Bacon County Lady Raiders Off to a Hot Start!

By Christopher Cameron

The Bacon County Lady Raiders are off to a hot 7-0 start behind the play of juniors, Marnay'jah Reynolds and Makayla Thomas. Reynolds, who recently surpassed the 1,000 point mark, is averaging a whopping 26.3 points, 4.3 assist,3.8 rebounds, and 3.7 steals per game. Thomas, who stands at 6'2", is a dominant force inside and is averaging a jaw dropping 14.8 rebounds, 11.2 points and 5.7 blocks per game. The duo has been the driving force for the Lady Raiders early season success, but it has been a total team effort. Adding to the production are fellow juniors Holton Macie, Nate'vya Chance, Jateria Smith, and freshman Aaliyah Starling.

Junior C MaKayla Thomas

Junior PG Marnay'jah Reynolds

The Lady Raiders are under the leadership of Sug Parker, who is one of the more successful coaches in South Georgia. When asked what has been the contributing factor to the team getting off to a hot start, he replied "We believe in the power of Oneness. “One Team, One Goal, No Division” isn’t just a motto, it’s our mandate. When we walk it out with full fidelity, unity becomes our strength, focus becomes our advantage, and success becomes attainable for everyone". Parker knows what it takes to win at a high level. As the head coach at Washington County High School, he won the 2011 Class AAA State Championship, was 2012 Class AAA State Runner-up, and his teams went 63-1 in two years. In addition, he coached and mentored current WNBA All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist, Alisha Gray during her time at Washington County High School.

The Lady Raiders are now ranked 9th in Class A Public. Their next game is Friday, December 12th against Wheeler County who they defeated earlier in the season 66-44.