Special to The Beacon
How unique is “Herons” as a mascot for an athletic program?
According to the Georgia High School Association, Brantley County is the only school in the state of Georgia with the Heron as a mascot among the 413 athletic playing schools. There are 51 unique nicknames in Georgia.
Brantley County High School was formed by the consolidation of Hoboken High School and Nahunta High School in 1967 under the leadership of late Superintendent Mable Rocker Moody, who served in the position from 1961 thru January 1977.
Interestingly, a quick research showed there were only four other schools in the United States that use “Herons” as their mascot, including one college, one community college and two more high schools.
Known schools using the “Herons” nickname include:
• William Smith College (part of Hobart and William Smith Colleges) in Geneva, N.Y., which adopted the nickname in 1981 for its women’s athletic teams.
• Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, N.H.
• The Hawbridge School (a charter high school) in Saxapahaw, N.C., noted as the only school in that state with the mascot.
• North Coast Prep High School in Arcata, Cal. While Bulldogs (27 teams), Tigers (23), Eagles (21) and Panthers (20) top the list as most common, here are the mascots that are one-of-a-kind in GHSA football.
• Aggies – Southwest Georgia STEM Charter (Shellman)
• Angoras – Clarkston High School (Clarkston)
• Astros – Douglass High School (Atlanta)
• Atom Smashers – Johnson High School (Savannah)
• Battle Creek Warriors – Tattnall County High School (Reidsville)
• Bearcats – Bainbridge High School (Bainbridge)
• Black Knights – Central Gwinnett High School (Lawrenceville)
• Blazers – Baconton Charter (Baconton)
• Bluejackets – Savannah High School (Savannah)
• Blue Tide – Long County High School (Ludowici)
• Bruins – Northwest Whitfield (Tunnel Hill)
• Bulldoggs – Winder-Barrow High School (Winder)
• Cadets – Benedictine Military School (Savannah)
• Catamounts – Dalton High School (Dalton)
• Cherokees — Kendrick High School (Columbus)
• Cobras – Twiggs County High School (Jeffersonville)
• Colonels – Cass High School (White)
• Colts – Coahulla Creek High School (Dalton)
• Comets – South Gwinnett High School (Snellville)
• Danes – Denmark High School (Alpharetta)
• Demons – Warner Robins High School (Warner Robins)
• Gamecocks – Screven County High School (Sylvania)
• Gators – Ware County High School (Waycross)
• Golden Bears – Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (Atlanta)
• Golden Eagles – Eagle’s Landing High School (McDonough)
• Golden Lions – St. Pius X Catholic High School (Atlanta)
• Golden Tornadoes – Monroe Comprehensive High School (Albany)
• Grangers – LaGrange High School (LaGrange)
• Grizzlies – Creekview High School (Canton)
• Gryphons – ACE Charter (Macon)
• Herons – Brantley County High School (Nahunta)
• Hoyas – Harrison High School (Kennesaw)
• Huskies – Howard High School (Macon)
• Leopards – Banks County High School (Homer)
• Mountaineers – North Murray High School (Chatsworth)
• Musketeers – Richmond Academy (Augusta)
• Owls – Spencer High School (Columbus)*
• Packers – Colquitt County High School (Moultrie)
• Paladins – Fellowship Christian School (Roswell)
• Purple Hurricane – Fitzgerald High School (Fitzgerald) Cartersville and Monroe Area are the Purple Hurricanes, with an S on the end
• Ramblers – LaFayette High School (LaFayette)
• Razorbacks – Cross Creek High School (Augusta)
• Red Elephants – Gainesville High School (Gainesville)
• Red Jackets – Jordan High School (Columbus)
• Red Terrors – Glynn Academy (Brunswick)
• Royals – Bleckley County High School (Cochran)
• Saints - Cedar Grove High School (Ellenwood)
• Screaming Devils – Warren County High School (Warrenton)
• Sharks – Islands High School (Savannah)
• Storm – Providence Christian School (Lilburn)
• Syrupmakers – Cairo High School (Cairo) * Spencer sometimes is referred to as the Greenwave or Greenwave Owls. Similarly, Terrell County is the Greenwave or Greenwave Eagles, but there are 21 Eagles in GHSA football.
