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Always ‘blame’ the schools and parents

A note from ...

Congratulations to the Anderson County High School Mavericks football team.

To overcome the setbacks the team faced in the 2021 season is an accomplishment in itself.

To do so and make it to the second round of the TSSAA playoffs is truly impressive.

Playing one of the toughest schedules around, the Mavs had their share of “could have beens,” but the team has nothing to hang its head about. Not with that non-region schedule.

Of the non-region teams Anderson County played, only one didn’t make the playoffs — Bearden. And Bearden, despite not getting into the second season, is a good team.

Hats off, ACHS.

Speaking of good teams not getting to the second season …

The Clinton High School Dragons had a very good year. It’s true, the Orange and Black seem to have turned the corner.

You know what’s also impressive?

Monday night during the Anderson County Commission meeting, District 4 Commissioner Tim Isbel congratulated the Dragons on their fine season.

This is coming from a commissioner from Lake City; a commissioner who is an ACHS Mav fan; a commissioner who knows what sportsmanship is.

But he also spoke about Dragon quarterback Joshua Keith. He spoke about the Keith family. He pointed out what great people they are, what a fine, young man Joshua is, and that he was glad he was able to meet with them all and spend a little time getting to know them better.

It’s all well and good to be a good athlete, to have high academic achievements. That will get you in college — hopefully.

But nobody gives scholarships for being a good person. The University of Where Ever is not signing kids on decent-human-being letters of intent.

We’re fortunate here in Anderson County. There are good kids here.

There are Joshua Keiths.

There are Kylee Alvises, and Sarah Burtons, and Conner Martins. I could list every kid I’ve run across in the last 25 years, but I don’t have that kind of space.

And I don’t think these young people are being decent human beings because they may get mention at a public meeting, written about in the local newspaper, or because Santa Claus is watching (and he is).

I think they do it because they have awesome leaders in school and have great parents.

Yeah, always blame it on the school system and the parents.