Former Christian Heritage School standout Lester scores first collegiate touchdown for Georgia Southern

Published 5:00 pm Monday, November 28, 2022

Former Christian Heritage School standout Evan Lester is finding success at the next level.

Lester, in his second season as a tight end at Georgia Southern University, scored his first collegiate touchdown on Saturday as Georgia Southern knocked off Appalachian State 51-48 in overtime to clinch bowl eligibility with a sixth win.

Lester, a redshirt freshman, caught his first touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle Vantrease late in the third quarter to help the Eagles tie the game at 31.

Lester lined up behind left tackle, jetted toward the sideline, caught the short pass and dove into the end zone for the 1-yard touchdown.

Lester set a career high in the game with three receptions and totaled 11 receiving yards. Lester made his first collegiate reception in a game against Louisiana earlier this month but hadn’t caught more than one pass in a game.

Lester was a two-way star at Christian Heritage, lining up as a receiver, a part-time running back and at safety. Lester was recruited by a few schools both for his offensive and defensive prowess and eventually settled on Georgia Southern, a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision program in Statesboro that plays in the Sun Belt Conference.

Lester caught 51 passes for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Christian Heritage in 2020 on his way to being named the Dalton Daily Citizen All-Area Player of the Year. Lester saw minimal action during a redshirt season in 2021 at Georgia Southern.

Lester was one of a few local products to make an impact for their college on Saturday.

Gibbs scores late touchdown in Iron Bowl debut

Dalton High grad Jahmyr Gibbs got his first taste of the Iron Bowl on Saturday, leading Alabama in rushing and getting in the end zone for a late touchdown in Alabama’s 49-27 victory over rival Auburn.

Gibbs, who transferred to Alabama before this season after spending two years at Georgia Tech, rushed 17 times for 83 yards and the touchdown, a 23-yard sprint with 1:48 remaining in the fourth quarter that capped the scoring for the game with the extra point.

Gibbs also caught two passes for eight yards and returned three kickoffs for 59 yards.

Gregg extends school rushing, touchdown records in final game for Georgia State

Playing in his final game at running back for Georgia State, Murray County High alum Tucker Gregg extended his school-best marks for career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

In the 28-23 season-ending loss to Marshall, Gregg scored his 28th career rushing touchdown and reached 2,266 career rushing yards, extending his career rushing records set earlier this season.

Gregg’s touchdown, a 3-yard plunge in the first quarter, also helped the senior tie a school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 12. He shares that record with Tra Barnett, who scored 12 touchdowns in 2019.

Gregg, who arrived at Georgia State as a walk-on in 2018 out of Murray County High and was awarded a scholarship in 2019, finished his fifth-year senior campaign with 725 rushing yards and 12 scores.

McConkey shines on special teams in Georgia’s win over Tech

North Murray High graduate and Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey didn’t make a reception in Georgia’s 37-14 win over rival Georgia Tech on Saturday, but he did make a big mark in the game on special teams.

McConkey had a punt return for 39 yards late in the second quarter, from Georgia’s 16 into Georgia Tech territory at the 45. When that drive stalled for Georgia, McConkey was on the field for the punt of Georgia’s Brett Thorson.

With Thorson’s punt apparently set to bounce into the end zone for a touchback, McConkey leapt to knock the ball back into play before jumping again to grab it, downing it at the Georgia Tech 2.

McConkey totaled 53 punt return yards on two returns and also had one rush for 14 yards.