Author: Robert Preston

The South Georgia State College Hawks had won two in a row when the USC-Salkehatchie Indians came to town Tuesday for the last two games of the non-conference schedule. They wanted to play spoiler and kick the Hawks in the teeth on the eve of conference play. It didn’t happen. The Hawks defeated the Indians 12-2 in a run-rule shortened game one then followed that with a 6-5 win to complete the sweep. Game one ended via the 10-run rule after five innings. The Hawks scored in every inning but the second. SGSC plated two in the first, one in…

After winning six games in a row, the South Georgia State College softball Hawks dropped a double-header to the Tallahassee State College Eagles Wednesday in Douglas 4-3 (game one) and 14-6 (game two, five innings). The Hawks held a 2-1 lead going into the sixth inning of game one. The Eagles spoiled the lead by putting up two runs in the top of the frame to take a 3-2 lead. SGSC answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at three. TSC plated a run in the seventh to go up 4-3. The Hawks…

Wednesday night, the Coffee Trojans scored the most runs they have all season long in Pembroke against the Bryan County Redskins and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The game was the final non-region contest of the year and the Trojans needed some momentum as region play begins next Tuesday night. Coffee defeated Bryan County 16-3 in six innings. The Trojans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second when Gavin McElroy drove in Connor Stewart on a sacrifice fly to left. Stewart had led off the inning with a single. The real damage, however, was done…

The Coffee Trojans had a tough weekend, falling 3-2 to Toombs County in Lyons on Friday then dropping the first game they’ve played this year at Charles Wilson Field to Ware County 7-3. On Friday, Toombs County had a no-hitter against Coffee until the top of the seventh when Jimmy Timothy singled on a 2-2 pitch to right field. Michael Strickland followed with a bunt and reached on an error. A single by Connor Stewart scored Timothy and moved Strickland to third. The run tied the score at one apiece. Eli Wood hit a sacrifice fly to left that scored…

A protest for immigrants in the United States took place in Douglas on Monday afternoon in the median between Longhorn Steakhouse and Arby’s. The goal of the protest, organized by Lawton Hurst and Hailey Beasley, is to raise awareness regarding the mistreatment of immigrants across the country, stated Hurst. “We believe immigrants are being mistreated by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and they’re being mistreated in general. And they have been for the past few years,” said Hurst. Hurst says he is interested in the plight of native and immigrant rights. By highlighting what immigrants are facing, he believes he can…

Because of damage from Hurricane Helene, the Coffee Trojans’ home baseball field, Charles Wilson Field, remains unplayable for games. Until the damage is repaired (which should be by next week), home games will be played on Crider Field at George Cook Stadium on the campus of South Georgia State College. As such, for most of the Trojans, Wednesday afternoon’s home opener probably didn’t feel much like a home game. Unless your name was Jimmy Timothy. Coffee’s freshman second baseman’s father, Jeff Timothy, came to the SGSC campus 22 years ago as an assistant baseball coach. Now Jeff is the head…

The Coffee Trojans opened the 2025 season against the Ware County Gators in Waycross on Tuesday night. The Gators were not gracious hosts; they defeated the Trojans 8-3 courtesy of a solid offensive performance that saw them score runs in four of their six innings. The Trojans drew first blood and jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Gavin McElroy reached base after being hit by a pitch. Connor Stewart followed with a double that moved McElroy to third. Jimmy Timothy, a freshman, hit a grounder to short that scored McElroy for his first high…

The South Georgia State College Hawks are 2-4 after the first week of the 2025 season. The Hawks have split with Santa Fe College and dropped three out of four to the NJCAA Division II national runner-up St. Johns River State College Vikings. The four-game series against the Vikings are the most recent games SGSC has played. Friday afternoon, the Hawks and Vikings squared off in a double header in Douglas. St. Johns River took both, winning game one 8-0 and game two 5-4. Sunday, SGSC traveled to Palatka, Fla., for two more against the Vikings. Game one went to…

An alleged shoplifting incident at Ollie’s turned into an illegal drug investigation after the suspect, identified as Michelle Drury, 41, of Douglas, was found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine. According to the incident report from the Douglas Police Department, on January 11, 2025, just after 4 p.m., an officer responded to a shoplifting call at Ollie’s. When he arrived, he spoke with the Ollie’s regional asset protection manager, who had Drury in the office. The report states that Drury had allowed to individuals to leave the store with $570 in merchandise. According to the report, Drury scanned one…

At last week’s city commission meeting, commissioners voted to rezone just over 13 acres at 2002 Ocilla Road from General Commercial to M-1 Light Industrial. The property is formerly the site of Mid-South Trailers and, for the last six years, has been the site of a cargo trailer manufacturing facility. Despite opposition from nearby property owners, notably Louis and Ruby Harper, who own the property directly east of the cargo trailer plant, commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the request. The Harper family plans to appeal the decision. The city conducted the first reading of the rezoning request at the December…