MACON SPORTS HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2023
DURANT BROOKS
Durant Brooks earned All-State honors as a punter and tight end during his high school career at Tattnall. He started his college days at GMC in Milledgeville where he averaged nearly 40 yards per punt with the Bulldogs. His career really took flight after he enrolled as a preferred walk-on at Georgia Tech. During his career on The Flats, Brooks earned All-ACC honors twice and All-America honors during his junior and senior seasons. At Tech – Brooks averaged over 45 yards per punt including 57 punts that traveled at least 50 yards with a career long of 77 yards. That strong body of work earned Durant the 2007 Ray Guy Award which goes to the top punter in the country. He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the 6th Round of the 2008 NFL Draft and would play in 14 games for the Redskins his rookie season. He is a member of both the Tattnall and Georgia Tech Halls of Fame.
JOEY CRANFORD
Excellence on the field, court, and diamond highlighted Joey Cranford’s career at Stratford Academy. That excellence resulted in him having his jersey retired in all three sports. He earned All-State honors in football, basketball, and baseball. In 1994, his football career was highlighted by a school record for interceptions in a single season combined with 24 rushing touchdowns his senior year. He still is among the school leaders in points scored on the basketball court where he averaged nearly 28 points per game as a senior. Spring saw him dominate on the diamond batting over .400 during his prep career while compiling a 25-3 record on the mound. During his senior season wearing the Eagle colors he batted over .500 and was a perfect 11-0 when given the ball to pitch. He focused on baseball in college earning a scholarship to the University of Georgia. He was two-year letterman with the Bulldogs and earned Freshman Al-America honors in 1995 at UGA. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1994 and then later signed with Minnesota in 1996 spending 4+ seasons in the Twins Minor League system.
MONQUENCIO HARDNETT
Monquencio Hardnett found a home on the basketball court while growing up. He was a three-year letterman at Central High School. Hardnett scored over 1,000 points for his Big Orange career and averaged over 20 points per game his senior season of 1994. By his own admission, Monquencio didn’t truly bloom on the court until he enrolled at Middle Georgia College where he took his game to the next level with the Warriors. He led the team in scoring both seasons in Cochran earning Second Team All-America honors in 1995 and First-Team All-America honors in 1996. He was a Junior College scoring machine and two-time Player of the Year with the Warriors. Monquencio’s hard work earned him a scholarship to play for the UConn Huskies where he was a valuable contributor to the Huskies success for two seasons. He helped UConn win the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championship his Senior season. The Huskies advanced to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament where they lost to eventual National Champion North Carolina. He always valued his education and returned to UConn in 2016 to finish up his class work and earn his college degree. Hardnett entered the prep coaching arena returning to his hometown as Head Coach of the Southwest Patriots boys basketball team.
KELVIN MIDDLETON
Kelvin Middleton made his mark on football fields from Central Georgia to the Midwest to the Northeast. Middleton was a two-year starter at Defensive Back for the Southwest Patriots. In 1981 he was a team captain, a Golden Helmet winner and a first team All-City and All-Middle Georgia selection. He parlayed that success into a scholarship to play for the Wichita State Shockers. He was a four-year starter at safety, was voted a Team Captain and earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors. After his collegiate career he played for Oklahoma Outlaws in the USFL earning Second Team All-USFL honors and then went on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1987 carving out a role as a valuable member of the Steelers Special Teams. After his playing days were over Kelvin returned home and immersed himself in a variety of community organizations targeting young people in the community. He founded MGB Incorporated (Men Giving Back) which fosters relationships between father’s and their children.
GREG MOORE
Including his time as a student, Greg Moore has been a fixture on the FPD campus proudly wearing the Viking colors for four decades. He was an All-Region performer in baseball at FPD before heading off to Alabama where he was a student manager with the Crimson Tide football program while earning his college degree. Then it was back to his high school Alma Mater to begin a legendary coaching career. During his time at FPD he has served as head coach of the Football, Basketball and Baseball teams along with many years logging double duty as the school’s Athletic Director. During his coaching career he guided the basketball Vikings to two State Championships. On the football field, in 22 seasons he posted a 161-101 record. His teams captured six Region titles and played for a State Championship on three separate occasions. He earned several Region and State Coach of the Year honors.
JAMIE MYERS WATKINS
Jamie Myers Watkins was making a name for herself on the tennis court starting at a young age. She climbed into the State and National Rankings list before she even entered her teen years and continued that success on up the ladder. She was ranked among the top 100 players in the country in the Girls 16 and under Division and won the Southeastern Junior Invitational in that age category. She earned five Varsity letters at First Presbyterian Day School and was undefeated in Regular Season matches starting in the 8th Grade and running up through her Senior season at FPD in 1985. She was a two-time Macon Telegraph Tennis All Middle Georgia Player of the Year, a 5 time All-Region performer and a four time All-State selection at FPD . She accepted a tennis scholarship to Georgia Tech where she played number 1 singles and earned four Varsity letters on The Flats and was voted Team Captain. Jamie also participated in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials.
CHARLIE SIMMONS
Charlie Simmons comes from a legendary line of family members who proudly competed as members of the Southwest Patriots. The 1991 graduate was a three-sport star at Southwest excelling in football, basketball and baseball under legendary coaches Edgar Hatcher, Don “Duck” Richardson and Eddie Ashley. He was an All-Region and All-State performer on the football field and was rated among the top receivers in the state. He was also an All-Region and All-State performer in basketball and helped the Patriots win a State Championship and rounded out his high school career earning All-Region honors on the baseball diamond. He parlayed his talents into a football scholarship at Georgia Tech where he caught 57 passes over the 1993-1994 seasons for almost 900 yards. He was drafted in the 6th Round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Charlie also spent time with the Washington Redskins and played in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger Cats.
COLE TIDWELL
A sweet swing and a calm but competitive demeanor added up to a long stretch of success on the golf course for Cole Tidwell. The hardware started rolling in early in Cole’s career at First Presbyterian Day School where he was an All-Region performer, a two-time team MVP and the Macon Telegraph’s Golfer of the Year in 1988. He also won the Georgia-Alabama Junior Championship while in high school. His golf game continued to take flight while swinging away on a golf scholarship at Augusta State University. While a member of the Jaguars squad from 1990-1993, Cole won the first collegiate event he played in: The Golden Isles Invitational. He was a two-time team Captain and the team’s Most Valuable Player. He has captured over thirty team and individual titles ranging from the Honors Four Ball Championship to the Peach Blossom Four Ball title at Idle Hour. He also is a two-time Middle Georgia champion; a Senior PGA National Club Champion and he was part of team that captured the Mizuno Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. He also served for many years on the Georgia State Golf Association Board of Directors.