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The historic final season for Malachi Fannin-Render in Granger blue got its coda earlier this week as the former LaGrange High running back was named to the GACA All-State team for 3A. He was joined by fellow LaGrange senior Spencer Stroud, who made the honorable mention list as a defensive lineman.

Fannin-Render’s time in blue and white will be remembered by everyone who saw him take the field at Callaway Stadium. He was electric with the ball in his hands. Fannin-Render’s season stats were staggering: 212 carries, 2,235 yards rushing and 29 rushing touchdowns, 9 receptions, 150 yards, three receiving touchdowns, a completion for 66 yards and a touchdown and an 88-yard punt return touchdown. 

Fannin-Render has already graduated and is headed to Liberty to enroll early and get a jump start on life at the next level.

“From the moment I first stepped foot on the campus, it really made me feel like I was at home. I saw that they trusted my ability a lot because they offered me before I had even shown my actual skill and just had a breakout season,” he said at his signing day in December.

The senior captain saved his best performances for the playoffs. His stats from the opening three rounds looked like this: 17 carries, 201 yards, 3 TDs vs. Lumpkin County; 29 carries, 224 yards, 3 TDs, 3 catches, 16 yards, 1 TD vs. Sandy Creek and 7 carries, 264 yards, 3 TDs vs. North Hall. Despite the Jefferson defense keying in on stopping him in the semifinals, Fannin-Render still finished with nearly 100 yards on the ground. 

Fannin-Render saw most of his sophomore and junior seasons washed away by injuries, but was able to return towards the tail end of his junior season and put together over 200 yards on the ground against Benedictine in the second round of the state playoffs, turning heads across the state.

“His season puts him in the category alongside many of the Granger greats,” LaGrange coach Matt Napier said about his former running back last month.”When you start talking about the legends that have come through LaGrange High School, his name will be right there. Malachi was the captain and held a leadership role on the team that helped bring that winning tradition back to LaGrange High.”

Fannin-Render was the star of the LaGrange offense this season, helping propel them to the team’s first semi-final appearance since 2008, and on defense, that role was occupied by Stroud, who was named to the All-State honorable mention list

The senior defensive lineman could be getting ready to prepare for the next level of football but is instead content to say goodbye to football after his elite breakout season.

Stroud had 60 tackles, 13 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, four batted passes, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during his senior season.

The senior had to wait for his opportunity and served as a role player for the last couple of years before developing into a defensive force as a senior. 

“I’ve been waiting for my opportunity for so long,” Stroud said during LaGrange’s playoff run. “It feels like forever because I played a whole lot of JV, and it’s finally my chance, and I’m making the most of it.

“We had a really deep group, like a really good group at D line last year, and I wasn’t getting a whole lot of playing time, so I played a lot of JV, but it helped me prepare for my chance.”