As the days wind down on the school year, six seniors from Glynn Academy took turns announcing their colleges of choice on stage at the school’s auditorium.
On Wednesday, Isabella Albright, Tyler Devlin, Hugh Edgy, Brandon Kasper, Hank Noonan and Shayne Payne each signed scholarships to continue their respective athletic careers on the next level.
Albright was first up on a banner day for Glynn Academy — the cross country/track and field dual-sport athlete informed a substantial crowd she would be running at Jacksonville University.
“It’s definitely a blessing,” Albright said.
Cross country head coach Chris Gunter called Albright one of the hardest workers he’s been around, one who would do anything asked with a smile on her face. In doing so, Albright helped the Lady Terrors win their first region championship in 18 years.
Albright finished 14th overall at the region meet with a time of 23:02, and she bested that with a time of 22:58.77 at the state meet as Glynn Academy earned the program’s best finish at 12th place.
On the track, Albright competed in the 1,600m run, as well as the 4x800m relay, which she played a leg in winning several times this past season.
Once Albright was finished up with some quick photos with friends, family, coaches and teammates, the Terrors prepared to celebrate a set of four baseball players that contributed to a historic run for the program.
Glynn Academy’s baseball team has won a school-record 24 games each of the past two seasons while making back-to-back appearances in the Sweet 16 round of the Class 6A state playoffs.
Most of the signees also doubled as football players for the Terrors, including as the two-year starting quarterback as in Devlin’s case. He passed for nearly 2,300 yards and 22 touchdowns as Glynn’s signal caller over the past two seasons.
On the diamond, Devlin earned all-region first team honors as a junior after taking over in centerfield in the wake of an injury and hitting .350 with 13 doubles, three triples and 22 RBIs.
As a senior, Devlin’s role shrank a bit, but he still hit .280/.379/.400 with seven runs, seven RBIs and three steals.
“We wouldn’t have been as successful as a team without you,” said Terrors baseball coach John Welborn.
Devlin signed with Florida State College at Jacksonville — one of the top junior college programs in the country — before being joined on stage for photos by a cavalcade of his teammates from both sports.
That would be the formula for the next several signees, the students flowing onto stage before retreating back into the audience.
Edgy was the next athlete to take a seat at the signing table. He smiled as Welborn recounted how the young catcher joined the program brimming with potential and how he has enjoyed watching Edgy grow.
While with the football team, Edgy was an all-region honorable mention H-back, but he will be attending East Georgia State College based on his work with Glynn Academy’s pitching staff and with a bat.
With Edgy behind the plate, the Terrors’ pitching staff was at its best, calling games for the region’s Pitcher of the Year. A second-team all-region selection at designated hitter, he also slashed .300/.404/.388 with 14 RBIs.
Edgy won’t be alone in Swainsboro — Kasper also signed with East Georgia State College.
The lone Glynn baseball signee who didn’t find his way to the gridiron, Kasper instead settled in the Glynn Academy middle infield, where he earned second-team all-region recognition as the team’s regular second baseman.
Nothing was handed to Kasper, who had to fight for playing time among the talented program. Welborn praised his mindset to stick around and earn a starting spot — one to which Kasper responded to with a .295/.387/.375 slash line with 13 RBIs, 17 runs scored and 19 steals.
Wrapping up the baseball portion of the signings was the region’s Offensive Player of the Year. A force in the Terrors’ lineup, Noonan compiled a .452 batting average, an OBP of .531, seven home runs, 33 RBI, 33 runs and 15 stolen bases while bouncing between left field and first base.
“Our success wouldn’t be where it is without him,” Welborn said.
Also a first-team all-region H-back for the Glynn football team with 350 total yards and two touchdowns, Noonan decided to pursue baseball at Georgia College State University.
The final signee of the day hailed from the Terrors’ basketball team — Payne announced he would be continuing his career at Thomas University.
Another story of preservation, Payne became a four-year player for Glynn Academy after moving to the coast from Virginia ahead of high school. Described as “a pleasant surprise” by boys head coach Terrance Haywood, Payne helped the program win 31 games over the past two seasons.
“I like that kid right there, he’s got a little swag about him,” Haywood said he told an assistant when he first watched Payne play.
Over his final year as a Terrors, Payne was Glynn Academy’s starting shooting guard and led the team in scoring, garnering second-team all-region honors.