EDITORIAL: Community should be proud

Published 6:00 pm Friday, March 26, 2021

It’s been a whirlwind high school basketball season locally, recently culminating in not one but two state championships. After last year’s spring sports cancellations and this school year’s COVID-19 protocols, the Georgia High School Association and Georgia Independent School Association crowned its 2021 state champions in each classification earlier this month. When it was all over, Baldwin High Schools’ varsity boys basketball team returned from Macon as the Region 4A state champions and the John Milledge Academy boys came away from Albany victorious as the GISA AAA winners. 

We’ve all seen and heard about the effects of the pandemic has taken on young people, particularly students. So much was taken away last spring and to know that two local schools have been able to celebrate this achievement, given the circumstances of the past year, is certainly worth praising. 

These local teams played through quarantines, COVID protocols and last-minute schedule changes. The players, coaches, cheerleaders and support staff kept their composure through it all and played through less than ideal circumstances. Their hard work paid off. They set a goal and they achieved it and that’s certainly worth lauding.

These championships are also rewarding for the community. In a year when there have been so many reasons to lament, cheering on these young people has certainly been a bright spot. And this weekend, the community has an opportunity to show their appreciation. A community parade is slated for 3 p.m. today (Saturday) for both the BHS and JMA teams in downtown Milledgeville. 

The parade will stop on East Hancock Street in front of City Hall and each school administrator, coach, and team captain will meet City of Milledgeville Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan who will present each one with a proclamation. 

It’s been a great season for all the local high school basketball programs, with numerous milestones set.

Congratulations to the Trojans and the Braves. 

Thanks for all the hard work put into this season.