Columbus County high-school senior athletes (top to bottom) Dustin Williamson of Waccamaw Academy, John David White of West Columbus and Shannon McCallum of Whiteville were part of teams that enjoyed plenty of success during 2006. Williamson played for the fourth straight year for the Waccamaw Academy Warrior baseball team that won its fourth straight NCISAA state 1A championship and the 10th in Coach Robbie Allen’s 18 seasons as Warrior head coach. White was one of a solid group of seniors who paced Coach Ricky Young’s West Columbus baseball team to a second straight conference championship and advanced to the state 1A finals in Raleigh where it bowed to Chatham Central in best-of-three state championship series. McCallum paced Coach Keith Jordan’s WHS girls basketball team to 25 straight wins before it lost to eventual state 2A champion Farmville Central in overtime in the Eastern Regional final at Greenville. The year also included another state Dixie Boys (ages 13-14) Baseball championship for the Columbus County All-Stars, who went on to compete in the 2006 Dixie Boys World Series in Grand Prairie, Texas. Also the Columbus County Dixie Angel Softball (ages 9-10) All-Stars won their first-ever championship and advanced to Dixie Angels World Series play in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Among other big sports happenings in the county during the year included the East Columbus boys basketball team winning its first-ever conference championship, the East Columbus girls track and field team making a big impact in regional and state competitions, the Whiteville High football team claiming its first outright conference championship since 1992, and another conference title for the South Columbus girls tennis team. A complete review of Columbus County sports highlights during 2006 will be included in the Thursday, Jan. 4, issue of The News Reporter.