Superintendent to Honor "National Champions"

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox will honor the co-national championship football team from Georgia School for the Deaf (GSD) on Thursday, December 20, 12 p.m.-1 p.m.

The GSD Tigers finished the season with a 7-1 record, but were undefeated in 8-man football (their only loss was against the 11-man team from the Alabama School for the Deaf).

"I'm so excited to go up to Cave Spring to celebrate with these remarkable young men," Superintendent Cox said. "Their competitive spirit and determination served them well on the football field and will serve them well in life."

The Tigers were led on the field by Coach Erik Whitworth and four captains -- seniors Patrick Bryant, Andy Sugg and Andrew Henderson and junior Timothy Simmons. (A full roster is below)

The GSD Tigers are one of 24 teams from schools for the deaf that are in the 8-man football category. They were co-national champions with the Arkansas and Minnesota Schools for the Deaf.

The Georgia School for the Deaf is one of three state schools operated by the Georgia Department of Education. The other two are the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf in Clarkston and the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon.

Media or members of the public wishing to attend Thursday's event at GSD should contact Dana Tofig in the Communications Division, (404) 463-1487, or dtofig@gadoe.org.

For directions, go to http://www.gsdweb.org/contact-us.html
For more on the Georgia School for the Deaf, visit http://www.gsdweb.org/index.html

2007 GSD Tigers 8-man Football Team

Argenis Duarte Baena, 16, of Whitfield County
Westley Thomas Blankenship, 17, of Carroll County
Patrick Fraser-Hudson Bryant, 19, of Franklin County
Charles “Charlie” Pierre Chandler, 17, of Douglas County
Jason Timothy Crosby, 17, of Colquitt County
Jeremy Dale Crosby, 17, of Colquitt County
Davion Andre Gilling, 16, of Gwinnett County
Terry Ryan Hall, 17, of Colquitt County
Andrew Henderson, 18, of Chatham County
Jabril Andre Moss, 17, of Richmond County
Christopher Matthew “Matt” Powers, 15, of Chatham County
Jonathan Blake Roach, 17, of Murray County
Javante’ “Jay” Antuan Roberson, 15, of Wheeler County
Edward Benard Snipes, 17, of Peach County
Andy Sugg, 18, of Floyd County
Timothy Lemual Simmons, 18, of McDuffie County
Brandon Paul Stevens, 17, of Baker County
Brandon Eric Welch, 16, of Chattahoochee County
Eric Laden Williams, 18, of Baker County