An attack on a pig has resulted in charges against a Springfield man.

Benjamin Fullwood, 23, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, obstruction and trespassing on Wednesday when he and his pit bull dog attacked the pig that had wandered into Bevills Mobile Home Park on Courthouse Road.

Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor said the pig had gotten loose from property on Courthouse Road.

Residents in the area were attempting to find the pig’s owner when Fullwood attacked, deputies reported.

“Fullwood sicced his dog on the pig, then pulled it off and started stabbing the pig with a knife,” Ehsanipoor said.

The attack occurred in front of several witnesses, including children.

“This was not a wild pig,” Ehsanipoor said. “The pig posed no threat to anyone.”

The pig survived the attack but was seriously injured.

A Clyo man sought as a suspect in a home invasion turned himself in to Effingham County Sheriff’s Deputies about noon today.

Chrishaun Garvin, 23, and another unidentified male forced their way into Clyo home on Feb. 9 and assaulted an elderly couple, sheriff’s spokesman David Ehsanipoor said.

The suspects were able to get away with cash and other items.

Garvin has been charged with robbery, burglary, false imprisonment, and battery.

Additional charges and arrests are pending.

Garvin is currently being held in the Effingham County Jail.

An attack on a pig has resulted in charges against a Springfield man.

Benjamin Fullwood, 23, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, obstruction and trespassing on Wednesday when he and his pit bull dog attacked the pig that had wandered into Bevills Mobile Home Park on Courthouse Road.

Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor said the pig had gotten loose from property on Courthouse Road.

Residents in the area were attempting to find the pig’s owner when Fullwood attacked, deputies reported.

“Fullwood sicced his dog on the pig, then pulled it off and started stabbing the pig with a knife,” Ehsanipoor said.

Deputies reported the pig was stabbed multiple times.

The attack occurred in front of several witnesses, including children.

“This was not a wild pig,” Ehsanipoor said. “The pig posed no threat to anyone.”

The pig survived the attack but was seriously injured.

Ehsanipoor said Fullwood has an extensive criminal history. Charges include arson, theft, obstruction and weapons charges. He was also arrested in 2011 for abandonment of animal charges.

Three Mustang football players signed letters of intent for LaGrange College on Wednesday.

Stephen Wilson, Brandon James and Robert “Berto” Scott will all play at the school about 60 miles southwest of Atlanta.

The three will see some familiar faces wearing LaGrange colors, as former Mustangs Justin McIntyre and Fielder Heard also play for the Panthers.

The trio signed their letters in front of a crowd of family, friends, coaches and teammates at a celebration in the gym at South Effingham High School.

Wilson played on the varsity team for 3 years. He played as defensive lineman, long snapper and earned all-offensive lineman honors. He was also first team all-region, all-state and all-coastal empire in 2012.

Wilson said he plans to study history and English and hopes to become a lawyer.

Robert “Berto” Scott said he will continue his work on the field as part of the defense for the Panthers.

Scott lettered at SEHS in varsity football in his junior and senior years. He also was named to the 1st team all-region in 2012 and placed second in the 2013 GACA Weightlifting state championship competition.

Scott hopes to study veterinary medicine and business.

James played quarterback for the Mustangs. He was a three year football letterman, a two year baseball letterman a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the National Honor Society and on the honor roll all four years of high school.

James said he plans to study biology. He said he will play at the quarterback position for LaGrange.

All three players said they were impressed with the atmosphere at LaGrange.

“The coaching staff made me feel at home,” James said.

The small size of the school was also a plus for the three.

“The professors know you by name,” Scott said. “You are not just a number.”

Scott said he’ll miss his family, coaches and team but there is much to look forward to.

“There is a bond you make with everyone on the team,” Scott said.

Scott said he was looking forward to playing with former Mustang Justin McIntyre.

James said he also is looking forward.

“It’s living out a dream,” James said. “I’ll keep on playing and working hard.

Wilson said he was excited about getting on the football field in college.

“It’s having the chance to play at the next level,” Wilson said.

Coach Donnie Revell praised each player and noted they each worked very hard to succeed.

Revell said they each played a role in a great season for the Mustangs with state playoff victories.

Revell said they’d all be missed.

The South Effingham High School Mustang alumni will host the Effingham County High School Rebel alumni in a full contact football game Friday on April 12 at 7 p.m. The game will be held at the SEHS Corral.

Gates open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students with ID. Children 5 and under are free. Military members in uniform will also be admitted for free.

Tickets are available at both high schools.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit both high schools. Concessions will be open and will go to SEHS.

Those interested in playing should visit www.gridironalumni.com.

As a result of a three-month investigation  by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,  search warrants are being executed today in 37 Georgia counties, including Chatham and Effingham counties, in connection with the distribution of child porn over the Internet.  

It is the largest operations of its kind in Georgia conducted by the state’s ICAC Task Force, authorities reported.

Ninety-eight suspects have been identified by authorities as distributing child porn over the Internet and are targeted for search warrants in today’s operation.  

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office announced that five individuals were arrested following five search warrants, which were executed early Wednesday morning. ECSO investigators executed the search warrants at a residence in Springfield and at four separate locations in Chatham County.

All suspects, who are adult males, are currently being booked in the Effingham County jail and face charges of sexual exploitation of a child. 

Known as “Operation Guarding Innocence”, the state-wide endeavor includes 50 teams representing 47 federal, state and local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.  

The operation, which ran from January through March, was conducted by GBI agents and local affiliates that are members of the Georgia ICAC Task Force, who detected specific child porn images being shared over the Internet, the GBI said.

The following agencies are participating in the operation:

- Savannah – Metro Police Department

- Effingham County Sheriff’s Office

- Georgia Bureau Of Investigation

- U.S. Postal Inspection Service

- U.S. Secret Service

- Homeland Security Investigations

- Federal Bureau Of Investigation

- U.S. Marshal Service

- Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms And Explosives

- U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District Of Georgia

- U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District Of Georgia

- U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District Of Georgia

- Houston County Sheriff’s Office

- Gwinnett County Police Department

- Atlanta Police Department

- Cobb County Police Department

- Newton County Sheriff’s Office

- DeKalb County Police Department

- Henry County Police Department

- Walton County Sheriff’s Office

- Paulding County Sheriff’s Office

- Kingsland Police Department

- Sandy Springs Police Department

- Liberty County Sheriff’s Office

- Clayton County Police Department

- Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

- Richmond County Sheriff’s Office

- Columbia County Sheriff’s Office

- St. Mary’s Police Department

- Camden County Sheriff’s Office

- Loganville Police Department

- Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office

- Army CID

- Athens-Clarke Police Department

- Coweta County Sheriff’s Office

- Union City Police Department

- Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office

- Roswell Police Department

- Watkinsville Police Department

- Powder Springs Police Department

- Lamar County Sheriff’s Office

- Warner Robins Police Department

- Columbus Police Department

- Bartow County Sheriff’s Office

- Marietta Police Department

- Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office

- Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office

The 35th Bluegrass and Gospel Music Festival gets under way at 6 p.m. on Wednesday April 17, at Mossy Oak Music Park near Guyton.

The festival continues through April 21.

The “Daughters of Bluegrass” festival will feature the Gary Waldrep Band, the Nelons, Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, Dale Ann Bradley, the Heather Berry Trio, Mindy Rakestraw, Gina Britt, Becky Buller and Frances Mooney and Fontana Sunset. The host band will be Guyton’s Lonesome Whistle Band.

An open stage for local and area performers, who play or sing for the pure pleasure of the music, is set aside each day.

Full five-day festival tickets are $40. Daily tickets are $20, with ages 12 to 15 half price and under 12 free. Camper sites are $15 and $20 a night and tent camping is $5.

The indoor theater at the pavilion seats more than 700 and parking is free. “Don’t miss the festival and remember to bring your lawn chairs,” said Allen Lanier, owner of the park.

The festival is alcohol-free and family-oriented.

For camping reservations, tickets and additional information, call 912-772-5142 or 912-772-3467. More information also is available at www.mossyoakmusicpark.com.

Effingham Health System was recently named to the Elite Circle for its accomplishments in the patient safety arena in 2012. The Georgia Hospital Association’s Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) awards Elite Circle status to hospitals performing in the 90th percentile or above, and only 12 other Georgia hospitals were so honored, Effingham Health System officials said.

GHA’s Hospital Engagement Network, established at the beginning of 2012, aims to reduce hospital-acquired conditions statewide by 40 percent, and hospital readmissions by 20 percent by the end of 2013.

“Thanks to your leadership and the commitment of your staff at Effingham Health System, we are well on our way to achieving these significant, life-saving goals,” President and CEO of the Georgia Hospital Association, Joseph Parker wrote in a letter to Effingham Health System CEO, Norma Jean Morgan.

The Georgia Hospital Association represents both large, urban hospitals, and smaller, rural hospitals, and seeks to serve the best interests of patients, providers and member facilities. For more information, go to www.gha.org.

— Effingham Now

The eighth annual Olde Effingham Day Festival will kickoff with a parade at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

The parade route begins on Laurel Street near the former Bill’s Dollar Store and will then turn onto Franklin Street and then left on Pine Street, exiting on Early Street.

The one-day festival begins at 9 a.m.

The Jail Museum and Living History site will feature cannon firing on the hour beginning at 11 a.m. There will also be skits performed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans at noon and 2 p.m. A new addition to the site, the Blandford Train Depot will also have its official opening. The depot was once on Blandford Road and has been restored.

The festival will include demonstrations of old artisan skills, children’s activities, live animals, a liquor still demonstration, blacksmith shop, quilting on site and bake sale.

The Springfield Garden Club flower show will be located in the Herman and Ruth Gnann House.

Following the parade there will be entertainment on the stage all day.

The Effingham Idol contest will begin at 2 p.m. followed by the Tater Hawg eating contest.

Other entertainment during the day will include the Coastal Performing Arts Academy and gospel music.

The Tams will highlight the event, beginning at 6 p.m.

A variety of vendors will also be on site.

St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rincon invites the public to its inaugural Authors and Artists Reception on Saturday, April 20 from 2-6 p.m. The event is free.

The church is located at (Ga. 21) 301 N. Columbia Ave.

The reception will feature the works of local authors and artists including, Malissa A. Hall, a young adult author; Tracy Wilson, blogger for The Red House Diaries; Lynne Chandley, jewelry designer, and Lisa Scarbrough, landscape and wildlife photographer. Spaces are still available for other authors and artists who would like to showcase.

For more information, contact Lisa Scarbrough at lisa@stjohnsrincon.com or 912-856-2710.

— Effingham Now

Students from Effingham College and Career Academy recently competed at the State of Georgia SkillsUSA Skills and Leadership Conference in Atlanta. SkillsUSA is a national, nonprofit student organization that has developed more than 10 million workers through active partnerships between employers and educators. Hundreds of American industries have turned to SkillsUSA as the source for employees who exemplify “Champions at Work” in both skills and attitudes. SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. At the heart of this mission are SkillsUSA’s core values: integrity, responsibility, citizenship, service and respect. SkillsUSA Georgia is focused on serving high school students involved in Architecture, Construction, Communication, Cosmetology, Public Safety, and Transportation pathways.

This year the Effingham College and Career Academy was awarded the largest increase in membership of 1,500 percent.

Competitors included: Adam Bacon, Blake Peacock, Cameron Edwards, Casey Boyette and Schyler Jones in Engine Rebuild. This team earned third place in the state. Andrew Clayton competed in Architectural Drafting, Justin Hand in Architectural Drafting Display, and Robby Godby in Technical Drafting. From the Graphics program, Austin Walsh and Kiyana Jackson competed in SkillsUSA Promotional Bulletin Board, James Prill in Photography, Robert Logan in SkillsUSA T-Shirt Design, Megan Hobby in Advertising Design, Bridget Washington placing third in SkillsUSA Georgia Promotional Graphics, Jessica Harder placing first in SkillsUSA Georgia Pin Design. Placing second in Restaurant Services were Chad Mock and the three-person team of Jessica Harder (graphics student), Callie Howard (logistics student) and Luke Usher (logistics student) placing first in the state in the Career Pathway Showcase contest. The team of Harder, Howard and Usher will now move on to compete in the National SkillsUSA Skills and Leadership Conference this summer in Kansas City, Mo.

Teachers include Kimberly Larson, Graphics and Design Advisor, Ashley Kieffer, Logistics Advisor, Russ Hillman, Drafting Advisor and Keith Cornell, Automotive Advisor.

Photo courtesy of Exchange Club of Effingham County

The Exchange Club of Effingham County recently learned about programs that the Coastal Center for Development Services provides. CCDS offers a variety of choices to help over 320 adults with developmental disabilities on their individual road to independence. The CCDS philosophy is that everyone counts. The value of a person should not be determined by status, salary or stereotype but by their passion, purpose and dedication to make a contribution in today’s society. When people are empowered to realize their potential, we all grow stronger as a community. Pictured left to right: Mandy Aldrich and Cindy Burns of CCDS and Yvette Carr, Exchange Club president. The Exchange Club of Effingham County meets on the first and third Wednesdays each month for lunch, programs and fellowship. To learn more about the Exchange Club’s community programs, call Yvette Carr at 657-5423.

Effingham County schools may bring in “substantially more” in state equalization funds than originally anticipated, collecting more than $2 million instead of $400,000.

The higher numbers would allow the district to put aside some money for its fund balance and “planning for the future,” said Superintendent Randy Shearouse. The district also would be able to afford some relatively inexpensive but important improvements such as including the high schools in a computer-based writing program.

“We’d still hold the line with staffing and so forth,” Shearouse said after the school board’s April 3 meeting. “It would give us some flexibility that we haven’t had in quite a long time.”

Shearouse had said earlier that the governor proposed an increase of $40 million in equalization funds and the Effingham district expected to collect $400,000 of that.

More recent calculations put the number at more than $2 million. Shearouse said he expects to get better numbers this week, at a statewide meeting of school superintendents.

“We feel much, much better” after hearing preliminary estimates, he said.

The equalization funds are meant to help address the disparity between wealthy and poor school districts. The formula considers the number of students in the district, the value of property, the property tax rate and how the district’s wealth compares with that of other districts.

The Effingham school district still had $1.1 million to collect in property taxes at the end of March, said Finance Director Ron Wilson.

“That number continues to fall with collections being strong,” he said. “I’m fairly optimistic.”

The district’s general fund had $16.8 million as of April 3, “a real fine balance for this time of year,” Wilson said.

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax collections were $617,000 in February, which is less than the $650,000 called for in the budget. March collections were $658,000 – higher than the $650,000 that was budgeted.

At the end of February, the district had 33 percent of its money left to spend, which is exactly on target, Wilson said. “We are exactly where we should be with expenses,” he said, “not over or under budget, right on target through eight months of operation.”

Writing tests

School board members were told that eighth-graders improved an average of six points on their writing tests, moving from a mean scale score of 207 in January 2012 to 213 in January 2013.

The percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards rose 7 percent in the last year, according to Judith Shuman, student and professional learning coordinator for grades six through 12.

Students are given 100 minutes and are asked to write an expository or persuasive essay.

“We’ve done quite a few things to build students’ performance,” in writing, Shuman said, including training teachers in every subject to emphasize writing.

“We teach them (students) to self-evaluate, not just grammar and spelling,” she said. “Look at what’s said and how they said it.”

She said the only complaint about write-to-learn software that’s being used in the middle schools is that more computers are needed so students can spend more time with it. “We’re working on that,” she said.

The percentage of students meeting or exceeding writing standards, system-wide, has risen steadily since 2009, from 70 percent to 81 percent this year.

Effingham County Middle School saw the biggest increase during that time, from 57 percent meeting or exceeding standards in 2009 to 78 percent meeting or exceeding standards in 2013.

The numbers also rose for Ebenezer Middle School, from 71 percent meeting or exceeding in 2009 to 83 percent meeting or exceeding in 2013. For South Effingham Middle School, the numbers rose from 78 percent in 2009 to 83 percent in 2013.

“We tested 58 fewer students this year, but 75 more met standards,” Shuman said.

She said state results did not change significantly. “With the state not changing, our gain truly is a gain,” she said.

The mean scale score for students statewide was 216 in January 2012 and 215 in January 2013.

Shearouse said the district began targeting writing in 2009. “It’s nice to see we’re hitting our target,” he said.

Assistant Superintendent Greg Arnsdorff said there’s a push to make the “write-to-learn” software available at the high schools, too. The “artificial intelligence” software helps teachers score writing assignments.

From April 15, 2001

Miscues help Effingham County get past Liberty County

SPRINGFIELD — Effingham County took advantage of an error and two wild pitches to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out an 11-10 victory over Liberty County on Saturday in a Region 2-AAA game.

Travis Blackburn drove home the winning run with an RBI single as the Rebels improved to 7-2 in the region and 9-7 overall.

Blackburn also started on the mound and went five innings before Daniel Hurst came on to pitch the final two.

EFFINGHAM CO. 11, LIBERTY CO. 10

Liberty Co. 302 021 2--10 15 4

Effingham Co. 007 200 2--11 14 3

WP--Daniel Hurst. LP--Harmon. Leading hitters--Liberty Co., Martin 2-4, C. Maley 2-4, J. Maley 3-5, 2 doubles, Smiley 4-4, K. Morse 2-4. Effingham Co., Travis Blackburn 2-5; Daniel Hurst 3-4; Jason Mock 2-4; Ty Johnson 2-4; Nick Hagger 2-3. Records--Effingham 9-7, 7-2 Region 2-AAA; Liberty Co. 2-7 Region 2-AAA

BASEBALL

EFFINGHAM CO. 13, PIERCE CO. 3

Effingham Co. 400 36 --13 12 0

Pierce Co. 200 01 -- 3 6 2

WP--Knox Jenkins (4-1); LP--N/A. Leading hitters--Effingham, Knox Jenkins 4-4, 6 RBI; Travis Blackburn 3-4, 2B, HR; Daniel Hurst 2-3; Manning Graham 2-3. Records--Effingham Co. 8-7, 6-2 Region 2-AAA; Pierce Co. 0-8 Region 2-AAA.

Source: Savannah Morning News

For the second time this season on Saturday, it took extra innings to decide the outcome between Region 3-AAAAA rivals Richmond Hill and Effingham County, and for the second time this season, it was the Wildcats who emerged the winners.

Richmond Hill rallied twice, the final time from down a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Alex Peraldo led off with a single and scored on a throwing error off a bunt single by Chandler Newman to tie the game up. Brian Eichorn then sprinted home on a wild pitch, giving the Wildcats a 7-6 victory at Wildcat Field.

Richmond Hill (8-11 overall, 7-2 region) previously beat the Rebels 4-2 in eight innings on March 9, and this win couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time for the Wildcats, who moved a half game ahead of Glynn Academy and a full game ahead of the Rebels for second place in the region standings.

“This team has done a good job of battling all year,” Richmond Hill coach Stacy Bennett said afterward. “And we finally were able to get on the other side of that hump and win a one-run game, so I was glad to see that. I can’t say enough about the fight in this bunch.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Wildcats battled back to take a brief 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run triple by Peraldo that plated Dominic Montalto and Peyton Carter. But the Rebels (9-7, 6-3) bounced back with a pair of runs in the second and two more in the third off Richmond Hill starter Kyle Jamar to gain a 5-2 advantage. Rebel shortstop Cal Baker was the main instigator, stroking a pair of RBI singles in both frames to give his team the upper hand.

The Wildcats began to claw their way back in the fourth inning against Effingham starter Josh Gilliam. With two outs, Eichorn reached on a two-base error and scored on an RBI basehit by Newman to make it a 5-3 game. The score tightened even more in the fifth. Chaise Parker reached on an error, and a bunt single by Michael Teston forced Gilliam from the game. Reliever Spencer Gillis surrendered a bunt single to Justin Henle to load the bases, and Carter’s RBI groundout made it 5-4.

Still down a run in the seventh, the Wildcats got the leadoff man on, when Parker singled through the right side and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Teston and later to third on a Henle ground out. Gillis, still in the game, quickly got ahead of Montalto 0-2, but the senior rightfielder spoiled a couple of pitches by fouling them away and eventually worked the count even. Montalto, who had been held hitless on the day, then got a fastball and drove it into the left-center gap for a game-tying double that knotted things up at 5.

The Rebels briefly regained the lead in the eighth on Jacob Teston’s RBI double before Richmond Hill’s last-inning heroics. It was the only run Effingham managed in five innings off Wildcat reliever Brian Strahan, who picked up the win and helped take Jamar off the hook following an uncharacteristic shaky outing.

EC 122 000 01—6 10 4

RH 200 110 12—7 12 3

WP—Brian Strahan. LP—Spencer Gillis. Leading hitters—EC: Eric Knox 2-3, 2 BB, Cal Baker 2-5, 2 RBIs; RH: Chandler Newman 3-4, RBI, Alex Peraldo 2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs. Records—EC 9-7 overall, 6-3 Region 3-AAAAA; RH 8-11, 7-2.

You can certainly tell when loggers have been through. When I pass a tract of land that has just been cleared, I wonder if it were a tornado or hurricane that had just landed. I grew up in a family of loggers. All of my brothers are industrious foresters today. I remember as a little girl visiting acres that my daddy had just cleared. The trees were cut down, just as the owner requested. I didn’t know how adults worked, but Mama and Daddy taught me that work is not complete until clean-up is done. When we visited Daddy’s job, my thoughts were, “When are you going to finish?”

We had about half of the trees cut down when my husband and I bought property in Rincon. What a mess. We cleaned up for months. Every day we would heap more onto the pile. Joel would carry limbs and I would rake debris. The pile was at least 6 feet high and 8 feet wide. For weeks, we drove in and out of our yard maneuvering around a decaying pile of tree limbs and branches.

Within the first few days after our trees were cut, the leaves remained green and attached. Over time, the deadness inside the branches began to show up on the outside. Before the day of burning, the pile had began to diminish and the brown dead leaves lay like dry crumbs.

When we detach ourselves from our vine, Jesus Christ, we suffer spiritual decay just as limbs detached from trees. Jesus told us in John 15:5&6 that He is the vine and we are the branches. If we remain joined to Christ, we can grow strong and produce fruit. We can do nothing without Christ. Let us remember these verses. We don’t want to become spiritually shriveled. It feels good to be green and growing. Stay attached to your source of strength. We don’t want to become like a branch that is thrown away; such branches are picked up, gathered and burned in a fire.

Gilbert Miller/For Effingham Now

Mustang Avery Collins scores the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning against the visiting Wayne County Yellow Jackets on Saturday. South Effingham won, 5-4.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E L

Wayne County 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 9 2 6

South Effingham 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 5 9 1 9

The Mustangs won in play against Statesboro on April 2, 12-1.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E L

South Effingham 2 3 2 0 0 1 4 12 13 3 10

Statesboro 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5 3 6

Gilbert Miller/For Effingham Now

Lady Rebel Jillian Nance clears the ball upfield in the first half of play Friday. The Mustangs won the game, 1-0.

Gilbert Miller/For Effingham Now

Mustang Mahamado Comara fights for position on the field and ball control in the April 5 game against the Rebels. The Mustangs won, 4-1.

The Lady Rebels took on their cross-county rivals in soccer play on Wednesday at Rebel Field.

The Rebels won the hard-fought match against the Lady Mustangs, 2-1.

The Mustangs won the teams’ first meet-up of the year, 1-0, with Makenzie Kessler making the goal.

Freshman Crystal Keno scored the Mustang’s single goal on Wednesday with about two minutes left to play.

Scorers for the Lady Rebels were freshman Taylor Poore and senior Jillian Nance.

Effingham County also won a game with Jenkins High School on Tuesday by a score of 4-0.

Kelly Housand scored 2 goals against Jenkins, Jillian Nance, scored 1 and Katie Brown scored her first goal of the season.

The Lady Rebels are looking ahead to April 24 when they meet Bradwell Institute. That game will determine if the team makes it to the playoffs.

Assistant Coach Mike Osborne said this year’s squad is a special group.

“They push and encourage each other to be the best they can,” Osborne said. “Team wise it’s one of the best teams for working together that I’ve been involved with.”

Coach Kim Jackson said the girls are close.

“They are like a family, like sisters,” she said. “They get along really well.”