2024 Dawson County News Athlete of the Year

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Welcome to Dawson County News Athlete of the Year 2024

To the Dawson County community

The Dawson County News is proud to present our fourth annual Athlete of the Year Awards, where we recognize a group of male and female athletes for their accomplishments.

Stephanie Woody Publisher swoody@forsythnews.com

Erica Jones

Managing Editor ericajones@dawsonnews.com

Rio White Sports Reporter riowhite@dawsonnews.com

Margie Rogers Director of Revenue MargieRogers@gainesvilletimes.com

Jessica Shirley Advertising Sales Director jessicashirley@gainesvilletimes.com

Meghan Hernandez

Multimedia Account Executive meghanhernandez@dawsonnews.com

Design/Prepress Team

Chelsea Sunshine

Courtney Smith, April Seymour

Athlete of the Year is a publication of Dawson County News, A Metro Market Media property. Presented

We consider it our privilege to share this event with a community that values the daily effort and hard work these student-athletes put into their respective sports. We also value them not only for the accolades, but for the value they bring their programs on and off the field.

This year’s senior class holds a special place in Dawson County High School’s history, with all 16 of this year’s AOTY nominees being upcoming graduates.

That statistic is a first in this event’s history, and it speaks to the dedication and passion with which these athletes have represented the Maroon and Gold throughout their careers.

As always, we hope you enjoy tonight’s program and that it brings memories for years to come.

Thank you

Rio White Sports Editor Dawson County News

2024 NOMINEES

Girls Volleyball

Senior

First Team All-Region

244 kills, 222 digs, 60 aces

MAGGIE ALLEN MEGHAN ROCHE

Girls Volleyball

Senior

First Team All-Region

252 kills, 243 digs, 93.7 serving percentage

2024 NOMINEES LAYNE BAILEY

Girls softball

Senior

3-Time First Team All-Region, 2023

Region 7-3A Defensive Player of the Year

Pitching: 14-6 record, 1.87 ERA, 164 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched

Hitting: 39 hits, 18 RBI and .342 batting average

364 career strikeouts

SAMANTHA DEWENDT

Girls Golf

Senior

2-time state championship qualifier, 2-time All-Area team

Area 4 Tournament individual third place, 2024

Area 4 Tournament individual champion, 2023

Class 3A state championship third place, 2023

2024 NOMINEES GRANT

LEDBETTER

boys tennis

Senior

13-6 record at first singles, won first and second round state playoff matches

MARLEE GADDIS

Girls tennis

Senior

13-7 record at first singles, two wins in Region Tournament

2024 NOMINEES

Girls track and field

Senior

School record holder in 800-meter (2:23)

Part of four straight Region Champion 4x400 relay teams

State Qualifier in Pole Vault, 2024 (Third place in Region 7)

Third Place at State Finals in 800-meter, 2023

Part of State runner-up 4x800 relay team, 2023

ANNA LECAVE KATIE GLOECKNER

Girls track and field

Senior

Part of four straight Region champion 4x400 relay teams

Anchor leg for State Qualifier 4x200 relay team, (2024 Region 7 runner-up)

Part of State Qualifier 4x100 relay team, (2024 Region 7 third place)

Part of State runner-up 4x800 relay team, 2023

2024 NOMINEES

boys football & soccer

Senior

Football: First Team All-Region, 42 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns

Region 7 Special Teams Player of the Year, 21 touchbacks, 38.5 yards per punt, finished career with 29 f ield goals (14th all-time in Georgia)

Soccer: 16 regular season goals, top scorer in Region 7 and tied for fifth in Class 3A

DOM LEBLANC SAWYER

BEARDEN

boys baseball & football

Senior

Baseball: Second Team All-Region, Region play (18 games) - 34 hits, 27 RBI, 17 walks, five doubles, .321 batting average, .943 OPS

Football: All-Region Honorable mention

Played three different positions, including wide receiver, B back, and cornerback

Won Sandy Walls Award for “being a team leader on and off the field, showing exceptional sportsmanship, and being a productive member of the community.”

2024 NOMINEES

JOSHUA PRIEST

boys baseball & basketball

Senior

Basketball: All-Region Honorable Mention, 10 ppg, 4.5 rpg, nominated for Region 7 Defensive Player of the Year

Baseball: First Team All-Region, Region 7 Pitcher of the Year, 5-0 region record, 1.54 ERA, 51 strikeouts, 36.1 innings pitched

COLTON

SCHUETTE

boys WrestlinG & football

Senior

Wrestling: Class 3A state champion and Area 7 champion in 215-pound weight class, 24-2 season record

Football: Second Team All-Region, 54 total tackles, 6 TFL, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT

Winner of George Moser Leadership Award

2024 NOMINEES

TREY HARVEY

boys baseball & basketball

Senior

Basketball: 2024 Class 3A All-State, 2-time First Team All-Region

18.4 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, 2.8 assists per game this season

Reached 1000 career points and 500 career rebounds this season.

Baseball: First Team All-Region, 4-1 region record, 1.78 ERA, 37 strikeouts, 35.1 innings pitched

ALEX STEWART

boys football & WrestlinG

Senior

Football: Second Team All-Region, 79 total tackles

Wrestling: 3-time State Sectional Qualifier

2024 NOMINEES LUKE LOWE

boys track and field, WrestlinG, & cross country

Senior

Track and Field: 2-time State Qualifier in Pole Vault, Region 7 runner-up in 2023 and 2024

Wrestling: 3-Time State Sectional Qualifier, State Finalist in 2023

Cross Country: Ran 18:20 to finish 39th at state championship, personal best of 18:03 to finish 10th at Region 7 championship

Girls basketball

Senior

First Team All-Region, 16.1 points per game

School record holder for most made 3-point shots in a season (102) and career (197)

Reached 1000 career points this season

2024 NOMINEES HARPER DUSSOUY

Girls soccer and cross country

2023 Freshman of the Year

Soccer: 18 goals, 12 assists, First Team All-Region,

Cross Country: Finished 13th at Region 7 championship

Introducing the 2024 DCN Freshman of the Year

By Rio White rwhite@dawsonnews.com

The past year has seen many first-year athletes make their marks on Dawson County athletics.

But if there was one person who stood out, it was freshman wrestler Aden Oglesby.

In a program that made big strides as a whole and had many individuals also make progress, Oglesby made a furious run to the State Finals, placing seventh in his weight class.

He and fellow freshman Ronan O’Keeffe were solid contributors to the team all season, but when the latter faced an injury just before the Area Tournament, Oglesby stepped up to the occasion.

After placing fourth in his class at Area, Oglesby secured fifth place at State Sectionals to lock up a place at the State Finals alongside sophomore Landon Glander and senior Colton Schuette.

He ended his inaugural varsity campaign with a 19-16 overall record, 36 takedowns, 23 escapes, and 138 match points scored.

ADEN OGLESBY