Longtime Athens Academy football commentator Mark “Mojo” Williams called his last Spartan football game on Friday, November 11, as the school hosted Fannin County in the first round of the GHSA 2A state football playoffs.

Williams took on the role of the “Voice of the Spartans” in 2015 after several commentators filled in following State Rep. Houston Gaines’ graduation in 2013. The original “Voice,” Gaines had narrated the games since his sixth grade year.

Williams worked alongside spotters and statisticians (and fellow Athens Academy alumni parents) Chuck Jordan and Jimbo LaBoon. “I cannot overstate how important—and fun—they were to the accurate calling of the game,” he says, calling them his “accomplices.”

When asked about his favorite memory from his years as commentator he says, “It was the Mount Paran game a few years back, and we were leading 14-7 with only seconds to play. It was fourth down, so we had to punt, but I went ahead and made some comment about our victory and that I looked forward to seeing everyone back at Slaughter Field the next week. The punt was blocked, and the other team recovered the ball with a chance to win. We stopped them, so all’s well that ends well...but the looks and comments I got from Jimbo, Chuck, and lots of Spartan fans, for almost jinxing us, will be a memory I will not forget.”

The Spartans’ football season came to a close on Friday with a loss to Fannin County in the first round of the state playoffs. The next home football games are slated for the 2023-24 fall season.

Williams and his wife, Sue, are the parents of Athens Academy alumni Mary Hadley Williams Wyatt ’09, Kelley Williams Douglas ’11, Kate Williams ’19, and Meg Williams ’21. Sue Williams was the school’s PSO coordinator for over fifteen years.

Pictured: Chuck Jordan and Mojo Williams (right) called their last Spartan football game together on Friday, November 11.