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WE HAVE IT COVERED IF IT'S PLAYED
tReporter
1C
February 9, 2022
SPORTS
CALENDAR
Wednesday,
February 9
Girls Middle School
Soccer vs. Henderson
Middle School
5 pm I Banks Stephens
Middle
Girls JV Soccer at
Griffin High School
5:30 pm I Griffin High
Boys Middle School
Soccer vs. Henderson
Middle School
6:1 5 pm I Banks Ste
phens Middle
Boys JV Soccer at
Griffin High School
JV 7:00 pm
Friday,
February 11
Girls Varsity Soccer at
Perry High School
5:30 pm I Perry High
Boys Varsity Soccer at
Perry High School
7:30 pm I Perry High
_ady Dogs make playoffs for first time in 7 years in turnaround season
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
The Mary Persons girls
secured their first trip to the
state playoffs in seven years
Tuesday by upsetting Crisp
County 45-43 in Round 2 of
the region tournament.
With the win the Lady
Dogs (15-12,5-9 region)
celebrated an amazing turn
around for a program mired
in defeat the past six season.
After going to the state Final
Four in 2014-15, the Lady
Dogs had won just four re
gion games total in the past
six seasons. MP had won
only 11 games in the last five
years. But on Tuesday, MP
won their sixth region game
of the year and their 15th
overall. And they earned a
berth back in the playoffs for
the first time since that Final
Four year when star guard
Keke Calloway was a senior.
“Were celebrating,” said
MP coach Lamon McEl-
haney.
MP beat a Crisp County
team that had swept them in
the regular season. MP lost
to Crisp 58-54 on Jan. 20
and lost 45-40 to the Cou
gars on Dec. 7.
If they hope to win the
region tournament, the Lady
Dogs will have to upset an
other team that swept them
during the regular season.
The Lady Dogs will likely
face top seed Americus-
Sumter in the region tourna
ment semifinals at 7 pm. on
Thursday in Americus.
The Lady Dogs earned
the No. 5 seed in the Region
2-AAA tournament on
Tuesday, Feb. 1 by beating
Jackson 48-31, sweeping
the Red Devils on the year.
Junior Jamiya Zellner led the
Lady Dogs with 11 points.
Samiye Morris and Anaja
Lucear had 8 apiece, with
Morris going a perfect 4 of 4
from the foul line. Meredith
LaVinka added 6, Quanesha
Brown and Miah Barkley
had 4 apiece and Zaria Wil
son had 3. TT Brown and
Jataria Hardy had 2 apiece.
On the glass, Hardy led with
5 rebounds and Brown had
4.
MP built a big lead over the
first three quarters 44-23, but
the Lady Devils outscored
MP 8-4 in the fourth quarter
to give the Lady Dogs the
17-point win.
Coach McElhaney said it
was a good one.
“It was a good game for the
girls, our 1st complete game
in awhile,” said McElhaney.
“We shot the ball well as a
team and defensively we
looked like the team I know
we are and have been a lot of
the season.”
McElhaney said the win
secured MP the No. 5 spot
going into the region tour
ney, “which was huge,” he
added.
The Lady Dogs closed their
regular season by losing to
region-leader Americus-
Sumter 52-32 on Friday, Feb.
4. MP had lost much more
narrowly the first time the
teams met, falling 41-38 on
Jan. 11.
Anaja Lucear had 12.
Quanesah Brown had 5.
Miah Barkley and Baldwin-
Toles had 4. Lucear led with
10 boards
Lady Panthers won their
12th straight and improved
to 19-6,14-0 in region.
MP actually led 13-8 after
the first quarter. But Sumter
took lead at the half24-20.
MP trailed just 34-28 after
the third, but Sumter explod
ed to win the fourth quarter
by an 18-4 margin to secure
a 20-point win.
They pulled away from
us in the 4th quarter,” said
McElhaney. “They slowed
the game down and made us
come after them. Which is
never a good thing in sports
when teams make you do
something you don’t want
to do. We just need to stay in
the game to give us a better
chance agains a good sea
soned team like Sumter.”
Starr, Germany sign
Austin Starr follows in his father’s footsteps
Senior Mary Persons offensive lineman
Austin Starr signed his letter of intent
to play football at Wingate University in
Monroe, N.C. last Wednesday, Feb. 2,
National Singing Day.
“It feels great to know I’m gonna contin
ue my football career,” Austin told the Re
porter. “It’s good to see years of hard work
and dedication paying off. I’m excited.”
Starr was a leader of an offensive line that
cleared the way to allow sophomore run
ning back Duke Watson to a new single
season rushing record of 1,700 yards at
Mary Persons in 2021.
The son of Stan and Lori Starr, Austin
follows in the footsteps of his father who
played for Mary Persons and then for
Middle Georgia College.
Stan Starr said he’s very proud of his son.
“He’s worked really hard to get where he
is right nowf said Starr. “We’re super proud
of him.”
Wingate is a four-year private university
where several MP players have had suc
cess. Wide receiver JT Stokes caught a lot
of cases for the Bulldogs and later was on
staff as a graduate assistant.
Stan Starr said he’s sure the family will be
at Wingate a good bit in the fall.
MP coach Brian Nelson said Starr, as a
3-year starter, has been one of the pillars
of the program. While the Bulldogs had
tougher-than-usual seasons in 2019 and
2020, Nelson said Starr and the seniors
were able to enjoy more success their
senior year.
“This year they started building it back
up to where it needs to be,” said Nelson.
“They left it in a better place than where
they found it.”
Nelson said Starr has been a pillar for the
program, and said Wingate is a good fit
for Starr. The school has already had some
successful MP graduates.
“They really appreciate the kids who play
at Mary Persons,” said Nelson.
Nelson said with the transfer portal and
the NCAA giving players an extra year of
eligibility due to COVID, it’s harder for this
year’s seniors to get college offers.
“It will probably will hurt the class of
2023 and 2024 too,” said Nelson. “Just to
find a place that’s willing to take you is a
big win, moreso this year than any other
year.”
Nobody covers MP
like the Reporter
with Wingate, GMC
Germany reaches dream of playing college ball
Senior Mary Persons offensive lineman
Jarvis Germany signed his letter of intent
to play football at Georgia Military College
in Milledgeville last Wednesday, Feb. 2,
National Singing Day.
The son of Freddie Germany and Shonda
Blackman, Germany was a linchpin of an
offensive line that cleared the way to allow
sophomore running back Duke Watson
to a new single-season rushing record of
1,700 yards at Mary Persons in 2021.
“I’ve been working for this since ninth
grade,” said Jarvis Germany. “Since the first
time I stepped on the field, I’ve wanted to
play college football.”
While GMC is a junior college, Germany
said he hopes to eventually wind up at
a Division 1 school just like former MP
star Peppi Zellner, who went to GMC and
wound up at UGA.
Germany follows in the footsteps of his
father, Freddie, who played college football
at Fort Valley State University.
“I’m so proud of him,” said Freddie Ger
many. “He always talked about growing up
playing college football. He’s following his
dreams.”
Freddie Germany played fullback in
college. Despite the father and son playing
different positions, Freddie noted he and
his son both had the same jobs.
“We both want to move the lineback
ers and defensive lineman out of the way’
laughed Freddie Germany.
While the Bulldogs had tougher-than-
usual seasons in 2019 and 2020, Nelson
said Germany and the seniors were able to
enjoy more success their senior year.
“This year they started building it back
up to where it needs to be,” said Nelson.
“They left it in a better place than where
they found it.”
Nelson said with the transfer portal and
the NCAA giving players an extra year of
eligibility due to COVID, it’s harder for this
year’s seniors to get college offers.
“It will probably will hurt the class of
2023 and 2024 too,” said Nelson. “Just to
find a place that’s willing to take you is a
big win, moreso this year than any other
year.”
Maury Lowe
17 points, 5 rebounds and
4 steals in Region Tournament
win over Jackson
MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
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