January 2014 South Georgia Edition by ITG Next Magazine

in the

game

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE

In This Issue:

SOuTH GEORGIA

January 2014

CONTENTS

09 On The Cover

Tift County Basketball Seniors

28 37

13 Top Ten 2013 Headlines 17 Top Injury Prevention Ten Tips To Prevent Running Injuries 21 Nutrition

Ten Most Important Vitamins and Minerals

23 Academic Athlete

Ryan & Drew Bradshaw Valdosta High School

28 ITG 2013 Football Awards Banquet 37 Player Spotlight Makeba Ponder

Colquitt County High School

41 Coach’s Corner Archie Chatmon Albany High School

Also Inside Football Means Big Money – The Biggest Money of Them All

Georgia High School Football Wives Tales, Unconfirmed Stories, and Hearsay

Cross Training: Not for Just Elite Athletes Valdosta Orthopedic Associates

Cook County High School

Thomasville High School

Irwin County High School

! e v i L

with host Mark Dykes Thursdays 6 - 7 p.m.

Read. Subscribe. Share. 4

www.inthegamemagazine.com

in the

game

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE

SOuTH GEORGIA

January 2014

Publisher

Mark Dykes

Editor

Mark Dykes Kaitlynn Passmore

Graphics

Jennifer Alexander

Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography

Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography

Connie Southwell Southwell Sports Photography

Feature Writer

Robert Preston, Jr.

Contributing Writers Jon Nelson Corey Dowlar

Copy Editors

Crystal Hubbard Ashley Dailey

Advertising/Marketing

Mark Dykes mark@inthegamemagazine.com

Website Manager Kaitlynn Passmore

From The Publisher It’s January and that means no more football. Kind of. We still have some football coverage from our annual banquet but our athletes and coaches in this month’s features represent wrestling and basketball. Unfortunately, none of our football teams in the South Georgia coverage area won a state championship. We had four solid contenders – Valwood, Colquitt County, Irwin County and Brooks County. Valwood played for a championship but lost to Memorial Day out of Savannah 4220. It was the Valiants’ first loss under second-year head coach Ashley Henderson. Colquitt, Brooks, and Irwin played well through the playoffs but couldn’t get past their semi-final opponents. It is worth noting that one of our In the Game schools, Charlton County, will in fact play for a state title. We cover Charlton in our Southeast Georgia edition. Charlton and Irwin are in the same region and played each other on Nov. 8. Irwin won 29-26 in Ocilla. The rematch took place on Dec. 6, again in Ocilla, and Charlton won 3433. We are preparing this edition before the state title games are played; if Charlton ended up defeating Marion County in the finals, it would be the Indians’ fifth state championship, all of which have come under head coach Rich McWhorter. Once again, the Tift County Blue Devils have an excellent men’s basketball team. The 2013-2014 edition of the Blue Devils features nine seniors, all of whom are talented players who understand head coach Eric Holland’s system and the roles they will play in his scheme. Most of the seniors have next-level talent and one, Tadric Jackson, is an espn.com four-star recruit who has signed with Georgia Tech. These nine seniors are our cover story for January.

Contributors

Robert Preston, Jr.,

Features & Commentary

Mark Dykes, Publisher

Colquitt County’s Makeba Ponder is our Player Spotlight this month. She could be the best female basketball player to come through Colquitt County High School. Ponder is also a great student who had several big schools chasing after her. She ultimately chose Georgia State, and she hopes to lead the Lady Packers to a region title and another solid playoff run. The Bradshaw twins, Drew and Ryan, from Valdosta High are January’s Academic Athletes. The juniors are ranked #1 and #2 in the Class of 2015, though they don’t know which of the duo is first and which is second. They are team-first wrestlers who will do whatever they need to in order for their teammates to succeed. They work extremely hard on the wrestling mat but work even harder in the classroom. These two young men have bright futures ahead of them. One of the true coaching legends in Georgia in any sport is Archie Chatmon, head basketball coach at Albany High School. Coach Chatmon has spent his entire career in Albany and through consistency, hard work, and attention to detail has built a successful program at Albany High. He’s won over 300 games, is a member of the Albany Sports Hall of Fame, and has accumulated numerous awards and recognitions. He has also been a mentor to thousands of young men, many of whom would not have succeeded in life without his influence. Coach Chatmon is our Coach’s Corner feature this month. As pleased as we are to have him on the pages of our magazine, we came nowhere close to scratching the surface of his career. The breadth and depth of a career like Chatmon’s can neither be adequately measured nor described. He, quite simply, is one of the best. I would be remiss if I didn’t once again mention just how quickly 2013 flew by. It is hard to believe another year has passed. But passed it has and we look forward to bringing you the very best in high school sports coverage in South Georgia in 2014.

For distribution or subscription information contact: info@inthegamemagazine.com For advertising information call: 888-715-4263 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. P.O. Box 812 Valdosta, GA 31603

6 4

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.

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On The Cover

Loaded With Talent and Leadership, Tift County Poised to Make Another Strong Playoff Run by Robert Preston, Jr.

hile there is no hard, fast method for predicting success on the field of play, coaches, pundits and fans look at several key indictors as they attempt to glean what kind of seasons their teams will have. Three important factors people focus on are talent, maturity and leadership. Teams need good players. They also need older, experienced players. And they need good, experienced players who are also leaders. The 2013-2014 Tift County Blue Devils have all three, and they have them in abundance. Last year, led by current Kansas Jayhawk Brannen Greene, Tift County went to the Elite Eight. This season, half the Blue Devils 18-

photography by Micki K Photography

man roster is made up of seniors. Four of those seniors start. Just about every senior will have a chance to play in college if he chooses. Head coach Eric Holland and his team have high expectations for the 2013-2014 season. “Our goals are always the same. We want to win the region championship first and foremost. Then we want to win a state title,” he says. The Blue Devils have been very close in the last couple of years. This group of players has won the region tournament twice, the regular season twice, and been to the Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet 16 since they have been in Tift County’s program. They’ve also been a part of three straight 20-win teams. Holland

believes this team has what it takes to take the next step, to get over the hump and bring a state championship home to Tifton. “You’ve got to have the right leadership with the right kind of talent,” he says. “When your best players are your best leaders, you have a winning formula. They have to win on and off the court. We feel we have that this year.” Holland believes that the nine seniors on this year’s team will set the tone for the season. They will determine just how long Tift County plays this season. “They’ve been charged with leading us in the right direction. This is the biggest senior class we’ve had since we went to the Final Four. We’re very excited about each of these players. ITG

“All these guys play really well. This is my 14th year coaching and my fifth year here at Tift County. This is the closest team we’ve had. They have bonded well and everyone knows their jobs. They’ve had a lot of success already and we’re ready to get to the next level. Our goal for our players is to leave the program in better shape than it was when they first got there. This team has done that. When they leave, our program will be better and stronger than it was before them,” says Holland. Tadric Jackson (#12), a shooting

guard, is one of the state’s best all-around basketball players. Holland believes Jackson has the opportunity to be named Mr. Georgia Basketball this year. He’s already committed to Georgia Tech and is averaging 24 points per game. He already has 2,000 points in his career.

Stefon Mills (#5) is one of the most intelligent players on the floor - from either team. Mills works hard and studies the nuances of the game. Mainly a defensive specialist, the six-footer almost always guards the other team’s best player. “He’s very smart and is one of the hardest working players on the team. Stefon is like an extension of the coaching staff,” says Holland. D.J. Bryant (#15) is another shooting

guard who also has colleges pursuing him. He stands 6’4” and is an excellent shooter. Holland says he has one of the best shots of any player in Georgia. Bryant is averaging 12 points per game.

Ledarius Stewart (#10) runs the point

Steven Waters (#25) is one of Tift

Ali Vaughn (#3) is a 6’5” power forward

Nate Thomas (#20) is a 6’6” forward who played junior varsity last year. He has made the most significant improvement over the last year and has far exceeded the expectations the Tift County coaching staff had for him. Several Division I and Division II schools are after him. He’s a long, athletic player averaging four points and six rebounds per game.

for Tift County. He’s a four-year player and threeyear starter. Holland calls Stewart one of the best point guards in the state. He’s a strong, athletic 6’1”, and he has offers to play both football and basketball in college. Stewart averages 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. “He’s keeping his options open. He will go wherever he gets the best offer, whether it be football or basketball,” says Holland.

who can play almost anywhere. He’s solid in the paint and on the perimeter. This is Vaughn’s third year in the program and he has been Tift County’s sixth man of the year two years in a row. Ali can start but we like him off the bench. He can defend multiple positions and finish well with both hands,” comments Holland. Vaughn averages eight points, seven rebounds and three steals per game. Several mid-major programs are looking at him, and he will have several different schools from which to choose as he considers his future.

County’s strongest role players. He gets a couple of points per game but he usually accounts for at least three charges a night. At 6’3”, 205 pounds, he is one of the Blue Devils’ best defenders. “He isn’t that big but he plays about 6’6” and 230,” says Holland.

Quay Ferguson (#32) is a four-year player who has been in the program for four years. He’s another one of the Blue Devils’ important role players who can do a little bit of everything. He has a great shot, can play defense and is willing to do anything his team needs. Rashawn Kennedy (#21) is a shooting guard who puts up six points and two rebounds a night. He is a lanky 6’5” and is being pursued by multiple Division II programs.

Photo courtesy of gatorsP gatorsPorts.com

Photo by Derrick Mahone

There is a fierce battle raging for Andrew Williams. Eagle’s Landing Christian’s Andrew Williams, like Lorenzo Carter, meets all the prerequisites to play defensive end in college. He’s a little thicker than Carter, but an inch shorter at 6-foot4, 247 pounds. While there are three teams in it for Carter, Williams is likely down to two, and they both happen to be Tigers. National champion finalist Auburn and ACC Atlantic runners-up Clemson are duking it out for his attention. Williams has not taken any official visits yet, so January’s visit season will be key. The Offense-Defense All-American is also being heavily pursued by Ole Miss, but the Rebels have a lot of work to do to catch up.?

Who will get the “Helping Hand?”

Florida’s season hasn’t gone according to plan, and the Gators won’t be going to a bowl game. Alabama’s recruiting efforts continue to operate at a high level, and the Tide already have a great commitment at the same position in Da’Shawn Hand. The Bulldogs, perhaps by default, appear to be in the best shape. But can Mark Richt and Co. close out the deal?

D.J. Smith’s Future?

Someone new for D.J. Smith? Maybe the best defensive back in the whole state, D.J. Smith out of Marietta’s Walton High School has long been thought to be a Clemson lean. But their in-state rivals are making a huge push. South Carolina and Steve Spurrier have come on strong for the 6-foot, 191-pound corner. And maybe, just maybe, have taken over poll position. As with many others, official visits in January will be huge. Smith hasn’t taken any yet, but South Carolina, Clemson and Tennessee will probably all get one. Who will be able to make the biggest impact with him on campus?

Key Questions: Is Auburn in for a big finish? The Tigers are in on several top players such as Dontavius Russell, but can they close the deal?

Clemson has made a big impact in the state, but could they add to their group with prospects such as Raekwon McMillan?

Top Headlines of 2013

Offense-Defense All-American Will Benefit What SEC Team?

Photo courtesy of athlonsP athlonsPorts.com

There has not been a better looking defensive end specimen in the country than Norcross’ Lorenzo Carter. At 6’5”, 230 pounds, Carter has an ideal frame in addition to his freakish athleticism. Three schools (Alabama, Georgia and Florida) are in position to get him. And all three will be going all out to prove their points.

Photo courtesy of gatorsP gatorsPorts.com

Who will win the Lorenzo Carter sweepstakes?

by Corey Dowlar, ESPN Twitter @cdowlar

ational Singing Day in Georgia is coming quick. College coaches are scurrying about to put the final touches on their 2014 hauls and right at the very heart of it all are some talented recruits that call the Peach State home.Whether it be the traditional Southeastern Conference powers, the traditional schools from the Big-10, or the ACC, Georgia stands to receive plenty of traffic. Here are just some of the main storylines as the first Wednesday in February nears:

Can the Georgia Bulldogs close strong with Carter, Wesley Green and Elisha Shaw? 13

Football Means Big Money – The Biggest Money of Them All by Robert Preston, Jr.

n the recent past, I have written here of the ongoing controversies facing football and football participation at all levels of the game. We have heard more dialog regarding head injuries and hot weather dangers and various other issues over the last couple of years. As a result, in most areas, fewer and fewer kids are playing football. Former pros, some Hall of Famers, have said on the record that they would prefer that their kids stay away from the game. We have also discussed that in spite of the issues, football in Georgia is at an all-time high. There has never been more players, more schools, more media coverage. And there has never been more money. At the time I am writing this, it is Dec. 11. The football state championship games begin two days from now. In early December, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution released two articles discussing the amount of money the football postseason generates and how that compares to other sports, namely basketball. According to the AJC, the 2012 football playoffs generated nearly $1.4 million throughout the state. By comparison, the 2013 basketball playoffs brought in $389,003. There were seven football state championship games compared to 14 basketball title games.

The difference in revenue generated by those championship games? $757,593 for football; $185,580 for basketball. About 12 percent goes to the GHSA (which, according to the AJC, pays $50,000 to use the Georgia Dome for the state title games over two days). The participating schools receive some of the money as well. The least amount of money a school received last year was about $13,000. The most was almost $60,000 (which went to a 5A school). You can draw a lot of conclusions from these reports. I’m sure individuals a lot smarter than me are still crunching numbers and looking for trends. To me, the conclusion is quite simple: Football means big money. It means even bigger money for colleges and the communities that have NFL franchises. You can’t separate the violence from football. No matter how many rules get passed, no matter what kind of safety precautions governing bodies enact, football is an inherently violent sport. That will never change. Yet it remains incredibly popular and generates tremendous revenue – mind-blowing revenue – for its schools and communities. That is why football is the nation’s numberone sport. And that won’t change, either. ITG

10 Tips to prevent running injuries

Fitness

Injury Prevention: 1. Warm up Before hitting your stride, muscles and joints need a chance to loosen and prepare for the work ahead. To slowly raise your heart rate, walk for 10 to 15 minutes, gradually increasing the pace.

2. Cool down Stopping too quickly can cause blood to pool in the legs and feet. To prevent muscle cramping and dizziness, walk for 10 minutes, slowly decreasing the pace.

3. Choose your shoes Skip the confusion of shoe shopping by heading for a specialty running store. The experts there can make recommendations based on your stride. Running shoes should fit snuggly with no slipping in the heel and a thumb’s width of space between the toes and the front of the shoe.

4. And then replace those shoes Over time, the cushioning in running shoes compacts, and the material in the soles break down. Shoes should be replaced either every 400 miles or every six months. Runners that land heavily on their heels will need to replace shoes more often.

5. Give your body rest Even the fittest body needs rest. The majority of running injuries are caused by overuse. Schedule at least two rest days per week to give your body an opportunity to recover.

6. Pace Yourself Just as skipping rest days can lead to overuse injuries, so can dramatically increasing mileage. When planning your training schedule, limit yourself to a maximum of 10% increase in mileage per week.

7. Fix your form Improper running posture can lead to pain in the hips, neck and shoulders. Keep your body upright, with your elbows bent at a 90 degree angle, and your head up. Keeping your back straight allows your lungs to fully expand. Keep your body loose and relaxed to prevent tightness.

8. Vary the terrain Every terrain type has pro and cons, so it’s best to switch it up now and then. The flat, even surface of roads put less pressure on the legs, but the slightly slanted surface can cause uneven stress. Trails are softer and put less pressure on joints, but can contain obstacles. Tracks have a bit of cushioning, but the oval shape can lead to stress on the hips and ankles.

9. Strengthen your muscles Including strength training in your workout routine can reduce muscle fatigue and the risk of injury. Try to strengthen both the upper and lower body with weightlifting, hill running, or plyometrics two to three times each week.

10. Prevent small hurts from becoming big injuries Caring for aches and pains can prevent them from turning into larger problems. Use the RICE – rest, ice, compression, and elevation – method to treat minor injuries. Ice reduces inflammation, while rest is crucial for allowing damaged tissue time to repair. Compression from an elastic bandage and elevation reduce swelling.

by Michele S

t seems like everyone is lacing up their running shoes and hitting the pavement. Unfortunately, running is rife with potential for injury.To keep your training on target, try these ten tips for avoiding an injury.

Georgia High School Football

Wives Tales, Un-Confirmed Stories, and Hearsay by Jon Nelson, GPB Sports Correspondent

Someone once asked me, while I was at work, who my favorite high school football team was. I know this will be hard to believe, but I want every school to do well. It means a lot for civic pride for the towns and counties that throw everything at the academics and athletics. It means that young adults are learning a lot of great core values that they can carry with them through their adult lives and have them rub off on others. And it makes for great conversation and great stories 365 days out of the year. So, when schools like North Springs, Jordan, and Atkinson County break long losing streaks, I think it’s the coolest thing I can show on GPB for our “Football Fridays in Georgia.” Because it means a lot to a lot of people. And, then, there are those rivalry games where towns are split in half, or even in more sections going in. There’s Northside vs. Warner Robins and the “Winnersville Classic” that immediately come to mind. There are hand full’s of them around the state: Washington-Wilkes and Lincoln County, Brookwood vs. Parkview, most of Region 6-5A, the Columbus and LaGrange schools, and I’m fairly sure you have one closest to your heart that you circle on the calendar every season. Having done stories on both the Warner Robins city matchup and the Winnersville past, it’s interesting to see how it rubs off on people. The mayor of Warner Robins, Chuck Shaheen, is a Warner Robins grad. You can see how that plays. Police cars have front license plates with the corresponding school’s logo that ties with the officer’s alma mater. A blue “N” for Northside and a red “R” for Warner Robins… Bryan Way, Warner Robins head coach, and his counterpart at Northside, Kevin Kinsler, admits that it’s their most hectic week of the year. And if you ask, both sides, adults and students alike, will tell you that

they don’t like each other. The athletes don’t hang out with each other and this has gone on for generations. When it comes to “Winnersville,” Valdosta head coach Rance Gillespie tells me it’s a different animal from anything that he’s been through in the college and high school ranks. Lowndes high head coach Randy McPherson came from Florida and got a crash course in the game a little over a decade ago. He told me there’s nothing like it. There are wives tales, unconfirmed stories, and hearsay that in these rivalry games that attach themselves to the stuff of legend and memory. Here’s one of my favorites, there is a game (I won’t say where) that involves neighboring counties. The police officers have in the past (allegedly) camped out at the county line and pulled over visiting fans heading to the game to slow down their progress and make sure that the officer’s home team was better represented at the rival game. And it happened both ways, year after year, for decades and I’m told it has happened recently in the rivalry. Dear reader, what’s your favorite rivalry and why? Let us know here either by responding on Facebook, reaching out on Twitter, or commenting via e-mail. It’s always fun for me to get feedback from all of you on how things break down across the state. And if there’s one rivalry game that I need to see, let me know which one and why. Because I also know that games aren’t just Friday night. It takes a lot of activity during the week to make them happen so both sides can enjoy the game- short of the final score, of course, where only one side gets to brag for the next year. I’d like to always add to my travels and that’s where you come in. Play it safe, everyone, I’ll see you next time.

Jon Nelson, GPB Sports Correspondent

Dear reader,

what’s your favorite rivalry and why? Let us know either by responding on the Facebook page or on our Twitter feeds. It’s always fun for me to get feedback from all of you on how things break down across the state.

And The Produce They Are In:

As athletes, we know we need vitamins and minerals. But, most of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know which ones are the most important, and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know which fruits and vegetables provide these body building and maintenance ingredients. The following top 10 list outlines the vitamins and minerals you need the most and the fruits and vegetables that offer them in the highest quantities (the list does not include vitamins and minerals found in animal food sources).

Vitamin B3

Zinc

- Critical for the body to metabolize carbohydrates (1), Vitamin B3 is found in beets, sunflower seeds, peanuts (not peanut butter), strawberries, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

- Not only important for cell reproduction, eyesight, and smell, zinc is critical for the rebuilding of muscles. Without sufficient zinc amounts, amino acids cannot be converted into muscle. Those fruits and vegetables highest in zinc are apricots, peaches, prunes, avocados, blackberries, and raspberries.

(aka Niacin or Nicotinic acid)

Iodine - Vital for thyroid gland production and the prevention of developmental disorders and goiters, the best sources of iodine are seaweed, potatoes, prunes, navy beans, bananas, and strawberries. Cranberries have the highest concentration.

Magnesium - Like zinc, magnesium is a vital building block required to convert proteins into muscle. Raw spinach, squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, soy beans, and dark chocolate are all high in magnesium.

Vitamin A

Potassium

- Essential for the skin and fighting free radicals, the highest concentrations of Vitamin A are found in chili, cayenne, and red pepper as well as paprika. It is also found in leafy greens, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

- Necessary for your body to maintain electrolyte levels and fluid balances, potassium is required to keep your system running cleanly as it moves other vitamins and minerals around your body. It is found in high quantities in apricots, prunes, currants, raisins, dates, figs, coconut, avocados, and bananas.

Vitamin C

NutritioN Nutritio N

10 Most Important Vitamins and Minerals

by Ryan H.

veryone knows they need vitamins and minerals, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all know which ones, nor the foods that provide the highest quantities of these essentials.

- A large player in the success of your immune system, the highest quantities of Vitamin C are actually found in red and green hot chili peppers. Guavas have the second highest concentration, followed by the bell peppers, thyme and parsley, leafy greens, broccoli, kiwi, and papaya. Oranges barely make the top 10 in respect to Vitamin C concentration!

Vitamin D - Working in conjunction with Vitamin K, D helps build and maintain bone structure in addition to fighting a wide variety of cancers. Mushrooms are the only non-meat, non-dairy food that provides a significant amount of Vitamin D. Particularly when raw, they carry a high dose.

Iron - Crucial to the development and maintenance of red blood cells, iron is also critical to the immune system (even though the immune system is generally associated with white blood cells). Tomatoes, apricots, parsley, spinach, and coconuts are all extremely high in iron.

Source: http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin (1), http://bembu. com/iodine-rich-foods (2), http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-ofvitamin-A.php (3),

Academic Athlete

Drew & Ryan

Bradshaw Valdosta High School

Bradshaw Twins Sit Atop of Class 2015 by Robert Preston, Jr.

t’s said competition brings out the best in people. This is certainly the case in the Bradshaw household in Valdosta. Eric and Jeanne-Hope Bradshaw’s twin sons, Ryan and Drew, are ultra-competitive, ultra-talented and ultra-intelligent. And right now, they occupy the top two spots in the Class of 2015. Now juniors at Valdosta High, the twins moved to Valdosta from Carrollton with their family in 2002. Early on, their parents noticed the twins were gifted academically. So the Bradshaws made a deal with their sons when they were in the second grade: If the twins would maintain a 95 or higher in their classes, they wouldn’t check their homework. “They always did that, and we’ve never checked

photography by Micki K Photography

their homework,” says their father. The twins’ school years have been marked by academic achievement. Currently participants in the International Baccalaureate Program, Drew and Ryan were also in the Duke Talent Identification Program as seventhgraders, where they finished in the top two percent of seventh-graders in the United States. They are now on track to be valedictorian and salutatorian of their graduating class. The Bradshaw twins have been motivated by the aforementioned arrangement with their parents and an intense desire to one-up each other in the classroom, on the wrestling mat, and anywhere else. “I can finish second to last and be okay -

as long as I beat my brother,” says Ryan. The competition, while fierce at times, is also friendly and the brothers do what they can to help each other out. To them, success in the classroom comes down to time management. They don’t procrastinate and they do whatever it takes to get their school work done. “When we come home, we get on our homework. In the IB program, our workload is pretty big and we have to get started on everything immediately. Procrastination doesn’t work,” says Drew. They don’t just do their work to finish the assignment. They pay attention to the details of their projects and assignments and make sure they get them right. Ryan doesn’t want 23

to be outdone by Drew, and vice versa, and they

work hard to out perform the other. The end result is incredible attention to detail and unrivaled thoroughness when it comes to completing assignments. Their quest to beat each other academically has them ahead of everyone else in their class – and yet they don’t know which brother is first and which is second. Both agree: “We don’t know, we don’t want to know.” Despite their punishing workload in the classroom, the brothers make time to participate in several other activities on the Valdosta High campus. Both wrestle, Ryan runs cross country, and Drew is the drumline section leader in the band. When it comes to wrestling, both brothers want to do what’s best for their team and for each other. Being identical twins, they are also the identical size. To give both a chance to compete, Ryan dropped down a weight class to 126 pounds so Drew could wrestle unhindered in the 132 class. They don’t

keep track of their statistics, instead focusing more on what the team does. “It doesn’t matter what is best for the team - they’ll do it. They are more interested in how the team does than their own individual statistics,” says their father. Wrestling is a brutal sport. Yet for all the physicality of wrestling, a match often comes down to strategy, to who can out think and outmaneuver an opponent. That’s where the Bradshaw twins excel. The same intelligence and attention to detail that has them in the top two spots in their class helps tremendously on the mat. Seldom do the twins get outstrategized in a match. If they lose, it happened because they were out wrestled. “We don’t beat ourselves. We don’t make a lot of mental mistakes. We love the challenge of wrestling. You wrestle people your own size, and there’s a lot of strategy and technique involved,” says Drew. Their goals are all team oriented. You won’t

hear them say much about their own records or what they would like do individually. It’s all about the team, about the Wildcats being successful and going as far as they possibly can. In early December, Ryan had eight varsity wins and Drew seven. They have made significant contributions to the program, and they are getting better each and every week. Their goal is to help Valdosta make it to the state meet and they’re willing to do anything required to see that happen. “I want our team to make it to state. I’ve worked hard in the offseason and I’d like to see us do really well,” says Drew. Ryan agrees: “I want our team in the state duals. I love wrestling with this team more than anything else.” Ryan and Drew still have a year and a half left in high school. What does the future hold? They plan to keep working, keep wrestling and keep studying. “We are going to wrestle and we hope to stay at the top of our class,” says Ryan. ITG

Ryan and Drew Bradshaw are musically inclined. Ryan is a percussionist though he doesn’t play in the Valdosta High band. They pass the time playing music and often play in churches throughout the area. Their work is confined to instruments; neither twin is a particularly talented vocalist. When asked if either sings, they both laughed and said, “No, not at all.”

Ryan

Drew 25

South Georgia 2013 High School Football Awards Banquet

2013

Sout High School Footb

In the Game Honors Area Players, Coaches at Annual Football Banquet by Robert Preston, Jr.

ootball fans in South Georgia have always known that some of the best players in the country can be found right here. Tuesday, Dec. 17, retired Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden confirmed those beliefs at In the Game Magazine’s annual football banquet held at the James H. Rainwater Center in Valdosta. Coaches, players and their families, and sponsors from the 17 area schools covered by the South Georgia edition were on hand to officially bring the 2013 football season to an end. In the process, they heard from one of the true legends of football at any level. Coach Bowden began his remarks by recalling

photography by Micki K Photography

his experiences coaching in southern Georgia in the 1950s. Bowden’s first head coaching job was just up the road in Douglas at then-South Georgia College. He became head football coach and athletic director in 1955, and most of his players were from the South Georgia area. “I’ve recruited all over the country – it was true then and it’s true now – the toughest football players in the country are right here in South Georgia,” said Coach Bowden. He concluded his presentation by mentioning the five qualities he looked for in football players. He emphasized that these qualities would make an individual successful in life as well as football: Brains, dependability, am-

Fellowship, Fun, Food, and Football!

bition, work ethic, and character. John Eunice, father of the late James Eunice, was on hand to discuss the James Eunice Scholarship Fund’s upcoming events. Fellowship of Christian Athletes area director Danny Broyles also made a few remarks before dinner. As attendees finished their meals, Coach Bowden spoke before turning the ceremony over to In the Game publisher Mark Dykes. Two players from each of the 17 teams – one offensive player and one defensive player – were presented an award. Then the evening’s seven major awards were announced. In all, In the Game gave area players and coaches a total of 41 awards. TG

th Georgia ball Awards Banquet

Mediacom Defensive Player of the Year Quintin Hampton Colquitt County High School

The Valdosta Vault Community Service Award J.C. Clark - Tift County High School

Valdosta Toyota Middle School Player of the Year Ra-Jayce Rogers, J.L. Newbern Middle School

Wiregrass Georgia Techinal College Academic Player of the Year Christian Parker, Lowndes High School

Hughston Clinic Coach of the Year Maurice Freeman, Brooks County High School

Colony Bank Offensive Player of the Year Adam Choice, Thomas Co. Central

South Georgia Medical Center Special Teams Player of the Year Mac Loudermilk, Valdosta High School

Colquitt Regional Medical Center - Speaker Presentation Sponsor Former Florida State University Head Football Coach Bobby Bowden

Not Pictured: Colony Bank - Offensive Player of the Year Malkom Parrish, Brooks County High School

Tyrick Mollay, Defense Berrien County Nashville Tractor

Taylor Griner, Offense Berrien County Nashville Tractor

Martez Gray, Defense Brooks County Lee & Pickels Drugs

Deric Herring, Offense Brooks County Lee & Pickels Drugs

Octavious Johnson, Defense Clinch County

Chancey Manac, Offense Clinch County

Wyatt Miller, Offense Coffee County Anderson Buick GMC

Shawn Fussell, Defense Coffee County Anderson Buick GMC

Daniel Mobley, Defense Colquitt County State Farm - Sharon DeMott

De’Themeyus “Bull” Barge Offense - Colquitt County State Farm - Sharon DeMott

Tyler Gibbs, Offense Cook County State Farm - Brent Dixon

Stacy Sailor, Defense Cook County State Farm - Brent Dixon

Romarius Gaulden, Offense Fitzgerald

Gerald Morgan, Defense Fitzgerald

Blake Winters, Defense Georgia Christian School

Cole Copeland, Offense Georgia Christian School

Austin Lane, Offense Lanier County

Bobby Davis, Defense Lanier County

Dyshon Sims, Offense Lowndes Farmers & Merchants Bank

Tre Jackson, Defense Lowndes Farmers & Merchants Bank

Deondre Cooksey, Defense Thomas County Central State Farm - Kellie Starlin

Jarell Jones, Offense Thomas County Central State Farm - Kellie Starlin

Mario Cherry, Offense Thomasville

Jay Bowdry, Defense Thomasville

Ryan Wedgeworth, Defense Tift County Tenneson Nissan

Jaelon Johnson, Defense Tift County Tenneson Nissan

Ethan Mims, Offense Tiftarea Tenneson Nissan

Jack Raines, Defense Tiftarea Tenneson Nissan

Alex Cason, Offense Valdosta Sutherland Physical Therapy

Anthony Smith, Defense Valdosta Sutherland Physical Therapy

Congratulations to all the 2013 Award Recipients!

Char Merine, Offense Valwood Chic-fil-A

Reggie Robinson, Defense Valwood Chic-fil-A

Player Spotlight Presented by:

akeba Ponder is a gifted athlete who could no doubt play any one of a number of sports. She has chosen to spend her last couple of years in high school focused on basketball and nothing else. Through middle school and her first two years of high school, she also ran track. Last year, she decided to devote all her time to basketball. “I knew that’s where my future would be so that’s where I decided to focus my time,” she says.

Makeba Ponder Colquitt County High School

Colquitt County’s Makeba Ponder Hopes To Lead Lady Packers to a Title by Robert Preston, Jr.

akeba Ponder, a 5’8” guard for the Colquitt County Lady Packers, learned how to play basketball the hard way. When she was just a little girl, she started playing against the much older boys in her neighborhood. Her opponents refused to take it easy on Ponder - if she was going to play with men, she would have to play like men. “It made me tougher and it made me a better all-around basketball player. I had to teach myself how to play. I learned the game on my own,” she recalls. Those lessons set a foundation for Ponder that helped her become one of the best female basketball players to ever grace the halls of Colquitt County High School. An All-Region selection and former co-Region Player of the Year, Ponder has a chance to score her 2,000th point this season. She hopes to add a region championship and a deep playoff run to her senior season resume, maybe something that will surpass last year’s appearance in the Sweet 16 of the state tournament.

photography by Connie Southwell Photography

has eluded her even though Colquitt advanced to the Sweet 16 last year. Ponder would like to fix that this year and go even farther in the playoffs. It’s always difficult for South Georgia schools to compete with the metro area programs but the Lady Pack showed they could play with the best in the state last year, losing to Langston Hughes in double overtime after beating McEachern, 5449, in the first round. Ponder says her game was a little off against Langston Hughes. Playing in the Sweet 16 remains her biggest moment as a Lady Packer. “I didn’t shoot well that night so I put the ball in hands of my teammates,” she says. “At the end of the game, we were down by three points. The play was supposed to go to me but I wasn’t open. Our point guard got the ball to someone else and she made the three to tie,” recalls Ponder. The shot sent the game into overtime, with neither team gaining an advantage in the extra period. In the second overtime, Langston Hughes pulled away for a 59-52 win. “We just ran out of gas. It had been a long time since we had made it that far. It was a great experience.”

onder has continued to improve her game, she has learned the importance of playing well at both ends of the floor. She considers her growing defensive prowess one of the keys to her success at Colquitt County. Ponder has played varsity every year. She has always been a prolific scorer but she wasn’t particularly adept at defense when she arrived on campus. Little by little, she has gotten better and better defensively. As her defensive skills have improved, her playing time increased. And her offensive production began climbing as well. “I played a little when I was in ninth grade but not much. It was because I couldn’t play defense. I got better on defense and I started playing more. I also started making more shots. My defense helped create my offense,” she says. Last season, Ponder averaged 20 points, five rebounds and three assists per game. Early in the season, she’s averaging 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists each night. Ponder has already enjoyed a great career with the Lady Packers, but a region championship

Several big schools went after Ponder, including programs from the SEC and ACC. She decided to sign with Georgia State, one of the first schools to contact her. “I had a few offers but I really liked Georgia State. The program is good and I enjoyed being around their coaches. I really felt like I could fit in well with that team,” she says. Ponder plans to play basketball for as long as she can. When her basketball career ends - whenever that may be - she plans to seek a career in education. Ponder will major in special education at Georgia State, then teach and coach. For the time being, she is focused on her senior season at Colquitt County High School. She still has a lot of work to do, her 2,000th point to score, and, hopefully, a region title to win. ITg

Makebaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorites: Team besides Georgia State: University of Connecticut Player: Kevin Durant and Maya Moore Sport you wish you could play: Softball Subject: Math Least favorite subject: Literature Last movie: Love and Basketball Place to travel: California Person to meet: LeBron James Superpower: Dribbling superpowers

Coach’s Corner

Archie Chatmon Albany High School

When he was in high school, Archie Chatmon played a little recreation tennis but he never took the game too seriously. He didn’t play at Westover because he wanted to run track, and track and tennis season took place at the same time. When he went to Georgia Southwestern, however, he came along at the right time and competed in tennis and track. As a small NAIA program, Georgia Southwestern needed athletes on its teams. And it needed runners and tennis players. “I went out for the tennis team and made it. I was also able to run track,” he says. As a result, Chatmon played basketball, tennis and ran track all four years he was in Americus.

After More Than 30 Years of Coaching, Hall of Famer Chatmon Not Slowing Down by Robert Preston, Jr.

Archie Chatmon’s Hall of Fame coaching career is one built entirely in the city of Albany. For the most part, it’s been constructed entirely within the walls of Albany High School - which is a bit ironic, considering Chatmon is a graduate of Westover High School, one of Albany High’s fiercest rivals. Chatmon, a standout athlete who played basketball and ran track at Westover, always knew he wanted to coach. He set his sights on a coaching career long before he graduated from Westover. He figured he would play his chosen sports for as long as he could then turn to coaching. After graduating from Westover, Chatmon headed to Georgia Southwestern University, where he played basketball, ran track and played on the tennis team. His goal

photography by Micki K Photography

was to return to Westover High and coach at his alma mater. A couple of years after graduating from college, his dream came true. But it only lasted a few months. Chatmon’s first job was at Pelham, where he coached and taught for one year. Then he returned to Albany where he taught at Dougherty County’s in-school suspension program. In the spring of 1984, an opportunity opened up at Westover when a coach left the school mid year. Chatmon came over as an assistant football and basketball coach. Not long after Chatmon went to Westover, the program hired another assistant football coach. Chatmon wouldn’t be able to coach football though he would still have the opportunity to coach basketball as an assistant under the

late Willie Boston. Then came a call from crosstown rival Albany High School. The Indians needed a coach and they figured Chatmon would be interested. The most attractive part of the deal was the chance to become head basketball coach after just two years. Chatmon knew if he stayed at Westover, he wouldn’t have an opportunity to be head coach for many years. Boston was already a legend and he wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. (Boston coached for 17 more years at Westover). Chatmon thought Albany High’s head coaching job might open up in as few as two years. It was an easy decision. He made the move to Albany High. After serving as an assistant basketball coach for two years, he got the chance he was looking for and became head coach of the Indians. “I think it’s worked out well,” he laughs. Indeed it has. He is one of the state’s most decorated basketball coaches, has been named region coach of the year on several occasions, Georgia basketball coach of the year four times, and he’s a member of the Albany Sports Hall of Fame. Chatmon has won more than 300 games and he has played for two state titles (losing both to Westover during what he calls the glory years of Albany basketball in the early 1990s). His Albany High teams have also won numerous region and sub-region titles. “Those years in the early ‘90s, we played some great basketball here. Everybody was good. Westover won four straight state championships. They beat us in the first and last games of those runs, so we bookended their streak. Those were my best teams as well - mine just came along at the same time as those Westover teams,” he says. As he looks back on his career, he notes how times have changed. The way players learn the game, the influences of the AAU scene, and a lack of work ethic and toughness on the part of the athletes have forced him - and every other old-school coach in the country to change the way he approaches the game. In particular, he laments the lack of basketball instincts players developed as they learned to play the game in backyards and playgrounds throughout the city. Now, he says, students

start playing in organized youth leagues and stay there as they age up. Everyone plays against their own age groups and it’s always very controlled. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but athletes who grew up playing on playgrounds or in pick-up games at the Albany State gym against older players developed an edge and instincts that youngsters today lack. “Used to, kids played against grown men who wouldn’t hesitate to throw an elbow or get physical. They had to man up on the court and get tough. Used to, kids learned basketball at the school of hard knocks. Now, they learn it in organized leagues,” Chatmon laments. The result has been a deterioration of the game at all levels, all the way up to the NBA. “Our players watch those guys and try to emulate them. And they aren’t as good as pro players of the past.” As a result, Chatmon has had to alter his coaching philosophy a bit. He says he’s softened up over the years, though his players don’t think so. He still maintains his basic system, but within that system, he has made a few tweaks to address the differences in today’s players. “Yeah, they still have to do it my way but I’ve made some adjustments. You have to make adjustments over time,” he says. Former players will approach Chatmon and tell him that he would have never let them get away with some of the things he lets slip by now. “I just laugh,” says the coach. “They’re right but my players today don’t think I’m soft. They think I’m a monster.” After all these years, how much longer does Chatmon plan to stay on the job? He says he’s taking it year by year but he’s still looking three or four years down the road. He has a young team this year and he’d like to see those kids graduate. But he has also been in this profession for a long time, and the grind can take its toll. In addition to basketball, he is also Albany High’s athletic director, so there is a lot on his plate that keeps him going. “I don’t feel like I’ve completed everything. I have a great group of teachers, coaches, and administrators. When you feel like retiring there’s always one kid who comes along who just grabs at your heart strings. I’m going to take it year by year,” he says. ITg

2013 South Georgia High School Football Awards Banquet

We would like to thank all of the Fine Banquet Sponsors; Keynote Speaker Bobby Bowden; All the South Georgia Area Football Coaches, Players, and Support Staff; And last but not least, The South Georgia Area football Fans and Readership of In the Game High School Sports Magazine.

Without a collaborated effort from all of you, this annual event would not be possible. See you all next year!

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Thomasville Bulldogs Veterans Memorial Stadium â&#x20AC;˘ Thomasville, GA â&#x20AC;˘ www.tvillebulldogs.com

Indian Field • Capacity: 3,000 • Ocilla, GA • www.irwincountyindians.com