We kicked off 2018 with our annual superlative pictures at Central Gwinnett High School. Fatou Mbodj, the winner of Most Talented, is holding up a self-portrait. She started drawing in kindergarten and has been passionate ever since. Her favorite medium is sketching and drawing with pencils. She is attending Savannah College of Art and Design next year. We loved her creativity and wanted to feature her.
We get emotional when we do the spring sports senior group shot pictures because we realize that our time with these seniors is almost up as they complete their last three months of high school. South Gwinnett baseball seniors had a particularly large class of seniors this year. These boys seemed extremely close, and the parents are very involved, they were having a parental field improvement day, and we were amazed by the participation. This is team head coached by Steve Teschner, who is a Magic Moment favorite due to his passion and organization.
Over at Brookwood, Senior twin brothers Cristian and Daniel Correa helped take the soccer team to the Elite 8 in 2017. This year, they are hoping to end their high school career with a State Victory. Both academic standouts, they style their hair slightly differently so that people know the difference between the two. Of course, it also helps that Cristian plays goalkeeper and Daniel takes the field.
Starting their march towards the senior journey are several juniors on the Grayson High School Baseball team. Josh Carriere, Nick Brown, Kendall Wesson, Josh Stinson, Michael Perry (already a senior), Jeremiah Smith and Bradley Blalock started playing ball together at ten years old. They’ve traveled the US for ball and were back to back GGBL champions in their younger days. They won the Greater Gwinnett Tournament as 9th graders and last year helped the Varsity team win Region 8-AAAAAAA and make it to the Sweet 16. The boys were upset because missing member, Ben Scartz, was on a college visit and it felt wrong leaving him out.
Showing their versatility on the field and off – several of the members of the Grayson Baseball team (2 hours after the team’s Media Day) traded uniforms for tuxedos and escorting participants in the annual Miss Grayson Pageant. Here they posed with the night’s honored guest, Miss Georgia 2017, Alyssa Beasley.
Another one of my favorite groups is Collins Hill Varsity Senior Girls. This remarkable team headed by Jeff Tinklepaugh always has a strong season. Last year they made it to the semifinals, and they are always a strong contender for state. The twelve seniors this year is drastically higher than the three from last year. We can’t wait to see how they conclude their season. Coach Tinklepaugh in his “spare time” also coached a U8 and U9 team for GSA North. He is doing all he can to ensure that soccer stays strong in Gwinnett County.
Not to end on a somber note but to celebrate the life of one of our favorite families, we learned last month of the passing of Mike Brophy or “Big Mike.” We have watched his boys play sports since they started and Mike would come to every single event and stand quietly and supportively on the side. He was a wonderful man, extraordinary dad to Garrett and Sean, loving and devoted husband to Patti and we were fortunate to have done business with him for years. We know the whole Grayson community is missing him and feels like us, lucky to have known him.
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