Athletics News

Unprecedented Heights: TFS Athletics Year In Review

Everything about the 2022-23 season was memorable for TFS Athletics. From a booming start to the year with the Lady Indians volleyball team securing the school's first-ever State Championship, to a pair of other title-winning events, magical is the word that continued to weave through many of the programs. While words can't quite capture it all, numbers sometimes tell the story better.

BY THE NUMBERS

100% All of the TFS teams were represented in the state tournament/playoffs. That's never been done before at Tallulah Falls.

1st Tallulah Falls claimed its first-ever BLITZ Cup Championship. That came with a record point total of 254 points (most in BLITZ history). The traveling trophy currently resides in the TFS gym lobby's feature case for the next year until a new champion claims it.

4th In the Georgia Athletic Director's Association Cup standings, TFS came in 4th overall. That represents the best-ever finish for TFS. The girls scored 503 points and the boys 331 (834 total points).

3 Three state titles! Each season saw a state championship - volleyball in the fall, swimming in the winter (Madison Dampier's individual gold), and the girls 4x400 relay track & field team in the spring. Dampier's title was in the 100 Fly, while the quartet of Dani Prince, Sofia Rueda, Molly Mitchell, and Julianne Shirley won the relay title. Also, a trio of coaches earned Region/Area Coach of the Year awards - Matt Heyl (volleyball), Jeremy Stille (boys soccer), and Anthony Cox (both in boys and girls tennis). Three teams also had undefeated regular seasons - boys soccer, girls tennis, boys tennis. Those teams all had deep playoff runs and won region titles.

4 During the school year, four teams won area/region titles (volleyball, boys soccer, boys tennis, girls tennis), and four were runner-up (girls soccer, boys golf, girls golf, precision rifle).

8 A handful of Indians athletes signed to play collegiate athletics. That group includes Davante Brown (baseball - Young Harris College), Jake Hall (boys soccer - Randolph-Macon College), Anfernee Hanna (boys basketball - Motlow State CC), Sarah Jennings (volleyball - Covenant College), Denika Lightbourne (girls basketball - University of Dayton), Frankey Moree (baseball - Benedict College), Kitty Rodenas (volleyball - Calumet College of St. Joseph), and Tanisha Seymour (Davis & Elkins College).

11 A total of 11 teams were state-ranked in various top-10 polls: volleyball (#1), boys soccer (#1), boys basketball (#4), girls golf (#5), girls basketball (#6), girls soccer (#6), girls swim (#8), girls tennis (#8), rifle (#10), girls track (#10). There were also 11 Region/Area Players of the Year: Sarah Jennings (volleyball), Denika Lightbourne (girls basketball), Frankey Moree (baseball), Austin Ball (overall boys soccer), Jake Wehrstein (boys soccer defensive), Addie Higbie (girls soccer offensive), Josie Chesser (girls soccer defensive), Ariel Kelsick (girls tennis singles), Tanner Davis (boys tennis singles), Azaria Junaid/Katarina Foskey (girls tennis doubles), Zach Carringer/Jake Owensby (boys tennis doubles).

12 Beyond just appearing at state, 12 teams finished in the Sweet 16 or better — volleyball (State Champs), girls cross country, boys swimming, girls swimming, boys soccer, girls soccer, boys golf, girls golf, boys tennis, girls tennis, girls track and field, precision rifle.

13 A baker's dozen athletes also earned All-State recognition: Addy McCoy (volleyball), Kitty Rodenas (volleyball), Addie Higbie (girls soccer), Maddie Mullis (girls soccer), Josie Chesser (girls soccer), Austin Ball (boys soccer), Jake Hall (boys soccer), Jake Wehrstein (boys soccer), Kelton Reynolds (boys soccer), Mallory Higgins (girls golf), Anfernee Hanna (boys basketball), Denika Lightbourne (girls basketball), Frankey Moree (baseball).

87 That's the number of major school records set in 2022-23 across all programs. That includes single-game, single-season, and career records for teams and individuals.

Aside from the varsity sports that achieved all the success above, the JV teams and middle school programs were consistently competitive. Several MS teams claimed Tri-State Championships (boys basketball, girls cross country, boys track & field) or Runner-Up finishes, and MS girls soccer and MS girls golf of note were without blemish in their seasons. TFS also saw softball reinstated at the school for the first time in decades. Furthermore, Marc Crotta (precision rifle) was the latest TFS athlete to earn Positive Athlete GA honors.