Michael Ahern Rochester Ny

State champion hurdler Sims sets All-Observer pace

FIRST-TEAM INDIVIDUAL

Trisha Jordan, Jr., N. Farmington, (shot put): Jordan won the OAA White Division crown with an area-best throw of 36-7, which puts her fourth on the North Farmington list of all-time bests. She is the OAA White champion in the discus and was fourth at the regional. She ranks ninth all-time in the discus (107-5). Jordan is the city champion in both events.

“With some hard work, conditioning and weight training, Trisha should have another big year next year,” coach Bill Pinnell said. “Next year, she will not fall short of her goal of qualifying for the state meet.”

Teresa Wojnarowski, Sr., Liv. Ladywood (discus): The senior uncorked the area's top throw (118-7) at the Stevenson Invitational, breaking a 14-year-old school record.

Wojnarowski was also Catholic League A-B Division champion, runner-up at the Division 2 regional and placed 11th at the state finals.

She also went the state finals as a junior in the 4 x 400 relay, which placed runner-up and earned first-team All-Observer honors.

“Teresa could really compete in any of the track events,'' Ladywood coach Alice Ahearn said of the team MVP. “She is an excellent overall athlete. She is most valuable because of her leadership skills, work ethic, not to mention the points she contributes to the team. She has been an absolute pleasure to coach for the past three years and I will miss her.''

Aaron Howell, Soph., Farmington (high jump): In her first year of track and field, Howell placed third in the high jump (5-6) at the state meet and was first-team, all-state. She also qualified in both hurdle events and placed seventh in the 100 hurdles. At the regional, Howell won the high jump and was second in both hurdles. Some have already compared her potential to that of former Farmington all-stater and University of Michigan heptathlete Bettie Wade.

“Aaron enjoyed one of the best sophomore seasons in FHS track and field history,” coach Charles Bridges said. “She was a key team member, competing in four events in almost every meet. Aaron had a great day at the state meet. For a first-year hurdler to advance all the way to the finals, that was awesome.”

Lindsay Lipa, Sr., Canton (long jump): The senior capped a stellar high school career with a fourth-place finish in the long jump at the Division 1 state meet at Rockford High School, with a mark of 17-feet, 4.25-inches.

Ulysses S. Grant & the 4th of July « Civil War Bike Trip

The 4th of July and its significance with the Civil War tends to focus on the monstrous battle at Gettysburg in 1863, especially here in the East. Over 50,000 casualties certainly makes it hard to ever forget. Yet, the more important battle strategically speaking was not being fought at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania  in the first few days of July 1863 but rather Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Vicksburg surrendered on July 4, 1863. Vicksburg was the last major Confederate stronghold along the Mississippi River that needed to be taken in order to cut the Confederacy in two.  This task fell upon Union commander Grant and his Army of the Tennessee.  Beginning in May of that year Grant had managed to cut off the city and began to lay siege.  His counterpart, inside Vicksburg was Confederate commander John Pemberton who ironically enough was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had two brothers that fought for the Union. Pemberton felt that Independence Day was his Confederate army’s best option at getting satisfactory surrender terms.  Pemberton became a pariah within the Confederacy as a result of his surrender. Being born and raised in Pennsylvania did not help the matter either!

Although Vicksburg’s conclusion is often “trumped” by Gettysburg because they occurred on the same date, Vicksburg was more significant for a number of reasons:

1.) Cut the Confederacy in two.

2.) Gave complete control of the Mississippi River to the Union

3.) Lincoln now had a consistent winner in Grant as a capable commander 

One certainly could argue that the war was won by the Union not in the East but rather in the West.

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