Greenville football

TREVOR BOOTON

By Kevin Eckleberry

Trevor Booton, LaGrange High’s hard-throwing junior pitcher, will carry his considerable talent to Auburn University when his time in high school is done.

Earlier this fall, Booton made a verbal commitment to join the baseball program at Auburn, and he can make it official in December of 2022 when he’ll be eligible to sign his letter of intent.

Booton will be the anchor of LaGrange’s pitching staff this season after enjoying a successful sophomore season.

Booton was on the mound for some of LaGrange’s most important games this season, and he was usually up to the challenge.

In a first-round playoff series against Jenkins, Booton got the call for game two, and he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter with a remarkable 17 strikeouts. Booton was back on the mound for game two of a playoff series against West Laurens, and he pitched seven super innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits, and LaGrange won 4-3 in extra innings.

One of Booton’s gutsiest performances came early in the season against Columbus.

While Booton wasn’t at his best, he pitched a complete game as LaGrange beat Columbus 9-7 in a critical Region 2-AAAA game.

Booton surrendered three runs in the seventh inning, but LaGrange head coach Donnie Branch stuck with his sophomore pitcher and let him finish things off.

“It was big that Trevor finished,” Branch said after that game. “He showed some guts.”

Booton, in turn, appreciated the confidence his coach showed in him. “That means a lot,” Booton said. “Coach Branch has a lot of faith in me.”

Two other LaGrange baseball players have also made their college decisions this fall.

Zack Thompson, a senior catcher, has committed to Gordon State College, and senior outfielder Landon Cook has committed to Oglethorpe University.

Thompson and Cook will be eligible to sign their letters of intent later this year.

He showed some guts.”

Photo: Kevin Eckleberry

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL

By Kevin Eckleberry

Photo :Kevin Eckleberry

When Marcus Blandingburg took over the football program at Gardner Newman Middle School, he had lofty expectations.

Blandinburg wanted to elevate the program and make sure the Mustangs could compete with any team they crossed paths with, and that mission has been an unqualified success.

During the past two seasons with Blandingburg at the helm, the Mustangs have won nearly every game they’ve played, and they’ve won back-to-back county championships.

Gardner Newman wrapped up a second straight county title with a home win over Callaway, and it beat Long Cane Middle School earlier in the season. “They’ve worked so hard,” Blandingburg said after the win over Callaway. “We stay in the weight room twice a week during the season. We’re working hard. Every day, we’re trying to take a step up. We don’t want to stay the same.”

Callaway Middle came into the game with an unbeaten record, but the day belonged to Gardner Newman.

“We knew they were a physical football team,” Blandinburg said. “So that’s what we’ve been talking about. We’re a physical football team, plus we have speed.”

While winning games is always the goal, Blandinburg is also aware of how important it is to prepare his players for high-school football.

With that in mind, Blandinburg works closely with Matt Napier, LaGrange High’s second-year head coach.

“I appreciate coach Napier. We work together so well,” Blandingburg said. “He gives us anything we need, and we try to help the program. We help with ball boys, and they help with the chains. We talk about football. It’s a great relationship between me and coach Napier.”

Blandinburg is also grateful to have a group of coaches that share his mission.

“We’ve got a great coaching staff,” Blandinburg said. “We’ve got former Grangers, and coach (Dustin) Ward is the best offensive coordinator in the city. He’s over here as much as I am. Hats off to coach Ward. He always calls a hell of a game.” Long Cane, which has enjoyed plenty of success of its own over the years, is under the direction of new head coach Bryan Wallace this season.

The Long Cane and Troup High programs are tied closely together, and they even both practiced at the high school during the preseason.

“That’s why we’re practicing over there,” Wallace said. “It’s one program. It’s working out. We get to watch and learn how they do it.”

Wallace oversees a program that has enjoyed plenty of success over the years, and he wants to keep that going.

“We’re trying to win a championship,” Wallace said. “It’s great competition.”

Callaway Middle School, despite the setback against Gardner Newman, enjoyed an exceptional season under head coach Kerry Woodard. Callaway High’s football program is one of the best in the state, and having a robust middle-school program no doubt contributes to that.

Woodard works closely with Callaway head coach Pete Wiggins to make sure the programs are on the same page.

“I came in with coach Wiggins. We started the same year (2005),” Woodard said. “When he got the head-coaching job, we got on the same page.”

The same sort of relationships exists in Heard County between the middle-school and high-school programs.

“They practice at the middle school during the year, but in the summertime they start in the morning in the weight room, and then we have a cross-over period,” said Heard County head coach Shane Lasseter. “We call it a family period where we do everything together.” The middle-school team is led by Zack Janney, who previously coached at the high school.

“He does an awesome job over there,” Lasseter said.

OF NOTE: Callaway Middle School beat Gardner Newman to capture the league championship. For a recap of that game and photos, please see our next edition of Sideline Pass