HS notebook: Washington from Mount de Sales to ACE; still no sign of Zavion Hardy; GHSA decides on Mary Persons-Northeast

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

 

          Fernando Washington began his senior season at Mount de Sales as one of the top players in Bibb County and in the GIAA (formerly GISA).

          Taking over at quarterback last year because of an injury, he ran for 1,375 yards and 18 touchdowns and helped the Cavaliers to the GHSA Class A Private playoffs.

          And through two games this year, Washington had 440 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns for the 2-0 Cavs, completing 13 of 23 passes for 201 yards.

          But he won’t finish his senior year where he started it, after being allowed to withdraw without penalty from Mount de Sales last week. Speculation immediately began that he was already set up to join a familiar face across town, and speculation proved to be reality.

          Washington was at practice at ACE on Monday with head coach Keith Hatcher, who coached Washington for three seasons at Mount de Sales.

          “I got a call from Fernando's family Thursday evening alerting me that they will be withdrawing from Mount de Sales,” Hatcher said. “They applied to come to school at ACE, because they live in the ACE/Howard school district.

          “I have a history with Fernando and the family, I welcomed them to come and apply to ACE.”

          It’s a notable addition, and not just a normal transfer, because of ACE’s status as a state charter school with a state-organized admissions process that’s based on applications and a lottery.

          Admission to state charter schools is based on a blind lottery. The enrollment for this school year was set with a February lottery, and the application process for next year is in January with the lottery to follow.

          There is a waitlist for all grades, 1-12, except currently for kindergarten. The only prioritization for enrollment outside of the lottery is for a current student’s sibling, or the child of a teacher or governing board member, as per state rules.

          Hatcher said that the senior class is not at its capacity of 140 students, and there was no waitlist, so the school was able to accept Washington. Had the class been full, Washington would have had to look elsewhere or get on any waitlist.

          Washington’s other option was his natural public school zone, Howard. The relationship with Hatcher made the move to ACE a natural.

          ACE’s baseball team may benefit as well, because Washington is among the better multi-sport athletes in Central Georgia.

          The Class AA Gryphons are the area’s surprise team so far at 3-0, albeit against Class A competition that is currently 2-8. ACE already has a quality back in Aaron Davis. The 5-10, 175-pound has 553 yards and eight touchdowns through three games.

          Washington is also a standout linebacker, who will help an improving defense.

Hardy apparently still not enrolled

          South Carolina fans flooded Zavion Hardy’s Twitter feed on the night of August 21.

          That Sunday, Hardy announced on Twitter his commitment to South Carolina.

          Assorted websites and newspapers wrote about the decision, which was a simple ““Gamecock Nation let’s ride ... 1000% committed.”

          It drew 160 comments, nearly 2,400 likes, and almost 44,000 views.

          But it appears Hardy’s senior football season and senior year of high school has yet to begin.

          Hardy advised Tattnall coaches early in the second semester of the last academic year that he was going to transfer. Near the end of the school year and in early summer, his Twitter feed had several Jones County posts.

          By the end of July, almost all of those were gone, and his Twitter feed pretty quiet.

          His Twitter profile header still doesn’t list a high school, and he has posted nothing on the start of what was going to be his senior season at Tattnall.

          The Trojans have played three games, and host GHSA Class A Bowdon this week.

          Media who cover recruiting talk to and communicate with prospects constantly. Yet none have noticed the lack of anything on this season from Hardy on social media, nor that he has no high school listed.

          It doesn’t appear that he has been interviewed since his announcement.

          Hardy’s absence was first reported by The Sports Report on Aug. 18.

          His 6-5, 270-pound frame and displays of athleticism in two seasons at Tattnall led to a surprising rise on the recruiting ratings chart, and he sits as a four-star.

          Many such websites list him as a two-way player, also at tight end, but that’s a stretch, because he was nowhere near “playing both ways” at Tattnall. He recorded no catches in 2021, one in 2020 and lined up at tight end less than 20 times in two seasons.

          As the fourth week of the season starts, Hardy is not at Tattnall, nor Jones County, Warner Robins, or Central Fellowship, other schools he was speculated to have somehow landed.

          At issue, according to sources, are fees to be paid before the release of his transcript. He is ineligible to transfer to another GIAA school.

GHSA rules on Northeast-Mary Persons

          Around midnight after lightning and weather delays in the nightcap of the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic, Mary Persons head coach Brian Nelson and Northeast head coach Jeremy Wiggins stood with game and club officials and debated.

          Nelson was interested in staying as long as possible to finish the game, but the majority felt staying through the night – the weather wasn’t very cooperative once the sun set – was ill-advised.

          The prime scenario discussed was that the teams could finish the game – stopped three minutes into the third quarter with Mary Persons up 14-12 – on Monday, Oct. 3.

          Northeast hosts Kendrick – which has won four games since 2016 – that Friday, and Mary Persons is off.

          GHSA associate director Kevin Giddens, who oversees football, said Wednesday that ideally under such circumstances, teams will leave the site of a suspended game with a makeup date in place.

          He was in contact on the night of the game with officials from both schools, and said that wasn’t the case in this situation, the game being suspended after midnight.

          Nelson said last week that attempts to communicate with Northeast regarding the situation were unsuccessful, and then the GHSA moved in more than a week later.

          “It was not addressed in a timely manner,” Giddens said. “And that’s what I had asked for.”

          As per the GHSA Constitution: “In case of a game being terminated in the first half (suspended game), By-Law 2.93-c must be followed.

          “NOTE: All varsity football games must be played to completion. Any interrupted game must be replayed from the point of interruption. The school that is behind in the score may choose not to continue the game and the score will be recorded as it was at the point of interruption.

          “NOTE: Teams will not be allowed to play two football games in the same week, except when making up a suspended game with the permission of the Executive Director.”

          The football-related part of By-law 2.93-C reads: “All scheduled GHSA varsity football games that have been either interrupted or postponed must be played to completion. Schools must decide when completion will take place in a timely manner. The team behind in the score of an interrupted game has the option not to complete the game and the score will be recorded as it was at the point of interruption.”

          It’s become a bit of a mixed bag regarding communication attempts.

          The Monroe County Reporter noted on Aug. 31 that the game was called “after attempts by both coach Brian Nelson and the GHSA to reach Northeast coaches to set a date to finish the game were unsuccessful. The GHSA’s associate director over football, Kevin Giddens, declared MP the winner since the Raiders did not respond in a timely manner.”

          Giddens said simply that the situation hadn’t been addressed in a timely manner, as per the GHSA’s constitution.

          Nelson said he wanted to stay as long as possible to finish the game, but soon after, into the new week, he had moved on and was more interested in focusing on the rest of the season. He said he told Giddens to do what was necessary to close the books on the case, and if that meant a Mary Persons loss, so be it.

          The result has no impact on either team’s season or region play or playoff potential.

          The scheduling concerns for Mary Persons are stronger than those for Northeast to squeeze in almost a half of play to start a week.

          Mary Persons’ three games – in three weeks – leading up to that initial target date of Oct. 3 are Haralson County, Columbus, and Prince Avenue Christian. Class AA Haralson County went 10-2 last year, and is 1-1. Class AAA Columbus is 1-2 after going 4-6 last year, and Prince Avenue Christian is the No. 1 team in Class A/I, and is one of the state’s top overall programs.

          Region 2-AAA play begins after that off week, and the Bulldogs open with rival Jackson.

          Northeast’s three games beforehand are ACE, Southwest, and Central. ACE is in its sixth year of competition, and Southwest and Central are a combined 0-5, being outscored by 33 and 27 points a game, respectively.

          Plus, the Bulldogs are likely to be in a battle for seeding in Region 2-AAA while the Raiders are a very strong favorite to roll in a not-as-strong Region 2-AA. Last year, the other Region 2-AA teams – some in other regions and classifications – finished a combined 11-54.