The best part of this job is getting to brag on players from our local area. There are four who deserve special recognition this week.

As we all know, anytime you play for the Bulldogs in Athens, that’s a special thing.

Currently, there are two such football players from the Griffin area who will be lacing them up this fall for the Bulldogs: Former Griffin High standout Corey Moore and former Spalding High standout Chris Mayes. Moore, who has played the last two seasons for the Bulldogs, will be joined this season by former Spalding High standout Chris Mayes. Mayes, who originally signed with the Bulldogs as a senior in high school, is transferring to Athens from Gulf Coast Community College.

He officially became a Bulldog earlier this month on National Signing Day.

Both have a shot at starting next season — Moore at safety and Mayes at defensive tackle.

We’ll see how things pan out this spring. However, make no mistake, with the majority of the defense not coming back both will get a serious look from the coaching staff.

The last pair of local players to start at Georgia in tandem were Johnathan Sullivan at defensive tackle and Chris Clemons at outside linebacker in 2002, the same year Clemons brother, Nic, also served as a backup for the Bulldogs at defensive end.

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Accolades are also in order for former standout Spalding High soccer and football standout Will Jeffcoat, who ploys his trade these days as a kicker on the LaGrange College football team.

Make that as a NCAA Division III All-American kicker for the Panthers.

Juniors Will Jeffcoat and Andre Carter were named to the Beyond Sports Network D3 All-American and D3football.com All-South Region teams in December. It is the first time LaGrange had players named to an All-American team.

Jeffcoat, who was a second team selection on both the BSN D3 All-American and D3football.com All-South Region teams, is expected to be a preseason All-American this summer. No bad for a player who originally signed with Oklahoma State as a preferred walk-on but who transferred after his first season.

Jeffcoat, who was also a first team selection on the all-conference team this fall, led USA South in field goals with 12, while setting a new school single-season record for field goals. He ranked 10th in Division III in field goals per game and broke the school record for longest field goal twice during season. Jeffcoat was a perfect 22-for-22 in extra points.

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Griffin High junior wrestler Telly Sloan (220), trying to become the first wrestler in school history to win a state championship in more than 40 years, lost 3-2 in the state finals on Saturday — the deciding factor being a point for stalling.

Sloan posted wins of 3-2 against Crisp County sophomore Kaun Daniel (40-9), 5-2 against Stephens County senior Josh Hale (46-8) and 3-1 against Gilmer County junior Tyler Bertolini (35-8) to reach the finals. In the finals, Sloan lost to Southwest Whitefield senior Carlos Fraire (52-1).

It wasn’t the first time at state for either finalist.

Sloan placed fourth in the Class AAA 215-lb. division as a freshman at Henry County and sixth in the Class AAAA heavyweight division last year as a sophomore at Jonesboro. Fraire, meanwhile, lost 3-2 in the Class AAAA 220-lb. state finals last year.