belt. You know, last year, we didn’t really focus on turnovers as much, we just focused on being right and making plays. But this year, we’ve really focused on it and it’s helped us out a lot. We have 21 points on defense.”

The championship belt has brought extra motivation and bragging -- carrying the title around for the next week around locker room and practice field -- but it’s also brought the Tribe defense closer together. When one defender gets a turnover, their teammates run to hand over the title.

“I think everybody is working hard and keeping a good bond with each other. We’re communicating

good,” Turner said.

“You have that mindset like, ‘I’m going to keep this belt.’ You just walk around with it on your shoulder.”

Wetumpka’s defense has carried out and embodied its new title, improving its turnover count. At the end of any given drive, you never know who’s going to be touching gold.

“There’s something there because as soon as they get a turnover now, that’s the first thing they’re talking about,” Johnson said. “You’re going to play hard, but to me, it’s more of a good job, tip your hat to the kid and now they’ve got something they can hold.”

The Indians travel to McAdory next Friday for the first round of the 6A playoffs.