SEB inducts new Athletic Hall of Fame members

On Saturday, April 15, 2023, Southeast Bulloch High School hosted its 27th annual Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet. Five new members were inducted into the Hall of Fame. These included 2023 Honorary Inductee, Von Miller, and 2023 Inductees, Mark Sanders (Class of 1977), Steve Sanders (Class of 1981), Isiah Lamont Roberts (Class of 1995), and Timothy Wayne Canady (Class of 2002).

Esavare D. "Von" Miller

Von Miller started working at SEB as an Athletic Trainer through East Georgia Regional Medical Center in August of 2000. Dr. Tom Bigwood was the current principal at the time. Coach Page was the boys' head basketball coach, and Coach Sparks was the head track coach. Von has worked with some amazing principals such as Dr. Thomas Bigwood, John Frazier, Joni Walker Seier, Trey Robinson, Donna Clifton, Stephen Hoyle, and Dr. Julie Mizell.

Von has also witnessed Coach John Page and Coach Mike Sparks make influential changes for the better to sports at SEB. Von has seen two generations of families attend and graduate from Southeast Bulloch. Von feels fortunate enough to be a part of the Brooklet community and to have witnessed some amazing athletes use sports to become physically, socially, and emotionally well-rounded.

Von is currently still working at SEB as an athletic trainer through Optim Orthopedic Sports Medicine, covering all high school sports. Von has resided in Bulloch County since 1994, graduating from Georgia Southern University in 1999.

Isiah Lamont Roberts

Lamont attended Nevils Elementary School from kindergarten until seventh grade. While there, he participated in football and basketball, going undefeated for two years in a row -- winning the championship in both seasons. Lamont ran cross-country to prepare himself for each basketball season. Lamont started playing basketball every day to get better for the next year. He became a starter as freshman on the varsity basketball team. His freshman year, his team broke even in the won-lost column. During Lamont’s sophomore season, his team won their annual Yellow Jackets Christmas Tournament and went to the second-round playoffs. In his junior and senior years, they won the Yellow Jackets Christmas Tournament again, and he was selected to the Boys All Coastal Empire Basketball Team. He won the Most Value Player Award his junior and senior season. He also was a member of SEB 1000-point club.

Lamont Roberts has served in the United States Marine Corps for over 27 years. He has traveled different places around the world. He was part of a Joint Humanitarian mission to the country of Honduras in 1998, deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan from 2010 to 2013. Master Gunnery Sergeant Roberts’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with third Gold Star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit, Navy Unit Commendation, and Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Mark Sanders

Mark Sanders was 1977 Southeast Bulloch High School Graduate. Mark participated in Varsity football, making the All-County Football Team, and was named Outstanding Offensive Back his senior season. Mark had the most touchdown passes in a single season with 17, most touchdown passes in a single game, and most passing yards in a single game at 306. Mark was Best Offensive Basketball Player his senior year. He also played B-Team football and basketball. Mark was a member of Key Club for three years, and Key Club President his senior year. He was a member of student council his freshman and junior year and vice president his junior year. Mark was a member of FFA his freshman, sophomore, and junior years.

Mark graduated from Georgia Southern College in 1982, receiving his BS in management. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Mark participated in flag football, basketball, and men’s softball at Georgia Southern. He was a member of the national flag football championship in 1980 and 1981 in New Orleans. Mark has participated as a volunteer coach for his son’s youth soccer, roller hockey, and youth baseball teams. Mark's hobbies include golfing, hunting, exercise, and travel. Mark has been self-employed in the furniture sales industry for over 30 years as a manufacturer's sales representative. He was president of the Georgia Home Furnishings Representatives Association for two years (2002-2003), and he was Salesman of the Year in 2018 with Aspen Furniture.

Steve Sanders

A three-sport athlete, Steve lettered 4 years in football and tennis, as well as 2 years in baseball. He was a standout in both football and baseball his senior year. In football, Steve never came off the field while playing tight end on offense and defensive end on defense. After injuries hit the team, Steve took over the kicking game with kickoffs, punting and extra points. As a senior in baseball, Steve was named Best Offensive Player for 1981. He held some school records in baseball for several years, as well (8 home runs, 12 doubles and 44 RBI's for the 1981 season).

Steve was always a great teammate, and he was known for having a positive attitude both on and off the field. He was honest, friendly, and always greeted everyone with a smile. Following his time at SEB, Steve continued with his baseball career at ABAC for two years, where he had the highest batting average in the 1983 season, and he lettered two years at Georgia Southern. After his collegiate sports career was over, Steve participated in intramurals, won a state title in flag football, and was selected as the Best Left Fielder at the State of Georgia softball championship. This is where he first learned about Campus Recreation, which paved the road for his career in that field.

Steve is currently retired from Georgia Southern, where he worked for 30 years as part of a nationally recognized Campus Recreation program. He was the first Campus Recreation Director hired under Student Affairs at Georgia Southern College in 1988. During his tenure at Georgia Southern, he was the State of Georgia Director of the National Intramurals and Recreation Sports Association for two years. He was instrumental in bringing NIRSA state, regional and national tournaments to Statesboro. He was instrumental in bringing Club Sport tournaments to Statesboro, as well. He had the opportunity to build relationships with some of the best young men and women around this great nation.

Timothy Wayne Canady

Tim Canady graduated from Southeast Bulloch High School in 2002. He was a standout baseball player and a member of the varsity team all four years in high school. His senior year, he threw a no-hitter against Telfair County on senior night. He led the team in homeruns, RBIs, and batting average his junior year. While in high school, he was a member of back-to-back state playoff appearances in 2001 and 2002.

Upon graduation from SEB, Tim would attend LaGrange College. During his freshman year, Tim was as a starting pitcher for both the Conference Championship and the National Championship games and recorded the win in both series. At LaGrange, Tim would become GSAC All Conference 2x, NCAA All South Region 2x, USCAA All American and a member of the 2003 National Championship Team. Tim still holds multiple pitching records at LaGrange College.

After college, Tim began a career in the automotive industry. He is currently the General Manager at Vaden Nissan Statesboro. During COVID in 2020, Tim championed a Southeast Bulloch High School Community Partnership that provided technology assistance with document cameras, CD/DVD drives, microphones and USB cables. In 2021, he helped purchase new football helmets and assisted in purchasing state championship rings for the girls' flag football team. In 2022, he also assisted with the purchase of school supplies for each class. To help further the education of future athletes at Southeast Bulloch, Tim plans to reestablish the Jerry Robbins Memorial Scholarship in honor of his former teammate and friend Jerry Robbins.

Previous Hall of Fame Inductees

Honorary Inductees

Dr. C.E. Bohler (1995), George Roebuck (1995), Fred Shaver (1995), John F. Godbee (1996), Paul Forehand (1997), Ed Wynn (1998), Mike Sparks (1999), Ralph Miller (2000), Dot Roebuck (2005), Renea Marsh (2006), Tom Bigwood (2007), William (Bill) Locklear (2007), Hugh Belcher (2008), Tommy Brackett (2009), Gene Eden (2010), Shirley Page (2011), Autrey Moore (2011), Ike McNeely (2012), Delores “Dee” Stewart (2013), Kathy Waters (2014), Phillip Oliver (2014), Wayne Pruitt (2015), Charles and Carol Crosby (2016), John Frazier (2018), Bryant Minick (2019), Aimee Civalier (2020), Von Miller (2023)