Wetherington signs with Darton
Published 10:17 pm Tuesday, May 16, 2006
MOULTRIE — The last of Duane and Jeanine Wetherington’s children is graduating from Colquitt County High this week.
And like older brother Heath and older sister Britney, Sha Wetherington sat down to sign a grant-in-aid to ensure she continues playing sports after she leaves Moultrie.
Sha, a three-time first-team All-Region 1-AAAAA soccer player, sat down in the Colquitt County High library with her parents on Tuesday and signed to play with Darton College this fall.
Fast and versatile, Wetherington played anywhere Lady Packers coach Jimbo Jarvis needed her and she excelled wherever she lined up.
This year, she helped lead the Lady Packers to the second round of the state tournament with 13 goals.
“She never made a face one way or the other,” Jarvis said when explaining how he played her on defense or in the midfield, depending on the opponent.
“When we put her on defense, she knew what to do. She’s always been very positive, always a role model.”
As were her older siblings.
Heath Wetherington was a fine first baseman/pitcher who played on the 1997 state championship baseball team before going on to play at Abraham Baldwin College and Kennesaw State.
Britney Wetherington was the Region 1-AAAAA girls basketball Player of the Year in 2001 and went on to play at Kennesaw State, Abraham Baldwin and Berry College.
Sha proved to be just as athletic, first as an outstanding diver for the Moss Farms program and then as a talented soccer player.
She began making her soccer mark as a freshman, scoring a goal in a match against Pacelli.
She moved into a starting role as a sophomore and has been among the top players in the region the last three seasons.
After scoring four goals as a sophomore and six as a senior, she broke out this year, scoring 13 times.
This season, the Lady Packers finished third in the region, but won their first state playoff game, defeating Stephenson 7-2 on the road. Wetherington scored the final goal of her career in the victory over the Lady Jaguars.
It won’t be long before she will have to be in game shape again. College soccer is played in the fall.
Wetherington said she is pleased with her decision to play close to home in Albany.
“It’s a great two-year school,” Wetherington said. “They’ve got a great program. They’ve been the runner-up at Nationals. Maybe I can transfer somewhere after that.”
Wetherington said she expects to play midfield at Darton.
Not sure yet what her major will be, Wetherington said she has been thinking about engineering.
Wetherington is the third of the Colquitt County girls soccer team’s four seniors to sign to play at the next level.
Whitney Hood will play at Abraham Baldwin College. Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Price will play at Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C.