1
in the
game
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
In This Issue:
SouthEAST Georgia
07 Academic Athlete Micah Larson
May 2014
CONTENTS
07 17
17 Player Spotlight Tera Blount
Ware County High School
Heather Madray
Wayne County High School
Landon Barrow Frederica Academy
Connor Behrend Glynn Academy
23 On the Flip Side Drew Taylor
Ware County High School
28 Coach’s Corner Justin McDonald
23
Wayne County High School
34 Rising Star Paloma Mobley
Waycross Middle School
28 34
Also Inside Pierce County High School
12
Camden County High School
15
Ware County High School
20
Wayne County High School
27
Bacon County High School
31
Bradwell Institute
33
Listen to John and Shawn Every Thursday night at 6:00 PM on WWUF 97.7 The Wolf 2
Pierce County High School
Catch all the latest action of high school sports!
Read. Subscribe. Share.
w w w. i nth egam e maga z i n e . co m
game
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
SouthEAST Georgia
May 2014
It’s hard to believe that the 2014 graduating seniors are about to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. It’s the fifth such class to do so since In The Game started publishing the SEGA edition in April of 2010. We are proud of the members of the Class of 2014 and all of their accomplishments both on and off the field. We’re honored to have been a small part of the lives of the last five graduating classes and hope to be a part of many more in the future. We enjoy bringing everyone the best writing and photography of student-athletes and coaches our area has to offer, but we’re nowhere close to being done.
Publisher Shawn Smoak
Editor
Soccer players truly play for “the love of the game.” Despite the lack of fan support, the game of soccer is continuing to grow in popularity with the youth of SEGA, and maybe, just maybe, our four Player Spotlight student-athletes can help change the game’s fan popularity. Tera Blount - Ware County Gators, Heather Madray - Wayne County Yellow Jackets, Landon Barrow - Frederica Knights, and Conner Behrend - Glynn Academy Red Terrors, are four of the best the SEGA coverage area has to offer. Great talents like these will go a long way in changing everyone’s “love of the game.”
Mark Dykes Kaitlynn Passmore
Graphics Megan Strickland Jennifer Alexander
Cover Photography Jennifer Carter Johnson
Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography
Feature Photography Jeffrey Griffith
Old Goat Photography
Bo Carter
Bo’s Sport Photography
Jennifer Carter Johnson
Jennifer Carter Johnson Photography
Feature Writers John DuPont John Wood Rob Asbell
Copy Editors Crystal Hubbard Ashley Dailey
Advertising/Marketing Shawn Smoak shawn@inthegamemagazine.com
Mark Dykes
mark@inthegamemagazine.com
Website Manager Kaitlynn Passmore
SEGA Prep Sports P.O. Box 2960 • Waycross, GA 31502
For distribution and subscription information contact: info@inthegamemagazine.com For advertising information call: 888-715-4263 Corporate Office: Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. P.O. Box 812 Valdosta, Georgia 31603 4
4
From The Publisher
The term “family business” can sometimes be seen in a negative light, but not when it’s all about baseball. Wayne County’s head baseball coach, Justin McDonald, knows all about that “family business.” Coach McDonald played with his twin brother Josh in high school, and they both played on the team coached by their older brother Jason. Today all three brothers coach baseball at the high school and collegiate level. I’d say baseball truly is the McDonald “Family Business.” Time and time again when you saw Pierce County senior Micah Larson on the football field in 2012, one thing was apparent: he’s intelligent. Move forward in time to 2014 and the Bear golfer has proven his intelligence with an outstanding resume of academic accomplishments. College course credits already in the bank, a 4.0 GPA, and the Zell Miller Scholarship to help further his education are all impressive academic feats making Larson’s ultimate goal of achieving an engineering degree from Georgia Tech seem like only a matter of time.
Area Schools
in the
Appling County Pirates Bacon County Red Raiders Bradwell Institute Tigers Brantley County Herons Brunswick Pirates Camden County Wildcats Charlton County Indians Frederica Academy Knights Glynn Academy Red Terrors Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets Liberty County Panthers Long County Blue Tide McIntosh County Buccaneers Pierce County Bears Ware County Gators Wayne County Yellow Jackets
Contributors
What is better than being an outstanding dual sports star? How about being a triple threat? Waycross Middle School dual standout Paloma Mobley may just be that next year when she gets to Ware County High School. The outstanding basketball and track star at WMS may even look to try her hand at volleyball at the next level. If she’s even close to being as good of a volleyball player as she is a basketball and track student-athlete, Paloma could take the volleyball court by storm. The summer of 2016 could be huge for Ware County senior Drew Taylor. His goal? The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Drew, a student at Pak’s Karate in Waycross, has trained his whole life for a chance to represent the United States in Taekwondo. Drew competes around the world, gaining experience and respect as he labors to reach his goal. Drew hopes to train in Virginia while attending college under Master Patrice Remarck. If you’d like to be involved in helping a deserving young man fulfill his dream, you can do so by going to http://www.gofundme.com/89gd3o . We hope you enjoy reading In the Game as much as we enjoy producing and publishing it. We are always open to suggestions as well as story ideas or ways you think we can improve our magazine. Please visit our website at www.inthegamemagazine.com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/inthegamemagazine. Join us every Thursday evening live from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. as we broadcast live “In the Game on Radio” on WWUF 97.7 FM or stream the show live on www.waycrossradio.com. We have an excellent opportunity for fundraising whether for your sports team, organization, or booster club. Please give us a call at 888-715-GAME or email us at info@inthegamemagazine.com for details. While you’re online, don’t forget to nominate a deserving student-athlete or coach for one of our feature articles. You’ll be glad you did.
John DuPont,
Features & Commentary
John Wood,
Features & Commentary
Shawn Smoak,
Southeast Georgia Publisher
In the Game High School Sports Magazine 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 Publishing 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 2014 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.
w w w. i nth egam e maga z i n e . co m
Academic Athlete sponsored by:
Micah Larson
Pierce County High School
Bears’ Larson Proves ‘You Can Go Home Again’ by John DuPont
Y
ou might say Micah Larson had unfinished business in Bearville. Larson, a Pierce County High School senior, was among the most decorated athletes in his class when he stepped away from competitive sports in 2012, having helped lead PCHS to deep playoff runs in football and soccer. This past fall his plans included dual enrollment at Okefenokee Technical College, sans sports, as a precursor to becoming a full-time engineering student. Larson’s initial college course load included a psychology course he took alongside good friend and longtime teammate Blake Aldridge. However, the fair winds of spring soon beckoned both youths back to Bearville. “After that psychology class, we both decided not to mess with any more college classes until we had
to,” says Larson. “(College) was secluded. I didn’t really show up at PCHS until school was almost over. I wanted to enjoy high school while I could. Coming back was just really about being with my buddies.” Larson, who will sit in the front row at his PCHS graduation, spurned academic offers from the likes of Baylor University in favor of remaining in state for college. He reports this fall to Georgia College and State University, where he’ll spend the next couple of years before transferring to Georgia Tech. “I’ll have two bachelor’s degrees in five years - one in physics from GCSU and one in engineering from Tech,” explains Larson. A bright future awaits Larson, thanks to his diligent efforts over the past four years. He crafted a 4.0 GPA in high school (97.81 average) with a perfect
photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
average this year in engineering and near perfect averages in economics and AP calculus. He was recently granted the Zell Miller Scholarship, which covers 100 percent of tuition not covered by the Hope Scholarship at Georgia institutions. He qualified for the Miller Scholarship thanks to an SAT score that exceeded a combined 1200 on the math and reading portions. That impressive achievement proved standard fare for Larson, a three-year veteran of the math team, who also authored a perfect writing test score. Larson’s parents, humbled by his success, point to early prodigal thinking. “Micah analyzes and thinks about things,” says his father Jeff. “When Micah was little, he always liked to play with my keys. He would go to the door and try to put the house key in the door. And that 7
was right after he started walking. He never really crawled, just kind of went from a military belly crawl straight into walking. So I guess he picked up really quickly that keys go into locks.” Growing up, Larson played numerous sports, though golf was not among them. He played soccer through his sophomore season and participated in baseball only through his freshman year. Though the latter experience wasn’t an overwhelming statistical success, Larson closed that chapter of his sports career with a bang. “I played varsity and started the first couple of games behind the plate,” he says. “My only hit was a grand slam at McIntosh County in which we run-ruled them in four innings.” On the gridiron, Larson provided a glimpse of the stardom to follow when as a freshman, he quarterbacked the Pierce County junior varsity to a 6-1 record. The following year, he started all 12 varsity games at QB and helped lead PCHS to its first region title in 16 years. He also earned All-Region (second team) honors and set school records for passing yards and touchdown passes. Despite missing several games to injury at the start of his junior season, Larson was once again a piston in the Bears’ offensive engine. He passed for two touchdowns and rushed for three more scores in 2012 while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. He also caught 13 passes and averaged 8.4 yards per catch as the Bears hung consecutive region banners for the first time in school history. “My freshman year was enjoyable,” Larson explains. “With JV, there’s not as much pressure. I grew up a lot my sophomore year. It’s really a rush playing on Friday nights, a rush that you don’t get from anything else.” By the time football kicked off his senior season, Larson had decided to hang up his cleats, and he ultimately spent the majority of those school days at Okefenokee Tech. When he reversed course this spring in favor of a full school day at PCHS, Larson once again embraced sports. He went out for golf despite having never played before, and he was welcomed with open arms. “I picked up a golf club for the first time last spring break, though I couldn’t tell you why,” notes Larson. “I think it was me, Blake Aldridge, and Mason Bodenhamer that played one day. I liked it, and I couldn’t even hit the ball then. I figured that if I could ever figure out how to hit the ball well, I’d really have fun. I can hit it now with no whiffs.” “Micah is the kind of player that coaches enjoy coaching,” says PCHS head golf coach Stuart Stipe, who also served as one of Larson’s offensive
coaches in football. “Micah is very motivated and has the work ethic that makes him successful. His ability to lead provides him the opportunity to be an example to his peers. Micah is a winner.” Larson has also been a champion of charitable causes, including the Special Olympics. “It’s neat working with those kids. Seeing them go out there and have a good time - that’s what it’s all about,” says Larson, who is older brother to sisters Micaila, a sophomore, and Lauren, a sixth-grader. “Micah is an excellent example of what a sibling should be as far as his respect for his sisters,” notes his father. “He is very in tune to what is going on with them. He’s not overbearing, but he cares about them.” During his junior year Larson also worked with youth at the Patterson Recreation Department. “Micah works really hard and is very intentional,” adds his mother Christa. “He really enjoys making other people feel good about themselves. He would always do the baseball and football camps working with the younger kids. He just wanted to give back to the little guys and to the community.” Larson’s mother also notes his more playful side, which lies beneath the surface of the competitor. “He has a silly side,” she says. Larson. “At school and with sports, you don’t always see that because he is so driven. Micah is a high achiever, but he loves to make people laugh. He has such a way of turning things into something funny to lighten the moment.” Aldridge attests to the aforementioned fact, saying, “In ninth grade we were playing Bradwell Institute. On my first play of the game I caught a halfback pass, but got tackled at the two-yard line. In the next huddle Micah ragged me - and he still does - for not scoring.” Larson says there are plenty of folks to thank for his success, but he particularly appreciates the support he has gotten at home. “My parents always held me to a high standard,” he says. “They knew I had the ability to do well in school, and they pushed me and motivated me. They made sure I didn’t sell myself short in any way.” After bridging to Georgia Tech, Larson will choose a specific engineering field. He’s considering aeronautics, citing an intrigue for aviation. Beyond that, the sky is the limit, pardon the pun. His wish list of future employers includes NASA, Boeing, and Lockheed-Martin. He also has specific designs for his legacy at PCHS. “I just want to be remembered as a hardworking, respectable student-athlete who stood up for his beliefs,” says Larson. ITG 9
10
18
11
P
Pierce County Bears Blackshear, GA · www.pchs.pierce.k12.ga.us
PCHS Golf
The PCHS boys golf team has had a great season so far. They have high expectations and goals set for their team, which they are working hard to attain. They have played in many weekend tournaments to help
by Josie DuPont prepare themselves for region and state. The PCHS boys’ golf team has won region the past two years, and they have made it a goal to work hard and win for a third year in a row. Winning region is one of their
PCHS Soccer The PCHS soccer team is hitting full stride entering the second half of the season. Both teams are successfully making their cases for region championships as well as high playoff seeds. The girls sit on top of region 1-AAA by currently hosting an 11-1 record with a lone loss to Camden County High School. The PCHS girls are led by Coach Alvin Thrift, who expects the girls to do what it takes to win out. “We have done exceptional this season! I expect us to run the table and finish the season 15 and one. We have a very tough schedule, but it is very doable,” remarks Coach Thrift. The ladies should have no problem reaching that height considering the dominance that they have put forth throughout the season by crushing anyone standing in their way. They have mercy-ruled Thomasville, Savannah (Johnson), and Savannah High already this year. With this success, there are yet
12
short term goals. As Coach Stuart Stipe likes to say, “Region is a goal, but state is THE goal.” Everybody on the team this year was returning from last year, as there were no seniors last year. Coach Stipe says the weekend tournaments provide great experiences with their environment to help prepare the team for state. Coach Stipe says he is very proud of the team this year and expects great things for them. They have played in three tournaments so far this season. They placed fifth out of 20 teams in their first tournament at the Camden Classic. At the Coffee High Invitational, they placed third out of 21. They have four tournaments left to play before region. The Lady Bears golf team is coach by Erica Still. This year has been a rebuilding season for the team, and Coach Still is trying to rebuild the program and has high hopes for the future. According to Coach Still, the girls have made tremendous progress this season and have come a long way since the season first began. They have not played many matches this season due to many cancellations caused by the weather. The region match is scheduled for April 21, and the Lady Bears have a good chance to win and progress to state. The Lady Bears have played Brantley County twice this season and won both times. Brantley will be at the region match. A big accomplishment for the Lady Bears this year is they brought back the Lady Bear Invitational. This is a tournament hosted by the Lady Bears. They were very excited about bringing the tournament back this year. Coach Still is planning several summer tournaments to help prepare for the seasons to come.
by Joshua McDay still key characteristics that they must have under their belts. “We must focus on the small things like moving without the ball, making good passes, and relentless defending on everyone’s part,” adds Coach Thrift. Without a doubt, the boys are also making noise in the region by consistently playing at a high level. With a deceiving 6-2-2 record, the Bears played better than the record shows. Their two defeats came from a 2-1 defeat to 6A Valdosta High School and an undefeated Savannah Islands club that inched out a victory over the Bears in penalty kicks, which as of now, holds the number one spot in region 1-AAA. Last season, the Bears made school history by advancing further than any previous PCHS soccer teams by edging to the Elite Eight in the state playoffs. The pressure is on the Bears this season as they try to improve on their great season last year, and their coach, Tucker Jenkins, notes, “There is a little pressure this season for us.
Once you taste a little success everybody expects more of the same.” Just like the Lady Bears, the boys have also been dominating their opponents this year. “Our style of play has pros and cons. One of our pros is we are very athletic, which allows us to do a lot of lead balls. Our forwards are able to make runs throughout the game. We are also fast on defense. One of the cons we have is we aren’t a great possessive team. We make a lot of runs, but we don’t possess the ball as much as we should,” adds Coach Jenkins on his team’s style of play, which hasn’t been matched so far. Look for both the girls and the boys soccer teams to have success during the remainder of the season. Don’t be surprised if both squads end up making a very deep run in the state playoffs.
P
Pierce County Bears
Bear Blue Chippers Sign Some of Pierce County’s finest athletes recently signed with some wonderful colleges. The road that led them here was not easy, and they pushed themselves to the limit to achieve greatness. Mike Eaddy signed with Valdosta State for football. His coaches and family expressed that they were extremely proud of him. They are ready to see how the next chapter in his life turns out. Darius Foreman signed with LaGrange
by Brittany Howell College to participate in the school’s football program. He is a wonderful football player, and everyone that has helped him reach this point in his life is proud of him. Along with the two listed, Sennua Lawson also signed to play football at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. He played his heart out here at PC, and his future will be extremely bright. Not only is he a
Bear Baseball The Pierce County High School Bear baseball team has had repetitive success during the first half of the season by leading the region this season with an 11-1 record. Overall, Pierce has had 15 wins and three losses. As of April 8, 2014, the PCHS baseball team is ranked fourth behind Buford, Blessed Trinity, and Pike County. Also, the Georgia Dugout Club/Baseball
Sprinting To The Region
wonderful player, but he is smart off of the field. Loran Jordan signed with Florida Tech for running and track. She is one of the best runners in our school and really pours her heart into what she loves. It is amazing what these four students accomplished just by setting their minds on something they love. May your futures all be bright as you set out on a new adventure and start the next chapter of your lives.
by Ivy Young Scoutz poll has moved Pierce up to number three behind Buford and White County. This was prior to the week of March 30th. The Bears started off their season by playing the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes and winning 11 to zero. Pierce has played and won each of the following games: Walker Wolverines (2), Coffee County
Trojans, Island High School Sharks, New Hampstead Phoenixes (2), Berrien County Rebels, Tattnall County Battle Creek Warriors, Johnson of Savannah Atom Smashers, Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets, Beach Bulldogs (2), Savannah Blue Jackets (2), and Appling County Pirates. Losses include the Ware County Gators (2) and Island High School Sharks.
by Maggie Santana pierce county high school
Pierce County spring sports are running to an end but are first going to region with the boys track team on April 14-15. The team includes one senior, Trey Cason; five juniors, Marcus Green, Cater Malone, Darion McBride, Zed Presley, and Brandon Sapp; two sophomores, Josh Dixon and Ronnie Herrin; and five freshman, Caleb Alvarez, Shyhiem Clark, Avery Clemons, Leroy Mason, and Dalton Newsome. These young boys will be competing at region. Come and support! Barry King is the head coach for boys track and field; he is also a mathematics teacher and defensive line coach for football. Coach King is coaching the boys after school and teaching the students of Pierce County math. That is some dedication. Coach King states, “The boys track is a very young group of competitors, with only one senior competing at region. We are hoping to have a strong showing.” Of the four seniors that are in track, only one made it to region. Let’s cheer our Bears to the finish line! Also having all these underclassman doing such a great job is amazing. Even if we are sprinting to the end, we have a great group that will be rushing back for next year to do the same or better. Without motivation and dedication, these boys would not have made it this far. They are running to a better future. Also, special thanks to Coach King for coaching these boys to region and to the runners, who are taking the name of Pierce County far by doing what they do.
Blackshear, GA · www.pchs.pierce.k12.ga.us
13
Camden County Wildcats Kingsland, GA • www.wildcat.camden.k12.ga.us/ Camden County High School Swimming The Camden County High Wildcat swimmers made a splash during the 2013-14 season as they swam towards their team goal of being the best of the best in the new AAAAAA region. With new alumni Head Coach Emily Martz at the reins, the Wildcats’ technique and skill level increased daily. “This is my first year coaching,” Martz says. “I am from Camden County, and this high school is where I was inspired to become a coach. All of the coaches I had here cared so much about my future as an athlete as well as my future as a person. I felt like they truly believed in my abilities and made a difference in my life. I wanted to do the same for others, and when I had the opportunity to be in Camden County I did not hesitate.” With that desire of instructing the student-athletes of Camden County, she was able to make her swimmers better in all the aspects of swimming. “There have been many swim coaches in the past,” Zach Grant, a junior at CCHS, says. “All of them have made sure we work hard and give 100%. I have always wanted to be a SEAL, so working to the point of getting better will be worth it.”
Martz’s favorite part about being a coach overall, is watching her swimmers create goals and then going beyond that goal after they have achieved it. “Swimming is different from other sports at CCHS,” she says. “Because it is very easy to see your growth and if your practices paid off. Every single day you are working toward improving your time. When the meet comes around, all you want to see is that number improve. It is very clear. Either you beat your time, or you didn’t. It is sometimes harder to see results for a week’s practices like this in other sports. Also, it takes huge dedication to jump into a pool every day in the middle of winter. Sometimes swimmers at CCHS are dealing with conditions that other sports don’t have to worry about.” Junior, Sarah Parchinksi describes how Coach Martz’s new involvement in the swim team has made both her and the entire swim team better, faster, and stronger so they could go further in the season: “Sometimes, depending on our workouts, she will gauge us on our level she thinks we are on, and you get
by Kate Slattery it done as fast as you can. The swimmers, who have been a part of the team for a while, like me and some of the seniors, do intense workouts for two or more hours. The younger swimmers are still trying to figure out how everything works and how they can use their skills to benefit the team.” The vibe of the team, as senior Christian Purdy says, is that of a family. All the swimmers get along, and everyone is friends. However, one thing that Purdy wants is to keep his team from forming “clicks.” “Team bonding is always important in sports,” he says. “ I want to make sure the CCHS swim team is the CCHS swim team and not someone else’s to control.” Senior Brady Whitehouse, who made state time this season, agreed with Purdy’s statement, believing that the swim team is unified. “My philosophy is simple,” he says. “If you don’t love it, do not do it. If you love it, don’t give up on it. With that in the minds of our upcoming swimmers, I strongly believe they can do amazing things and swim strongly towards their goals.” camden county high school
15
Presented by:
Heather Madray
Landon Barrow
Connor Behrend
Player
Spotlights
Tera Blount
17
Kicking It On The Pitch
by Rob Asbell photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
S
occer is alive and well in Southeast Georgia high schools, and while it still doesn’t have quite the drawing power of Friday night football, matches often draw large crowds, especially during the playoffs when region titles are on the line. Here are four of the best players in the area, each of whom has proven skills in the classroom as well as on the pitch.
Coaches believe fundamentals should be started at an early age to make a great soccer player. By the time many soccer players reach high school, they have 10 years of experience playing at the club level, often traveling to play against top competitors. Such is the case for the following senior standouts, who have spent their lives playing soccer.
Tera Blount
A
Ware County Gators
future psychiatrist, Ware County High School senior Tera Blount has been causing mental anguish in opposing defenders since she started playing soccer at age three. “My favorite part of the game is scoring. It takes so much work all just for that one moment, and everyone gets excited. It’s an adrenaline rush.” What a rush it has been. She had 11 goals as a freshman and 18 as a sophomore, and last season, Blount made a name for herself as one of the top scorers in Southeast Georgia when she put 23 shots into the back of the net for the Lady Gators. As a four-year starter at Ware, Blount has scored more than 70 goals to go along with 54 assists - 25 coming in her junior year. She was good enough to win the prestigious Mickey Rigsby Scholar Athlete Award at this year’s Waycross-Ware County Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet. Blount started playing organized soccer at the YMCA until she reached sixth grade, when she started playing for Waycross Middle, where she competed for three years. She was a varsity starter her freshman year at Ware and was honored as the Lady Gators Best Offensive Player in 2011
Heather Madray
W
Wayne County Yellow Jackets
18
ayne County senior Heather Madray has been burning the nets as a varsity starter all four years, helping the Yellow Jackets to the Region 3-AAAA Championship the past two seasons. In her four years at Wayne County High School, Madray has scored more than 70 goals and had 11 assists. She scored 23 last season as a junior. “My favorite part has to be scoring. There is nothing like the feeling I get when I score and change the game. I start to see my teams spirits lifted whenever we score,” she says. The daughter of Bert and Pam Madray, “Heady,” as teammates call her, started playing recreational league soccer when she was four years old. She was good enough to make All-Stars each year and played travel soccer until she was 12. That was when she started playing at the Golden Isles Soccer Association on Jekyll Island. At the same time she was playing middle school soccer at Martha Puckett, where she was team captain in seventh and eighth grade. Playing forward and midfielder, Madray was the Jackets Offensive MVP in 2011, the Academic Award recipient in 2013, All-Region in 2012 and 2013, and team captain this year.
and 2013. Blount was also All-Region 2-AAAAA last season. “Tera’s attacking ability to knife through any defense on her own causes problems for our opponents,” says Ware girls soccer coach Michael Cook. Primarily a forward, Blount is versatile enough to occasionally move to outside midfielder. She recalls beating a Tift County keeper for a goal her freshman year and got a memorable opportunity against powerhouse Glynn Academy this season. Blount was called to take a free kick for the Lady Gators from just outside the 18-yard box. “It went right under the crossbar, over the goalie’s hands,” she says. The daughter of Tim and Kim Blount, she has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society, the BETA Club, and the Lion’s Club Academic Honor Society. She is also secretary for the Anchor Club and the Waycross Bank and Trust Junior Board and has been awarded a University of Georgia Certificate of Merit. Blount has been accepted to the University of Georgia and will begin classes this summer toward her major in psychology. She has no plans to pursue soccer in college, preferring instead to concentrate on her studies.
Madray seems to attract the ball and then finds a way to score. “The ball finds her, and she finds the back of the net,” says Wayne County girls soccer coach Jenny Fulton. “She just makes things happen when she is out there.” Madray made her first big play in her first year as a Yellow Jacket when she scored on a breakaway against Glynn Academy. Her most memorable shot came this year when she scored a long distance goal in overtime to beat South Effingham. She holds a 4.0 GPA and is ranked fifth in her class. She is a member of the BETA Club, HOSA, FBLA, and student council. She is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and is a Georgia Certificate of Merit recipient. Her collegiate plans do not include soccer, though she has not ruled out the possibility of continuing in club soccer. She plans to attend Georgia Southern University in the fall and then attend medical school to become a dermatologist. “I want to be my own boss and open a clinic with my sister to help specialize in skin,” Madray says.
Landon Barrow
N
Frederica Academy Knights
o matter the type of ball, Landon Barrow can kick it. That was why he was offered, and accepted, a soccer scholarship with Georgia Southern University. He is a four-time All-Region and All-State performer and has led Frederica Academy to three GISA state titles. Barrow also has the distinction of being one of only a few to have scored from midfield in two sports: in football, he holds the Frederica Academy record for longest field goal, a 51-yarder against Fullington Academy his junior year. On the soccer pitch this season, he sent the kickoff into the net to score in the first four seconds against Bulloch Academy. Barrow has been an all-around athlete since before high school. He was named to both the All-Region and All-State soccer teams while he was still in eighth grade at Frederica Academy on St. Simons Island. As a freshman, Barrow was once again an All-Region and All-State performer in soccer, and he played for Frederica’s first state basketball championship game, where he was the game’s high scorer with five three-pointers. He was also AllRegion and All-State in cross country during his ninth grade year.
Connor Behrend
C
Glynn Academy Red Terrors
onnor Behrend is the beast in the net for Glynn Academy, standing 6’5” and weighing 195 pounds. Very little gets past Behrend, who has had 300 shutouts over the years as a goalkeeper. The four-year varsity letterman for coach Bobby Brockman’s Red Terrors has signed a national letter of intent to play soccer for the Blue Hose of Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. “I averaged about 95 to 100 saves a year in high school soccer, probably the same in club per season,” Behrend says. Considering he started playing goalkeeper in second grade, that is approximately 1,000 saves in his career. Behrend started playing organized soccer when he was four years old. He began playing on travel teams when he was seven, which is also when he became a goalkeeper. He showed signs of becoming a natural at the position while playing for the Rowdies in the U-12 President’s Cup, when he had a triple save as time was expiring. “A right hand, left hand, and foot save all in a row, and we held on to win the cup,” Behrend says. As a seventh- and eighth-grader at Glynn Middle School, Behrend gave up only one goal in two seasons. He started
As a sophomore, he was once again named All-Region and All-State in soccer. By his junior year, Frederica Academy had added football, and Barrow became the Knights kicker, receiver, and defensive back. He was All-Region and AllState in football and soccer his 11th grade year and won state championships in both sports. As a senior on the Knights football team, Barrow was 37of-38 on extra points, had seven field goals, and 75 percent of his kickoffs sailed through the end zone for touchbacks. He continued his domination as a midfielder and forward for Frank Dineen’s Knights, and midway through his senior season, Barrow already had 137 career goals. In late March, he scored seven goals in one game to keep the Knights on a path to a fourth straight state title. In February, he signed a national letter of intent to play soccer for Georgia Southern. The son of Billy and Dottie Barrow, he carries a 3.5 GPA and wants to major in sports management and possibly coach soccer. “My favorite part of soccer is the intellectual part of the game,” Barrow says. “I enjoy breaking teams down mentally by exposing and exploiting their weaknesses.”
as a freshman at Glynn Academy which went 22-1 in his first season. The Terrors went 21-1 and 20-3 his sophomore and junior years, respectively. Behrend was selected as an Olympic Development Program Georgia state goalkeeper for four years, was All-Region his first three seasons in high school and was the Region 2-AAAAA Goalkeeper of the Year in 2012. Including all of his club and school play, Behrend has been in goal for 577 matches and has a record of 479-45-53. His most memorable save came during his freshman year in the Region 2 championship. Glynn Academy was playing Lakeside Evans in Augusta, and time had expired along with both overtimes. With the score tied at zero, the championship had to be decided on penalty kicks. Behrend made the save on the final kick to win it for the Red Terrors. “Some of the players tried to carry me off the field. It was the most exciting win I have had so far in soccer,” Behrend says. The son of Dave and Meg Behrend of Saint Simons Island, Connor holds a 3.6 GPA and is a member of the BETA Club. He would like to play soccer professionally one day and plans to major in law.
19
Ware County Gators Memorial Stadium • Capacity: 12,000 • Waycross, GA • www.warecountygators.net Triple Crown Spring For Ware Not many schools can claim three region titles in a single spring, and even fewer can do it the way Ware County High School has managed. The baseball team won its first region crown in 10 years, and the girls golf team possibly as long. The girls track team overcame a region foe to take home its first title ever, and one athlete set a new school record in the process. Just as the Gatornation was getting excited about the naming of new football coach Franklin Stephens, the excitement continued as Ware County started claiming title after title after title. The Gators baseball team was picked to be one of the best in the area this year, and they did not disappoint. Coach Tony Yeomans’ baseball team had a strong showing this season and won the school’s first region championship since the legendary Coach James Conley won it in 2004. This season the Gators were 18-8 overall and 12-2 in Region 3-AAAAA to tie for the crown. The Gators’ only stumbles this
20
by Rob Asbell season were one-run losses to Effingham County and Richmond Hill. “Some of our biggest games we lost by one run in the last inning,” Coach Yeomans says. Of the Gators’ eight losses, six were by one run in the final inning, some of which went into extra innings, including a nine-inning duel with Richmond Hill. The Gators were led by seniors Ty Bennett, Dayton Beasley, and Ty Hobbs who slugged eight homeruns. Coach Yeomans credited good pitching and a strong infield for keeping opponents off the board. The team always came up with clutch-hitting in tight situations. “It was like a different kid would shine every night,” he says. “I can’t single out one person because everybody has done their part.” Despite losing some key seniors, the Gators baseball team returns a strong nucleus next year. The Ware County girls track team claimed its first ever region title in April. “These young ladies made history,” says girls track coach Alesia Gibson.
Winning the region came as a surprise because the Lady Gators were fielding such a young team made up mostly of sophomores and freshmen. They had to overcome an always-tough Bradwell Institute team that was the defending champions. After the first day of competition, Ware had won a considerable amount of points in the field events. Coach Gibson realized that with runners in all events, the region crown was not beyond their grasp. “I started thinking, ‘We may have a shot at this.’” Jennifer Sharpe put on a show by winning three individual titles in the 100 meters, 100 meter hurdles, and the long jump. She also ran the anchor leg for the region champion 4 x 100 meter relay team. Scoring 30 points individually, Sharpe became the first Ware County girl ever to claim the high scorer title. Junior Brittney Ealey also stood out for the Lady Gators, taking third in the 100 meters, first in the high jump, and she was a member of the region runner-up 4
Ware County Gators Memorial Stadium • Capacity: 12,000 • Waycross, GA • www.warecountygators.net x 400 meter team and the 4 x 100 meter championship squad. She went on to qualify for the state meet by taking first at sectionals in the high jump. With rain threatening to postpone the meet, it came down to the final race of the day: the 4 x 400 meter relay. The “A” Team of Angel Nelson, Ealey, NeNe Howard, and Bre Etheridge finished second while the “B” Team finished seventh to ensure the region crown. The Lady Gators will lose just two seniors to graduation this year, meaning the bulk of the region championship track team will return next year. The top four competitors in the region will advance to sectionals in Loganville, with qualifiers then going to the state meet. Out on the links, Head Golf Coach Tony Wheeler’s
Lady Gators had to overcome perennial powerhouse Glynn Academy to win their region title. The Lady Gators finished second to the Red Terrors last season and were determined to overcome the mental and physical obstacles keeping them from beating the Brunswick school. Many of the girls spent the offseason playing in tournaments and working on their games. This is Coach Wheeler’s first year coaching girls golf at Ware County High School. He coached at Ware Magnet School for 17 years where he won 11 consecutive region championships in girls golf and back-to-back Single A state titles in 2002 and 2003. Entering what is considered to be the toughest region for golf in South Georgia, Wheeler felt that his team
could compete with anyone. Led by juniors Bailey Buie and Megan Carter, the Lady Gator golfers claimed what Wheeler believes is Ware County’s first region title for girls golf in 10 years. Carter was the state runner-up last year, and Buie was low medalist in the region tournament this year. They will return next year along with the other two members of the region team, junior Moriah Skinner and freshman Kylee Wheeler. “They deserve all the credit,” Wheeler says. “Our goal was to win region and then compete for state.” Wheeler added that despite having to play without one of its team leaders on occasion, this year the team came together and won some big matches.
bo carter
2014 Ware Baseball Seniors Left to right: Jacob Woodard, Ty Hobbs, Dayton Beasley, Austin Chaney, Kyle Valentine, Tyler Davis, Brett Evans, Ty Bennett, Matthew McQuaig, and (kneeling) Head Coach Tony Yeomans. Photo courtesy of Bo Carter.
21
22
Homegrown Olympic Hopeful
on the flip side
by Rob Asbell
I
n just over two years, the 2016 Olympic Summer Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro. Hundreds of athletes from around the globe will gather to compete on the world’s biggest stage. With hard work, good fortune, and community support, one of those athletes could be Waycross’s own Andrew Taylor. Taylor is a senior at Ware County High School and a third-degree black belt at Pak’s Karate of Waycross. For the past several years he has gone to tournaments, gaining experience and earning the respect of fellow competitors, with the dream of competing in Taekwondo in Rio in 2016. Taylor came up studying traditional Korean Tang Soo Do under Master Ronnie Crews and competes in Taekwondo tournaments, which emphasize kicking above punching. “When I was younger I was always kicking things so my parents signed me up in martial arts,” he says. Now 5’11” and 146 pounds, his lanky frame hides a potentially lethal kicking ability that comes from years of training. Since the
photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
beginning of his senior year, Taylor is a perfect 16-0 in tournaments. Growing up, Taylor played lots of sports: soccer, T-ball, baseball, basketball, football, tennis, wrestling, and running cross-country. In 2001, he started taking martial arts from Pak’s in Waycross. Five years later, he earned his black belt and is expected to test for master next year. Because there are no traveling teams in Taekwondo, it is up to parents and instructors to load up vehicles to drive for hours to get to tournaments. Preparation for a tournament takes a lot of work - constant stretching of the legs and hips enable kicks to go high, but multiple repetitions make the legs steady and the kicks strong. Taylor must prepare for sparring, which requires tactical planning, speed, and kicking ability. Thus far, Taylor has won 63 medals and trophies and has 44 wins to his credit. Eight years after competing in his first tournament, Taylor took top honors at the AAU National Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After winning the gold medal, Taylor was invited to be on the AAU USA National Cadet
Drew Taylor Ware County High School
23
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
888.715.GAME
www.inthegamemagazine.com
team, where he had the opportunity to go to the Spanish Open to compete in Allcante, Spain. “I was the only cadet of seven members and one of two AAU USA national team members to bring back a gold medal.” That is also where he met his future coach, Master Patrice Remarck. They met again at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado and came upon the idea that Taylor should train under Remarck to give him an edge in getting to the Olympics. Remarck had three taekwondo athletes in the 2012 London Summer Games, and his school in Virginia is the only one in the United States recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a “High Performance Training Center.” He is now the head national coach for USAT and is one of the U.S Olympic coaches. It is Taylor’s hope to work with Remarck while
he is attending college. This will allow him to continue working toward the Olympics while also majoring in the medical field as a nurse practitioner. Like most of its students, martial arts has had a positive influence on Taylor. He now has more respect for others and is more of a leader rather than a follower. “He disciplines himself in everything he does,” says his mother, Wanda Taylor. “He sets goals for himself.” Recently, Taylor competed in Georgia’s AAU qualifier, which is a big step on the road to the Olympic trials. Taylor’s undaunted winning streak continued as he took home top honors in the adult black belt division. “Our goal is the Olympics, and I’m doing anything the Lord wants me to do to get him there,” his mother says. ITG
Anyone who would like to help Drew Taylor make it to the Olympics can make a donation at
http://www.gofundme.com/89gd3o
25
Wayne County Yellow Jackets Jaycee Stadium • Capacity: 4,500 • Jesup, GA Yellow Jackets Storm Back For Region Title the two teams faced each other again in a new game. Wayne jumped out early, scoring three runs in the first inning from four Statesboro issued walks. Though Statesboro battled back, the Yellow Jackets proved too much, winning 7-5 and moving on to the region championship against Cross Creek. “We finished the regular season as the number three seed out of our sub-region, so we had to go on the road to win this thing, starting at Burke County in the two out three series and (sweeping) them. They then had to beat a good Statesboro team on the road and later a solid Cross Creek team on the road for the region title. Give our kids credit with being able to go on the road and beat some good teams,” McDonald says. The past two seasons have come down to Wayne County pitcher Sid Royal versus the Cross Creek Razorbacks. Royal’s fastball and pinpoint accurate breaking ball, along with strong defense, kept the Razorbacks off balance for a 5-0 shutout and Region 3-AAAA title. “Our pitching staff has given us chances to win every game here in the final stretch. Payton Phillips, J.D. Paul, Sid Royal, Sam Denty, and Justin Moody have all done an outstanding job on the mound. I think we have improved in all aspects. We talk every day about winning the day and getting better in all aspects,” McDonald says. A region title and number one seed will give the Yellow Jackets home field advantage during the opening rounds of the AAAA state tournament.
jeffrey griffith
After dropping a couple of key games down the stretch, Wayne County Yellow Jackets varsity baseball team battled back with a 4-0 win against Region 3A-AAAA opponent Liberty County, putting the Yellow Jackets in a three way tie for first place in the subregion. Wayne, Statesboro, and South Effingham all finished with 6-3 Region 3A-AAAA. Wayne was sharing the top spot, its only losses coming to perennial power South Effingham and a strong Statesboro team. Since Statesboro and South Effingham held the tiebreaker, Wayne finished as the third seed, forcing the Yellow Jackets to go on the road in the first rounds of the region tournament. “Our kids made the decision that they wanted to turn this thing around. Something we say in our program is control your attitude and effort 100% of the time because you can control that, and everything else will take care of itself. It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish,” Wayne County Head Baseball Coach Justin McDonald says. Playing as the third seed out of sub-region 3A-AAAA, Wayne faced Burke County in a best of three series. The Yellow Jackets piled up 21 runs and only allowed the Bears one run in the two game sweep. After Wayne eliminated Burke County, they had to face Statesboro for a fourth time this season. The last time the two teams played, Statesboro defeated Wayne with a late game, two-run homerun. Battling the rain, Wayne and Statesboro had a one to one pitcher’s duel, but the game was rained out in the fifth inning. Since the game was not complete,
by John Wood
27
Coach’s Corner
Justin McDonald Wayne County High School
McDonald Keeps The Family Business Going
28
by John Wood photography by Jeffrey Griffith
B
aseball is America’s past time, but more important than that, it is the family business for Wayne County head baseball coach Justin McDonald. When McDonald attended Fitzgerald High School, where he played baseball for the Purple Hurricanes, he shared the lineup with his twin brother, Josh McDonald, an assistant at Georgia Southern University. Their older brother, Jason McDonald - now the head coach of Fitzgerald’s baseball team - was an assistant during the twins playing days at Fitzgerald High School. “[Jason] was actually the varsity assistant when me and my twin come through high school so that was probably the number-one influence on me becoming a coach. My twin brother Josh McDonald is an assistant at Georgia Southern University. My family has always been supportive of athletics. We have great parents who love to see their sons coach and spend a lot of time traveling to games,” McDonald says. After playing middle infield and graduating from Fitzgerald, McDonald went on to play the same position at Georgia Southwestern University. When he finished his playing career in college, he became an assistant at the school. “Of course my older brother had a big influence on me growing up. Coach Barry Davis, who is now the head coach at Rider University, was my college coach at GSW my first three seasons. He was a huge influence, and he instilled aspects of the game that have gotten me to where I am today. Also Bryan McLain, who is now the head coach at GSW, also had a huge influence. I was fortunate to not only play for him for two seasons but also to stay on and coach with him as well for two seasons. I would say that those two seasons as an assistant coach got me to the level where I knew I could be a head coach and be successful at it. So I want to thank all of these guys who gave me the opportunity to play and coach with them,” McDonald says. McDonald is in his eighth year of coaching and his sixth year of teaching health and physical education at Wayne County High School. He spent
three seasons as an assistant, and for the last three years he has been the head baseball coach. He also coaches the varsity wide receivers for the Yellow Jackets football team. Football season proved to be busier than usual for McDonald. The Yellow Jackets made an unprecedented run to the semifinals, losing to Griffin, the eventual 4A champion. It was busy on a personal level as well because nuptials for football coaches come in December or early in the summer, due to the time constraints of football. “I am married to the former Carley Blount of Americus. We got married in December, and this is my first season with a wife. She is my biggest fan, and this season has had highs and lows. She has been there to congratulate me on the highs and pick me up on the lows,” McDonald says. Wayne County has long been known as one of the strongest baseball programs in Southeast Georgia. The facilities and field have been as award-winning as the teams on the field. “I work for an outstanding administration. The administration at the high school is very supportive of the student athletes and everything that it takes to make those kids and programs successful. The community support for baseball and athletics in general is outstanding. We have great fan support at home and on the road all season long. It’s great to live and coach in a community that is as passionate about Wayne County High School athletics as the people here are. We have an outstanding Homerun Club that raises funds to continuously improve the program in all aspects. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be running the booster club. It’s nice when you can just ask, and they will find a way to get it done,” McDonald says. One of the strongest assets for the Yellow Jackets is the strength and continuity from the middle school baseball to McDonald’s varsity squad. Coupled with strong assistants from the top down, it’s easy to see how Wayne could battle through tough losses and come out on top with a region title. “Wayne is a great baseball community, and you can attribute that to a number of things. I think that the
kids in this community have grown up watching the success that this program has had in previous years. We also have great feeder programs at each middle school. That is one thing that I worked really hard on, is getting both middle schools on the same page with the high school and incorporating everything we do from the sixth through the 12th grade. Those kids in the middle schools know that they are a part of the success we have had the high school because this is one big program,” McDonald says. Strong assistants have been one of the keys to Wayne’s success, especially during McDonald’s last three seasons at the helm. “It is very important to have great assistant coaches. I have a great staff here at Wayne. Jordan Mullis is our pitching coach, and if you look over the past three years at what this pitching staff has done, it is remarkable. I am completely hands off with pitchers. He is in full control of the staff and does an outstanding job. Jesse Barfield is [junior varsity] head coach and works with our outfielders. He also does an outstanding job with maintaining the field. I am also fortunate enough to have three community coaches, Ricky Dent, Mike Roberts, and Chad Blanton, on staff who are huge assets to this program,” McDonald says. High school baseball has been going through a lot of changes over the last few years with the adoption of new standards for bats. “I don’t think the game has necessarily changed, it’s just the way you have to play the game now. I tell people all the time that it has now become a fun game to coach and not so fun game to watch due to the bat changes. But I think it equalizes the teams more and make us, as coaches, have to strategize and manufacture runs and not lean on the threerun HR like we did in previous years. The most important aspect of the game is the mental aspect. Being able to overcome all of the adversity and failure in a baseball season is huge. We spend a lot of time focusing on building each player to not only be physically strong on the field but also mentally,” McDonald says. ITG
29
Bacon County Red Raiders Morris Johnson Stadium • Capacity: 2,500 • Alma, GA • www.bcraidersfootball.com Red Raider Duo Makes State
by Rob Asbell debra tanner
Bacon County High School continued its winning ways in April as two Red Raiders qualified to compete at the state’s highest level. Katron Folsom and Drell Greene, both juniors, competed at the Class AA State Track and Field Sectionals at Lamar County High School April 26 in Barnesville, Georgia. At the end of the day, both had qualified for the state track meet in field events. After making sectionals by qualifying at the region track meet, the top eight qualifiers in each event at sectionals moves on to state. In the high jump, Folsom was able to sit back and watch after his first jump of 6’ 0” was enough to ensure his spot at the state meet. “I really just had to jump 6’ 0” to qualify,” he says. Although a little nervous, Folsom hit the height on his first attempt, setting a mark that is a personal best and a fourth-place finish. “I most definitely could jump higher.” Folsom, known to friends as “Tron,” will also return in the fall as a member of the Red Raiders football team where he plays receiver, running back, and safety. He also plays basketball where, at 6’ 2”, he is usually found in the low post. The all-around athlete is described as an asset anywhere he plays. “I don’t think he really understands how good he can be or the future he can have if he works hard,” says Shane Bennett, BCHS Technology Director and co-host of the weekly on-line coach’s show. “I would love to see him go to the next level and make an impact.” Another Red Raider football player also qualified for the state meet in Barnesville. Greene finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 22’1” that was good enough to qualify for state. Coming off of a disappointing finish in the triple jump, Greene was determined to do better in the long jump. “I had it in my mind that I was going to state,” Greene says. He landed a 21’ 6” on his first attempt and then went even farther on the second. Although enough to qualify, it is still short of his personal best of 22’ 6” and the 23’ 5” he believes it will take to win state. Greene will return as the quarterback of the Red Raiders football team and hopes to attend college on an athletic scholarship. Several schools are currently looking at Greene, including Chattanooga, Georgia Southern, Auburn, and Mercer. “I have never seen him be anything but a class act,” Bennett says. “Whether it’s track, basketball, or football, he is a leader and an example to his teammates.” Katron Folsom and Drell Greene of the Bacon County Red Raiders track team.
3131
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
www.inthegamemagazine.com
888.715.GAME
Bradwell Institute Tigers Olvey Field • Capacity: 9,000 • Hinesville, GA Tigers Win Sixth Region Title In Last Seven Years Bradwell Tigers boys head track coach Deandre’ Davis is building one of the strongest, most dominate boys track programs in Southeast Georgia. The girls and boys track teams have successfully ran at a number of meets, including one in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Coming into the region track meet, Bradwell was automatically down by 18 points because they didn’t have anyone that competed in the pole vault. “Our biggest competition in the region was going to be against Effingham. They had been a tough opponent all year. Since we don’t have anyone that does pole vaulting, we start 18 points in the hole, I tell my team, you don’t have to win the event; just get me a certain number of points and those points add up,” Davis says. Davis’s points strategy is only part of the grand strategy that has created such a strong track program at Bradwell. Besides intelligent coaching, Davis’ training regimen and development has produced several former Tigers that have gone on to break records as underclassmen at colleges all across the Southeast United States. The boys and girls competed in the Region 3AAAAA Track Championships, battling against the torrential rains that plagued the area in mid
April. The Lady Tigers finished second in the region track meet. “The girls worked extremely hard. In the end, we did not get the necessary breaks we needed to win,” Lady Tigers head track coach Sharon Daniel says. The Lady Tigers won the 800m run (Michaela Calvin), triple jump (Tiera Mathis), 300m hurdles (Briana Johnson), and the 4 x 400m relay (Calvin, Katara Burks, Johnson, Dayonna Wynn). Burks qualified for state in the 400m run and long jump. Wynn is going to state in the high jump, and the Lady Tigers 4 x 400m relay team also qualified for the trip to Albany. Effingham had beaten the Tigers at invitationals all season long by an average of 25-40 points. At the region meet, Bradwell and Effingham were knotted at 112 points each when the Tigers pulled out the region championship, winning first place in the triple jump (Desman Martin), 110m and 300m hurdles (Ziere Diggs), shot put (Sterling Burns), and discus (Stephon Green). “They continued to get better throughout the whole season. We knew we had something special when we attended an elite invitational in Myrtle Beach a couple weeks ago. The kids competed against some of the
by John Wood best athletes in the nation. They excelled very well. The coaching staff credits that meet to our overall success at the region championships. Desman Martin won the triple jump with a mark of 46’2” inches. With that mark, he is a national elite jumper. He is currently third in the state in that event,” Davis says. Martin also finished in first place in the triple jump with a mark of 46’75” inches. Freshman Terrius Crimiel missed qualifying in the triple jump by three inches and is currently in the top three in the state in that event. Sterling Burns missed qualifying in the shot put but was able to make it to state in the disc. Diggs made it to state in the 110m hurdles with the second best time in the event at sectionals. Bradwell’s 4 x 400m (Jamorris Hill, Terrius Crimiel, Lorenzo Brinson, and Ziere Diggs) relay team will also be representing the Tigers at the state meet. The relay team ran 13 seconds faster than at the region meet, posting a 3:24 personal best time. “The girls travel to Albany this week, and the boys travel to Jefferson, Georgia, May 7-10 to compete in the Georgia Olympics. We are proud of the kids—how they have performed this year and how hard they have worked this year,” Davis says.
bradwell institute
33
Rising Star sponsored by:
Paloma Mobley Waycross Middle School
34
No Limits W by John Wood
aycross Middle School eighth-grader Paloma Mobley didn’t really know what she was missing with track. She didn’t run track as a sixth-grader but was encouraged by coaches to run as a seventhgrader, and it turned out she was pretty good. Pretty good is an understatement compared to Mobley’s track performance this past season. “Paloma is a good athlete. She has a very good work ethic in practice. She is also a good student. I periodically check in on my athletes in the classroom, and she’s always involved and working,” Waycross Middle School head football coach and athletic director Kevin Stevenson says. The daughter of Willie and Cynthia Mobley of Waycross, Mobley competed in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, shot put, and the 4x400 relay this season. “During the season we were moving some people around and trying to find events that fit each athlete. Paloma could throw the shot put, the discus; she could run the 100, 200, and long jump. She is a very well-rounded athlete. She also has a lot of guts. She ran the 4x400 in a race this year and pulled us from fourth to first in the race, and when she crossed the finish line, she was gassed. That was a prime example of someone determined to win,” Stevenson says. Mobley remembers the race Stevenson referred to. It was the last regular-season meet before the conference championship meet. Mobley has the ability to put a lot of points up for her team just from her events alone. “I am blessed to be able to do as many of the events as I do and help my team. This year I ran the 4x100-relay almost on accident. We were getting ready to do the event, and one of the girls on the relay team had gone to the bathroom, so Coach Stevenson just put me in,” Mobley says. Running the last leg of the relay, as soon as Mobley felt the baton hit her hand, she took off and gave every bit of energy she had, and ended up helping her team win the race. “Running track has taught me to never give up on your gifts. You don’t know what you are blessed with, and it’s important to use those gifts you are blessed with. I want to experience as much as I can,” Mobley says. Though track is now one of her main sports that she continues to train individually for, her first love is basketball. “I’ve always loved and played basketball. We had a great basketball season this year and finished runner-up to Jeff Davis for the conference championship. I am really grateful to my basketball coach, Alicia Gibson. She has been a great coach and taught me a lot and made me a better player,” Mobley says. Mobley plans to continue playing basketball when she gets to Ware County High School next year. If competing in a string of track and field events besides playing basketball was not enough to keep Mobley busy, she also plays singles and doubles tennis. “I want to get the most out of my extracurricular activities at school. It keeps me busy, but I enjoy it,” Mobley says. She is also a very strong student at Waycross Middle School. Her favorite subject is science.
photography by Bo Carter
“I’ve had good teachers that have helped me. I really want to give a shout out to Coach Stevenson. He is one of the main reasons that I started running track. He has encouraged and pushed me to be the best I can be, and that is something that is going to always help me in life,” Mobley says. Mobley is considering playing volleyball next fall at Ware County High School, which will give her a sport for each season of the school year. Mobley says playing sports and working hard in the classroom has influenced her life. “There are no limits on what I can accomplish if I am willing to work hard for it. All of these experiences have helped me to better myself. No limits in sports and no limits to whatever dreams I have,” Mobley says. ITG
“I see Paloma having a bright future in basketball and track. I am encouraging her to play volleyball in the fall, and I see her being a three-sport star for Ware County.” Stevenson says.
35
6
09132 02141
1