The men’s basketball season is underway. The men’s team played their first game at home on January 26, winning against Middle Georgia Prep with a score of 78-62.

“It’s kind of surreal and we didn’t think we’d be able to get back to this point… it’s a blessing,” said GHC men’s basketball coach, JJ Merritt, on being able to coach again.

The players were just as enthusiastic to play a season of basketball, even under these conditions.

“With everything going on with COVID-19, it makes it even more inspiring [playing basketball] because the next game is not promised,” said Chargers guard, Cahiem Brown.

The men’s basketball Chargers dominated early to put away their opponents at the end of the game.

“The first win felt good. Just ready to get to the second game of the season. There were a lot of nerves and things like that, a lot of rust we had to knock off. Getting that first win felt really good and we got to see where we are at and we got a bunch of things to work on,” said Chargers forward Langston Wilson.

Coach Merritt called himself a “tough critic” after evaluating his team’s winning performance.
Merritt said that spirits are very high on the team and that he sees his team being able to make a run, not only to the conference championship, but at a national championship.

GHC has released COVID-19 protocols for GHC sporting events. The men’s basketball season will start on Feb. 2 and the women’s team will play their first game on Jan. 30.

The Rome campus gymnasium will only be open to 25% occupancy throughout the entire season. Everyone inside must be wearing a mask at all times and people in the stands must abide by social distancing rules. All visitors will have a temperature check before entering the gym.

If a player is to be interviewed, permission must be given from GHC athletic director, David Mathis, for it to happen. Faculty, staff and students are admitted to free entry. Students must show their student ID for free entry. Admission is $5.00 for everyone else.

With the basketball seasons right around the corner, both the men’s and women’s schedules have been revised and released for the complete 2021 spring season.

The men’s team will still be playing 18 games in their season, including nine homes games. The women’s team will now be playing 19 games instead of the previously 20 planned games, including 11 home games.

All GHC sports are in a dead period after moving all sporting events to the spring semester due to COVID-19.

Under normal circumstances, the majority of teams at Highlands would’ve already started their seasons. Unfortunately, 2020 has been everything but normal.

All of the Charger’s teams will be able to resume practices on Jan. 4.

Georgia Highlands athletic director, David Mathis, said that the dead period is “where teams are not in their 20 hour a week practice time. We will resume that for all sports on Jan. 4,” said Mathis.

Mathis also said that the men’s and women’s basketball and baseball teams’ schedules are being revised. The only solidified schedule is the lady charger’s softball schedule, who will start their season on Jan. 29.

This dead period allows GHC’s student athletes to rest, study for final exams and prepare each team for their upcoming games.

Chargers 2nd baseman, Palmer Sapp, said that having time off let’s him and his teammates train their bodies for a 56 game schedule and spend time with their families.

“A 56 game schedule is no joke. Making sure your body is ready for the long haul is very important. We were also able to see and spend time with family that we may not be able to see until after the spring semester,” said Sapp.

Each of these teams will also be competing in the height of the pandemic.

Chargers basketball forward, Langston Wilson, said that he and his team are prepared for this season, despite the pandemic concerns.

“We’re locked in. We’ve taken the proper precautions and are really ready to play more than anything,” said Wilson.

Sarah Fuller made sports history as she was the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game on Nov. 28.

The Vanderbilt University senior delivered the opening kickoff of the second half when Vanderbilt faced Missouri.

The Power 5 is a group of the five most popular and talented football conferences in collegiate football: The Southeastern Conference, Big Ten Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference and Pac-12 Conference.

Fuller is no stranger to sports; she has been a part of the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team as their goalkeeper. She made her first appearance on the soccer team on October 11 and helped her soccer team win their first SEC tournament championship since 1994.

“Honestly, it’s just so exciting,” Fuller said after the team’s 41-0 loss, “The fact that I can represent all the girls out there that have wanted to do this or thought about playing football or any sport really, and it encourages them to be able to step out and do something big like this, it’s awesome.”

Vanderbilt football head Derek Mason said that adding Fuller wasn’t for publicity or for making history.

The Commodores had to follow COVID-19 protocols which left very few options at the kicking position. Mason offered Fuller a spot on the football team and ultimately landed the starting kicking job for the Commodores.

“I think there was something bigger at work here,” said Mason. “I’ve always believed that women are capable of doing fantastic things. I know we think of football as being a man’s sport, and it is for the most part — 99.9% of it is dominated by males, if not close to 100. But today she broke some history, she made some history.”

Fuller went into the game with a custom sticker on the back of her helmet which said, “Play Like a Girl.”

Fuller’s kick blew up the social media world and many celebrities took notice and gave their congratulations to Fuller.

Former First Lady, Hilary Clinton, congratulated Fuller via Twitter. “Thank you, Sarah, for helping prove that women and girls belong on every playing field– quite literally.”

Fuller is just the third woman to play in Division I NCAA football. The two other women, Katie Hnida of New Mexico and April Goss of Kent State.

The men’s Chargers basketball team had two players sign letters of intent to their new chosen schools Wednesday afternoon at the Floyd campus.

Cahiem Brown and Langston Wilson have already verbally committed to their chosen schools. After signing their letters of intent, both players will officially be part of their selected programs next year.

Brown has officially signed to Norfolk State and Wilson has signed to the University of Alabama.

Brown and Wilson will be playing for the Chargers this spring season. Both players will transfer to their new schools next year.

“This is the next step. Everybody is rooting for me… this is a big step for me,” said Brown.

Wilson said in a previous interview that his reason for choosing Alabama was that the choice came down to a gut decision and that Tuscaloosa felt like home. He said that he felt that a weight was lifted off his shoulders and that he has a great relationship with the Alabama coaching staff.

Brown also listed his reasons for choosing Norfolk State over other schools.

“I chose them just for the family environment, the way they welcomed me. On top of that it’s a HBCU [Historically Black Colleges & Universities],” said Brown.

Brown also reflected on his time at Highlands and how he’s taking what he learned at GHC to Norfolk State.

“I’ve learned to just trust my teammates, be caring, have an open heart and be willing to learn,” said Brown.

Brown is considered a talented and confident player for the Chargers. Last season, Brown was an honorable mention All-American as a freshman. He averaged 16 points per-game last season, 46% from the field, 34% from the three-point line and 77% from the free-throw line. Brown said that he is confident in all aspects of his game. The only aspect he said needs work is his defense.

Wilson is explosively athletic and currently is the number two ranked junior college player in the country, via 247Sports. He averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds per game last season, 54% field goal percentage from the field, 31% from the three-point line.

Both Brown and Wilson bring major upside to the Chargers team alongside their teammates.

“Talent wise, on paper, this is one of the best teams we’ve had at Georgia Highlands, but we gotta put that on the court, play for each other and play as a team,” said coach Merritt.

Multiple Charger athletics have concluded a mandatory 60-day practice window due to the late start of seasons caused by COVID-19.

Athletic Director David Mathis explained the 60-day practice period and why it is implemented.

“The 60-day practice window was implemented due to the delay of the season due to covid. This window gives the coaches an opportunity to still practice and do some scrimmage games and evaluate players. Then still give the players an opportunity to have the pause for COVID and start back in January,” said Mathis.

Both the baseball and softball teams concluded their 60-day practice window on November 2nd. During the 60-day period, the baseball and softball teams took part in scrimmage games against Reinhardt and Kennesaw State.

Neither men’s nor women’s basketball teams have started their 60-day practice window. The coaches can choose their team’s practice window at any time.

Players can practice up to 20 hours per week during the practice period. Outside the period, players are limited to eight hours per week.

The men’s and women’s Chargers basketball teams have released their full spring 2021 schedule.

The men’s team will be playing in 18 games this season and the women’s will be playing 20 games. The women’s team will be playing two extra games in the “Chipola Classic” tournament, in Marianna, Florida. Those two games will add onto their overall season record but won’t count onto the Chargers GCAA conference record. The two opponents the lady Chargers will face are unknown, but the team will be revealed later this month. The tournament will be played at the start of their season, January 20 through the 21.

The men’s team will have nine home games this season and the women’s team will have 10 home games. The men’s and women’s home games will take place at the Floyd campus.

Both teams will have a chance to battle their way into the GCAA playoff.

The men’s Chargers are coming off of an impressive 22-7 season. The Chargers made their way into the GCAA playoff, losing in the GCAA championship game.

The women’s Chargers are also coming off of a hot 21-9 season. The Lady Chargers also made their way into the GCAA championship but faced a loss as well.

Finding a spot into the GCAA playoffs may be more difficult for both Chargers teams this season. Both teams only have 18 games, compared to the 30 games both teams had last season. With fewer games, every game is critical in making it to the playoffs.

Georgia’s professional and college athletics have been at the brink of championship success for the past decade. Georgia’s NFL, MLB, and college football teams have all seen victory within reach but never manage to grasp it.

Georgia’s athletics is known for losing whenever they’re holding any substantial lead. At Super Bowl LI, the Atlanta Falcons lost to the New England Patriots — even after holding a 28-3 lead, the Falcons lost 34-28. At the 2018 College Football National Championship where the Georgia Bulldogs faced the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia went into halftime holding a 13-0 lead but lost to a walk off touchdown in overtime, losing 26-23.

The Atlanta Braves are Georgia’s latest team to face a loss while holding a lead. The Braves faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship series last October. The Braves were only one win away from heading into the world series for the first time since 1999 and were winning the best of 4 series with a 3-1 lead. The Braves would then lose 3 games straight and lose the series 4-3.

Social media users and fans alike think that Georgia sports must have a curse.

Cartersville student Joseph Lewis is a Georgia fan who agrees.

“Sports in Georgia just never seem to go right. Whenever we have an opportunity for something great, we let it go every time… there is no question that we are cursed,” said Lewis.

Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson gives his take on the curse after their 2019 National League Division series loss.

“There’s no such thing as an [Atlanta sports] curse,” said Swanson.

Among not being able to win when it counts, some of Georgia’s other athletics haven’t been capable of winning in general.

The Atlanta Hawks, Georgia’s professional basketball team, has been rebuilding their team for quite some time and have not had a winning season since 2016. The Hawks won their last NBA championship in 1958 and haven’t seen much success as of late.

Cartersville student Andrew Thompson said he hopes to see the Hawks have more success in the upcoming NBA season.

“I love Atlanta sports and I love the Hawks. I know they haven’t been good but I know we can be great. Give it a few more years and I think we can bring an NBA championship into the city of Atlanta,” said Thompson.

With the state’s history of spectacular sport blunders, maybe the devil did come down to Georgia and set a curse on it’s sports. When the opportunity presents itself next, will Georgia finally be able to break the curse?

Langston Wilson verbally committed to the University of Alabama to play in the 2021-2022 college basketball season.

“The choice came down to my gut feeling and my gut told me that Tuscaloosa is the place that I need to be… I kinda felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders,” said Wilson.

Wilson said that he has a great relationship with the coaches at Alabama.

“My relationship with them is great. Me and coach Hodgson [Bryan Hodgson] probably talk every day. I talk on the phone with coach Oats [Nate Oats] probably every two to three days… we talk about life, so, you know, conversations and things like that are great,” said Wilson.

Wilson announced his commitment Oct. 18, via social media, on Twitter and Instagram.

Wilson said that he is very thankful for being able to take the next step into his basketball career.

“It’s huge for me. From where I’m from and what I’ve been through, a lot of people were never able to get to that level. Just being able to commit and taking that next step towards my goals and things like that is amazing and just a true blessing,” said Wilson.

Wilson said that he will receive three seasons of eligibility at Alabama instead of the usual two once he transfers. Wilson will be playing his second season of Charger basketball this spring. Due to the coronavirus, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) granted extended eligibility for student athletes affected by Covid-19.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletes and colleges throughout the U.S. It is a membership association and works for the wellbeing of student athletes.

Wilson said that he is very excited to compete against division one competition, helping him grow into a better overall basketball player.

“The biggest thing for me is I always wanna see where I am at [talent wise]. Even in the summertime, I like to play against pros and guys that are at that level. I can’t wait to face the competition, accept the challenge, and attack it head on,” said Wilson.

With a single-minded focus and drive to uphold COVID-19 safety precautions while preparing for the 2021 baseball season, the daily schedules of Chargers baseball players are both intense and routine — practice, homework, rest and repeat.

Second baseman Palmer Sapp said that on Mondays and Wednesdays players attend online school, then practice from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays they practice from 8:15 a.m. to noon then hit the gym for an hour at 1:30 p.m.

Sapp said that the schedule doesn’t leave much free time and players need to take time to rest their bodies for upcoming practices and games.

“Coach does give us the opportunities for weekends off, so we can do our homework and have time to recover and are not always out there,” said Sapp.

Sapp said that COVID-19 precautions require players to arrive at practice fifteen minutes early for a temperature check. He also said that head coach, Dash O’Neill, runs a system check to monitor each player’s health. If a player were to have any symptoms of COVID-19, O’Neill would ask the player to be tested and not attend practice.

Each player’s equipment is also separated 10 feet from each other and they all encourage one another to socially distance during practice, said Sapp.

“We’re doing everything we can that allows us to practice and stay COVID safe,” said Sapp.

Sapp said the season cancellation last year was out of everyone’s hands and that it left the team very upset but more excited for the 2021 season.

“It’s going to be a great year for all of us. Not only to see what maybe would have happened last year, but to put Georgia Highlands on the national map,” said Sapp.

Third baseman Joe Sutton said that the team lost important key players but has no hesitation that this team can do great things.

“We were on our way to do something special and now this year I think there’s going to be no difference. We’re going to end up doing something special at the end of the year,” said Sutton.

Sutton said that the new players on the team really fit in well and help with team chemistry.

Sapp, along with teammates Gavin Harmon and Trace Twardoski faced eligibility issues in returning this year but are back and set to finish what last year’s team started.