Shelby County Today

January 20, 2015 - (Photo Album) The SCBA held their banquet at the John D. Windham Civic Center on January 15, 2015 with great attendance for the event by many fishing enthusiasts. Jason Wells, SCBA President, was master of ceremonies for the event, welcoming special guests, making recognitions and presenting honors to those who performed exceptionally during the 2014 season.

The following are the award winners from the banquet:

• Ryan Pinkston, 2014 Biggest Bass of the Year award with 7.61. This is the third year he has won this award. Pinkston also won the Largest Stringer of the Year with 24.72 lbs. and these accomplishments were achieved at the same tournament.
• TJ and James Goodwyn were the recipients of the award 2014 Most Total Weight for the Year which was comprised of 113.35 lbs. over eight events.
• Gary McDonald and Clay Warren were presented with the Horizon Award. This award is given to those who put forth extra effort, commitment and went the extra mile to do better and to do well.
• Marcus Cartwright and Tommy Land were the recipients of the 2014 Anglers of the Year Awards.
• Scooter Clark and Brett Clark were presented with the 2014 Norris Askew Classic Championship Award total collective weight from two days of fishing of 27.03 lbs.
• David Koonce was presented with the Presidents Award for service, dedication and leadership.

Wells remarked on several of the accomplishments the club had this past year and some accompishments mentioned include the completion of the club tournament trailer and selling all advertisement space on the trailer. A new addition to the organization is the formation of the Shelby County Bass Anglers High School Fishing Club. Wells recognized Lynn and Diane Stanford for taking on the project as advisors for the club. In March the youngest winner of a SCBA Tournament was 7 year old Tanor Doggett.

In 2014 the SCBA became affiliated with the Texas Association of Bass Clubs. A team representing SCBA competed on Toledo Bend at the end of September and took fourth place at the tournament. The team included David Koonce; Brandon Wells; Josh "Moon Pie" Sowell; Glenn Earl Sowell; Will Lloyd; Collin Lloyd; Gary McDonald; and Cody Barton.

Wells named off the winners of the 2014 tournaments including their winning weight. February tournament winners: Bobby Addison and Clarence "Bubby" Sanderson with 19.87 lbs.; March tournament winners: Mic and Tanor Doggett with 23.46 lbs.; April tournament: James and TJ Goodwyn with 22.19 lbs.; May tournament: Ryan Pinkston with 18.59; June tournament: Jason Wells and John Olive with 21.05 lbs.; July tournament: Ryan Pinkston with 24.72 lbs.; August tournament: Phil and Jonathan Hennigan with 21.35 lbs. September tournament: David Koonce and Brandon Wells with 12.48 lbs.

Lynn Stanford was able to share with those attending the banquet, some about the opportunities available for the high school fishing club, "These kids have such great opportunity winning scholarship money and that/s what it's all about. It's about going out there, creating an environment for these kids where they can enjoy it and hopefully win some money for school."

According to Stanford, in June there will be a tournament held through the Southeast Texas High School Bass Organization and there is the opportunity to win $75,000 worth in scholarship money during that tournament, "Right now we have 14 high school kids, we have seven boat captains and these boat captains are all volunteers. They're paying the way for these kids to go fishing."

Stanford invited students from all of the schools across the county including Shelbyville, Joaquin, Timpson, Center, and Tenaha to participate in the club, "Get them to contact us, get them to come to this because we're trying to create a great big program for these kids in Shelby County."

The club holds five tournaments a year with one championship tournament and this year B.A.S.S. has gotten involved in the program.

Following the invocation at the beginning of the meeting led by David Koonce, Wells introduced the 2015-2016 Board of Directors: Jason Wells, President; Larry Matthews, Vice President; David Koonce, Treasurer; David Permenter, Secretary; Levi Willoughby, Tournament Director; Ricky Sims and Cody Barton, Assistant Tournament Directors; Will Lloyd, Director; Greg McDonald, Director; James Crelia, Director; Chris Cartwright, Director; Sammy Arnold, Fundraising Chairperson; and Bruce Koonce, Honorary Board Member.

Several door prizes were given away during the banquest and the winners are as follows:

    Glenn Earl Sowell - .22 Ruger rifle
    David "JJ" Cartwright - Two rods and reels
    Collin Lloyd - Rod and reel
    Selvin Cartwright - Roadside kit
    Venita Blue - Satchel

The first plaques the club ever gave were presented for the club members to see as they were just recently recovered. The first date receorded on the plaques is 1992 and Gary Mize of Tenaha was the first to ever win a club tournament.

Fore more information about the Shelby County Bass Anglers go to www.shelbycountybassanglers.com

January 20, 2015 - The Dragons competed in the Diboll Powerlifting Meet on January 15, 2015, the medalists for the Dragons are:

    1st Place-Kal Metcalf - 242 Class
    1st Place-Octavian Burrell - 198 Class
    2nd Place-Andrew Lindsey - SHW Class
    3rd Place- Christian Schilder - 114 Class
    3rd Place-Wesley Berry - 132 Class
    3rd Place- Corey Bearden - 148 Class
    4th Place- Jacob Jackson - 165 Class

Congratulations!
Powerlifting Coach: Michael B. Taylor

January 16, 2015 - Timpson Bear Kaylie Bush signed with Galveston College in the Timpson Library on Friday, January 16, 2015 with a large number of supporters on hand including family, friends and schoolmates.

During the ceremony, Bush was surrounded by supporters who posed with her for photographs. Welcoming Bush to the college was Lindsay Fallen, Galveston College Whitecaps Assistant Softball Coach, "She is a really great hitter and she plays shortstop and third [base] and catches a little bit too, but we're really excited about her being in the lineup as a hitter and producing runs, so that's really exciting," said Fallen.

Fallen then continued by explaining why they look forward to having Bush on their team, "We saw [the Bears] actually in the Longview tournament here last year and her hitting and it just really stands out and that's what coach is looking for, a power hitter and he saw it and was really excited and they talked and now we're here."

Coach Jerrod Campbell, who has coached her for three years, is excited for Bush and isn't surprised to see her advance, "When you have somebody that likes to play as much as she does, and works at it, then it's not a surprise. She swings a bat as good as anybody and this isn't her last stop in my opinion" said Coach Campbell. "When you're a coach and you have somebody that can play, you always hate to see them finish because if you could keep your all stars behind you'd have a real good team sooner or later."

Bush, who says she has been playing softball for 12 years, is planning to study kinesiology at college. She spoke of her feelings about going to college, "It's a great feeling and it's always been my dream to [sign] and I just felt like I've accomplished something, but I've still got a long ways to go to get there to where I want to be."

College is going to be a new experience for Bush and she realizes it will be a different level of competition as well, "I'm going to be competing with girls that are just like me out there, so I'm going to have to raise my game up a little bit and just try to stand out and do what I can do."

January 14, 2015 - Center High School is proud to announce the members of the 2015 Center Riders Basketball Team.

Photos below, left to right, are Austin Craig, Chris Mackey, CJ Garner, Decorey McGee, Gavin Steele, Kyle Parks, LaMarcus Goodwin, Lonzo Weathered, Octaviuos Evans, Quin Jackson, Tyrone Roland, ​Not pictured: Jaterrious Evan.