AMERICUS —
After a tremendous senior season playing on both sides of the ball for the Southland Academy Raiders, Andrew Alexander headlined a group of six Southland players that were named to the GISA Region 1-AAA All-Region team, or chosen as Honorable Mention All-Region Selections. Explosive junior running back Dustin Shattles and multitalented tight end/defensive lineman Ford Roach joined Alexander on the Region 1-AAA All-Region team, while junior wide receiver/defensive back Allen Gleeson joined talented offensive linemen Grady Barfield and Lance Harrod as All-Region Honorable Mentions.
Alexander was chosen to the All-Region and GISA All-State teams after excelling on each side of the ball for the Raiders in 2012. Alexander was the Raiders starting fullback, as well as starting defensive lineman and in all of Southland’s games this season he played every snap of the game in many of their contests. Throughout the year, Alexander provided a force at fullback for the Raiders, while also anchoring down the Raider defense as one of their most effective play-makers.
On the offensive side of the ball, he was second on the team in rushing only to Shattles, the team’s starting tailback. In a near-impossible feat for a fullback, Alexander just missed a 1,000 yard season with 930 yards on the ground, including a 6.7 yard per carry average. He also tied Shattles for a team-leading nine rushing touchdowns, and he added one receiving touchdown for 10 total scores.
Alexander was just as much of a force on the defensive side of the ball, leading the Raiders with 82 tackles. He was also second on the team with two tackles-for-loss, and tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles. The senior was second on the defense with two sacks as well, and he added one fumble recovery and one interception to his impressive season totals.
Southland head coach Tim Goodin said that Alexander has certain traits that have transformed him from a good player as a freshman to a phenomenal player as a junior and senior. “Andrew works hard, practices hard, and plays hard, and you can’t ask for much more than that. He played in an All-star game last Saturday and they selected him as a captain, and I think that says a lot about him to go somewhere where everybody there is someone’s best player and they selected him,” said Goodin.
Shattles joined his backfield teammate on the All-Region team after rushing for an incredible 1,119 yards as only a junior for the Raiders. Shattles had numerous highlight reel-quality plays on offense this year with his shifty, misdirection running and blazing speed out of the backfield. Shattles’ most impressive performance of the season came against Sherwood when he rushed for an astonishing 286 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Raiders big win. Altogether, he rushed for over 100 yards in six of the Raiders’ 11 games this season.
Shattles, like Alexander, also made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Raiders, as well as on special teams in 2012. On defense he tallied a team-leading two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and six pass breakups. As the Raiders leading kick returner, Shattles averaged 25.3 yards per kickoff return with 505 yards on 20 returns, and scored a touchdown on a kickoff against Heritage. Shattles also had one punt return this season for the Raiders for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Shattles was very proud of the selection, especially after his close call with the All-Region team last season. “I was an honorable mention last year, so it feels really good to be named All-Region this season.” When asked what he was planning on doing next season at Southland, Shattles was short and to the point. “We want a State Championship.”
Joining his teammates on the All-Region team was Roach, who played offensive line, tight end, and defensive line for the Raiders in 2012. Roach was an intimidating force on the line, and also provided a dangerous receiving threat, especially in the redzone. Roach only caught one pass this season from the tight end position, but it was a huge 10 yard touchdown catch that helped the Raiders knock off the defending state champions, Tattnall Square Academy, to begin the season. Roach saw most of his time at the left tackle position, protecting the blind slide for quarter back Jon Adkins while also plowing holes for the Raiders’ talented running backs.
On defense, Roach had a tremendous year, leading the team in tackles-for-loss, with three, and forced fumbles, with two. Roach added 45 tackles this season, and tied for second on the team with two sacks.
Gleeson, Barfield, and Harrod just missed the All-Region team by being named to the Honorable Mention team for Region 1-AAA. After missing several games with an ankle injury, Gleeson was named Honorable Mention after leading the Raiders in receiving with 312 yards, while center Lance Harrod and right guard Grady Barfield received the honor after paving the way for Shattles, Alexander, and Adkins to pick apart opposing defenses. These three Raiders were instrumental in leading their team to a 5-0 start this season for the first time in several years, and both Harrod and Gleeson will return next season.
“I am happy for these guys, and they all deserve the recognition that they received,” said Goodin. “Those guys were leaders and well deserving of what they got. It’s good to know that we have four of those players returning.”
With the Raiders only graduating six players while returning a wealth of senior talent, Southland will look to Shattles, Roach, Harrod and Gleeson among others to help lead them to not only a Region Title in 2013, but also a State Championship.
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Andrew Alexander (L) was named to the GISA Class AAA All-State Team, and also joined teammates Ford Roach (M) and Dustin Shattles (R) on the GISA Region 1-AAA All-Region team following the 2012 season. Scott Phillips
Alexander named All-State, leads Southland All-Region selections
- Local Sports
-
-
Booker’s individual title leads Lady Wildcats to 2013 State Championship
After winning eight of their nine matches this season and dominating the Area 1 Public meet by 53 strokes over their closest opponent, the Schley County Lady Wildcats golf team achieved their ultimate goal on Monday by winning the GHSA Class A Public State Championship at Highland Walk Golf Course in Royston, Ga.
-
Gahman finishes in top 20 at NCAA Division II National Championships
Georgia Southwestern senior Nate Gahman fired a final round 73 on Wednesday to tie for 19th place overall out of 108 golfers at the three-day NCAA Division II National Championships.
-
Hawkins named All-State, Hanson All-Region for Lady Raiders
Head coach Michael Pepito and the Southland Academy Lady Raiders soccer team received some good news recently when they learned that junior defender Quinn Hanson and sophomore forward Ella Hawkins were named to the GISA Region 3-AAA All-Region team. The good news got even better as the GISA AAA All-State selections were released with Hawkins claiming one of the 18 spots for the top players in the state.
-
Four Hurricanes earn All-PBC academic baseball honors
Georgia Southwestern State University seniors Randall Sheffield, Frank Ambrosino, junior Jarrod Taylor and sophomore Les Cromer have earned 2013 Peach Belt Conference All-Academic baseball honors as recently announced by the conference office. Sheffield was named to the All-Academic Team while Ambrosino, Taylor and Cromer received honorable mentions.
-
Raiders drop two to Mount de Sales to end postseason run
The 2013 Southland Academy Raider baseball team advanced to the second round for the first time in many years after taking down Loganville Christian Academy in the first round of the GISA Class AAA playoffs last week. The Raiders were hoping to keep that run going against Mount de Sales in the quarterfinals this week, but after a big inning cost Southland in game one on Thursday, the Cavaliers of Mount de Sales used a late inning comeback in game two on Saturday to advance to the semifinals and end the Raiders season.
-
Americus-Sumter star athlete Kayla Bowens signs with Albany State
Every signing is a special signing for Americus-Sumter Lady Panther head coach Evelyn Wright. While Wright’s main job is to make her team well-rounded and competitive in GHSA Class AAAA competition, the long-time Lady Panther coach takes great pride when one of her players realizes a dream of playing college basketball. Friday morning’s signing ceremony tugged at the heart strings a little more, however, as Wright watched her granddaughter Kayla Bowens sign her name on the dotted line to continue her basketball career at her grandmother’s alma mater, Albany State University.
-
Cheek, Barnes receive top honors as 11 Wildcats land on All-Region team
The 2013 baseball season was a very successful one for the Schley County Wildcats. The ‘Cats earned the Region 4-A Championship after winning their first nine region contests, and finished the regular season with amazing 18-5 record before falling to Jenkins County in the first round of the GHSA Class A Public state playoffs. The Wildcats Region 4-A opponents took notice, and at the All-Region coaches meeting Schley County head coach Chuck Cheek was named Coach of the Year, and ace pitcher Justin Barnes Pitcher of the Year, as the ‘Cats landed 11 members of their squad on the 2013 All-Region 4-A team.
-
Bolivian president takes on Americus-Sumter in local soccer match
It’s not every day that a local high school gets to take on the president of a country in a pick-up soccer game. For the Americus-Sumter High School Panthers that rare opportunity presented itself on Monday evening at Alton Shell Stadium on the pitch of Americus-Sumter High School’s South Campus as Bolivian President Evo Morales challenged the Panthers to a soccer game.
-
Local businesses help fund new basketball jerseys for Boys and Girls club
Several local businesses partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Americus/Sumter County and the Americus Police Department to buy new uniforms for every member of the organization’s young men’s basketball team recently. The Boys and Girls Club is located at 551 Hosanna Circle.
-
Talented SCPRD track and field team performs well at state finals
The Sumter County Parks and Recreation Department (SCPRD) track and field team dominated their area meet to qualify 40 participants for the state meet at Carrollton High School’s Grisham Stadium last weekend. The SCPRD team followed their stout area showing by performing exceptionally well in the state meet to close out their 2013 season.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
