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In This Issue Red Terrors Take It to the Dome Glynn Academy
27 He Gets It! Banner Thomas Ware County Middle School
11 Hardwood CEO Shaheed Medlock Ware County High School
34 Defending the State Title Chris Turner Brunswick High School
14 Fleming Spreads the Floor in her Senior Season Latia Fleming Liberty County High School
38 The Desire to Work Harder Amani Trice Wayne County High School
2 In the Game January 2016
Camden County High School......................................29 Ware County High School...........................................31 Wayne County High School........................................33 Pierce County High School..........................................37 Bacon County High School..........................................41
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 3
Tell us your thoughts! Email us at info@inthegamemagazine.com to let us know what you thought of the December edition of itg
The Holiday Season is over and 2015 is in the books but not before delivering possibly the biggest football game in SEGA history. On Friday December 4,, 2015, region 3-AAAAA foes Glynn Academy and Ware County met between the Bricks in Brunswick for a chance to earn the right to travel to the Dome in Atlanta to play for a state title. Glynn had beaten Ware back in October in the Swamp in one of the hardest hitting high school football games I have ever witnessed and the State AAAAA semi-final game would be no different. It was like watching a “Rocky” movie. Two prize fighters standing toe-to-toe trading blow after blow with Glynn hoisting the belt at the end after stopping Ware inside the 1-yard line on the last play of the game. Read all about to the Glynn Academy Red Terrors epic season and their first State Title game since 1964. Congratulations Red Terrors on a fantastic season. Talk about moving half way around the world, meet Tia Fleming who moved from the tropical paradise of Hawaii to the coast of SEGA. Tia is the senior center for the Liberty County girls’ basketball team and is lighting up the hardwoods all over SEGA. Tia credits her uncle Jessie Fleming for introducing her to basketball and Lady Panther’s Head Coach Carolyn Kelly is glad he did. Tia is a star in the making who not only contributes by
her on-court skills during games but also by helping to teach the younger players on the team by example and encouragement. You have to love a kid with this much talent whose motto is “student” over “athlete”. Ware County Senior Shaheed Medlock is a rare breed in this day and age of go for broke attitudes of “I have to make it to the Pros.” Shaheed’s game could very well lead him to the pros one day but he knows his education will allow him to be successful in anything he chooses to do in life. He loves the game of basketball but talk to him long enough and you see he is just as passionate about the business world. We did a Coach’s Corner on Brunswick High’s head boys basketball coach, Chris Turner, about five years ago. It’s funny because at the time I remember after the photo shoot the photographer coming to me and sharing with me how impressed he was with coach Turner and how he expected big things out of the Brunswick High Pirate’s boys program. Just three short seasons later Coach Turner delivered the first ever state basketball championship to Brunswick High School. Read the ITG Q & A with coach Turner and see what it’s been like the last eight months since hoisting that state championship trophy. The title of our Rising Star article this month is “He Gets It” and Ware Middle School eighth grader Banner Thomas definitely does. I’ve known this young man for the last 6 or so years and had the privilege of coaching him in youth football and watching him grow into a fine young man. He and my son are close friends and as a parent Banner is the type of kid you want your child to be around. Banner is considered by many, myself included, as one of the best young wrestlers in SEGA possibly the whole Southeast but forget all that, Banner is great human being. He’ll do great things in life because “he gets it”. In The Game SEGA hosted the 6th Annual Football Awards Banquet on
December 14th and I’d like to take this opportunity the thank everyone involved for making the event an overwhelming success. Our valued sponsors: Crosby Cadillac GMC Nissan, Crosby of Camden, Bone and Joint Institute of South Georgia, Primesouth Bank/Walker Jones/Flash Foods, Coastal Pines Technical College, Mayo Clinic Health System of Waycross and Farah and Farah. Without their support the evening would have not been possible and we truly appreciate their support of the Football Awards Banquet as well as the magazine all year long. Former UGA All-American and NFL star Tim Worley and his beautiful wife Dee delivered an important message that resonated with the student athletes and guests alike in attendance speaking about character and accountability. Clay Thomas, as always, did a masterful job as emcee keeping the audience engaged and things running smoothly. Big shout out to John DuPont, John Wood, Freddy Willis and WWUF 97.7 “The Wolf” for broadcasting In The Game “On Radio” live from the event. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Dickson, my lovely wife Kim Smoak and my son Evan Smoak for all of their help in decorating and making the Waycross City Auditorium look festive for the occasion. Thanks to Mark Steedley and the gang at Jimbo’s of Homerville for catering the event and delivering an exceptional meal. Last but not least I want to thank everyone who attended players, coaches, parents, advertisers and special guests. I appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy Christmas schedules to help make the evening a huge success and we look forward to a bigger and better event next year.
Contributors Publisher Shawn Smoak Editors Mark Dykes Sarah Turner Graphics Sarah Turner Cover Photography Michael Brinson Michael Brinson Photography LLC Feature Photography Jeffrey Griffith Old Goats Photography Jennifer Carter Johnson Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography Gena Churchwell Feature Writers Rob Asbell John DuPont John Wood Copy Editor James Washington Advertising/Marketing Shawn Smoak shawn@inthegamemagazine.com Mark Dykes mark@inthegamemagazine.com Website Manager Cole Parker
SEGA Prep Sports P.O. Box 2960 Wayross, Ga. | 31502 Corporate Office: Dykes Media Group, Inc. P.O. Box 812 Valdosta, Ga. | 31603 In the Game is published monthly (excluding July). The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group, Inc. makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2016 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 5
On the Cover
Red Terrors Take It To The
It was a season to remember for those who have walked the hallowed halls of Glynn Academy. The Brunswick school is the second oldest in the state, having been founded in 1788. But little in its history could match the excitement of the 2015 football season for the Red Terrors. by Rob Asbell | photography by Gena Churchwell
It was the school’s third trip to the state championship, but the last was a lifetime ago, in 1964. This season, it seemed unlikely that the Terrors would make it to the Georgia Dome, especially after suffering two losses in a row. But in a manner only seen in Hollywood movies, Coach Rocky Hidalgo put Glynn Academy on a roll and simply refused to lose, either making comebacks or holding on for the victory until the bitter end, scoring on the final play of a 10-6 loss in the state championship.
Glynn Academy finished the regular season with an 8-2 record, having fallen to Camden and Coffee before going on a 10-game winning streak that included four playoff games. With the number-two seed in Region 3-AAAAA, the Terrors had the opportunity to host their first round game against Jones County. The Greyhounds traveled to Glynn County Stadium with a 9-1 record and part of a three-way tie for first place in Region 2. Deejay Dallas had three touchdowns and intercepted a pass in the end zone with just four seconds left, and the Terrors hung on to win 28-22. The following week, GA made a 400-mile trek to Dalton to play the Catamounts, the top seed from Region 7. After falling behind early, Garrison Hurd caught the “hook and lateral” for a touchdown. The Glynn defense, led by In the Game Magazine’s Defensive Player of the Year, Dexter Roberson, held strong in a scoreless fourth quarter to give the Terrors a 20-13 victory. Glynn Academy had to take to the road again in the third round, traveling to Stockbridge to face the state’s top-ranked team. The Tigers had an undefeated record and home field advantage. Stockbridge took a 14-point lead and was about to score a touchdown for what would have been an insurmountable lead, but the Terrors’ defense was able to hold on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line. After a 99-yard drive, GA scored again to tie the game at 21. With 14 seconds left, Banks Entwistle booted a 30-yard field goal, and the Terrors were able to prevail once again, 24-21. That set the stage for the biggest game in recent memory for Southeast Georgia as Glynn Academy faced Ware County in the state semifinals. The two region foes had played almost two months earlier, with the Terrors coming out on top by seven points. Before a near-capacity crowd of almost 10,000 - one of the largest crowds ever gathered at Glynn County Stadium - the two juggernauts battled until the very end. Leading 24-14 with less than a minute remaining, GA gave up an intentional safety that brought the Gators to within eight points. A long kickoff return gave Ware good field position, and quarterback Jemar Lincoln began firing passes. With just 4.6 seconds to go, his final attempt was caught at the one-yard line, just short of a touchdown; time expired, and the Terrors walked away victorious, 24-16.
The Terrors then traveled to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to face the high-scoring offense of the Allatoona Buccaneers in the state championship game. The Allatoona crew had not lost a game since the first contest of the season and had been on a 13-game winning streak since. The Terrors held the Buccaneers to less than 200 yards of total offense in a game that was scoreless at halftime. GA tried a free kick following a fair catch, but August Bowers’ 49-yard attempt hit the upright and bounced back. An 80-yard
drive to start the second half gave the Bucs the lead, and they later added a field goal to take the victory. Dallas was able to score on the last play of the game to put the Terrors on the board. Despite the loss, the community stood strong with the team, who had brought the days of glory back to Brunswick’s south end. The 12 wins the Terrors recorded this season are the most in the school’s history since 1936.
H 10 In the Game January 2016
Hardwood CEO Shaheed Medlock
Ware County High School
Waycross, Georgia
by John DuPont | photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
T
hese days, Shaheed Medlock ranks among the top defensive specialists in area high school basketball, perhaps in the state. He has already been courted – pardon the pun- by some of the more renowned college programs in the country, having taken unofficial visits thus far to Indiana, Chicago State, Purdue, and Yale. The 6’5” Ware County High School senior can play the 1, 2, and 3 positions adeptly, but it’s his lockdown ability on defense that makes him a commodity on the court.
“You do and you don’t have to have certain types of intelligence to play basketball,” says WCHS head coach Tre Hill. “I think Shaheed can pick up opponents and what they do, and he is kind of crafty in what he does. He can set his defender up. We’ve got an inbound play, and right before the referee gives the guy the ball, Shaheed turns to say something January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 11
WCHS principal Bert Smith:
Shaheed is an outstanding student, but he is also an outstanding young man. He makes it a point to speak to administrators with a smile and a handshake each morning when he arrives on campus. He definitely makes a positive impression on the people he is around. Because of his academic achievements and character, I know Shaheed will continue to succeed on and off the basketball court.
to a teammate and slips in under the basket. He handles the ball well enough to bring it up, and he’s a good enough passer that he can create some things for some other guys.” Heading into Christmas break, Medlock averaged eight points, seven rebounds, and two steals per game. That’s in addition to maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. He was also named MVP of the All-Tourney Team at the Tattnall Square Academy Christmas Tournament in Macon. Medlock will undoubtedly soon take his talents – athletic and academic - to the next level. But it remains to be seen where Medlock will take those talents and by which ones he will ultimately be most remembered. “Shaheed is an outstanding student, but he is also an outstanding young man,” says WCHS principal Bert Smith. “He makes it a point to speak to administrators with a smile and a handshake each morning when he arrives on campus. He definitely makes a positive impres-
12 In the Game January 2016
sion on the people he is around. Because of his academic achievements and character, I know Shaheed will continue to succeed on and off the basketball court.” Medlock practices what he preaches on the academic front. He has never brought home a “B” on his high school report card. He also recently completed his second college math class, as well as an Honors history course. He is a National Honor Society member and a representative on the WCHS Student Council. So while his defensive prowess might turn heads initially, Medlock’s intellectual prowess is what truly impresses. “There was a big thing that happened this summer involving academics and athletics: my selection to go to the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University,” says Medlock, the son of James and Lisa Medlock. “We had a business competition, and my team made it to the finals. It’s something where a lot of student-athletes might have just focused on
the basketball, academics is the most important thing over athletics. It’s ‘student’ before ‘athlete.’” “Shaheed put himself in college math and advanced classes; I didn’t tell him to do that,” says James Medlock, Shaheed’s father. “He meets with his counselors on his own and gets his homework done before we ever get home. Shaheed is just a very responsible young man. He is not interested in earrings, tattoos, and sagging pants.” James Medlock’s own athletic prowess led him to the college gridiron, where the former Waycross High standout lettered all four years as a running back at Purdue University. He eventually settled his family in Chicago, where Shaheed and his brother Sharieff were born. The boys attended Curie High School in the Windy City, where Shaheed played just one season before moving to Ware County. “We had a great chemistry together,” says the younger Medlock of his sibling. “Sharieff
was the scorer, and I was, on defense, always guarding the best guy on the other team. He was the numbers guy, and I was always the guy setting screens and whatnot.” Sharieff went on to play hoops at Chicago State University before transferring to Florida State College at Jacksonville, where he currently plays. Over the past several years, the younger of the brothers has honed his talents partly through AAU competition and at such showcase events like the John Lucas Camp. Additionally, he has kept company with NBA talents such as Roshown McLeod, Jordan McRae, and Jabari Parker, all of whom have been clients of his dad’s personal security company. Following in his brother’s footsteps at Chicago State is one option for Shaheed Medlock, or he could go to their dad’s alma mater, Purdue. He has been to each campus, as well as that of Yale. But talk to him long enough and the conversation generally cycles back around to Indiana, and basketball usually isn’t the lead topic.
“Business camp at Indiana gave us a project to see who could create the best plan for a disaster application,” he says. “We didn’t do the computer science part of the app; we came up with the business concept of the app and how it would be marketed.” Computer science and entrepreneurship each harken as potential majors for Medlock, who has his sights set on developing a social media website. He lists math as his favorite subject because it is a discipline that plays a major role in negotiating. Noteworthy influences have come from Molly Morrison, his “Gator mom”, and Mr. Drew Shealy, his college math teacher. Medlock also credits his coach. “Coach Hill means a lot to me,” he says. “He is an open-minded coach, not a coach that thinks he knows everything. He is always in the gym putting in effort, putting his team before himself. It’s not just about basketball with Coach Hill; it’s about teaching young men life lessons.” Gator fans can surely appreciate the fact that those life lessons are not lost on Medlock and his teammates, who have dedicated this season to the memory of Kysheem Hill, a teammate who passed away this past summer. “Kysheem was always a premier player with a great attitude and a great will to play for his team,” Medlock says. “We wear a KH patch, and we pray before every game. When I give my motivational speeches to the team, we always say we are playing for Kysheem. Playing basketball is just a real competitive and fun game to play because it can get you into college, get you a free education, and you can inspire others younger than you to do the same.You can be a role model to others and teach them what they should be doing: to do things right.” ITG
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 13
Fleming Spreads the Floor in her Senior Season by John Wood | photography by Jeffrey Griffith
W hen she was younger, Liberty County
senior center Latia Fleming really didn’t understand the game in which she would grow to excel. However, all of that changed when her family moved to the Georgia coast in Liberty County from tropical Hawaii. An encouraging talk with her uncle, Jessie Fleming, introduced her to the game she loves today.
14 In the Game January 2016
“My teammates mean a lot to me; they are my sisters,” Latia says. “We are a family; we support each other through everything. We all work hard; if one of us is slacking, we have to push each other because we’re a team. I just want to tell all of my teammates that when I leave, I will never forget them because we went down this road together. I want all of them to give it everything they’ve got next year, no matter what. This is a sisterhood and we fight together.” “One person that has been a major influence on my life was my Uncle Jessie,”Latia says. “He talked me into playing basketball. I started in fourth grade, playing for LCRD. I’ve been playing basketball for nine years now, 10 counting my senior year. Also, I’ve played five years of traveling ball; two for the South Georgia Queens (coached by my uncle) and three years with the Celtics.” A good athlete, Latia was finding life on the court, but she wanted to be a more complete player. Understanding that, the next step after recreation and AAU basketball would be playing for a school team. “When I realized that I could excel in this game, I was in seventh grade,” she says. “I tried out for the team for Snelson Golden Middle School. My coach was Mrs. Orgoman, one of the toughest coaches I have ever played for. She told me she had faith in me and that I have to keep pushing myself if I want to make plays in college. That’s when it hit me that I was going to take this game seriously.” Suddenly, Latia started to enhance her basketball IQ. It wasn’t enough just to practice with her middle school team and play games; she started to learn nuances of the game, studying the little things that great players do (for example, why you never open up to the ball with your back to the basketball and the reason that you chin the ball when you are on the block posting up). “I started being a student of the game,” she says. “I started watching the older girls at Liberty County High School practice and play. I would go to the gym and play ball with the older and bigger boys to get tougher, work out with my uncle on my ball handling skills and shooting, and I would
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 15
just watch everyone around me when they play basketball.” Latia’s favorite aspects of the game are scoring and the teamwork that drives her teammates to play hard and to leave it all on the court, sweat and tears included. Even with a 2-4 start in her final season with the Liberty County High School Lady Panthers, Latia remains confident that she can be a catalyst to lead the team to a solid second half of the season, hopefully setting up better possibilities in the postseason. “My season is going well; I’m really happy with my team,” she says. “We might be young, but they have basketball IQ, and they work hard. They want it just like I do.
16 In the Game January 2016
In the second half of this season I just want to be a leader and lead my team to the state finals; I fully believe we can do that.” Averaging 12.8 points per game during the first half of the season, along with 9.5 rebounds, Latia is one of the key parts of the Lady Panthers’ offense. Liberty County Lady Panthers head coach Carolyn Kelly says that Latia is one of the best post players in the region, but her versatility makes her one of the best all-around players. “Latia is very strong on the boards,” Coach Kelly says. “She does a great job around the basket, especially on a drop step move. However, she is not limited to around the basket; she can hit jump shots from the floor, including from the perimeter.” Latia admits most of her scoring comes from the post, but she is also quick to tell you that she will not hesitate to shoot from the outside. Cast as a power forward, she also can play center. And because she has developed fundamentally sound ball handling skills, she could fill in at point guard in a pinch. She is starting to see all of the hard work pay off, as a few colleges are courting her. While she has her schools of choice, she would be happy just to have the opportunity to play at the next level because it may give her the opportunity to pursue basketball as a profession. If a longer basketball career isn’t meant to be, she hopes to become a registered nurse. Her favorite class at Liberty County High School is math, and her favorite teacher is Dr. Shields. “My biggest fans are my mother, father, and grandmother,” she says. “They come to all of my games. They are my biggest supporters; they know when I’m having a bad game or when it’s an off day. But after the games, they always tell me ‘good game’, and they always told me to keep my head held high and to never let my opponents see me discouraged. My coaches are hard workers; they have a passion for this game just like the rest of the team. They always say that you can’t teach heart when you’re playing this game, and that’s why I appreciate them a lot.” Because of her friendly and driven nature, Latia tries to be a strong teammate, especially with the younger players. “For the younger player who wants to excel, all I can say is keep working towards your dreams,” she says. “If you want it, go get it, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something. You can show doubters better than you can tell them, because actions speak louder than words.” ITG
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PrimeSouth.com January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 17
Worley Wows Crowd @ by John DuPont | photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
At times, the atmosphere might have seemed more like a church tent revival, but the sixth annual In The Game (SEGA) Football Awards Banquet proved once more to be a crowd-pleasing sports extravaganza without equal. Coaches, players, and fans representing 18 Southeast Georgia schools joined ITG staffers and sponsors at the yearly gala, held December 4 at the historic Waycross City Auditorium. Former Georgia Bulldog All-American and NFL running back Tim Worley delivered a keynote address that often prompted a chorus of “amens” as he spoke passionately about the importance
of personal character and integrity. Worley, assisted by his wife Dee, now works as a motivational speaker through their firm, Worley Global Enterprises, and drew from personal experiences in a candid take on how personal choices affect one’s life. “I had always identified myself through sports…I didn’t go to school for an education; I went there to play ball,” Worley said. “All the things I said I would avoid, like alcohol and drugs, are what I fell victim to, and a lack of character led me to put cocaine up my nose.” Worley rushed for 2,038 yards from 1985-88 at the University of Georgia. He
also set the school record for the longest run from scrimmage, an 89-yard scoring jaunt to help beat top-ranked Florida in 1985. The Pittsburgh Steelers plucked Worley with the seventh pick of the first round in the 1989 NFL Draft. He rushed for 770 yards as rookie and was on his way to stardom when injuries sidetracked him. His career was further beset by drug usage, which led to a year-long suspension and salary forfeiture in 1992. After cutting ties with the Steelers, Worley moved onto Chicago, where he spent parts of two seasons. He was out of football altogether by 1994.
“I sabotaged my career and took a first-class ticket on the foolish plane,” he said. “I praise the Lord that I am here today to talk about it. There were a lot of people praying for me. Rock bottom for me was getting arrested and going to jail. I got down on my knees in a jail cell in 2008 and committed my life to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” The awards banquet was sponsored by Coastal Pines Technical College, PrimeSouth Bank, Walker Jones, Flash Foods, Crosby of Camden, Crosby Cadillac GMC Nissan, The Bone and Joint Institute of South Georgia, Farah & Farah, and Mayo Clinic. Several marquee awards were handed out in addition to each school recognizing its respective offensive and defensive players of the year. Glynn Academy head coach Rocky Hidalgo, whose team played for the state championship less than 48 hours earlier, was named the Crosby Cadillac GMS Nissan Coach of the Year Award. Ed Flowers, the legendary PA voice of Ware County Gator athletics, received the Mayo Clinic Health System of Waycross Humanitarian Award. Other sponsored awards were as follows: Dedrick Mills, Ware County – PrimeSouth Bank/Walker Jones/ Flash Foods Offensive Player of the Year; Dexter Roberson, Glynn Academy – Coastal Pines Technical College Defensive Player of the Year; Caleb Martin, Wayne County – Bone & Joint Institute of South Georgia Academic Player of the Year; Zeke Moore, Camden County – Crosby of Camden Special Teams Player of the Year; Hudson Spurlock, Waycross Middle School – In The Game Magazine Middle School Player of the Year; and Jacquez Williams, Liberty County – Farah & Farah Forward Progress Award. “We are beyond excited to have someone of Tim’s caliber to speak here tonight,” said In the Game (SEGA) publisher Shawn Smoak. “It is a much-needed message and a reminder to all about the importance of priorities, choices, and consequences. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing participation from our schools and for the support of our sponsors.” Schools represented included Appling County, Bacon County, Bradwell Institute, Brantley County, Brunswick, Camden County, Charlton County, Frederica Academy, Glynn Academy, Jeff Davis, Liberty County, Long County, McIntosh County Academy, Pierce County, Toombs County,Vidalia, Ware County, and Wayne County. ITG
Appling Motors Mike Wheeler Appling Co. | Appling Motor Sports | Coach J.T. Pollock Off: Keelan Crosby | Def: Austen Peacock
Bacon Co. | Wheeler Agency Inc. Country Financial | Coach Ken Cofer Off: Aubrey Carter | Def: Ametreius Williams
Bradwell Institute | Century 21 Allen Brown | Coach Greg Hill Off: Luther Echols | Def: Isaac Moana
Brantley County | Bennett’s Hometown Pharmacy | Coach Mark Walker Off: Mikel Collins | Def: Landon Middleton
Brunswick | Coastal Georgia Trailways | Coach Larry Harold Off: Shawn Smith | Def: Kam Futch
Camden County | Coastal Georgia Trailways | Coach Welton Coffey Off: Harrison Poole | Def: DeAndre Gardenhire
Charlton Co. | Bennett’s Hometown Pharmacy | Coach Rich McWhorter Off: Jimmy Nettles | Def: Michael Dasher
Fredrica Academy | In the Game | Coach Brandon Derrick Off: Hollis Veal | Def: Cameron McClellan
Glynn Academy | Coastal Georgia Trailways | Coach Rocky Hidalgo Off: Garrison Hurd | Def: Walter Thomas
Jeff Davis | In the Game | Coach Roger Metts Off: Garrett Walters | Def: Jaylene Kirby
Liberty County | Century 21 Allen Brown | Coach Kirk Warner Off: Jacquez Williams | Def: Richard LeCounte
Long County | Century 21 Allen Brown | Coach Eric McNair Off: Brendon Scott | Def: Jamin Davis
McIntosh Co. Academy | In the Game | Robby Robinson Off: Grayson Hulett | Def: Joseph Roberts
Pierce Co. | Bennett’s Hometown Pharmacy | Coach Sean Pender Off: Stetson Bennett | Def: Britt Williamson
Toombs Co. | In the Game | Coach Lyman Guy Off: Jordan Usher | Def: Landon Cowart
Vidalia | In the Game | Coach Lee Chomkis Off: Shon Jones | Def: Lakia Henry
Shaun O’Quinn Ware County | Browning’s Medical Arts Pharmacy | Coach Franklin Stephens Off: Jaquez Bolds | Def: Ervin Nard
22 In the Game January 2016
Wayne County | Country Financial Shaun O’Quinn | Coach Jody Grooms Off: Nolan Grooms | Def: Jeremiah Littles
Congratulations Hudson Spurlock In the Game Sports Network Middle School Player of the Year
John Dupont In the Game SEGA
Hudson Spurlock Waycross Middle School
Congratulations Caleb Martin Bone & Joint Institute
2015 Academic Player of the Year
Head Coach Judy Grooms Accepting on Behalf of Caleb Martin Wayne County High School
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 23
Congratulations Zeke Moore Crosby of Camden
2015 Special Teams Player of the Year
Keith Ambrose Director of Fixed Operations
Zeke Moore Camden County High School
Congratulations Dexter Roberson Coastal Pines Technical College 2015 Defensive Player of the Year
Dr. Glenn Deibert President
24 In the Game January 2016
Dexter Roberson Glynn Academy
Congratulations Dedrick Mills PrimeSouth/Flash Foods/Walker Jones 2015 Offensive Player of the Year
Bruce Tison President of Primesouth Bank Waycross
Dedrick Mills Ware County High School
Congratulations Rocky Hidalgo Crosby Cadillac GMC Nissan 2015 Coach of the Year
Keith Ambrose Director of Fixed Operations
Rocky Hidalgo Glynn Academy
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 25
>
Congratulations Ja’Quez Williams Farah & Farah
2015 Forward Progress Player of the Year
James Francis Attorney, Farah & Farah
Ja’Quez Williams Liberty County High School
Congratulations Ed Flowers Mayo Health System Humanitarian Award
Ed Flowers P. A. Announcer - Ware
Clay Thomas Administrator
>
He Gets It
BANNER THOMAS WARE CO. MIDDLE SCHOOL by Rob Asbell photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
Banner Thomas understands that in order to excel, you must push yourself beyond what is expected. “I did not improve as an athlete until I started doing more than what my coaches required,” says the Ware County Middle School eighth-grader. Thomas is a wrestler, but he also plays football, swims, and will also run track. Last year, he won the AAU Florida State Championship wrestling at 125 pounds. At the same tournament, he decided to also wrestle up at 130 pounds; he finished second in the tournament at 130 pounds. At the tournament, Thomas wrestled 11 matches in less than six hours. Coaches tell stories about his workout regimen that go above and beyond the normal practice routines. “We’ll run them until their tongues hang out,” says Jon Tindall, one of Banner’s wrestling coaches. “After that, we have them do drills and live wrestling for an hour. It’s a tough practice we put our boys through.” January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 27
“West Point is one of the more challenging universities to attend, but I hope my work ethic can produce the opportunity.”
28 In the Game January 2016
When practice is done, Thomas puts on his earbuds and has his dad follow him while he runs to a store nearly two miles away. Thomas does extra running because he believes the final period is where mental toughness and being in good condition wins matches. “I also know that sixth- and seventh-graders are watching team leaders. When I was a sixth-grader, Sam Dudley was an eighth-grader and had a big influence on me. Maybe a sixth-grader will see me as an example.” Thomas is on schedule to be a three-time middle school conference championship finalist. He finished second in the conference his sixth-grade year and won the conference championship last year. His final middle school conference championship run does not occur until late January, and he acknowledges how difficult it will be to return to the finals. He finished fourth (120 pounds) in the USA Georgia State Championship in Atlanta last year, wrestling in front of thousands at the Georgia Dome. “He has eleven wins with no losses this year and faced some stiff competition,” says Ware Middle Wrestling head coach Matt Collins. He has eight pins and two techs. He has only had six points scored against him all year. When you think of wrestlers who love the weight room and play linebacker and fullback on the gridiron, thoughts of extreme intensity come to mind.” Banner’s coaches describe him as someone who handles pressure well. It is his commitment to fitness and unflappable demeanor
that make him want to pursue a military academy. He spent a full week in West Point, New York at the U.S. Military Academy last summer. He attended combined sessions of Ranger Intensive Training and Wrestling Camp at the famous campus on the Hudson River. “We began every morning at 5:00 a.m. with a five-mile run,” Banner says. “We would have four wrestling sessions throughout the day and leadership development seminars from West Point faculty. I loved every minute of it. West Point is one of the more challenging universities to attend, but I hope my work ethic can produce the opportunity.” His parents, Clay and Brooke Thomas, take a unique look at his athletic ability. “His mom and I encourage him to play a variety of sports,” Clay says. “We are not advocates of focusing on a sport. We understand that there can be benefits to focusing on a sport if you’re pursuing college scholarships, but his job right now is to be a kid, a teammate, a student, and a Christian…and not in that order.” Chad Starling, Athletic Director at Ware County Middle, has seen him compete and practice hundreds of times, but will always remember a request Banner made earlier this year: He asked that a prayer breakfast be held for his team. “He even said he would give the first devotion,” Starling says. “I will remember the exhausted football player at the end of his final, middle school football game, asking if he could present the game ball to a teammate’s grandmother and devoted fan who was very ill.” Coach Amy Fitzgerald, Banner’s swim coach, always knew she could count on him to work hard. On one occasion, Thomas came straight from wrestling practice and missed track time with the swim team. Although excused from doing the running, he insisted on doing makeup on his own time. “He swam during Christmas break to make up practice time he missed due to wrestling,” Coach Fitzgerald says. “This kid gets it!” ITG
Camden County High School
Camden Basketball on Fire Starts Season 13-0
written by John Wood | photography courtesy of Jeffrey Griffith
Camden County’s football team went on a tear before losing in the second round of the GHSA Class AAAAAA State Playoffs to Roswell. Following those winning ways,Wildcats hoops coach Billy Moore is continuing to play the strong basketball that has become Camden County’s signature brand. Moore hasn’t had any major size advantages, but his Wildcats play relentless defense and will run teams into the ground and press more than a dry cleaner. A caveat in the Georgia High School Association alignment lets the Wildcats play in Region 3-AAAAA during basketball season rather than Region 1-AAAAAA, where they are aligned during football season. However, one of the teams that Camden sees is their neighbor to the north and the defending champion in Class AAAAA, Brunswick High School. Getting through the Glynn County portion of the schedule is tough enough, but you have strong teams
moving north in Region 3-AAAAA; the Wildcats have Effingham, Richmond Hill, and Coffee County to tend with. Opening with quick, powerful wins against Wayne County, the first part of the season has also presented its own difficulty. Camden survived close games against Coffee County (64-61) and Glynn Academy (54-46). Senior Jaylen Smallwood led the Wildcat scoring attack against the Red Terrors with 21 points, including four three pointers. The hallmark game of the first half of the season was early in December against rival Brunswick. It took double overtime, but the Wildcats finished with the win. Four Camden players finished in double digits; Logan Ballard led with 21 points, Smallwood had 19, Brandon Shelton deposited 18 points, and Keyshaun Street finished with 16 points. One of the first tests that the Wildcats faced as they
started the second half of the 2015-2016 campaign was New Hampstead High School.The new school, located near Pooler, Georgia, is Class AAAA and is in its second year of existence. It drew a number of athletes from Savannah area high schools, making it a rising power in the Coastal Empire. New Hampstead trailed Camden by four points, 49-45 at the half.An explosive third quarter put the Wildcats ahead en route to a 92-76 win. During the first half of the season, the Wildcats averaged 70.1 points per game. Perhaps more impressive, they put up 34.7 rebounds, 15 steals, and 15 assists a game.Three senior Wildcats, Smallwood, (17.3 points per game), Ballard, (13.3 points per game), and Street, (12.5 points per game) have been the key to Camden’s scoring attack. Also, Camden has a number of players that are able to score and create offensive opportunities off of rebounds, steals, and assists.
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 29
ware County High School
Football Ends
Basketball and Wrestling Get Started written by Rob Asbell photography courtesy of Shawn Smoak The Ware County Gators came within a yard of having a shot at the state championship, but it was not to be. In front of 10,000 onlookers at Glynn County Stadium, in the semifinals against Glynn Academy, the Gators fought to within eight points and got the ball with less than a minute left in the game after the Terrors gave up an intentional safety. A long kickoff return gave Ware good field position, and quarterback Jemar Lincoln began firing passes.With just 4.6 seconds to go, his final attempt was caught at the one-yard line, just short of a touchdown before time expired, and gave the Terrors the 24-16 victory. In his second year at Ware, Coach Franklin Stephens led the Gators to an 8-2 regular season and 11-3 overall record ending in the fourth round of the state playoffs. As a number-three seed,Ware went on the road in the first round and defeated defending state champion Northside Warner Robins 16-7.The Gators were home at Memorial Stadium in Waycross for the next two rounds, downing Rome 35-24 and then the Drew Titans 46-21 to make it to the semifinals against Glynn Academy, the eventual state runner-up. Meanwhile, Coach Tre Hill’s basketball team celebrated December victories over Clinch County and Glynn Academy.The Gators will be playing a regionheavy schedule in January, followed by tough games against Brunswick and Coffee in early February. Mandy Lingenfelter’s Lady Gators lost their first three games of the season, but went on to win five of eight games in December, incuding big wins over Clinch, Brunswick, Long County, and Effingham. Coach Joe Eichfeld’s Gators wrestling team held a 16-4 dual record in December and took part in the first traditional tournament of the season at the Rebel Invitational in Effingham, where they placed seventh.The wrestling team’s schedule includes the state duals January 14 at the Macon Centreplex, the state sectionals (beginning February 5), and the state traditional tournament (beginning February 11).
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 31
Wayne County High School
Lady Yellow Jackets Start Strong And look to continue
written by John Wood | photos courtesy of Jeffrey Griffith
The Wayne County Lady Yellow Jackets have already picked up 10 wins during the first couple of months on the hardwood. Lady Jackets head coach Kala Hobbs has been impressed with her ball club’s growth but also knows that they have to keep working hard. “We have come a long way since the first day of practice,” Coach Hobbs says. “The beginning of every year is challenging for every coach trying to get everyone up to speed on what we are trying to accomplish and how practice is run in general.We only lost one starter last year and had the majority of our team working this summer, but it took a while for the newcomers to learn our system. I am pleased with their progress.” After a successful season last year that ended on a good note, it gave Wayne County an opportunity to have a solid foundation to begin the 2015-2016 campaign. “We were fortunate this year to return our
dominant players, and they have proven to be powerhouses in our non-region games,” Coach Hobbs says. “We are beginning to see some senior leadership as the year progresses, and I am hoping this will improve our team’s chances for success.” That solid foundation was an amazing boost for the Lady Jackets, who stormed out of the gate to start 6-0. However, the early schedule also took its toll physically, specifically in the form of an injury to leading scorer, senior Amiah Height. Height has been dominating in the first half of the season, leading the team in rebounding and a posting a 15-pointsper-game average. Fellow senior Tania Ward is also averaging 15 points a game. “We began our season hot with a 6-0 run,” Coach Hobbs says. “We struggled a bit when Height got hurt during a game in early December, but were able to bounce back and make adjustments until her return. Brunswick High and Camden County both proved to be challenging squads, and we are
currently working on ways to adjust to Brunswick’s fast-paced style of play.We have not played any region games yet, but looking at everyone’s returning rosters, each games looks to be challenging.” Sophomore Alex Thomas has come a long way from last season in maturity on the court as well as skill. She is currently starting and is the team’s third leading scorer and second leading rebounder.The team is also getting solid help from juniors Chandler Henderson and Martina Davidson. “My expectations for the second half of the year are for our team to develop into an even more competitive ball club and to correct some of the mistakes we have made early on,” Coach Hobbs says. “We look to do well in region play and strive to go deep in to playoffs. Our team works hard each day to develop into a team that is dominant on the defensive end, and we hope to get better as the season progresses.”
January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 33
De Last season, the Brunswick Pirates basketball team put it all together and brought home the state championship. It seemed unlikely that a team from Southeast Georgia would win the title, but the Pirates had a 29-2 record over the course of the year. They were undefeated in the region and won the regular season title and the tournament. The Pirates then defeated five opponents in the state playoffs, including Allatoona in the state championship game in March. The man who led the way is head basketball coach Chris Turner, now in his eighth year at Brunswick High School. During that time, the Pirates have had five consecutive 20-win seasons and seven straight playoff appearances going into the 2015-16 season. Prior to becoming a state championship-winning basketball coach, Turner was one of the top high school players in metro-Atlanta history. After graduating from Central Gwinnett High School in 1992, he played basketball at Tennessee Tech before starting his coaching career. He was an assistant at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, where he learned a great deal about coaching. He moved to Glynn County in 2005, where he was an assistant in football and basketball for Glynn Academy. In 2008, Turner was named head of a Brunswick program which had fallen on hard times. He had a winning season his first year and the rest, as they say, is history. But history is difficult to repeat. The Pirates have lost last year’s Region Player of the Year Roger Davis and forward Jabril Heck to graduation; however, they return big man Kymani Dunham. In the Game magazine conducted a Question & Answer session with Coach Turner to see how his team has dealt with being champions and what it will take to repeat. 34 In the Game January 2016
efending the State Title Chris Turner Brunswick Pirates by Rob Asbell photography by Jeffrey Griffith In the Game Magazine: Is winning the state championship everything you dreamed it would be? Coach Turner: Winning the state title was a dream come true for me and our program. The feeling is, and was, indescribable. ITG: What was your favorite game last season, and why? CT: My favorite game would have to be the semifinal game against Cedar Shoals. It was special because I used to work for Cedar, and I am close friends with a lot of folks from Athens. The game was packed, extremely loud, and very competitive. I felt a huge sense of relief after the buzzer sounded, because that was a game you wanted to be over. I enjoyed the fellowship with all my former administration and coworkers. ITG: What was your first thought after winning the state championship? CT: My first thought was “thank goodness there is no one else to play.” ITG: What is the most important thing you learned last year? CT: We learned that we can do big things at Brunswick, and that it isn’t just a football school. ITG: What changes have you seen in the Brunswick basketball program? CT: I have seen our program grow every year. We are truly a program now and expect to do big things. We have seen young boys grow into young men, graduate, and move on to play ball in college.
ITG: What is the toughest part of coaching as a defending champion? CT: We have a huge target on our back; every loss is magnified, and you are going to get the other team’s best effort every night. In our losses this year, some of the teams and fans rushed the floor. Expectations are even higher. ITG: How did you get into basketball? CT: I started playing basketball, baseball, and football at a young age. I wanted to be like my dad, who was always active in sports. I ended up falling in love with basketball as a sophomore in high school and made it my goal to play college basketball. ITG: What is your favorite thing about the game of basketball? CT: My favorite thing about basketball is that it is played inside. It also takes brains and talent to be a really good player. ITG: Before winning the state championship last year, what was your claim to fame? CT: My claim to fame was being selected Gwinnett County Player of the Year when I was a senior back in 1992. It is a tough award to win, because there are so many high schools in Gwinnett. Also, I had my high school number retired. ITG: What does the future hold for Chris Turner? CT: I hope the future is bright for me, because I feel like I’m in the prime of my coaching career. We hope to get better every day and improve the lives of our student-athletes at Brunswick, both on and off the court.
Pierce County High School
PCHS Girls and Boys Basketball
P
written by Ivy Young | photography courtesy of Jennifer Carter Johnson
fist. That’s how I want you to play, and the team, looking for a successful season, is definitely using teamwork on and off the court as their main motivation to meet the season goals. This year, their goals include gradual improvement and to compete within the region. To meet these goals the fundamentals are stressed and “how to play the game of basketball, not just what to do,” said Coach Smith. Graduating out of the program this year will be Brit Williamson, Demarkus Folsom, and Blake Chancey. Coach Smith stated, “the team will be very young and inexperienced but will put forth great effort and attitude.” This will certainly be a promising season.
The 2015 season has officially begun. The Lady Bears have a new head coach, Lacie Dowling, who is assisted by Millie Walker and Chavala Burse. Amber Mathews is the Lady Bears’ only returning starter and only senior. Other returning members include: Liera Clark and Angel Musgrove, along with 10 new additions to the team. Coach Dowling and the girls have set their goal to be to make it to the AAA playoffs. They plan on meeting this goal by “doing common things in an uncommon way” says Coach Dowling. “We challenge our players to give their personal 100 percent effort every day.” The Lady Bears coaching staff is focussing on the process and doing the little things that it will take to build a successful program. Russell Smith, assisted by John Phillips and Shannon Batten, coach the 2015-2016 PCHS’s boys basketball team. Mike Krzyewski says, “A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a
Bennett, Bennett & Johnson *OTVSBODF "HFODZ
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3353 Hwy. 84 Blackshear, GA 31516 Ben Bennett January 2016 Southeast Georgia edition 37
The Desire to Work Harder Amani Trice Wayne County By Rob Asbell Photos by Jeffrey Griffith Sometimes all it takes is a single event; an occurrence that awakens the desire in a player. For Wayne County High School junior point
38 In the Game January 2016
guard Amani Trice, it happened last season when the Lady Yellow Jackets basketball team lost a big game. “We had come up short in the final minutes of the region championship game,” Amani says. “It made me want to work harder.” And so she did. The loss to Burke County still stinging, Trice took every opportunity to get
in the gym to improve her game. Rather than settling for finishing second, she worked on new skills like using her left hand and pulling up to shoot. Luckily, she had a built-in practice partner in her brother, Marcus, who plays for Coach Robert Cotton’s boy’s Yellow Jackets. He and Amani’s friends would play one-on-one against her to help her become a better player. She
worked day after day to become a more accurate shooter and ball handler. The hard work has shown this season, as Trice has greatly improved her shooting ability from inside the paint and beyond the three-point line. She has also worked on being able to play with either hand, which has given her an advantage. She credits Lady Yellow Jackets’ Coach Kala HiresHobbs for teaching her the correct way to shoot and play defense. “Defense; defense is what wins games,” Amani says of her favorite part of the game. Trice may not be the most technically skilled player on the court, but she excels in other areas. She has become a major part of the Lady Yellow Jackets’ success as a leader in practice and on the floor during games. “We put her defensively on our opponent’s best player every game, and very rarely does she come up short,” Coach Hobbs says of Trice, adding that she has improved her overall skill set and is taking more, and better, shots this year. “She has already scored more than she did last year, and we are only halfway into our season,” Coach Hobbs says. Trice has the ability to handle pressure as well, once performing as a backup dancer for a crowd of more than 500 people. But it was her skills out front on the basketball court that helped the Lady Yellow Jackets to big preChristmas victories over Bradwell Institute, Long County, and Richmond Hill. As she hit her teens, Trice started playing basketball and soccer and running track when she was in seventh grade at Martha Puckett Middle School in Jesup. In basketball, her first big play came when she hit a three-pointer in overtime to win a game 34-33. She continued to play, and now as a high school junior, she is a three-sport athlete. On the soccer pitch, she is a goalkeeper; she runs the 4×100 meter relay, 100 meters, and long jump in track. She is a point guard on the basketball court and keeps her head in the game at all times, constantly telling herself to concentrate on the task at hand. “Play this game as if it was your last,” she says of her on-court thought process. While she has worked hard to step up her game on the court, she is also a standout in the classroom, where she holds a 96.5 grade point average (which calculates to a 4.0). Although she does not have a preference of schools yet, her goal is to attend a four-year college and earn a medical degree so that she can become an obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN). In the meantime, she continues to impress
“Play this game as if it were your last.” teachers with her academic prowess and coaches with her can-do attitude and constant desire to improve. “Since I have had the pleasure of coaching Amani, she has improved in every aspect of the game,” her coach says. “We look for great things to come from her at the end of this season and her continuing to develop next year in her senior season.” ITG
Bacon County High School
Basketball and Wrestling Takes off in Alma
written by Rob Asbell | photography courtesy of Andrea Heflin With the holidays completed, school is back in session, and winter sports are getting in high gear at Bacon County High School. Basketball season is in full swing with new Red Raiders boys’ head coach Brian Bergeron.The team will return from Christmas break with a slate of region games in January. Through December, the team had celebrated victories over Toombs County, McIntosh County Academy, and Appling County. Bacon is being led by 6’3” junior Lane Foster. Students and fans are reminded that the Tuesday, January 12, home contests against Jeff Davis County at 6pm, will be a “pink out”, so everyone is asked to wear pink to the games. Meanwhile, the Lady Raiders of Derrick Green have been struggling and are still searching for their first win of the season following several tough losses. On the mats, the Bacon County Red Raiders wrestling team, under Coach Thomas McCullough, got its season started in early December.They got three wins over Charlton, Brantley, and McIntosh County Academy.The team captains this year are Drake Bloodworth, Jackson Hall, and Dylan Kelly. Their combined record early in the season was 13-2. “Bloodworth is 5-0; he is also the only member of the team that was an area qualifier,” Coach McCullough says. There are only two seniors this year: Peter Simmons and Akheem Peterson, who was First-Team AllRegion in football as an offensive lineman this year.
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