NOTEBOOK: Former South Effingham standouts gain all-conference nods

Effingham Herald

Published: Dec 5, 2021, 7:43 PM

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

SAVANNAH — Former South Effingham star Connor Vasher, now an offensive lineman at Savannah State University, captured first-team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football honors in a recent voting of league coaches and sports information directors.

Vasher, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound senior, anchored a line that helped the Tigers rush for 217.2 yards a game — second in the SIAC.

Makenly Newbill, another former SEHS star, earned second-team league honors as a defensive lineman.

Newbill registered nine tackles for losses, four sacks and five quarterback hurries. He was the league’s Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 18 after collecting three tackles for losses and a sack against Clark Atlanta.

COLLEGE SOCCER

Ex-Rebel Martinez claims soccer honor

Former Effingham County girls soccer star Sydney Martinez, now at the University of South Florida, was named to the United Soccer Coaches’ All-South Region third team Nov. 30.

The goalie registered eight shutouts and posted an 0.74 goals-against average while leading South Florida to a 12-4-3 final record. The Bulls entered the NCAA Division I tournament ranked 22nd in the country before losing to North Carolina State.

She earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference in a voting of league coaches.

WRESTLING

ECHS, SEHS continue to notch wins

Effingham County and South Effingham saw action last week in different locations. On Dec. 1, ECHS beat Emanuel County Institute 78-6 and Screven County 48-36 in a three-team match in Sylvania.

South went 3-0 in a four-team match at New Hampstead, defeating Savannah High 84-0, New Hampstead 72-6 and Islands 77-6.

On Friday and Saturday, the Rebels placed sixth in the Gold Division of the Yellow Jacket Duals at Jeff Davis High School.

ECHS was 4-1 in its pool, defeating Valdosta B 48-30, East Laurens 42-34, Trinity Christian 57-24 and Bacon County 72-6 before falling to Ware County 48-24.

The next day, the Rebels beat Toombs 51-18 in the first round before losing to Vidalia 45-36 and Screven.

FLAG FOOTBALL

ECHS falls to St. Anne-Pacelli in state tournament

Effingham County’s flag football season came to an end with a 27-0 loss to St. Anne-Pacelli on Nov. 30 in the first round of the GHSA Division 1 state tournament.

The Rebels, playing the sport for only their second year, finished with a 4-7 record.

Latest

Rebels, Mustangs Clash in 32nd Effingham County Rivalry Game

Bragging Rights on the Line Friday at The Corral

J.R. McKenzie of Effingham County and Christian Magwood of South Effingham face off in a rivalry that turns friends into fierce competitors every fall.

Effingham County vs. South Effingham — J.R. McKenzie of Effingham County and Christian Magwood of South Effingham face off in a rivalry that turns friends into fierce competitors every fall.

Donald Heath

Updated: Sep 18, 2025, 5:43 PM

Published: Sep 18, 2025, 5:46 PM

GUYTON, Ga. – The stadium begins to fill before warmups have started. Kickoff is still more than an hour away. Players return to the locker room for final preparations, and the next time they run onto the field, the band is playing, and the stadium is packed.

“It’s cool because you don’t see any silver,” said South Effingham football coach Loren Purvis, referring to the silvery aluminum bleachers now covered with excited football fans in anticipation of the Mustangs’ showdown with Effingham County High School.

A Longstanding Rivalry

Friday night at the Corral, the two schools meet for the 32nd time. The Rebels hold a 19-12 edge in the annual series. Effingham County won 47-0 last season.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” ECHS running back Doe-Davis said. “You can’t overlook them, or they might beat you. You can’t overlook anyone in the region.”

Since 1996, the game between Effingham County and South Effingham has been a natural rivalry that rewards the winner with bragging rights for a year. At one time, ECHS was the only high school in the county. As the rural county grew, a new high school was formed by splitting the district.

Players from the new school donned new uniforms and colors, and the Effingham County–South Effingham matchup became the high school version of the Army-Navy rivalry, swapping Cadets and Midshipmen for Rebels and Mustangs.

Friendship Off the Field, Battle On

“It’s not like that everywhere,” Purvis said. “You don’t always see a town or a county with only two schools. These are the two schools in the county, and the rivalry is rich.”

“I love that the kids are still good friends afterward, but when the ball is kicked off, everything changes. I like (ECHS coach John Ford) a lot, but I want to beat his tail, and I know he wants to beat mine.”

Purvis and Ford experienced rivalries firsthand in their playing days. Purvis played at Irwin County, less than eight miles from rival Fitzgerald. Ford played at Brookwood, six miles from rival Parkview.

“It was a battle every year,” Purvis said.
“It was a heavyweight prize fight every time,” Ford said, recalling losing to Parkview in the second game of the 1996 season before upsetting them in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs en route to a state championship.

Unpredictable but Intense

“(The ECHS-SEHS series) is a spirited rivalry, one of the best in Georgia,” Ford said. “There’s a lot of passion, a lot of intensity. It means a lot to the community.”

During Ford’s five-year coaching stint in Springfield, the Rebels have brought some predictability to the series, winning all five matchups and outscoring the Mustangs by a combined 162-10.

Purvis has also experienced victories in the series. As SEHS’ offensive coordinator in 2019, he helped the Mustangs roll to a 41-27 win over the Rebels.

Both Teams Riding Momentum

For the first time since 2022, the two teams will enter the game on winning streaks. ECHS (2-2, 1-1 in Class 5A Region 1) topped Bradwell Institute 43-35 last Friday. SEHS (1-2, 1-0) snapped a 13-game losing streak by beating Lakeside 20-14 in overtime.

The Mustangs can point to scores against New Hampstead to make a case for a competitive battle with the Rebels this year. South lost 14-6 to the Phoenix in the season opener. ECHS held on for a 23-20 win against New Hampstead two weeks later.

“It gives you some confidence that they barely won it, and we felt like we could have beaten (New Hampstead), so maybe we’re fairly even,” Purvis said. “But I think you can play ‘would’ve, should’ve, could’ve’ with a lot of games.”