Brown and Truell honored with significant awards in front of their peers

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BLOOMINGDALE, Ga. () — New Hampstead seniors Rashawn Truell and Gianna Brown received prestigious awards for their athletic achievements in front of their senior class on Wednesday.

Truell was presented with the 2025 Ashley Dearing Award. Truell also took home the Michael Finocchiaro Award.

Truell had an amazing senior football season. He led the entire state of Georgia in passing yards for all classifications. He also set the single-game passing record with 635 yards against Perry on Sept. 28, 2024.

“I think I put a mark on the school,” Truell said. “I think Gianna and I put a mark on a school to show that we have a lot of athletes out here that might get overlooked from being all the way out here in Bloomingdale and not in the city or at a private school. So I think we just shed light on that. I think it’s great. I think it’s great for the community of Bloomingdale.

“I think when you’re talented and you should be recognized regardless,” Truell said. Like I said I think we show that year in and year out that talent is talent. You can’t faze it. No matter what you are. You can’t beat talent.”

The Ashley Dearing award is presented to the most versatile athlete in Savannah. To win this award, the athlete must play football, basketball and a spring sport.

Gianna Brown took home the Hollis Stacy award for the second consecutive year. It’s only the sixth time a player has won the award in back-to-back years. The last player to achieve the honor won it three straight years: Islands alum Veronica Sierzant from 2021 to 2023.

“It means a lot,” Brown said. “I know I worked hard for this and I put in the effort in and out of school, and I play on club teams for multiple sports. And I know I just worked hard and everything that I put into it. It came out in the end.”

The award says you have to play at least three sports. In basketball, Brown led the Lady Phoenix with 25 points a game, according to Leslie Moses who presented Brown with the award. Brown also played multiple positions on the flag football team that went to the quarterfinals.