Your Town. Your Paper. Your Voice.
Friday, May 7, 2021
Vol. 5, No. 10 • 16 Pages • FREE
North Gwinnett, Lanier celebrate special nights — Pages 8 & 9 —
Gov. Kemp signs bills at Buford’s Home of Hope shelter
• Page 5
Ceremony for new daylily statue held in Buford
• Page 7 Buford’s playoff hopes still alive and well
• Page 14-15
Meet Dy-Ann Mullinax, a Buford Academy first-grader. Dy-Ann is the stepdaughter of Jessica Mullinax and the daughter of Jackie and Chance Mullinax. Dy-Ann has one sister and one brother, both older than her. This year, Dy-Ann is enrolled in Mrs. Botham’s first grade class and she is being named Reader of the Week for her excellent academic achievements and enthusiasm for reading.
Some of Dy-Ann’s favorite books include mysteries like “Calendar Mysteries,” written by Rom Roy.
Dy-Ann’s favorite food is avocados, and her favorite color is green!
In her free time, Dy-Ann loves to travel to places she has never been to and even revisit some of her favorite places, such as Myrtle Beach. Dy-Ann also enjoys taking care of her two pets, Bandit, her ferret, and Goldie, her fish.
Mrs. Lana Nix, Buford Academy’s media specialist, praises Dy-Ann for the wonderful student she is.
“Dy-Ann is one of the neatest kids to sit and have a conversation with, Nix said. “She is way beyond her years. Dy-Ann is one of the most caring and helpful students I know.”
Dy-Ann, congrats on being elected reader of the week! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. Keep up the great work! — Emily Hammond
The following reports were filed by the Gwinnett County Police Department between April 13-27, 2021.
• Aggravated assault with other weapon was reported in the 2200 block of Buford Dam Road NE in Buford.
• Gwinnett police responded to a report of simple assault in the 700 block of N Price Road NE in Sugar Hill.
• A report of aggravated battery with other weapon was made in the 2600 block of Ivy Creek Road NE in Buford.
• Reports of battery were made in the 1000 block of Whitehead Road NE in Sugar Hill, 300 block of Fifth Street NE in Buford, 4200 block of South Lee Street NE in Buford, 2500 block of Hamill Drive NE in Buford, 4600 block of Vintage Lane NE in Buford, 3500 block of Clarecastle Drive NE in Buford, 3500 block of Red Willow Court NE in Buford, 3700 block of Quail Creek Drive NE in Buford and 3700 block of Heritage Place NE in Buford.
• Simple battery was reported in the 4900 block of First Avenue NE in Sugar Hill, 300 block of Fifth Street NE in Buford, 2700 block of Winslow Ridge Drive NE in Buford and 1100 block of Ball Park Lane NE in Buford.
• A rape was reported in the 300 block of Circle View Drive NE in Buford.
• A report of indecent exposure was filed in the 2900 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.
• A street robbery with other weapon was reported in the 3200 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.
• DUI arrests for alcohol were made in the Buford Highway NE/Chatham Road NE area, Buford Drive NE/South Lee Street NE area and South Lee Street NE/Sturgeon Road NE area, Buford Drive NE/Old Peachtree Road NE area, Buford Drive NE/Plunketts Road NE area and Gravel Springs Road NE/Camp Branch Road NE area. Buford addresses.
• Forced-entry, non-residential burglaries were reported in the 4600 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard NE in Sugar Hill, 4100 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford and 4500 block of Thompson Mill Road NE in Buford.
• A non-forced entry, non-residential burglary was reported in the 4700 block of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard NE in Sugar Hill.
• A non-forced entry, residential burglary was reported in the 400 block of South Street NE in Buford.
• Criminal damage in the first degree was reported in the 4600 block
The following restaurant health inspection scores were pulled from the Georgia Department of Health between April 13-27, 2021.
• American Deli — 145 Satellite Blvd Suite F Suwanee; 96
• Chipotle Mexican Grill — 2925 Buford Dr BLDG 500 STE 540 Buford; 86
• Cue BBQ — 3350 Buford Dr Suite A150 Buford; 91
• Darak Buford Grill — 4865 S Lee St Buford; 92
• Don Bonachon Bar and Grill — 4369 Suwanee Dam Rd Suite 105 Suwanee; 95
of Nelson Brogdon Boulevard NE in Sugar Hill.
• Criminal damage in the second degree was reported in 1200 block of Frontier Drive NE in Sugar Hill, 1500 block of Hartford Run NE in Buford and 400 block of East Main Street NE in Buford.
• Reports of larceny — theft by taking were filed in the 4300 block of Creek Park Drive NE in Suwanee, 600 block of Brogdon Road NE in Suwanee, 700 block of North Price Road NE in Sugar Hill, 4800 block of South Lee Street NE in Buford, 900 block of East Shadburn Avenue NE in Buford, 0 block of Buford Village Way NE in Buford, 1800 block of Mall of Georgia Boulevard NE in Buford, 3400 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford, 2000 block of Clean Water Drive NE in Buford, 3300 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.
• A report of larceny — theft by deception was made in the 1100 block of Danube Trail NE in Sugar Hill.
• Motor vehicle thefts were reported in the 3700 block of Castle View Court NE in Suwanee, 4000 block of Hill Station Court NE in Sugar Hill and 3300 block of Buford Drive NE in Buford.
• Gwinnett police responded to reports of entering auto/larceny of articles from vehicle in the 4300 block of Brogdon Place Cove NE in
Suwanee, 4000 block of Hill Station Court NE in Sugar Hill, 1300 block of Buford Business Boulevard NE in Buford, 100 block of Forest Street NE in Buford and 2200 block of Elbridge Road NE in Buford.
• Theft by shoplifting was reported in the 3300 block of Buford Drive NE (three incidents) and 3700 block of Buford Drive NE (three incidents).
The following reports were filed by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office between April 13-27, 2021.
• A death investigation was conducted in the 6400 block of Samoa Way in Flowery Branch.
• Terroristic threats and acts were reported in the 5800 block of Norton Circle in Flowery Branch.
• Hall County deputies responded to a report of harassing phone calls in the 6700 block of Thornwood Court in Flowery Branch.
• Simple battery under the Family Violence Act was reported in the 6100 block of Portsmouth Drive in Flowery Branch.
• A report of disorderly conduct was filed in the 6800 block of Gaines Ferry Road in Flowery Branch.
• A report of criminal trespass was made in the 6700 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.
• A forced-entry, commercial bur-
glary was reported in the 800 block of Gainesville Highway in Buford.
• A non-forced entry, commercial burglary was reported in the 6100 block of Atlanta Highway in Flowery Branch.
• A forced-entry, residential burglary was reported in the 4700 block of Landing Water Path in Buford.
• Two burglaries in the second degree — commercial/other-non-dwelling were reported in the 6100 block of Atlanta Highway in Flowery Branch and 1100 block of Parkway Industrial Park Drive in Buford.
• Hall County deputies responded to a report of criminal damage to property in the second degree in the 4800 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.
• Reports of theft by taking — less than $1,500 were made in the 6900 block of Lanier Islands Parkway and 1000 block of Parkway Court. Buford addresses.
• A motor vehicle theft was reported in the 4900 block of Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford.
• Reports of entering an auto to commit a crime were made in the 2800 block of McEver Road and 7600 block of Lanier Islands Parkway. Buford addresses.
• Theft by shoplifting under $500 was reported in the 900 block of Gainesville Highway in Buford.
• Dunkin Donuts — 3687 Buford Dr Suite 100 Buford; 95
• Feast 26 — 2625 Mall of Georgia Blvd Suite 101 Buford; 96
• Fish Tales Lakeside Grille & Catering — 6330 Mitchell St., Flowery Branch; 96
• IHOP #4479 — 4122 GA-20 Buford; 90
• La Perla Del Ulua — 4955 Alton Tucker Blvd NE SUITE 400 Sugar Hill; 87
• Mellow Mushroom — 320 Town Center Ave Suite C1 Suwanee; 100
• Mo’s Gyro and Kabob — 4296 Old Suwanee Rd Suite 2 Buford; 97
• Peking Chinese Restaurant — 360 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suite 101A Suwanee; 97
• Sonic Drive In — 3225 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suwanee; 86
• Sonny’s BBQ @ Road Atlanta — 5300 Winder Highway, Braselton; 100
• Starbucks 25249 — 3206 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd Suwanee; 92
• WNB Factory — 2463 Hamilton Mill Pkwy #330 Dacula; 91
• Zaxby’s — 5982 Cumming Hwy NE Sugar Hill; 94
Staff Reports
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office asked for help recently on social media in identifying two men suspected of breaking into storage units and their request was answered.
The burglaries occurred the early mornings of April 20 and 25 at Outback Climate Controlled Self Storage and U-Haul in the 6000 block of Ga. Highway 13/Atlanta Highway in Flowery Branch and the early morning of April 25 at a storage unit in th 1000 block of Parkway Industrial Park Drive in Buford.
Surveillance footage captured images of two male suspects entering and exiting the property. The men drove away in a white Cadillac CTS.
After posting the images, the sheriff’s office used information from the public and arrested Buford residents Matthew Thomas Berry, 32, and Jacob Reid Bennett, also 32.
Berry is charged with three counts of second-degree burglary in connection with all three incidents, while Bennett is charged with one count of second-degree burglary in connection with the April 25 burglary in Flowery Branch.
Deanna Allen
From antiques and collectibles to jewelry and home décor, the Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival is a treasure trove for patrons looking for unique and handcrafted items. The recent event held April 23, 24 and 25 was no different from festivals past.
The event, now in its 18th year, drew more than 300 vendors set up along Harrison Street and Frances Street, in Braselton Park and inside and outside the Braselton Historic Gymnasium. Despite inclement weather part of the
weekend, the three-day festival was successful in drawing crowds when the weather was nice.
“On Sunday, we had the bulk of the crowd due to the weather on Saturday,” said Bradi Newman, owner of Alabaster Co., which is based in Hoschton and features clothing and accessories. “You can tell that people’s comfort level in terms of going out in public (since COVID-19 began), it’s being restored again.”
COVID-19 had a particularly drastic effect on Newman’s business — just before the pandemic started she was preparing to sign a lease for a space in Braselton where she could begin
www.northgwinnettvoice.com info@northgwinnettvoice.com
Jessica Wilson, Publisher 706-633-0334 • jessica@northgwinnettvoice.com
Alicia Couch Payne, Editorial Manager 404-453-5261 • alicia@northgwinnettvoice.com
Deanna Allen, Assistant Editor/Creative Design 770-883-9530 • deanna@northgwinnettvoice.com
Jennifer Johnson, Advertising Manager 706-621-9388 • advertise@northgwinnettvoice.com
creating a boutique. But she pressed the pause button on her plans when she had a feeling the timing wasn’t right. A month later, COVID-19 began to run its course.
Instead of focusing on a retail space, Newman decided to start trunk shows locally.
“I started small and I thought to myself, let me just take a little bit of money, let me invest it and let me see what I can do here locally,” she said.
After starting up her trunk shows, Newman came across information on Instagram for a one-day show in Braselton in December 2020, a show she says was a success. Newman followed that up with a three-day festival in February. Now, drawing on the success of the April festival, Newman is preparing to purchase a retrofitted mobile truck to start a boutique on wheels to work her business full time. She said entrepreneurship runs in her family — both her mother and father are entrepreneurs.
The April Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival was Debbie Mays’ fourth time participating in the event as a vendor. The Duluth-based crafter is the founder of Ladies and Gems, which started as a jewelry business in 2000 before Mays transitioned into specializing in handcrafted leather bags seven or eight years ago. The bags are handcrafted from start to finish with rough cut, natural edges that make each bag unique and impossible to duplicate.
“I never make the same bag twice,” Mays said. “They’re all original, one of a kind.”
Like many businesses, particularly those that sell at festivals like the one in Braselton, Mays said COVID definitely affected her business.
selton’s shows definitely helped because I did two of them last year.”
Mays is already making plans to attend the upcoming Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival on Oct. 22, 23 and 24.
“It’s got that hometown feel,” she said. Can’t wait for the October festival? The Art-Tiques Vintage Market featuring more than 125 vendors will be held June 25, 26 and 27, as well as Aug. 27, 28 and 29. For more information, visit www.vintagemarkets.net.
Check out Alabaster Co. on Instagram at shopalabastercompany.
@northgwinnettvoice | @gwinnettvoice
Staff Writers:
Joy W. Fowler
Nida Merchant
Anoshka Ramkumar
Hayden Wiggs
Emily Hammond
Torin Smith
Jordan Askew
Greyson Watkins
Staff Photographers:
William Curtis
Cathy Moore
Jenny Johnson
David Griffin
Contributing Writers:
Lynn Bowman
Brandon Hembree
ON THE COVER: Students from North Gwinnett and Lanier high schools celebrate prom in style. — Printed by the Gainesville Times —
“It was definitely a hard year, that’s for sure. I rely on the in person sales from the shows, so when COVID hit, that hurt,” Mays said. “Bra-
Find out more about Ladies and Gems at ladiesandgems.net.
Brandon Hembree
Sugar Hill was officially incorporated in 1939. Despite its youth in comparison to other cities, it has a long history that dates back hundreds, if not thousands, of years into the past.
The history of Sugar Hill is characterized by diversity. Native Americans were once present in this area, and over time other ethnic groups have had an influence on what is now modern-day Sugar Hill.
Historically, Sugar Hill has not had a large Black American community up until the mid-1900s. The immediate Sugar Hill area had mostly agricultural and gold mining industries, but the Black population tended to center around Buford — the commercial and industrial heart of this part of Gwinnett County. However, through careful research with census records, vital records and other treasures of information, we find Black families living in Sugar Hill, some doing local farming, and others staying in the community even if their livelihoods depended on businesses in Buford. These records help
us get to know Black Americans who would otherwise not be mentioned in the history books. These individuals were important to communities like Sugar Hill and our collective history as community.
Two such individuals, discovered through census records, were L.T. Casey and Robert Walker. They lived in what is now Sugar Hill during the first part of the 1900s. Neither man was famous, but both hopefully lived their lives in quiet harmony with their community in Sugar Hill. L.T. worked in the local tannery, and Robert was a farmer in the Sugar Hill community. Both were likely one generation removed from slavery.
In the 1930 census records, L.T. Casey, and his wife Louise were both 23. They had been married for two years and had no children. L.T. and Louise rented their home in Sugar Hill. Louise was not involved in an occupation at the time, but L.T. was employed as a leather graner at the local tannery. A graner would have tanned or finished leather from the hides of animals, and L.T. contributed to the industry that was prevalent
in and around Buford. The census records indicate he was a wage or salaried worker, which signified that he held a permanent position due to his expertise in the trade.
L.T.’s father, Doc “DR” Casey, was born in 1864. In 1890, “DR” is listed in census records for the Sugar Hill community as a “freedman”
owning property, livestock, furniture and merchandise. DR had created a home for this family and left a legacy through L.T. and generations of the Casey family.
Robert Walker, in the 1930 census records, is shown living near what is now Sycamore Road in Sugar Hill. Robert, and his wife Elsie, had
four children in the household. He was 60 years old at the time of the census, and she was 20 years younger. Their children — Olivia, Charley, Bornice and McGuire, ranged in age from 20 to 8. Robert’s occupation is listed as a farm laborer. Sugar Hill, at the time, was mostly an agricultural community and he more than likely worked to support a local farming operation. Robert is listed as a renter of the property. Charley’s occupation is listed as a delivery boy in a meat market, but history does not disclose to us whom he worked for in the 1930s.
The stories of individuals like L.T., DR, Robert and Charley are important stories to know and tell, and Sugar Hill is proud of these men and their legacy in our community. Thank you to Stephanie Isaacs for working to uncover these stories of Black Americans in our community. Over time, more discoveries will be made about these individuals and more stories will be rediscovered about other individuals who contributed to the history of our community. It is through the stories of individuals that our past is brought to life.
Staff Reports
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was in Buford on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to sign legislation to fight human trafficking and provide protections for victims.
A residential care facility for homeless children, Home of Hope at the Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, was the location where Kemp signed into law three bills — Senate Bill 33, Senate Bill 34 and House Bill 287.
Senate Bill 33 allows victims to file civil suits against traffickers or anyone else who benefited financially from their abuse. The bill sets a timetable for filing suit.
Senate Bill 34 establishes a new exception in state law to protect trafficking survivors who can now request a legal name change under seal, rather than being required to publish public notices in newspa-
pers. This bill is intended to help prevent victims’ abusers from locating them.
House Bill 287 requires students
begin learning about human trafficking beginning in sixth grade.
“As we stand before you today, we know that Gwinnett County is
one of the main hubs for human trafficking in our state, and the folks here at House of Hope are on the front lines of this fight every single day and we’re just incredibly grateful for all of your efforts,” Kemp said prior to signing the bills. “We cannot waste time and we cannot ignore what we know is happening all around, and we must take action.”
Kemp called the signing an important step in achieving goals to support victims and end human trafficking in Georgia. He was joined at the signing by his wife, Marty Kemp, who co-chairs the GRACE Commission, a coalition of public officials, law enforcement, for-profit and non-profit organizations, faithbased institution and subject matter experts to address human trafficking, seek justice for victims and hold traffickers accountable. GRACE is an acronym for Georgians for Ref-
uge, Action, Compassion and Education.
State Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, the primary sponsor of both Senate bills, was in attendance during the signing. State Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, who authored the House bill was also present.
All three bills passed with bipartisan, unanimous support in the Senate and House.
“Today, as Brian signs SB33, SB34 and HB287, we continue to send that message that there is no place for human trafficking in the state of Georgia,” Marty Kemp said. “We are now doubling down on our efforts and renewing our commitment to the fight against human trafficking.”
Marty Kemp thanked Sen. Dixon and Rep. Bonnie Rich, among other legislators, for working toward combating human trafficking.
Meet Matthew Caymol, a senior at Buford High School. Matthew is the son of Angie and Mateo Caymol, and he was born in Atlanta and raised in Suwanee. Matthew first came to Buford in the seventh grade. Matthew has two siblings, Logan, 21, and Andrew, who passed away at 11 in 2015. Matthew’s older sister, Logan, was a Buford High School graduate from the class of 2018. This week, Matthew is being honored as the Student of the Week because of his commitment to learning, the perseverance he has shown throughout the years and his success both inside and outside the classroom.
Matthew has excelled academically and socially during high school, thanks to his excellent grades and involvement in extracurricular activities. He has a cumulative GPA of 3.59 and has served as the varsity baseball manager for three years. DECA, a club that prepares young leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, banking, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the world, was also a big part of Matthew’s life. Matthew was a DECA member for three years. In fact, Matthew’s favorite extracurricular activity that he has participated in is DECA. He said it has taught him to reach out of his comfort zone.
Matthew’s favorite subject in high school has been social studies because he loves learning about the cultures of the world. Mrs. Paula Bennet has been his favorite teacher. Matthew said she has helped him so much during his time at Buford that
he can’t help but appreciate all that she has done for him.
In his free time, Matthew enjoys hanging out with his friends and family and watching sports.
After high school, Matthew plans to attend Clemson University, where he will be able to pursue an undergraduate degree in sports communications. He will be attending Clemson through the bridge program at Tri-County Technical College. Matthew said his love for sports, sports statistics and sports information has inspired him to study sports communications in college.
“I chose Clemson because my whole family went there for college and I really love the campus and people up there,” he said.
Not only did both of Matthew’s parents, Mateo and Angie, attend Clemson, but his older sister, Logan, is also a softball scholarship student at Clemson. To say the Caymol family is Tiger-blooded would be an understatement; we didn’t expect anything less than Matthew to attend Clemson!
Matthew’s marketing pathway at Buford High School was one of the classes that motivated him to pursue sports communications in college. Matthew started this journey as a freshman, and by his junior year, he had the opportunity to specialize in sports marketing. Matthew chose sports marketing as a career path because of his passion for sports, and after taking the class, he realized he wanted to pursue it as a career.
Matthew is wise beyond his years. One piece of advice Matthew wishes to leave behind for underclassmen at Buford High School is to appreciate life.
“Cherish your time with your friends and family because you’ll never know what might happen in the future,” he said.
Matthew Caymol is unquestionably a promising Buford High School student. He is intelligent, kind and well-liked by both his classmates and teachers. There are only positive things to say about Matthew Caymol! Buford is proud of Matthew’s achievements because he is everything a true Wolf should be: hardworking, strong and determined. Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished, Matthew! We are confident that you can go on to do great things in life, and we hope to see you on ESPN one day!
—
Emily Hammond
Alicia Couch Payne
Dozens of people were present to witness the official dedication of the new daylily statue located by the amphitheater on Main Street in Buford on Tuesday morning.
The statue, which towers over the park on Main Street, has a base made of iron, the stem is stainless steel and the flowers and leaves are made of copper. The daylily statue is made so the flowers and leaves are not rigid. On a windy day, the statue comes to life, gently swaying in the wind.
The artist, James “Jim” Bradford, said he “wanted the statue (16 feet tall) larger than people to show nature is bigger than us all.”
Residents, along with officials from the city of Buford, State Sen. Butch Miller, guests from the Garden Club of Georgia Inc. and the Laurel District were on hand to celebrate the statue that The Stonehedge Garden Club made possible. Remarks were made by Bettie Stoneking, president of the Stonehedge Garden Club, Mary Alice Beard, garden club member and the artist.
Wanting to do something special for the residents of the city, the Stonehedge Garden Club decided to invest its surplus money into the creation of the daylily statue. Club members knew they wanted their money to go into a project that the residents of the city could enjoy for decades to come. After brainstorming, they landed on having a daylily statue made.
The club joined forces with the artist and came up with a drawing of
the statue. The idea of the sculpture was then presented to the city of Buford for their approval. The project received overwhelming support from the city, according to garden club member Mary Alice Beard.
The city of Buford committed resources to making the statue possible. Charles Black Construction was hired to modify the existing area in the park to accommodate the large statue. Due to its size and weight, the statue had to be hoisted into position
by large machinery.
The Stonehedge Garden Club would like to thank the city of Buford and all of the donors who made the statue possible. They would also like to thank Charles Black Construction, as well as the residents of Buford.
On the program at the dedication ceremony, the garden club wrote, “We want to thank everyone in attendance today. We value YOUR interest in the beautification of this community and our world. We hope that this statue
will enrich the lives of all who pass by and inspire the love of gardening.”
The garden club has given the city of Buford a wonderful gift that as the statue ages will only become more beautiful as it gets a lovely patina.
The Stonehedge Garden Club is based in Buford and meets monthly at the Buford First United Methodist Church. Its is the only garden club in the North Gwinnett area. The next nearest garden clubs are in Lawrenceville, Gainesville
and Cumming.
Besides sharing their love of gardening, club members have numerous charitable endeavors, including giving out scholarships to students of horticulture, making Christmas sacks, decorating Buford Manor nursing home for Christmas, decorating a charity ball and also decorating a charity fashion show. Look for more projects from the club that will surely leave the community better than ever.
A night to remember: North Gwinnett salutes roaring ’20s with prom theme
On Saturday, May 1, North Gwinnett High School hosted a roaring ’20s-themed junior/senior prom on the top floor of a parking deck at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth. The event was arranged as per Gwinnett
County guidelines to ensure the health safety of students and staff in attendance. Masks were mandated and each student was given travel-sized hand sanitizer upon arrival.
Despite previous schools hav-
ing stormy weather on their prom nights, North Gwinnett’s prom was blessed with clear skies and warm weather. Many students went in pairs, but there were also a number of students who went in large groups.
Photo locations prior to prom included Sims Lake Park in Suwanee,, Sugar Hill City Hall, McDaniel Farm Park and many more locations.
Many North Gwinnett seniors are digital learners this year and
used prom as an opportunity to see friends and former classmates they had not seen in a long time. Overall, the North Gwinnett prom was a wonderful experience for juniors and seniors. — Anoshka Ramkumar
The Lanier High School 2021 prom was definitely a night to remember. The dance took place on April 24 at the Sugar Hill Bowl next to Sugar Hill City Hall. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, including mandatory masks and an outdoor venue, Lanier students had a lot of fun dancing and conversing with their peers.
Although the weather was an-
ticipated to be a clear, starry night prompting the theme of “A Night Under the Stars,” the forecast called for thunderstorms on the evening that prom took place. This caused an emergency change in plans where it was decided to put up a tent for the dance floor and table area. The night also included umbrellas at the venue stand, if needed.
The event began at 7 p.m. and
ended at 10 p.m. Midway through the dance, students were asked to evacuate the tent and into the parking garage because of the brewing thunderstorm. After minutes of transferring the DJ booth from the tent to the parking garage, the dance continued and students were able to enjoy their last moments of prom.
Under the parking garage
were photo booths where students were able to take photos with their groups or significant others and tables if they wanted to rest their feet.
Esha Patel, a senior at Lanier, said she was pleased with the event and had a good time despite the weather.
“I enjoyed it, I thought it was a lot of fun,” she said. “The music and setup was nice, and it was nice
getting to have prom this year after it was cancelled last year. It was unfortunate that the dance got rained out, but it was still an amazing experience.”
Even though the night wasn’t as starry as anticipated, Lanier High School handled the event very well and provided a rather astonishing experience for their students.
— Jordan Askew
Tony Harrison is a Buford High School alumnus from the class of 1963. Tony was born and raised in Buford in the Harmony community by his parents Luke and Mozelle Harrison. He has two sisters, Charlotte, 89, also a BHS graduate, and Laura, who passed away at the age of 18 months.
Tony attended Harmony Elementary from first grade until eighth grade. He came to Buford High School because his older sister, Charlotte, had graduated from BHS a few years prior. During his time at BHS, Tony participated in several extracurricular activities. He was a member of Beta Club in his junior and senior years, as well as a Beta Club officer as a senior. He participated in Hi-Y from sophomore year to senior year, and served as an officer as a junior and senior. Tony was involved in the mixed choral group as a sophomore and in Annual Staff as a senior. He competed in One Act Play his junior and senior years and the District Literary competition from sophomore to senior year in boys quartet, for which he won first place in district as a junior and senior and first place in state as a senior. Additionally, Tony participated in Boys’ Declamation as a junior and senior, and he was awarded several senior superlatives. Tony
was also an honor graduate, and he was ranked fifth in the class of 1963 academically.
In high school, Tony’s favorite subject was English. The teacher who had the greatest influence on him during his time at BHS was Mrs. Burch, his typing teacher.
“She was very influential and special to me,” Tony said. “She was demanding enough, but took time to know us personally. She also wrote a note in my senior yearbook that meant much to me.”
After graduating from BHS in 1963, Tony attended Oxford College of Emory University, earning his two-year diploma in 1965. He then attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English. He later returned to UGA to earn a master’s degree in elementary education in
1976, and later on, an education specialist degree in guidance and counseling in 1982.
While at Oxford College, Tony was a member of the Oxford Chorus, and he also was a member of the University of Georgia Chorus during his years there. He was also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education in 1976. Tony also participated in the UGA Communiversity Big Brother program in 1980 and 1981.
Tony is a retired elementary school counselor in Sugar Hill. He chose to be a counselor after happily teaching elementary school for 13 years in Gwinnett County Public Schools. The opportunity arose to apply for a sabbatical to study guidance and counseling. Tony had been thinking and praying about
studying counseling for several years, so he applied, and he was awarded one of the sabbaticals for that year. He took it as a confirmation that his calling was changing to school counseling. Tony retired after 32 years at Sugar Hill Elementary School.
Tony is married to his wonderful wife, Glenda, who worked in the front office at BHS for 10 years from 1988 to 1998.
The couple has one daughter, Mary Frances, who graduated from BHS in 2011. They also have one granddaughter, Raylee Everett, who is 7 years old.
Some additional distinctions Tony has earned throughout the years include: Sugar Hill Elementary Star Teacher (1973); Sugar Hill Elementary Teacher of the Year (1979); Finalist, Gwinnett County Public Schools Teacher of the Year (1979); Who’s Who in the South, Southwest (1986); Excellence in Education Medal, GA Board of Education (1987); Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers (1994); Gwinnett County Public Schools Counselor of the Year (1986); Georgia Elementary Counselor of the Year (1986); Georgia School Counselors Leadership Award (1986); and ASCA National Elementary Counselor of the Year (1986).
Tony has also been published a few times. His poem “Healing” was published in the Elementary School Guidance
and Counseling Journal in April 1985, and his poem “The Caretaker” was published by the American Poetry Association in the book American Poetry Anthology. Tony also received several accolades for his military service, including: Battalion Soldier of the Month, October, 1970; School Brigade Soldier of the Month, October, 1970; US Army Southeastern Signal School Soldier of the Month, October, 1970; and Fort Gordon Center Soldier of the Month, October, 1970.
Tony is heavily involved at his church, having served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher and adult choir member at New Bethany Baptist Church. At Buford First Baptist Church, he has served as deacon, youth activities director, RA leader, Sunday School teacher, children’s worship director, adult choir member, Silvertones senior adult choir member, young adult ensemble member, publicity committee member, family ministers chairperson and buildings and grounds committee member.
Congratulations to Tony Harrison for a very successful and rewarding career in education. He is an excellent product of Buford High School, and we are proud to call him a Buford alumni. Once a Wolf, always a Wolf!
— Torin Smith
Torin Smith
The Buford High School Chorus performed its 28th annual Variety Show this past weekend, “It’s About Time.”
The show featured a mixture of ensemble and solo performances of hit songs from throughout the years that relate in some way to the theme of time.
The chorus performed its show four times last week, from Thursday through Saturday, and as always, audiences were impressed and excited by the great singing talents of BHS students.
This year’s show featured many incredible individual performances. Senior Mason Fenno opened the show with his rendition of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.” Abbie Staples followed him with her impressive performance of “Morning-
side.” Mara Eva Cline then dazzled the audience with “Light of a Clear Morning.” Ethan Holcombe and Lexi Thompson led the fifth and sixth period classes in an exciting performance of “Time Warp.” Sydney Holton then performed “Seasons of Love” with the girls’ trio and boys’
quartet. Dylan Appling followed them with an electric performance of “It’s not My Time.” Aria Mason slowed it down with a beautiful performance of “Time After Time.” The state championship winning trio of Mara Eva Cline, Alyssa Lovern and Rachel Bryson turned back the
Emily Hammond
The Buford High School Young Choreographers Show took place in the Buford High School Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, 2021.
This dance performance, on the other hand, was unlike any other. Normally, fellow teachers choreograph the dances from Buford, but for the Young Choreographers Show, the dances were choreographed by the students.
The show included a variety of popular songs and dances that kept the audience engages. It was a fun experience that everyone seemed to enjoy as the lights shone and dancers filled the stage. The show lasted about 40 minutes and featured students from all grade levels participating in Buford’s dance program.
Some of the most popular songs featured and their student choreographers are listed below:
• “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna — Choreographed by BHS seniors Kelli and Nekel Mitchell
• “End of Time” by Beyonce — Choreographed by BHS sophomores Gracie Conaway and Avery Hardee
• “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Fosse — Choreographed
by BHS junior Sydney Holton and BHS seniors Kaitlyn Crawford, Monroe Harless and Caroline and Callie Snell
• “Ribs” by Lorde — Choreographed by BHS junior Sydney Holton
• “C’mon” by Ke$ha — Choreographed by BHS seniors Lillian Trippe, Callie Snell and Caroline Snell
Brianna Sanders, a senior at Buford High School who has been a part of the advanced dance program for the past four years, talked about her experience at the young choreographers show.
“This was my last show ever since I’m a senior and it was very bittersweet,” she said. “It was sad because I have been dancing with the same group of girls since the 10th grade and I have been able to form genuine relationships with them. From being backstage, laughing over jokes, to hugging each other before we performed, lots of memories were made. Our prayer circles and tiktoks that we made in the dressing rooms will for sure be missed.”
Overall, the Young Choreographers Show was a huge success for both the dancers and the audience. It was a hit show and will surely make a reappearance next year. Amazing job, Buford dance! Keep up the great work!
clock with “Tulip Time.” Marianna Borja rocked the house with “... Baby One More Time.” Trevor Pucket and Regan Mann followed with their performances of “Yesterday” and “Summertime.” Maggie Dale showed her talents with “One Perfect Moment,” and Alyssa Lovern shone with “2002.”
The audience particularly enjoyed MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This,” performed by Damian Brown, Wyles McCammon, Jeremiah Willingham, Dale Green, Dylan Wittke, River Wilson, Will Earl, David Oh, Adrian Osorio-Burgos, Pierce DeMarco, Braxton Guiney and Ethan Holcombe.
Mauricio Garduño-Rea and Piper Hill both impressed audiences with incredible performances of “Story of My Life” and “Never Enough,” respectively. Theresa Moody then performed her rendition of “Golden
Hour.” Geo Nam’s performance of “Moondance” was a crowd favorite each night, and Caroline Echols’ performance of “Back to December” also consistently impressed audiences. Sydney Holton followed them with an excellent performance of “A Moment Like This,” and Abby Cochran amazed audiences with “‘At Last.” Kyah Barcourt’s performance of “Midnight Train to Georgia” was easily one of the best solo performances of the show, as she showed off her talents. Jenna Gubran then rocked audiences with “If I Could Turn Back Time.” The last individual performances of the show came from Sydney Holton and Kaden Roberts with their performance of “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” and Dylan Appling with “From Now On.” Congratulations to the BHS Chorus for another excellent and successful Variety Show! Go Wolves!
Torin Smith
Each year, The Georgia High School Association holds a Literary Competition for high school students to showcase their talents in areas such as writing, speech, singing and dramatic interpretation. Students from schools in each GHSA region compete and represent their schools in hopes of winning the region championship and having a chance to compete at the state competition.
The competition is structured much like a track meet, with individual top four finishes earning points for the team, and the team with the most points at the end of the day wins the state championship
Earlier this month, the Buford High School Literary Team won the region competition and secured another trip to the state championship. In 2015, Buford set a record for the most consecutive state championships with seven. This year, the team extended that record-holding streak to 12 consecutive state wins with a
Team celebrate winning the Class AAAAAA GHSA State Championship title. Photo courtesy of Torin Smith
dominant showing over the other 6A schools. The Buford team breezed past the competition at this year’s event, easily securing another win and another trophy for the school.
This year’s team featured performances from some Buford High School’s most prolific writers, speakers, actors and singers: Monroe Harless (senior), Lauryn Brown (senior), Torin Smith (senior), Asher Thornton (senior), Ross Wilson (senior), Sydney Holton, Mara Eva Cline, Dylan Appling, Rachel Bryson, Alyssa Lovern, Carter Hamby (senior),
Mason Fenno (senior), Geo Nam and Mauricio Garduno Rea. The team finished with 47 points, while the second place team, Lee County, finished with only 22. Buford earned points from several individual top finishes:
• Extemporaneous Speaking — Domestic: Monroe Harless (1st)
• Oral Interpretation — Humorous: Sydney Holton (1st)
• Oral Interpretation — Duo: Asher Thornton, Ross Wilson (1st)
• Essay — Argumentative: Monroe Harless (2nd)
• Essay — Rhetorical: Torin Smith (3rd)
• Girls Solo: Mara Ava Cline (2nd)
• Trio: Mara Eva Cline, Rachael Bryson, Alyssa Lovern (2nd)
• Quartet: Mauricio Garduño-Rea, Dylan Appling, Mason Fenno, Geo Nam (1st)
We would like to congratulate all of the excellent performers for their incredible showing at the state Literary Competition who worked hard to keep the legacy alive. Go Wolves!
Alicia Payne
There’s no doubt that teachers are some of the hardest working individuals out there. Teachers have such a large impact on the lives of children and help shape them into the adults they turn out to be. They have so many challenges they have to navigate, especially during this past year with the pandemic in full swing. Teachers have had extra duties given to them while they themselves have to worry about staying healthy.
The week of May 3 through 7 is Teacher Appreciation Week, with May 4 designated National Teacher Appreciation Day. The Parent Teacher Organizations at Buford City Schools always go out of their way to treat the teachers during this week and at other times throughout the year. This year was no exception.
At Buford Elementary, the
PTO treated their teachers to popsicles from King of Pops, beverages from Black Bean Coffee, teas from Green City Nutrition, breakfast from Oh Sweet Bakery and lunch from Rico’s World Kitchen. The teachers at the Academy were
treated to teas from Green City Nutrition and had lunch catered by Mooney’s. The PTO at Buford Middle School had lunch catered by The Varsity. BES and BA gave the teachers folding chairs as gifts. BES also had a raffle and gave each
teacher a gift card. Those were just a few of the many things the PTO organizations and the parents of Buford City Schools did to show the teachers just how much they are appreciated.
To all of the teachers out there, thank you for your unwavering commitment to shaping the minds of the children in our community. Teachers are superhuman individuals, capable of producing miracles EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Over the past year, COVID-19 has drastically affected events, from live music and stage performances to festivals and 5Ks. Now that the worst of the pandemic seems to be behind us and with vaccines readily available for those who want them, more and more people are feeling safer venturing out and more and more events are being added to calendars for cities and event venues throughout the north Gwinnett area.
While local events and activities are bouncing back, from the Braselton Antique & Artisan Festival to local summer camps for kids to Sugar Hill’s Splash Park, precautions against COVID-19 are still being taken at some venues, attractions and events. Double check any requirements before heading out to an event so you’re prepared to meet those requirements, which could range from wearing masks to continuing social distancing.
Here’s a look at some of the upcoming events in the area:
• Friday, May 7, through Sunday, May 9May Fair - Buford Corn Maze, 4470 Bennett Road, Buford - bufordcornmaze.com/may-fair/
• Saturday, May 8 - Suwanee Farmers Market - 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Held at Suwanee City Hall, 330 Town Center Ave., Suwanee
• Saturday, May 8 - 2021 Berry Fest - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Jaemor Farms, 5340 Cornelia Highway, Alto - www.jaemorfarms.com
• Saturday, May 8 - Streetfighter (The Rolling Stones Tribute Band) - 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.Tannery Row Ale House, 554 W. Main St., Buford - https://www.tanneryrowalehouse.com/ livemusic
• Saturday, May 8 - Davis & The Love - 9:30 p.m. - 37 Main, 37 E. Main St., Buford - https:// buford.37main.com/shows/
• Tuesday, May 11 - Buford Business Alliance’s After Hours Event - 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. - Cloudland Vineyards and Winery, 3796 N. Bogan Rd., Buford - www.visitbuford.com/ event-4276778
• Friday, May 14, through Sunday, May 16
- May Fair - Buford Corn Maze, 4470 Bennett Road, Buford - bufordcornmaze.com/may-fair/
• Friday, May 14 - Movies Under the Stars: Selena - The Bowl at Sugar Hill
• Friday, May 14 - Local Tourists - 8 to 11 p.m. - Tannery Row Ale House, 554 W. Main St., Buford - https://www.tanneryrowalehouse. com/livemusic
• Friday, May 14 - Excitable (Def Leppard Tribute) - 9:30 p.m. - 37 Main, 37 E. Main St., Buford - https://buford.37main.com/shows/
• Saturday, May 15 - Volunteer Day at Sugar Hill Cemetery - 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Historic Sugar Hill Cemetery across from City Hallhttps://fb.me/e/2efpsSWwK
• Saturday, May 15 - Run the Rails 5K/10K
- 7:30 a.m. - Buford Community Center Amphitheatre, 395 E. Main St., Buford - www.runnersfit.com
• Saturday, May 15 - Buford Middle School Car Show - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Buford Arena, 2795 Sawnee Ave., Buford - https://fb.me/e/ DYVL0cet
• Saturday, May 15 - Good Measure Band - 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. - Tannery Row Ale House, 554 W. Main St., Buford - https://www.tanneryrowalehouse.com/livemusic
• Saturday, May 15 - Double Take (Atlanta’s Top 80s Tribute Band) - 9:30 p.m. - 37 Main, 37 E. Main St., Buford - https://buford.37main. com/shows/
• Friday, May 21 - Spring Farmers Market - 4 to 7 p.m. - Patio of Braselton Brothers Store on Davis Street, Braselton - www.braselton.net/ calendar.php
• Friday, May 21, through Sunday, May 23 - May Fair - Buford Corn Maze, 4470 Bennett Road, Buford - bufordcornmaze.com/mayfair/
• Friday, May 21 - End of the Line (Allman Brothers Tribute Band) - 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.Tannery Row Ale House, 554 W. Main St., Buford - https://www.tanneryrowalehouse.com/ livemusic
• Friday, May 21 - Erick Baker in Concert - 8 p.m. - Buford Community Center, 2200 Bu-
Dollar Pistols (Old School + Outlaw Country)
- 9:30 p.m. - 37 Main, 37 E. Main St., Bufordhttps://buford.37main.com/shows/
• Saturday, May 22 - Button Down Dash7:30 a.m. - Town Center Park, 330 Town Center Ave., Suwanee - ButtonDownDash.com
• Saturday, May 22 - Movie on the Braselton Town Green - Movie starts at dark - www.facebook.com/braseltontowngreen/
• Saturday, May 22 - American Roadhouse
- 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. - Tannery Row Ale House, 554 W. Main St., Buford - https://www.tanneryrowalehouse.com/livemusic
• Saturday, May 22 - Guardians of the Jukebox (80s Theme Party feat. Members of Fozzy) - 9:30 p.m. - 37 Main, 37 E. Main St., Bufordhttps://buford.37main.com/shows/
• Friday, May 28, through Sunday, May 30 - May Fair - Buford Corn Maze, 4470 Bennett Road, Buford - bufordcornmaze.com/may-fair/
• Friday, May 28 - Splash Night - Sugar Hill’s Splash Pad
ford Highway, Buford - www.bufordcommunitycenter.com/events/
• Friday, May 21 - Smokey Jones & the 3
• Saturday, May 29 - Rocks that Cry Out Play on the Braselton Town Green - 5 to 6:30 p.m. - www.facebook.com/groups/jhcproduction/
Alicia Payne
MT. AIRY, Ga. — Buford boys and girls track had numerous strong performances at the Region 8-AAAAAA meet that concluded last Monday at Habersham Central High School.
The Buford girls team finished first with 169 points, while second place went to Dacula with 152 points. Shiloh came in third place with 121 points.
Shiloh and Buford boys track tied for first place with 168 points, while Dacula came in third with 100 points.
The girls team’s success was boosted by first place finishes by Callie Snell in the pole vault; 3,200-meter relay team of Cam Perry, Callie Snell, Caroline Snell and McKenzie Smith; 4x100-meter relay team of Tavye Borders, Trinity Price, Hayley Iverson and Sydney Harris; Harris in the 400-meter dash and 200-meter dash; Smith in the 800-meter; and the 4x400 relay team of Smith, Price, Harris and EJ Pierre.
Smith’s performance in the 800-meter was among the top five times in the state through all classifications.
The boys’ track team saw first place finishes by Jaylon Taylor in the high jump; Malik Williams in the long jump; 4x100-meter relay team of Williams, Victor Venn, CJ Clinkscales and Isaiah Bond; Tobi Olawole in the 400-meter dash; Bond in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash; and 4x400 relay team of Bond, Ryland Gandy, Olawole and Williams.
The boys’ 4x400 relay team’s finish of 3:16.30 was the fastest time in the state through all classifications and was the sixth fastest time in the nation. It also set a school record.
Under the leadership of head
coach Fyrone Davis, the Buford track and field teams have consistently been top contenders over the past few years. He credits a lot of the teams’ success to his assistant coaches and their unwavering dedication to the players’ growth and development.
Coach Davis also credits the athletes themselves, their commitment to pushing themselves by working hard and by trusting in the process. Many of the athletes are dual-sport athletes and do not consistently train year-round for track and field as many of their competitors do. The top short distance runners for the boys play football and only begin training for track in January. Borders is a softball player and Taylor plays basketball, just to name a few.
The track and field program has made huge strides in creating a strong feeder program at Buford Middle School. The middle school teams placed third in the state. Coach Davis is very excited about the level of
talent that is coming up through the program.
The athletes from the track team who qualified for the sectional meet all said they are ready and confident about the meet. The sectional meet is scheduled for May 8 at Barron Stadium in Rome.
Below is a list of all the top finishes for Buford athletes.
Girls High Jump
3rd: Hannah Miller, 5-0
Boys High Jump
1st: Jaylon Taylor, 6-6 ½
Girls Pole Vault
1st: Callie Snell, 10-0
2nd: Caroline Snell, 10-0
Girls Long Jump
2nd: Hayley Iverson, 17-4 ½
Boys Long Jump
1st: Malik Williams, 22-10 ¾
Girls 3200-Meter Relay
1st: Buford 10:27.27 (Cam Perry, Callie Snell, Caroline Snell, McKenzie Smith)
Girls 4x100-Meter Relay
1st: Buford, 47.65 (Tavye Borders, Trinity Price, Hayley Iverson, Sydney Harris)
Boys 4x100-Meter Relay
1st: Buford, 41.78 (Malik Williams, Victor Venn, CJ Clinkscales, Isaiah Bond)
Girls 400-Meter Dash
1st: Sydney Harris, 55.23
Boys 400-Meter Dash
1st: Tobi Olawole, 48.62
3rd: Ryland Gandy, 49.98
Girls 100-Meter Dash
2nd: Trinity Price, 12.26
Boys 100-Meter Dash
1st: Isaiah Bond, 10.59
2nd: KJ Bolden, 10.76
3rd: Victor Venn, 10.95
Girls 100-Meter Hurdles
2nd: Mary Metz, 16.44
Boys 110-Meter Hurdles
2nd: Victor Payne, 15.26
Girls 800-Meter Run
1st: McKenzie Smith, 2:20.60
3rd: Caroline Snell, 2:31.27
Girls 200-Meter Dash
1st: Sydney Harris, 24.49
2nd: Trinity Price, 25.58
3rd: Tavye Borders, 25.85
Boys 200-Meter Dash
1st: Isaiah Bond, 21.43
2nd: Tobi Olawole, 21.98
3rd: Malik Williams, 22.13
Boys 300-Meter Hurdles 3rd: Victor Payne, 40.19
Girls 4x400-Meter Relay 1st: Buford, 4:08.33 (McKenzie Smith, Trinity Price, Sydney Harris, EJ Pierre)
Boys 4x400-Meter Relay 1st: Buford, 3:16.30 (Isaiah Bond, Ryland Gandy, Tobi Olawole, Malik Williams) **School Record, Fastest time in state throughout all classifications.
Team Results — Girls 1st: Buford, 169 2nd: Dacula, 152 3rd: Shiloh, 121
Team Results — Boys 1st: Buford, 168 1st: Shiloh, 168 3rd: Dacula, 100
KENNESAW — The Buford boys lacrosse upset Area 3-AAAAAAA/AAAAAA champion Harrison 11-7 on Monday, May 3, at Harrison.
Harrison was the favorite going into this
match up, but that did not stop the Wolves as they got off to an early lead. Buford was 8-3 after two quarters.
In faceoffs, Buford (13-6) had Dawson Andrew and Josh Williams commanding the game.
The Wolves’ offense was led by Zack Salo,
who had four goals and two assists, as well as Evan Leonardo with two goals and two assists.
Other notable contributors for Buford were Jackson Rhodes (one goal, one assist), Ashton Daniels (two goals), Nash Perry (one goal), Matthew Scruggs (one goal) and Mikey Canavan (one assist). Buford was set to play in the Elite Eight either Thursday, May 6, or Friday, May 7, against the winner of the Allatoona-West Forsyth game. If West Forsyth wins, Buford will host, but if Allatoona wins, the Wolves will be on the road.
Staff Reports
Buford baseball
The top baseball team in the nation encountered a bit of trouble as they faced Pope in the second round of the Class AAAAAA State Championship playoffs on Tuesday at Gerald McQuaig Field. Buford took game one 8-1, but the teams remained scoreless forcing extra innings. Pope managed to win game two 1-0 in the 11th inning.
Dylan Lesko recorded the win in the first game striking out 10 in six innings. He gave up just three hits.
Leading the offense in game one for the Wolves was Riley Stanford, who was 2-for-3 with a walk and three-run home run. Treyton Rank went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, sacrifice, RBI and two runs.
In game two, Buford found
themselves unable to score off Pope’s pitcher Peyton Cariaco, who pitched for nine innings, walked one, struck out 10 and had seven hits.
Buford’s Jax Brockett had a great night on the mound too, pitching for seven innings in which he struck
out 13 batters, gave up no walks and four runs.
Neither side could seem to score off one another leading the game into extra innings. Pope made the breakthrough in the bottom of the 11th when Pope’s Riley Frost had a walkoff RBI single that drove in
The Buford Lady Wolves soccer team has advanced to the Final Four in the GHSA Class AAAAAA State Championship playoffs by defeating Glynn Academy.
Special Photo
Dawson Campbell to hand Buford their first loss of the season.
Buford and Pope will face off once again Wednesday to determine which team will move onto round three.
The Gwinnett Dugout Club handed out their end of the season
The Buford High School varsity baseball player of the week is #6 Treyton Rank. Rank plays several positions for the Wolves, including right-handed pitcher and infield. The six-foot-two, 195-pound senior is committed to play baseball for Florida State University.
In the game against Alexander, Rank was 3-for-6 and scored four runs to help Buford win the double-header. According to his head coach, Stuart Chester, Rank also “made great defensive plays in the field” during the games with Alexander. Congratulations, Treyton Rank! Keep up the good work! Go Wolves!
The BHS Baseball Player of the Week is selected by the BHS coaching staff.
awards and Dylan Lesko received the Two-Way Player of the Year. Jackson Gaspard received First Team All-County honors for pitching. Treyton Rank, Brant Baughcum and Jax Brockett received Honorable Mention nods. Nathan Smith won the Scott McIntyre Hustle and Attitude Award. Vachen Patel was named Academic All-County. Trent Adams received the Assistant Coach of the Year Award for Buford.
Buford girls soccer
The Buford Lady Wolves soccer team has punched their ticket to the final four in the Class AAAAAA State Championship playoffs by beating Glynn Academy with a score of 2-1.
The Lady Wolves were set to face the winner of the Grovetown/ Cambridge game scheduled for Thursday, May 6.
