Local youth finds future in music

Butler one of few accomplished enough for youth orchestra

November 3, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

Elizabeth Butler is described as passionate, committed, dedicated and extremely talented — compliments usually reserved for those much older.
At age 15, the Greenwood High School student is an accomplished oboist, who also is skilled in piano and the French horn. Her talents have landed her a coveted spot in the Carolina Youth Symphony.
The group is comprised of carefully selected musicians from the Upstate, Western North Carolina and Northeast Georgia, all between the ages of nine and 18. To make the cut, musicians must go through an arduous auditioning process.
Butler completed her audition in January 2004 and began playing with the orchestra in August. At the time of her audition, she had been playing the oboe for only 15 months.
“I had practiced a lot and I was confident,” Butler said of her audition. “You can’t be nervous when you play, because there won’t be as much confidence in the sound. What you feel comes through in your music.”
The Youth Symphony opened its season Oct. 30 with guest conductor Edvard Tchivzhel, musical director of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Working with him was an honor, Butler said.
“I’m sitting under wonderful conductors and I’m getting the opportunity to play different levels of music and to perform with different musicians at that level who really put their hearts into what they do,” Butler said.
As part of the orchestra, Butler spends every Sunday, from 1:30-5 p.m., practicing. In addition to those practice sessions, she plays with the Lander University Wind Ensemble on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and in their performances, and she is a member of the Greenwood High marching band and symphonic band.
If that’s not enough, she teaches piano lessons and travels to the University of South Carolina to study oboe with Petra Warneck, principle oboist with the South Carolina Philharmonic. She studies oboe in Greenwood with Becky Gardner, former band director, professional oboist and a member of the Lander Wind Ensemble.
“You have to be really dedicated and passionate to take that much on,” said Gardner, who has been instructing Butler for about three years. “All of her conductors expect her to have the music prepared for them, as do I, so it’s a lot to juggle. I think she’s definitely decided music is the focus of her life and she’s putting everything into it.”
Gardner said she rarely sees students of any age who have as much focus as Butler does.
When Butler graduates high school, her time with the Carolina Youth Symphony will be over. After that, she said she plans to be a performance major in college, studying the oboe. She would love to play in an orchestra professionally, she said, but those seats are hard to come by. Her backup plan is to become an attorney who specializes in women’s health and rights, she said. If she takes that alternate route, she said she will teach music lessons on the side.
“I’ll always play, no matter what,” she said. “It’s my passion. I love everything about it – the way it effects emotions, the heart and feelings. It may not be the only thing I’ve known, but it’s the best thing I’ve known.”

5 selected for North-South game

Culbreath, Lagroone, Sellars, Spikes and Wideman to represent Upstate

November 3, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Greenwood and the Lakelands area continues to be well represented in postseason high school football all-star games.
Two weeks after three area players were named to the Shrine Bowl, five more have been selected to the 58th annual North-South All-Star Football Game, to be played Dec. 10 at Coastal Carolina University’s Brooks Stadium in Conway.
The players are Greenwood tight end Alex Sellars, Emerald quarterback Dan Wideman, Ware Shoals tight end/defensive end James Spikes, Saluda defensive lineman William Culbreath and Ninety Six wide receiver Nick Lagroone. Wideman has had a breakout year for the Vikings. The 6-foot-2, 210 pound senior has passed for 2,845 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, after throwing for only about 400 yards a year ago.
“He is certainly very deserving,” Emerald coach Mac Bryan said. “Dan has tremendous physical ability and he has unbelievable speed.
“He has really taken to our offense this season and he’s made some really good decisions. I’m very proud of Dan.” Sellars has been outstanding at tight end for Greenwood this year after missing his entire junior year with a torn ACL. Sellars has been on the receiving end of 18 passes, gaining 308 yards and scoring five touchdowns. “Alex is the first tight end we have sent to the North-South game,” Greenwood coach Shell Dula said. “He has 4.7 speed in the forty-yard dash and there are several colleges looking at him.
“He is a fantastic player and a good young man.”
Lagroone is the leading receiver in the Lakelands area. The lanky wideout has grabbed 61 passes for 908 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Nick has really become an unselfish player,” Ninety Six coach Mike Doolittle said.
“He had big numbers his junior year, and even more this year. But one thing the organizers of the (North-South) game told me they liked is that he blocks very well. He has really become a team player.”
Culbreath is an imposing figure on the Tigers’ defensive line. The 6-foot-3, 260 pound tackle helped the Saluda defense become more formidable against the run in 2005. Culbreath also received playing time on the offensive line.
Spikes has proven to be a stellar two-way star for the Hornets. He has caught 11 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns from his tight end position. He also starts at defensive end, where he leads the Hornets in tackles for loss and has insinuated himself upon opposing offenses.
The players will be members of the North squad, which is composed of players from the upper portion of the state. Westside’s Ted Luckadoo will coach the team.
Tickets for the 12 noon, December 10 contest will be $10 at the gate the day of the game.

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com

Class AA has playoff surprise

November 3, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

The three Class AA playoff-bound teams from Greenwood and the Lakelands area will find a somewhat new experience this Friday night.
Emerald and Ninety Six, which finished first and third in Region III-AA, and Abbeville, the second-place team from Region II-AA, open the 2005 playoffs against relatively unfamiliar opposition.
The region champion Vikings (8-2) play host to Gilbert (3-7) at 7:30 p.m. in the third meeting ever between the two schools, and first since 2001. The Panthers (5-5) and the Wildcats (7-3) are meeting their opponents for the first time.
Abbeville plays host to Carolina (6-4), while Ninety Six travels to Region IV-AA runners up Swansea (5-5) for a 7:30 matchup at Bennett Stadium.

EMERALD VS. GILBERT

While the Vikings don’t have a completely unfamiliar opponent to face, the team does enter with a new view: one from the top. With last week’s 41-34 win over Ninety Six, Emerald is enjoying its first-ever Region III-AA title and the No. 1 seed that goes along with it.
Emerald was in a three-team tie for the region title in 1999, but finished third in a shootout.
“It’s something we talk about because we feel like carrying the championship from this region is quite an honor because of the tradition this region has,” Emerald first-year coach Mac Bryan said. “Everybody is really excited. The kids certainly take a lot of pride in it.”
But what made Bryan just as happy was the way his team set aside its joy over winning the region crown to focus on the playoffs and Gilbert, the fourth-place team from Region IV-AA.
“I was very pleased with how we went back to work Monday. I think we’ve had a good week of practice,” Bryan said. “Our main concern is to come out there and play with emotion and match their physical play.”
The Indians won only one of their non-region games, beating Mid-Carolina, 37-21, while losing to Ninety Six (55-28) and Saluda (26-16). After two straight losses to start the region season, Gilbert regrouped to knock off Keenan and C.A. Johnson on the road to qualify for the playoffs.
Tailback Melvin Sims leads the Indians’ rushing attack with 531 yards and seven touchdowns. Desmond Kennedy is second on the team in rushing with 380 yards, along with 300 yards passing and 100 receiving.
While Gilbert is a run-oriented team, the Indians do offer a more balanced offense, going 1,500 yards rushing and 1,300 passing. Senior quarterback Aaron Hendrix has completed 81 of 170 passes for 950 yards and nine touchdowns. “They do some things offensively that can give you some problems,” Bryan said.
“They run some power I formation, then go unbalanced and then break out into the spread. They do have some variety.”
Variety might be something the Indians enjoy, Bryan’s Vikings have one way to go: through the air, thanks in part because of the right arm of North All-Star quarterback Dan Wideman.
The Emerald senior quarterback has hit on 198 of his 324 pass attempts for 2,845 yards and 25 touchdowns with only seven interceptions, which is an NCAA quarterback rating of 156. Wideman also leads the team in the rushing department as well, with 621 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“He’s a tremendous player and I think his statistics speak for themselves,” Bryan said. “I don’t know who’s a more dominant factor any where around than he is. And I think he’s very deserving of all-star recognition.”
But Wideman has an effective supporting cast surrounding him. There are four Vikings receivers with 25 or more pass receptions, and six with 19 or better, led by senior Demarco Anderson’s 58 catches for 845 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“On most teams, there’s usually one or two guys, but we’ve got five or six that he can throw to,” Bryan said.
“They’ve really caught the ball well for Dan, and made yards after the catch. And he’s got an offensive line that has played pretty well throughout the course of the season.”

ABBEVILLE VS. CAROLINA

The first meeting between the Panthers and the Trojans is also the first playoff appearance since 1999 for Carolina, which is assured of its first winning season in 15 years.
“They’re a tough opponent for us in that they are very athletic,” Abbeville coach Jamie Nickles said. “I am impressed with the size of their kids. We must scheme well and at the same time, our kids have to go out there and compete.”
The leader of Carolina’s athletes is all-purpose player and North All-Star Jakevis Wright. The 6-foot, 185-pound senior, who started the season as the team’s quarterback before moving to split end, has 437 yards rushing, 492 receiving and 114 passing and 15 combined touchdowns.
“He’s their Mr. Do-It-Everything,” Nickles said. “He will line up at quarterback, receiver, running back. You name it and he’ll be there.”
But Nickles isn’t ready for his defense to play 11 on one.
Senior running back Brandon Waldrop leads the team with 525 yards rushing with seven touchdowns. The Trojans switched from a double wing after the first week of the Region II-AA season and all quarterback Jonathan Lee has done in the last four weeks is complete 47-of-76 for 734 yards and seven touchdowns.
“It’s kind of like ‘Where’s Waldo?,’ where you need to know where No. 1 is, but at the same time, you have to be aware of everybody around you,” Nickles said.
While Carolina’s successful season has turned the tide on a struggling history, the Panthers turned around a disastrous non-region start, going 1-4, to going two points in overtime from being region champions.
Abbeville’s lone loss since the start of Region I-AA play came in a 35-34 overtime loss to Pendleton, giving the Panthers their second straight second-place region finish.
“We’ve been real pleased with the effort our kids have given this year,” Nickles said. “It’s a lot better to look at a kid’s eyes after a victory rather than a loss.
“But how good are we? We’ll find out this week.”
One key reason for the Panthers’ turnaround has been by the play of Toquavius Gilchrist. The sophomore halfback has amassed 610 of his 1,004 rushing yards and 11 of his 19 touchdowns (18 rushing, one receiving) in Region I-AA play.

NINETY SIX VS. SWANSEA

Despite finishing third in Region III-AA, Ninety Six coach Mike Doolittle thinks the toughness of the region will be an advantage through the postseason, starting with Region IV-AA runners up Swansea.
“You know you won’t run into anybody in the playoffs that’s any better than what we saw in Region III-AA, with the possible exception of maybe Broome,” Doolittle said. “We play quality opponents each Friday night.”
First-year starters Rashawn Taylor and Desmond Muller lead the Tigers’ power I offense. Taylor, the tailback, has 613 yards on 146 carries, while quarterback Muller is 68-of-123 for 889 yards and eight touchdowns.
Swansea is primarily a run-oriented team, getting more than 1,200 of its 2,000 total yards on the ground. But the Wildcats have faired well against running teams this season.
“It’s one of those things in the past that we defended pretty well,” Doolittle said.
The Wildcats are coming off a tough loss to Emerald last week, which dropped the team from second to third in the final region standings. In the game, Shrine Bowl quarterback Stan Doolittle had three of his passes intercepted, which ended up resulting in 21 Emerald points.
But coach Doolittle knows that quarterback Doolittle must forget the past quickly for his Wildcats to succeed in the playoffs.
“You have to have a short memory if you’re going to play quarterback at Ninety Six,” Mike Doolittle said. “It’s like if you’re a cornerback in the NFL, you’d better have a short memory.”
Stan Doolittle has completed 193 of 308 passes for 2,498 yards and 25 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions.
Fellow-senior Nick Lagroone, who will join Swansea linebacker Zack Walker on the North All-Star squad, has been Doolittle’s prime target. The 6-2, 170-pound receiver leads the Lakelands with 61 catches for 908 yards and nine touchdowns.
But Doolittle has three other receivers with more than 30 receptions: Kass Etheredge (39 for 525 yards), Darius Johnson (34 for 475) and James Jones (33 for 280).

Opinion

Terrorists hated America long before Iraqi conflict

November 3, 2005

Anyone who thinks there are no terrorists in high places, think again. The evidence comes, as the say, directly from the horse’s mouth.
It should not have come as a surprise, however, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, radical president of Iran told thousands of students at a “World without Zionism” conference in Tehran that Israel is a “disgraceful blot” that should be “wiped of the map.”
That kind of hateful rhetoric speaks for itself. Not only does it inflame anti-Israel passions among radical young Muslims, it encourages acts of violence that kill innocent Israelis and anyone who supports them. That, as anyone knows too well, includes innocent Americans. Doubters need only to look around the world to see terrorists at work.

MANY CRITICS OF THIS nation’s involvement in Iraq, including some South Carolinians, like to point to that as the catalyst for acts of terror against Americans and America’s interests anywhere. That has no truth to it, of course, when the takeover of the American embassy in Tehran by Iranian extremists, and the subsequent holding of American hostages occurred more than a quarter of a century ago.
The sole reason that trouble in the Middle East goes on and on is, simply, the existence of Israel. The fact that the United States was the chief sponsor of the creation of modern Israel was all the assurance necessary to forever link us with Israel and earn eternal hatred of Israel’s enemies in the Middle East.

AS IF TO ADD EMPHASIS to Ahmadinejad’s hostility, a 20-year-old Palestinian blacksmith blew himself up at an open-air market, killing five Israelis and wounding more than 30 more in the deadliest attack in the country in more than three months. And, a day after Ahmadinejad’s blast, tens of thousands of Iranians staged anti-Israel demonstrations.
The Iranians show the situation hasn’t changed since Israel became a nation in 1948. People like the Iranian president will extend the strife, no matter what anyone does. Unfortunately, others continue to do the same thing. Many of them, though, just are not as open about it.
No, it’s not Iraq that has created enemies for us. They were already there, and have been since 1948.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

John Daniel Bell

CALHOUN FALLS — John Daniel Bell, 59, of 203 Washington St., died Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005 at Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of Virginia R. Bell and the late William Bell Jr. He was a member of Springfield Baptist Church, Calhoun Falls, where he was a trustee and Male Chorus member. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 81 and the S.C. Army National Guard, Abbeville, and an employee of Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include his wife, Jannie Bell of the home; his mother of Calhoun Falls; two daughters, Subrenna Robinson of Potomac, Md., and Thella Moss of Haymarket, Va.; a son, John Vincent Bell of Calhoun Falls; three stepchildren, Kelvin Burno of the home, Kimberly Carson and Nicole Phillips of Abbeville; four brothers, Willie T. Bell of Calhoun Falls, James Bell of Greenwood, Frank Bell of Boston, Ollie Bell of Chicago; three sisters, Annie L. Kennedy and Yvonne Avriett of Calhoun Falls, Vernadine McCullough of Columbia; five grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary.

Mary Harper Gary

McCORMICK — Mary Alice Harper Gary, 69, wife of Thomas Gary, died Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005 at Hospice House of Greenwood.
Born in McCormick, she was a daughter of the late Doc and Janie Murray Harper. She attended McCormick public schools and was owner of Pine Hill Beauty Shop in McCormick. She was a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, McCormick congregation.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Joyce Bell Cooper of Hephzibah, Ga.; a son, Donald Searles of McCormick; a grandson of the home, Kentravious Bell; two sisters, Ida Cunningham of McCormick and Kitty Jackson of New Ellenton; a brother, George Harper of McCormick; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services are 1 p.m. Friday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, conducted by Brothers Rufus Chiles and Ronnie Freeman. The body will be placed in the hall at 12. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family is at the home, Route 1, Bell Field Road.
Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

James Courtlan Lewis

GREENVILLE — James Courtlan Lewis, 73, passed away in Greenville on Tuesday, November 1, 2005.
Mr. Lewis was born in Greenwood, a son of the late John Calvin and Clara Viola Collins Lewis. He served in the US Navy in the Korean Conflict, and was retired from Flexible Technologies of Abbeville.
Surviving are two children, Leslie (Dennie) Dillard, and John Daniel Lewis; three step-children, Philip (Kathy) Riddle, Michael (Helga) Riddle, and Janie (Freddy) Goodman; eight grandchildren; a brother and two sisters, Morris (Nancy) Lewis, Velma Lewis Cox, and Margaret Boggs; and a special family friend, Cathy. Predeceased was a brother, John Herman Lewis.
In accordance with Mr. Lewis’ wish for burial in the Veterans’ Cemetery in Chattanooga, TN, a family service will be held at a later date.
Courtesy of PalmettoCare Funerals, Greenville.
www.imemorial.com
PAID OBITUARY

Thomas Nichols, Jr.

GREENWOOD — Thomas Homes Nichols, Jr., retired Marine Corps Colonel, 83, resident of 252 Deer Run Lane, husband of Eyra Kent Nichols, died November 1, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Gainesville, GA, December 21, 1921, he was a son of the late Thomas H. Nichols, Sr., and Pauline Richardson Nichols Biers. He received a B.S. degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland. Upon completion of Naval Flight training he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator in April 1944. After his return from Peleliu and Okinawa, he was assigned as a flight instructor at Pensacola, FL. After his tour of duty in Korea he returned to Cherry Point, NC for duty with the Air Station staff. In 1955 he became Operations Officer of the 389th Fighter Bomber Squadron. He was late ordered to the office of Naval Intelligence in Washington, DC and then with the First Marine Aircraft Wing in Japan. Thirteen months later he returned to the US and was assigned Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, SC. After serving as the Marine Corps Liaison Officer to Headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, VA, he was assigned as Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Base in Norfolk, VA. His next assignment was to Vietnam where he served as Command-ing Officer of Chu Lai Airbase and Marine Aircraft Group-12. Col. Nichols retired in 1974 as Commanding Officer, MCAS in Yuma, AZ.
In 1989 Col. Nichols returned home to Greenwood where he has enjoyed golf and baseball. A member of First Baptist Church and the Baracca Sunday School Class of the church, he was also a member of the Golden K Club, the Daedalians and the Marine Corps Aviation Association.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are a son, Galer Nichols of Ft. Mill and a daughter, Nancy N. Klotz of Gainesville, GA; two grandsons, Robert Nichols of Ft. Mill and Tom Klotz of Gainesville, GA; cousins, Harry Clybourne, Roy Clybourne and Anne Smith.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 am Thursday at the First Baptist Church with Dr. Tony Hopkins officiating.
Pallbearers will be Chuck Drake, Roger Noss, Doug Proffitt, Travis Stevenson, Don Taylor and Mac Baltzegar.
Honorary escort will be members of the Baracca Sunday School Class and the Golden K Club.
Burial with full military honors will be at 2 pm Friday in the Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC. The body is at Blyth Funeral Home and will be placed in the church at 10 am Thursday.
The family is at the home in Lodge Grounds and will receive friends in the Church Parlor of First Baptist Church from 10 to 11 Thursday morning.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 722 Grace Street, Greenwood, SC 29649.
For online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
BLYTH FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES IS IN CHARGE.
PAID OBITUARY

Florence Cannon Whiteford

CLINTON — Florence Cannon Whiteford, age 84, of Hwy. 72 West died Wednesday, November 2, 2005 at her home. She was born in Laurens County and was the daughter of the late John Bardwell and Bessie Mae Williams Cannon.
Mrs. Whiteford was a homemaker and a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
She is survived by a daughter, Berrie Jean Whiteford Rogers of Clinton; two sisters, Dot Mobley of Chester and Edna Smith of Greenwood; four grandchildren, Jackie Howard Hollingsworth, Mark Dwayne Howard, Wendy Mars Kelly and Katie Lynn Rogers; five great grandchildren, Brandon Chad Hollingsworth, Savannah Jean Kelly, Austin Scott Kelly, Selena Danielle Hollingsworth and Dylan Ray Howard.
She was predeceased by a daughter, Dianne W. Howard.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the First Pentecostal Holiness Church with interment in Rosemont Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Mark Howard, Robert Whiteford, Rock Cannon, Jason Maze, Tim Rogers and Chris Lowery.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
The family will be at her home on Hwy. 72 West.
Condolences may be expressed at www.grayfuneralhome.com.
GRAY FUNERAL HOME of Clinton.
PAID OBITUARY