BASEBALL
PRESEASON It’s All About Life on the Ice Emilie Proctor and Mary Jo Fryer
Burns Finds His Place at Valwood Caleb Burns, Valwood
FACING CHALLENGES HEAD-ON GAME
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South Georgia’s Top Athletes Burns Finds His Place at Valwood Caleb Burns, Valwood 10 Questions With Matt Redmond Matt Redmond, Northside High School Facing Challenges Head-On Nate Henderson, Fitzgerald
Freestyle Works for Red Jacket Darius Stokes, Jordan Vocational High School
Keep on Smiling: Derek “Smiley” Miller Is Lowndes’ No. 1 Viking Derek Miller, Lowndes High School
Homerun Hitter Xavier McIntyre, Warner Robins
Going, Going, Gone: Little Leaguer Hits It out of SunTrust Park Texas A&M Runner Eligibility in Question for Promoting Own Company
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Football Runs in the Family Griffin Collier, Tift High School
Wrestler Immovable in His Passion for the Sport Kylan Draper, Hardaway High School
Competitive Spirit Developed Young in Carver Athlete Mariah Igus, Carver High School It’s All About Life on the Ice Emilie Proctor and Mary Jo Fryer
Batman: A Superhero on Aand off the Field Rashad Mingo Living the Dream on the Volleyball Court Nyah Whittlesey, Columbus High School
Back Like I Never Left, Coach Tucker Pruitt Tucker Pruitt, Fitzgerald High School
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Burns Finds His Place at
Valwood
Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Vince Jupiter
As a two-sport athlete, Caleb Burns is a can’t-miss
talent. As an outfielder for coach Robert “Shippy” Shipman’s diamond Valiants last season, the junior led the team in hitting and most other offensive categories, played great defense, and became a team leader. As far as his other sport — football — goes, Burns is the starting quarterback for head coach Ashley Henderson’s team and is leading the team to a playoff appearance after guiding the Valiants to a 6-3 overall record, 3-1 in the region, which is good enough for the No. 1 seed and a home playoff game in round one. When asked about his first impression of Burns, Henderson recalled one of the first organized events against other teams. “I first noticed Caleb’s skills in our first seven on seven in Tifton,” Henderson said. “He was throwing against some much bigger schools like Tift, Lee County, and Ware, and he handled it really well. He picked up what we do very quickly.” Henderson also spoke about Caleb’s ultra-competitive spirit. “Caleb is one of the most competitive athletes I’ve ever coached.” Burns grew up in Cobbtown, Georgia, just outside Statesboro. He began his involvement in organized youth sports there, playing t-ball as early as he can remember.
“I think I was 4 years old when I started playing baseball. I absolutely loved it then and have enjoyed it ever since” Burns said. In The Game | 35
Facing Nate Henderson is one of those special players who demonstrates perseverance and hard work. When life throws curve balls, young athletes like Henderson don’t have a choice but to face them head-on. A junior varsity player at Fitzgerald High School, Henderson has been overcoming challenges since he was very young. According to his mother, Henderson was born with a football in his hand. He was on his way to trying out the sport until a freak accident clouded his future. When he was 5 years old, Henderson accidently stabbed himself in the eye with a hunting knife. Henderson went through countless surgeries in an attempt to repair the damage. Unfortunately, he was later deemed legally blind in his left eye from a retinal detachment. At that age, you can’t ignore the amount of fear Henderson had to overcome.
“It wasn't easy going through five eye surgeries at such a young age, but I always stayed optimistic,” he said.
To this day, Henderson still remembers one reoccurring thought he always had before each surgery. “I remember leading up to
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Pos
Height
Weight
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6’3”
220 lbs.
Challenges Head-On Written by: Alex Dunn | Photography by: Micki K Photography
“I’ve always wanted to play but was never allowed until my freshman year, and the first time I hit someone, I knew this game was for me.” — Nate Henderson the operation I was terrified that I would wake up in the middle and see my eye lying next to me,” he said. At first, all sports were off the table. However, with new technology and perseverance, Henderson slowly overcame each obstacle that was thrown his way. He surprisingly wanted to take up two sports that require some of the most hand-eye coordination skills out there. Henderson has played baseball for as long as he can remember, but he began football in his ninth-
grade year. He said that football is by far his favorite sport to play because of the physicality behind it. “I've always wanted to play but was never allowed until my freshman year, and the first time I hit someone, I knew this game was for me,” he said. The 6’3’’, 220 pound junior is now a defensive end and defensive tackle for the varsity football team. Even with the disadvantage of being blind in one eye, Henderson believes he has learned
a lot from the experience. “This taught me no matter your situation, no matter how many people tell you that you can't, if you believe in yourself, anything — absolutely anything — is possible,” Henderson said. When life gets challenging, it is always good to have support from the people who care about you the most. Henderson’s comes mainly from his family. He said without them, he would find it hard to find the silver lining in his injury and limitations.
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WILDCATS SCHEDULE
Head Coach: Brad Porter
ourfund.us
2017
RECORD
21-11
REGION 1-6A
VALDOSTA
Players To Watch
6 9 10 Doscher
Stephens
Noviello
The Valdosta Wildcats will head into 2018 with an air of uncertainty surrounding the program. Gone is longtime head coach Bart Shuman, who retired after a lengthy career of coaching baseball at Valdosta High School, and a talented group who led the ‘Cats last year. The Wildcats welcome new head coach Brad Porter, who came over from Tiftarea Academy to lead the team in 2018. Several key players who helped lead Valdosta to a 21-11 overall record and a 7-5 region record in 1-AAAAAA last year have graduated, starting with D.L. Hall. He was First Team All-Region, and an All-American. He was a first-round draft pick of The Baltimore Orioles in the most recent MLB draft. No question a player of his ability will be surely missed. Hall had a fastball clocked in the mid 90s. (Noticeably absent in 2018 will be the flock of pro scouts and their radar guns that were in attendance last year at Valdosta baseball home games). Hall’s teammates Luke Ard and Jake Jaramillo have graduated, and both were First Team All-Region selections. Ard is now playing at Tallahassee Community College. Key returners include junior pitcher and infielder Avery Stephens, a First Team All-Region selection last year; junior infielder and outfielder Cory McCann, an Honorable-Mention All-Region selection in 2017; junior Jude Ard, a pitcher and infielder; senior catcher and infielder Dustin Doscher; and senior infielder Kody Noviello. Newcomer Jeremiah Lawrence transferred from Lowndes High and will provide help in the outfield. a comre-
According to Porter, Valdosta lost lot of talent, and he expects a full blown petition for playing time in 2018 among those turning this season.
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7 home runs .378 On Base % .264 Batting Avg.
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