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DawsonNewscom
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
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Seventh-grader to play in US Aimy Bowl
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
It is not every day that a
Dawson County athlete —
much less a middle
schooler — gets the
chance to represent the
entire state of Georgia at a
competition.
But that’s exactly what
seventh-grade football
player Nate Grizzle
earned the opportunity to
do, as he is traveling to
Frisco, Texas, this week to
represent an all-Georgia
team in the U.S. Army
Bowl Middle School All-
Star Championship.
After working his way
through training camps
around the Atlanta area,
Grizzle was initially
selected to the North Cobb
regional team in late
October before being
placed on the all-state
team following his perfor
mance in a recent scrim
mage game.
Through a combination
of his physical skills and
character traits, he was
chosen as part of an elite
group of young Georgia
athletes who are compet
ing with similarly gifted
players from other states.
“I’m pretty excited
because this is a once in a
lifetime thing to do,”
Grizzle said. “My favorite
part about learning [at
camp] was that I can come
back here to Dawson
County and when the
football season starts, I
will be a whole lot better
of an athlete.”
While at the Atlanta-
area training camps,
Grizzle experienced a
level of intensity from
coaches and fellow ath
letes that helped elevate
his own abilities.
Knowing that he was
surrounded by such an
immense amount of foot
ball experience helped
motivate him to perform
at his very best.
Grizzle noted that the
effort shown by each play
er at the camps was just as
important to the coaches
as the skills shown.
“I had to show them
what I could do and pay
close attention,” Grizzle
said. “Listening was really
important [as well as] hus
tling off the field and not
See Bowl 13B
Dawson County Middle School seventh-grade
football player Nate Grizzle is traveling to Frisco,
Texas, this week to participate in the U.S. Army
Bowl Middle School All-Star championship.
Rio White Dawson County News
BASKETBALL
Girls win, honor
Anglin for first
varsity victory
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
Dawson County’s varsity boys and girls
basketball teams opened their Region 7-3A
slates at home against West Hall on
Tuesday, Dec. 6, with the girls looking to
bounce back after a close loss to East
Jackson and the boys facing an improved
Spartans side.
The Lady Tigers built an early lead
against West Hall en route to a comprehen
sive 64-6 victory.
Early on, Emma Grace McCarron and
Abby Slaton dominated the paint, combin
ing for 18 first-half points.
But the breakout player of the game was
freshman Maddie Siuta, who scored 16
points and made four three-point shots.
Five of the six top varsity award winners stand on stage with their trophies. From left to right: Kade Moledor,
Cade Adams, Christian Webb, Kevin Haymond, Kenny Nelson. (Simeon Welch not present)
Tigers wrap up football season with awards ceremony
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
After a season of success, the
Dawson County football program
capped off the year with an awards cer
emony that recognized contributions
from the varsity, junior varsity and
freshman teams.
Awards were given for a variety of
accomplishments, including perfor
mances from individual games, posi
tional contributions, career achieve
ments and leadership.
The ceremony was started off by
character coach Russell Davis, who
described the team’s overarching identi
ty before introducing two of the night’s
unique awards.
For all the recognition of physical
achievements, two members of the var
sity football team earned awards based
on their character throughout their
careers.
Senior defensive lineman Kevin
Haymond received the Sandy Walls
Award, which “is for a player who dem
onstrates being a team leader on and off
the field, shows exceptional sportsman
ship, and a productive member of the
community.”
Senior wide receiver Doug Pagel won
the George Moser Leadership Award,
named after the late community coach
who helped build character within the
team for many years.
In addition to the awards given for
team contributions, the members of the
varsity team who earned All-Region
recognition were given plaques.
The remainder of the awards are as
follows.
Varsity Team Awards
Golden Helmet Award (Athletic
Career): Cade Adams
Team MVP: Kade Moledor
Offensive Player of the Year: Simeon
Welch
Defensive Player of the Year: Cade
Adams
Athlete of the Year: Christian Webb
Lineman of the Year: Kevin
Haymond
Impact Player of the Year: Kenny
Nelson
Varsity Top Performers: Offense
Most Important Player: Hunter
Casserleigh
Linemen: Briggs Weaver
Backs: Elijah Smith
Wide Receivers: Dom LeBlanc
Varsity Top Performers: Defense
Most Important Player: Tucker Caine
Outside Linebackers: Will Kurtz
Inside Linebackers: Alex Stewart
Secondary: Matt Bennett
Linemen: Colton Schuette
Junior Varsity
JV MVP: Preston Bannister
Offensive Tiger Award: Zach Cruz
Defensive Tiger Award: Luke Smith
Most Improved Offensive Player:
Jacson Rickett
Most Improved Defensive Player:
Elijah Odom
Freshman Team
Freshman MVP: Owen Wooten
Offensive Tiger Award: Jacob Felkai
Defensive Tiger Awards: Hunter
Stroup
Most Improved Offensive Player:
Nathan Martin
Most Improved Defensive Player:
Brody Burks
Varsity Player of the Week
Vs. Jackson County: Alex Stewart
@ Lambert: Will Kurtz
@ North Hall: Matt Bennett
Vs. Stephens County: Matt Bennett
Vs. West Hall: Cade Adams
@ White County: Kade Moledor
Vs. Pickens County: Kade Moledor
@ Wesleyan: Kevin Haymond
Vs. Gilmer County: Kenny Nelson
@ Lumpkin County: Elijah Smith
Vs. Monroe Area: Elijah Smith
See Basketball 13B
Rio White Dawson County News
The LadyTigers stand with head coach
Will Anglin during his recognition for
his first career win as a varsity head
basketball coach.
Player Of The Week!
Maddie
Siuta
The Player of the Week is
Maddie Siuta, who scored
16 points in the girls
basketball teams win over
West Hall.
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