2024 Spring Sports Showcase Magazine Issue

Whether you’re looking to get fit, find activities for the kids or learn something new, we’ve got you covered. From outdoor activities to classes and leagues, from restful spaces to miles of multi-use GreenBelt, you’ll find a variety of fun options to keep you altogether active.

Learn more at carrolltonparksandrec.com

Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference. TM

West Georgia Woman is a voice for and about the women (and, sometimes, men) who live, work and play in West Georgia.

Our mission is to engage, inspire, and cultivate a cohesive community for all women in West Georgia by sharing our hopes, our dreams and our lives.

This magazine would not be possible without the inclusion of our advertisers. Please be sure to show your support by doing business with these VIPs (very important partners) so we will be able to continue to share with you our stories about amazing West Georgia women!

Please be sure to tell them we sent you!

Inspiring women wanted.

Do you know an interesting woman who should be on the cover of West Georgia Woman? Is there a special project or organization you would like us to feature in our magazine?

Let us know! Email your suggestions to features@westgeorgiawoman.com.

Share your special events.

Send your upcoming events to: calendar@westgeorgiawoman.com

Need to advertise? Email: Sales@westgeorgiawoman.com

Call 404.502.0251

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the contributing authors are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Angel Media, LLC., West Georgia Woman magazine or any employee thereof.

Angel Media, LLC. makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information in this publication and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use.

Mail correspondence to:

West Georgia Woman Magazine

P.O. Box 2782

Carrollton, GA 30112

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Contact us:

(404) 502-0251

Online: www.westgeorgiawoman.com

Follow us! @WestGaWoman

Need a copy? We mail thousands of copies each month to households through Direct Mail or get yours from our racks at Kroger, Smith Brothers Supply Company, Southern Home and Ranch Center, Food Depot, Neva Lomason Library and the Tanner Health System Medical Pavilion in Carrollton; Piggly Wiggly in Bowdon, Buchanan, Franklin and Tallapoosa; Thriftown in Bremen; The Little Giant Grocery in Sargent; Leaf and Bean Coffee, Crook's Grocery (Temple Ave.) and Lee King pharmacy in Newnan; Tanner Health System's Villa Med and Villa West Office Buildings in Villa Rica; Kroger (Chapel Hill Rd. and Highway 5) and Food Depot on Hiram Douglasville Hwy and Highway 5 in Douglasville; Food Depot and Brickhouse Grille in LaGrange; Food Depot (Villa Rica Hwy) in Dallas; Kroger on Ridge Rd. in Hiram; WM Grocery and Chuckwagon restaurant in Roanoke, Ala; Tanner Health System and WM Grocery in Wedowee, Ala. We have them in larger quantities at Publix (Bullsborough Drive), Lee-King and Thompson pharmacies in Newnan, the Apothecary Shoppe in Douglasville, Publix at Mirror Lake and New Georgia, CVS in Bowdon as well as hundreds of other retail locations and medical offices in 18 cities in eight counties in West Georgia and East Alabama.

submissions will be included as space is available. West Georgia Woman reserves the right to reject or edit any submissions that are not in compliance with our editorial policy. If you wish to have your submission returned, please include a self addressed stamped envelope along with your submission.

Bowdon Building A Foundation

Bowdon Red Devils Roster

#1 Brantley Bell

#2 Marcus Harper

#3 Cam Bartlett

#5 Flo Anduka

#7 Sam Hart

#8 Brandon Jones

#9 David Villareal

#10 Tim Johnson

#13 Gabe Propst

#15 Bryan Solis Gonzalez

#17 Eli Jones

#21 JJ Olin

#22 Kenny Bearden

#24 Michael Wentworth

#25 Layton Hernandez

Coaching one high school soccer varsity team is a significant time commitment, but Coach Justin Skinner, a community head coach for Bowdon High School boys’ and girls’ teams, takes both of these roles in stride.

The Red Devils started out the year with six players on the roster, and by the time the season rolled around, Skinner had 14 boys ready to play. As play began, a few injuries occurred, but they were still ready to give it their all.

Freshman newcomer Brantley Bell serves as an asset on offense for the Red Devils. Wearing the number 1 jersey as a striker with an attack mindset, he has already tallied goals this season and is looking for more. Skinner describes Bell as a playmaker, a goalscorer, a catalyst for attacking play and a guy who rallies around his teammates.

With a smaller school such as Bowdon, most of the players on the soccer team participate in other activities besides soccer throughout the year, such as basketball and tennis. Although this

www.key-farms.com

makes for conflicts with practices and games, Coach Skinner encourages his players to be involved and is as lenient as possible when it comes to other commitments.

“There is a group of about four or five players who are really involved," he says. "Even when we don’t have practice, they show up to the field to do their individual work. They work together, and they’re putting their time in. There is such a wide range of players, too. We’ve got kids who have never played before, we’ve got kids who have only ever played soccer, we’ve got football players, maybe a few who played baseball and some kids who have never played a sport at all – just a little bit of everything.”

The Red Devils focus on improvement through every game they play, and Skinner is committed to seeing the bigger picture. His goal is to improve the foundation of Bowdon soccer and strengthen the program for the future.

Early region play exposed cracks in the team's foundation, and Skinner hopes to fill those in before they hit postseason play.

"Every time we play someone, we find a new problem for us to solve, and that's where we can hyperfocus to help us be stronger competitors in the next match." he says. WGW

Red Devilettes Are Determined

Determined. That is the word Coach Justin Skinner of the Bowdon High School girls’ soccer squad uses to describe his team. This year, the Red Devilettes focus on growth and development, and they are playing with heart through it all.

Without a feeder program to supply Bowdon High School with experienced players, the team relies on the determination of the Lady Devilettes to build a solid soccer foundation.

One new coaching development this year for the Red Devilettes is Skinner’s use of data to motivate his players. Showing his team quantifiable data of passing attempts and completed passes shows the team their unmistakable improvement and highlights the steps necessary to advance play. When the scoreboard doesn't always reflect the team's skill growth, Skinner uses raw data to keep the team motivated.

“The girls see it, we can sit down and talk about it. They apply it to what their mindset is. It definitely helps tremendously,” says Skinner.

Senior Mack Teate has been one to tally goals this season, with at least one being off a set play. Stevie Ballenger, another senior, is a leader who loves the game of soccer. But not one player makes up the whole team, and the Red Devilettes feel their strongest when every player is accounted for.

“When you combine them with some of the other girls, they keep a positive mindset, even in a tough game. They rely on each other very much. If someone is not there,

if someone is out, it affects everyone,” Skinner explains.

Skinner looks to the first game of the playoffs as his main focus, but right now, the Red Devilettes are taking it game by game. A real defining moment for the team this year was the first goal scored for them this season.

Bowdon Red Devilettes Roster

#1 Claire Rooks

#2 Brooklyn Lyles

#3 Ava Frazier

#5 Stevie Ballenger

#7 Gracie Alvis

#8 Carmen Garcia

#9 Sherri Grace Presnal

#11 Mack Teate

#13 Makayla Prothro

#15 Presley Weaver

#20 Melanie Villareal

#21 Montajah Wyatt

#24 Susi Gembe

#32 Eden Robinson

#65 Melaya Andrews

“After our first goal was scored this season, they just really have come alive," he says. "They want it so badly. Every one of them, they’re all so dedicated. We had a practice over a break when we were out for a

week, and there was a spur-of-themoment, non-mandatory practice – basically like, ‘Hey, if you’re in town, show up’ – and every girl except for one was able to come out. These girls showed up. They are really enjoying it, they’re hungry for success, and they’re really going after it.” WGW

Red Devils Work Hard For Deep Run

Early in the season, the Bowdon High School Red Devils baseball team held a nine-game winning streak until they experienced an upset at Bremen in mid-March. With region play just around the corner, the Red Devils concentrate on taking it one game at a time with their momentum pushing them along.

Coach Brian Vance has been a Red Devil since he can remember. Growing up in Bowdon and loving the sport of baseball, he knew when the opportunity came to him years later that he wanted to take it and come home.

“There’s just something special about wearing that Bowdon ‘B’ to represent the community," he explains. "Since I was 4 or 5 years old, I was wearing the ‘B,’ playing for it and always being excited to be a part of the Bowdon community. Then, to put it on as a coach and try to form these

young men into individuals who represent our community well is really special.”

Something Vance didn’t anticipate was having the opportunity to coach some of his old Bowdon baseball teammates’ sons.

Along with Vance comes the rest of his coaching staff of Mark Huggins, Joe Skinner, Chris Wigley and Pop Prothro. Four of the five coaches in the dugout have head coaching experience, which makes for a lot of wisdom in the dugout. Coach Vance describes his coaching staff as being “one of the best in West Georgia, if not in the state.”

With such a talented roster, it is hard to name just a few players that are making a difference for Bowdon this season. The Red Devils’ pitching staff consists of a powerhouse crew of five young men who work well together, consisting of senior

Jackson Truett, juniors Caison Duncan, Will Huggins and Dalton Ballenger, and sophomore Jonas Wigley. One major comeback player this year is junior centerfielder Luke Windom, who is back this season after recovering from multiple ACL tears. Windom is better than ever as the leadoff hitter for the Red Devils, with a batting average topping out at over .500.

One standout player who is planning to play at the next level is junior shortstop/pitcher Huggins, a former Georgia State University commit who reopened his recruitment options and is actively communicating with other Division I schools.

to ready the Red Devils for region play, scheduling several non-region matches at the beginning of the season.

“Most of the teams in our area are quality," he says. "We’ve got a lot of teams in the West Georgia area that play really good baseball, so we know when we step into region play that our non-region schedule has really challenged us in a way that we’re going to be able to perform the way that we need to for region.”

Vance looked to teams in the surrounding area

Bowdon Red Devils Baseball Roster

#0 Connor Cummings

#1 Jackson Truett

#2 Caison Duncan

#3 Dalton Ballenger

#4 Will Huggins

#5 Landon Evans

#6 Jacob Williams

#7 Luke Windom

#8 Mason Lovvorn

#9 CJ Kidd

#10 Phisher Perkins

#11 Berkley Perkins

#13 Ethan Kent

#14 Jonas Wigley

#15 Ty Smith

#16 Bryson Adams

#18 Hayden Windom

#19 Blake Cole

#20 Grady Knowles

#21 Andrew Adams

#22 Zander Langley

#24 Jaxon Ledbetter

#26 Kreed McConnell

#30 Jayden Wilson

#31 Hunter Evans

#33 Nate Kovac

#42 Hunter Kidd

#44 Kaiden Prothro

#99 Westyn Bailey

A small region enables Bowdon to schedule games on the back end to further prepare themselves for the playoffs. Coach Vance hopes this will keep the momentum from regular season going into postseason play. WGW

Manager: Jacob Shattuck

Bremen Blue Devils Baseball Roster

#1 Cooper Mincey

#2 Dylan Huey

#3 Owen Millians

#4 Caden Johnson

#5 Conner Helton

#6 Cole Mckenzie

#7 Micah Harper

#8 Sully Senft

#9 Slade Bishop

#10 Aiden Price

#11 Jonah Hatchett

#12 Noah Walker

#13 Nolan Sosebee

#14 Brady Robinson

#15 Carter Allen

#16 In memory of Brooks Hardie

#17 Camden Jones

#18 Ben Causey

#19 Jake Steed

#20 Chase Palmer

The entire Bremen High School community mourned the loss of an alumnus this past fall with the passing of 22-year-old Brooks Hardie, a 2021 Bremen graduate, and a former baseball and football player for the Blue Devils.

Entering his seventh year as the head baseball coach, Chris Brown says he's seen a lot of special kids, but none quite like Brooks.

“[Brooks’ passing] has kind of been a rallying cry for our team," he relates. "We’ve come together through all of that, and we try to play with that kind of Brooks Hardie mentality. He was a really hardnosed, get-after-it kind of kid, so we try to just play hard for him, for ourselves, to kind of emulate him. We’ve come closer together as a team and we try to play the Brooks Hardie brand of baseball. My first year here was his freshman year, I’m pretty sure. He kind of was the first group to come through Bremen that I had from freshmen to seniors.”

Brown explains the bond Brooks had with the team and program as a whole, with Brooks even helping lay the groundwork for the identity of Bremen baseball.

“He helped me lay the foundation for what we’ve created at Bremen baseball right now. Brooks and I showed up at the same time, and as I was trying to create a team culture, he was the main hog in doing all of that. He was the example that I used most of the time, and he still is an example that we talk about today as we’re preparing for our season. I feel like the foundation that he left here at Bremen High School – as far as a baseball program – is a legacy that still remains through the kids that he impacted while he was a player.”

The Blue Devils are hungry for wins this year to honor the life of their beloved former teammate. With a season full

of tough non-region competitors paired with a tough region, Bremen looks to its talent-packed roster for success. Seniors Jake Steed, a Gadsden State Community College baseball commit, Jonah Hatchett, a Berry College football commit, and Caden Johnson are all important for team leadership, both on the field and off.

Brown views the future of the program with excitement with this promising group of young players on the team. Carter Allen, a freshman pitcher/outfielder, and Cooper Mincey, a sophomore shortstop, are both making waves this season.

As for crucial games in region play, Coach Brown is looking at Ringgold High School, the Blue Devils’ region opener, and Gordon Lee High School, both with strong teams and histories of winning records.

“Our goal every year is to win a region championship," he says. "If you win a region championship, you might can make a run in the state playoffs and be successful. It’s not going to be easy, but I still feel like we can accomplish that. We’re going to have to come together and start playing a little bit better. We’ve played a really tough nonregion schedule, but nothing really matters except region play and we’re building for that.” WGW

The Blue Devils are hungry for wins this year to honor the life of their beloved former teammate, Brooks Hardie, pictured right. Photo: Blue Devil Baseball Facebook.

Lady Blue Devils Launch Into Region Play

Last year, the Lady Devils graduated a large senior class, leaving behind a new class of sophomores that make up the bulk of the squad. Bremen High School boys' and girls' soccer coach Jason Fields says midfielders Baylee Roberts and Mollie Moore and defender/ midfielder Kaylyn Braun are among the sophomores that are making an impact on the pitch.

Some of the most impactful players on the team, though, are members of the junior class. Kat Christian, a defensive midfielder, and Bella Fields, a midfielder/striker.

Bella Fields ended with a total of 72 assists and 52 goals for her freshman and sophomore seasons. This year, without the recently graduated strikers – Mary House and Danilyn Sheets

‘23 – being up top, Bella Fields is looking to fill more of a goal scoring role, one that she’s perfectly capable of. “She likes to distribute, she plays the 10 spot, but this year, she’s having to shoot more,” says Coach Fields. With a younger team, captains are important for leadership, and Bella Fields, Kat Christian, Kaylyn White and Taylor Hasenfuss have all

Bremen Lady Blue

Devils Roster

#0 Riley Foster

#1 Kaylyn Braun

#1 Payton Terrell

#2 Taylor Hasenfuss

#3 Kaylen White

#5 Cailey Allen

#6 Olivia Codner

#7 Gabrielle Worthy

#8 Baylee Roberts

#10 Katherine Christian

#13 Bella Fields

#15 Mollie Moore

#21 Sydney Melillo

#24 Kinsley Morgan

#25 Maya Edwards

#26 Dalanie Sheats

#28 Skylar Wilson

#33 Kacie Fields

#66 Savannah Steffey

stepped into captain roles for the Lady Blue Devils. Other leaders on the field include senior goalkeeper Payton Terrell, who holds down the last line of defense for the team, and Olivia Codner, a senior wingback.

The Lady Devils’ biggest region competition this season are two teams that Coach Fields describes as the strongest in the region. One of these teams is Adairsville High School, who Bremen has already faced and defeated, and Coahulla Creek High School, a team that Bremen is set to play on March

Last season, the team suffered a heartbreaking loss in the state championship match, falling to Oconee County High School with a score of 3-1. This year, the team is hungry for a different result.

Fields has been the head coach of both varsity soccer teams at Bremen for over 10 years, and he highlights the culture of Bremen soccer.

“We’re really community centered," he says. "We get a lot of support from our community.

But, the players in general just have a different work ethic, they work really hard. It’s the same with academics. They work hard in the classroom, work hard on

both teams, the girls and the boys feel like

Blue Devils Bringing The Heat

Coach Jason Fields holds a strong core group of seniors this year for the Bremen High School boys’ soccer team, and he hopes to see them make a deep run in postseason play. “I’m losing a lot of really good seniors this year," Fields says. "There’s four of them that all played for Georgia Storm together: Baden Derringer, Jon Smith, Brady Price and Wyatt Mathis. They all kind of play together, they’re real quality players, and they’re really smart – soccer IQ wise.”

These four senior players all wear the captain’s band for Fields, and he says the role of the captain is an important one with younger players on the field.

“They are just so smart about how to play that I rely on the boys a lot to help me out with the

Bremen Blue Devils Soccer Roster

#1 Caleb Jones

#2 Johnathan Wilson

#4 Clay Fuller

#8 Tony Diaz

#9 Justin Baizabal

#11 Brandon Newman

#12 Logan Price

#13 Jon Smith

#14 Jimmy Baizabal

#15 Christain Ruiz

#16 Brady Price

#19 Dalton Sheats

#24 Dylan Corso

#26 Baden Derringer

#27 Noah Wilson

#33 Barrett Mann

younger players. They’re doing a good job leading the team and keeping the tempo.”

The Blue Devils lost a great offensive threat this year to an injury when Wyatt Mathis, a senior striker who scored 54 goals last season, tore his ACL while kicking for Bremen’s football team this past fall. Despite the injury, Mathis is still involved with the team and supports his teammates while hoping to work his way back to the Blue Devil pitch.

As for region play, Fields has his eye on one particular threat in Coahulla Creek High School, a team that won the AAA state championship last year. The Blue Devils look to make a deeper run in the state tournament. “I’m hoping we can make a really good run this year and get the most out of it," says Fields. "Last year we got kind of unlucky at the Sweet Sixteen and lost 2-1 to Wesleyan, but I think this year we should make a deep run. The [defending] state champions, Coahulla Creek, are in

our region. If we can beat them, I think that will give us a lot of momentum going into the playoffs. We’re playing them at home this year, last year we played them away and lost 2-0. It was a grass field and it was muddy. We just had a lot going against us, and we didn’t play well.”

With 34 years of coaching in his back pocket, Fields keeps his coaching focus the same year after year: teaching kids lifelong skills.

“I just want to teach them the game, teach them to be passionate about it, to love it and give their best. Really, I always think of coaching as character building, first. You’re teaching them skills that will help them in life: how to get along with people, how to communicate, how to work with people. Most of all, I love coaching because I love soccer and I want those kids to be passionate about it too. If you’re passionate about it, you put a lot more effort into it,” he says. WGW

Trojans STICKING WITH GOLD STANDARD

Coach Scott New has been coaching the Carrollton High School Trojan soccer team since 2000. After 24 years in this role, New knows each team has its own personality and sources of motivation.

“You have to approach every team each year and see what they’re good at, see what their strengths are, see what systems are good for them to play, see how they play," he explains. "It’s important that you’re able to adapt to the team that you have. Some of the older teams, you can do more things and have different expectations, and with some of the younger teams, you’re going to have to change those expectations. Overall, though, our standard never changes. We want our guys to play at a high standard. We want them to behave at a high standard. We want them to be great citizens, so we try to preach that to them early. We try to uphold that standard and help them understand that you want to leave a

legacy to pass on to the next group.”

After a few years of growing pains with some younger players, a strong core group of Trojan veterans are ready to make their mark. “We’ve got a pretty senior and junior heavy team, which is good," New says. "They’ve come together. They were really a young group when they started, and a lot of them had to play as freshmen and sophomores. They’ve used that experience to be able to really know each other and play well together, and I think this year we’re having a much more successful year. They’ve matured, they’ve gotten bigger, faster and stronger, and better. It’s been a fun season for them so far.”

The older players on the team are looking to play at the next level, whether that is playing collegiate soccer, playing in a semi-professional or club league, all the way to playing professionally.

Brothers Isaac and Josue Cruz lead the team as captains after putting in countless minutes with CHS soccer, with Isaac as a four-year starter and Josue as a four-year letterman. Another standout for this season is Carlos Hernandez, a junior defensive player who shows proven leadership in the backline. Freshmen Santos Perez and Anthony Barrientos make it onto the field quite a bit this season. In goal, junior Edelis Verela took over the starting keeper position for the first time in his career.

Tough non-region competitors filled the front end of the Trojan's schedule, an annual occurrence to help prepare the boys for region play and expose any cracks they may need to work on. Region play for the Trojans is competitive again this season with a close loss against East Coweta High School, a nail-biter win against Campbell High School, with Pebblebrook High School still on the horizon for Carrollton.

Carrollton Trojans Roster

#0 Fernando Nunez

#1 Edelis Verela

This year, the Trojans are hungry to get to the next level – a region championship is most definitely in their grasp – and hopefully with that comes a deep run in the playoffs.

#2 Santos Perez

#3 Carlos Hernandez

#4 Ronald Reyes

#5 Carlos Medrano

#6 Marvin Galvez

#7 Jefferson Hernandez

#8 Eduardo Hernandez

#9 Dubal Galvez

#10 Isaac Cruz

#11 Edduin Romero

#13 Enyll Barrios

#14 Josue Cruz

#15 Robert Wilson

#16 Kelvin Hernandez

#17 Jason Rivera

#18 Ohuen Romero

#19 Sergio Ramirez

#21 Danny Jimenez

#22 Anthony Barrientos

#24 Axel Medina

#25 Yassier Hernandez

Wearing the Trojan black, white and gold is a huge responsibility that New shares with his players the moment they step onto the team.

“Being a Trojan is different from other places," he explains. "The community, our school system and our athletic department has high expectations for us, and we need to make sure we always uphold that in the classroom, on the field and off the field. We want to be the best we can be.” WGW

Zachary

Lady Trojans Look To Crucial Games

Carrollton Lady Trojans Roster

#0 Yesenia Barba

#2 Morgan Grizzard

#3 Sherlyn Quinonez

#4 Genesis Navas

#5 Katherine Tollerson

#6 Gabriela Gonzalez

#7 Sachelin Rodriguez

#8 Aspen Ebensberger

#9 Angelly Cruz

#10 Joelia Gonzalez

#11 Emily Colorado

#12 Natalie Handley

#13 Josie Thomas

#15 Emma Padilla

#16 Heaven Kirk

#18 Lilli Colquit

#21 Isabella Padilla

Manager: Juliana Claros

Manager: Alis Maldonado

The Carrollton High School girls’ soccer team got off to a fairly strong start this year – and rather quickly – as they played four matches in the span of the first seven days of their season. These games against tough competitors ended in two wins and two ties for the Lady Trojans, as Coach Drew Ebensberger entered into his 17th season as head coach.

The Lady Trojans have an even mix of classes on their roster with six seniors, six freshmen (five who start regularly), and four other players filling in the gaps.

A few standouts this season are senior captain Joelia Gonzalez, who has played with Ebensberger for five years, senior defender Gabby Gonzalez, and Morgan Grizzard, a freshman captain who is described by Ebensberger as having a high work rate.

The Lady Trojans took a hit to their defensive line when senior Kylie Briscoe opted for early enrollment at the University of Oklahoma over playing her senior season at Carrollton this spring. Briscoe verbally committed to play soccer for the Sooners in 2022.

As for the reputation of the girls’ soccer team on the Carrollton High School campus, Ebensberger says people know who the girls’ soccer players are. "Several of them do multiple activities throughout the school and are in several different clubs. We have high expectations for them to do well in the classroom and anywhere they are.”

Region play is a tough ticket in the AAAAAAA classification, which is the highest in the state. At the beginning of the season, Ebensberger had his eye on two region teams in particular that would challenge the Lady Trojans, one being Campbell High School and the other being East Coweta High School. The Lady Trojans fell to both of these opponents in early region play.

Ebensberger hopes to continue the growth throughout the season into other important region matches. “We’re making good progress," he says. "The young ones are really stepping up and blending in – they’re not shying away from things. We’re getting better pretty much each game. Sometimes, we have a little drop, but overall, I think I’m seeing improvements. We’re headed in the right direction getting ready for these region games.” WGW

Trojans Target Playoffs

The Carrollton High School Trojans trucked through the first stretch of their season with wins against tough competitors. This challenging schedule is nothing new, as every year the Trojans make a point to play the best teams they can to be battle tested for region play.

“You always want to get off to a good start, and we’re going to play a really competitive schedule every year. We want to test our guys and be prepared for when we get into the region,” Coach Trent Bianco says. “We want to play good teams and expose what we’re not doing well so we can correct that and get ready for the region and compete for region championships and make those deep runs.”

Bianco graduated a stellar senior class last season, but he has no worries as to if the rest of the team is ready to fill those gaps.

“We lost a really great senior class last year, and we’re young in some spots, but it’s a really good

young," he explains. "It’s guys that have grown up playing the game their whole lives, and they’ve been around each other their whole lives. In terms of energy, our attitude and atmosphere at practice has been great. It’s been one of the best atmospheres and locker rooms I’ve been around in my coaching career – whether it’s head coach or assistant coach – so that’s 15-16 years. This group really cares for each other, and you can see it with how they play and how they interact with

Carrollton Trojans Baseball Roster

#00 Carson Waldrop

#1 Jordan White

#2 Dorian Jordan

#3 Bryce Kingeter

#4 Caleb Hudson #5 Maddox Monsour

#6 Cameron Kinsler

#7 Andrew Albertus

#8 Gunner Fokken

#9 Dylan Bishop

#10 John Cobb

#11 Landon Eubanks

#12 Connor Dailey

#13 Ty Sabo

#14 Logan Turner

#15 Lane Bell

#16 CJ Morris

#18 Caden Opperman

#22 Kaleb Binion

#23 Landon Clayton

#25 Evan Moody

Manager: Olivia Heggie Manager: Kaitlyn Worley

each other, so from a coaching standpoint, it’s been a lot of fun to watch.”

Along with the younger players stepping up this season, some of the veteran Trojans continue to make a difference and several have committed to play at the next level, including senior third baseman Bryce Kingeter, a Young Harris College commit; junior shortstop Maddox Monsour, a University of Texas commit; and senior second baseman Andrew Albertus, who is set to play at Presbyterian College.

“He is someone when you have a lot of young pitchers that look up to one guy, it’s John Cobb, and his leadership on our pitching staff has been phenomenal. We’re super lucky to have someone like John who can show the way for those young guys – to be a model of work ethic and what he brings to the table every single day as a player and a teammate,” Bianco says.

Bianco says these older players, along with junior utility players John Cobb and Landon Eubanks, are essential to the Trojans’ success this year.

“Having those guys kind of anchor our infield and be our leaders is invaluable. It’s a great mix of the young guys and the guys that have been through it before to show those young guys the way.”

The Trojans’ number one pitcher and a true leader this season is Cobb, a junior who received first team All Region, first team All Area, and honorable mention All State honors last year.

Choosing whether to work hard is not an option for members of the Trojan baseball team – it’s embedded in the team’s DNA and culture. Bianco, a former Trojan himself, understands the importance of making his town proud.

“We don’t think there should be anyone on our schedule who's going to play harder than us or work harder than us with the amount of work we put in, whether it’s in the weight room or on the field, in practice or during a game," he says. "We may not win them all, but you’re going to know that you’re in for a battle and you played Carrollton at the end of the day.” WGW

Hart wants Heart

Coach Ashley Hart has worn many colors in her coaching career, such as green and gold for the Blazers of University of Alabama at Birmingham, blue and white for the Georgia Southern Eagles and now maroon and gray for the Central High School Lady Lions. The 2024 season is Hart’s seventh with the Lady Lions, and this year she is looking for a quality that is more important than any other.

“[This season is all about] heart," she says. "I’ve just seen everybody work extremely hard on the little things to do better as a team. I think it’s different for each individual, but just taking responsibility for the little things in order for us to do better, and that takes everybody working together even when it’s hard. Our team won’t give up, our team cares about each other, and I think that’s been huge this year. Both on and off the field, they’ve taken care of each other and pushed each other to get better.”

This year, Hart has four seniors, which is four more than she had last year: center defender Daniela Morales and midfielders Litzy Gomez, Bella Abernathy and Brendy Morales. Having no seniors last year forced younger players to step up into leadership roles, but this only made the veteran players stronger.

“I’ve been pleased to see us step up maturity wise," says Hart. "We didn’t have any seniors last year, so our seniors this year have had to be leaders last year and again this year. To see that maturity and their willingness to take the leadership on the field when things aren’t going well and being able to direct the younger players has been really neat.”

Although many players help lead the team,

Hart looks to two specific players to wear the captain’s bands and lead the team on and off the field.

“Our two captains are junior Maggie Payton and senior Bella Abernathy," she says. "They’re well respected on our team, not only as players but also as people. They’re the two that I know are always going to do the right thing. I know they’re going to be a great extension of our coaching staff both on and off the field, and our girls really respect them because they’re going to give it their all no matter what’s going on. They’ve been huge for our team.”

Having veteran players guide the team allowed a few younger players to test the waters of leadership.

“We’ve had a couple of younger players really step up on the field as well, so I think we’ve had a good mix of young and old meshing together this year," Hart says. "We’ve had Michaela Buchanan, a freshman, who has stepped up and played center back for us. Harlow

Central Lady Lions Roster

#0 Caitlin Falk

#1 Khali Alvarez

#2 Ashley Diaz

#3 Daniela Morales

#4 Litzy Gomez

#5 Ximena Nunez

#6 Emma Wood

#7 Abbey Morrow

#8 Emma Keller

#10 Itzel Martinez

#11 Gabriella Baldassarri

#12 Riley Rainwater

#13 Annabelle Daugherty

#14 Taylor Benefield

#16 Kaitlyn Washington

#18 Michaela Buchanan

#20 Courtney Carroll

#21 Nora Yarbrough

#22 Harlow Rice

#23 Lilly Carroll

#24 Maggie Payton

#25 Bella Abernathy

#26 Braylin Little

#29 Brendy Morales

#33 AnnaClaire Daniel

Manager: Brooklyn Kempf

Manager: Jessica Diaz

Rice is a sophomore, and she is our leading scorer and a leader on the field. She has created a lot of goal scoring chances, not only for herself, but for other people, so she’s made a big difference for us this year as well.”

Coach Hart embraces this year as one of growth for the program, with every game being a learning experience for her team.

“This has been a good growing and maturing year," she says. "We have a really tough region. Usually the top three teams in our region make it to the Elite Eight, so it’s always a pretty tough competition, so our goal is always, ‘Can we make it to state, can we make it to top four in our region?’ This season has started off tough, but I also think it’s been a good learning experience. We went to penalty kicks in a

tournament, and I think that’s just a good experience to have for our team early in the year so they know what to expect if we’re in that same position when it comes to region games.” WGW

Last Ride For Several Lions

This year, a Lion has ventured back to the den. Coach Michael Hammel, who graduated from Central High School in 2007, took on the head coaching position for the Central varsity boys' soccer team. Hammel is no stranger to Central soccer, as he was head coach of the Central Middle School boys' soccer team for two years before heading to CHS. In total, he's logged 16 years of coaching soccer, most of which was spent coaching for the Carroll County Recreation Department.

Some of Hammel's current players are his former middle school players from a few years back and recreation players from many years ago, making for a fun and full-circle dynamic for everyone involved.

"Some of them I've actually coached even before I started working for the school system," says Hammel. "I've coached some of these kids since they were 10 years old playing recreation ball. I know them well, I know their families – it helps when you can get to know the kid beyond the player. It gives me a unique opportunity to meet them where they're at, to help them build character, to help them overcome obstacles in their lives and help them with things just beyond the soccer field which,

in turn, gives them more of a drive on the field. We definitely have the family aspect of it down, which is something I've always believed in."

Central

Lions Roster

#1 Ricky Ortega

#2 Drake Duffey

#3 Ricardo Bibían

#5 Tony Mora

#6 Rowen Bergiel

#11 John Ramirez

#13 Ishmael Esparrza

#14 Orlando Ruiz-Perez

#16 Dylan Mount

#17 Haziel Acosta

#20 Spencer Knoll

#21 Cole Burns

#22 Hector Solis

#23 Gio Perez

#24 Ivan Baizabal

#26 Brennen Little

#31 Edgardo Hernandez

#32 Huck Maxwell

#36 Dennis Vasquez

The Lions boast eight seniors this year, giving Central the upper hand over younger teams in situations where experience is important for success. "All of the seniors have played together now since middle school, so there's a really strong team bond there. Myself and the rest of the coaching staff have laid a really good foundation of teamwork, family, accountability and focusing on the small things so you can do the big things," Hammel says. "Doing the little things right so you can do the big things right. Doing right in the

classroom, running the drills right at practice so that games are easy, really putting a focus on the details and a focus on each other."

Hammel has four captains in total, running a two-on, two-off rule so his players get a break from the pressures of being team captain.

could be the last season for many of them.

Captains include defenders Tony Morra and Hector Solis, striker Brennen Little, and Spencer Knoll, who is a multi-role player. Having four seniors as captains helps the intensity

Even with so much experience on the field at any given time, two freshmen earned their way onto the starting varsity lineup because of their immense talent and promise. Ricky Ortega and Drake Duffey lead a very strong freshman class at Central, stirring up excitement for the future of Central High School soccer. For now, the Lions are focused on taking this season one game at a time with the ultimate goal of making a deep run in

Lions Focus On The Little Things

The Central High School baseball team is targeting a region championship, and it’s well in their sights. The Lions loaded the front end of their schedule with 12 non-region games ahead of region play this month.

Cedartown ran away with the region title for the past three seasons, but Central Coach Riley Presnell had high hopes to oust the reigning region champions. Instead, the Lions fell to Cedartown High School in their first 7-AAAA region series. But the Lions are far from finished fighting this season.

The Lions have a talented roster this year with threats all around the field, like the diverse Maxx Williamson, who pitches and plays second base and third base, and shortstop Brandon Musick, who is expected to only get better in the coming seasons. Another asset is Korbin Dietrich, a junior first baseman who already has multiple college offers and opportunities to choose from. Younger players, including many sophomores, get the chance to

Central Lions Baseball Roster

#1 Maxx Williamson

#2 Brandon Musick

#3 Tyler Woodside

#4 Tyler Roden

#5 Tucker Lambert

#6 Luke Worley

#7 Korbin Dietrich

#8 Bradyn Grimaldi

#9 Rhett Nelson

#10 Jake Ivester

#11 Haydan Richardson

#12 Joe Turner

#13 Davis Smith

#17 Luke White

#22 Carson Tolbert

#25 Blake Culverhouse

#27 Bryce Knight

#40 Roy Blakeman

prove themselves this season. Sophomore pitchers Rhett Nelson and Bradyn Grimaldi have both thrown well this year, getting significant time on the mound.

This season, the Lions graduate only four seniors, which makes Presnell excited for the coming years. “We’re a really young team. I’d love to get the young guys some kind of expectation like ‘Hey, we’re only losing four seniors, so what’s to keep us from repeating that success that we had this year and the years to come?' So I really just want to get the young guys used to winning, having that winning mindset, and knowing they’re able to do it.”

So far this season, Central faced fierce competitors and found themselves in pivotal moments on the field, but one thing about the Lions is they are always ready to claw their way to the top.

“When our back has been against the wall, we’ve been doing a really good job of getting ourselves out of some situations that I don’t think baseball teams usually get themselves out of. So far, we’ve

Milestone investment management supports all of the hometown teams of West Georgia!

Good luck

THIS SEASON!

BOWDON RED DEVILS

BREMEN BLUE DEVILS

CARROLLTON TROJANS

CENTRAL LIONS

HARALSON COUNTY REBELS

HEARD COUNTY BRAVES

MOUNT ZION EAGLES

TEMPLE TIGERS

VILLA RICA WILDCATS

WEST GEORGIA WOLVES

had a lot of two-out hits that led us to some pretty solid wins over good programs, and I’m really excited just about the fight these kids have. They don’t give up."

Although Central Baseball has a talented group of players, Presnell knows talent alone isn't going to win ball games. He says it's the little things the Lions

can do that will help them win games and set themselves up for success. “Outside of talent being able to get us a lot of places, we’re the kind of team who is going to have to be really intentional and really gritty.

"We’re going to have to come to practice and go to school every day with a common purpose. We have to have high energy in the dugout, we have to have great, high energy as a school, we have to do all of the little things the right way in order to be successful, and our guys and our coaching staff understand that. We’re just a team who is gritty, loves each other, and is able to do the little things right. Something we preach all the time is do your job. Sacrifice yourself for the betterment of the team, and don’t be selfish – be selfless.” WGW

Rebels Reframe Game Plan

Head coach Eric Gilley and his assistant coach James Cooper don't have years of soccer experience under their belts, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in leadership and guidance for the Haralson County boys’ soccer team. As for this season and Coach Gilley’s hopes for his team, he states, “We’ve got a lot of opportunities to improve because we’ve got some pretty good athletes this year. I’d say, on average, this is the most athletic I’ve seen a Haralson County soccer team. As far as experience with soccer, we don’t really have that going for us, but we’ve got some solid athletes with Jacob Key and Nathaniel Allen.”

The Rebel's soccer knowledge backbone features Emanuel Corona, Dont'e Walters and Brock Brayton. Gilley looks to these more experienced players to help fill in the gaps with team members who are new to the sport.

“Finding experienced teammates means passing on the knowledge to these athletic kids – kids with potential, but not a lot of experience," he explains. "I’m asking the experienced kids what kind of drills they want to see, and they’re really taking a

Haralson County Rebels Roster

#1 Nicholas Wright

#2 Kaleb Spain

#3 Garrett Kress

#4 Daniel Ramirez

#5 Brock Brayton

#6 Hunter Hulsey

#7 Dont’e Walters

#8 Jacob Key

#9 Andrew Buchannan

#10

Emanuel Corona

#11

Juan Martinez

#12 Preet Patel

#13

Levi Hutson

#14 Nicholas Motes

#15

Caleb Lillard

#16

Ben Henckel

#18

Jose Aguirre

#19

EJ Santos-Laboy

#21 Ryan Blankenship

#22 Jacob Wood

#23

Nate Allen

#24

Meet Patel

Manager: Braden Martin

lot of ownership over that. They’re coming up with group drill plans, they’re coming up with lineups and such. It’s grown into a self-leading program, which is something I’ve wanted to see for awhile. I think it’s really good for the kids to take leadership and ownership of their own success, build plans and really take the initiative.”

The Rebels found a standout younger player in sophomore Garrett Kress, who has made quite the impression on his coaches and teammates.

“A lot of [Garrett’s] ideas were good, but they were controversial," says Gilley. "His family comes from a soccer background. He was young and he joined late after wrestling last year, so a lot of kids didn’t take him as seriously, but I think he’s earned their respect. They listen to him now as a valuable part of the team.”

On the older end of the roster is senior Walters, a striker hailing from Jamaica who is playing in his first and only season with the Rebels. “He has already scored a few goals – some of our only goals. He’s really good,” Gilley says.

The Rebels took a hit before the season even fully began when valuable player Nick Motes suffered a season-ending injury in a scrimmage with Paulding County High School earlier in the year. Although Nick is injured, he continues to come to practice

and acts as a third coach for the Rebels. “He’s extremely valuable. He’s got a great attitude. He loves the game, he loves the team. He comes out to practice and to games and supports everybody,” says Gilley.

This year, Gilley and Cooper look to change up their game plan by focusing more on becoming an offensive threat on the field.

“We’ve changed it up this year. We’ve tried to be a more offensive team. That’s what a lot of parents and former players have always wanted," he says. "We’re making sacrifices if we need to on defense to try to pump up our offensive game and get some possession. That has worked well for us." WGW

Haralson County Lady Rebels Roster

#1 Arianna Mozely

#2 Katrena Chandler

#3 Evelyn Hardin

#4 Lena Grace Fisher

#5 Reyna Quip Choc

#6 Brooklyn Wright

#7 Reagan Sharpe

#8 MaeLeigh Baggett

#9 Kylie Crabb

#10 Shelby Hitchcock

#12 Emily Bruce

#13 Karina Coverrubias

#14 Kaitlyn Law

#15 Lizze Obermeyer

#16 Hailey White

#18 Deysi Quip Choc

#19 Jocelynn Echols

#20 Peyton Sharpe

#21 Cate Pixler

#22 Kennedy Dockery

Lady Rebels Look To Ward

coach Kylie Leopard Ward plans to make her third season as head girls' soccer coach at Haralson County High School her best year yet. This season, Ward is looking for improvement in region play.

“We’re trying to get a higher spot in our region and put up a fight. I like to see them put up a fight,” she says.

Coach Ward and her assistant coach Joseph Pittman rely on their more experienced players to help younger players around them who may have questions about their positions. Goalkeeper Reagan Sharpe, defender Arianna Mozley, midfielders Emily Bruce and Hailey White, and senior strikers Lena Grace Fisher and MaeLeigh Bagget all serve as leaders in their positions on the field.

up to those girls so they like to hear what they have to say, and they take their corrections very well. The girls who are the leaders are very positive about their corrections, and they lead with grace, so that’s really important.”

“Pittman and I do our best, but it helps to have a teammate guide and lead as well," says Ward. "They’re very receptive to each other. I think since they’re kind of the same age, I thought they would think, ‘Oh, they’re just bossy,’ but they’re really receptive to it. They actually all look

Ward pulls from her experience as a soccer player to build her coaching style. She graduated from Bremen High School and was a fouryear soccer letterman. Her time playing for coaches in her youth shaped how she interacts with her own players, but she has found her very own style through her experience coaching these past three seasons with Haralson County.

“Everything I know is from coaches before me ... my coaches. I’ll think to myself, ‘Oh, these are the things we did, and it was effective back then, so I’m going to use that.’ Then, obviously I had to start finding my own coaching style, and one thing I kind of had to learn is that it’s OK to be hard on them. Sometimes they need a tough coach.”

The Lady Rebels hyperfocus on one thing this year: progress.

“I just want to see more progress than I’ve seen in the past, and last year it was an encouraging season because we did start to see some progress, and I think I want to continue for that progress to roll over into this season. Progress over perfection around here,” she says. WGW

Rebels Baseball Wants ITS Best

Haralson County Rebels Baseball Roster

#1 Haldyn Williams

#3 Kyle Bacon

#3 Holden Davis

#4 Champ Cash

#5 Saban Craft

#6 Tucker Wade

#7 Logan Hicks

#8 Luke Armstrong

#9 Tucker Durden

#10 Jakob Starling

#13 Jordan Gentry

#15 Luke Kilgore

#16 Luke Johnson

#17 Tristan Arrowood

#18 Caiden Watkins

#19 Tyler Montgomery

Haralson County High School baseball team has a large group of senior boys that has been waiting for their moment at the top. This season, each of them is leading the team with their experience, and they are working toward a fantastic year for Rebel baseball.

a newcomer," says sixth-year coach Patrick Syer. "We’ve got good leadership in Tucker Durden, Logan Hicks, Jakob Starling, Haldyn Williams, Holden Davis, Luke Johnson and Champ Cash. Those guys are all leaders for us and they do a great job.”

In the circle, Davis has been a leader of the pitching staff for the Rebels for the past three years. Behind the plate, Williams is an elite catcher who has committed to play baseball at the next level at Marion Military Institute in Marion, Ala.

#20 Riley Pennington

“We’ve got seven seniors this year, with only one of those seniors being

Syer is just as focused on coaching boys into becoming great men as he is in coaching them into becoming excellent baseball players. On the field or off, the Rebels know what’s expected of them, and that is nothing short of their best in every aspect. “Their best is expected, that’s what we break down on, that’s what we talk about

every day," says Syer. "That’s your best in all areas, whether that be on the field, in the locker room, at home, in the classroom, in the community.

"Whether we’re cleaning bathrooms in the locker room or if we’re out with our girlfriend, our

best is expected. That’s the culture that we’ve tried to create, and I think we’ve done a good job of that, and our kids have bought into that. We have a lot of accountability, so everything is called on the table.”

Coach Syer’s biggest goal for this season is for his team to compete on every pitch and go as far as they can in the playoffs. “I think Model and Rockmart are definitely up there at the top, and then everyone else is kind of competing for those three and four spots. We were very fortunate last year and got the second seed, so we want to get in there and compete.”

As for every day play, the Rebels approach every game the same and look to play up to the standard they set for themselves.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in the other dugout. We’ve got a standard that we’re going to play to – that’s our standard. We believe that if we do that, then we’re going to be competitive. If I’m getting their best and they’re competing, that’s all we can ask for. If we can do that, the results will be what we want them to be in the end.” WGW

Spradlin Steers Braves In Right Direction

Heard County Braves Roster

#1 Carter Coleman

#2 Cason Holtzclaw

#3 Evan Red

#4 Gray Hester

#5 Ben Schory

#6 Aidan Palmer

#7 Brody Buc Cofield

#8 Trevor Hansford

#9 Braeden McKenzie

#10 Max Lasseter

#11 Sammy Calhoun

#12 Graysen Mullenix

#13 River White

#15 Logan Cammon

#16 Gunner Copeland

#19 Sammy Holliday

Coach Tyler Spradlin is entering his second year as head coach of the Heard County Braves baseball team. Coaching at his own alma mater, Spradlin has a staff of five other coaches, all of whom played collegiate baseball. The coaching staff includes Trevor Spradlin (Tyler Spradlin’s brother), Gavin Porter, James Arp, Zach Odom, and community coach Justin Norse.

This year, like any other, the Braves hit early challenges with a difficult non-region schedule.

Playing teams with much higher classifications like The Westminster Schools, who Heard County played in their second game this season, get new players accustomed to tough game situations.

Spradlin wants to be battletested so no moment feels too big for the Braves in region play. Heard County’s region of 4-A includes Temple High School, Crawford County High School and Lamar County High School. He feels confident the Braves will be able to compete in region this year.

“We’ve got a pretty good region. In the first four weeks of polls, every team in our region has been ranked in the top 10 at least one time," he says. "[Winning region] is not going to be an easy task.

If we start playing how we should play, I feel pretty good that we can compete for a region title. Not saying we’d win it hands down, but I do feel like we’d have a good shot at it. Each team plays really good baseball, and

Eagles Eager To Help The Team

Mount Zion Eagles Baseball Roster

#1 Stanley Cross

#2 Jake Gordon

#3 Brison Alexander

#5 Diego Cordoba

#6 Dylan Gable

#7 Chase Butler

#8 Hayden Young

#9 Edgeren Dobbs

#12 Knox Israel

#14 Mason Jakubiak

#15 Kaleb Elmore

#16 Preston Austin

#17 Tevan Moore

#18 Nolan Trueblood

#20 Brady Denney

#23 Corey Hutter

#25 Jaden Parrish

#31 Hunter Day

All the Mount Zion Eagles needed to gain momentum for region play was a strong start. With 10 wins in their first 11 games, the Eagles have as robust a start as any coach could wish for, including Coach Randall Wright.

“We definitely got off to a fast start," he says. "Getting off to that fast start has been good for our guys to instill some confidence in them and let some of the younger guys we have playing have some confidence and understand they can play at this level, it’s still just baseball at the end of the day. Even though it’s varsity baseball, it’s still baseball, so they can just go play the game they’ve always played.”

The Eagles sport a good mix of experience on the roster this year. Senior utility players Mason Jakubiak and Chase Butler, second baseman Jake Gordon and outfielder/pitcher Stanley Cross serve as natural leaders on the field and in the dugout. Younger players get playing time as well, with freshman Knox Israel starting behind the plate as catcher for the Eagles.

Jakubiak played catcher for the team every season until this one, and when he was approached by his coach to move positions for the advancement of the Eagles, he took it as an opportunity to help his team by going where he was needed most.

“This year it was a very simple conversation," says Wright. "I just said ‘Hey, look, we need you to move to first base. I think that’s what’s best for the team. If you’re willing to give it a shot, I think that could really help us,’ and he just said, ‘Yes sir. Whatever we need for the team.’”

The whole team shares this attitude this season, and the coaches had similar conversations with several players on the Eagles roster.

Mount Zion baseball isn’t just a four year and done type of program. For this community, Eagle pride is instilled at a young age. Boys that enter the Mount Zion Middle School

baseball team are welcomed into the overall family of Eagles baseball. “We are family," Wright explains. "Everything is family oriented, from our young guys to our old guys. Our varsity guys will even go watch the middle school team when the middle school has a game. It’s one big family really, once you become a part of Eagles baseball in sixth grade. That’s who we are all the way to 12th grade.”

Wright also works closely with Mount Zion Middle School coach Levi Williams to get the middle school players accustomed to similar drills and styles of play of the high school team to shorten the learning curve and culture shock during the transition from eighth to ninth grade.

Coach Wright and the Eagles are guaranteed a playoff spot this year, but their three-team region consisting of the Eagles, Bowdon High School and Christian Heritage holds tough competition.

This year, Wright and the rest of the Eagles pitching staff feel the team has a good chance of making progress in region play and could improve their seed for this year’s postseason tournament. WGW

Lady Eagles Love The Sport

The Lady Eagles are ready for a season of tough competition and growth. Just as confident as the boys, the girls have a large senior class this year with experience to back up the confidence. Coach Adam Watts looks to these seniors for leadership on the field, but despite the large senior class, many freshman and sophomores get valuable playing time on the field.

“Offensively, we have Gilda Perez. She’s returning from last year. She was one of my freshmen. If there’s an opportunity to score, she’s pretty quick. She handles the ball well, makes good decisions. She’s the workhorse on the offensive side of our game,” Watts says. "Defensively, the Lady Eagles are strong with Jacqueline Rodriguez, Melody Martinez, Jenni Bade and Kate Richey, who is set to come back following recovery from an injury.”

Although not the strong start of the season that Watts envisioned, the Lady Eagles redeemed their losses in the first two games by winning their region match against Bowdon High School.

The Lady Eagles and Eagles alike brush up on their skills in their free time, going to the fields on their off days because of their love of the game. Watts appreciates their love for the game but also holds his team accountable on and off the field as well.

Mount Zion Lady Eagles Roster

#0 Athena Hammett

“You’ll see them out on the soccer field," he says. "They’re always doing something. My kids do exactly what we ask. I think that’s the harder thing, because we are a smaller school, a lot of kids think, ‘I get to play just because I’m here,’ but that’s not my rule. I watch them in the hallways, and if they’re late to class we punish the whole team just so everyone holds each other accountable for that. They're usually great students.”

#1 Andrea Velasquez

#2 Gilda Perez

#3 Bera Mendez

#4 Melody Martinez

#5 Aaliyah Collins

#6 Brisceida Nunez

#7 Alexis Milan

#8 Rylee Smith

#9 Braelynn Wilson

#10 Logan Malone

#11 Jacqueline Rodriguez

#13 Kaylynn Duke

#14 Melissa Nunez

#15 Monica Coleman

#16 Kate Richey

#18 Jenni Bade

Last year, the Lady Eagles made it to the Elite Eight of the state tournament, and Watts thinks that because his team only graduated two seniors last year, they could win the region and will be even stronger this time around once they make it to the playoffs. Mount Zion and Atlanta Classical are the two top-ranked teams in region 4-A and Watts expects his team to come out with a region championship. WGW

Eagles Confident In Their Abilities

Mount Zion Eagles

Roster

#00 Hunter Madlock

#0 Hayden Cornwell

#1 Nick Samples

#2 Jorge Acosta

#3 Derian Avina

#4 Brett Cook

#5 Tyler Hurston

#6 Joseth Bustillo

#7 Will Garcia

#8 Danny Perez

#9 Cesar Velasquez

#10 Alan Esquival

#11 Angel Cruz

#12 Cayden Mueller

#13 Jose Mendez

#14 Jose DeLuna

#16 Hollis Otwell

#17 Aaron Molina

#19 Henry Solis

#20 Marc Bass

This season, the Mount Zion Eagles are confident: confident in their abilities, confident in their teammates and confident in playing different roles.

Coach Adam Watts is in his fourth year of coaching the Mount Zion Eagles and Lady Eagles, and this group of boys makes him proud.

“We have a good number of freshmen who are getting playing time and an opportunity. So we’re fairly young,” he says.

This season was off to a quick start with the third and fourth games played by the Eagles being region matches. Mount Zion tallied a loss from Fugees Academy and a win over Bowdon High School.

So far, the team showcases excellent chemistry and respect for each other. “[They are] accepting their roles and accepting the other players," says Watts. "We’ve had a couple of games this year where we’ve had a good lead, and their

willingness to see the younger players or the lessskilled players get on the field and just being humble with each other, like, ‘Hey, I’m better than you, but you deserve some playing time.’ So, that’s just life skills to me. Learning to be humble, like, ‘I’ve got to have some bench time and this kid needs some playing time, and I’m not going to get upset about that.‘”

Of the many leaders on the Eagles' soccer team, three line straight through the middle of the field from bottom to top: Tyler Hurston, a steadfast defender for the Eagles, Alan Esquival, a strong midfielder, and up top at striker is senior William Garcia.

Although these three bring strong leadership, Watts looks to the entire team to lead, not just elected captains. Each week there is a new set of captains, which Watts feels makes the team continue to work hard throughout the season instead of feeling complacent in leadership roles.

A core strength of the Eagles' soccer team is how well they embrace versatility. Watts says his players are always willing to play in any position he asks them to play – anywhere on the field.

Last season, the Eagles made it to the Final Four

of the state tournament. “Their confidence level is really high from finishing in the Final Four," Watts says. "We’re just trying to keep that momentum going. Last year we were road warriors. Our goal for the boys is to host some games in the playoffs.”

A new addition to the Eagles’ region this year is Atlanta Classical, who debuted their boys’ soccer team this season.

“Atlanta Classical didn’t have a boys’ team last year. They do have one this year, so I don’t know about them," he says. "Three of the top four teams in our region were in the Elite Eight last year: us, Christian Heritage and Fugees Academy. Even if we finish third, we’re probably more of a number two seed or a number three seed. We’re just all competitive. You can’t really go by seeding for our region since we had such a strong region last year.” WGW

Collins Takes Over The Tigers

Temple Lady Tigers

Roster

#1 Mia Lyle

#3 Emily Hicks

#4 Madison Arp

#5 Alyssa Dodd

#7 Emily Butler

#8 Lydia Anderson

#9 Lexy Queen

#10 Haily Torres

#11 Addison Tull

#12 Riley Nave

#13 Madeline Briscoe

#14 Senami Sounhouin

#16 Kendall Stafford

#17 Haley Mcelhannon

#18 Madelyn Brown

Fans of the Temple Tigers may have noticed a change in the coaching staff for the girls' soccer program, with Coach Courtney Collins stepping into the head coaching role. The Berry College graduate took on her first teaching job at Temple High School in the fall of 2023 and quickly earned the opportunity to coach the Tigers on the pitch – a responsibility Collins did not take lightly.

“An opportunity arose that I needed to step up and take over, and I was very apprehensive. But after that first game, I was like ‘OK, I can breathe now,’” she relates.

Collins’ first win with the Tigers was a 10-0 shutout of Christian Heritage, a much needed win with a new coaching staff stepping in after the season began.

Collins relies heavily on her veteran players to keep the team in order, most notably the captains of

the team, senior right winger Madeline Briscoe and sophomores Emily Hicks, a center back, and Addison Tull, a center midfielder. “As a first-year teacher and a firstyear coach, I think I rely on them a good bit because they’ve grown up with these players and this team," she says. "Definitely this year, making some adjustments from last year, I’ve relied on them a lot to tell me, ‘Okay, this worked well last year, but this did not work well.’”

The veterans aren’t just leaders on the field; they take ownership of the team off the field as well. The team holds voluntary team bonding experiences throughout the year, helping to boost the camaraderie among the different classes, which they believe is a must with so many new faces on the team. Two of these new faces are freshmen Lydia Anderson and Emily Butler, both standouts for this season.

Best wishes to our Carroll County student athletes!

As for region play, Temple shares a region with two other teams, Lamar County High School and Crawford County High School, both expected to be competitive matches for the Tigers.

Although this season is Collins’ first with the Tigers (both on the field and off), she’s already proud of the team for exceeding her expectations.

“I’m proud of them for being a team," she says. "A lot of teams – especially in high school – they just kind of show up to practice and do whatever. At games, they’ll just play for themselves and go home. But my team has definitely overcome a lot of adversity from last year and into the beginning of this season. They truly are a team. They come to practice and they’re ready to work together, they’re ready to get better. During games, if someone is struggling, they’re helping them out. They’re not yelling at them.” WGW

Tigers Look To Topple Region Competition

Before he was the coach of the Temple High School boys’ soccer team, Coach Kenny Akins was the Temple Middle School soccer coach for three years. Now, three years into his role at the high school, he gets to coach some of his past players at the high school level.

“We’ve got a really young squad. Seven out of 11 of my starters are freshmen or sophomores," he says. "We had some growing pains last year, and we’re building on that this year. We’re bringing a lot of new faces and integrating them into the team as best we can. Because I was with the middle school for so long, and I worked at the recreation department before that, a lot of the kids I’m getting now are kids that I have coached for up to 10 years."

With such a young team, older players have the chance to step up, and senior Dylan Whitmire has done just that. He's a true utility player with the skill to play pretty much anywhere on the field. Captain Johnthan Nunez is a junior who stepped into the role of best all-around scorer and became a true offensive threat on the Tigers roster. Last year, Nunez led the team in goals, and Coach Akins expects nothing less from Nunez this year. Also filling a leadership role, senior captain Johance Williams holds down the defense for the Tigers.

In terms of younger players, goalkeeper Ryan Self has been with Akins since elementary school. Though he is 16 years old and a sophomore now, he was first coached by Akins when he was 7. Now, he’s a solid keeper who stands at around 6’5” with a size 16 shoe, who plays his heart out every game. Sophomore Luis Gonzalez, a newcomer to the team

Temple Tigers Roster

#00 Ryan Self

#2 Dylan Whitmire

#3 Adam Schillinger

#4 Johnthan Nunez

#5 Ishan Patel

#6 Jonas Parkey

#7 Jackson Andrews

#8 Ivan Platero

#9 Sebastian Ponce

#10 Eric Torres

#12 Juan Rosas

#13 Jalen Wirth

#14 Beckom Tull

#15 Johance Williams

#17 Obed Baez-Rivera

#18 Landon Garrett

#19 Taylor Akins

#20 Luis Gonzalez

from the Atlanta area, has stepped into a forward role for the Tigers, and freshman forward Jalen Wirth quickly made his way onto the starting lineup. “I’ve got a really good group of kids and I’m really excited about the kids that I have this year," Akins says. "We’ve finally got them to buy into a group concept rather than an individualized concept. That’s one of the things we’ve struggled with the past two seasons. The concept of the team is a lot more important than the individual.”

The Tigers are already seeing results from the buy-in of players to a team mentality. Although the record shows a slow start, the non-region competition so far has been fierce, with Temple’s second game of the season being against the defending state champions in their category, Christian Heritage High School.

The Tigers’ biggest region game will undoubtedly be against Lamar County High School, which will be played at Temple High School in late March. Last year, Temple finished in second place behind Lamar County, and this year, Akins says it should be a whole different ballgame.

“We should be just as competitive against them as we are against any other team. I want to win the region. I don’t have any kind of hesitation at all about saying that as long as we continue to grow and develop the way we have been. I don’t see a reason why we can’t win the region this year.” WGW

Tigers Take It Day By Day

Temple Tigers Baseball Roster

#1 Reece Holloway

#2 Gage Andel

#3 Kade Brown

#4 Micah Caldwell

#5 Will Dorsey

#7 Jackson Gribben

#8 Darius Rogers

#9 Nehemiah Dorsey

#10 Thomas Evans

#11 Brody Dempsey

#13 Ashton Eskew

#14 Hudson Nix

#17 Robert Caesar

#18 Ayden Conner

#19 Jack Jordan

#20 Jake Hales

#21 Mize Bailey

#22 Jackson Whitlock

#23 Tylan Davis

#24 Briggs Dinning

#25 Dawson Driskell

The Temple High School baseball team started their season strong this year with only one loss in their first seven games – a stark contrast from the beginning of their season last year with only two wins in their first seven games. Coach Evan Hochstetler began his second year of coaching the Tigers this year, and things are looking good for Temple Baseball so far in 2024.

“Anytime you can start off well out of the gate, it gives your kids a lot of confidence and a lot of motivation," Hochstetler says. "The kids are having fun flying around at practice and working hard, which is translating to the field. Our goal is to win the day, get better every day and be the best team we can be by region.”

Every game is crucial in the Tigers’ four team region of 4-A. Last year, the Tigers finished last in their region, and this year, they’re looking for redemption.

Hochstetler looks to senior veteran players of the team for leadership on and off the field. “It starts up top with our leadership," he explains. "You’ve got Reece Holloway, Kade Brown and Will Dorsey. They have done an outstanding job at practice and preparing in the off season. Of course, they’re top notch guys as far as academics, in the classroom and their behavior. They’re the best you can get.”

Some younger Tigers are getting their moment in the spotlight, with junior Gage Andel being called a jack-of-all-trades by Coach Hochstetler due to Andel’s ability to hold the positions of third base, pitcher, first base and catcher. Andel isn’t the only utility player, though, with sophomore Jackson Gribben pitching, playing left field, catcher and third base.

The Tigers suffered several injuries this season, with three starting players out with major injuries early on. In spite of this, Hochstetler is excited to see where the season takes the Tigers, and he’s enjoying every day as head coach.

“I’m excited. Coaching is all about relationships and building relationships," he says. "These are some of the best kids in Carroll County. I wake up excited every day coming to work because of our administration and the kids we get to work with. I’m just blessed to get to work with some of our kids. Each kid brings something unique to the table as far as the team environment.”

Every week, a new player is responsible for giving a five minute speech about "the word of the week." Sometimes, the speech is as simple as the definition of the word, and other times, the boys read Bible verses to tie in the "word of the week."

Hochstetler feels the most impactful word this season has been "Accountability."

“It’s something the kids really don’t tune into as a teenager," he says. "As an athlete, you have to have self-accountability for your actions, but as a teammate, you have to hold your teammates accountable, too. So, it’s two different viewpoints from that, so I think accountability has been good for us.” WGW

Villa Rica Boys Reach For Top Region Spot

Villa Rica Wildcats Roster

#00 Gavin Walker

#0 Eddy Hernandez

#2 Larry Roblero

#3 Cristofer Ramirez

#4 Zayden Montero

#5 Tyson Chastain

#6 Oscar Romero

#7 Kenneth Thompson III

#10 Luke Rafiq

#11 Ezra Miahnahri

#15 Diego Benitez

#16 Cooper Easterwood

#17 Robert Scruggs

#19 Lovesson Placide

#21 Nathan Duffy

#24 Luke Rutledge

#27 Christopher Melendez

#30 Jesse Whaley

#35 John Suberu

#36 Osvaldo Martinez

#37 Arturo Salinas

For the last 10 years, Coach Kenny Thompson’s Villa Rica boys’ soccer team made it to the playoffs, and the expectations are no different this year. This year’s Wildcats are well aware they do not want to be the group that ends that impressive streak. Before the playoffs, though, Villa Rica stays hungry for the top spot in the 5-AAAAA region, a spot held by Midtown High School for the last several years. Although every game of region play is crucial, the Wildcats are eyeing Midtown and face them at home later this month.

The Wildcats roster holds 11 seniors this year, nine of which play varsity regularly, including Luke Rafiq, Diego Benitez, Robert Scruggs, Lovesson Placide, Nathan Duffy, Christopher Melendez, Jesse Whaley, John Suberu and Eddy Hernandez. With a large number of seniors on the field comes periods of growth for the Wildcats team. Thompson is already thinking forward to ensure the future of Villa Rica soccer is bright.

security as the last line of defense.

The Wildcats boast several key players who have made a difference on the field so far this season. Senior center defender Placide, a leader on the back line, was named Player of the Game for the team twice this season for his outstanding play. Senior captain Rafiq plays as an anchor at the holding midfield position. This four-year starter has tallied goals this season and continues to be a leader on the field. Senior captain Hernandez holds the team down at goalkeeper, providing leadership and

Thompson strives to further establish the team culture of Villa Rica soccer. He also hopes to have his players increase their involvement in that culture. He holds team bonding exercises to encourage his more introverted players to become more vocal on and off the field. “I have a certain culture I want to build of a hard, gritty kind of style of play, but what I found out is it is year to year," he says. "Once I lose these 11 seniors, now I have to try to integrate a whole bunch of freshmen and sophomores into what our culture is – which is grit and hard work – but I still need those certain players to be vocal, to be that person who is saying, ‘Okay guys, let’s go, we’re down. Let’s pick it up.’”

Thompson sees coaching as an important role, but he holds more value in witnessing the progress and growth in his athletes as they grow into adults.

“As a former police officer, I am so big on knowing that every boy and girl who has played for me are just good people in life," he relates. "That they’re good citizens who work and provide for their families. That is literally all I care about. I know that life outside of soccer is way bigger, because at some point, soccer stops and you have to get a job and take care of your family." WGW

No Luck Needed For Lady Wildcats

Villa Rica Lady Wildcats Roster

#2 Mi'lei McCoy

#5 Hannah New

#6 Hayden Glover

#7 Roniya Elliott

#8 Justice Rogers

#10 Javonne Cook

#11 Libby Hartley

#12 Maggie Wilkie

#13 Leila Miahnahri

#14 Anna Bumgardner

#15 Mia Bonner

#16 Alyssa Mcclain

#17 Kendall Tosh

#18 Anslee Roberts

#20 Avery Shaw

#21 Chyenne Mayfield

This year just feels different somehow for Tracy Coslin, who has coached Villa Rica Girls' soccer for 10 years. The reason for the feeling that something is coming could be because this group of girls is the best group of kids Coslin has ever coached.

This group is not only special because they are talented, but also because they are attempting to change the image of their program by advancing their play. “Villa Rica’s perception is that we’ve always played kind of physical, and the girls are trying to change that by proving they can play controlled soccer as well. [People] have always looked at us like we can’t play technically,” Coslin explains. Another reason this year feels different for the Lady Wildcats is because they were hungrier than ever for a region championship.

freshman stats stand at 28 goals and six assists. Glover is currently ranked fourth nationally in points and assists for the season with seventy five points and fifteen assists. She and fellow sophomore Justice Rogers have meshed well together so far this season, with Rogers being a goal scorer and offensive threat for the Lady Wildcats as well. Last season, Glover and Rogers began to learn the importance of playing off of each other, and this year they are a nearly unstoppable force together.

Senior Mia Bonner, a Point University commit, and juniors Javonne Cook and Hannah New serve as captains for the Lady Wildcats this season. Javonne Cook is playing another important role on the field as center defender. “Javonne’s kind of like our anchor center back," Coslin says. "Without her being back there in certain games, we probably would have been in trouble. She really is that kind of calm, settling force that gets everything started for us from the back.”

Despite the immense talent on the roster, Coslin says cockiness between teammates is not a problem, “Normally you get those couple of players who say, ‘Hey, you need to respect me because of this or that,’ but there’s not one kid on this team who has done that or believes in that. That really makes a big difference.”

Coslin hopes the Lady Wildcats will continue their high level of performance through the rest of the season and into post season play. WGW

They had one large hurdle before winning the region championship, and that was the powerhouse of Midtown High School. The Wildcats finished second in region behind the Midtown Knights for the past three years, and Coslin and the team were ready to fight for what they wanted – the top spot in region.

The Lady Wildcats faced the Midtown Knights at home with the result of a tough 3-2 loss. The team will still fight hard to make a deep run in postseason play.

Standout sophomore Hayden Glover surpasses her impressive freshman stats already by hitting 30 goals and completing 15 assists after only five regular-season games – her final

Wildcats Won’t Stop Winning

So far this season, the Villa Rica Wildcats baseball team are on fire with 13 wins in 13 games, and no sign of slowing down. Coming off of a region championship last year, the Wildcats hope

to keep making history in the 2024 season. Coach Wade Bailey is in his second year as head coach for the Villa Rica High School varsity baseball team and was a 2014 graduate of Villa Rica High School. After

his graduation from Villa Rica, he went on to play baseball at the Georgia Institute of Technology for his entire college career. After his graduation from Georgia Tech, he came back home to teach and coach baseball at Villa Rica.

Bailey doesn’t just want excellent baseball players; he wants each player to be the best son, brother, teammate and student they can be as well. Last year, the Wildcats’ team grade point average was around a 3.8, which is an outstanding number. Bailey is proud of the team this year, especially this senior class who has seen incredible growth through the years.

“We brought back a lot of returning guys last year who did some really special things," he says. "They won a region championship last year, which we can’t even find the last time this team won the region. We won 20 games, which we can’t find when that was done either. Then we bring those guys back this year. They’re outstanding baseball players, we’ve got four, about to be five, college commitments who will go play next year, and they’re just some of the greatest kids that you could ask for. I told my wife the other day that if our two boys turned out like this group of seniors and the varsity team, we would have done something right.”

The Wildcats have an immensely talented roster, with four seniors already committed to play at the collegiate level in Mason Westmoreland, a Southern Union State Community College commit, Layton Hyneman, a Presbyterian College commit, Zach Pharr, a South Georgia State College commit, and Easton White, a Gadsden State Community College commit, along with some younger players such as Connor Black, a third baseman who has logged several innings this season, and Cooper Robinson, playing his first full season on the varsity team and making a name for himself on the pitcher’s mound and on second base.

Villa Rica Wildcats Baseball Roster

#1 Will Wallace

#2 Mason Westmoreland

#3 Brady Perry

#4 Wesley Wallace

#5 Carson Nalley

#6 Connor Black

#7 Will Orr

#8 Easton White

#9 Will Brookshire

#10 Zach Pharr

#11 Cooper Robinson

#12 Layton Hyneman

#14 Ben Gardner

#16 Donyvn Legrand

#18 Brody Blair

#19 Jasper Best

#20 Colin Wilson

#30 Henry Brookshire

Despite the immense success so far this season, injuries forced the Wildcats to pivot, in particular with Henry Brookshire, a

phenomenal sophomore infielder with loads of promise. He suffered the unfortunate injury of a broken ankle before the season started. Bailey and the rest of the Wildcats hope to have him back and fully recovered before playoffs begin.

Last season, the Wildcats sat down and listed what their goals were for the season. The team wanted to win a region championship, win over 20 games, and make it to the Sweet Sixteen round of the playoffs. Each one of those goals was met last year by the Wildcats, which told Bailey the team wasn’t aiming high enough.

This year, the Wildcats have set even higher goals for themselves, as they want to win another region championship, win 30 games, and the main goal is to win the state championship. Although the Wildcats have the record to evoke the best confidence, Bailey instills the value of hard work and humbleness into his players.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to be the most talented team to where we can just show up and win games," Bailey says. "So when we do play powerhouses, we’re sprinting on and off the field, we’re laying out, we’re running through walls, we’re not afraid to fail. I think that’s the thing that’s going to make us really hard to beat.” WGW

Wolves Work Toward Post Season

Coach Kristy Burton is armed with a group of young players who are competitive, high energy and hungry for success. Burton is in her second year in the head coaching role of the University of West Georgia softball team.

Megan Waites, a standout freshman from Loganville, Ga., serves in the leadoff hitter role for the Wolves. Waites has established herself in the outfield, making big plays that leave an imprint on other teams. Along with Waites in the outfield plays Zekylah Boyd, a sophomore and two-year Wolves starter hailing from Heard County.

“[Zekylah] is a 10/10 character and leader for our program. She’s one of our captains, and it’s cool to see them dominate the outfield together,” says Burton.

The Wolves’ three other captains include senior R.J. Janke and juniors Madison Vandegriff and Blaire Bizette. “Our players vote captains, not our coaching staff. Those four are crucial leaders and they all lead in their own way," she says. "The biggest thing about those four is that they do it right on and off the field. They get so excited for [the younger players]. They’re not only leading by example, they’re leading and making leaders themselves.”

The Wolves may be young in the circle, but their pitchers gain experience every game.

“We have a full staff, so we have seven kids who throw for us," Burton says. "That is where we are the youngest. We only have two returning pitchers for us from last season. One transfer pitcher who hasn’t pitched since high school, but she does a great job for us. We have four new arms, and they're all right

there and they’re all great together as a staff and we’ve just got to kind of grow up and kind of get them playing at the level that we know they can. But overall, they work as one arm.

"Our pitchers and catchers do a good job of creating a good energy and being in each other’s back pocket to get better each day. I think that’s where we’re most excited to see the growth, because once they get that confidence and that ability to say, ‘Hey, I’m good enough to be out here,’ I think we’ll see things change very quickly for our pitching staff.”

Being young doesn’t stop these Wolves from having moments that seem beyond their years. This season has seen many defining moments, and Burton is proud. “We’re young, but there are moments when this team comes together that, as a coach, you pray for. It’s the stuff you can’t coach. It’s the teamwork, the passion and the love.”

The University of West Georgia is in their last year of Division II play and will move up to Division I in the coming year, but Burton and the Wolves have their sights set on the Gulf South Conference – UWG’s current conference.

“Our biggest goal is to make a mark in the GSC," she says. "We’re making that transition to Division I so the girls are present now. They want this year to be the year that they can be remembered and known in the GSC, and it’s a very tough conference to compete in … definitely one of the best Division II conferences for softball. We want to peak in April and May and make a run for it in postseason.” WGW

West Georgia Wolves

Softball Roster

#1 Isabella Pinto

#2 Jacelyn Lahr

#3 Megan Waites

#4 Zekylah Boyd

#5 Elizabeth McAbee

#6 Madison Smith

#7 Marissa Thompson

#8 Daniela David

#9 Calli Hardison

#10 Kaprice Leonard

#11 Emerson Miller

#12 Madison Vandergriff

#14 Addison Sturdivant

#15 Tamia Young

#17 Sabrina Celeste

#18 Rylee Green

#21 Makayla Register

#22 R.J. Janke

#24 Angela Tucker

#26 Emma Nixon

#27 Destry Lambert

#28 Emily Bodenheimer

#30 Jadyn Tummins

#32 Blaire Bizette

Photo by Lauren O'Bryan

Wolves Want To Win The Day

The University of West Georgia announced their transition from Division II to Division I in September of 2023, with the date of July 1st, 2024 as the beginning of UWG’s residency in the Atlantic Sun Conference. For now, though, Coach Jeffrey Smith, head coach of the baseball team for five years, has his and the Wolves’ eyes set on the current season in the Gulf South Conference.

“Our biggest goal is to compete for a championship in the Gulf South Conference – this is our last year competing at the Division II level before we transition to Division I in the Atlantic Sun Conference. We are wanting to leave DII on a high note and make an appearance in the NCAA tournament,” Smith says.

The Wolves feature 18 new players this season, but only eight of those are freshmen, including pitcher Garrett Moody from Milton, Ga., who already graced the mound this season. Of the 39 player roster, 30 are transfer students. Even with the daunting number of players who are wearing UWG blue and red for the first time this season, Coach Smith is confident in his team’s abilities and likes to foster an environment of low stress to get the most out of his players.

"We try to have a lot of fun. Although it’s a highly competitive atmosphere, I want our guys to be relaxed," he says. "I want them to focus on their training during the week, but once game time gets there, they’re able to really relax and just play the game they love.”

The Wolves focus on a core set of characteristics in their play, something Smith calls their AAIT. “We talk about our AAIT, that’s our attitude, our approach, our intensity level and our toughness," he explains. "We talk about those things. If we do those things each day, we’re going to win that day. Not necessarily the game, but we’re going to win today.”

After a tough loss in the front end of the season, Smith brought the team together to instill accountability and goals for the remainder of the season. “After the Georgia Southwestern loss, we as a team came together and had a discussion about what we wanted from this year, how we want to be perceived, and how we were going to hold ourselves accountable,” Smith says.

After this team meeting, the Wolves went on to win four games in a row, a feat partially achieved because of the recentering of the team’s focus. Currently, the Wolves are 7-5 in conference, and are playing the University of West Alabama for their next conference game.

Coach Smith remains proud of where the team is at this point in the season. “I’m proud of them because they’re resilient," he says. "They work hard. They show up every day ready to compete. They are focused on team goals and not necessarily individual goals. I feel like they understand if we meet our team goals, then our individual goals will fall in line. I’m really proud of this year’s team and how they’ve handled some of that adversity. We came out on the short end of the stick a few times early. There were a lot of high expectations for this team, and I think they got back on track and we’re doing well right now.” WGW

West Georgia Wolves Baseball Roster

#1 Jonathan Hickman

#2 Brady Simpson

#4 Jack Rasmussen

#5 Michael Rich

#6 Cooper Prince

#7 Jack Witmer

#8 Joseph Glozier

#9 Jackson Webb

#10 Tyler Presnell

#11 Jared Emory

#12 Cade Hohl

#13 Patrick McCullogh

#14 Sam Ladner

#15 Seth Dudley

#16 Nick Hammond

#17 Ty Davis

#18 Brendan Parks

#19 Mason Cooper

#20 Carson Mynatt

#21 Beau Brand

#22 Myles Cook

#23 Carson Crossley

#24 Lane Pearson

#25 Luke Hatcher

#26 Nick Swanson

#27 Walt McConnell

#28 Will Dean

#29 Charlie Tull

#30 Garrett Moody

#31 Ryan Whitener

#32 Ronny Piepmeier

#33 Jake Jordan

#34 Hunter Gulledge

#35 Mike Schicker

#36 Trey Kaiser

#37 Walker Watson

#38 Alex Calabro

#40 Tate Morris

#41 Parker Childress

#43 Keegan Moore

Photo by Lauren O'Bryan

At bat better.

For some it’s a pastime; for others it’s their passion. Whether one wrong turn rounding the bases or years of squatting behind the plate has taken your joy for the game, you can get back in the swing of things at Tanner.

Baseball and softball can take a toll — from ankle to elbow. But our orthopedic experts specialize in every part, getting you off the bench and back at bat.

Get relief — and get after that reliever, slugger.

available at TannerOrtho.org.