Hundreds Gather to Recognize Top Players from 2022 Season

Valdosta’s Rainwater Conference Center was the site for the ITG Next 2022 South Georgia High School Football Banquet, presented by Georgia Sports Medicine. The top offensive and defensive players from 36 Georgia high schools were recognized for their efforts this season. In addition to those 72 players, there were 10 overall, or main, award winners. These were chosen by the ITG Next staff and included the overall top offensive and defensive players of the year.

Lee County standout sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah was chosen as our Colony Bank Offensive Player of the Year, while Valdosta High junior defensive lineman Omar White took home the award for Valdosta Toyota Defensive Player of the Year.

The Farah & Farah Forward Progress Award, given to the player who showed the most improvement, went to Clinch County senior Patrick Kimple, who played organized football for the first time this season. Kimple is also his class valedictorian.

The ITG Next 12th Man Award, which goes to the fan who shows unwavering support for their team, went to Mark and Connie Mitchell of Bainbridge. The husband-wife duo was nominated by Bainbridge head football coach Jeff Littleton.

Baker’s Sports Special Teams Player of the Year honors went to Colquitt County kicker Brett Fitzgerald, the latest member of the Fitzgerald family of kickers. His grandfather and father both kicked for the Packers, as did older brother Ryan Fitzgerald, who currently kicks for Florida State University.

The Wolfson Children’s Hospital Middle School Player of the Year award went to two deserving middle school players, with each recognized as Co-Middle School Player of the Year. They were Stratford Academy standout lineman Thomas Gregory and Newbern Middle School running back Deron Foster.

The Preferred Rental Company Community Involvement Award goes to the player who gives of himself to various community groups, clubs, and organizations. Lowndes senior Ronnie Davis, who was described as one of the hardest-working players on the field and in his community, was this year’s recipient.

The TOC Scholar Athlete Award goes to a player who excels in the classroom as well as between the lines. Thomas County Central’s Sam Brown won this year’s award after leading his team to the Class 4A state semifinals while maintaining a 5.6 GPA.

The event’s keynote speaker was Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell, who delivered a stirring and motivational talk. The third-year Seminoles coach spoke for approximately 30 minutes, directing the majority of his comments to the impressionable student-athletes in attendance.

Norvell was the latest in what has become an impressive list of coaches and former players who have served as the banquet’s keynote speakers.

Mark Dykes, ITG Next’s founder and the man who had the idea to create an event where high school players and coaches could come together to honor the game’s top achievers, recalled a few of the coaches and players who have served as speakers at past banquets.

“We have had Mark Richt, Bobby Bowden, Vince Dooley, D.J. Jones, [former San Francisco 49ers lineman and Super Bowl champion] Steve Wallace, Kirby Smart, Mark Stoops, and two years ago Nick Saban,” Dykes said.

Former Valdosta High, University of Georgia, and New England Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, also a Super Bowl champion, spoke at last year’s banquet.

Dykes remembers the ITG Next Football Banquet’s humble beginnings.

“Our first banquet was held in 2008 and had around 150 guests with 15 schools,” Dykes said. “It has grown each year, with 450 guests and 36 schools attending this year. Many players who have been recognized at our banquet have gone on to play at major college programs and have been drafted to play in the NFL.”

The ITG Next South Georgia Football Banquet is possible through the support of sponsors like Dr. Kevin Collins, a renowned sports medicine surgeon who is board certified in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Collins works with the Hughston Clinic and has served as team doctor with Valdosta State University for the last 16 years and with the Colquitt County Packers since 2011.

“The ITG Next South Georgia Football Banquet is the culminating event where we come together to honor all the teams from our area and to recognize their outstanding players and coaches,” Dr. Collins said. “We celebrate their achievements and are able to put faces with all of the names that we hear about on Friday nights. This banquet highlights the importance of organized sports for our student-athletes, and that’s one reason why we at the Hughston Clinic have supported the event since its inception.”

Dean Fabrizio, the head football coach at Lee County who led his team to back-to-back state championships in 2017 and 2018, said: “The ITG Next Football Banquet was once again a great event. It is always a very special night for all of these players to be recognized for their accomplishments. ITG Next continues to be a big part of what makes high school football so special in Georgia.”

 

Major Awards

Hughston Clinic Coach of the Year
Sean Calhoun, Colquitt County High School

Colony Bank Offensive Player of the Year
Ousmane Kromah, Lee County High School

Valdosta Toyota Defensive Player of the Year
Omar White, Valdosta High School

Baker’s Sports Special Teams Player of the Year
Brett Fitzgerald, Colquitt County High School 

Wolfson Children’s Hospital Co-Middle School Player of the Year
Thomas Gregory, Stratford Academy

Wolfson Children’s Hospital Co-Middle School Player of the Year
Deron Foster, Valdosta Middle School

TOC Scholar Athlete of the Year
Samuel Brown, Thomas County Central High School

Farah & Farah Forward Progress Award
Patrick Kimple, Clinch County High School

Preferred Rental Company Community Involvement Award
Ronnie Davis, Lowndes High School

ITG Next 12th Man Award
Mark & Connie Mitchell, Bainbridge High School 

 

Team Awards

Bainbridge High School
Offense: Bo Smith
Defense: Dontavious Broadnax

Berrien High School
Presented by: Bonny Carreker
Offense: Josiah Davis
Defense: Jeremiah Tillman

Brantley County High School
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: Kellon Middleton
Defense: Mason Thomas

Brooks County High School
Presented by: Vereen Sports Medicine
Offense: Jamal Sanders
Defense: Kamari Blankumsee

Brookwood School
Offense: Rodge Waldrop
Defense: TJ Thomas

Brunswick High School
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: Terry Mitchell
Defense: Ivan Johnson

Cairo High School
Presented by: Ross Advisory Group
Offense: Braylon Robinson
Defense: Fabian Yarbrough

Camden County High School
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: Jaden Dailey
Defense: Jake Lindsey

Clinch County High School
Presented by: Farmers and Merchants Bank
Offense: Keegan Clayton
Defense: Marvin Gainey

Coffee High School
Presented by: Woody Folsom Auto Group
Offense: Mason Roberts
Defense: Larry Daniel

Colquitt County High School
Presented by: Vereen Sports Medicine
Offense: Neko Fann
Defense: Nick Pace

Cook High School
Presented by: Adel Dental Associates
Offense: Keshun Mckever
Defense: Jakori Jones

Crisp Academy
Presented by: Crisp Regional
Offense: Alex Taylor
Defense: Luke Worley

Crisp County High School
Presented by: Crisp Regional
Offense: Trae Walker
Defense: Julian Fox

Dooly County High School
Presented by: Crisp Regional
Offense: Lorenzo Clayton
Defense: John Brown

Dougherty Comprehensive High School
Offense: Kameron Davis
Defense: Stantavious Smith

Fitzgerald High School
Presented by: Woody Folsom Auto Group
Offense: Sylon Davis
Defense: Daniel James

Frederica Academy
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: Jordan Triplett
Defense: Hamp Thompson

Glynn Academy
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: Tyler Devlin
Defense: John McCleod

Houston County High School
Offense: Kylen House
Defense: Brandon Walden

Irwin County High School
Presented by: Woody Folsom Auto Group
Offense: Cody Soliday
Defense: Kyhlon “Bo” Payne

Lanier County High School
Presented by: Farmers and Merchants Bank
Offense: Jaylon Calhoun
Defense: Jamir Glenn

Lee County High School
Presented by: Lee County Touchdown Club
Offense: Ousmane Kromah
Defense: Temirez Williams Jr.

Lowndes High School
Presented by: Farmers and Merchants Bank
Offense: Marvis Parrish
Defense: Mekhi Crawford

McIntosh County Academy
Presented by: Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery
Offense: JaReese Campbell
Defense: Lake Linton

Mitchell County High School
Presented by: Vereen Sports Medicine
Offense: Al Childs
Defense: Jai’Maryon Holder

Northside High School
Presented by: Parrish Construction Group
Offense: Quinton Lewis
Defense: Isaiah Harvey

Pelham High School
Presented by: Vereen Sports Medicine
Offense: Berdendrick Johnson Jr.
Defense: Jeremiah Battle

Perry High School
Presented by: Parrish Construction Group
Offense: Armar Gordon Jr.
Defense: Camerin Marshall

Pierce County High School
Offense: DJ Bell
Defense: Jaquez White

Thomas County Central High School
Offense: Samuel Brown
Defense: Javion Revels

Thomasville High School
Presented by: FieldTurf
Offense: Jay Randall
Defense: Jayden Alston

Tift County High School
Presented by: Prince Automotive Group
Offense: Damion Moate
Defense: JaCoiley Nathan

Tiftarea Academy
Presented by: Prince Automotive Group
Offense: Kameron Brown
Defense: Matthew Malone

Valdosta High School
Presented by: CBC Bank
Offense: Jalen Whitehead
Defense: Omar White

Valwood School
Presented by: South Georgia Medical Center
Offense: Triston White
Defense: Worth Kimbro

Veterans High School
Presented by: Five Star Automotive
Offense: Damare Franklin
Defense: Jaron Benjamin

Warner Robins High School
Presented by: Parrish Construction Group
Offense: Chase Reese
Defense: Vic Burley

Worth County High School
Presented by: Sunbelt Ford
Offense: Chip Cooper
Defense: Jaylen Fluellen