The No. 1 sports story of 2008 involves the two best pure athletes in Burke County: East Burke's Tyler Shatley, for football; and Freedom High's Ali Ford, for basketball.
Shatley has committed to play football at Clemson University next year, and Ford has committed to play basketball at Elon University.
There are striking similarities (and differences, including about a foot in height and at least 150 pounds) between the two: Both are successful multi-sport athletes. Shatley, in addition to football, participates in track and field and wrestling. He took the state title earlier this year in shotput and placed second in the state in wrestling. This year, he is eyeing a wrestling state championship.
With Ford, the question really is "what sport isn't she good at?" In addition to basketball, she participates in golf, softball, tennis and track.
Both are humble and shy when it comes to talking about their personal achievements. They both would trade it all to see their respective teams win.
Whatever sport it is, other players on their teams feed off their intensity, although both, again, don't look at it that way. When they're hot, so is their team. When they're not, so goes their team.
They both will be sorely missed by their teams next season when they go to college.
We're so used to seeing Shatley absolutely bulldoze through defensive linemen. We're used to seeing Ford control the court, make a quick move, charge the rim and either score or dish out the ball to an open teammate.
These two athletes are the players opposing teams dread to face. These are the type of players that other teams have to change their game plans for. Just like a Steve Smith or a Kobe Bryant, they can really only stop themselves.
Other teams can devote extra resources to cover them, which leaves someone else to make a play; or just hope and pray that they mess up. That's pretty much the extent of it.
It is yet to be seen what Shatley and Ford can accomplish at the next level, but we know what they've achieved here: greatness.
— Sports Editor Matt Collins
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