Monthly Archives: February 2013
Liberty wrestling wins Upper State
POWDERSVILLE — After a long and grueling day on the mats at Powdersville High School in the 2A Upper State championships, only region foe Crescent stood in the way of the Liberty High School wrestling team advancing to the State championship.
Crescent, led by region wrestler of the year B.J. Yeargin, gave the Devils all they could handle, but Liberty pulled out a 34-31 victory when freshman Matthew Frey avoided a pin in the final match of the evening, saving three team points, preserving the win and propelling his team to an appearance in the State championship match.
Against the Tigers, the Red Devils — who had beaten Ware Shoals, Pendleton and Indian Land earlier in the day — got a big win from junior Tanner Chambers, who knocked off Yeargin in the 182-pound match to provide a huge momentum boost in the competition.
“Had (Chambers) lost in the finals, we would have lost,” Liberty coach Dale Burrell said. “We defeated Crescent earlier in the season in a very similar dramatic fashion. We knew it would be close.”
In addition to Chambers’ win, the Devils got wins by team captains Dakota Stewart, Jacob Dismukes and Nathan Gilstrap, as well as victories from Darien Painter, Austin Bruce and Tristan Oglesby.
“Saturday was an emotional day,” Burrell said. “We wrestled hard, and I am proud of all of them.”
In addition to the battles on the mat, Liberty (35-3) was competing without the services of assistant coach Michael Connor, who had surgery the day before the Upper State championships.
Stewart, who has compiled a 44-3 individual record this season, is a North-South All-selection and one of five All-Region wrestlers on the squad, along with Chambers, Dismukes, Gilstrap and Painter.
The Devils, who won the Region I-2A for the first time in the program’s 24-year history this season, will travel to Dreher High School in Columbia on Saturday to take on Bamberg-Ehrhardt, which is looking for its third state crown in a row.
Courier Obits 2-6-13
BOB EFLIN
CLEMSON — Robert Dean “Bob” Eflin, 83, of Clemson Downs, and longtime Clemson resident died peacefully on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.
Born in Wichita, Kan. he was the widower of Janet Eflin and a son of the late Elmer and Louise Eflin. He was a founding member of Schaefer, Schirmer, and Eflin Architectural Firm in Wichita, Kan. He later retired as a Professor Emeritus & Master Planner for Clemson University and was also a custom home builder.
Surviving are a daughter, Lynn LaClair of Aiken; two sons, Camden Eflin of Liberty and Vance Eflin of Inarajan, Guam; a brother, Richard Eflin of Naples, Fla.; and two grandchildren.
Memorial services to honor his life will be held at a later date.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.libertymortuary.com.
Liberty Mortuary and Cremation Services is handling arrangements.
Palmetto Bank donates $25k to county YMCA
EASLEY — The Palmetto Bank has donated $25,000 to the Pickens County YMCA for capital development on future projects at the Easley YMCA.
A gift of $5,000 annually has been made over the past five years through a pledge made in 2007. The donated funds help to maintain and develop needs of the YMCA in Easley.
“We are deeply thankful to the Palmetto Bank for their contribution to our YMCA,” said Sid Collins, CEO of the Pickens County YMCA. “Gifts like these ensure the Y’s ability to serve the community for many years to come. The Palmetto Bank has been a great partner with our YMCA since it came to the Easley area. Their community support and commitment reflects the type of business they are as well as their values. We consider Palmetto Bank and its employees here in Easley part of the Y family.”
“We are honored to support the Pickens County YMCA,” said Trish Springfield, retail banking executive at The Palmetto Bank. “The Palmetto Bank has been serving the Upstate communities since 1906. We take community support seriously, and it has been our privilege to partner with an organization that provides great programs that help the community stay healthy.”
Easley community mourns loss of high school teacher Mike Carmical
EASLEY — At the age of 61, Dr. Mike Carmical, an Easley High School science teacher for the last 16 years, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Jan. 22, of a coronary-related issue, according to Pickens County Coroner Kandy Kelley.
Described by co-workers and students alike as a great man with a terrific sense of humor, his untimely death was a huge loss not only to his family, but also to those he worked with in Pickens County. SDPC spokesman John Eby said that his students honored him last Thursday by coming to school dressed in a white shirt and wearing a tie — Carmical’s unofficial uniform.
After students learned about his death, counselors were made available to help students cope with their loss and grief.
Easley High School principal Tim Mullis said that everyone at EHS was shocked and saddened by the sudden loss.
“Dr. Carmical always had a smile on his face and was ready to help out anyway he could. He was optimistic,” said Mullis. “He was a guy who loved people, saw the good in people and really touched people’s lives.”
Gettys visits with friends at Joe’s
Roddey Gettys, COO of Baptist Easley Hospital, met with dozens of friends recently at The Easley Ice Cream Parlor for a lunch as he prepares to retire from his full-time position. Gettys, who has promised to stay until the hospital board can find a suitable replacement for him, said that once he retires, he hopes to visit other small towns across the southeast to find restaurants like the Ice Cream Parlor, commonly known as “Joe’s” to longtime Easley residents. “Every town has that special place where everybody eats, and goes to see the folks from around the town,” Gettys said. “I want to experience as many places like this as I can.” Pictured above is Gettys with longtime friends Mike Johnson, Jim Garrison and Dennis Bauknight. Ben Robinson/Courier
