Bulloch County’s top high school athletes were honored Thursday night at the Statesboro Herald’s first Player of the Week Awards banquet held in the Perry Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church Statesboro.
Each week, the Herald selects a boy and a girl from Portal High School, Southeast Bulloch High School, Statesboro High School or Bulloch Academy as the Vision Source Professional Eye Care Prep Sports Spotlight Player of the Week. Athletes who earned the honor from Aug. 1, 2024 through April 24, 2025 were invited to the event along with any family, coaches or others who wanted to attend.
“Congratulations to all the athletes for their hard work and dedication in earning their selections as Player of the Week,” said Jim Healy, operations manager and editor for the Statesboro Herald. “And thanks to all of the parents, family members, teammates, coaches and probably a few others who have helped and supported these young athletes along the way.”
The Herald’s Josh Aubrey announced Bulloch Academy’s Joshua Mager, who won a state GIAA championship in the 190-pound division and was a member of the Gators’ state championship football team, as the Boys Athlete of the Year. Along with a plaque, Mager received a $500 scholarship from Dr. Horace Deal – Vision Source Professional Eye Care.
Paige Nelson of Southeast Bulloch and Katlyn Sullivan of Statesboro were both named the Girls Player of the Year. Healy presented each with a $500 scholarship from the Statesboro Herald.
Nelson, a junior, helped the Yellow Jackets to the Elite Eight in softball as an infielder who was named second team all-state and as a linebacker/running back for the four-time state champion flag football team.
Sullivan, a senior, is not only the back-to-back riflery individual state champion, she won gold medals in the Georgia State Junior Olympics in Smallbore and Air Rifle and has qualified for the National Junior Olympics for the past three years. She will attend the University of Nebraska on a riflery scholarship in the fall.
Super Bowl champion Jeremy Mincey, who helped Statesboro High to an undefeated season and a state championship in 2001, offered the keynote address at the dinner.
While he went on to play at the University of Florida and nine seasons in the NFL, Mincey’s message to the young athletes was simple: Don’t quit on your dreams. He overcame a difficult home situation and was cut numerous times, but that never stopped him from following what his heart wanted him to do.
“It’s about perseverance, adapting and overcoming,” Mincey said. “Regardless of situation and circumstance, you don’t make excuses.”
After Mincey’s address, Aubrey called the names of every player of the week and those in attendance walked to the stage and received a certificate.
“We’re grateful to Dr. Horace Deal – Vision Source Professional Eye Care along with Statesboro Urgent Care, AgSouth Farm Credit, the Drip Bar Statesboro and GeoVista Federal Credit Union for helping us make the awards banquet happen,” Healy said. “This is the first year for the event and it was great to honor the accomplishments of so many young people.”
