Doin' work: FPD's Ochs and Stratford's McKinley earn Vince Dooley Scholarships

          FPD softball ace Karsen Ochs and Stratford track standout McKinley Thompson III are the winners of scholarhip funding in the 12th annual Vincent J. Dooley Awards & Scholarships organization.

          Each will get $1,000 a year for four years, as well as $500 each to donate to their favorite charity.

          Ochs, a South Carolina softball signee, has a 4.0 GPA in a curriculum that includes six AP classes and nine honors classes.

          She started a “Strike Out for Hunger” campaign during her freshman year at FPD, with donations made on her striking out batters. More than $26,000 has been raised during her FPD career for the Middle Georgia Food Bank, thus funding more than 130,000 meals.

          Ochs is all over the FPD softball record book, first in career batting average (.466), hits (186), season hits (63) season ERA (.86), season strikeouts (246), career strikeouts (627), and is second with 23 career homers, 31 single-season RBI, and single-season wins with 19.

            Thompson has a 4.21 GPA while taking nine AP classes.

            The three-time GHSA Class A-Private high jump champ also competed in football, soccer, and basketball.

            Thompson has more than 125 hours of community service, which includes working with younger athletes. He has participated in mission trips to Mexico, where duties included construction of and working with an orphanage.

            He has signed with Georgia Tech.

          Central Georgia finalists: Holland Schelle, Stratford; FPD, Marshall Danner; Sheddrick Risper, Westside.

          FPD’s Sadie Frame was the female winner last year, Upson-Lee’s Chris Moroz the male winner in 2012, and FPD’s Fran Johnson the female winner in 2011.