Bleckley County takes state all-sports trophy in Class 2A
The rain came early in the week and disrupted the GHSA golf tournament throughout the state, and there were those close paying attention to that tournament and its impact on the Georgia Athletic Directors Association’s all-sports standings for the year.
Especially in Class 2A and in Bleckley County and Vidalia, both which qualified in girls golf with Vidalia making it in boys golf.
Class 2A, like most others, only got one day of golf in, and the Royals’ fourth-place finish in girls golf sealed Bleckley County’s title as the top sports program in the state.
Not that outgoing athletics director Benjy Rogers is celebrating yet.
“I’d like somebody that’s in charge of it to say, ‘Hey, congratulations on winning it,’ ” said Rogers, who is retiring as a full-timer at Bleckley County this month. “I know the math and all, but I’m one of those that until somebody actually calls. ... But it looks pretty good.”
The late-week baseball games with Jeff Davis and Elbert County had no impact in Class 2A racewhere Bleckley County finished with 937.5 points overall to 893.5 for Vidalia.
Bleckley County also topped the girls standings with 552.5 points, ahead of St. Vincent’s (518) and Vidalia (517).
Still, Rogers allows for a peek ahead at the inevitable.
“It’s awesome,” Rogers said. “It’s a great feeling. We’re a great nugget sitting here in Middle Georgia. It doesn’t happen by chance.”
The Royals won state titles in boys and girls cross country and boys and girls tennis, finished second in boys track and reached the semifinals in girls basketball. The girls golf team finished tied for fourth.
The GADA’s website only lists the yearly results back to 2010-11, and Bleckley County is the first Middle Georgia school in that span to win its classification’s overall director’s cup. And in that span, the Royals have finished in the top 10 each year.
“You can’t just say it’s this year,” Rogers said. “You can’t just start and all of a sudden jump to this point. We’re not just all of a sudden at this spot.
“It’s a tribute to the coaches, who work hard, the athletes, our teachers, the parents. And we’re that way in academics, too. Academics and athletics can go together.”
FPD was second and Stratford third last year in Class 1A. Stratford was No. 3 in 2014-15, while FPD in 1A and Veterans in Class 4A were No. 4 in 2013-15.
FPD also had top-5 finishes in 2012-13 and 2010-11, and was in the top 10 in 2011-12. The Vikings are currently 11th overall and that’s unlikely to change with baseball.
Veterans is seventh in Class 5A, finishing in the top 10 for the sixth straight year.
West Laurens is No. 10 in Class 4A. Dodge County will finish fifth in Class 2A.
Other top 10s in their respective classes: Veterans girls, seventh; West Laurens boys ninth; Dodge County boys, third; Bleckley County boys eighth; Stratford girls, fifth.
Baseball is the final sport to be completed, and Tattnall Square is the only remaining area team. If the Trojans win the Class 1A private baseball title, they’ll move up from 48th overall to about 29th, and from 42 to in the top 20 in boys sports.
Georgia Athletic Directors Association
Director’s Cup Standings
Total teams scoring is in parentheses
As of 2 p.m., Thursday
Class 6A
Overall (58)
27. Houston County, 477.3
37. Northside, 315
Boys (58)
26. Houston County, 261
28. Northside, 240
Girls (54)
27. Houston County, 216.3
45. Northside, 75
Class 5A
Overall (58)
7. Veterans, 835
20. Jones County, 523
37. Warner Robins, 247
Boys (57)
11. Veterans, 373
24. Jones County, 239
38. Warner Robins, 152
Girls (55)
8. Veterans, 462
18. Jones County, 284
42. Warner Robins, 95
Class 4A
Overall (55)
10. West Laurens, 718.5
12. Mary Persons, 690.3
19. Perry, 470
20. Upson-Lee, 451
27. Baldwin, 401.5
50. Howard, 196
Boys (52)
9. West Laurens, 421.5
13. Upson-Lee, 351
17. Mary Persons, 309
21. Perry, 275
23. Baldwin, 255.5
50. Howard, 196
Girls (53)
11. Mary Persons, 381.3
15. West Laurens, 297
25. Perry, 195
33. Baldwin, 146
37. Howard, 132
44. Upson-Lee, 100
Class 3A
Overall (58)
12. Peach County, 633
34. Central, 329.5
40. Westside, 271.5
47. Rutland, 178.4
Boys (55)
13. Peach County, 316
31. Westside, 175
35. Central, 154
44. Rutland, 100
Girls (57)
15. Peach County, 317
29. Central, 175.5
45. Westside, 96.5
49. Rutland, 78.4
Class 2A
Overall (61)
1 Bleckley County, 937.5
5. Dodge County, 754.4
12. Lamar County, 572
25. East Laurens, 459
28. Washington County, 406
31. Dublin, 366
32. Monticello, 352
38. Putnam County, 277
51. Northeast, 168
61. Southwest, 60.4
Boys (60)
3. Dodge County, 441
8. Bleckley County, 385
21. Washington County, 244
22. Dublin, 239
23. Lamar County, 239
30. Monticello, 183
36. East Laurens, 159
39. Putnam County, 145
44. Northeast, 98
55. Southwest, 50
Girls (59)
1. Bleckley County, 552.5
12. Lamar County, 333
13. Dodge County, 313.4
15. East Laurens, 300
29. Monticello, 169
31. Washington County, 162
36. Putnam County, 132
37. Dublin, 127
53. Northeast, 70
59. Southwest, 10.4
Class 1A
Overall (100)
9. Stratford, 726
11. FPD, 703
16. GMC, 604
35. Taylor County, 369
38. Mount de Sales, 356
42. Hawkinsville, 334
48. Tattnall Square, 320
54. Macon County, 288.5
65. Twiggs County, 174.5
67. Hancock Central, 170
71. Crawford County, 156
73. Wilkinson County, 153
93. ACE, 54
Boys (90)
14. Stratford, 302
15. FPD, 313
23. GMC, 247
24. Taylor County, 246
28. Macon County, 235.5
34. Mount de Sales, 210
42. Tattnall Square, 184
52. Hawkinsvile, 138
63. Twiggs County, 105.5
65. Hancock Central, 100
65. Wilkinson County, 100
70. Crawford County, 87
Girls (90)
5. Stratford, 424
12. FPD, 390
14. GMC, 357
32. Hawkinsville, 196
44. Mount de Sales, 146
48. Tattnall Square, 136
52. Taylor County, 123
75. Hancock Central, 70
76. Crawford County, 69
76. Twiggs County, 69
80, ACE, 54
83. Macon County, 53
85. Wilkinson County 53
This story was originally published May 25, 2017 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Bleckley County takes state all-sports trophy in Class 2A."