Jasper County hires new coach, with winning pedigree

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Aaron Pitts was hired last February, and resigned in early November at Jasper County.

          The Hurricanes needed less than two months to get a new head coach, the school system approving Ashley Henderson as the program’s eighth head coach this century.

          Jasper County went 0-10 under Pitts, the Hurricanes’ first winless season in program history, dating back to 1930, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association website.

          Henderson was released in November at Thomas County Central after going 19-22 – with two playoff trips - in four seasons at the Class 4A school, which is moving into 6A. The Yellow Jackets were 5-2 in 2021 before losing four straight, three by a total of 25 points.

          Thomas County Central went 23-21 in the four years before Henderson, who went 66-12 in six years at Valwood, with three GISA state championships.

          Henderson was an assistant at Valdosta under former Peach County head coach Rance Gillespie, from 2005-11. He played at Valdosta High under Nick Hyder and Mike O’Brien, then played at Georgia Tech and Valdosta State. He also coached at Valdosta State under Maconite Chris Hatcher and David Dean.

          His successor at Thomas County Central is former Jones County head coach Justin Rogers, who officially resigned in early December at Colquitt County.

          Jasper County hasn’t had a winning season 2003 when it went 6-4. The last winning season before that as 8-3 in 1996. Since 1996, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs six times, and last won a region title in 1992, also the last time they won a playoff game.