By Dusty Vassey
TIFTON — Tift County Blue Devils football player A.J. Brown was named The Tifton Gazette Athlete of the Week.
Brown, a junior defensive end for Tift, made 14 tackles in the Blue Devils’ 10-7 double-overtime win over Valdosta Oct. 6 in Tifton. One of Brown’s tackles was a tackle for loss, and he graded out at 82.1 percent.
Brown received 67.33 percent of 1,849 votes cast at The Tifton Gazette Web site, www.tiftongazette.com. He beat out a pair of other football players — Irwin County’s Terry Ashley and Tiftarea Academy’s Matthew Souter. Ashley received 19.2 percent of the votes while Souter received 13.47 percent.
Ashley ran 21 times for 331 yards in Irwin’s 38-28 upset win over Wilcox County Oct. 6. He also threw an 83-yard touchdown pass and scored four times running the ball. He also had an interception and six tackles on defense.
Souter was 7-of-23 passing for 157 yards and a touchdown in a 19-18 win over Mount de Sales Oct. 6. He also kicked field goals of 40 and 43 yards and made two of three extra points, including the game winner. On defense, Souter made six tackles and an interception.
The candidates for next week’s athlete of the week will be announced Sunday in The Tifton Gazette sports section. All readers are encouraged to vote at www.tiftongazette.com.
