South Georgia February/March 2020

Taxslayer Gator Bowl Takeover Kings of the Mat Wrestling | Camden Co.

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Davis Steps Up to Leadership Role for Team Clifford Davis | Thomasville

21

More 24

+ Top 5 Atlanta Basketball Players + Top 5 Boys Basketball Teams in South Georgia

Valwood Soccer Aiming High

30

32 Rush Propst Named Head Coach of Alabama Upstart Private Academy

46 Taxslayer Gator Bowl Takeover Dribbling Through All Obstacles + Top Female Basketball Players in Georgia

Brooks County Moves From 2A to 1A

52

Georgia's Coaching Carousel Settles

+ Annual Spring Fundraising Banquet With Guest Speaker Tim Tebow

35

Area Athletes Honored at 12th Annual ITG Next Football Banquet

58

Are Prep Schools Good for High School Sports?

64

NCAA Passes Pay to Play

66

Dual Threats

Janiah Ellis | Colquitt Co.

49 Kings of the Mat Wrestling | Camden Co.

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Player Profiles 19

Talique Allen | Peach Co.

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Francis Morrissey | Veterans

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ITG Next | 13

Our Team Contributors Publisher Mark Dykes Editor Kyle Grondin Graphics Mandy Douthit Annabelle Scott Cover Photography Allen Allnoch AHA! Photography Player Profile Photography Eric Vinson Dreaming Wild Photography Feature Photography Allen Allnoch AHA! Photography Eric Vinson Dreaming Wild Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Feature Writers Kyle Grondin Phil Jones Alex Dunn Copy Editors Malia Thomas Advertising/Marketing Andrew Pipkin andrew@itgnext.com Mark Dykes mark@itgnext.com

Mark Dykes

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Chief Executive Officer

Creative Director

director of operations

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 unrivaled 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, despite his annual prediction that UGA will win the National Championship.

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 National Championship.

Anna became a member of the ITG Next team in 2016, serving as an intern for three semesters. After graduating from Valdosta State University in 2017, she remained with the team as an editor, devoting her editorial eye to the company for two years before becoming the Director of Operations. In her free time, Anna enjoys reading and writing. More importantly, although she claims to be a fan of the New Orleans Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

Andrew Pipkin Account Executive

Kyle Grondin

Alex Dunn

Sports Editor

Contributing Writer

Born and raised in South Georgia, Andrew attended Valdosta State University where he obtained a degree in marketing and business. He is passionate about sports, especially high school football (Go Cats!). Andrew’s focus is to develop and cultivate relationships with businesses all around South Georgia. Like so many other Georgia Bulldogs fans, his hopes of a national championship increase every year, but in the end they are just long lost dreams.

Kyle is a senior at Valdosta State University working toward a Bachelor of Arts in English with a track in journalism. He transferred to Valdosta with his wife from UCF and hopes to become a world class sports journalist. Most days, Kyle is taking his dog Stella for walks or playing sports at the local gym. Kyle is a bigtime UCF Knight fan, so you know he’s willing to claim himself the national champion of everything with little evidence supporting his cause.

Alex is a VSU graduate and contributing writer for In the Game. After interning for a year, she decided to continue writing for ITG after graduation. Now, she works for the Marietta Daily Journal, where she proofreads and designs page layouts for their publications. She uses her experience as a copy editing intern for ITG to help with the sports pages the most, while also using her freelance to keep her writing skills fresh. However, she only knows how well the Braves are doing when she is placing the game finals on the pages.

Tyrah Walker

Shelby Williams

Phil Jones

Broadcaster

Broadcaster

Contributing Writer

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tyrah Walker is excited to join the ITG Next family as one of the on-air hosts. A graduate of the preeminent University of South Florida, she received her bachelor's degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcast news (Go, Bulls!).

Tyrah is also an author. She is looking forward to sharing sports stories with the community. When she's not hosting or blogging, Tyrah enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with family.

Shelby is a graduate of the University of Florida's telecommunications program.

Before working with ITG Next, she was a news reporter in South Georgia and covered crime and politics. While she was at UF, she covered Florida Gators softball, football, and gymnastics. She enjoys running, surfing, hiking, and traveling when she's not covering a game. She has traveled to 13 countries and plans to visit Ireland for her next big trip. She has been surfing since she was 4 and considers that to be her favorite sport.

Phil Jones began lending his voice to In the Game in 2017. He serves as a radio station manager and host of two daily radio shows: “The Phil Jones Show” on WJHC Talk 107.4 and “The Afternoon Sports Drive” on WJEM AM-FM and on WJHC FM. Jones is a 20year veteran of the newspaper business, serving as manager of marketing and distribution for newspapers in Tifton, Albany, and Atlanta. He was recognized by the Georgia Press Association as “Georgia’s Top Newspaper Circulator” in 2003.

Digital Manager Mandy Douthit

ITG Next 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 2020 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

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Eric Vinson

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

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.

Eric Vinson is a native of Lowndes County and a graduate of Valdosta High School. He recently got his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Valdosta State University in mass media. Eric loves taking photos, watching sports, and producing music.

Tell us what you thought about the December/January issue of ITG Next! info@itgnext.com

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ITG Next | 17

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Talique Allen Peach County Strong Safety Who is your biggest athletic inspiration?

Demarcus Robinson; He is my biggest inspiration because I watched him rise to the level he’s at right now. He’s from my city, played for the same high school. He gives me hope.

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ITG Next | 19

Davis Steps Up to Leadership Role for Team Written by: Alex Dunn | Photography by: Micki K. Photography

Thomasville High School’s basketball team has seen some changes this year.

After becoming the 2017-18 state champions, the team had to face the challenge of losing four of their senior players this past year. Luckily, one rising basketball star is willing to take on a more prominent leadership role for the team.

Clifford Davis, a senior, has played for the team since his freshman year. One of his most memorable and favorite moments playing for the Bulldogs was winning state his first year on the team and becoming a part of the state champions mantra. Davis knew then that this was what he

wanted to do for the rest of his high school career.

Davis was ready to take on his new role because of the vast improvements he made as a player and how he wanted to influence others to strive for excellence as well. He loves the game and wants all to know how hard he works to be the kind of leader he thinks his team deserves.

“I always had a ball in my hand ever since I was a toddler,” Davis said. “The hard work you have to put in to be great, it was challenging for me, but as the season progressed, it got easier.”

He described some of the shortcomings he over-

came to enhance his leadership capabilities.

“I faced some challenges because I really never had nobody look up to me till this year, and I had to stop doing a lot of stuff and mature up and be the leader everybody can look up too,” he said.

Standing behind Davis to make sure he succeeded was also supportive, and tough, coach. Benjamin Tillman has worked at Thomasville High School and coached Davis for the past three years. He was there to watch Davis improve and has ensured to help shape him to become more of a complete, well-rounded player.

“Coming from middle school, he was known for his ability to shoot the basketball,” Tillman said.

5

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CW Cassius Winston Michigan State Player of the Year favorite. Will look to bring Michigan State back to the Final Four.

JW James Wiseman Memphis

“But now his game has evolved to a player that is filling up the stat sheet.

In our last home game against our cross-town rivals, Clifford was seen making no- look passes to wide-open teammates. This was huge because their defense was designed to stop him from scoring.”

Clifford is currently averaging 15 points, five assists, three steals and eight rebounds per game. According to Tillman, Davis scored 26, 20 and 33 points in a threegame stretch.

“He is extremely athletic and has good basketball IQ,” Tillman said of Davis. He went on to

further explain some of the techniques he uses to get his players at their best and to stay in the game.

“We try to challenge all of our players mentally, as well as physically,” Tillman said. “We believe that in order for you to achieve your goals, you must be willing to be challenged in every aspect of the game.”

Davis could not agree more.

“Coach Tillman always stayed on me and made sure I kept my

head straight and never took anything for granted,” Davis said. “I improved tremendously because I really couldn’t do anything but shoot when I first started playing. My ball-handling, defense, speed, and mental toughness got better throughout the years. Never get comfortable, always work.”

Tillman believes that Davis has a bright future ahead of him, his ability to work hard and accept a more prominent role on the team are the reasons why he will have a promising athletic career after high school.

“I think Clifford has a bright future,” Tillman

said. “His ability to shoot the basketball coupled with his God-given athleticism will always put him in the conversation as a great college recruit.

Clifford is an athlete that loves the game and loves to be around his teammate. He has grown to be a good team leader on the court and in the locker room.”

Davis hasn’t settled on any particular colleges yet, though he does have his sights set on Auburn or Florida A&M University. While he plans to continue pursuing basketball at the collegiate level, Davis also said he is interested in majoring in biology.

“But now his game has evolved to a player that is filling up the stat sheet. In our last home game against our cross-town rivals, Clifford was seen making no-look passes to wide-open teammates.

This was huge because their defense was designed to stop him from scoring.”

— Benjamin Tillman

Photo by: Eric Vinson

22 | itgnext.com

No. 1 recruit in 2019.

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Brooks County Moves From 2A to 1A Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Micki K Photography

Top 5 Atlanta Basketball Players

When the GHSA reclassification committee announced their new region alignment effective for the 2020-2021 season, the Brooks County Trojans found themselves heading to a new classification.

The Trojans will now be in Class A, the lowest public class in GHSA. Brooks moves from Region 1-AA to Region 2-A, where they will join what is arguably the toughest region in class A from top to bottom. The Trojans’ athletic teams will now be region rivals with Atkinson County, Charlton County, Clinch County, Lanier County, Irwin County, and Echols County. (Originally, GHSA had assigned Brooks County to region 1-A, where they would have been in a region with teams that would’ve required extensive travel.

Brooks County asked to be moved into 2-A, to which the GHSA agreed).

According to Brooks County Athletic Director Charles Perry, the Trojans are looking forward to the move.

of All Time

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“I am excited about the move to Class A and also into a region (2-A) that we have played before,” Perry said. “We are going into one of the best, if not the best region in class A. The region has produced solid teams that have won numerous championships for this area of the state. We discussed it at our recent Athletic Directors meeting that the top four teams from this region should do very well in the state playoffs in all sports.”

Perry added that the move to class A didn’t surprise him or anyone else with Brooks County.

“I have been tracking our FTE (enrollment) numbers for the past four years (since the last reclassification), and knew that our enrollment was lower than it had been for the last reclassification.”

The school was officially notified on Nov. 5 of their move to Class A. Head football coach Maurice Freeman said he welcomes the move to class A, mainly for the benefit of Brooks County’s other teams besides football, but also admits that he would’ve been fine either making the move, or staying right where they were.

“We (the football team) have fared well, as you can see by our success over the last twelve years, and of course making it to the state championship game last year,” Freeman said. “We’ve been very competitive in AA. But, moving to class A really should help our spring sports teams, who have had a little trouble competing over that same time period.

They’re now probably going to be able to compete much better, and of course, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Of course, Trojan football fans may not notice a huge difference in terms of competitiveness, with new region foes Clinch and Irwin County having produced the last three state championships in Class A. In fact, things may get a bit tougher, as Freeman plans to continue scheduling the likes of Thomasville and Fitzgerald, who were former region opponents in 1-AA.

So, if Trojans fans were worried about a drop off in excitement on Friday nights, don’t be. Brooks County will still need to bring that hammer.

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Valwood Soccer Aiming High Written by: Phil Jones Photography by: Micki K Photography

The Valwood school has enjoyed a long history of fielding successful sports teams.

The football team has won numerous state championships, while other varsity sports have done quite well, too. However, the Valwood soccer program has fielded competitive teams, but no championships. Thus, soccer supporters wanted more.

They wanted someone with a strong soccer background to come in and take the program to a higher level. That’s when Valwood reached out to Brian Dawkins.

Dawkins is the Program Coordinator at Valwood, overseeing all four soccer teams (the varsity boys and girls teams along with the middle school boys and girls teams). Dawkins has 14 years of coaching experience in soccer, as a club coach with USA Soccer along with coaching stints at local public schools.

Dawkins says he was approached by Valiant supporters Doctors Eric and Stephanie Gee. “They approached me about coming to Valwood,” says Dawkins.

“They wanted to see the soccer program grow to the next level.”

While Dawkins cer30 | itgnext.com

tainly has an extensive background in coaching elite-level soccer, the task of taking over not just one but four different teams was a bit too much to handle on his own. So, after one season at Valwood, Dawkins reached out to coach Michael Patrella, who most recently coached the Valdosta High soccer team, where he went 36-4.

Like Dawkins, he also has experience at the school and club level.

Patrella serves as the head coach of the varsity boys team, while Dawkins himself is head coach of the varsity girls team. One of the first things Dawkins did was to establish their feeder system.

“We run our own program at Valwood.

We run two camps in the summer. One is offered to middle school and younger age campers.

The other is our Elite camp, which is for high schoolers. These camps are available to all kids that attend any schools in our area,” said Dawkins.

He added that there is a third camp called the “sixty-six camp” that Valwood runs in partnership with South Georgia

College. “Campers come from all over South Georgia and North Florida,” says Dawkins. “These camps help with our fundraising, but they also attract younger kids from our elementary grade levels, who we hope will one day play soccer for the middle and varsity school programs.”

The next thing Dawkins focused on was teaching techniques at Valwood. “We have had to totally change the way soccer was being taught.

We’ve gone back to grassroots soccer, teaching the fundamentals and the importance of communication,” he said.

“We had to completely change their mindset, and get them to start thinking like a club-level player.”

So far, after two full seasons overseeing the soccer program, Dawkins has the Valiants headed in the right direction. He has led the Varsity boys to an overall record of 12-8 with an appearance in the GISA state playoffs in 2018. He has led the Varsity girls to an overall record of 15-9, and like the boys,

led the Valiant girls to the playoffs in his first season at Valwood.

Dawkins has high hopes of ultimately making Valwood a truly elite program but admits it will take some time.

“It’s coming. It takes a while to get Valwood soccer where we want it to be,” said Dawkins.

“We want to keep get-

ting better and compete very soon for the region championship. Not long after that, we feel like a state championship is within our reach.”

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Georgia's Coaching Carousel Settles

Annual Spring Fundraising Banquet With Guest Speaker

Now that National Signing Day is behind us (well, both of them, really), everyone who follows high school football gets to turn their focus to the other “biggest topic” this time of year. Which coaches fill which spots in the state of Georgia.

Traditionally, around 18-percent of the 400-plus schools are looking for new head coaches yearly. We did have one year where there were close to 100 openings that needed to be filled.

There have been some new replacements named, but two stick out and they’re both in south Georgia. When Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson retired after almost two decades in charge of the program at “The Concrete Palace,” that job instantly became one of the most sought after in any state.

So, as “Coach Mac” goes upstairs and stays on as Athletic Director, Jamey Dubose comes in from Central-Phenix City to be the new guy in charge. Dubose’s retirement from the school he took to a state title before he left stunned everyone around, but Lowndes gets a coach that treated his last program like one at the next level. I look forward to seeing what the Vikings’ fans think about the coach, his incoming pedigree, and his approach with a big roster in one of the most stacked parts in the state for competition.

The next one that was sitting on my desk was a true surprise.

Phillip Ironside, the mastermind behind the construction, growth and sustained success of the Hillgrove program, decided that he wanted to go to Worth County and see what he could do with a Rams program that has been challenged over the last few years. He had been a head coach at smaller schools in other states before he made his way to suburban Atlanta. Four region titles later in Class 7A, he goes to a place where he admitted he wanted to “give it a try.”

Ironside had always heard about the stories about what small-town high football is here. And, now, he gets his chance.

Worth County Principal Scott Kersh said that there were over 70 applicants.

Ironside was the only one that checked all of the proverbial boxes that those kinds of committees have when they’re looking to turn things around and bring in a new guy to patrol the sidelines.

Kersh also admitted that, while Ironside wants to bring in an up-tempo spread style of offense and have that as a calling card, it’s not just about the numbers we all see under “visitors” and “guest” on a football Friday night. It’s about having those young men be in positions to succeed in life, long past their days in Sylvester.

That’s something worth looking into starting in 2020.

Pardon the pun.

Play it safe, everyone. I’ll see you at the stadium.

We are pleased to announce that the FCA Spring Fundraising Banquet will be on Feb. 17, 2020, at Lowndes High School in the cafetorium with guest speaker Tim Tebow. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. We are excited to hear about Tim’s professional and personal life and what God has done for him. This is going to be the best banquet to date.

The Berrien County Banquet will be on March 16, 2020, at Flat Creek Church Family Life Center in Nashville, Georgia, with the doors opening at 6 p.m. The guest speaker will be Jeff Francoeur, a former professional right fielder and Lead Television Analyst for the Atlanta Braves. Please call the FCA office at (229) 2451717 for more information.

The Cook County Banquet will be on April 2, 2020, at Lenox Baptist Church in the Family Life Center with the doors opening at 6 p.m.

The guest speaker will be Sid Bream, former first baseman for the Atlanta Braves. Please call the FCA office at (229) 245-1717 for more information.

Please begin praying with us now that we can send more students, athletes, and coaches to FCA summer camps this summer. This may be the only time someone hears the good news of Jesus Christ!

Written by: Jon Nelson

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Board-certified in Primary Care Sports Medicine and Internal Medicine If there is one thing that sports and medicine share, it’s the desire to maximize performance. Whether you are starting out as an athlete, competing at a high level, or just trying to stay active, Dr. Nnaeto is available to help you reach your goals.

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2019 AWARDS BANQUET

Area Athletes Honored at 12th Annual ITG Next Football Banquet Written by: Kyle Grondin | Photography by: Eric Vinson

On Dec. 11, 2019, players, coaches, fans and family gathered to celebrate the top football players from 33 schools across the region at ITG Next’s 12th Annual South Georgia High School Football Awards Banquet.

University of Florida co-offensive coordinator John Hevesy was the guest speaker for the evening. Coach Hevesy talked about what it means to have the x-factor, and how qualities like showing great character and leadership can turn a good athlete to a great athlete.

Hevesy has spent a lot of his coaching career on players like Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott and used them as examples for that x-factor.

Following Hevesy’s speech, the top offensive and defensive players from each team were awarded for their performances on the field and the leadership provided during the season. ITG Next and sponsorship partners were then awarded top honors to seven players, one fan and one coach. Two coaches in attendance were also named the winners of the Steel’s Jewelry giveaway.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: VEREEN REHABILITATION CENTER COLONY BANK WOLFSON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL VALDOSTA TOYOTA HUGHSTON CLINIC PHOEBE ORTHOPAEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE PREFERRED RENTAL MCDONALD’S COUNTRY FINANCIAL

JOHN HEVESY, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY Guest Speaker Presented By:

ITG Next | 35

2019 AWARDS BANQUET

Worth Co. High School

Offense: Shaun Harrell Defense: Jordan Curry Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Turner Co. High School

Offense: Elijah Stephens Defense: David Morris Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Thomas Co. Central High School

Pelham High School

Colquitt Co. High School

Brooks Co. High School

Offense: Kendrick Patterson Defense: Dallas Washington Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Offense: Jaycee Harden Defense: Tymetrius French Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Coffee High School

Thomasville High School

Offense: Jamal Paulk Defense: Arlis Sutton Woody Folsom Auto Group

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Offense: William McBride Defense: Ty Anderson Southern Regional Technical College

Offense: Kalique Guyton Defense: Rashun Jackson Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Offense: Zack Gardner Defense: Travis Wright Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Brookwood School

Offense: Mac Brandon Defense: Jacob Hilson Southern Regional Technical College

CONGRATULATIONS

Bainbridge High School

McIntosh Co. Academy

Camden Co. High School

Offense: Vick Wimberly Defense: Amari Peterson Southern Regional Technical College

Offense: Trent Johnson Defense: Miles Woods Southeast Georgia Health System

Offense: Micah Ballard Defense: Hunter Guarino Southeast Georgia Health System

Brunswick High School

Brantley Co. High School

Tiftarea Academy

Offense: Anthony Mountain (NP) Defense: Ryne Buckley Southeast Georgia Health System

Tift Co. High School

Offense: Boone Utley Defense: Jalon Miller Griffin Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep

Offense: Clifford Patten Defense: Dawson Thomas Southeast Georgia Health System

Offense: Ben Matt Defense: Will Ross Prince Automotive Group

Cairo High School

Lowndes High School

Offense: Mathew Peters Defense: Calvin Issac Kevin Ross Financial

Offense: Jacurri Brown Defense: Gary Osby Farmers and Merchants Bank

ITG Next | 37

2019 AWARDS BANQUET

Clinch Co. High School

Offense: Charles Stephens Defense: Darius Dorsey (NP) Farmers and Merchants Bank

Fitzgerald High School Offense: Mario Clark Defense: Chance Gamble Coldwell Banker

Cook High School

Offense: Keyshawn Lucy Defense: Kenneth Mathis Adel Dental Associates

38 | itgnext.com

Dooly Co. High School

Offense: Shamon Zanders Defense: Jeff Felton Crisp Regional Hospital

Valdosta High School

Offense: Tate Rodemaker Defense: Jaylin Alderman CBC Bank

Veterans High School

Offense: Tylon Chambers Defense: Jalon Shine (NP) ITG Next

Crisp Academy

Offense: Baylor Pless Defense: Billy Hardin Crisp Regional Hospital

Valwood School

Offense: Aalah Brown (NP) Defense: Bay Moorman Dr. Ben Hogan

Perry High School

Offense: Ezeqiel Marion Defense: CJ Demicco ITG Next

CONGRATULATIONS

Lee Co. High School

Offense: James Hopson Defense: Baron Hopson ITG Next

Lanier Co. High School Offense: Anelius Dean Defense: Roy Johnson ITG Next

Houston Co. High School Offense: Max Rigby Defense: Wesley Steiner ITG Next

Mitchell Co. High School

Offense: Quintavious Hunter Defense: Lance Robinson Vereen Rehabilitation Center

Glynn Academy

Offense: Nolan Grant Defense: Byron Bacon Southeast Georgia Health System

Frederica Academy

Offense: Denver Anthony Defense: Deke Jernigan Southeast Georgia Health System

Crisp Co. High School Offense: Colton Oliver Defense: Chris Paul Jr. Crisp Regional Hospital

Warner Robins High School Offense: Marcayll Jones Defense: Ahmad Walker ITG Next

Irwin County High School Offense: Jamorri Colson Defense: DJ Lundy ITG Next

ITG Next | 39

TATE RODEMAKER Valdosta High School

OFFENSIVE Players of the year Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

WESLEY STEINER Houston County High School

DEFENSIVE Player of the year Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

ALEX MARTINEZ Fitzgerald High School

SPECIAL TEAMS Player of the year Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

RONNIE BAKER Thomasville High School

FORWARD PROGRESS

Award

Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet ITG Next | 41

WILLIAM BROCK Frederica Academy

SCHOLAR ATHLETE of the year

Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

JORDAN GATLIN Valdosta Middle School

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Player of the year Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet 42 | itgnext.com

TYE CONNER Tift Co. High School

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Award

Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

RANDY MCPHERSON

Lowndes High School

COACH of the year

Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

TRIP BLOCK

Lee County High School

THE 12TH MAN Award

Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

CHUCK KENYON & ASHLEY ANDERS Veterans and Tift Co. High School

STEELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JEWELRY GIVEAWAY WINNERS Presented by

South Georgia Football Banquet

Rush Propst Named Head Coach of Alabama Upstart Private Academy Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Eric Vinson

After being forced out at Colquitt County after serving 10 years as the Packers head football coach, Rush Propst will return to the sidelines this fall. Propst has been named head football coach for USA Academy, an upstart private school located in Coosada, Alabama, that plans to field a football team in 2020.

Propst was introduced at a recent press conference held at the Marriott Legends Hotel and Conference Center in Prattville, Alabama. Introducing Propst to the media was USA Academy Founder Dusty DeVaughn, who has big plans to promote USA Academy, as well as Propst.

Those plans include a reality TV series similar to the one that Propst was involved in when he was head coach at Hoover High School in Alabama. During his time with the Buccaneers, Propst and members of his team were the subjects of the MTV series “Two- a- Days,” which followed and documented the on- and offthe-field experiences of the coach and his players over the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

According to the USA Academy website, “USA Academy plans to fully capitalize on the Propst hire by documenting Propst’s journey as he builds the football program from the ground up.”

The rights to the series will be distributed to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Exclusive content will also be provided on the USA Academy website.

While the TV cameras and subsequent reality series will tell the story of USA Academy’s beginnings, it’s the successful past of its new head coach that will perhaps be its greatest selling point. Propst boasts seven state championships between his time at Hoover and Colquitt County. That includes more than 300 total wins, 119 of those victories at Colquitt County. He led the Packers to the state playoffs in all but one of his seasons as head coach, with the lone exception being the first season he took over in Moultrie.

“The objective was to hire the best coaching staff in the country that would put our programs competing on a national stage right out of the gate, and, as you can see, it has all come together fast,” DeVaughan said.

USA (which stands for Ultimate Student Athlete) Academy is the latest in what is a fast-growing trend of private schools that offer boarding and training to student-athletes with collegiate potential.

These schools offer mostly online curriculum; however, USA Academy plans to ultimately offer on-campus courses as well.

IMG Academy is the most well known of these institutions whose goal is to educate, board, and offer the finest training and coaching to high school athletes preparing to play at the collegiate level. Located in Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academy originally began as a training ground for tennis, but has grown into a world class, multi-sport training institution. According to Devaughn, the goal of USA Academy is “to be better than IMG Academy.”

At the moment, USA Academy is nothing more than 115 acres of rolling green pastureland owned by DeVaughan and his family.

But, that will change quickly, said DeVaughan, with rather aggressive plans to begin enrolling students immediately and classes are to begin later this month (January). The school wants to initially attract 300 students, with an ultimate goal of over 1,000. USA Academy will utilize an online curriculum similar to that used by virtual public schools and will be NCAA approved. While USA Academy’s main focus will certainly be on attracting athletes, the school will accept students not participating in athletics.

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The school will bring in temporary facilities while work begins on the construction of nine permanent buildings that will house classroom space, as well as the educational, administration, and football offices. That includes a 100-yard indoor practice facility, similar to what Propst had at his previous job at Colquitt County, as well as a state-of-the-art, 19,000-square-foot football facility, which will include locker rooms, big enough for a roster of approximately 50-75 players.

Eventually, USA Academy will plan to build student dormitories, although that is not part of the initial nine-building plan. There are also plans to construct a 5,000 seat football stadium that will host the Eagles’ first season this fall. In addition to football, the school also plans to start baseball, soccer, softball, and golf teams in its first year.

“USA Academy will spare no expense to ensure our student-athletes have the best facilities, equipment, apparel, and training,” DeVaughan said during the press conference to introduce Propst.

While Propst has not coached full time since the 2018 season at Colquitt County, he has been staying busy with the game he loves. He has been involved as a volunteer assistant at The University of Alabama-Birmingham under head coach Bill Clark. He has even sat in as a co-host of a podcast centered around University of Tennessee football.

During a radio interview, I had an opportunity to talk with Propst soon after he had accepted the position at USA Academy. As you would expect, he sounded excited about his new opportunity.

“I’ve really been anxiously awaiting the right opportunity to come along, and there is no doubt in my mind that this is it,” he said. “This is one of, if not the finest high school facilities in the country.”

Propst did confirm that he had received several offers to return to coaching, both at the high school and collegiate levels, including an opportunity to move to a position coach full time on Clark’s staff.

“Coaching high school football is where I ultimately wanted to be,” Propst said.

Propst’s main residence and family have remained in Moultrie since he left the Packer program, and he indicated that they will remain there for now, while making plans to begin work on site at USA Academy.

“I’ll still be around here (in Georgia) probably for a couple of months before heading over to Alabama around March,” Propst said.

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DRIBBLING

Through All Obstacles Written By: Kyle Grondin | Phtography by: Micki K Photography

Top Female Basketball Players in Georgia OLIVIA COCHRAN Carver (Columbus)

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Basketball hasn’t always come but now she’s beginning to water easy for Janiah Ellis. that gift and grow as a basketball Sure, when she was playing at player and a person. It is tough, but Thomas County Central, she was a she is a great person and is becomstar in the making. Length, blessed ing a great basketball player.” with natural scoring ability, she stood Coach Williams and Ellis both out in the smaller school, even as a mentioned the struggle when she freshman. first arrived at Colquitt County, But when her family moved and how it took a different to Moultrie, things got a lot coaching style to get through more difficult. She had to to her. learn to fight for position, “I gave her a lot of tough earn her role and develop love. It was hard at first, but we her talent. definitely yelled at each “Moving was the I kicked her out of I knew my ability other. hardest year I’ve ever practice and even kicked had,” Ellis said. “I was to be a great player. her off the team at times, used to being big time What I learned was but I was just trying to and making everything through to her. She’s that I had an ability get happen. I couldn’t reala smart, talented person ly do whatever I wanted to teach the younger who just needed to unand realize that there derstand how good she players and be a were people better than be.” role model for them could me. Learning to adapt to Coach Williams was and the team on the coaching and meetafraid of pushing her ing new people was reand off the court. away with the tough ally hard for me.” love coaching style.

— Janiah Ellis Her first game she “I needed her to understand I wasn’t being averaged only eight points a game, and her coach, the bad guy for no reason. She had Rondesha Williams, struggled with a gift that I needed to get out of her, coaching her the first season and and it was a seed that needed to trying to get through to the talented get water. I'm a praying coach, and combo guard.

I asked Him to give me the correct “I learned to be very patient words to say to her. She needed to coaching Janiah,” Williams said. “It be motivated and understand I had took so long to get her to underher best interests at heart. I finally stand that God blessed her with an got through to her, and everything incredible gift and that she needed began to change.” to water that gift to see it grow. It Coach Williams began to see it in took most of her sophomore year, practice. Her coaching got through,

ITG Next | 49

and the frustration rolled off of her back. In her junior year, she stepped up to become a leader on the team and passed along the words she got from her coach to her younger teammates. She started to find her role.

“I knew my ability to be a great player,” Ellis said. “What I learned was that I had an ability to teach the younger players and be a role model for them and the team on and off the court.

That’s why I work hard to be the best I can.”

Ellis is beginning to realize her ability, as this is the second straight season she’s scored over 20 points a game, as she’s averaging 21.7 points per game for the Packers. She’s also leading the best team in region 1-7A, bringing it on both ends of the court.

She was the 2019 Region one player of the year and is well on her way to winning the award again.

Along with scoring, she leads the team with 3.3 steals a game and is second on the team with 6.5 rebounds a game.

Realizing her potential didn’t mean being just a great scorer, but bringing her ‘A’ game every play, and every opportunity.

“I had to be able to step my game up on defense,” Ellis said.

“Getting the chance to play college basketball means I’m going to get my playtime on the defensive end. So I had to

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work hard and step my game up on both ends of the court.”

Ellis signed to play at the University of Troy.

Troy is known as a fullcourt press defensive team who thrives off turnovers and easy baskets. Ellis is showing that she can be that person, and should fit in seamlessly with the Trojans and their scheme.

“When she moved into Colquitt County from the Thomasville area, she didn’t understand the potential that she possessed. She had talent but struggled to understand what she had to do to reach the next level, like playing defense, hustling through screens. But now she’s working hard in practice and realizing her ability.”

While Troy is a great opportunity for Ellis, she has her sights set on a state championship run.

“I want to win a region title and make a deep run in the playoffs.

I know my ability can stand out, and we have a great team. I think we can make a run towards a state championship.”

I know my ability can stand out, and we have a great team.

I think we can make a run towards a state championship.

— Janiah Ellis

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The Hughston Clinic TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Takeover, presented by Vereen Rehabilitation Center, was a resounding success. ITG Next partnered with sponsors to send 1,700 athletes from schools in South Georgia and North Florida to TIAA Bank Field for free to witness the thrilling game between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Indiana University Hoosiers.

The players arrived with their teams and were given a t-shirt provided

by ITG Next and Baker Sports, as well as a free lunch provided by Chickfil-A. Athletes then enjoyed activities at the Jaguars Flex Field, including live music and contests.

Kaleb Johnson of Terry Parker High School won a pair of AirPods, and Ryan Piersza of Bartram Trail won an iPad. Two students from Westside High School also won gift cards. Terry Parker High School and Brooks County High School also received $1,000 scholarship checks courtesy of the Vereen Rehabilitation Center and the Hughston Clinic.

The game lived up to the bowl hype, as Tennessee came back down 22-9 in the fourth quarter to win the game 23-22. The comeback was the first time this season that a team came back from down 13 points or more with less than five minutes to go in the game. Teams were previously 0-471 in similar situations.

Volunteers running back Eric Gray was the catalyst behind the comeback, accounting for 120 total yards and the game-winning touchdown.

He also had the key onside kick recovery with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

ITG Next | 53

Photography by: Reganne Chadwell

Brooks County High School received a $1,000 scholarship check, courtesy of the Vereen Center.

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ITG Next | 57

Are Prep Schools Good for High School Sports?

Written by: Kyle Grondin

58 | itgnext.com

Preparatory schools are growing across the United States, as is the incentive to become a major player in high school athletics.

The recently formed USA Academy, opening next fall in Coosada, Alabama, is the newest competitor in the circuit. USA stands for “Ultimate Student Athlete,” and the school is set to open no school buildings, as it has a virtual school curriculum with dorms to create an environment for the top student-athletes to excel on the field.

This is right in line with some of the best schools in the country, including IMG Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many others.

In fact, many private schools require students to participate in some sort of athletics,

as they teach lessons of leadership and teamwork. But is this what is best for the sports and the students?

Many feel that prep schools create an unfair advantage in the sports landscape.

Many coaches in states like Pennsylvania have proposed separate state championships for private schools and public schools.

In Florida, they created a new law in 2017 so that all students can go to whichever high school they want, which I believe many states will begin to adopt as a way for the athletic system to create a balance and fairness within the game. But even with that, prep school teams continue to be among the most successful in the state. St. Thomas Aquinas has won eight

state championships in the last 12 years, including in 2019.

Prep schools undoubtedly have a competitive advantage, as they have the resources to pay for the best facilities and coaches. And they certainly benefit the athletes and their dreams to reach their full potential.

There’s no doubt that prep schools are putting athletes in the best positions to make it to the next level and even to the professional level.

Many prep schools provide great exposure for student-athletes. IMG Academy delivers talented players year after year. Montverde Academy produced top NBA draft picks Ben Simmons and R.J. Barrett.

There’s no question that going to a prep school has its advan-

tages if you’re a top student-athlete. You’re exposed to top colleges constantly and have the best coaching and facilities available to help build their game. USA Academy is conveniently placed in between Auburn and Tuscaloosa, giving students great exposure to both major universities.

The question becomes this: Which do we care about more? The competitive advantage in high school sports or promoting the best student-athletes?

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Kings of the Mat Camden County

Written By: Kyle Grondin | Photography by: Eric Vinson

Greatness isn’t about talent, ability or your skill at a particular thing.

It’s your ability to work smarter, harder and as a team to stand out above everyone else. For Camden County wrestling, they’ve been able to do that for six seasons in a row, as they take home their sixth straight state championship.

This championship felt different, however. Camden County’s team in 2019-2020 was young, inexperienced and somewhat new to the competition. For the first time in years, they weren’t favored to win their region, never mind a state championship.

They needed something more than talent to break through. They needed a game plan and mindset that they could be the best and stand out among the rest.

Every year for at least the last nine seasons, Camden has been the same. Head coach Jess Wilder has built a wrestling institution that has withstood all oncoming challengers. He’s coached All-Americans, Division 1 talents and some of the best that the sport has to offer. But it was simply a mindset that he brought that built the great and talented Wildcat program.

“Camden has always had some really talented wrestlers in the past, but

lacked the game plan,” Wilder said. “Being on the mat is very much a one-on-one sport, but the game means so much more. There’s a strategy to win meets and to win as a team, not focus on the individual.”

With that mindset, it was no surprise that the Wildcats were able to win the region one again. They stuck to their game plan and did what the team always does best.

Wilder took over 14 years ago and has built one of the winningest programs in all of Georgia. Their state championship count is now up to seven in his time with the Wildcats. He took an entire overhaul of the system.

“We needed a more inclusive offseason program,” Wilder said.

“While most teams focus on the individual aspect of the sport, we focus on team goals and how to develop teams and the best roster to win meets and not each match. We are always focused on the collective unit and not what any particular athlete can do.”

So Camden County stuck to its game plan, even when Collins Hill took an early lead in the state championship.

They continued to get points, work the matchups and fight for the title.

Cody Herrin wrestling at

the 182-pound class, received bonus points and his victory, and that put the Wildcats ahead for good, as they went on to win the tournament.

The institution is what remains above everything else. After six straight wins, coach Wilder sees his game plan from the beginning set into motion with this team. It was a team of 10 new starters, having to work their way through Camden’s rigorous schedule to eventually stand on top.

They travel to many states and areas to compete with the best, test their limits. Both with AAU and the high school team. So even a team as inexperienced as this season’s team was battle-tested to face the favorites to take home the title in Collins Hill.

“The hardest part was getting the kids to buy into the system we were creating. Wrestling is a tough sport to get the kids to buy in, so we try to teach them the proper techniques and how working hard can pay off in the sport,” he said.

Wilder has built a program and a staff to compete at the highest level.

“We have a great staff that gets these kids motivated to play as a team.

Pretty early on, the kids ITG Next | 61

began to realize that we weren’t satisfied with losing and that working that much harder after a loss is important. It is a tough sport to convince the players and the parents about the sacrifice wrestling at a high level takes.

So we teach well and try to get them to buy-in.”

The high level in Kingsland is a championship.

Camden was ahead after almost every weight class in the state championship.

Garrett Gaston, Matt Morton and Riley Dahlgren all came up with big victories for the Wildcats. One of the few returning members of the Wildcat team from last year, 2019 state champion Nathan Orum had a nearly flawless performance, getting a shutout victory and moving Camden County closer to another championship.

“We’re hardly ever the most talented or experienced team at the state level, but we achieve that level by reaching deep and teaching high-level techniques. Work ethic is the hallmark of Wildcat wrestling, and that takes precedence over any level of talent we own.”

The strategy of a team like the Wildcats is in their depth and competitive spirit in practice and the gym. With 14 weight classes, Camden County works to produce as many players as possible, and they compete every day in practice to make that roster for when the meets occur.

“Every spot is earned on our team. If a player is struggling with a matchup or has a rough couple of weeks, somebody else is itching to take that spot and get an opportunity. So that player takes the chance. Nobody is able to let up that way.”

Even a player like Orum, with the talent to win an individual state championship last sea62 | itgnext.com

son, is held to the same standards as everyone else on the roster. He’s seen as a leader on the team, and his example has set a precedent for everyone else fighting for a roster spot.

“Our team is like a puzzle. You have a different puzzle every year. So while there’s 14 weight classes, you always have more than 14 pieces, and the matchups drive what pieces are being built to be placed in the puzzle.

Sometimes it’s harder to put together, but the roster is always shifting, and we stay motivated by staying hungry, using new pieces, and building the puzzle to make all the pieces fit.”

That ability to build the puzzle has made the Wildcats stand out, and they use that ability better than any program.

This season’s team lost 10 starters of the 14 from the year before. That is including five state champions. Coach Wilder viewed last year’s team as “one of the best the program has ever had.”

But this new group learned and experienced from the best. And the result? Exactly the same, as the Wildcats continue to reign supreme on the mat, champions again.

“Every spot is earned on our team. If a player is struggling with a matchup or has a rough couple of weeks, somebody else is itching to take that spot and get an opportunity. So that player takes the chance. Nobody is able to let up that way.”

— Jess Wilder

PASSES

PAY TO

PLAY Written by: Kyle Grondin

The NCAA is trying to use its get-out-of-jail-free card.

Over the years, the topic of pay to play has been one of the most controversial and often discussed stories that surround college sports. After bills were proposed in many states to put the practice in place legally, the NCAA has ruled that it will allow college athletes to profit off of their name and likeness “in a manner consistent of the collegiate model.”

While it remains to be seen what the “collegiate model” entails (knowing the NCAA, we’ll all be unhappy with the response), it’s a step in the right direction. They are now following the actions pushed upon them by many states.

California was the first state to pass such a law, The Fair Pay to Play Act, allowing athletes to profit off of their name. States such as Georgia and Florida have introduced bills that would follow suit.

The NCAA has constantly been pushing back on the idea, citing reasons of competitive imbalance in the league and an unfair advantage to certain schools. The organization also cites the fear of players being taken advantage of by agents and boosters in unfair deals.

What makes the situation laughable, and true to the NCAA form of the past, is their hypocrisy. NCAA President Mark Emmert called the California bill an “existential threat” to the collegiate model less than six weeks ago, and he was prepared to rule all California schools ineligible for NCAA championships.

That seems to have been a bluff the entire time.

But the tyranny of the majority has spoken, and the NCAA is now trying to get back ahead of the lawmakers and come up with a plan to turn the rules back to their advantage. This model allows the best 64 | itgnext.com

situation for the NCAA, as they don’t want to commit salaries to players, and definitely do not want student-athletes to unionize and negotiate under their own power.

If the NCAA can create a fair process for student-athletes to profit, then there’s three major benefits to how players can prosper under NCAA legislation.

1. Players who deserve to be paid will get paid.

The biggest debate on the fair pay arguments was the question of how the NCAA would balance the money. Would there be a salary cap, so teams such as Alabama can’t buy all of the best players? Who is deciding who makes money?

Is income based on value to the school or value to the team?

These factors made fair pay a slippery slope the NCAA carefully avoided for a long time. Now, the new ruling takes a lot of responsibility out of the committee’s hands. Players will now be their own entrepreneurs, making their own deals and being able to generate their own income fairly. The only stipulation the NCAA listed was that any profit must stay “consistent with the collegiate model.”

The way this decision works out is if players become savvy business people, learning how to profit off of their own talents. The top players who drive substantial income to the universities (the best players and biggest names in their respective sports) will now be able to earn what they feel they deserve, and many of them will profit. Duke basketball star and NBA No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson would’ve been a seven-figure athlete while in college, for example, if he were able to profit off of his own image.

The biggest task of the NCAA will be to keep the competitive balance, which is something the organization highlighted in its press release. New rules are constantly taken advantage of, and if players have a way to profit more off of going to the top five schools, they’re going to take advantage of that opportunity. The NCAA will have to ensure that other schools aren’t falling behind due to the ruling.

2. The NCAA no longer has to punish schools for minor monetary exchanges.

In 2010, the University of Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green was suspended for four games for selling his game-worn jersey for $1,000. Later that year, star quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four teammates at Ohio State were suspended for five games for trading game memorabilia and championship rings for tattoos.

These rulings would arise year after year, and the committee had to come up with decisions on situations that had nothing to do with performance on the field. Now, that job becomes a lot easier.

Granted, the NCAA will still have its fair share of investigations to resolve, but they can now focus on monitoring the schools and not its players.

Many collegiate athletes were making money anyway and doing it in secret. University athletic programs were derailed based on some of these rulings, and now, with less responsibility, we can all worry less about how players are secretly getting money.

3. All parties win.

Once again, this is a situation where all parties feel like they can walk away with a victory. For the players, it is a great step toward what they feel is fair compensation for their worth on the field. Many players will rejoice at the opportunity to profit off of themselves, and it is a model that still promotes what college is all about: growing oneself.

Teaching these athletes to grow their brand at 18 years old can go a long way to helping that down the line, especially when some of the student-athletes reach a professional level. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have the ability to understand their self worth and can avoid being taken advantage of without the NCAA having their backs.

It was a monumental decision for the NCAA to allow college athletes to profit off of their own likenesses. As more information unfolds on the rule changes and how it will be installed, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a plan in place that will protect the players, while still allowing them to feel as though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s them, and not their universities, that reap the benefits of their hard work on the field.

Dual Threats Written by: Kyle Grondin

Bo Jackson is largely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. A Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn University, he went on to be one of the most dominant running backs in all of the NFL… and one of the best baseball players in all of the MLB. That’s right: Bo Jackson was a star football and baseball player.

If there’s one thing we’ve developed during the 21st century, it’s the specialization of youth sports. Many of the top athletes in high schools at a young age have chosen to focus on their strongest sport, with the hopes of college scholarships and becoming elite in one sport.

But studies are now contradicting that philosophy. Unless you’re Ivan Drago in “Rocky IV,” the desire to be great in sports comes from the love of the game and a desire to be the best. The Montreal Expos drafted Tom Brady, as he played baseball and football. Michael Jordan played baseball and basketball. LeBron James was a star high school basketball and football player before playing in the NBA. Here are some of the athletes today who played two professional sports.

1. Lolo Jones

Jones was a star track athlete, as she won gold in two World Championship 100-meter contests in 2008 and 2010. She searched for the elusive gold medal in the Olympics but came up just short in her prime. That is when she changed directions.

Jones became a bobsled runner after the 2008 Olympics. To join, she practiced and had to put on weight. In just four years, she was able to qualify for the U.S. professional bobsled team. She competed in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and her team finished seventh.

Image courtesy of nytimes.com

2. Tim Tebow

Tebow won a Heisman Trophy, and was a three-time All-American and twotime National Champion at the University of Florida. While many discounted his future ability to play quarterback in the NFL, Tebow tried anyway and even won a playoff game in his short NFL career.

After it seemed like his athletic career had flamed out, Tebow switched course and signed with the New York Mets in 2016. While he’s made to the AAA level for the Mets, it remains to be seen if he can develop enough to crack the MLB. Still, he’s proven himself as a great two-sport talent.

Image courtesy of cbssports.com

3. Jimmy Graham

Graham is known as one of the first premier pass catching tight ends in the NFL, as he led the league in touchdown receptions in 2013 with 16.

Before that, Graham was on the hardwood at the University of Miami as one of the premier defensive players on the Hurricanes roster. He continues to play in the NFL today, and his leaping ability in basketball easily translated to his football prowess.

Image courtesy of cheeseheadtv.com

The number of players who play multiple sports is constantly growing. Kyler Murray, the top pick in the NFL Draft, had a professional baseball contract to play for the Oakland Athletics.

Many skills utilized in one particular sport are directly translatable to developing skills in another sport.

Throwing a baseball teaches arm mechanics similar to that of throwing a football. Rebounding a basketball requires skills like those needed to catch a pass in football. Each sport develops different muscles and shows a method of how a player can increase hand-eye coordination and be a better all-around athlete.

So before you consider specializing in a specific sport, think about how other sports may help you to get better and what may be the best way to not only develop a skill but develop as an all-around athlete.

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