From 1966 through 2005, when Dan Pitts retired as the winningest coach in Georgia history, Mary Persons averaged 9.7 wins per season. Much of that occurred during a time when only region champions made the postseason. Cheap playoff wins rarely existed.

The stereotypical Pitts team would outcoach and outhustle the opponent until it just couldn't withstand the talents of a bigger, faster foe. Seven times that was the semifinals or later.

Only one of Pitts' teams won a state title. Only one had a senior named Alvin Toles. The biggest star in Mary Persons history, Toles rushed for 1,663 yards in 1980, and that included 149 with two touchdowns in the Class AA championship game, a 34-6 victory over Duluth.

Toles went on to Tennessee and ended up a first-round pick in the NFL Draft as a linebacker in 1985. Toles would play for four years in the league before a career-ending knee injury.

These are GHSF Daily's picks as the best players from the current schools in Region 2-AAAA.

*Howard: Alphonso Stephens (2015)

*Mary Persons: Alvin Toles (1980)

*Perry: Casey Heyward (2007)

*Spalding: Brodarious Hamm (2015)

*Upson-Lee: David Marshall (2015)

*West Laurens: Demaryius Thomas (2015)

Best player in school history series

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• Region 1-AAAA teams

• Region 2-AAAA teams

• Region 3-AAAA teams

• Region 4-AAAA teams

• Region 5-AAAA teams

• Region 6-AAAA teams

• Region 7-AAAA teams

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About the Author

Todd Holcomb