Note to high school football fans in South Bryan:
If you need a high school football fix, head over to Wildcats Stadium Thursday to check out the LRS combine.
The event at Richmond Hill High School gets under way at 5 p.m. and a 7-on-7 passing tournament will begin at 6:30 p.m. Among the schools expected to be attend are South Effingham, which advanced to the state Class AAAA quarterfinals last season, Calvary Day School and Georgia Independent School Association power Robert Toombs Christian Academy.
LRS was founded by Dwight Thomas, one of the first to get in the business of providing information to college recruiters and one of the few who is actually paid by colleges for the information, as opposed to those who charge players money.
The event marks a sort of midway point for the Wildcats this offseason. Last week, Richmond Hill made it to the semifinals of the 7-on-7 tournament at the annual University of Georgia football camp before falling 25-24 to Callaway High School.
Wildcats coach Lyman Guy called the finish another sign of progress.
"Last year at the same tournament we were put out in the first round," he said. "This year we made it to the Final Four and really should’ve been in the championship game."
Speaking of recruiting news:
Richmond Hill senior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald has an offer from Mississippi State and Middle Tennessee State and opened eyes at the University of Georgia camp, Guy said.The 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior played receiver last season while backing up Air Force commit Dominique Allen. But Guy said Fitzgerald, who power cleans 350 pounds and can run and pass, opened some eyes at the UGA camp and may have more potential as a pro-style quarterback than any quarterback he’s coached, and that includes Virginia signee Greyson Lambert, who is expected to compete for a starting job this year and Allen, who last year led the Wildcats to an 8-2 mark, the best regular season in school history, and nearly engineered an upset of Warner Robins in the first round of the state Class AAAAA playoffs.
Busy summer
The Wildcats have a busy summer coming up in advance of the first days of mandatory practice in late July. There are a number of 7-on-7 tournaments, camps and other events scheduled over the remainder of the summer.
Guy said rankings and camps and combines all help keep his players motivated.
"I think it makes my job easier," he said. "It’s all in what you make of it. I’m using it to motivate my kids to work harder now and show up at combines ready to perform."
But the events don’t come cheap. Guy said it cost $1,600 to attend the University of Georgia camp last week.
All is funded by the Richmond Hill Gridiron Association, the program’s booster club.
"Any body who helps support our Gridiron Association, this is what the money goes for," Guy said. "It helps our kids go to camps and combines. We couldn’t be doing it without them. President Greg Zellner has really done a great job with that group."
Read full story in June 19 issue of the Bryan County News.