South Georgia June/July 2019 Edition

State Champions Wrestling 'Cats Become Part of TitleTown Dickerson Retires But Leaves Door Open Jim Dickerson | Clinch Co.

Throwing Down on the Mat Alexa Downs | Camden Co.

Live In the Game

JUNE/JULY 2019

MOORE MOORE TO TO COME COME

LOCATIONS

• Hughston’s quality patient care has kept us #1 in orthopaedics for 70 years • Organizing preparticipation physicals since 1976 • Covering over 1,500 local sporting events each year

Albany Auburn Columbus Dothan Dublin LaGrange Macon Moultrie Phenix City Thomaston Thomasville Valdosta

• Saturday morning injury clinic • Researching and implementing concussion management software for local athletes

6262 Veterans Parkway Columbus, GA 31909

1-800-331-2910 706-324-6661 www.hughston.com

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What's Next?

South Georgia

In the Game Be committed.

Put in the work every single day.

The only person who can achieve your dreams is you.

Get In the Game. Stay In the Game. Live In the Game.

Anna Limoges EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Celebrating Athletes’ Success On And Off The Field

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

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Failing Is Part of the Game From Small School to Division I

Nick Herndon | Thomas Co. Central

Spence Massey | Tiftarea Academy

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20

A Coach Inspired by the Kids Houston Co. Sharks | Wheelchair Basketball

24

Wrestling 'Cats Become Part of TitleTown

26

Born to Swim Annabelle Melendez & Coleman Yates Valwood School

29 Moore to Come

31

Throwing Down on the Mat Alexa Downs | Camden Co.

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36

40

State Champions 42

49 Perseverance Wins the Race Jalen Murray | Richmond HIll

54

1st State Title for Marion County Girls Basketball

56

ITG Next Golf Tournament

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Albany State Dual Enrollment Student Dreams Big and Succeeds

Presented by: O'Steen Subaru

Chelsea Crumbley | Mitchell Co. High School

Alex Sanchez | Camden Co.

Dickerson Retires But Leaves Door Open

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Top 10 High School Athletic Training Facilities in America

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Ending the 48-Year Drought

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The Panthers Going Forward

Carver High School | Boys Basketball

Clinch Co. High School

All Sports Banquet

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John Jones | Northside High School

Support From the Miracle League

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Showing Ponies With LaLa

Last 6 Minutes of High School Career Bring State Title

Finally Sealing the Deal

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Carver High School | Girls Basketball

69

ITG Next | 11

Chase Busby, St. Simons Island, Ga.

Care that’s a world apart, but just down the road.

Last year, more than 800 children from South Georgia made a very important trip. Some were just a few days old; others were kindergartners or teens. But they all received top-ranked care from one of the best children’s hospitals in America: Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Care that’s a world apart, but just down the road. more 12Learn | itgnext.com

at wolfsonchildrens.com

From the Publisher In the sports world, many of the prizes won aren’t tangible.

Talk to any coach or athlete, and they will tell you that, in the end, winning or losing doesn’t matter all that much. What we learn from playing sports – teamwork, dedication, leadership, hard work – often transcends the playing field and follows us into the rest of our lives. That is what matters.

It must be mentioned, however, that those athletes who excel on the field are often the same people who excel off the field. To achieve greatness at an elite level of play requires a level of competitiveness that can’t be taught. That competitiveness, whether with other athletes or with yourself, pushes you beyond what you thought you were capable of. And sometimes, you’re capable of going all the way.

This issue is all about celebrating the champions of fall, winter, and spring sports. Make sure to check out the highlights from our 2018-19 ITG Next All Sports Banquet. We were able to present more than 60 awards to deserving athletes, coaches, and athletic programs across South Georgia.

On our cover is Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore, a former Lowndes Viking and Valdosta State Blazer who managed to secure an NFL contract with just five seasons of football under his belt.

We speak with Alexa Downs, a wrestler from Camden County who won not only a girls wrestling state title, but also a chance to wrestle at Presbyterian College as part of the first ever Division I women’s wrestling program in NCAA history.

We reminisce with Jim Dickerson as his 30-year football coaching career at Clinch County comes to a close. He spent 15 of those years as head coach for Clinch, leading the Panthers to five state championships and seven region championships. He retires with a record of 152-44-1.

We talk with Houston County Sharks coach Christy Jones about the program’s origins and recent successes. In just 11 years, the wheelchair basketball team – made up of athletes with physical disabilities from all over Houston County – has won seven state championships. Jones said she hopes the Sharks team inspires other communities to develop athletic programs for students with physical disabilities.

Do you know someone who #LivesInTheGame and has a story worth sharing? Head to our website to nominate them to be featured in our next issue! And we’re not just looking for athletes. You can #LiveInTheGame in all areas of life, and we want to help those people tell their stories too.

Follow @itgnext on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for exclusive giveaways and chances to win free apparel. You’ll also be the first to hear about new apparel launches and upcoming ITG Next events.

In the Game Apparel @ITGNext

South Georgia Team Publisher Mark Dykes Editor Anna Limoges Magazine Director Anna Limoges Graphics Mandy Douthit Annabelle Scott Cover Photography Aaron Musgrove Feature Photography Aaron Musgrove Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Eric Vinson Dreaming Wild Photography Caleb Carswell Jesse Taylor Beth Welch George McDuffie Cindy Rewis Feature Writers Anna Limoges Phil Jones Alex Dunn Beth Welch Dominic Ligon Kaylee Kopke Kyle Grondin Copy Editor Anna Limoges Advertising/Marketing Andrew Pipkin andrew@itgnext.com Mark Dykes mark@itgnext.com Digital Manager Mandy Douthit

Tell us what you thought about the April/May issue of In the Game! info@itgnext.com

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In the Game is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Media Group LLC makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2019 Dykes Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

ITG Next | 13

Contributors

Andrew Pipkin Account Executive

Mark Dykes

Mandy Douthit

aNNA Limoges

Chief Executive Officer

Creative Director

editor

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

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

After four years as an interdisciplinary studies major at Valdosta State University and three semesters as an ITG intern, Anna has remained a member of the team as Editor. Since her start in early 2016, she has devoted her editorial eye and organizational prowess to the ITG team. More importantly, although she claims to be a fan of the New Orleans Saints, there is fortunately no other sign of such irrational fandom.

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

Kendra Ehrenberg Video Coordinator

Halie Rash

Beth WElch

Aaron Musgrove

Columbus Area Editor

Contributing Photographer

A native of Tampa, Florida, Kendra is a recent graduate of the University of North Florida (Swoop!). Playing soccer most of her life, she is excited to work for a company that highlights student-athletes. She is currently living her dream of combining her love of sports and journalism into one career. When Kendra's not busy crying over the Bolts’ loss to the Caps last year, she is a dog mom to her sweet pup Sandy.

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Halie Rash is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a degree in communication with an emphasis in public relations. Right after graduation, Halie jumped into the realm of marketing and is excited about her time here with ITG Next as the Marketing Coordinator.

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

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

Micki Krzynski

Eric Vinson

Alex Dunn

Phil Jones

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Photographer

Contributing Writer

Contributing Writer

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

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

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

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

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Marketing Coordinator

Jon Nelson

Lacey Crandall

Contributing Writer

Contributing Writer

Videography Intern

Dominic was born in Mobile, Alabama, but claims Georgia as home too. Although he’s lived half of his life in both states, he remains loyal to his Auburn Tigers. (War Eagle, baby!) He recently graduated with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in communications from Valdosta State University. Poetry was his introduction into the writing world, as he’s hosted and participated in numerous local open mic events. Creative expression through literature is a tremendous passion of his.

Jon has been in TV for 27 years based in Atlanta. He graduated from Florida State with a B.S. in political science. Twenty-four of those years have been at GPB as a host and senior correspondent. He’s also written five books with more on the way! He is blessed with a far prettier wife, Patty, and his two furry children- a Pekingese named Trooper and a cat that acts more like a dog, Trouble. His avid following of every sports team in existence is a ploy to mask the shame of being a FSU graduate.

Lacey is a senior mass media student at Valdosta State University. She was born and raised in Deland, Florida, and discovered VSU through being recruited to play softball at the collegiate level. Her plans after graduation are still undecided, but she hopes to follow the sports media/videography pathway that she’s currently on. She hopes to have better luck in her future than the Washington Redskins have had with quarterbacks.

Annabelle Scott

Jesse Taylor

Cody Gatts

Graphic Design Intern

Photography Intern

Journalism Intern

Annabelle Scott is senior public relations major at Valdosta State University. She is originally from Live Oak, Florida, and is currently pursuing her passion for strategic design as an intern at ITG Next. She is a competitor at heart and is always working to set and exceed her life goals. A Georgia fan by marriage, Annabelle can be found on any given Saturday in the fall quietly reading a book while her husband, Aaron, cheers on them Dawgs.

Jesse Taylor is a senior at Valdosta State University where he is working towards his bachelor's in communications. As an art enthusiast, Jesse pursues his passion for culinary arts, musical theater, and photography extensively. He joined ITG Next during the summer of 2019 as a photography intern where he hopes to inspire people to pursue their passions and exceed their own expectations. Loyal, optimistic, and composed are characteristics Jesse has, which are required as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.

Cody is a senior at Valdosta State University and is majoring in language arts with a minor in journalism. He is engaged to his gorgeous fiancée, Diana; has a furry Pomeranian daughter named Cocoa; and loves reading books from any genre. He is currently writing a novel and hopes to have many more to come! He moved to Valdosta when he was 14 and went through Pine Grove Middle School and Lowndes High School, ultimately ending up at VSU.

Want to Join the Intern Team?

Apply online at itgnext.com

Graphic Design

Journalism

Marketing

Social Media

Photography

Videography

BE IN THE GAME

Dominic Ligon

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ITG Next | 17

From Small School to Division I TIFTAREA ACADEMY

Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Micki K. Photography

As a multi-sport athlete, Spence Massey has enjoyed much success during his sports career at Tiftarea Academy. There are many great memories for Massey, especially on the football field. Perhaps none are better, though, than the night in October of the 2016 season when Massey ran through, around, and over the Westfield Hornet defense on his way to a record-setting night. Massey ran for 383 yards and four touchdowns that night, leading his team to a 41-37 win.

While the outstanding individual performance versus the Hornets was certainly a highlight for Massey, his entire body of work as a four-year starter at Tiftarea has been impressive to reflect on.

He was a starting quarterback in his freshman season, throwing five touchdown passes and rushing for another. Then, during his sophomore season, Massey injured his shoulder in a game early in the season. Doctors diagnosed his injury as a separated AC joint. Despite the injury, Massey was told he could still play without risking further damage to the shoulder. It would, however, be painful to play through.

— When he returned the following week, Massey moved from QB to running back and played the remainder of the season, rushing for just under 2,000 yards with 14 touchdowns, including the grand effort against Westfield. Healthy again with the injury behind him and now a full-time running back, Massey enjoyed a breakout junior season with 2,200 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns on the ground, plus two touchdowns receiving.

In his final season at Tiftarea, Massey led the Panthers to an undefeated regular season and deep into the GISA state playoffs, including their first trip to the semifinals since 2008. Hopes of a state championship, however, came up just a little short as Tiftarea lost to John Milledge Academy. Massey finished his senior season with 1,511 all-purpose yards, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. He rushed for 17 TDs and had three receiving TDs. Massey’s stat line was enough for Georgia Tech, who offered the tall, lanky running back a scholarship. In the end, Massey signed a letter of intent to play at Georgia Tech under Geoff Collins. Massey’s

father, Robert, who also attended Tiftarea Academy, played football for the Yellow Jackets as well. The decision to attend Tech was the culmination of a lifelong dream for Massey.

“My dad played at Tech, so I dreamed of playing football for Georgia Tech,” Massey said. “I’ve always gone to games at Tech and have been a fan of them forever.”

In addition to Tech’s offer, Massey said he received six total scholarship offers, along with three PWOs (Preferred Walk-On status).

The fact that Massey received a scholarship to a major Division I university says a lot about the opportunities afforded to standout athletes at smaller, private schools. Even with his impressive high school stats, Massey understands that he still had to work harder to get recognized.

“Coming from a private school, I didn’t get the same amount of recruitment as I would have at a larger school,” he said. “I had to attend many dozens of camps and combines throughout the years to get my name out Spence Massey there, and I had to get my highlight films in the hands of coaches frequently. Even though I had talked to many coaches, I (only) received my first offer midway through my senior season. Then, I began to get noticed by many more schools.”

He does, however, quickly point out that no matter what size or type of school you play at, if you’ve got what it takes, you can get noticed.

“Recruitment can be tough (at a smaller school), but it can be done,” he said.

Despite the challenge, Massey said he enjoyed attending and playing for the same school his parents attended.

“I have had a great experience at Tiftarea," he said. "Those are memories that I’ll never forget.”

You can bet that fans of Tiftarea Academy won’t forget them either.

“Recruitment can be tough (at a smaller school), but it can be done.”

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Failing Is Part of the Game THOMAS CO. CENTRAL Written by: Dominic Legon | Photography by: Caleb Carswell

In every sport, exceptional athletes have to endure their share of blood, sweat, and tears. There’s a certain level of greatness that’s developed when unexpected conflicts are met with persevering solutions. The ability to overcome these strenuous hardships is the mark of a true competitor, and it’s safe to say that Nick Herndon, a senior baseball player for Thomas County Central High School, is a true example of

20 | itgnext.com

perseverance. After a season-ending injury last year, Herndon has bounced back even better.

Herndon, a Thomasville native, has been playing baseball his entire life. He credited his parents and grandparents for supporting his love for the sport at such a young age; he also admited that his older cousin influenced him to take the game seriously.

“I honestly don’t remember the first moment I got into baseball;

it’s been a part of my life for so long,” he said. “I’ve been playing ever since I could pick up a bat.”

There’s no doubt that his early introduction to baseball fueled his passion for the sport over the years.

Thomas County Central High School is known for their competitive baseball program, and within the past four years, Herndon has contributed to the Yellow Jackets' ongoing success. The center fielder has made the All-Region

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team each of the last He also lead the Yellow four years, an impres- Jackets to an Elite Eight sive feat, state playoff “I honestly but it’s appearance even more as they findon’t impressive ished their consider- remember the season with ing that first moment a school reHerndon cord of 26I got into missed 6. Although baseball; it’s half of Herndon his junior been a part of has earned year due acmy life for so many to a torn colades, he UCL inju- long. I’ve been never lets ry. Tommy playing ever it get to his John surhead. He since I could mentioned gery is any b a s e b a l l pick up a bat.” how his player's teammates — Nick Herndon and coachnightmare, so when it ing staff was decided that Hern- have supported him don would need this through his highs and operation, it wasn’t the lows. most pleasant news.

“There’s no I in “Once I tore my team,” he said. “I value UCL, I knew that I had being a team player a long road ahead of over anything else, and me,” he said. “The re- if it weren’t for the supcovery process took port of my teammates nine to 10 months. I and coaches, I wouldn’t went to physical ther- be here today. I’m exapy and attended a tremely grateful.” weekly throwing proHerndon’s baseball gram to regain my career is still in full efstrength. I’m still get- fect; he recently signed ting used to my body.” a scholarship to play It’s evident that for Sante Fe College in Herndon has endured Gainesville, Florida. He his share of setbacks, appreciates the long but he hasn’t allowed journey that he’s been himself to get discour- through, and he recogaged. He said that deal- nizes that he wouldn’t ing with the injury has be the same person taught him an extreme without it. amount of patience.

“Obviously you have Herndon explained to work hard to be the that his faith in God gave best, but also know that him strength during the failing is a part of the recovery process. game,” Herndon said.

“No matter how “It’s best to embrace hard my situation was, those failures, and never I found that going to forget to have fun playchurch and staying in ing the sport you love.

God’s word was very That’s what we do it for.” helpful,” he said. “I Herndon hasn’t let a knew that God had a setback stop him from plan for me.” achieving his goals Herndon finished and aspirations, and he his junior year with a doesn’t plan on slowing bang. He won Region down anytime soon.

Player of the Year with a batting average of .514.

“I value being a team player over anything else, and if it weren’t for the support of my teammates and coaches, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m extremely grateful.”

— Nick Herndon

Georgia Wheelchair Basketball State Champions 2011 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

A Coach Inspired by the Kids Written by: Kyle Grondin | Photography by: Eric Vinson

The Houston County Sharks wheelchair basketball team won their seventh consecutive state championship on March 8, winning 39-17.

For head coach Christy Jones, it is a success she has seen from the ground up.

Jones started the Houston County Sharks program 11 years ago.

They started with basketball and handball teams spanning grades 2-12, and she has developed one of the few wheelchair basketball programs in South Georgia.

“You really had to go up to Atlanta to get athletic programs for students with physical disabilities,” Jones said. “It was something I started in Houston County because we had programs for students and students with mental disabilities, but none for students with physical disabilities but nothing else. That needed to change.”

Jones had eight one of the biggest moyears of basketball refer- ments for Jones is seeeeing experience under ing her students succeed her belt and used that off the court. One of her knowledge of the game students, who started to help coach her kids. with Jones as a secOne of the most import- ond-grader in the basant aspects she sees is ketball program, recently pride: from herself and signed an intent to play the students she coach- wheelchair basketball at es everyday. the University of Arizona.

“They’re so proud to This will allow her to play be winners," she said. and receive an excep"Getting to wear their tional college education Sharks uniform means along the way. She has something to them. also coached students They would never get who are preparing to a chance to be a part compete in the Paralymof a team if it wasn’t pics, which are set to for Houston County. take place in Tokyo in the Not only do they get to summer of 2020. Jones compete, but they build sets the expectations for friendall of her ships, a "They would athletes to network of succeed never get a b e c a u s e trust, and opportuchance to be a she knows nities for part of a team what evsuccess eryone is if it wasn’t capable of. that they might not “I nevfor Houston have had er assume County." otherwise.” somebody — Christy Jones Indeed, cannot do

something," Jones said.

"These kids can shoot threes (3-ponters) and dribble just like anyone else, and even better most of the time. I just try and give them the confidence (that) they can accomplish anything and develop a sense of independence they wouldn’t have gotten away from athletics.”

Jones’ biggest push is for her students to work together and develop a sense of community, something she thinks will help them grow as athletes, students, and people as

they prepare for life after the Sharks.

Going forward, Jones hopes to see Houston County’s success inspire more communities to develop athletic programs for students with physical disabilities.

“This is a great program, and I hope to see more of them around the state," she said."These kids make me a better coach and person, challenging me every day. It benefits all of us and can be nothing but positive for a community.”

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Registration opens April 15th at www.jaguars.com/prep ITG Next | 25

Wrestling 'Cats Become Part of TitleTown Written by: Kyle Grondin | Photography courtesy of John Robbins

Valdosta High School has another trophy to add to its case, winning its first ever state championship in dual and traditional wrestling.

The Wildcats were led by a strong, young core. Freshman Noah Pettigrew won an individual state championship in the 195-pound division, while fellow freshman Darrell Rochester finished as a runner-up in the 106-pound division.

Rochester also led the team in falls on the season with 37.

Overall, VHS had nine wrestlers finish in the

top six across all weight classes, including Katherine Walker, who became the first girl from VHS to compete for the GHSA Girls Wrestling State Championships. She finished sixth overall in the 176-pound class.

The Wildcats (177.0) dominated on the way to their first traditional wrestling state title.

VHS led every round of the tournament and finished by more than 35 points ahead of Pope High School, who finished second.

Head coach John Robbins has turned a winner in just his second

season as head coach for the Wildcats. “[Valdosta High School] has always had a competitive wrestling program,” Robbins said. “We have a team full of driven kids, and I have brought an organized structure and philosophy to the program.”

Robbins has brought an attacking structure to the Wildcats wrestling team; he tells his athletes to always be on the front foot and to look for ways to get as many points as possible in a match.

“We preach an attack style of wrestling," he said. "We stress the importance of strength

Someone you can count on.

and conditioning. We worry less on managing matches as the team has in the past."

The Wildcats finished in the top four last year, but Robbins knew the team still had room for improvement, which included creating a more prepared team.

“We prepare for every situation that happens on the mat," he said. "If you aren't constantly attacking and trying to score points, you are leaving the outcome in the hands of your opponent or the official.”

After winning a duals championship on Jan. 19, following up with a traditional championship made the season an overwhelming success for the Wildcats. This was the culmination of a concerted effort to continue to grow the sport in Valdosta and garner additional support. Robbins has created events

like the Grapple on the Gridiron, where the team competes on the football field outdoors, to help wrestling become “a more serious sport” in the eyes of the community.

“A lot of kids don't wrestle because they don't know anything about it," he said. "A lot of parents and businesses don't support wrestling because they aren't familiar with it. By making our sport more mainstream, we increase participation and support, and the Valdosta City School System has made it a priority to do just that. Our administration understands how much sports can help students prepare to be successful in all aspects of life. We do everything we can to shine the spotlight on our wrestlers.”

The players-first aspect of the wrestling program has continued to reach new heights. The team displays a banner

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of every individual state champion in school history. They travel around the southeastern United States, including to Orlando and Jacksonville, to compete in tournaments.

“It is very important to continue to put a spotlight on the players," Robbins said. "We preach an attack style of wrestling. We stress the importance of strength and conditioning.

We make our kids believe that what they are doing on the mat is the most important thing in the world by believing in them. Convincing these young men that they can overcome adversity by believing in themselves and the sacrifices they make each day may be the most important.”

Robbins preaches these three philosophies as much as he can: attack, strength, and belief. He views these as the most important parts of sports and life.

“Sports is a gateway to life," he said. "You must work hard. You must be on time. These ideas can translate to college and any career. These are

non-negotiable beliefs on my team, and these kids worked hard to believe it every day.”

The Wildcats wrestling team reached new heights this season, and with young talent and a growing reputation in the community, they’re built to compete for state championships for many seasons. But coach Robbins will always remember the courageous, young athletes who won their first ever team state championship.

“If you are a Cat, then you are a Cat for life, and the expectations are always high," he said. "My guys look at those banners every day and are reminded of how good they could be and what is expected of them. To be able to make their own mark with a team title solidifies them as a true part of TitleTown.”

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Born to Swim VALWOOD SCHOOL

Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Caleb Carswell

We all enter the world at birth knowing how to swim before even learning to walk. (This is called the bradycardic response.) Some argue that’s evidence that we were created to swim. Whatever you believe in, it’s a pretty safe bet that Annabelle Melandez and Coleman Yates never lost that love for the water, as they seem as comfortable in the water as they do out of it.

Coleman and Annabelle are each 14 years old and are in the eighth grade. They both swim for the Valwood swim team, coached by Coleman’s mom, Kelly Yates. They also swim for a local club team, Valdosta Aquatic Swim Team, owned and coached by Matt Grant, who coached swimming at The University of Georgia while attending school there. Between the two teams, Annabelle and Coleman stay in the water a good bit. The club team operates on a year-round schedule, and along with their school team schedule, the two swimmers spend six days a week, approximately three hours per day, training. This includes 5 a.m. practices before school twice a week. While the club team has been established for some time, coach Kelly Yates established the Valwood swim team in the 2017-18 school year. Under her direction, the school team has grown from four swimmers to 15 in just one year.

Annabelle Melendez

Coleman Yates

Annabelle and her family moved to Valdosta two years ago from Minnesota. According to Grant, the first question the family had, in addition to educational opportunities, was about the opportunity to swim for a solid school team. The family chose Valwood. Under coach Yates, Annabelle has won three GISA state middle school championships and barely missed setting a state GISA record. She has recently been accepted to participate in the Georgia LSC Select Camp, a three-day skills camp that consists of the top 14 and under swimmers in the state. She was also recently selected to swim in the TYR East Elite Showcase meet, which brings together the fastest swimmers in the eastern United States. Annabelle is an accomplished individual swimmer, but cherishes the team concept and loves to encourage her teammates. According to her coaches, Annabelle has ambitions to swim collegiately.

Coleman is much like his teammate: He's a hard worker who loves the team atmosphere of swimming alongside his Valwood teammates while relishing the ability to compete individually. Grant pointed out that Coleman is one of the hardest working swimmers and focuses on completing his workouts successfully. He works hard on technique and likes to have fun, even when the workouts are extremely difficult.

This drive has led to Coleman winning five GISA middle school state championships and setting three state records in just the past two years. Like Annabelle, he has been accepted to participate in the LSC Select Camp, and he also swam in the TYR East Elite Showcase meet. He earned 10 swims in the event. Coleman has been recognized as one of the best swimmers in the 14 and under group in the state of Georgia and in the top 50 nationally.

Their coaches agree that the two swimmers have similar characteristics that make them special.

“They believe that they are talented,” Grant said. “It's not arrogance, but simply a recognition of their God-given ability.”

Coach Yates said that for both student-athletes, their best days await them.

“They each have such a bright future awaiting them,” she said.

In the end, it’s pretty simple what makes Annabelle and Coleman so successful.

“They enjoy the sport,” Grant said. “They truly love swimming.”

It’s as if Annabelle and Coleman were born to swim.

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Moore to Come Written by: Anna Limoges | Photography by: Aaron Musgroves

How many seasons of football would you think the average rookie has under his belt going into the NFL? I’d guess maybe seven or eight, not counting middle school or Pee Wee years.

Kenny Moore, cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts, had five.

Moore’s first season of football came during his senior year at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia.

He played three other sports (soccer, basketball, and track) before getting around to football. During his junior year, a friend on the track team suggested he try out for the football team, and as someone who likes a challenge,

Moore did just that.

“If you were to see me in high school, you would understand,” Moore said with a laugh. “I was just so small. I wanted to (play football), but I was so small, and going against and going to school with Telvin Smith and Tyler Hunter and guys of that nature, I mean, they were huge. I didn’t want to play with those guys.”

Going into practices that summer, Moore didn’t expect to play at all that fall. After working hard with his coaches, though, he ended

up starting every game that season.

After signing to continue his football career with Valdosta State University, Moore still didn’t think he would get playing time his freshman year of college. In fact he had a contingency plan: If he didn’t play a single game that football season, he would end his college career and join the Air Force.

Moore played in 10 games that season, including one start, and racked up 18 tackles and one interception.

Moore said he didn’t start thinking of football as a real career option until later in college.

“I had a new coach on defense every single

year at VSU, but every single coach told me that I had potential to be a good football player – I guess by just my character and my discipline as far as playing. And as they said that, I proved to them that I am getting better. Every year in college began to get better.

My stats doubled probably every single year.”

He’s not far off. His number of total tackles went from 18 his freshman season to 37, 51, and then 65 in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, respectively.

He went from getting just one interception his freshman year to getting two, three, and then five in the next three seasons.

Having four different

defensive coordinators in four years at VSU actually helped Moore when it came time to join the pros.

“At VSU, I always had a defensive coordinator that was new to the program, so with that he always had a new defense for us to learn,” Moore said. “That pushed me to learn more and to apply more to the field, and it increased my football IQ. So, going into the pros, I felt like I was ready, but I wasn’t. I was more comfortable with myself learning new things though. As far as going to the next level, there is a lot more to learn.

I thought I knew a lot about football going

Moore left VSU before he could finish his degree, but he’s resumed taking online courses through the university so that he can finish his undergraduate degree.

I just feel like it is important to finish what you started.

I put so many years into school, and me, personally, I wouldn’t feel at whole if I didn’t finish college. No matter how much money you have or accomplishments you’ve achieved, I just feel like it is something right to do.

2018 SEASON STATS 95 TKLS 76 SOLO 7.0 TFL 4.5 SACKS

14 PO 4 INT 1 FF

3 SACKS SINGLE POSTSEASON FRANCHISE RECORD ITG Next | 31

into the pros, and that come out of it,” he said. “I is the confidence part of bullied myself since I was it that I had, thankfully, a kid to strive at the highbut there was a lot more est degree above everyto learn.” one else. I just wanted In 2017, Moore myself to exceed. I really signed with the New wanted my parents to see how England Patriots good I was at as an I didn’t really have undraftplaying anything growing up, e a c h ed free a g e n t . so just seeing my mom sport I He was played work hard and take waived care of seven kids, that growing

by New up. I just was motivation itself, c a r r i e d England someone that had to and then it on into claimed middle sacrifice everything off waivschool, they had for a better ers by h i g h future the right way.

Indiaschool, I committed to doing and to napolis, w h e r e everything it takes for a college.

“My he has better future. b e e n parents since.

— Kenny Moore n e v e r got to In his first two seasons with see my games growing the Colts, Moore man- up that much, so if my aged to replicate his mom could wake up the success with VSU, almost next morning and see an doubling his number of article about me on how tackles and interceptions many points I scored in from one season to the basketball in high school next. He went from 32 in the newspaper, that tackles and one inter- was a step further. That ception over 16 games was something that in 2017 to 63 tackles and meant a lot to me. And in three interceptions over college she did have Sat15 games in 2018. urdays off, so she could For Moore, the drive come to the games.” to improve comes from Going into his third a desire to build a better season for the Colts, future for himself.

Moore said the biggest “I didn’t come from difference between much,” he said. “I didn’t playing college ball and really have anything pro ball is the intensity growing up, so just see- of the game. ing my mom work hard “As far as playing, and take care of seven the difference bekids, that was motivatween college foottion itself, someone that had to sacrifice every- ball and professional thing they had for a bet- is the game speed ter future the right way. and, I would say from I committed to doing my experience, the everything it takes for a contact,” he said. “It’s better future.” a lot more contact on Moore can be hard on himself, but that’s what that level. If you’re has pushed him to be not prepared mencompetitive his whole life. tally and physically, “You can either beat I don’t think you will yourself up negatively, make it long.” or you can bully yourself Part of being preand make a positive out- pared mentally is stay32 | itgnext.com

What advice would you give younger players who want to be where you are now?

Stay on path. The cream of the crop always rises to the top. Your integrity, your determination will be tested. Adversity seeks on everyone, but it’s how you respond to your adversity. Your story is going to be different from mine, so you can’t really base yours off of my story.

Everybody has their own book.

ing grounded, which Moore does by giving back to both the communities he trains and plays in and his hometown community of Valdosta. In June 2018, he hosted the Day of Love Community Festival at the Valdosta Boys and Girls Club as a way to reconnect with former teammates and friends and to show love to the community.

“I grew up learning that no matter how many people you try to reach, it only matters if you reach one,” he said. “Me holding that festival in June or me doing community service as much as I can, it doesn’t really matter unless I reach somebody. And there have been a lot of people that it has helped, and I will continue to help them.”

Being a positive influence on the younger members of the community is of particular importance to Moore.

“I just want to inspire the youth because it’s so easy to be sidetracked as a kid because you don’t really know anything and you are just going off of things that you probably see on the TV or hear on the radio or someone that you are around,” he said. “To give you a different perspective of someone that you may see on TV or you may see in person, I think that is different for a child to see. That is who I like to inspire.”

As for who inspires him?

“Dwayne Wade because he’s a gentleman,” Moore said. “He is not just a ball player or an athlete. He is a man; he is an icon on and off the

court. I’m watching his every step, ever since I was a little kid, and I think anybody can say that he is the most consistent player you’ve ever seen on and off the court. He loves fashion, he loves his family, he is self-driven and self-motivated, he comes from a broken home, and he was self-inspired to achieve everything that he has achieved.”

You can catch Moore on the field again this fall. The Colts open the regular season against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 8.

What makes you different from everyone else?

I think that I am more mental than everyone else. You get nothing from not working, but I think that it is my mental state.

Even by normal standards, I am a very deep person. I feel like to succeed you’ve got to be self-motivated; you’ve got to be self-driven.

Notable Notable Colts Colts Through Through the TheYears Years 18 Peyton Manning 1998-2011 QB

Career Stats 539 TD 251 INT 71,940 YDS

87 Reggie Wayne 2001-14 WR Career Stats TD REC YDS

82 1,070 14,345

19 Johnny Unitas 1956-72 QB Career Stats TD INT YDS

290 253 40,239

88 Marvin Harrison 1996-2008 WR Career Stats TD REC YDS

128 1,102 14,580

93 Dwight Freeney 2002-12 DE/LB Career Stats TCKL SCK

332 125.5

Kenny Moore

Indianapolis Colts Cornerback

What is the most memorable moment of your sports career to date?

“It’s definitely one that my mom had to attend. The season after my dad passed away, it meant a lot to me to play after everything that happened, but it had to be my last college football game. Yeah, I went crazy. I had like 10 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions.

It was crazy. We played UNC Pembroke; we lost that game too. It was my last snap in that black and red (for Valdosta State University).”

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

“People say we should be ready because we never know what things will happen, but I love art, but then I do want to inspire somehow because I don’t want it to all be about me. I don’t see myself coaching though. I feel like I wouldn’t have that much time to my family."

34 | itgnext.com

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Throwing Down on the Mat Written by: Alex Dunn | Photography by: Micki K Photography

As far as experDowns decided to imenting with new make wrestling her prisports in high school, mary sport because the senior Alexa Downs qualities and techniqies takes the cake. Along piqued her interest.

“I liked the competwith participating in soccer, football, track, itiveness of the sport and Tae Kwon Do, she and how anyone could also picked up wres- get beat at practice,” she tling her sophomore said. “It made it exciting year and stuck with it and interesting. I don’t as her primary sport. think you could ever Now at Camget bored at “Having to a wrestling den County High School, find coaches practice.” she has many Camden opportunities who are (1) County High willing to ahead of her.

School does Downs, not have a work with whose fasolely female ther is in the me and (2) w r e s t l i n g willing to Navy, moved team, but around frethey have had take me to q u e n t l y several girls the places join the team during her and levels with much childhood.

Camden that I need success, acCounty was cording to the fourth to be at was Downs’ coach hard.” high school Jess Wilder. she attendW i l d — Alexa Downs ed, which was er, who has not only hard on her coached Downs for and her family, but also the last year, has differthe sports she wished ent coaching styles for to play at school. individual players be“Having to find cause he understands coaches who are (1) that not all wrestling willing to work with me matches can be won and (2) willing to take with one technique. me to the places and “We understand levels that I need to be that different techat was hard,” she said. niques work for different body styles and do 36 | itgnext.com

not force kids to wres- ferently, and it’s taken tle one particular style,” me a while to adapt to our new location.

Wilder said.

“Wrestling is by far When I won state this the hardest sport I’ve last season, it was rebeen in,” Downs said. ally heartwarming.

“Not only is it physical- It proved to me, my family, ly exhausting, it’s and those “I liked the did mentally competitiveness who challengnot suping.

You of the sport and port me can’t dethat I can how anyone pend on a ucceed could get beat sand teammate push to come in at practice,” she past all of and help said. “It made the negayou win and it exciting and tivity the match. obstacles interesting, I It’s you and I’ve faced one other don’t think you t h r o u g h person on out my could ever the mat. wrestling get bored at career.”

You give it your all, Wilder a wrestling win or lose. had similar practice.”

Whatever sentiments. happens is “I think — Alexa Downs on you, not it is a great anyone else." thing,” he said. “I hope While picking wres- one day the girls event tling seemed to be a is allowed to have its no-brainer for Downs, own series separate she still had her strug- from the men’s like gles adapting to the other girls sports such sport like anyone else as basketball and softtrying something new ball. They deserve it.” for the first time.

This is the first year “Being a female girls have had their own wrestler on an all-male official state tournament team is hard," she said. in Georgia. Downs feels "I would go home cry- that this is something ing to my parents on that will boost her wreshow I couldn’t score tling career further past on the guys that day, or high school. how badly I got beat up.

“It opens so many They have always been doors and opportunithere to help pick me ties for new and upup when I’ve struggled.” coming athletes.”

That support even One of those doors helped her win her included college first state champion- scouting, which left ship in the 136-pound Downs with quite a weight division, some- few offers from across thing Downs will likely the nation. She decidnever forget. ed to commit to Pres“It was amazing,” byterian College to be she said. “As I’ve men- part of their women’s tioned, trying to find wrestling program, a place to ground my the first ever women’s feet has been difficult. wrestling program in Everyone coaches dif- NCAA Division I. ITG Next | 37

“Presbyterian College reduring and after her college ally stood out to me because career. of how close the team was “I was shocked when I with each other,” Downs said. first heard of a D1 wom“Walking in the en’s wrestling room, you could “Being a female program,” she tell that they wrestler on an said. “It shows were a family. Evhow all-male team is everyone eryone was willmuch the sport ing to help me hard. I would go is growing and during practice home crying to how fast people and asked tons willing to my parents on are of questions. It jump on board how I couldn’t and support. I made me feel welcomed and would love to score on the pro and conreally want to guys that day, or go be a part of their tinue competprogram. To this how badly I got ing at the senior level. As far as day I talk to the beat up.” girls on the team a major, I’m still — Alexa Downs almost on the undecided, but daily. Plus, the I would love to coaches are absolutely amazjoin the military as an offiing. I really see them helping cer after I get my degree.” me succeed in the future.”

Downs' future now consists of what she plans to do

GROWTH OF FEMALE WRESTLER PARTICIPATION Since 1994, the number of girls who wrestle in high school nationwide has grown from 804 to over 8,000.

22 colleges now sponsor a varsity women’s wrestling program.

Women’s wrestling is now a recognized Olympic sport.

Georgia, Texas, Hawaii, and Washington sponsor a state high school girls wrestling championship.

Girls account for 2.9% of high school wrestlers nationwide.

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Last 6 Minutes of High School Career Bring State Title Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: Beth Welch

Four years of hard work along with some struggles brought Northside High School senior John Jones down to the final moments of his high school wrestling career. In February, Jones competed in the Class 4A 120-pound weight class at the GHSA’s four-day state tournament. He advanced each day of the tournament. Going into the last round for the championship title, Jones said there were many things going through his mind, but one thought prevailed.

“I was thinking: There are six minutes left for me as a high school wrestler.

I know what I know how to do best, so I better do it,” he said with a smile.

Jones’ best produced the Class 4A

40 | itgnext.com

state champion in the 120-weight class. He defeated four opponents in four days of competition; three of those opponents he had knowledge about, but the last one was unknown and a bit of a surprise, according to his coach.

“John finished the job, but I got a little nervous at the beginning because this guy had John on the defensive," Matt Redmond, Northside wrestling coach, said. "He adjusted, though, and never had a problem."

Jones’ record for the season is 43-0. He defeated his first opponent of the state tournament in 45 seconds. Kevin Daniels of Blessed Trinity was his second opponent on the second day,

and Jones dispatched him with a 7-0 win. Day 3 saw Jones take care of Kenley Chadwick of Flowery Branch 20-0, setting up the championship match the following day. As the final match got underway on Feb. 16, the Northside wrestler faced Beau Branand of North Oconee for the title. That match was a 6-1 decision for Jones.

Along with the state championship title is another noteworthy accomplishment. Jones is the first wrestler in the 17year history of his school to capture a state title in the sport of wrestling.

Northside’s coach saw the potential in Jones along the way.

“It was gradual progress," said Redmond, who has been with the wrestling program at Northside for nine years, eight of those as head coach. "John came to us capable, and he had a strong freshman year.

His sophomore year he broke his thumb and missed state, but he kept up his conditioning and working out to stay ready.

As a junior he had a solid season, but it was really after sectionals this year that he got stronger.”

One aspect of Jones’ life may have been very instrumental in his journey to the state title. He practically grew up in the sport of wrestling. His grandfather owns and operates a wrestling gym in the Northeast. Jones has benefitted greatly from having the expertise of his grandfather and other wrestling athletes from an early age.

When the state championship tournament started, Jones’ grandfather joined other family members in Macon for the event. It was a memorable experience, although the Northside

senior laughed about his grandfather scouting out the competition and providing advice.

“Oh yes, talking your ear off," Jones said, smiling. "I could hear his voice among those yelling, too."

Jones has had offers from colleges prior to his title win and more after the state championship.

No decision has been made, but the wrestling athlete will undoubtedly continue his career at the collegiate level.

He anticipates his high school accomplishments and state title will motivate other Northside wrestlers to follow his lead.

“I’m hoping we can start a trend,” Jones said.

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“It felt amazing to win state for not only myself, but for my coach, team, school, and community.

Everyone has been extremely supportive.”

Perseverance Wins the Race RICHMOND HILL Written by: Kaylee Kopke Photography by: Eric Vinson

Eighteen-year-old Jalen Murray was not always a cross country athlete. He had a keen passion for the game of golf while growing up, and he planned to pursue it in high school. But, not everything goes according to plan. His mother, Monice Murray, told her son that he needed a fall activity to do to balance out his school year. So, in his sophomore year of high school, they met with coach Levi Sybert at the school's open house and signed up for cross country.

Originally, Murray did not expect to become so passionate about running; he lived and breathed golf. After trying it out in the fall, he decided to give up varsity golf to commit to running full time. Cross country had quickly become his new love, and there was no looking back for him. Little did he know that he would be as good at it as he is. Murray won the 6A state title in the boys cross country 5K run. His winning time was 15 minutes, 58.45 seconds, a few seconds ahead of the competition.

To be able to complete a 5K run in such a short period of time is an incredible feat. So, when asked if he thought that he was capable of winning the race and receiving the title, he said: “I thought I could win it if I was able to put the physical and mental together on championship day. Last year, I was there.

My coach thought I could’ve got it done, but I didn’t quite have the confidence to believe it for myself. I led almost the entire race. I got passed up in the last 200 meters and ended up in fifth place. I was more confident this year and felt I ran a smarter race than the previous year.”

After receiving this title and finally winning the race that he tried to win last year, the emotions were higher and the victory sweeter.

“It felt amazing to win state for not only myself, but for my coach, team, school, and community," he said. "Everyone has been extremely supportive.

It was a wonderful way to cap off an undefeated season as well as my senior year for cross country.”

For someone who is looking to try out cross country, but is a bit hesitant to dip a toe in, just take Murray’s advice.

“Cross country is more of an endurance run," he said. " Anyone can do it. I’d say just get up and get started. The more you do it, the more endurance you build. Recovery is important though, so make sure to make time for things like stretching.

It is an activity you can do for life.”

— Jalen Murray

“I was more confident this year and felt I ran a smarter race than the previous year.”

— Jalen Murray

ITG Next | 49

DICKERSON RETIRES BUT LEAVES DOOR OPEN CLINCH COUNTY

Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Cindy Rewis

Jim Dickerson is reBut for now, all the tired. That’s the official coach wants to do is enword. The longtime foot- joy a little down time. ball coach of the Clinch “I still have that itch to County Panthers an- coach,” Dickerson said. nounced his retirement “But then I walk out of the last year after complet- school on days like this ing a successful career (on this day of our talk, that included 15 years as it was a hot 89 degrees an assistant coach and with 100 percent humid15 years as head coach ity in Homerville) and at the school. think how glad He led the I am that I don’t Panthers to five have to be out state champiin the hot sun onships, joinfor two hours ing eight other of practice.” highly successDickerful Georgia son was a coaches who noseguard for accomplished Clinch County the same feat. in 1980, which Will Dickerson was “a breakreturn to the out season” ac— Jim Dickerson sidelines at cording to him. some point to That season, coach again? Only time Clinch County won its will tell. very first region title. The

“I STILL HAVE THAT ITCH TO COACH.”

50 | itgnext.com

Panthers also got their first taste of playing for a state title — a road game at Greenville that Dickerson remembers well.

“We led the whole game and lost it on a hail mary pass at the end,” he said.

You could hear the hurt in his voice as he recalled the play and the game. It's no wonder, especially since Dickerson has been a Clinch County Panther for practically his entire life. He was born in Homerville, and except for a brief time away at college playing football at Georgia Southwestern in Americus, then at Valdosta State University, he has spent his whole life in this small, southeast town.

After graduating

from VSU with a degree in physical education, he came home in the fall of 1988 to start his coaching career. His first coaching job was as an assistant junior varsity coach — a volunteer position — under head coach Don Tison. That was actually the same year that Clinch won its first state championship.

One could say that Dickerson’s winning influence was felt immediately upon his arrival.

Dickerson did that for two years as he continued to work his way up the ranks as a defensive assistant through Tison’s retirement. When new head coach Cecil Barber took over, he named Dickerson defensive coordinator in 1994. Dickerson led the Panthers defense for 10 years, and once Barber stepped down to take the job at Jeff Davis, he assumed the head coaching position in 2004.

Dickerson reflected on his 15 years as head coach with mostly great memories, and some rather crazy times, in-

cluding his very first year as a head coach.

“In 2004 we played Hawkinsville for the state championship," he said. "They had defeated us the previous year for the title, so this was a rematch. We were tied with them as time was running out. We tried a chip shot field goal and missed it. I assembled the team over on the sidelines to calm everyone down and get us ready for overtime. The only problem was I had forgotten that in state title games, there was no overtime. That was it. We tied them for the state championship. So, we were both recognized as state champions, but the GHSA wound up changing that rule the very next season.”

Recalling the best memories, and the biggest heartbreak, of his storied career, it was surprising that Dickerson actually pointed to two semifinal matchups — not championship games.

In the 2015 semifinal matchup versus Commerce, Dickerson

recalled that his Clinch team led the entire game, until Commerce scored on a long pass with just under two minutes left.

Clinch got the ball back, but as a single wing team, the Panthers did’t pass the ball very much, and it showed. The first pass was incomplete, and on second down the quarterback, Charles McClelland, was sacked.

On third and long and needing 17 yards for a first down, McClelland dropped back and found a receiver for a first down.

Clinch went on to score with little time left to win and advance to the title game, where they defeated Savannah Christian for the state championship.

As far as the biggest heartbreak of his career, Dickerson said it’s the 2009 semifinal matchup versus Wilcox.

“They had Nick Marshall at quarterback, who went on to play at Auburn," he said. "There was a driving rainstorm the whole game, but we were dominating the game from the start.

Then, needing just one

"I ASSEMBLED THE TEAM OVER ON THE SIDELINES TO CALM EVERYONE DOWN AND GET US READY FOR OVERTIME. THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT IN STATE TITLE GAMES, THERE WAS NO OVERTIME. THAT WAS IT. WE TIED THEM FOR THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. SO, WE WERE BOTH RECOGNIZED AS STATE CHAMPIONS, BUT THE GHSA WOUND UP CHANGING THAT RULE THE VERY NEXT SEASON.” — Jim Dickerson more stop on them, they throw a long pass on fourth and long that we tip, but their receiver catches. He runs it in to the end zone for the winning touchdown. We had a lot of great times at Clinch, but that night was not one of them.

That’s probably the worst loss I can remember.”

Thankfully, for Dickerson and his Clinch team, there were indeed many more great memories than bad ones. The head coach retires with

an overall record of 15244-1. In addition to the five state titles, Dickerson also led Clinch to seven region championships.

Fittingly, Dickerson leaves coaching the same way he entered: with a state championship, leading Clinch to consecutive titles in his final two years at Clinch County.

IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT JIM DICKERSON WILL BE MISSED.

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Support From the Miracle League CAMDEN COUNTY

Written by: Kyle Grondin Photography by: Micki K Photography

Alex Sanchez has always overcome all odds.

Now a graduate of Camden County High School, just over a year ago Snachez 's family wasn’t sure if he would survive a hospital stay. Now, he’s back to playing sports at The Miracle League of Camden County.

On May 24, 2018, Sanchez was suffering pain at school and was taken to the hospital.

He was diagnosed with pancreatitis necrosis, a serious infection that causes the tissues in the pancreas to slowly die and become infected after the fact. Sanchez’s family all came to Valdosta, unsure of what to expect. His mother, Darla Sanchez, considered it some of the scariest few months of her life.

“We didn’t really know what to expect,” she said. “He was placed in critical condition within a few hours of getting to the hospital. He was finally released from the hospital on Halloween and wasn’t back to full strength and in school until January. There was great support from everyone, including The Miracle League.”

The Miracle League of Camden County is a program founded by Jeff and Tina Norris. It was built on the idea of a field that is more safe for and accessible to players of all abilities. It 52 | itgnext.com

is where physically and mentally challenged children play with volunteers. Their mission states that they create

“opportunities for children with disabilities to play Miracle League baseball, regardless of their abilities.

Promote community support and sponsorship of Miracle Leagues. Promote the construction of special facilities that meet the unique needs of Miracle League players and their families, not a kid with a disability.”

Sanchez has now been back playing with The Miracle League and getting to play his other favorite sports like basketball and boxing training with his father. “[The Miracle League] is a great opportunity that Alex and other kids would never get anywhere else,” Sanchez's mother said. “The high

schools do a great job of being inclusive, but this is a real opportunity to connect with other kids on a team, learn the importance of teamwork, and create a family atmosphere. We’ve all bonded through this league. What Jeff and Tina have done for all these kids is so inspiring, making it to almost every event and supporting all of us.

“I never envisioned him playing sports and acclimating well with other kids, but he has a lot of friends at school, was able to go to prom, and gets to play sports with his friends. It’s truly a dream come true for him to get to play every year.”

Sanchez loves playing sports. In fact, he said his favorite thing was that sports make him “strong.

Plus the opportunity of fame and glory.”

Alex Sanchez never quit and with that has been able to succeed against the greatest odds.

“I never envisioned him playing sports and acclimating well with other kids, but he has a lot of friends at school, was able to go to prom, and gets to play sports with his friends. It’s truly a dream come true for him to get to play every year.”

— Darla Sanchez

1st State Title for Marion County Girls Basketball Written by: Beth Welch | Photos courtesy of Marion County High School

It is not uncommon in athletics for defeat to fuel the fire for eventual victory. In March, the Lady Eagles of Marion County High School used the devastation of last year’s loss in the state championship game to stay focused on not repeating history. The girls basketball team, under the coaching of Fran McPherson, won the GHSA Class 1A Public title. Calhoun County lost to the Lady Eagles 50-38. ITG Next asked coach McPherson 10 questions about the school’s first ever state title in girls basketball. (The following has been edited for content.)

ITG Next: How many years have you coached basketball at MCHS? Fran McPherson: This completes my fourth year.

ITG: What was your record this season?

FM: 28-1 ITG: When did you recognize the potential to reach the Final Four?

FM: I always thought we had the potential, especially since we had been there the year before.

ITG: What makes the 2018-19 team different from others?

FM: This team was definitely the most “coachable” team I have ever had. They did not question the roles that they were asked to fill and completely trusted me on what I asked them to do.

ITG: Who are the standout players on the team?

FM: Well, it takes a team to get there and win it all. We are losing two Division I athletes in Ansley and Ashley Whitley. I can’t tell you how hard they worked to make this happen. Ansley was near 20 points per game, and both she and Ashley (13 points per game) would pull down around 15-18 rebounds per game, not to mention their defensive presence in the paint at 6’1”. Jameshia Williams, she was phenomenal, averaging about 20 points a game. Jameshia, along with Taylor Green (12 points per game), proved themselves a deadly combination of shooting the three ball and running the floor on offense to score some quick baskets for us.

ITG: The Lady Eagles came close last year to a state title. Did that loss help fuel the fire to win the title?

FM: Yes, absolutely.

ITG: What did you tell your athletes just prior to the beginning of the title game?

FM: They were focused and ready. I didn’t need to tell them too much.

ITG: What is your favorite memory of the season?

FM: Really this whole entire season has been magical.

ITG: What were your first thoughts when the buzzer sounded and your team won the state championship?

FM: I was just taking it all in, our fans, that sea of Marion red! They were going crazy, but mostly the girls. I hugged my assistant coaches and then my husband, Tim. He knew how very special this all was to me.

ITG: Are any of your seniors signed to play at the collegiate level next year?

FM: Yes, the twins, Ansley and Ashley Whitley, have signed to play softball at Virginia Tech. Jill Walton has some tryouts she is attending.

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Photo courtesy of Stephanie Gee

Showing Ponies With LaLa Written by: Alex Dunn | Photography by: Jesse Taylor

Valdosta native Lauren "LaLa" Gee, 12, daughter of Drs. Eric and Stephanie Gee, has shown ponies competitively since her mother brought her to their local barn to try out riding when she was 4 years old. After that, she began taking lessons that resulted in her pony, Tina Turner, who was bought shortly after Gee showed interest in pony shows, to be named the 2018 National Small Green Pony Horse of the Year.

Gee originally attended Valwood School up until the fifth grade, when her mother decided to homeschool her to better provide flexibility to her travel schedule for the competitions. According to her, competitions are generally over two or more days.

“Being homeschooled required her to become more independent and more responsible as her schedule demands her to complete work on weekends and evenings while traveling and even during the summer,” Gee’s mother said. “She has become more outgoing through her network of friends that she has met at shows. Her skills have provided her with opportunities that require her to communicate with other trainers, a skill which was difficult for a shy child before Team Weston.”

Team Weston is a private equestrian team with a small group of young riders.

As one of those riders, Gee shows ponies in the small, medium, and large hunter divisions. Hunters are classes in which a pony or horse and rider combination jump a course, and the judging is based on accuracy, grace, and elegance, according to her mother.

“The competitions include a model class that provides the rider an opportunity to exhibit their pony to be judged on conformation (shape and structure) and appearance; four or more over fences classes (jumping); and a flat class that is judged based on the pony's movement with several ponies in the ring,” Gee’s mother said.

Gee currently competes on the A-circuit, meaning national level shows, throughout Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Her ponies live in Tampa, Florida, to train with Team Weston’s coach, Traci Weston.

“I like going to competitions to show and compete my ponies,” Gee said.

“I arrive a couple of days before the show and practice on the ponies I will be showing that weekend. I usually wake up early on the weekend to prepare the ponies for the show. I like spending time with my family and friends and making special memories at the horse shows.”

And that she does. According to her mother, they both enjoy being able to spend time with their show ponies and making new relationships with people with similar interest.

“Spending time with the ponies, whether at the barn or at a show, is always a time for making memories,” Gee’s mother said. “Team Weston has become a second family, and we look forward to our time with everyone on the team.”

Though Gee is only 12 years old, she already knows that she wants to become a professional rider. She will begin to take a special homeschooling program for elite athletes in August. After that, she wants to go to Texas A&M to ride on their equestrian team.

2018 ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2018 USEF National Small Green Pony Horse of the Year (Tina Turner) USHJA Zone 4 Champion Small Green Pony Hunter Tina Turner USHJA Zone 4 Champion Small Pony Hunter Grand Slam USHJA Zone 4 Champion Childrens Hunter Small & Medium Sundae Special

Albany State Dual Enrollment Student Dreams Big and Succeeds Written by: Danyelle Gary

Throughout high school, Chelsea Crumbley participated in a variety of activities – track and field, cheerleading, and student government – but it was her involvement with the dual enrollment program at Albany State University that helped launch her academic success.

In May, Crumbley graduated a year early from Mitchell County High School in Camilla, Georgia, with a high school diploma, but that is not all she celebrated. Because of the dual enrollment program, she also celebrated her first college graduation when she received a two-year degree from Albany State.

The dual enrollment program at ASU allows high school students to enroll at the institution and earn credits toward high school and college graduation requirements.

“My high school is big on completing college courses,” Mitchell said. “They motivated us to do the dual enrollment program. I started early.”

Crumbley began the dual enrollment program in ninth grade by enrolling at Southern Regional Technical College. She eventually enrolled at ASU and began attending classes on campus with the rest of the members of her high school cohort, many of them close friends who started and finished the program together.

“It was fun and exciting being on campus," she said. "We experienced a lot of stuff together. We got a chance to experience college together before we all actually left home for college for real.”

Students who participate in the program can save both time and money with flexible scheduling opportunities and covered tuition and expenses. In the fall, Crumbley will head to Georgia Southern to complete her last two years of college before receiving a bachelor’s degree. She plans to major in biology and pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

“My first time being on a college campus was hard," she said. "I didn’t know how the professors would be, and I struggled at first.”

60 | itgnext.com

She eventually settled in and excelled. Psychology and sociology became her favorite courses. Balancing her academic coursework while still participating in extracurricular activities at her high school was challenging, Crumbley said, but well worth it. She made sure to prioritize what was most important: her academics.

“It was hard and stressful, but you have to know how to balance it," she said. "You have to find what’s most important and go from there. I knew that my work was more important, so that was my top priority. If I couldn’t participate in a game, or I couldn’t make it because of something that happened with my school work, I just wouldn’t go. I knew that I wanted to graduate. If it didn’t fall in line with my classes, I didn’t do it.”

She often took advantage of planning ahead. As a cheerleader, she made sure to review the game schedule and made time for completing her assignments.

“If I had homework and a game, I would try to do the work early," she said.

"Every little chance I got, I would try to study."

For more information about ASU’s dual enrollment program, visit asurams.edu.

Join FCA for Athlete Summer Camps “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 The Camp theme for FCA for summer 2019 is Let’s Go! As stated in Matthew 28:19-20, God commands us to go and make disciples.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes exists to spread the love of Jesus Christ to everyone we come into contact with. Southeast Georgia FCA has approximately 20 teams that will attend various FCA camps in various locations this summer. Girls basketball camp will be held in Brooks County on June 24. Boys basketball camp will be held at Lowndes High School on June 28. Faith in Football will be held on July 11 in Clinch County, with four to six teams and around 300 students in attendance.

FCA cheer camp will be held July 22-25 at Valdosta State University.

Campers have the opportunity to hear about Christ’s love and are presented with the gospel message. Each person in attendance will also take home an FCA study Bible as a gift. These camps are sure to make an impact on those who attend.

We held a coaches and wives retreat May 30 through June 3. This was a relaxing and reenergizing time for coaches and their wives to bond with one another over prayer time, fellowship, and Bible study.

This retreat was just for coaches in Georgia, and there was around 150 in attendance.

Brooks County senior football players along with head football coach Maurice Freeman and staff attended a Leadership Camp at Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons Island, Georgia, June 7-9. This included a ropes course, Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. Coach Freeman likes to teach his senior football players that to be a leader, you must first learn to be a servant.

We are excited to announce that for the FCA Cook County Banquet in April 2020, our guest speaker will be Sid Bream, former first baseman for the Atlanta Braves. He is most remembered for his slide into home base that led the Braves to win the National Championship in 1992, which sent the Braves to the World Series. Please continue to pray as we seek to book guest speakers for our other three banquets for the 2019-20 year.

A big thanks to our donors and those who financially support FCA. We appreciate your financial support as well as your prayers for the upcoming events and school year. We are truly blessed to have such supportive contributors to the ministry of FCA.

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Brooks County Trojans getting ready for the upcoming season one day at a time Photography by: Jesse Taylor

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FutureNow Brings Vision, Purpose, Destiny to Local Schools Written by: Alex Dunn Photography courtesy of FutureNow

Chris and Terri Musgrove have Musgrove and his team work hard worked for the past 18 years to bring to put on an event that conveys their something a little extra to the schools message with a great show that the in South Georgia and North Florida: students will enjoy and want to watch. vision, purpose, and destiny.

One of his favorite parts of the job is The Musgroves, who formerly the comments he receives afterwards, worked as pastors, from both students and decided to craft a faculty alike. program that high“I had a principal tell lights how drugs, alme that these kids will cohol, premarital sex, never see a program gangs, violence, faillike this their entire lives, ing grades, and bullylike what we bring to the ing are just symptoms school,” Musgrove said. of a bigger problem.

“And that means a lot By day, they throw to me, that this ignites an event at a local them to see something school to highlight bigger than they are.”

FutureNow’s coverhow vision, purpose, and density can help age is about a 90-squarecreate a plan to fix that mile radius around the problem. By night, stuValdosta area. Musgrove dents further interestsaid that their next steps ed gather at the same for FutureNow would be — Chris Musgrove to have a larger coverage school after hours to talk about how those area and to duplicate three crucial tiers come from God. what they are doing so they can reach “It is not a church service," Chris out to more schools.

Musgrove said. "I like to refer to it as “We want to be a resource that an evangelistic outreach with upbeat they can call,” Musgrove said. “We talk and music. The day program is are looking to duplicate what we do in our area in other areas of the US. vision and purpose and making the right choices, but then we have all the We are currently purchasing property visuals and testimonials at the night and offices with plans to build a trainevent, and I’ll tell my story and say, ing facility where we can begin to train ’This is what happened to me, and other teams.” this is how I got a vision for my life.’”

FutureNow is the one-stop shop Musgrove was once told by his for bringing state-of-the-art enterninth-grade English teacher that he tainment to local schools in South was a good communicator, but he Georgia. Combined with weaving wasn’t interested in taking that advice in their message of vision, purpose, at that point in his life. and destiny, FutureNow could be the “I was a class clown, and I just shut next great assembly to visit your local her down,” Musgrove said. school and beyond.

Musgrove realized later, after failing to complete college, that he needed a plan. He recalled what his teacher said to him all those years ago and realized that he didn’t want other young minds following his same path.

Musgrove, along with his wife and children, discovered how he wanted to spread his message to others.

“I had a principal tell me that these kids will never see a program like this their entire lives, like what we bring to the school. And that means a lot to me, that this ignites them to see something bigger than they are.”

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Top 10 High School Athletic Training Facilities in America Written by: Dominic Ligon

4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) Fertitta Athletic Training Center is a 41,324-square-foot facility. It includes a four-lane, 60-yard track; a 90-seat classroom designed for film study and teacher training; and an athletic training room with a 4-foot hydrotherapy pool and 50-degree ice bath, not to mention its 11,470-square-foot weight training area.

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) IMG has one of the most notorious high school athletic programs in the country. Their facilities include 52 tennis courts (hard, clay, indoor and outdoor), 16 dedicated soccer fields, an 18-hole golf course, two dedicated football fields, and a 10,000-square-foot weight room. The funny thing is, that’s not even half of it.

5. Colquitt County High School (Moultrie, Georgia) Colquitt’s facilities includes an 8,388-square-foot weight training facility that's designed for 16 weight stations and has a 25-yard turf field. Colquitt also has a 73,141-square-foot multipurpose indoor facility with a 100-yard artificial turf field with one end zone.

6. Canton Mckinley High School (Canton, Ohio) Tom Benson Hall of Fame stadium seats over 22,000 fans! The facility includes a state-of-the-art turf field, new locker rooms, a graphic display screen, vinyl caps for all wooden seats, and a renovated press box.

7. McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia) 2. St. Xavier High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) Ranked as one of the best athletic high schools in the country, St. Xavier has a wide range of facilities for every sport. From Ellis Gym to Keating Natatorium, there isn’t a sport that is left out.

This nationally successful football team has a press box, two separate weight rooms, and a colossal football stadium to show off their winning teams.

8. Allen High School (Allen, Texas) Collin County residents have the highest median income in the state of Texas, and Collin County is one of the 25 wealthiest in the country. It’s stadium seats more than 19,000 spectators.

9. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the winningest high schools in the country. This college prep high school has it all when considering athletic facilities. Maybe that’s why they’re so unstoppable.

3. New Castle High School (New Castle, Indiana) Basketball is like religion in Indiana. The New Castle Fieldhouse at its 9,500 seating capacity is a huge reflection of that.

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10. De La Salle High School (Concord, California) De La Salle is considered to have one of the best football rankings in the West. Their facilities reflect their success with a top tier synthetic turf playing field, upgraded training rooms, and a gymnasium.

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FINALLY SEALING THE DEAL CARVER Written by: Beth Welch Photography by: George McDuffie

Perfect. That pretty much sums up Carver High School’s girls basketball team’s 2018-19 season. In March, the Lady Tigers defeated the Spalding Jaguars 56-44 to capture the GHSA Class 4A state championship. The win gave the Carver team a perfect 32-0 record for the year.

The state title was the first in Carver’s history for the girls basketball program.

Teams have come close, and several on this year’s team have been part of teams

that got close enough; but, unlike horseshoes, close doesn’t count in basketball.

Perhaps that was one of the driving forces for Carver coach Anson Hundley and his dream team. Two years ago, Carver lost a heartbreaker in the final championship game to crosstown rival Columbus High School. Last year, the Lady Tigers were back in the Final Four but got no joy due to Spalding’s win over them.

“The team came in with the goal of being state champions, and they “The team came in with worked extremely hard the goal of being state to reach that champions, and they worked goal," Hunsaid. "I extremely hard to reach that dley think I knew goal. I think I knew we had we had a chance to do a chance to do something something special when we went to special when went to Myrtle Beach and won all of we Myrtle Beach our games.” and won all of our games.”

— Anson Hundley Team photo courtesy of Anson Hundley

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This time, the Lady Tigers were committed to bringing home a state title. A lot of hard work and team effort went into getting the team to the finals. Hundley said his three team captains — Janya Love-Hill, Jailyn Shaw, and Olivia Cochran — contributed all season and lead the charge for the victory.

“They understood what it took to win a championship,” Hundley said.

From the beginning of the championship game, the Lady Tigers held a lead.

Going into halftime, Carver was up 32-26.

In the end, the Lady Tigers proved to be more than the Jaguars could handle, and Carver captured their first state title in girls basketball.

For senior LoveHill, the title win was the completion of a mission that took four years of her life to see accomplished.

The 5’4” point guard, who signed to play at Columbus State University next year, averaged 13 points and six assists per game.

She said she knew the team had what "We have been knocking on it took to win a championship. the door the last few years, “We were confident, not and we have finally sealed cocky,” Lovethe deal."

Hill said.

Shaw, a 5’8” — Anson Hundley

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forward for Carver, played middle school basketball with LoveHill when the two attended Fort Middle School. The senior averaged eight points and 13 rebounds per game this season. She will attend West Georgia on a basketball scholarship and believes her team pulled together to play as a team when it counted. Shaw said that her coach’s championship pre-game talk provided the right motivation for the win.

“Coach Hundley usually gives a different kind of talk to us," she said. "This time, he went over and beyond."

Cochran was a junior this season, which means she will be around next year to

again pro- “We were confident, not cocky.” vide lead— Janya Love-Hill ership for the Lady Tigers. The 17-year- too hard to get here to old is 6’1” and spent leave empty handed time at both forward this year,” he said.

When the seconds and center. She averaged 26 points, 16 re- ticked down to zero bounds, and six blocks and the buzzer soundper game. Cochran ed to end the game, scored 15 points in what was Hundley’s the title game and ac- first thought?

“We finally did it!" knowledged there is a Hundley said. "We challenge ahead.

“It’s going to be have been knocking hard to top this,” she on the door the last few years, and we have said, laughing.

Hundley said this finally sealed the deal." team seemed to be more focused than other teams he has coached and that they believed they could be state champions. His pre-game talk for the title game was simple and to the point.

“I mainly told them that they have worked

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2018-19 ITG Next South Georgia All Sports Banquet Written by: Anna Limoges Photography by: Eric Vinson

South Georgia is home to countless premier individuals, teams, and athletic programs, so you can imagine just how difficult it was to narrow down and select the top male and female athletes in every sport. There were many deserving nominees within each sport, but with the help of local coaches, players, and fans, our ITG Next team assembled what we consider to be an extremely worthy group of individuals.

On May 16, 2018, we gathered the top athletes in South Georgia together in Downtown Valdosta for a night of recognizing their incredible talents, efforts, and support systems.

Surrounded by their peers, families, coaches, and fans, each of these outstanding student-athletes was awarded for their accomplishments.

COMPETITIVE CHEERLEADING Zoie Johnson, Pierce Co. Rylee Watson, Tift Co. Kalleigh Webb, Lowndes

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Before the awards ceremony started, everyone shared a meal together and heard an inspiring message from Mike Helfer, Valdosta State University mens head basketball coach.

We want to extend a special thanks to our sponsors for making this banquet possible: Vereen Sports Medicine, Colony Bank, Phoebe, Farah & Farah, Wolson Children's Hospital, and South Georgia State College.

If you missed the banquet, be sure to head to the ITG Next Facebook or Twitter pages to see more photos and video footage.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Alec Munger, Lowndes Joshua Ratliff, Jeff Davis

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Emily Golden, Tift Co. Zoie Marchant, Jeff Davis

2018-19 AWARDS BANQUET

FOOTBALL

SOFTBALL

VOLLEYBALL

Ryan Fitzgerald, Colquitt Co. Rashard Revels, Colquitt Co. (NP) Tate Rodemaker, Valdosta (NP) Roman Harrison, Bainbridge (NP)

Riley Blampied, Crisp Co. Madison May, Lowndes Riley Hickok, Westfield (NP)

To'Nyiah Edney, Lee Co. Erin Moss, Valwood

GIRLS BASKETBALL

BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING

Karlie Jones, Westwood Yakia Temple, Turner Co.

WRESTLING

Kevin Martin, Fitzgerald Noah Pettigrew, Valdosta

Beau Bengston, Tift Co. Brooks Butler, Thomas Co. Central Carson Tyler, Colquitt Co.

BASEBALL

Wes Lott, Coffee Seth Nelson, Lee Co. Colby Thomas, Valdosta (NP) *Tucker Thomas (pictured) accepted on Colby's behalf.

Jordan Avery, Colquitt Co. Abigale White, Thomasville

BOYS GOLF

Tanner Brown, Colquitt Co. Parker Highsmith, Valwood Will Spivey, Coffee

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2018-19 AWARDS BANQUET

GIRLS GOLF

Maggie Harrelson, Tift Co. Bre Ryan, Thomas Co. Central Padgett Chitty, Valdosta

GIRLS SOCCER

GYMNASTICS

Samantha Folarin, Lowndes Jaiden Lane, Colquitt Co. Elyssa Roberts, Tift Co.

BOYS TENNIS

Maggie Clark, Tift Co. Chloe Gould, Colquitt Co. Madison Miller, Lowndes

Howell Burns, Valwood Brant Chancy, Lowndes Niklas Von Hellens, Thomasville

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD

Tiberius Drocea, Lowndes Armarius Patterson, Lowndes Janaz Graves, Colquitt Co. (NP)

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Viviana Schuyler, Bainbridge Tanija Turner, Lowndes Angela DeBerry, Colquitt Co. (NP)

BOYS SOCCER

Rosendo Ramirez, Tift Co. Nicholas Peralta, Thomasville (NP)

GIRLS TENNIS

Smith Shaw, Valwood Anna Grace Scholten, Coffee

Congratulations DJ Lundy

Colony Bank 2018-19 Male Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Jenna Cuff

Colony Bank 2018-19 Female Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Coleman Yates

Wolfson Children's Hospital 2018-19 Male Youth Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations

Kaylan McConnehead

Wolfson Children's Hospital 2018-19 Female Youth Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations

Lee County High School Phoebe Putney Health System 2018-19 Athletic Program of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Jeff Littleton

ITG Next 2018-19 Coach of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Emily Taylor

Farah and Farah 2018-19 Forward Progress Award

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations

Allea Christopher

ITG Next 2018-19 Adaptive Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Kaitlyn Mitchell

ITG Next 2018-19 Female Scholar Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Congratulations Trey Davis

ITG Next 2018-19 Male Scholar Athlete of the Year

South Georgia All Sports Banquet

Ending the 48-Year Drought CARVER

Written by: Beth Welch

Photo by: George McDuffie

“It’s like basketball is my wife and football was my girlfriend.”

— A.J. Watts

Photo courtesy of Warren Beaulah

It was a long time coming, but the Carver High School boys basketball team broke a 48year drought in March when the team took its first state title since 1971.

Coach Warren Beaulah’s Carver Tigers sealed the deal with a 58-55 win over the Americus-Sumter Panthers to claim the GHSA Class 4A 2019 state championship.

It was the fifth time the Tigers and Panthers faced off during the season, with Carver winning each game. Although Americus-Sumter was ranked No. 1 and Carver at No. 3 by MaxPreps going into the final series, the Tigers refused to be intimidated.

The title game was certainly one for the record books. Carver pushed to the very last seconds of the game, taking the lead with 0:28 80 | itgnext.com

showing on the clock. In perhaps one of the most spectacular plays of the season, Carver senior A.J. Watts hit a 3-pointer and fell to the floor to give the Tigers a 55-54 lead. Jalen King added more points with free throws, and as the buzzer sounded, Carver took the state title 58-55.

Asked about his favorite memory of the season, Beaulah cited Watts’ play.

“When A.J. Watts made a 3-pointer while falling down right in front of me to take the lead over Americus-Sumter for good,” he said.

Watts, 17, also claimed that play was his favorite of the 201819 season. A three-sport athlete at Carver, he was a standout football player for the Tigers and re-

ceived a scholarship to play at Akron. He participated in track and field too at Carver, but the 6-foot point guard has a unique way of expressing his love for the sport of basketball.

“It’s like basketball is my wife and football was my girlfriend,” Watts said, laughing.

According to Beaulah, Watts is the kind of player coaches rarely get to coach. He averaged 21 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals per game.

He was named Region 1 4A Co-Player of the Year and made the All-State 4A First Team in addition to being named the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer’s Player of the Year for boys basketball.

Also instrumental to the Tigers' successful 26-5 season was Jalen King. The 6-foot-4 pow-

er forward and center contributed when it really counted.

“Jalen King really stepped up his game in the Georgia state playoffs," Beaulah said.

"We would not have won it without him."

King averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game. He was named to the Region 1 4A Second Team and made the Ledger-Enquirer’s All Bi-City First Team.

The senior said he first realized his team had a chance to go all the way to a state championship this season after the Tigers won the region.

King’s favorite memory of his senior season doesn’t come from the final game for the title, but rather against a formidable player in the state playoffs.

“Probably when we went up against a 7-foot player (Andrew Kessler) at Woodward Academy," King said. "We just kept going and got it done."

The Tigers’ coach admitted his state championship team is probably not the most talented team he has coached during his career at Carver. That honor goes to his 2008 team that lost in the finals, but Beaulah said this team had the best chemistry, which, in the end, made all the difference.

And when the end came in the form of a stunning win over Americus-Sumter, what was Beaulah’s first thought?

“Wow, this can’t be real,” he said.

SERIES June 8 Cordele

August Tifton

December Valdosta

PRIZES DETERMINED BY POINTS THROUGHOUT THE SERIES

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nd Place $500

rd Place $300

POINTS PER RACE Youth

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The Panthers Going Forward Written by: Jon Nelson | Photography by: Cindy Rewis

I was trying to come up with an analogy the other day when I was thinking of a particular school and their coaching history, not to mention their on-the-field success. The best analogy I found is the Pittsburgh Steelers… and I’m talking about Clinch County High School and their program.

Going back, as far as I can remember, the Steelers had Chuck Noll (1969-2001), Bill Cowher (1992-2006), and Mike Tomlin (2007-present) as the guy on the sidelines.

That's three guys in 50 years.

Want to know how many coaches have been leading the Panthers in Homerville, Georgia, since 1974? Donald Tison Senior, Cecil Barber, Jim Dickerson, and now Donald Tison Junior.

That’s it. Four guys in 45 years. Eight state titles. 17 region titles in the 1A “Region of Doom” (Region 2), the first in 1980, with the first double-digit win season not happening until 1987.

A new guy is in charge now, even if he’s not all that new.

Don Tison was the offensive coordinator that drove everyone crazy with the “Notre Dame Box” offense that no one could get a defensive handle on. And he’s now “in charge-in charge” if you know what I mean.

Spring football and drills have come and gone as everyone gets ready for the optimism that returns this time of year. Don posted this message to his social media after his

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first spring as head coach: "We came up short in our spring scrimmage, but can honestly say I love this team already.

We had the ball bounce against us in a terrible way several times, and could’ve hung our heads and quit, but we didn’t.

I’m so happy right now from all the positive things that happened. We’ll be better off in the long run learning from this.

Thanks to those who came and supported us! #neverquit" But we’re only a few weeks away from practice happening toward the 2019 season, and that’s a wild thing to say. I’m not kidding, people, when I say (and you all know) that football is 24/7 in these parts. And I love the idea in getting to talk about a topic that doesn’t have an offseason anymore.

For towns like Homerville, it means everything and always has. The school is a deeper part of the community's fabric than it may be in larger towns, and it's great seeing these kinds of seismic changes when a Jim Dickerson retires and a Don Tison goes to a place on the sideline where his father once stood. (He now patrols the field named for the senior Tison, too.)

I, for one, can’t wait to read this new page out of a LOT of different new pages that we’ll all see here in 2019.

Play it safe, everyone. It’ll be here before we know it!

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