Zayden Cook Named Scrappy Moore Male Athlete of the Year

Historic Season, Historic Honor for Chattooga’s Standout Senior

Chattooga County’s own Zayden Cook has officially cemented his place among Georgia’s elite athletes by being named the Scrappy Moore Male Athlete of the Year — one of the region’s most prestigious high school athletic awards.

Although Zayden couldn’t attend the ceremony, his proud parents were there to accept the award on his behalf, a moment that reflected the community’s pride in the standout senior.

Zayden’s accolades speak for themselves. As a senior running back, he rushed for an astonishing 2,939 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading the Chattooga Indians to the playoffs. His 2,735 regular-season rushing yards not only topped the entire state but are the second-highest total in Georgia high school football history. He had jaw-dropping performances all season, including a 464-yard, 6-touchdown game against Dade County and other 300+ yard games against Coosa, Mt. Zion, and Coahulla Creek.

And his talents didn’t stop at the gridiron. On defense, he logged nearly 100 tackles and two interceptions. In track and field, Zayden successfully defended his GHSA Class A state title in the 110-meter hurdles this spring.

A Murray State signee, Zayden was also a two-time Times Free Press Player of the Week and now becomes the first Chattooga athlete ever to win both Football Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year honors.

“It means the world to me to be named both football player of the year and male athlete of the year. Being the first from Chattooga to receive either of these honors makes it even more special. It proves that hard work, commitment and believing in yourself really does pay off. I hope this recognition opens doors and inspires younger athletes at Chattooga to dream big and chase their goals with everything they’ve got.”
— Zayden Cook