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Elite riders will race at Jackson Park this weekend

Henderson County Sports

World Equestrian Games wraps up

Germany’s Simone Blum made equestrian history as she was crowned Individual World Champion in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Jumping Championship on Sunday as the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 concluded its two-week run at Tryon International Equestrian Center. It was a bright spot on the closing day of the games, which during its two-week run had its share problems made by man and Mother Nature.   Read Story »

Mills River Sports

Mills River to dedicate Thomas A. Bryson basketball court today

The Town of Mills River will dedicate the Thomas A. Bryson Memorial Basketball Court at 6 p.m. today, giving the community a last tribute to a beloved husband, father and neighbor who was murdered one year ago on Thursday. Friends of the Bryson family raised money to build the basketball court in memory of Bryson, who loved to watch basketball games that his sons coached and played.   Read Story »

Henderson County Sports

Kiwanis Club honors NHHS superfan

Justin King said "there's something about that kid" when he took down his enrollment registration as a high school freshman. The kid was named Alex Studer and King, North Henderson High School's baseball coach, was right. That kid turned out to be something special, throughout his high school career and beyond. "He's a huge part of North Henderson and for eight years he's been nothing but the biggest fan of North Henderson," King said."He's amazing. I tell my players, 'We're not here for him. He's here for us, to make us better people.'" One player said of Alex, "If you know Alex he is going to love you with all his heart and make you feel like a hundred dollars." Before the second inning of every Knight home game, Alex steps up to bat, takes a swing and connects, rounds the bases and then figures out a creative and entertaining way to cross home plate. He always hits a home run. When Alex graduated from North, Coach King told him not to worry; he'd always have a place in the Knight's dugout. Alex stayed on, and has been team manager since 2011. For his boundless loyalty, enthusiasm and love for his team, Alex was named the 2018 Ricky Sparks Spirit Award winner on Thursday during the Hendersonville Kiwanis Club's 58th annual All-Star awards lunch honoring prep athletes in spring sports. Alex's mother, Tracy Studer, thanked the Kiwanians for giving Alex the one thing she always wished for him — acceptance. "As parents of a child with special needs, we tried to keep him involved in everything," she said. "It's been wonderful watching him go from high school to community involvement. Alex's school spirit will never die and he will always bleed purple." It was the first time the award recognized a special needs adult, one like Ricky Sparks himself, a Hendersonville High School graduate and one of its biggest fans. "Rick loved sports and he always cheered for his favorite team," said his sister, Brenda Sparks McCleerey. "He always was active in the Special Olympics. One of his specialties was the softball throw. Rick spent 40 years sitting on our grandparents' porch cheering for his Bearcats" as they walked to and from football practice along Ninth Avenue West. Winner of the Lou Ann Morgan Leadership Award, named for a phys-ed teacher who displays the leadership and enthusiasm of Ms. Morgan, was Beverly Danielson. A Henderson County native and West Henderson High School graduate, Danielson is the phys-ed teacher at Sugarloaf Elementary School. She attended Brevard College, won an undergraduate degree at Mars Hill and has masters in education from Gardner Webb. She taught in Henderson County schools, founded and served as director of the Mud Creek Baptist Church's preschool, from 1995 until 2004. She returned to the county schools, and was named a Walmart teacher of the year in 2007 and teacher of the year at Fletcher Elementary School in 2011. Morgan's daughter, Mandi Fletcher, told the club members about Lou Ann Morgan and her love of teaching. She loved her hme and family. "She also loved her school family," Fletcher said. "She was not only passionate about life but she was passionate about people. Every child that walked in that school door was one of hers." Danielson said she felt especially honored to win the award because Lou Ann Morgan had been her mentor when she was a young teacher. "I got to see her every week interact with my first graders," she said. "It gave me a strong background in what I needed to do to make my first graders successful." The word legacy came to her mind when she thought of Morgan. "It's said that words can be written on a tombstone but legacy is etched in the hearts that you touch." Danielson thanked her children for accepting the fact that they have to share their mom with hundreds of other kids who are always under 13 years old. "They know that when I leave school, I don't leave my kids there," she said. "I take them home with me and they are in my heart and in my thoughts." After congratulating the 64 male and female athletes who were honored as Kiwanis All-Stars, Henderson County schools Superintendent Bo Caldwell asked them to go back to their schools and do one thing. "Take a pencil and piece of paper and write a note to a teacher or coach that has meant something to you," he said — and not by text, tweet or Snapchat photo. "You take a pencil and a piece of paper and say thank you for the time you took and what you meant to me through my high school career. In the short time it will take you to do it, multiply that by a hundred times and that's what it will mean to that teacher or coach."         Read Story »

Henderson County Sports

Volunteers needed for bicycle races on Sunday

The Crosstown Velo is looking for volunteers for the Hunter Subaru Historic Seventh Avenue Criterium Sunday along Locust and Maple streets. Start-finish line is at Southern Appalachian Brewing Co. on Locust Street. Volunteers are needed to monitor corners and to help setup and take down. Volunteers are asked to serve in 2-hour increments. They get a meal coupon. Please contact Tim Tobbe at ttobbe@borgwarner.com if you can help. The final race of the Hincapie Greenville Spring Series, the criterium is made up of 10 races ranging from 23 to 48 laps from 9 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Sponsors include Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Hincapie Sportswear, BorgWarner, Carolina Landscape Management, Carolina Specialties Construction, Southern Appalachian Brewing Co., USA Cycling Crosstown Velo and the Historic Seventh Avenue District.       Read Story »

Hendersonville Sports

Bearcat Jayvees win Mountain Six title

The Hendersonville High School Jayvee Girls basketball team won the Mountain Six Conference Championship on Thursday, Feb. 15, defeating Franklin High School at Franklin. Picture, from left, front row, are Anne Marie Jones, Caitlyn Barnwell, Callie Swanger, Miriam Smith, Cora Stuerner, Ellie Bowen, Journee McMinn; back row, Coach Alexis Hubert, Asia McKnight, Alexandra Mills, Katie Parce, Aubrey Bish, Kathryn Thomas.   Read Story »

Henderson County Sports

Veteran volunteer is girls soccer coach of the year

Volunteer coach Tom Jones received the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association 2018 Girls Recreation Coach of the Year award on Sunday, Jan. 28, at the association’s annual soccer show in Raleigh. Jones has volunteered as a soccer coach in Henderson County Parks & Recreation Department’s recreation soccer program since 2005, when he started coaching his oldest child’s team. Over the past 13 years, Jones has coached his three children through the program, for a total of 17 teams, and counting. Jones has worked hard to develop player skills, and has taken incredible steps to understand the game of soccer beyond a surface knowledge. Jones exhibits all the qualities sought in every volunteer coach: dedication to providing the best player experience possible, player development, and teaching sportsmanship to players and parents alike. Henderson County recognizes that Jones is a busy father, husband, and businessman and appreciates his involvement in the soccer program.  Jones is the fourth volunteer coach from Henderson County to receive a coach of the year award from NCYSA since 2013. The recreation program is dependent on the involvement of quality volunteer coaches such as Jones to coach the over 500 youth players each season. Registration is currently underway for the spring season. More information about the program is online atwww.HCPRD.com.       Read Story »

Henderson County Sports

HMS boys win conference title, finish 14-1

The Hendersonville Middle School boys basketball team won the Blue Ridge Conference Championship on Wednesday night, defeating Macon Middle 64-54, at Macon Middle School. The Hendersonville Middle boys basketball team were the regular season champs and conference tournament champs going 14-1 on the season. The team is coached by Brent Stepp and Rick Husak.   Read Story »

Mills River Sports

D.A. dismisses charge against WHHS basketball coach

District Attorney Greg Newman has dismissed the simple assault charge filed against West Henderson High School men’s basketball coach Joey Bryson, saying a video of the incident with an opposing team's player failed to show a push that the player's mother had alleged. The charge was initiated by a North Henderson player following the game at West Henderson on Dec. 15. West Henderson won the game in overtime. Following the game, the North student and his mother went to the magistrate’s office and caused the criminal charge to be issued against the West Henderson coach.  A court date of Jan 26 was scheduled.    “I will not prosecute cases against teachers that have not been properly and thoroughly vetted by law enforcement,” Newman said. "I  reviewed video footage of the reported incident and I saw no evidence of any crime being committed by Coach Bryson. What I saw was that Coach Bryson was conferring with one of his players while a foul shot was taking place. The  North Henderson player encroached upon their space and the coach flung the hand of the North player away.  The charging document issued by the magistrate accused the coach of 'pushing” the player.' I did not see any evidence of pushing.   Contact was definitely made by the coach, but it does not rise to any type of criminal action." The District Attorney went on to say that, “there were at least two sheriff’s deputies at the game who did not believe that any crime had occurred.  They were engaged with removing an irate fan from the center of the basketball court.  Also, I find it significant that the referees did not call a technical foul on the West Henderson coach or bench." Newman added that he has explained his decision to the complainant’s mother and that the matter is under review by school system administrators.   Read Story »

Henderson County Sports

Commissioners make their football championship picks

Henderson County commissioners covered all four choices in their annual college football championship picks, a tradition started several years ago by County Manager Steve Wyatt. The college football playoff includes Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama. "I said last year that my first son and my money went to Clemson and I had to go with Clemson," Commissioner Bill Lapsley said. "I’ll go with them again." Grady Hawkins: "I’m going to go with one of my alma maters: Oklahoma." Michael Edney: "We all know the Georgia Bulldogs are going to win." Charlie Messer, who picked Alabama over Clemson last year, stayed with the Tide. Tommy Thomson, who doesn't follow sports, also went with Alabama. After saying, "I’m going to pull for Appalachian," Wyatt, a big Mountaineer fan, predicted an Oklahoma win.   Read Story »

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