Taking a look around...some Oconee boys
Read a pretty neat article on ESPN yesterday about Clayton Matthews. He led my alma mater, Oconee County High School, to a Georgia state championship in football, in 1999. This was the same team with Tony Taylor and Tyson Browning and some other very good players. Clayton went on to James Madison to follow his father Mickey Matthews, a former UGA coach. Clayton was productive there, but after his senior year he got in not one but TWO car accidents, each one breaking his neck. He's now paralyzed, is still leading a very productive life. Clayton is now the receivers and kicking coach at James Madison, all in his wheelchair. Really puts things in perspective after all our bitching and complaining about little things, here's a kid that had nearly everything taken away from him and still hasn't backed away from his dreams and has never complained about it.
The Cover Two has started an initiave to retire Tony Taylor's number at Oconee County - in ALL sports. Tony is one of the most gifted athletes I have ever seen and had the pleasure to coach, and will likely be playing Sundays this time next year. He was a great athlete that did everything in football (punting, rushing, returning, playing LB/S), had a great basketball career (had a quadruple double once and always had to guard the other team's best player (whether it was a PG or C). But few people know of his soccer antics. Coach Rock talked him into playing his sophomore year, partly because one of his football buddies (TJ Stephens, who was a walk-on CB at UGA). He learned the position that year, and his junior and senior seasons he was a beast of a goalkeeper. Before his senior season he even made it into the GA Soccer Coaches "Top 25 to Watch" list. So good that a top soccer school like Clemson wanted him to go play for them. I believe if Tony had played baseball or tennis or lacrosse he would've done the same thing and would've been just as successful. He's probably the best athlete Oconee Co has ever seen and deserves his jersey retired.
Oh, and Tony probably deserves the game ball for his efforts last week vs Colorado. He was everywhere.
Speaking of soccer, former Oconee Co standout David Bell is making a splash his first year at Clemson. The junior transfer from Berry has started most of the games for the undefeated and number 1 ranked team in the nation. Living in Greenville I've been able to watch him play against then #1 Maryland and on tv against then #5 UNC (both wins). David is playing very well at the top alongside Jamaica international Dane Richards and Brazilian "Mooje".
Still following Oconee soccer alumni, Robbie Galvin is in his second year at Presbyterian. They're 6-1-1 and he's started half the games, scoring a goal. Down the road from my house, Ben Stephens began his first year with Furman Paladines. They're 5-4-1, and have some pretty good depth so I think Ben will redshirt this year. And up north, Stephen Fragaszy also started his second year at NYU. They're 8-1, and Stephen has played in one game as a backup, not allowing a goal.
The Cover Two has started an initiave to retire Tony Taylor's number at Oconee County - in ALL sports. Tony is one of the most gifted athletes I have ever seen and had the pleasure to coach, and will likely be playing Sundays this time next year. He was a great athlete that did everything in football (punting, rushing, returning, playing LB/S), had a great basketball career (had a quadruple double once and always had to guard the other team's best player (whether it was a PG or C). But few people know of his soccer antics. Coach Rock talked him into playing his sophomore year, partly because one of his football buddies (TJ Stephens, who was a walk-on CB at UGA). He learned the position that year, and his junior and senior seasons he was a beast of a goalkeeper. Before his senior season he even made it into the GA Soccer Coaches "Top 25 to Watch" list. So good that a top soccer school like Clemson wanted him to go play for them. I believe if Tony had played baseball or tennis or lacrosse he would've done the same thing and would've been just as successful. He's probably the best athlete Oconee Co has ever seen and deserves his jersey retired.
Oh, and Tony probably deserves the game ball for his efforts last week vs Colorado. He was everywhere.
Speaking of soccer, former Oconee Co standout David Bell is making a splash his first year at Clemson. The junior transfer from Berry has started most of the games for the undefeated and number 1 ranked team in the nation. Living in Greenville I've been able to watch him play against then #1 Maryland and on tv against then #5 UNC (both wins). David is playing very well at the top alongside Jamaica international Dane Richards and Brazilian "Mooje".
Still following Oconee soccer alumni, Robbie Galvin is in his second year at Presbyterian. They're 6-1-1 and he's started half the games, scoring a goal. Down the road from my house, Ben Stephens began his first year with Furman Paladines. They're 5-4-1, and have some pretty good depth so I think Ben will redshirt this year. And up north, Stephen Fragaszy also started his second year at NYU. They're 8-1, and Stephen has played in one game as a backup, not allowing a goal.
posted by oreo | 9:03 PM
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