Although the Wildcats suffered hard losses in three of their final four regular season games and narrowly missed the playoffs this year, senior linebacker Gabe Bauman left it all out on the field, finishing the season as the leader in total tackles for the third consecutive season. 

Ever since his sophomore year, Bauman has been the anchor of the Wildcats’ defenses, finishing his career with an astonishing 305 tackles in total. He tallied 93 tackles as a sophomore, 114 tackles as a junior and 97 tackles as a senior. 

He also added 22 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries, 7 sacks and one interception in his career as a Wildcat. While he had the stats that could jump off the page, his individual efforts are not the memories that hold the most importance to him.  

“I think being able to knock off Valdosta at home in what was now our last game in Wildcat Stadium was pretty unforgettable,” Bauman said. “That is something that our team worked so hard for and it was just amazing. 

“Also, beating Lowndes my junior year was pretty special. My mom attended the Lowndes game, and that was pretty special for me.”

While the season ended abruptly, the Wildcats accomplished many things in Bauman’s senior season, including his first winning season at Richmond Hill High School. 

“I think our team fought until the very end,” Bauman said. “We had arguably one of our best years in the program, but just came up a little short in key games. 

“I am just so proud of our guys for this season and it's only up from here for the program's future,” Bauman said.

As far as having one of the best seasons on the field, where it ended in a 7-3 overall record, that can be attributed to not only the physical attributes of the athletes, but the intangibles that great teams must possess to be successful. 

“I think we had a great group of leaders on this team,” Bauman said. We held each other accountable. When things got rough, we pulled each other back in. 

“We also had synergy and experience. We have played a lot of ball together and have been doing it a long time and it really helped us throughout the season.”

With his high school football career coming to a close after the crushing defeat at the hands of the Colquitt County Packers, Bauman still feels that the Wildcats could have made a great playoff run. 

“It's heartbreaking for sure,” Bauman said. “I do not believe any team would have wanted to see us in the playoffs. We were a threat and had a lot of fight left in us.  

“When you play in Region 1-6A, it's going to be tough and a different kind of challenge. Our guys were unfazed and competed up to that level. While it's sad to know it's over I believe this season made all of us stronger in every aspect.”

With his season in the rearview mirror, Bauman has begun back focusing on what comes next for him; life after high school sports. 

“I still am holding out hope for college football,” Bauman said. “This game means everything to me and I would love an opportunity to continue to showcase my talents.”