DCHS Senior Mason Taylor Signs with Bryan College on a Fishing Scholarship

March 7, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Bryan College, known for its award-winning fishing teams, has landed another big catch from DeKalb County High School.

Senior Mason Taylor signed a letter of intent Thursday to further his education career at Bryan in Dayton, Tennessee on a fishing scholarship for the Lions after he graduates in May from DCHS. This is the second ever fishing scholarship awarded to a DCHS student. The first was to Jaxon Humphrey in 2023.

Mason was accompanied at the signing by members of his family including parents Jeff and Kim Taylor, sisters Elicia Puckett and Olivia Taylor, brother Casey Taylor, brother-in-law Johnathon Puckett, and Bryan College Coach Dustin Henderson. Mason’s father is the DCHS fishing coach.

“Bryan is located in Dayton, Tennessee close to Chattanooga and right on Lake Chickamauga. I really like the school, and they have all the accommodations for fishermen,” said Mason when asked why he chose Bryan College.

A member of the DCHS fishing team, Mason said fishing is his passion. “We fish just about every other weekend. It’s a year around sport. The biggest largemouth bass I have caught was actually about two weeks ago on Lake Nickajack. It weighed 9.33 pounds. We count the total weight of the best five fish caught and that was our biggest bag so far. We had a little over 25 pounds for our best five fish. I fish all the time. Whenever I am not working or not in school I am on the water. I think we have maybe a little less than 10 tournaments left and after I graduate the only tournament left for me will be the high school national championship tournament. After August I’ll be fishing on the college circuit,” said Taylor.

Mason said he plans to study criminal justice or business at Bryan.

Coach Taylor said he and his wife are proud of their son Mason and excited for him.

“My wife and I are really excited about Mason signing today and we look forward to seeing how his future turns out. We have been looking forward to this moment for the last five years for him to be able to go to college and fish. As his father and coach, I have enjoyed being out on the water with him. They call me coach but by the time a kid gets to high school they pretty much know how to fish. Sometimes we have meetings to show them some things that maybe they haven’t already learned and we stress safety. The organization that we usually follow is Tennessee Bass Nation and they have real strict safety rules so we make sure everybody has and makes use of all the safety gear for their boats and they always have an adult captain with them. A lot of people don’t consider fishing a sport but these kids are up at 3:30 or 4 o’clock in the morning and they are out there on the lake in the heat, cold, rain, and wind trying to find the productive areas. Mason and his partner have been out on the water no telling how many hours during their high school years,” said Coach Taylor.

Coach Henderson said when it came to signing Mason, it was a no brainer because he checked all the boxes.

“I am pretty picky about the guys I’m looking at to sign. In order to represent Bryan well, not only do they have to be good fishermen but they have to be good guys who don’t get into trouble, maintain good grades and do what they are supposed to do. Most tournaments they go to our anglers weigh in their five best bass fish for the day. To go to different lakes and different times of the year, it takes a good fisherman to be able to do that. We compete all over the country from Florida to Oklahoma, Virginia, etc,” said Coach Henderson.

Bryan College is a regionally accredited, liberal arts college in Dayton, Tennessee dedicated to educational excellence with a foundation in biblical principles. With both on-campus and online programs, more than 50 areas of study are offered for Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees, as well as professional certificates. Founded in 1930, Bryan College has a rich legacy of educating students to become servants of Christ and make a difference in today’s world. Bryan College is also a member of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) which includes sixteen full members in seven southeastern states, making it the largest NAIA-affiliated conference.

March 6, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Three people were arrested in a Monday drug bust by the Smithville Police Department at the Rama Inn on East Broad Street.

25-year-old Robert Stephen Ryan Derrick of East Broad Street (The Rama Inn), 36-year-old Savannah Elizabeth Mae Derrick of Crestlawn Avenue, and 37-year-old Landon Craig Wyatt of Toad Road will be in court on March 30.

Chief Mark Collins said that on Monday, March 3 the Smithville Police Department executed a search warrant at 600 East Broad Street (The Rama Inn) and during the search found one a half pounds of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine along with scales, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia items. He said both Robert and Savannah Derrick were out on parole.

Robert Derrick is charged with sale and delivery of a schedule II drug; Savannah Derrick was arrested for simple possession of Fentanyl; and Landon Wyatt is charged with simple possession of methamphetamine.

Bond for Robert Derrick is $150,000; $25,000 for Savannah Derrick; and $50,000 for Landon Wyatt.

March 6, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

A kick-off fundraiser for the restoration and beautification of the Smithville Town Cemetery is only two weeks away.

The event is set for Thursday, March 20 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Harvester Event Center downtown. Proceeds from the event will go toward the campaign to revitalize the cemetery. The fundraiser will include an auction, food and LIVE entertainment. You can make donations now to benefit the cemetery. For more information and to donate visit www.fb.com/SmithvilleTCA or call 615-597-2000.

Founded in 1838, this historic cemetery, located directly east of the public square, has primarily undergone only basic maintenance in recent years. The late Tommy Webb, county historian, had overseen the cemetery. Before his death in October 2019, Mr. Webb asked Bethel Thomas, Jr. to lead a campaign to restore some of the original beauty to the cemetery. Initial funds raised allowed for the beginning of the restoration of the iron fence. Then came Covid.

Thomas, in a recent interview with WJLE, said a renewed effort has now begun with a larger group of community volunteers taking an interest in the historic cemetery.

“Tommy Webb had overseen the cemetery for several years, but the cemetery association itself had been inactive for some time. I went to Tommy and said I wanted to do something to honor my parents and other people who are buried there. He asked me to lead a campaign to help restore the cemetery and I agreed but then Covid came along but now there is a group of people that are getting together and are really engaged,” said Thomas.

Trees donated by Bert Driver Nursery (Yoshino Cherry) and Pine Creek Nursery (Sweet Bay Magnolias) were planted last month lining the cemetery along North Congress Boulevard. The effort was supported by the city and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Thomas gave his vision of what the historic cemetery needs most.

“The thing Tommy was most concerned about was the condition of the original wrought iron fence around the cemetery. We were able to get a welder to gradually restore some of the original fence on the Congress Boulevard side. Most of the fence on that side can be restored but we will probably have to get new wrought iron fence to put across the north end. The fence on the back side may have to be taken down because it has deteriorated so badly. If so, we have thought about putting up a stone fence to replace it on the Bright Hill Road side,” said Thomas.

“Another concern is the driveway through the cemetery. We want to make a beautiful entrance and instead of having an asphalt drive use brick and or gravel. Then the retaining wall at the corner of the cemetery near the highway 56 & 70 intersection is cracked and broken. It basically needs a new retaining wall which may be the most expensive item but that has to be redone. This project is much bigger than I first imagined with the fencing, drive through, fixing that retaining wall, and then adding some park benches, and maybe a walkway through the cemetery. Thanks to the Diver family with the support of the city and TDOT we have been able to line the cemetery on Congress Boulevard with some trees and we hope to eventually convince people who own property on the other side to allow us to put some trees there also. But its going to be beautiful,” said Thomas.

Anyone who has family or friends buried in the cemetery, as well as any civic-minded person interested is invited to join the Smithville Town Cemetery Association.

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