VOTING ENDED MONDAY, JUNE 5TH. WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED THURSDAY, JUNE 8TH. For the first time, Now Habersham will name a boy and girl high school Athlete of the Year. Each local school’s Athletic Director has issued their nomination for one boy and girl for Athlete of the Year (unless noted), which goes to a varsity student athlete who has had success on the court/field, as well as in the classroom and/or community. These individuals are often upperclassmen, but that is not a requirement. VOTING: One boy and one girl will be named Now Habersham Athlete of the Year. For this initial year, we will try public voting (max 2 votes per person), opening Tuesday, May 30 at 12:00 p.m. and closing on Monday, June 5 at 12:00 p.m.
HABERSHAM CENTRAL
Cole Wilbanks (SR Football/Baseball)
Wilbanks was named Team MVP for his efforts during the 2016 football season, leading the Raiders to a 5-5 season and a near State Playoff appearance and the most wins since 2011. He was named Honorable Mention All-Region 8-AAAAAA. A two-sport star, Wilbanks was also team captain of the Raiders baseball team, and was counted on as one of the top pitchers on the staff. He helped Habersham to a 14-16 record and, again, a near State Playoff berth in 2017 and the most wins in this decade. The QB threw for 1,907 yds and 18 TD, completing 56% of his passes. He also ran for three scores. In baseball, he went 4-5 with a 5.20 ERA, striking out 22. At the plate, Wilbanks hit .277 with 16 RBI. Wilbanks was twice named BLITZ Player of the Week during the football season. He excelled in the classroom as an Honor Roll student.
Lainey Gosnell (SR Basketball/Volleyball)
Gosnell’s incredible career in both basketball and volleyball afforded her the opportunity to sign a basketball scholarship with Appalachian State. She finished as the all-time leading scorer in Habersham Central history in basketball with over 2,000 career points, and was named All-Region all four years. She also was a North GACA All-Star, the Lady Raiders’ Team MVP four consecutive years, and was named BLITZ Basketball Player of the Year and Volleyball Player of the Year in both her junior and senior seasons, as well as being named Player of the Week two times in her career. Her volleyball honors were no different; All-Region all four years, and four-time Team MVP. She averaged 20.3 points and 11 rebounds per game, as well as 1.6 blocks and 1.5 assists per contest in the 2016-17 season. In the 2016 volleyball campaign, she totaled 342 kills, 244 digs and 112 solo blocks to go with 31 aces (89% serve/receive). Gosnell led the Lady Raider volleyball team and basketball team to state in her final year, each for the first time in her career. Gosnell also maintained a solid “A” academically, excelling in the classroom.
WHITE COUNTY
Ky Crowe (SR Football)
Crowe is a student-leader who is kind and generous with his time and talent. A football standout, Crowe missed half of the 2016 season due to an injury that he got during summer practice. He never missed a practice or game and acted as team captain all season, even when injured and forced to remain on the sidelines. When he was finally able to return, he made an immediate impact on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Crowe recently signed with a football scholarship with the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky. Crowe was part of a senior class that tallied 19 wins over four seasons (2013-16).
Rachel Gearing (JR Cross Country/Basketball/T&F/Soccer)
Gearing, just a junior, is a dynamic four-sport star. She runs cross country, plays basketball, and competes in multiple track and field events, as well as playing on the state tournament soccer team. Gearing helped lead the girls’ cross country team to a third-place finish in the GHSA Class 4A State Meet, and was an integral part of helping the Lady Warriors basketball team in a rebuilding year. Gearing, a former BLITZ Player of the Week, has starred in track and competed at the State Championships in long jump, triple jump, 400-meter dash, the 4×100 relay and 4×400 relay. Gearing finished as State Runner-up in the triple jump and third place in the long jump, 400 and 4×400. She was the region champ in the long jump, triple jump, 400 and 4×400.
STEPHENS COUNTY
*No AD nominations, so we chose these two:
Kooper Briley (SR Baseball)
Briley had an unbelievable senior season on the diamond, earning BLITZ Player of the Year honors after hitting .413 with 10 homeruns and 32 RBI. Briley added 37 runs, and showed amazing patience with 35 walks. He slugged .899, and helped the Indians to the Elite 8. Briley signed with Kennesaw State to play baseball at the next level.
Emma Whitfield (SO Softball)
Whitfield was also named BLITZ Player of the Year after her record-breaking sophomore season. She went 24-5 in the circle with a 0.92 ERA, striking out 232 batters. She contributed offensively with a .242 average with 2 homers and 17 RBI, leading the Lady Indians to the Elite 8.
LUMPKIN COUNTY
Zach Matthews (SR Football/Wrestling)
Matthews was a two-sport star in both football and wrestling for the Indians. He won an individual state championship in the 220 lb weight class among 4A wrestling in both his junior and senior season, becoming a back-to-back champion. While certainly having the opportunity to continue to pursue wrestling, the senior signed a football scholarship with the University of West Georgia. He finished his prep career as the all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns scored in Lumpkin County history. An annual BLITZ Player of the Year contender, he was named Player of the Week on three occasions in his career, and was BLITZ Wrestler of the Year in both 2016 and 2017, going 34-1 overall in his senior year. In the 2016 football season, he rushed for 1,352 yds and 14 TD, averaging nearly six yards per carry. Matthews has a 87.265 GPA and works part-time at a daycare in the afternoons.
Sydney Bates (SR Golf)
Bates, a senior standout golfer for the Lady Indians, signed a scholarship with the University of North Georgia to continue her golfing career. As the number one golfer on the Lumpkin girls golf team, she led the Lady Indians to the State Championships in 2017. She averages a 42 scoring average per nine holes. She placed sixth in the Area 4 tournament with a 90 and 23rd at state, shooting a 98 and 87 in the two-day tournament. Bates has a 99.258 GPA and is currently ranked number one in her class.
DAWSON COUNTY
Kolton Brumbelow (SR Football/Baseball)
Brumbelow is a gifted athlete who helped lead his team in football to being the Region 7-AAA Runner-Up and to the state playoffs for the second year in a row. He also helped lead the Tigers baseball team to a Region Runner-Up finish and again a second-straight state playoff trip. Brumbelow has been a three-sport athlete in past years, playing basketball until his senior year. In the 2016 football season, he had nearly 500 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns, and had over 400 yards on kick returns with another three scores, becoming a dangerous threat to opponents. In his senior baseball season, Brumbelow hit .313 and showed tremendous power with 6 homeruns, 25 RBI, 31 runs scored, 6 doubles, and 16 stolen bases. He carries a 3.9 GPA in the classroom and is one of the most respected and well-liked students by both peers and faculty at Dawson County. Brumbelow sports an outstanding personality with an easy smile and very courteous manners.
Isabel Queen (SR Cross Country/Tennis)
Queen is a two-sport athlete who helped lead her teams to state in both cross country and tennis. Queen and the Lady Tigers cross country team won the Region 7-AAA Championship for the third year in a row, and finished fifth in Class AAA at the State Meet. The Lady Tigers tennis team finished third in 7-AAA and went to state for the second year in a row. Queen is an active club member in many clubs and is active in the Dawson community as well. She is currently ranked number one in her class and frontrunner to be the Valedictorian. Queen possesses a wonderful personality and is well-mannered and well-liked by all of her teachers and peers.
UNION COUNTY
*No AD nominations, so we chose these two:
Cole Wright (JR Football)
Wright had a breakout year as a junior starting QB for the Panthers. He quietly became one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, throwing for 1,653 yds and 14 TD (completing 65% of his passes). He also ran for 1,370 yds and 19 TD, averaging nearly 12 yards per carry as the Panthers made the state playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Laken Chambers (SR Softball)
Chambers finished her career at Union County as one of the top softball players in school history. Chambers was a rare dominating player in both the circle and at the plate. She hit .362 with 2 homers and 19 RBI as a senior, going 15-7 with a 1.45 ERA and 130 strikeouts. Her junior year (2015) was better, as she hit .444 with 5 homeruns and 38 RBI, going 18-8 with 3 saves and a 1.33 ERA to go with 145 strikeouts. As a sophomore in 2014 she also hit .330 with 4 homers and 36 RBI while going 23-8 with a 1.54 ERA and 141 strikeouts. This came after her freshman year that saw her hit .343 with 3 homeruns and 24 RBI, going 13-8 with a save and a 1.97 ERA with 99 strikeouts. All in all, it’s been a career line of around .360 with 14 homeruns and 117 RBI at the plate. In the circle, she’s put together a 69-31 record with an ERA around 1.50 and a mind-blowing 515 strikeouts. Chambers was back-to-back winner of the BLITZ Softball Player of the Year award for her sophomore and junior seasons. She led the Lady Panthers to state all four years, including an Elite 8 run and a pair of Sweet 16 appearances.
RABUN COUNTY
Bailey Fisher (JR Football/Basketball)
Fisher is a two-sport star who was named All-State in both sports. In football, Fisher has led the Wildcats to back-to-back 2A Quarterfinal games, and was named 1st Team All-State as QB by the AJC, GACA AA North All-State Player of the Year, BLITZ Football Player of the Year (back-to-back), Access WDUN Co-Player of the Yaer, RecruitGeorgia.com 1st Team All-State QB and Region 8-AA Player of the Year. In basketball, Fisher was named 1st Team All-Region and GACA All-State Boys Basketball (Class 2A North). Fisher excels in the classroom with a 91 GPA (35th out of 154 in his class) and has very high character and displays leadership and commitment in all he does at Rabun County. Fisher is an active member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as the youth group at Clayton Baptist Church. He holds football scholarship offers from the University of West Georgia and Presbyterian College while being heavily recruited by others.
Savanna Scott (SR Basketball/Tennis/Volleyball)
Scott is also a multi-sport star at Rabun County, leading the basketball team to its first-ever State Championship game and a 29-3 record. She was named 1st Team All-Region, GACA 1st Team All-State, AJC 1st Team All-State and was a BLITZ Player of the Year finalist. Scott as 1st Team All-Region as an outside hitter in volleyball, leading the Lady Cats to an Area Championship and Elite 8 appearance. In tennis, she added to her incredible senior season with a 2nd Team All-Region honor, a team region runner-up finish and a 2A State Sweet 16 run. An active member of FBLA, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Interact Club, National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Scott is also involved in her youth group at Clayton Baptist Church. She already has 12 college credit hours and will graduate with honors from Rabun with a 91.8 GPA, ranked in the top 20% of her class. Scott signed a basketball scholarship with the University of North Georgia.
BANKS COUNTY
Kahmal Wiley (SR Basketball)
Wiley is an extremely humble young man who was an exceptional high school talent in basketball, scoring over 1,000 points in just three seasons at Banks. He was highly-recruited this season, and was named BLITZ Player of the Year after averaging over 17 pts and 12 reb per contest, adding more than two assists, steals and blocks per game. He notched 23 double-doubles. Just weeks after the season ended, Wiley was nearly killed in a tragic car accident that led to the loss of both legs. Wiley being Wiley, he has shown amazing determination and courage through all the adversity and the sky is truly the limit for him in whatever he does with his life. He still holds multiple college offers, but it’s not clear yet where he will decide to go.
Gabby Kennedy (SR Soccer/Basketball)
Kennedy has been a four-year heavy contributor in both soccer and basketball. She’s broken her own single-season saves record between the posts on the pitch as the Lady Leopards four-year goalkeeper. In basketball, she was often the most physical player on the court. Kennedy is well-liked by teammates and classmates at Banks County, and she holds a soccer scholarship to USC Aiken.
COMMERCE
Cole Chancey (SR Football/Wrestling/Baseball)
Chancey was a three-sport star at Commerce. In his senior football season, as a running back put up 1,195 yds and 17 TD (7.6 ypc) and added 55 rec yds and one TD. At safety, he tallied 52 tackles, an interception, two fumble recoveries and three defensive scores. He was also a standout wrestler and baseball player. In wrestling, Chancey won the 195-lb Class 1A State Title this season, and went 27-0 on the year.
Anna Caroline Hardy (SR Track/Swimming/Cheerleading)
Hardy finished a great career at Commerce, participating in track, swimming and cheerleading. The senior helped the Commerce 200 M Medley Relay to a 16th place finish, as well as 16th in the 200 Freestyle Relay. She helped lead the girls competition cheer squad to the state championships yet again, and in track & field, Hardy finished as the state runner-up in pole vault.
TOWNS COUNTY
Will DeVries (SR Baseball/Basketball)
DeVries is a two-sport star who was name Region 8-A Player of Year in baseball and 8-A First-Team in basketball during his senior season. His impact cannot be denied, as he led the Indians basketball team to its best season in school history and a 1A Public Sweet 16 appearance, as the Indians were ranked as high as fifth during the season. In baseball, he led the Indians to an unprecedented state playoff berth as well. Both the basketball and baseball teams enjoyed their best seasons in at least a decade. He averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game his senior basketball season, and in baseball batted .432 with 2 homers, 24 RBI, 25 runs, 9 doubles and a triple. On the mound, he went 4-2 (1 save) with a 3.26 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Outside the lines, DeVries is a United Community Bank Jr. Board Member and was named Towns County High School male athlete of the year for his efforts.
Kristin Henson (SR Softball/Basketball)
Henson was named the Towns County High School female athlete of the year, as the two-sport standout was a member of the Lady Indians softball and basketball teams. Generous with her time, Henson also volunteered as the Towns County baseball stat keeper.
TALLULAH FALLS
Zatrick Pearce (SR Track & Field/Basketball)
Pearce displayed his athleticism in the 2017 GHSA Track & Field Championships, becoming a State Champion in the 400 M dash with a school-record 48.14 time. He took two State Runner-Up finishes in both the 200 M dash (21.85 school record) and long jump (21’7). He wasn’t finished however, as he helped the 4×400 relay team to a State 3rd place finish as the anchor leg. He was the Class 1A Private High Point Award winner with 27.5 points, tops among the classification. For his efforts, he was invited to the elite GA Mett of Champions. He holds five outdoor track and field school records, was named Tallulah Falls School T&F MVP and was a Wendy’s High School Heisman TFS nominee. He was also an integral part of the Indians basketball team, contributing to the 24-5 historic season which ended with a Sweet 16 run. Pearce was also awarded the TFS Great Leadership Award and was named Boarding Student of the Month and the Extra Mile Award. He’s also a member of the Recycling Club, and has signed a track and field scholarship with August University.
Anna Davis (JR Track & Field/Volleyball)
Davis had a standout junior year in track and field, as she was the State Runner-Up in both the 100 and 300 meter hurdle events. She also placed 7th in pole vault and anchored the 5th place 4×400 team to a school record time. Davis was invited to the elite GA Meet of Champions, and holds five outdoor track and field school records at Tallulah Falls. Davis was named TFS Indian of the Year and was also named TFS T&F MVP for the girls team. She also was a three-year varsity letterman for the volleyball team, and the TFS Presidential Scholar Award winner. Davis holds a 4.34 GPA, is a Georgia Merit Award winner, and is an active member in the Active National Honors Society, Tri M Music Honors Society, Tallulah Falls School Presidential Ambassador and Juniorettes Club. Davis was named Rotary Student of the Month in Fall 2016.
