Friday night the Liberty County Panthers will dedicate their new stadium and pay tribute to the man for whom the stadium is named. The lights at Donell Woods Stadium will turn on a little earlier as the Liberty County School Board dedicates the stadium with a ceremony scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Woods was born in Allenhurst on Dec. 31, 1939 to Ollie and Carrol Woods. He was the first college graduate in his family. He was an honor graduate of the former Liberty County High School in Midway. In high school he played baseball, basketball, and was a member of the track and field team. Woods received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education from Savannah State College in 1961 and in 1972 he received a Masters of Science Degree from Indiana University. Woods returned home to teach at his Alma Mater and from 1961-1972 taught math, health and physical education, and drivers education prior to integration. Woods was the athletic director (1964-1972), the head football (1963-1972) and the head basketball coach (1969-1972) at LCHS for several years. Under his leadership as athletic director the boys' basketball team won the only state boys high school basketball championship in Liberty County in 1967 with Sam Harris as the winning head coach. In 1972 Liberty County High School in Midway closed to start a new era. Woods was hired as an assistant football coach and the first head boys basketball coach at the current Bradwell Institute. He also continued teaching. Woods was instrumental in helping with the smooth transition for student athletes during the integration of the Liberty County Schools. He spent hours encouraging parents to allow their student-athletes to continue playing when dedication was hard to find. Because of his love for children and the game, he spent countless hours driving students home all over the county who threatened to quit. Coach Woods's dedication to education allowed harmony to occur and integration to take place within the community and at Bradwell Institute. Coach Woods was known for buying athletic shoes for students and for giving the jacket off his back to students and family, often giving his last dollar to students for lunch and for driving athletes to colleges. While battling cancer in 1979, the Bradwell Tigers went undefeated (10-0) during regular season with Coach Woods as the assistant coach of defense. Coach Woods taught at Liberty County High School for eleven years and at Bradwell Institute for eight years until his untimely death on June 8, 1980.
Personal History Born: December 31, 1939 Died: June 8, 1980 Parents: Mrs. Ollie Woods and Mr. Carrol Woods---both deceased Wife: Mrs. Yvonne LeCounte Woods Children: Donell Woods, Jr, Monica Woods (deceased) Brother: Harold Woods Birthplace: Allenhurst, Georgia Honors: 1974-75---2AA Boys Basketball Coach of the Year by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. 1980 - Official of the Year by the Hinesville Officials Association. This is an annual award given each year. 1980 -The Harvey Overton Booster named a scholarship in honor of Coach Donell Woods. 1991- The Donell Woods Basketball Tournament organized by Coach Willie Graham. 2004 - Inducted into the Liberty County Hall of Fame. 2008- Football Stadium at Liberty County High School named in honor of a devoted educator, coach, and athlete who was also a native son. Donell was a referee with the Hinesville Officials Association for more than fifteen years. He was the church clerk and a choir member at Baconton Missionary Baptist Church in Allenhurst, and a small business owner. Donell was known for his quiet demeanor and his great knowledge and love of the game. He was a very caring and giving person that affected the lives of thousands of young people and adults during his short life.
It's the official dawn of a new era as the Liberty County Panthers dedicate their newly constructed stadium today at 5 p.m. with a ceremony paying tribute to Donell Woods for whom the stadium was named. The night has extra significance because it's also homecoming for the Panthers as well as their first region game at the new stadium. The Panthers will welcome the Thomson High Bulldogs for 3-AAA action. Although it's the first time Panther head coach Kirk Warner will coach his team against the Bulldogs it's not the first time these two teams have seen action against each other. In September 2005 the Bulldogs won by a field goal in a low scoring game (0-3). In 2004 the two battled it out defensively where the Bulldogs came out on top by one point (12-13). "We have to execute because that's what costs us in those close games three years back," Panther coach Kirk Warner said about his squad's close call to the Bulldogs. "This year we just have to be mentally focused from Monday through Thursday and go out and put a complete game together. We have not played a complete game all year as far as offensively and defensively and special teams. That' what we are shooting for on Friday." But the Panthers are still licking their wounds after the Washington County Golden Hawks tanked them 0-42 in last week's region opener. Just a week earlier the Glynn County Red Terrors handed the Panthers' their first home loss and it happened at Donell Woods Stadium. The Panthers do have most of their starting defense for tonight's game despite being a bit bruised from playing Washington County. Just three game ago the Panthers had six starters out. Trammal Morris' return is questionable but it appears the rest of the starters will be ready. "We don't foresee anybody else being held out Friday," the coach said. The Panthers want a fresh start at Donell Woods and tonight they have a chance if they can secure their first region win. It is after all a critical time of their season. "We definitely want to get three or four region wins," Warner said. "Our goal is to make state playoffs and you have to have a minimum of three. We have to win the home games and steal one or two on the road. It's an important game, of course the rest of them from here on out are important and we just have to play a little bit more physical and heads up football." Dedication ceremony begins at 5 p.m. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
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