White County High School (Cleveland, Georgia)

White County High School
Location
Cleveland, Georgia
Coordinates 34°37′02″N 83°47′40″W / 34.617343°N 83.794462°W / 34.617343; -83.794462Coordinates: 34°37′02″N 83°47′40″W / 34.617343°N 83.794462°W / 34.617343; -83.794462
Information
Established 1959
School district White County School District
Principal John Osborne
Staff 598
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 1143
Color(s)             
Athletics conference GHSA Div. 8A-AAA
Mascot Warrior
Rivals Lumpkin County High School
Chestatee High School
North Hall High School
Website White County High School

White County High School is a public high school located in Cleveland, Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which serves the youth of Cleveland and Helen in grades 10-12. It is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

School colors

The school's traditional colors are navy blue and white. In the early 1990s, gold trim was added to uniforms to honor the old Nacoochee High School, which merged into White County High School in the late 1950s.

History

The school opened its doors in 1959 but it has since moved and is located about five miles north of the original campus on Highway 129. In the 1950s, the 23 local community schools were consolidated into four districts. Most of the community schools only went to the eighth grade; afterwards, the students matriculated to either Cleveland High School or Nacoochee High School. Cleveland High School and Nacoochee High School consolidated into White County High School in 1959. Both the old Nacoochee gym and school still stand; the school is now a museum.

Students were segregated until 1964 in the White County School System. Prior to integration, black children went to one of three schools: Rock Springs, Oak Springs, or Bean Creek. After completing grade school, black students were bussed to nearby Habersham County to attend high school. Desegregation was accomplished in White County schools harmoniously and without much fanfare.[1] In 2010 the old high school (which had served as the middle school) was demolished to build a new middle school.

Significant events

Notable alumni

Athletics

Football

White County launched its football program in 1956 when the school was still known as Cleveland High School. The team finished 3-3-1 in its inaugural season.

Head coaches of the Warrior football program since its inception:[2]

The most successful of all Warrior head coaches was Coach Jerry Dorsey, who holds a .609 winning percentage.[3] He was the first coach to lead the program into the playoffs back in 1980.

The early to mid-1980s are considered the "golden age" of Warrior football. Between 1980 and 1987 the program boasted a 51-33-1 record with four trips to the playoffs. The 1983, 2010, and 2013 squads earned Region Runner-Up accolades. The 1980 and 2010 squads are the only squads to earn Sub-Region Championships.

The program has produced fourteen all-state/all area players throughout the years:[4]

In the 1970s and 1980s the school gained a reputation for turning out some of the best tailbacks in the state, often with the last name Dorsey or Moss.[8] During that time three players distinguished themselves from all others - Jesse Dorsey (1970s), Gary "Curly" Moss (1980s), and Glen "The Hoss" Dorsey (1980s). Jesse Dorsey still holds the career rushing record at White County.[9] Jesse Dorsey went on to play college ball at Georgia and Tennessee Tech, Gary "Curly" Moss played for Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley, and Glen "The Hoss" Dorsey played at Western Carolina. Donnie Joe Campbell, Jr. is still the all-time passing leader for the Warriors and played for Appalachian State in college. He is now a plastic surgeon in Gainesville, Georgia, and is a top sponsor for the Warrior program.

Gary "Curly" Moss had a very successful collegiate career at the University of Georgia where he was the hero of the 1984 Cotton Bowl and the defensive MVP of the 1986 Hall of Fame Bowl.

The following is an excerpt from the Cotton Bowl Archives: "When the clock struck the 4:35 mark in the fourth period, the Texas defense again had forced a frustrated Bulldog offense into a punting situation at the Georgia 34-yard line. Only twice in the second half had the Dawgs managed to move the football into Texas territory. In came Chip Andrews to punt the ball away for the eighth time. With the clock becoming a factor, and Georgia growing more and more desperate as each second passed, Texas became fearful of a possible fake. The Longhorns selected not to bring in their regular punt return unit, and Craig Curry replaced Jitter Fields as the return man. Andrews got the kick away, a 43-yarder and Curry moved into position to make the catch. But, Curry dropped the ball and the Bulldogs' Gary Moss was on the spot to make the recovery at the Texas 23. In a matter of seconds, the Longhorns' fortunes had taken a severe turn for the worse. Three plays after the fumbled punt, Texas' hopes for the No. 1 spot went down the drain. Georgia quarterback John Lastinger, working the option around the right side, broke free at the line of scrimmage, turned up-field and carried 17 yards for the touchdown. Butler added the extra point with 3:22 left and the underdog Dawgs had a 10-9 victory. The Longhorns had suffered their first defeat when they could least afford it. Seven hours later, top ranked Nebraska met the same fate. Miami pulled off a 31-30 upset over the Huskers, and used the victory to climb into first place." Gary "Curly" Moss went on to play safety with the Atlanta Falcons in 1987.

Since the initial 1956 season the Warriors have played sixty-five different opponents,[10] with their oldest, and arguably biggest rival being the Lumpkin County Indians. As of 2013 White County and Lumpkin County have played a total of forty-six times with the Warriors holding a commanding 34-11-1 record in the series. Sadly that series may come to an end due to reclassification in 2013. In recent years the Warriors have developed a heated rivalry with the North Hall Trojans, mostly due to the inter-division match-up and proximity of the schools to one another (20 miles). As of 2013 the series is tied 21-21-0. Monumentally, the 2010 and 2013 campaigns will go down as the most successful campaigns in Warrior football history. The 2010 squad boasted a 9-3 record, a home playoff win, a Sub Region Championship and a player (Ashley Lowery) committing to a Division I school (Kentucky). Lowery joins Jesse Dorsey (UGA, Tennessee Tech) and Gary "Curly" Moss (UGA) as the only Warrior football players to sign with a FBS program. The 2013 squad also boasts a 9-3 record, a home playoff win and Region Runner-up accolades. Barron Pilgrim holds the basketball scoring record with 41 points against South Habersham, 1963. He was listed among the top 25 basketball players in the state

Notable football seasons

Warrior football playoff results

Playoff record as of 2013: 3-10 (.300) [11]

The Warriors' first playoff game took place on November 14, 1980. White County was actually the home team in the contest versus Oconee County; however, White County's Stadium did not meet GHSA regulations as it related to seating capacity for playoff games. As a result, the game was played at nearby Habersham Central, whose stadium met the minimum seating capacity required for playoff games. The 2010 squad is the first squad to host a home playoff game; however, the 1980 squad was actually the home team in the school's first playoff appearance.[12] As a result of playing in another stadium, the White County Touchdown Club and Athletic Department approved funding for additional seating that brought the capacity of Warrior Field up to GHSA standards for playoffs.

Baseball

White County baseball has seen a resurgence since 2007 under the guidance of Coach John Brown. Since 2007 the Warriors have an 85-46 record and have enjoyed the GHSA Playoffs three times.

Records by year:[13]

When the baseball team qualified for the playoffs in 2008, it was the first time since 1990 that a Warrior baseball team had made it into the post season. They were the number 4 seed coming out of Region 7-AAA.

All-State players:[14]

Gainesville Times All-Area Player:[15]

Gainesville Times All-Area Team:[15]

In addition to being named to the Gainesville Times All-Area Teams, both Luke Crumley and David Sosebee inked letters of intent with the University of Georgia's baseball team.[16] Sosebee was also drafted in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.[17]

Women's basketball

The White County women's basketball program was the only program to bring a State Championship to the school prior to the 2010 softball team. Notable final state rankings for the Lady Warriors:[18]

On Saturday March 14, 1981, at Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum, the Lady Warriors, led by guards Frankie and Jeanette Dorsey, forward Anne Smith and center Sonya Thomas, downed the East Hall Lady Vikings 46 – 39 to claim the school's first state championship. The game was a see-saw battle until the fourth quarter. Coach Loudermilk decided to triple team East Hall's All-State player, Brenda Hill, and essentially shut her down for the majority of the contest. When Hill left the game for a break, Coach Loudermilk employed a tight zone defense. With their leading scorer effectively neutralized, East Hall had trouble scoring and became more demoralized as the game went on. After the game Coach William "Wicky" Loudermilk was asked how he felt by a Gainesville Times reporter, to which he replied "Fine, fine."[19]

During the late 1970s and early 1980s the Lady Warriors' biggest rival were the East Hall Lady Vikings. In recent years the Lady Warriors have had a heated rivalry with the North Hall Lady Trojans.

Lady Warriors softball

The White County Lady Warriors softball team is the latest team to bring a state championship to White County. Prior to 2010, it had been 29 years since a White County sports team had clinched a state title (women's basketball 1981). In 2007 Coach John Brown took over the program and since that time the Lady Warrior softball team has had a 90-27-1 record and playoff appearances each year. On October 30, 2010, the Warriors defeated Allatoona High School 12-11 for the state title. The Lady Warriors were undefeated throughout the tournament, hitting a staggering 23 home runs, outscoring opponents 83-21, and setting a new record for home runs in a single game during the Class AAA state playoffs with 6 against Thomson High School.[20] The Lady Warriors softball team has a pre-game tradition of applying temporary tattoos to their forearms for good luck.

In 2011 Beth Kimsey became Head Coach of the Lady Warriors.

Marching band

The marching band is directed by Michael Pickett and has 140 members. The band performs at halftime of varsity football games, as well as other functions.

Boys' soccer

The boys' soccer teams (varsity and JV) are coached by Jeremy Stille, Wayne Hurst, and James Thomas. The varsity boys' soccer team made their first ever state playoff appearance in 2016.

Records by year:

White County High School Athletic Hall of Fame

In May 2012 White County High School had its inaugural Hall of Fame recognition ceremony.[21] The 2012 inductees were:

GHSA Literary Competition

In 2007, White County High School won its first GHSA Literary State Championship. After two first place finishes at the Gainesville regional competition, the Wyszynski sisters advanced to the Annual State Literary Festival in Warner Robins. Senior Lindsey Wyszynski placed second in Dramatic Interpretation, and sophomore Whitney Wyszynski placed first in Extemporaneous Speaking.[22] Whitney Wyszynski continued to place first in Region for her remaining two years of high school. She would later win a State Runner-Up title and a final State Championship title in Extemporaneous Speaking.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 In the shadow of Yonah, Garrison Baker 2005
  2. ↑ Georgia High School Football Archives
  3. ↑ Georgia High School Football Archives
  4. ↑ Georgia High School Football Archives
  5. ↑ Atlanta Journal Constitution 1/9/2011 Ed.
  6. ↑ Gainesville Times 12/25/2012 Ed.
  7. ↑ ajc.com 12/27/2012 Ed.
  8. ↑ Gainesville Times 1985
  9. ↑ White County News/Telegraph
  10. ↑ Georgia High School Football Archives
  11. ↑ Georgia High School Football Archives
  12. ↑ White County News 11/13/1980
  13. ↑ GHSA Archives
  14. ↑ GHSA Archives
  15. 1 2 Gainesville Times 6/18/2011
  16. ↑ White County News 6/2/2011
  17. ↑ Max Preps website
  18. ↑ Georgia High School Basketball History Website
  19. ↑ Gainesville Times March 15, 1981
  20. ↑ White County News/Telegraph November 4, 2010
  21. ↑ White County News 4/26/2012 Ed.
  22. ↑ http://www.ghsa.net/node/1195
  23. ↑ http://www.ghsa.net/2009-2010-ghsa-state-literary-meet-results-class-aaa
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