Joseph Stuckey
Richmond Hill Wildcats 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Richmond Hill Wildcats football team is looking to take a big step in 2026, building off of their success in 2025.
The Wildcats play in the newly added 7-A class, which is GHSA’s highest classification. Their region is one of the most competitive in the state and consists of: Camden County, Colquitt County, Lowndes, and Valdosta.
Last year they made the state playoffs as the 4 seed coming out of Region 1 in 6-A (was GHSA’s highest classification at the time). The Wildcats would take an early exit after drawing national power Buford High School in the first round on the road.
This year, they look to play well during the regular season and use the GHSA’s new power-ranking formula for playoff seeding to their advantage.
To do this, they will rely heavily on senior quarterback Gunner Mobley. Last season, he got region honorable mention, and during the season he threw for over 1400 passing yards and was responsible for 13 touchdowns. He was also named a top-5 quarterback in the greater Savannah area.
The schedule sets up pretty well for the Wildcats. By being in GHSA’s highest classification, most of their games outside of region play will be against lower-classification teams and should favor the Wildcats.
They will take on a nearby opponent in the Effingham County Rebels. In this game, On3 gives the Wildcats an 86% chance to win this game. Effingham County is a solid opponent that hosted a first-round playoff game last year in GHSA’s second-highest classification (5-A).
They will also take on another nearby opponent with Liberty County; according to On3, this game should be all Wildcats as they are given a 99% chance to win this game.
The Wildcats will also take on Jenkins out of Savannah, who has become one of the toughest opponents for any team can face in the 912 area code. Another one of South Georgia’s perennial powerhouses is also on the schedule for Richmond Hill.
The Wildcats will take on the Gators of Ware County in what is sure to be one of the top games of the year in South Georgia.
The Wildcats will also compete in a border-battle game as they take on Wando High School, which is located near Charleston, South Carolina. This is the only out-of-state game on the schedule for the Wildcats in 2026.
Richmond Hill will also take on West Georgia powerhouse East Coweta in what is sure to be one of the top games of the week in the state. On3 has this game at basically a coin flip, with it being listed as 41-59 favoring East Coweta.
Finally, to end the season, the Wildcats will take on the South Georgia Gauntlet; their region play will consist of games against Colquitt County, Camden County, Lowndes, and Valdosta in that order to end the season.
The bonus here is that each of those teams has the potential to be a playoff team, which should boost Richmond Hill’s power ranking under the new GHSA formula.
I see Richmond Hill as a team that, based on its strength of schedule, is able to compete for a top 16 seed and could potentially host a home playoff game in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs.
Valwood Valiants 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Valwood Valiants are looking to take charge during the 2026 football campaign.
Valwood is located in one of South Georgia’s football hotbeds in Valdosta.
The Valdosta area is also home to GHSA football powerhouses Valdosta High School and Lowndes County High School, and they are right down the road from Thomas County Central High School.
Valwood will compete in the GIAA 2A classification that will send 8 teams to the state playoffs based on MaxPreps power rankings.
For Region play, they will play in A/AA District 3, which consists of Brookwood School (Thomasville), Sherwood Christian Academy (Albany), Southwest Georgia Academy (Damascus), and Southland Academy (Americus).
In 2024, Valwood competed in the GIAA AAA classification and made it to the State Championship at Georgia Southern University’s Paulson Stadium, where they fell to Deerfield-Windsor 19-15.
Last season, they went 6-4 and lost in the Elite Eight to Frederica Academy. John Milledge Academy would eventually win the AAA state title.
So for this season, with Valwood moving down to the AA classification and having success at the AAA classification, one could expect Valwood to make a strong run in the state playoffs.
Some of the AA teams that are contenders and that they could meet come playoff time include The Brentwood School (Sandersville), which won the AA state title last season, and Pinewood Christian Academy (Bellville), which is also coming down from the AAA classification alongside Valwood.
Now let’s take a look at their very unique 2026 schedule.
To start the season, the Valiants will take on nearby Atkinson County, which will be one of the rare matchups between a GHSA and GIAA school this season.
In years past, there were plenty of these matchups, but with the GHSA’s new power ranking system being implemented across all classifications, it has caused that number to drop drastically.
From my understanding, GHSA teams receive no added benefits of playing a non-GHSA team in terms of power rankings.
But for GIAA schools, it does affect their MaxPreps power rankings; the thought is GHSA teams play tougher opponents and normally benefit GIAA teams’ power rankings, even with a loss.
Even with that said, On3 gives Valwood a 74% chance of winning this game against Atkinson County.
As the season continues, they will play Deerfield-Windsor, which, as I mentioned above, beat Valwood in the 2024 state championship. Deerfield-Windsor is an AAA school, and On3 basically has the game at a coin toss, with a 53/47 split.
Valwood will also take on Cottonwood High School, which is just over the state line near Dothan, Alabama. This is also one of the rare matchups between a GIAA school and an out-of-state school.
The Valiants will also take on George Walton Academy, which made a deep run in the AAAA state playoffs last season.
Frederica Academy is also on the schedule for a revenge game against Valwood, as Frederica was the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. Valwood is slated to win this game based on On3’s prediction.
Then they will have 2 higher-classification opponents in Tiftarea Academy (AAA) and Calvary Christian Academy (AAAA) before opening district play against the other 4 teams in their district to finish the regular season.
I predict the Valiants could only have a few losses this season and could end up being really close to the 10-win mark and compete for the #1 seed in the AA playoff bracket.
Georgia Well-Represented In MLB All-Star Game
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game is set to take place Tuesday, July 14th at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was announced several years ago that the game would take place in Philadelphia in conjunction with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
This year is just like many others, with the All-Star rosters loaded with players from the baseball hotbed of the state of Georgia.
To start on the American League side is former Appling County standout and current Minnesota Twin Byron Buxton.
This is his 3rd All-Star Game selection (2022, 2025, 2026) and is slated to be a starter for the American League. Heading into the All-Star break, he has a .271 batting average and is tied for 6th in home runs.
Next representing the Toronto Blue Jays is Dylan Cease from Milton, Georgia. He has a 2.56 ERA this season, along with the second most strikeouts with 148. This is his first All-Star Game.
C.J. Abrams from Alpharetta, Georgia, will be starting for the National League, representing the Washington Nationals. He already has 20 home runs and 67 RBIs on the season. This is his second All-Star Game (2024 & 2026).
Brandon Marsh is from Buford, Georgia, and will be starting for the National League from the hometown Philadelphia Phillies in his first All-Star appearance. He is batting over .300 and has 15 home runs on the season.
The St. Louis Cardinals’ young superstar Jordan Walker will be representing the National League and will be participating in Monday night’s Home Run Derby. He is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, and this is his first All-Star appearance.
There are also several representatives from the Atlanta Braves making the trip to the always hostile city of brotherly love.
The Braves and Phillies are arch-rivals, and one can assume the local fans may not show the Braves All-Star selections much love during their time in town.
We will start with their young superstar catcher and reigning National League Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin, who has had a very solid season so far and ranks in the top 75 in average, home runs, RBIs, and OPS. This is his first All-Star appearance.
Next is veteran Ozzie Albies, who will be attending his 4th All-Star Game (2018, 2021, 2023, 2026). He also has a near .300 batting average and 14 home runs on the season.
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale will also be making the trip to Philadelphia. He has a 2.27 ERA and 112 strikeouts on the season. This will be his 10th All-Star Game appearance (2012-2018, 2024-2026).
Next is relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias, who has 19 saves on the season. He also has a 2.30 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. This is his first All-Star appearance.
Finally, Parkview product Matt Olson, who will be headed to his 4th All-Star Game (2021, 2023, 2025, 2026). He is currently tied for 6th in home runs with 25 and has a near .300 batting average.
As stated above, Georgia will be well represented in the City of Brotherly Love on Tuesday, July 14th.
Bulloch Academy Gators 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recently, I was able to get my first glimpse of the 2026 Bulloch Academy Gators football team.
They met up with the Jenkins County War Eagles in a thud-style practice. So, my observations do have to be taken with a grain of salt, as a thud practice is padded, but tackles don’t get taken to the ground.
The Gators return a lot of impact players, not just from last season but also several who made an impact during the 2024 GIAA 4-A State Championship run.
The Gators have made 3 straight trips to the Elite Eight and beyond (2023: Final Four; 2024: state title; 2025: Elite Eight).
The 2027 class of athletes at Bulloch Academy has the potential to be the best in school history when it comes to players advancing to the collegiate level.
On the Offensive side, for the 3rd straight year, #6 Sam Hubbard is set to lead Mark Lefebvre’s Wing-T attack. Over the summer, Sam committed to play baseball for Georgia Southern after graduation.
Bulloch Academy always has an impressive offensive line, and this year looks to be no different, as Griff Sumner and Slaton Roberts look to lead the big guys up front in the trenches.
Also, along the O-line is senior Colin Grooms, who is very versatile and may serve as a tight end at times and rush the quarterback on defense as an edge.
When naming offensive weapons, you have to start with the versatile athleticism of #17 Rocco Reiss, who you will see play numerous positions throughout the season.
Then the receiving corps includes the very athletic Nick Eason Jr. and Georgia Southern commit Billy Crider.
#20 B.J. Smart looks to be the one who will take the most handoffs at running back; you will also see Maddox Lee and Connor Perry get involved on the offensive side of the ball.
On the flip side of the ball, Chris Kearson’s defense is anchored right up front on the defensive line by Kennesaw State commit Braylon Cone.
You will also see several other players rotated around on the D-line, including Bo Crider and then the aforementioned Colin Grooms coming off the edge.
At linebacker, one guy that really caught my eye was #9 Tate Williams, who will look to clean up what little gets by Cone and company.
In the secondary, the 2 cornerstones are J.B. Roach and Nick Eason Jr., who will look to defend opposing teams’ passing attacks.
As far as kickoffs and punting, it looks like it will be #16 Case Woodrum handling kickoffs, field goals, extra points, and punts.
There are also a few younger players I am interested in seeing develop over this season.
Quarterback Landon Mitchell looks to be the future starter after this season and has shown potential.
A few other players I look to make an impact are Jame Lee, Hunter Chance, and Camden Mager.
The expectations are high for this team as they head into the 2026 campaign. Many around Statesboro have State Championship aspirations, and this team definitely has the talent to make another deep run into the playoffs.
Byron Buxton Coming Home To Atlanta Braves?
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Former Appling County Pirate Byron Buxton has really been making a splash with the Minnesota Twins in recent years.
This season, as of 6/23, he has a .275 batting average and is 3rd in home runs with 25. He is making a strong case to represent the Twins and the American League in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia on July 14th.
The Baxley native was drafted by the Twins as the 2nd overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft and made his MLB debut for them on June 14th, 2015.
He has played his entire career for Minnesota and has established himself as one of the best players in baseball. He is arguably a top-5 outfielder who not only has a .300+ on-base percentage but should also eclipse the 200 home run mark before the end of the 2026 season.
Many locals consider him one of the top players ever to come out of South Georgia, alongside players like Buster Posey and Adam Wainwright.
He has also won a Gold Glove Award (2017) and a Silver Slugger Award (2025). If he were to make the All-Star Game this July in Philadelphia, it would be his 3rd appearance (2022 and 2025).
Buxton truly has become the face of the franchise for the Minnesota Twins; however, there are a lot of news articles and speculation that he could be headed back home to Georgia shortly.
Buxton is 32 years old, and it is highly unlikely the Minnesota Twins will make a World Series run anytime soon, so if Buxton has his eyes set on the World Series trophy, it may have to happen in another uniform.
Even though the Twins could go on a spending spree to build around Buxton, that is also highly unlikely. The big key to this is for Buxton to waive his no-trade clause; many baseball insiders have speculated for years that the team he may be willing to do this for is in his home state of Georgia.
The Atlanta Braves are considered to be a title contender this year and would love to upgrade their outfield before the postseason push. Even though the Braves should get injury-prone superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. back shortly, Buxton would make a fine addition to the Braves’ star-studded lineup.
The Braves have built a comfortable lead on the Phillies in the NL East and have the second-best record in baseball, only trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In most people’s minds, things would have to go really badly for the Braves to lose the National League East division title, let alone miss the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins have a sub-.500 record and can only hope to squeak into the playoffs with a Wild-Card berth at this point.
So, as I mentioned above, if the Baxley native has his eyes set on the World Series trophy, he may not want to look too far from home.
GIAA Powers
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the high-school football season right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to examine the state of GIAA teams across the area.
GIAA stands for Georgia Independent Athletic Association, otherwise known as the private school league here in Georgia.
I follow GIAA sports very closely as I am the play-by-play broadcaster for the Bulloch Academy Gators football team.
One thing I became aware of last year, with the Gators making several trips up Interstate 16, is that there is a belief among football fans in that area that you have to beat out the Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.
What I mean by this is that you can always count on a Middle Georgia area team making a push into the Final Four and State Championship game of the GIAA playoff brackets.
Last year, 3 of the 4 state titles went home to Middle Georgia teams. Brentwood Academy in Sandersville brought home the AA title for the second straight season. John Milledge Academy added another trophy to its very large trophy case. And finally, Stratford Academy won the big prize of the AAAA state title, even though they did lose to John Milledge handily in the regular season, 51-13.
Another powerhouse in the Macon area is First Presbyterian Day, which reached the final four in 2025 and lost to Bulloch Academy in the State Championship in 2024.
Also, there is Strong Rock Christian, which is in Locust Grove, that made the elite eight the past 2 seasons.
So, as you can see, there is some backing to the claim of having to beat out Middle Georgia teams to win a GIAA state title.
Southeast Georgia was able to claim 1 of the 4 titles this past season, with Robert Toombs in Lyons winning the A State Championship.
Robert Toombs beat Edmund Burke Academy in the rematch of the 2024 State Championship, which Edmund Burke won.
Right down the road, there is Pinewood Christian Academy in Bellville, which made the elite eight in 2025.
Then, finally, there is the premier GIAA region in Southeast Georgia, which consists of Frederica Academy, Bulloch Academy, St. Andrews, and the newest addition from GHSA, Savannah Country Day.
Pinewood has been in this region in years past, but they are moving down to an A/AA region starting this season. This region consists of AAA/AAAA teams, and the last 3 champions have been Frederica Academy (2025), Bulloch Academy (2024), and Bulloch (2023).
Not only did Frederica win the region last year, but they also reached the Final Four in the AAA playoffs before losing to John Milledge.
Bulloch Academy is celebrating 3 straight seasons of reaching the Elite Eight or beyond (2023-Final 4, 2024-State Championship, 2025-Elite 8) and has its sights set on another State Championship run in AAAA with a loaded senior class.
The unknown in this region is Savannah Country Day, which is coming from GHSA after going 4-7 last season.
Anytime a GIAA school plays a GHSA school, most would think it would be a tough victory. However, GIAA schools have been holding their own; Frederica beat Savannah High School last season 34-7, and Bulloch Academy has gone 4-0 against GHSA schools over the last 2 seasons.
So, with all of that being said, this should be a very exciting year of GIAA High School Football!
Mercer Mega Camp
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The unofficial kickoff to football prospect camping season can be signified by 3 simple words: Mercer Mega Camps.
For football prospects across the southeastern United States, these camps give them an opportunity to show their skills in front of dozens of college coaches from across the country.
For the most part, the college football recruiting cycle consists of 3 parts before the start of the college football season, which is around Labor Day.
Once the new year rolls around, Junior Days will start happening, allowing rising seniors to visit college campuses.
Then, as we get closer to June, college coaches will be on the road visiting high schools and watching spring practice.
Then, basically, once June hits, college prospect camps will mix with official visits, allowing prospects to visit campuses across the country.
These prospect camps and official visits will run until the dead period hits around the 20th of June.
These camps usually take place on college campuses and are coached by various college coaching staff. Performing well at these camps and making an impression on coaches can really jumpstart a kid’s recruiting process and set them up for future success.
As the calendar flips to June, usually during the first few days of the month, Mercer Football will host their total exposure mega camps in Macon, Georgia.
The camps are hosted at Five-Star Stadium on the campus of Mercer University. There are numerous sessions each day with position groups broken up.
Normally, quarterbacks throw to wide receivers who are defended by defensive backs. Offensive and Defensive linemen compete against each other. And finally, running backs and linebackers compete together.
For under-recruited kids or underclassmen looking for exposure, this is a great opportunity to get on a college’s radar. These camps attract student-athletes from all over the Southeast, but the majority of the kids come from the state of Georgia.
Macon is basically the central point in Georgia and a short drive for most prospects. Given Georgia’s status as a recruiting hotbed, it’s no surprise that so many college coaches flock to the state during this time to attend these camps.
The energy at Five-Star Stadium during these camps is electric and provides a true opportunity for high-school athletes to be evaluated by college coaches across all levels. Coaches from power-4 schools all the way down to Division 3 schools are in attendance.
The camp is run by the Mercer Football staff, but the big draw for prospects is the dozens of other college coaches who will be in attendance.
This year, there were numerous power-4 teams advertised to be there, including: Oregon, Texas, Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, and LSU. There were also many Group of 6 schools in attendance, including: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Appalachian State. There were also several service academies in attendance, including Army-West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy.
With so many schools in attendance, each athlete can be truly evaluated by coaches based on their skill level and experience. These conversations with coaches at the camps are critical and can lead to scholarship offers and campus invites.
So, with these camps basically kicking off the football prospect recruiting season, at least for a few days in June, Macon becomes the epicenter of the college football universe.
Sam Hubbard Stays Home
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Statesboro is buzzing over the recent hometown commitment of left-handed pitcher Sam Hubbard.
The Georgia Southern Eagles recently received a verbal commitment from the Bulloch Academy standout pitcher in the class of 2027.
Of course, both Bulloch Academy and Georgia Southern are located in Statesboro, Georgia, with the campuses less than 5 minutes apart from each other.
The rising senior is listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 178 pounds, which is an ideal frame for a developing pitcher. Anytime there is a GSU Eagle from Bulloch County or one of the surrounding counties, it really gets the fanbase excited in Statesboro.
An added bonus for GSU, being the hometown team, the Eagles are considered a baseball factory and have produced numerous MLB draft picks over the years.
The Eagles compete in the Sun Belt Conference, which is quickly becoming a power conference in college baseball, with GSU alongside teams like Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina.
The program has a strong reputation for developing players and consistently fields competitive teams in the Sun Belt Conference. Just a few years ago, the Eagles were a top 16 seed in the College World Series and hosted a regional in Statesboro. I say all of that to reiterate my point of how Hubbard staying home may turn out to be one of the best decisions he could make to continue his baseball career.
Hubbard is a multi-sport athlete who plays football in the fall and baseball in the springtime. He was the quarterback who helped lead Bulloch Academy football to its 2024 GIAA 4-A State Championship, which coincidentally was held under the lights at GSU’s Paulson Stadium.
Under his tenure as quarterback, the team claimed a Region Championship (2024), hosted an Elite-8 appearance at the swamp in Statesboro (2025), and, of course, the aforementioned State Championship (2024).
Hubbard can throw the deep ball to the Gators’ arsenal of receivers, but his true weapon on the football field is his ability to scramble when needed.
The Gators have really relied on him to get tough yards, and he has shown he truly has ice in his veins at times. The Bulloch Academy fanbase is really excited about this upcoming football season with Hubbard at Quarterback, along with a loaded Senior class of standout athletes.
He has also had great success on the baseball diamond. In the 2026 baseball season, he set the new single-season program record with 100 strikeouts. He also had some impressive outings this season, including the final outing of his junior year, where he recorded 14 strikeouts and allowed only walked 1 batter.
In his first 2 outings of the season, he pitched only 6 innings but struck out 15 batters. It also came out this week that Sam was selected to the District 2 All-Region team as well as the GIAA 4-A All-State team.
Hubbard has also participated in the New Balance Future Stars series, Perfect Game Georgia, and Perfect Game Florida, where his fastball has been clocked at 86-89 miles per hour.
He has also been featured on Prep Baseball Georgia during his time in high school.
With these high strikeout rates, Sam really has the potential to be a front-of-the-rotation starter in college.
With his decision to stay local and play for Georgia Southern, Sam is poised to become a hometown hero and a role model for future generations of Statesboro athletes.
As the baseball community in Statesboro looks ahead, I see Sam as a dominant force in the Sun Belt Conference over the next few years.
