Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 14, 2023Comment

Sunday's Report: HS playoffs, Devin Butts' service, Tattnall soccer, Mercer; Braves, Falcons, UGA, United; MLB, NBA, NFL, gambling, NASCAR, golf, colleges, NHL

Central Georgia Sports ReportMay 14, 2023Comment

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Around/about Central Georgia

Friends, family, teammates memorialize Butts

Those who coached him and played with him were joined by friends and family as well as those with no real connection Saturday in a memorial service for Devin Butts.

Video tribute
Full obituary

Stratford’s gym was about three-fourths full for ceremony of about two hours that was followed by burial at Macon Memorial Park Cemetery on Mercer University Drive.

Butts died on May 5, five days after collapsing on a basketball court at North Carolina Central, where he was preparing to graduate this month and play one more season, in 2023-24.

Pallbearers Austin Smith, Kylan Hill, Tyler Jordan, Kendall Greene, Steven Greene, and former Mary Persons standout Cam Holden each spoke during the service.

A travel party of nearly 30 from the North Carolina Central basketball program and athletics department made a bus trip from Raleigh, N.C. for the service. Longtime head coach LeVelle Moton spoke, fighting emotions when discussing the connection between his 10-year-old son and Butts, as well as some friends and family.

Most of Butts teammates from his final seasons at Stratford, as well as former Eagles O’Showen Williams and Quintez Cephus, attended, as did former AAU teammates, and even some area high school basketball officials.

At the end of the service, North Carolina Central officials presented the Butts family with his jersey.

Favored St. Anne-Pacelli downs Tattnall with strong second half

For a half, it didn’t seem like the top seed was facing the sixth seed, with Tattnall battling St. Anne-Pacelli to a 1-all tie in the GIAA boys soccer state championship at Mercer’s Betts Stadium.

The second half was a little different.

St. Anne-Pacelli took the lead when a shot that appeared to be blocked actually rolled into the net, and the Vikings went on to a 4-1 win over the Trojans, in their first boys state soccer championship.

A nice header from Kirvin Driver off a pass from Slaton Berkner tied it up for Tattnall in the first half. But the favored Vikings were able to keep the Trojans at bay in the second half.

BSB-Mercer powers past Wofford

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