The Bowdon Middle School Boys are champions after winning the West Georgia Middle School Athletic Conference small schools division Championship at Temple High School on January 30. After an undefeated record through their division at 8-0, the Red Devils defeated Mt. Zion in the semi-final game on Thursday and went on to defeat division runner-up, Temple, on Saturday morning.
In addition to division play, the team went 13-3 overall with wins over Central, Heard County, Mt. Zion, Villa Rica, Ranburne, and Temple. Bowdon scored 778 points, 49 per game, while only giving up 489, 31 per game. The Red Devils played with a selfless attitude that led to extra effort and mental toughness. The team used a “Blue Collar” point system that rewarded rebounds, steals, deflections, charges, and floor dives. Bowdon’s starting five, Mason Daniel, Dalton Ballenger, Luke Ledbetter, Luke Windom, and Will Huggins combined a total of 171 rebounds, 102 steals, and took 8 charges. Leading the team in Blue Collar points was Luke Ledbetter, 92 points, Luke Windom, 85.5, and Will Huggins, 82.5.
Will Huggins also led the team in scoring with 218 points along with 31 steals. Defensive specialists Mason Daniel and Dalton Ballenger held up the back end of Bowdon’s half court press defense with a combined 78 rebounds and 37 steals. Bowdon’s stout defense was also backed by a rotation of bench players Kaiden Prothro, Hunter Todd, Zander Langley, Blake Cole, Austin Stephens, Jackson Edwards, Jackson Jones, Kamarion Barker, and Dylan Akins. The Bowdon Red Devils were coached by Head Coach Clayton Young and assistant coaches Matt Windom and Darius Dillard.
