Celebrate with Decatur’s State Champions This Wednesday
Decatur Metro | May 16, 2016 | 10:59 amFrom the DHS Bulldog boosters…
CELEBRATE WITH OUR STATE CHAMPIONSThe entire Decatur community is invited to a Championship Rally celebrating the 2016 AAA State Championship earned by the Boys Soccer team and for State wins in Track & FielDecatur Boys Soccer won their first State Title since 2003, beating East Hall 3-2 in the State Final in Macon on May 12th. Track athlete, Sam Ellis won the State Title for the 800 and 1600 meter runs.
The Decatur Athletic Department, CSD Administration, Decatur High Administration, Decatur Bulldog Boosters, Decatur High PTSA, and the City of Decatur invite Decatur sport fans, families and youth to celebrate the achievement and hard work of our Decatur athletes who have achieved at the very highest level.Rally Date: Wednesday 5/18Rally Time: 3:00 to 3:30 pm (gates open at 2:45 pm)Location: Decatur High School Stadium*(*In case of rain, an announcement will be sent regarding moving the event to the DHS Gym.)Meet and Greet to Follow:Immediately following the event until 4:00 pm on the DHS Stadium PlazaDuring the rally, you will meet the athletes and hear from coaches and players about their championship season. Then stick around after the program ends for an opportunity to meet and greet the players and coaches at a short reception on the DHS Stadium Plaza, sponsored by the City of Decatur, the Decatur Athletic Department and the Decatur High PTSA.Note: The time and location of this event will allow every DHS student to attend this Championship Rally (they will be dismissed from their last period of the day to attend the rally).
Photos courtesy of Tom Williams (soccer) and Jon Ellis (track)
Congratulations to the boys soccer team and trackster Sam Ellis, 2016 state champions! Along with all of those who could not attend the rally at the school today in your honor, I say well done. You are the champions! Years from now, no one in Decatur will remember all the political and social noise seen on the local blogs but they will remember your achievements. Some of you will undoubtably go on to even greater glory but Decatur will always remember when you stood on the highest level of the awards platform with your championship medals. What a feeling!
You are now part of a great legacy of champions. Decatur High School could easily claim the title of “Home Of State Championships”, not only because of all the official titles we have won since 1952 (the year I believe the Georgia High School Association came into existence) but also for the many unofficial state titles we won prior to that date, mainly in football but also other sports. I’m sure that there many DHS graduates from as far back as the 1930s, all over the great state of Georgia and beyond, who are celebrating your achievements.
I am especially proud of Sam Ellis. His double victory in the 800 and 1600 races reminds me of several great runners in the past. Back in the Fifties, a Decatur runner named Kenny Winn (?) ran a mile in 4.05, a remarkable feat even today. This was around the same time when Roger Bannister broke the four minute barrier and became a legend. Decatur was a football, basketball and girls swim powerhouse in the Fifties (We have more state titles in girls swimming than any other sport!) but I’m guessing that everyone in our small little town was celebrating his record setting run, which still stands today. Another great DHS athlete was Tripp Whittner, who ran cross country and track during the late 1980s. Tripp ran track at the time when class A and AA schools competed together at the state track meet. I recall that as a junior, he finished second in the state meet in the 1600 and third in the 3200 but had we competed in a separate Class A meet, he would have been state champion in both races. I was the track coach that year and both Eddie Fowlkes (DHS cross country coach) and I thought we would win it all the following year with Tripp as a senior runner and rising freshman superstar runner Eric O’Brian. Alas, Tripp’s family moved out of state and Eric transferred to Westminster High (where he won at least eight individual state championships!). Those were great times for our cross country and track teams but nothing compares to what Sam Ellis accomplished!
I was walking with Gracie in Glenlake Park this evening and saw the DHS girls and boys soccer teams and parents under the pavilion celebrating their exceptional seasons. Even though I didn’t know any of the players, I felt that in a very small way, I was part of the team because I live in the City of Decatur, Home of State Champions!
Back in the Seventies, the cheerleaders had a special cheer when we were close to winning the big game. All I can remember is that the cheerleaders should raise their megaphones towards the crowd and yell “Bark Bulldogs Bark!” and the fans would scream “Woof Woof!”
Good Job Boys Soccer and Sam Ellis, Woof Woof!