South Georgia December/January 2017-18 Edition

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

$4.00 / Issue

IN THE

DEC/JAN 2017-18

Nate Henderson, Fitzgerald

In The Game | 1

THE

HUGHSTON DIFFERENCE YESTERDAY.

•

Providing you, for over 60 years, with research, education, and treatment

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Organizing preparticipation physicals since 1976

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Covering over 1,500 local sporting events each year

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Saturday morning injury clinic

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Researching and implementing concussion management software for local athletes

LOCATIONS Albany Auburn Columbus Dothan LaGrange

Moultrie Phenix City Thomaston Thomasville Valdosta

Hughston Clinic 706-324-6661 2|

6262 Veterans Parkway, GA 31909 1-800-331-2910 / www.hughston.com itgsportsnetwork.com

TODAY. TOMORROW.

7

In The Game | 3

Albany / 2609 Ledo Rd. Albany, GA 31707 / 229.430.8080 716 Philema Rd. / 229.439.4030 Tifton / 2nd St W. Tifton, GA 31794 / 229.386.2265 Moultrie / 621 N. Veterans Pkwy, Moultrie, GA 31788 / 229.985.1380 Sylvester / 601 N. Main St. Sylvester, GA 31791 / 229.776.7641 Quitman / 602 E Screven St. Quitman, GA 31643 / 229.263.7538 Valdosta / 2910 N. Ashley St. N. Valdosta, GA 31602 / 229.242.2037 3774 Old U.S. 41 N / 229.241.9900

4 | itgsportsnetwork.com

ARE YOU In?

South Georgia

In the Game Be grateful.

Know that your abilities are a gift.

Use them wisely. Us them to Get In the Game, Stay In the Game, Be In the Game.

In The Game | 5

HONORING THE ELITE 4 North Carter Street Lakeland, Georgia 31635 (229) 482-3585

978 Valdosta Highway Homerville, Georgia 31634 (912) 487-1200

202 W. Washington Ave. Nashville, Georgia 31639 (229) 686-9451

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3303 Inner Perimeter Road Valdosta, Georgia 31605 (229) 244-3585

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G T I 7 1 0 2

n o s a e n o s i t e i d r e lP

l a b e Bas IN THIS ISSUE 15 35 38 40 43 44 46 50 50 52 54 55 56 58 59 61

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

BASEBALL PREVIEWS 63

Lowndes Vikings

81

Irwin County Indians

65

Valdosta Wildcats

82

Lee County Trojans

66 67 68 69

Georgia Christian Generals

83 84 85 86

Deerfield-Windsor Knights

Northside Eagles

87

Houston County Bears

88 89 90 91 92 93 94

Warner Robins Demons

70

Valwood Valiants Thomasville Bulldogs Thomas Co. Central Yellow Jackets Colquitt County Packers

72 73 74 75 77 78 79

Crisp County Cougars

80

Coffee County Trojans

Worth County Rams Brookwood Warriors Tiftarea Panthers Tift County Blue Devils Cairo Syrupmakers Bainbridge Bearcats

Turner County Rebels Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes

Westfield Hornets Clinch County Panthers Cook Hornets Berrien County Rebels Brooks County Trojans Lanier County Bulldogs

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

In The Game | 7

Magazine

NEWSLETTER

SOCIAL MEDIA

#Trending Top Facebook Posts

@inthegamenation

ARE YOU

Top Tweets

IN THE GAME?

FIND OUT MORE AT INTHEGAMESPORTSNETWORK.COM

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Top Instagram Posts

From the Publisher The holiday season is all about sharing: sharing what we’re grateful for, sharing food made from the heart, sharing time with our loved ones, sharing memories with old friends, and sharing traditions with new friends.

In the spirit of the holidays, In the Game is sharing with you the unparalleled tradition of football excellence in South Georgia. State champions are being decided as we speak, and there’s a high chance we’ll have more than one from South Georgia.

But that’s for the next issue. In this issue, we highlight the student-athletes and coaches in South Georgia who are reaching for success on the field and in the classroom, those people who are challenging expectations and rising to new heights both athletically and academically.

On our cover is Fitzgerald junior Nate Henderson, a defensive end for the Purple Hurricane. Henderson suffered a tragic accident as a child that left him legally blind in one eye. At first, all sports were off the table. However, with new technology and perseverance, Henderson slowly overcame each obstacle that was thrown his way.

We take a look at 8-year-old Rashad Mingo, a running back and linebacker who earned the nickname “Batman” due to his speed and love of the superhero. Mingo already has his sights set on joining the NFL and playing for the

Seattle Seahawks, and his determination and talent are leading him in the right direction.

We talk with Tift Co. quarterback Griffin Collier, who’s leading the Blue Devils in a deep playoff run and to a possible sate championship win. Collier’s dad also played for Tift Co. in high school and currently has the unique opportunity to coach his son.

All that and more can be found in the pages of this magazine. However, it isn’t just about the athletic abilities and achievements of these teams and players; while their talents may bring them to the center of conversation, it is their character, work ethic, support systems, and drive that will make them successful in life. On the field, in the classroom, around the community, being In the Game isn’t being in our magazine. It’s about living In the Game.

We are looking for people who understand what it means to passionately persevere, inspire, and strive for greatness in all areas of life. In short, we are looking for people who understand what it means to BE In the Game.

So the question is: ARE YOU IN? Our mission is simple: to inspire your inner athlete toward the passionate pursuit of excellence, on and off the field. So, if you know of a player, coach, or fan deserving of recognition, head to our website and officially nominate that story!

We thank you for your continued support of your local athletic programs and In the Game Sports Network.

Follow us on social media @InTheGameNation and visit us at www.InTheGameSportsNetwork.com in order to #StayInTheGame!

In the Game Apparel @InTheGameNation

South Georgia Team Publisher Mark Dykes Editor Anna Limoges Magazine Director Brittany K. Wyche Graphics Mandy Douthit LaDarius Dennison Cover Photography Micki Krzynski` Micki K Photography Feature Photography Micki Krzynski` Micki K Photography Garrison Muelhausen Vince Jupiter George McDuffie Feature Writers Beth Welch Alex Dunn Phil Jones Hillary Griffin Candace Mitchell Anna Limoges Joshua Miller Copy Editors Anna Limoges Beth Welch Alex Dunn Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@itgsportsnetwork.com Brittany K. Wyche brittany@itgsportsnetwork.com Digital Manager Mandy Douthit Special thanks to Phil Jones for undertaking the arduous task of writing all of our baseball previews. We hope you enjoy.

Tell us what you thought about the October/November issue of In the Game! info@itgsportsnetwork.com

Women Dri-Fit Polo

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Go to www.inthegamesportsnetwork.com/apparel to Get In the Game today!

In the Game is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2017 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

In The Game | 9

Contributors

Mark Dykes

Brittany k. Wyche

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Chief Executive Officer

Account Executive

Graphic Designer

editor

Founder Mark Dykes is the entrepreneur and mastermind behind the In the Game vision. Back in 2007, Mark set out to create a company that captured the passion, intensity, and unrivalled commitment toward high school athletics in the South Georgia area. Today, that vision has become a reality, and he continues to be the leading influence in what lies ahead for In the Game Sports Network, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the national championship.

Whether it’s creating relationships with clients or designing the cover of a magazine, Brittany’s multiple talents bring value and personality to the In the Game team. Upon recognizing her natural ability to sell, combined with her insatiable drive to succeed, her original role as a graphic designer evolved into primarily client relations. Unfortunately, she and her husband, who looks like Shaun Livingston, are big Golden State Warrior (bandwagon) fans.

As a Pine Mountain, Georgia, native, Mandy’s move to Valdosta has brought enhanced artistry and intricacy to the ITG design team. The University of West Georgia alum graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in art with a concentration in graphic design. Her artistic nature has allowed her to use graphic design to win national and international design competitions, all of which are meant to serve as diversions and coping mechanisms for Alabama’s loss in the championship game.

After four years as an interdisciplinary studies major at Valdosta State University and nearly two years as an ITG intern, Anna has remained a member of the team as an editor. Since her start in early 2016, she has devoted her editorial eye toward serving as one of the first and last lines of defense against errors within these pages. More importantly, while her Facebook page says that she likes the Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

Beth WElch

Jon Nelson

Hillary Griffin

Candace Mitchell

Contributing Writer

Contributing Writer

Journalist Intern

Beth has been a part of the ITG Team since 2009 when she began writing for the Columbus Valley edition of In the Game. Now, she heads up all of the Chattahoochee Valley content as Area Editor. Having children who participated in sports in local high schools and later were collegiate athletes, Beth has been involved in athletics in the area for many years, making her the perfect fit for her current role.

Jon has been in TV for 27 years based in Atlanta. He graduated from Florida State with a B.S. in political science. Twenty-four of those years have been at GPB as a host and senior correspondent. He’s also written five books with more on the way!

He is blessed with a far prettier wife, Patty, and his two furry children — a Pekingese named Trooper and a cat that acts more like a dog, Trouble. His avid following of every sports team in existence is a ploy to mask the shame of being an FSU graduate.

Hillary is a recent graduate of Valdosta State University. She started working with In the Game Sports Network in the spring of 2017 as a contributing writer. She enjoys writing and is glad that she found a home in ITG. She has always had a gift of witty words, which is unusual for a diehard Georgia Bulldawg fan.

Candace Mitchell is an English and journalism major at Valdosta State University.

She began interning for ITG in the fall of 2017. Along with her zealous energy, she brings a passion for new creative topics.

She would be the perfect southern sports journalist if she wasn’t such a die-hard Ohio State Buckeye fan.

Micki Krzynski

Aaron Musgrove

George McDuffie

LaDarius Dennison

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

Graphic Design Intern

When it comes to loyalty to In the Game, it is hard to top Micki. Since the very beginning of In the Game, Micki has provided strong, creative, and highly professional photos. Consequently, Micki and her son/assistant, Jake, have become our go-to photo duo. With enough talent, equipment, and experience to make her dangerous, she continues to push ITG’s photography forward.

Originally from Live Oak, Florida, Aaron found his home as a multitalented photographer and graphic designer after moving to Valdosta in 2007. As the lead graphic designer at Colquitt Regional Medical Center since 2010, Aaron has found his passion in corporate graphic design and commercial photography, but he also loves capturing the unique dynamics of sports with ITG. Fortunately, his notable lack of any sports career that lasted more than a single day does not impact his sports photography.

George may have retired from the Muscogee County School system in 2013, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t staying busy. With a background in business management, a love for the Auburn Tigers, and knack for photography, George has been able to capture amazing sports shots for our Columbus Valley schools. We are always excited to have George’s photos featured in our magazines!

LaDarius grew up as a Lowndes Viking but graduated as a Valdosta Wildcat.

Since teaching himself the fundamentals of graphic design, he has developed his raw talents into real-world application and adapted to the workload while here at ITG. The Valdosta State mass media major will graduate this spring with aspirations of going to graduate school for design, as long as he doesn’t embrace the mediocrity that his favorite team, the Georgia Bulldogs, has modeled for him.

Columbus Area Editor

10 | itgsportsnetwork.com

What to look forward to:

Vince Jupiter

Moving from Atlanta, Garrison is now a member of our growing video department in Jacksonville. As a graduate of Thomas County Central and Valdosta State University, this filmmaker has been filming and working in a variety of sports since high school all the way up to working for CBS Sports. He always strives to add creative pizazz in all of his work and in his own personal hobbies such as drawing graphic novels.

The Lee County and Valdosta State mass media alumnus joined our intern team back in the summer of 2016, but Vince separated himself from the crowd and proved to be a talented and trustworthy videographer. He easily transitioned into a more active role within the ITG operation and culture thanks to his passion, drive, and creativity, but it took significant individual and group therapy for our staff to finally forgive him for being an LSU and New Orleans Saints fan.

Alex Dunn

Susannah Parmenter

Videographer

Copy Editing Intern

Writer

Alex is a senior English-journalism major at Valdosta State University. She started working for ITG in the summer of 2017 to lend her editorial eye to the many articles that filter through her before heading on to print. Although her main job is devoted to copy editing, she contributes her own journalistic talents for our print and digital platforms as well. Her youthful enthusiasm can only be dampened by yet another crushing disappointment from her Atlanta Falcons.

Susannah Parmenter is a Florida transplant originally from California. After graduating from California State University, Fullerton with a broadcast journalism degree, she continued her education with a meteorology degree from Florida State. Now as part of In the Game, she combines her journalism and broadcast skills to highlight the athletes who inspire and motivate us to release our inner champions.

2017 High School Football Awards Banquet Each December we gather the top players, coaches, and fans from South Georgia’s prestigious football culture to celebrate the season. Stay tuned to see how you can get involved!

February – March 2018 Football Championship Edition In this issue, we recognize all the football champions from South Georgia. Which teams do you think will come away with a ring this year?

Carson Waggoner Social Media Intern With social media starting to play such a big role in the ITG marketing department, intern Carson Waggoner hopped on in the summer of 2017 to take on all tasks. As a current communications major at VSU and sports junky, Carson is full of ideas to keep the company up to date with things happening in the sports world. He plans to continue working in sports, eventually becoming a sports analyst and taking David Pollack’s job. Carson’s only apparent downfall is his love for UGA.

2017-18 High School Sports Awards Banquet After each school year we come together to recognize the top athletes from across South Georgia.

It is a night to honor all players no matter the sport.

BE IN THE GAME

Garrison Muelhausen Video Coordinator

In The Game | 11

12 | itgsportsnetwork.com

In The Game | 13

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What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Winning a region championship 10th-grade year.

What makes you different from everyone else?

How hard I work and how hard I play. No one outworks me.

Also, how versatile I am for my size on the court.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

Finding a career in sports medicine and helping professional athletes.

WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR SPORTS CAREER?

MY PARENTS have because no matter what they have been there supporting me.

Reggie Perry Basketball Forward Thomasville In The Game | 15

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

When we played Monroe, I broke the school passing record in a single game with 428 passing yards.

WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR SPORTS CAREER? The people who have helped me the most in my sports are

MY PARENTS.

What makes you different from everyone else?

My arm makes me different from anybody else because I have had camps tell me I have one of the strongest arms they have ever seen.

They have helped me by pushing me every day and teaching me how to listen to my coaches and not back talk or have an attitude.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

After my sports career is over, I see myself going into real estate and eventually starting my own real estate business.

JT Rice Football Quarterback Thomasville 16 | itgsportsnetwork.com

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What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Being selected and participating in the USAV High Performance training held in Colorado Springs, Colorado , this past summer.

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE? My extreme

DEDICATION and devotion to the sport, since I travel 200 miles a day to get additional training three times a week in Tallahassee, Florida.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

T’ara Ceasar. She was one of the athletes I met at Prostyle Volleyball Academy in Tallahassee. She made the game look simple and was always very encouraging. She now plays at UGA and has been the SEC Freshman of the Week on multiple occasions.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I plan on playing volleyball in college and majoring in kinesiology.

Kamryn Lane Volleyball

Outside Hitter, Middle Hitter Lee Co. In The Game | 19

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

My fumble recovery for a touchdown in my last Winnersville Classic.

WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR SPORTS CAREER?

What makes you different from everyone else?

I play with passion and intensity. I also love encouraging my teammates.

MY DAD has done anything and everything possible for me to be the best I can possibly be.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I plan on continuing my sports career after high school and pursuing a college degree in communications.

Tyson Shaw Football Offensive LB, Kicker/Punter Lowndes 20 | itgsportsnetwork.com

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What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Clinching a spot in the Elite Eight for the last three years.

Who has helped you the most in your sports career?

My middle school coach, Kelly McDougald. He constantly told me I was a special athlete and encouraged me to continue my hard work for softball. Without his encouragement I wouldn’t be the player I am today.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

Mike Trout. He is a great athlete, but he is also very humble and a class act.

CAN YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORT?

SOCCER. I’m also the starting goal keeper for Worth Co. I enjoy the hard work it takes to master a secondary sport.

Brinsley Grady Softball

Center Field Worth CO. In The Game | 23

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Beating my cross-town rival for the first time in three years.

What makes you different from everyone else?

My speed and agility when I compare myself to other offensive linemen.

If you could play any other sport, what would it be?

Basketball. It has always been my first love.

WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST SPORTS INSPIRATION?

MY SISTER because from a young age she always taught me how to compete.

Christian Armstrong Football Left Tackle Warner Robins 24 | itgsportsnetwork.com

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In The Game | 25

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What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Playing in Vegas against the best players in the country.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I’m super outgoing, and on the court I feel like I can do everything.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

Kevin Durant. I model my games after him, and I want to be just like him.

WHO HAS HELPED YOU THE MOST IN YOUR SPORTS CAREER? My parents and my mentor,

Lewis Chinch.

They give me great advice and guidance.

Daniel Ramsey Basketball Small Forward Deerfield-Windsor In The Game | 27

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE? I will never quit. No matter what happens, I will always keep pushing.

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

Aug. 18, 2017, Lowndes beat Valdosta.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I see myself being a coach after my sports career is over.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

Lebron James. He is smart on and off of the field, and he never lets his teammates down. He is a leader.

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What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

My first game of my senior year when I rushed for 100+ yards and two touchdowns.

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY OTHER SPORT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

SOCCER.

What makes you different from everyone else?

My character. I’m not much of a vocal leader, but I do like to be an example and lead by my actions. I believe actions speak louder than words.

I am swift and have great speed. I believe I could be a great defensive player.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

Saquon Barkley is a great leader on the field and in the weight room. He’s so electric. He makes plays that you didn’t think were possible.

Benjamin Tillman III Football RB/DB/Slot Reciever Thomasville In The Game | 31

What is your favorite memory from your high school career?

My favorite memory is kicking a school record 52-yarder in our 27-6 win vs.

Camden to start 1-0 in the region.

After your sports career is over, what do you see yourself doing?

I see myself doing something in finance or accounting.

Who is your biggest sports inspiration?

My biggest sports inspiration would be my dad. He played football at my high school and taught me how to kick.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I strive for

PERFECTION. Being average isn’t enough for me.

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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

As far as his early football career is concerned, it was a completely different story. Burns didn’t play football in the local recreation league in Cobbtown. In fact, Burns didn’t begin playing football until his family moved to Lowndes County, and that was in middle school.

So, while almost every one of Burns’ middle school teammates had a head start on him, it didn’t seem to faze him.

“I felt very comfortable from the moment I walked on the football field,” he said. “I played some running back and quarterback, and it felt like I just belonged. I seemed to fit the mold more at quarterback, but it didn’t matter. … I just loved the game.”

His football would advance to the high school level, but as a backup quarterback. However, not satisfied in that role,

PRO COACHING TIPS

The best pro baseball coaches: Have a win-at-all-cost mentality.

Burns wanted an opportunity to be an every-down player.

“I was looking for an opportunity to play more, in not only football, but baseball as well,” he said.

That opportunity presented itself at Valwood, starting with baseball, and Burns thrived in his new surroundings. As the starting centerfielder, he led the team with a .400 batting average, played above-average defensively, and in an otherwise disappointing season record-wise, was the team’s lone representative as an All-Region selection.

His head coach also realized just how much Burns means to the team.

“After the season he had last year, he will certainly be leaned on for continued leadership on the field and dugout in 2018,” Shipman said.

So, does the standout two-sport athlete have room for one more sport?

“I’m thinking about playing basketball,” he said. “But, I’m not sure if I can do it.”

2018 MLB Overall Rankings Top 10 Rank Player 1 Mike Trout

POS Outfielder

HT 6'2"

WT 235

Team Los Angeles Angels

6'3"

225

Arizona Diamondbacks 2009

Year Drafted 2009

If they don’t produce and help their teams win, they will eventually get replaced or lose their jobs.

2

Paul Goldschmidt First Baseman

3

Bryce Harper

Outfielder

6'3"

230

Washington Nationals 2010

Are great teachers.

4

Aaron Judge

Outfielder

6'7"

282

New York Yankees

They develop players, know the game, and know they and their players have to do what it takes to win the game.

5

Trea Turner

Shortstop

6'2"

185

Washington Nationals 2014

6

Clayton Kershaw

Pitcher

6'4"

228

Los Angeles Dodgers

2006

Know the sport is entertainment.

7

Mookie Betts

Outfielder

5'9"

175

Boston Red Sox

2011

8

Max Scherzer

Pitcher

6'3"

215

Washington Nationals 2006

9

Carlos Correa

Shortstop

6'4"

218

Houston Astros

2012

10

Jose Altuve

Second Baseman 5'6"

164

Houston Astros

2006

They are aware that baseball is important for fans. Players, coaches, and managers are entertainers. Tickets are expensive because major leaguers are good at what they do.

Courtesy of coachandplaybaseball.com

36 | itgsportsnetwork.com

2013

Courtesy of rotoworld.com

10 Questions

With Matt Redmond

Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

Local high school athletic departments have been offering the sport of wrestling for decades. The popularity of the sport might have been late coming to southern regions of the country simply because more traditional sports like football overshadowed athlete participation. These days wrestling is a thriving sport that usually begins with a first match in November and ends with state tournaments in February.

Last year, several wrestling athletes from this area competed at state championships, and a couple came away first-place winners. Strong programs have developed in public and private schools in the Columbus Valley, and it isn’t uncommon for athletes from these schools to receive scholarships to wrestle at the next level.

In the Game asked one local coach, Matt Redmond of Northside High School, 10 Questions about himself, his program, and athletes to watch this wrestling season.

In The Game: Where did you attend high school?

Matt Redmond: I attended high school at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Washington.

ITG: Did you play sports in high school? If so, what sport(s)?

MR: I wrestled all four years in high school. I went all in on that sport and really didn’t want to do anything else. I even gave up downhill skiing because I didn’t want to get hurt during wrestling season. In the spring I did freestyle wrestling to improve my high school wrestling. We had a much more established freestyle program there than they have in most places here in the South.

ITG: After graduation from high school, where did you attend college?

MR: I attended the US Military Academy at West Point, New York.

ITG: Take us down the road that eventually led you from college to Northside High School?

MR: After graduation from West Point, I was commissioned as an Infantry officer. I served in a few places and left active duty after fulfilling my active duty service obligation. My first civilian job after the Army was at CharBroil, where I held leadership roles in manufacturing, quality assurance, and purchasing. I was recruited from there to be an industrial engineer at Michelin North America. After a year there, I was recruited again to go to work at TSYS as a Six Sigma Black Belt, sort of like an industrial engineering role. While at TSYS, a friend of mine who was a football coach was asked to be the wrestling coach at Hardaway. He needed help, so I volunteered as a community coach to help that team. It was at that point that I realized that I was pretty fired up about coaching wrestling. Around that same time, my wife, Cyndee, pointed out to me that I seemed to enjoy training people but the project management side of what I did wasn’t really my passion. She

38 | itgsportsnetwork.com

helped me put two and two together and realize that I really would be well-suited for teaching. Northside needed a math teacher and was looking to bring an assistant coach on board to eventually take the head coach position. I took the GACE in mathematics, interviewed for the math teacher position at Northside, and enrolled in the TAPP program at Columbus State University in the span of about two months. It was a big step and a sizeable pay cut, but it has been a great fit for me.

ITG: How long have you been an educator/coach at Northside?

MR: Seven years.

ITG: What do you teach at the school?

MR: I teach math, engineering, and physics. It depends on the needs of the school what I’ll be teaching in any given year. You could say I’m a utility player.

ITG: How long have you been the head wrestling coach for the Patriots?

MR: Six years.

ITG: Tell us about your wrestling program. What are your goals for the upcoming season?

MR: We have three focus areas on the team: teamwork, fundamentals, and mental toughness.

Our big idea for this season is one word: pursue. My ultimate goal is to equip the wrestlers to be good husbands and fathers.

For most of them, their wrestling career will only cover 5 percent of their lifespan. While they’re in our program, we’ll train them to be good wrestlers but also equip them for the other 95 percent of their life. We try to train them to be good at the fundamentals, be aggressive on the mat, to win with humility and lose with honor.

I get a lot of help from Joaquin Maldonado, our community coach. He has a ton of experience, having wrestled as a nationally ranked NCAA Division I wrestler at UCLA and internationally as a member of the Mexican national team for six years. He is also a retired Army officer with 26 years of leader-

ship experience. You don’t spend time around a guy like that without learning lessons about life, leadership, and wrestling. Providentially, he chose to offer his services to us because we are closest to his house. We’ve worked out a great working relationship, and the wrestlers and I have benefited from his contribution.

As far as this upcoming season, our goal is to do one place better than we did the previous year. To do this we need to fill the weight classes first. The big tournament we’re working toward is winning area duals. Last year we were the runner-up, losing to Cairo. The guys were pretty hungry for improvement at the end of the season as evidenced by the fact that in June I took more kids to FCA wrestling camp than in any previous year. Looking for better execution on takedowns and being better at the fundamentals of stance and motion.

ITG: Any athletes to watch for the 2017-18 season?

MR: Tripp Thames: This is Tripp’s senior year. He has consistently been one of our best wrestlers every year of his high school career, and this is his year to punctuate his high school career. Tripp has struggled with injuries over the past few, but he has put in some work over the summer to make sure he is as healthy as possible going into his senior season. I look for good things from Tripp right out of the chute.

John Jones: Jones is a junior who went to state as a freshman, ended his sophomore season early due to injury with a 30-2 record, and had a great summer of wrestling. He was runner-up at the NUWAY Summer Nationals in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and placed in a ton of other tournaments in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area.

Courtland Staples: Courtland was our lone state qualifier last year as a sophomore, and he ended the season hungry to improve. He got as much mat time as he could throughout the spring and summer, and I expect he will step up as a major contributor this season.

ITG: What is the best thing about teaching/coaching at Northside High School?

MR: It may sound cliché, but we have a family environment at Northside. Mr. Richburg, our principal, has made culture and climate a priority, and it shows.

Teachers generally show up excited to teach, and students take pride in their school. Administrators are accessible and are most often out among the teachers and students throughout the day. I have a great relationship with my colleagues, and we help each other out with cross-curricular projects and sharing of resources. I get great support from Morgan Ingram, our athletic director. I let him know my plan for the year, and he gives his input and then trusts me to run my program. In both teaching and coaching, we are trusted as professionals to do our jobs and to strive to help our students to improve.

Matt Redmond Job Title: Teacher, Math/Engineering/Physics; Head Coach, Wrestling; Co-Advisor, Technology Student Association Hometown: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Education: High school: Gonzaga Preparatory School, Spokane, Washington College: US Military Academy, West Point, New York Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota Columbus State University, Columbus, Georgia Athletic career: Wrestled all four years in high school Qualified for the Washington State Centennial Games in Freestyle College intramural sports: wrestling, rugby, boxing, area hockey Member of the Army Martial Arts Team; black belt in Kuk Sool Won; placed top three in numerous sparring competitions Family: Wife, Cyndee (married 20 years); children, Wyatt (17) and Colton (13) Hobbies/leisure activities: Working out Martial Arts Fly fishing

Hunting Beekeeping Camping

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

#52 40 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Pos

Height

Weight

DE/DT

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.

“My inspiration really comes from a plentiful amount of love and support stemming from my large family, but mainly my mom and dad who constantly keep me on the brighter side of my situation.”

Henderson wants to continue his football career as long as he can. He wants to explore every option that could benefit him in his athletic career.

Therefore, playing either sport in college will satisfy him.

“Well, my main plan is to get a scholarship offer, but if that doesn't happen, I will apply to a school and try to possibly be a walk-on,” Henderson said.

“I plan to take football as far as the good Lord deems necessary.”

Henderson has learned a lot about overcoming obstacles to achieve his dreams, but he has also learned what it takes to stay positive and motivated. For other young athletes out there who are experiencing similar situations, he has a few words of advice.

“When you are faced with challenges in life, as long as you believe in yourself, nothing will stop you,” he said.

Top 10 Georgia High School Football Players of 2018

Top 10 High School Football Players of 2018 Rank Player 1 Justin Fields

POS QB-DT

HT 6'3"

WT 221

School Commit UGA

Rank Player 1 Justin Fields

POS QB-DT

School Commit UGA

2

Trevor Lawrence

QB-PP

6'6"

209

Clemson

2

Trevor Lawrence

QB-PP

Clemson

3

Xavier Thomas

DE

6'3"

269

Clemson

3

Jamaree Salyer

OG

4

Eyabi Anoma

DE

6'6"

223

4

Azeez Ojulari

WDE

UGA

5

K.J. Henry

DE

6'6"

234

5

Adam Anderson

OLB

UGA

6

Patrick Surtain Jr.

CB

6'2"

192

6

Brenton Cox

SDE

Ohio St

7

Micah Parsons

DE

6'3"

241

7

Trey Hill

OG

8

Justin Shorter

WR

6'4"

213

8

Quay Walker

OLB

9

Devon Williams

ATH

6'5"

191

9

JJ Peterson

OLB

10

Terrace Marshall Jr.

WR

6'3"

193

10

Kyler McMichael

CB

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Penn State

Courtesy of www.espn.com

Alabama

Clemson Courtesy of 247sports.com

Freestyle Works for Red Jacket Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

For decades young athletes with an interest in the sport of swimming were usually a part of a club team in the Columbus Valley area. Just a few schools in Muscogee County and one in Harris County listed swimming as an official sport in their athletic departments, but all of that changed with the building of the Columbus Aquatic Center.

Now on any given day, swim athletes from six public high schools and two private schools can be found practicing in the lanes of the center’s pool complex. Among the most recently-formed teams is Jordan Vocational High School. In 2016, the school began its swim program with seven athletes under the coaching direction of Mike McCraine.

“I was really just about the only one who could coach it,” McCraine said jokingly about his selection as the head coach for the Red Jackets swim team.

Without any real experience in competition swimming, McCraine undertook the task of forming a swim team by recruiting students who were already athletes in other sports and a few who were just interested in swimming.

For his efforts, McCraine, who teaches construction and masonry at Jordan, was named the Ledger-Enquirer’s All Bi-City Swim Coach of the Year along with Carver High School swim coach Lauren Freiberg.

One of McCraine’s swim team members from the 2016 inaugural season is Darius Stokes, a multisport athlete at Jordan. Stokes, 16, swam in the 100-meter freestyle competition last year and will be back this year competing for the Red Jackets.

Usually, high school students find it difficult to balance school work with multiple sports. Often freshmen will “sample” various sports and refine their athletic pursuits to one or two sports for the next few years. Stokes is an exception. Since coming to Jordan, the 5’8” athlete has participated in

cross country, wrestling, swimming, and baseball.

He played five sports in middle school including soccer, but high school soccer is played in the spring as opposed to middle school’s fall schedule. In the spring Stokes is committed solely to Red Jackets baseball.

McCraine assists with baseball at Jordan and also knew Stokes from his construction classes.

When McCraine approached some of the baseball players about joining the swim team, Stokes was all in. What happened at the pool was totally different from what Stokes expected.

“I knew how to swim, and I thought, you know, this would be pretty easy,” Stokes said, laughing. “It was a rocky start. That first swim down and back killed me. The next day I was sore from using muscles I didn’t know I would use.”

Outgoing and naturally personable, Stokes is also a quick study. He figured out he might not be the fastest swimmer in the pool, but the benefits of swimming would pay off big as athletic training for other sports.

“It’s good exercise,” Stokes said. “The cardio, it boosts endurance. My breathing is so much better.

And, I sleep really good at night.”

Since baseball season backs ups to swim season, Stokes found himself training for baseball while also practicing with the swim team. Almost immediately he could tell swimming was having an effect in baseball. McCraine noticed it, too.

“We were out on the field, and guys were running laps,” McCraine said. “Darius was not only ahead of most of them, (but) he turned around and ran backwards yelling at the other players to get moving. He came up to me and said he never felt

so good running before.”

The seven Jordan swim athletes included six males and one female. Stokes said the group bonded over the sport and became close like a family. He said that feeling expanded to other teams that were practicing at the pool along with Jordan’s team. Unlike some sports, swim athletes have more opportunity to interact with swimmers from different schools in a friendlier, less adversarial environment.

“They would help us out,” Stokes said. “Swimmers from other teams would give us tips and tell us what to do because they knew we were new at it. We got to meet people who were really good at swimming and helped us get better.”

This winter the Jordan swim team will again be faced with lack of experience among its members, but McCraine and Stokes aren’t selling the swim program just with the idea of bringing home medals and setting school records. For the coach and athlete, swimming for Jordan can be a means to bring together students who have swim club experience, a supplement program for athletes involved in other sports at Jordan, or an opportunity for some students to maybe discover talent or fulfillment in a sport they might not have ever considered.

Discovering competitive swimming a little late doesn’t mean Stokes has no desire to achieve success in the sport. A natural athlete, the junior has hopes of improving in the 100 freestyle and maybe set a standard before he graduates in 2019.

“I was surprised at how fun this is,” Stokes said. “I want to become No. 1 in my event for Jordan, to make history for our school and get us started with something else we can be known for here.”

In The Game | 43

Keep on Smiling: Derek "Smiley" Miller Is Lowndes' No. 1 Viking Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Micki K Photography

At first glance, it’s pretty easy to understand how Lowndes High School assistant football coach Derek Miller got the nickname “Smiley.” He’s always upbeat and, yes, smiling. And why not? When you’ve been able to hang around the one team you cherish, life is good.

Smiley works under head coach Randy McPherson, who is now in his 16th season as the Vikings head man.

According to McPherson, Smiley is “always upbeat and 100 percent positive. He’s the No. 1 Viking.”

That great attitude is one of the many reasons Smiley has remained involved with the Lowndes football program through four head football coaches, a span that is now entering its 30th year. According to McPherson, that makes Smiley “the longest tenured coach in Lowndes High history.”

Under McPherson, Smiley currently holds the title of assistant offensive coordinator, but has held other positions, mainly all on offense. McPherson fondly remembered the first time he met Smiley.

“I had just arrived at the school, and I walked back where the football area was,” McPherson said. “The first person I saw was Smiley, sitting there in the locker room. He was the first person to come up and greet me, and he’s been with me ever since.”

Smiley’s first coach was Joe Wilson. Smiley played safety for Wilson and the Vikings, all the way through his senior season. Even though his playing days were over, Smiley wasn’t ready to leave. He enjoyed hanging around the team. It was that love of the game that caught the eye of one of Wilson’s assistants, offensive coordinator Ronnie Pitcock. Pitcock approached Smiley one afternoon following practice and asked him if he would be interested in sticking around and helping the coaching staff. Smiley immediately accepted, thus beginning his 30-year stay.

Rick Tomberlin succeeded Wilson as head coach. In fact, Tomberlin was the first to notice the always-cheerful assistant holdover from Wilson’s staff.

“He (Tomberlin) is the one who first started calling me Smiley,” Smiley said. “He would always ask me first

44 | itgsportsnetwork.com

“He (Tomberlin) is the one who first started calling me Smiley. He would always ask me first to help with this and that, and he would start off by saying, ‘Hey Smiley, can you help me do this?’ So, it just stuck. I liked it.”

— Derek Miller

to help with this and that, and he would start off by saying, ‘Hey Smiley, can you help me do this?’ So, it just stuck. I liked it.”

Following Tomberlin at Lowndes was Milt Miller, then McPherson. That’s four coaches, 30 years, and four state championship teams, which is quite the accomplishment.

Smiley’s younger brother is well-known former Viking Randal Godfrey. Growing up together, both Smiley and Godfrey played football. And while Godfrey gained notoriety as he went on to play football collegiately and professionally, Smiley actually wound up with the bragging rights after winning four state championship rings as a coach with the Vikings. And Smiley never lets him forget about it.

“Yeah, he likes to rub that in my face every time I make it back (to Lowndes High),”

Godfrey said with a chuckle. “ I never even went to the playoffs in high school, and that joker winds up on four state championship teams!”

While Smiley’s main love is Viking football, one other activity is a close second: professional wrestling.

When asked who he roots for in the ring, Smiley didn’t hesitate: “Dusty Rhodes. I saw him get inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.”

Some say pro wrestling is fake… maybe so. One thing is for sure, however: There’s nothing fake about Derek “Smiley” Miller’s love for Lowndes Vikings football.

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Homerun Hitter Written By: Hillary D. Griffin Photography by: Micki K Photography

Xavier McIntyre is all but your typical sophomore at Warner Robins High School. He has dedicated his time and focus throughout the years to his academics, but also his athletics. He continues to excel in both.

McIntyre has been playing baseball since the age of 5. He grew a love for the game from watching it on television and from his childhood best friend, who also played the sport.

Last season McIntyre had the chance to start on his high school’s baseball team as a freshman.

“I started out not getting very much playing time, but that just made me work harder and harder,” he said. “After starting my first game, it really boosted my confidence, and being given the opportunity to start on varsity as a freshman after being on the bench truly humbled me.”

McIntyre was also asked his favorite thing about playing centerfield.

“I can see everything, and I love having the responsibility of covering all of the ground,” he said. “I also enjoy the fact that I get to control what’s going on in the game.”

He holds the Second Team All-Region 1-5A highest batting average of .314.

McIntyre expressed that he would undoubtedly love to have the opportunity to play baseball on the college level. He has shown interest in colleges such as Mercer University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but what sparked his interest in those universities wasn’t their baseball programs but instead their engineering programs.

McIntyre said that he has always gone to Mercer baseball games, and it’s quite close to home, which always has its benefits. He also participated in a program called the Math, Science, and Engineering Academy at

46 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Scholar-Athlete presented by

the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he loved the atmosphere of the entire campus. McIntyre said that his parents have always stressed the importance of getting good grades and staying focused on his education, so he balances his athletics with his academics by ensuring that whenever he gets any free time he does his work even if he must endure those sleepless nights that we all know too well.

Those sleepless nights have paid off greatly.

McIntyre has a 3.7 GPA,

for which he was awarded for having the highest academic GPA for his grade in the baseball program.

He also received the principle award for being on honor roll. By continuing to get good grades, McIntyre has big plans to major in biomedical engineering once he enters college, and then he wants to open his own practice. This is no shock because he said that math is his favorite subject and he loves the challenge.

While acing his academics and starring on the baseball field, McIn-

“I can see everything, and I love having the responsibility of covering all of the ground.”

— Xavier McIntyre

tyre also finds time to work as a trainer for the football team. He is a member of Future Business Leaders of America and also mime dances at his church.

“I would like to receive a Division I offer and make All-State baseball before I graduate,” he said.

He knows that none of his dreams would be possible without hard work, dedication, and most importantly God. McIntyre puts his love for God at the center of his life.

“I put him before my education and my sports, and I would not have been able to accomplish anything without him,” he said.

McIntyre continues to strive for greatness every day, and with his work ethic, he will certainly accomplish all of his dreams.

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In The Game | 49

Going, Going, Gone:

Little Leaguer Hits It out of SunTrust Park

Written by: Anna Limoges

Courtesy of fayette-news.net Watching a baseball sail right out of the park is a sight to behold – for spectators and players alike. Even though the sight is commonplace in the Major Leagues (The 2017 season saw the most home runs in a single season with 6,104, shattering the previous record of 5,693 in 2000.) the power and precision it takes to hit a home run

is astounding, and the players who can do it are impressive. What’s even more impressive? When a 13-year-old little leaguer does it in an MLB park.

Jayce Blalock, of Peachtree City, Georgia, gained attention in early August when he hit a grand slam well past the outfield fence and into the trees during a little league game just as an-

nouncers were discussing (and doubting) his ability to do so.

Although Blalock’s team did not make it to the Little League World Series, he was invited to batting practice in SunTrust Park by the Atlanta Braves, who wanted to see just how far he could really hit.

Blalock did not disappoint. His home run

hit easily cleared the leftfield wall, which measures 335 feet from home plate.

Granted, he was using a metal bat, but the feat is no less impressive considering his age.

If Blalock has this much power while he’s only in middle school, can you imagine the monster he’ll be on the diamond in a few years? High school pitchers beware.

Living In the game

Texas A&M Runner Eligibility in Question for Promoting Own Company Written by: Joshua Miller

Texas A&M cross country and track runner Ryan Trahan is yet another victim of the NCAA’s restrictions toward student-athletes owning and promoting their own business.

The freshman is co-founder of Neptune water bottles, a business he and a friend started in 2016. Along with his business, Trahan runs his own YouTube channel where he vlogs, gives tips on running, and promotes his water bottle business.

The NCAA found that Trahan was violating their rule that a student-athlete “may establish his or her own business, provided the student-athlete’s name, photograph, appearance , or athletics reputation are not used to promote the business.”

Simply, Trahan violated NCAA rules by displaying his likeness of a student-athlete for Texas A&M via his YouTube channel while promoting his own company on the same platform.

After signing special waivers to keep his company and filing for reinstatement, Trahan is now at a crossroad between his two passions 50 | itgsportsnetwork.com

and must choose what he wants to continue doing.

Trahan can continue being a runner for the university and keep posting running videos on his You Tube channel. However, he must act like he doesn’t own a company and have absolutely no references or correlation to his company on any social platform.

His next option is to continue to own the company and keep promoting the company as much as he wants, but he must hide the fact that he’s a student athlete for Texas A&M. He can’t let people know he runs for the university, and he can’t post any more running videos or make any reference to Texas A&M. Trahan’s situation brings forth some issues many have with the NCAA’s strict rules regarding eligibility. Rules meant to protect the integrity of collegiate athletes are interfering with the athletes’ abilities to create and run their own businesses, something many colleges, even Texas A&M, encourage.

Courtesy of 12thman.com

December 28-30, 2017

www.tiftcountybasketball.com 904-612-1952 | Joyce Danford

8th Annual McDonald’s - Tift County Invitational In The Game | 51

FOOTBALL Runs in the Family

Written by: Alex Dunn | Photography by: Micki K Photography

Griffin Collier is a senior quarterback for Tift County High School and has been in love with football since he was old enough to be allowed to play. A two-year starter and team captain, Collier has become one of the spotlight players this season.

The 6’2’’, 205 pound athlete also enjoys running the 300-meter hurdles and the 4x400 in track. He said that he has the great opportunity to play both sports during their offseasons. However, Collier has always had a favorite.

Collier sets himself apart from his other teammates by demonstrating a positive work ethic in sports as well as in academics. He believes the key to the long road to success is the amount of dedication someone wants to put into what they love.

“I dedicate myself to whatever sport I’m playing, whether it’s football or track,” Collier said. “I always try to keep a positive attitude and encourage my fellow teammates. I try

to keep my grades high and always be studious.”

Collier has amassed a total of 6,835 passing yards so far in his career, 2,730 of which came from this season alone. He’s racked up 29 touchdown passes this season and has a career completion percentage of .611. He understands how coming out on top can be a lot of work, but with the proper tools, anyone can succeed.

Collier explained that his motivation to stay on top, athletically and academically, is due to his family and teammates.

He said he wouldn’t know where he would be today if not for their support.

“My family definitely encourages, but what really drives me to do my best is for the guys next to me on the field every Friday night,” he said. “I always want to give it my all for them.”

Another aspect of encouragement comes specifically from his father, who played at TCHS as a wide receiver during his time there. He graduated before the team won its first and so far only state title the next season, but has always told his son that he knew there was something special about the team that won it.

Yards

TD Passes Interceptions

“I fell in love with it [football] over the years, and no other sport really compared to it,” he said.

Pos

Completion %

.611

6,835

#10

QB Rate

Yards Per Game

QB

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107.8

207.1

69

22

“My dad definitely encouraged me to be a better player because he has worked with me one on one my whole life and always keeps my attitude up,” Collier said. “He is someone I have always looked up to.”

His dad, Mike Collier,

also has the opportunity to coach his son at Tift.

The coach believes that being able to see his son grow as a player is something he can cherish forever.

“I think most fathers dream of coaching their sons in whatever sport that they participate in,” coach Collier said. “It has been a thrill for me to be able to be on the field

with Griffin through two years of his high school career. What most people see are the games on Friday night, but it is the practices in the summer, the workouts, and the practices in the fall that have been the best times for me. Football takes up so much time for these young people, and there is so much commitment involved, and being able to experience that with Griffin has been very special.”

Collier has plenty of memories from his football career. One, however, takes the cake.

“My favorite [memory] so far has definitely been just this last game beating Colquitt County in the fourth quarter,” he said. “It was something I’ve wanted all throughout high school after a devastating lost my sophomore year.”

Although he doesn’t have any offers yet, Collier has already begun talking to a few coaches in anticipation of playing in college. He explained that regardless of if he continues to play football or not, he already knows what major he would like to study.

“I want to major in

“It is safe to say that I am a Blue Devil and always will be. This program means so much to me and is a source of pride and to have Griffin be a big part of that has been unbelievable.”

— Mike Collier something in science to hopefully enter the medical field one day,” he said.

Collier believes that hard work and perseverance can go a long way to becoming a successful player. His advice centers on encouraging yourself and others so that support is never far behind.

“Just never get down on yourself and always encourage others around you,” he said. “Keep a good mental attitude and always give it your best every single game and practice.”

In The Game | 53

Wrestler Immovable In His Passion For The Sport Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: Beth Welch

Kylan Draper, 16, is a junior at Hardaway High School in Columbus. He moved to the area from Missouri due to the military connections of his family. It took some time and energy. It also took a bit of trial and error along with a couple of long-distance moves, but eventually Kylan Draper found the right place and the right sport.

The 5’10” athlete joined the Hawks football team, where he was the back-up long snapper last season. He asked some of the coaches about the wrestling program at the school and was pointed in the direction of Alex Sturgeon, the new wrestling coach at Hardaway.

After talking with Sturgeon, Draper decided to take up a second sport and wound up wrestling in the 170-pound weight class. Moving right into wrestling season from football, Draper wasted no time in making his name known.

His record for last season was 34-10. He placed second at the King of the County tournament in Harris County and placed third in the City Tournament. Draper also placed first at the Area Tournament. His successes in the sport only ignited more of

a desire to pursue wrestling with an all-consuming passion.

“I love playing football, but wrestling is what I really love,” he said. “I am very competitive. Everything I do is about winning or losing. It’s win or lose all the time.”

Hardaway’s wrestling coach has seen that competitive side of Draper and feels it is one reason the talented athlete is so formidable in the sport.

“Draper is a fighter,” Sturgeon said.

“I know that I could send him on the mat with the best wrestlers of the state and he will make it a competitive match.”

This year, Draper advanced to the starting long snapper position in football and was a nose guard on defense.

“I want to be in the top three for state,” he said. “I also am looking forward to the City Championship. I was there last year, and this time, well, let’s just say I plan on doing well.”

54 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Draper views his strengths on the mat to be based on his defensive skills. He has a reputation among his peers as being “immovable” in his stance and physical strength.

The discipline he has developed as a wrestler became more pronounced in the last year, which led Draper to realize training is key to holding his ground during a competition.

Since it is his junior year, Draper isn’t looking too far ahead in terms of college and athletic scholarship offers. Depending on how he fares this winter and because he is an “A” student, Draper should start to gain some attention from recruiters.

Sturgeon believes Draper has the ability to continue to wrestle after high school.

“I do think that he has the potential to wrestle at the collegiate level,” Sturgeon said. “He is smart, quick, and strong. If he can improve his technique and commit himself to the sport, I believe he is more than capable.”

“Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn’t exist and never shall. There is only the now.”

Competitive Spirit Developed Young in Carver Athlete Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

Mariah Igus is quick to admit she has a competitive spirit. The Carver High School basketball athlete has been playing organized basketball since she was about 7 years old.

That drive to succeed was developed early in Igus and is mainly due to the fact she was told she couldn’t do something.

“My uncles and others would be playing basketball outside, and when I wanted to play, they would tell me I was too little or I couldn’t because I was a girl,” Igus said.

Instead of giving up, she kept asking and kept hanging out while they were playing.

“It made me mad,” she said, smiling.

Once she was allowed to join in, Igus discovered she really loved the game. She recalled running inside to tell her mother she wanted to play basketball with a team. Her mother responded by signing up the youngster to play in a local YMCA program.

Those first experiences only increased Igus’s desire to play basketball as much and as often as possible.

Later she tried some other sports while attending Rothschild Middle School. It was a chance to experiment with outdoor sports like soccer and track while also continuing to play on a court with volleyball and, of course, basketball.

As she prepared to enter high school, Igus narrowed down her playlist to just the sport of basketball. She might have tried to participate in one other team sport, but she received some advice about that idea.

“My stepdad made me stick to basketball,” she said. “He said I was good at it and I needed to focus on it.”

The 5’9” shooting guard started the ninth grade at another high school but transferred to Carver before her sophomore year. At Carver, Igus began to fully realize her potential as a basketball athlete. She played JV and varsity that season and took advantage of watching some stellar upperclassman at work on the team.

Last year, Igus earned a starting spot on the varsity team and became a key player for the Lady Tigers. The 2016-17 season was memorable to say the least for the junior. Igus and her teammates, under the coaching direction of Anson Hundley, went all the way to the GHSA 4A Girls Basketball State Championship game.

The Lady Tigers faced the Lady Blue Devils of Columbus High School four times last season, including the state title game.

Carver’s team led the series between the two schools 2-1. One of those was a squeaker of a win that gave the Lady Tigers the 4A Region 1title. That game provided memories Igus will not soon forget.

“We just got better from the beginning of the season,” she said. “I shot well at region, and we all did our jobs. It was just a great experience.”

When the two teams squared off for the state title, the Lady Blue Devils took the win in overtime. While it was a disappointing end to an unbelievable season, Igus said she feels her team has a good chance to be back on the road to a state championship in a few months.

“We will be returning everyone,” the veteran player said. “We only lost two seniors. We could do it again (win a state championship) if we work hard, stay focused, and play as a team.”

Igus’s highest scoring game last season yielded 27 points to her credit. This year, the senior has a goal of scoring 30 points in a game. She believes it is an achievable goal because “offense comes natural to me” and because she has teammates who are able to help her be in a position to score those points.

Another goal of Igus’s is attending college on an athletic scholarship. A few colleges are in the running for Igus. Most of the serious contenders are out of state and are serious contenders for that reason.

“We could do it again (win a state championship) if we work hard, stay focused, and play as a team.”

— Mariah Igus

“I really want to go away to school,” she said with a smile. “I’m waiting to see what happens this season, but I like the schools in Florida. In the end, I just want to get a degree and be able to play basketball while I go to college. To me, I am all about basketball.”

In The Game | 55

It’s All About Life on the Ice Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

Robert Przepioski moved from California to Columbus in August to become Director of Skating for the Columbus Figure Skating Academy.

Przepioski is a professional figure skating coach and nationally ranked figure skater. The threetime competitor at the Championship Men’s US Figure Skating Nationals arrived in Georgia with the goal of supporting and improving the local skate organization.

With 10 students currently under his direction, Przepioski hopes to expand the club’s skate pro-

gram by bringing more exposure to the sport.

Several ice shows are part of those plans, including a Christmas program scheduled this month.

Two of Przepioski’s students are participating in the December show and have been skating at the ice rink for several years. Emilie Proctor, 14, and Mary Jo Fryer, also 14, began skating as youngsters and evolved into competitive skaters.

Proctor, a freshman at Harris County High School, took up ice skating at the age of 7. She said a friend of her fa-

56 | itgsportsnetwork.com

ther’s was the first to give Proctor an idea about skating.

The Harris County native is heavily invested in skating after seven years. She began participating in competitions at the age of 8, which took place as close as Atlanta and often in other states like Tennessee and Florida. Because of her love of ice skating, the 5’1” skater never tried any other sport or extra-curricular activity, instead focusing solely on what she could do on the ice.

Today, Proctor spends almost every free moment

she has skating , practicing on average about six days a week at the ice rink, Columbus’s ice skating facility located next door to the city’s Civic Center. Proctor herself has been coached by six different coaches. She is thrilled with the hiring of Przepioski.

“He is so good,” Proctor said. “I know I have a lot to learn, and he is a great coach. I think it’s great we were able to get someone like him to be our coach.”

Proctor has been friends with fellow skater Mary Jo Fryer since kindergarten. Fryer, a Northside High School freshman, has been skating for five years. As a competitive skater, she will be traveling for competitions to Texas in February and to Boston next summer.

Fryer gave other sports and extra-curricular activities a shot before she discovered ice skating. Her introduction to competitive ice skating came about as sort of a trade-off with her parents.

“I really wanted to play ice hockey,” Fryer said. “I had been to a birthday party and experienced the ice.

At the time there was no skate club, and I really wanted to play ice hockey. My parents told me I was not going to play hockey.

I began with lessons and then joined the skate club.”

The 5’3” skater had tried karate, dance, cheerleading, and gymnastics among other things, but nothing gave her the feeling like she experienced skating.

Both young women admit they were surprised at how difficult it was to ice skate. Fryer said she expected to go in and immediately be able to maneuver on the ice, while Proctor advised anyone who is interested in becoming a competitive figure skater to start young.

Przepioski is an exception to the rule of beginning young in order to compete. He didn’t get started as a competitive figure skater until the age of 14. Against all possible odds, he proved his critics wrong by becoming a nationally ranked skater. To this day, he is sort of a legend in the figure skating world for his accomplishments and also for his ability to perform back flips on ice.

“Everyone told me it couldn’t be done,” he said. “I went out there and started at 14, and I think that story inspires others.

I retired from skating last year and wanted to be able to help young skaters realize their dreams, too.”

To that end, the California native is calling Georgia home for now while he rebuilds the local skate club and motivates young skaters to become serious competitors or provides coaching to improve their skills.

19 U.S. OLYMPIC HOPEFULS TO WATCH FOR IN 2018 Mikaela Shiffrin Lindsey Vonn Elana Meyers Taylor Jessie Diggins John Shuster Nathan Chen Ashley Wagner Maia and Alex Shibutani Maddie Bowman Gus Kenworthy Amanda Kessel Patrick Kane Erin Hamlin J.R. Celski Jamie Anderson Chloe Kim Shaun White Heather Bergsma

Alpine Skiing Alpine Skiing Bobsled Cross-Country Skiing Curling Figure Skating Figure Skating Figure Skating Freestyle Skiing Freestyle Skiing Hockey Hockey Luge

Short Track Speed Skating Snowboarding Snowboarding Snowboarding Speed Skating In The Game | 57

Batman: A Superhero on and off the Field Written by: Candace Mitchell Photography by: Vince Jupiter

When asked about his future career, 8-year-old running back and linebacker Rashad Mingo had no hesitation in saying he wanted to be an NFL Player for the Seattle Seahawks. Mingo is also known as “Batman,” a name he has created for himself within just three years of playing. When he was five he played for the Titletown Titans, where he scored a 70yard touchdown and earned

the name due to his speed and love for the superhero.

Mingo, now 5 feet tall and 75 pounds, plays for the Newbern Black Wildcats and has made 80-yard touchdowns, according to his father.

Mingo demonstrates a strong passion and understanding for the game of football while also demonstrating a sense of true teamwork by studying highlights of NFL Players on YouTube

and finding ways to better himself so he can be a dependable player for his teammates.

“What I love most about football is tackling because I can help my team by defending my teammates,” Mingo said.

Although Rashad practices two days per week with his team, he also takes extra time on weekends to practice with his father, Joe Mingo, to

“What I love most about football is tackling because I can help my team by defending my teammates.”

— Rashad Mingo

58 | itgsportsnetwork.com

focus on agility drills. Batman takes no time off because even during the offseason he works out from January until the season kicks back in. Success is Rashad’s main priority as he strives for a win with every game. His father sees him as a prodigy, being the best in his age rank.

“Rashad is one of the top youth athlete's in the country,” his father said. “He has been featured on Under the

Radar, one of the top sports media outlets in the country,” Mingo said. “This year Ra-

shad has 17 touchdowns in seven games. He has dominated both sides of the ball with seven sacks and over a thousand yards rushing. His speed, quickness, and IQ of the game are what set him apart from any other player his age. He knows the game. Everyone says he’s four years ahead of his age group.”

The characteristics Mingo admires about other players are the same qualities he aims to embody. For example, his favorite football player is Rashod Lynch, and their first names are not the only thing these two football players have in common.

“He goes hard on the field with touchdowns and the way he helps his team” Mingo said.

Rashad is not just exemplary on the field, but in the classroom as well, achieving all A’s. He is expected to progress his football career at JL Newbern Middle School; meanwhile, his high spirits, teamwork, and quick hand-eye coordination are definitely catching attention along the way. At this rate his determination, humbleness, and talent should be leading him effortlessly closer to his dreams.

Living the Dream on the Volleyball Court Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

A

middle school athlete attends a local high school volleyball game. With each serve and volley, the middle school athlete becomes more excited about the game and more determined to become a future member of the winning team. A dream begins to take shape for the young athlete.

Fast forward to the 2017 volleyball season.

The lone senior starting for the Columbus High School Lady Blue Devils varsity team is Nyah Whittlesey. It was Whittlesey who, as an eighth grader at a local middle school, attended a CHS game and set a goal of joining the team.

“I started playing volleyball in the 6th grade at Blackmon Road Middle School.

My dad and I came here to a game. I think it was either a state

game or final four.

When I heard the crowd after a finishing rally, it was just so good. I knew I wanted to be a part of something like that. Afterward, we talked with Coach Fleming and I felt this was the right place for me,” says Whittlesey, smiling.

Columbus High head volleyball coach Donna Fleming also recalls that evening.

“When Nyah and her dad spoke to me, they indicated she was planning on coming to Columbus and wanted to play volleyball. I told them I would love for her to join us but I had no idea at that time that she had a 36” vertical,” Fleming says with a laugh.

The 5’8” 17-year-old does indeed have a 36” vertical jump. She says she sort of progressed into the staggering feat of jumping so high from

years of playing basketball then transitioning to volleyball. Back in middle school, Whittlesey left basketball behind and began focusing on the sport of volleyball.

By the time she moved to high school, Whittlesey had a definite skillset to bring to the game. She was a JV player as a freshman at Columbus but was given the opportunity to prove what she could do. Whittlesey became a starter on varsity as a sophomore, beating out a junior for the spot. That year, 2015, was the same year the Lady Blue Devils went all the way to state and brought home the winning trophy.

“It was just crazy!

That season and that game were everything you work for and it happened for us,” she says.

Looking around the court, taking a glance and seeing what is the next best play — that is what helps the team.

— Nyah Whittlesey

Whittlesey says she has grown a lot since she was a middle school athlete. The transition to high school volleyball was a reality check and coming into such an established, successful program had Whittlesey running on all cylinders. Columbus High is known for its high academic standard which was the main reason Whittlesey wanted to go there. Her freshman year was spent adapting to the “rigor” of her schedule but by the next year, she had learned to manage her time.

Also during this time, Whittlesey was wise enough to soak up the expertise of some very talented CHS varsity volIn The Game | 59

leyball athletes. The team had been “very welcoming” to the newbie starter and she gained much from observing and listening.

“I used to be a player whose whole world would crumble over a play.

Those players told me I needed to have ‘sports amnesia’ and forget what I couldn’t change but have the confidence to focus on the next play. To do what I could to help my teammates and develop a mental toughness,” says Whittlesey When asked about her greatest strengths or best volleyball athletic skill, the 6 rotation Outside Hitter doesn’t even mention her impressive vertical jump. She leads her team in kills (153 early in the season) but she feels her best feature on the court is her ability to keep a level head and be strategic.

“Looking around the court, taking a

glance and seeing what is the next best play. That is what helps the team,” she says.

A decision about college has not been made although Whittlesey says she has heard from some schools. In addition to her athleticism, the senior has a reputation as a leader with a strong work ethic and currently holds a 4.2 GPA; all of which make her an attractive prospect for college volleyball programs.

At the time of this interview, the Lady Blue Devils were working toward taking the region.

Last season the Columbus High team went to the final four. It’s a younger, less experienced team for the 2017-18 season but whatever happens, Whittlesey has accomplished a major goal set long ago.

She made her dream turn into a reality.

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Back Like I Never Left, Coach Tucker Pruitt

Written By: Hillary D. Griffin | Photography by: Micki K Photography

Tucker Pruitt is a 2008 alumnus of Valdosta State University. He started as the football head coach at Fitzgerald High School in 2017. In 2009, he started his coaching career in football at Georgia Southern with Chris Hatcher, who was his college coach for his first three years.

For Pruitt, coaching at Fitzgerald has been an easy transition.

“I am very familiar with the program, the people, and the program’s expectations for the team,” Pruitt said.

“There have been a few changes within the program. The schemes in all three phases — offense, defense, and special teams — have changed.

Offensively, we have gone to more of a spread and are throwing the ball much more than the program has, with the last 17 years being pretty much

a Wing-T run every play.”

Defensively, they went to a four-man front scheme, which is a change from the threeman that was run previously.

“I believe that coaching is very multi-dimensional,” Pruitt said on what coaching means to him. “I think that coaching is teaching and that it is very important to build relationships with the kids and teach them more than just football.

Many of our kids need structure and guidance and someone to show them the correct way to do things and handle certain situations. Being that there are many parallels between the game of football and life, then, it is our goal to teach our kids the skills that it takes to be successful in life.”

Once he left Georgia Southern, Pruitt became the wide receiver coach

at Valdosta High School in consecutive years.

2010, where he coached ““Obviously, there Malcolm were some M i t c h e l l “I believe in hard feelwith then discipline, toughness, ings by head coach some peoaccountability, and R a n c e ple, but I G i l l e s p i e . attention to detail. I felt good Pruitt then believe that execution with the m o v e d is what wins and that decision, to Thom- it is not what you do and after son High beating School in but how you do it that L o w n d e s 2011 as the matters the most.” in the Win— Tucker Pruitt n e r s v i l l e offensive Classic and coordinator under head coach going on to win the State Milan Turner. From 2012 Championship, it’s pretto 2014 Pruitt was at Cof- ty hard to second guess fee High School with his that decision,” Pruitt said father as offensive coor- of crossing over schools. dinator. Pruitt coached at Being back as a PurLowndes High School in ple Hurricane, Pruitt has 2015 under head coach big plans for the team.

Randy McPherson and Fitzgerald has played at Valdosta High School some really good teams again in 2016 under Alan this season, and there has Rodemaker. been some adversity.

That’s right. Pruitt “Currently we have coached on both sides of clinched a spot in the one of the biggest rival- playoffs and are playing ries in South Georgia in this week to win a share

of the region championship,” he said.

The team’s plan for this season is to continue to work and chase the state championship trophy. Fitzgerald has been a solid program for many years and has done pretty much everything except win Game 15.

“I’m kind of old school in my approach to coaching,” Pruitt said of his coaching philosophy. “I think that you get out what you put in, and there is no substitute for hard work. I believe in discipline, toughness, accountability, and attention to detail. I believe that execution is what wins and that it is not what you do but how you do it that matters the most. I also believe that football is a game and that it needs to be fun for the kids.”

In The Game | 61

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vikings

REGION 1-7A

lowndes

SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Rusty Beale

2017

RECORD

20-12

Players To Watch

4 25 12 Fender

Rose

Retterbush

After a tough 2016 season that saw the Vikings finish winless in region play, head coach Rusty Beale rallied the troops last year, and the result was a 7-5 region mark, good enough for the No. 2 seed in Region 1-AAAAAAA. The Vikings also improved on their overall win-loss record, finishing 20-12.

Looking ahead, Beale and Viking fans should be excited about that success from last year continuing: The team returns its top three pitchers in Dalton Smith, Wyatt Fender, and Cameron Carter, with seniors Rhett McLeod and Palmer Henderson expected to provide quality innings as well. Lowndes will return its two through six hitters in the line up, providing experience in the meat of the batting order.

Defensively, the Vikings return the majority of the infield, with second basemen Johnny Retterbush and Cameron Carter splitting the duties there, third baseman Brett Beals, shortstop Tyler Andrews, and first basemen CJ Rose and Palmer Henderson splitting time there.

In the outfield, left fielder Tyson Shaw is back, as are center fielders Wyatt Fender and Dalton Smith. Beale did lose his outfield leader, Dalton Hart, to graduation but expects underclassmen Tyler Alonso and Andrew Clark to fill the void. Catcher Colby Hall is gone, but Beale expects competition for the job between Reid Wilcher and Alex Atkinson in 2018.

If the Vikings are to continue getting better, Beale stresses that the offense must cut down on the strikeouts and work on scoring more runs.

With a strong returning unit for Lowndes, expect the Vikings and Beale to be back competing for the region championship this season.

2/13

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Thomas Co. Central

2/16

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Griffin

2/17

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Fannin County

2/17

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Chattahoochee

2/20

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Cook

2/23

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Baker County

2/24

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Gulf Breeze

2/27

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Lincoln

3/2

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Lakeside

3/3

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Evans

3/3

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Heritage

3/6

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Suwannee

3/9

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Colquitt County

3/9

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Colquitt County

3/13

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Thomas Co. Central

3/16

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Tift County

3/16

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Tift County

3/20

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Valdosta

3/23

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Camden County

3/23

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Camden County

3/28

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Chiles

4/6

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Colquitt County

4/6

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Colquitt County

4/9

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Valdosta

4/11

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Cook

4/13

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Tift County

4/13

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Tift County

4/17

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Suwannee

4/20

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Camden County

4/20

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Camden County

3 home runs .399 On Base % .292 Batting Avg.

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In The Game | 63

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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.

2/15

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Hamilton County

2/16

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Alpharetta

2/17

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Paulding Panthers

2/17

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Early County

2/19

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Glenwood

2/23

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Richards

2/23

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Ponte Vedra

2/27

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Chiles

3/2

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Madison County

3/6

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Ware County

3/9

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Northside

3/13

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Ware County

3/16

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Houston County

3/17

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Glenwood

3/20

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Lowndes

3/23

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Northside

3/23

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Northide

3/27

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Madison County

3/28

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Deerfield Beach

3/30

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Houston County

3/30

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Houston County

4/3

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Coffee

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Coffee

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Coffee

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Lowndes

4/10

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Hamilton County

4/11

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Colquitt County

4/17

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Lee County

4/20

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Lee County

4/20

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Lee County

7 home runs .378 On Base % .264 Batting Avg.

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405 East Force Street Valdosta, Georgia 31601 229-242-8551 In The Game | 65

GISA 2A REGION 3

GA CHRISTIAN

GENERALS 2017 Head STATS Coach: Donald Dawkins

Head Coach: Donald Dawkins

2-4

2017

RECORD

2-13

HOME RECORD

Players To Watch

6 27 12 Rizer

0-9

AWAY RECORD

.133

Copeland

Ga Christian finds themselves in a transition season. As a member of GISA last year, the Generals finished 6-14 overall and 2-6 in region play. They were eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs. Now, coach Irvin Sloan’s team will compete as a member of GICAA. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean things will be any easier for Georgia Christian. As part of the new association, they will play the past two defending state champions in Calvary Christian from Columbus and Fullington Academy (Pinehurst).

They will be forced to replace all three starting outfield positions (one move out and two transfers), plus one more starter. The news isn’t all bad at that position, however, as outfielder Darren Long returns from a torn ACL (suffered in football) to anchor center field, and his bat will be welcomed back offensively.

Returning to lead things off at the plate will be Will Copeland, who will play shortstop and third base. He will be joined by Dalton Rizer, who will play infield. Senior Boston Guthrie is back at first base, and leading a returning slate of strong pitching will be ace Grant Guthrie, a sophomore who, according to pitching coach Chuck Deweese, has a blazing fastball. In fact, all of the pitching is back this year, so what was a strength for the team last season is intact. The back end of the battery, catcher Riley White, also returns.

WINNING %

Community, Health, and Lifestyle Magazine 66 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Long

Hitting and defense is where the generals need to concentrate their efforts if they are to improve on last year’s win total.

Assistant Tony Long will lead that effort in 2018.

VALIANTS SCHEDULE

GISA 3A REGION 3

VALWOOD

Head Coach: Robert Shipman

2017

RECORD

3-17

Players To Watch

12 11 29 McCrae

Burns

Boone

The Valwood Valiants have certainly been one of the teams to beat over the past few seasons, not just in Region 3-AAA, but state-wide in GISA. Valwood advanced to the state championship series in 2015 and 2016 under the guidance of head coach Robert Shipman. Despite making it through the multiple rounds of the state playoffs each year to get close to the ultimate prize of a state championship, the Valiants came up short in back-to-back finals.

Both times it was to region rival Deerfield-Windsor.

2017 saw the Valiants take a step back. Despite preseason goals of making it back to the state championship finals, Valwood was plagued with a stinging loss before taking the field, losing starting shortstop Michael McCrae for the season. (He will return for his senior season this year). That injury, along with losing 11 seniors to graduation, plus one of the toughest schedules in GISA, all combined to see Valwood finish with a disappointing 6-18 overall season. Give the Valiants credit, however, as they would finish even in region play at 4-4.

The Valiants look to bounce back with several key contributors returning in 2018. Back is center fielder Caleb Burns, who was the lone All-Region selection last year for Valwood. McCrae returns from injury to lead Valwood defensively, as well as at the plate. Left fielder Jahari Boone will be a table-setter at the top of the line up.

“Jahari can be disruptive on the base paths when he reaches,” Shipman said.

2/23

@

Bolles

2/23

@

Bolles

2/26

-

Brooks County

2/27

-

Hamilton County

3/2

-

Terrell Academy

3/6

@

Terrell Acadmey

3/7

@

Maclay

3/13

-

Deerfield-Windsor

3/15

-

Echols County

3/16

@

Deerfield-Windsor

3/20

@

Southland Academy

3/23

-

Southland Academy

3/27

-

Tiftarea Academy

3/29

@

Tiftarea Academy

4/5

-

TBA

4/6

-

TBA

4/7

-

TBA

4/10

@

Brookwod

4/12

@

Hamilton County

4/13

-

Brookwood

4/17

@

Echols County

4/19

@

Brooks County

4/24

@

Madison County

Returning to lead the pitching will be Dalton Stephens, Drew Sawyer, and Mason Williams. Those three will do the heavy lifting pitching-wise this year, according to Shipman.

Others back in 2018 include catcher Seth Kipper, utility man Sam Martin, second baseman Dane Fafard, and infielder Colby Thomas.

Look for Valwood to make a “valiant” return to their winning ways in 2018.

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REGION 1-2A

thomasville

bulldogs 2017 STATS

Head Coach: Erik Mcdougald

2017

10-5

RECORD

22-12

HOME RECORD

10-4 AWAY RECORD

.647

WINNING %

Players To Watch

1 17 34 Stewart

Dollar

Bennett

Talk about a reason or two to be optimistic if you’re a fan of the Thomasville Bulldog baseball program heading into 2018: You return every contributor from last year’s Region 1-AA championship team, which finished 22-11 overall and 12-3 in the always-tough 1-AA. That, along with the fact that your head coach is one of the longest tenured coaches in the state of Georgia, should put the hopes of the ‘Dogs pretty high heading into this season.

Eric McDougal begins his 23rd season overall with Thomasville, the 16th as head coach, and he will have a full compliment of talent to work with this year.

Among those back is the Player of the Year in Region 1-AA J.T. Rice. He will man the shortstop position, hit lead off, and will be the guy counted on for leadership.

The Pitcher of the Year, Buck Bennett, will be the ace of the pitching staff again. He had nine wins last year to lead the ‘Dogs. The receiver of those pitches last year, catcher Harrison Stewart, will move to another position this season. That’s because McDougal has freshman catcher Nathan Smith to take over. The move will allow Stewart to help Thomasville defensively elsewhere, but it’s his bat that will get the attention of opposing coaches: Stewart broke the state record for triples in a season last year with 10. He and third baseman Hayden Donalson will provide the offensive spark, with Donalson hitting at the top of the order.

Senior Parker Zolt will also provide McDougal and Thomasville a great left-handed bat in 2018.

Thomasville made it to the Elite Eight last year. With the returning talent previously mentioned, plus a solid group of underclassmen, look for Thomasville to be a force in 2018.

1 home runs .385 On Base % .261 Batting Avg.

68 | itgsportsnetwork.com

SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Ryan Strickland

timesenterprise.com

2017

RECORD

13-20

REGION 1-5A

thomas co. central

yellowjackets

Players To Watch

7 12 22 Herndon

NeSmith

Carter

With former head baseball coach Chad Parkerson heading down Hwy 84 to take over the Cairo baseball program, the yellow jacket administration didn’t have to look too far to find his successor: assistant coach Ryan Strickland.

The first-year head coach will have his work cut out for him for a couple of reasons. The Jackets graduated seven seniors, six of whom were everyday starters, plus one who was a relief pitcher with the third most innings pitched on the team. To fill those key positions, Strickland will be forced to rely on a group of young players in the infield and outfield, and the pitching staff will be entirely new.

Returning starters are shortstop senior Jackson NeSmith (a Second Team All-State selection last year) and Nick Herndon, the starting center fielder who was selected First Team All-Region in 2017. Utility players Pace Mercer and Zach Fletcher — both juniors — are also back. Others returning are seniors Blake Kirkendoll, pitcher; Bentley Green, utility; and Riley Jones, outfilder; juniors Tyler Carter, catcher; Carson Odu, outfielder; RJ Delaney, utility player; Andrew Carnes, infielder; and Luke Benton, pitcher; and sophomores Shane Stephenson, utility player, and Slade Taylor, catcher.

He will inherit a team that, despite starting the season with seven consecutive losses and ending with nine straight defeats in the regular season, would rebound to finish 13-20 overall and qualify for the state AAAAA playoffs as a No. 3 seed with a solid 8-4 record in region 1-AAAAA. Thomas County Central fell in the first round to McIn- tosh County Academy 2-1 and 8-3. A big key for the first-year head coach will be how quickly the young jackets can mature as the season moves forward.

2/13

@

Lowndes

2/14

@

Cook

2/16

@

Alpharetta

2/20

-

Berrien

2/21

-

Lee County

2/23

@

Warner Robins

2/27

-

Bainbridge

3/1

-

Leon

3/2

@

Veteran's

3/6

-

Tifton

3/7

-

Cairo

3/9

@

Harris

3/13

-

Lowndes

3/14

-

Lee County

3/20

-

Cairo

3/23

@

Warner Robins

3/23

@

Warner Robins

3/24

-

Bacon County

3/27

-

Cook

3/30

@

Bainbridge

3/30

@

Bainbridge

4/4

@

Colquitt County

4/6

@

Veteran's

4/6

@

Veteran's

4/20

@

Tifton

4/13

-

Harris

4/13

-

Harris

4/16

@

Berrien

4/18

-

Colquitt

4/20

@

Thomasville

3 home runs .340 On Base % .221 Batting Avg.

In The Game | 69

REGION 1-7A

colquitt co.

packers SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Tony Kirkland

2/12

-

Cairo

2/16

-

Coffee

2/17

-

LaGrange

2/19

-

Hillgrove

2/23

-

Russell County

2/24

-

Clay

2/24

-

Lincoln

2/27

-

Lee County

2/28

-

Jeff Davis

3/6

@

Lee County

3/9

@

Lowndes

3/9

@

Lowndes

3/16

-

Camden County

3/16

-

Camden County

3/19

@

Jeff Davis

3/23

-

Tift County

3/23

-

Tift County

3/26

-

Shaw

3/26

@

Columbus

3/28

@

Cairo

4/4

@

Thomas Co. Central

4/6

-

Lowndes

4/6

-

Lowndes

4/11

@

Valdosta

4/13

@

Camden County

4/13

@

Camden County

4/18

-

Thomas Co. Central

4/20

@

Tift County

4/20

@

Tfit County

twitter.com

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

2 20 17 Patel

Wilson

Phillips

The Colquitt County baseball Packers are coming off another stellar season under longtime head coach Tony Kirkland. Embedded in their 17-16 overall record was an 8-4 region finish that was good enough for a region championship in the ultra-competitive 1-AAAAAAA. The Pack took Round 1 of the state playoffs two games to none over McEachern, winning 6-4 and 6-0. Hopes were high heading into Round 2, but Parkview proved to be too much in the second round, sweeping the Packers and bringing an end to their hopes of a state title.

There will be some big holes to fill headed to 2018. Gone to graduation are starters catcher Jay Saunders, who will continue his career at Georgia College; first baseman Logan Wheeler; pitcher/ second baseman Wheeler Hunnicutt; infielder Austin Singletary; designated hitter Ian Brinson; center fielder Hayden Bledsoe; outfielder/pitcher John Samiel Shenker; pitcher Jacob Cooots; and ABAC signee pitcher Buck Blalock.

Speed, experience, and pitching depth will certainly be a strength of the 2018 squad under Kirkland. Outfielder Tanner Wilson returns and is the team’s fastest player. Shortstop Gavin Patel is back, and he will be the leader. According to Kirkland, he is the best at the position, compared to other shortstops in the last 15 years. Three of starting five pitchers are back and will be complimented by a long list of experienced pitchers, including six left-handed pitchers.

the

With that experience at so many key positions returning, expect Kirkland and the Pack to be back in the playoffs in 2018.

2 home runs .367 On Base % .286 Batting Avg.

70 | itgsportsnetwork.com

17-16

In The Game | 71

REGION 1-3A

worth co.

rams

SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Will Smith

2/12

@

Fitzgerald

2/14

-

Westover

2/15

-

Early County

2/20

@

Brooks County

2/21

@

Cairo

2/22

-

Turner County

2/26

@

Westover

2/28

-

Cairo

3/1

-

Berrien

3/5

-

Fitzgerald

3/10

-

Atkinson County

3/10

-

Atkinson County

3/13

-

Cook

3/15

@

Cook

316

-

Cook

3/19

-

Brooks County

3/20

@

Dougherty

3/22

-

Dougherty

3/23

@

Dougherty

3/26

@

Berrien

3/27

-

Baconton Charter

4/2

@

Baconton Charter

4/10

-

Monroe

4/12

@

Monroe

4/13

-

Monroe

4/17

@

Crisp County

4/19

-

Crisp County

4/20

@

Crisp County

wcramsbaseball.com

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

7 24 25 Goff

Goodwin

Edwards

The Worth County baseball team enjoyed a true breakout season in 2017. The Rams finished with a 23-6 overall record, 10-2 in region play, good enough for the region championship, a No. 1 seed, and a trip to the second round of the state playoffs, where they lost to the Lovett School. But, the team reached two milestones that head coach Will Smith’s team will probably be most remembered for: becoming the first Rams baseball team to win 20 games for the first time in a season and producing the first D-1 baseball signee in school history. Pitcher Hunter Goodwin has signed with the University of Georgia. The good news is that Worth will enjoy his services again in 2018. According to Smith, Goodwin is 6’5”, weighs about 220 pounds, and features a fastball and a splitter clocked in the low 90s.

In addition to Goodwin, Worth County will have five starters returning, including second baseman Cody Ragan, while having lost four starters to graduation. The Rams will have several key underclassmen returning, who Smith will be counting on to help shore up some of the losses.

Speaking of milestones, Smith is close to reaching one himself: 2018 will mark his 18th season as head coach at Worth County. While there’s no guaranteeing that Worth County will repeat its 20-plus win season in 2018, look for the Rams to once again challenge for the region title.

10 home runs .441 On Base % .321 Batting Avg.

Butch Jenkins, PT Savannah Jenkins , DPT Molly Barnard, LPTA Jamie Pritchard, Office Manager Phone: 229-821-3892 Fax: 229-821-3893 Email: sgtherapyrehab@gmail.com 1009 West Franklin St. • P.O. Box 846 Sylvester, Georgia 31791

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23-6

warriors SCHEDULE

timesenterprise.com

Head Coach: Daniel Funt

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

4-18 19

Chapman

20 10 Wortman

Knifer

The Brookwood Warriors hope that the younger players that have been counted on as everyday contributors over the past couple of years will finally be able to put Brookwood over .500 for the first time since 2014.

Head coach Daniel Funt had a lot of youth to work with last season in his first year in Thomasville, and that really became the focus on building for the future. Realizing that the roster was full of inexperienced talent, the focus was on developing the underclassmen, knowing that they will be juniors and seniors in 2018 and 2019.

Somewhat predictably, the Warriors got off to a rough start right out of the gate last year, dropping 11 of their first 12 games. They just couldn’t recover and finished with a 4-18 overall record, including going winless in Region 3-AAA.

3/1

@

Maclay

3/5

-

Maclay

3/6

-

Bainbridge

3/9

@

Southwest Georgia

3/10

-

Terrell

3/13

-

Tiftarea

3/16

@

Tiftarea

3/20

@

Deerfield-Windsor

3/23

-

Deerfield-Windsor

3/26

@

St. John Paul II

3/27

@

Bainbridge

4/4

-

Thomasville

4/10

-

Valwood

4/12

-

St. John Paul II

4/13

@

Valwood

4/16

@

Thomasville

4/17

@

Southland

4/20

-

Southland

4/23

-

Southwest Georgia

4/25

@

Terrell

GISA 3A REGION 3

brookwood

There is a light at the end of the tunnel: Returning are 15-16 players who made up last year’s roster, some of those part of a solid JV roster.

A key player to look for in 2018 is junior Nick Knifer, who hit .350 as a freshman last year and made the All-Region team. Lance Whortman will be counted on to use his speed to reach, then steal, bases. In fact, Funt said the strength of Brookwood will be its team speed. Look for the Warriors to play a lot of small ball to utilize that speed on the base paths this season.

0 home runs .328 On Base % .247 Batting Avg.

BECOME A MEMBER 3259 Inner Perimeter Road, Valdosta, GA 31602 (229) 253-1289 In The Game | 73

GISA 3A REGION 3

tiftarea

panthers SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Chance Benson

2/20

@

Windsor

2/23

-

Maclay

3/1

-

Straford

3/2

@

Piedmont

3/5

-

Windsor

3/6

@

Madison County

3/13

@

Brookwood

3/16

-

Brookwood

3/20

-

Turner

3/22

@

North FL Christian

3/27

@

Valwood

3/29

-

Valwood

3/30

-

Westfield

4/3

@

Fernandina Beach

4/4

@

Yulee

4/`10

-

Southland

4/13

@

Southland

4/17

-

Deerfield

4/20

@

Deerfield

4/24

-

Piedmont

tiftongazette.com

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

2 9 20 Hall

Cooper

19-6

Patterson

The Tiftarea Academy Panther baseball team will look to roll into the 2018 season with an air of confidence gained from their 2017 Elite Eight appearance in the GISA AAA state playoffs. The Panthers finished the season with a 19-6 overall record and a 5-1 mark in Region 3-AAA, good enough for the No. 2 seed.

Hopes will be high for the team and head coach Chance Benson, as every member of last year’s team will return with no losses to graduation.

Key returners include seniors pitcher Dawson Patterson, infielder Grant Hall, and pitcher/infielder Cain Cooper. Juniors catcher Hunter Hartsfield and pitcher/outfielder Brandon Prudhomme were contributors as sophomores last season, and their return will be welcome. According to Benson, look for newcomers Breyer Tyndal, an outfielder/pitcher, and Colby Grant, infielder, to see plenty of action, also. Both are juniors.

“Without any seniors on the roster from last year’s team, I’m blessed to inherit a group of returners with a lot of experience,” Benson said. “The best thing is not only do we have a lot of talent returning, but also a lot of leadership.”

Working alongside Benson will be assistants Adam Guarnieri and David Mathes in the 2018 campaign.

74 | itgsportsnetwork.com

BLUE DEVILS Photography by: Milla Reese Photography

SCHEDULE 2017

RECORD Players To Watch

6 14 21 Lambert

Webb

13-17

Webb

Tift County is unaccustomed to where they found themselves at the end of the 2017 season: out of the playoffs. The Blue Devils of head coach Kyle Kirk missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season, ending a string of six straight visits to the Georgia Class AAAAAAA playoffs. Their overall record was 14-16.

The Blue Devils will look to rebound with a young core group of upcoming talent, as well as returning key contributors from last year’s squad.

Tift will miss three key pieces in Christian Avant, Cody Thompson, and Lee Bassett.

Avant will continue his baseball career at Georgia Southern, while Bassett signed with the Mercer Bears.

But, the future looks bright for Kirk and the Diamond Devils, as they welcome several key returners to the squad. Back in 2018 are Blake Webb, Keenan Webb, Trey Barfield, Thad Weldon, Keyshaun Mays, Ethan Rucker, and Jack Lambert.

The Blue Devils compete in Region 1-AAAAAAA.

The confidence to do more.

REGION 1-7A

TIFT CO.

Head Coach: Kyle Kirk

2/9

@

Perry

2/12

-

Pierce County

2/16

@

Pierce County

2/17

-

Chattahoochee

2/17

-

Griffin

2/19

-

Hillgrove

2/21

-

Ware

2/28

-

Veteran's

3/3

-

Columbus

3/5

-

Berrien County

3/6

@

Thomas Co. Central

3/7

-

Coffee County

3/9

@

Camden County

3/9

@

Camden County

3/12

@

Berrien County

3/13

@

Coffee

3/16

-

Lowndes

3/16

-

Lowndes

3/20

@

Veteran's

3/23

@

Colquitt County

3/23

@

Colquitt County

3/26

@

Ware

4/6

-

Camden County

4/6

-

Camden Coutny

4/9

-

Bainbridge

4/10

-

Thomas Co. Central

4/13

@

Lowndes

4/13

@

Lowndes

4/18

@

Bainbridge

4/20

-

Colquitt County

4/20

-

Colquitt County

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In The Game | 75

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SYRUPMAKERS 2017 STATS

Photography by: Aaron Musgrove

Head Coach: Chad Parkerson

2017

16-2

RECORD

23-8

Players To Watch

3 6 16 Andrews

REGION 1-4A

CAIRO

Waldrep

HOME RECORD

Collins

After spending 13 seasons as a coach at Thomas County Central High School, new head coach Chad Parkerson takes over as the head man at Cairo.

The Syrupmakers finished with one of the best seasons in school history. They finished 23-8 overall with only one loss in region play, finishing 12-1 and winning the region title in 1-AAAA. Cairo won their region playoff series with Shaw, then won Round 1 of the state playoffs vs. Baldwin to advance to Round 2. They then lost to Marist High School.

Parkerson was hired in mid-summer to replace Ron Best. With the late arrival, Parkerson is getting up to speed on replacing lost starters and knowing who he has back from last year’s stellar season. Most of the talent from last year graduated, including several who played a major role in last year’s successful season.

One player that Parkerson would love to have back is headed to Athens to play for the Bulldogs: Emerson Hancock, a 6’4” right-handed pitcher will be sorely missed. He was dominant in his senior season at Cairo with an 11-1 record, 1.09 ERA, and 98 strikeouts with only 15 walks. He was named 2016 Region Player of the Year and All-Area Player of the Year.

While Parkerson will not have the services of Hancock back, he will have three starters back from 2017: DJ Collins returns at third base, along with JT Andrews, who will play catcher and outfield. Garrett Ganus is back as a starting outfielder, but Parkerson said he expects him to contribute as a pitcher as well. Blake Touchton is a left-handed pitcher that Parkerson will count on to help fill some of the pitching void.

6-5

AWAY RECORD

.742

Parkerson admitted that 2018 will be a challenge with a good group but a few unproven players who will have to step up and contribute if Cairo expects to continue the momentum from last year.

WINNING %

2 home runs .425 On Base % .286 Batting Avg.

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REGION 1-5A

bainbridge

bearcats SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Brian McCorkie

2/7

-

Valdosta

2/13

@

Lee County

2/17

-

Murray County

2/17

-

Murray County

2/20

@

Early County

2/23

@

Veterans

2/27

@

Thomas Co.

3/2

-

Central

3/6

@

Harris County

3/8

-

Brookwood

3/9

-

Leon

3/13

@

Warner Robins

3/16

-

Cairo

3/20

-

Veterans

3/23

@

TBA

3/27

-

Harris County

3/30

-

Brookwood

4/4

@

Thomas Co.

4/6

@

Central

4/9

@

Leon

4/14

-

Warner Robins

4/16

-

Tift County

4/18

-

Cairo

4/20

-

Early County

2017

RECORD

17-14

Players To Watch

10 9 22 Burrell

Long

Kelley

As Bearcats head coach Brian McCorkle leads his 2018 squad into this upcoming season, he’ll be counting on five position players and two starting pitchers returning from last year’s squad. They will lead the effort toward another GISA state playoff appearance.

Last year, Bainbridge finished as the No. 4 seed in Region 1-AAAAA, losing to eventual state champion Starrs Mill. As successful as they were last year with a playoff appearance, McCorkle hopes to improve on the 2017 record of 17-14 overall and 5-7 in region play.

The five starters returning are pitcher Will Kelley (committed to Tallahassee Community College), first baseman Connors Trickland, right fielder/picher Dawson Harrell, center fielder Caleb Boutwell, and second baseman Griffin Long. Two pitchers join the position players, Walt Burrell and Nick Barber.

The Bearcats graduated four key starters, two of whom were three-year starters: shortstop Keith Lyle and catcher Noah Bryant. The others were outfielder Carson Inlow and right fielder/ pitcher Clarke Wiggins. According to McCorkle, Lyle is enrolled at Tallahassee Community College, Bryant at North Georgia College, and Inlow at Piedmont College.

The defense, experience, and pitching will once again be the strengths heading into 2018 for Bainbridge.

6 home runs .390 On Base % .304 Batting Avg.

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78 | itgsportsnetwork.com

cougars SCHEDULE 2017

RECORD

13-20

Players To Watch

7 6 11 Napier

Barfield

Lanneau

The Crisp County Cougars didn’t necessarily have the best regular season record in 2017, but it’s what you do in your region and then in the playoffs. That’s where Crisp fared well, qualifying for the post season as the No. 3 seed in 1-AAA, then making a run deep in the playoffs all the way to the Sweet 16, where they lost to Redan High.

The Cougars finished 2017 with a 13-20 overall record, but 7-5 in their region, behind Cook and Worth.

It will now be interesting to see if 12th-year head coach Bill Pate can rally his troops for another playoff run. The Cougars lost eight seniors to graduation, including starting catcher Adam Burnette.

Also gone are two starting infielders and outfielders.

Pate will count on a young group in 2018. That includes pitcher/shortstop Myles Napier, infielder/pitcher Will Lanneau, infielder Connor Richmond, first baseman/pitcher Bailey Barfield, catcher Garrett Hobbs, and Billy Jones, who led the Cougars as their leading pitcher at the end of last season.

Pate will have to count on a couple of underclassmen to contribute as well. They are catcher/outfielder Jackson Napier and pitcher/ infielder Noah Walters.

Yes, the Crisp County Cougars have their work cut out for them, but some experience in key areas could have Crisp right back where last year ended — deep in the state playoffs.

REGION 1-3A

crisp co.

Head Coach: Bill Pate

2/13

@

Peach County

2/15

-

Murray County

2/17

-

Ola

2/17

@

Strong Rock Christian

2/20

-

Fitzgerald

2/22

@

Perry

2/27

@

Northside

3/1

@

Schley County

3/2

-

Peach County

3/6

@

Fitzgerald

3/7

@

Southland Academy

3/10

@

South Effingham

3/10

@

South Effingham

3/12

-

Perry

3/15

-

Berrien

3/16

-

Southland Acadmey

3/21

@

Cook

3/22

-

Cook

3/23

@

Cook

3/27

-

Schley County

4/3

@

Monroe

4/4

-

Northside

4/5

-

Monroe

4/6

@

Monroe

4/10

@

Dougherty

4/12

-

Dougherty

4/12

-

Dougherty

4/17

-

Worth County

4/19

@

Worth County

4/20

-

Worth County

1 home runs .394 On Base % .236 Batting Avg.

Professional Dry Cleaning • Same Day Service • Alterations • Executive Shirt Service • Drapery Cleaning • Bed Spread & Comforter Cleaning

405 East Force Street Valdosta, Georgia 31601 229-242-8551 In The Game | 79

REGION 1-6A

coffee co.

trojans SCHEDULE

Photography by: Micki K Photography

Head Coach: Sy Jones

2/9

@

Early County

2/13

-

Ware County

2/16

@

Colquitt County

2/17

-

Bacon County

2/20

-

Pierce County

2/22

-

Jeff Davis

2/24

@

TBA

2/24

@

TBA

3/1

@

Bacon County

3/2

-

Cook

3/6

@

Pierce County

3/7

@

Tift County

3/10

@

First Presbyterian Day

3/13

-

Tift County

3/14

@

Jeff Davis

3/20

-

Houston County

3/23

@

Houston County

3/23

@

Houston County

3/28

@

Ware County

3/29

-

First Presbyterian Day

4/3

@

Valdosta

4/6

-

Valdosta

4/6

-

Valdosta

4/10

-

Lee County

4/13

@

Lee County

4/13

@

Lee County

4/17

@

Northside

4/20

-

Northside

4/20

-

Northside

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

2 5 10 Vining

Hutto

Coach Sy Jones takes over at Coffee High School this year after spending the last nine years at First Presbyterian Day in Macon, a single A private entry in GHSA. Jones will inherit a team that was 13-19 overall in 2017, 4-8 in Region 1-AAAAAA. The Trojans made it to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed out of the region, only to fall to Greenbriar in Round 1.

Coffee lost seven seniors to graduation. They include Max Hughes, their ace pitcher and shortstop, who is now at Valdosta State University; Trent Phillips, outfielder; Cooper Groszka, first baseman; and outfielder Adam Solomon.

Jones will enjoy having senior leadership on this year’s team with nine overall. That group includes second baseman/shortstop Wade Sumner; catcher Grant Vining; outfielder Chad Hutto; infielder/ pitcher Hayden Skipper; infielder/pitcher Jose Rodriguez; first baseman Nolan Wood; outfileder/ pitcher Brady Courson; pitcher Nick Griffin; and pitcher Justin Tarver.

Jones expects several juniors and sophomores to compete for meaningful innings. Look for juniors outfielder Clayton Rockett, shortstop/pitcher Garrett Overstreet, catcher Landon Freeman, and outfielder/pitcher Jayce Moore to be a part of that group.

Jones expects the strength to be the senior leadership, with their experience and talent leading the way for Coffee in 2018.

901 Bowens Mill Road, SW Douglas, GA 31533 912.384.2701 100 South Pearl Avenue Douglas, GA 31533 912.384.2701

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Summer

13-19

Let us join you on the journey.

indians

REGION 2-1A

irwin co.

SCHEDULE 2017

Head Coach: Drew Tankersley

2/13

@

Pelham

2/16

@

Marion County

2/20

-

Clinch County

2/21

-

Pelham

2/24

@

Baconton Charter

2/27

@

Telfair County

3/1

-

Fitzgerald

3/2

-

Echols County

3/6

-

Turner County

3/7

-

Americus-Sumter

In what could be considered one of the toughest regions in high school baseball in GHSA, Region 2-A, the Irwin County Indians have found a way to stay around the top as one of the teams to beat over the past four years under head coach Drew Tankersly.

3/9

@

Charlton County

3/13

-

Lanier Coutny

3/16

@

Wilcox County

The Indians have made the playoffs every year under Tankersly, including back to back appearances in the state quarterfinals. Unfortunately, not only is the region tough, but Class A is full of top-flight baseball programs, and the Indians’ exit from the playoffs in 2016 and 2017 were to two of the best: runner-up Gordon Lee (who was previously a AA school before dropping down to Class A in 2017) last season, and to state champion Truetlen in 2016.

3/17

-

Baconton Charter

3/20

-

Atkinson County

3/23

@

Clinch County

3/26

-

Marion County

3/30

-

Telfair County

4/3

@

Echols County

4/4

@

Turner County

4/10

-

Charlton County

4/12

-

Hawkinsville

4/13

@

Lanier County

4/17

-

Wilcox County

4/19

@

Atkinson County

RECORD Players To Watch

6 16 11 Herndon

Smith

21-8

Vickers

Irwin returns five starters from last year’s 21-8 team, who finished as the No. 2 seed in the region.

Those returning players are ace pitcher Cam Vickers, a First Team All-Region selection from last year; shortstop Will Hudson, also a First Team All-Region player from a year ago. Hudson was also a Second Team All-State selection. Hudson will be counted on as a table-setter at the top of the line up in 2018. A “wildcard” for Tankersly is Zack Smith, who started as a freshman but tore his ACL in football this past year. If he can heal in time for a return to the Indians, he’ll be counted on to be the No. 2 starter, right behind Vickers.

These players, in addition to some promising underclassmen, will give the Indians a young, but talented, team in 2018.

In The Game | 81

REGION 1-6A

lee co.

trojans SCHEDULE

Photography by: Emmanuel Magbanua

Head Coach: Brandon Cook

2/3

-

Columbus

2/13

-

Bainbridge

2/17

@

Hardaway

2/17

@

Hardaway

2/20

-

Cairo

2/21

@

Thomas Co. Central

2/24

-

Gulf Breeze

2/24

-

Ponte Vedra

2/27

@

Colquitt Co.

3/2

-

Marist

3/3

-

Parkview

3/6

-

Colquitt Co.

3/8

-

Westover

3/9

-

Chiles

3/12

-

Schley County

3/14

-

Thomas Co. Central

3/16

@

Northside

3/26

-

Veteran's

3/30

-

Northside

3/30

-

Northside

4/3

@

Houston County

4/6

@

Houston County

4/6

@

Houston County

4/10

@

Coffee County

4/11

@

Veteran's

4/13

-

Coffee County

4/13

-

Coffee County

4/17

-

Valdosta

4/20

@

Valdosta

4/20

@

Valdosta

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

5 6 14 Logsdon

Sutter

28-15

Wiard

The Lee County Trojans baseball team survived one of the most incredible playoff series last year to make it to the state championship round. But, just getting through that semifinal matchup with Johns Creek may have been too much for head coach Brandon Brock’s Trojans to overcome vs. the Pope Greyhounds. Pope won the best of three, two games to zero.

Despite coming up short, Lee County will have contributors back from their 2017 squad who finished as the region champ and with a 29-13 record. Leading the charge in 2018 will be starting catcher Gurrett Sutter, who will be behind the plate for the third straight season. He will also be counted on to pitch. Brock called Sutter the best defensive catcher in the state. Other returning is third baseman Johnathon Logsdon, a two-year starter for Lee. Coming back to lead the pitching effort will be the No. 2, 3, and 4 starters from last year. In order, they are Reed Hanson, Layne Waird, and Gavin Paul. The ace from last year, Hatcher, has moved on to Mississippi State to continue his playing career collegiately with the bulldogs.

In addition to losing their top pitcher, Lee lost their entire starting outfield: Malik Spratling, Lawrence Bryant, and Brendan Philllips.

According to Brock, the strength of this year’s Trojan team will be pitching.

10 home runs .381 On Base % .277 Batting Avg.

Serving the Southwest Georgia area with Expertise, Integrity and Experience 601 N Slappey Blvd. Albany, GA 31701 Phone: (229) 436-8811 | Fax: (229) 436-8817

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knights

GISA 3A REGION 3

DEERFIELD-WINDSOR 2017 STATS

Head Coach: Chris Chaffinch

2017

RECORD

10-0

Players To Watch

2 4 12 Gay

Bueschen

19-8

HOME RECORD

Sullivan

The Knights enjoyed a solid run in the 2017 regular season and into the GISA state playoffs. Finishing with a 19-8 overall record, Deerfield-Windsor took a full head of steam into the playoffs. The Knights were the No. 1 seed after going 8-0 in region play and figured to be one of the favorites for a championship.

Things started off great for coach Johnathon Davis and crew as they swept their first two playoff opponents, Westminster School of Augusta and then Loganville Christian Academy. Reaching the semifinals, those hopes and dreams of a state title ended at the hands of Trinity Christian Sharpsburgh’s Lions.

Heading into 2018, Deerefield-Windsor will be led by new head coach Chris Chaffinch. He replaces Davis, who left coaching to become a middle school principal. Chaffinch comes over from Frederica Academy, where he was an assistant coach for the past three years.

The first-year coach will inherit several returning starters and contributors from last year’s team.

That group includes six seniors, three juniors, and sophomore Joe Morgan, a 6’6” pitcher who Chaffinch plans to use exclusively from the mound. Other returners are Clarke Sullivan, Bo Bueschen, Cole Mitchell, Tyson Gay, and Baylin Moore, a center fielder/pitcher who has already signed with Georgia College.

There’s no reason, with so many key players back for the Knights, that 2018 shouldn’t be a fun year for the new coach and Deerfield-Windsor.

7-8

AWAY RECORD

.704 WINNING %

Magazine Visit our website to Stay In the Game! www.inthegamesportsnetwork.com

NEWSLETTER In The Game | 83

REGION 2-1A

turner co.

rebels SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Zach Mauldin

2/12

@

Brooks County

2/15

-

Brooks County

2/20

@

Telfair County

2/22

@

Worth County

2/23

@

Echols County

2/27

-

Lanier County

3/2

-

Charlton County

3/5

-

Westover

3/6

@

Irwin County

3/9

@

Wilcox Coutny

3/13

-

Atkinson County

3/14

@

Montgomery County

3/16

@

Clinch County

3/19

-

Telfair County

3/20

@

Tiftarea Academy

3/27

-

Echols County

3/28

-

Macon County

3/30

@

Lanier County

4/3

@

Charlton County

4/4

-

Irwin County

4/5

@

Macon County

4/9

@

Americus-Sumter

4/10

-

Wilcox County

4/13

@

Atkinson County

4/16

@

Westover

4/17

-

Clinch County

4/20

-

Montgomery County

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

5 2 25 Moore

Sylvester

It was a tough season in 2017 for the Turner County Rebels baseball team and head coach David Sims. His third season as coach found the rebels struggling for runs and wins as they limped to a 7-19 overall record, 2-14 in the always tough Region 2-A. Despite the record, there was some really good talent on the squad in 2017. Unfortunately new head coach Zack Mauldin won’t return in 2018. Lost to graduation are two four-year starters: shortstop Kole Gibbs, who was a First Team All-Region selection, and first baseman/catcher Bo Guess, who started every season from 2014 to 2017. No. 1 starting pitcher Jake Rice graduated, as well. That’s a lot of talent to replace.

Fortunately for Mauldin, who came from Cook High School and joined the staff at Turner last year as an assistant under Sims, will have five returning starters to help get things turned around for the Rebels.

They are seniors Carter Sylvester, who will pitch and play infield; center fielder Tyler Moore; and utility man Chandler Crawford. The other two starters are junior second baseman/shortstop Jacob Shiver and catcher Colby Hancock.

Mauldin admitted that the team really needs to build up, its pitching, especially with No. 3 and No. 4 starters needed to add depth. Mauldin said to expect Turner to score runs through small ball, without much power in the batting order in 2018.

Turner may still be a year away from competing for a playoff spot in 2018, but expect improvement with their overall and region records.

84 | itgsportsnetwork.com

Crawford

7-19

hurricanes

chronicle.augusta.com

SCHEDULE 2017

RECORD Players To Watch

10 23 14 Newell

Ray

REGION 1-2A

FITZGERALD

18-12

Harper

Head Coach: Jason Mcdonald

2/8

@

Telfair County

2/12

-

Worth County

2/17

@

Houston County

2/17

@

Brunswick

2/20

@

Crisp County

2/24

@

Coffee

2/24

@

Cook

3/1

@

Irwin County

3/2

-

Jeff Davis

3/5

@

Worth County

Look for the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane to make a run at the Region 1-AA title in 2018.

They return with every starter this season except for two seniors who graduated. Gone are two-year starting first-baseman Hunter Cleghorn and second baseman Bailey Alexander, a four-year starter. But, coming back are a whole host of contributors from last season’s playoff team, which finished 18-12 overall and 11-4 in Region 1-AA, good enough for the No. 3 region seed. The ‘Canes fell in Round 1 of the state playoffs to Dodge County.

3/6

-

Crisp County

3/10

@

Jeff Davis

3/13

-

Brooks County

3/16

@

Brooks County

3/20

-

Early County

Returning in 2018 are seniors Collen Ray, Matthew Howell, Qua Harper, and Turner Chambless. The team will count on three returning juniors as the leaders: ace starting pitcher Bubba Newell, a 6’4” hard-throwing right hander, who was a First Team All-Region selection last year; speedy outfielder Cody Krause; and No. 2 starting pitcher Mason Clements.

3/23

@

Early County

3/27

-

Thomasville

3/30

@

Thomasville

4/3

@

Berrien

4/6

-

Berrien

4/9

@

Wilcox County

4/12

-

Bleckley County

4/14

@

Appling County

4/16

-

Wilcox County

4/19

@

Bleckley County

4/20

-

Appling County

Back to begin his ninth season as head coach is Jason McDonald. (This will actually be his 19th year overall with Fitzgerald, the first 10 as an assistant coach.) He pointed to having all of his pitchers back as the strength of the team heading into the 2018 campaign.

3 home runs .401 On Base % .278 Batting Avg.

In The Game | 85

REGION 1-6A

northside

eagles 2017 STATS

Head Coach: Mark Estes

6-9

HOME RECORD

5-10 AWAY RECORD

.367

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

11-19

9 8 13 Franks

Clarington

Mathews

The 2017 season started off promising enough for the Northside (Warner Robins) Eagles baseball team. They began the season 8-5 and took their first region contest over Valdosta to start 1-0 in Region 1-AAAAAA. Then, the wheels came off.

After losing three starters within a two-week period, the Eagles hit a slide that saw them lose 14 of their 17 remaining contests, including all of their remaining region games, to finish 11-19 overall and 1-11 in region play.

But, those losses gave reason for head coach Mark Estes to get some of the younger guys involved in some big games earlier than they would have done under normal circumstances.

Several of those younger players thrust into starting roles last season will return in 2018 to lead the Eagles.

Six starters return including sophomore shortstop/center fielder Dylan Franks, junior catcher Hunter Price, senior third baseman Darius Clarington, senior outfielder Jordan Franks, senior outfielder Alijah McGhee, and senior left fielder/pitcher Austin Matthews.

Others who Estes expects to contribute in 2018 are Ross McDaniels, Javier Rodriquez, Tyler Wilson, and Mitchell Upshaw.

According to Estes, expect the position players to bring experience for the upcoming season, but pitching will be the wildcard area for Northside if they are to show improvement over last season.

WINNING %

1 home runs .342 On Base % .254 Batting Avg.

MEAL PLAN 3259 Inner Perimeter Road, Valdosta, GA 31602 (229) 253-1289 86 | itgsportsnetwork.com

BEARS SCHEDULE

REGION 1-6AA

houston co.

Head Coach: Jason Brett

2017

RECORD

17-16

Players To Watch

13 7 11 Jones

Martin

Dawson

If the current pattern at Houston County holds, this should be a season to look forward to with high expectations.

That’s because the Bears baseball team won state titles in 2014 and 2016. We’ll see what 2018 holds.

While last season didn’t produce a championship for head coach Jason Brett, it wasn’t all bad, either. Houston advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time under Brett, losing to eventual state champion Pope Greyhounds.

Brett will be entering his 11th season as head coach at Houston County, and he gave credit for his team’s success for the great baseball atmosphere of the middle Georgia community.

“We get tremendous support from our school’s administration and our community, and the little league program here is one of the best in the country,” he said.

The Warner Robins area has been represented at the little league world series many times over in years past.

The Bears were 16-16 overall and 8-4 in region play last season. That was good enough for the No. 2 seed out of Region 1-AAAAAA. Look closely, though, and you’ll see that Houston County did that with five sophomores and one freshman on the field. Given that those six players will be back, and they lost only two starters, this 2018 team could be tough. Lost to graduation are center fielder Austin Langford (signed with Georgia Southwestern) and right fielder Austin Hittenger (ABAC). Practically the entire pitching staff will return, led by Chandler Dawson, Cam Jones, Chandler Ring, Jackson Jones, and Connor Martin. The starting catcher returns in senior Dylan Tomms.

2018 could indeed see big things happen for the Bears.

2/14

@

Perry

2/16

-

Dunwoody

2/16

-

Pike County

2/17

-

Jenkins

2/17

-

Fitzgerald

2/22

@

Veterans

2/24

TBA

2/24

TBA

2/26

@

Warner Robins

2/28

-

Perry

3/8

TBA

3/9

TBA

3/9

TBA

3/10

TBA

3/13

-

Veterans

3/16

-

Valdosta

3/20

@

Coffee

3/23

-

Coffee

3/23

-

Coffee

3/30

@

Valdosta

3/30

@

Valdosta

4/3

@

Lee County

4/6

-

Lee County

4/6

-

Lee County

4/10

-

Northside

4/13

@

Northside

4/13

@

Northside

4/16

-

Peach County

4/18

-

Warner Robins

Community, Health, and Lifestyle Magazine In The Game | 87

REGION 1-5A

warner robins

demons SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Nathan James

2/6

@

Crisp County

2/12

-

Howard

2/13

-

Perry

2/19

-

Westside

2/20

@

Harris

2/23

-

Thomas Co. Central

2/26

@

Houston County

2/27

-

Veteran's

3/2

@

Blue Team

3/6

@

Howard

3/9

@

Bainbridge

3/12

-

Blue Team

3/14

@

Perry

3/16

-

Harris

3/16

-

Harris

3/21

-

Peach County

3/23

@

Thomas Co. Central

3/23

@

Thomas Co. Central

3/30

-

First Presbyterian Day

4/3

@

First Presbyterian Day

4/6

-

Bainbridge

4/6

-

Bainbridge

4/9

@

Peach County

4/13

@

Veteran's

4/13

@

Veteran's

4/17

@

First Presbyterian Day

4/18

-

Houston County

4/20

-

Rutland

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

15 19 23 Kushinka

Johnson

7-22

Hedden

Written by: Phil Jones To say that 2017 was a rough season for the Warner Robins baseball team is an understatement.

Despite starting off last year with a 2-2 record, which included impressive wins over Dublin 11-1 and Westside 8-1, the Demons of head coach Nathan James could not continue their run-scoring ways as the offense disappeared. Warner Robins stumbled the rest of the way, finishing 5-20 through the remaining schedule, ending up 7-22 overall, and going winless in region play, and going 0-12 in Region 1-AAAAA. James doesn’t make excuses, but the reality is that the Demons were young and inexperienced last season. The starting line up included two freshmen and one sophomore, with inexperienced players at other positions as well.

But with 2017 in the rear-view mirror, it’s a whole new outlook with new expectations heading into 2018.

There will be four returning starters to the team for Warner Robins in 2018, and an area of improvement should be pitching, according to James.

Returning to the Demons squad are sophomores Xavier McIntyre and Reece Page. Juniors Jeremiah Havens and Jared Cruse are also back. Providing much needed senior leadership this upcoming season will be Kaleb Kushinka, Ben Johnson, and Dalton Hedden.

0 home runs .280 On Base % .188 Batting Avg.

Magazine Visit our website to Stay In the Game! www.inthegamesportsnetwork.com 88 | itgsportsnetwork.com

NEWSLETTER

hornets 2017 STATS

GISA 3A REGION 2

WESTFIELD

Head Coach: Rob Fitzgerald

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

3 12 Young

15-3

18-9

HOME RECORD

Black

Written by: Phil Jones GISA Region 3-AAA is home to some really good baseball. Consider John Milledge and the Westfield School Hornets. These two teams routinely battle it out for the No. 1 seed in the region, and in 2017 Westfield finished as the top team. Led by head coach Rob Fitzpatrick, who enters his 10th season at the helm of Hornets baseball, Westfield finished 18-9 overall and 7-1 in region play.

While Westfield topped John Milledge for the top spot in region play, the Trojans from Milledgeville claimed the state title. Westfield advanced to the Elite Eight, losing to Trinity Christian Sharpsburgh.

There’s no doubt that Fitzpatrick will have to find some talent to replace several key contributors from last year’s team, especially pitching.

Gone are his top three starters from a year ago: Jordan Hampton (who signed with Gardner Webb), Owen Jones (who also was his No. 3 hitter), and Bryan Bledsoe (who was also his catcher).

Reliever Hunter Teston was a hard thrower who has walked on at Georgia Southern.

The Hornets will have left-handed pitcher Tee Adams back to fill part of that void. (Adams has committed to Mercer University). Joining Tee will be Wyatt Young, Peyton Black, Michael Fitzpatrick, and Hatch Brannon, all returning in 2018.

Fitzpatrick will look to these returning players to help the Hornets in 2018.

3-6

AWAY RECORD

.667 WINNING %

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In The Game | 89

REGION 2-1A

clinch co.

panthers SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Lee Douglas

2/13

-

Hamilton County

2/15

@

Brantley County

2/16

-

Brooks County

2/20

@

Irwin County

2/22

@

Hamilton County

2/23

-

Wilcox County

2/27

@

Atkinson County

3/2

-

Lanier County

3/3

-

Groves

3/3

-

Groves

3/5

@

Brooks County

3/7

@

McIntosh Co. Academy

3/9

@

Telfair County

3/12

-

Brantley County

3/13

-

Echols County

3/16

-

Turner County

3/20

@

Charlton County

3/21

-

McIntosh Co. Academy

3/23

-

Irwin County

3/27

@

Wilcox County

3/30

-

Atkinson County

4/2

-

Seminole County

4/3

@

Lanier County

4/10

-

Telfair County

4/13

@

Echols County

4/17

@

Turner County

4/19

-

Charlton County

4/21

-

Miller County

4/21

@

Seminole County

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

5 8 2 Lutz

Stovall

Hendricks

Written by: Phil Jones Depending on how you look at the Clinch County baseball team’s chances in 2018, one could say the glass is half full‌or half empty. There are several key players back, but Clinch lost some good ones, too.

The Panthers of head coach Lee Douglas finished 16-13 last year, defeating Jenkins in Round 1, before bowing out of the playoffs in Round 2 to eventual runner-up Gordon Lee. Gone are five seniors, including a four-year starter at shortstop/pitcher and starters at catcher, first base, and outfield. Those players include catcher Tate Knight and right fielder/designated hitter Tison Bell. Both signed with ABAC. The good news is several starters are back, including pitcher/designated hitter Duncan Lutz, third baseman Jack Thompson, shortstop Landon Howling, second baseman Brence Cason, pitcher Warren Stovall, catcher/outfielder Darius Dorsey, and Thomas Lankford, who will split time at second base with Cason.

According to Douglas, the strength of the 2018 Panther squad will be pitching. He is comfortable having seven different arms that can take the ball on any given night, led by Lutz and Stovall.

If there is a weakness, Douglas points to the fact that Clinch lost a lot of production from the 2017 lineup, especially power hitters. That will force the Panthers to be creative in manufacturing and scoring runs in 2018.

3 home runs .428 On Base % .306 Batting Avg.

90 | itgsportsnetwork.com

16-13

hornets SCHEDULE

Head Coach: Greg Williams

Photography by: Micki K Photography

2/12

-

Berrien

2/14

-

Thomas Co. Central

2/15

@

Dougherty

2/16

-

Dougherty

2/16

-

Dougherty

2/20

@

Lowndes

2/22

-

Early County

2/24

-

Ola

2/24

-

Fitzgerald

3/2

@

Coffee

Written by: Phil Jones

3/3

-

Bacon County

-

Talk about impressive. The Cook High baseball team has made it to the state playoffs every season (except one) in the last 29 years.

3/3

Bacon County

3/6

@

Thomasville

3/9

-

Thomasville

2017 saw another trip to the playoffs for Cook and coach Greg Williams. After a first round win over Islands High School in the Class AAA state playoffs, Cook saw its season come to an end at the hands of Greater Atlanta Christian in Norcross. The Hornets finished with a 22-10 overall record.

3/9

-

Thomasville

3/13

@

Worth County

3/15

-

Worth Count

2018 should see Cook make another run at the playoffs. In addition to a core group of key players returning, the Hornets also added a coach to aid the pitching staff. Williams added Boone Webster as the new pitching coach. In 2016, he led the pitching staff at Darton College to the JuCo College World Series as a coach. Webster will be the Hornets’ pitching coach this season.

3/16

@

Worth County

3/21

-

Crisp County

3/22

@

Crisp County

3/23

-

Crisp County

3/27

@

Thomas Co. County

3/28

@

Early County

4/3

@

Yulee

4/4

@

Baker

4/11

-

Lowndes

4/17

-

Monroe

4/17

-

Monroe

4/19

@

Monroe

4/20

@

Berrien

2017

RECORD

22-10

Players To Watch

8 14 11 Elliott

REGION 1-6A

cook co.

Bennett

Rogers

He’ll have the fortune of working with key returning starting pitchers Jalen Wilcox, Cole Elliot, and Tyler Weeks. Joining them will be shortstop Sam Bennett, the team’s leading hitter from a season ago.

Also back are starters second baseman K.J. Manning and catcher Cole Rogers.

Other contributors from last year that are back include left-handed pitchers Hart Griffin and Brett Haines.

Right-handed pitcher Dylan Turner, outfileder Brock Revels, first baseman Bradyn Barnes, and catcher Jake Dobson.

Count on 2018 to see another return to the playoffs for the Hornets.

2 home runs .369 On Base % .270 Batting Avg.

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206 East 4th Street Adel, GA 31620 (229)896-5176 In The Game | 91

REGION 1-2A

berrien

rebels 2017 STATS

Head Coach: Doug Nix

11-6

HOME RECORD

8-4

AWAY RECORD

.647 WINNING %

2017

RECORD Players To Watch

1 Tisby

9 12 Thomason

Karvonen

Written by: Phil Jones The Berrien High Rebels are blessed to have one of the longest tenured coaches in the state, head coach Doug Nix, leading the Rebels from Nashville once again in 2018.

Nix oversaw another good squad in 2017 that finished 20-14 overall with an impressive 12-3 record in Region 1-AA, good enough for the No. 2 seed. The Rebels advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, losing to a North Georgia powerhouse — Rockmart.

Berrien will return several starters and contributors from last year’s squad, giving Nix another solid group to work with. Coming back are seven seniors: shortstop Tucker Karvonen, right-handed pitcher/outfielder Darius Tisby, ight-handed pitcher/infielder Brock Jewell, first baseman Justin Roberts, third baseman Daulton Royals, left-handed pitcher/outfielder Brady Young, and cathcer/right-handed pitcher Rhett Thomason.

The Rebels lost three good ones to graduation: left-handed pitcher Aubry Vaughan, first baseman Trey Jenkins, and right-handed ptcher/center fielder Joey Whittington.

Despite those key players gone, Nix sounded hopeful with the experience at several positions he’ll have at his disposal.

“We have a big senior class, with a lot of game experience and depth at several key positions,” he said. “That should create good competition for playing time.”

Nix also said to expect the Rebels to have speed on the base paths and power in the batting order. Those areas, along with two starting pitchers to anchor the rotation, should have the Rebels contending for a top seed in Region 1-AA again in 2018.

5 home runs .374 On Base % .288 Batting Avg.

92 | itgsportsnetwork.com

22-12

TROJANS

REGION 1-2A

BROOKS CO.

2017 STATS

Head Coach: Josh Price

2017

RECORD

3-25

Players To Watch

2 20 10 Jackson

Sloan

Smith

1-11

HOME RECORD

Written by: Phil Jones After spending the last six years as an assistant coach, Josh Price has taken the job as head baseball coach of the Brooks County Trojans. The first-year head coach walks into a challenge of turning around a forgettable 2017 season. The Trojans finished at the bottom of Region 1-AA, winning only three games all season. Those three wins were over region foe Albany, who will not be fielding a team in 2018 after the school disbanded.

There is good news to report, however. The Trojans will lose only two seniors to graduation, with everyone else returning. Missed will be Nick Rhodes and Nick Healey. Rhodes was a pitcher/infielder, while Healey was a catcher/third baseman/outfielder.

Among those returning to help right the ship for Brooks will be senior Mac Perry. An ACL injury occurred while playing football before last season sidelined the team’s best player all of last season.

In his sophomore season, Perry was an All-Region selection as starting catcher and was one of the team’s starting pitchers. He will be a welcomed return.

Others returning include three juniors: shortstop/outfielder Jacquez Jackson, outfielder/pitcher Randall Smith, and first baseman Donnie Sloan. Senior Louis Lopez will be back, and the part-time player will be counted on to contribute in 2018.

According to Price, if the Trojans are to show marked improvement over last year, they must get strong pitching and solid defense behind them.

Depth will be an area the Trojans hope to show improve in as well.

2-14

AWAY RECORD

.107

WINNING %

1 home runs .433 On Base % .323 Batting Avg.

In The Game | 93

REGION 2-1A

LANIER CO.

BULLDOGS SCHEDULE

Head Coach: John White

2/12

-

Hamilton County

2/17

@

Chipley

2/17

-

Cottondale

2/19

@

Hamilton County

2/20

-

Echols County

2/23

-

Atkinson County

2/26

@

Suwannee

2/27

@

Turner County

3/2

@

Clicnh County

3/6

-

Charlton County

3/9

@

Cedar Creek Christian

3/13

@

Irwin County

3/16

@

Telfair County

3/19

-

Wilcox County

3/20

@

Brooks Coutny

3/23

@

Echols County

3/30

-

Turner County

3/31

@

Charlton County

4/3

-

Clinch County

4/6

-

Trion

4/6

-

Trion

4/10

-

Aucilla Christian

4/13

-

Irwin County

4/16

@

Brooks County

4/17

-

Telfair County

4/19

@

Wilcox County

L

Photography by: Micki K Photography

2017

RECORD

22-6-1

Players To Watch

3 4 12 Searcey

Connell

Tuten

Written by: Phil Jones

The Lanier County Bulldogs find themselves heading into preseason with uncertainty surrounding their head baseball coaching position. Former coach John White left the ‘Dogs to take a coaching position in Florida. His successor was still undetermined at press time.

Regardless of who takes the reigns of Lanier County, they will have big shoes to fill. Lanier County finished 23-6 and won the Region 2-A championship. That gave Lanier County a first round bye in the state playoffs, advancing to Round 2, where they faced Johnson County. Unfortunately, the strong 2017 campaign coame to an all-too-quick end for the Bulldogs, as they lost two games to one to the Trojans. But, don’t feel sorry for the new coach; Lanier will be loaded with several key contributors returning to help lead Lanier County toward another strong run in 2018.

Preseason All-State selection shortstop Noah Tuten leads a talented cast back this year. Joining him will be preseason All-State Second Team selection Dawson Searcey. Noah led the Bulldogs offense last year with a .393 batting average and was top on the team for home runs and RBIs. On the mound, Searcy returns as the team’s leading pitcher with a 2-1 record last year. This season, he will be the team’s starting catcher.

Lanier’s pitching

will be strong again with lefty seniors Trenton Berryhill and Dylan Metts giving the ‘Dogs one of the strongest 1-2 starting pitcher duo’s in the region and in Class A. Joining those three will be Evan Culpeppper, Andrew Roland, Bryon Connell, Will Berryhill, and Tyler Alexander. With this talented core group leading Lanier County in 2018, expect the Bulldogs to make another run at the region championship.

L 7 home runs .433 On Base % .323 Batting Avg.

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