HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
In This Issue:
South Georgia
11 On the Cover TiftMikeCountyBeeman High School
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November 2014
17 Two Sport Athlete Colquitt Zay Williams County High School
CONTENTS
22 Player Spotlight
17 24
Cole Minshew & Jalen Wilkerson
Coffee County High School
29 Junior Quarterback
Garet Morrell
Lee County High School
36 Offensive Lineman
Will Matney
Colquitt County High School
41 On the Rise
29
Turner County Wrestling Turner County High School
47 Academic Athlete Cairo Lorrie Stuckey High School 52 Coach’s Corner
Also Inside
4
Officials: The Most Thankless Job in All of Sports
09
Teen Checking Account
15
Timeless Moments in Sports
21
GICAA Shapes Leaders On and Off the Field
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Where are they now? Jake Bundrick: GHSA Record Holder, Mayday Parade Drummer
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Cold and Flu Prevention for Athletes
33
Thomasville’s Thompson Enjoying a Solid Year with First-place Cincinnati Bengals
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Warm Up to Risk-Reduced Workouts
45
Fitness: A Lifelong Ambition South Georgia Medical Center
51
In the Stands
55
Irwin County High School
61
36
41
Bill Shaver
Thomas County Central High School
57 Rising Star
Ashton Moorman
Valwood School
47 52
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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
South Georgia November 2014
From the Publisher This month marks the end of football’s regular season. As I sit down to write this, it’s mid-October and the playoff picture is starting to emerge. Of course, the biggest battles are being waged in Region 1-6A, but those teams aren’t the only ones that are having great years. Few of our South Georgia teams will see their seasons come to a close after the 10th and final regular season game. It speaks to the talent, the hard work, and dedication of both players and coaches, and the enthusiasm of the South Georgia fan base that our teams are faring so well.
Publisher Mark Dykes
Editor Mark Dykes Sarah Turner
Graphics Jennifer Alexander
Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography
Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Mr. D Photography Sarah Turner
Feature Writers Robert Preston, Jr. James Washington Sarah Turner
Copy Editor James Washington
Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@inthegamemagazine.com Mike McGuire mike@inthegamemagazine.com
Website Manager Sarah Turner
This month, we have another set of features we are sure you will enjoy. Things have been pretty quiet for the Coffee Trojans in recent years. This year, however, the Trojans are making some noise. They are one of the top teams in the 5A classification, and they’re having a great season. They’ve also got a pair of Division I players in offensive tackle Cole Minshew and tight end/defensive end Jalen Wilkerson. Both young men are headed to Florida State University, and we spent a few minutes with each for our Player Spotlight feature. We also have a couple of wrestling-heavy stories this month. Our Rising Star is Valwood’s Ashton Moorman, who plays football and wrestles for the Valiants. Most fans are familiar with what the football program has been accomplishing lately, but they may not be familiar with what has been going on with the wrestling team. Valwood’s wrestling program is a pretty good one, and the middle school team is one of the best teams in the state. Ashton is a big reason why both teams have done so well. We also spoke with Ryan Alfau, Turner County’s head wrestling coach. The Turner County program had a great season last year and returns a quartet of potential state champion-caliber wrestlers.
Contributors
Robert Preston, Jr.,
Features & Commentary
Sarah Turner Editor
We checked in with Thomas County Central’s Bill Shaver in our Coach’s Corner, and we also discussed the football to basketball transition with Colquitt County’s Zay Lewis. While the Packers are enjoying an incredible season this year, a lot of players are getting tremendous attention. As usual, though, the offensive line is flying under the radar, simply doing whatever it needs to in order to allow the skill players to get into the end zone. Colquitt’s Will Matney, who came over to the Packers from Valwood a couple of years ago, tells us what it’s like being one of the unsung heroes on the state’s top 6A team. These are but a few of the stories we have this month that highlight the best and brightest high school student-athletes in our area. We also feature Tift County teacher Mike Beeman. A legend in the ranks of the Boston Marathon, his life experiences greatly influence his students. We also discuss the GICAA, which is doing a tremendous job of preparing students for a future after graduation, whether in athletics or otherwise. It’s been a fantastic fall season, and now things are about to get really, really interesting and fun. And we’ll be right there every step of the way.
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
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In the Game High School Sports Magazine is published monthly excluding July. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2014 Dykes Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.
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Officials: the most thankless job in all of sports by Robert Preston, Jr.
T
he officials. The one group of people nearly all fans can agree on: We don’t like them. We all think they’re biased for the other team. But we couldn’t enjoy high school sports (or sports at any level) without them. Everybody loves to hate officials, no matter the sport. We say bad things about them. We insult them in public. Sometimes, we insult their families. Yet there they are, always at every game, willing to take more abuse than any human should ever be subjected to. I don’t say much about officials. I made up my mind a long time ago that I simply wouldn’t let the way they call a game – any game – affect my enjoyment of the event. That’s not a popular opinion among many sports fans. It became mine after I sat down one day and thought really long and hard about the officials’ roles in a particular contest. Then I did a little reading. I also talked to people who have had experience calling games. And then I did the unthinkable – I spent a Saturday afternoon calling a local benefit softball tournament. After that experience, I tried my best not to say anything about the officiating. It’s not easy. Players are bigger and faster than ever. Schemes, particularly in football and basketball, are more complex than they’ve ever been. Things happen in an instant – and sometimes seemingly faster than that – during games. Officials have to make calls quickly and decisively, with little or no time to actually process what they just saw.
Depending on angle, perspective, and at times interpretation, people can see several different things in one simple play. Add to it the lack of instant replay and/or video footage in high school games, and things can get fuzzy in a hurry. Yes, officials make mistakes. We all do. Nobody is perfect in their job, no matter what their job is. But I firmly believe that our officials step on the field or court looking to do the very best and objective job they possibly can. At times, they can make blunders. The most glaring example of such a case happened this year when Bacon and Pierce played each other early in the football season. After a post-touchdown penalty had Bacon kicking off from Pierce’s 30-yard line, the Bacon kicker put the ball through the uprights on the ensuing kickoff. The officials mistakenly gave Bacon three points through a misapplication of the free kick rule, an obscure and relatively unknown rule that exists in high school and professional football. It was a terrible mistake, one that almost changed the outcome of the game. GHSA brass learned of the mistake and disciplined the crew accordingly. While things like that do happen, those instances are few and far between. Officials play a vital role in athletics at all levels. Take it easy on umpires, referees, and field judges. Theirs isn’t an easy job. It is, however, a vital one, and one without which we wouldn’t even have sports to enjoy. ITG
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On the Cover
A Role Model, Friend, and Finisher of 37 Boston Marathons by Sarah Turner
P
olice asked Mike Beeman to stop. A bomb had gone off, and the race was over. He couldn’t see it, but he was only about 200 yards away from the finish line. “It was up one street and down another, so I went through an alleyway,” Beeman said. “The buildings weren’t down, but the street where you finished looked like a war zone. There were bodies, legs, blood, and just chaos. They were just trying to block everyone out, but runners were still going around them.” For the first time in years, his daughter had traveled to Boston with Beeman so that she could cheer on her father. She had parked at different checkpoints throughout the race for encouragement, and the last time he saw her was at the 20-mile mark. Not knowing the whereabouts of his daughter, Beeman panicked. Cell phones weren’t working for about 45 minutes. But when they were, Beeman
photography by Micki K Photography
reluctantly found some spectators who allowed him to use their phone. His daughter and her company were okay. But that was all Beeman knew. “I didn’t know where they were, I just knew that I couldn’t find them. You’re in the middle of Boston, it’s Monday, it’s cold, it’s windy, so I did the logical thing, and I found a frat house,” Beeman said. The members at the fraternity were able to comfort and assist Beeman until he was finally able to arrange a way to meet back with his daughter. Beeman was in a rare group during the 2013 Boston Marathon. He had crossed the 40-kilometer shoot timer (24.9 miles), but not the finish line. Therefore, he was in a category of about 700 runners who had the possibility of being hit by the bombs. Due to his unknown location bracket and a feature in the Boston Globe weeks before about his 36 consecutive Boston Marathons,
Beeman was a prime target for notice. Because he wasn’t watching the event on television like the rest of America, he hardly even had time to realize the magnitude of the happenings before his social media blew up with little red circles. “I had 193 friend requests, 500 messages, and 900 notifications. It was just crazy,” Beeman said. Mike Beeman, Tift County High School marketing teacher, ran his 36th consecutive Boston Marathon during the year of the bombing. Currently, he sits at 37 and hopes to move on to 38 in April 2015. He holds the number-eight spot for consecutive Boston Marathons. But what started this streak of 26.2’s at one of the most respected races in the world? Back in the 1970’s, Beeman was a threesport high school athlete: basketball, track, and cross country. But like most athletes, he tried them all as a child.
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“I didn’t like football because you got hit, so I chose cross country,” Beeman said. “I think that was a big career choice. With baseball, I was batting about .194 and pitching ballgames losing 23-1. During my junior year, I switched over to track, and by my senior year, I was pretty good. I found out running was going to be good.” Beeman continued to participate in basketball, track, and cross country in college. Dave Gilbert, current director of the Boston Marathon, was a cross country teammate of Beeman’s at the time. In 1977, Beeman traveled to Boston to support Gilbert, who had been training to run his first Boston Marathon. “I said, ‘I will never watch this race again. I will be there next year. I’m going to qualify for the Boston,’” Beeman said. Although he had just come out of a long basketball season, and hadn’t really been training at all, Beeman managed to qualify for the Boston Marathon that same year in less than three hours. Every April since then, Beeman has been
in that same city on a hill. At 25 consecutive years, Beeman was no longer required to qualify; however, he didn’t realize that until after his 33rd Boston Marathon; therefore, he had qualified for every race until that point. But now, at a less competitive pace, Beeman is able to enjoy running, the training season, and even the 26.2-miler itself. Back in his competitive Boston days, Beeman would run 100-120 miles per week. Today, he runs around 40 miles per week (or 50 miles if it is marathon training season). Every day, Beeman will wake up around 4:30 a.m., go on a 5-6 mile run, and make his way to TCHS around 7:15 a.m. On the weekends, he will go out for a long run of around 10-15 miles. “I’m always in a good mood when I come to school because I usually run my mileage before school, and it allows me to do things with young kids that a lot of people my age couldn’t do, like take batting practice with the baseball team, shooting baskets, or whatever it may be,” Beeman said. “I like that; I want to hang on to it as long as I can.”
It’s no doubt that students enjoy their time with Mr. Beeman too. “He is the most interesting man in the world,” Zeke Dodson, THS student, said. Mr. Beeman is not only intriguing because of his running history, but also for his array of other unbelievable stories. He taught Adam Sandler; he coached Brian Wilson in basketball, who is now the closer for the Dodgers; he coached Olivia Carpenski, now a professional model. He was the strength and conditioning coach for the Celtics when Larry Bird graced the team. He went to the Olympic Trials in rowing. The list continues. His students agree that if you name the topic, he can tell a story about it. “He tells us stories, and if you’re listening, by the end of the story, you’ve gotten a life lesson and didn’t even know you were getting one,” Madi Honeycutt, THS student, said. Beeman agrees that, on top of marketing, he is also a life teacher. More so than any medal or trophy in his closet, he takes pride in his ability in helping students be the best that they can be. ITG
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It’s never too early to learn about ways to protect and keep track of your money. That’s why opening your first checking account is a smart step toward building a solid financial future. Having a checking account means having access to some great features: - Money in a financial institution is safe. You don’t have to worry about something happening to large amounts of cash that has been stuffed in a drawer, your locker at school, or your purse or billfold when you go places. It’s even insured by the FDIC. And having to use a debit card or check can make you think twice before buying things you might not need. - With a checking account, you can go online 24/7 to keep track of your money. You can even monitor your account with an app on your smart phone. - Checking account debit cards and checks can be used at most businesses and restaurants. But while they are safer than carrying large amounts of cash, you still need to protect them from theft and know that if something happens to them you’ll need to call your bank immediately to report the problem. - With a debit card you’ll have access to ATM’s for those times you need to withdraw cash … or make a deposit.
So what do you need to do next? - Check things out. Start by asking your parents or friends about where they bank … and why. - Once you get some feedback, get on the web or the phone to get more answers. Check financial institutions for what they have to offer when it comes to checking accounts for teens. Find out if there are any fees or required minimum balances so you know about that from the start. - When you find a financial institution that you feel meets your needs, call a representative to find out what you need to bring with you when you apply to open your checking account. And if you’re under 18, don’t be surprised if they tell you that you’ll need to have an adult with you. - While you are there, you might even want to learn more about things such as automatic paycheck deposits if you have a job where you get paid regularly. Once you open your account and get your debit card, you need to be a smart consumer. And – just like people who have been at this for years - there’s the possibility that someone out there could try to trick you into giving them information about your account and try to get your money. - Watch your account balance closely. Get online and check it often. You don’t want to spend more than you have in the bank, because overdrafts can result in costly fees.
Having an account can help you on your way to your financial future:
- Your bank will never call, email or text you asking for personal information like your account number, personal identification number or account user name.
- It also starts a financial history, which can help when the time comes that you might need to apply for your first car loan or rent your first place. - And what you learn about managing your money today teaches financial responsibility for tomorrow.
provided by
Here are some things you should know:
- Having a relationship with a financial institution can help you avoid charges for things like getting a paycheck cashed. Places like check-cashing businesses will charge you a fee for this type of service.
- Opening and maintaining an account helps build a relationship with your financial institution.
Financial Facts Fitness
Teen Checking Account
- Don’t fall for email tricks where someone tells you that you need to click on a link or call a number NOW because there is something wrong with your account. Never click on links in unsolicited email or text messages. - If you’re unsure about safe communication, always call your bank’s official customer service number or type in its official web address. - Don’t write your debit card PIN or any other account information down and leave it in a place where it could be easily seen or stolen. - And if you need to sign on to a public computer to check your account for any reason, always be sure to log out of your account before leaving that computer. But don’t let what might happen scare you. Having your money in the bank is far safer than letting it lay around. Whatever your goals are, opening a checking account now can help you get there.
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Long Football Season Makes for Quick Football to Basketball Transition for Two-sport Athletes by Robert Preston, Jr. photography by Micki K Photography
T
hings are different in Colquitt County these days. The Packers have emerged as one of the premier teams in the state and the region. Save for head coach Rush Propst’s first year, the Packers have not finished a football season earlier than the semifinals. Their unprecedented run includes one appearance in the state championship. Thus far, however, a state championship has eluded the Propstled Pack. This year, though, Colquitt is an early favorite to be the last team standing in the 6A classification. That’s good news for football fans and for the Colquitt County community as a whole, but it makes for some interesting scheduling dilemmas for multi-sport athletes, particularly basketball players. One such athlete is Zay Lewis, a defensive back/wide receiver for the football team and a guard/forward for the basketball team. A 6’0,” 201-pounder who
Zay Lewis
Colquitt County high School
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possesses exceptional athletic ability, Williams is one those kids who is good at just about anything he attempts. Basketball and football are a big part of his life, and have been for as long as he can remember. Lewis is the consummate competitor; he works hard at everything he does. Williams doesn’t want anyone getting the upper hand on him, and he hates to lose. “I love to compete. And I love to play as hard as I can,” Lewis said. He is a punishing defensive back who doubles as a sure-handed receiver when needed. On the basketball court, he can play both guard and forward, and the same physicality that intimidates opposing receivers and running backs on the gridiron keeps would-be scorers at bay on the hardwood. “I like to crash the boards, finish hard, box out. I’m also a physical player on the court. It’s kind of the same thing in football. I love to hit,” he said.
Heading into his senior year, Lewis had set several goals for himself in both sports. In football, it all comes down to a ring. That’s what everyone in Moultrie is talking about, and that’s where the team’s expectations are. The Packers were already on the radar screen when the season started. Their big win over Hoover (Alabama) early in the season thrust Colquitt into the national spotlight. “Hoover was a big game for us. We really wanted to win,” he said. At the time of this writing, Lewis had one touchdown on the year, and it came against Hoover. “We’re trying to get a ring this year. That’s what we want.” In basketball, the expectations are a little different. The Packers didn’t make the playoffs last season and Lewis would like to change that this year. “We just didn’t make it. We all want to make the playoffs this year. And beat Tifton,” he said, followed by a laugh. As much as Lewis loves football, he may enjoy basketball even more. The speed of the game, the atmosphere, the coaches, the fans, the
constant action – those are the reasons why he loves basketball. Playing a long football season, however, means that there is a pretty quick learning curve when making the transition from football to basketball. Lewis insists that it doesn’t take him long to adjust. As football season comes to a close, he starts shooting and working on his dribbling. When it’s time to play basketball full-time, he’s ready to go. “It’s all football until the last game. Then we get to basketball. It doesn’t take long; within two or three days, I’ve got my basketball legs under me,” he said. So how does Lewis keep from getting burned out? It all comes down to loving the games he plays. He truly loves both sports, and there’s nothing more he would like to be doing than playing football and basketball. They never get old, and he never gets tired. “I just love my sports, and I love working hard. I never give up, and I want to go just as hard as I can,” he said. iTG
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Timeless Moments in Sports
November
11.6.1993
11.2.1972
Crashing the Party
Winning from the Basement Steve “Lefty” Carlton became the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award while pitching for a last-place team. Although his Philadelphia Phillies posted a 59-97 record (worst in the NL East), Carlton posted a 27-10 record, leading the National League in complete games (30), strikeouts (310), and earned run average (.197).
11.24.2011
Sibling Rivalry
When the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers met in Week 12 of the regular season, it became the first time that siblings met in the NFL as head coaches. Older brother John Harbaugh’s Ravens defeated younger brother Jim’s 49ers by a score of 16-6. The two would square off again in Super Bowl XLVII, with John and the Ravens prevailing once again by a score of 34-31.
11.26.2000
A Streak of Loyalty In a 94-79 win over the Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton broke the former record of 1,270 games played with one NBA team (held by the Boston Celtics’ John Havlicek). Stockton’s record would eventually end at 1,560, upon his retirement, a record that still stands to this day.
During the seventh round of the Heavyweight Championship bout between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe, a 22-minute delay took place after James Miller (later nicknamed “Fan Man”) parachuted and crashed into the ring. He would later be arrested, and Holyfield eventually won the fight by decision.
November Birthdays Dr. James Naismith – November 6, 1861 (Inventor of Basketball)
Russell Westbrook – November 12, 1988 (Point Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Patrick Kane – November 19, 1988 (Right Wing/Center, Chicago Blackhawks)
Troy Aikman – November 21, 1966
(Hall-of-Fame Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys)
Russell Wilson – November 29, 1988 (Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks)
11.29.1998
The 400 Club With a seven-yard pass to receiver O.J. McDuffie, Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Dan Marino became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 400 touchdown passes. Only Brett Favre (retiring with 508) and Peyton Manning have since reached this milestone. 21
Player Spotlight
Presented by:
Cole Minshew
Jalen Wilkerson
Coffee County High School
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Pair of Future Seminoles Anchor Coffee’s Offensive Line by Robert Preston, Jr.
O
ctober 12, 2012. I remember the night well. The Coffee Trojans were playing the Brunswick Pirates in Douglas at Jardine Stadium. I was on the sidelines taking photos. I’m thinking it was the third quarter; Coffee had the ball and the Trojans were driving. On third down – third and eight maybe – the Coffee coaching staff opted to throw. It was a short pass to tight end Jalen Wilkerson, at the time a sophomore. Cole Minshew, a big offensive lineman who was also a sophomore, was on the sidelines. He played behind Maverick Morris, who is now a Clemson Tiger. In an important region game, Minshew wouldn’t get to see much playing time; all the minutes would go to Morris. Wilkerson was already an elite player. Big, strong, fast, and equally adept at catching and blocking, he was a versatile offensive weapon. He made the catch on the Coffee sidelines on that fateful third down and turned upfield. Three Pirates closed in and Wilkerson had nowhere to go. Short of the first down, he opted not to simply step out of bounds. Instead, he put his head down and tried to barrel over the trio of Brunswick defensive backs to get the first down. The four players collided awkwardly and Wilkerson went down. The Pirates jumped and went to their huddle. Wilkerson didn’t get up. In fact, he didn’t move. He was hurt and this wasn’t just a stinger. After a long delay, EMTs carted Wilkerson off the field and into an ambulance. They rushed him to Coffee Regional Medical Center, where X-rays showed a broken neck. That night, he received his first of two helicopter rides during his high school career, this one to Savannah. Word spread quickly that Wilkerson had fractured his neck. He had a promising football and basketball career ahead of him, and it looked like it was over. The Trojans went on to win the game 42-26 – one of their two region wins that year. Wilkerson, however, was done for the season. It looked like his football career was ending. The following morning, however, he received good news. More tests in Savannah revealed a hairline fracture, a relatively minor injury as far as broken necks go. Wilkerson had to wear a neck brace for two months,
photography by Mr. D Photography
but he would be able to keep playing football. However, he wouldn’t be out of the woods yet. A year later, on Oct. 11, 2013, against Brunswick again, Wilkerson was hit awkwardly one more time. His neck was again the recipient and everyone thought he had suffered another serious injury. Officials stopped the game and called in another helicopter. The chopper landed at midfield and took Wilkerson to the hospital again. “I told them I was Okay,” he said. They didn’t take his word for it and ran more tests. Wilkerson’s neck was fine. He played the following weekend. Now it’s 2014. Wilkerson’s neck is better than ever. The Trojans, formerly a 6A team, are now playing in 5A. Wilkerson and Minshew are both dominant forces on a Coffee team that is 6-1 overall and 3-1 in region play. And both are headed to Tallahassee to continue their careers with the Florida State Seminoles. Combined, Minshew and Wilkerson are almost 13 feet tall and 575 pounds. They are friends and loyal teammates. They also destroy almost everything in their paths. Minshew, a 6’6,” 345-pound tackle, patiently waited his turn behind Morris. He was always a big kid, one of the biggest wherever he played, but with Morris in front of him, there just wasn’t much of an opportunity for him to play. “When I was younger, I didn’t know I could play in college. I was waiting behind Maverick. When I started playing, offers came in,” he said. Minshew’s first year in the starting lineup was last year, which was also the Trojans’ final year in 6A. When he finally got the opportunity to play, he made the most of it. Minshew is a big, strong kid who dominates his side of the line. He’s surprisingly nimble and moves
well. He is excellent at run blocking, and few defensive linemen can get around him. In addition to his physical tools, Minshew is also one of the Trojans’ team leaders. He keeps the rest of the line motivated and moving forward. Coffee runs a fast-paced offense and everyone has to keep up. If Minshew can keep up, so can everyone else. “We don’t have a lot of depth on the line, so we have to keep pushing,” he said. As Minshew has grown as a player, he’s had some tough choices to make. The shy lineman became one of the most sought-after players in the country. A three-star recruit, a halfdozen or more schools in the Southeast went after him. Georgia and Auburn were possibilities, but in the end he chose Florida State. Minshew committed early,
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back in the winter, and he couldn’t be happier about being a Seminole. “FSU is losing all five of its starters on the line this year so there are plenty of openings. It’s also closer to home, and I just felt good about the facilities and the coaching staff,” he said. And what about the recent national championship? “That didn’t hurt,” he said, followed by a laugh. Wilkerson, a 6’5,” 230-pound tight end/ defensive end, is an all-around great player who gives his coaching staff a lot of options. He can block, catch, tackle, and run. He’s fast and knows how to use his size to his advantage. He sees the field well and does a great job of reading the offense when he is at the end position. He’s equally adept at making plays on either side of the ball and seldom comes off the field. Through seven weeks, he has seven catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns. He also made a tremendous difference on defense, but would rather play on the offensive side of the ball. “I love getting the ball and making plays when it’s in my hands,” he said. Colleges have been watching Wilkerson since his sophomore year – the very year in which his career nearly ended. He had his choices of places to play, but eventually chose FSU. He commit-
ted about four months after Minshew did and insists the two of them didn’t talk much about either decision. “I visited a lot places, but I felt really good at FSU. Cole and I didn’t talk a whole lot about it. I committed in June – a long time after he did,” Wilkerson said. At the time of this interview, the Trojans are one of the top three 5A programs in the state. Just hours after speaking to Minshew and Wilkerson, the Trojans went out and secured a postseason berth by edging South Effingham 35-28. For both players, having this kind of success is a dream come true. For Wilkerson, it’s especially sweet. “I look at things a lot differently now. I realize that this can be taken away at any moment. At one time, I thought my career was over. I kept my faith and stayed close to God. Football is special, but I know I’ve got to get my education, too. I can lose this at any moment,” he said. ITG
Cole’s Favorites Sport you wish you could play: Basketball Player: Walter Jones Team besides Florida State: Georgia Bulldogs Movie: 22 Jump Street Person to meet: Peyton Manning Super power: Super strength Food: Steak 24
Jalen’s Favorites Team besides Florida State: Georgia Bulldogs Sport you wish you could play: Golf Subject: Literature Movie: 300 Food: Steak Person to meet: Vernon Davis Place to travel: Italy Super power: Save the world. “I want to make the world a better place.”
gICAA Shapes Leaders On and Off the Field by James Washington
T
he key point behind the concept of being a student-athlete is ensuring that proper attention is given to both terms equally. In the ideal scenario, participants are shown just as much guidance in the classroom as they are on their respective field, court, or other venue. Created in 2013, the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association strives to do just that. Under the leadership of President Todd Hannon, the GICAA focuses on maintaining a God-honoring league that promotes fair play and sportsmanship. More importantly, it prides itself on ensuring that their student-athletes are well prepared for the future, in sports as well as in life. “We began developing the concept in January 2013; by the time we got things started in August, we already had 38 schools committed for the 2013-14 year,” Hannon said. “What we are here for is to complement the work that the schools are already putting forth.” The GICAA is unique in a few key areas. For starters, the association is split into three separate divisions that specifically accommodate students and schools with particular needs. Division I is comprised of the typical 5-daya-week schools. Division II also houses some schools that could potentially fit into the D-I ranking; however, due to school size, D-II institutions are also able to include students that are homeschooled in their athletic activities. Finally, there is Division III, which is comprised solely of homeschooled students. “Sportsmanship and healthy competition are major components of what we are doing here,”
photos courtesy of GICAA
Hannon said. “During our state basketball tournament in Macon last season, we had 14 schools compete, and there was not a single technical foul called the entire tournament. That makes us proud. Our athletes can still compete while being respectful of the game and their opponents.” A big part of the success of the organization is leadership. The GICAA understands that any positive influence bestowed on the children must come from the examples set by the coaches and administration. “We hold a meeting every year prior to each season for our coaches so that we can let everyone meet each other and exchange ideas,” Hannon said. “We want to make it clear that we promote healthy rivalries and competition, but at the end of the day, our main focus is doing the right thing for the children.” The GICAA extends beyond athletics as well. Their arts and academics branch is steadily expanding and includes full-literary programs, chorus, robotics, one-act plays, and more. “Our ultimate goal is to have activities, no matter the field, that can reach every student’s interest,” Hannon said. “We want the students to understand that there are always methods to put your individual talent to full use.” In just a short amount of time, the message is certainly reaching the masses. In only their first year and a half, the association has grown to include 100 schools across their three divisions, second in the state behind the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). It is also the only association in the state that includes middle schools along with high school enrollment and participation.
Another major contribution comes in the form of sponsors. The GICAA is steadily expanding, and has already secured the Wilson Sporting Goods Company and the Georgia Farm Bureau as corporate sponsors. “We are trying to do everything possible to minimize costs for our schools,” Hannon said. “Many schools are struggling with funding. Having sponsors helps greatly; it assists in reducing league overhead.” Since its inception last year, the GICAA has tremendously fulfilled its obligation to advancement. By the end of its inaugural season, the association had nearly 30 students commit to colleges for athletics. “We make sure that our kids understand that this is about more than sports,” Hannon said. “They are going to be leaders in this country one day, and we focus on helping them take advantage of their full potential. Our message resonates, no matter the activity.” ITG
Todd Hannon, President of Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association
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Phoebe Orthopaedic Specialty Group Robert S. Pilcher, M.D., PhD Troy E. Skidmore, DO Nur Nurbhai, DO Kiyoshi Yamazki, MD Brandow Glow, PA-C Augusta E. Soltero, MD
Lee County Quarterback Isn’t Afraid of Change by Sarah Turner
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photography by Sarah Turner
our team has just moved to the renowned Region 1-6A. You’re filling the shoes of a now Division I quarterback. In your first varsity game, you’re put face to face with the best defensive tackle in the nation. Let’s put the game on ESPN. Feeling the pressure yet? Fortunately, Garet Morrell likes the feel of pressure and led the Trojans to a 13-0 win during that game against the Westover Patriots, headed by recent University of Georgia commit, Trent Thompson. Morrell’s confidence has carried on throughout the season, and at the time of this writing, the Trojans are 5-1, despite the tough class change from 5A to 6A. “We are playing schools that have big names; that doesn’t mean we can’t play with them,” Morrell said. “I like being in 6A. They say it’s the SEC of high school, so we can really show how good and efficient of a team we are.” After former Trojan quarterback, Stephen Collier, went on to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes, few were confident that there would be a suitable replacement. However, coaches were very aware of Morrell’s talent as he led last year’s junior varsity squad to an undefeated season. “We all knew he was a good player, and compounding on that, his first start of the season was a nationally broadcast game live on ESPN,” head coach, Dean Fabrizio, said. “Garet has done a great job for us all year, our kids have a lot of confidence in him, and we expect him to get better.” Morrell didn’t just fill a position. He took it a step further. Halfway through the 2014 season, Morrell was the leading passer in the region, with over 1,000 yards. His strong passing game is a result of how well Morrell reads the defense.
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With such raw talent, it’s hard to believe that football is actually this junior’s second love. Morrell began playing baseball shortly after he could walk, and now, he is an essential leader for the Trojan’s baseball program. Also as a first year starter, he pitched a complete and very close game during the second round of playoffs against Houston County, who went on to become the 5A state champs last baseball season. “You just can’t replicate that kind of competition and how that helps your confidence and your composure in big games,”
Fabrizio said. “One sport helps another, and it’s great to see a guy like him who excels at both sports.” His exposure in baseball and football will get Morrell to where he needs to be. He is not sure which sport he would like to pursue after high school, and for now, he is focused on the game at hand. The Trojans are nearing the end of their region race; however, Morrell isn’t looking to back down anytime soon. “Ever since I was little, I’ve liked big goals,” Morrell said smiling. “I’ve always been that.” iTG
Where are they now? The Story Behind Jake Bundrick: GHSA Record Holder, Mayday Parade Drummer by Sarah Turner
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hen it came to kicking field goals, Jake Bundrick of Cairo High School didn’t miss a beat. He earned the GHSA career field goal record from 1998-2001 with 46 goals. Jake has held the top spot for 13 years now, so any kicker trying to top his record is “Miserable at Best.” Today, as the lead drummer of Mayday Parade, Jake still doesn’t miss a beat. It’s not a frequent thing to break a state football record. It’s certainly not a frequent thing to break a state football record and end up in a punk band that tours the world and debuts albums entering the Billboard Top 200 at number 12. But for Jake, he always knew music was what he loved. “Even when I was on the field waiting for my turn to kick, I was drumming on my thigh pads, as if I was in our high school band,” Jake said. Jake still gave college sports a shot. He was recruited by his dream team, Florida State University, but was only offered a walk-on role because they already had their maximum number of kickers on scholarship. The expenses of going to college out of state without a scholarship were not an option for him and his family at the time. Excelling in baseball as well, Jake got a full ride to play in-state at
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Pensacola Junior College. It didn’t work out either. “I ended up hating playing for the coaches at PJC and told them I was going to pursue football—when I knew it was music I was going to pursue,” Jake said. Jake moved back to Cairo to attend Bainbridge College and began working at his family’s tire business. Several years later, Jake began rehearsing with a band in a warehouse in Tallahassee, Florida, where he met the rest of the members that would later become Mayday Parade. “We were two separate bands that ended up practicing in the same warehouse,” Jake said. “Some of us decided to write together to see what happened, and the rest is history.” Mayday Parade is a band of five. To date, their album sales have exceeded 600,000, while track sales surpass 3,000,000. A few of their top songs include: “Miserable at Best”, “Terrible Things”, “Stay”, and “Jamie All Over”. They are currently on tour and will return to their starting point to perform in Tallahassee on November 13. Every now and then, a fan will mention Jake’s football record on Twitter. Jake’s father, a lifelong football fan and the reason Jake got started on the field in the first place, talks about it often. Even today as a 31-year-old punk band star, Jake
remains humble and still sees his football feat as a great accomplishment. “I was just fortunate to play with an amazing team and the best field goal unit in Georgia high school football,” Jake said. Jake is thankful for all of the support he has received throughout his career from his hometown in Cairo and says he can always go home where he is “respected and wanted.” As an FSU and Atlanta Falcons fan, Jake still watches football regularly and says he actually likes it more now than he did when he played. “I even started playing fantasy football; the kickers on my team are legit,” Jake said, followed by a laugh. Jake encourages all kids today to try everything, do what you love, and, most importantly, have fun. For Jake, he believed that football even helped him in the music world as it taught him patience and how to work well with others. Although he is thrilled with his career choice and the success he has gotten from it, Jake is still mindful of his skill set at a kicker. “It’s kind of fun to know I can hang with most kickers in college football, if not possibly the NFL,” Jake said. iTG
According to the CDC, most people suffer from cold and flu symptoms at least once annually. Athletes are at a greater risk of infection simply because they spend a significant amount of time with teammates and classmates. “Doorknobs, desktops, and other surfaces unique to a classroom, locker room, or the indoors in general can serve as a mode of transmission for the cold and flu viruses for up to potentially eight hours,” Byron Car ter, exercise physiology professor, said. Unfor tunately, close quarters aren’t the only reason athletes are more susceptible to infection. Vigorous physical activity for extended periods of time has also been proven to decrease immune function. “Endurance athletes or those that are ‘overtraining’ tend to have a weakened immune system from engaging in exhaustive bouts of exercise on a regular basis,” Carter said. People are more susceptible to catching the flu or a cold in cooler months because they are closer together. When it is cold outside, people spend more time indoors, making it easier for colds and flu viruses to spread. Although students and adults have been informed of the impor tance of hand-washing their entire lives, it is still commonly overlooked. Simply washing your hands properly, avoiding close contact, and refraining from touching your eyes, nose, or mouth can be the difference in you getting in two weeks of solid training or two weeks of sore throats, runny noses, fatigue, body aches, and fevers. Everyone, especially student-athletes, should receive a flu vaccination each year. If the flu is suspected, it is impor tant to see a healthcare provider within 24 hours of the appearance of symptoms. “The utilization of certain antiviral medications, such as Tamiflu, may decrease the duration of symptoms and help minimize the spread of the infection to others,” Carter said. The best advice for preventing colds and flu viruses is washing your hands and simply leading a healthy lifestyle. If you would like to take your flu prevention a step fur ther, see unique tips below:
• Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your duffle bag, purse, or car. If it’s near you, you’re more likely to use it. However, you should not let hand sanitizer be an excuse for not washing your hands. • Are you a nail biter? Dab a bitter tasting liquid on your fingers each morning to avoid temptation. • Use disposable items if someone in your household is sick. For example, plastic cups, plates, utensils, and most impor tantly, paper towels. Germs can live for hours on cloth towels.
health
Cold and Flu Prevention for Athletes
by Sarah Turner
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Will Matney Colquitt County High School
Colquitt County Senior Keeps Low Profile, Lets Others Take the Credit by Robert Preston, Jr.
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he quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers get all the credit on offense. Those are the glamour positions, the ones that make the plays and grab all the headlines. The unsung heroes of the offense, however, are those mountains of men on the offensive line, the ones who give the skill guys the time and room to do their work. The line gets little attention. Their names seldom get called. As big as they are, they don’t get noticed very often. But a team can’t and won’t win without a potent offensive line. And while the rest of the 36
photography by Micki K Photography
Colquitt County Packers have been the focus of tremendous scrutiny this football season, the blue-collar line has simply gone about its business day in and day out, nobody more so than the 6’4,” 270-pound Will Matney. What is so impressive about Matney – aside from his tremendous size, of course – is how well he has adjusted to playing for the 6A juggernaut that is Colquitt County. Matney’s father, Jim, is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Colquitt Regional Medical Center. The Matney family originally came to South Georgia from Arizona when Jim took the same position
at Smith-Northview Hospital in Valdosta. Will Matney was in the fifth grade when the family relocated to Valdosta. From seventh grade until the 10th grade, he attended Valwood School. He was a member of Valwood’s football team from the eighth grade until he and his family moved to Moultrie. During Matney’s final year at Valwood, the Valiants went undefeated and won a state championship. “That was an unbelievable experience. We had been working since January. Coach [Ashley] Henderson prepared us well for that season and that game,” Matney said.
Being a standout player at a small private school like Valwood and joining a 6A powerhouse like Colquitt County can be a daunting transition. Things are quite different in the private school ranks than they are in Georgia’s highest public school classification. When Matney arrived at Colquitt County High, he was worried that he couldn’t compete at that level. “I was scared that I couldn’t play in 6A. I took it one day at a time and tried to get better,” he said.
The biggest shock came in the weight room and on the practice field. “That first day of weight training, I thought I was going to die. And every practice is 100 percent. You can’t go half-speed. Every day you’ve got to give it your best,” he said. He says he adjusted after just a few weeks and the team accepted him pretty quickly. Still, his doubts lingered until the first game. “It took me a long time to learn the plays completely from memory. But when I got in the first game, I was getting good movement, and I realized I could play at this level,” he said. Now, a year later, Matney is starting for the top team in the state and one of the best high school teams in the country. He and his compatriots on the offensive line refuse to get distracted or puff themselves up. They are a close-knit group content with just going out there and doing their jobs. “We’ve got to get the job done. That’s all. We don’t want to let the team down. We’re a tight-knit group. Our chemistry is great and we all really care about each other,” he said. So what would Will Matney like to do moving forward? He wants to play in college, but, thus far, he doesn’t have any offers. He loves football and would like to play as long as he possibly can. In the more immediate future, he would like to be on the last team standing at the end of the season. Matney has already done that once and would like to experience it again. “I want
to win state one more time. I would love to go undefeated, but I would trade a loss for a state title. We’re not looking at the big picture yet. We’re taking it one week at a time. We’ll focus on each week’s opponent and work week to week,” he said. ITG
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Thomasville’s Thompson Enjoying a Solid Year with First-place Cincinnati Bengals
by Robert Preston, Jr.
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veryone knew that Thomasville High School’s Brandon Thompson was a special player. An All-State selection for the Bulldogs, he helped Thomasville win its 21st and last region title back in 2007. His senior year, Thomasville went 10-3 (8-0 in region play) before losing a close one to Lovett in the quarterfinals. After graduating, Thompson headed to Clemson University, where he made the All-ACC second team as a senior. While a defensive lineman at Clemson, he recorded 129 total tackles and 4.5 sacks during his career.
Thompson entered the NFL Draft in 2012 and was taken in the third round (93rd overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals. Since being drafted, Thompson has been a steady contributor on a Bengals team that, at the time of this writing, sits atop the AFC North at 3-1-1 (the Bengals’ tie, a rarity in the NFL, came against the Carolina Panthers the day before this story was written). Thompson has always made an impact at every level in which he has played and hasn’t changed since he started playing against the best players in the world. As a rookie in 2012, Thompson played in three games and tallied just one tackle. Last year, however, he played in all 16 games and totaled 23 tackles (14 solo and nine assists). The Bengals have made the playoffs every year that Thompson has been with the team, but they’ve been bounced in the first round. Last year, Thompson recorded five tackles in Cincinnati’s first-round loss to the San Diego Chargers. This year, Thompson is once again making a contribution on what appears to be a playoff-bound Bengals team. He’s played in two games and has four total tackles.
The odds of making it to the NFL are extremely low. According to the National Football League Players Association website, only .2 percent of high school football players make it to the league. Thompson has not only made it to the NFL, but he has also established himself as a solid contributor on a playoffcaliber team. That’s not too bad for a kid from the backwoods of South Georgia.
Thomasville High School is one of the top South Georgia high schools in terms of turning out NFL talent. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, Thomasville High has produced eight NFL players. That’s more than Lowndes, Colquitt, Tift, Camden, and Thomas County Central, and not far behind Valdosta High, which has 11 NFL players to its credit. In addition to the websites noted in the story, ESPN. com also contributed to this report.
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Turner County Wrestling on the Rise after Making Unexpected Showing at State Last Year by Robert Preston, Jr.
“I
didn’t do anything differently except raise the expectations of the athletes. We’re a 1A program and we wrestled against 6A schools. We got out there and competed against the biggest and best we could. And our guys competed well. We thought we were just as good as anybody else,” said Turner County wrestling coach Ryan Alfau. Coach Alfau came to Turner County from Camden County, where he was an assistant wrestling coach and a middle school football coach. He had been at Camden for seven years, but he wanted to be a head wrestling coach. Though he loves football, wrestling is Alfau’s passion. It’s something he has done his whole life, and he
photography by Micki K Photography
wanted to get to a high school where he would have a greater opportunity to share his love of the sport with others. He found it at Turner County. Before he arrived, Turner had placed 14th in the area in traditional and didn’t place at all in the duals. Last year – his first in Ashburn – the Rebels placed fourth in the state in both traditional and duals. They had a state champion (J.J. Alfau, Coach Alfau’s nephew, who was also a high school AllAmerican and now wrestles at Iowa Central), a state runner-up, two third-place, and two fifth-place finishers, respectively. Two of those athletes have graduated – Alfau and Alton Lawson, one of the thirdplace finishers. Four of the six who placed
at state return for this year: Malik Holley (160 pounds, runner-up), Antozio Dawson (126 pounds, third), Tanner Crawford (138 pounds, fifth), and Wes Poke (145 pounds, fifth). “We’ve got these kids back, and we also have a great group of underclassmen as well,” said Coach Alfau. This year, Coach Alfau would like to take the success his wrestlers experienced a year ago and use it as a springboard to something even bigger. “Last year, we built off every competition. We want to keep building this year. Our kids are working hard, and they’re committed to becoming one of the best teams in the state,” he said. 41
Right now, Coach Alfau has about 30 kids showing up for preseason conditioning. The season is still several weeks away, but the kids are already working hard in preparation for another great year. Most of the wrestlers who are showing up are middle-school athletes; many of the varsity wrestlers are also varsity football players. Right now, they’re in football season and just aren’t able to wrestle. While the high school wrestlers have been preoccupied this fall, the commitment of the middle-school wrestlers demonstrates the overall health of the program. “Many of these seventh- and eighth-grade wrestlers are more experienced than our high school athletes. They’ve been wrestling year-round, and they have the time right now to practice. I want to have a top-tiered program, and we’re headed in that direction. Our kids are committed and willing to work, and that’s a big deal in a blue collar sport like wrestling,” said Coach Alfau. iTG
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Working out is a valuable way to help keep you healthy, but more often than not, individuals risk serious injury because of improper preparation and/or execution during their routines. While there are many different methods of exercise, one thing remains the same across the board. Every workout is more beneficial when a proper warm-up period is included. There is no set way to warm your body up for a workout or sporting event, but any warm-up is better than none at all. Warming up prior to exercising has many benefits, both physically and mentally. A lot of sports injuries come from an individual’s lack of preparation for their upcoming event or game. The shortcoming can be anything from inadequate workouts to skipping workouts altogether. However, injury can, and often does, stem from improper or avoided warm-up routines. The amount of time spent warming up can vary, depending on a few key variables. The temperature of the environment plays a role because it can regulate your body temperature prior to working out. If you are in a warmer room, chances are that your body is at a warmer temperature, which would remove the necessity of an extended warm-up period. Your workout attire is another factor. Excessive amounts of clothing will cause an increase in body temperature, once again lessening the need for a lengthy warm-up. A proper warm-up will benefit you in a variety of ways. In the instance that your routine is a lower-intensity version of your workout, it will help improve coordination and reaction time, as well as prevent your body from becoming winded and/or fatigued as quickly.
“Simply put, an effective warm-up routine will increase motion and temperature, as well increase energy and range of motion,” said Shawn Phippen, kinesiology instructor said. “It is important that your warm-up also shows gradual increase. You never want to jump right in because that can lead to greater risk of injury.” Aside from coordination, a sufficient warmup will allow an increase in blood flow to your muscles. Not only does this allow a longer and harder workout, it will help prevent a rapid jump in blood pressure as well. Also, a common misconception is that warming up and stretching are one in the same; this could not be farther from the truth. While stretching does help with range of motion, warming up will help prevent injury by actually preparing your body with a routine similar to the actual workout that you are about to endure. “It is highly recommended to stretch after a warm-up, never in place of one,” Phippen said. “The goal of a warm-up is to prepare your body for the workout; the goal of stretching is to maintain and improve flexibility and range of motion.” It is necessary to remember that, while exercise is extremely beneficial to your health and well being, small steps need to be taken to ensure proper habits. Your warm-up session is just as important as the rest of your workout.
Fitness
Warm Up to Risk-Reduced Workouts
by James Washington
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Cairo High Senior Enjoys Unique Schedule During Final Year of High School by Robert Preston, Jr.
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Lorrie Stuckey
Cairo High School
photography by Micki K Photography
Academic Athlete
oint enrollment isn’t that unusual these days. Plenty of high school seniors who have access to college classes get a jump-start on their post-secondary education by taking a few core classes along with their regular high school workload. Cairo High’s Lorrie Stuckey is a bit different, though. She has taken joint enrollment to another level entirely. Stuckey, who is ranked 12th in her class and sports a 7.60 weighted grade point average, is taking four classes this semester. All of them are college classes, and she is taking them through three different institutions. To say that she is serious about her schoolwork would be one of those classic understatements. To top things off, Stuckey maintains that school doesn’t come easy to her. She spends a great deal of time studying, and seldom takes a day off from opening her books. The reason she is so committed to her studies is because Stuckey is more concerned with what happens down the road than she is with having fun and goofing off right now. Stuckey would like to be a veterinarian, and everything she is doing today is paving the way for her success in the future. “People ask me why I do all of this work. I have had AP classes and a full load of college classes. I’m looking ahead to the future. I want to go into veterinarian medicine, so I’m paying close attention to my math and science classes,” she said. This semester, Stuckey is taking English 311 – an American literature class -- through Thomas University, Biology 101 and 102 through Bainbridge College, Macro- and Microeconomics through Southwest Georgia Technical College, and Introduction to Spanish, also through Southwest Georgia Tech. “I don’t have any high school classes this semester,” said Stuckey. In the midst of “enjoying” such a demanding academic load, Stuckey is a member of Cairo’s softball team and, at the time of this interview, was getting ready for postseason play. Her decision to play softball was a rather mundane one. “When I was in the sixth grade, I wanted to get active and play something. My dad suggested softball so I tried it. I ended up liking it and kept playing,” she said. Originally an outfielder, Stuckey, who has been playing with the high school team since she was in the eighth grade, now plays second base, with occasional stints back in the outfield and at third base. She loves being on the field with her friends, and she enjoys learning about the game and getting better each day. “Softball is very much a challenge. You have to be mentally and physically prepared to play. I love being coached, and I like improving,” she said.
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Cairo is known far and wide as a football community. When people think about Cairo, they seldom consider softball. Stuckey and her teammates would like to change that. “We’ve done better this year than any other team. We wanted to be Cairo’s best softball team. I think we’ve done that,” she said. In addition to taking as many college classes as full-time college students and playing softball, she also plays tennis in the spring. She’s only played one season – her 10th grade year – but she plans to play again this year. Being on the court by herself, without a team around her, is different than what she’s used to on the softball field. But it’s something she also enjoys tremendously. “It’s a totally different sport, and it takes a different approach. But it’s a lot of fun,” she said.
As her high school years draw to a close, Stuckey isn’t exactly sure where she will end up. Ultimately, she would like to attend the University of Georgia or the University of Tennessee as she pursues her career as a vet. She knows that if she goes straight to one of those institutions, she won’t be able to play softball. “I don’t think I could play at that level,” she said. However, going to a junior college or a smaller four-year school and playing a year or two isn’t out of the question. She will enter college as a sophomore next year, so that makes things a little difficult if she went the JUCO route. Still, she isn’t ruling it out. “I love the energy and the atmosphere of softball. I haven’t completely ruled out playing in college. But I may not have the time in college to devote to playing softball. But maybe I will,” she said. ITG
Lorrie’s Favorites: Movie: Oculus Superhero: Superman Place to travel: Ireland Animal/pet: Dog Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi Most important lesson from softball: “Always strive to do better.”
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Through ‘lowtech’ preventative measures, you may avoid the need for some ‘high-tech’ solutions to health problems arising from obesity or a poor fitness level later on.
When I was asked to write an article for In the Game on behalf of the orthopedics team of South Georgia Medical Center, I considered a number of topics. I could write about various ‘high-tech’ surgical procedures, such as knee or hip replacements, ACL reconstructions and rotator cuff tears, or I could write about something with wider applicability and appeal. The topic I have selected actually borders on common sense. It is the importance of developing a lifelong fitness program.
Some Startling Statistics Ask any parent who looks at this magazine to list the most important things in his or her life and somewhere near the top of the list you’ll find the health of his or her children. The bad news is that over the past three decades, the number of U.S. children who are obese has doubled and the number of obese adolescents has tripled. These children have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 (overweight is 25-29), and the number of children and adolescents who are simply overweight is even higher. One in eight preschoolers is obese. Why is this important? Because obese children are five times more likely to become obese adults! Obesity plays a major role in the development of adult hypertension, increased cholesterol levels, type 2 diabetes, gastric reflux, sleep apnea and other chronic medical conditions, not to mention the musculoskeletal problems I see on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the above problems are also seen in adolescents presenting for preseason football physical exams.
Fitness:
A Lifelong Ambition
‘Low-tech’ Solutions for a ‘High-tech’ World The good news is that lifestyle changes are a relatively ‘low-tech’ solution: Simply decrease the amount of calories taken in and increase the amount of calories you burn. Unfortunately, society makes poor choices for children easy and good choices challenging. A prime example: Fast-food chains and soft drink manufacturers advertise widely, whereas bottled water suppliers and vegetable growers don’t. In addition, recreation time for most kids today involves a cellphone and streaming social media as opposed to outdoor recreation or indoor exercise. I challenge parents to change these obesityfriendly environments. Remove soft drinks and prepackaged foods from your family’s diet. Start an exercise regimen for the whole family. Begin with a simple walk and work your way up from there. Be creative and proactive. Join the gym of your choice and take your kids along with you. Google “body mass index” and load the program that allows you to calculate BMI on your smartphone or computer, and then calculate it for yourself and children. Set a healthy target together (the normal range is 18.5-24). Implementing these simple changes will improve your own health and that of your child. You will increase your energy level, decrease your stress level and hopefully make it second nature for your child and you to engage in a lifelong love of fitness. Through ‘low-tech’ preventative measures, you may avoid the need for some ‘high-tech’ solutions to health problems arising from obesity or a poor fitness level later on.
If this article encourages you to make some lifestyle changes to increase yours and your children’s fitness levels, please let me know. You can find me either running or biking on the rural roads around Hahira, or in the YMCA an average of six days a week. And just how did I develop this desire to exercise? It’s a no-brainer: I saw my parents do it, years ago … when I was in grade school.
C. Curt Starling, MD, is an SGMC affiliated physician. He graduated from the University of Georgia, performed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and his sports medicine/arthroscopy fellowship at the University of Tennessee.
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Coach’s Corner Yellow Jackets’ Head Coach Bill Shaver Discusses New Region, Rebuilding the Offense by Robert Preston, Jr.
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t’s almost unfair to talk about the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets these days. It’s not that they’re not good. And it’s not that they aren’t deep and talented. It’s just that you can’t discuss the Jackets without mentioning him. By him, we’re referring to Adam Choice, TCC’s former quarterback who rewrote the Yellow Jackets’ record books and had college coaches throughout the country salivating at the thought of having him in their backfields. For the last several years, the Yellow Jackets have been more than just Adam Choice. But he’s been the face of their team, so much so that now, a season after he played his final down at Thomas County Central, we’re still talking about him. He’s still there. And he won’t go away. When Choice left, he took most of the offense with him. Last year’s Yellow Jackets looked as much like as a sure thing to win a state title as there was. Choice averaged over nine yards per carry. The offense set a school record in rushing yards per game, fewest punts, and fewest turnovers. They were a juggernaut, taking Valdosta to the brink early in the year before losing by just four points, and demolishing everyone else (with the exception of Harris County and Richmond Hill). During the Harris County game, which TCC lost by three points, Choice went down with a well-publicized shoulder injury that ended his season. After being at the top of the heap all
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photography by Micki K Photography
year, the Jackets lost their final two games. It was almost tragic the way the year ended, one that left every coach, player, and fan asking that most futile question: “What if?” This season, head coach Bill Shaver and his team are trying to answer that question and a whole lot more. TCC has an experienced and formidable defense. Graduation, however,
gutted the offense. Choice and nine other starters are gone, leaving a tremendous void, not just at quarterback, but throughout the entire offensive unit. So how are the Jackets’ coaches handling what should be a transition year? By picking up where they left off last season. At the time of this writing, TCC is 3-1 with the sub-region
schedule looming. Once again, their only loss came to the Valdosta Wildcats. Other than that, they haven’t really been tested. “We came in with a bunch of question marks,” said Coach Shaver. “We had to make some changes to match the personnel we have. We’re throwing the ball a lot more. We’ve thrown more in four games this year than we did for the entire season last year.” The offense is still the split-back veer – the same offense the Jackets have run during Shaver’s 20-plus years at TCC as both an assistant and head coach – but this year’s quarterback is better with his arm than he is with his legs, which allows them to throw more. Quarterback Eli Taylor has a completely different style of play than Choice, but he has shown that he can lead the Yellow Jackets’ offense just as effectively. “This is completely different for us. Before Adam we had Eric Dodgson, who’s a threeyear starter at Shorter College. He was a runfirst guy, as was Adam. But now we’ve got Eli, who throws the ball very well. We’ve always had those packages in our offense; we just haven’t had to use them,” said Coach Shaver. “There are some negatives to throwing the ball – three things can happen when you put it in the air and two of them are bad – but it’s helped us open up the offense a bit.” As the Yellow Jackets get set to begin subregion play, they are doing so in a different classification for 2014. They have moved from 5A down to 4A and are playing in Region 1.
Opponents include Monroe, Albany, Cairo, and Crisp. That’s quite a change from where the Jackets have played in the past. “The biggest thing this year is the lack of travel. For the last six years, we’ve traveled extensively. And it’s not just football; it’s all of our teams,” said Coach Shaver. Last season, Thomas County Central played schools in the Columbus area, including Harris County. In many cases, athletes had to miss entire days of school to get to games. It was tough on the players, the coaches, the teachers, and the fans. The superintendent petitioned the Georgia High School Association to allow TCC to drop down to Region 1-4A because of the travel demands. The GHSA granted the request and now the longest road trip the Yellow Jackets have to make is to Sylvester. “At least for the next two years, those issues have been resolved,” said Coach Shaver. It’s a new era at Thomas County Central. There are plenty of unknowns and tons of questions that remain to be answered. Coach Shaver, however, is more than ready to find some answers. That’s what coaches do. To a degree, every year is one of transition and change, each one wrought with its own set of unique challenges and obstacles. This year is no different, and Coach Shaver is more than up to the task. Despite all the uncertainty, his team is doing what all of his teams have done – go out every Friday night and win football games. And that’s probably not going to stop over the last half of the season. iTG
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Irwin County Indian fans support breast cancer awareness
The Tift County Blue Devil has his pink on too
Touchdown Tift County! More young Blue Devil fans
Kids at the Tift County “Pink Out”game
Lowndes Middle School players after wining their region championship game 28-7 Tift County fans are wild about the “Pink Out”
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Marchin’ Cats Drum Line on the sidel
photos by Sarah Turner and and Christian Stephens
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Presented by:
Rising Star
Ashton Moorman Valwood school
Valwood Eighth Grader Tops on Field, in Classroom by Robert Preston, Jr.
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ootball isn’t a game that most fathers and sons get to enjoy together. More often than not, parents are relegated to the stands while the kids are on the field, at the mercy of their coaches, the officials, and their opponents. In rare cases, however, parents are involved in the program, and they have the opportunity to enjoy the sport together. Ashton Moorman, an eighth-grader at Valwood, and his father, Dr. Ashley Moorman, have that rare opportunity to share Ashton’s on-field triumphs together. Dr. Moorman isn’t an employee
photography by Micki K Photography
of the school. He isn’t a coach. He isn’t an administrator. Instead, he calls Valwood’s games. When his son does something special, he gets to call his name for everyone to hear. And against Brookwood earlier this year, Dr. Moorman called Ashton’s name quite a bit. A 5’8,” 180-pound offensive lineman and defensive end, Ashton loves contact. He enjoys nothing more than hitting his opponents, and he wants to hit them as hard and as often as he possibly can. On defense, he loves containing the running backs and pressuring the quarter-
back. On offense, he hits someone on every play, often an unsuspecting linebacker. Ashton has worked extremely hard in the offseason to improve his speed and footwork. To get to where he wanted to be this year and to springboard his career into high school, he knew he needed to get better. The signs of improvement have been there all year, but against Brookwood, he showed just how far he had come. Ashton had three sacks in a row in the game, the last of which resulted in a fumble. It was a special moment; one that his father 57
was able to share with him and the rest of the fans as well. “It was really fun to call his name three times in a row like that,” Dr. Moorman said. While he is preparing for his varsity debut next year, Ashton is also working on becoming a state-caliber wrestler at the high school level. Dr. Moorman wrestled at Valdosta High School (he was a region champion once, and also played two years of football for the Wildcats) and truly loved the sport. Ashton heard his father’s stories from the mat and decided to give the sport a try. He found out he was pretty good at it, and he’s decided to keep wrestling. The same things that make him a good football player also make him a good wrestler – size, strength, a desire to win, and a tremendous urge to inflict pain and punish-
ment on his opponents. In his sixth-grade year, Valwood won the GISA middle school state championship and Ashton placed third in the state. “He just loves physical combat and throwing people around,” Dr. Moorman said. Ashton maintains that wrestling is more difficult than football. While it isn’t a big sport at Valwood, he plans to continue wrestling through high school. “I love wrestling. Football is my favorite, but I really enjoy wrestling as well,” he said. Throughout all of his son’s extracurricular activities – Ashton does a lot more than play football and wrestle (as well as being a member of the Valiants’ baseball team) – what impresses his father the most is Ashton’s attention to academics. He balances athletics with schoolwork well and never lets his grades slip. “He has great grades. The curriculum is hard at Valwood, but he loves the school. He enjoys playing sports and attending classes. He balances everything well,” said Dr. Moorman. Because of his strong academics and his love for physical contact, he has been named “the intellectual assassin.” The one he prefers, however, is “Dozer.” He earned that moniker because few people can push him backwards. He’s like a human bulldozer on the line, always going forward and moving people where he wants them. The Brookwood performance was a culmination of years of work and dedication, which, of course, pave the way for more years of the same. A big, strong kid, Ashton can’t wait to make the same kind of differ-
ence at the varsity level. He’s been at Valwood his entire life and has been waiting for the day to come when he will finally join the varsity squad. And it’s a good time to be at Valwood – in two years under head coach Ashley Henderson, the Valiants have won one state title, played for another, and at the time of this writing, are undefeated in region play, and have just one loss overall. “I can’t wait to get to the varsity team. I will be ready to do whatever Coach Henderson needs me to do to help the team win,” he said. ITG
Ashton’s Favorites: Team: Georgia Bulldogs Player: Todd Gurley Sport you wish you could play: Shooting team Person to meet: Herschel Walker Subject in school: American studies Pepsi or Coke: Coke Superpower: Super strength Place to travel: New Zealand. “I want to get a red stag.”
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Irwin County Indians Irwin County Indians rankings. The second half of the season begins with strong region rival Charlton County. The teams played twice in 2013. The regular season game Irwin won with a last second field goal, 29-26. Both teams fought through state playoffs and had a rematch in the state semifinals. This time Charlton was the victor with 34-33 and played for the state championship. The second half of the season brings high expectations. Irwin fans feel comfortable with Coach Nobles and the Indians that 2014 is going to be a winning season. The team is led by a group of strong, experienced seniors that have played together for years‌.
Robert Moore
Irwin County High School
The Irwin County Indians opened the 2014 season with a new Athletic Director/Head Coach Buddy Nobles and a new quarterback Zac Tolar. Both are working well for the Indians. The Team and the Fans are Coach Buddy Nobles very pleased with Coach Nobles‌they like the way he coaches, they like the changes he has made, and they cannot wait to learn what his next plans are for the Indians. Coach Nobles is a get to business coach and that is what the Indians have done; the team is all about football. As a fan and an observer one will notice soon the team and Coach Nobles have a tight bond. There are no questions, the players know what he expects and in turn they work to deliver. The 2014 schedule is not easy and has only four home games. The first three games the Indians played AA teams, before beginning their region games. To date the tribe is 3-1-1 with sound wins over their last three opponents Berrien and region foes Clinch and Telfair. Currently Irwin is ranked No. 5 in the power
Jakyron Young
Ethan Ethridge, Robert Moore, Jakyron Young, Cam Morgan, Mykell Collier, Rusty Dorman, Chandler Taylor, Micah Powers, Chaveka Hardy, Tyler Bethune, Bernard Pitts, Robert Wilcox, Petro Goolsby, Leroy Stewart, Devin Jenkins, Leroy Stewart, and Denellis Scott. Jakron Young leads the Indians with 484 rushing yards, 92 passing yards, and seven touchdowns. Missing the first game, due to injury, Robert Moore has come back to be second in yardage with 442 yards and four touchdowns, and junior DJ Pollad is third in rushing with 225 yards and leads the team in tackles.
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