More spinning of The Carousel: Washington County has a new head coach; Jasper County loses Henderson to East Jackson

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          After decades of stability, Washington County has hit a stretch of the opposite.

          The football program had two head coaches from 1992-2021. Now, it’s on its third head coach since 2022.

          Cedartown offensive coordinator Jay Ware is the newest head coach at Washington County.

          The county board of education met Thursday evening, but released nothing on a new coach. And like most boards across the state, no details of the meeting are posted on the board’s website, nor has anything been posted officially on social media.

          Twitter account “Fired Football Coaches of Georgia” was the first to post the move, doing so Thursday morning.

          Ware is a Coosa grad who played in 39 games as a running back Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala., where Peach County grad (and current Warner Robins assistant) Brett Montgomery and Jones County grad (and current Greyhound offensive coordinator) Bradley Hunnicutt also played in the past dozen years.

          Ware’s coaching career started at Charles Henderson High in Alabama, followed by stints at Madison County and North Oconee before joining the Cedartown staff of Jamie Abrams in 2023.

          Abrams, who coached at Lamar County, was dismissed at Cedartown after the 2024 season despite a 50-14 record, and spent 2025 as the defensive coordinator at Bowdon under Rich Fendley.

          Abrams was promoted to succeed Fendley, who took over recently at Rockmart. Cedartown went 2-8 under first-year head coach Tommy Atha.

          Rick Tomberlin went 14-1 in his first season in Sandersville, in 1992. He left in 2005, going 157-31 with three state titles, two runner-up finishes, and seven region titles in 14 seasons.

          He resigned in January of 2006 and was quickly appointed to the top job at Valdosta. Tomberlin has also coached at Effingham County, Calvary Day, and Appling County after serving at Washington County, retiring in 2020.

          Assistant Joel Ingram took over and opened with an 11-3 record in 2006. Washington County won four region titles and played in two state championship games under Ingram, who went 132-59 in 16 seasons.

          He was released as head coach in early December of 2021.

          The system dismissed Edwards on Dec. 11, less than two calendar years after his hiring, giving no public reason.

          The Washington County alum departed with a 20-24 record, the first Golden Hawks’ coach to leave with a losing record after at least four seasons since Bill Upchurch went 11-22 from 1987-90.

          The school had a different principal at the time of both dismissals, and the system had a new superintendent and board as well.

          Other Central Georgia openings: Southwest, Macon County, Wilkinson County, Mount de Sales, and Central Fellowship.

Coverage

Ingram out at Washington County after 16 seasons as head coach, six as an assistant

Very, very familiar name taking over at Washington County

Washington County dismisses Edwards

Henderson leaving Jasper County for East Jackson

          Maintaining the best run at Jasper County since the early 1990s will be up to a new head coach.

          Ashley Henderson is headed to East Jackson, it was announced Friday morning.

          Henderson took over at Class A/Division I Jasper County following an 0-10 season in Aaron Pitts’ lone year. Two more losing seasons – upping such a streak to 20 years – followed before the Hurricanes went 8-4 in 2024 and 10-2 in 2025, winning a first-round playoff game – their first postseason win since 1992 – each season.

          He leaves with a 27-19 record, the only Jasper Count head coach this century to leave with a winning record. He has the seventh-most wins in program history.

          Henderson is 112-53 in 13 seasons at Valwood, Thomas County Central, and Jasper County.

          East Jackson, located in Commerce and set for its 20th season, went 5-6 in 2025, 0-5 in Region 8-AA play. The region includes Class A-AAA/Private state champ Hebron Christian as well as Prince Avenue.

          Head coach Cameron Pettus went 27-45 in six seasons at East Jackson, resigning last month to take an assistant joh at Class AAA Lumpkin County.