MOULTRIE – Stephanie Cody is preparing for her 15th season on the Colquitt County girls basketball team’s bench.
But this will be her first as the Lady Packers head coach.
When Rondesha Williams retired after last season, she recommended her longtime assistant be named to replace her.
The Board of Education agreed and six months later, Cody will lead her first group of Lady Packers into the 2024-2025 season-opener on Monday.
Colquitt’s girls went 23-6 and advanced to the second round of the state tournament last season and are looking for a smooth transition to Cody from Williams, who won 302 games over her 17-year tenure.
The Cody era will start at 3:30 p.m. Monday when the Lady Packers meet Thomas County Central in the two-day Thanksgiving Invitational at Lowndes.
Colquitt will meet Lincoln High of Tallahassee at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Colquitt County’s first games on the William Bryant Court are scheduled for Friday, December 6, when Cairo visits.
Dougherty is scheduled to come to Moultrie to face the Lady Packers the next day.
“I am grateful for this opportunity,” Cody said as her inaugural season-opener approached. “I feel well-prepared. And (Williams) is still a big go-to for me.”
Cody played at Johnson County High in Wrightsville and at Albany State before becoming the top assistant to Williams.
The two have combined to produced some outstanding players, including two who are returning this season after being key components on the 2023-2024 team.
Colquitt will have to replace five seniors from last year’s team: Dalivia McBride, D’Zeriyah Polite, Ameris Johnson, Jamya Moore and Nyleigha Knighton.
But there is some firepower returning.
Point guard Amira Walters-Smith is back for her senior season.
Last season, she was named the region’s Offensive Player of the Year, was included on the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-South Georgia team and she received honorable mention on the All-State team.
Averaging 17.0 points a game will lead to that recognition.
And although the 2023-2024 season was just her first at Colquitt County, she has already scored 1,600 points in her career.
She played her freshman season at Westwood School in Camilla and the next two years at Mitchell County High.
“We are going to lean heavily on her shooting,” Cody said. “She can shoot the cover off the basketball. Her range is the 3-point line on back.”
Also returning is Amareyia Knighton, a four-year starter who could reach the 1,000-point plateau at Lowndes.
She has 975 points in her career and averaged 13.7 points a game last season.
Knighton also is a key player on the Colquitt County flag football team that finished its regular season last week.
She also is expected to be on the field when the Lady Packers flag team plays host to the first round of the state tournament on Dec. 5.
“She is so athletic,” Cody said.
Walters-Smith and Knighton are two of the Lady Packers four seniors.
The others are Ta’Meria Williams, who missed last season because of an injury, and Caylnn Singletary, likely to be one of the starters. Both also are on the flag football team.
There are no juniors on the roster.
The other six players are sophomores: Ta’Ayona Singletary, Aundrea Thomas, Kamya Thomas, Azaria Battle, Nacardia Robinson and Aubrey Edge, who is injured and unable to play.
Cody especially likes the future of Robinson, a 5-foot-9 inside player.
“She really came on toward the end of last season,” Cody said.
“All these kids have been working hard,” Cody added. “They are excited about the process, from the weight room to practice.”
On the bench with Cody this season will be assistants Jason Rainey, in his first season at Colquitt County, and Hilary Willams, who has been with the program three years and previously coached the seventh-grade team.
She will handle the junior varsity and ninth-grade teams.