North Greenville loses baseball coach Henson to Byrnes

Former North Greenville baseball coach Travis Henson

North Greenville baseball coach Travis Henson has left the program to become the head coach at Byrnes High School.

As someone who covered Crusader athletics for nearly four years for the Skyliner, this decision took me completely off guard.

After winning an NCCAA national championship in his first year at North Greenville and returning to the NCCAA College World Series in his second, I fully expected Henson to return to Tigerville.

He was just getting his recruits into his system, and the results on the field were stellar. Going 80-31 with national championship in two seasons is not shabby.

Not that North Greenville is baseball’s dream job, but coming from Class A Landrum High School, Henson appeared to be making a step up. Why go back to high school ball?

The Daily Caller has a new online editor

Friends and colleagues,

As I announced on Facebook and Twitter, I am excited to join the Daily Caller as an online editor, beginning next week. I am thrilled at this opportunity to move to Washington to join a fun and innovative staff that is becoming a media staple in the nation’s capital.

Of course, this is not my first go-round with the Caller. I interned there through both the Washington Journalism Center and National Journalism Center last spring and summer, and when I returned to North Greenville last fall, I continued as a contributing reporter, covering South Carolina politics during the 2010 midterm election.

I am very grateful to Tucker Carlson, Neil Patel, and Megan Mulligan for opening the door for me. I find it amazing that a guy from a small city on the outskirts of Appalachia could land this opportunity.

God my father has been good to me. With Job, I say, “The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Despite high school snub, Provence finds his own way to succeed

Drew Provence, the 2010 NCCAA Pitcher of the Year and a 2010 NCCAA All-American selection, has a 3-1 record in four games with a 2.93 ERA, allowing only nine runs while recording 27 strikeouts and eight walks. Photo by Cory Guinn.

TIGERVILLE, S.C. | Call it a chip on his shoulder or extra motivation, but North Greenville pitcher Drew Provence, junior business, had another reason to succeed in baseball during high school.

When he tried out for the Whitewater High School baseball team in Fayetteville, Ga., the coaches told him he didn’t fit into the team and cut him from the Wildcats’ squad. Provence rebounded quickly, joining a Georgia summer league, but he allowed the snub to push him to become the best player he could be.

“That really drove me to be better,” he said. “I felt kinda of insulted, and I wanted to prove them wrong, that I was good enough.”

Full story: Despite high school snub, Provence finds his own way to succeed | NGU Skyliner

From Tigerville to Cleveland, Bernardi heads to the AFL

North Greenville's Andre Bernardi (93) has been signed to play with the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League.

TIGERVILLE, S.C. | Andre Bernardi has another chance to play football.

One of the most decorated football players from North Greenville has been signed to play for the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. The Gladiators’ training camp is scheduled to begin on Saturday, and Bernardi plans to leave Tigerville tomorrow.

Bernardi, who completed his undergraduate degree in sport management last spring, has not exactly been relaxing. On top of taking graduate school classes at North Greenville, he has been coaching the Crusaders’ outside linebackers and overseeing the team’s strength and conditioning regimens.

“I hate to see him go, honestly, because he’s been doing a great job coaching for us, so it’s a bittersweet scenario for us,” defensive backs and co-defensive coordinator Chad Staggs said. “But we’re really excited for him. He’s really earned the respect of the guys here, and we know we’ll be losing that leadership.”

Full story: Moving from Tigerville to Cleveland | NGU Skyliner

Theatre dept. lights up the stage

Another sample of my work for the Photojournalism class I am taking at North Greenville University.

Christy Buerer, a senior theatre major, rests on the wire tension grid two floors above the stage at North Greenville's Billingsley Theatre. Buerer is the master electrician for Winnie the Pooh, which runs until Saturday. (Paul Conner)

Pollution on campus

Here is a few sample of my work for the Photojournalism class I am taking at North Greenville University.

Litter and an oily film pollute the lake behind North Greenville's campus (Paul Conner)

Possible presidential candidates lay groundwork during midterms

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney

GREENVILLE, S.C. | A glance in the rear-view mirror shows that potential presidential contenders for 2012 were nearly tripping over each other in key states late in the midterm election season.

A meet-and-greet at a barbecue joint in Columbia, South Carolina, a stump speech at a family restaurant in Sioux City, Iowa, a pep talk at a state party convention in Concord, Massachusetts.

Campaign stops like these gave possible candidates for the 2012 GOP nomination the chance to throw their star power behind congressional and gubernatorial candidates and get face time with an energized electorate in the final days leading up to the Nov. 2 elections — all while laying some groundwork for a possible 2012 run.

Full story: Possible presidential candidates campaigned heavily in key states in closing week of midterms | The Daily Caller