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March 2011
Worthen Named Most Valuable Player
by Latevia Scott
Wesley Worthen was not a stellar football player in his freshman year at Kendrick High School. He wasn’t on the first string as a running back, quarterback or defensive back. When Worthen was afforded the opportunity to play varsity, he played mostly on special teams.
But this year, Worthen’s coaches named him the Cherokees’ Most Valuable Player and Best Defensive Back.
“I was thinking about college,” says Worthen, explaining why he chose to work more diligently his senior year than he did his earlier years. “I wanted to develop my skills even more. I stayed after practice every day, throwing the ball more. I hit the weights daily and got bigger and stronger.”
Worthen hopes to parlay his success into a collegiate scholarship, hopefully from a Division I university, a historically black college or university, or a junior college.
“I would first like to start off at a junior college, just to take the time to develop some of the skills as a free safety,” Worthen says. “Then [I would like to] transfer to a four-year university. If the opportunity to play at a university appears before a junior college, I would take the opportunity.”
Kendrick football players often play multiple roles on the gridiron, and Worthen is no exception. During one series, he might have thrown the ball to his favorite receiver, Dover Coppins. Two series later, Worthen might have hit a receiver as a safety. And perhaps later in the game, he might have taken a handoff from Dover, who had switched to quarterback.
Of all the positions Worthen has played at Kendrick, he views himself as a free safety, the role he desires to play at the college level. To be successful as a free safety, Worthen must have speed. He must have the acumen to watch the play unfold and to follow the ball. And having been a quarterback, Worthen knows the importance of keeping his eyes on the opposing quarterback and open receivers in order to prevent them from making plays.
Worthen credits Kendrick head football coach Jerry Dukes with helping him hone his skills. “I would like to thank all the people that have helped me get this far,” Worthen says. “(I would like to thank) Coach Dukes for the taking the time to make the player that you see in front of you, the one that is good enough to be featured in this magazine.”
Worthen says his older brother, Anthony Worthen Jr., a KHS alumnus who also played football for Kendrick, inspired him to become the best football player he can. “[Anthony] was the biggest influence in my decision to play this sport,” he says.
Standing 5’11” and weighing 165 pounds, Wesley Worthen not only plays multiple roles on the football field, he has played multiple sports throughout his life. During his freshman and sophomore years at Kendrick, he played small forward on the varsity basketball team. He ran track in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4 x 100 relay races and performed the high jump.
“Wesley has the talent to make it if he keeps up the drive he has now,” Dukes says. “Wesley has done a lot for this program as far as working hard and developing a name for himself.”
by Latevia Scott
Wesley Worthen was not a stellar football player in his freshman year at Kendrick High School. He wasn’t on the first string as a running back, quarterback or defensive back. When Worthen was afforded the opportunity to play varsity, he played mostly on special teams.
But this year, Worthen’s coaches named him the Cherokees’ Most Valuable Player and Best Defensive Back.
“I was thinking about college,” says Worthen, explaining why he chose to work more diligently his senior year than he did his earlier years. “I wanted to develop my skills even more. I stayed after practice every day, throwing the ball more. I hit the weights daily and got bigger and stronger.”
Worthen hopes to parlay his success into a collegiate scholarship, hopefully from a Division I university, a historically black college or university, or a junior college.
“I would first like to start off at a junior college, just to take the time to develop some of the skills as a free safety,” Worthen says. “Then [I would like to] transfer to a four-year university. If the opportunity to play at a university appears before a junior college, I would take the opportunity.”
Kendrick football players often play multiple roles on the gridiron, and Worthen is no exception. During one series, he might have thrown the ball to his favorite receiver, Dover Coppins. Two series later, Worthen might have hit a receiver as a safety. And perhaps later in the game, he might have taken a handoff from Dover, who had switched to quarterback.
Of all the positions Worthen has played at Kendrick, he views himself as a free safety, the role he desires to play at the college level. To be successful as a free safety, Worthen must have speed. He must have the acumen to watch the play unfold and to follow the ball. And having been a quarterback, Worthen knows the importance of keeping his eyes on the opposing quarterback and open receivers in order to prevent them from making plays.
Worthen credits Kendrick head football coach Jerry Dukes with helping him hone his skills. “I would like to thank all the people that have helped me get this far,” Worthen says. “(I would like to thank) Coach Dukes for the taking the time to make the player that you see in front of you, the one that is good enough to be featured in this magazine.”
Worthen says his older brother, Anthony Worthen Jr., a KHS alumnus who also played football for Kendrick, inspired him to become the best football player he can. “[Anthony] was the biggest influence in my decision to play this sport,” he says.
Standing 5’11” and weighing 165 pounds, Wesley Worthen not only plays multiple roles on the football field, he has played multiple sports throughout his life. During his freshman and sophomore years at Kendrick, he played small forward on the varsity basketball team. He ran track in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4 x 100 relay races and performed the high jump.
“Wesley has the talent to make it if he keeps up the drive he has now,” Dukes says. “Wesley has done a lot for this program as far as working hard and developing a name for himself.”
January 2011
Pain Is Temporary, Pride Is Forever
by Naujae Phillips
With 10 seconds remaining in the third period, Kendrick High School freshman Thomas Harris is down 10-3. Physically, mentally and emotionally drained from running two consecutive days to lose 10 pounds, Harris is on his back. All of a sudden, he remembers hearing Coach Johnson say, “Don’t end up looking at the lights,” reminding him to stay off his back to avoid being pinned.Unexpectedly, Harris gains enough energy to overturn his opponent. He wins the match. Unaware that his pin has just sealed the victory for Kendrick against its archrival, Jordan High School, Harris collapses into his coach’s arms.
“I was about to faint,” says Harris, a KHS senior who has wrestled all four years of high school. “I really wasn’t thinking about the win. You lose 10 pounds in a week and see how you feel!”
In the sport of wrestling, maintaining competition weight is a major concern. If an athlete’s weight class is 140 pounds, he must weigh no more than 140 pounds, not 140.5. That half a pound will disqualify him from the match. To lose 10 pounds in a week, Harris ate dry salad with no dressing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He frequently visited the sauna at Fort Benning to sweat off unwanted pounds. He also ran up and down Columbus hills to increase stamina and decrease excess weight.
Although playing football is another passion, wrestling means the world to Harris. He comes from a family of wrestlers. His two older brothers are decorated wrestlers who have competed in local, regional and state matches. His eldest brother, KHS alumnus Antonio Richardson, placed three consecutive years in state competition. Middle brother Marvin Lawrence, a Pacelli High School alumnus, placed in nearly every wrestling tournament in which he competed and received Most Valuable Player during high school.
The elder brothers’ passion for wrestling enamored Harris and he began wrestling at the age of 12. He and his brother Marvin Lawrence were teammates their freshmen year, the period before Lawrence transferred to Pacelli. “Our practices were very competitive,” says Lawrence, now a collegiate wrestler for Marion Military Institute in Alabama. “Me, being the big brother, I never wanted my little brother to be able to beat me, but, at the same time, we helped each other get better.”
Being the competitor that he is, Harris plans to surpass his brothers’ accomplishments by placing in the national tournament. “My goal is to be better than both of my brothers. So whatever it takes to reach it, I’m in,” Harris says.
Harris is persevering in spite of obstacles he has faced. Harris injured his shoulder while practicing with Lawrence. Although he tried to avoid surgery, the pain from his shoulder popping in and out became unbearable. He had surgery on his shoulder in the spring of his junior year.
Adding to the challenge was the departure of Kendrick’s athletic director. The wrestlers were unsure if their wrestling coaches would return. Upon hearing the unfortunate news, Harris and Lawrence decided to take their talents to Pacelli, but Harris returned to Kendrick. To make matters worse, Harris lost his mother this past summer to breast cancer.
But Harris doesn’t plan to give up. He is pursuing his goal of being at the top of his wrestling game. He is undefeated, 5-0. His repaired shoulder is holding up well, allowing him to be a fierce competitor on the mat. “Going into this year, my shoulder feels as good as it has felt since freshman year, so I’m very motivated and confident,” Harris says.
Willie Harris contributed to this story.
by Naujae Phillips
With 10 seconds remaining in the third period, Kendrick High School freshman Thomas Harris is down 10-3. Physically, mentally and emotionally drained from running two consecutive days to lose 10 pounds, Harris is on his back. All of a sudden, he remembers hearing Coach Johnson say, “Don’t end up looking at the lights,” reminding him to stay off his back to avoid being pinned.Unexpectedly, Harris gains enough energy to overturn his opponent. He wins the match. Unaware that his pin has just sealed the victory for Kendrick against its archrival, Jordan High School, Harris collapses into his coach’s arms.“I was about to faint,” says Harris, a KHS senior who has wrestled all four years of high school. “I really wasn’t thinking about the win. You lose 10 pounds in a week and see how you feel!”
In the sport of wrestling, maintaining competition weight is a major concern. If an athlete’s weight class is 140 pounds, he must weigh no more than 140 pounds, not 140.5. That half a pound will disqualify him from the match. To lose 10 pounds in a week, Harris ate dry salad with no dressing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He frequently visited the sauna at Fort Benning to sweat off unwanted pounds. He also ran up and down Columbus hills to increase stamina and decrease excess weight.
Although playing football is another passion, wrestling means the world to Harris. He comes from a family of wrestlers. His two older brothers are decorated wrestlers who have competed in local, regional and state matches. His eldest brother, KHS alumnus Antonio Richardson, placed three consecutive years in state competition. Middle brother Marvin Lawrence, a Pacelli High School alumnus, placed in nearly every wrestling tournament in which he competed and received Most Valuable Player during high school.
The elder brothers’ passion for wrestling enamored Harris and he began wrestling at the age of 12. He and his brother Marvin Lawrence were teammates their freshmen year, the period before Lawrence transferred to Pacelli. “Our practices were very competitive,” says Lawrence, now a collegiate wrestler for Marion Military Institute in Alabama. “Me, being the big brother, I never wanted my little brother to be able to beat me, but, at the same time, we helped each other get better.”
Being the competitor that he is, Harris plans to surpass his brothers’ accomplishments by placing in the national tournament. “My goal is to be better than both of my brothers. So whatever it takes to reach it, I’m in,” Harris says.
Harris is persevering in spite of obstacles he has faced. Harris injured his shoulder while practicing with Lawrence. Although he tried to avoid surgery, the pain from his shoulder popping in and out became unbearable. He had surgery on his shoulder in the spring of his junior year.
Adding to the challenge was the departure of Kendrick’s athletic director. The wrestlers were unsure if their wrestling coaches would return. Upon hearing the unfortunate news, Harris and Lawrence decided to take their talents to Pacelli, but Harris returned to Kendrick. To make matters worse, Harris lost his mother this past summer to breast cancer.
But Harris doesn’t plan to give up. He is pursuing his goal of being at the top of his wrestling game. He is undefeated, 5-0. His repaired shoulder is holding up well, allowing him to be a fierce competitor on the mat. “Going into this year, my shoulder feels as good as it has felt since freshman year, so I’m very motivated and confident,” Harris says.
Willie Harris contributed to this story.
December 2010
Dwayne Belfield: KHS Sharp Shooter
by Antjuan Smith
The Kendrick High School gym was packed on a Friday night when the boys varsity basketball team played Shaw High School.
KHS called a timeout in overtime. Fans were on the edge of their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs and hoping the Cherokees would pull out a victory.
Kendrick’s starting five – Cameron Baker, Desmond Denson, Dwayne Belfield, Najee Williams and Elbert Elliot – huddled, waiting for head coach Jacqueri Cannon to give them the winning play. “Get the ball to Belfield!” said Cannon to Baker, and the players broke their huddle and returned to the court, hoping to pull off a miracle.
Williams quickly inbounded the ball to Baker and he drove up the court and found Belfield open. Belfield caught the ball as fans shouted, “3… 2… 1!” He squared up and shot, but the ball bounced off the rim and fell harmlessly to the court.
Even though Belfield missed the shot, the team and coaches consider him the go-to guy, especially when the pressure is the greatest. Belfield is one of the primary reasons why the KHS boys basketball team reached the Sweet 16 of the state playoffs in Macon last season.
“This year, Dwayne will bring four years of experience, leadership on and off the court, and the ability to knock down the open shot,” Cannon says. “Dwayne is very valuable … because of his accuracy from the 3-point line. He will force teams to have to spread their defense, which will create better scoring opportunities for other players.”
“Dwayne is a valuable player to the team,” says Baker, starting senior point guard. “He leads by example on and off the hardwood.”
Belfield, a 6’, 169-pound starting shooting guard, believes his team can get back to state and win the coveted crown. During his four years of playing basketball at KHS, he has averaged 17 points per game. He has coupled those points with three assists and two rebounds per game.
One statistic unknown to many people is Belfield’s 3.4 grade point average. That stat has grabbed the attention of top Division I basketball programs such as Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and Mercer.
“Right now, I like Alabama and Kentucky because they are in the Southeastern Conference,” says Belfield. “All the talent is … in the SEC.”
Says Cannon: “[Belfield] represents a true student-athlete and excels at high levels.”
Belfield scores big not only with his coaches and fellow teammates but also with his classroom teachers.
“In [my] forensics class, he is the in the top ... of the class,” says Dr. Sheila Jones, chairperson of the KHS science department. “He is focused and demonstrates the ability and desire to excel in the field of forensics.”
Belfield might parlay his interest in forensic science into a career in criminal justice, the field of study in which he plans to major in college.
“In [my] Algebra 3 class, he has the highest grade out of 19 and [ranks] second in both classes [combined],” says Ms. Rhonda Lloyd, chairperson of the KHS mathematics department.
When an athlete becomes a leader on and off the court, he or she tends to have a positive influence on the younger generation.
“I feel he is a good player and leader because he keeps me going in the right direction,” says sophomore guard Christian Bradford. “Plus, we have a good relationship since we both came from East Columbus.”
Athletes often have a mentor or someone whom they admire, and Belfield is no different.
“When I was a freshman, I always looked up to [KHS] senior Reggie Sheppard because he was always willing to win, no matter what,” Dwayne says.
Explaining how he was lured to play basketball at Kendrick, Belfield says, “I owe it all to my East Columbus boys and current Kendrick hoopers, Tre [Elliot], Cam [Baker] and Des [Denson],” Dwayne says. “We all decided to come to Kendrick since we wanted to go to a school that we could get immediate playing time. Now that we have stayed together since middle school and haven’t won a state title yet and [because] this is our last year playing together, we are aiming for 32-0 in the new region that we are in.”
Going undefeated won’t be easy, given the fact that KHS lost its big man on the block, Timothy Dixon. The 6’10” center left during the summer to play basketball in Florida.
“Without Tim … we are going to have to step up defensively and on the boards,” Belfield says.
“Tim will be a big loss, but we have strengths in other areas such as speed, quickness and ability to knock down shots to compensate for that loss,” Coach Cannon says.
Belfield and the Cherokees will kick off the basketball season on the road with tournament play at Enterprise (Alabama) High School. The first home game will be against Carver-Atlanta on December 4.
by Antjuan Smith
The Kendrick High School gym was packed on a Friday night when the boys varsity basketball team played Shaw High School. KHS called a timeout in overtime. Fans were on the edge of their seats, screaming at the top of their lungs and hoping the Cherokees would pull out a victory.
Kendrick’s starting five – Cameron Baker, Desmond Denson, Dwayne Belfield, Najee Williams and Elbert Elliot – huddled, waiting for head coach Jacqueri Cannon to give them the winning play. “Get the ball to Belfield!” said Cannon to Baker, and the players broke their huddle and returned to the court, hoping to pull off a miracle.
Williams quickly inbounded the ball to Baker and he drove up the court and found Belfield open. Belfield caught the ball as fans shouted, “3… 2… 1!” He squared up and shot, but the ball bounced off the rim and fell harmlessly to the court.
Even though Belfield missed the shot, the team and coaches consider him the go-to guy, especially when the pressure is the greatest. Belfield is one of the primary reasons why the KHS boys basketball team reached the Sweet 16 of the state playoffs in Macon last season.
“This year, Dwayne will bring four years of experience, leadership on and off the court, and the ability to knock down the open shot,” Cannon says. “Dwayne is very valuable … because of his accuracy from the 3-point line. He will force teams to have to spread their defense, which will create better scoring opportunities for other players.”
“Dwayne is a valuable player to the team,” says Baker, starting senior point guard. “He leads by example on and off the hardwood.”Belfield, a 6’, 169-pound starting shooting guard, believes his team can get back to state and win the coveted crown. During his four years of playing basketball at KHS, he has averaged 17 points per game. He has coupled those points with three assists and two rebounds per game.
One statistic unknown to many people is Belfield’s 3.4 grade point average. That stat has grabbed the attention of top Division I basketball programs such as Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and Mercer.
“Right now, I like Alabama and Kentucky because they are in the Southeastern Conference,” says Belfield. “All the talent is … in the SEC.”
Says Cannon: “[Belfield] represents a true student-athlete and excels at high levels.”
Belfield scores big not only with his coaches and fellow teammates but also with his classroom teachers.
“In [my] forensics class, he is the in the top ... of the class,” says Dr. Sheila Jones, chairperson of the KHS science department. “He is focused and demonstrates the ability and desire to excel in the field of forensics.”
Belfield might parlay his interest in forensic science into a career in criminal justice, the field of study in which he plans to major in college.
“In [my] Algebra 3 class, he has the highest grade out of 19 and [ranks] second in both classes [combined],” says Ms. Rhonda Lloyd, chairperson of the KHS mathematics department.
When an athlete becomes a leader on and off the court, he or she tends to have a positive influence on the younger generation.
“I feel he is a good player and leader because he keeps me going in the right direction,” says sophomore guard Christian Bradford. “Plus, we have a good relationship since we both came from East Columbus.”
Athletes often have a mentor or someone whom they admire, and Belfield is no different.
“When I was a freshman, I always looked up to [KHS] senior Reggie Sheppard because he was always willing to win, no matter what,” Dwayne says.
Explaining how he was lured to play basketball at Kendrick, Belfield says, “I owe it all to my East Columbus boys and current Kendrick hoopers, Tre [Elliot], Cam [Baker] and Des [Denson],” Dwayne says. “We all decided to come to Kendrick since we wanted to go to a school that we could get immediate playing time. Now that we have stayed together since middle school and haven’t won a state title yet and [because] this is our last year playing together, we are aiming for 32-0 in the new region that we are in.”
Going undefeated won’t be easy, given the fact that KHS lost its big man on the block, Timothy Dixon. The 6’10” center left during the summer to play basketball in Florida.
“Without Tim … we are going to have to step up defensively and on the boards,” Belfield says.
“Tim will be a big loss, but we have strengths in other areas such as speed, quickness and ability to knock down shots to compensate for that loss,” Coach Cannon says.
Belfield and the Cherokees will kick off the basketball season on the road with tournament play at Enterprise (Alabama) High School. The first home game will be against Carver-Atlanta on December 4.
November 2010
The World Needs a Little More “Jaz”
by Willie Harris
The Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe Bryant and the New York Liberty have Cappie Poindexter, two well-known professional basketball guards who maintain the game’s upbeat tempo for their respective teams and show great leadership skills on the court.
Kendrick High School has Jazmin “Jaz” Thomas, a 5’5”, 125-pound guard who averages 12 points, four assists and two rebounds per game. Thomas has been playing basketball since she was seven years old.
Thomas says her brother, KHS alumnus Mori Thomas, influenced her decision to start playing basketball and helped her with her jump shot and ball handling. Apparently, his help has paid off –her field-goal percentage last year was 42 percent. In comparison, Ray Allen, considered one of the best NBA shooting guards, has a 45 percent field-goal percentage.
“[Mori] saw something in me that would benefit me,” says Thomas, a KHS senior who doubles as a Lady Cherokees point guard and shooting guard.
Thomas has played basketball all four years at KHS. In her freshman year, she started as a shooting guard on the junior varsity squad but her athletic prowess allowed playing time on the varsity squad. That KHS varsity team won Columbus’ first and only girls’ state basketball championship. Thomas scored four points as a freshman at the semifinals in Macon.
Since then, Thomas has achieved many accomplishments on the hardwood. In her sophomore and junior seasons, she made the All-Bi-City team, which honors the best basketball players in the Columbus-Phenix City area. She was recognized as one of the top female basketball players in last year’s December issue of ESPN RISE magazine.
Thomas is hoping for her work ethic to parlay into a productive career on and off the court. She hopes to land a full scholarship from a four-year university. She’s unsure about where she will go but she plans to major in early childhood education. She wants to teach pre-kindergarten or first grade. “I like helping little kids,” Thomas says. “It’s the growing stage. That’s the point where their foundation is built.”
As a senior, Thomas feels strongly about winning a state championship this year. Talent, leadership, determination and discipline are key factors needed to win a state championship. Under the leadership of head coach Sterling Hicks, the team did it once – and Thomas believes they can do it again.
Thomas played on Kendrick’s championship team with shooting guard Mu’kia Myricks, a 2008 KHS graduate who continues to inspire Thomas. “She was aggressive, and she led the team by example,” Thomas says.
Leading the team by example consists of being on time to practice, performing assignments, remaining cool under pressure and making the grades in the classroom. Thomas’s grade point average at Kendrick is shy of a “B.” She wishes it were higher but says she didn’t take academics seriously during freshman year.
Hicks has no starting positions on his team – every starting spot for each game is up for grabs. He fears that complacency will set in if players know they have a permanent starting role.
“On the court we don’t act like friends,” says DeShanti Lewis, KHS senior and Lady Cherokees point guard. “We act as if we are competing for a job.”
Maintaining his philosophy during his 11-year career at KHS, Hicks has taken his Lady Cherokees to state each year. They made it to Georgia’s Final Four six times, including the state championship. “Whoever works the hardest and competes consistently will start,” Hicks says. “I need more players committed and willing to work like Jaz.”
Naujae Phillips contributed to this story.
by Willie Harris
The Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe Bryant and the New York Liberty have Cappie Poindexter, two well-known professional basketball guards who maintain the game’s upbeat tempo for their respective teams and show great leadership skills on the court.Kendrick High School has Jazmin “Jaz” Thomas, a 5’5”, 125-pound guard who averages 12 points, four assists and two rebounds per game. Thomas has been playing basketball since she was seven years old.
Thomas says her brother, KHS alumnus Mori Thomas, influenced her decision to start playing basketball and helped her with her jump shot and ball handling. Apparently, his help has paid off –her field-goal percentage last year was 42 percent. In comparison, Ray Allen, considered one of the best NBA shooting guards, has a 45 percent field-goal percentage.
“[Mori] saw something in me that would benefit me,” says Thomas, a KHS senior who doubles as a Lady Cherokees point guard and shooting guard.
Thomas has played basketball all four years at KHS. In her freshman year, she started as a shooting guard on the junior varsity squad but her athletic prowess allowed playing time on the varsity squad. That KHS varsity team won Columbus’ first and only girls’ state basketball championship. Thomas scored four points as a freshman at the semifinals in Macon.
Since then, Thomas has achieved many accomplishments on the hardwood. In her sophomore and junior seasons, she made the All-Bi-City team, which honors the best basketball players in the Columbus-Phenix City area. She was recognized as one of the top female basketball players in last year’s December issue of ESPN RISE magazine.
Thomas is hoping for her work ethic to parlay into a productive career on and off the court. She hopes to land a full scholarship from a four-year university. She’s unsure about where she will go but she plans to major in early childhood education. She wants to teach pre-kindergarten or first grade. “I like helping little kids,” Thomas says. “It’s the growing stage. That’s the point where their foundation is built.”
As a senior, Thomas feels strongly about winning a state championship this year. Talent, leadership, determination and discipline are key factors needed to win a state championship. Under the leadership of head coach Sterling Hicks, the team did it once – and Thomas believes they can do it again.
Thomas played on Kendrick’s championship team with shooting guard Mu’kia Myricks, a 2008 KHS graduate who continues to inspire Thomas. “She was aggressive, and she led the team by example,” Thomas says.
Leading the team by example consists of being on time to practice, performing assignments, remaining cool under pressure and making the grades in the classroom. Thomas’s grade point average at Kendrick is shy of a “B.” She wishes it were higher but says she didn’t take academics seriously during freshman year.
Hicks has no starting positions on his team – every starting spot for each game is up for grabs. He fears that complacency will set in if players know they have a permanent starting role.
“On the court we don’t act like friends,” says DeShanti Lewis, KHS senior and Lady Cherokees point guard. “We act as if we are competing for a job.”
Maintaining his philosophy during his 11-year career at KHS, Hicks has taken his Lady Cherokees to state each year. They made it to Georgia’s Final Four six times, including the state championship. “Whoever works the hardest and competes consistently will start,” Hicks says. “I need more players committed and willing to work like Jaz.”
Naujae Phillips contributed to this story.
October 2010
Cherokee Warriors
by Naujae Phillips
The Kendrick High School football team has won only four games in the past three years. During that time, the varsity team has seen a plethora of players quit the team.
There’s also been a coaching carousel rivaling that of the University of Tennessee, a Division I college that has had three head football coaches in the past four years.
Throughout these challenges, three KHS seniors – Thomas Harris, Wesley Worthen and Antjuan Smith – remained on the football team all four years of high school in spite of the 4-26 record. But they’re hoping their senior year will be a season of change, allowing them to go out as victors.
All three players transferred or flirted with transferring to Columbus schools with football programs noted for winning, but they ultimately kept their commitment to Kendrick and the Cherokee spirit.
Harris, a 5’5”, 140-pound linebacker who doubles as a strong safety, has been a varsity starter since sophomore year. Being one of the most versatile players on the team, he has played literally every position on defense.
Harris enrolled in Pacelli High School for his sophomore year to pursue his love of wrestling. Missing the Cherokee spirit, Harris was lured back to his Georgetown Drive home a few days before school started.
Harris plans to end his senior year with a bang. “A leader, he will have an impact on the team’s success this year as well as the school’s,” says Collins Jones, Kendrick’s athletic director.
Every team has its star player. Worthern is Kendrick’s. Standout athleticism allows Worthern to start at every skill position on offense, including his current position at quarterback.
Worthern also transferred to Pacelli, but he returned after receiving encouragement from coaches and teammates.
“My teammates told me I needed to come back and play quarterback,” says Worthern, last year’s starting running back. Worthern hopes that his sacrifices to stay with the team will pay off this year on the gridiron.
“He’s quick and fast but has not yet reached his full potential,” says Jerry Dukes, head football coach.
“Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard,” describes Smith to a tee. Although undersized, Smith starts on both sides of the ball as an offensive guard and a defensive linebacker. After his sophomore season, he thought about transferring to Carver.
Commending Smith’s impeccable work ethic, Coach Jones says, “He’s a very hard worker, being in the program last four years.” Hopefully, Smith’s work ethic will set an example for the team and propel them into the playoffs.
“Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and a discouraged men who kept on working,” Albert Einstein once said. This is not only KHS’s football team theme but their motivation to work hard. To Harris, Worthern and Smith, the concept is very familiar.
Willie Harris contributed to this story.
by Naujae Phillips
The Kendrick High School football team has won only four games in the past three years. During that time, the varsity team has seen a plethora of players quit the team. There’s also been a coaching carousel rivaling that of the University of Tennessee, a Division I college that has had three head football coaches in the past four years.
Throughout these challenges, three KHS seniors – Thomas Harris, Wesley Worthen and Antjuan Smith – remained on the football team all four years of high school in spite of the 4-26 record. But they’re hoping their senior year will be a season of change, allowing them to go out as victors.
All three players transferred or flirted with transferring to Columbus schools with football programs noted for winning, but they ultimately kept their commitment to Kendrick and the Cherokee spirit.
Harris, a 5’5”, 140-pound linebacker who doubles as a strong safety, has been a varsity starter since sophomore year. Being one of the most versatile players on the team, he has played literally every position on defense.
Harris enrolled in Pacelli High School for his sophomore year to pursue his love of wrestling. Missing the Cherokee spirit, Harris was lured back to his Georgetown Drive home a few days before school started. Harris plans to end his senior year with a bang. “A leader, he will have an impact on the team’s success this year as well as the school’s,” says Collins Jones, Kendrick’s athletic director.
Every team has its star player. Worthern is Kendrick’s. Standout athleticism allows Worthern to start at every skill position on offense, including his current position at quarterback.
Worthern also transferred to Pacelli, but he returned after receiving encouragement from coaches and teammates.
“My teammates told me I needed to come back and play quarterback,” says Worthern, last year’s starting running back. Worthern hopes that his sacrifices to stay with the team will pay off this year on the gridiron.
“He’s quick and fast but has not yet reached his full potential,” says Jerry Dukes, head football coach.
“Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard,” describes Smith to a tee. Although undersized, Smith starts on both sides of the ball as an offensive guard and a defensive linebacker. After his sophomore season, he thought about transferring to Carver.
Commending Smith’s impeccable work ethic, Coach Jones says, “He’s a very hard worker, being in the program last four years.” Hopefully, Smith’s work ethic will set an example for the team and propel them into the playoffs.
“Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and a discouraged men who kept on working,” Albert Einstein once said. This is not only KHS’s football team theme but their motivation to work hard. To Harris, Worthern and Smith, the concept is very familiar.
Willie Harris contributed to this story.
All photography submitted by Kendrick High School
