CASEY NICKELS MAKES A STOP FOR THE TIGERS On offense, the senior earned All-State honors for his play. A pair of Washington-Wilkes Tigers have been named to the Class A All-State team, one on offense and one on defense.

Markeith Wylie and Casey Nickels got the nods and Wylie was additionally honored as the state’s Defensive Player of the Year by the Georgia Sportswriters Association. And as a result, Wylie has been invited to play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association North-South Football All-Star Classic.

The All-Star game will be held in Columbus at Memorial Stadium on Thursday, December 29, beginning at 2 p.m. The North Squad, on which Wylie will be playing, will be coached by Jackie Greene, formerly of Mt. Zion in Jonesboro. The South will be coached by Bobby McAllister, formerly of Emmanuel County Institute.

Wylie is one of only two Class A players on the North Squad and of only five total.

Tiger Head Coach Russell Morgan says Wylie is the best defensive lineman he has ever coached and “If I was playing [against] him, I would double team him every play, no matter what.” The senior tackle also wears a state championship ring he won in weightlifting earlier this year. He bench presses 410 pounds and has lifted 185 pounds 37 times without stopping.

The 270-pound senior recorded a total of 107 tackles during the 2005 season, including 34 for losses.

Nickels earned his honors as the anchor of the Washington-Wilkes offensive line but spent most of the season going both ways. However, late in the season, a nagging shoulder injury and frequent separations forced a cutback in defensive duties. Nevertheless, Nickels pressed on and finished the season only to find out that surgery would be required and would cut short his wrestling career at W-W.

The defending state champion on the mats remained undefeated as he underwent surgery on Tuesday, December 20, and first reports were that everything went smoothly and the outlook for full recovery was favorable.

Nickels elected to have the surgery in order to be fully recovered in time to “walk on” and join the University of Georgia Bulldogs as they begin practice next summer.