August (Preseason) 2016 Southeast Georgia Edition

Find Your Team’s

Preview Inside!

Richard

LeCounte

player spotlight

10 GAMES TO SEE THIS SEASON ITG KICK OFF DINNER A SUCCESS top 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH

FOOTBALL 2016

August 2016

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehab 2004 Pioneer St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-284-2410 phone 912-284-2386 fax

Neurology 1921 Alice St., Suite B4 Waycross, GA 31501 912-285-5690 phone 912-285-1753 fax

Primary Care 1921 Alice St., Suite B4 Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-0722 phone 912-490-7227 fax

Cardiology 2004 Pioneer St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-284-2460 phone 912-284-2389 fax

Obstetrics & Gynecology 505 City Blvd.

Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-2229 phone 912-490-9023 fax

Pulmonary Medicine 2005 Pioneer St., Suite C Waycross, GA 31501 912-338-9704 phone 912-338-9758 fax

Express Care 1921 Alice St., Suite A4 Waycross, GA 31501 912-283-5616 phone 912-287-0788 fax

Occupational Medicine 1921 Alice St., Suite A3 Waycross, GA 31501 912-283-3136 phone 912-287-0788 fax

Radiation Oncology 1451 Church St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-9729 phone 912-283-7337 fax

Family Psychiatry 1707-A Boulevard Sq. Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-0078 phone 912-490-0083 fax

Ophthalmology & Optometry 413 Lister St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-0041 phone 912-490-0042 fax

Satilla Advocacy Services 1908 Tebeau St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-285-7355 phone 912-283-4570 fax

Hematology/Oncology 1706 Alice St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-490-4673 phone 912-490-4674 fax

Orthopedics 305 Pineview Dr. Waycross, GA 31501 912-283-8444 phone 912-283-7132 fax

Satilla Care Center 1600 Riverside Ave. Waycross, GA 31501 912-283-1182 phone 912-285-1554 fax

Multi-specialty Physician Office 316 South Shirley Ave. Douglas, GA 31533 912-383-0815 phone 912-383-0826 fax

Outpatient Laboratory 1921 Alice St., Suite A2 Waycross, GA 31501 912-284-2335 phone 912-283-8788 fax

Surgery (General & Vascular) 1908 Alice St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-338-6010 phone 912-287-2796 fax

111 Colonial Way Jesup, GA 31545 912-810-6296 phone 912-810-5329 fax

Pierce County Nursing Home 221 Carter Ave. Blackshear, GA 31516 912-449-6631 phone 912-449-2640 fax

Hospital 1900 Tebeau St. Waycross, GA 31501 912-283-3030 main

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

AUGUST 2016 TABLE OF

45

9 AAAAAAA

CAMDEN COUNTY WILDCATS

New Classification....Old Foes

10 AAAAAA

BRADWELL INSTITUTE TIGERS

Tigers Looking to Turn the Corner

preseason Issue

11

BRUNSWICK PIRATES

Hopes Run High in Brunswick

12

48

TOOMBS COUNTY BULLDOGS

Bulldogs Continue to Rebuild with New Coach

49 A

MCINTOSH COUNTY BUCCANEERS

One More Step to go for the Bucs

GLYNN ACADEMY TERRORS

Red Terrors Want Five More Points

13

BACON COUNTY RED RAIDERS

Bacon Takes New Direction

50

CHARLTON COUNTY INDIANS

Big Shoes to Fill

RICHMOND HILL WILDCATS

LeZotte Looking for Improvement in Year Two

17

AAAAA

WARE COUNTY GATORS

Tough Schedule Awaits Gators

22

WAYNE COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS

New Era for the Jackets

23

AAA

APPLING COUNTY PIRATES

Pirates Want Return to Playoffs

27

FREDERICA ACADEMY KNIGHTS

Knights Looking for Deep Playoff Run

14

PLUS:

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT Richard LeCounte

18 TOP 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH 21

JENNIFER CARTER JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY Capturing Memories

PIERCE COUNTY BEARS

Pierce Seeks Sixth Straight Winning Season and More

29

brantley county herons

Star Quarterback Leads the Way

31

51 GISA AAA

LONG COUNTY BLUE TIDE

Long Looking to Turn the Tide

35

LIBERTY COUNTY PANTHERS

Lecounte Leads Liberty

32

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER Alfonso Clinch

36

10 GAMES TO SEE THIS SEASON

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ACADEMIC ATHLETE

46

VIDALIA INDIANS

RISING STAR

Vidalia: Healthy and Strong

Kwajaylen Lee

JEFF DAVIS YELLOW JACKETS

Lovvorn Takes the Helm

ITG KICK OFF DINNER A SUCCESS

Bryant Sloan

39 AA 43

24

52

coach’s corner

Back in the Saddle Again

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

FROM THE PUBLISHER THRIFT TEACHING LIFE SPORT IN BRANTLEY | COACH MATT THRIFT FOCUSING ON THE LINE MIDDLE SCHOOL MARKSMAN DEVON MOORE TYLER HANSON APPLING COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL WAYX MIDDLE RIFLERY SHAW CAPS CAREER AS TWO-TIME TITLE-HOLDER ALEXUS SHAW | PIERCE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

+ GOLF FITNESS TAKES FLIGHT IN SEGA BEN MITCHELL | SMART

SOUTHERN BOUND STATE CHAMP June 2016

Julianna Collett | Glynn Academy

“Turn Them On, Turn Them On, Turn Them On” is the chant heard all over SEGA as the Friday night lights begin to illuminate every stadium for the 2016 high school football season. SEGA is blessed to have loads of talent across the area on both sides of the football. D-1 talent will be strapping up chinstraps from Brunswick to Vidalia and all points in between. At last count there were 5 seniors committed to play in the SEC alone, not to mention 2 more in the ACC, 1 in the AAC and several more pondering where to take to take their talents next season. Stay up to date on all the talent here in SEGA in the pages of In The Game.

When you’re named the best high school freshmen football player in the country people tend to take notice. I knew Liberty County’s Richard LeCounte was special the first time I saw him on a football field as a freshman and it’s been a pleasure following him into his senior year. Not just because he’s one of the best football players in the country but because he’s one of the finest young men to put on a helmet. Always respectful, leads by example and has one of the greatest work ethics of any young man I’ve seen.

Also he pays it forward. Always pulling up his teammates and giving back to the community by helping the younger kids by any means possible. The University of Georgia is not only getting one of the nation’s best football

players but a high character guy who will represent the program the right way.

He’s number 22 on Friday nights but he’s number 1 in the classroom. Charlton County’s Bryant Sloan is a hard hitting linebacker for the Indians but he hits the books just as hard.

Ranked number 1 in his 2017 graduating class, Sloan has already received several awards capped off by being named a University of Georgia Certificate of Merit recipient. He’s active in his church and committed to his faith, so much so he gave up football in the 7th grade due to a conflict with his church activities.

He’s a team leader that teammates look up to and that Coach Rich McWhorter can count on to lead by his actions whether in the classroom, weight room or the gridiron. He does however need to work on his corn hole tosses under pressure wink, wink.

Bacon County raised some eyebrows in the off season when the decision was made to go in a different direction with it football program. The Red Raiders parted ways with coach Ken Cofer but didn’t go far to find his replacement tapping then defensive coordinator Kyle Langford for the open Head Coach position.

Langford has previous head coaching experience having been at Towns County for 6 seasons before moving south to Bacon County.

Voted the MVP for both Football and Basketball as a 7th grader, Jane Macon Middle schooler Kwajaylen Lee looks to leave a legacy this season. Last year on the first play from scrimmage in the Tyrone Jones Classic, Lee threw a 75-yard TD pass, 50 yards of that pass were in the air.

He had captured everyone’s attention immediately. Look for big things from Lee in his final year of middle school but remember his name because I’m sure you’ll be hearing it a lot in the future.

One of my favorite sayings in football is “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” Words that Alfonso Clinch lives by every day. The Brunswick High Pirate junior cornerback is referred to by his coach Larry Harold as “one of the hardest working young men on our football team.” Clinch has earned his starting spot because of his work ethic not only on the field but in the classroom as well holding down a strong 3.5 GPA. Who knows if he keeps up the hard work maybe he could follow his former Pirate cornerbacks in to the NFL. We hope you enjoy reading In the Game as much as we enjoy producing and publishing it. We would like to thank our friends at the Georgia High School Football Historians Association (ghsfha.org) for their assistance.

We are always open to suggestions as well as story ideas or ways you think we can improve our magazine. Please visit our website at www.inthegamemagazine.com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/inthegamemagazine. Follow us on Twitter @SEGAInTheGame and on Instagram at inthegamesega.

You can now keep up with all the Friday Night scores across SEGA and the state with our new partner App Scorestream. Download the scorestream app at Google Play or the Appstore today. Join us every Thursday evening live from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. as we broadcast live from Firehouse Subs in Waycross. Listen to “In the Game on Radio” on WWUF 97.7 FM or stream the show live on www.waycrossradio. com. While you’re online, don’t forget to nominate a deserving student-athlete or coach for one of our feature articles. You’ll be glad you did.

TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS! Email us at info@itgsportsnetwork.com to let us know what you thought of the June edition of ITG

Contributors Publisher Shawn Smoak Editor Mark Dykes Graphics Brittany K. Wyche Cover Photography Charles Smith Feature Photography Jennifer Carter Johnson Michael Brinson Charles Smith Feature Writers John DuPont Rob Asbell John Wood Copy Editor Cole Parker Advertising/Marketing Shawn Smoak shawn@itgsportsnetwork.com Mark Dykes mark@itgsportsnetwork.com Website Manager Cole Parker SEGA Prep Sports P.O. Box 2960 Waycross, Ga. | 31502 Corporate Office: Dykes Media Group LLC P.O. Box 812 Valdosta, Ga. | 31603 In the Game is published monthly (excluding July). The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisments are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2015 Dykes Publishing Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

CAMDEN COUNTY WILDCATS Kingsland, Ga.

NEW CLASSIFICATION....OLD FOES

Region 1-7A

Written by: John Wood

Summary of Last Season 2015 saw a Wildcat resurgence like no other. Not since Welton Coffey, II took over in 2013 when the Wildcats defeated Colquitt County, for 1-AAAAAA region title. Last season, Camden’s turning point came against traditional power Valdosta High School, facing a powerful Wildcat offense and a pelting rainstorm. The Wildcats defense made huge plays down the stretch to preserve a 31-10 win.

Camden’s momentum continued, finishing runner-up in the region to Colquitt County. Roswell ended Camden County’s season with a second round AAAAAA state playoff loss, 34-15.

What has realignment changed this year?

Camden County will begin play this year in the state’s biggest classification, 1-AAAAAAA. Realignment and moving out of the power conference that the Wildcats had been in 1-AAAAAA entails a big game every Friday night and grueling travel. The mileage gives Camden a break on multiple trips to southwest Georgia, but the region title still more than likely means going through Colquitt County.

Big games this year:

Camden starts the season on a three game road trip, with all three against good Florida programs. The Wildcats open at home against AAAAA state finalist Glynn Academy and finish up the Glynn County swing on the road against Brunswick the next week.

The first test in AAAAAAA will be against McEachern, a good yardstick to see where the Wildcats fit in AAAAAAA. Camden is on the road at Colquitt County during week eight, which begins their 1-AAAAAAA schedule. The Wildcats go back on the road week nine to the Concrete Jungle in Lowndes County and end the regular season with Tift County at Gilman Stadium.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 1-AAAAAAA Overall record last year: 10-2 Region record last year: 4-1 Stadium name/Capacity: Chris Gilman Stadium 10,000

Coach’s Corner

Coach’s name: Welton Coffey, II Years at this school: 4th at Camden County, 10th overall Coach’s record: 25-7 What is your outlook for this season?

“Looking to compete with a young, but exciting group of players,” Camden County Welton Coffey, II said.

Players to Watch Jordan Strachan Cole Loden Casey McCormick Kyle Pecko Mickey Parkard Cameron Roberts John Jones Drew Barnes

SS-QB SS-RB DE-DT C RB CB-RB QB T

8/19 8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/23 9/30 10/14 10/21 11/04

At Oakleaf At Venice At Columbia Glynn Academy At Brunswick McEachern Forest Park At Colquitt Co. * At Lowndes Co.* Tift County*

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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BRADWELL INSTITUTE TIGERS

Hinesville, Ga.

TIGERS LOOKING TO TURN THE CORNER

Region 2-6A

Written by: John Wood

Summary of Last Season

Bradwell tried to scratch out a win against 2014 Class A private finalist Calvary Day but came up short in the final minutes, 13-6 ; loss to crosstown rival, Liberty County High School; battled against Richmond Hill the next week but lost 17-14. Towards the end of the season, it looked like the Tigers would break their losing streak but lost 13-10 to Statesboro, in a region 3-AAAAA contest.

Bradwell endured injuries and inexperience in 2015 but kept battling throughout the season. That fight and determination is going to be important for Bradwell Institute’s Head Coach, Greg Hill, to draw upon during the 2016 season.

HIGHLIGHTS Overall record last year: 0-10 Region record last year: 0-8 Stadium name: Olvey Field at Hokey Jackson Stadium

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Gregory Hill Years at this school: 3rd season Coach’s record: 0-20

Players to Watch Josh Ingram SS/FB Kevin Harris RB Imari Hurte RB Terrius Crimiel FS/CB Daryll Johnson DB/WR Isley Moana C/DE Quindarius Watkins WR Isaiah Quaterman MLB

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/23

10

What is your outlook for this season?

“Definitely feel confident that the Tigers are on the verge of turning things around this year. We have 6 starters returning on defense and 6 on offense. Going into a new region also helps, now that some of the state top post-season teams are no longer on our schedule,” Hill said.

What has realignment changed?

Realignment should help the Tigers this year, since Bradwell no longer has to play powers such as Ware County and Coffee County. Creating the new classification, AAAAAA, now the second highest classification in GHSA, made it possible for the Tigers to be able to pick up a number of non-region games including local teams Tattnall, Southeast Bulloch, and Long County.

Big games this year:

Bradwell can be more concerned about the non-region contests this year than they have in the past; the Tigers will play six non-conference games this season.

Obviously, the kickoff game against rival Liberty County High School is always an important game on the schedule. Playing Southeast Bulloch, Warren, Tattnall, Long, and Lakeside Evans, Bradwell is hoping to get back into the winning column before it begins Region 2-AAAAAA play.

Liberty County At Southeast Bulloch Warren County Tattnall County At Long County

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

9/30 10/07 10/13 10/28 11/04

Lakeside Evans Brunswick * At Richmond Hill * Effingham County * At Glynn Academy *

BRUNSWICK PIRATES Brunswick, Ga.

HOPES RUN HIGH IN BRUNSWICK

Region 2-6A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season

Coach Larry Harold’s inaugural season at the helm of the Pirates was rough. “A year filled with many trials and tribulations. Our players and coaches stayed together through a tough six game losing streak to complete our last three games with a 2-1 finish,” said Coach Harold. Brunswick started out by downing McIntosh County Academy but then endured six straight losses to Glynn, Camden, Effingham, Statesboro, South Effingham and Coffee, before getting wins against Bradwell Institute and Richmond Hill.

Their 2-6 region mark left them out of the playoffs last season.

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Brunswick Pirates Region: 2-AAAAAA Overall record last year: 3-7 Region record last year: 2-6 Stadium name: Glynn County Stadium 12,000

Coachs Corner Coach’s name: Larry Harold

What is your outlook for this season?

There are great expectations for the Pirates this season with a new region and loads of talent. Returning are South Carolina-commit Shawn Smith, Georgia-commit D’Ante Demery, Juniors John Cano, Jabori Williams and sophomore Warren McClendon on the front line. The Pirates return 18 out of 22 starters - nine on each side of the ball right down to punter/receiver Seth Neugebauer.

What has realignment changed?

After a two-year absence, Brunswick moves back up to the AAAAAA classification this year. The Pirates will be in the five team Region 2 with Bradwell Institute, Effingham County, Richmond Hill and cross-town rival Glynn Academy. Gone are former region foes Ware County, Statesboro and South Effingham.

Big games this year:

The Pirates open up at home against Coffee County before traveling to Adel to face AAA powerhouse Cook County. It’s then back to Glynn County Stadium to face Wayne and Camden; then it’s two weeks on the road at South Effingham and Bradwell Institute. They host Glynn Academy in the City Championship on October 14 then travel to Effingham. They are at home against Richmond Hill, before closing the season in Marietta against the Osborne Cardinals.

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16

Coffee At Cook Wayne County Camden County

9/23 10/07 10/14 10/21 10/28 11/04

At South Effingham At Bradwell Institute * Glynn Academy * At Effingham County * Richmond Hill* At Osborne

Years at this school: 2nd year, 5th Overall

Coach’s record: 22-22

Players to Watch Shawn Smith WR D’Ante Demery OL Jabori Williams OL Warren McClendon OL Kam Futch LB Sharrod Frazier LB/DB Sean Ward LB Returning Players from Last Year

Shawn Smith WR D’Ante Demery OL Jabori Williams S Warren McClendon DB Kam Futch LB Sharrod Frazier LB/DB Sean Ward LB Danijah Gammage OL Jaylen Jackson OL

Creating Permanent Memories Mike Brinson Photography glfelbs.smugmug.com 912-270-2489 IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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GLYNN ACADEMY TERRORS

Brunswick, Ga.

RED TERRORS WANT FIVE MORE POINTS

Region 2-6A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season

The Glynn Academy Red Terrors came within five points of winning it all last year, falling to Allatoona in the state championship 10-6. Coach Rocky Hidalgo’s team exceeded all expectations in 2015 by reaching game 15 in the Dome. After falling in back to back weeks to Camden and Coffee, Coach Hidalgo switched University of Miami-commit DeeJay Dallas to quarterback and reeled off 10 straight wins, including two over region rival Ware County and a come from behind playoff thriller over topranked Stockbridge.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AAAAAA Overall record last year: 12-3 Region record last year: 6-1 Stadium name/Capacity: Glynn County Stadium/12,000

Players to Watch

Coach’s Corner

DeeJay Dallas Devin Roberson Banks Entwistle Kendall Cross Randon Jernigan

Coach’s name: Rocky Hidalgo Years at this school: 3rd at GA (21-7) Coach’s record: 61-23

8/19 8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/30 10/07 10/14 10/21 11/04 What is your outlook for this season?

Big things are expected this year on Brunswick’s south end. The Terrors made it to the Dome last year and would like to make a return trip. They have good senior leadership returning on both sides of the ball with Deejay Dallas leading the way at quarterback.

Players returning from last year’s team:

A total of 11 starters return for the Terrors including all-around athlete and starting quarterback DeeJay Dallas, who returns for his senior year. Also coming back are Kendall Cross, Randon Jernigan and Hunter Hall. Kicker, Banks Entwistle is back and will be a deadly weapon for the Terrors. Glynn Academy loses defensive leader Dexter Roberson, but his brother, Devin, will be on the defensive line this season.

Glynn Academy moves up a classification to AAAAAA this year, where they will be in the five team Region 2 with Brunswick, Bradwell Institute, Effingham County and Richmond Hill.

Big games this year:

The Terrors start with four road games this year against state AA power Benedictine, former region rival Ware County, a televised game in Orlando against Pomona High School of Colorado and Camden County. After returning home to play East Jackson and Wayne County, they go into Region play in October.

BOWLING

12

380 Millennium Blvd, Brunswick, GA 31525 |

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

At Benedictine At Ware County At Pomona At Camden County East Jackson Wayne County Effingham County* At Brunswick* At Richmond Hill* Bradwell Institute*

What has realignment changed for the team this year?

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RICHMOND HILL WILDCATS

Richmond Hill, Ga.

LEZOTTE LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT IN YEAR TWO Written by: John DuPont

Summary of Last Season

Region 2-6A

Matt LeZotte became the third head coach at Richmond Hill in 2015; the Wildcats won their first two games last season, but lost 7-of-8 from that point forward. One of those wins came against Bradwell Institute, which Richmond Hill faces again this year as a region foe. The 3-7 ledger marked a one-game improvement for the program from the year before.

8/26 Southeast Bulloch 9/02 At Brantley Co. 9/09 At Pierce Co. 9/16 Grovetown 9/23 At Lakeside (Evans) 9/30 South Effingham 10/13 Bradwell Institute* 10/21 Glynn Academy* 10/28 At Brunswick* 11/4 At Effingham Co.*

Outlook for this season:

There’s every reason to believe the Wildcats can continue to improve. LeZotte never had a losing record in four seasons as head coach at Aquinas (2009-2012), which won a state title thanks to his architecture the year after he left that school.

“I think we are set up to be successful here,” says LeZotte.

“We have a schedule that allows us to play a variety of teams featuring different styles of play and we’re in a really tough region still. We are looking to get into the state playoffs to see what happens. Our skill positions are strong and conditioning has put an enormous amount of size and strength into our guys, which I think has been a real difference maker. I think that gives us a real chance to be successful.”

Players returning from last year’s team:

Senior QB Brian Hughes returns along with a familiar cast of receivers – sophomore Aaron Bedgood and juniors Sam James and Justin Jeffery. Meanwhile, the defense looks to junior Andrew Purcell and senior Kywann Green on the front line.

Sophomore Ronald Fuselier and junior Brandon Armstrong bring experience to the secondary.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AAAAAA Overall record last year: 3-7 Region record last year: 2-6 Stadium name/Capacity: Wildcat Stadium/4,500

What has realignment changed this year?

The Wildcats play half as many region games this season compared to last season – just four. In moving from 3-AAAAA to 2-AAAAAA, Richmond Hill stayed in the mix with Bradwell Institute, Glynn Academy, Effingham County, and Brunswick, but LeZotte had to find replacement games for Coffee, Ware County, and Statesboro. South Effingham remains on the schedule as one of Richmond Hill’s six non-region games.

Meanwhile, the Wildcats renew acquaintances with Southeast Bulloch, Brantley County, and Pierce County, opponents from the days when the Wildcats played in AA and AAA. Grovetown and Lakeside (Evans) are first-time opponents.

Big games this year:

With just four region games, there is no room for error come October. Richmond Hill opens league play against Bradwell Institute, against whom the Wildcats have never lost. But RH has struggled traditionally versus the remaining region opponents. Glynn Academy, which played for the state title last season, figures to be a threat once again. Effingham County went 7-3 but missed the playoffs while Brunswick posted a 3-7 ledger like Richmond Hill.

Coach’s Corner

Coach’s name: Matt LeZotte Years at this school: Second at Richmond Hill (3-7) Coach’s record: 31-23 Overall, 5 Seasons

Players to Watch Brian Hughes Sam James

QB WR

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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WHAT OTHERS SAY Tony Glazer, Liberty County Defensive Coordinator: “As far as expectations, I do not set them for him anymore, because he will just exceed them. What I do is challenge him daily to become a better teammate, player, and to continue to work on his craft every day. They won the state basketball championship on a Thursday I believe and come the next Monday, he was back on the football field with a group of guys teaching his teammates and working on his craft.

He knows what I expect and it’s simple. You don’t stay the same; you either get better or worse and he usually always gets better. Last season is when Richard really got into starting to analyze opponent scout film. Usually him and I will spend Saturday and exchange numerous text messages back in forth talking about what we see, and what we think we need to try to take away from the opposing team before we met on Sunday for film sessions with the whole team. Then, when we speak about our game he never says, ‘Coach, how many tackles did I make, or Coach, how many highlights did I have?’ He humbly just says, ‘Coach, what mistakes on film did you see that I can correct?’” ennessee safety, Bill Bates, breaks down into a perfect tackling stance and he is moving towards the ball carrier ready to stop him cold. Imagine for a minute that Bulldog great, Herschel Walker, is a 21st century social media football recruiting phenome.

Suddenly, it’s no guarantee that Walker was carrying the ball and well Larry Munson never utters the words “My God he is only a freshman.”

Fortunately for the Bulldog nation, Herschel Walker picked up the phone when Georgia Coach, Vince Dooley called. The stories of Walker’s development running over the cross ties of an old railroad are those exact legs developed into steel pistons that charged over Bates and into Bulldog Valhalla.

You look in the eyes of Liberty County Panthers athlete extraordinaire, Richard LeCounte, and his eyes have a twinkle unlike any other. The same twinkle that accompanied lightning fast feet and reflexes on every field and court he played on growing up in Liberty County.

“I’d always play basketball and really any sport growing up. I am competitive and I love playing all sports, so I knew I would play football even though basketball was my favorite sport,” LeCounte said.

LeCounte played one season of middle school football and by eighth grade he was making an impact as a junior varsity player with Liberty County. Raekwon McMillan had created a perfect storm of recruiting on the Georgia coast. Watching McMillan’s accelerating linebacker agilities with the grace of a ballerina, defensive coordinators such as Todd Grantham and Kirby Smart were scribbling some notes and salivating over the blue chip, McMillan, when they started to watch another player smaller than McMillan but just as quick; a senior-confident, athletic ballhawk in a 14-year-old gangly body.

The Legend of LeCounte started to gain following in 2014 with a YouTube highlight, garnering half a million hits, and making it into the page of Sports Illustrated’s most elite high school athletes, Faces in the Crowd.

By the end of his freshman season, he was selected to play in the Freshman All-American game sponsored by Football University, which also coordinates the U.S. Army All-American Game.

“The Army All-American game is big. It’s the original all-star game; you get to play

with some amazing players. For me, it’s even bigger because I get to be a part of something that is a positive impact on this area, Fort Stewart and the Third Infantry Division.

My friends that I have grown up with, their parents have been in the military. This is a chance to honor their sacrifices and patriotism,” LeCounte said.

Richard was at the table with his mentor, McMillan, when he made his decision to play for Ohio State. Just as McMillan had finished the recruiting journey, LeCounte’s was starting. The summer before LeCounte’s sophomore year, he was hitting camps stretching dri-fit numbers with his name and three digits seamed across. An emerging stock, LeCounte came onto the scene when every step of your back pedal is dissected, fandom debates your 40 yard time, and people twice your age live vicariously athletic personas on message boards.

“I knew that everyone was watching how I did in combines. The attention has kept me grounded. I love the game and the competition, so I know every time I step on the field I will be working my hardest, bringing my best game,” LeCounte said.

A 15 year old’s body with the raw skill set of a Division I impact player is a hard fit, and it can’t be explained. The only ones that truly understand are the ones that lived it. By his sophomore year, he was full blown in the recruiting process and everyone wanted him. However, Richard had a courtside seat to McMillan’s recruitment coupled with the counsel of his parents, Erika and Richard, so he remained comfortable, confident, and grounded.

In the SnapChat, Facebook, Instagram, chasing Pikachu down the street universe that 21st century blue chippers live in, college coaches will venture there if it can secure them great players. It wasn’t a personal Instagram, a letter to a pet cat, or even parking the team eighteen wheeler at Liberty County High School to entice LeCounte. It was something as honest and pure of the love and effort that he puts into each step of his backpedal, while locked down on a receiver like a heat-seeking missile. Georgia chose Richard, and Richard chose Georgia, too. Unlimited choices abound, LeCounte is headed between the hedges, because it’s home. The same reason that Herschel went to Georgia and even closer to LeCounte, his

PS

sponsored by:

Player Spotlight Richard LeCounte

Written by: John Wood | Photos by: Charles Smith

head coach at Liberty County, Kirk Warner, was an outstanding tight end for the Bulldogs from Cochran.

“I am excited to be going to Georgia. I started considering them when I was in 8th grade. Once Coach Kirby Smart took the job, there was absolutely no question for me; Georgia is home. I am also glad that I’ve made my choice; it’s out of the way and I can just enjoy my senior season and playing with my teammates. A lot of them that we have been together since elementary,” LeCounte said.

2016 has been the year of the Liberty County Panthers. In March, LeCounte and best friend, Auburn commit Davion Mitchell, led the Panthers on one of the most successful runs that resulted in the AAAA State Basketball Championship. The bling of those championship rings got brighter when Liberty alum Jordan McRae, helped LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers win an NBA title. Days before, LeCounte’s mentor, McMillan, was named one of the captains of the Ohio State Buckeyes and featured on the cover of Lindy’s Football Preview.

Richard furthered Liberty’s national press coverage showing why he is an impact player and a driving force that will be the platform to have an amazing senior year that will jettison into quick success at Georgia. Five years ago, Nike created the ultimate battle royale of recruiting combines at its corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

The Opening is unique, all of the participants are the best of the best, and the camp counselors are apex players those recruits envision themselves becoming. It’s a test of physicality but also an acute mental test to be able to quickly digest a complex playbook and evaluators are looking at everything.

Most of the coaches are either NFL players or coaches.

On paper and the eye test, LeCounte all 5’11”, 175 pounds is every bit the athlete you would think him to be. Taking into consideration of the fact, most blue chip defensive backs are six foot plus and the prototypical Division I wide receivers are usually at least 6’2” with a wide wingspan.

Size lessens when you smother a wide receiver and black out the sun plucking footballs from the air.

“The Opening was big. People have said I am too short to be an elite safety. I just wanted a chance to go against the best in the country, and at this event I was blessed with that opportunity to do that. I locked onto the receivers, matched them move for move and was able to make the play. Ultimately, I think one of the things that helped me get the fifth star was my attitude and work ethic. I love playing the game, and I am going to play the best I possibly can, and if a receiver isn’t giving it his all I am going to make him pay,” LeCounte said.

LeCounte’s experience at the Opening also reveals one of the greatest assets he brings to any team, his relentless pursuit of the cerebral part of football. Even as he grabbed that fifth star becoming the bonafide number one safety prospect in the United States and Georgia, the 11th ranked player in the Class of 2017 added to the legend. Search YouTube and you will see an amazing interception that will make your jaw drop.

A year from now, Richard will be working his backpedal on the practice fields of the Butts-Mehere facility surrounded by recruits, the signing class of 2017, the first piece to destiny during Kirby Smart’s career.

“I knew I was going to Georgia. I totally believe the best players stay here. I am going to be there in January and spend as much time as I can with Coach Tucker (Mel Tucker, UGA Defensive Coordinator) and work hard in the weight room. I want to get the playbook in my head and know it like my phone number.

I am going to work as hard as I can, so when I make that Dawg Walk I am coming to play,” LeCounte said.

Keeping with the dominance of Liberty County in 2016, the Panthers move into AAA this year as a part of reclassification, after losing to Cartersville in the AAAA state playoffs last season.

“We have had a great off season. It’s a new region and we are ready to compete with every team we meet. This is going to be a great season, and I am going to play as hard as I can every down and really enjoy my teammates. The game is always going to be fun, but the thing that Raekwon and others have impressed on me is that this is the last time that you get to really be with your teammates and enjoy the experience. I am going to love college and can’t wait for the Dawg Walk, but also understand once you sign your name at the next level it’s a business,” LeCounte said.

The legend continues to grow.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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WARE COUNTY GATORS

Waycross, Ga.

TOUGH SCHEDULE AWAITS GATORS

Region 2-5A

Written by: John Dupont

Summary of Last Season The Gators stormed all the way to the semifinals in just the second season under Coach Franklin Stephens. Their three losses were by a total of just 18 points, with two of those losses coming from Glynn Academy, which the Gators played for the state title. The Gators scored 32.5 points per game, while giving up 13.9 PPG. It marked the sixth consecutive year in which WCHS won 10 or more games.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AAAAA Overall record last year: 11-3 Region record last year: 6-2 Stadium name/Capacity: Waycross Memorial/12,000

Coach’s Corner

Coach’s name: Franklin Stephens Years at this school: Third as Head Coach at Ware County (22-4) Coach’s record: 112-12-1 Overall, 9 Seasons

Outlook for this season:

“You try to build a program so that when you lose players, you have someone to step in,” says Stephens. “The loss of those players will be drastically felt, because those kids are doing a tremendous job off the field too. But the opportunity is now here for some of these guys. They have the keys to the field; it’s going to be a brutal schedule week after week, but we’ve done a good job of getting our kids’ bodies in shape and we have to play at an extraordinary high level.”

Players returning from last year’s team:

There is plenty of leadership returning for the Gators on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they welcome back junior Jalynn Strickland, senior Ronnie Adams, and junior Trey Cobb at the linebacker posts. The talent-rich secondary includes seniors Hakeem Dillard, Jamoya Howard, Olajuwone Smith, and junior Jordon Turner. On the other side of the ball, it’s seniors Hayden Blackburn and James Lucas anchoring the interior front five. A trio of fellow seniors, WR Tyler Williams, RB Gary Williams, and QB JeMar Lincoln, round out the offensive cast.

Senior kicker Noah Shepherd is another valued returnee.

Players to Watch Ernest Jones TE/LB Raja’ Bradley FB/LB Qua Herriot WR/DB Rashad Mills WR/DB

Big games this year:

It’s a murderer’s row schedule by most standards, as the Gators open in a grudge rematch against Glynn Academy.

Get your tickets for that one ASAP for what is bound to be a packed house. Then, comes another titanic border match against perennial foe Coffee and oh, by the way, road trips to Northside (Warner Robins) and Lowndes, neither of which requires introduction. The 2016 slate also includes dates versus Grady High of Atlanta and East Lake, out of Tarpon Springs, Florida, both of whom made the second round of the playoffs last year. And that’s all before region play starts.

What has realignment changed this year?

The Gators’ classification didn’t change, but they shifted from 3-AAAAA to 2-AAAAA along with South Effingham and Statesboro. The Mustangs were a state playoff team in 2015, but the Blue Devils were an uncharacteristic sub-.500 team as was Wayne County, which joins the mix. Meanwhile, New Hampstead went 7-3 in just its second season. Those teams comprise Ware’s new region where the Gators figure to be a favorite to reclaim the region title they lost to Coffee last year, after claiming that flag three straight years.

8/26 Glynn Academy 9/02 Coffee 9/09 Grady 9/16 At Northside 9/30 At Lowndes

10/07 East Lake (FL) 10/14 Statesboro* 10/21 At South Effingham* 10/28 Wayne County* 11/4 At New Hampstead*

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

17

SEGA Written by: Rob Asbell

Two years ago we declared it, “The Year of the Sophomore,” so it makes sense that all of our Players to Watch this season are seniors. The 2016 list includes players we have watched since their sophomore, and even freshman years. In most cases, they have been recruited by nearly every school in the southeastern United States. Four of them had already given verbal commitments to colleges before the start of their senior years. Three of them are expected to play in the SEC next year. Take the opportunity to see these players before they become household names in a few years.

1.) Richard LeCounte

2.) DeeJay Dallas

3.) Nathan McBride

4.) Shawn Smith

Senior Liberty County Panthers Hinesville, Ga Safety Colleges have been waiting for LeCounte’s senior season so that they can finally try to lure him to their campuses. But the All-State football and basketball player has committed to the University of Georgia after being recruited by nearly every major program in the country. At 6’1” and 186-pounds, LeCounte plays all over the field but will play defensive back in college. He runs a 4.5 second 40 and is ranked as the number two safety in the nation by scout.com.

Senior Vidalia Indians Vidalia, Ga Linebacker One of the few non-committed seniors, Nathan McBride missed his junior year after injuring his arms before the season started. Now McBride is a senior and colleges couldn’t be happier. The 6’2” 220 pound tackling machine runs a 4.5-40 yard dash. He is being recruited by everyone including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi, Oregon, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, South Carolina and Stanford.

18

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

Senior Glynn Academy Red Terrors Brunswick, Ga Athlete Another player colleges have been waiting for.

Dallas led the Terrors to the State Championship game last year as a junior after being moved to quarterback. The 6-foot 191 pound senior has elusive speed and is the type player you want with the ball. He has verbally committed to the University of Miami and is still being courted by Arizona, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas-San Antonio and West Virginia.

Senior Brunswick High Pirates Brunswick, Ga Wide Receiver Just before the end of his junior year, Smith surprised many by announcing that he was verbally committing to the University of South Carolina.

The 5’11” 173 pound speedster was recruited by Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, LSU and West Virginia. He still has one more season to play for Coach Larry Harold before heading to the bright lights of Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

5.) D’Antne Demerey

Senior Brunswick High Pirates Brunswick, Ga Offensive lineman At 6’6” and more than 300 pounds, Demery has been sought after since he was a freshman. He had his choice from a collection of colleges vying for his talents including Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan and Illinois, but decided in June to verbally commit to Georgia. He will be the anchor in a large and talented offensive line at Brunswick this year.

6.) Brandon McMaster

8.) Mikel Collins

Senior Brantley County Herons Nahunta, Ga Quarterback Opponents of Brantley County have learned to watch for the guy wearing number one in the backfield. He’s Mikel Collins and the 5’10” 190 pound quarterback for the Herons has lit up the scoreboard at Caney Bay Stadium the past two years. Running the read-option offense, the left-hander can run or throw as needed. He rushed for over 1,300 yards last season.

He is equally effective as a defensive back, roaming for errant passes and causing fumbles. Electrifying wherever he plays.

Senior Brunswick Pirates Brunswick, Ga Running Back McMaster shocked everyone in July when he announced that he was transferring from Camden County to Brunswick High School. He was one of the leading rushers in Region 1-AAAAAA as a sophomore and continued rolling up yardage as a junior. Now the 6’1” 200 pound running back has moved north and he is attracting attention from college recruiters who have watched him mature into a Division I player. Hopefully he will help turn the Pirates’ ship around and get them back to the playoffs.

9.) Jemar Lincoln

7.) Stetson Bennett IV

10.) Keelan Crosby

Senior Pierce County Bears Blackshear, Ga Quarterback Bennett has started for Coach Sean Pender’s Bears since he was a sophomore. Last season he was among the state’s leading passers with 2,900 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air. His 4.6 speed helped him amass 630 yards and 12 TDs rushing last year.

Now a senior, the 6’ 171-pound pro-style quarterback has received interest from Mercer, Samford and Berry as well as several Ivy League schools who like his 4.0 grade point average. Look for more recruiters to come around as the legend continues to grow.

Senior Ware County Gators Waycross, Ga Quarterback Lincoln came onto the scene at Ware County last season, taking over as quarterback and leading the Gators all the way to the state semi-finals. The 6’1” signal caller was a threat to run or throw, keeping defenses guessing the whole year. A multi-sport athlete, Lincoln also plays basketball and runs track. He has been referred to as a “sleeper” by recruiters and another strong season could bring interest from a lot of schools.

Senior Appling County Pirates Baxley, Ga QB/RB Crosby was all over the field for Coach J.T. Pollock’s Pirates last season. He played quarterback and runningback in the read-option offense. With a 4.5 40yard dash he can outrun most defenders but usually just leaves them standing still wondering where he went. He also plays linebacker on defense and is known as a hard-hitter. The 5’8” 200-pounder is getting looks from Purdue, Middle Tennessee State, and Georgia State and more recruiters are certain to be coming around as the season progresses.

Honorable Mentions

Zalontae Hillery, Sr - Glynn Academy, Offensive lineman (University of Miami-commit) Randon Jernigan, Jr. - Glynn Academy, Receiver Jalynn Strickland, Jr - Ware County, Defensive Lineman JaShawn Sheffield, SO-Frederica Academy, Athlete Warren McClendon, SO- Brunswick. OT Raykwon Anderson, SO- Charlton County, Athlete IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

19

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email shawn Smoak shawn@itgsportsnetwork.com

Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography Capturing Memories

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

written by: Rob Asbell

As you thumb through the pages of In The Game Southeast Georgia edition, you no doubt notice the quality of the photographs that accompany the stories. Many of those, including this month’s cover photo, were taken by photographer extraordinaire Jennifer Carter Johnson of Blackshear.

For the past six years, Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography has been taking pictures of high school seniors and student athletes.

“Through the years, I have learned what I love to photograph and that’s what I tend to concentrate on: For me that’s sports. I just have a passion for sports, the action shots. And seniors; I love their energy.”

Now, she follows her passion by doing photography for high school seniors and out on the playing fields. As a photographer, she has a keen eye for subjects that stand out. She will put people in surrounding locations that emphasize their own interests. One of her photos captures a softball team coming out of a corn field as if they are in a “Field of Dreams” remake. The photo adorns the top of her Facebook page which features several other examples of her work. Like many parents, Jennifer Carter Johnson got her start by photographing her own children and then posting the pictures on social media. “Other people would see it and it just sort of went from there,’ she says.

“It’s something that with time the more I did it the more I liked it and the more interest I had from other people.”

Before long, she had a following who loved her photographs with their attention to detail and a certain flare that made them more than just pictures. She began taking photos for others and was soon doing signature photos for high school seniors. “I am so blessed to be surrounded by coaches and kids that don’t mind having my camera in their face during games,” she says. “And by lots of amazing clients that trust me enough to capture their memories.”

Her favorite type of photo is one that challenges her, and her favorite place to be is on the sidelines of a Pierce County Bears football game on a Friday night. Shooting photos of action pulls her in and gives her the freedom to get good, exciting photos. “When it’s dark it is so much more of a challenge to catch those guys in the air catching the ball.”

Whether she is photographing a game or shooting a magazine cover, each of Jennifer Carter Johnson’s photos stands out from others. “I just get out there and try to have fun regardless of what it is I am photographing. I feel like, ‘If I am not having fun why do it?’ I don’t know if it is the energy behind it or the heart behind it. I just really enjoy what I do.”

To make an appointment, contact Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography at (912) 281-2599 or by email at jennifer@jennifercarterjohnson.com. She is also available on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest and Twitter.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

21

WAYNE COUNTY YELLOW JACKETS Jesup, Ga.

NEW ERA FOR THE JACKETS

Region 2-5A

Written by: John Wood

Summary of Last Season

Wayne started out the season against Glynn Academy in a game that ended up taking two days to play because of weather delays.

The craziness of that game could easily be considered just a sampling of what unfolded during the Yellow Jackets offseason. A 38-0 win against Windsor Forest got the Yellow Jackets into AAAA state playoffs as the four seed; Wayne ended up losing in the final seconds against Mary Persons.

During spring football, Yellow Jackets Head Football Coach, Jody Grooms, resigned due to off field issues. Leadership became a long process for the Yellow Jackets in order to find a replacement; the Yellow Jackets settled on Camden County’s Derek Chastain.

HIGHLIGHTS Overall record last year: 3-7 Region record last year: 1-3 Stadium name/Capacity: Jaycee’s Stadium/5,000

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Derek Chastain Years at this school: 1st season Coach’s record: 0-0

Players to Watch Kevin Wyatt Kendall Henderson Lamont Trent Terrance Bennett Royal Wyatt Isaiah Kincade Trenquell Holloway M.J. Fuller Trent Jackson Keande Bonham Dylan Leach

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16

At West Laurens Valdosta At Brunswick Appling County

FS DT LB LB DB DB RB RB WR WR TE

What is your outlook for this season?

“I anticipate a great year at Wayne County for 2016. The Yellow Jackets return a great core of players from a program that has experienced success in the last 6 years, but I understand that a new coach means change. I do things differently from the previous leadership just as another head coach would have different expectations. There is a learning curve among the coaches and players that will give us the opportunity to “GROW” together,” Wayne County Head Coach Derek Chastain said.

What has realignment changed this year?

Wayne moves into region 2-AAAAA with familiar foes in Ware, Statesboro, and South Effingham. Those three teams have been off of Wayne’s schedule the past few seasons, since they were the in the old 3-AAAAAA before realignment. New Hampstead also joins the new region with the Yellow Jackets.

9/23 9/30 10/07 10/21 10/28 11/04

Big games this year:

Pierce County At Glynn Academy South Effingham* New Hampstead* At Ware County* At Statesboro*

Wayne hosts South Georgia super power Valdosta and then travels to Brunswick the next week.

In week seven, the Yellow Jackets host their first 2016 region contest against a quick South Effingham team. The bulk of the region schedule follows against rookie New Hampstead, region power Ware, and ends on the road at Statesboro.

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APPLING COUNTY PIRATES

Baxley, Ga.

PIRATES WANT RETURN TO PLAYOFFS

Region 2-3A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season

2015 saw the end of a seven year playoff run for Coach J.T. Pollock’s Pirates. Appling struggled through a .500 season. They started with two losses but rebounded with three straight victories over Tattnall, Beach and Toombs. After two tough region losses, the Indians had their biggest game of the season, a 55-42 victory over rival Pierce County. After a win over Brantley County, the Pirates were 4-2 in the region but fell in the crossover region play-in against Southeast Bulloch to miss the state playoffs.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AAA Overall record last year: 5-5 Region record last year: 4-2 Stadium name: Jimmy Swain Stadium

Coach’s Corner

Coach’s name: JT Pollock Years at this school: 12th season Coach’s record: 78-44-2

Players to Watch Keelan Crosby Japheth Morris Devon Moore Richie Carter

QB RB RB WR

What is your outlook for this season?

“Offensively we have all of our skill kids returning, but we are going to have to replace a good deal of our offensive line. We have a couple of kids who are returning, but they are going to have to step it up a notch as far as effort and consistency.

Defensively, our defensive front should be our strength, emphasize on ‘should be.’

Our linebackers are going to be young and inexperienced and we are expecting solid play out of our secondary,” said Coach J.T. Pollock.

What has realignment changed?

8/26 At Vidalia 9/02 Charlton County 9/09 Dodge County 9/16 At Wayne County 9/23 Statesboro 10/07 At Long County* 10/14 Liberty County* 10/21 At Brantley County* 10/28 Pierce County* 11/04 At Tattnall County*

Appling County moves from Division A of 1-AAA into a new Region 2-AAA. The new region includes Brantley, Liberty, Long, Pierce and Tattnall. Gone is the separate A and B divisions of the region and the end of year region play-in game to determine who goes to the state playoffs. Now, it will be the top four teams in the region going to the GHSA playoffs. “We’re going to concentrate on the first game and go from there.

Hopefully we will improve week by week,” Coach Pollock said. “We have a tough region with Pierce and Liberty as the front runners. Tattnall is going to be very improved because they were young last year. Brantley County has a great athlete at quarterback (Mikell Collins); we have a very challenging non region schedule. We’ll use those as building blocks for the region schedule.”

Big games this year:

The Pirates open the season on the road in Vidalia and then host Charlton County and Dodge County. They travel down Highway 341 to Jesup to face Wayne County then are back in Baxley to play Statesboro. The final five games are region-tilts at Long, Brantley and Tattnall while hosting Liberty and Pierce. The annual border war with the Bears is scheduled for Halloween weekend, October 28.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

23

ITG Kick Off Dinner a success Written by: John Wood

oaches from around Southeast Georgia got a chance to take a break from the heat and hard work of sum mer practice to relax and enjoy some of the best food around at the In The Game Southeast Georgia’s Seventh Annual Coaches Kickoff Dinneer.

Publisher, Shawn Smoak, welcomed the coaches to CrabDaddy’s, an institution on St. Simons Island that has been the sponsor of the Coaches Kickoff Dinner for the last seven years.

“CrabDaddy’s is my favorite restaurant and they have been absolutely amazing each year that we have come here for the kickoff dinner,” Smoak said.

In between the many courses of some of the best fresh seafood on the Georgia Coast, coaches had a chance to catch up about how spring football was going and what each of them thought about the upcoming season. In the Game Radio, hosted by Rob Asbell, gave coaches an oppor-tunity to come by and chat about their programs. Ed Lovvron, the new head coach at Jeff Davis County, was buzzing about how hard his players had been working in the weight room and the gains that the team saw overall during spring. Lovvorn is starting his first season as head coach, but he has been the defensive coordinator and continues to run the defense as head coach.

“It’s different than just being an assistant, a lot more off field duties and paperwork, and my cell phone stays on,” Lovvron said.

Lovvron isn’t the only new head coach in the southeast Georgia area. Toombs County hired Richard Marsh. Before making the “Pit” his new home, Marsh was the defensive coordinator at Southeastern University since 2013, a small Christian school in Lakeland, Florida. Marsh has some impressive credentials, taking Thomasville to the state playoffs seven times in eight sea-sons as head coach.

Bacon County also has a new head coach leading the Raiders.

Kyle Langford, who served as defensive coordinator under for24

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

mer Red Raider head coach Ken Cofer. Langford’s defense was instrumental in the renaissance of Bacon County over the past two seasons.

The biggest change in the coaching ranks was at Wayne County where Camden County Assis-tant Head Coach, Derek Chastain, moved in to take his first head coaching job after spending so many years as the bedrock of the Wildcat program.

Coastal Pines Technical College provided gift bags to all of the coaches and guests. The col-lege is one of the greatest supporters of local schools and their extracurricular activities. Coastal Pines President, Dr. Glen Diebert, spoke about the expansion of the campus and how the new “Move on When Ready” program was one of the most exciting, cutting-edge programs any-where.

“We all love football and live sports, but you also have to realize that not everyone may be tal-ented enough to play at the next level. Everyone is going to have go to school and learn to do something for a career. The programs that we have at Coastal Pines are allowing students to have choices and learning experiences that are going to help them get a job,” Diebert said.

Georgia has launched a program, “Move on When Ready” which is giving high school students an opportunity to take college classes and earn college credit while in high school.

“Move on When Ready is going to allow students to get such a head start on college and also saving their parents money,” Diebert said.

Coaches from Camden, Liberty, Frederica, Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Bradwell, Toombs, Vidalia, Brantley, McIntosh County Academy, Jeff Davis, Bacon County, and Ware County at-tended this year’s Coach’s Dinner at CrabDaddy’s, located at the corner of Ocean Boulevard and Arnold Road near the entrance to The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island. Crabdaddy’s is open every evening from 5-10 p.m. For catering, call (912) 634-1120.

THE GAME High School Sports N Southeast Georgia Edition

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Join us for dinner at one of St. Simons Island’s rabdaddy’s Seafood Bar and Grill, restaurants, Crabdaddy’s Seafood Bar and G andpremier the upcoming 2016 season. as we talk football and the upcoming 2016 season. will begin at 5:30 p.m.

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PIERCE COUNTY BEARS Blackshear, Ga.

PIERCE SEEKS SIXTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON AND MORE

Region 2-3A

Written by: John DuPont

Summary of Last Season

The Bears bowed in round one of the state playoffs last season, marking just the second time the team failed to make the second round in Coach Sean Pender’s five seasons at the helm. At 7-4, PCHS appeared somewhat mortal after reeling of 10 wins for a school-record three straight seasons. The Bears once again featured an explosive offense that averaged 35.3 points per game and twice topped the half-hundred mark, including a school-record 64 points in a triple overtime win over Jenkins. Unfortunately, the Bears yielded 50 or more points on three occasions – including Jenkins – in giving up 35.0 PPG.

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/23

Bacon County Beach Richmond Hill At Brooks County At Wayne County

10/07 At Brantley County * 10/14 Long County * 10/21 Tattnall County * 10/28 At Appling County * 11/04 Liberty County *

Outlook for this season:

HIGHLIGHTS

“Our football program has to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices and adjustments in order to me successful,” said Pender. “We need to strive for excellence and not settle for just getting by.”

The Bears will look to compensate for speed shortcomings on defense by switching from a 4-3 alignment to a 3-3-5 scheme. “It’s pretty much the same as the 3-5 we ran here a few years back,” said PCHS defensive coordinator, Kip Burdette.

Region: 2-AAA Overall record last year: 7-4 Region record last year: 4-2 Stadium name/Capacity: Bear Stadium/3,500

Players returning from last year’s team:

QB Stetson Bennett, who threw for 2,904 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, leads the returning cast. He also led the team in rushing with 564 yards and scoring with 12 touchdowns. Fellow All-State pick Chase Royer, now a senior, hauled in 76 passes for 1,054 yards and nine scores. Junior Quashawn Conaway had over 600 total yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Landon Teston is a veteran presence on the offensive line. Defensively, returnees include junior Moses Shider (19.5 tackles) up front with senior Ben Aldridge (108 tackles) and junior Renard Mathews (48.5 tackles) at the linebacker posts. Senior Leroy Mason (80 tackles, 2 interceptions) is back in the secondary.

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Sean Pender Years at this school: Sixth at PCHS (45-14) Coach’s record: 84-67-1 Overall, 14 Seasons

What has realignment changed this year?

Players to Watch Ben Aldridge LB Stetson Bennett QB Quashawn Conaway RB/DB Leroy Mason DB Renard Mathews LB Chase Royer WR Moses Shider LB Landon Teston OL

PCHS moves from 1-AAA to 2-AAA along with traditional region rivals Appling County, Brantley County, and Tattnall County. Long County and Liberty County join the mix this season in a five-team league that will feature considerably less travel than in past seasons. It also allows PCHS to play five non-region games: geographic rivals Bacon County and Wayne County, along with former region foe, Beach. The Bears will also renew acquaintances with Richmond Hill and Brooks County, each for the first time in more than a decade.

Big games this year:

Pierce vs. Appling has effectually decided the region title in 3 of the past 5 seasons, but, as Pender says, “We’re not good enough to look past anybody.” This “every week a season” mentality includes back-to-back road trips against non-region foes Brooks County and Wayne County. In the season finale against Liberty County, PCHS lines up opposite of the likes of Richard LeCounte, one of the state’s premiere blue chippers.

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BRANTLEY COUNTY HERONS Nahunta, Ga.

STAR QUARTERBACK LEADS THE WAY

Region 2-3A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season The Brantley County Herons had a winning season in 2015 but missed the playoffs. Coach Mark Walker’s Herons started out with a 19-0 blackout against Atkinson County followed by a heartbreaking one-point loss to Dodge County. Wins over Islands and Johnson were next but were followed by losses to Cook and Pierce. Two region wins were next over Tattnall and Toombs and then a loss to Appling before dispatching Islands again in the region play-in game.

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Brantley County Herons Region: 2-AAA Overall record last year: 6-4 Region record last year: 2-4 Stadium name: Caney Bay Stadium

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Mark Walker Years at this school: 7th season Coach’s record: 20-40

Players to Watch Mikel Collins Luke Hutto Landon Middleton Casey Comer Brian Boyette Brandon St. Clair

QB WR/DB DB/RB DB/WR WR DB/RB

Returning Players from Last Year Mikel Collins Luke Hutto Landon Middleton Casey Comer Brian Boyette Brandon St. Clair Tyson Hall Cam Flowers Josh Smith Spencer O’Neal Garrett Able Nate Boles Jack Averitt

QB WR/DB DB/RB DB/WR WR DB/RB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

What is your outlook for this season?

Although the Herons return star quarterback Mikel Collins, Coach Mark Walker is still concerned with his team’s fortunes for this season. “BCHS graduated 17 players last year. We were hit the hardest on defense. Every starting linebacker graduated last year, as well as a couple of starting defensive linemen. Offensively, we were not hit as hard although we did lose a three-year starter at the running back position and a three year starter at a wide receiver position. We will return the core of the offensive front. We have three returning wide receivers and we have some new faces that will be able to step in on the offensive end and contribute immediately at the wide receiver positions,” said Coach Mark Walker.

8/19 8/26 9/02 9/09 9/23 10/07 10/14 10/21 10/28 11/04

At McIntosh County Academy At Charlton County Richmond Hill At Jeff Davis At Montgomery County Pierce County* At Tattnall County* Appling County* At Liberty County* Long County*

What has realignment changed?

Brantley County moves from Division A of 1-AAA into the new Region 2-AAA. The new region includes Appling, Liberty, Long, Pierce and Tattnall. Gone is the A and B divisions of the region and the end of year region play-in game to determine who goes to the state playoffs. Now, it will be the top four teams in the region going to the GHSA playoffs.

Big games this year:

The Herons open by rekindling their rivalry with McIntosh County Academy on August 19 in Darien. They will then travel to Folkston to play Charlton County before returning home to face Richmond Hill. Then it’s two weeks on the road at Jeff Davis and Montgomery County before starting region play in October. The will host Pierce, Appling and Long while traveling to Tattnall and Liberty.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

29

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LONG COUNTY BLUE TIDE

Ludowici, Ga.

LONG LOOKING TO TURN THE TIDE Written by: John Wood

Summary of Last Season

Region 2-3A

First year head coach Eric McNair was handed as tough as task as any first year coach in the state of Georgia last season.

Region 1-AA had dates against super programs, Vidalia and defending AA state champion Benedictine. Despite some tough losses, McNair’s Blue Tide was able to carve out three wins against Jeff Davis, New Hampstead, and Groves. Playing a tougher schedule last year, gave some of his younger players experience that is going to be important this season, when Long County moves up from Class AA to AAA. Linebacker Jamin Davis, who is verbal to Kentucky, and speedster Tariq Carpenter, being pursued by a number of schools, are going to be two key players in Long County having a great 2016 season.

HIGHLIGHTS Overall record last year: 3-7 Region record last year: 2-5 Stadium name: Veteran’s Stadium

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Eric McNair Years at this school: 2nd as Head Coach, (5 total at LCH) Coach’s record: 3-7

Players to Watch Jamin Davis LB Traiq Carpenter S/WR JackLauver WR Gerald Williams LB

Outlook for this season:

“We have a veteran defense lead by two Division 1 athletes. We are moving into highly competitive Region 2-AAA. Looking to have some kids step up on the offensive side of the ball that only returns 3 Starters. We have a veteran-receiving core with a hungry offensive line. If we can manage to make the pieces fit, we could have a very good season,” Long County Head Coach Eric McNair said.

What has realignment changed this year?

Realignment could potentially be a game changer for the Long County Blue Tide, during the 2016 campaign. Since the Blue Tide is moving to Class AAA, they are able to leave region games against Vidalia and Benedictine on the table.

McNair knows that a senior laden Blue Tide needs to come through this season and the new region should help that.

Big games this year:

For Long County the future is now. The Blue Tide have four non-conference games, before they host 2-AAAAAA Bradwell Institute at home. It will be the first time the two teams have met in a varsity contest.

Week six, Long County starts the 2-AAA schedule hosting Appling County; Long will get a strong test of their athleticism facing Pierce and Liberty County in back-to-back weeks.

8/26 At Islands 9/02 At Jeff Davis County 9/09 Windsor Forest 9/16 At New Hampstead 9/23 Bradwell Institute 10/07 Appling County* 10/14 At Pierce County* 10/21 At Liberty County* 10/28 Tattnall County* 11/04 At Brantley County*

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

31

HA

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Alfonso Clinch 27

ARD WORK EARNS MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

TARTING SPOT Written by: Rob Asbell | Photos by: Michael Brinson

It took years of hard work to get there, but this season, Alphonso Clinch will take his spot in the starting lineup for the Brunswick High Pirates. At 5’6 and 156-pounds, the junior may not be the biggest player on the field, but he makes up for it in heart and determination.

“Mr. Clinch is one of the hardest working young men on our football team and that work has earned him a starting spot on our varsity defensive unit,” said Pirates’ second year coach, Larry Harold. With a 4.6 second 40 yard dash, Clinch is a speedy cornerback/safety who can drop back into man to man coverage or blitz the quarterback: a threat to intercept or sack on any given play. “In my mind, it’s all about getting lined up, reading my keys, and making a big play to help my team,” Clinch said. In the weight-room he can bench 215, squat 410 and clean 210-pounds.

Last year, Clinch got his first taste of varsity play when he was called on to take the field against Bradwell Institute, an experience that encouraged him to work harder.

During the off season, he started working on technique, strength and conditioning.

“Through off-season workouts and spring practices, Alphonso has worked hard in the weight room to improve his physical strength. He has spent a lot of time in the film room with his position coach, Kurt Williams, to improve upon his reads, tech-

niques, and fundamentals,” Coach Harold said. Clinch worked with his coaches to improve his vision and footwork. They continued to push him in the weight room and on the practice field by pitting him against some of the top receivers in the state like South Carolina-commit, Shawn Smith.

By the time spring practice came around, Clinch was ready to stand out. “My first big play was when I caught a pick in the spring game because I had been beaten by the same person. I told him that I was going to get him back and on the next play, I caught a pick to end practice.” Before the Coffee County Trojans visit Glynn County Stadium to start the 2016 regular season, Clinch hopes to improve on his man and zone coverages as well as his ability to be physical and make big plays. This year, Brunswick moves back up to the AAAAAA classification. The Pirates will be in the five team Region 2 with Bradwell Institute, Effingham County, Richmond Hill and cross-town rival, Glynn Academy. Clinch will be part of a defense, which returns nine starters from last year’s team. The Pirates have a total of 18 starters returning and hope to return to the playoffs for the second time in six years.

While he puts in time in the weight-room whenever he can, Clinch also gets it done in the classroom, where he holds down a solid 3.5 grade point average. He has

maintained a spot on the A/B Honor Roll since middle school and is still deciding whether to become a football coach or an electrical engineer in the future. No matter what he decides on his major or where he will attend, he plans on playing football in college.

In addition to football, he has also run track since his middle school days. But it was football that attracted him the most. Clinch got started playing football when he was 10-years-old and continued until he got into high school. He got the opportunity to play and will become a starter in his junior year.

His biggest moment came last season, as the Pirates defeated Richmond Hill to snap a six-game losing streak. The following week, he was on the field helping the Pirates win their second in a row. Clinch’s favorite part of playing is watching teammates make big plays that change the course of the contest.

For now, Clinch continues the hard work that has earned him a position in Brunswick’s 2016 starting lineup; in a position that has seen two players move on to the NFL recently: Darius Slay with Detroit and Justin Coleman with New England. Whether he will follow in their footsteps is uncertain, but for now, Clinch continues to work.

This year he becomes a starter, perhaps in two years a collegiate. After that, the sky is the limit for Alfonso Clinch.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

33

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LIBERTY COUNTY PANTHERS Hinesville, Ga.

LECOUNTE LEADS LIBERTY

Region 2-3A

Written by: John Wood

Summary of Last Season

2015 was the year of the Liberty County Panthers; the Panthers had a solid season last year, which ended on the road against Cartersville in the second round of the AAAA state playoffs. Several Panther football players, including all around Georgia athlete Richard LeCounte, set a school record during basketball season that ended with the Panthers as the AAAA State Champions.

Liberty has the experience and athleticism to seriously threaten for an AAA-1 title, since the Panthers will drop down in classification after realignment. Garnering a region title could give the Panthers momentum for long run into the AAA state playoffs.

What is your outlook for this season?

“A big senior and junior class who has experience,” Liberty County High School Head Coach Kirk Warner said.

Before the 2016 season has even started, Richard LeCounte forced a further review at the Opening at Nike Headquarters, labeling him a true five star recruit for the Class of 2017. LeCounte can do it all on both sides of the ball, but he has plenty of help with four other seniors that have been playing next to him for last few seasons.

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Liberty County High School Panthers Overall record last year: 8-4 Region record last year: 3-1 Stadium name: Donnell Woods Stadium/8,000

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Kirk Warner Years at this school: 14 years Coach’s record: 64-82

What has realignment changed this year?

Liberty moves down to 1-AAA; a lot of the region will look familiar with Pierce, Appling, Brantley and Tattnall still in the mix. One big change to region 1-AAA will be Long County, who moved up from Class AA. The athleticism and experience that Liberty brings to the region has to put the Panthers as the favorite, but the development of Long and the tradition of Pierce and Appling will make it competitive until the end.

Big game this year:

Liberty begins its defense of the Commissioners Cup when the Panthers face Bradwell Institute, in a series that have dominated in recent years. The Panthers could see one of the better Savannah area teams in week three against the H.V. Jenkins Warriors. During week five, Liberty travels to the Palace of the Pines to take on Effingham County, before they open against 1-AAA Tattnall County on October 7, 2016.

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/23 9/30 10/07 10/14 10/21 10/28 11/04

At Bradwell Institute At Statesboro Savannah-Jenkins New Hampstead At Effingham County At Tattnall County* At Appling County* Long County* Brantley County* At Pierece County*

Returning Players from Last Year

Players to Watch Richard LeCounte DB/Ath Eli Polite Slot Tramel Walthour DL Tracy White DB Antonio Golden DL Jaalon Frazier QB Josh Washington LB

Richard LeCounte Eli Polite Tracy White Jaalon Frazier Richard Dowers Tramel Walthour Antonio Golden Sam Roberts Willie Roberts Traveon Freeman Tucker Lyda

DB/Ath Slot DB QB OL DL DL WR WR DL LB

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

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GAMES 19 26 AUGUST

AUGUST

the season than with a good old fashioned rivalry. There was a time when this game was settled with fisticuffs, but things are more civilized now and things are settled on the field. Buccaneer Stadium should be rocking as the AAA Herons travel to Darien to face the Single A McIntosh team. The Bucs have won the last four games between the two but this is the first meeting in five seasons.

Last year these two teams played the game of the season in the state AAAAA semifinals.

This will be a rematch even though there are no longer any region implications or a trip to the Dome on the line. Gators’ quarterback Jemar Lincoln tries to exact revenge for two losses to GA last year. It should be a war in the Swamp.

Brantley at MCA

Glynn Academy at There’s no better way to start Ware County

GEORGIA VS. FLORDIA BORDER WARS 8/19 Camden at Oak Leaf Knights, Orange Park, Florida 8/26 Camden at Venice Indians, Venice, Florida 9/02 Camden at Columbia Tigers, Lake City, Florida 10/07 East Lake Eagles of Tarpon Springs, Florida at Ware County

TO SEE THIS Welcome to In The Game Southeast Georgia Edition’s 2016 high school football preview. We start this year’s issue with our Games to See This Season: Ten contests that stand out among the more than 1,000 games to be played in our area over the next four months. They include old rivalries and first time clashes between highly ranked programs. One will be played out on national television next month. So, without further adieu, here are:

01

SEPTEMBER

23 16 02 SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER Glynn Academy at WARE COUNTY AT The Pomona Panthers VALDOSTA AT WAYNE NORTHSIDE of Arvada, Colorado. COUNTY WARNER ROBINS It’s been 13 years since Valdosta The Red Terrors make their national television debut thanks to the ESPN networks. Georgia’s 2015 AAAAA runnerup will take on Colorado’s AAAAA runnerup in a televised Thursday night showdown at the Disney World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. The DeeJay Dallas Show goes nationwide September 1.

last ventured into Jaycee Stadium in Jesup. That night in 2003, the Wildcats were chased back down Highway 84 to the tune of a 16-6 upset at the hands of the Yellow Jackets. This should be a good rematch with both teams coming in under new coaches.

14

OCTOBER

GLYNN ACADEMY AT BRUNSWICK The battle for the Brunswick City Championship will have a new twist this year as the field will be filled with college prospects including Deejay Dallas, Shawn Smith and D’Antne Demery. This will also be a showdown to see who rules the new Region 2-AAAAAA. This is always a tough rivalry where the records go out the window. The Terrors have won the last two and will get to retire the trophy if they win this year.

Another great rivalry between two great teams under a full moon at the Mac. These two teams have built a dislike of each other from multiple playoff meetings. This will be their fourth meeting in five years and the Gators have won them all including last year’s first round playoff upset. This will be the first time they have met in a regular season matchup.

SEPTEMBER VIDALIA AT BENEDICTINE

These two teams have each claimed a region title in the past two years. This game usually decides the king of the hill. The Indians have top Division 1 prospect Nate McBride who missed last season with an injury, while the Cadets hope to reclaim their 2014 state title. A battle for 2-AA.

28 28 04 OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

PIERCE AT APPLING

The Blackshear vs. Baxley rivalry game has been a classic over the years. The Appling County Pirates have won the last three years including a come from behind 55-42 victory last year. This should be a good one at Jimmy Swain Stadium in Baxley.

OCTOBER

LIBERTY AT PIERCE

The Swamp War rivalry plays out in the Swamp in Folkston as the Indians and Panthers face off. Coach Rich McWhorter’s Charlton team has won three of the last five but fell 14-7 last year in Homerville.

This game will have a lot to say over who rules the roost in Region 2-A.

The Panthers, led by Georgia-commit Richard LeCounte, will travel to Blackshear to face Stetson Bennett and the Bears. This is only the third time these two teams have met and Pierce has won the two previous times. This year they are region foes in the new Region 2-AAA. This could decide the region champ.

CLINCH AT CHARLTON

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

37

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VIDALIA INDIANS Vidalia, Ga.

VIDALIA: HEALTHY AND STRONG

Region 2-2A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season 2015 started out on a bad note when All-American Linebacker Nate McBride injured his arms in an auto accident. Coach Lee Chomskis’s Indians got the season started with a shutout win over Swainsboro. After falling to East Laurens, Vidalia downed cross-town rival Toombs County. A one point loss to McIntosh County Academy was next followed by shutout wins over Groves and Long County; a loss to Benedictine decided the region standings for the season. Vidalia won four in a row including a second shutout of the season against Swainsboro. The Indians playoff run came to an end in the second round against Greater Atlanta Christian.

What is your outlook for this season?

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Vidalia Indians Region: 2-AA Overall record last year: 8-4 Region record last year: 6-2 Stadium name: Buck Cravey Stadium

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Lee Chomskis Years at this school: 10th season Coach’s record: 71-31

Players to Watch Nathan McBride Samuel Collins Deon Green Tony Hardy Jaxon McFadden Lakia Henry

LB/HB OL/DL DB/HB OL/DL DE/FB DE/HB

“Going into the 2016 season, we have many key holes to fill. The holes are especially noticeable on the offensive and defensive fronts. We lack any significant depth, and we will have several players having to go both ways. Our leadership has been good and we feel good about our senior class. We must stay healthy this season in order for us to be a competitive football team.”

What has realignment changed?

Vidalia will remain in the AA Classification; they will be in the eight team Region 2-AA with Bacon County, Benedictine, Bryan County, Jeff Davis County, Metter, Swainsboro and cross-town rival Toombs.

Big games this year:

The Indians will get the season started with three non-region games against tough opponents. The travel to play Dodge County, then back to Buck Cravey Field to play Appling County and then West Lauren’s. Then, Vidalia starts region play to determine position for payoff seedlings. One of those region games is the annual intra-county rivalry against Toombs County in the Pit.

Returning Players from Last Year

Nathan McBride Samuel Collins Tony Hardy Lakia Henry Nick Dasher Austin Perkins Nasir Wagner Deon Green Karen McKinney Jason McFadden Hall Graham

LB/HB OL/DB OL/DL DE/HB TE OL LB DB/HB DB/REC DE/FB QB

8/19 At Dodge County 8/26 Appling County 9/09 West Laurens 9/16 Metter* 9/23 At Benedictine (SS)* 9/30 Bacon County* 10/14 At Jeff Davis* 10/21 Swainsboro* 10/28 At Toombs County* 11/04 At Bryan County* IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

39

ON THE FIELD

IN THE CLASSROOM Written by: Rob Asbell | Photos by: Tammy Bell

On Friday nights in the fall, number 22 is a hard-hitting, all-region linebacker for the Charlton County Indians’ football team.

The rest of the time, senior Bryant Sloan hits the books and is ranked number one in his class academically.

“You always get players that can do a few things really well: Good on Friday nights and maybe good weight-room guys, but maybe they struggle in another part of their life. But this kid right here seems to have it all together probably more than any kid I have been around,” said Charlton County Head Coach, Rich McWhorter. High praise coming from one of the longest-tenured and most successful coaches in the state.

Sloan carries a 4.0 grade point average weighted from taking Advanced Placement Courses. He was a member of the academic all-region team, the Beta Club, and he is a University of Georgia Certificate of Merit recipient. His work in the classroom has effectively doubled his opportunities at a scholarship, as he is being recruited for both athletics and academics. “In the recruiting process, grades and athleticism are on a sliding scale so being well-rounded in both is a sure way to raise your worth to college scouts,” Sloan said. He hopes to major in physical therapy no matter where he attends.

At 6-foot and 225-pounds, Sloan is built like the prototypical linebacker with speed to match. He can bench 335, squat 510

and clean 325-pounds. Last season, he was the Indians’ leading tackler. He clogs up the line and drops back into coverage as a linebacker but prefers delivering big hits to opposing runners. “When you think of an inside linebacker he’s what you think of. He really plays downhill, extremely intelligent in the things he does on the field, He’s a very physical player,” Coach McWhorter said. Sloan’s sharp mind helps his performance tremendously. He is able to understand an opponent’s offensive scheme before the ball is snapped, which helps him know where the play is going and what it’s going to take to stop it. “As the coaches say, ‘the game is 80-percent mental.’”

Sloan gave up football in seventh grade due to conflicts with commitments at church. He returned to playing in eighth grade, when he got the opportunity to practice and play with the junior varsity team. His freshman year he got his first big crowd roar against Beach High School, when he broke down one-on-one against the quarterback and tackled him for a loss.

But the season was marred when he tore his ACL. It took a year to recover without any athletic activity. “It grew me as a person. I had always heard that struggles are what make people stronger, but experiencing that for myself was life changing.”

He is now bigger and faster than he was before the surgery and has improved his conditioning as well. Halfway through last

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BRYANT SLOAN season, Sloan hit his stride in a game against Irwin County when he had 11.5 tackles in a 28-14 victory. By the time the Swamp War against Clinch County came around, he was ready to shine. “The people in Homerville recognize me now and say ‘Oh, you’re number 22.’” Being known at Jimbo’s Log Kitchen is always a good thing.

When facing opposing teams, Sloan concentrates on being physical. He wants to run through blocks and hit the ball carrier. “I’m focused on winning the play by playing intensely,” he said. He makes eye contact with the running back, considers down and distance and what the play might be according to the formation.

Then, he attacks.

The son of Roger and Sherry Sloan of Folkston, prefers classes in the science-related fields. Among the colleges showing interest in him are West Point, Mercer, Georgia Southern, Yale, Harvard, and Purdue with more to come as the season progresses. “It’s been great talking to colleges about him,” Coach McWhorter said.

“I can talk about him as a person, which is very easy to do. I can talk about him as a football player, but then I can also say, ‘Here’s his transcript.’”

In addition to football, Sloan also runs track where he finished eighth in the state in the 800 meters. He also plays basketball where he was the team’s leading rebounder. He may even give wrestling a try this year. In

what extra time he has left, Sloan works with his church which included a summer mission trip to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, an area devastated by an earthquake in 2010. “It was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of,” Sloan said. It helped him realize many things about himself and the world around him. “It was a blessing to be able to serve In Haiti. There, life was simple and the people were genuine...What we did there gave me a feeling even greater than what I’ve felt playing my favorite sport under the Friday night lights.”

He is recognized on the field, in the classroom and as a person. “There’s no doubt that he is a Christian young man and he is an extremely good student,” Coach McWhorter added. “Everything the kid does is just at an extremely high level.”

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

41

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JEFF DAVIS YELLOW JACKETS

Hazlehurst, Ga.

LOVVORN TAKES THE HELM

Region 2-2A

Written by: John DuPont

Summary of Last Season

The Yellow Jackets got out of the gates at 3-0 in 2015 and ultimately improved for the third straight season, finishing at 5-5. However, the Jackets fell shy of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2001. In the off-season, JDHS handed the reigns to Ed Lovvorn, who spent the last two seasons as the school’s defensive coordinator. The Jackets improved defensively under Lovvorn’s direction as coordinator, from 33.4 points per game in 2013 to 20.9 PPG in 2014.

Last season, that number dropped to 19.4 PPG. Lovvorn has coached 30-plus seasons at more than a half dozen schools and spent two seasons as the head coach at Temple High School in the 1990s.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AA Overall record last year: 5-5 Region record last year: 2-5 Stadium name/Capacity: Jackets Stadium/5,000

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Ed Lovvorn Years at this school: First at JDHS (0-0) Coach’s record: 4-17 Overall, 2 Seasons

Players to Watch DeAngelo Adams LB/RB Kody Ewing DT Jaylene Kirby SS Alex Nelson LB Gavan Sammons OT/DT Harrison Sheeler OT

Outlook for this season:

“Jeff Davis is looking to continue making strides toward becoming a consistent playoff team,” says Lovvorn. “Our strength and conditioning program at both the high school and middle school has made a huge difference in overall team strength. We return most of the offensive line as well as several experienced players on defense. The goal for this year’s team is to continue the improvements made in the last two years and to secure a playoff berth.”

Players returning from last year’s team:

The offensive line features seniors, Khody Sellers and Darton Stankowitz, and junior Harrison Sheeler. Senior, Wyatt Montgomery figures to be a prime player in the backfield. Senior DE Justin Kight, senior LB Wyatt Williams, junior LB Willie Waters, and junior defensive backs Jaylene Kirby and Jeremey Solomon headline the defense. Several Jackets will see action on both sides of the ball, including senior DeAngelo Adams (RB/ LB), senior Treyton Waters (DB/WR), junior John Jackson (TE/DE), and junior Alex Sanders (RB/CB). Junior kicker Moises Briceno is also back.

What has realignment changed this year?

The Jackets still call 2-AA home, where they’ll once again play seven region games. Realignment sent Long County, McIntosh County Academy, and Groves elsewhere. Meanwhile, Swainsboro joins the fold along with Metter and Toombs County, who rejoin the region after a two-year hiatus. However, JDHS kept Long County on the slate as a non-region foe.

Big games this year:

Jeff Davis will once again have to deal with Benedictine and Vidalia, who have alternated as region champs the past four years. The Jackets also play up against AAA opponents Long County and Brantley County.

The region slate opens with the annual border war at longtime rival Bacon County, against whom the Jackets have lost five in a row.

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/23

At Atkinson Co. Long Co. Brantley Co. At Bacon Co. * Metter *

9/30 At Toombs Co. * 10/14 Vidalia * 10/21 At Bryan Co. * 10/28 At Swainsboro * 11/04 Benedictine * IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

43

BACON COUNTY RED RAIDERS Alma, Ga.

BACON TAKES NEW DIRECTION

Region 2-2A

Written by: John DuPont

Summary of Last Season

“The team started fast but faded a bit down the stretch,” notes new BCHS head coach Kyle Langford, the team’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons.

The off-season saw BCHS hand the reigns to Langford, a veteran of 20-plus years who served as head coach at Towns County from 2007-12; he becomes the fifth head coach in seven seasons at Bacon.

HIGHLIGHTS Region: 2-AA Overall record last year: 5-5 Region record last year: 3-4 Stadium name/Capacity: Red Raider Stadium/3,500

Coach’s Corner

Outlook for this season: Coach’s name: Kyle Langford Numbers are up at BCHS with roughly 65 playYears at this school: First at BCHS (0-0) Coach’s record: 17-43 Overall, 6 Seasons ers engaged in summer workouts. Langford also made three key hires in the off-season, giving BCHS a full complement of seven varsity assisPlayers to Watch tants for the first time in several seasons. VeterDawson Jewell QB an Willis Yates, late of Glynn Academy, replacDawson Murray DL es Langford as defensive coordinator and will coach linebackers. Ryan Morgan came over from Long County to handle the defensive line. Meanwhile, Thad Williams returns to coach defensive backs, after a year away from football.

“We say every day that we want to be disciplined, physical, and tough,” Langford says.

“The folks here support this program and these young people like I’ve never seen. They 8/26 At Pierce County expect the program to be run in a first-class way, and I do too. Since I’ve been here, I’ve never 9/02 Telfair County been disappointed in these kids once. We have 9/09 At Berrien County some coaches that have been in Alma awhile and want to be here. And we want to take the 9/16 Jeff Davis * good things and successful things from these 9/23 Toombs County * past few years, magnify them, and add to them.

That’s when the program gets successful.”

9/30 At Vidalia * 10/14 At Swainsboro * 10/21 Benedictine * 10/28 Bryan County * 11/04 At Metter *

What has realignment changed this year?

Long County, McIntosh County Academy, and Groves moved out of Region 2-AA. Meanwhile, familiar faces Metter and Toombs County moved back in along with Swainsboro, which Bacon will face for the first time ever this season. Perennial region giants, Benedictine and Vidalia are still in the mix, as are Bryan County and Jeff Davis.

Players returning from last year’s team:

The offense returns five experience linemen – Seniors Jorge Lopez and Jackson Hall, along with juniors, Andrew Bloodworth, Will Richardson, and Jesus Brown. The receiving corps welcomes back senior Xavier Hayes, junior LaGondric Snell, and sophomore J.P. Peterson. On defense, juniors Anthony Madison and K.J. Casteel bring experience to the front wall. Seniors Wesley Cothern and Zebion Brown, along with junior K.J. Brown, will once again roam the middle. The secondary is loaded with experience, featuring seniors Champ Merritt and Trae Stewart, along with juniors Aeriton Moore and Shawn Morgan. Kicker Bylan Kelley, a senior, headlines special teams’ returnees.

Big games this year:

The season opener against non-region border rival Pierce County looks to carry a playoff-type atmosphere as the Bears look to avenge a 41-40 loss from 2015. That game promises to be an overflow crowd in Bearville. The other yearly grudge match comes against Bacon’s neighbor from the north, Jeff Davis, which kicks off the region slate.

The Raiders close out September on the road against Vidalia and get Benedictine at home in late October.

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

45

STARTING

WITH A BANG Written by: Rob Asbell | Photos by: Michael Brinson

Kwajaylen Lee Jane Macon Middle School

OFF

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Kwajaylen Lee likes to announce his presence with authority. As the quarterback for Jane Macon Middle School in Brunswick last season, Lee was one of several middle school players from across southeast Georgia who got the chance to play on the turf at Chris Gilman Stadium in Camden County. Jane Macon Middle School faced St. Mary’s Middle School to start their season, and Lee opened his middle school career by throwing a 75-yard bomb for a touchdown on his first play. “It was a perfect throw; dropped right over his outside shoulder,” Lee said. Spectators who arrived early enough to see it say the strong-armed quarterback threw the ball 50 yards in the air on the opening play. This season, Lee will be an eighth grader for Coach Keith Reddings’ Eagles. At 5’8” 145-pounds, Lee is still growing.

A strong two-sport athlete, last season as a seventh-grader Lee was voted the Most Valuable Player on the football and basketball teams, both of which were region champions.

In the basketball final, Lee managed to play although he was suffering from the flu. He led the game in scoring and hit two free throws to secure the victory while running a fever. In the off season, he played AAU basketball and was given the “Hustle” award for the Brunswick Kings. “He also learns from his mistakes, which is a remarkable trait for a middle school athlete,” Coach Reddings said. When it comes to football, Lee enjoys playing quarterback because it allows him to lead his team from the front.

“Commanding my offense. Plain and simple.”

Like many sports stand-outs, Lee picked up a ball as soon as he could walk. He went on to play football and basketball at the recreation department and then progressed into middle school.

In their first home game of the season, Jane Macon faced St. Mary’s Middle; Lee scored his first touchdown on a 35-yard scamper to set the stage for a championship season. Later in the year came one of the most epic games to ever be played in Glynn County. The Eagles faced off against Risley Middle School in a two day battle royale that went back and forth. It eventually went to eight overtime periods, before Jane Macon Middle won 52-48. “We kept going back and forth scoring touchdowns,” Lee said. “The

game was intense; it lasted so long we had to finish it the next day.” The two teams later met in the championship game, which the Eagles won 8-0.

His plans are to continue playing in high school. “Absolutely! I will be the starting quarterback at Brunswick High,” Lee said hoping to follow in the footsteps of cousin, Reshard Lee who led the Brunswick Pirates to the state championship game in 1999, before becoming an NFL running back. Even when he is not on the practice field, Lee is at home focusing on football. “I grind. I go home and work on my game.

I like to watch football and throw routes with my brother.” He also likes to watch football and discusses it at length with his mentor, former Brunswick High standout, Bryan Yancey, about plays and why things happen on the field. The strongest part of his game may be that he is a student of the sport he plays; watching college and pro athletes and emulating what they do.

He got a brush with fame on New Year’s Day 2014, when he went to the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville to see Georgia take on Nebraska. The highlight of the night, however, came when Lee got the chance to meet UGA running back and future NFL star, Todd Gurley.

His ultimate sports dream would be to get a scholarship to FSU playing quarterback then to be drafted in the first round by the Carolina Panthers. The son of Marica Lee, his favorite school subject is math, which is fitting for a young man who endeavors to become an engineer.

“I like the process of building things,” Lee said.

He credits his mom for encouraging him and teaching him discipline. “She makes me go to practice even when I don’t feel like it, because she says I’ve made a commitment to my team and I can never let them down.” Coaches say Lee is an incredible athlete for his age; he often does things that amaze them: Throwing passes it takes college and pro quarterbacks years to perfect. Likewise in basketball, he makes shots that are usually accomplished by players much older.

“I believe he can write his own ticket,” Coach Reddings said. “I can see him playing major college football and with some hard work and dedication perhaps get an opportunity to play on Sundays.”

IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

47

TOOMBS COUNTY BULLDOGS Lyons, Ga.

BULLDOGS CONTINUE TO REBUILD WITH NEW COACH

Region 2-2A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season 2015 was not the season Toombs County fans wanted. The Bulldogs won only two games and lost all of their region games; this resulted in the resignation of their coach and the introduction of Richard “Richie” Marsh as the new head of the Toombs County football program. Marsh is the former head coach at Thomasville High School. He has also been a coach at the collegiate level, ran two programs in Florida and was the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Valdosta High.

Outlook for this season?

“The team should be competitive,” Coach Marsh said. “We are looking forward to being back in AA. The region should be as good as many in the state.” Coach Marsh will be making changes from the system that has been in place the last two years. A self-described “defensive guy at heart,” Marsh is known to run multiple defenses but is most fond of the base 50 defense. Offensively, his team’s have usually run option-based offenses. It depends on how quickly his players pick up the new program, as to the fortunes in the Pit this season.

Players returning from last year’s team:

The Bulldogs loss a lot of senior experience from last season’s squad but return a group of talented juniors. They will be looking to replace personnel at key positions including quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, and the secondary.

What has realignment changed?

Toombs moves down from AAA to AA and back into the same region as cross-town rival Vidalia. The Bulldogs will be in the eight team Region 2-AA with Bacon County, Benedictine, Bryan County, Jeff Davis County, Metter, Swainsboro and Vidalia.

Big games this year:

The Bulldogs get their season started with three non-region games against tough opponents. They are at home against East Laurens and Twiggs County to start the year then hit the road against Telfair. Toombs then starts its region slate against Bryan County, at Bacon, home against Jeff Davis and then two road games against Benedictine and Metter, before the big rivalry matchup with Vidalia in the Pit. The last game is on the road against Swainsboro.

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Toombs County Bulldogs Region: 2-AA Overall record last year: 2-8 Region record last year: 0-8 Stadium name: Booster Stadium aka “The Pit”

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Richie Marsh

Years at this school: 1st year as Head Coach 17 Overall

Coach’s record: 110-87

Players to Watch Jimmy Edwards Dalton McBride Ervin Mincey Willie Campbell Cody Fuller Keyshawn Morgan

8/19 East Laurens 8/26 Twiggs County 9/09 At Telfair County 9/16 Bryan County* 9/23 At Bacon County* 9/30 Jeff Davis* 10/14 At Benedictine* 10/21 At Metter* 10/28 Vidalia* 11/04 At Swainsboro*

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

MCINTOSH COUNTY BUCCANEERS Darien, Ga.

ONE MORE STEP TO GO FOR THE BUCS

Region 3A-A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season Despite a losing record of 4-7, 2015 was a success for the Buccaneers, who went winless just one year before. The streak ended on a September night in Darien, when Coach Robby Robinson decided to go for a two-point conversion against Vidalia. The go-for-broke play worked and MCA beat the state’s number five team by a single point. Victories over Groves, Long and Bacon gave the Bucs a 4-3 region record and a spot in the state playoffs for the first time since 2012.

8/19 Brantley County 8/26 Clinch County 9/09 At Bryan County 9/16 Jenkins County 9/30 At Savannah Christian* 10/07 At Portal* 10/14 Claxton* 10/21 At Calvary Day School* 10/28 Savannah Country Day* 11/04 At Region 3-A Play In

HIGHLIGHTS What is your outlook for this season?

“Having a full year under our belts with strength and conditioning should make for much improvement,” said Coach Robby Robinson, now in his second stint of running the program at McIntosh County Academy in Darien. The Buccaneers have 16 starters returning from last season’s playoff team, so good things are anticipated.

Coach’s Corner

What has realignment changed?

McIntosh County Academy will move down a classification this year; they will go from Region 2-AA into Region 3-A Division A with Calvary Day School, Claxton, Portal, Savannah Christian Prep School and Savannah Country Day School. The final game of the regular season will be a play-in game against Division B, which includes teams farther north in the region.

Big games this year:

The Bucs open at home with two big games: First, an old rivalry to start the year against Brantley County. Then, Clinch County comes to Darien followed by a road game against Bryan County and a home game with Jenkins County. Following an off week, MCA will start region play at Savannah Christian and Portal. They come home to play Claxton, before traveling to Savannah to face Calvary Day School. Then, it’s a home game against Savannah Country Day and the region play-in game to help determine power ratings and playoff seedlings.

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School & Mascot: McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers Region: 3A-A Overall record last year: 4-7 Region record last year: 4-3 Stadium name/Capacity: The Ship 2,500

380 Millennium Blvd, Brunswick, GA 31525 |

Coach’s name: Robby Robinson

Years at this school: 2nd year at MCA

Coach’s record: 130-77-1

Players to Watch Johathan Jason Dallas Anthony MJ McRae Dustin Anderson Simon Cummings Joe Roberts

LB LB REC Ath Ath DL

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IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

49

CHARLTON COUNTY INDIANS Folkston, Ga.

BIG SHOES TO FILL

Region 2-A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season Coach Rich McWhorter had high hopes going into 2015; Charlton County finished the regular season 7-2 and made the playoffs for the 26th season in a row.

The Indians started the season with three big wins but then fell hard to Turner County. Three more victories followed over Irwin, Wilcox and Telfair but then fell in the annual Swamp War rivalry against Clinch County. A final win over Lanier County set up a playoff matchup against Commerce, which ended in a two-point Charlton defeat to end the season.

HIGHLIGHTS

8/26 9/02 9/09 9/16 9/23 9/30 10/14 10/21 10/28 11/04

School & Mascot: Charlton County Indians Region: 2A Overall record last year: 7-3 Region record last year: 5-2 Stadium name/Capacity: “The Swamp”/Indian Field. 3,000

Coach’s Corner

Coach’s name: Rich McWhorter Years at this school: 27 Coach’s record: 268-66-2

Players to Watch Raykwon Anderson Athlete Edward Mincey LB Eric Daniels RB-SS Israel Gilyard LB AJ Bell QB-DB Bryant Sloan LB Thomas Johnson K Returning Players from last year Raykwon Anderson Eric Daniels Thomas Johnson Edward Mincey Israel Gilyard AJ Bell Bryant Sloan Eric Milton Aaron Brazeal

50

Athlete RB-SS PK LB LB QB-DB LB DL C

What is your outlook for this season?

“We must replace a lot,” said Coach McWhorter.

“Offensive line, defensive line, quarterback, running back, two wide receivers and two defensive backs.”

Gone is running back Andrew Lee, who led the offense for the past four years, but returning is sophomore Raykwon Anderson, who has already given a verbal commitment to the University of Florida. He will be a player to watch, as he improves upon his numbers from last year.

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

What has realignment changed?

Charlton County stays put in Region 2-A which will look the same this season with Atkinson, Clinch, Irwin, Lanier, Telfair, Turner and Wilcox. Playing in the Single A-Public category, playoff berths are decided based upon a power rating, which is used to rank teams in the post season tournament.

Brantley County At Appling County At Savannah Christian Atkinson County* Turner County* At Irwin County* Wilcox County* At Telfair County* Clinch County* At Lanier County*

Big games this year:

Because Single A playoff positions are determined

by Power ratings, all of their game are important. Charlton County will host Brantley County in the Swamp to start the season; they will then travel to Appling and Savannah Christian. Then, the Indians will start their region schedule hosting Atkinson and Turner. After visiting Irwin, they are back home against Wilcox. Then, it is off to Telfair before the annual Swamp War against Clinch County in Folkston on Halloween weekend. The Indians finish at Lanier County before the playoffs begin November 18.

FREDERICA ACADEMY KNIGHTS

St. Simons Island, Ga.

KNIGHTS LOOKING FOR DEEP PLAYOFF RUN

GISA Region 2-3A

Written by: Rob Asbell

Summary of Last Season The Knights got off to a fast start last season by opening with back to back victories. Then they ran into Valwood and Bethesda for two quick losses. Wins over Robert Toombs and Trinity Christian followed, but then another loss to Pinewood was followed by a three game winning streak to finish the regular season. Although they had the home field advantage, Frederica fell in the first round of the GISA state playoffs 14-3 to Gatewood.

8/12 GA Christian 8/19 At Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta) 8/26 Bethesda 9/02 Southwest Georgia Acad.

9/09 At Valwood 9/16 Memorial 9/23 At Trinity-Dublin * 9/30 Pinewood* 10/7 At Bulloch* 10/14 Edmund Burke*

HIGHLIGHTS School & Mascot: Frederica Academy Knights Region: GISA 2-3A Overall record last year: 7-4 Region record last year: 3-1 Stadium name/Capacity: Candler Complex/1,500

Coach’s Corner Coach’s name: Brandon Derrick

What is your outlook for this season?

“We have a tremendous group of sophomores coming up,” Coach Derrick told In The Game Radio. They include JaShawn Sheffield, who is already receiving college offers, Jaylin Simpson and quarterback Gaven Williams. The Knights will be young but return experience in the skill positions.

Big games this year:

The Knights open against Georgia Christian, before traveling to Atlanta to play Holy Spirit Prep. After a home stand against the Bethesda School, Frederica has a tough mid-season run. “We have three weeks straight where we play a state champion or a runnerup,” said Coach Brandon Derrick. The Knights travel to AA runnerup Robert Toombs, then to Valdosta to play AAA champion Valwood. Then it’s back home to play AA champ, Memorial. Frederica then finishes the regular season at Trinity-Dublin, at home against Pinewood, and at Bulloch. Then the team closes at home against Edmund Burke Academy.

Years at this school: 4th year at Frederica Academy

Coach’s record: 16-16

Players to Watch JaShawn Sheffield WR Gaven Williams QB John Mitchell Brock K Jaylin Simpson WR/DB Patrick Brunson WR/DB Luckett McKeown WR/DB Cameron McClellan FB/LB

Creating Permanent Memories Mike Brinson Photography glfelbs.smugmug.com 912-270-2489 IN THE GAME PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016

51

BACK

IN THE

saddle again Written by: John DuPont | Photo by: Michael Brinson

Coach’s Corner

SOUTHEAST

AUGUST 2016 Kyle Langford Bacon County

High School Alma, Georgia

Kyle Langford spent years paying his dues in coaching and that labor of love led him to the far northern reaches of Georgia. Now just four years removed from a head coaching stint in Towns County, Langford is glad to be back in familiar territory. The self-proclaimed “south Georgia boy” took the reins as Bacon County High School’s head football coach this past off-season, signaling a true homecoming.

“We are going to play hard here and are never going to quit,” says Langford.

“Whether you are up 40 or down 40, you just keep playing. It’s a four-quarter deal and you need to get kids to understand that. You just play every play, see what happens, and have a lot of class.”

Honing his skills as a two-sport athlete at Crisp Academy, the Vienna native competed at the prep level in football and baseball. In fact, it was Langford’s baseball talents that took him to the next level. However, an early injury landed the Valdosta State walk-on in a cast for several months. Observers soon got in Langford’s ear about coaching, and he ultimately found himself on Coach Milt Miller’s staff at Lowndes.

“I was a quarterback and when I showed

52

up Coach Miller said, ‘You’re coaching defensive line.’ I told him I didn’t know anything about the position and he told me I’d better figure it out,” laughs Langford. “We had 27 coaches and I was number 27, so I got all the dirty work. But it taught me a lot of respect for how organizations are run and how everyone is accountable.”

Vikings football chalked up 30 wins during Langford’s tenure as an assistant (1995-97). He then spent one year coaching running backs at Lee County, where he also served as a baseball assistant, just as he had done at Lowndes.

A call to Chad Cambell at Peach County later revealed that Cambell’s brother Lee, the new head coach at Hawkinsville, had openings in both sports. “Coach (Lee) Campbell hired me at 11 o’clock in the morning and said, ‘I need you back here at 5 p.m. for baseball practice,” recalls Langford.

Subsequently, Langford enjoyed a lengthy stay at Hawkinsville (1999-2007), where he coached quarterbacks, receivers, and defensive backs through the years. He was also the school’s head baseball coach until 2006. Ultimately, Langford says time became an issue

PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

with both sports. “We were very good in baseball and won more games probably than anybody in south Georgia in the playoffs,” he says. “But I could see baseball was changing and knew I wanted to one day make that step to being a head football coach.”

Hawkinsville lost to Lincoln County in the state quarterfinals of 2006. The following Monday, Langford, who had mentioned a desire to live in the mountains, got a phone call – a tip about an opening at Towns County High School.

The program in Hiawassee had never experienced a winning season dating back to 1969, a run of futility that included 10 seasons of 0-10. However, none of that deterred the young coach. “They hired me within two weeks,” he says. “I was barely 30 years old and tickled to death.

Then I took a step back and said, ‘This is the toughest job in the state.’ And it was.”

Langford inherited 17 players from a team that gained fewer than 800 yards total offense the year before. The Indians were also mired in a 27-game losing streak, a trend the enthusiastic young coach was determined to reverse. They went 0-10 once more in his first season there.

“Going into that second year, I didn’t have a kid that had ever won a football game,” Langford notes. “Everybody said we were too slow to spread it out and that our kids wouldn’t come to workouts, but we went old school and had kids coming twice a day. We came out and beat Rabun County that first game and were pretty strong physically. We played everyone really tough, including some North Carolina and Tennessee teams that were really good. We played whoever we could because we were so landlocked.”

Langford guided the Indians to a 7-3 mark in 2008, as the community enjoyed its first winning campaign in the program’s nearly 40-year history. The team went from just 42 points scored the previous year to an average of 34.6 per game. They also amassed nearly 5,000 yards in total offense using the famed Hal Mummestyle offense Langford had studied at Valdosta State.

Participation at Towns County subsequently increased and the program drew upward of 40 players per year. However, players soon began to move away and the Indians won just 10 games in the ensuing four years. The 2008 team remains the only team in TCHS history to post a winning mark and Langford remains the school’s all-time winningest coach.

“It’s beautiful up there, but football was a hard sell,” says Langford.

“There was a generational thing. The parents and the grandparents hadn’t played, so there wasn’t that connection as compared to down here in Bacon County.

Thrilled with a chance to return to south Georgia, Langford departed Towns County in 2012 to coach defensive line at Cook.

After one season there, he followed Ken Cofer to Bacon County and has served as the Red Raiders’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons. BCHS has gone 11-10 over that stretch.

Now Langford has designs on getting the team back in the playoffs following a year’s hiatus from the post-season. His 2016 team will showcase multiple schemes on both sides of the football.

The Red Raiders even got out of the shoots early with scrimmages against Appling and Atkinson County the first two weeks in August.

“We don’t talk about winning or losing because that just gets you distracted,” says Langford. “The number one predictor of success that you have is controlling your attitude. We tell our kids, ‘You chose to get up at 4 a.m. and you can choose whether to be high energy or to be an energy sucker.’ Beyond that there’s not much you can control. So I’ve tried to just make players aware of their responsibility and what we expect of them.”

Langford, who received a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and PE from Valdosta State, also holds two graduate degrees: A Master’s Degree in Technology and Education and a Specialist’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, both from Nova Southeastern University. His wife, Addy, teaches at Bacon County Primary School. They have three children: Allie (14), Anna Claire (11), and James (8). The family attends Pine Level Baptist Church in Alma. His faith, says Langford, has been the number one predictor of his own success.

“I give everything to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” says Langford. “I am not a special human being where people look at me and say there’s anything special. The Lord has put his hand on me to be his servant. I want to serve him and our county and our kids.

When they leave us, they can choose their own path, but they are going to know who Jesus Christ is.”

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PRESEASON FOOTBALL EDITION 2016 IN THE GAME

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