Rockmart boys honored for heroism
The team makes it to the Final Four, but falls in Class AA tournament play to Benedictine.
Rockmart High School’s boy’s tennis team had one big run this season through the playoffs.
That was part of the reason the team was honored during May’s Polk Board of Education meeting, but not the only reason.
Team members came before the crowd and received a shirt and certificate for setting an example for present and future students by stepping up when they were needed to help a man in a life-threatening situation.
Rockmart’s tennis team was on the way back from a trip to Early County and a win in the Elite Eight round of the Class AA playoffs when they saw a truck flip over within the confines of Fort Benning on Highway 27.
The convoy of players and parents pulled over, and when one of the men was stuck underneath a flipped over pickup truck, team members and a couple of parents helped lift the truck off the injured passenger.
Board members were among the first to tell the team they’d done something heroic and worthy of praise.
“This is what Polk School District is supposed to be all about, and you guys exemplify what we’re trying to do,” board member Chris Culver said to the team after they were presented with honors. “You guys stepped out and did something uncommon, and we’re so proud of you.”
Board member J.P. Foster added that “I don’t think anyone in this room or this community is going to be shocked at the great things you guys are going to be able to accomplish.”
The team didn’t fare as well in a trip to Savannah to play Benedictine in the Class AA Final Four round.
Rockmart fell 1-4 on the road against the Cadets squad, who themselves had to travel to the Rome Tennis Center for finals.
“Our Boys fought hard as we battled the heat as well as a tough Benedictine team,” said head coach Barry Owen. “Things were going well for us early as Bennett Vest was winning convincingly at line 3 singles and Gavin Tan and Dillon Mahan won the first set at line 3 doubles. All the others lines were playing well.”
Then the Cadets got the better of the Jackets, Owen said.
“Benedictine ultimately proved to be to much though as Elijah Malone and Hunter England lost 2-6,2-6 at line 1 doubles. Jackson Norris fell to a tough opponent at line 2 singles 0-6,1-6,” Owen said. “Bennett Vest won his match 6- 0, 6- 2 and we needed to win the two remaining matches. Timothy Malone played a great match at line 1 singles but came up short against a strong opponent 2-6,3-6 sealing the win for Benedictine. Gavin Tan and Dillon Mahan eventually lost 6-3,0-6,4-6.”
Owen said that advancing to the final four was a great accomplishment for the team after losing four of our seven starters from last year’s team, and that he was proud of his team’s effort during this season. The finished second in region play for 2018.
“I am proud of the boys and would like to thank our community and our parents for their amazing support this year. I hope the success our boys and girls are having will continue to create interest in the middle and elementary schools and they will build on what these kids have established,” Owen said.