Banquet ushers in new class of Raider Royalty

Habersham Central hosted its annual Ring of Honor Banquet this past Thursday night in Mt. Airy.

WCON icon and ‘Voice of the Raiders’ David Foster hosted the soireé that honored the class of 2023, including former Band of Blue director Nelson Payne and Raider players Bernard Trimiar, Matt Burrell, Chase Green and Pudge Trimiar.

First to be honored was Bernard Trimiar. In his introduction for Trimiar, former coach Ken Ray recounted Bernard’s fearless play and likened him to ruthless, hard-nosed players seen across the modern game.

“He was certainly an athletic and fast player who didn’t mind contact,” Ray said. “He’s built for today’s era.”

Not least of what made Trimiar such an indispensable member of Raider Football was his capacity to lift up his peers. “When you talk about being a good teammate, that’s something Bernard was in spades,” Ray added.

Next up was Payne, who was introduced by Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell. Payne left an indelible mark on countless students throughout his years as the HCHS Band Director; something Terrell says impacted his life immensely.

“I was a band nerd and because of Mr. Payne, I was proud of it,” Terrell said. Payne had an uncanny ability to elicit the best out of people – something Terrell remembers well. “What I learned from him was demanding excellence in everything you do,” Terrell said.

When he took the stage to accept the honor, Payne shared stories of when he first arrived at Central. He laughed at how students from those days would belt out the school’s fight song – a sped-up rendition of “St. James Infirmary.” The tune, popularized by Louis Armstrong in the 1920s, was in reality a funeral march song; something Payne says nobody in the HCHS community seemed to realize.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” recalled Payne. “I remember thinking ‘Wow, this whole time they’ve been playing a funeral song as their fight song,’” he quipped.

Coach Theo Caldwell presented the banquet’s next honoree in Burrell. Caldwell pointed to Burrell’s affinity for the game of football and how it made Matt a pleasure to coach. “He just loved the game,” said Caldwell. “Matt never missed a practice and always had a smile on his face.”

What Burrell remembers most is the camaraderie of his days in the Raider locker room. “The best memory I have of back then is the time spent with my teammates off the field,” added Burrell.

Green was introduced by former Head Coach Tim Bragg. “Chase works so hard in everything he does. He was one of those players you hear about that raised the bar for this program,” remarked Bragg. “To me, he’s the embodiment of ‘Finish the Drill,’” added Bragg, referencing the slogan coined by former Georgia Bulldogs Football Coach Mark Richt, whom Green played for at UGA.

Green himself gave a very on-brand description of what’s kept him motivated over the years. “Serving others is what brings out the best in a community,” Green said.

Last but not least was Pudge Trimiar. Coach Caldwell retook the stage for the presentation. “Pudge was special,” reflected Caldwell. “Incredibly athletic and super skilled,” he complemented.

An upbeat voice of reason was another key attribute Caldwell says his staff remembers most about Trimiar.

“Pudge was always donning that infectious smile. When things weren’t going well for our team, he was always over there grinning ear-to-ear remaining positive.” said Caldwell.

To conclude the evening, Pro Football Hall of Famer Billy Shaw addressed the new Ring of Honor members.

In his remarks, Shaw addressed the responsibilities that come alongside such an honor. “Set aside time to be the leader you’ve been recognized to be,” Shaw said. “When one receives an honor like this, young people are going to seek you out for guidance. Take the opportunity to mentor them,” he added.