Red Raiders skin Gators 42-0

Jerry E. Halmon, Sports Editor

Showing no ill effects of what was called a “flat” first half performance in last week’s game with Bethune- Bowman, the Bamberg-Ehrhardt Red Raiders (5-1, 3-0) rolled to a convincing 42-0 win over Region 5-A opponent the Estill Gators (2-4, 2-1) at Leon Maxwell Stadium Friday night, on what was designated as “Pink Out Night for Cancer Awareness.”

After the game B-E head football coach Kevin “Butch” Crosby commended his coaching staff for having the players up and ready to play. “I think we as coaches did a great job of getting them up and ready to play. This just shows that enthusiasm by us carries over to our players. That’s been the difference, if we are laid back they are laid back. So we had one of those practices this week where we stayed on top of them and that’s where it pays off on Friday night,” Coach Crosby said.

Behind a punishing ground attack the Red Raiders were led on offense by junior halfback Demetrius Odom with three touchdowns on runs of nine, three and 12 yards respectively in the first, second and third quarters. Sophomore Chip Wannamaker added two touchdowns on runs of four and five yard in the first and second quarters and sophomore quarterback Sumner Cooler connected with junior wide receiver Landon Sandifer on a 26 yard pass play to give the Red Raiders a 35-0 lead at halftime. B-E senior kicker Brent Cook was perfect in converting all six PATs.

Not to be out done, the Red Raider defense recorded its second consecutive shutout of the season. The Red Raider defense did not allow the Gator offense a first down and held them to minus 40 yards on offense in recording a season high nine sacks on the night.

“It’s always going to be a dog fight,” Coach Crosby said of his team’s win over an athletic Estill team. “On our part we came out and played Red Raider football the way it is supposed to be played, we hope it carries over the next few games and into the playoffs.”

Plants for kidneys

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

Since 2004 Nona Clark has held her plant sale to benefit the National Kidney Foundation serving the South Carolina Region. Friday morning was no different as Clark was again out front of the Bamberg Branch of South Carolina Bank and Trust on Main Highway in Bamberg. The proceeds from the event will go to support the National Kidney Foundation, who again this year will hold its annual Orangeburg Kidney Walk in the Edisto Memorial Gardens Centennial Park on Thursday, October 20, with registration beginning at 5:00 p.m. and the walk at 6:00 p.m.

In a handout Clark noted that one in three people in Bamberg County has chronic kidney disease. “Please join me in fighting kidney disease by supporting my efforts to raise $1,500 for the 2011 Orangeburg Kidney Walk.

Broxton Bridge

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Reporter

With a hint of fall in the air, and hunting season in full swing, Saturday morning offered an excellent opportunity get in the great outdoors and tests one’s marksmanship. Such was the case this past weekend when the Broxton Bridge Plantation of Ehrhardt played host to a clay shooting fundraiser for The Citadel Rugby team.

On Saturday morning, 17 marksmen participated in the event and they were assisted by 15 members of The Citadel Rugby team. The Citadel head rugby coach Lt. Col. (Reserve) Bill Bell noted that this was the team’s main fundraiser for the year and the team, which also hosted several other events during the year including “Toys for Tots” was “really excited” about being in Ehrhardt for the first time. Cadet Luke Lucas, who is the rugby team treasurer, and who was assisting with the event noted he was “learning a lot” about the sport of clay shooting and it had been “a rewarding experience on both ends.”

Broxton Bridge Plantation owner Jerry Varn noted that a 100 shot round of clay shooting that takes about two hours to complete, is “like playing a round of golf with a shotgun” and tests a marksman’s skills in several different areas. “it’s good practice,” Varn said. Varn also noted that anyone wanting to learn more about the sport can contact Broxton Bridge Plantation, which is open seven days per week, by appointment.

BPW plants flowers

Board of Public Works employee Theodore Johnson and his wife Gloria plant beautiful fall mums at all the 'Welcome to Bamberg’ signs in Bamberg. BPW Manager Bruce Ellis said the Board provided the flowers, topsoil, filler and mulch for the planting. The Board installed a water system and lights for all the signs as well. According to Ellis, maintaining the welcome signs will be a joint effort with the garden clubs and the BPW.

Outmanned AJA

Jackson Price

A tough season for the Andrew Jackson Confederate football team (0-6, 0-3) got a little tougher Friday night when the team, which started its game with Coastal Christian (3-4) with 8 men lost two more of its starters. Dustin Brock was unable to return after halftime due to a knee injury. So AJA started the second half with seven players. Coastal Christian Head Coach did the Christian thing and very sportsmanlike played only seven players to make it fair. AJA scored twice in the second half. Eddie Ricks had one touchdown and Matt Avant the other. Both two point attempts failed.

With 2:42 left in the 4th quarter, AJA suffered another game stopping injury, when Cole Reed was carrying the ball and suffered a compound fracture of the lower leg. Cole was transported to MUSC by ambulance and had to have surgery on Saturday. Coastal Christian went on to win the game by a score of 56-12. Hats’ off to the Confederate football team, that never gave up despite being outmanned.

Williston-Elko overpowers

Jerry E. Halmon, Sports Editor

The defending Class A Division II lower state champions Williston-Elko Blue Devils (4-2,4-0) proved Friday night they still pack a punch with a 58-8 win over region 4-A foe Denmark-Olar (2-4, 1-3) Friday night in Williston. The Vikings were led on offense by Lindsey Johnson with nine carries for 84 yards and a 40 yard touchdown pass to Scott Williams. Xavier Reed had 19 carries for 126 yards and recorded a two point conversion. On defense, senior co-captain Ulysses Gissentaner again led the way with 15 tackles. He was followed by senior co-captain Shaquille Odom, who collected 13 tackles.

Salkehatchie Swamp

Joyce M. Searson, Publisher

In 2008, Clyde Ayer of Ehrhardt took it upon himself to make an attempt to clean up an area in the Salkehatchie Swamp known as Clearlake. This popular fishing spot was once reached by way of Little Salkehatchie River near the landing by Sniders Crossroads on Hwy. 63. Due to debris left by loggers over the years, the river became blocked upstream and downstream of the landing by trees, leaving the way to Clearlake and other locations impassable.

One Saturday morning the volunteer crew known as ‘The Low Country Swamp Loggers,’ along with Ayer and a few of his friends, met at Sniders Crossroads Landing and started cutting trees and pulling logs out of the main stream. In four hours, the crew made it three quarters of the way to Clearlake.

The crew plans to return and finish the project another day. “If we had a trackhoe on our return job and landowners permission, I believe this project could be completed easily, safely, and efficiently,” he said.

Ayer hopes that what they have done will inspire others to help and participate in restoring this once beautiful natural resource for everyone to enjoy in years to come.