Southern Sports & Travel Player of the Year

Brookhaven Academy quarterback Gage Posey is the 2012 Southern Sports & Travel Player of the Year. The 6’ 3” 190 lb. senior led Brookhaven to the Class AA State Championship, the Class AA South State Championship and the District 5-AA title and was selected to the MAIS All Star squad.

Posey recorded one of the most memorable performances in recent MAIS championship history in the Cougar’s 49-40 win over Marshall Academy to win the Class AA crown. The southpaw went 24/27 for 389 yards and 6 touchdowns and rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown in the win.

During the playoffs Posey delivered in crunch time and led his team to late wins over Lamar and Simpson.

Posey directed an 88 yard game winning drive and scored with 33 seconds remaining in Brookhaven’s 33-28 win over Lamar and in winning the Class AA South State Championship against defending champion Simpson Posey had his best rushing effort of the season with 168 yards on 20 carries and 3 touchdowns.

In Brookhaven’s four game playoff run Posey accounted for 1,359 yards and 17 touchdowns while also playing defense for a large majority of the time.

Posey’s season numbers reflect his value to the Brookhaven football program. On the year Posey dialed up 4,011 total yards and 46 touchdowns.

The senior signal-caller passed for 3,217 yards, completed 213 of 339 attempts for a 63% completion rate and accounted for 28 touchdowns.

On the ground Posey rushed for 794 yards on 148 carries for a per carry average of 5.4 yards and reached pay-dirt 18 times.

Gage Posey represents every quality both on and off the field that reflects humility, selflessness and character and is worthy to be named The 2012 Southern Sports & Travel Player of the Year.
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In depth with Gage Posey:

Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?

“My family in general has been the biggest influence in my life.  My parents and grandparents have been very supportive of my sports activities.  I started playing T-ball when I was 3 and I can’t remember a game when all or most of them were not there.  They have pretty much followed me everywhere that I have ever played.”

Who has been the biggest influence with regards to athletics and why?

“I’ve had so many great coaches that it’s hard to say.  Jeff Upton, Marshall Upton and Tom Luke were some of my summer league baseball coaches when I was young but I can’t say enough about my high school coaches.  In my opinion, I’ve had the best coaches in the MAIS.   Matthew Evans and I have been playing for Coach Watts since the 7^th grade.  Most people only see Coach Watts coach in a game situation.  What they don’t realize is that he is the same every minute of every practice.  He may not have the best players but his team will be as good as they can be by the time he is finished with them.” 

“We were fortunate to get Coach Edwards for baseball.  He came in when I was in the 9^th grade and we won a State Championship. He’s a tough coach with an unbelievable work ethic.”

“Coach Johnny Lane Ball pushes us so hard in the weight room and in the off season.  His enthusiasm is unreal.  He never runs out of energy.  He and Coach McCarty just believed in us so much.  We knew that we could make the plays when it came down to it.” 

Athlete you would most like to sit down and have a conversation with and why?

“Without a doubt, Tim Tebow.  He is not the most talented quarterback but his work ethics and character sets him apart from the rest.  If he would have had Coach McCarty, he could probably throw the ball better.” 

Hobbies?

“I really don’t have a lot of free time.  If sports don’t count as a hobby I guess fishing and working out is what I do.”

Favorite subject in school and why?

“Anatomy and Physiology.  I plan on doing something in the medical field.”

Favorite sport at Brookhaven?

“Whichever sport is in season. Matthew Evans and I have played every football, basketball and baseball game at Brookhaven since the 4^th grade.”

When did you first play football and where?

“My first organized football game was played at Columbia Academy when I was in the 4^th grade.  I was playing for Brookhaven.” 

When did you first play quarterback?

“From the first time I ever picked up a football.  My first organized game was in Columbia but I always knew I wanted the football in my hands as much as I could get it.”   

How long have you been at Brookhaven?

“I started Brookhaven in K-4.” 

Best memory at Brookhaven?

“There have been a lot of them.  Winning the State Championship in football is at the top right now.  Our team worked our tails off for that.  We were such a close team it really made it special winning it.”

“The other was beating Central Private two years ago in the first round of the South State tournament when they were favored to win it all.  They had a great team but we had the greater coach that gave us the will to win.”

“Another favorite was making the winning shot against Mt. Salus when I was in the 9^th grade playing on the high school basketball team.  We took a time out before the play and Jake Reed said, “Let Posey take the last shot.”  Coach Watts drew it up and I shot it from the corner.  It’s still on YouTube.”   

Plans after high school?

“My college choice is undecided.  If I get the opportunity, I plan on playing at least one sport and two if possible.”

Describe your relationship with Coach McCarty and the job he has done with you personally and the football program at Brookhaven.

“It is a great relationship.  He is a great friend and coach.  He has taught me a lot.  The first thing Coach McCarty told me was, “Gage, you are the quarterback, you and me are going to spend a lot of time together in the next two years.  We are going to be best friends.”  He was right.  I will never forget him and what he has done for me.”

At what point, place or time following the Oak Forest loss did you think that you guys had turned the corner and could be on to something special? Was it a particular game that you saw a change or energy shift that indicated things were about to get rolling?

“We knew we had a special group when the season started.  We spent a lot of time together in the weight room.  You could tell by the work ethic of our coaches and team that we were going to go all out.  The thing is that we lost three of the four games by basically one play.  Oak Forest was definitely disappointing.  We had an off night, but we found our identity as a team.  We knew our coaches believed in us.  We did what they asked of us and it paid off in the end.  I could not ask for a better group of coaches and teammates.  Our coaches played the entire season for the championship.  We looked at the games we lost as learning experiences for them and us.  The lessons we learned in our losses are what carried us through the playoffs.”

What do you see yourself doing in ten years?

“Out of school with a job in the medical field.”

Who is the best athlete in your family?
"Ha, that’s going to get me in trouble.  My grandpa Larry, played football for Brookhaven High School when they won the State Championship in the 1950’s.  I’ve heard my grandpa Stark was a really good left-handed pitcher before he hurt his arm.  My mom played basketball at Wesson, my dad played football and basketball at BA and my brother, Garrett, played football at BA and at Co-Lin.  But, I’m going to say me because none of them played football, basketball and baseball all four years of high school. "