By MONTE DUTTON

The benefits of a Wednesday trip to Newberry won’t be cashed in until next week, when thoughts turn to the Bulldogs and the Battle of the Belt.

Appropriately sponsored by Clinton-Newberry Natural Gas Authority, Clinton and Newberry began playing football against each other back in ’20. That’s 1920. Woodrow Wilson was president. No one had cell phones. The helmets were leather, if players wore helmets at all. No one won belts, either.

Last year was the first Battle of the Belt. The Red Devils won, 42-7. The game moves to the Bulldogs’ home field this time, but we’ll attend to that rivalry later. This week Clinton plays Laurens, and that is more than enough for now.

I drove to Newberry on I-26 but rode back on U.S. 76 because I wanted to run a few errands and take a sorrowful look at the remains of Musgrove Street. It wouldn’t look much different if a Scud missile landed.

Highway 76 between Newberry and Clinton brings back an indelible memory every time I drive it. I was headed home on Aug. 16, 1977, near Kinards, when I heard Elvis Presley was dead. When I got back home, I stopped by Don’s PDQ, run by Big Don Fulmer, in the building where my grandfather ran a grocery store for three decades or so. I worked there on the side.

When I walked in the door, Big Don was crying. “Love Me Tender” was playing on an eight-track player. Big Don asked me if I wanted a drink of liquor. I thanked him but bought a six-pack of whatever was on special.

The King was gone.

As odd as this seems, Presbyterian College is honoring its women’s soccer team’s seniors in the fourth match of the season.

Southern Wesleyan opens its season at Martin Stadium versus the 2-1 Blue Hose at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

The seniors number five: Sophia Thomson, Sarah Dieffenderfer, Gwen Keiser, Madison Hindman and Kelly Hall.

Matt Smith’s first PC team is coming off victories over Wofford and Furman.

Following Thursday’s bout with SWU, Presbyterian will shift focus to another Palmetto State school when South Carolina State visits at 6 p.m.

The opening-week loss to Woodruff cost Clinton and benefited the Wolverines in the S.C. Media rankings.

Clinton fell to No. 4 in Class 2A, while Woodruff, previously unranked, improved to seventh in 3A. Hampton County is now tops in 2A, and Belton-Honea Path, a future Laurens opponent, is first in 3A.

A Region 1-4 opponent of Laurens, Westside, is first in 4A, and a future Clinton opponent, Daniel, is third in 4A, and a Raiders opponent, A.C. Flora, is eighth. Chapman, a Clinton opponent, is ninth in 3A.

Dutch Fork and Gaffney are 1-2 in Class 5A, and Abbeville leads Class A.

Though Mercer defeated Presbyterian, 45-7, in Clinton five years ago, the Blue Hose haven’t played the Bears in Macon, Ga., since 1941.

Mercer is now the only FCS school in Georgia. Kennesaw State is moving up to FBS this season.

Saturday was the site’s biggest day of the year to date. Visits are up 35 percent in the past week.

It’s just the start. Furman and Presbyterian begin football this week, and Friday night Laurens visits Clinton.

As Merle Haggard sang, “If we can make it through December, everything’s gonna be all right, I know.”

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