PUTNAM COUNTY
Looking a lot younger and smaller than they appeared on Dec. 2 last year in a tough 16-10 loss in the state championship game, members of the 2023 Gatewood football team assembled one last time on Jan. 10 for their wrap-up awards banquet.
With the school’s lunchroom decked out in Gatewood’s signature green-and-yellow with old-timey cheerleader megaphones serving as table centerpieces, the players sat together at a U-shaped table in the center of the room. The coaches’ table was nearby, up front near the stage, and parents were seated at tables alongside the edges of the room.
Following a delicious buffet-style meal, head coach Jeff Ratliff served as emcee for the night, opening with an introduction of each of the 28 Gatewood Gators in 2023.
He then reminded everyone of the team’s five All-State players – Evan Bennett, Blake Callaway, Ames Johnson, Hunter Johnson, and Lawson Wooten – who also were named All-Region alongside Ben Brannen, Blake Daniel, Jayden Daniel, Jackson Hewatt, Luke McNeill, Tyler Middleton, and Gage Rainey.
Finally, Ratliff revealed that seniors Wooten, Callaway, and Bennett had all been named conference All-Stars, too.
Despite missing four games mid-season with a broken thumb, Bennett remained the big winner on the night, taking home seven pieces of hardware, including the Chaplain Award, Phil Newsome Weightlifting Award, Best Defensive Player, and Most Valuable Player Award to go with his three outstanding team recognitions.
“Tonight means to me, it shows what hard work does. It’s an investment every single year that I’ve been here,” said Bennett, recruited by the University of North Carolina even before his senior season began. “I put so much work into football, I’ve dedicated my life to it and it shows over the years with the stats, going to North Carolina next year, it shows what God can do for you and what you can do for yourself really if you dedicate yourself to it.”
Both Callaway and Rainey were recipients of a Coaches Award, while McNeill received the prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award, and Mason Sinclair and Hewatt were each presented with a Gatewood Hustler Award.
The John Beckham Hit Man Award went to Sean Harvey, while Wooten was named Best Defensive Lineman. The Best Offensive Lineman honor went to Blake Daniel and junior quarterback Ames Johnson earned the Best Offensive Player Award.
Team captains Bennett, Harvey, McNeil, and Lawson Wooten also received plaques to commemorate their leadership roles on the team.
“Proud of my team, proud of their accomplishments, proud of my seniors. They led, they did everything I asked them to,” Ratliff said as the evening came to a close.
He added the banquet is a good way to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions made by team parents, too.
“I mean, we all put a lot into the football season, but I hope that they understand how much I appreciate them because I do. But it’s really about rewarding our players. I’ve had banquets where maybe we didn’t finish as high as we would’ve liked to, but those are all important, too, because, I mean, you’ve got to be a man to play football. It is tough. And I demand a lot of them. My coaching staff demands a lot of these guys and we put ‘em through a lot.
“So, when we have successful seasons, like this year, a banquet is even more fitting to point that out and they need to hear it. I mean, I think they already know it, but they need to hear it and I’m just so proud of them. I am.”
The veteran coach said he felt good about his team going forward, too, pointing out he has “a good group coming back” next season and feels Gatewood has a good shot at repeating as a state finalist.
“We want to get back in that situation and give ourselves a chance to win,” Ratliff said. “I’m all about team and the biggest thing we can do as a team is to trust one another. And get out there and work. We can’t settle. I mean, we don’t want to settle. We want to take the next step. But the program’s in a good position. We are playing for state titles. We’re going to continue to play for state titles, and hopefully, we’re going to win more than we lose.”