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Listen in tonight as we close out the 2009 year in sports and talk about action in the College ranks and in the NFL. Tune in to WTAL 1450 AM at 6:30pm!
Lincoln’s White commits to Auburn
By Aimee Sachs • Democrat Staff Writer • December 22, 2009
QB Ryan White
After taking his official visit to Auburn last week, Lincoln High quarterback Ryan White committed to play for the Tigers over the weekend.
The 6-foot, 185-pound senior toured the campus last Wednesday. The only other school White went to look at was Georgia Tech. After discussing his options with his father for a few days, a text message conversation with his mother prompted White to call Tigers assistant coach Phillip Lolley to announce his commitment.
“Right before I committed, my mom texted me, ‘Did you commit to Auburn yet?’ White recalled. “I said, ‘No.’ She said, ‘What are you waiting for?’ So I called Coach Lolley.”
After a disappointing loss to Tampa Plant in last year’s Class 4A state championship game, White spent the first part of the 2009 season splitting the starting quarterback job with senior Evan Brigman. White saw more playing time as the season progressed, and completed 53 of 89 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also ran for 378 yards and three touchdowns on 64 carries.
“As kids grow and develop, they just get more comfortable with who they are,” Lincoln head coach Yusuf Shakir said of White’s progress this year. “It’s a good opportunity for him.”
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Leon graduate Green commits to Minnesota
By Will Brown • Democrat Staff Writer • December 19, 2009
Not many professional athletes relish waking up before dawn for film study and skills drills. However, that was James Green’s ritual each morning with his uncle and former FSU linebacker Lamont Green. A fall of early-morning workouts paid off for former Leon wide receiver James Green this week when he committed to play football at the University of Minnesota.
“Ever since I was little, everyone told me I was going to be a good football player,” said Green, who is the third person in his family to earn a college football scholarship. “My uncle told me it was not going to be a cakewalk and that you would have to work hard and you have to study. Every morning, we would get up at 5:30 and run and run routes and catch balls.”
Green will enroll in January to pursue a degree in criminal justice.
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Tallahassee represented in FACA all-star game
Will Brown • Prep Notebook • December 18, 2009
Earlier this week our section planned to run a few words about Jefferson County’s David Crumity being one of the local
Leon Head Coach Bill Ragans
athletes who will play in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South Football All-Star Classic. It sounded like a good plan until we realized that Crumity was just one of six local athletes that will play in the Dec. 22 game down in Sebring. North Florida Christian’s Clint Trickett will be a quarterback on this team. He will be accompanied by Leon’s Brandon Graham, Godby’s Chris St. Hilaire, Rickards’ Brandon Denmark and Florida High’s Chase Varnadore.
Leon coach Bill Ragans has coached against all those athletes with the exception of Crumity. Ragans will be among the five assistants on the North team that includes some of the best athletes from Melbourne to Pensacola. “There are a couple kids like Trickett and Jericho Lee and Chris St. Hilaire — I would be glad to have those kids on my team for a change instead of blocking them or keeping them from getting open.”
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Godby’s Crews steps down
By Aimee Sachs • DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER • December 16, 2009
After 11 years as head coach of the Godby High football team, Shelton Crews is moving on.Crews will be the next executive director of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, effective July 1.
“I’ll be coaching coaches,” Crews said of his new gig. “It’s a chance for me to represent a profession that’s just an unbelievable thing to be a part of.”
FACA formed a selection committee over the summer with the announcement of longtime FACA executive director W.L. “Wink” Barnette’s impending retirement.
By the end of November, Crews was one of four finalists for the job. He interviewed for the position on Saturday and was offered the job on the spot.
An active member of the FACA for several years, Crews became state football chairman three years ago.
Crews posted an 88-42 record in his 11 seasons as head coach of the Cougars and a 110-61 record in 15 years overall.
He broke the news to his players on Monday.
“It was tough,” Crews said. “You get attached to them and you try to treat each one of them like they’re your own.”
Godby athletic director Reggie Davis said the search has yet to begin for Crews’ successor. He knows it won’t be easy to replace “an advocate for football in every aspect.”
“He’s built a program — not just having some good teams every now and then,” Davis said. “He’s developed an outstanding program.”
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Listen in tonight as we wrap up the 2009 state playoffs and talk about action in the College ranks and in the NFL. Tune in to WTAL 1450 AM at 6:30pm!
4Q PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Both Lincoln and Godby Fall in 3rd Round Playoff Matchups
Round 3 of the Florida state playoffs featured the only two local-area teams remaining. Both Lincoln and Godby faced top ranked undefeated teams with high powered offenses loaded with plenty of stud athletes.
For the Lincoln Trojans the challenge of advancing to the next round against an undefeated Niceville proved to be too much as the Trojans fell to the Eagles, 45 – 31. Lead by senior QB #11 R. White, Lincoln proved early that their pass-offense would be a threat to the Eagles. In a display of offensive fire-power, both Lincoln and Niceville traded scores and lead changes several times during the course of the game. Only in the final few minutes was the ball-game decided as Niceville’s highly touted RB #24 R. Finch scored the final touchdown that put the Trojans away.
Meanwhile, on the Space Coast, Godby was giving undefeated the Cocoa Tigers all that they could handle. The Cougars looked poised to pull off the upset, as they seemingly took control of the ball-game on two costly Cocoa fumbles and stiffled the Tiger rushing attack for nearly the entire game. The entire 3rd quarter and nearly the first 8 minutes of the 4th quarter belonged soley to Godby and their defense lead by senior DT #99 J. Lee. However, one simple screen pass changed everything as Tiger RB #4 C. Bouie raced 91 yards to set up the go ahead touchdown for the Tigers. In an almost cruel twist of fate, Godby again had their season ended by a single point, as they were edged by Cocoa, 17 – 16 on the final touchdowns extra point attempt.
Stay logged on to 4Quartersonline.com as we continue to bring you full coverage of both of these exciting contests.
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Frankie Carroll is out as head football coach at Madison County High School.
By Will Brown • Democrat Staff Writer • December 1, 2009
After winning 89 games, seven district championships and the 2007 2A state championship, Carroll submitted his resignation last month before the Cowboys 26-17 playoff loss to Baker County.
Superintendent Lou Miller said Carroll will remain an employee of the district, but will relinquish his duties as head football coach on June 30, 2010. Ben Killingsworth, principal at Madison County High School, will be tasked with hiring a replacement for Carroll who went 89-12-1 in his eight years leading the football program.
Miller, who has been an educator in the county for more than two decades, said Carroll has coached football in the country for more than a quarter century and will leave quite a legacy. Carroll led the junior varsity team when Randy McPherson was the varsity head coach in the 90s.
“He’s been a great role model for the student athletes,” Miller said. “He has emphasized character just as much as he did the physical skill of football.”
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Catch the COUNTDOWN on WTAL 1450 AM tonight at 6:30p.m.
Two local area teams remain in the Florida State playoffs and 4Quartersonline.com has all of the local high school football playoff match-ups covered! Listen to this weeks show as we break down both games, make pics and talk about local area football!
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