Entries by Russ Ragan

The Eastman-Dodge Recreation Department will celebrate opening night of the 2012 softball/baseball season on Friday, March 30, 2012.

This year’s honorees will be the 1997 high school state champion softball team. The team came all the way through the losers bracket to win the tournament. Tom Cranford was the coach of the team. It was one of the final years of slow pitch in the state. To date, it is also the most recent state championship for the school. [Full Story »] 

A true Dodge County legend has officially retired. On February 29, 2012, Red Roland retired from the Eastman-Dodge Recreation Department according to director Bodie Gray.

Roland began in 1981 with the department. He has worked for eight recreation directors (nine if you count Gray twice). He worked for Tim Wingate for 14 years and Gray for the past 12 years.

The tournament that put Roland in the early spotlight was the 1981 Dodge County Shootout. The tournament featured 16 of the best teams in the state. The tournament was won by Bobby’s of Chester. The team sponsored by Bobby Bryan became one of the best teams in the country Roland said. [Full Story »] 

“It wasn’t for me,” stated Bodie Gray. Those were the words of the rehired Eastman-Dodge County Recreation Department director, as he explained why he did not remain as director for the Bleckley County Recreation Department. Gray spent just two days in Bleckley County.

Gray is once again in his role as director and returned to work in Eastman this past Wednesday, February 7, 2012. Gray said, “The department has come a long way and so much has been built up in 12 years. I knew I needed to be back home.” [Full Story »] 

Longtime recreation legend James (Red) Roland has been named Grand Marshal for this year’s Christmas parade that is sponsored by the Eastman Lions Club. The parade will be held on Saturday, December 10 starting at 1:00 p.m.

Roland began his recreation career in 1979 as James Woodard and Billy Jump ran the department. The first lug tournament Roland worked in Dodge County was the Dodge County Shootout. The event brought teams from all over the state. Roland then worked with Tim Wingate. Roland also worked with Jacque Tripp, of whom Roland said, “Jacque did a great job.” And finally Roland worked with Bodie Gray, who has been a “great friend over his 11 years”.

Roland coached and played all over the Southeast. He was the famous “Bobby’s” from Chester in 1980. Roland coached mostly the women’s game in the 1990s through the early 2000s.

Roland has also been a set figure at many local high school events. He spent many years working for coaches John Peacock and Greg Robinson. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County Middle School Warriors split a double header against West Laurens last Thursday. The Lady Warriors dropped a 33-12 game.
The Warriors won a game that swung back and forth in a 39-34 win.

The Lady Warriors had a rough game as they couldn’t find the basket as they dropped a 33-12 game. Kaylee Peterson lead Dodge with 4 points. Shardee Jackson also added 4 points. Temesha Collins and Tierra Hamilton had 2 points each.

The Warriors trailed early 6-3 as West Laurens had four free throws. DeMarcus McClinton hit a three pointer to tie the game at 6-6. A.J. Lampkin hit a basket for a 8-6 game. The Raiders scored the final 7 points of the quarter to lead Dodge 13-8 at the end of the first quarter. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County High School Lady Indians traveled to Brantley County last Wednesday in hopes of returning to the final eight tournament in Columbus.

The Lady Indians could get nothing going in the cold windy weather as they were swept by the scores of 11-0 and 8-2. The Lady Indians finished a fine 2011 season with a 22-10 record. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County High School Lady Indians began their state tournament play last Wednesday as they traveled to Morgan County. Dodge dropped game one, 5-4, and rallied to win game two, 10-8, that would force a third and deciding game on Thursday.
The Lady Indians jumped out to a 3-0 lead and would hang on for a 5-4 win. [Full Story »] 

The Dodge County High School Lady Indians welcomed Screven County to Eastman last Wednesday with third place in the region on the line.
Dodge would win game one with some ease 9-5, but, game two would be high drama as the Lady Indians would rally for six runs in the seventh for a 6-4 win.

Dodge will now go to Morgan County for a double header Wednesday. The Lady Indians beat Morgan County earlier in a tournament in Jones County. [Full Story »] 

The top seeded Dodge County Middle School Lady Warriors began the playoffs last Tuesday as they host Dublin. As was the case in the regular season, the Lady Irish were totally overmatched as Dodge rolled into Saturday’s semi-final game against Vidalia.

Haley Holloway breezed through the top of the first as she had a pair of strikeouts and Dodge came to bat and they would hit for quite awhile. Leah Creech would single to start the inning and she stole second. One out later, Margaret Simmons doubled her in for a 1-0 lead. A hit by Lizzie Massingill would put two runners on for Kaylee Peterson, who drove in Simmons for a 2-0 lead. [Full Story »]