HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
In This Issue:
South Georgia
09
SEPTEMBER 2014
09 Telvin Smith: History in the Making
CONTENTS
15 On the Cover Clinch County Football
25
Austin Bryant & Ernest Harris
Thomas County Central High School
41 Coach’s Corner
19
13
Vereen Rehabilitation Center: Cutting Edge Injury Treatment in Rural Georgia
23
Timeless Moments in Sports
29
Ten Questions with Coach Mazurkiewicz
37
Camden County High School
39
41
Paula Piercey
Sherwood Christian Academy
45 LHS JV Cheerleaders Attend NCA Camp
30
48
High School Teen Beats Cancer, Returns to Long-distance Running Marissa Ierna
55 Rising Star
Cory McCann
Valdosta Middle School
Christian Stephens
Lowndes Middle School
45
48 55
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25 Player Spotlight 30 Southern Pride Shines 12U Travel Softball Team
Also Inside Could a South Georgia School Win the 2014 State Football Championship?
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19 Academic Athlete Kaleb Sadler Hamilton County High School
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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
®
South Georgia SEPTEMBER 2014
From the Publisher I know we said last month that football season had finally arrived, and it had – sort of. We were publishing our annual preseason football edition and the excitement for the season was building, but no games had been played yet. Teams were still finishing up summer workouts and at least one of our schools, Hamilton County High in Jasper, Florida, hadn’t even started classes yet.
Publisher Mark Dykes
Contributors
This month, however, football season is officially here. We’ve started playing games and we’re getting a preliminary look at who the teams to beat will be. Later this month, the weather will start cooling off – at least at night – and we’ll begin to experience those familiar feelings of autumn. This is indeed one of the best times of the year.
Editor Mark Dykes Sarah Turner
Graphics Jennifer Alexander
Cover Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography
Feature Photography Micki Krzynski Micki K Photography Jonathan Chick Kelli Nicole Kelli Nicole Photography
Feature Writer Robert Preston, Jr. James Washington Jessica Babcock Arabi Hall
Copy Editors James Washington Sarah Turner
Advertising/Marketing Mark Dykes mark@inthegamemagazine.com Mike McGuire mike@inthegamemagazine.com
Website Manager Sarah Turner
As the football season – pardon the pun – kicks off, we have a few of the area’s best players featured. For the Player Spotlight, we spent a few minutes with Thomas County Central’s Ernest Harris and Austin Bryant. A pair of defensive specialists who happen to be best friends, they both have Division I talent and a chip on their shoulders after the way the 2013 season ended. These two kids – like their entire team – are big, tough, and motivated. They’re poised to both have monster years. The Academic Athlete is another football player, Kaleb Sadler from Jasper, Florida, and Hamilton County High. He plays both ways and is also an excellent baseball player. Best of all, he’s ranked third in his graduating class academically. He will have a chance to play baseball in college and has to decide whether he wants to pursue a baseball career or focus on academics beyond high school. Either way, he will do just fine.
Robert Preston, Jr.,
Features & Commentary
Sarah Turner Editor
We also spent a few minutes with Paula Piercey, a former high school and college softball standout, who is currently the head softball coach at Sherwood Christian Academy in Albany. Coach Piercey is a gifted woman with a strong faith who isn’t shy about using her position as a coach to minister to others, both on and off the field. For the Rising Star feature, we have pair of eighth-graders from Valdosta/Lowndes County – one each from the Valdosta City School System and Lowndes County System. Christian Stephens is beginning his second year at Lowndes Middle School. It’s also just his second year playing organized football, and he’s made a tremendous impact in a short period of time. Cory McCann is a speedy tailback with Valdosta Middle School who will one day be an important part of the Valdosta High offense. This month, we also have a variety of special features, including a story on former Lowndes High Viking Telvin Smith, who was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of this year’s NFL Draft. We’ll also take a look at the Clinch County football program. There’s not a lot to do in tiny Homerville, and it’s hard to believe that one of the best football teams in the state is located in the quiet little village built on agriculture and the timber industry. But year in and year out, the Panthers are one of the teams to beat in their classification, and head coach Jim Dickerson has been there through most of it, either as a player, assistant coach, or head coach. We look forward to the opportunities and challenges that another academic year presents. And as always, we feel very fortunate to be able to spotlight the best and brightest student-athletes and teams in the area. Thank you for your continued support and we are excited about the upcoming year.
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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Telvin Smith: History in the Making by Robert Preston, Jr.
photography by Jonathan Chick
Since In the Game High School Sports Magazine began publishing, our South Georgia athletes have won state titles, signed with major college football programs, and even won national championships. Some have even advanced to the next level. Telvin Smith, a former Lowndes High Viking, was selected in the fifth round (144th pick overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2014 NFL Draft. Smith won a state title with Lowndes and played four years for the Florida State Seminoles. He saw significant playing time on special teams and at linebacker for his first three years but did not become a regular starter until his senior year. The 2013 Seminoles won the BCS Championship, and Smith was an integral part of that national championship team. Draft analysts pegged Smith as a mid-round pick. No one doubted his athletic ability or whether or not he could play at the professional level. What did concern teams was his size – or lack thereof. He plays like a linebacker but at 220 pounds, has the frame of a defensive back. Scouts feared he couldn’t take the punishment a linebacker faces at the NFL level. 9
To be effective on an NFL team, Smith really needed a strong defensive line up front to handle the big offensive linemen and free him up to make plays. Smith is also skilled at dropping back into coverage. Fortunately for him, the Jaguars had several holes they needed to fill at linebacker. They run a 4-3 defense and didn’t really have a linebacker last year who was effective at coverage. He had exactly what the Jaguars needed. Jacksonville waited until the fifth round to select Smith. He is expected to continue fighting for a spot on the team during the remainder of the preseason. Ideally, he needs to get bigger and stronger without losing any of his speed and quickness. He should have no problem making the team and ought to be a valuable addition to a Jaguars squad that was very weak at linebacker in 2013. ITG
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Could a South Georgia School Win the 2014 State Football Championship? by Robert Preston, Jr.
O
n the surface, this seems like kind of a dumb question. Of course we can compete with the Atlanta area schools, you are probably thinking. But let’s take a closer look at the gridiron trends in our state. First of all, I think everyone would agree that we have some of the best athletes in the state down here. We certainly have some of the best coaches. Are you going to find a better coach anywhere than Rance Gillespie, Randy McPherson, Rush Propst, Jim Dickerson, Maurice Freeman, Robbie Pruitt, Ashley Henderson, Bill Shaver, or Ed Pilcher, just to name a few? Hardly. With excellent athletes and superb coaching, what then is the problem? It’s hard to pinpoint, but the fact of the matter is that in GHSA competition, the metro schools have had their way with the rest of the state. To find a state championship winner in South Georgia, you have to go back to 2010. We had two schools who played for a state title back then – Clinch and Colquitt. Colquitt put up 38 points against Brookwood and still lost. Clinch defeated Savannah Christian for South Georgia’s last GHSA state football championship. In Georgia’s highest classification, the last state champion was Camden in 2009. Since then, Regions 7 and 8 have dominated 6A, winning the last four state titles. A year ago, Charlton County defeated Irwin in the semifinals and advanced to the state championship game, where the Indians faced Marion County. While Marion County isn’t a metro area school, it’s in the Columbus area and is much closer to Atlanta than Folkston. Marion defeated Charlton 12-3, once again denying South Georgia a state title. In fact, last year, all the GHSA public school state champions were from the Atlanta area. This does not bode well for South Georgia. At the same time, however, it doesn’t mean that we can’t win a title. It just won’t be easy. The urban centers of our state – and I’m including Atlanta, Columbus, and Augusta here – have some distinct advantages over the rural
areas. They have more athletes, more resources, and less travel. I think the travel aspect may be the most significant, particularly when the post-season arrives. For a South Georgia school to win a state title, travel must be kept to a minimum. A team can’t take long road trips during the playoffs for five straight weeks and win a title, especially when the state championship game is essentially a home game for any metro program. In 2010, Colquitt made its run to the championship game as a 5-5 #4 seed. The Packers traveled every week of the playoffs and simply ran out of gas. Even last year, when the Packers went to the semifinals as a #2 seed, they still played three straight playoff games on the road, eventually losing to Norcross, which went on to win the state title. (Of course, playing at home isn’t a guarantee of success, either; region champion Camden lost to Hillgrove at home in the second round last season. And Brooks County won three straight home playoff games last year then lost its first road game of the postseason to eventual state champion Lovett.) Our teams compete favorably against the metro schools. Several of our programs have made deep playoff runs lately: Brooks, Charlton, Irwin, Colquitt, Camden, and Lowndes, to name a few. We just seem to come up a little short. I think one of the biggest issues is travel, particularly the semifinal week which often falls on Thanksgiving. School is out and the holiday disrupts practice. It’s not easy to take a day off then get on a bus and travel to the metro area for a football game. Teams also have to stay healthy – see Adam Choice and the 2013 Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets – and play flawlessly. Yes, we can compete with Atlanta. And yes, a South Georgia football team will win another state title. The most likely candidates to win championships are the #1 and #2 seeds – those teams that start the playoffs at home. Will it happen this year? We’ll know in about 15 weeks. ITG
13
Tiny Clinch County Quietly Fields One of the State’s Best Football Programs by Robert Preston, Jr.
T
here’s not much to do in Homerville in Clinch County. Highways 84 and 441 meet in the center of town, providing the tiny hamlet with easy access to I-75 in Valdosta, I-95 near Brunswick, and I-10 in Lake City, Florida. Despite sitting at the intersection of two major thoroughfares and being within striking distance of three interstates, the community remains largely undeveloped. With a population in the city of just over 2,400, the total number of residents in Homerville has dropped over the last few years. Its economy is based in manufacturing and construction, and most folks there don’t go to school beyond 12th grade. It is nestled comfortably between Waycross to the east and Valdosta to the west, two communities
photography by Micki K Photography
that dominate the headlines in its neck of the woods. Homerville and Clinch County, however, have something going for them that few communities can duplicate. They know how to play football, and they know how to play it well. The Clinch County Panthers, playing mainly out of the single-A classification, have won 16 region titles and five state championships. That’s more than Lowndes County, Colquitt County, Ware County, Tift County, and most other programs in Georgia. Clinch County has won more state title than the Charlton County Indians, more region championships than the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets, and more All-State players than all of the aforemen-
tioned programs. Donald Tison, after whom the Panthers’ stadium is named, was the head coach. It is he who built the Panthers into a small-school powerhouse. Jim Dickerson, the current head coach at Clinch County, has been there for just about every championship the Panthers have won, either as a player or a coach. He was on the 1980 team that won Clinch County’s first region title and played for a state championship against Greenville. Clinch led the whole game but lost in the final minute when Greenville threw a Hail Mary from midfield. Greenville won the game 12-10. “Until then, we were known as a basketball school,” Dickerson said. “That season put Clinch County football on the map.” 15
With the exception of 1992-1999, if you played four years at Clinch County, you won a region title. Also, with a state championship about every six or seven years since 1980, there’s a pretty good chance you were going to have an opportunity to play for a state title. Dickerson, a Clinch County native, played for the Panthers, and eventually came back as an assistant coach and teacher in the school system. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator and, in 2004, became head coach. “I was honestly happy as defensive coordinator, but the head coach position opened up when Cecil Barber got out of it,” Dickerson said. “I didn’t have any desire to be head coach, and I was nervous about taking it.” He eventually accepted the job and won a championship in his first year. He won another in 2010 and has won 97 games in 11 seasons. Last year, the Panthers quietly won a region championship in a tough region that saw two of its schools – Irwin and Charlton (both of which Clinch beat) – advance to the semi-finals. So how have the Panthers done it? “We’re the only high school in town, and our expectations are pretty high,” Dickerson said. “Our booster club is very involved, and
we have a great feeder program. Our middle school program has been really good for the last few years. We run the same schemes and use the same terminology at every level,” he said. But it goes much further than that. The Clinch County offense has undergone several changes over the years. Last year, the Panthers went to a single-wing scheme for the first time. They are running the same thing this year. The defense, however, remains a 52 – the same thing they’ve run since 1980. To Dickerson, though, it’s not about the kind offense or defense his team runs. “I’ve always said it’s about the ‘Jimmys and Joes’, not the X’s and O’s,” he said. “You’ve got to have talent to win. And for a single-A school, we’ve had more than our share of talented players. The folks around here can just flat out run. Our kids expect to win and they take a lot of pride in the program. But it starts with talent and we’ve had a lot of it.” The Panthers have several Player of the Year Award winners and more big-time college players than a single-A school ought to. Currently, Fred Tiller is a starting cornerback with the Kentucky Wildcats and plans to stay at Kentucky as a graduate as-
sistant coach after his playing career ends. One Panther – Jonathan Smith – made it all the way to the NFL. A seventh-round pick, he played for three years with the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. And this year, two players who could rival Tiller, Smith, and the best Clinch County has ever turned out are on the team. Junior Chauncey Manac, a 6’4,” 260-pound defensive end, and halfback/defensive back Octavious Johnson (6’1,” 190) both have offers on the table from all the major programs, including Florida State, Florida, Georgia, and just about everyone else. No, it’s not easy making a living in Clinch County. It’s not easy getting college programs to notice Clinch County players, either. But when you win games and championships at the rate that the Panthers have, it’s a little less challenging than it is at other small schools. While all the attention has been focused on Lowndes, Camden, Colquitt, Valdosta, and the other traditional powers in the area, the Panthers have simply been doing what they’ve done since 1980 – winning football games at an alarming rate. And that isn’t going to stop any time soon. ITG 17
Academic Athlete
Two-Sport Trojan Hopes to Graduate with High School Diploma and Associate’s Degree by Robert Preston, Jr.
“D
oes school come easy to me? I don’t know. My mom says I don’t study enough. And I guess she’s right – I could study more,” Kaleb Sadler, a football and baseball player at Hamilton County High School in Jasper, Florida, said sheepishly. Everyone can always do a little more, and there are always a few more precious moments available in each day that people let go to waste. However, it’s hard to argue with the results Sadler has gotten in the classroom. He has a 4.33 weighted grade point average and he currently sits at third in the Class of 2015. In addition, Sadler is a pretty good football and baseball player who is thoroughly enjoying the recent resurgence of the Hamilton County athletic program.
photography by Micki K Photography
It’s not easy balancing schoolwork and two sports that pretty much take up the entire year, but Sadler has figured out a way to make it work. What is even more impressive is his schoolwork includes much more than his class load at Hamilton County High; he is also taking classes at North Florida Community College in Madison and hopes to graduate from NFCC with his associate’s degree at the same time he graduates from high school. “There’s not really a rush to graduate with my associate’s degree. But it will save my mom a lot of money, and that’s pretty important,” he said. In addition to his classes at Hamilton County, which include calculus, he is also taking four classes at NFCC. Sadler plans to take three more college classes in the spring and leave
high school with two full years of college under his belt. “I think it would be a big accomplishment to get that done,” he said. It is a big accomplishment – and an enormous challenge to boot. But Sadler has never shied away from hard work. A long time ago, his mother told him he had to make good grades in order to play sports. “She told me a million times – no school, no ball. I had to stay on top of my grades, or I couldn’t do anything else,” he said. Sadler took care of his end of the deal, and now he is getting ready for his senior year as a two-sport athlete with a chance to play at least one in college. The 6’1,” 200-pound offensive lineman and linebacker can’t wait for the season to begin (at the time of this writing, the school year had not even begun, much less football 19
season). A year ago, the Trojans won the district championship, and Sadler is ready to pick up where they left off in 2013. “The night we won district, the whole community was out there on the field with us. It was great to see how every-
one was impacted by that title. Used to, there may be 50 people in the stands at a football game. Now there are 400 or more. It really brought the community together,” he said. While Sadler is a pure talent on the gridiron, the sport that had his heart first is baseball. He’s a first baseman/pitcher who bats right and throws left. He’s hit 86 mph on the radar gun and has a chance to play in college if he so desires. Last year, the Trojans lost the district title in the finals but advanced to the playoffs before losing in the first round. Sadler finished the season batting .402. “I’d love to play at the next level but I want to see if it’s the right fit,” he said. The same work ethic that has made Sadler one of Hamilton County’s best students also makes him a valuable teammate. He works hard and does his best every time he steps on the field. He is coachable, and he trusts the game plan his coaches put together. “I always try to do what is expected of me, whether it’s in practice, in the weight room, running sprints, or anywhere else. That’s what I need to do to get better and help the team win games,” he said. ITG
Kaleb’s Favorites Sport to watch on TV: Football, both college and pro Teams: Florida State Seminoles and Seattle Seahawks Subject: Reading or language arts Best movie of the last year: Transformers: Age of Extinction Superhero: Thor Person to meet: Jameis Winston Place to travel: Hawaii
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Vereen Rehabilitation Center: Cutting Edge Injury Treatment in Rural Georgia by Robert Preston, Jr.
I
njuries are a part of life and sport. It doesn’t matter to what lengths people go to remain healthy and injury free; at some point, some kind of accident or misfortune will happen. And when it does, the goal is to get back on your feet – sometimes literally, other times figuratively – and back to 100 percent. The Vereen Rehabilitation Center at Colquitt Regional Medical Center is dedicated to doing just that. It is one of the most sophisticated rehabilitation clinics in South Georgia – or anywhere else, for that matter – and offers a variety of services to its patients. One area of particular interest to readers of this magazine is sports medicine. Athletes get hurt. And when they do, they want to get back on the field or court as quickly and safely as possible. The Vereen Center wants the same thing, and its skilled certified personal trainers have a number of different tools and treatment protocols at their disposal to make sure that athletes make a speedy return to competition. Trainers are well versed in injury prevention, strength and conditioning, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and proper nutrition. They are adept at treating all types of injuries, from soft tissue problems to concussions. And in a community like Moultrie that
places a premium on athletic performance, having a resource like the Vereen Center is invaluable. The Vereen Center’s services go well beyond sports medicine. The center also uses occupational therapy to help victims of stroke, spinal cord injuries, lower extremity injuries, and hand injuries. The center also works to improve workplace conditioning and prevent workplace injuries. Additionally, the Vereen Center has a wound care clinic, offers speech and language pathology, and a learning center that helps improve attention, memory, and cognitive skills. Struggling students of all ages have experienced significant improvements in classroom performance through the learning center. The center’s staff of 20 physical therapists, speech pathologists, and specialists is among the best in their fields and provide a level of care unheard of in a rural community. They are dedicated to providing the best of care, not only for residents of Colquitt County, but also for the entire region. They are dedicated to treating the individual and work one-on-one with their patients to ensure all their rehabilitation needs are met. The Vereen Center is a tremendous resource for the region, and they look forward to serving you should the need arise. ITG
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Player Spotlight
Austin Bryant
Thomas County Central High School
Presented by:
Ernest Harris
Best Friends Demolish Opposing Offenses for the Yellow Jackets by Robert Preston, Jr.
O
h, to be a Thomas County Central Yellow Jacket. The 2013 season started so high yet ended so low. The year started with the Yellow Jackets as a favorite to win a state championship. They had a team that was deep and talented. Headlined by quarterback Adam Choice, who is now a Clemson Tiger, TCC was a 5A juggernaut that had its way with just about every regular-season opponent they faced. The Yellow Jackets lost early in the season to the Valdosta Wildcats, but gave the ‘Cats
photography by Micki K Photography
everything they could handle and more. The region title was theirs to lose. And lose it they did in the last regular season game of the year when Choice, who had already amassed 258 yards rushing against Harris County and become the Yellow Jackets’ all-time leading rusher, saw his season end because of a devastating shoulder injury. Harris County won the game and Lee County, which TCC beat 45-14, ended up winning the region title. The Yellow Jackets lost their first-round playoff game and saw their season come to an end
about four games too early. Now, it’s a year later and we’re still talking about Choice and the disappointing way the 2013 season ended. It’s probably not fair to the 2014 team. It’s a new season. Thomas County Central has dropped down to 4A. The Yellow Jackets will have a new quarterback and a new offensive line. The defensive side of the ball will have to set the tone early for the Yellow Jackets, and they have two of the best defensive players in the state in free safety Ernest Harris and defensive end Austin Bryant. 25
Ernest’s Favorites College football or pro football? College Team: Alabama Sport you wish you could play: Baseball Superhero: Spiderman Superpower: Fly Food: Macaroni and cheese Person to meet: Richard Sherman What’s the first thing you would do with $1 million? “Buy a house.”
Ernest Harris is a hard-hitting, ball-hawking free safety who destroys everything in his path. At 6’2” and 180 pounds, he’s one of the bigger defensive backs in the region. He finished the 2013 season with 68 tackles, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles. A defensive specialist, he wanted to use last year to get his name out there a little more. One of his goals – besides doing his part to help the Yellow Jackets win a state title, of course – was to do what he needed to do in order to land a college scholarship. He’s a very coachable player who works hard each day to improve. He has the natural athletic ability to be a dominant player but he understands that ability without work ethic won’t get you very far. “Sam Pickett is my defensive back coach. He has gotten me to where I am today. I’m a better player because of him,” Harris said.
And just how much better is Harris today? At the moment, he has scholarship offers on the table from Troy and Cincinnati. Other schools have also shown interest in him. Right now, though, he is keeping his options open and waiting to see who else makes him offers. “I love playing football. You’ve got to work hard but connecting with the other players – it’s amazing. This year, I want to focus on improving and making another run to a state title. Then we’ll see what the next step is,” Harris said. His teammate and best friend, Austin Bryant, is an athletic 6’5,” 250-pound defensive end who started his career with the Yellow Jackets as a quarterback. Bryant, however, had two things working against him: His size and Adam Choice. “I’ve always been big. Still, I was a quarterback as a freshman. But we had Adam a year ahead of me and honestly, in our Veer Offense, we didn’t need a 6’5” quarterback,” Bryant said. Bryant was an outside linebacker as a sophomore but moved to defensive end last year. It was a good move for both TCC and Bryant. He is faster and more athletic than just about
Austin’s Favorites College team besides Clemson: Georgia Bulldogs NFL team: Carolina Panthers Sport you wish you could play: Lacrosse Superhero: Thor Superpower: Super speed Person to meet: President Obama What would you do with $1 million? “By my parents a new house.” 26
every offensive tackle he faces, and he feasts upon those lopsided matchups. Bryant finished the year with nearly 70 tackles and seven sacks. His best game came against rival Cairo, which the Yellow Jackets won 21-0. Bryant had three sacks and several tackles for a loss. Bryant’s talent earned him a trip to The Opening, a prestigious football camp hosted by Nike at its Oregon headquarters. At The Opening, Bryant went up against the best offensive linemen in the country. “It’s not every day that you get to play against guys 6’6” and 350 pounds. It was great competition, and I had a great time. I won some of those matchups, and I lost some. But that’s going to happen when you face the best,” he said.
This year, he knows that the defense will have to step up and set the tone for the Yellow Jackets while the offensive players get their collective legs – literally and figuratively – under them. “The Class of 2014 was the rock of this team last year. We’ve got to replace a bunch of players on offense, including our whole line. The focus has to be on getting everyone to mature and grow up. This year, the defense will be that rock, and I want to be a leader for everyone. I want to be someone that the offense and defense can look up to. I want to encourage everyone and to lead by example. I also know I’ve got to disrupt everything I can on defense,” Bryant said. Bryant plans to attend Clemson, just like his former quarterback, Adam Choice. Bryant, however, insists that the decision was his and his alone. “I had over 20 offers. But I chose Clemson because they had what I wanted academically. Also, the playing situation was right. They will graduate their whole defensive line this year so that will be open. Adam didn’t try to recruit me to Clemson. It’s a plus that he’s there, but it was my decision to go there,” he said. Both players are also standouts in other
sports as well. Harris runs track and went to state in the 400 meters last year, where he finished ninth. He plans to run track again this year. Bryant played basketball for his first three years but likely won’t play this year. A power forward and center, he believes he needs to focus on his strength and conditioning as he gets ready to go to Clemson. “Once the games start, I know I’ll miss it. But I won’t miss those late practices after football,” he said jokingly. Harris and Bryant are as close as brothers. They hang out together and play together. When you see one, you see the other. And they depend on each other on the football field. “Blood couldn’t make Ernest and me any closer. He can fly, and he will lay you out. When I’m pressuring the quarterback, I know he’s back there ready to make a play. And when he’s in the secondary holding things down, that keeps the ball in the quarterback’s hands and gives me a chance to get a sack. We play well together,” Bryant said. “Austin and I are like brothers. He’s great with his hands, and he uses his size well. He can really play, and I love being on the field with him,” Harris said. ITG
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Timeless Moments in Sports
September 9.7.1979
ESPN was born It was launched in Connecticut under the direction of the network’s president and CEO, Chet Simmons. The entertainment and sports programming network entered homes of about 5 million cable television viewers across the United States. Founder William Rasmussen got the idea for a 24-hour sports network while sitting in traffic.
9.6.1995
Cal Becomes the New Iron Man Cal Ripken, playing in his recordsetting 2,131st consecutive MLB game, surpassed a 56-year-old record formerly held by Lou Gehrig. Ripken’s streak would also end in September, three years later. His final tally: an astounding 2,632 straight games, dating back to May 30, 1982.
September Birthdays Lance Armstrong – September 18, 1971 Serena Williams – September 26, 1981 Shaun White – September 3, 1986 Kevin Durant – September 29, 1988 Jimmy Johnson – September 17, 1975
9.22.2010 9.10.2006
Manning vs. Manning The NFL saw its first battle amongst quarterback brothers—Peyton and Eli Manning. The Colts, led by Peyton Manning came out on top of the New York Giants—26-21. In the first battle between 2 quarterback brothers in NFL history, Peyton Manning’s team came out on top as the Indianapolis Colts defeated Eli Manning and the New York Giants 26-21 at Giants Stadium.
B-Team to World Champions Kevin Durant led the United States to a World Basketball Championship by scoring 28 points. The US beat Turkey 81-64 in Istanbul. With Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and other stars skipping the tournament, the American group was in fact a B-Team; however, they were a B-Team that would take home the gold for the US for the first time since 1994 and the fourth overall.
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Southern Pride Shines
in South Georgia and Beyond By James Washington Photos provided by Southern Pride Coaches
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n the fall, as the leaves turn and the temperature begins to drop, most people are anxious for the flood lights to be turned on, the hash marks to be drawn, and the pigskin to begin taking flight. Locals are quick to boast about their respective high schools and the success that each team achieves on the gridiron. Wins, losses, statistics, and championships are ammunition, fueling arguments that quite often get more intense than presidential debates. Here in South Georgia, football is everything. Unless you ask the talented young ladies of the Southern Pride. Comprised of players from throughout South Georgia and North Florida, the Pride is a traveling softball team that is making competitors take notice. Under the tutelage of head coach Thomas Macera, this amazing group of student-athletes trains, practices,
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and competes year-round to improve their craft. Since September 2013, the Southern Pride has placed third or better in six different tournaments. Over the course of those tournaments, the Pride won 31 games while only losing three. The girls averaged just fewer than nine runs per contest (8.6) while holding their opposition to below two runs per game (1.6). In fact, the combined score of their three losses over this span was only 9-3. “We focus on the fundamentals,” Coach Macera said. “At the end of the day, you have to swing a bat. You have to understand the finer points of the game, and most importantly, you have to play defense. Our girls prepare with fundamentals, and when you get the basics down, success is inevitable.” From July 27 to August 3, the Southern Pride competed in the USA Girls’ 12 & Under Fast Pitch Tournament in Bloomington, Indi-
ana. After occasional weather delays, the girls finished with five wins to only two losses, earning them a ninth-place finish out of a staggering 73 teams from around the country. The girls are all extremely active as the team spreads their workouts and tournaments throughout the entire calendar year. Aside from the Pride, each player also competes on her respective school team. “The girls usually have a light spring; by then they are all engaged in school ball,” said Sara Sumner, mother of Pride catcher Sophie Sumner. “It’s normally the heaviest in the fall, with a break typically in December and January.” While each player brings special talent and ability to the roster, five players in particular are making their mark on the program. Rylin Hedgecock (Hahira Middle), Jacie Johns (Hahira Middle), Ragen Lasseter (Tift County Middle), Taylor Macera (Georgia Christian), and
From left to right: Dara Gaylard, LeeLee Rogers, Ragen Lasseter, Laila Dickey, Jacie Johns, Taylor Macera, Sophie Sumner, Maddie Wilkes, Regan Hermerling, Chole Culp, and Rylin Hedgecock
Sophie Sumner (Lowndes Middle) are all local products that are taking the softball world by storm. All standouts at their respective schools, these five girls make their traveling team much more dangerous. At HMS, Rylin is a tremendous presence on the mound, already delivering pitches at upwards of 58 mph. After a recent “call-up,” Rylin has also been named a member of the junior varsity team at Lowndes High School. Along with Pride teammate Sophie, the girls are two of three middle school players already seeing action in the upper ranks with the Vikettes. As the girls get older, it is inevitable that the Pride move up in the age ranks as well. Beginning with the 2014-15 season, the former 12 & Under team will move up to play in the 14 & Under ranks. However, don’t expect the transition to intimidate anyone. “The competition is going to change,”
Coach Macera said. “The girls that they face will be bigger, stronger, and faster than what they saw (playing 12 & Under). But I don’t see any problems. These girls are incredibly mature and talented. Adjusting to a new age level will be no issue for them.” The team members are taught the importance of integrity, hard work, and camaraderie. What makes the team so special, however, is that each member fully understands that the lessons learned can, and normally do, extend far beyond the confines of a softball field. Everything that is taught is also regularly emphasized and reiterated in every aspect of their daily lives. “It’s so funny to watch the girls play on their school teams,” Mrs. Sumner said. “During the games, the girls are on opposing sides and the intensity is all over their faces. But as soon as the game is over, they’re hugging and laughing together, just like the best of friends.
It’s all about the bonds that they’ve formed through the Pride.” Coach Macera has over a decade of coaching experience. While he has a wealth of knowledge to give to the players, he is learning from them on a daily basis as well. “There’s nothing better than watching these young ladies grow,” Coach Macera said. “They are always eager to learn, and the look on their faces when they accomplish something new is irreplaceable. They are really able to put their hearts into the game because the excitement of learning outweighs the pressure of wins and losses.” As the Pride prepares to enter its fourth season, the sky is the limit for these gifted student-athletes. And with the way these young ladies are progressing, the team name is a perfect reflection of the feelings of their families, friends, and fans: South Georgia is proud. ITG 31
Rylin Hedgecock Hahira Middle School
Age: 13 Grade: Eighth grade Parents: Russ Hedgecock & Heather Prince Position(s): Pitcher, Third Base Experience: Eight years Favorite Subject: Math
Favorite Sports Team: Florida Gators Favorite Athlete: Tim Tebow What do you enjoy most about playing for Southern Pride? Getting to travel to different places with my friends
Jacie Johns
Hahira Middle School Age: 13 Grade: Eighth grade Parents: Scott & Dawn Johns Position(s): Second Base, Outfield Experience: Nine years Favorite Subject: P.E.
Favorite Sports Team: Southern Pride, Georgia Bulldogs Favorite Athlete: Jennie Finch What do you enjoy most about playing for Southern Pride? Being on the field with my teammates, traveling to different states to play new teams, and developing skills under Coach Macera
Ragen Lasseter
Eighth Street Middle School Age: 13 Grade: Eighth grade Parents: Stacy & April Lasseter Position(s): Shortstop, Outfield Experience: Eight years Favorite Subject: Math Favorite Sports Team: Atlanta Braves
Favorite Athlete: Courtney Albritton What do you enjoy most about playing for Southern Pride? Getting to learn from a great college coach (Coach Macera) all the things I can about the game. He is a great instructor. And I get to spend time with my dad, who also helps with the team
Taylor Macera
Georgia Christian School Age: 13 Grade: Eighth grade Parents: Thomas & Tana Macera Position(s): Pitcher, Second Base, Right Field Experience: For as long as I could hold a ball in my hand Favorite Subject: Math
Sophie Sumner Lowndes Middle School
Age: 13 Grade: Eighth grade Parents: Jack & Sara Sumner Position(s): Catcher, Outfield, Third Base Experience: 10 years Favorite Subject: Science Favorite Sports Team: VSU Lady Blazers (Softball), Atlanta Braves
Favorite Sports Team: Valdosta State Lady Blazers (Softball) Favorite Athlete: Jennie Finch What do you enjoy most about playing for Southern Pride? Getting to play with my teammates & traveling with them
Favorite Athlete: Evan Gattis, Marti Littlefield (VSU All-American Shortstop) What do you enjoy most about playing for Southern Pride? The girls and the coaches. I love my teammates—every time we are together we make memories that will always last. We are very close, and I know I can count on each and every one of them. And I’m lucky to have Coach Macera, who is the best coach I could have to learn this game. 33
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oaching a high school athletics team takes commitment. Coaching four separate teams takes heart. Meet Martha Mazurkiewicz, head coach of Lowndes High School’s four cross country teams: Girl’s Varsity, Girl’s Junior Varsity, Boy’s Varsity, and Boy’s Junior Varsity. With Martha’s passion for running and her desire to see each individual runner be the best he or she can be, she has seen plenty of success at LHS. Last year, all four teams won a region 6A title in their respective heats. This year Martha is looking to inch the teams up on the results list at the GHSA Cross Country State Championship Meet. LHS laced up their shoes for the first time this season on August 23 in Perry, Georgia.
In the Game: Why did you decide to coach cross country? Martha Mazurkiewicz: Well I love running, and I was teaching at St. Johns Catholic School. At the time, they didn’t have a cross country program, and I knew that the school had excellent athletes that could excel in running. I wanted to open that up to them. ITG: What brought you to Lowndes High School? MM: After I coached at St. Johns, I moved over to Lowndes High, and they offered me the position. ITG: What is your favorite part about coaching? MM: We do it as a family. My husband has always been by my side in coaching and has given me tips. He was a track and cross country runner in high school and introduced me to the sport. My oldest daughter ran for LHS and graduated last year. My youngest daughter is a junior and the team manager this season. I think the fact that we can do it as a family is my favorite part about coaching. ITG: What were your emotions towards coaching four region champion teams last season? MM: It’s a feeling like “Wow, this is what we’ve worked for.” I trust in their abilities, and they trust in the training. I think both the team and myself were in equal amazement that all four teams could do it. ITG: What is your number one coaching rule? MM: The team comes first. There are always superstars, but the team has got to pull together for a win.
ITG: What are your goals for this season? MM: The boy’s team is very prepared. However; we had four of our top five girls graduate last year. So, I plan to develop the girl’s team. We definitely have some very talented runners. Our number one girl was a freshman last year, so she is still on the team and is still developing her skill and craft. We will definitely do well on both sides. We are looking beyond region. We are looking at state and to do well at state.
Ten Questions With
Coach Mazurkiewicz by Sarah Turner
photography by Micki K Photography
ITG: What is the best part of coaching at LHS? MM: The support that you get from the whole coaching staff in the athletics department—especially the athletic director; he is very supportive. ITG: How do you keep your runners healthy in the South Georgia heat? MM: We have morning workouts two times a week for the runners who are doing a lot of the heavier speed work. They meet at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and that alleviates a little bit of the heat. They still do a second run in the afternoons just to shake out the tightness from sitting in a class all day. We keep them well hydrated and are actually very focused on nutrition. This Friday, we are having a nutritionist from VSU come out for a pre-race dinner and talk to the athletes about nutrition leading up to a meet. We have ten meets throughout the season, so it’s important that they know how to keep themselves healthy for races and practice. ITG: What do you have the teams do before every race? MM: We have a set time for eating, warming up, and getting to the line. It’s important for the team to focus on supporting each other. Whether beside, in front of, or behind, they should know that their teammates are going to be right there with them. ITG: What has been your most inspirational moment as a coach? MM: When I was coaching middle school cross country, our girls team won the GISA Championship two years in a row. The first year was just incredible. The team and the parents pulled together, and we just made it happen. More recently, at LHS, one of our captain’s mothers passed away in a car accident on I-75 a few weeks ago. The entire team has pulled together to support her and love her.
Facts about Coach Mazurkiewicz: Years as a runner: 27 Favorite Food: Pizza! I love sausage, pepperoni, peppers, and all that spicy stuff on my pizza Favorite Athlete: Shalane Flanagan Favorite Running Shoe: Brooks Favorite element of running: The camaraderie of the athletes Fastest 5-K: 21:20 Favorite running route in Valdosta: Old Wood Valley
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Camden County
Wildcats GHSA 1-AAAAAA 2013 Record:
Region: 6-0 / Overall: 10-2 384 points earned / 168 points against
Going for 14 Region Titles in a Row The Camden County Wildcats didn’t miss a step last season under first-year Head Coach Welton Coffey, claiming their second straight Region 1-AAAAAA championship and 13th region title in a row. Pundits had guarded expectations for the Wildcats in 2013 following the departure of legendary Coach Jeff Herron and the loss of most of their skill personnel - including four Division I players. They also had a region schedule among the toughest in the state. Still, with a perfect 6-0 region record, Camden finished with a single regular season loss - to North Gwinnett during the Corky Kell Classic played in the first week of the season at the Georgia Dome. After the initial loss, the Wildcats went on a run of 10 consecutive wins, including six region victories in 1-AAAAAA, known as the “SEC of high school football.” The Wildcats fell to Hillgrove in the second round of the 2013 state playoffs. This is Coffey’s second year at the helm of
Head Coach: Welton Coffey
Camden County but his ninth at the school. He was defensive coordinator for seven years under Jeff Herron. Coffey is the former state championship winning coach at Jacksonville’s Raines High School and, including last season at Camden, has an overall record of 67-19. Coffey was part of the Camden staff that won two state titles under Herron. Coffey will not have an easy time this season. Gone are the top rusher and passer from last season, along with top receiver Kalvarez Bessent, who is at Auburn. Returning only seven starters from last season - three on offense, four on defense - Coach Coffey is concerned that his team may lack experience. Among the returners is Antonio Wimbush, the speedy running back and defensive back who is a solid Division I college prospect at corner. Coach Coffey lists “good team speed” among the Wildcats’ strengths this season. Another strength for Camden will be its defensive secondary. Along with Wimbush the Cats return seniors Ryan Johnson and Demitri Saulsberry who will also spend time at running back. Camden’s leading tackler, linebacker Darryle Isreal, is also back along with tight end/defensive end Mack Nash. The Wildcats will open the 2014 season at home against Florida powerhouse Lincoln High School of Tallahassee. In week two, the Dutchtown Bulldogs will travel from Hampton to play at Chris Gilman Stadium. Camden hosts Glynn Academy and then travels to Brunswick and Jesup before starting region play by welcoming Valdosta October 3. Region 1-AAAAAA continues with a trip to Lowndes and then back home for games against Tift and Lee counties. The regular season ends with a trip to Moultrie to face Colquitt County.
Schedule Aug Sept Oct Nov
23 29 05 12 19 03 10 17 31 07
*region game
Home Away
Tallahassee Lincoln Dutchtown Glynn Academy Brunswick Wayne County Valdosta* Lowndes County* Tift County* Lee County* Colquitt County*
Key Players Antonio Wimbush Ryan Johnson Demitri Saulsberry Darryle Isreal Tevin Hall DeAndre Gardenhire Antonio Hamliton Harrison Poole Dondre Winn Zeke Moore Julius Winn Brandon McMasters Cole Loden
RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB LB DB DE QB RB/DB LB SE/DB LB/TE RB/LB RB/DB
Chris Gilman Stadium Capacity: 9,000
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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
Coach’s Corner
Coach Piercey
Blessed to Lead Lady Eagles Softball Program by Robert Preston, Jr. photos provided by Coach Piercey
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Paula Piercey Sherwood Christian Academy 41
or almost as long as Paula Piercey can remember, softball has been her life. Outside of her faith and her family, it is the most important thing in her life. She grew up playing softball – first in slow pitch then later in fast pitch – and used her talent on the field to earn a college education. Initially, she sought a career in recreation. That led her to Sherwood Christian Academy, where Piercey is now the head softball coach. How did it happen? Timing, luck, and a little help from above. Piercey attended Heritage High School in Conyers, where she played softball. At the time, Heritage played slow-pitch. Piercey began playing fast-pitch travel ball but continued playing slow-pitch with Heritage. With her travel ball team, Piercey played in several national tournaments and made a few All-Tournament teams as a pitcher. College programs noticed the way she played and began contacting her. Piercey attended LaGrange College her freshman year, pitching and playing second base. She was Freshman of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, AllRegion, and All-Conference. She transferred to Georgia Southwestern State University after her freshman year and played her final three years there. Piercey picked up more awards her senior year, being named All-Region, All-Conference, All-American Honorable Mention, and Pitcher of the Year. Piercey also did well in the classroom, making the Dean’s List twice during her career. Piercey graduated from Georgia Southwestern in 2000 with a degree in recreation. She taught private pitching lessons beginning in 1999, and worked at the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department after graduation. She was very involved in Lee County’s recreation softball program during her time there. “When I was giving private lessons, I learned that I loved helping other people. My heart is helping others achieve their goals. I love to see the smiling faces when it all comes together,” she said. “First a person has to figure out what their God-give talent is and then we as coaches help perfect that talent. I feel like it is only right to help pass along the knowledge of the game that I have. God has given me this talent and I want to teach it to others.” 41
In 2007, Piercey’s father passed away and she and her husband, Ross, moved back to Conyers to work at the family business that had been going since 1957. The economic downturn took the business, and she returned to South Georgia in 2008. Piercey took a job at the YMCA as youth sports director. In 2008, Piercey, her husband Ross, and their young son began attending Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany. She volunteered with the softball program there while she continued to work at the Y. When the head coaching job opened up, she was ready to take the job. Sherwood’s athletic director, Eddie Dixon, also used to work with the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department and was very familiar with Piercey’s knack for teaching the game. He offered her the job in May of this year and she accepted. “I was led to Sherwood because I was meeting a need for the school. I knew all of the girls from volunteering there. I prayed about it and now I’m the head coach,” she said. Piercey’s vision for the program is to be competitive and to grow. She would like to build the program from the middle school level all the way up to varsity. She believes that while her job is to teach the girls how to play softball and win games, there is much more to her calling than that. To Coach Piercey, softball is her mission field, and she would like to use that field as a way of spreading her faith – to her players, their families, fans, and opposing teams alike. “I want to make sure all of my girls on the team treat their opponents with respect and class,” Piercey said. Spreading the Gospel is important to me. If we get outperformed, we will not get outclassed and the other team will notice that there is something different about us, that we have a light that shines brightly.” It’s always difficult to discuss what the future may hold for a coach, particularly when that coach has yet to finish a full season. However, Coach Piercey loves the environment at Sherwood and
she loves coaching high school-aged girls. And she doesn’t see herself coaching at another school any time soon. “I plan to stay here as long as God intends on blessing me with this position. Bigger opportunities are always out there and I will follow what God wants me to do. If He sees fit for me to move on, then I will. But right now, I love this age and I feel like I’m growing just as much as my players are,” she said. Paula Piercey wants to win games. Every coach does. But she also knows that playing sports is about more than winning games. It’s about teaching hard work, setting goals and working towards those goals, never giving up, and respecting yourself and others. And that is what she wants to leave with the girls who come through the Sherwood program. “My philosophy is making sure that I keep the players’ spirits high enough so that they can lift up someone else, too. I want my girls to know that I love them, their teammates love them, and God loves them. Yes, competition comes in there too, because we do want to be competitive. But I also want them to learn what God is teaching me as a Christian. Then we’ll learn the fundamentals and the game of softball,” she said. ITG
To Coach Piercey, softball is her mission field, and she would like to use that field as a way of spreading her faith – to her players, their families, fans, and opposing teams alike.
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This coach along with her athletes did an amazing job representing our Viking family. Congratulations and we hope you have an amazing season!
Lowndes Junior Varsity Cheerleaders Attend NCA Camp by Arabi Hall
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hile many of their friends were enjoying fun in the sun, the Lowndes High School Junior Varsity cheerleaders were attending NCA cheer camp. For those who are not familiar with the National Cheerleaders Association, it was founded in 1948 by Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer and is the world’s original cheer company that puts on events for over 150,000 cheerleaders and dancers each year. The NCA camp experience includes team bonding activities, learning cheers, chants, dances, jumps, and stunt technique from some of the countries best collegiate cheerleaders. Campers receive one on one instruction from their NCA staff buddies to help prepare them for the season. Coaches are also attending classes with the
photos provided by JV Cheer Coaches
camp head instructor to ensure they are knowledgeable about the sport of cheerleading and certified to coach for the year. During camp, the NCA Staff also nominates cheerleaders to tryout for the NCA All-American team. They were nominated in one of the following areas cheerleading; leadership, motions, jumps, stunts, dance, and tumbling. The nominees from LHS JV were Kaley Culpepper, Grace Tanner, Emma Sue Sanders, Emily Folsom, Mariah Beam, Addison Yommer, Ericka Hewes, Heather Strickland, and Hope Warren. Of these talented young ladies, six were chosen to join the NCA All-American team; Kaley Culpepper, Grace Tanner, Emma Sue Sanders, Emily Folsom, Mariah Beam, and Addison Yommer. The NCA Top
All-American with the highest overall score was Kaley Culpepper. The team also had the opportunity to compete for awards using material taught by the NCA Staff. The LHS JV took home the following awards: Champion Chant for the best technical and crowd involvement skills during a chant, Performance Top Team for the best overall skills in a performance, and the Spirit Megaphone Award which is voted on by the other squads at camp for displaying genuine spirit and sportsmanship throughout camp. Coach Arabi Hall was also awarded her coaches certification. Other members of the team are Audrey Blalock, Alex Metcalf, and Brittany Duff.
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High School Teen Beats Cancer, Returns to Long-distance Running High school graduation is supposed to be one of the most memorable times in a person’s life. Whether you are going off to college or starting a new career, graduation is a time where the entire world seems to be right in front of you. For Marissa Ierna, however, it was memorable for a completely different reason. On May 24, 2012, with just two weeks left before graduation, Marissa was diagnosed with Stage 3 Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
by Jessica Babcock
photography by Kelli Nicole Photography
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lveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, or ARMS, is a type of sarcoma most often seen in older children and teens, according to the American Cancer Society. ARMS usually occurs in arms, legs, and large muscles in the chest or abdomen. The cancer cells damage the connective tissues in the body, such as muscles, fat, bones, and membranes that line the joints or blood vessels. ARMS tends to grow quickly and usually requires an intensive treatment. Born and raised on the First Coast, Marissa attended Sandalwood High School for her freshman and sophomore years before becoming a part of the first-ever graduating class at the newly built Atlantic Coast High School. There, Marissa excelled in lacrosse. She was also captain of the swim team and captain of the soccer team. It is no surprise that this half-marathon runner was voted Most Athletic of her class. “I did not start lacrosse until I moved to the new high school,” Marissa said. “I knew nothing about it, but once I tried out for it I was like ‘Wow!’ I loved lacrosse; I wish I played that all of my life instead of soccer.” In February of 2012, halfway through her senior year and just a few short months before her diagnosis, Marissa just finished playing a lacrosse game and noticed a strange bug bite on her lower right calf. The bite itself was not out of the ordinary, but it came with a lump that was. Marissa thought, at the time, that it was just a massive reaction to the bite. Little did she know, it would eventually grow to be a cancerous tumor. The bug bite eventually went away and Marissa just never paid any attention to the lump. She let it go for three months. In May, during a spring break camping trip with her family, something woke Marissa in
the middle of the night. She cannot remember if she was really awake or if it was just a dream, but in any event the message was crystal clear. “All I remember is a voice telling me, ‘Marissa that lump is still there, you need to get this checked out, it could be cancer.’” A week after returning from spring break, Marissa went to the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute and was given magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI). According to WebMD, an MRI is a test that produces high-quality pictures of the heart and large blood vessels. It uses large magnets and radio-frequency waves to produce pictures of the body’s internal structures. At first, Marissa was diagnosed as Stage 3, due to the size of the tumor. But after a biopsy revealed that a speck of the tumor had traveled to her bone marrow, it be49
came Stage 4. The day Marissa was diagnosed, she was actually preparing to go to the University of North Florida (UNF) for orientation. The next day her life was put on hold. Marissa’s high school graduation day was full of mixed emotions. She had an appointment at the Mayo Clinic to see an orthopedic surgeon who specialized in removing tumors. Marissa’s appointment was at 1 p.m.; graduation was at 4 p.m. The orthopedic surgeon was very adamant that Marissa go through with surgery. This decision, however, came with some devastating consequences. The doctor indicated that the motion of her right foot would never be the same again. Driving would be extremely difficult and she would always walk with a limp. Marissa, having completed three half-marathons before being diagnosed, had to face the fact that she may never be able to run again. “I love, love, love running,” said Marissa. “I usually run 12 to 13 miles almost every weekend. I have an addiction to it.” As devastating as this news was, Marissa felt it was what she was going to have to do. Riding this emotional roller coaster, Marissa had to stay strong. After leaving the appointment, she was on her way to walk with her class at graduation. “It was a pretty crazy day for what is supposed to be one of the happier days of your life,” Marissa said.
As fate would have it, Marissa’s mother, Diane, was given the number of an oncologist who specialized in sarcoma cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The doctor happened to be in town for a wedding the same exact weekend as Marissa’s graduation. Marissa and Diane met with the doctor to talk and go over some other possible options. “It was fate,” Marissa said. After looking over Marissa’s test results, the doctor suggested that she should not go through with surgery. He sent Marissa’s test results to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, to
“Cancer has changed the way I think completely,” Marissa said. “I never knew how fragile life was until I faced cancer in the eye. I have realized even more about how much I have to be thankful for. I would say cancer has pointed me towards my future with all of the opportunities it has provided me with.”
get a second opinion. The doctors at Moffitt agreed, so Marissa called her doctor and cancelled the appointment for her surgery, which was now only a few days away. Marissa was supposed to be starting summer classes at UNF, instead she was starting 54 weeks of chemotherapy. Her first treatment was June 19, 2012. Marissa was admitted to Nemours Children’s Clinic, because at the time, she was seventeen and still a minor. “I was really fortunate and did really well with the chemotherapy,” Marissa said. “A lot of it sucked, but I was able to stay strong through it all.” One thing Marissa was never ashamed of was her bald head. She had somebody give her a bag of 150 bandanas when she was first diagnosed, and she put them up in her closet. They were never once touched. In fact, a professional photographer, who worked for Kelly Nichole Photography, approached Marissa via Facebook. The photographer loved that Marissa was proud of her “new look” and offered to take her pictures for free. “I loved my bald head,” said Marissa. “I didn’t care about it, and I let people see it.” Marissa’s dad, Todd, luckily had a boss who understood the situation and allowed him to work from his computer at the hospital. Diane had a demanding job running an entire department at Allstate, so missing work was not an option for her. “We got very fortunate that neither one of them had to quit their jobs,” Marissa said. 51
“Usually when you are talking to families that have had to go through this, one parent has to quit their job and do everything for the child, while the other one works.” Marissa says that her heroes throughout this whole ordeal are her parents and brother, Nick. Because she did not have anybody else to lean on, her family became her everything. “My mom became my best friend, and she became the shoulder I could cry on whenever I needed it,” Marissa said. “My dad became my sleepover buddy because he spent 70 plus nights in the hospital with me.” Nick stayed strong for his sister. Marissa could not grasp how her family was able to sit there and watch her go through every bad day and every good. “I know how tough it was to watch me go through all the sucky things that I went through,” Marissa said. “But my brother never once showed a scared or sad face, all he could ever do was make me smile.” For Marissa, cancer really has been a blessing in disguise. When she was first diagnosed, she was told that she was getting a dream, as a part of the Dreams Come True Foundation. Marissa’s dream was to swim with dolphins. That summer, her dream came true. Marissa and her family went to Atlantis’ Dolphin Bay and got to swim with the dolphins twice. Unbeknownst to Marissa, she was going to be blessed with another surprise. Halfway through her treatment, Marissa’s dream coordinator, Brandi, changed jobs and began working for the Tim Tebow Foundation. Brandi knew that Marissa loved Tim Tebow and always wanted to meet him. Part of the Tim Tebow Foundation is called the W15H Program. According to the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Web site, W15H fulfills the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses whose wish is to meet Tim Tebow. The Foundation’s mission is: “To bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.” On January 29th Marissa received a call from Brandi stating that she had an opportunity for her. Tim Tebow was co-hosting on Good Morning America and he wanted a W15H child to be a part of it with him. Brandi was about to arrange for Marissa to be that child. Marissa got the call on Tuesday, and on Thursday her and Diane were arriving in New York City. A limo was waiting for them at the airport to be used at their disposal for the whole day. They got to enjoy a day of sightseeing, including lunch, dinner, Dylan’s Candy Bar, and the Empire State building. The next day Marissa and her mother both got to appear on Good Morning America and meet Tim Tebow. “My respect for him already was high, and when I met him I was amazed,” Marissa said. “Tim Tebow is probably one of the most influential, most amazing people I have ever had the chance to meet. It was an experience that I will never forget. It is just one of the things about having cancer that I am so thankful for.”
Marissa’s first treatment was on June 19, 2012. Her last treatment was almost exactly a year later on June 17, 2013. “I faced death in the eye, and I am still facing death,” Marissa said. “I will always face it because forever I will be considered a cancer patient. You never know when it’s going to come back, so you just have to live every day to the fullest.” Marissa, now 19, has just finished her first year of taking online classes at UNF. She wants to attend Florida State University to pursue a degree in communications. Marissa’s biggest hobbies are baking and running. Marissa’s last half-marathon she ran before being diagnosed was the Tour de Pain in March of 2012. Her time was two hours and 11 minutes. Marissa’s first halfmarathon back after beating cancer was the same half-marathon she ran almost a year before. Remarkably, she ran it 18 minutes faster, at one hour and 53 minutes. Marissa hopes to get up to running 15 miles without stopping. Currently, she is at 14.3. She hopes to complete a full marathon soon, setting her sights for the 26.2 with DONNA, as part of the Donna Deegan Foundation. “Cancelling surgery was the best decision that I ever made,” Marissa
said. “All I have is this little lump of dead tissue in my leg. Everyday I am thankful for that.” Marissa is always looking forward, and her biggest goal right now would be to bring awareness to the world about childhood cancer. She really wants to work with the NFL in hopes of them having a childhood cancer month in September like they do in October with Breast Cancer. “Cancer has changed the way I think completely,” Marissa said. “I never knew how fragile life was until I faced cancer in the eye. I have realized even more about how much I have to be thankful for. I would say cancer has pointed me towards my future with all of the opportunities it has provided me with.” iTG
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Cory McCann
Christian Stephens
Lowndes Middle school
Presented by:
Rising Star
Valdosta Middle school
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Hard Work, Leadership Hallmarks of Valdosta Middle Tailback by Robert Preston, Jr.
“W
photography by Micki K Photography
hat impresses me about him? Where do you want me to begin?” asked Valdosta Middle School head football coach Matt Futch. Coach Futch is speaking about Cory McCann, an eighth-grade tailback who also happens to be one of the most promising young athletes in VMS’s athletic programs. McCann is a two-time Turkey Bowl Most Valuable Player, starting shooting guard for the VMS basketball program, and leadoff hitter for the baseball team. He’s the kind of kid who enjoys playing any sport he can, and he plays them at a high level. He loves competing and he gives everything he has each time he steps on the field. “Cory is a well-rounded young man. He’s a good student, and he’s a hard worker. He goes 100 miles per hour at everything he does. Cory is a natural leader who is also a teacher. He mentors the sixth and seventh-grade running backs. He’s the kind of kid you love having around your program,” Coach Futch said. For McCann, being in the Valdosta program is something about which he is extremely proud. He understands the Wildcat tradition, and he is using his middle school years to become the best player he can so that when he reaches high school, he can be one of those players to extend the legacy of the winningest high school football program in the country. “It means a lot to me to be a part of this program. Everyone is targeting us and it helps me work harder every day. I want to add to the titles. We’re going to have a special program in a few years,” he said. McCann is a fast and explosive tailback,
and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He runs a 4.6 40-yard dash – pretty good for an eighth-grade running back – and he uses his excellent field vision to find open lanes downfield. McCann, who scored 10 touchdowns in six games last year, strives to improve at each practice; he knows that to be on the field in a Wildcat uniform in a couple of years he will have to be the best player he possibly can be. “I know I need to get better on every down. I want to improve and not make any mistakes,” he said. Last year, VMS finished 3-2-1. That’s not going to be good enough for McCann and his teammates this year. He is convinced they will much-improved in 2014 and he would like to contend for a region championship. “We’re a better team this year and I hope we can win a region title,” he said. McCann also contributes on defense as an outside linebacker. However, Coach Futch sees his future as an offensive player. “He could be a running back at the next level, maybe even a slot receiver. He’s a Wes Welkertype player. He’s definitely a playmaker and he will be on the offensive side of the ball,” he said. McCann knows that as a running back, he is often squarely in the spotlight. However, he also knows that while he may get a lot of the attention, he couldn’t make the plays he does without the help of his teammates. “We all work well together and we have great chemistry. Everyone works hard daily to get better. I’ve got to give credit to my offensive line. They allow me to do what I do. I enjoy working with them,” he said. iTg
Sport to watch on TV: College football Team: Georgia Bulldogs Sport you wish you could play: Tennis Superhero: Spiderman Superpower: Fly Dogs or cats? Dogs Pepsi or Coke? Coke Person to meet: Peyton Manning 57
LMS Eighth-Grader Hopes to Build on a Successful Seventh-Grade Year by Robert Preston, Jr.
I
don’t know where to begin with Christian Stephens. Most of our stories usually follow a similar template. The outline is the same; the names, positions, and maybe win/loss records are different. The story of Christian Stephens, however, is different. An eighth-grader at Lowndes Middle, he is starting his second year in the Lowndes County School System. Prior to his seventh-grade season, he had never played organized football, never wrestled, and never run track. But you would never know it by looking at his list of accomplishments. Last year, the first game of the football season was Stephens’s first football game of his life. He had moved with his family to Pensacola, Fla., when he was three years old. Stephens’s father, Shannon, is a roofer who went to the Panhandle in the wake of Hurricane Ivan to repair houses. They stayed there about a decade before returning to Lowndes County. “The middle schools out there didn’t have much in the way of sports,” said his mother, Casey. “He grew up playing football and other sports with the neighborhood kids. It was kind of an inner-city neighborhood and those kids were tough on Christian. So though he didn’t play organized sports, he grew up playing street ball and ended up being pretty tough.” They left Pensacola after Stephens’s sixth-grade year. Part of the deal was he could play football when they returned to Valdosta. He quickly let it be known that he wanted to play football at Lowndes Middle. He knew how good the Lowndes County program was and couldn’t wait to be a part of what was going on there. The learning curve was steep but Stephens caught on quickly. “It was more intense than I expected,” he said. “I didn’t think I would be very good. But I listened to my coaches and tried to learn as much as I could from them.” What happened next? Stephens, who is now 5’9,” and 170 pounds, earned a starting spot at fullback and defensive tackle. In the opening game, on the first play from scrimmage, the coaches called his number. He took the ball and charged
Sport to watch on TV: College football Team: University of Miami (Florida) Sport you wish you could play: Rugby Food: Steak
photography by Micki K Photography
through the line. He saw the open field ahead of him and he broke for the end zone. Fifty yards later, he had scored LMS’s first touchdown of the year. It was the first step of what would be an undefeated season and a middle school region title. “When I scored that touchdown, the first thing I thought was, ‘Thank you, God, for letting this happen to me.’ After I scored, I started looking for my teammates. I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said. It wasn’t his only touchdown of the year; Stephens would go on to score several more as he helped his team to the region championship. “The championship was a total team effort. Everyone did what they were supposed to do. It was a great feeling,” he said. At the time of this writing, Lowndes Middle was several weeks away from the beginning of the season. Stephens will again play fullback but has earned a spot at linebacker as well. Though he is quite inexperienced at the position, he is showing incredible promise; in camp, he picked off three passes and demonstrated uncanny skill at finding the ball carrier. “It’s different but I’m catching on quickly,” he said. “Catching on quickly” is a tremendous understatement. He came in a year ago with his back to the wall and the odds stacked against him. It didn’t take long for him to claim his territory on the team and he has only gotten better. He already has the size and speed of an older, more experienced player. As he continues to learn the nuances of the game and further develop as a football player, he will have the opportunity to be another in Lowndes County’s long list of gridiron standouts. Football isn’t the only sport at which Christian Stephens excelled last school year. He also wrestled for the first time ever. Grappling out of the 165pound class, he won regionals. Then, as a member of LMS’s track team, he finished fourth in the region in the 200 meters and second as one LMS’s runners on the 4x100 meter relay. “I just want to thank God for letting me accomplish all that. He was with me every step of the way,” Stephens said. iTg
Subject: Math Person to meet: Ray Lewis Place to travel: Bora Bora Superpower: Fly
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