in the
game
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
In This Issue:
South Georgia
09 On The Cover Division 1 Signees
March 2014
18 33
CONTENTS
09 27
27 Academic Athlete Kaylee Shaver
Thomas County Central High School
33 Dirt Track Dominator Tyler Summerlin
C.A. Gray Junior High School
37 Player Spotlight
42
Cory Pope
Lowndes High School
42 Player Spotlight Daniel Tefft
Valdosta High School
45 Freshman Focus Miles Parramore
Georgia High School Football Okay, Show Of Hands
17
The Mystique Of Glades Central High School
23
Fitness: The Importance Of Cardio Training For Athletes
25
Nutrition: Clean Eating
31
Regional Coaches Sports Symposium Pheobe Orthopaedic Specialty Group
47
Valdosta High School
57
Valwood School
59
Irwin County High School
61
Fitzgerald High School
63
FCA Banquet Season Fellowship Of Christian Athletes
65
Rob Williams
Lee County High School
53 Area’s Best Riflery Junior ROTC Riflery
45
Valwood School
48 Coach’s Corner
37
Also Inside
53
48 54
4
18 National Signing Day
Colquitt County High School
54 Rising Star Elizabeth Funderburk
C.A. Gray Junior High School
Read. Subscribe. Share.
www.inthegamemagazine.com
in the
game
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
South Georgia
March 2014
From The Publisher Now that March is here, we are finally enjoying a full complement of spring sports. This edition of In the Game High School Sports Magazine reflects that as well; we have baseball, soccer, and golf represented, as well as wrestling and the non-traditional sports of riflery and auto racing.
Publisher
Mark Dykes
Editor
Mark Dykes Kaitlynn Passmore
Graphics
Jennifer Alexander
Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography
Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography
Carolyn Johnson Racegirl Photography Connie Southwell Southwell Photography
Feature Writer
Robert Preston, Jr.
Contributing Writers Jon Nelson
Copy Editors
Crystal Hubbard Ashley Dailey
Advertising/Marketing
Mark Dykes mark@inthegamemagazine.com
Website Manager Kaitlynn Passmore
That’s right - auto racing. Of course, racing isn’t a sanctioned GHSA or GISA sport, but that doesn’t mean our young people don’t race. We have a special feature this month on Tyler Summerlin, a young man who has done very well on the dirt tracks racing mini stock drift cars. Racing is a very demanding sport - physically and financially. It’s hard to fully appreciate what goes into racing without being close to the sport yourself. In addition, racing teaches useful skills that other sports do not, like how to change your oil, replace a transmission, and rebuild a motor. Try doing that at halftime or during the seventh-inning stretch. Normally, our Coach’s Corner celebrates a career in progress. This month, we celebrate one that recently ended. Rob Williams, currently the Lee County athletic director, retired as head baseball coach for the Trojans after last season. He has had a long and celebrated career that spans over three decades in both football and baseball. He saw the games of baseball and football change tremendously over the course of his career and thousands of young men grew into responsible adults under his tutelage.
Contributors
Kaitlynn Passmore, Editor
Jennifer Alexander, Graphic Designer
Two Valdosta area baseball players make up the Player Spotlight this month: Cory Pope, a left-handed pitcher from Lowndes, and Daniel Tefft, Valdosta High’s big first baseman. Both are talented players who will have the opportunity to play each other several times this year. Their lefty-on-lefty match-ups ought to be very interesting. We also have soccer and wrestling represented. Kaylee Shaver, daughter of Thomas County Central head football coach Bill Shaver, is Thomas County’s reigning Female Athlete of the Year and potential valedictorian of the Class of 2014. She is currently deciding whether she will play soccer in college or focus strictly on academics. Miles Parramore, this month’s Freshman Focus, is at the other end of his high school career. He just finished his first season with the Valwood wrestling team, where he went 23-0 and won a state title in the 106-pound class. This freshman has a promising career ahead of him. We round out the March edition with a talented young golfer from Colquitt County, Elizabeth Funderburk, and a look at Colquitt County’s riflery team. Riflery is a GHSA-sanctioned sport and Colquitt County has had some extremely talented shooters over the years. We hope you enjoy the March edition of In the Game High School Sports Magazine. And we look forward to bringing you the very best in spring high school sports in the South Georgia coverage area.
For distribution or subscription information contact: info@inthegamemagazine.com For advertising information call: 888-715-4263 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. P.O. Box 812 Valdosta, GA 31603
6 4
In the Game High School Sports Magazine is published monthly excluding July. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2014 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.
www.inthegamemagazine.com
Mac Loudermilk Valdosta High School
Signed to: University of Central Florida Position: Punter, Tight End Miles from home to college: 213 Favorite high school memory? Beating the tin and running out onto the field every Friday night.
What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? I will definitely miss my family the most when I go off to college. Getting used to not seeing them every day will definitely be a challenge.
What are you looking forward to most about college? Just having the chance to play at the next level and bettering my skills.
Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Just be patient, you’ll know the right school when they offer. Just relax and enjoy your senior session. 9
Adam Choice Thomas County Central High School
Signed to: Clemson University Position: Running Back Miles from home to college: 353.8 Favorite high school memory? Watching my fellow teammates sign scholarships along with myself. What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? Hanging out with my friends, family, and people I have developed close relationships with over the years and playing sports with them. What are you looking forward to most about college? Meeting new people, teammates, competing, and continuing my education. Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Don’t expect a scholarship to be given to you or rely on the coach to get you one. Go get it yourself and enjoy the process. Make your own decision; do not listen to peer pressure. 10
Wyatt Miller Coffee County High School
Signed to: University of Central Florida Position: Offensive Tackle Miles from home to college: 275 Favorite high school memory? Beating Valdosta the last game of senior year on their senior night, which was the last game they played at Bazemore Hyder Stadium.
What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? Being able to hunt all the time and spend time with family. It’s going to be a big change, but it has so much to offer and I couldn’t be any more excited.
What are you looking forward to most about college? Meeting new people, facing new challenges, and playing football in front of about 40-50 thousand people every Saturday.
Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Don’t let the process get to your head. Keep doing the things that got you to this point, and everything will turn out right. Go where you feel comfortable, not where everybody else wants you to go. 11
Todd Boyd Colquitt County High School
Signed to: Georgia State Position: Wide Receiver Miles from home to college: 200 Favorite high school memory? First touchdown my junior year. What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? Mother’s home cooking. What are you looking forward to most about college? A great college experience and campus life. Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Work hard on and off the field; school is your number one priority. 12
Gabe Mobley Colquitt County High School
Signed to: Georgia State Position: Offensive Lineman Miles from home to college: 207 Favorite high school memory? Beating both Lowndes and Valdosta senior year, aka “Taking Titletown.� What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? The small town environment. What are you looking forward to most about college? Going and meeting new people. Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Work hard even when its tough. Do everything you have to do to get it done. 13
Jamiyus Pittman Colquitt County High School
Signed to: University of Central Florida Position: Defensive Tackle Miles from home to college: 250 Favorite high school memory? Interception my sophomore year. What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? My parents and family cooking meals. What are you looking forward to most about college? Playing against elite programs and living the college life. Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Work hard even when you don’t feel like it, and choose the school that you feel fits you and where you are wanted. 14
CJ Johnson Colquitt County High School
Signed to: South Alabama Position: Outside Corner Back/ Strong Safety Miles from home to college: 300 Favorite high school memory? Interception for a touchdown against old high school. What will you miss most about home when you go off to college? My mom’s good cooking. What are you looking forward to most about college? Learning new things, meeting new people, and playing against the best. Advice to younger players about the recruitment and college scholarship process? Take it slow; look for the best education and home for the next four years. 15
Georgia High School Football
Okay, Show Of Hands
by Jon Nelson, GPB Sports Correspondent
Show of hands: How many of you watched what was going on over in Russia, and what time of day did you watch? I ask because if you watched the dayside, live coverage, you got one opinion of what was going on at icelevel. If you watched at night, your opinion and perspective was from a different angle. And that’s what you get with National Signing Day; one person-slash-agency says one thing, and someone else says something else. So who do you believe with all of this stuff? UGA brings in Lorenzo Carter from Norcross, Nick Chubb from Cedartown, Shakenneth Williams from Rutland in Macon, Dyshon Sims from Lowndes, Malkom Parrish from Brooks County, and Detric Dukes from Tucker. Tech gets three athletes from Lamar County High School: the Austin twins and Qua Searcy, along with Norcross RB Myles Autry and Clinton Lynch. Add to that KeShun Freeman of Callaway, Tre Jackson from Lowndes, and CJ Leggett from North Gwinnett. Trent Miles and Georgia State got building blocks from football powerhouses like Colquitt, Stephenson, and Carver-Columbus. Brian Bohannon at Kennesaw State got two gems in Trey Chivers from Carrollton and QB Jaquez Parks from Griffin. Willie Fritz is building the program at Georgia Southern with athletes like Zack Copeland
from Lowndes, Darrius Sapp from Valdosta, Trayvon Williams from Camden, and Ryan Peterson from Irwin County. Add to that all the athletes that stayed at home and went to places like Shorter, Mercer, Valdosta State, and other Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior colleges, and the state schools have a lot to be proud of. When I listed all those players and schools, what came to mind? Their high school accomplishments, which were, across the board, outstanding. How they adjust from being the best to being one of the best and starting over again will be the next test for them, and we’ll all see them grow in front of us. Keep an eye on all the nearby schools (Auburn and Clemson come immediately to mind) that have Georgia athletes playing for titles in conferences we all watch on Saturdays. And what do you think about the new rule about slowing down the game? Let us know what you think about everything football (or any other sports news) here at In the Game Magazine. Follow us on Twitter @inthegame_mag or me @OSGNelson. I’ll answer your thoughts and questions and post them here next time. Thanks for your time, and thanks for all you do for high school sports. Play it safe, everyone. I’ll talk to you soon.
Jon Nelson, GPB Sports Correspondent
Follow me on the Twitter machine at “@OSGNelson” and be sure to like us all on Facebook at Sports and Inthegamemagazine.com
17
National Sign Brooks County High School - Football
Valdosta High School - Football
Nelson Herring - Coffeyville Community College, Kansas; Darrius Sapp - Georgia Southern; Malcolm Joseph - NE Mississippi Community College; Mac Loudermilk - University of Central Florida; Ricky Small - Valdosta State University; and Alex Cason - Marshall University
Malkom Parrish • University of Georgia - Football DB Derrick Herring • Coffeyville Community College, Kansas - Football WR
Lowndes High School - Football
Lowndes High School - Football
Chris Hill - University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky
Malik Roberts - Saint Augustine’s University, North Carolina
Lowndes High School - Baseball
Lowndes High School - Soccer Photo by Hubby Brooks
Logan Hutchinson - Kennesaw State University Josh Day - University of Georgia, and Cory Pope - Georgia Tech 18
Addie Bausch (middle left) - Valdosta State University Shelby Joyner (middle right) - Faulkner University, Alabama
ning Day 2014 Lowndes High School - Soccer
Cook County High School - Baseball Photo by Jenny Pitts
Christian Houglin - Middle Georgia State
Valwood School - Football
Sam Goberdhan - Darton State College
Valwood School - Cross Country Photos by Dale Crane
Char Merine - Colgate University, New York
Irwin County High School - Football
Ryan Peterson - Georgia Southern University
Mary Alice Smoot - Tampa University, Florida
Fitzgerald High School - Football
Antonio Wilcox - Furman University, South Carolina 19
National Signing Day 2014 Thomas Co. Central High School-Softball
Hamilton High School (FL) - Football
Photo by Lorie Lawing
Kendall Stanaland - Georgia Southwestern University
William Shackelford - Mayville State University; Jacari Washington - Greenville Prep, South Carolina; Anterfernee Smith aka “Poppa� - Valdosta State University
Thomas Co. Central High School - Football
(Seated L-R) Malcolm McClenton - Valdosta State University, Austin Parmer - Carson-Newman University, Deondre Cooksey - Garden City Community College, Adam Choice - Clemson University, Jarell Jones - Point University, Caleb Autrey - Point University, and Gavin Wilson - Murray State University
Thomas Co. Central high School
Savannah Morris Darton State College Softball
Congratulations to all these senior athletes!
We know how hard you all have played and studied to get where you are today. Good luck College-bound Athletes! 21
The Mystique of Glades Central High School by Robert Preston, Jr.
W
hile my duties writing here at In the Game sometimes feel like a fulltime job, I am in fact a part-time writer for this publication. My fulltime job requires me to travel quite a bit, and I often find myself in and around Belle Glade, Florida. When I’m down there, I always pass by Glades Central High School. The first time I went by the school, the name struck me as oddly familiar. I began doing some research on the school and the community of Belle Glade. I was quite surprised at what I found. The following information has been gleaned from several sources, with a majority of it coming from Wikipedia (I apologize to the academics out there who are cringing at the mention of everybody’s favorite probably-true-but-we’re-not-entirelysure website). The city of Belle Glade sits at the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee, which is the largest lake in the continental U.S. that rests entirely within one state. (In case you’re keeping score, Lake Michigan is the largest lake in the lower 48, but it crosses state lines.) Belle Glade was built in the 1920s after a portion of Lake Okeechobee was drained. As a result, the land in and around Belle Glade is extremely fertile. Agriculture is the main industry in Belle Glade, with sugarcane being the major cash crop in the area. A significant portion of America’s sugarcane comes from the Belle Glade/ Clewiston region. Belle Glade is known as Muck City because of the rich, black soil found in the area. That soil is the key to Belle Glade’s thriving agriculture industry. It may also hold the key to Belle Glade’s other significant export: professional football players. These kinds of things are difficult to track, but it is believed that Glades Central High School has produced more NFL players than any other high school in the country. What’s even more interesting is that Belle Glade is a small, economically depressed, and violent community. When I was coaching cross country at South
Georgia State College, one of my runners from southwest Florida told me that her church often sent missionary teams to Belle Glade for instate mission trips. With a population of less than 18,000, a high incidence of AIDS, and a propensity for violence, Belle Glade is an unlikely candidate for the most athletically gifted high school in the United States. A quick glance reveals that Glades Central has produced at least 23 NFL players and four Canadian Football players. Nearby Pahokee High School, which is Glades Central’s chief rival, has produced nine more NFL players (and Mel Tillis, if you’re curious). Anquan Boldin, who was raised in Canal Point, attended Pahokee. Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who caught the game-winning pass in the BCS National Championship, hails from Glades Central and will be a likely first-round selection himself. I looked up a couple of schools in our area that are known for football. I checked seven schools and came up with 36 NFL players: 11 from Valdosta, eight from Thomasville, five from Lowndes, four from Camden and Tift, and two from Colquitt and Thomas County Central (these numbers came from the Georgia High School Football Historians Association). Two small schools in South Florida have produced the same number of professional football players (counting NFL and CFL players) as has seven of the best South Georgia schools. What is the key to Glades Central’s gridiron success? Some people believe it can be found in that black soil. There is something in there that creates fast, athletic kids - the kind of kids who win state championships (six at Glades Central) and go on to play Division I and professional sports. Exactly what it is hasn’t been identified just yet, but the dirt holds the answers. When we talk about things such as this, we often say, “Well, there must be something in the water.” Belle Glade is surrounded by water, but that’s not where the secret is. It’s in the dirt of Muck City. ITG
23
The Importance of Cardio Training for Athletes
Fitness
CArdio for Athletes Many high school athletes like to focus on the glitz and glamour of their sports, sinking gamewinning shots, scoring a clutch penalty kick, or driving home the winning run. But those memorable performances are all the products of dedicated training and hard work.
Increased endurance Endurance is imperative in almost every sport. As athletes grow tired, they grow weaker, and their athletic performances inevitably worsen. Cardio training is a direct antidote to that condition; it strengthens the heart and the body’s efficiency in managing its oxygen intake and energy workload. With consistent cardio training, you will tire more slowly during athletic competition, and your performances should improve as a result.
Important cross-training The same training routine, when repeated every day, becomes less effective at training the body over time. Diversifying your training is an important component of an effective training regimen, and cardio can be a great means of stressing your body in new ways. For that reason, many athletic programs that don’t focus primarily on cardio training still mix in some cardio once or twice every week.
Decreased body fat While a little heft can be valuable in some sports, particularly football, fat mass is never as useful as muscle mass. While increased muscle mass gives your body more force, it also increases your physical strength. Fat, meanwhile, only makes you tougher to push around. And when you’re trying to run bases, chase down a tackler, or even hurl a discus into the air, fat can slow you down and even inhibit your balance and body control. A little cardio can go a long way when it comes to body fat. by Stephanie G
What You Can Do If your current sports program doesn’t feature a cardio exercise component, you can work in this exercise on your own. Whether you choose to run, briskly walk, bike, swim or even participate in an aerobics program, try to work out for about 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. After a few weeks, you should start seeing the positive effects of your cardio training, and you’ll be a better athlete for it.
C
ardio may not be a high school athlete’s favorite part of practice, but it is no less essential to a winning pedigree. Here are some of the benefits of consistent cardio exercise, as well as some tips to help you manage your own cardio training.
25
H
er junior year, Kaylee Shaver ran cross country for the first time. It was yet another activity she could add to her impressive resume of at least seven non-soccer extracurricular activities. She loved running cross country almost immediately, and she noticed that the extra conditioning paid off on the soccer field. “It made me faster and gave me more endurance. I loved the team, and our coach was awesome. It was a great experience,� says Shaver. She finished her career with a personal best 5K of 23:02.
Academic Athlete
Kaylee Shaver
Thomas County Central High school
27
Reigning Thomas County Female Athlete of the Year Weighing College Soccer Offers by Robert Preston, Jr.
E
xcellent academics and superb athletic skills are a lethal combination. Those gifted with such often have the inside track to a world of opportunities about which other students can only dream. Kaylee Shaver, center midfielder with the Thomas County Central Lady Yellow Jackets soccer team and potential Class of 2014 valedictorian, is one such student-athlete. A gifted soccer player and student, Shaver has academic and athletic offers from colleges throughout the country. What will she ultimately do? It’s a question she is still pondering. Everything is a competition to Shaver. Her competitive fire fuels her to always do her best, no matter the activity. “Her desire to excel in everything she does is second to none. She wants to be the best, and she definitely makes her daddy proud. I have no complaints at all with her,” says her father, Thomas County Central head football coach Bill Shaver. That desire to be the best is what made her Thomas County’s Female Athlete of the Year (former In the Game Player Spotlight Adam Choice was named Male Athlete of the Year). It’s what made her an All-Region soccer player. And it’s what has made her (according to the most recent class rankings) number-one in her class. “Last year, I was first in our class. We haven’t seen any rankings this year. But I’ve always wanted to do my best in the classroom. Academics is a competition to me just like soccer is. I want to do my best,” she says. She is a self-motivated student who has always prioritized her grades. Nobody ever had to tell her to do her best. Nobody has ever sat down with her and given her a lecture about the importance of making good grades. From Shaver’s first day of school, she has been one of the best students in the class. Even with the rigors of playing year ‘round soccer and taking the toughest courses Thomas County Central offers, that hasn’t changed one bit. “I don’t sit around much. Television isn’t a priority for me. I go to school and practice, then I come home and do homework. I concentrate on what’s important. I like being involved with different activities. There are a lot of late-night study sessions, but you do what you have to do,” she says.
photography by Micki K Photography
That “get it done at all costs” attitude helped Thomas County Central win a region championship in soccer last season. The girls won the title by simply refusing to give up. The Lady Yellow Jackets weren’t necessarily the most talented team in the region, but they refused to lose. They believed they could play with anybody and that stubborn resolve to win helped them outlast more gifted opponents. In the region championship game against Northside-Columbus, for example, the Lady Yellow Jackets found themselves outgunned and overmatched. Northside had more talent and resources. But somebody forgot to tell Thomas County Central that meant the Lady Yellow Jackets were supposed to lose. It was a close game, but Thomas County Central won, 3-2. Shaver had two assists in the game. “We probably should have lost that game. We weren’t as talented as they were. But we played well as a team. We were a very close team last year,” she says. Shaver is weighing her options for the future as her senior season draws to a close. Very soon, possibly before this edition is published, she will learn the class rankings. She will also have to make a decision regarding where she will attend college. She has soccer offers on the table, including one from Carson-Newman. Shaver would love to play for CarsonNewman, but the school doesn’t offer her major of choice, athletic training. She would have to major in exercise science there. She is deciding between a soccer career at Carson-Newman or hanging up her cleats and pursuing athletic training at the University of Georgia. “I would love to play soccer in college. It’s always been a goal of mine. But I want to study athletic training at Georgia, too. I’m still deciding,” she says. ITg
Kaylee Favorites: Team: U.S. National Soccer Team Players: Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd Pepsi or Coke: “I don’t drink sodas. I haven’t had one in a year and two months.” What would you do with $1 million? “I’d buy my dad a new truck. His is very old.” Superpower: Fly Person to meet: Tim Tebow Place to travel: Fiji
29
Forget fad diets and expensive nutritional supplements. Athletes need good nutrition that includes plenty of water, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Healthy eating plans such as the Paleo Diet or clean eating lifestyle may offer some benefits to athletes. However, before you make any dietary or lifestyle changes, it is extremely important to consult a physician. It’s also a good idea to sit down and talk to your coach or trainer as well.
The Paleo Diet The Paleo Diet simply means eating like our caveman ancestors did. This does not mean you need to ditch the fork and knife. Eating Paleo (short for Paleolithic) means eating foods that are similar to the foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. These include proteins (meat, fish, and poultry), whole fruits and veggies. Foods that are not part of the Paleo Diet include dairy products, refined sugar, grains (yes, that means hamburger buns), and even legumes (beans, peas, etc.). No processed foods are consumed on the Paleo Diet; the cavemen didn’t have convenience stores to grab a quick snack. If you want to learn more about the Paleo Diet, consider reading the book The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain, founder of the Paleo Movement.
Clean Eating Slightly different from the Paleo Diet, clean eating eliminates all processed foods from your diet. Clean eating features an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables just like the Paleo Diet, but it also allows whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and even all-natural sugar substitutes such as honey. White bread and white rice are not part of the clean eating regime. Instead clean eating encourages a switch to brown rice, whole wheat, millet, and quinoa. An athlete used to a pre-game meal of pasta simply can substitute pasta made from regular flour to brown rice pasta (look for it in the gluten-free section of the grocery store). Clean eating means trying to eat as many foods in their natural state as possible. Instead of processed apple juice, eat an apple.
Nutrition
A
s a high school athlete, you’re already living an active lifestyle and most likely following a regular exercise and training routine. While swinging through the drive-through is fast and easy after a practice, most often it is not the healthiest choice. Maintaining proper nutrition throughout the year, not just during your sport’s season, can help improve your athletic performance and is essential to your overall health.
by Barb H.
Benefits of the Paleo Diet and Clean Eating Both the Paleo Diet and Clean Eating have healthful benefits. Both increase significantly the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed and both help eliminate processed foods from your diet. Processed foods are food items you can’t make in a home kitchen because they contain ingredients not available to the general public. These ingredients include chemicals, preservations, dyes, and more. Reducing processed food consumption can help improve your overall health, allowing you to train more regularly without being as tired or taking as many sick days.
Source: http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/paleo-diet, http://www.pbs.org/ newshour/bb/health-jan-june13-food_04-29/
31
32
Colquitt County Sophomore Dominates On The Dirt by Robert Preston, Jr.
A
ccording to a somewhat random list found online, the top toys for 10-yearold boys are Ultra Stomp Rockets, Boogie Board LCD writing tablets, and BikeBrightz - unless you’re a 10-year-old who has the same interests as Tyler Summerlin, now a 15-year-old sophomore at Colquitt County High School. “When Tyler was 10, he said he wanted a race car. It’s something he’s always wanted to do,” says Summerlin’s father, Jerry. When Summerlin asked for a race car, he wasn’t talking about a Hot Wheels or Matchbox toy. He wanted a real race car. He got it three years later. Summerlin is one of the top young drivers in the area with a points championship and a runner-up in his first two years of racing. Summerlin is about to begin his third season racing. In just two years in the mini stock class, he has won 15-of-25 races. His first year on the track, he finished second in points at Albany Motor Speedway. Last year, he won the points championship. “When he shows up, he’s one of the ones to beat. He can compete with anybody in his class,” says his father. Typically, Summerlin races on two tracks: Albany and Needmore. Races are 15 laps and speeds can approach 70 mph at Albany and 80 mph at Needmore. Summerlin has a knack for anticipating what’s going to happen next during a race. He is patient and knows he can’t win a race in the first lap. He often sits back and lets the race develop in front of him. “I always say you have to lay back and be
smooth. I put everything in God’s hands and do my best,” says Summerlin. When it’s time to make his move, he does so with skill and precision. It doesn’t hurt that he has quick reflexes, either. “Once a car spun out in front of him. I thought he was going to hit for sure. But he managed to get around it and keep racing,” says his father. The car is more of a truck than anything else. It resembles something out of the NASCAR truck series, though its chassis isn’t that of a truck. It’s a Ford Mustang chassis with a custom fourcylinder motor. The transmission is a factory OEM four-speed. The Summerlins do most of the work on the car themselves. They don’t get inside the motor much, but they do all the rear end work, body work, and maintenance on the outside of the motor in their shop. During the season, they spend about two nights per week in the shop, working on the truck. It’s an expensive hobby, but there is an opportunity to recoup some of the overhead. Last season, Summerlin won about $3,500 racing, most of which he put back into the truck. That’s not a bad payday, but it doesn’t come close to offsetting the costs of maintaining and racing the truck. “I like knowing where he is on Friday and Saturday nights. And this is something we can do together. It keeps him busy doing something he loves. That’s more than enough to cover what we have to pay out of our pockets for him to race,” says Summerlin’s father. ITG
here do the dirt tracks of South Georgia lead? Ultimately, the same place that all dirt tracks eventually end up: The superspeedways of NASCAR, if you’re good enough and lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Most of the NASCAR drivers got their starts on local dirt tracks just like the ones the Summerlins frequent. Scouts visit the dirt tracks looking for talent, trying to find the next big thing. While that dream may be in the back of Tyler Summerlin’s mind, he isn’t looking too far ahead. He’s having fun racing and being around the track. He will get his chance this year to try his skills in a tougher class when he races a few times in the limited late model class in 2014. That will be a good test of his driving abilities and will tell a great deal about the future he has in racing. Until then, Summerlin says he’s just going to keep on racing and living his dreams. If something bigger shows up, fine. If not, he’ll keep on doing what he’s doing - having fun, hanging out at the track, turning wrenches, and winning races.
Photo by Lee Photograph y
W
photography by Carolyn Johnson, Racegirl Photography
33
Player Spotlight Presented by:
Cory Pope
Lowndes High School
C
ory Pope’s baseball career didn’t begin in Valdosta; it started in Memphis, Tennessee. Pope was born in Valdosta but moved to Tennessee for two years when he was very young. After a couple of years in Tennessee, he and his family came back to Valdosta. And that is where he developed into a promising young baseball talent. 37
Lowndes High Senior Lefty: “I just want to give my team a chance to win” by Robert Preston, Jr.
C
ory Pope, a senior left-handed pitcher for the Lowndes Vikings, is one of those kids coaches love to have. He’s a good player, no doubt, but most importantly, he wants to do what’s best for the team. He values team achievement above personal accomplishments. And as he brings his high school baseball career to a close, he would like to see his Vikings surpass last year’s region championship and Elite Eight playoff run. Like most players, Pope started playing baseball at a young age. He loved the sport from the first time he stepped on the field. His love of the game and work ethic helped him develop into a very good young pitcher. “I can’t hit, and I’m glad I don’t have to. I’m not good at it, and it gives one of my teammates the opportunity to do something that I can’t. I love being in control of a game. I love the responsibility and I like the pressure of being on the mound,” he says. Standing out there on the pitcher’s mound for a Region 1-6A team can be a nerve-wracking experience. The stakes are high, and there is never time for an off night. To stay calm, Pope has a routine he goes through between innings. He always goes straight to the Gatorade cooler and gets a cupful. He keeps a Bible in the dugout and reads Romans 14:8 – (For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord;
photography by Micki K Photography
therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s) – as soon as he sits down and again before he goes out for the next inning. “That verse helps me keep things in perspective. All I can do is do my best and glorify God. He will take care of the rest,” says Pope. So far, his routine has worked well. Pope posted a 7-2 record last year with a 2.71 ERA. He struck out 80 batters in 83 innings. Pope is a finesse pitcher who relies on location and the ability to outsmart hitters. His velocity isn’t bad – low to mid 80s – but he isn’t going to overpower batters very often. “I try not to throw the same pitch twice. I’m not going to just blow the ball by hitters very much. I’ve got to get batters out in other ways,” he says. Pope has managed to get himself out of some difficult situations, none more difficult than what he encountered last year on a road trip Lowndes took to Miami. The Vikings played several very good teams on that trip. Pope threw against LaSalle and found himself in some trouble during the game. LaSalle loaded the bases with nobody out. Pope stayed calm and struck out the next two batters. Then he got another to pop up for the third out. “They didn’t score. That was one of the highlights of my season last year,” he says. Pope doesn’t look very far into the future with regard to baseball. For this season, which hadn’t
yet begun when In the Game spoke with Pope, he would simply like to do his job to the best of his ability and give the Vikings a chance to win. “Yeah, I’d love to win state. But ultimately, I want to be able to contribute to my team’s success. I want to have fun and do my job. Other than that, I don’t have any expectations,” he says. Pope hasn’t made a decision yet on where he will attend college. Several schools are looking at him, and he’s taken several visits. Thus far, however, he has made no decision. He will most definitely play in college; an All-Region selection and region Co-Pitcher of the Year from a 6A program shouldn’t have a problem getting on a college roster. The question comes down to where. “I’m just going to pitch this season then re-evaluate everything after the season ends. Then I will make my decision,” he says. ITG
Cory’s Favorites: Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Player: Mariano Rivera Sport you wish you could play: Lacrosse Subject: History Last song downloaded: “You Can’t Stop Me”
by Andy Mineo
Coke or Pepsi: Coke Superpower: Ability to freeze time Person to meet: Will Smith
39
41
Player Spotlight Presented by:
Valdosta High School
42
by Robert Preston, Jr.
D
aniel Tefft, a senior first baseman for the Valdosta High Wildcats baseball team, would like this season to be a special one. It will be his last as a Wildcat. Though he will most likely continue his career at the next level, playing your last season in high school is bittersweet. And over the last few years, playing baseball at Valdosta High has been more bitter than sweet. The Wildcats haven’t made the playoffs during Tefft’s career. And that is something he would very much like to change in 2014. Tefft is a baseball-only specialist who decided early on that he would focus on one sport and one sport only. He grew up in Echols County. He still lives in Echols but attends school in Valdosta, where there was no football. He played baseball and basketball, but he knew that once he started attending Valdosta High, his basketball days would be numbered. “I played baseball all year, between the school season and travel ball. There wasn’t a lot of time to do anything else. I just wanted to play baseball,” he says. With all of his attention focused solely on baseball, he developed into an excellent player. He’s a prototypical first baseman - big, strong, hard-hitting, and left-handed. He’s 6’1” and 210 pounds, hits in the middle of the order, and wants nothing more than to turn opposing players on their heels. Tefft has good power,
photography by Micki K Photography
but he is also a solid contact hitter. He works with the Valdosta High coaching staff as well as a private hitting instructor, John Saxon, in Tallahassee. His goal is to put the ball in play, pressure the defense, and not try to do too much. As a lefty in the middle of the order, he sees a lot of outside pitches. Like most power guys, he loves to pull the ball. However, he knows his odds of success diminish greatly if he tries to pull the outside pitch. “I try to stay short with the ball and drive that outside pitch the opposite way. Hitting is such a challenge. Baseball is a team sport, but there are so many one-on-one moments. Hitting is like that - it’s you against the pitcher. I enjoy the challenge,” he says. As of press time, Valdosta High’s season had not yet begun. The Wildcats had played one preseason scrimmage but no regular season games. It had been a long offseason - much longer than Tefft would have liked - but the extra time had given Tefft a greater opportunity to practice and work on his conditioning. With the season looming, Tefft wanted to hit five to seven home runs (he hit none last year) and help the Wildcats make a playoff run. “I’ve been practicing every day and working out pretty hard. This is the best preseason we’ve had since I’ve been here. I’m excited about the season,” he says. Since Tefft has been in middle school, playing baseball in college has been an aspiration. He has had contact with several schools and feels certain he will play at the next level. “It’s always been a goal of mine. I’ve been talking with several colleges. The first schools started contacting me last year. I’d like for it to work out. I want to play baseball for as long as I can,” he says. ITG
Player: Chipper Jones
Place to travel: Alaska or somewhere in the mountains
Sport you wish you could play: Basketball
Person to meet: Chipper Jones
Superpower: Fly
What would you do if someone gave you $1 million? “I’d tell my parents first, but I’d try to keep it a secret. I’d invest it and use it to help others.”
Team: Atlanta Braves
Dogs or cats? Dogs
43
Freshman Focus
To help with his overall conditioning and strength, Miles Parramore has been doing CrossFit. The workouts emphasize functional strength and tie cardio into weight training. Miles Parramore and his father Todd feel that CrossFit workouts have given him an edge over his opponents. As Parramore moves forward, CrossFit will definitely remain a staple of his workout regimen.
Miles Parramore Valwood School
Valwood Freshman Wrestler Undefeated, Wins State Championship by Robert Preston, Jr.
S
ports typically reward great size and strength. Should an aspiring studentathlete find himself deficient in either area, his chances of success on the field of play often become all the more difficult. Miles Parramore, a freshman wrestler at Valwood, has turned things upside down. His lack of size and brute strength helped lead him to an individual state title in wrestling this year. When Parramore was in the fifth grade, he found himself with a choice to make. If he was going to play sports at Valwood, it was time to choose a particular activity. Football and basketball were out of the question; a scant 64 pounds, Parramore was too small for either sport. There wasn’t much more to choose from that fall, so he decided to try wrestling. Most people don’t realize the difficulty of amateur wrestling. The violence may be quite controlled, but the conditioning and workouts required to become a great wrestler are punishing. Despite the difficulty of the sport he chose, Parramore quickly started improving. To get even better, he joined the South Georgia Athletic Club Devil Dogs, a local USA Wrestling club. “Miles really advanced when he started in the USA Wrestling program. He was at a disadvantage because some of those kids had been wrestling since they were very young. Each year, though, Miles has closed the gap,” says his father, Todd Parramore. Last season, the final year Parramore could compete in folkstyle wrestling in the USAW program, he finished second in the state. This season, his first at the varsity level, Parramore had two bold goals: to go undefeated and win a state championship. A secondary goal that hinged upon meeting the first goal is to win
photography by Micki K Photography
four consecutive state championships while at Valwood. “We knew the first one would be the toughest, but we felt all along that he could do it. We knew that the experience he gained all these years with the Devil Dogs would really be an advantage for him,” says his father. Parramore expresses a quiet confidence when he discusses his goals. “I knew all along I could do it. I didn’t think it would be easy, but I knew I could do it.” Parramore, wrestling in the 106-pound class, locked horns with four seniors throughout the season, all of whom he dispatched fairly easily. He faced a senior from Weber, a pretty good wrestler who had finished second in the state in the past, in the state finals. The match was Parramore’s most difficult test of the year, yet he still pinned him early in the second period. “He gave up four points in the match, which was the most he had given up all year,” says his father. As for Parramore’s future in wrestling, neither he nor his father are looking too far down the road. Parramore would like to keep wrestling for the Devil Dogs. He now wrestles freestyle-Greco, to which his father gives credit for helping Parramore develop into a state title-caliber wrestler. “If a young man is going to become a great wrestler, he will have to wrestle freestyle-Greco. That’s a big part of the reason why Miles has become such a good wrestler,” says his father. Parramore has also wrestled for Team Georgia and would like to continue as a part of that squad. Other than that, he would like to continue to hone his craft and get better each year. “I don’t have any big plans for the future. I just want to keep wrestling,” says Parramore. ITG 45
47
Coach’s Corner
Rob Williams Lee County High School
Former Lee County Baseball Coach, Current Athletic Director Reflects on Successful Career by Robert Preston, Jr.
P
eople define success in a number of different ways. In the case of Rob Williams, Lee County’s athletic director and former head baseball and assistant football coach, it doesn’t matter how you choose to do so. He has had a long and successful career filled with region championships, appearances in the state playoffs, and some oh-so-close moments in the state finals. His numbers in baseball are impressive; in 24 years as head baseball coach, his teams won 14 region championships anwent to the Final Four three times and the state finals twice (the Trojans were runners-up in 1990 and 2005). In the process, he helped develop thousands of young men into productive, responsible adults and produced one National League Rookie of the Year, National League batting champ, and a two-time World Series champion in Buster Posey. 48
Williams graduated from Ware County High School where he played football and baseball. After high school, he attended then-Valdosta State College, where he played two years of baseball at VSC. When he finished at Valdosta State, he took his first job at Colquitt County High. Back then, it was known as Moultrie High School. “Yeah, I’m an old guy,” he laughs. He went to Moultrie in 1976 and stayed there until 1984 when he moved to Lee County. Williams coached with Doug Tucker at Moultrie/Colquitt County. In 1984, Tucker took the head football job at Lee County and asked Williams to move to Leesburg with him. Initially, Williams was an assistant football and baseball coach. When he went to Lee County, the Trojans baseball team was struggling a bit, but they had won some games. For the first few years, he coached under then-head coach Butch Watts and the team
photography by Micki K Photography
improved. Success came quickly once Williams took over in 1989. In his first four years as head baseball coach, the Trojans won 100 games, four region titles, and went to the Final Four and the state finals once. “Baseball was really good in this area at that time. You had to do really well just to get into the playoffs. You had to win the region to move on,” he says. It didn’t take his players long to expect the best from themselves. “They felt like they were supposed to win. Even if we got out to a slow start and fell behind early, our players felt like they would come back and win. At the end of the game, they knew they would be there with the lead. Anything short of that wasn’t acceptable,” says Williams. He taught his players to give everything they had. They played hard, and they played fast. Williams built his teams around solid pitching and airtight defense. “My father taught me that it doesn’t take any abil-
ity to hustle. You run out every play and play hard. If we could pitch and play defense, we wouldn’t have to be an offensive juggernaut. We had some teams that scored a lot of runs, but we didn’t worry about the long ball. We just wanted to put the ball in play and put pressure on our opponent’s defense,” he says. Williams baseball and the athletes who play it evolve over the course of his career. When he started coaching, baseball was an afterthought at most high schools. Coaches might not have had any baseball experience and facilities often left a great deal to be desired. After a few years in the game, he looked around and realized that all the teams were starting to get excellent coaches. There was a greater emphasis on baseball at the high school level, and that opened up greater opportunities for coaches and players to move on to the next level. “We had to pay more attention to the details. We had to start paying attention to the little things. We realized if we did that, the big things would take care of themselves,” he says. The game has changed yet again, though this time it may have taken a step back in time - at least from a strategy standpoint. With the advent of aluminum bats, momentum began
shifting in favor of the hitters. As bat technology improved, pitchers found themselves increasingly at a disadvantage. Then, a couple of years ago, when governing bodies in both high school and college altered bats to where they more closely resembled wooden bats, coaches
had to adapt. It forced changes in strategy, and it changed the way coaches taught hitting. “We had to teach hitters to use their hands more. We also had to go back to small ball. We did more bunting for base hits, hit and run, trying to steal runs wherever we could. It put a greater emphasis on base running. It also changed the way defenses played, too,” he says. Twelve years ago, Williams added athletic director to his list of duties at Lee County. After last baseball season, he felt as though the grind had gotten too much. It was time to step away. “I could feel it. I didn’t ever want to get to where I dreaded going on to the field. I just felt as though I didn’t have the energy to devote to baseball that these kids deserve,” he says. Now that he isn’t coaching baseball, he has more time to devote to the other sports at Lee County High - no small task given the Trojans’ recent move to Region 1-6A. “Athletics is an extension of a student’s education. It’s just like any other class. Kids learn so many lessons in athletics that they can apply in other areas of life. High school athletics isn’t going anywhere, but we have to make sure the kids enjoy what they do. There are a lot more things out there that kids these days can do besides play sports,” he says. ITG
T
hroughout his coaching career, Rob Williams’s wife of 33 years, Sharron, has been there by his side. It hasn’t always been easy, but she has supported him all the way. Consider for a moment how their marriage began: They married on Aug. 30 – the day after a football game in which Williams had to coach. Because of the game, they couldn’t have their rehearsal on Friday night. So they had their rehearsal on Thursday, he coached on Friday, then they married on Saturday. The following Tuesday, he was back at football pr actice. “I remember that we won that game 11-6,” he laughs. His daughters Melissa, Michelle, and Mellanie were all with him on the sidelines keeping stats for the team when they were in high school. “That gave me the chance to spend some extr a time with them.”
49
www.inthegamemagazine.com
888.715.GAME
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
Colquitt County riflery: one of the area’s best by Robert Preston, Jr.
W
hen people think of Colquitt County athletics, the first thing that comes to mind is football. Next on that list would be baseball. One sport that probably wouldn’t come to mind would be riflery. Many people might not realize that Colquitt County not only has a riflery team, but one of the best riflery teams in the area. Like most schools that have rifle teams, Colquitt County’s riflery team is an outcropping of its Junior ROTC program. In Colquitt’s area only Tift County fields a team outside of a JROTC program. Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) Emmett Bryant (U.S. Marine Corps, ret.) has been leading Colquitt’s JROTC program since 1996. In 1999, JROTC started shooting competitively. Riflery is a Georgia High School sanctioned sport and 111 Georgia high schools have rifle teams. The teams are grouped in areas that are quite different from the region classifications of the traditional sports. Colquitt is in Area 2. The only other Region 1-6A school in Area 2 is Tift County. The high school riflery teams shoot air rifles in the Precision category. Shooting sports start with BB guns for youngsters. In high school, it’s pellet rifles. Should a shooter compete in college, the round of choice is the .22 high-powered rifle. High school shooters shoot from three positions (standing, prone, and kneeling) from a distance of 10 meters. The rifles don’t have scopes, but that doesn’t mean they are unsophisticated. A top of the line competitive air rifle can cost upwards of $3,500. At the high school level, most shooters use equipment provided by the school. “If you’re going to move on up, you will need your own equipment. It’s always best to have your own,” says GySgt Bryant.
photography by Connie Southwell
Being a good shooter comes down to relaxation and body control. The shots aren’t long, and there isn’t a lot of noise on the range. Air rifles are very quiet, so there is an eerie tranquility at the range given the amount of shooting that’s going on. Shooters must control their breathing and align themselves properly with the rifle. For this reason, female shooters often do better than male shooters. “The girls haven’t picked up any bad habits from being in the woods hunting,” says GySgt Bryant. The other key to being successful is shooting often. GySgt Bryant says the best teams shoot the most. The season is long; teams can begin shooting in August, and the state championship match is in April. Schools in the metro area have an advantage because they can shoot regularly within a few miles of their schools. Outside metro areas, schools are more spread out, and it takes more time and money to shoot with other schools. “It’s hard for us to compete as much as the metro schools because we’re so far south. But we’ve still done well. We’re one of the better teams below Macon,” says GySgt Bryant. Colquitt County is one of the few teams to win the two big national competitions, the Gary Anderson Invitational, and the Marine Corps Nationals. In addition, the team has won several area championships with 14-0 records. In mid February, Colquitt was 4-2 and in third place in the area. “This is a great sport to be in. It’s easy to get into, and it’s a great way for kids to get involved in an activity. It’s quiet, and it requires a lot of concentration. There’s a lot of pressure on the kids, but they learn how to perform when the stakes are high. It’s just a great sport,” says GySgt Bryant. ITG
GySgt Bryant came to Colquitt County High after retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps. In the Marines, he trained drill instructors and recruits in marksmanship, and he also did security for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. “At their heart, every Marine is a rifleman first. Marines have a lot of different jobs, but first and foremost, they are riflemen. Then they have their other jobs,” he says.
53
Rising Star Presented by:
Elizabeth Funderburk
C.A. Gray Junior High School
Colquitt Eighth Grader Dominates In Golf And Cross Country
by Robert Preston, Jr. photography by Connie Southwell Photography
V Already, Elizabeth Funderburk has the talent to play golf and run cross country in college should she choose to do so. She is thinking about college golf, but she isn’t too worried about that right now. She is just having fun playing golf and running. It doesn’t hurt that she’s winning events in both sports. The most immediate issue is the kind of impact she will have next year on the Colquitt County golf and cross country teams. Funderburk will help both teams tremendously from the first day she shows up at practice. “In high school, she has a chance to contend for a region title in both cross country and golf,” says Darrell Funderburk. 54
ictories or low medalist awards in over 35 golf tournaments. Twotime player of the year on two different tours. Two-time sectional champion. Sounds like the resume of a veteran golfer who has been playing for several decades, right? The golfer behind those achievements isn’t even a decade and a half old. She’s been playing tournament golf for a little over five years and is already one of the best - if not the best female golfers in the area. When Elizabeth Funderburk was little, her father, Darrell, an assistant principal at Colquitt County High School, put a golf club in her hands. Funderburk was a smart young lady, and her father thought the difficulty and strategy of golf would play right into her strengths. Golf was a little less strategic and more of a game for her then. “I used to go to the golf course with my dad. It was something we did together. He bought me a set of clubs, and I figured I better stay with it then,” she laughs. The more she played, the more she picked up on the difficulty of the game. And the more she was able to master it. Figuring out golf - at least as much as anybody her age could - and getting better each and every week were fun to Funderburk. So she kept playing. And she kept getting better. Then she started winning tournaments. Funderburk plays on three different tours plus her middle school team: the Red Hills Junior Golf Tour, the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour, and the Georgia State
Golf Association’s junior tour. Her most recent win as of press time was the SJGT Sea Island Classic in January; she won the girls 12-14 age group with an 83 and 85. Her best score for nine holes is a 34; for 18, it’s a 77. The key to Funderburk’s success is hard work - she spends hours, hours, and more hours practicing - and staying calm. “I look at each hole as an individual contest. I take each hole one at a time. I don’t worry about what happened on the last hole, and I don’t look forward to the next one. I just play the one I’m on at the time,” she says. When In the Game spoke with Funderburk in mid-February, the middle school season had not yet started. However, during her middle school career, her team has been undefeated. This season, she hopes to continue that streak. “I’d like to keep that going. I also want to do better this year than I did last year,” she says. As good as Funderburk is at golf, she is equally good, and maybe even better, at cross country. “They are two totally different sports. Golf isn’t physically demanding like running is. When I run, I get to push myself physically in a way that I can’t on the golf course,” she says. Funderburk ran for three years at C.A. Gray.
This season, she won all six races in which she competed. She was sixth in the state at the state meet in Cochran (she ran a 13:02 threekilometer race). Funderburk also ran in the junior varsity race at the Region 1-6A region championship. She was the first female runner in the 5K event with a 20:44. Her time ended up being just 20 seconds off the eventual region champion’s time in the varsity race. “This season surprised me. I didn’t expect to win all those races. I just enjoy running. I try to run every day, and it’s something I want to keep doing,” she says. ITg
Elizabeth’s Favorites: Subject in school
Math
Dream course to play
Augusta National Golfer
Stacy Lewis & Natalie Gulbis TV show
Duck Dynasty Character
Uncle Sy Place to travel
Puerto Rico Person to meet
Phil Mickelson
55
Valdosta Wildcats VHS Students Excel On And Off Field Members of the Valdosta High School Academic Bowl team excel in the classroom and on the field, as several of the team’s members play varsity athletics for the Wildcats. Academic Bowl is a team-centered event, similar to the sports that members partake in. The trivia competition-like meets feature questions that can stem from any possible subject, ranging from academic areas such as English, History, and Math to sports and pop-culture. Four members compose one team, and face off against another team of four. All participants receive individual buzzers, placed in front of them, which they are to ring when they believe to know the answer to the question asked. If that answer is wrong, then the other team gains a valuable opportunity to “steal” the question and respond with an answer of their own. Whichever team replies with the correct response acquires the ability to answer four bonus questions that relate to the subject of the original question. For such bonus questions, members can collaborate with their teammates to ensure that they gain as many bonus points as possible. At the end of a round, the team with the highest overall score wins.
Valdosta, GA • www.vhs.gocats.org by Aneesha Chowdhary
The VHS Academic Bowl team has found success at such meets and tournaments so far this year. They compete against teams from Valdosta’s region and around the state, and sometimes even against teams from other states. Meets can be held at Valdosta High or other school, or occur tournament style with multiple teams on the weekends. Such tournaments can last for only a few hours, or span to multiple days depending on the number of opposing teams present. For the past two years, the Wildcat team has advanced to nationals, and nothing has changed this year. After placing in the Top 10 at all meets, some with 40 teams, the club’s A-Team looks forward to attending national in May in Chicago. Currently, the team fundraises for the money and resources necessary to travel to Chicago and continues to practice regularly. President and senior Austin Lane says “Right now, while we wait for nationals, our main goal is to prepare our younger members for the next couple of years.” Twice a week, the team meets in sponsor Pamela Gubert’s room for practice. At practice, the club, composed of 20 members who span all
grades, splits into different teams and reviews questions from previous meets and competitions. As A-team captain, tri-sport athlete, and senior Chris Hanson explained, “We try to make practice as similar to a real meet as we can to prepare for the high pressure environment of a real competition.” This type of practice is meant to help current team members stay sharp for nationals and train underclassmen members who hope to move up to A and B teams in the near future. With such a demanding practice and competition schedule, team members have to find the delicate balance of juggling schoolwork, sports, and clubs. Athletes in the club maintain that while participating in Academic Bowl and school sports can be difficult, it is more than worth it in the end. Senior team member and soccer player Spencer Leff says, “Academic Bowl is mentally stimulating and rewarding. I feel that Academic Bowl has improved my studies in all subject areas at school.” With spring just around the corner, the VHS Academic Bowl waits until May, when they hope to advance further at nationals than any other Valdosta team in the past.
57
Valwood Valiants
Valdosta, GA • www.valwood.org
Future Looks Bright For Valwood Wrestling There is one word that can describe the 201314 Valwood wrestling roster: young. Seven of the eight grapplers this year were freshmen. Despite the inexperience the Valiants had a successful campaign that saw five wrestlers make it to the state championship. These freshmen were led by standout Miles Parramore who completed a season for the record books. Parramore had a perfect 19-0 undefeated season in the 106-pound weight class and won the 2014 GISA Individual State Championship on February 8, becoming only the second Valiant to win a state title. But it didn’t stop there. He pinned all but one opponent he faced, and just as impressive, was never taken down by an opposing wrestler. “All the hard work I put in prior to high school really paid off this year and then some,” says Parramore. “A lot of my success and the team’s success is because of the coaches. Without them, we would not even have a program.” Parramore is speaking about Head Coach Tommy Williams and his two assistants Carl Collins and EJ Sheppard. Williams, who is in his second year as coach of the Valiants, has a long history in the sport. A native of Covington, Georgia, Williams was part of two GHSA State
Championship teams in 2008 and 2009 at Eastside High School and individually finished second in the state in the 189 pound class in 2009. Because it is such a young team, Williams says his main focus was on the importance of the basic skills. “When you look at college wrestling, and you look to some of the best guys to ever do it, they won using basic moves – doubles, singles, picks, things of that fashion,” says Williams. “That is the same mentality we started the season with; basic wrestling will win matches.” The odd-man out on the team is Daniel Costello. The senior is the only non-freshman on the team but was vital not only because of his performance on the mat, but also because of his leadership qualities. A football lineman during the fall, Costello had a monster year on the mat, going 10-2 in the 285-pound class and placing third in the state finals. He also garnered a runner-up in the Southland Academy Invitational during the season. “Daniel has been really fantastic for the team,” says Williams. “If someone is struggling with a move or positioning, Daniel will take the initiative and demonstrate how it is done and make sure everyone has their questions answered.”
Other first-year varsity wrestlers had solid seasons. Blake Holley finished the season at 10-4 and took fifth in the state finals in the 152-pound weight class. Collin Vandemark finished at an even 7-7 record but finished second in the state regional meet which qualified him for the state finals. Anthony Gallo went 6-8 on the season but excelled at the regionals, and due to his third place finish, qualified for the state championship, where he placed sixth in his weight class. “We had to work twice as hard as other teams because we always are wrestling guys who are older than us,” says Holley. “But having stuck it out, it is a really good feeling.” Parramore adds, “I’m really impressed with what we did. I think we did better than most freshman would do.” As a team, Valwood struggled with their overall record as forfeits in many of the weight classes caused low finishes. However, despite only suiting up five wrestlers for the state individuals, the Valiants placed eighth out of 32 total teams. With the influx of these talented freshmen, and a middle school program that is also building a solid foundation, the future, while young today, looks very bright for tomorrow and beyond. Valwood School
SUMMER 353 Northside Drive Valdosta, GA 31602
Tanning Salon
Folllow us on facebook Special Offers
229-245-8285
esummer@mchsi.com
59
Ocilla, GA • www.irwincountyindians.com
60
Indian Field • Capacity: 3,000 • Ocilla, GA • www.irwincountyindians.com Irwin Wrestling Takes Second Place In 1-A Area Coach Ray Pierce’s Irwin wrestling team competed Saturday in the Traditional Area Tournament held at Turner County High School. Irwin finished in second place behind Turner County in a nine-team field. All 10 of Irwin’s participants in the tournament placed in the top four to advance to sectionals this upcoming weekend at Holy Innocents’ High School in Atlanta. Coach Pierce says, “This is the largest number of athletes Irwin has had to place at Area since 2003.” Senior Black Sumner (182 lbs), freshman Nathan Tucker
(195 lbs), and junior Micah Powers (220 lbs) finished in first place. Pierce adds, “I am especially proud for Sumner; this is his first tournament win in his wrestling career.” Freshman Morgan Mitchell (126 lbs), senior Evan Paulk (145 lbs), and junior Petro Goolsby (170 lbs) all claimed second place in the tournament. Evan Paulk is now two wins away from the all-time wins record in Irwin wrestling history behind Sam Tucker. Sophomore Kerick Boone (132 lbs) and freshman Zyon Ross (285 lbs) finished with third
place. In addition, Freshman Kyle Jones (132 lbs) and sophomore DJ Pollard (152 lbs) came in fourth for Irwin. Sectionals will be held Saturday, February 8th in Atlanta. The top four from sectionals will qualify for the state tournament the following weekend at the Gwinnett Center. Coach Pierce says, “I am very proud of what our athletes have accomplished as a team. Most of them have given up all their weekends this season to reach this point.” Irwin County High School
Senior Evan Paulk (145 lbs) wrestling to sent new ICHS All-Times Wins Record. Just two matches away from record with Sectionals and State Tournaments ahead.
Irwin Wrestlers Area Runner-up: Front:: Blake Sumner, Coach Ray Pierce, Evan Paulk, Morgan Mitchell, Zyon Ross, Nathan Tucker, Kyle Jones, Daniel Yawn, and D.J. Pollard. Top: Kerick Boone, Micha Powers, and Petro Goolsby.
Irwin’s Antuane Merritt, Region Player Of The Year Irwin Coaches and Fans have watched Antuane Merritt grow and mature on the fields and courts since recreation ball. It was always said, “Antuane is a special athlete, and he is going to be outstanding.” Coach Jon Lindsey announced, “By unanimous vote Irwin’s senior #7
Antuane Merritt was voted Region 1-A Player of the Year.” No matter which side of the ball he plays, offense or defense, Merritt was there in the middle of the play! In his 2013 Season, he made 23 touchdowns, over 50 tackles, and 1,200 yards rushing. Merritt, Irwin County says,
“Thanks for all the Good Times!”
61
Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane Fitzgerald, GA • www.purplehurricane.com Lady Canes Soccer With the beginning of a new season setting in, much anticipation and excitement is being felt by the Lady Canes soccer team at Fitzgerald High School. For three years, the Lady Canes have been building a foundation of experience and skill in order to best represent themselves in the run for the region championship. Consistently yielding improvement from year to year, the Lady Canes feel confident in their preparation and the work they have put in both on and off the soccer field. Behind countless hours in the gym and on the field lies a team willing and ready to put up a resilient fight as competitors in their region. Amongst a strong culture of athletic pride, soccer at Fitzgerald has yet to solidify a legacy; this year’s squad intends to change that fact and place their names alongside fellow and former athletic greats originating from Fitzgerald. Since
by Jessica Stanfill
2012, this team of hard-working young ladies have more than tripled the average number of goals scored per season, setting an all-time school record of 94 goals, the highest number of goals scored by any boys’ or girls’ side in school history. Another first for the Lady Canes was established this past summer as the team traveled to North Carolina for a week of training by the nation’s most highly revered soccer program at the University of North Carolina. On top of these accomplishments, the ladies at Fitzgerald plan on continuing to raise the bar even higher as they approach the 2014 season. A region championship has yet to be achieved by any girls’ soccer team in the school’s history, and this year’s team intends on changing that statistic. Lead by their coach, Lee Dorsett, the girls have learned that champions are born in the
hours of preparation that lead up to a game, and so the Lady Canes have been putting in intense effort that will allow them to stand out above their competition. With the majority of their squad partaking in a weightlifting program, the girls will approach this season stronger and faster than ever. Three mornings a week, the group meets for intense aerobic and weight training. With the relentless dedication of their coach and tremendous support of their booster club, Fitzgerald High School Lady Canes welcome the onset of the 2014 season with determination and a competitive fire that they hope will carry them to a region championship. Fitzgerald High School
63
Once again we find ourselves in “banquet season!” Last month was our highest attended record-breaking banquet in the history of Southeast Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes Spring Banquet! We were able to welcome back one of our very own, Buck Belue, former Valdosta High and University of Georgia Quarterback (You might have heard of him? He was on that 1980 National Championship team). Belue also went on to play Major League Baseball with the Expos. We also commissioned a 1/1 painting to be auctioned off at the banquet. You can see it on our Facebook (SEGA FCA) and web (www.segafca.org) pages. This month we will continue the tradition of our Coaches Appreciation Dinner (03/19/14) at Larry Carter’s Cabin. We are moving the dinner to Carter’s Cabin due to the overwhelming turn out we have received the past two years (which might have something to do with the grilled steaks). Jury is still out on that one. The following evening will be our Berrien County Banquet (03/20/14). Keeping suit with venue changes, we are moving the Berrien Banquet to the brand new Family Life Center at Flat Creek
Church, Nashville. Our guest speaker at both events will be former Atlanta Braves pitcher Jose Alvarez. Alvarez and his wife Michelle currently serve as FCA Chaplains to the Web.com ProAm Golf Tour and are featured speakers with Family Life. Contact our office if you would like more information on sponsoring a table for the Berrien Banquet. Next month will be our Cook County Banquet (04/10/14) at Lenox Baptist Church Family Life Center. The guest speaker for this banquet will be Tim Worley, University of Georgia Hall of Famer! Contact our office if you would like more information on sponsoring a table for the Cook Banquet. Danny R. Broyles SEGA Area Director (229) 245-1717 Office www.segafca.org SEGA FCA
@SEGAFCA
www.segafca.org
65