Sam Ledford proved time and time again to be the top singles player in North Georgia, and secures back-to-back Player of the Year honors after a stellar senior year.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

23-1 Record
48-2 in Sets
66 Career Wins (School Record)
4x All-Region

Ledford posted a career mark of 66-15, setting the Banks County record. The 4-time All-Region honoree went 23-1 this season at 1-singles, and was 48-2 overall in sets played.

VOTING RESULTS

1. Sam Ledford – 81 pts (11 1st-place votes)
2. Brady Darnell – 77 pts (7)
3. Lleyton Phillips – 46 pts (3)
4. Jack Marshall/Alex Cardenas – 27 pts

Voting included our 21-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts

Leford’s 11 1st-place votes carried him to the win, though Brady Darnell was right on his heels. If Darnell had not split some votes with Lleyton Phillips, it would have been very tight at the top.

HISTORY OF TENNIS POY

• 2026 – Sam Ledford – Banks County SR #1 Singles
• 2025 – Sam Ledford – Banks County JR #1 Singles
• 2024 – Will & Jack McKinney – Lumpkin County SR/JR #1 Doubles
• 2023 – Tanner Davis – Tallulah Falls SO #1 Singles
• 2022 – Kevin Wonders – Habersham Central FR #3 Singles
• 2021 – Kenny Colwell – Stephens County SR #2 Singles
• 2020 – Marcus Berninger – Jefferson SR #1 Singles
• 2019 – Marcus Berninger – Jefferson JR #1 Singles
• 2018 – Gabe Martin – Banks County SR #1 Singles
• 2017 – Trey Wilcox – Tallulah Falls SR #1 Singles
• 2016 – Trey Wilcox – Rabun County JR #1 Singles
• 2015 – Trey Wilcox – Rabun County SO #1 Singles
• 2014 – Justin Yang/Gatlin Boswell – Banks County SR #2 Doubles
• 2013 – Bobby Nguyen – Banks County JR #3 Singles
• 2012 – Jake Schaefer – Banks County JR #1 Singles
• 2011 – Will Jarrard – Lumpkin County SR #1 Singles
• 2010 – Thomas Flowers – White County SR #1 Singles

Banks County has won the top award six times, more than any other school. Ledford is the first to repeat as a winner since Jefferson’s Marcus Berninger (2019-20). Only three have ever won more than once.

WHO WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR?

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