Habersham Central is close to recognizing its football Ring of Honor at a ceremony on May 12. Leading up to that induction, we will do profiles of the inductees.
Something that Sen. Bo Hatchett told us while reminiscing about his days on the Raider Stadium gridiron resonated well about the state of our community when it comes to supporting its young people in athletics.
During his time playing for the Raiders, Hatchett recalled the visiting stands being full when the team went on the road, even as far as five hours away for playoff games.
“One of the things I remember most is how they got behind us as a team,” Hatchett said. “We rarely had a game where the visiting side was not as full as the home side. That’s what is special about this community.”
That community buzz and support remains today.
Win or lose, the Raider fanbase is one of the most passionate in this region. Hatchett also mentioned that having one central high school was a unifying factor among students, alumni and parents alike.
You hear some old timers talk about the rivalries that existed between North and South Habersham when they had their own high schools. “You didn’t date a girl from the other side,” has been said on multiple occasions by both Rebels and Bobcats.
But now, we are all Raiders. The orange and blue do unify this county and its people, and it is something that we can all enjoy together, rather than focusing on what makes us different.
As another school year of sports winds down, it is worth looking at a program like the Lady Raider soccer team, which had a historic season end in the Sweet 16 on Wednesday night.
But those girls dominated most of the year, beat almost everyone they played (world-renowned powerhouse Buford excepted) and made memories that will last a lifetime. Fans loved seeing those girls go to battle every game, and they usually were rewarded by seeing a flex or two after a fantastic goal.
All of our Raider teams battled hard this year, and there were many memorable moments to take away from 2021-22. The high school sports lifecycle begins anew with spring football practice beginning soon and the anticipation of Friday Night Lights building until August.
We are fortunate in many ways in our community, but we are blessed to have a strong infrastructure of scholastic athletes who we can all get behind and be proud to call our own young men and women.