An upbeat website for a downtown school

the Southerner Online
An upbeat website for a downtown school

the Southerner Online
An upbeat website for a downtown school

the Southerner Online
Elias Podber

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor

Elias Podber is a senior this year and is excited to co-lead the sports section of the paper to new heights. He is captain of the cross country team and a distance runner on the track team, as well as a good friend of local celebrity Ashton Kutcher. Fun fact: Elias is actually a redhead. Enjoy his sports stories as he dodges anything from football players to soccer balls to tennis rackets on the sidelines.

All content by Elias Podber
The 2016 film "Race" follows Jesse Owens' historic Olympic triumphs in Nazi Germany in Berlin 1936.

10 sports movies to watch during social distancing

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
May 6, 2020
The boys cross country team celebrates winning the second place trophy at the 2019 Region 6AAAAA meet. Many of these athletes also compete on the track team, one of the many sports greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Five out of the seven pictured are seniors.

Dear senior athletes

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
March 30, 2020
STARTING STRONG: 2016 Grady alumna Gracie Griffith starts the race at the Olympic Team Trials – Marathon on Feb. 29. She finished the race in 95th place overall after being seeded 448 out of 465 athletes on race day, earning a new personal record (PR) of 2:43:36, shaving one minute and 16 seconds off her qualifying time.

Alumna Griffith finishes top 100 at U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
March 12, 2020
Senior captain Kaitlin Palaian (right) dribbles down the sideline in the 3-1 victory over Maynard Jackson on March 9 where she scored two of the three goals. Palaian committed to the U.S. Military Academy in February 2019.

Senior Palaian commits to West Point for soccer

Elias podber, Sports Managing Editor
March 12, 2020
Left to Right: Jacob Riley, Galen Rupp, and Abdi Abdirahman stand with the American flag in celebration of making the U.S. Olympic Marathon team for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Rupp finised first followed by Riley in second and Abdirahman in third.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon conclude with unlikely qualifiers

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
March 2, 2020
Left to right: Top seeded runners Kellyn Taylor, Emily Sisson, Sara Hall and Des Linden sit onstage as Linden answers a question from a high school runner in the crowd. Linden finished second at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon in Los Angeles, qualifying her for the Rio Olympic Games.

Q&A with top qualifiers, U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
February 28, 2020
On Feb. 5, APS Signing Day took place at Therrell High School. The four football players who signed smile after they make it official.

[Photo] Signing Day Photo Essay

February 26, 2020
Sophomore Jade Lewis drives to the basket in the Region 6AAAAA semifinal game against Riverwood at Maynard Jackson on Feb. 6. The Knights lost 62-59. Lewis is the only member of the team to be named first team All-Region. Her sister, junior Trinity Lewis, was named second team All-Region and senior captains Jaliyah Lett and Kaitlin Palaian each received Honorable Mention.

Girls basketball makes state 5A playoffs after six-year drought, loses to Buford first round

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
February 20, 2020
Grady should unite all sports teams under the sole mascot, the Knights, and eliminate “Lady” from team titles.

[Photo] “Lady” labels on sports teams are sexist, must be removed

Editorial Board
February 13, 2020
'Just Mercy' stars Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx and seeks to show viewers the fight that Harvard Law School graduate Bryan Stevenson partook in to reverse the sentences of convicts on the Alabama death row. Stevenson's fight, however, was against much more than just one corrupt law office.

‘Just Mercy’ provides accurate depiction of fight against wrong convictions

Elias Podber
February 6, 2020
First-year head coach and athletic director Patrick Johnson talks to his team during a timeout in the first half of the boys basketball game against Lithia Springs on Dec. 3. The Knights won 66-61, and are 10-12 overall as of Jan. 30.

Basketball program transforms with new coaching

Elias Podber
January 30, 2020
Jaliyah Lett scans the court in transition in a 49-33 loss against Paideia on Nov. 8.

[Photo] Girls basketball aim for playoffs

William Randall and Cole Parker
December 17, 2019
Senior Micheal Stevens dribbles the ball down the court against Paideia on Nov. 8, the season opener, which the Knights won 64-63. Stevens has led the team with his offensive efforts, and scored 27 points in a 66-61 win against Lithia Springs on Dec. 3.

[Photo] Boys basketball starts 5-6

Keller Rentz-Baker
December 17, 2019

ACT’s maker should pay reparations to students

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
December 17, 2019
Junior receiver Nathaniel Wiggins evades a tackles as he runs into the end zone in the first quarter of the homecoming game against North Springs on Oct. 18. The play marked one of Wiggins' three touchdowns, and the Knights won 40-0.

‘Dynamic’ 3-Star recruit Nathaniel Wiggins attracting college attention

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
November 19, 2019
Freshman Jumal Prothro runs from the backfield as he is tracked down by a North Atlanta player. He gained about 6 yards on the play.

[Photo] Knights lose to North Atlanta 40-19 after two players are ejected

Mills Rentz-Baker and Keller Rentz-Baker
August 23, 2019
Senior tight end Dewan Wright runs from defenders in the second quarter of the homecoming game against North Springs on Oct. 18. The Knights won 40-0.

[Photo] Knights dominate North Springs on homecoming, win 40-0

Mills Rentz-Baker
October 19, 2019
Former Grady quarterback Simeon Kelley (left) focuses the camera on the action from the bench as senior tight end Dewan Wright (center) squeezes a swig of water and current quarterback and senior Aquinas Stillwell (right) takes a breather. Kelley, now a photographer for Atlanta Public Schools, led the Knights to an undefeated regular season and state semifinals finish in 2005.

Former quarterback Kelley recalls undefeated 2005 season that set Knights on winning course

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
October 23, 2019
Junior receiver Nathaniel Wiggins runs with the ball on a kick return in the first quarter of the game against Carver on Oct. 5. Wiggins scored two touchdowns despite the team losing 39-21.

[Photo] Knights fall to division leader Carver 37-21

Keller Rentz-Baker
October 6, 2019
Senior Will Meyer climbs a bouldering route at Stone Summit before his shift starts. Meyer has been climbing since 9th grade, and is planning on going on a climbing trip to a cliff in Kentucky with fellow employees.

Meyer climbs to new heights

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
October 2, 2019
Christian Coleman celebrates as he finishes his 100m race at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar on Sept. 28, where he won. His world leading time of 9.76 seconds in the 100m makes him the third fastest American man of all time.

Christian Coleman, son of APS media relations manager, wins IAAF World Championships

Kaitlin Palaian and Elias Podber
September 28, 2019
IT’S GOOD: Senior Reid Schratwieser prepares to kick a field goal against the North Atlanta Warriors on Friday Aug. 23. The Knights lost 40-19, but Schratwieser completed a 60 yard punt. Over the summer Schratwieser won two competitions at a kicking camp, coming home the Atlanta Champion and was invited to compete in the December national showcase in Austin Texas.

[Photo] Senior wins kicking camp competitions, impacts team

Kaitlin Palaian
August 28, 2019
Senior Sadie Mothershed celebrates with her team after getting a point from a spike on the previous play against Locust Grove on August 28. The Lady Knights lost 2-1.

Volleyball starts 1-10, set to improve with new coach

Elias Podber
August 28, 2019

Track and field State 5A qualifiers

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
May 6, 2019

Five soccer players named to All-Region 6AAAAA Team

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
April 30, 2019

Boys tennis advances to Final Four in State 5A tournament

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
April 26, 2019
Sports staff questions lack of clarity in staff turnover

Sports staff questions lack of clarity in staff turnover

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
April 23, 2019
DSC_0257

[Photo] Boys lacrosse misses out on playoffs

Mills Rentz-Baker, Online Sports Section Editor
April 19, 2019
Sophomore Jackson Sexton jumps over a hurdle in the 300m hurdle race in the Grady Opener on Feb. 26. Sexton also runs the 400m dash in 50.2 seconds.

[Photo] Lack of seniors, boys track to improve with strong team effort

Kaitlin Palaian, Sports Associate Managing Editor
March 11, 2019
Sophomore and captain Ameah Richardson receives the baton from sophomore Kendall Jones in the 4x100m relay at the Grady Opener on Feb. 26. “It felt really good to be named captain this year, and I really hope that I can meet the expectations of the team and bring us together more as a family than a team,” Richardson said.

Large group, new coach to help girls track

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
March 1, 2019
Freshman Chase Palmer prepares to pass the ball downfield to a teammate in the scrimmage against Westminster on Friday, Feb. 1. The boys lost 1-0, but had many chances in the game and looked unaffected by the loss of 14 seniors last year.

Boys soccer to rebuild after graduation of 14 seniors

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
February 6, 2019
Senior and captain Lena Brown takes her space in the center of the field against North Atlanta. The girls team plays next on Friday, Feb. 8 against Columbus.

Girls soccer uses senior leadership in new season, expect improvement

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
February 4, 2019
SOCCER SEASON: Member of the Junior Varsity Girls soccer team prepares for the upcoming season by talking to coach Hamel Patel. This new JV team offers freshmen a place to hone their skills as they prepare to play varsity in their coming years.

[Photo] A new girls junior varsity soccer team creates opportunities for freshmen

Keira Ely
January 23, 2019
Senior Dylan Searcy watches, floating, as he scores a layup.

Girls basketball triumphs against Banneker, boys lose

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
January 9, 2019
Striker Josef Martinez screams in celebration for his goal against the New York Red Bulls in the 32nd minute. In the match at home in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United won 3-0 on Nov. 25.

Atlanta United sets high expectations in second year

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
December 3, 2018
Senior Katie Wood sets up a serve in a home game against Paideia on Sept. 20. Wood made the All-Region 6AAAAA First Team this year for the second time.

Senior Wood makes All-Region 6AAAAA First Team volleyball

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
November 27, 2018
Junior Jaliyah Lett drives in the paint against South Atlanta. The girls won 40-27 in their first game of the season, surprising many after an unsuccessful 2017-18 season.

Girls and boys basketball teams take on South Atlanta

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
November 14, 2018
Juniors Bram Mansbach and Kavi Jakes run through the shoot into the finish in Carrollton. Mansbach placed 20th and Jakes finished 21st.

Boys and girls cross country finish fifth at state

Elias Podber, Sports Managing Editor
November 2, 2018
The Grady players enter the field by breaking the banner displaying the old Knights' logo.

[Photo] Knights lose 29-7 to Maynard-Jackson in crucial game

October 22, 2018
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