Southeast Georgia November 2016 Edition

Blazing New Trails Chase Royer

Getting On The Radar Early Weston Franklin

A New Type of Football Coach Stacy Taylor

Peaking Right On Time Ha’keem Dillard

LEADINGWAY IN THE

GAME SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

$4.00 / Issue

D’antne Demery & Shawn Smith

November 2016

THE

2 | itgsportsnetwork.com

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

IN THIS ISSUE 8

Leading the Way

D’antne Demery & Shawn Smith Brunswick High School

18 Blazing New Trails Chase Royer Pierce County

24

Impact Players 5 Athletes from Southeast Georgia

New Type of 30 AFootball Coach Stacy Taylor Glynn Academy

On The 34 Getting Radar Early

Weston Franklin Arthur Williams Middle School

ALSO:

15

Pirates Ranked in State's Top Ten

16

Yellow Jackets Get First Victory Under New Head Coach Derrick Chastain

Appling County High School

Wayne County High School

17

Fall Sports Going Strong — Winter Sports Warming Up Ware County High School

22

Jeff Davis High Cross Country

27

Lady Bears Softball Once Again Deep in the Playoffs

Jeff Davis High School

Pierce County High School

33

Wildcats fight weather and tough region Camden County High School

4 | itgsportsnetwork.com

28

Peaking Right On Time

Ha’keem Dillard Ware County Gators

In The Game | 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The third season of high school football kicks off this month: the playoffs. It’s been a strange season in SEGA for sure.

We’ve had some teams we expected to be in the playoffs as well as three Region Champions in our area. Glynn Academy won Region 2-AAAAAA; Ware County won Region 2-AAAAA; and Liberty County won their first ever region championship in Region 2-AAA. But we also had the weird. If you are a comic book fan, I kind of liken it to Bizarro World in Superman. Perennial power house Camden County had only two wins the whole season. In Charlton County it’s the first time ever over the course of 26 years that coach Rich McWhorter hasn’t made the playoffs. But just as unexpected are coach Greg Hill and his Bradwell Institute Tigers making the playoffs after going winless for two seasons and the Brantley County Herons and coach Mark Walker being on the road to the dome for only the second time in the school’s history. Welcome to the unexpected.

The 2016 Brunswick Pirates are believed to have nine Division 1 players on their roster, and two of the top seniors, D’Antne Demery and Shawn Smith, are featured in this month’s Player Spotlight. Demery is a 6’6” prototypical offensive tackle, and Smith is a sure-handed receiver with blazing speed. Demery, affectionately called the “Big Man,” has verbally committed to play college football at UGA. Smith, once a South Carolina commit, has since backed off his verbal and will announce his decision after the season.

Pierce County wide receiver Chase Royer will be playing college football for the power

6 | itgsportsnetwork.com

house program at Middlebury College based in Vermont. I say that with tongue in cheek of course, but we should all be so lucky as to attend one of the top five liberal arts colleges in America. Royer is impressive on the football field and in the classroom, setting the all-time catch record at Pierce County and sporting a 4.0 GPA. He has his sights set on Pre-Med when he attends college with a plan to focus on helping children in the future.

You won’t find this coach blowing a whistle during calisthenics or leading a tackling drill on the practice field, but she is an integral part of the staff. Meet coach Stacy Taylor. She’s the first female football coach in the long history of Glynn Academy. “Miss Coach Taylor” is the academic coach for the Red Terrors and is responsible for helping players achieve their potential in the classroom. Whether it’s keeping up with grades or helping players apply to colleges, Taylor helps keep the Red Terrors on their academic paths.

Playing safety at the high school level is a tough job.

You’re the last line of defense for your team, and when a big play happens, you’re in the spotlight and usually not in a good way.

Ware County Gator Ha’Keem Dillard welcomes the spotlight, and he can because of his preparation. He knows what it took to get here, and he knows what it will take to achieve his goals in the future: work ethic. Those early morning summer practices putting in the effort have made him one of the best safeties in AAAAA, and that same work ethic will serve him well at the next level.

Weston Franklin is 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, and already gar-

18

nering attention from college scouts. I’m not talking about a varsity high school player in the 11th grade; I’m referring to an Arthur Williams Middle School eighth grader known as “Hulk.”

Weston is a man among boys on the football field. He excels on both sides of the ball, hawking down players and creating turnovers on defense or pancaking defenders from his offensive tackle position. It would not surprise me if he’s playing at the varsity level as a freshman.

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.inthegamesportsnetwork. com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/inthegamesportsnetwork. Follow us on Twitter @SEGAInTheGame and on Instagram @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 from Google Play or the App Store today. Join us every Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 7 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 October edition of ITG

Contributors Publisher Shawn Smoak Editor Mark Dykes Graphics Mandy Douthit Cover Photography Michael Brinson Feature Photography Jennifer Carter Johnson Michael Brinson Jeffrey Griffith Julie Ernst Feature Writers John DuPont Rob Asbell John Wood Gracie Claxton Lexy Rentz Jaron Raulerson Copy Editor Cole Parker

Anna Limoges

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.

Leading

the

Way

Written by: Rob Asbell Photography by: Michael Brinson

On a high school football will go on while they are being team loaded with Division I recruited.

“I have to set a good example,” prospects, these two players are at the top of the mountain. said Smith, a 6-foot, 168-pound Brunswick High Pirates “Big wide receiver with a 4.47 40-yard Man” D’Antne Demery and dash. “I do consider myself a Shawn Smith are two of the mentor because players want to be in my shoes. They always tell most highly recruited college prospects in the southeast, and me what they would do if they both have offers from at least a had the offers I have received. dozen colleges. Demery verbally It makes me want to go even committed to playing football for harder.” the University of Georgia next His advice to future recruits is year while Smith will wait until to concentrate on playing their the season ends to make his final game and to give it all they can. college decision. For now, both “Every chance you get just go are seniors for the Brunswick hard because you could lose it at any time,” Smith said.

High Pirates and mentors to While Smith grabs headlines a large contingent of future college recruits. scoring touchdowns and making “They help big plays for them know the Pirates, "Every chance you what to look Demery is for and what down in the get just go hard to expect, trenches because you could and they m o v i n g help through defenders lose it at any time." the entire out of the p r o c e s s ,” way. He is a Brunswick coach Larry Harold 6-foot-6, 308-pound offensive said. As mentors, Smith and left tackle and a mountain of Demery have to lead their a man-child who has been teammates and teach them what recruited since his freshman

’ D antne Demery 8 | itgsportsnetwork.com

year. He has seen the good and bad side of the recruiting process and advises young players to not let it get to them. “I tell them to keep grinding and don’t let this recruiting thing get you all buzzed up,” Demery said.

“Just do your thing on the field.”

The Big Man credited Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and offensive line coach Sam Pittman for guiding him toward Athens. “I just wanted to be part of something that is great,” Demery said. He had more than 20 offers and visited nearly a dozen schools before deciding to become a Bulldog. Now, he and Smart talk twice a week.

Smith has been through every phase of the recruiting process from initial contact to verbally committing to a school.

He decommitted from the University of South Carolina in early October because he felt he was no longer a major part of their future plans. “I see myself playing in the spread offense, catching the ball in the open field, making defenders miss me, and scoring t o u c h d o w n s ,” Smith said.

Shawn Smith

Demery is an amazing athlete, too and surprisingly athletic for such a big man.

He has outstanding footwork and speed for an offensive lineman. He is so athletic that he once did a backflip on a trampoline when he weighed 315-pounds. Brunswick radio announcers jokingly refer to In The Game | 9

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the holes he creates for running backs as "Highway 77" because of the Big Man's jersey number. In the classroom he holds a 3.1 grade point average and is a quiet leader.

"I'm a nice person when you get to know me," he says.

Although they are being sought by colleges from around the country, both are enjoying their time as high school students and players. Georgia coaches encouraged Demery to just be a

high school student and to deal with college when it's time. Demery and Smith will always recall the fans, coaches and the brotherhoods they formed with their teammates.

Smith says he will also remember playing against arch-rival Glynn Academy every year for the Brunswick City Championship.

Smith also tries to lead by example. A humble young man, he is a hard worker that doesn't allow outside matters to distract him.

Smith and Demery talk to each other every day and give one another advice and share stories of recruiting trips. Of course, Demery has tried to talk Smith into attending Georgia with him next year, but so far he has not been successful. "You

never know what could happen," Smith

laughs.

Brunswick has been known for producing top-caliber college players over the past few years including current NFL players Justin Coleman, who played at Tennessee, and Darius Slay who was a standout defensive back at Mississippi State.

Demery and Smith are the stars of this year's class, but the Pirates have a junior class that is already standing out.

"The class of 2018 is loaded," said Coach Harold. "It will have 35 seniors. One of the biggest senior classes Brunswick has ever had." Among the up and coming Pirate players are major college prospects Sharrod Frazier, Kam Futch, Jaylen Jackson, Rudy Nixon, Kalvin Godette, Shawn Ward, Aubrey Williams, Jamarius Stevens, DJ Whitfield and sophomore Warren McClendon who has already received five SEC offers. All of them should be well prepared for the recruiting process with the help of the two Pirates' seniors.

In The Game | 11

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The Perfect Place For

HOLIDAY FUN

Written by: Rob Asbell | Photography by: Michael Brinson The holiday season has arrived at Brunswick's number one fun spot, The Strike Zone.

Looking for the perfect place for a Christmas party? The Strike Zone has got you covered.

"We have two conference rooms available for Christmas parties and holiday gatherings," general manager Michael Brinson said. Party packages come with bowling and guaranteed fun. Create a perfect Christmas party for children, the office, or the family. Every party is better with bowling. For an inexpensive family outing that is fun galore, load up and head to The Strike Zone over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Saturday mornings are extra special with youth leagues in action. You can get your child

signed up for one of the youth leagues at any time to start a lifelong love of one of America's favorite sports. Spots are also available for teen and adult league bowling, so sign up now! "I've got to meet a lot of interesting people and made a lot of good friends," Brinson said of The Strike Zone's bowling leagues.

If your child was a member of "Kids Bowl Free" this summer, then get ready for more fun during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The program gave kids two free games each day and all they paid for were their shoes. "If you were a member of Kids Bowl Free through the summer, be on the lookout for email specials," Brinson said.

Fun is always on tap at The Strike Zone, from the minute

you walk in and see the 50s wall mural to late at night with their famous "Rock and Bowl."

For just $14 on Friday and Saturday nights, you can now enjoy a three-hour block of the popular "Rock-n-Bowl," featuring black lights and music videos for families from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then the regular "Rock-n-Bowl" from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. That means if you can't get to The Strike Zone by 6 p.m. when it starts, you can still get a lane for three hours.

Bowling can be enjoyed by people of all ages from young children to senior citizens.

There are also arcade-style games on site. The Strike Zone has all of the latest features including electronic scoring, and you can even log in to your Facebook and play against friends, plus new

individual games for more on-screen fun. You can even reserve your lane on the Internet at www.tgistrikezone. com. Open Mondays 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday's from noon to 10 p.m. With 28 lanes of action, something is always going on at The Strike Zone.

Plus, it is a clean, family-friendly, non-smoking facility that won't cost you an arm and a leg for a night of fun.

The Strike Zone is the place for family fun with bowling and so much more. Located at 380 Millennium Boulevard in Brunswick off of Exit 38 at I-95 just off of Spur 25. Call (912) 265-6600 and like them on Facebook. Merry Christmas from The Strike Zone!

In The Game | 13

CHECK US OUT ON THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

APPLING COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

PIRATES RANKED IN STATE'S TOP 10 Written by: Rob Asbell | Photography by: Rob Asbell

Appling County continued its strong run on the gridiron, downing Statesboro 21-14 on Homecoming.

During halftime, Briana Hayes was crowned 2016 Appling County High School Homecoming Queen, and then the Pirates outlasted the Blue Devils for the win.

Coach J.T. Pollock's team was listed as No. 10 in the AJC's state rankings going into the game.

Things took a strange turn at the beginning of October when Hurricane Matthew caused the cancellation of several games in Southeast Georgia. Appling's region opener against Long County was delayed by four days to a Tuesday night in Ludowici, and even then it wasn't certain that the power would be working at the stadium, which suffered a power outage just before game time. Even so, Appling was led by the throwing arm of quarterback Keelan Crosby, who racked up big passing yardage as the Pirates downed the Blue Tide 59-29. That led to the big Region 2-AAA showdown against state-ranked Liberty County just four days later on a Saturday night. Despite jumping out to an early lead, the Pirates fell behind and were unable to catch up to the Panthers, falling 26-7. Appling still has games remaining against Brantley County, Pierce County, and Tattnall County.

SOFTBALL:

The Lady Pirates softball team of coach Linsey Tillman continued to win as the season progressed. Appling County finished 11-8 (8-2 in Region 2-AAA) and completed the regular season with a five-game winning streak and the number two seed in the region.

They hosted a first round state playoff game against the Peach County Lady Trojans from Region 4. The Lady Pirates shook off the nerves and proceeded to beat Peach County in both ends of the double header 13-1 and 8-0. The Lady Pirates then moved on to the second round for a road game against Region 8's number one seed, the East Jackson Lady Eagles in Commerce, Georgia.

Meanwhile, the basketball team of coach Bryan Weaver will get the season started in December as will Lady Pirates coach John Roddie.

WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

YELLOW JACKETS GET FIRST VICTORY UNDER NEW HEAD COACH DERRICK CHASTAIN Written by: John Wood

Wayne County head coach Derrick Chastain really hasn’t looked up since he first arrived in late June from Camden County to assume his first head coaching position for the Yellow Jackets football program. By the time camp was over, the Yellow Jackets were already boarding buses to scrimmage Thomas County Central. Eight weeks later, Wayne County weathered Tropical Storm Hermine and then Hurricane Matthew a couple of weeks later, but the Yellow Jackets have gotten better.

“We have made tremendous strides from TCC to South Effingham,” Chastain said.

“The question marks entering the season have progressively gotten better week by week. Regardless of scores, we are seeing the team moving forward in each week. We have a resilient group of kids.”

Despite a few lopsided scores against AAAAAA No. 1 Valdo-

sta in their home opener and AAAAAA No. 9 Glynn Academy in week five, the Yellow Jackets have fought hard this season.

In game four, Wayne County got locked into a battle with AAA Appling County. While the two teams have always played well against each other, the Yellow Jackets were not phased by the athletic advantage that a veteran Appling County had.

Both teams engaged in a scoring shootout.

Yellow Jackets MJ Fuller scored with three minutes to go on a fouryard rush and added two more points on the conversion to tie the game at 31-31. Wayne recovered a fumble from the Appling County kickoff, and Fuller added another score, putting the Yellow Jackets up 38-31 with less than two minutes left in the game. The Pirates scored with less than a minute to go and got the two-point conversion for a 39-38 win.

“I often wonder what

would have happened had we won that game,” Chastain said. “That was a heart breaker.”

Losses to Pierce County and Glynn Academy, along with the wild weather conditions of southeast Georgia, kept the Yellow Jackets’ quest for the first win of the season at bay.

“It was very important to come out and play well in our first region game,” Chastain said. “It was a little challenging mentally for our kids to expect to play one night, then re-schedule it for a Monday night, to have it pushed back another couple of days. We felt like we had a really good plan, but we didn’t play as well as I would have like for us to play. We kind of played like we just came back to school for the first time in six days.

But a win is a win, and we will take them anyway we can get them right now.”

The win against South Effingham, while not exactly pretty, certain-

ly gave the team more motivation.

“They were very excited, and as we went down to honor our band for the job they do on game nights, they were dancing and enjoying themselves,” Chastain said. “It was great to see them have fun for a change after a game. They have worked extremely hard for us, and they needed that win.”

Wayne has had a number of players step up and play in different positions, and special teams has been a pleasant surprise as the season has developed.

“I have been very proud of one of our seniors, Kolby Wallace, who was not playing much early, and he finally started practicing the way we wanted him to, and he broke through playing at WR and DB when we needed people,” Chastain said. “He now starts at WR and is the first DB we put in for different situations. Our kicking game has surprisingly

been the strength of our team. Junior PK Austin Crews has handle the KO and FG/XPT duties for us, and he has done a very good job.

Our punter who also plays TE, Dylan Leach, has stepped in and just averages over 35 yards a kick. To have never really punted before, this is impressive numbers.”

Wayne County has newcomer New Hampstead along with the old veterans Ware County and Statesboro left on the schedule. Chastain is pleased with the progress but knows that the Yellow Jackets have to be ready to play some of their best football in the last three games.

“Football is about blocking and tackling, and it will always be about blocking and tackling,” Chastain said.

“We need to get better each and every day at blocking and tackling.”

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WARE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

FALL SPORTS GOING STRONG — WINTER SPORTS WARMING UP Written by: Rob Asbell | Photography courtesy of Shawn Smoak

FOOTBALL The Gators football team hit a few rough spots with losses to Glynn Academy, Northside Warner Robins, and Lowndes, but despite the three losses, Ware County was still ranked sixth in the AJC's Top 10 at the halfway point of the season. The originally scheduled homecoming game against the East Lake Eagles from Tarpon Springs, Florida, was cancelled due to Hurricane Matthew, and the parade and other ceremonies were moved to the following weekend with the game against Statesboro on Friday night. It marked the start of the Gators' Region 2-AAAAA schedule, and it was off to a good start as Ware County celebrated a big Homecoming win over the Blue Devils 29-0. Senior Rokia Sallet was named Ware County High School's 2016 Homecoming Queen during halftime.

SOFTBALL The Lady Gators softball team finished the regular season 11-9 and took the number three seed in their region. Coach Rebecca Kirkland's team fell to the South Effingham Mustangs in three games in the first round of the Region playoffs. The Lady Gators then won both ends of a doubleheader to defeat the

Statesboro Blue Devils and become the third seed from Region 2-AAAAA going into the state playoffs.

This put Ware County on the road just south of Atlanta to play Locust Grove in the first round of the state playoffs. Despite the long road trip, the Lady Gators took both ends of the double header from the Lady Wildcats 13-1 and 3-1.

The victories moved Ware County to the second round of the state playoffs against Region 8's Flowery Branch Lady Falcons, who were upset winners over Decatur in the first round.

Because Ware was a higher seed, the series was hosted in Waycross.

VOLLEYBALL The Lady Gators volleyball team ended the regular season as the number three team in Region 2-AAAAA. Coach Alesia Gibson's ladies finished with a record of 19-6 and were to take on number two team Statesboro in the region double elimination tournament, but not before it was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. In fact, as most teams in the state were playing their first round matchups, it had yet to be determined which two teams would represent what is known in volleyball as "Area 2" in the state playoffs.

WINTER SPORTS There has been lots of activity in the gym as the basketball teams and wrestling team prepare for their upcoming seasons.

The Lady Gators basketball team of coach Mandy Lingenfelter gets going in November at the Tip Off Classic hosted by Jeff Davis County High School in Hazlehurst. That will be followed by the home opener for both the girls and coach Tre Hill's boys team against Bacon County Nov. 29.

Coach Joe Eichfeld's Gator wrestling team will get started in November, hosting the Swamp Duals on Nov. 12. Last year, 10 teams took part in the tournament, including Camden, Effingham, Brunswick, Glynn Academy, Colquitt County, Tift County, Lowndes County, and Valdosta.

The Gator wrestlers will also travel to Valdosta in November to face Lowndes and Colquitt. Ware County will then take part in the Buddy Duals in Effingham County on Nov. 19 and the Battle at the Beach in Brunswick Nov. 22.

Blazing

New Trails Written by: John DuPont Photography by: Jennifer Carter Johnson

It sounds cliché, but football teaches you a lot of life lessons, like how hard work pays off,” said Chase Royer, Pierce County High senior wideout. “I’ve seen it throughout my four years, starting out at as eighth grader going up against Hunter Skipper and those guys on scout team, to being a guy giving out water on Friday nights, to an all-state receiver. I can use that from the standpoint of hard work and respect.

Royer is a rarity in more than one sense.

The son of Mark and Julie Royer, he is his school’s all-time receptions leader and could become just the second player in PCHS history to be named all-state two years in a row. But Royer knows what he wants out of football and where he wants the game to take him. He recently committed to play at Vermont-based Middlebury College, which is among the top five liberal arts colleges in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“I love football, but I also want to be able to have a college experience,” Royer said.

“Up there they only play eight games.

Then they have a conference championship, so they’re done before Thanksgiving.

They don’t really have a spring football season.

In spring semester, guys go study abroad, and that really interests me.”

Royer chose Middlebury from a pack of interested schools that included Case Western 18 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Reserve University (Illinois), Macalaster College (Minnesota), and Colby College (Maine).

With family living nearby, Royer found the campus and its facilities to his liking at Middlebury, which also offers an interesting career track. With an affinity for studying the physical sciences, Royer’s favorite class is human anatomy, a college class he takes at PCHS through the Move On When Ready program.

His professor is Dean Thornton.

“It’s just a whole lot of different ways on how the body works,” Royer said.

“It’s interesting how you feel a certain way because of the way the cells are interacting with the body. I’m looking to follow the pre-med track and kind of want to do something that works with kids.”

Recently recognized

by Georgia High School Football Daily as its Scholar Athlete of the

Week, Royer is a Beta Club member and the owner of a 4.0 GPA, and he scored 28 on the ACT. Royer also holds membership with the First Southern Bank Junior Board of Directors.

Additionally, he was an All-State Academic pick

by Georgia High School Football Magazine last season. He is also a three-time scholar-athlete for PCHS football and won the Academic Athlete Award last season for PCHS basketball.

“Chase is not the most blazing, speedy guy or the most athletic guy on the team, but he’s a guy who knows how to get open, is a great route runner, and is a team player,” said PCHS head coach Sean Pender. “With Chase, it’s like having a coach out on the field. He is a very smart player that understands zones, and his relationship with the quarterback helps tremendously. He not only has a high academic IQ, but a high football IQ as well.”

Royer gleaned AllState accolades in 2015

after snagging 76 passes for 1,054 yards (13.9 average) with nine touchdowns. He thus became just the second PCHS receiver in history to surpass 1,000 yards in a season. Through the first seven games of this season, he had 38 grabs for 526 yards and five scores. He became the school’s career receptions leader against Long County, a game in which he snagged one of Stetson Bennett’s school-record seven touchdown passes. The 49-0 victory also gave coach Sean Pender his 50th win at PCHS. “Chase has a photographic memory, so he memorized every play and route for every receiver position,” Mark Royer said. “His sophomore year he played at all three positions in relief of starters because he knew every position, route, and play. He is a super smart young man who used his brain to get varsity playing time as a sophomore.”

“From the time Chase was very little, you knew if he put his mind to something that he would do it to the best if his ability,” Julie Royer said. “When he sets out to do things, he is going to be the best at it. There are still great things to come from him, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother. It's just how he is.”

Long-time pal Bennett, a fellow All-State pick at quarterback last season, has been a big part of the younger Royer’s success, according to the receiver himself. Bennett has not yet made a commitment despite numerous offers. Royer said he’d love the chance to play alongside his buddy at the next level.

“I’ve known Stetson since I first moved to Georgia from Virginia in third grade, and I’ve played football with him every year,” Royer said.

“On the field he knows where I’m going to be, and I know what he’s thinking.

The Middlebury coaches have asked me, ‘How is your QB? You’re catching all these passes, so you’ve got to have somebody to throw it to you.’”

When he’s not playing catch with Bennett, Royer makes time to support the endeavors

of his siblings. He sister Kylee is a sophomore softball player, and they have an 11-year-old brother, Cole. Royer equates his role as a big brother with having a particular level of

out there trying to help others, trying to protect others,” Royer said. “I have good role models to look up to. Kylee and I know what it takes to win, and we know that practices are hard. We k n o w doing homework after practices is hard.

I do enjoy having her in school and will miss here when I go off to college. With Cole it’s leading by example, making sure he’s doing right in class and not goofing off. If he is

“On the field, he knows where I’m going to be and I know what he’s thinking.” responsibility, mirroring the influence of his parents, both of whom work in law enforcement.

“It feels good to know I have somebody who is

struggling with something, I can help him out with that.”

This “pass it on” mentality also applies to Royer’s support of fellow athletes at PCHS. He volunteers at softball games where he can also watch Kylee play. He also makes it a point to attend as many basketball, baseball, soccer, cheerleading, and track events as possible. His Beta Club service projects also include the Special Olympics, fall festivals, and tech fairs. He and fellow senior Marisa

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Ramirez were recently named Most Spirited in the PCHS Class of 2017.

As for how he’d like to be remembered, Royer offered a familiar example.

“Dillon Veal (Class of 2013) was my role model,” Royer said. “I want to be somebody’s role model. I wanted to run routes the way Dillon did and to make plays the way he did. I hope that I have done my job as a senior to the underclassmen, and then they can hopefully do the same. I take my academics more seriously than I do football, but I’m putting in more time to football so it can get me into a high academic school. I’d like to think that makes me smart on the field, like with learning to read different defenses. I’d just really like to be remembered as a smart guy that can play football.”

I want to be somebody’s ROLE MODEL.

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JEFF DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL

JEFF DAVIS HIGH CROSS COUNTRY

Written by: Camry Sanders | Photography by: J. Ernst Jeff Davis High has begun its second season of Cross County. Jeff Davis High’s cross country coaching staff consists of girls coach Will Wood and boys coach Dustin Allen. Wood not only coaches girl’\s cross country, but he is also the head coach of the girls track and field team. “I think my enjoyment of running is the reason I wanted to become a cross country coach,” Wood said.

Wood has high expectations for this year’s team. “We were ranked No. 9 preseason by Georgia MileSplit in GHSA Class AA, and just looking at the early season times, we could place as high as fourth or fifth at the state meet,” Wood said.

“We are in a very tough region as there are several teams that could

Victor Ambriz

Victor Ambriz plans to go to the University of North Georgia for two years, then Georgia Tech for two years.

He has a running time of 19:34. His favorite cross country memory is when he ran in Orlando, Florida, in the ESPN Disney Cross Country Classic. Victor began doing cross country because he wanted to get in shape.

Alyssa Cooper

Alyssa Cooper has been a member of the Jeff Davis High Cross Country team since the 2015-16 school year. “The only reason I joined cross country was because of my friends,” Cooper said. After high school, Cooper would like to go to either the University of Georgia or Florida State University.

possibly contend for a state title,” Allen said. “We are just hoping to be competitive in our region and qualify for state.”

Wood has three seniors on the squad. “All three of these ladies are very similar in my opinion,” Wood said. “They all come to practice, very quiet.

In fact sometimes you would never know they were there. However, they come and work hard every day without complaining, and that's something that I can appreciate out of any athlete”.

Allen has one senior, Victor Ambriz. “He is such a leader,” Allen said.

“He is the one who makes sure everyone is working hard during practice.

He is almost like one of the coaches. Victor is such an asset.”

Tisa Cvirn

Tisa Cvirn is a foreign exchange student from Slovenia. She lives with her host family, coach Will Wood and his wife, Meg. Tisa plans to attend a medical school back in Slovenia. She began running cross country because her father is a coach and she enjoys running.

LADY JACKETS — THE GOAL IS STATE PLAYOFFS Written by: Lexy Rentz | Photography by: J. Ernst

Every year for the past eight years, our Jeff Davis Lady Jackets have made it to the state playoffs. This year they plan to make that nine years, and we have a great group of girls to help lead the team to victory.

This year’s softball team has five seniors, all starters: Makenzie Hall, Haylee Hayes, Tristen Herndon, Lexy Rentz, and Barbara Williams.

Tristen Herndon plays first, third, or catcher. “We have to sacrifice and dedicate ourselves to the game

22 | itgsportsnetwork.com

and our team when we need to the most,” Herndon said.

Barbara Williams, pitcher, wears the number 2.

“It's all about teamwork, which allows us to go places and to work together,” Williams said.

Haylee Hayes plays centerfield. She plans on attending college to become a nurse practitioner. Looking toward the season, Hayes wants to go out and win every game they play.

She has a motto for herself: “Never let the fear of

striking out keep you from playing the game!”

Makenzie Hall plays right field and third base. She plans on attending college to become a dental hygienist. “As a person, softball has taught me how to trust,” Hall said. “Softball has shown me that in order to be successful and win, you have to trust your teammates.”

Lexy Rentz plays left field. She plans on attending college to become a cosmetologist. “Softball has not only taught me

Tia Kornegay

After high school, Tia Kornegay plans on going to college to earn a degree in nursing. “The reason I joined cross country was to take up another sport and become even more active in the activities that the school has to offer,” Kornegay said.

We are all hoping that their last season is a great season. We encourage not only our seniors, but the whole Cross Country team to stay motivated, stay positive, and give it their all every time they are out on the trail.

teamwork, but it's taught me the love of a family when you have no one else,” Rentz said. “It has taught me how to be a leader when you need to be.”

From the camps, bus rides, and games they play together, these girls won’t know how much this game means until after graduation, but their impact will be felt for many seasons. They bleed blue and gold and will always be yellow jackets.

“Don't play for the trophy or the fame, play for the love of the game!” -Anonymous

Seniors : Lexi Rentz, Makenzie Hall, Barbara Williams, Haylee Hayes, Tristen Herndon

THE CHRISTMAS GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING ALL YEAR LONG.

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IMPACT PLAYERS

Aaron Bedgood

Jamin Davis

Sophomore Richmond Hill High School Richmond Hill

Senior Long County High School Ludowici

Football & Basketball Slot back, running back and quarterback 1,008 all-purpose yards as a Freshman(2015) GPA: 3.5 Righty or Lefty? Righty.

Car or truck? Car. Superpower you would like to have?

The ability to take other's skills and attributes.

Football Linebacker and wide receiver 131 total tackles 12 tackles for loss last year Verbally committed to the University of Kentucky GPA: 3.7 Righty or Lefty: Righty.

Car or Truck: Truck.

Superpower you would like to have: Ability to fly.

FAVORITES: Snack: Doritos(in the purple Middle" Movie: "Friday Night Lights" bag) Movie star: Kevin Hart Food: Asian Video game: "Madden" and Drink: Snapple Half & Half "Call of Duty" Hobby: Collecting Shoes Pro Team: Minnesota Vikings Singer: Michael Jackson College Team: Oregon School subject: History Pets: I want a finger monkey Ducks Pro Player: Tavon Austin Place to travel: Dubai TV show: "Malcom in the

FAVORITES: Snack: Brown sugar and TV show: "Sports Center" Movie: "Remember the Cinnamon pop tart Titans" Food: Lasagna Drink: Powerade (Lemonade Video game: "Grand Theft Auto 5" flavor) Hobby: Video games School subject: Math Pro team: San Diego CharPets: Dog Place to travel: New York gers Pro player: La'Danian TomCity, NY linson

Who inspires you and why? My dad because he's an ironman. No matter what life throws at him, he handles the situation with a chip on his shoulder.

Who inspires you and why? My mom because she has been by my side from the start and she will always be there when no one else is.

24 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Ronnie Adams Sharrod Frazier Senior Ware County High School Waycross Football Position: Defensive End Grade Point Average: 3.0 Righty or Lefty? Righty.

Car or truck? Truck Ford F-150.

Superpower you would like to have? Speed like the Flash.

Snack: Hot Dogs Food: Fried Shrimp Drink: Sweet Tea Hobby: Playing Football Pro Team: New Orleans Saints College Team: Florida Gators Pro Player: Ray Lewis

FAVORITES: TV show: No Favorite Movie: "Get Hard" with Kevin Hart Movie star: None Video game: "NCAA" Singer: No Favorite School subject: Math Pets: Dog

Who inspires you and why? Dedrick Mills because he works hard a everything he does and NEVER gives up.

Junior Brunswick High School Brunswick

Football and Track Outside linebacker and strong safety Has already received offers from Georgia Southern and Cincinnati GPA: 3.0 Righty or Lefty? Lefty.

Car or truck? Car. Superpower you would like to have? Super strength.

FAVORITES: Snack: Gummie worms Pro Player: Adrian Peterson Movie: "Project X" Food: Pizza Drink: Powerade School subject: Social Pro Team: Minnesota Vikings Studies College Team: Clemson Place to travel: Paris Tigers Who inspires you and why? Adrian Peterson because he showed me when he tore up his whole knee that you don't take the game of football for granted because you never know when it could be taken away from you. Then he came back and had one of the best seasons a running back could ever have.

In The Game | 25

Casey McCormick "CaseMac" Senior Camden County High School Kingsland Football Defensive end/defensive tackle 31 Solo tackles, 48 Total Tackles, 3 Sacks & 1 Fumble Recovery GPA: 3.2 Righty or Lefty? Righty.

Car or truck? Truck.

Superpower you would like to have? I would like to have the power to fly. I choose this because as a kid I always dreamed of being able to fly.

FAVORITES: Snack: Cool Ranch Doritos TV show: "The Office" Movie: "Lone Survivor" Food: Steak Drink: Raspberry Sprite Movie star: Johnny Depp Video game: "NBA2K16" Hobby: I play guitar and enjoy playing golf Singer: Jack Johnson Pro Team: Houston Texans School subject: History College Team: Georgia Pets: Yes, I have one dog Bulldogs Place to travel: Gatlinburg, Pro Player: JJ Watt Tennessee Who inspires you and why? My high school head coach Welton Coffey as well as my D-line coach Byron Slack.

They both are incredibly driven men and focused on our overall team goals. They strive to make all of my teammates better every single day. They put in long hours and are devoted to our success‌not only as football players but as men in our homes, churches and communities. They truly desire for each of us to succeed as quality young men which will become future husbands and fathers long after our football careers are over.

PIERCE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

LADY BEARS SOFTBALL ONCE AGAIN DEEP IN THE PLAYOFFS

P

Written by: Jaron Raulerson | Photography courtesy of Jennifer Carter Johnson

The Pierce County Bears softball team is once again in the playoffs. The Lady Bears are back-to-back region champs and are deep into the playoffs once again. Led by coach Robbie Spires, the talented Lady Bears varsity squad is 19-9 overall and 8-2 in the region.

The Lady Bears’ offense is high flying this year, leading the region in scoring. The Lady Bears’ defense is also doing well this year, giving up the least amount of runs versus region foes.

Because of the success offensively and defensively, the Lady Bears are on a 7-game winning streak.

The Lady Bears are one of the more impressive teams in high school softball. Somewhat of an attention-grabber is that the Lady Bears are prepared for the future as the team is load-

ed with talent and projected to do well for a long period of time. The Lady Bears owe their success to Spires, who is well respected by everyone in Pierce County High School, including assistant coach Erica Grady (aka “Coach E”), who had this to say about Coach Spires: “This is my third year with Coach Spires, and every day she teaches me something new as a coach and as a teacher. Any success we had this year is due to her.”

The Lady Bears are in Region 2-AAA with opponents Brantley County, Liberty County, Tattnall County, and Appling County. With the year almost over, we can tell how good the Lady Bears really are this season, and Pierce County can look forward to next year as well.

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TIME Writen by: John Wood Photography by: Jennifer Carter Johnson

A big orange sun slowly cuts through the South Georgia pine trees, and all you hear is the crunch of the grass in the early morning dew as the Ware County Gators’ cleats create an intense alarm clock.

Wave drills, M drills, nonstop backpedaling, and ball drills times infinity. Players call it grinding, but this is the breeding ground for the newbies and the proving ground for the bulls. D-I recruit or first year freshman, they all see the same drills.

Ware County Senior free safety Ha’Keem Dillard understands the false toughness that a freshman may cling to to make it through the tough summer practices and demonstrate the prowess expected by

the veterans. Dillard has worked hard to be a good high school football player, and it has paid off because he is creating opportunities to play at the next level.

“Early morning grinding, constantly putting in work, and showing up to practice,” Dillard said. “As a starter and free safety, we go hard at practice each snap, bringing a lot of energy to the team, and after practice showing up to watch film so you can learn from your mistakes.”

Dillard’s hard work complements his athleticism, and a desire to achieve perfect technique, see the offensive formation, and understand the entire defense just adds fuel to the fire.

“Technique is the most important because with the right technique you can have good leverage and good feet work to make a play on the ball,” Dillard said. “It’s very important because on the field the entire secondary depends on the safety to let them know where to line up at in order for them to make a play. Playing safety has certainly made me a better student of the game. It helps me paint a mental image of what the play may be before the snap of the ball. Since I'm in the middle of the field, it allows me to see what everyone else is doing as well.”

28 | itgsportsnetwork.com

The energy that Dillard speaks of has to be the same at 5:30 a.m. on the practice field as it will be when the lights flip on at Memorial Stadium on Friday. It sounds like a reciprocal process, but the reality is a program and its players and coaches that have to live that philosophy constantly.

It’s that kind of energy buzz that what creates an “it” factor, programs that others sit in awe of. Players who will be fortunate enough to play for the Ware County Gators football program often realize it’s a special program, but it also comes with expectations on all sides.

“Its intense but very fun knowing that you have the old heads and the li’l kids looking up to you. And knowing that you have to put on for your city each night is an exciting feeling to be a part of and because many other schools don't have a fan base like us, so that's a blessing,” Dillard said.

Playing with amazing talent creates unique opportunities to help players become better.

“It makes you want to go even harder to prove that you are just as good as them or even better. Also during the game they may be bringing the college scouts to watch them, but if you turn up at the end of the night, that scout will go back and start scouting you as well,” Dillard said.

The Gators have an opportunity to go against some of the best in daily practice, but they went through a definite change when Franklin Stephens came to be the head coach at Ware County.

“The program has changed; it’s gotten a lot more serious and con-

centrated towards a real As the 2016 regular seagoal to make it to the son winds down, Dillard is State Championship,” getting ready to finish up Dillard said. “More of the the regular season in the people on Gators’ new the team but “It's really the same region pray and also rememregion wise , you bers that he give God thanks for never know who played well what he the 2015 may be on top in had blessplayoffs. each week so you ed us with.

“It's really the same reC o a c h just have to keep Stephens g i o n - w i s e ,” working hard so Dillard said. instilled you can play in the “You never that to the team, and Georgia Dome for know who now we’re be on the final game.” may following top each week, so you up and learning from him.” just have to keep working The majority of Ste- hard so you can play in the phens’ colleagues would Georgia Dome for the final describe him not only as game. Last year playing a great coach but also a Northside Warner Robins molder of young men. A at the Mac stadium in the player that has worked first round of the playoffs, like Dillard has certainly we had stopped their winearned the respect of his ning streak they had going coach. on for a couple of years to “Hakeem is a great char- win, and I came out with acter kid that makes any six game-stopping solo program better because tackles and a fumble reof his participation,” Ste- covery for our offense to phens said. “While his come out to score.” numbers may not show Beside playing football, it, he has worked diligent- Dillard also plays basketly in the weight room to ball and runs track. Footimprove his overall phys- ball is his first love, and ical conditioning and his tenacity as a free safety physique. On the field, has gotten him looks at Hakeem is moving more the next level. into a leadership position “I have received my through his actions of first scholarship to consistently working dai- the University of West ly to improve his craft. As Georgia but also have a the season is progressing, couple of other schools Hakeem is beginning to peak at the right time for that are interested in me,” Dillard said. the Gators.”

A New Type of Football

COACH

Written by: Rob Asbell | Photography by: Michael Brinson

Stacy Taylor is not your typical high school football coach. She doesn’t wear a whistle, and she doesn’t shout out secondary coverages. She is a different type of coach in the field house these days, a coach who is less concerned with Xs and Os and more concerned with As and Bs and ACTs. Taylor is the academic coach for the Glynn Academy Red Terrors.

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“I am the first female football coach in Glynn Academy’s history,” said the third-generation Glynn County educator. The Red Terrors’ football history dates back over 100 years. Taylor is also the only high school football academic coach in Georgia recognized by the National Tutor Association.

She works with student-athletes to reach a goal set by Glynn Academy head coach Rocky Hidalgo: Every year at the end-ofseason banquet, every senior is be able to stand before their parents, boosters, and the administration and

announce their college acceptances. “This is the driving force behind what I do,” Taylor said. According to Hidalgo, Taylor is relentless when it comes to helping players. She makes sure that they are improving academically, applying to colleges, filling out financial aid applications, and getting tutoring for college testing.

“Part of what we want to do at Glynn Academy is to ensure that our kids not only are improving themselves as an athlete but also as a person and as a student,” Hidalgo said.

“She really enjoys working with our players and making sure they are as prepared as possible for what lies beyond graduation.”

“this year a senior called me ‘MISS COACH TAYLOR.’ i love it.”

Taylor is a member of the coaching staff, and the students treat her as such. “This year a senior called me ‘Miss Coach Taylor,’” Taylor said. “I love it.”

On game night, some of the players look for her in the stands after their plays. Taylor caters to each individual player and grade level, including monitoring grades and attendance for ninth grade players, making sure older players fulfill NCAA eligibility, and assigning tutors when needed.

By the 11th grade, students are preparing for the college boards. All of the services are free, and volunteers serve as tutors in study hall and ACT prep camps. Everything is done with the support of the Booster Club.

She started working with the team last season, an exciting time for the Red Terrors football program that made it to the state championship game for the first time since 1964.

“I’d shared with my administration that I wanted to develop new skills,” Taylor said. “I wanted to assist students in planning for graduation and beyond.”

That’s when she heard Hidalgo tell the student body that he wanted to change the culture of Glynn Academy through the football program.

Originally from Brunswick, Taylor attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before becoming a teacher. She joined the faculty at Glynn Academy in 2011 and three years later was named the school’s Teacher of the Year. That was followed by being named Glynn County’s Teacher of the Year for 2014-15. It was about this same time that Taylor began working on an idea

to help with the academic welfare of the football players.

“I asked for a meeting with Coach Rock, and I will never forget how that meeting went,” Taylor said.

She reminded the coach of what he had told the students and that he was missing an opportunity with academics. Hidalgo agreed that he needed an academic coach. He had been looking for someone to take charge of the team’s progress in the classroom and to achieve the scholastic goals he had set. He hired her on the spot.

“She’s real fiery with the kids,” Hidalgo said. “She is one of our coaches.”

Taylor doesn’t back down from students, opting instead for the “tough love” approach, which is one of the traits coaches like about her.

As a coach, Taylor attends every game...almost. “I missed one game last season, and it was the Glynn Academy versus Ware match up,” Taylor said. “I vowed never to do that again.” By attending the games, she helps build up the team and creates a connection with the players through their mutual participation in football.

She was able to see the second battle between the two teams in the state semifinals, which was her most memorable game.

“The fireworks went off, and we jumped, screamed, and cried all at the same time,” Taylor said. “The stands were packed, and

community rallied around our whole team. The sense of pride and unity was overwhelming to say the least.”

By day, Taylor teaches College Preparatory U.S. History, Honors U.S. History, and African American Studies. Her teaching schedule is designed so that she is available to football players during their weight training block.

She also hosts a study hall Monday through Wednesday after school. Even on Saturdays, she has ACT prep camps.

“The time spent with each student depends on the need of the student,” Taylor said. “I have student-athletes who check in with me daily. They either want to share their successes or ask for assistance.”

She looks at her duties as any football coach would. “I watch them ‘play’ through the grade monitor, through teacher com-

ments, and through parent concerns,” Taylor said. “We, as coaches on the field, pull the student aside, adjust the play, and send him back on to the field to execute the play.”

In one year, she has already seen success from her program, both individually and as a team: Each member of the Class of 2016 graduated with an acceptance into the college or university of their choice. Taylor wants her students to succeed whether it's completing a course or being the first graduate in their household. She is Coach Hidalgo's eyes and ears in the classroom. "I give her free reign with our academic program and support her 100-percent and the kids know that."

32 | itgsportsnetwork.com

CAMDEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

WILDCATS FIGHT WEATHER AND TOUGH REGION Written by: John Wood | photography by: Photography by Michael Brinson

If you have to describe the Camden County football season with a song, Jimmy Buffett’s “Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season” comes to mind.

The Wildcats didn’t finish their three-game Florida swing because of Hermine, which waffled back and forth between being a hurricane and a tropical storm. Hermine pelted the Georgia coast with wind and rain, forcing cancellations for most Southeast Georgia and Florida coast events.

A lopsided loss to the visiting power McEachern Indians did set up an opportunity for the Wildcats to win the 2016 Homecoming game against Forest Park. The Panthers’ most famous alumni is former Georgia utility player Hines Ward, and Panthers head coach Dale Myers has ties to Camden County.

The Wildcats started the game firing on all cylinders with the defensive front forcing turnovers and with Wildcats defensive back Cameron Roberts pulling down an interception to give the Wildcats a 20-0 lead in the first quarter. Panthers quarterback Rayshawn Meisner fired a perfect slant to his tight end for a 16-yard touchdown and connected again for the two-point conversion to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 20-8 early in the second quarter.

Meisner continued to challenge the Wildcats

pass defense all night, throwing intermediate and deep routes to try to keep the Panthers offense moving.

Forest Park continually tried to kick onside, giving the Wildcats ideal field position. Following the Panthers’ first score, Camden County quarterback and senior John Jones hit Devegas Austin with a 15yard scoring strike, adding to the Wildcat lead 26-8.

Forest Park needed one single play to strike back against the Wildcats. Meisner hit Aver Wilson with an 80-yard touchdown pass, getting within two scores of Camden County.

The Wildcats stormed back, putting 41 points in the second and third quarters. Among the highlights are a six-play drive that resulted in a four-yard touchdown run from Miley Packard. Tyreke Williams snatched an errant Panther pass and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown.

Camden ended up winning 67-14. The lopsided game gave the Wildcats an opportunity to give some younger players varsity experience.

“We are very young,” head coach Welton Coffey said. “Sometimes it’s like burping babies. We need to be able to get these younger players experience when we can so they can understand the speed and intensity of the varsity level.”

The only real negative

for the Wildcats on the night of Homecoming 2016 was racking up 150 penalty yards.

“Obviously you’re disappointed to get some penalties like we got, but you also look at a scoreboard that is one sided, which usually leads to more penalties,” Coffey said. “But overall we played better tonight. We are starting to grow up more and be able to get better. We certainly better do that before we get into region play because our region doesn’t let teams make mistakes without capitalizing on them.”

Since Camden County’s reclassification into AAAAAAA, a lot of teams had to end up finding

more non-conference games to fill the holes region changes created in the schedule. When Camden grabbed its first win against Brunswick 7-6, Camden County hoped to still finish with a 10-game regular season when neighboring Charlton had an open week and also lost a game because of Hermine.

“We scrimmaged Charlton for years, but hadn’t played them in regular season,” Coffey said. “Both of us ended up having an open date, so it looked like it would be great. A team like Charlton, you can throw records out. It’s definitely a rivalry type atmosphere and what high school football and the

Friday Night Lights are all about.”

However just as Hermine left the open date, Hurricane Matthew came in and snatched the date away.

Camden opened region play on the road against a resurgent Colquitt County team. The Packers took some hard losses early but put together four solid quarters of football to defeat Camden County 56-10. The Wildcats go back on the road to face Lowndes at the Concrete Palace before ending the 2016 campaign at home against Tift County on Nov. 4. Last season the Wildcats defeated both Lowndes and Tift.

Getting on the Radar Early Written by: Rob Asbell | Photography by: Jeffrey Griffith

He is already turning the heads of college football coaches, and he hasn’t even made it to high school yet.

Weston Franklin is an offensive and defensive lineman for Arthur Williams Middle School in Jesup. Known as “The Hulk” to friends, the eighth-grader already stands at 6’1.5” and weighs 225 pounds, towering over teammates and opponents alike.

“Most people think he is just a big, well-proportioned lineman,” AWMS football coach Paul Rothwell said.

“What they fail to realize is he is an athletic

kid that excels in both basketball and baseball.

His footwork is some the best I have been around.”

Franklin’s awards for playing football are adding up. He was the MVP of the 2016 Future Stars Combine in Warner Robins and named to Football University’s All-Top Gun class of 2021 team. “There was some of the top talent in the country there; 48 different states were represented,” Franklin said. He has been invited to attend the Hotbed All-America game later this year in Florida and to the Diamond All-America game in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

“We traveled from Tampa to the Football

“Most people think he is just a big, well-proportioned lineman.

What they fail to realize is he is an athletic kid that excels in both basketball and baseball.

His footwork is some the best I have been around.”

Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio,” said father, Norman Franklin. The elder Franklin flew with his son to Ohio to attend The Show at the Pro Football Hall of Fame where only 100 eighth-graders were invited. “And we visited the Ohio State Univer-

sity,” Weston Franklin said. “Lots of history in those two places, so that was cool.”

Although he plays primarily as a left tackle on offense and tackle on defense, he plays wherever \ Rothwell needs him at Arthur Williams Middle School. He even

played center and long snapper at the Future Stars game at the IMG Academy.

“Weston is both a polite – except when he is wearing his helmet – courteous, well behaved giant,” Rothwell said. “He is a better person than he is a football player, which makes him a very good person. I love his demeanor and approach to school and practice.”

Franklin loves every snap of playing football and has taken every opportunity to play since the Pee Wee Leagues.

He dreams of one day earning a scholarship to play football at a Division I school and, possibly, professionally in the NFL like Wayne County natives T.Y. McGill and Tre Jackson.

His first big crowd roar came while he was playing defense.

Franklin had the angle on a running back and was chasing him across the field. “A teammate slowed him up, and

“I play year round these days.

I believe each sport helps me develop in different areas, and that makes me a better overall athlete.” when he did, I clobbered him,” Franklin said. “The ball went flying, my teammate recovered the fumble, and the crowd went wild.”

Franklin said he likes the contact of playing football and recalled the first time he pancaked an opposing defender. It was an unusual situation for him because his opponent was heavier than him, which is a rare occurrence. “This kid apparently had never been pancaked, but when I was on top of him on the ground, he said, ‘You’re holding,’” Franklin said.

“I thought that was pretty funny. I told him, ‘This is not holding. This is football, and you’re right where you should be.’”

Along with football, Franklin plays pitcher and third base for the baseball team and center on the basketball team. “I play year round these days,” Franklin said. “I believe each sport helps me develop in different areas, and that makes me a better overall athlete.”

Franklin also spends time in the weight room at Arthur

Williams Middle School, where the staff is preparing him for the transition to high school. If all goes well, he could see playing time as a freshman next year with the Wayne County Yellow Jackets. “With our weight room workouts that he has been a part of for three years now, he may have a shot at playing as a freshman, but we will see,” Rothwell said.

Weston Franklin is the son of Norman and Charlotte Franklin and holds a solid 92.1 GPA in the classroom.

His favorite subject is Language Arts. “I love to read,” Franklin said. He would like to become a physical trainer or physical education teacher and possibly coach one day. He credited his family for helping him through the years. “They always support me and push me to be my best,” Franklin said. He also acknowledged his current and former coaches who have made him a better player, but most of all he thanked God for blessing him with his ability and talent.

In The Game | 39

Seventh Annual In the Game Sports Network Southeast Georgia High School Football Awards Banquet Monday, December 12,2016 6:30 PM Waycross City Auditorium

Partner with In the Game as we gather to celebrate Southeast Georgia’s top football players and coaches from the 2016 season. Joined by their families and fellow fans, we look forward to recognizing the outstanding efforts, achievements, and futures of these remarkable people.

Limited Seating Available: $50 per pair | $30 per individual Sponsor Tables Available

AWARDS:

Forward Progress Award Academic Player of the Year Special Teams Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year Offensive Player of the Year Middle School Player of the Year Humanitarian Award

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For more information contact Shawn Smoak: shawn@itgsportsnetwork.com