Kemp column: Around the Horn with all sorts of stuff

Let’s do one of those columns about everything and nothing at the same time.

I must say that Go Dawgs is worth yelling. I have pulled for the Dawgs as long as I can remember. Last week I was asked by our Farm Bureau rep Chris Martin “Can’t you say something good about them this week,” he asked. Of course said I.

Two weeks ago my negativity was just being realistic and not getting my hopes up. I pull for them always but not to the extent of not wanting to speak of misfortune. Remember I did put two daughters through school there and last Monday did bring a tear to my eye. I was watching on January 1, 1981, when the Red and Black won their national title and cheering loudly then but there has been a lot of water under the dam since then.

Speaking of Stetson Bennett IV; you know the quarterback with yet another year of eligibility at UGA? I have written about this before, but was reminded by Emory Brinson via an article from the Charlotte Observer entitled “Long before Stetson Bennett IV was at Georgia, his grandfather was a QB for Gamecocks.” The article was updated on January 11.

That USC Gamecock quarterback, and grandfather of IV, was Richard “Buddy” Bennett. Why does that matter? Buddy Bennett was the Head Coach of none other than the Screven County Gamecocks in 1965. He went 4-6, 3-4 in Region 2A. He came to SCHS from the staff of the USC-East Gamecocks and left for the coaching staff at East Tennessee State.

Unfortunately I cannot rejoice for my Raiders. In a 26-19 loss to Cincinnati Saturday the Silver and Black clad in White entered the red zone of the Bengals six times. In a performance worthy of Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, those six trips netted one touchdown, four field goals, and an end-of-the-game interception. But maybe they are back. Maybe Darth Raiders motto of “Just Win Baby” is relevant again. We’ll see next year.

The GHSFD put out its All State team last week. There was an offensive lineman and a defensive back from Metter and a defensive lineman from MCA. That was it from Region 3A. Not much. Of course you cannot prove it by me that Region 3A had even an All-Region team. There was a rumor that we had some who made All-Region (Michael Boyd, Vasquez Lonon, and Jonathan Peedin) but as a historian, I cannot prove it. I have not been given anything.

One particular Class A All-Stater was the Offensive Player of the Year- Omari Arnold of Brooks County. He is a Georgia Southern commit. If you watched his performance in the Class A state championship game, he surely looks exciting. The Eagles had no speed this year and he certainly looks to instantly upgrade that shortage.

I seem to have reached enough verbiage to make a column. I truly want to mention wrestling and basketball — read the regular stories, I reckon. I will say that a week ago I said maybe the Lady Gamecocks were not quite ready for their lofty rankings. On January 10 they were ranked number three in Class in both the AJC and the Maxpreps rankings. They were number one in the Sandy’s Spiel top ten. A loss to region foe Bryan County (ranked seventh and fifth in the various polls) on January 11 jolted that possibly alternative reality. Hey, they are still atop the region standings and I can still hopefully predict a region championship.

So with a grandfather named Richard, how did Stetson the IV get that designation? Well, from the Observer article, Stetson Jr. had no sons so brother Richard (Buddy) named one of his sons III.

I must add this note. This is my last column and my last articles for the Sylvania Telephone, my journalistic (I hope the word applies) home since an article from September 11, 1975. “Gamecocks lost opener to Jenkins County12-7” was its headline. I did a lot of soul searching to make this decision but it is made.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Kemp column: Around the Horn with all sorts of stuff