Senior Karsen Ochs was named as the Female Recipient of the four-year scholarship of $1,000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. As a stand-out pitcher, Karsen consistently led the Lady Vikings to region and state championships during her softball career with the Vikings.

However, her heart for service is what really makes her shine. Karsen Ochs’s annual Strike Out Hunger challenge raised money for the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank with every strike-out she gained. Family and friends pledged a donation per strikeout or a flat donation. At the end of the season, Karsen collects the pledged money and donates it. Over the past four years she has raised over $15,000.

The Vincent J. Dooley Awards and Scholarships are presented annually by Athletes for a Better World and the Georgia High School Association. Each year, every high school in Georgia is invited to select one male and one female senior athlete to receive the Vincent J. Dooley Award.

From those nominees, committee members select a top 10 list as well as a state winner. The award recipients are chosen for their distinguished individual character, outstanding teamwork, and citizenship.

FPD nominees were Marshall Danner and Karsen. Marshall was selected for the top 10 list while Karsen took home the state recognition.

The purpose of the awards and scholarships is to call attention to the high esteem in which the values of hard work, sportsmanship, and community service are held, so that they may become a stronger part of the ethos of participation in Georgia high school sports. Since its inception, nearly $70,000 has been awarded to Dooley Scholarship recipients!

For the first time ever, FPD had back-to-back state winners of the Dooley Award with Sadie Frame (’18) winning the award in 2018.