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Sports

Crowd Cheers on Professional and Amateur Lumberjacks

On Friday at Heritage Park, 10 professional and 14 collegiate lumberjacks competed in the Stihl Timbersports Series Southern Qualifier for spots in the U.S. Championship.

Ten professional and 14 collegiate lumberjacks descended on Oconee County Friday night for the held at . The competition was hosted by the University of Georgia and was held in conjunction with the 54th annual Association of Southern Forestry Clubs Conclave.

In the collegiate division, competitors from 14 colleges and universities across the Southeast went head-to-head in four professional disciplines: the standing block chop, single buck, stock saw and underhand chop.

Virginia Tech's Scooter Cogar won the overall competition, a $1, ooo scholarship, and will advance to the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate U.S. Championship. The second place finisher was Victor Wassack from North Carolina State and the third place finisher was Jason Bland from the University of Georgia. 

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Other schools represented in the collegiate competition were LSU, University of Tennessee, Alabama A&M University, Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi St., Kentucky, Auburn University, Stephen F. Austin State, University of Florida and the University of Arkansas-Monticello.        

Succeeding in their competition takes strength, endurance and the proper technique.  Like all athletes who love a particular sport, they do if for the love of the game. Some, like Travis Rushing from the University of Arkansas-Monticello, just recently took up the sport. 

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"I'm definitely a beginner.  As you can see, I probably had a few mishits, but I love doing it and I want to do it some more," he said.   

Jason Bland, a senior Forestry Major from the University of Georgia, finished in third place overall, but lost to Alabama A&M's David Morrill in the standing block chop competition. l"I need to work on accuracy.  I need to work on endurance a lot of time with the axe.  I waist a lot of time and energy not hitting the same mark," Bland said. 

Endurance was a common theme among other amateurs.  David Morrill was another competitor who recently decided to take up the sport of lumberjacking.  He was pleased that he was just able to compete. 

"Anything I did today was a success.  It's my first time doing it.  I don't have the facilities to train, but hopefully I'll be able to do more training this year, and improve on what we did today," Morrill said. 

Jack Lipkin, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, said it's tough to find practice time while in college. 

"I need to improve in just about everything," he said.  "We don't get too much practicing time due to school and things like that."

For Lipkin, his best event of the day was one that he'd never done before. 

"Ironically, it was the standing block chop.  It was my first time doing it," he said.      

In the professional division,  Mel "King of the Lumberjacks" Lentz, the current defending U.S. Champion, along with Mike Slingerland and his son Matt, and Daryl Weakland, were the top four finishers and will advance to the U.S. Championship held at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, Oregon August 26-28 of this year.   The U.S. Champion will then advance to the World Championships in Holland September 3-4.   

The professionals competed in six disciplines:  the hot saw, single buck, springboard chop, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop.  Even the best know that there is always room for improvement. 

"I just have to open up strong in every event.  My aim is to get in the top 4 bracket in every event," Lentz said.  

Unlike some of the collegiate competitors who are just starting out, Lentz, an Oregon native, comes from a family of lumberjack competitors. 

"I'm a third generation competitor.  My grandfather competed back in the 30s and 40s.  My dad competed, and was a top U.S. competitor, plus I had two uncles who competed in the sport," he said.  "I was around it in my younger days, so I got in the sport that way."         

Friday's event was also aimed at promoting a worthy cause.   Students from both and manned the concession stands to help raise money for their chapters of the National FFA organization.

"It's not just about farming, it's leadership and skill development," said Amanda Heffner, agriculture adviser for Oconee County High School. 

One of the spectators, Billy Dahmen,  came to this event for the third time. 

"I love it.  It's a great time," he said, adding that his favorite discipline is the standing chop.

Several families also brought children to the event.  

While the men competed on Friday, there is also a women's competition, which is being held Saturday at Heritage Park.

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