“The biggest thing my dad always said was that having integrity and being a person of
character was the most important thing,” Cile said. “Faith in God was his number one
thing, and he lived his life that way.”
Creshull also taught his children that a person’s word carried weight.
“He always used to say, ‘A handshake should be enough,’” Cile recalled. “‘Your word
and your handshake should be enough.’”
That principle guided the way Creshull conducted business during his 24 years as
president of Harrison Chevrolet Company. He did not view customers simply as
transactions. He saw people, families and neighbors.
Following his death, the Harrison family began hearing stories they had never known.
One man recalled purchasing a vehicle from Creshull and making payments until he lost
his job. Believing he could no longer afford the car, the man returned to the dealership
and told Creshull he needed to give it back.
Creshull would not take it.
“You keep that car, and whenever you’re able, you just start making some payments,”
he told the man. “If you’re not, you just keep that car because your family needs it.”
It was not an isolated act.
The family heard stories of Creshull quietly placing money into the hands of people who
could not afford food, helping customers through difficult circumstances and meeting
needs without telling anyone what he had done.
“The things he did, he did in private,” Cile said. “He used to always tell us the Bible says
you should give and not want to be known or get pats on the back for it. You should do
things out of the goodness of your heart for other people, not because you want
recognition.”
That quiet generosity was part of a family tradition.
Creshull learned it from his parents, whom the Harrison children called Papa and
Mamo. He and Marianne passed it to their children, including their son Charles Creshull
“Cresh” Harrison III.
When the younger Cresh died on Christmas Eve in 2023, people again came forward
with stories of help he had given without recognition. Even his family had not known the
extent of what he had done for others.
“He never wanted to be the spotlight or the center of attention,” Cile said.

Creshull Jr.’s public record of service was extensive, even without counting the
generosity that remained private.
He served in the U.S. Air Force and retired from the Reserve with the rank of captain.
He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Marianna for more than 80 years
and chaired both its Administrative Board and Board of Trustees.
He served as president of the Marianna Rotary Club, remained a Rotarian for more than
70 years and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He also served as president of the
Marianna Chamber of Commerce.
During his Chamber leadership, Creshull helped secure the Sunland Training Center, a
facility created to serve people with disabilities.
He spent 44 years on the board of SouthTrust Bank of Northwest Florida, including
service as chairman. His statewide leadership included positions with the Florida
Automobile Dealers Association, Florida Development Commission, Florida Land Sales
Board and Florida Board of Business Regulation.
Creshull helped develop the Indian Springs community, where he and Marianne lived for
more than 24 years. He was the developer and first president of Marianna Country Club
and an original director and shareholder in WTOT Radio and Pinecrest Memorial
Cemetery.
One of his most meaningful contributions was the chapel he built at Chipola College,
providing students and community members with a place for worship, reflection and
restoration. Decades later, the chapel continues serving the purpose for which it was
created.
For all Creshull accomplished, those closest to him remember the man more than the
titles.
Marianne shared his servant’s heart.
She taught Sunday school, led Girl Scouts and kept a home where there always
seemed to be room for one more child. Her children’s friends were welcomed as family,
whether they needed a meal, a place to sleep or an adult who cared.
At the family’s Panama City Beach home, Marianne frequently awakened to find
teenagers sleeping throughout the living room and even on the deck. She welcomed
them, but she had one firm Sunday-morning rule.
Everyone was going to church.

It did not matter whether they had gone to bed at 10 p.m. or 3 a.m. It also did not matter
whether they attended Woodlawn Methodist or Gulfgate Baptist. They were going
somewhere.
Marianne’s service extended far beyond her own family. She visited nursing homes,
hospital patients and shut-ins, often arriving with homemade cookies or another small
gift.
She made regular visits to a man named Udon, bringing him a Coca-Cola and
hamburger and treating him with the same concern she would have shown a member of
her own family.
“She did for other people all the time, never expecting anything in return,” Cile said.
“She taught us that love isn’t just something you say. It’s showing up and serving
someone along the way.”
Marianne and Creshull also filled their marriage with travel, friends and time with family.
They enjoyed Panama City Beach, their mountain home in Sapphire, North Carolina,
and trips around the world.
Creshull was an avid golfer, although he jokingly described himself as a “hopeless
putter.” Marianne enjoyed tennis and bridge and remained fiercely competitive.
That competitive spirit has not disappeared at 95. These days, her game of choice is
Rummikub.
Anyone who visits should be prepared to play, whether they know the rules or not. They
should also be prepared to lose.
Marianne has slowed down physically, but she remains active in the ways that matter to
her. She texts family members throughout the day, follows friends and family on
Facebook, watches worship services from First United Methodist Church of Marianna
and First Baptist Church of Panama City each Sunday, takes short walks and spends
time with her beloved dog, Bear.
The family also found a new purpose that allows Marianne to continue serving others.
Cile volunteers with Lighthouse Family Retreat, an organization that supports children
with cancer and their families. The organization sends birthday cards throughout the
year, and Marianne now colors many of them by hand.
She has completed approximately 400 cards.
Cile will give her a stack of 50, and before long Marianne is asking for more.
At 95, she is still looking for a way to brighten someone else’s day.

Her life has also included tremendous loss. She lost her mother and brother far too
early, then her husband and later her son. Losing Cresh was especially painful, but
Marianne continued leaning on the faith that had sustained her throughout her life.
One of the most touching reminders of her marriage arrived two days after Creshull’s
death.
Creshull died October 13, 2020, just two days before their 65th wedding anniversary.
During his final days, while he was still able to make his wishes known, he gave Cile
one important instruction.
“I need you to order your mama 65 yellow roses for our anniversary,” he told her.
Cile placed the order.
On October 15, the flowers arrived for Marianne. She initially believed her children had
sent them, but Cile explained that the roses were Creshull’s final anniversary gift to his
wife.
Thirteen of those roses were later preserved in a shadow box, with each representing a
member of the family at that time. The keepsake remains in Marianne’s home.
Today, the family has continued to grow. Marianne has eight grandchildren, seven great-
grandchildren and another two great-grandchildren expected soon.
They were there to celebrate her 95th birthday and the life she and Creshull built
together.
Their legacy is found in businesses, community institutions, a college chapel and
projects that helped Marianna grow. But its truest measure may be found in the lessons
passed from one generation to the next.
Put God first. Keep your word. Let a handshake mean something. Help people when
they need it. Give without expecting recognition. Keep room at the table for one more.
Creshull Harrison spent his life helping build Marianna, frequently without taking credit
for his work. Marianne spends hers serving family, friends and strangers with the same
generous spirit.
Together, they built something greater than any dealership, development or
organization.
They built a family rooted in faith, character and service.
At 95, Marianne Harrison remains at the center of that family, still coloring cards, still
defeating challengers at Rummikub, still loving Bear and still responding to life’s
surprises with her trademark exclamation:

“Mercy!”

When a fellow farmer finds himself facing a time-sensitive job and needs another set of
hands, Dexter Gilbert does not spend much time weighing the inconvenience. He has
been known to leave his own fields and go help.
That willingness to put others first is simply part of who Gilbert is.
The fourth-generation Jackson County farmer has built a successful life through hard
work, faith, family and a deep understanding of the land. Yet some of his most important
work may be what he does for people who have never planted a seed or climbed
aboard a tractor.
Twice each year, Gilbert opens his farm to give young people a hands-on look at
agriculture and the many opportunities it offers. His goal is not simply to teach them how
peanuts and cotton are grown. He wants them to understand that modern agriculture
also involves business, technology, science and innovation.
Gilbert recently welcomed students from Crossroads Academy in Quincy to Gilbert
Farms. The students, who are members of Future Business Leaders of America, toured
the operation and learned that farming offers possibilities far beyond the traditional
picture of overalls, work boots and long days in the heat.
“I wanted to expose them to agribusiness and let them know there’s a great future for
smart young men and women in agriculture,” Gilbert said.
The farm visit grew from an invitation Gilbert received to speak at Crossroads Academy
about entrepreneurship. The school had brought in representatives from several types
of businesses, but no one from agriculture had previously participated.
Gilbert saw an opportunity to introduce students to an industry that feeds the world
while supporting careers in technology, science, equipment, finance, research and
countless other fields.
“They’d never had anyone from the farming industry come in,” he said. “It’s not just out
in the fields, out in the heat, working.”
Gilbert primarily grows peanuts and cotton through Gilbert Farms and G&G Farms. He
has watched agriculture change significantly since he first climbed onto a tractor more
than 45 years ago.
Today’s farmers use GPS-guided equipment, advanced machinery and technology that
allows them to monitor operations from a smartphone. Those tools require a new
generation of talented people capable of carrying agriculture into the future.

“Farming has changed,” Gilbert said. “It’s all technology now, and we’re going to need
those young brains with science and innovation to take us to the next level.”
During their visit, students toured equipment, learned about planting operations and
participated in educational activities. Gilbert’s wife, an educator in Chipley, helped with
the program, along with representatives from the National Black Growers Council.
For Crossroads Academy FBLA sponsor Qualandria Brookens, the trip gave students
access to possibilities they might never have considered.
“It is literally right in their backyard,” Brookens said. “They can not only change their
world, but they can change their family and their lives. You have to show them that.”
Brookens said exposure to new people, businesses and career fields can change the
direction of a young person’s life.
“I think sometimes people discount how much exposure can take their lives to the next
level,” she said.
That is exactly why Gilbert continues opening his gates.
He hopes some students will discover a future in agriculture, but he also believes
everyone should understand the importance of farming and the people responsible for
putting food on tables.
“To survive, we’ve got to eat, so we’ve got to have food,” Gilbert said. “Without farmers,
no food.”
For Gilbert, educating young people is an investment in the future. He wants other
farmers, business owners and community leaders to recognize that they also have
knowledge worth sharing.
“We need to think about the next generation,” he said. “We have a lot of businessmen
and women in the area. Any chance you get, go out to the schools and talk to them. Let
them see what you’re doing because it helps.”
Gilbert’s concern for others extends well beyond scheduled farm tours. Whether he is
helping another farmer through a difficult job, supporting someone in need or making
time for students, he gives freely without first asking what he will receive in return.
His success has not caused him to forget his neighbors or the struggles that come with
earning a living from the land. Instead, it has given him another way to serve.
Gilbert works hard to provide for his family, but his priorities do not end at his own
doorstep. He remains committed to his community and to showing young people that
farming can be demanding, rewarding and filled with opportunity.

Every crop begins with a seed, but Gilbert understands that seeds are not planted only
in the ground. Some are planted in young minds through a day on the farm, a new
experience or a conversation with someone willing to share what he has learned.
The harvest from those seeds may not be visible this season. It could take years.
Gilbert is willing to wait.

Maddox brings more than 33 years of experience in emergency medical services and
remembers when air transport was rarely available locally.
“There was a time when we didn’t have aircraft to support us,” he said. “It was once in a
blue moon you might get a military aircraft to help you.”
The growth of civilian air medical services changed that. Maddox said flight teams now
give rural emergency responders the ability to move critical patients to the appropriate
level of care quickly, improving the chances of saving lives.
“There’s not a week that goes by, and in a lot of cases not a day that goes by, where it
literally comes into play and helps the system out,” he said.
Shaynak said maintaining the latest training, medical equipment and aviation
technology is an important part of providing that care.
“You need to constantly be an innovator in the field that you’re in,” he said. “Whether it
be advanced training, advanced medical equipment or advanced aviation equipment, at
Air Methods we’re the industry leader in aviation and air medical services.”
With the new AirHeart 2 helicopter stationed in Marianna, emergency crews have a
modern aircraft and trained flight team positioned nearby when minutes matter most.

By: Shelia Mader

For those who lived through September 11, 2001, the memories remain vivid.
They remember where they were, what they were doing and the moment they realized
the United States had been attacked. Today’s students have no such memories. They
had not yet been born.
Sneads High School librarian and teacher Tracy Cloud believes that makes teaching the
history and meaning of September 11 more important than ever.
Cloud was one of only 33 educators selected from across the nation to attend the
weeklong 9/11 Memorial & Museum Institute for Educators in New York City this
summer.
She shared the experience with the Jackson County School Board on September 10,
one day before the nation observed the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
Superintendent Hunter Nolen introduced Cloud as an outstanding librarian and teacher
who has served the district for 31 years.
Cloud said she visits the 9/11 Memorial & Museum whenever she has an opportunity to
travel to New York. During a visit approximately a year and a half ago, she saw
information about the summer institute and decided to apply.
Her husband was not convinced she would be chosen.
“I thought, ‘I want to do that. I want to go,’” Cloud said. “My husband was, ‘Oh, Tracy,
come on. You think you’re really going to be chosen?’”
Cloud spent approximately two weeks completing the three-page, essay-style
application. As the selection period continued, applicants received emails explaining
that the institute had attracted a record number of submissions.
Shortly before school ended, Cloud learned she had been selected.
“You couldn’t tell me nothing,” she said with a laugh.
The 33 participants represented communities across the United States. One American
educator who now teaches in Japan also attended.
Cloud said the program was about more than learning additional facts about Sept. 11.
Its primary purpose was teaching educators how to bring a difficult and emotional
subject into classrooms in an age-appropriate way.

“If I ask everybody in this room where you were 25 years ago, I know every one of you
could tell me,” Cloud said. “Our students today were not even born.”
When Cloud begins teaching the subject, she asks students what they already know.
Their answers may include a plane crash or a bomb, but many lack a clear
understanding of what happened.
“It’s not their fault that they don’t know,” Cloud said. “That makes teaching this history all
the more urgent and important.”
Cloud described the museum as solemn, respectful and sacred. Nearly 3,000 people
were killed in the attacks, and the site serves as a place of remembrance for their
families and the nation.
Spending a week inside the museum allowed Cloud to go behind the scenes and learn
why particular artifacts were selected, how they are preserved and why exhibits are
arranged in specific ways.
She noted the contrast between two areas of the museum.
In one room, illuminated photographs of the victims are displayed prominently. Each
photograph represents a life and a story.
In another room, the images of the hijackers are small, dimly lit and positioned below
eye level. Visitors must physically look down at them.
Cloud learned that those choices were intentional. Museum planners wanted to provide
necessary historical information without giving the terrorists a place of prominence
beside their victims.
“Everything in there was designed with intent,” she said.
The most meaningful part of the institute was meeting those who experienced Sept. 11
firsthand. Participants heard from survivors, first responders, ferryboat captains and
investigators.
Among them was retired New York City firefighter Bill Spade, a member of Rescue
Company 5 on Staten Island.
Spade described the morning as an ordinary Tuesday. Firefighters arrived for work,
shared pastries and joked with one another before receiving word that something was
happening at the World Trade Center.
Twelve members of Rescue 5 responded that day. Spade was the only one who came
home.

Cloud described him as a kind, jovial man who immediately struck her as a “precious
soul.” As he recounted the loss of his fellow firefighters, the pain remained unmistakable
even 25 years later.
“There were days after the session ended where I just had to go back to the hotel and
sit and decompress for a little while,” Cloud said. “Those stories were difficult, and
they’re hard, but we need to hear them.”
Cloud said she considers it an honor to have met Spade, hug him and listened to his
story.
The institute also showed educators how books, artwork, artifacts and hands-on
activities can help students understand a tragedy that occurred before their lifetimes.
The museum’s education area included children’s books, art materials, Lego pieces and
other resources that can introduce difficult subjects to students at different grade levels.
Cloud has long used children’s literature to help students approach complicated topics.
The institute reinforced her belief that students sometimes connect with a person’s story
or a piece of art before they connect with a date in a textbook.
“It doesn’t matter if you teach first grade or 12th,” she said. “There’s a way to approach
the sensitive subjects.”
One of Cloud’s most important realizations was that she needed to begin the lesson
before the morning of the attacks.
Before students can understand what was lost, they need to understand what existed.
The World Trade Center was not simply two towers. The complex contained offices,
restaurants, businesses, a large shopping mall and a major subway hub. More than
50,000 people passed through the area on an ordinary day.
Teaching students about that community helps them understand why it was targeted
and the magnitude of what was taken.
Cloud also plans to extend her lessons beyond September 11.
She wants students to learn about Sept. 12 and the remarkable unity that followed the
attacks. Americans stood together, donated blood, displayed flags and helped strangers
without regard for political or personal differences.
“We were not divided in any way for those next few months,” Cloud said. “We were
Americans helping Americans.”
Cloud remembers bloodmobiles appearing locally and American flags becoming nearly
impossible to find because stores sold out.

“I don’t know that we’ll ever see that unity again in our country,” she said. “I hope we do.
But I want them to know how it was.”
Cloud returned to Sneads with educational resources, personal stories and a renewed
commitment to preserving the lessons of September 11.
“Most importantly, I came home with a stronger desire to make sure that my students
understand why it’s so important that we remember,” she said.
Nolen thanked Cloud for sharing the experience and invited her to pose for a
photograph with an American flag.
For Cloud, however, the most meaningful recognition will come in the classroom. It will
be found each time a student begins to understand not only what happened on
September 11, but also the individual lives behind the numbers, the courage of those
who responded and the unity that carried the nation through the days that followed.
Twenty-five years later, a new generation is being asked to remember something it
never personally witnessed.
Teachers like Tracy Cloud are making sure they understand why they must never forget.

In the closest local contest, challenger Sonny Fortunato defeated incumbent Edward Crutchfield in the race for Jackson County Commission District 2. According to unofficial election-night totals, Fortunato received 872 votes to Crutchfield’s 793.

The final precinct to report proved decisive. At the Alford Community Center, Fortunato received 316 votes, while Crutchfield received 136.
In the District 1 School Board race, incumbent Chephus Granberry won reelection with 857 votes, or 54%, defeating challenger Christopher King, who received 730 votes, or 46%.

The District 5 School Board race will be decided in the November general election. Phyllis T. Daniels led the three-candidate field with 993 votes, or 49.18%. Michael “MJ” Jackson received 559 votes, or 27.69%, and political newcomer Danielle Walker received 467 votes, or 23.13%.

Because no candidate received a majority of the vote, Daniels and Jackson, the top two finishers, will advance to the November ballot.

Regional and statewide results are featured in a separate article in this week’s edition of the Times.

After opening District 2 AAA All-Star Tournament play with a 13-3 loss to eventual champion Sneads, Marianna bounced back in impressive fashion before seeing its season come to an end one game later.

Facing an out-of-county opponent in an elimination game on June 9, Marianna erupted for 20 runs on 16 hits in a 20-0 victory. Teamon Leavins led the offensive outburst by going 3-for-3 with a home run, triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. John Henry Tillman also had a huge day at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Landon Laramore went 2-for-3 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Amaris Curry, Jace Pridgen, Raylen Groomes, Connor Thomas, Brooks Barber and Jace Garney all contributed hits as Marianna piled up 19 RBIs in the three-inning win. On the mound, Wyatt Pickels struck out five batters over 1 2/3 scoreless innings, while Hudson Lyons added two strikeouts as Marianna limited its opponent to four hits.

Marianna’s tournament run ended June 10 with an 11-4 loss to Liberty County. Liberty County built an early lead with two runs in the first inning and five more in the second before holding off a late Marianna rally. Hudson Lyons paced Marianna offensively, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. Tillman added two hits and an RBI, while Pickels, Laramore and Teamon Leavins each collected a hit. Marianna finished with seven hits and scored three runs in the sixth inning but could not overcome the deficit. Curry turned in the team’s strongest pitching performance of the game, allowing no runs and no hits over 2 1/3 innings of relief while striking out one.

Marianna’s roster included Hudson Lyons, Wyatt Pickels, Landon Laramore, Amaris Curry, Brooks Barber, Jace Garney, Jace Pridgen, Raylen Groomes, John Henry Tillman, Teamon Leavins, Connor Thomas and Brody Signorelli.

For many families in Marianna, Optimist Park is more than a place to play ball. It’s where childhood friendships are formed, life lessons are learned, and generations of athletes grow up together on the same fields.

Few families illustrate that better than the Bartons.

Kate Barton, 14, and her older brother Conner Barton, 18, both began their athletic journeys at Optimist Park, spending years competing in Marianna’s recreation leagues before advancing to higher levels of competition.

Today, Kate is preparing for her freshman year at Marianna High School and another Dixie Girls State Softball Tournament appearance, while Conner is headed to Andrew College on a baseball scholarship. Their paths may be taking them in different directions, but both trace their beginnings back to the same place. 

At Optimist Park, it wasn’t unusual for families to spend entire evenings moving from one field to another, watching siblings play different sports while parents, grandparents and friends filled the bleachers. Baseball, softball, soccer, football and basketball all brought families together, creating a community atmosphere that has become a hallmark of Marianna recreation athletics.

Kate started playing rec ball at age five and says the experience shaped her both on and off the field.

“Rec ball taught me perseverance, compassion, and how to be comfortable in stressful situations,” she said. “The amount of lifelong teammates and friends I made through rec is incredible.”

Her rec career has included district championships, state titles and even a Dixie Softball World Series championship in Alexandria, Louisiana, in 2022.

Conner’s memories are similar. Beginning rec sports at age five and playing through age 13, he participated in baseball, soccer, football and basketball through the Optimist Park recreation program.

“Rec ball taught me the importance of teamwork and compassion towards the people around you,” Conner said. “I’ve formed and strengthened countless friendships through rec ball.”

Those friendships, lessons and memories are often what players remember most long after the final game.

“Rec ball is not just a time to get better as an athlete,” Kate said. “It’s a time to make friends and countless memories.”

As another season unfolds at Optimist Park, new generations of Marianna children are taking the same fields the Barton siblings once played on. Parents are once again juggling schedules, siblings are cheering each other on from neighboring diamonds, and lifelong friendships are beginning.

For the Barton family, the experience serves as a reminder that while championships and scholarships are meaningful accomplishments, some of the greatest rewards of rec sports come from the time spent together along the way.

And that’s a tradition that continues to make Optimist Park a family affair.

This version reads more like a community feature that recognizes the Optimist Club’s impact while using the Barton siblings as the example of how families grow up together through the program.

The Marianna Belles 15U have added another remarkable chapter to an already decorated softball legacy.

Playing in the state tournament in Wewahitchka, the Belles battled through three games unbeaten to claim the state championship, earning a coveted berth in the Dixie Softball World Series. The elite group, many of whom have spent years playing together while collecting district, state and even World Series championships throughout their careers, will now represent Florida when the World Series begins July 24 in Odessa, with West Pasco serving as host.

Marianna opened tournament play Friday with a 5-0 victory over Belleview behind a dominant pitching performance from Sadie Bailey. Bailey tossed five hitless innings, striking out 12 before Mabry Mitchell closed the final two innings, allowing just two hits while fanning three. The Belles were patient at the plate, drawing seven walks before breaking through with a four-run fifth inning. Emma Harrison supplied the lone extra-base hit with a double, while Aynzley Smith and Kate Barton each tripled. Barton scored once and stole two bases, Brynley Lipford drove in a run, and Anna Claire Speers also collected an RBI as Marianna finished with three hits while taking advantage of timely baserunning and Belleview miscues.

Saturday’s semifinal turned into a showcase for Marianna’s offense as the Belles rolled to a 16-0 victory over Chobee in just four innings. Marianna erupted for 12 runs in the second inning before adding three more in the third, to go with their first run in the first inning. Mabry Mitchell led the charge with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, scoring three runs and driving in one. Kate Barton added three RBIs, Aynzley Smith collected two hits and two RBIs, Sadie Bailey doubled and drove in two runs, while Brynley Lipford, Graycee Rooks, Sydney Green and Olivia Speers all contributed RBIs. Emma Harrison and Lipford combined on a one-hitter in the circle, allowing no runs while striking out five.

The championship game proved to be the toughest test of the weekend, but the Belles answered every challenge. Marianna built an early 6-1 lead. Bailey was sensational through the first six innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 12. Belleview rallied with four runs in the sixth inning to pull within one. Mitchell came on in the seventh, gave up three runs before giving way to Harrison. After Belleview’s late surge, Harrison came on to record the final out and preserve the thrilling 6-5 victory.

Marianna pounded out nine hits in the title game. Aynzley Smith and Brynley Lipford each recorded two hits, with Smith driving in two runs and Lipford adding another RBI. Mabry Mitchell, Aspen Odom, Alannah Henderson, Emma Harrison and Olivia Speers each contributed a hit, while Mitchell stole three bases to keep constant pressure on the defense. Olivia Speers also delivered a key RBI while drawing a walk.

The state championship reflects years of commitment from a close-knit group that has grown up together on the diamond. Their chemistry, experience and resilience were on full display throughout the weekend as they outscored opponents 27-5 while posting a combined 32 strikeouts in three games.

Now, with another state championship trophy in hand, the Marianna Belles will turn their attention to the Dixie Softball World Series in Odessa, Florida where they will once again have the opportunity to compete against the best teams in the Southeast and continue building one of the most successful youth softball traditions in Florida.

Marianna Belles 15U Roster: Anna Claire Speers, Alannah Henderson, Aspen Odom, Brynley Lipford, Emma Harrison, Graycee Rooks, Kate Barton, Mabry Mitchell, Olivia Speers, Sadie Bailey, Sydney Green and Aynzley Smith.

The Sneads AAA All-Stars proved throughout the Dixie Youth AAA State Tournament in Frostproof that determination can carry a team a long way. After an early setback forced them into the loser’s bracket, the District Champions refused to quit, winning back-to-back elimination games before reaching the state championship contest. Although their remarkable run ended with an 11-6 loss to AP AAA All-Stars, Sneads left Frostproof with a runner-up finish and the respect of everyone who watched them compete. Playing more games than any team in the tournament, the young squad displayed grit, resilience and plenty of promise for the future.

Sneads opened tournament play Friday with an impressive 12-2 victory over Franklin County, taking control early with a four-run first inning before steadily adding to its lead. Eleven hits and aggressive baserunning powered the offense as Jaycion Locke went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Colton Hill finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Braylon Bailey collected two hits and scored once, Coletin Johnson scored twice while driving in a run, Carson Myrick delivered two hits and three RBIs, and Jacoby Locke added a hit and RBI. Kaden Jones also singled and scored, while Cole Dickson drove home two runs. Sneads drew 10 walks and stole 13 bases in an outstanding all-around offensive performance. On the mound, Coletin Johnson started before Jacoby Locke worked 2⅔ scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Colton Hill closed the victory by striking out two batters over the final two-thirds of an inning.

The momentum came to a halt Saturday as Sneads ran into a hot-hitting AP AAA All-Stars squad, falling 10-0. AP plated four runs in the opening inning and never looked back. Sneads managed two hits, one each by Colton Hill and Jacoby Locke, while also drawing four walks. Jacoby Locke, Colton Hill and Coletin Johnson shared pitching duties as the team battled through a difficult afternoon against one of the tournament favorites. Rather than allowing the loss to define their weekend, the young Jackson County team regrouped and prepared for the long road through the elimination bracket.

Facing elimination Sunday, Sneads answered with one of its most complete performances, defeating Paxton 4-2. The District Champions collected nine hits, with Gunnar Adams leading the charge by going 2-for-2 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Jaycion Locke and Colton Hill each added two hits, while Jacoby Locke, Kylar Jenkins and Carson Myrick also contributed base hits. Sneads’ pitching was outstanding as Coletin Johnson struck out five batters over 3⅓ innings without allowing a run before Colton Hill slammed the door with two perfect innings and five strikeouts to earn the win. The defense backed the pitchers with an error-free game as Sneads punched its ticket to another elimination contest.

Monday morning brought another must-win game against DeSoto, and once again Sneads answered the challenge. The Jackson County champions edged DeSoto 4-3 in a tense contest that wasn’t decided until the final out. Braylon Bailey sparked the offense with a triple while scoring twice and driving in a run. Colton Hill doubled and scored, Gunnar Adams singled home a run, and Carson Myrick, Kaden Jones and Kylar Jenkins each contributed hits. Bailey also wreaked havoc on the bases with four stolen bases. Coletin Johnson delivered perhaps his finest pitching performance of the tournament, striking out nine over 4⅓ innings before Colton Hill finished the final five outs without allowing a run to secure the victory.

That win earned Sneads another shot at AP AAA All-Stars in the state championship game, and for a while it looked as though the District Champions might complete an unforgettable comeback. Sneads exploded for six runs in the opening inning and built a commanding 6-3 lead, putting AP on its heels early. Gunnar Adams paced the offense by going 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Jaycion Locke and Colton Hill each collected two hits. Jacoby Locke, Kylar Jenkins and Carson Myrick each drove in a run as Sneads finished with nine hits. AP gradually chipped away before taking control in the later innings, eventually claiming an 11-6 victory. Colton Hill started before Jacoby Locke, Cole Dickson and Braylon Bailey combined in relief as Sneads battled until the final out despite the long road through the loser’s bracket.

While the championship trophy ultimately belonged to another team, Sneads’ week in Frostproof showcased the heart that carried the District Champions to state. Forced to play five demanding games after dropping into the loser’s bracket, these young athletes never quit competing. They battled through the Florida heat, won three elimination games, reached the state finals and demonstrated the kind of resilience that speaks volumes about the future of Sneads baseball. With talented players such as Braylon Bailey, Brett Goodwin, Carson Myrick, Cole Dickson, Coletin Johnson, Colton Hill, Gunnar Adams, Jacoby Locke, Jaycion Locke, Kaden Jones, Kylar Jenkins and Rylann Harrison returning with valuable state tournament experience, the future appears exceptionally bright for the Sneads AAA program.