Macon Touchdown Club welcomes Kirby Smart, honors state and Central Georgia players and coaches

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          It’ll be football weather Monday evening when Kirby Smart touches down to speak a the Macon Touchdown Club’s annual year-end jamboree (come back for coverage of his speech).

          Part of the festivities at the Methodist Home for Children and Youth includes honoring players and coaches from around the state as well as Bibb County.

          Central Georgia has four players among seven statewide underclassmen honored.

          Northside defensive back Ricardo Jones, Jones County wideout Zion Ragins, Baldwin’s Micah Welch, and FPD quarterback Jakhari Williams are among the junior statewide honorees.

          Jones is a power-5 prospect and first-team All-Region defensive pick in Region 1-6A and first-team All-State by the Georgia High School Football Daily (GHSFD).

          Ragins was first-team in 2-5A. Welch was the 2-4A Offensive Player of the year and GHSFD All-State pick.

          Williams was an All-State pick in Class AAAA in the GIAA. And J.T Wall of John Milledge is the state coach of the year after the Trojans again went undefeated and won a GIAA state title (in Class AAA).

          A trio of playmakers are the local honorees.

          Northeast’s Nick Woodford led the state in rushing – all classes – for the regular season with 2,262 yards, plus 34 regular-season touchdowns, earning GHSFD All-State as well as Region 2-AA player of the year. He finished second for the season, 170 yards behind Germivy Tucker of Johnson County (MaxPreps stats).

          Johnny Williams IV, now at West Virginia, was one of Woodford’s main blockers, also earning All-State honors.

          Tattnall’s Brayden Smith was one of the most versatile players in Central Georgia as a receiver and special teams standout. Jake Walls of Central Fellowship is the top local coach after a perfect season and GIAA state title.

State honorees

LB Qua Birdsong, Troup County
S Noah Dixon, Troup County
S Ricardo Jones, Northside
WR Zion Ragins, Jones County
RB Micah Welch, Baldwin
QB Jakhari Williams, FPD

Elmo A Richardson Georgia Player of the Year

QB Jake Merklinger, Calvary Day

Bobby Pope State Coach of the Year

J.T. Wall - John Milledge

Central Georgia honorees
OrthoGeorgia Back of the Year

RB Nick Woodford, Northeast

OrthoGeorgia / Bill Turner Lineman of the Year

OL Johnny Williams IV, Northeast

OrthoGeorgia Special Teams Player of the Year

WR/KR Brayden Smith, Tattnall

Marvin Davis Central Georgia Coach of the Year

Jake Walls, Central Fellowship

Bobby Gene Sanders Memorial Scholarship Recipients

William Cowart - Mount de Sales
Cal Hatcher - Stratford
Cole Hetes - FPD
Logan Hickman - Mary Persons
Andrew Miles Jones - Jones County

Special Recognition

Coach Greg Moore - FPD