Donald Heath for the Effingham Herald

GUYTON – The 2024-25 school year gave a group of South Effingham seniors their final opportunities to shine in high school gyms and athletic fields.

And the Mustangs seized those chances to claim state championships and lasting performances for years to come.

Here’s a look at five indelible SEHS sports moments from a special group of seniors.

Brandon “Moose” Bringer, wrestling

After three seasons, Bringer had been a part of two dual team state championships and another team title at traditionals in South Effingham’s ever-rising program. Three times, he stood on the podium as a top-six finisher individually.

He had been a team captain since his sophomore season.

One thing was sorely missing, like the last open space in a jigsaw puzzle. He was third at state as a sophomore and runnerup as a junior.

Bringer accomplished his elusive individual state championship in the 157-pound weight class by defeating Greenbrier’s Jack Matthieu 9-2 on Feb. 15 at the Macon Centreplex.

Bringer posted a 67-2 record as a senior (a school single-season mark in wins) and finished his career with a 229-15 record. 

Harrison Crofts, track and field

Crofts didn’t consider competing in track and field until he entered high school in 2022 and chose the high jump because Coach Haywood Ellison, his junior varsity basketball coach, also coached the track jumpers.

Four years later, Crofts stood on the podium at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga., on May 9 as the Class 5A high jump state champion.

The championship came down to a tense duel. Crofts and Villa Rica’s Jermaine King cleared 6-8 at the state meet, but Crofts had fewer misses along the way – the deciding factor in the showdown.

Crofts, who is headed to the US Naval Academy, set a school record with a high jump of 6-10 to win the Region 1-5A meet in Statesboro.

He was the first Mustang track state champion since Cameron Edwards won the triple jump in Class 6A state championships in 2022.

Emilio Santana, wrestling

Santana entered the wrestling season as the state runnerup in the 126-pound weight class so moving up one more notch was his goal in 2025.

But in the summer, he broke his foot while skimboarding at the beach.

Santana recovered quickly and missed only one early-season meet before going on a winning rampage that culminated in a pin of Woodstock’s Logan Robinson on Feb. 15 for a state championship – one of three titles for the Mustangs in traditionals.

Santana was also part of South Effingham’s two dual state championships. As a sophomore, he won the clinching match to secure the title against North Forsyth.

He also shared in another team title for the Mustangs’ top point total in traditionals.

Santana finished with a 52-4 record as a senior and 174-26 during his career. 

Valencia Collins, girls soccer

Collins, a goalie, played well throughout the spring and was a key to the Mustangs’ second-place finish in the Region 1-5A South standings.

On March 14, she had a signature performance to hold off rival Effingham County in overtime.

Collins stopped 11 shots, including two penalty kicks in a shootout, to beat the Rebels 0-0 (4-3 in penalty kicks). She batted down ECHS’ first and fourth penalty kicks before Katelyn Bittle drove in the Mustangs’ game-winning PK.

Collins also had outstanding performances in a pair of 1-0 losses to eventual subregion champion Glynn Academy.

Will Harlin, boys basketball

Harlin, who led the squad in scoring with a 13.3-point average, produced a little extra for the Mustangs’ biggest win in 17 years – topping county rival Effingham County 63-62 on Dec. 7 to end a losing streak of 34 games to the Rebels dating back to Jan. 6, 2007.

Harlin, a 6-2 shooting guard, had six points during a 10-3 run early in the fourth quarter to build a nine-point cushion for the SEHS and added a layup in the final 1:28 that expanded a slim lead to 61-58.

It was a season that ended a couple of streaks for Harlin and his teammates. South, after going winless during the 2023-24 season, halted a 38-game losing streak by defeating Woodville-Tompkins, 77-73 on Nov. 15.

The Mustangs won their first region/subregion game in almost five years – a skid of 51 games – by defeating Glynn Academy 67-57 on Jan. 11.