Coach Hill reminisces on Y-101

Arringtons are piling up the W's

Head coach Donnie Arrington and son Ryan (far right)

Former Toombs County Bulldog head basketball coach Donnie Arrington and his Effingham County Rebels are off to an amazing start this season. The Rebels won their first 11 straight and then they lost their only game of the season to Gonzaga Prep (51-31) in the championship game of the Piggly Wiggly Roundball Classic in Charleston, South Carolina. On the same night (January 21, 2112) the Rebels were roasting Evans 73-32 before a big home crowd in Springfield, Gonzaga was edging DeMatha 76-74 before 3,200 fans at American University in Washington, D.C. Gonzaga was ranked third nationally and DeMatha was number one in the land. Gonzaga is 17-0, while DeMatha drops to 16-2. That means the Rebels only loss, is perhaps, to the soon-to-be number one team in the country. In Effingham's victory over Evans the Rebels turned a 20-17 lead in the first quarter in to a 45-21 lead at half. Leading the way in the 25-4 run was Jakeenan Gant (number 23), who scored 16 of his game high 19 in the first half. Gant, a 6-8 sophomore, is already being looked at by Division One schools. Gant dropped in a 3-pointer from the top of the key and also had two dunks. The Rebels had four double-digit scorers and shot 58% from the field and improved their current winning streak to six games and their record to 17-1 and 5-0 in Region 2B AAAA. Watch highlights You Tube The Rebels win with defense first. They are yielding 39 points per game and only two teams have hit 50, Gonzaga and Jenkins (78-55 Rebel win). "We got off to a great start, they (Evans) shot the ball really well early and then our defensive pressure really got to them," said Arrington. We got out on the fast break and Jakeenan played great. The guards just did a great job defensively and it was a lot of fun." Arrington is assisted by former Toombs County assistant coach Jamie Clayton. Number 14 on the Knights roster is son Ryan Arrington. Ryan grew up in Toombs County and played for the Bullpups prior to the family's move to Springfield. Ryan comes off the bench and handles the basketball, plays man-to-man defensive and shoots 3-pointers. The senior says, "We work really hard, I think we deserve everything we have gotten. We come in to practice everyday and work our tail off and it pays off." Ryan's older brother Chase, who played two seasons at Toombs County High School, has decided to walk on at Armstrong Atlantic next season. Chase most recently played at East Georgia where he was a starter in his freshman season. "I'm really looking forward to it," said Chase. "I talked to coach (Jeremy) Luther and he really wants me to be a part of their team. I really think I can flourish there. They run an offense that I can thrive in and I am really looking forward to it."

Josh Dees is a JUCO National Champion

Former Toombs County Bulldog Josh Dees, in his third season as an assistant at the College of Southern Idaho, is a national champion. His Golden Eagles defeated Midland 72-64 to win the NJCAA title. Y-101 Story  Josh began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for one season at Division 1 Colorado State and then he joined head coach Steve Gosar at CSI. Gosar played for Josh's father, Benny Dees, at Wyoming. After graduating from TCHS Josh walked on at Wyoming and then he transfered to West Carolina where he played for two seasons.

TCHS basketball season ends

Benny Dees coaching his last game of a long, successful career

The Toombs County High School basketball season ended one game short of the Region 3 Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs lost to East Laurens 47-25 in the first region play-in game in Lyons. Ashley Polke topped TCHS with nine points and Bessie Pittman added eight. The Bulldogs, who were down 10-0 after the first quarter, rallied and took their only lead of the game on a Bobby Joe Mincey bucket with 1:20 to play in the game. However, the 29-28 advantage didn't hold up. Bleckley County hit two three throws and won the game 31-29. Senior Alex Jenkins scored nine points. Watch Highlights Video For head coach Benny Dees, the game was the final one of his career. Dees informed his team at the end of the regular season that he was ending his long coaching career. Dees had two runs at TCHS. He assisted head Coach Donnie Arrington during an amazing run that saw the Bulldogs win back-to-back region titles and then after serving as head coach at Jeff Davis (where he stopped a long losing streak with a win over Telfair County), Dees returned to Lyons as an assistant and then replaced Arrington as head coach when he left to take the Effingham County job.  Dees, a Montgomery County native, had a long, successful career at all levels of amateur basketball. He was a high school, junior college and Division 1 head coach. Dees was the first head coach when Virginia Commonwealth went Division 1 in 1968. He went 12-11 and 13-10. Dees next head job was at New Orleans and he lead the Privateers on the best run in school history winning 42 games and losing just 16 and he took UNO to the NCAA Tourney and won a game 83-79 over BYU in the opening round in the 1987 tourney. Read Sports Illustrated Story Benny, a Wyoming graduate, next coached his alma mater for six seasons and won 104 games and earned another trip to the NCAA Tourney. Dees' 1987-88 Wyoming team went 26-6 and was ranked 13th in the final AP Poll and 14th in the UPI top 20. The Cowboys were featured on the front cover of Sports Illustrated's College Basketball Preview Issue. Read Feature Story  Also, check out another SI Story on Wyoming  Dees was also a head coach at Western Carolina and just like he did at VCU and UNO he rebuilt the program from scratch and went 26-30 in two seasons with Southern Conference Player of the Year Frankie King (Appling County High School). Dees was a successful Division 1 assistant at Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky and Alabama. Dees joined the Alabama staff in June of 1981 and assisted head coach Wimp Sanderson during a fantastic Tide run. Alabama won a SEC Tournament title in 1982 with a 48-46 win over Kentucky in Lexington. The Tide made four trips to the NCAA Tourney and advanced to the Sweet 16 twice. In the 1982 NCAA Tourney Alabama (a four seed) beat St. Johns 69-68 in the second round and then lost to the eventual national champions in the Sweet 16. North Carolina beat Bama 74-69 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Matt Doherty and James Worthy eached scored 16 points for the Tar Heels. Sam Perkins added 15 and a young Michael Jordan scored 11 by hitting three-of-six shots from the field.  Of course Coach Dees has always been known for his ability to say something witty and he has been quoted many times by the national media.  Los Angeles Times, April 2, 1987   Benny Dees, head basketball coach at the University of New Orleans, was an assistant coach at the University of Alabama when Charles Barkley was a star at Leeds (Ala.) High School. Says Dees: "Coming out of high school, I never thought Barkley would make it. I figured he'd gain 60 pounds and become a slob. So he gains 80 pounds and becomes a superstar." Sports Illustrated- They Said it, February 22, 1988 Wyoming basketball coach, bemoaning a recent slump by the Cowboys: "It was so bad my travel agent called me with a play—and I wrote it down."

The Strouds and Calvary are winning

In the 2006 and 2007 seasons the Calvary Day Cavaliers won just two total games. So far in seven games in 2008 the Cavs have won four games including three out of their last four under former Toombs County coach Mark Stroud. On Friday night the 4-3 Cavaliers came-from-behind in the second half and beat Portal on the road 21-12. Former Bulldog Seth Stroud is starting at quarterback and linebacker. Y-101 Story        Watch video 1st Quarter  2nd Quarter  3rd Quarter  4th Quarter  Post Game

Coach Shane Williamson meets the Bulldog supporters Shane Williamson, Toombs County High School's new head football coach, returned home to officially meet the Bulldog fans at a gathering at the Lyons Depot. Joining Williamson was assistant coach Travis Ellington. Ellington, who coached with Williamson at Swainsboro, is also joining the Bulldogs' coaching staff. Coach Williamson talks to Y-101 Radio. Audio

Assistant coaches coming and going at TCHS There are two assistant coaching changes that are official at Toombs County High School. Chris Harrelson is leaving for Northside of Warner Robbins and Travis Ellington is leaving Swainsboro to join new Bulldog head football coach Shane Williamson at Toombs County. Harrelson, who led the Bulldog baseball team to the second round of the state playoffs in 2003 as a head coach, has most recently been an assistant in football (wide receivers), baseball and wrestling. Y-101 Profile of Harrelson  Ellington is expected to coach the Bulldogs offensive backs Y-101 Profile of Ellington

Former Dawg Williamson is the Bulldogs' next head coach Shane Williamson, a former Toombs County Bulldog football player, has been approved by the Toombs County Board of Education to be the next head football coach of the Bulldogs. Williamson spent the past six seasons coaching the Swainsboro Tigers and has led them to back-to-back 9-2 seasons and his overall record was 42-24-2. Y-101 Story  Coach Williamson talks about coming home to coach the Bulldogs Audio  TCHS Athletic Director Kevin Hill talks about the choice. Audio  Bulldog wide receiver Daniel NeSmith talks about the new coach Audio   Dr. Kendall Brantley, Superintendent of Schools, approves the recommendation of Williamson Video

Arrington steps down after season ending loss In the locker room following Toombs County's season ending loss to Bleckley County, Bulldog basketball head coach Donnie Arrington told his team that he was stepping down from his position after 16 years on the job. Arrington said it was time to do something different. Last season Arrington won his 300th game and his Bulldog highlights include back-to-back region championships which were won in the Gillis Gymnasium where he made his announcement. Arrington talks about his decision Audio

Mark Stroud reminisces on his Bulldog years on Y-101 Radio Mark Stroud, who accepted the head coaching position at Calvary Day, spent more than two hours on Y-101 Radio sharing memories of his 16 years coaching the Toombs County Bulldogs. Stroud talked to former players, including NFL veteran Travares Tillman, and he took phone calls from assistant coaches and Bulldog fans who thanked him for his contributions to the community. Listen to both hours  1st Hour  2nd Hour  Y-101 Salute to Mark Stroud

Stroud with the Bulldogs

Stroud leaves the Bulldogs for new challenge at Calvary Mark Stroud, who turned a struggling football program at Toombs County High School into a consistent winner, has decided to end his 16 year tenure as head coach of the Bulldogs. Stroud told his coaches and players Thursday morning that he had accepted the head coaching position at Calvary Day in Savannah. Stroud, who won 120 games and lost 60 in Lyons, takes over a Calvary program that went 1-8 this past season and 1-9 the year before. Coach Stroud talks to Y-101 Radio about his decision Audio  Y-101 Story

Calvary  Cavaliers

Calvary football, ebb and flow Mark Stroud will be taking over a football program, that success wise, has had a definite ebb and flow. During Alan Lowes' tenure (1995-1999) the Cavaliers had six straight winning seasons including a trip to the third round of the playoffs. However, in the last seven years the Cavs have had only three above .500 seasons and the last two have been one win campaigns. Mark Stroud talks about the Calvary challenge Audio  Calvary principal James Taylor talks about his new football coach Audio