Thursday & Friday, Aug. 25 & 26, were extraordinary days and nights in Clinton. The City played host to a welcome back event for Presbyterian College students and staff, PC officially opened its revamped food court, The Swingin' Medallions rocked the house at Town Rhythms, Flight of the Dove hosted more than 400 bicyclists at Bailey Memorial Stadium, and PC football staged a successful Fan Day experience. For the first time, the Laurens County Touchdown Club met at The Ridge rec complex in Laurens. Then, there was a Football Game - and not just any game. For the first time ever, Clinton and Laurens District High Schools staged their cross-county rivalry game as a season-opener. Cross-country teams from the two high schools ran the game ball Aug. 25 from Laurens Middle to The Depot in uptown Clinton. D56 Superintendent Dr. David O'Shields invited everyone to the game - AND they certainly heeded the call. Wilder Stadium was filled to overflowing. Before the game, the front lawn of Clinton Middle School was the staging are for Clinton and Laurens bands and color guards. The Laurens student section was lit in neon. The Clinton student section applied black and red body paint. The Red Devils ran out of an inflatable Devil helmet for the first time, and Parker Duncan was the first CHS kicker to win the Zaxby's Challenge. Bands combined for The National Anthem and both performed at half-time. In the end, just one team could win - for the first time in four seasons, it was Clinton, 34-29, setting off a massive celebration on Richardson Field. It was all about, as O'Shields said, "a county coming together." - Photos by Vic MacDonald/MyClintonNews.com and Annette Bauer, visiting editor from Cameron, Missouri
