(Chris Lane making a first down – John Clark, Gazette Photo) 

The Gazette has partnered with www.varsitync.com to offer a wider variety of subjects rather than the tired old Ashbrook and Forestview fare that we have come to read over the past several years.

The article, written by stringer Bill Hupp, offers the Gastonia paper a lesson in “fair and balanced”. It is a good idea to contract with people who will give the flavor of the event, rather than slant it to the paper’s ultimate interest.

 Anyway, South Point beat East Gaston 31-0, taking a measure from last year’s whuppin’. Lowery, Lane, and Crumbly looked good in the effort on the ground. Justice had a struggle kicking last night, but the season is still not to the halfway mark yet.

Reports of “8,000 people” and an “overflow crowd” are a bit exaggerated, even by South Point Booster standards. With this event being called “Black Friday”, the new “PSL” seats keep many people away from the stands, wandering around as if they were in the wilderness. “Black Friday” at South Point is the culmination of a weeklong series of themes, pep rallies, and school spirit activities uniting the student body. The term comes from the tradition of the Black and Red school colors, and wearing all black on the Friday of the East Gaston game. Of course, there are a small number that choose to wear all white on this day, just to stick out. Most of the 1,200 students at SPHS are into the week’s events and participate with enthusiasm. I carried over to the ball game as well. Great spirit in the stands and in the areas outside the fence near the new scoreboard.

Area homeowners and neighbors have taken a page from the homes and businesses that surround Wrigley Field in Chicago. Charge a few buck to park in our driveways, cut down the walking distances to Lineberger Stadium on game days — helps with the ol’ property tax bill.

The still undefeated Red Raider football team is looking good. Keep goin’ boys!

Well, disfigured trees versus no power after windstorms or hurricanes. Duke Power Company, “trims” and “prunes” trees to avoid power line interference. Unfortunately, the terms are really hack, and disfigure.

In some parts of this beautiful community, the trees are carefully pruned. In other areas, especially if the property owner is not at home when the “cuttin’ crew” comes by, whole sides of trees are shaved cleaner than a hairless cat.

Most of the new developments have buried lines and don’t face the issue. We often find it funny though, when developers plant young trees right under existing lines. Doesn’t the city oversee the planning and execution of these developments ?  It is as if the department doesn’t exist sometimes. Heaven’s to betsy, they have to see what will happen in a couple of dozen years.

It is also a shame that Duke Power doesn’t have a consistent plan across the town… even though they say they do, it is neither enforced or reviewed.

Both the Red Raider fall “ball” teams are doing well enough to draw the attention of coaches, spectators, and colleges from around the state.

The boy’s soccer team is currently ranked #2 in the State in 3A division, and the equally undefeated football team has cracked the state’s Top 10.

Go Boys – Git-R-Dun !

Soccer this week: Home on Monday vs. Ashbrook; Away on Wednesday vs. Forestview — two very tough matches indeed !

Football this week: Home on Friday vs. East Gaston High School