SCHS Athletic Hall of Fame
The Stephens County High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct its second class of athletes and coaches prior to the Indians’ Home Opener at The Reservation on Friday, Aug. 29th, when they host Cedar Shoals.
The list of inductees is highlighted by the presence of SCHS standout and Georgia Tech All-American Ken Swilling, who lettered in four sports (football, baseball, basketball and track) during his four-year career at Stephens County. During his senior season, Swilling led the football Indians all the way to the North Georgia championship game (state semi-finals). He was named first team all-state and to the AJC’s Super 11. He was also named as a Parade All-American. Swilling then played for Georgia Tech from 1988-1991 as a defensive back. He was named first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 1989 and 1990 and was a consensus All-America selection in 1990, the season Swilling helped Tech win a national championship. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992 and spent time in the NFL playing with New England, Arizona, and Cleveland. He was named to the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Also scheduled for induction on Aug. 29th are:
* Julius Dixon. A 1985 graduate of SCHS, Dixon earned varsity letters in football (3), wrestling (3), baseball (2), and track (4). Dixon was the captain of the Indian football team in 1984 and the track team in the spring of 1985. He attended, played football, and graduated from Furman University in Greenville, S.C. Currently, Dixon is a high school teacher and football coach.
* Charlton Veazey. He was the first football coach the newly-joined SCHS and Toccoa High Schools had in 1971 with his first-year team forging a 9-1 regular season record before losing in the first round of the playoffs. Before coming to SCHS, Veazey had been the head football coach and athletic director at Greene County High School from 1954 to 1971. Before entering education, Veazey lettered in football at the University of Georgia in 1953 and as a baseball trainer in 1952. Veazey was the football coach at SCHS from 1971-75 and from 1975-79 at Wilkinson High School. He died in 2011.
* Shana Smith was a four-year starter for Lady Indian basketball coach Jerry Brown in the late 1980s, a time when the Stephens County girls perennially qualified for the state tournament. Smith and the Lady Indians won the region title her freshman through junior seasons and advanced all the way to the state finals at Georgia Tech her senior campaign. She was named all-state her senior season and finished as the second highest in career scoring at Stephens County High. Smith was also a member of the SCHS track team for two seasons. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Smith is managing director of an international corporate investigations firm in Washington, D.C.
* Charlie Greene, a former player and assistant coach for Wright Bazemore at national powerhouse Valdosta, coached the football Indians from 1975-1984. He was best known for leading Stephens County to its first-ever gridiron victory over Gainesville and coaching the 1977 team to a state ranking for most of the season and into the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs. Greene’s teams won region championships in 1975 and 1977 and a handful of sub-region titles during his tenure at SCHS. After leaving Stephens County, Greene coached at Thomas County Central where he mentored future Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward.
* Anthony Harrison was a multi-sport letterman in football, baseball, and track. In football, Harrison lettered three seasons, recording a total of 11 interceptions during the period, including two for touchdowns. Harrison was a team captain and was named the most valuable player. He was also named to a number of all-state teams in 1982 and was invited to participate in the North-South All-Star football game. He later played collegiately for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Harrison played center field for the baseball Indians and was named MVP for the 1983 season while compiling a .653 batting average.
* Lance Skelton was a multi-sport standout for the Stephens County Indians in the late 1970s. He earned three varsity letters each in football and basketball from 1976-78 and one varsity letter in tennis in 1978. As a linebacker, Skelton anchored a rugged defensive unit that helped the Indians win the region championship in 1977. He was named the team’s most valuable defensive player that season and was an all-state selection. He was a part of an Indian basketball team that advanced to the Final Four in 1978 and was named the team’s most valuable defensive player. In track, he placed second in the 110 high hurdles at the state championship meet. He later played football at Georgia Tech.
* Jerry Brown was a long-time teacher and coach at Stephens County High School. Brown coached girls’ basketball for 34 years at SCHS, 33 years as head coach. He was an assistant football coach for 23 years at SCHS, two years as an assistant baseball coach, and three years as the tennis coach. In all, Brown served 42 years in public education roles. His girls’ basketball team at SCHS advanced to the AAA state finals in 1989. Overall, his SCHS teams won five region championships (three in a row from 1986-88) and qualified for the state tournament 15 times.
* Eldorado Cochran was a standout running back on Stephens County gridiron teams that won region championships in 1987 and 1988 and advanced all the way to the title game in 1988. In both of these seasons, Cochran was named the Region 8-AAA running back of the year and was named all-state. He was also selected to participate in the Georgia-Florida All-Star game. Cochran was elected team football captain in 1988. He played collegiately at Northeast Oklahoma A&M Junior College and finished his career at Troy University in Alabama.
* Leigh Wilbanks was a four-year member of the Stephens County Lady Indians basketball program and helped the Stephens girls win region championships in 1984, 1986, and 1987. In ’87, Wilbanks and the Lady Indians advanced all the way to the state AAA championship game, where they fell to Hart County. The Lady Indians, with Wilbanks in a key role, advanced to the Elite Eight in 1986. She was named the area Player of the Year in 1987 as well as All-State. Wilbanks also lettered in track, cross country, and tennis during her time at SCHS. Following high school, she played basketball at the U.S. Air Force Academy where she lettered three seasons. She was the team’s most valuable player and captain during one season. Wilbanks served as a squadron commander her senior year and was named a top 10 cadet at a superintendent’s ceremony for the class of 1991.