Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette Tiftarea 2025 GIAA All-State selections Robert Garner, John Jackson and Winston Lamb. Garner was additionally named Region 1-3A's Player of the Year.

CHULA — Robert Garner is GIAA Region 1-3A’s best baseball player of 2025. Tiftarea Academy head coach Chance Benson made the announcement that Garner was picked by the conference’s coaches at the spring sports banquet June 5.

Garner posted a 1.80 ERA this season, striking out 79 hitters in 50 2/3 innings pitched. He was just as good hitting.

He led the Panthers in RBIs at 26 and home runs at 3. That was while hitting .329 and scoring 14 runs.

To go along with that honor Garner was one of three Panthers earning All-State this season. John Jackson and Winston Lamb were the team’s other two selections.

Lamb, like Garner, had an outstanding 2025 pitching and hitting. The junior had a .346 overall average and was second on the team with 28 hits. Since most of his time was at positions using a courtesy runner, Lamb did not score often, but did drive in 10 runs. Effective as a starter and in relief, Lamb won three games, sported a 3.93 ERA and struck out 45.

Garner and Lamb were the winning pitchers in the Panthers’ first-round state tournament sweep at Westfield.

Jackson had a .360 average, and his 31 hits led the squad as did his 16 steals. He scored 19 times and had 17 RBIs. Six of the hits were doubles and he had a homer and the team’s only triple. He also won oce as a pitcher and fanned 29 in 22 frames.

Beyond Robert Garner being named Player of the Year, four Tiftarea team members were first team All-Region: Lamb, John Jackson, William Garner and Jackson Parrish.

William Garner could be heard joking on his way to the stage about being named one of the region’s best. His performance in 2025 was definitely not one.

Garner scored 13 runs for the season and drove in 10. He stole eight bases while manning positions in both the infield and outfield. In region play, his average was .409 and .284 overall.

Parrish, somehow even speedier than John Jackson on the bases, had a team-high 23 runs while driving in 10. He swiped 11 bags and doubled four times. Parrish was additionally a defensive standout in centerfield.

Reed Jackson and Dawson Butler were named All-Region honorable mention.

John Jackson and Robert Garner made the GIAA All-Star team, playing for the Red squad.