By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Three former Central Georgia standouts have been elected to the third class of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame.

          Tommy Hart of Ballard-Hudson, Ben Zambiasi of Mount de Sales, and Demaryius Thomas of West Laurens are among the 30-member Class of 2024. They’ll be inducted in a ceremony on Oct. 26 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

          Hart and Zambiasi are in the Macon Sports Hall of Fame, all three are in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Thomas as part of the Legends Class honoring those who died before the process of normal election procedures could start. Thomas died suddenly in 2021.

          Biographical info, courtesy of the Hall of Fame:

          Hart: “1968 Macon News said Hart was Ballard-Hudson’s MVP in 1964 (probably 1963, as Hart graduated in 1964) and played OT/DT ... “Tommy was one of our best players for three years and was also an outstanding student” - Ballard-Hudson head coach Robert Slocum in 1968 ... Three-time all-conference at Morris Brown … 10th-round pick by 49ers out of Morris Brown in 1968 ...

“Played 14 NFL seasons (177 games, 140 starts) from 1968 to 1980 ... Second-team All-Pro for 49ers at DE in 1976, Pro Bowl in 1976 ... Coached 11 seasons in NFL for three Super Bowl championship teams … Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (1993)”

          Zambiasi: “Named first-team linebacker on 20-year all-state team (1966-86) published by AJC in 1987 ... Named GHSF Daily’s Best Player in School History (2017) ... Started on three state championship teams (1970, 1971 Class C; 1973 Class A) ... As a senior, team’s leading tackler, also rushed for 1,131 yards on 171 carries ... Rushed for 145 yards on 26 carries in Class A championship victory over Commerce – outgaining Runt Moon, who finished with 132 on 25 carries ...

“Two-time first-team All-SEC at Georgia (1975, 1976) ... Played 10 seasons in Canadian Football League; won CFL’s Rookie of Year Award (1978) and Defensive Player of the Year Award (1979) ... Canadian Football League Hall of Fame (2004) ... Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (2019).”

            Thomas: “First-team All-State as a senior on a 6-5 Class AA team … 56 receptions for 756 yards, seven touchdowns as a senior on traditionally poor program that had its first winning season in nine years …  32 receptions for 330 yards in 10 games as a junior … Three-star recruit [consensus No. 30 prospect in Georgia, per 247 composite] …

“Played at Georgia Tech; first-team All-ACC and third-team All-American in 2009 … First-round NFL Draft pick … 10-year NFL career … Five Pro Bowl appearances (2012-16) …  Started on two Super Bowl teams, one Super Bowl champion (2015 season) with Denver Broncos … Died at age 33 in 2021 from what doctors believed to be medical complications from 2019 car crash … Inducted posthumously into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2023) and Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame (2023).”