Braves summer signing ceremony at HCHS

Pictured above at Braves signing day (Seated L-R): Jai Wright, Kesean Johnson, and Micaiah Austin (Standing L-R): Coach James Arp, Coach D.J. Curbow, Coach Gavin Porter, Head Football Coach Tim Barron, Coach Matt Hornsby, Tray Owens, Colson Jiles, Dale Thornhill, Quay Thornton, Athletic Director Shane Lasseter, and Head Baseball Coach Trent Bianco

(Franklin, GA) — Seven Heard County High School male athletes participated in a special Summer Signing Day ceremony at HCHS in Franklin recently.

The group of five senior Brave football players and two senior Brave baseball players will be moving up to the next level this fall at several different colleges in the Southeast.

COVID-19 restrictions meant that only a limited number of family members, teammates, and coaches were on hand for the festivities organized multiple times each year by HHS athletic director Shane Lasseter.

Dale Thornhill, a 4-year starter at shortstop for head coach Trent Bianco is bound for Emanual College in Northeast Georgia to play baseball.

Emmanuel College is a Christ-centered liberal arts institution founded in 1919 that strives to prepare students to become Christlike disciples who integrate faith, learning and living for effective careers, scholarship and service.

Emmanuel has an attractive 150-acre campus in Franklin Springs with a setting surrounded by state parks and other attractions.

The Lions compete in NCAA Division II as a part of Conference Carolina as well as other organizations such as NCCAA.

Tray Owens, a stellar pitcher and third baseman for the Braves is headed to play baseball for the Golden Stallions at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is a State College of the University System of Georgia. The college is named after Abraham Baldwin, a signer of the United States Constitution from Georgia and the first president of the University of Georgia.

The Golden Stallions compete in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association.

On the gridiron, defensive standouts Jai Wright and Quay Thornton are each headed to nearby Point University.

Point University is a private, Christian, liberal arts university in West Point, Georgia. It was founded in 1937 as Atlanta Christian College in East Point. The college announced its name change to Point University in 2011 and relocated its main campus to West Point in June 2012.

Point University athletic teams are known as the Skyhawks. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Football was a member of The Sun Conference for 2014 and 2015, moving to the Appalachian Division of the Mid-South Conference in the fall of 2017. The rest of its sports compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC).

Micaiah Austin and Kesean Johnson are both headed to Greensboro College. Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, co-educational liberal-arts college in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and was founded in 1838 by Rev. Peter Doub.

The Pride’s athletic program competes in the NCAA’s Division III and the USA South Athletic Conference.

Senior Brave punter Colson Jiles is bound for Faulkner University. Faulkner University is a private Christian university in Montgomery, Alabama. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.

The university was founded in 1942 by Dr. Rex Turner, Dr. Leonard Johnson and Joe Greer as Montgomery Bible School. The Faulkner Eagles is the athletic name of the teams that compete for Faulkner University. Faulkner participates in the NAIA.