A record 50,175 total votes were cast by the public to determine which athletes should be added to the BLITZ Hall of Fame.
All inductees are former high school athletes from across the BLITZ Sports Georgia coverage area which includes Banks, Dawson, Habersham, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties as well as Commerce, Jefferson, and Tallulah Falls.
The top overall vote-getter was Rabun County football star Austin Jones (2,830 votes), which is the most ever in any BLITZ HOF voting class.
FULL STORY HERE
Over 5,200 votes were cast for former athletes from Habersham Central and Tallulah Falls School. This year’s inductees from Habersham are:
FOOTBALL
AJ CURRY – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’18
What an athlete AJ Curry was. He had only one year at Habersham Central, and three years prior at Stephens County. A running back/receiver for the Indians, he converted to quarterback when going to the Raiders. It was an incredible adjustment, and it paid off. He passed for 2,495 yards and 18 TD in his one season as a QB, learning the curve quickly. He rushed for 676 yards altogether, adding 13 more scores. His career numbers include 285 receiving yards and 2 TD. Curry was an All-Region member in 2017 for Habersham. The dual threat ended his career with more than 3,300 offensive yards and a total of 33 TDs.
Curry plays now at Western Carolina University after entertaining a handful of big-time offers. Curry was a two-time BLITZ Player of the Week. (717 votes/1st year on ballot) | HIGHLIGHTS
DONOVAN CURRY – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’19
Donovan Curry, younger brother of AJ (above), also made the switch from rival Stephens County to Habersham, and helped get the Raiders back to the playoffs in 2018 after seven years removed from the previous trip. The 2-time All-Region talent balled out for the Raiders, and closed his career with 1,829 receiving yards and 21 TDs. He also tallied exactly 1,000 career return yards on punts/kickoffs, and had 80 tackles (3 for loss), and 3 interceptions (one TD). Curry, a 2-time BLITZ POW, now plays at Troy University.
(692 votes/1st year on ballot) | HIGHLIGHTS
SOFTBALL
PAIGE COOK – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’19
Cook was so good at softball, Mississippi State locked her up before her sophomore season. The Lady Bulldog had a great Lady Raider career, batting .437 with 10 homers and 66 RBI. She scored 80 runs, had 26 doubles, 8 triples, and 33 stolen bases, and was a 4-time All-Region selection.
Cook played excellent defense, and won Player of the Year honors as a sophomore after putting up a .476-6-25 state line, as well as 3 player of the week awards.
(1,171 votes/1st year on ballot)
VOLLEYBALL
CAELI CHAMBERS – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’14
Chambers was a talented Libero for Habersham Central, helping the Lady Raiders to 83 wins over her 4 years, including a state playoff run in 2012. She tallied over 500 digs (3/game) and 50-plus aces, and was a 2-time All-Region selection. Chambers was the Volleyball POY for BLITZ in her senior year.
(392 votes/1st year on ballot)
BASKETBALL
MICHAEL VAN HOOSER – TALLULAH FALLS ’17
Van Hooser put up a solid career as a 1,000-point scorer for Tallulah Falls, leading the charge for the best season in school history that saw the Indians win 24 games, make the Sweet 16, and earn a #2 state ranking. He put up 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game before earning a scholarship at Middle Tennessee State. He left to go to UGA as a non-player (men’s basketball manager).
(716 votes/2nd year on ballot)
NYAH WILLIAMS – TALLULAH FALLS ’19
Williams finished what became a ridiculously-good career at TFS. She scored 1,852 career points, and averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game as a starter, and shot 43% overall and 25% from deep. She led the Lady Indians to more than 50 wins, including a Sweet 16 run as a senior and #10 ranking. A one-time POW, Williams more than has talent to play at the next level, but is pursuing academics first at the University of Pennsylvania.
(104 votes/1st year on ballot/Producer’s Pass)
BASEBALL
PEYTON IRVIN – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’19
Irvin was a hoss for Hab Central, and it showed in his spectacular senior season which saw him lead the Raiders to the state playoffs for the first time in a decade. The shortstop/pitcher hit .370 with 3 HR, 60 RBI, 60 R, 25+ XBH, and 25 SB along the way, and he went 15-6 (3 saves) with a 1.95 ERA and 135 K in his career, which included a pair of All-Region selections. Irvin plays college ball for Piedmont College.
(1,120 votes/1st year on ballot)
ALEX MCFARLANE – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’19
It was a short high school career for McFarlane, but no doubt he deserves this. A transfer from the Virgin Islands, the stud pitcher (mid-90s thrower) went a perfect 6-0 with a 1.70 ERA and 66 K in a senior season that saw the Raiders get to the playoffs for just the second time in school history. He also hit .479 with 1 HR, 16 RBI, 44 R, 12 2B, 3 3B, and 19 BB. He was named an All-Region player for his efforts and was a BLITZ Player of the Week. A Miami commit, he was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB Draft in 2019 in the late rounds.
(52 votes/1st year on ballot/Producer’s Pass)
SOCCER
ROJELIO NAVARETTE – HABERSHAM CENTRAL ’11
A very special player was Rojelio Navarette at Habersham Central. The forward scored 38 goals and 24 assists, finishing with 100 career points and 2 All-Region selections as a 2-year starter. He went on to play at Piedmont College.
(171 votes/2nd year on ballot)
TRACK & FIELD
ZATRICK PEARCE – TALLULAH FALLS ’17
Pearce was an incredible athlete for Tallulah Falls, and a state champion, as well as a 2-time state runner-up. The sprinter/jumper placed in the top 10 at state on 6 occasions, and won a pair of region championships. He also had 9 region/area top-10 finishes. His PRs for each event: 100M (10.94), 200M (21.85), 400M (48.14), and Long Jump (21-7). Pearce was a BLITZ Athlete of the Year, and now stars at Augusta University.
(75 votes/2nd year on ballot/Producer’s Pass)
By: Brian Carter/BLITZ
