Aspen Hataway made his mark at Gilmer High across three sports, and he will continue his football career at the next level.
Hataway walked across Pettit Field for the final time as a GHS student during last Friday’s commencement ceremony. During his time as a Bobcat, he earned all-region and all-state football honors, placed second in the pole vault at the state track meet and qualified for the wrestling state tournament.
When classes resume in the coming months, Hataway will be on the campus of Rochester Community and Technical College in Minnesota. He plans to attend for the fall semester before expanding his football options.
“They played in the junior college national championship last season,” said Hataway, who also received interest from Anderson University, S.C. “It seems like a good program, and I like their morals and how they run things. It’s very straightforward and a very strict regimen ... 6 a.m. practice, school and mandatory study hall, which I think will help me a lot.
“I’ve talked to the coaches about going for a semester and transferring out. I’d like to go to KSU (Kennesaw State). That’s definitely my top one. That’s where I was going to walk on before I got the offer from Rochester.”
By second grade, Hataway worked his way onto the football field with some assistance from his dad, who helped convince his mom. He made his way through the youth ranks and played at Clear Creek Middle School.
“I’ve always wanted to play longer if I could,” Hataway said of his football aspirations. “I was going to college anyway because after I get out of college, I’m going into the military, and I want to go in as an officer.
“Football is my love because I’ve been playing it for so long. If I think I could play at that level, I was going to drive myself to do that. This was just my 11th season, and it’s something I’ve devoted a lot of time and effort into.”
Hataway helped the GHS program get back on its feet. He moved to Virginia for his freshman season and did not take the field for the Bobcats. The Hataways were back in Ellijay by December, and he started his first of three seasons under newly-hired head coach Paul Standard.
The Bobcats won three games in 2021, and their triple-option scheme produced seven more points per game than the year prior. The offense continued to flourish the following season. The Bobcats were 5-5, but a stunning come-from-behind win by the White County Warriors in week 10 unceremoniously killed the Bobcats’ playoff hopes.
However, it was the Cats’ first non-losing season in eight years. Hataway was named to the all-region second team for his efforts at linebacker and made a team-high 91 tackles on the season, which included seven for losses and three quarterback sacks.
The Bobcats were back in the playoffs Hataway’s senior season, snapping a nine-year drought. GHS toppled Pickens 35-24 to break its eight-game losing streak en route to a 6-4 regular-season record.
Gilmer secured the region’s fourth seed headed into the state playoffs and traveled to meet region champion Adairsville. The Bobcats’ offense could not be contained, and the defense sealed the 35-28 win for its first playoff victory since 2013.
The Bobcats led Monroe Area 24-21 with 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter of round two, but a costly turnover and quick scores saw the Purple Hurricanes pull away for a 42-24 triumph.
Hataway was the leader of the defense his senior season and earned first team all-region honors. He was named to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s all-state north squad and amassed 152 total tackles, seven for a loss and three sacks.
He also proved to be a valuable backup fullback and finished with 202 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. His 71-yard touchdown gallop in the dying embers of the fourth quarter versus Dawson County cemented Gilmer’s 31-24 win and playoff berth.
“Growing up, I would look up to the high schoolers, and they were all right back then,” Hataway said. “I know when coach Standard came, some people didn’t agree with him because he wanted to run the the triple option. The team bought into that, and he proved that it works. If you follow along and do what he’s trying to get through to the team, it works.
“It’s just crazy to see us go from not winning a game (32 straight losses, ending in 2019) to making it to the second round of the playoffs. For how much we came along in three years, that’s a pretty big change.”
He added, “Growing up, my friends were my teammates. We grew up playing together. I fully believe in 20 or 30 years, I’ll be in contact with most of the guys I played with. It’s a really nice brotherhood to be a part of.”
Hataway proved to be a throwback and thrived across three sports in a time when it is increasingly uncommon. He did not try his hand at track or the pole vault until his freshman year at GHS.
“I liked the adrenaline. I saw somebody going upside down, and I thought that looked like fun. It’s definitely kind of sketchy, and I’ve hurt myself a few times. You just have to trust the vault, which I learned a few times,” Hataway said.
As a senior, he captured the region title in the pole vault before going on to sectionals where he qualified for state. Versus Georgia’s best in Class 3A, Hataway cleared 12’ 6” for a runner-up placement.
When it came to wrestling, he dealt with ailments and injuries that wiped out his sophomore and junior seasons.
“I first tried wrestling in park and rec and hated it. I hated wrestling,” he said. “Then I came back in middle school. Coach (Jerry) Barnes told me I needed to wrestle, and I listened to him. I got fifth in state in seventh grade. As a freshman, I had eligibility issues because I moved to Virginia and then came back.”
He returned to the mat for a strong senior year. Hataway placed second at the area tournament at 157 pounds and sixth at sectionals to qualify for state.
Hataway credits football assistant Eddie Marietta for guiding him both on the field and in the classroom. He also thanked David Wright, who took over the linebacker coaching duties after Marietta became the special teams coordinator. Hataway praised defensive and strength coordinator Jeff Nelson for the strides the program continues to make in the weight room.
In the classroom, Hataway plans to study kinesiology and eventually return to the sideline.
“I’m looking forward to a fresh start in college and getting my grades better than they are now. I want to lock down more on academics and graduate with honors, and I’ll absolutely fight for that,” he said. “I’d like to come back and coach in high school after I get out of the military. If I can retire from the military and coach after that, that would be great.”
RCTC is a member of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference and competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association.