Archive - Aug 5, 2010
Nick Bazzle led the Newton-Conover Red Devils to two consecutive state championship games — winning one in 2008. He has 97 career wins as head coach at Newton-Conover, and he can add one more to that before the start of the season.
Bazzle, in his 12th season as head coach of the Newton-Conover Red Devils, is The Observer News Enterprise Coach of the Decade presented by Dwayne Wilson Insurance. Bazzle won the award based on the amount of reader votes he received.
Newton-Conover reached the top of the hill in 2008, and it set some records and high standards during that season. The Red Devils’ 15 wins that season set a school record, and their state football title is still the only one in school history.
“That was a dream come true,” said Tevin James, a former Newton-Conover lineman who now plays at Elon. “I guess we were the team to beat that year.”
The Maiden Blue Devils don’t have a wealth of experience on their offensive line this season. Tony Martin is the only returning starter, and even he has to adjust to moving from guard and tackle to center.
The linemen this year make up for that lack of game experience with two things — energy and enthusiasm.
“A lot of the guys are ready to show what they can do, and I hope they can do something too,” Martin said. “I think it’s finally helping out that we practice a lot harder than we used to. When it’s time for joking, we do it. Some things can get a little crazy.”
Campmeeting in August is a way of life in Catawba County. Matter of fact, it’s been that way for the past 156 year,when the first campmeeting was held.
In August 1853, Rev. H. H. Durant and Rev. Lewis Scarborough held religious services at the sight of the current Balls Creek Campground, under a brush arbor that first year. Folks traveled to campmeeting along dusty roads in covered wagons, and either lived in their wagons for the duration or erected canvas tents. Ten or so families built permanent wooden structures, or “tents,“ to stay in for the 1853 services.
* “I remember when they put 55 gallon cans on each of corner of the campground to burn wood in.”
— John Carl Ervin, of Conover
* “I remember when the ice man sold blocks of ice because no one had a refrigerator.”
— Janet Jones, Sherrills Ford
* “One of my happiest memories is when I bought my own tent. I also remember my mother telling she came to campmeeting in a covered wagon.”
Sunday, Aug. 8
* 6:30 p.m., A Celebration of Campmeeting — Center UMC Old-Time Hymn Sing
* 7:30 p.m,. Evening Worship —Center UMC, Rev. Paula Northup, Center UMC, Catawba.
Monday, Aug. 9
* 6:15 p.m.,Children’s Service — Gail Hildebran & Rose Bibeau — Hopewell UMC
* 7:30 p.m., Evening Worship —Mt. Anderson Baptist, Rev. Donald Cline, Mt. Anderson Baptist, Maiden.
Tuesday, Aug. 10
A lot on South Main Street in Catawba was used for civil war re-enactments, Boy Scout displays, town festivals and green-space preservation.
Those uses will stop, however, because the property was sold Tuesday to a private buyer after Catawba Town Council’s controversial decision Monday not to purchase the property.
“People’s ideas of what’s best for the town are different,” said Catawba Mayor Vance Readling at the council’s Monday meeting. “Opinions vary … Some of them felt if you had a purpose for (the land), it would be better for it.”
