2B Midweek Edition - September 2-3, 2020
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
FOOTBALL 2020: LAKEVIEW ACADEMY LIONS
Sponsored by Northeast Georgia Health System
Lions look for success with Shaw
Lakeview Academy coach Lee Shaw watches players go through drills August 28 in Gainesville.
SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
New Lakeview Academy coach wants to build new tradition after year away from the game
MOUNT PARAN CHRISTIAN
at Darlington
WALKER
TOWNS COUNTY
at Coosa
at Fellowship Christian
KING’S RIDGE CHRISTIAN
MOUNT PISGAH CHRISTIAN
ST. FRANCIS
PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN
BY BILL MURPHY
bmurphy@gainesvilletimes.com
Hiring Lee Shaw as head coach has given
Lakeview Academy’s football program a
shot of adrenaline.
One of the state’s most successful coaches
over the past 15 years, the former Flowery
Branch High coach was tabbed to take over
the Lions’ program March 6, just one year
removed from a seven-year run at Rabun
County. Shaw initially retired after a trip to
the state quarterfinals at Rabun County in
2018, handing off the Wildcats’ program to
his son Jaybo, who was quarterback for his
father at Flowery Branch.
Shaw has guided every team he’s coached
to the postseason since 2005, including a trip
to the state championship game at Flowery
Branch (2008) and Rabun County (2017).
Now the 30-year coaching veteran is look
ing to put in a blueprint for success with
the Gainesville private school, which plays
in the nine-team Region 6-A against King’s
Ridge Christian, St. Francis, Fellowship
Christian and Pinecrest Academy, among
others.
Since starting its football program in 2007,
Lakeview Academy has yet to make the
playoffs.
Shaw doesn’t mind one more rebuilding
project in his career, which also included a
five-year stint as White County’s head coach
from 1995-99.
Lakeview Academy went 2-7 last season
and last experienced a winning mark in
Schedule
■ September 4
■ September 11
■ September 25
■ October 2
■ October 9
■ October 16
■ October 23
■ October 30
■ November 13
■ November 20
2012, when it went 6-2.
“My past has been where I have gravi
tated to those programs that need a boost,”
said Shaw. “There’s still a lot of unknowns
here at Lakeview Academy with no spring
football and no preseason games, but these
kids are hungry for success.”
The new Lakeview Academy coach said
he’ll continue to run a wide-open offense
where he tries to get the ball in his playmak-
ers hands. The Lions will have either senior
Ben Puckett or senior Jesse Whiting, who
transferred from Jackson County, at quarter
back when the season opens against Mount
Paran Christian on Friday in Gainesville.
“This is the same offense I’ve run since
2006 at Flowery Branch,” Shaw said. “But
it’s not just throwing the ball all over the
place.”
Shaw said both will be instrumental in the
offense, regardless of which one wins the
starting quarterback job.
“They’re both really good athletes and
will be part of our entire scheme,” Shaw
said.
At running back, Lakeview Academy will
feature senior Bodie Blackwell, along with
sophomores Landon Hanes and Luke Coo
per. At wide receiver, Sam Perrott, Skyler
Thellman and James Michael Harrison are
going to be the primary targets.
With a roster of only 32 players, Shaw is
getting creative with keeping players well
versed on playing both sides of the ball. On
the line of scrimmage, Christian Haynes
and Parker Allen are ready to play offense
and defense. With some time, Shaw wants to
identify guys up front who he can count on to
specialize on either offense or defense.
Cooper and Haynes will be starting
linebackers.
The Lions should be excited about the
future under Shaw.
Since 2006, the new Lions coach has put
together 11 seasons with at least 10 victories.
To fill out his staff, Shaw has brought in
many of his former players, including for
mer Flowery Branch defensive lineman
Izaaan Cross, who went on to a successful
career at Georgia Tech, as defensive line
Roster
1. Andrew Pope
WR/LB
Jr.
2. Landon Hanes
RB/LB
So.
4. Skyler Thellman
WR/LB
Sr.
5. Conley Millwood
WR/LB
Sr.
6. Sam Perrott
WR/DB
Jr.
7. Luke Cooper
RB/LB
So.
8. Ben Puckett
QB/DB
Sr.
9. Arshaq AN
WR/DB
Sr.
10. Bodie Blackwell
RB/DB
Sr.
11. James Harrison
WR/DB
Sr.
12. Toni Reyes
WR/DB
So.
14. Jesse Whiting
WR/LB
Sr.
15. Bryce Ramsey
K
Fr.
17. Cannon Deringer
WR/DB
Fr.
21. Drew Grabau
WR/LB
Sr.
22. Kastian Haynes
WR/DL
Fr.
23. Roman Yaskulka
RB/LB
Sr.
24. Tyler Peck
WR/DB
Sr.
25. Jacob Davenport
WR/DB
Fr.
32. Griffin Brock
WR/LB
Sr.
50. Jack Williams
OL/DL
Sr.
51. Christian Haynes
OL/DL
Sr.
52. Hunter Allen
OL/DL
Jr.
54. Stuart Daniel
OL/DL
Fr.
60. Liam Plaisted
OL/DL
Fr.
61. Sam Carter
OL/DL
Jr.
65. Thomas Berry
OL/DL
So.
66. Evan Yaskulka
OL/DL
Fr.
70. Hamil Owens
OL/DL
Jr.
71. Tanner Allen
OL/DL
Jr.
75. Charlie Peck
OL/DL
Fr.
77. Parker Allen
OL/DL
Sr.
coach. Offensive line coach Tom Hall and
linebackers coach John Cumiskey both
have head-coaching experience in their
background.
RANDALL ROYS I For The Times
The Gainesville High volleyball team celebrates after winning the Hall County Championship
on Saturday in Gainesville.
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Gainesville wins all five
matches to repeat as the
Hall County champions
Garrish led the way for Lady Red Elephants
The Gainesville High vol
leyball team made a clean
sweep of all five matches to
claim the Hall County Cham
pionship on Saturday.
The Lady Red Elephants
beat Lakeview Academy,
Cherokee Bluff and East
Hall in pool play. In the
semifinals, Gainesville beat
Chestatee (25-14,25-18), then
in championship topped
Lakeview Academy (25-10,
25-10) for the county title.
Isabella Garrish had
91 assists, three aces, five
kills and 24 assists to lead
Gainesville, while Caroline
Reisman had four aces, 19
assists and 16 digs. Also for
the Lady Red Elephants,
Ansley Turner had a pair
of aces with 37 kills and 29
digs. Lauren Ware chipped
in three aces, 23 kills and 20
digs for Gainesville.
Compiled by Bill Murphy
complete orthopedic &c sports medicine
(just yards away)
nghs.com/complete-ortho I 770-609-1580
Northeast Georgia Medical Center
