Brookwood to induct 6 into Hall of Fame

THOMASVILLE – Six former Brookwood Warriors will be inducted into the Brookwood Hall of Fame on Thursday. The program, scheduled to take place in the Beverly Athletic Center on Brookwood's campus, will start at 5 p.m. Tickets can still be purchased on Brookwood's website.

It's an opportunity for the Warriors athletic program to recognize some of their greatest athletes over the past few decades.

“We have another great class of inductees who achieved excellence from the '70s, '80s and as recent as 2009,” Brookwood athletic director Shane Boggs said. “It has been great to honor excellence as well as reunite people.”

This year's inductees include Duke Bryan ('84), Stephen Cheney ('76), Bobby Link ('80), Lib (Lanigan) Olson ('74), Heeth Varnadoe ('85) and Rodger Walker ('09).

Bryan was a five-sport athlete and fivetime state champion, competing in tennis, golf, football, baseball and basketball. He was the first Warrior to win a tennis state championship. He led the Warriors golf team to back-to-back state titles in 1983-84. Bryan was also part of the state championship football team in 1983. He was a preferred walk-on at the University of Georgia where he kicked for two years.

Cheney lettered in baseball, basketball, golf and track at Brookwood. He was a member of the region champion and state runner-up 4x100 team. He medaled in region golf as a freshman and was a member of the 1975-76 state title golf teams. Cheney also coached football at the middle school and youth levels.

Link was a standout football and baseball player for the Warriors. He played quarterback and threw for more than 750 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. In baseball that same year, Link struck out 136 batters in 66 innings with a 0.50 ERA. He was later drafted in the 16th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft. He later played college at Carson Newman University and St. Leo University before being drafted again by the Cleveland Indians in the 27th round of the 1985 draft.

Olson was a tremendous basketball player for the Lady Warriors. She played during the 3-on-3 era and was selected as team most valuable player, best offensive player and best defensive player multiple times. Olson also received the High Point Award in 1973 and 1974. Her triplet daughters, Anna Price Olson, Maria Olson and Elizabeth Olson played in every sport that Brookwood offered.

Varnadoe starred at lineman for the Brookwood Warriors and was an all-region selection three times; an all-state selection in 1983; and was a Georgia All-Star selection in 1984. He started on both sides of the ball.

“In my 40-plus year career, Heeth is one of the top three defensive linemen I ever coached. He might be the best,” said former Brookwood coach Ronnie Jones.

Walker was a three-sport standout for the Warriors. He was a two-time all-state selection at wide receiver and defensive back and was a vital part of the 2007 state championship football team. He set the school record for receiving yards in a season with 930 in '07. He was also an all-state selection in basketball in 2008 and all-region in 2008 and '09. Walker was a state silver medalist in the 100 meters and 200 meters in '09. He later played football at Appalachian State University and coached at Brookwood from 2017-20.