Author: Robert Preston

For the first time in a very long time, the Coffee Trojans are ranked #1 in the state in their classification (5A). The Trojans have been atop the rankings at least once before — way back in 1976. That season, Coffee finished the year with a perfect 10-0 record and met up with the Ware County Gators in the region playoffs. Earlier in the season, Coffee had defeated Ware 40-6 at Jardine Stadium. The two teams met once again in Douglas and this time, the Gators shocked the heavily favored Trojans by winning 21-20 and winning…

“You get out on the road, two and a half hours, win 21-0. I promise you I ain’t mad,” said Coffee Trojans head coach Mike Coe following the Trojans’ win over the 7A Richmond Hill Wildcats in Richmond Hill Friday night. You might be wondering why Coach Coe would make a comment such as that following a three-touchdown shutout win over a team two classifications higher. You’d have had to have seen the game. The Trojans marched up and down the field on the Wildcats in the first half, sustaining long drives, controlling the clock, and…

Twenty years. 7,300 days. It’s a little weird. In some ways, it seems like yesterday. In others, it was a lifetime ago. On September 20, 2003, five children ages 10-14 were killed when a car struck the ATV they were riding. You know the story. There’s no need to rehash it in detail here. The children who lost their lives were Lindsay Joyner, 13; Meagan Nelson, 14; Courtney Arsenault, 10; and siblings Dustin (11) and Kayla (13) Varnedore. All were from Douglas except Courtney, who was from Alma. A sixth child, Heather Bass, at the time 13, survived…

Entering Friday night’s game against the Salem Seminoles from Conyers, the Coffee Trojans were on a five-game winning streak over the Seminoles going back to 2018. During that span, the Trojans had outscored the Seminoles 251-14. The last three years, Salem had not scored a point. You can extend that streak to four years and make that point differential 309-14. Coffee defeated Salem 58-0 at Jardine Stadium to improve their record to 4-0 with one more non-region game remaining — a contest against the 7A Richmond Hill Wildcats on the road next Friday. Running back Fred…

Thursday afternoon at Jardine Stadium, the Coffee Trojans JV squad overcame a three-touchdown deficit and scored 31 unanswered points to defeat the Lowndes Vikings for the second year in a row. KJ DeBruce scored three touchdowns while Zean Preston and Timothy Burch scored one touchdown apiece. Kicker Aidan Gonzalez added a 31-yard field goal as well. The Vikings jumped out to a 21-0 lead early. Coffee got on the board with 9:30 remaining in the second quarter when DeBruce picked up a fumbled snap, reversed the field, and raced 75 yards for a score on the busted play.…

In the news business, getting close to tragedy is part of the job. Over time, sadly, there is a de-sensitizing that develops. It’s disturbing sometimes how flippant you can react to hearing about accidents, deaths, crime, and other dreadful events. But not this time. As I write this, the news is scarcely 10 minutes old. I’m not left grasping for words very often. But this is one of those times. Walter Huckaby, a man who is on the short list of Coffee County’s most influential citizens, has passed. Huck, as everyone called him, touched…

At Monday’s regular city commission meeting, commissioners voted to demolish the old Douglas Women’s Club building, which sits on the edge of Emma Ward Park, for the second time this year. At the June 12 commission meeting, commissioners allowed the city to take over ownership of the building with the understanding that it would be torn down. On August 24, 2023, the Historic Preservation Commission denied the city’s request to demolish the building. City staff then appealed the decision to the city commission. According to city staff, the building, which is 106 years old, has been…

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill made headlines over the summer with some bold claims regarding what he plans to do in his second season in Miami. In Sunday’s season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, Hill demonstrated that his comments weren’t just idle chatter. The Dolphins and Chargers went toe-to-toe for four quarters with Miami finally edging their West Coast opponents 36-34. Hill torched the Chargers’ secondary for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 11 receptions. The game was Hill’s third with over 200 yards receiving and first as a Dolphin. Hill helped quarterback Tua Tagovailoa amass…

Better late than never. The Coffee Trojans lived dangerously by that trite little cliche Friday night in Brunswick as they faced the Bolles Bulldogs in the annual Border Classic. The Trojans won 17-9 after trailing 6-0 at the half and after losing starting quarterback Maurice Hansley to injury in the second half. Neither team scored until late in the second quarter when the Bulldogs drew first blood on a long pass from senior quarterback DJ Moore to sophomore wide receiver Naeem Burroughs. The extra point was no good. Coffee missed a 43-yard field goal right before…

At Monday morning’s regular county commission meeting, the county signed its annual proclamation designating September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Though the Childhood Cancer Awareness Group of Coffee County is active year ‘round, in September, the Childhood Cancer Awareness Group of Coffee County becomes much more visible. September is when the group holds its fund-raisers for the year and really engages the public to raise awareness regarding the scourge that is childhood cancer. Despite the group’s visibility, much of what they do is behind the scenes. Once they have a physician-signed diagnosis and treatment plan, members…