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22^ND ANNUAL ALBANY SPORTS HALL OF FAME SPEAKER RANDALL GODFREY
Godfrey guest speaker at ceremony

• Washington’s Randall Godfrey starred at both Lowndes High School and Georgia.

Danny Aller

ALBANY — An already special night this evening will be blessed with the presence of current Washington Redskins NFL star Randall Godfrey as the guest speaker at the 22nd annual ceremony of the Albany Sports Hall of Fame, which will commence at the Albany CIvic Center.

Godfrey, the Valdosta native, and ex-Lowndes County and Georgia football star, will be the second NFL hero to guest speak.  Ex-Miami Dolphin Bill Stanfill did it last year.

This year, Godfrey will kick off the festivities that include the honoring of five former Southwest Georgia sports stars, as well as the city's area high school athletes of the year.

The five inductees this year will be Paul S. Stevens, the former Deerfield-Windsor and Georgia Tech tennis star; former Albany State football coaching great Lester Sherman; Albany High and Navy track standout David McIntyre; ex-Camilla Consolidated and FSU hoopster Gordon Dixon; and finally, Lady Knights basketball state championship leader Teresa Brown.

The local athletes of the year include Monroe football and track star David Noel; DWS’ three-sports threat Shelby Cosby; Albany  footballer and Tuskegee University signee Ryan Jackson; Byne cheerleader Kallie Phillips; Westover football and basketball star Jason Jones, who was The Herald's John Reynolds Award winner; Dougherty High basketball's human highlight reel Brian Bryant --- the two-time defending Herald Player of the Year and Willie Boston Award winner; and lastly, Sherwood football captain Gerry Smith, who also stars in track and baseball, and will sign with LaGrange College on Wednesday.

Godfrey, who is well known for his charity work in Southwest Georgia, was the 49th overall pick in 1996 by the Dallas Cowboys, and has also played for Tennessee, Seattle and San Diego, which released him in 2007 only to be immediately picked up by Washington.

He recorded 29 tackles and two forced fumbles last year for the Redskins.

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