ACS athletes end GISA play at top of game
For Augusta Christian Schools and athletic director Bruce Lane, the Lions' final season in the Georgia Independent Schools Association proved to be a fruitful one.
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Augusta Christian
quarterback Adam McKinney lets loose a long pass during the game against Briarwood Academy in Thomson. McKinney was selected for the All-State Team.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
The Lions won team state titles in girl's track and girl's cross country and added 10 individual state champions before moving to the South Carolina Independent Schools Association to cut down on travel costs. The school also won the Larry S. Prestridge Award, which goes to the most outstanding athletic school in Region 4AAA.
"We put together a great season across the board," Lane said. "I am very proud of our athletic achievements this season."
The Lions also added region team titles in boy's and girl's track and girl's cross country and added 19 individual region champions.
Twin sisters Rebekah and Sarah Madebach virtually re-wrote the GISA record books for cross country and track. The twins won 12 individual (6 apiece) state championships and were runners-up nine times during their time at Augusta Christian, enough to earn them both athletic scholarships to the University of Georgia.
Along with Augusta State signee Annie Kim, the Madebachs led AC to an undefeated season in cross country and eight wins in nine meets in track.
"It takes a lot of work," Rebekah told The News-Times last October. "It's a long process. You can't just go out there and run a really fast time. There's never an easy day. We've got some talent, and it's all just built up to this year."
Although the Madebachs could arguably be the greatest track athletes in the area's history, they weren't the only Lions to win state titles. Eve Machovec won state titles in discus and shotput go with Rebekah's titles in cross country and the 800 and 3200 meters and Sarah's in the 1600 meters.
Other state champs included: Christopher Motes, Singles Tennis; Katie York, Swimming-Backstroke; Howard Walls, 110 Meter Hurdles; Israel Machovec, Discus.
Augusta Christian twins Sarah Madebach (center left) and Rebekah Madebach are surrounded by their parents and coaches as they sign track scholarships to the University of Georgia.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
The football, baseball and boy's basketball teams all experienced success this past year, as all three were region runners-up and all three made the state playoffs.
The boy's basketball team went 18-7, but fell in the first round of the state playoffs. However, two players from the team were awarded with basketball scholarships. Jamal Womble, the team's top rebounder, was named to the All-State team and signed to play with South Georgia Technical College. All-Region selection Mark Herrman signed with Aiken Tech.
Lane's football team went 8-3 and also lost in the first round of the playoffs but had two players, quarterback Adam McKinney and running back Cole Rabun, land on the All-State Team.
Rabun amassed 1,302 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns and finished a career in which he followed AC's career rushing leader Joel Whinghter.
McKinney, the Lions' quarterback, signed a scholarship to play at Presbyterian College. Offensive lineman Sam Pitts also signed a scholarship (with Furman), but transferred to Greenbrier after the fall semester.
The baseball team went 19-10 and advanced to the state semifinals before losing to Westfield. McKinney and pitcher Ben Palacz were named to the All-State team.
The softball, girl's basketball, swim, boy's cross country and golf teams all made state playoff appearances.
Forecasting the transition to the SCISA could be difficult because of the unfamiliarity of the opposition. The Lions do, however, return three All-Region girl's basketball players (Shanice Broadwater, Sarah Beth McKinney and Jordan Little) who will be juniors next season. Broadwater also won region titles in the long jump, 100 and 200 meters last season and finished second in the state in the long jump and 200 meters.
Jamal Womble is joined by his father Melvin Womble and his coach Marty Griffin as he signs a basketball scholarship with South Georgia Technical College in Americus, Georgia.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
The Madebachs were involved in six region titles in cross country and track and AC will have to work hard to continue the success. Broadwater will be an important part of that transition into a post-Madebach era and a new era into South Carolina sports.
If the Lions can get a similar effort that they received from Rabun when he replaced Whinghter, then AC will make a seamless transition into a new period in its sport's tradition.
Augusta Christian Schools Spring Awards Banquet
Boy's Track
Distance: Dan Wiley
Field: Israel Machovec
Coaches: Andrew Fisher
Most Improved: Alden Fisher
Captain: Cole Rabun
Girl's Track
Distance: Rebekah Madebach
Coaches: Sarah Madebach
Most Improved: Helen Cave
Sprinter: Shanice Broadwater
Field: Eve Machovec
Baseball
Offensive: Adam McKinney
Defensive: Jonathon Herriman
Most Improved: Ben Palacz
Coaches: Freddrick Griffin
Captain: Toby Brown
Golf
Low Medalist: Cody Bagwell
Most Improved: Chance Fulford
Boy's Tennis
MVP: Christopher Motes
Coaches: Troy Freeman
Most Improved: Jean Lopez
Augusta Christian's Cole Rabun darts past Briarwood's Scott Wills with the help of a good block. Rabun amassed 1,302 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Girl's Tennis
MVP: Katie Holmes
Coaches: Jessica Faulkner
Sportsmanship: Heather Fields
Most Improved: Jennie Freeman
Boy's Basketball
Offensive: Warren Chapman
Most Improved: Mark Herrman
Coaches: Dan Wiley
Rebounding: Jamal Womble
Girl's Basketball
Offense: Shanice Broadwater
Most Improved: Jordan Little
Coaches: Virginia Wright
Defensive: Sarah-Beth McKinney
Boy's Swimming
Most Improved: Brice Bragg
High Point: Will Wright
Coaches: Chad Coopee
Girl's Swimming
Most Improved: Alexis Reece
High Point: Katie York
Coaches: Katie Harwood
Cheerleading
Coaches: Lauren Fulcher
School Spirited: Kathleen Martin
Athletic Scholarships for Augusta Christian students
Mark Herrman, Basketball, Aiken Tech
Annie Kim, Cross Country, Augusta State
Rebekah Madebach, Track and Cross Country, Georgia
Sarah Madebach, Track and Cross Country, Georgia
Adam McKinney, Football, Presbyterian
Sam Pitts, Football, Furman (Transferred to Greenbrier)
Jamal Womble, Basketball, South Georgia Technical College