TIFTON — Coaches, players, family and friends came together Saturday night at Tift County High School to see the 2019 class of the Tift County Athletic Hall of Fame inducted.

Tommy Seward, Regiena Brown, Israel Troupe, Brian Massingill, Worth Bowers, Katie Utley, Eric Taylor, Becky Thomas Austin, the 2014 boys basketball team and the 2011 and 2012 gymnastics teams were celebrated. The Meritorious Service Award went to Jim Clayton.

Chris Beckham emceed the ceremony, giving details on each individual’s or team’s merits.

Seward coached baseball and football at Tift County High. He won region championships in the former and, before taking over as head coach, was on staff on Gene Brodie’s 1983 state championship Blue Devils football team.

Seward described his teams as a “band of brothers dedicated to excellence.”

Brown wondered aloud during her speech “How did I make it to the Hall of Fame?” Brown scored more than 1,000 points as a Lady Devil on the basketball court. She averaged 22 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks per game as a senior and earned a scholarship to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

She thanked her parents, coaches and teammates during her speech. John O’Brien, her head basketball coach, “Was always there for me,” she said. “He never let me down.”

Troupe is currently coaching football at Valwood. No matter where he is, he said, “I’m always a Blue Devil.”

Troupe was a baseball and football standout for Tift. The Colorado Rockies drafted him 2006 for baseball and he signed with the University of Georgia for football. He said he would not be here without his teammates, adding that his coaches inspired to be a coach today.

Massingill was the starting quarterback for the 1983 state football championship team at Tift. He played baseball as well before playing collegiately at the University of Florida.

After going to the podium, Massingill said he would give everyone a minute to check the Georgia football score (Georgia and Kentucky were tied 0-0 at halftime). He said he was surprised by news of his inclusion in the Hall of Fame. His time on the high school athletic fields were “an awesome experience back in those days.”

It was perhaps appropriate that Bowers followed Massingill. Bowers came the closest of any subsequent Tift quarterbacks of winning state; he was the signal-caller on the 1997 squad that made it to the finals.

When not playing football, Bowers excelled on the golf course and was part of three state championship teams in that sport. Now a doctor in Valdosta, Bowers thanked his parents. “With them, it started in the classroom,” he said.

“Thanks for the honor,” said Bowers. “Go Big Blue!”

Utley took Tift to new heights, literally. She won three state pole vault championships and set a record by clearing 12’9”. She thanked family and coaches, especially Charlie Polhamus.

Taylor took the 119-pound state wrestling championship in 1990. He sported a 36-0 record that season and a mark of 101-11 for his high school career. He thanked Brodie for seeing something in him as a wrestler and sending him to camp. He said he changed there and began “Kickin’ tail and taking numbers.”

“What I put that singlet on, I became a superhero,” siad Taylor.

Thomas, who was half of a tennis doubles state championship, was unable to attend Friday’s Hall of Fame game or Saturday’s ceremony. She currently lives in California and her son had his own homecoming celebration there. Thomas was also an outstanding basketball player for the then-Tift County Angels.

Head coach Jodi Roberts spoke for the 2011 and 2012 state championship gymnastics teams.

It was “a super honor to win back-to-back championships,” she said. Roberts considered it an honor to work with the athletes and with the Bergeron family, who provided training facilities. She admitted that at one championship, they had no idea they won it until final scores were announces.

Members of the 2011 team were Kate Anderson, Libby Barbour, Abby Bergeron, Katelyn Brower, Tori Cavanaugh, Courtney Coleman, Jayde Coward, Amber Cromer, Carlee Dixon, Alyssa Griffin, Tori Jordan, Tatum Lamb, Ashley McLeod, Beth Roberts, Emilee Roberts and Brooke Youngblood. The 2012 squad consisted of Anders, Barbour, Katie Bennett, Brower, Cavanaugh, Coleman, Cowart, Griffin, Lamb, Bryanna McInvale, McLeod, Beth Roberts and Amber Watson. Jodi Roberts was assisted by Lynn Cowart.

Chris Wade accepted for the 2014 boys basketball team, which won Tift’s second state championship in that sport. He was assistant coach on that squad and later spent two seasons as Tift’s head coach.

Wade said that no one appreciates the teams they are part of “until you’re not part of them.” The seniors on that team knew how to prepare, said Wade. Few players were present from the 2014 squad. Most are still in college. Half the roster earned scholarships in football or basketball.

Members of the 2014 championship squad were D.J. Bryant, Rashawn Canady, Chris Davis, Quay Fergerson, Preston Horne, Tadric Jackson, Tyrie Jackson, Micah Johnson, Jalen Lewis, Fred Lloyd, Stefan Mills, Hayden Mullinax, Charlie Reinhardt, Ladarius Stewart, Nate Thomas, Steven Waters, Mondo West and Deion White.

Dr. Eric Holland was head coach of the team, assisted by Wade, the late Anthony Bateman and Xavier Holmes on the high school squad and Dallas Neloms, Isaac Alford and Anthony Dennard at the middle school level.

The Meritorious Service Award wrapped up the evening. Jay Prince accepted for Clayton, who died in 2017. Clayton was most notably the “Voice of the Blue Devils,” serving as the football team’s press announcer for 40 years. He coached tennis teams to numerous region championships as well.

“Jim would be extremely honored tonight,” said Prince.

A meal in the TCHS commons preceded the induction ceremony. Bobby Simpson opened the evening with a prayer. Johnny Spurlin welcomed guests. Darrien Teals also spoke. This was the sixth annual ceremony.

Note: The Tifton Gazette is planning a longer article on the Hall of Fame ceremony with more photographs for an upcoming edition of the Tifton Scene magazine.