Apalachee High School Football Player Favian Williford Named ITG Next’s October 2024 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month
Apalachee High School two-sport athlete Favian Williford is ITG Next’s October 2024 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
He was one of four nominees considered for the award.
Williford, a senior, currently plays running back and cornerback on defense for Apalachee’s football team. He also returns punts and kicks for the Wildcats, and as a four-year member of the squad, he has lined up at safety and defensive end.
Williford’s performance with the Wildcats over a four-game stretch earlier this season earned him consideration for the award, but he has played in a total of six games so far in 2024.
In those first four games, Williford had 758 yards rushing with seven touchdowns, averaging 189 yards rushing per game and just under two touchdowns per game.
Through six games, he collected a total of 807 yards rushing on 113 carries, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
Williford also has 182 yards on seven kickoff returns, one of which was returned 91 yards for a touchdown, giving him a total of eight touchdowns. He has averaged 26 yards per kick return.
In addition to his football duties, Williford has also been a member of the Apalachee track team for the last three years.
As good as his performance on the gridiron has been, he’s arguably been better running track. He participates in the 100-meter dash, the 200, the 4×100-meter relay, and the 4×200 relay. Williford actually runs the last leg for both relay teams, which is typically reserved for what many consider to be the strongest member of the four-man team.
Apalachee’s boys 4×100 relay team broke the school record last year and advanced to the state semifinals held in Rome, Georgia.
Apalachee High School was the scene of a mass shooting earlier this year on Sept. 4. The event made national and worldwide headlines. Two students and two teachers died as a result of the attack, and nine others were injured. One of those killed was math teacher and assistant football coach Richard Aspinwall.
Although Apalachee High School administration decided to postpone all football-related activities for several weeks following the shooting, Williford spoke about how returning to football helped him and his teammates start to heal from the events of that day and gave them a way to pay tribute to Aspinwall.
“Football has been my coping mechanism since the tragedy that struck our school,” Williford said. “It was important that we return to the field as a team to heal and to finish the season in honor of Coach Aspinwall.
“I am proud to be a Wildcat, and it will forever be Chee Nation.”
Williford said his goal following high school is to play college football. He also wants to major in veterinary science and become a vet who specializes in big game animals and travels around the world.
Congratulations to Apalachee High School two-sport athlete Favian Williford, ITG Next’s October 2024 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
