Hardaway’s turnaround earns Woolridge Large School Coach of the Year

The turning point of Hardaway’s season — and maybe the beginning of bigger things down the road — came in the Hawks’ fourth game of the season.

After winning their first two games — itself an accomplishment after winning just three games over the previous three seasons — the Hawks lost to Cairo and faced rival Columbus.

“To get that win against our rival, after that game our kids started believing,” said first-year coach Michael Woolridge.

That win boosted the Hawks to a 5-4 season, which is especially impressive when placed in context. Hardaway was 7-43 over the previous five seasons. The remarkable turnaround is why Woolridge earned 2016 All-Bi-City Large School Coach of the Year.

Central’s Jaxton Carson was selected Player of the Year, while teammate Zion Webb is Offensive Player of the Year.

Northside’s Caleb Johnson is Defensive Player of the Year, and Columbus High’s Terrance Dixon is Athlete of the Year.

Carver led the way with 10 players on the first team, followed by Central with six first-teamers. The Red Devils also had eight players make honorable mention for a total of 14 players recognized, the most of any school.

Northside had five first-teamers and four honorable mentions.

But the story of the year was the resurrection of Hardaway’s program. As a Hardaway graduate himself (Class of 2000), Woolridge hopes this season was just the beginning of great things. He was just 9 when Kendrick tied for a state championship. And he was just out of high school when Charles Flowers led Shaw to a state title in 2000. The power then shifted to Carver, and the Tigers won a state championship in 2007 under Dell McGee.

It is from there that Woolridge draws his inspiration. He is not timid in his dreams.

“Our goal is to turn Hardaway into a dynasty,” Woolridge said. “We want to play in kickoff classic and play in the Georgia Dome every year. Coach Flowers and Coach McGee are both mentors to me. We feel it’s our time.”

Technically, it won’t be the Georgia Dome, as the Atlanta Falcons’ new home will be Mercedes-Benz Stadium next door. But Woolridge’s point is well taken. If Shaw and Carver can build state championship caliber programs, why not Hardaway?

If it happens, it will be the 2016 team that built the foundation. Woolridge returned to his alma mater after coaching at Jordan in recent years. He couldn’t officially start at Hardaway until March, so he spent two months driving over from Jordan after school. He worked with existing coaches on pushing the players through a strength and conditioning program. But maybe just as important – or even more – he was building trust among his new players.

“It was an easy transition,” he said. “It hurt to leave Jordan because I had built up a lot of relationships there and still talk to them. I just felt like the kids (at Hardaway) wanted someone they could relate to. I have the same background as them. When you can relate to them you can get them to play sports. The focus was on the relationship first before it’s about Xs and Os.”

2016 All-Bi-City Large School Football Team

Schools: Central, Russell, Smiths Station, Carver, Columbus, Hardaway, Northside, Shaw, Harris County

Player of the Year — Jaxton Carson, Central, Sr. — 175 carries for 1,419 yards, 8.1 avg, 22 TDs.

Offensive Player of the Year — Zion Webb, Central, Sr. — 6-0, 195; 130 carries for 911 yards, 7.0 avg, 11 TDs; 109 for 230 passing, 1,613 yards, 17 TDs.

Defensive Player of the Year — Caleb Johnson, Northside, Jr. — 6-3, 235; 113 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 int, 7 TFL, 1 blocked punt, 1 safety, 5 passes defended, 5 FF.

Athlete of the Year — Terrance Dixon, Columbus, Sr. — 5-7, 165; 65 carries for 695 yards, 9 TDs; two 100-yard games; 7 receptions for 140 yards; 1,410 all-purpose yards.

Coach of the Year — Michael Woolridge, Hardaway

QUARTERBACK

Romello Kimbrough, Carver, Sr. — 6-1, 215; 2,107 all-purpose yards; 1,093 rushing, 12 TDs; 1,014 passing, 6 passing TDs.

RUNNING BACKS

Cameron Jessie, Carver, Sr. — 5-9, 180; 1,441 all-purpose yards; 1,219 rushing, 9 TDs; 198 yards receiving, 3 TDs.

Marco Lee, Hardaway, Jr. — 131 carries for 836 yards, 4 TDs

Nick Beason, Shaw, Sr. — 5-9, 165; 498 yards rushing, 576 receiving, 7 TDs.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Justyn Ross, Central, Jr. — 6-3, 180; 38 receptions, 663 yards, 8TDs.

Quincy Brown, Northside, Jr. — 5-10; 26 receptions, 658 yards, 5 TDs.

Cordale Scott, Northside, Sr. — 6-2, 170; 33 receptions, 548 yards, 6 TDs.

OFFENSIVE LINE

William Nana-Fabu, Columbus, Sr. — 6-2, 302; Graded out at 88 percent; 53 pancake blocks.

Trent Kelley, Central, Sr. — 6-5, 300; Graded out at 87 percent; 8 pancake blocks.

Jahlil Ryles, Central, Jr. — 6-3, 302; Graded out at 91 percent; 13 pancake blocks.

Brian Calhoun, Carver — 67 pancakes.

Wayne Davis, Russell County, Sr. — 6-2, 295.

Walter Horton, Hardaway, Sr. — Graded out at 85 percent; 7 pancake blocks.

UTILITY

Jacobi Cunningham, Carver, Jr. — 5-7, 155; 1,300 all-purpose yards, 33 receptions for 382 yards, 3TDs; two kickoff return TDs.

KICKER

Nathan Robertson, Northside, Sr. — 5-10, 150; 89 percent touchbacks; 14 for 20 field goals, made from 49 and 51 yards.

RETURNER

Us Beasley, Carver, Sr. — 5-9, 175; 1,387 all-purpose yards, 7 TDs (3 return, 2 rushing, 2 receiving); 371 receiving yards.

DEFENSIVE LINE

David Galloway, Columbus, Sr. — 6-0, 175; 77 tackles, 8 sacks, 24 TFL, 5 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick, 3 pass deflections.

Duke Haslem, Northside, Sr. — 81 tackles, 5 sacks, 10 TFL, 1 fumble recovery.

Deondrae Williams, Smiths Station, Jr. — 6-3, 242; 42 solo tackles, 28 assists, 14 TFL, 5.5 sacks.

Lyndon Johnson, Carver; Sr. — 5-10, 265; 53 tackles, 23 TFL, 6 sacks.

LINEBACKERS

Jarious Upshaw, Central, Sr. — 5-10, 185; 54 solo tackles, 27 assists, 6 sacks, 8 TFL.

RJ Cummings, Carver, Sr. — 6-1, 225; 127 tackles, 11 sacks, 2 int, 24 TFL, 11 sacks.

Emmanuel Reed, Carver, Jr. — 6-1, 235; 108 tackles, 21 TFL, 9 sacks, 4 int, 2TDs, 1 fumble recovery.

D’Monte Huling, Harris County, Sr. — 5-11, 158; 50 solo tackles, 30 assists, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 int, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass defended, 1 TD.

SECONDARY

AJ LaGrand, Carver, Sr. — 5-10, 180; 145 tackles, 3 int, 18 TFL, 3 forced fumbles.

Eric Gwinn, Northside, Sr. — 5-9, 155; 97 tackles, 2 int,, 3 passes defended, 1 forced fumble.

Jacolbie Hatchett, Carver, Sr. — 5-10, 150; 59 tackles, 5 int, 2 forcedfumbles.

Damon Jones, Central, So. — 5-11, 160; 11 tackles, 5 int, 1 TD.

Karon Delince, Central, Sr. — 5-9, 167; 15 tackles, 2 int.

PUNTER

Antonio Campbell, Hardaway — 28 punts, 1,075 yards, 38.39 avg.

HONORABLE MENTION

Harris County — Jordan Griffin, Cal’Von Harris, Tank Adams, Xavier Gonzalez, Tyrese McPhatter, Gage Lee, A.K. Wortham, Xavier Gonzalez.

Shaw — Elisha Ammi, Devan Porter, A.J. Jones, DeQuandre Green, Isaiah Carter.

Central — Devin Pittman, Tyler Moore, Ravaughn Turner, N’ktravious Floyd, Ben Alexander, Demetrius Pettway, Alex Rentaria, Zach Johnson.

Carver — Jarius Thomas, Juvantae Martin, Deanquez Morales, Duane Melvin, Andrew Ogletree, Joseph Jones, Kamron McFolley, Kwandon Tymes.

Russell County — Corey Person, Jaden Citizen.

Smiths Station — Joe Lewis, Jarred Long, Matt Robinson, Anthony Ortiz, Trip Vining.

Northside — Bryce Valero, Julian Robinson, Ka-Shawn Robinson, David Apaig.

Hardaway — Jakobe Ellerbee, Cedric Lockhart, Jason White, Michael Gentry, Clyde Albright, Jatavius Vazquez.

Columbus — Blake Tew.

This story was originally published December 28, 2016 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Hardaway’s turnaround earns Woolridge Large School Coach of the Year."