Top Five Nicknames in Georgia High School Sports

1. Cairo Syrupmakers/Syrupmaids

The town of Cairo named their high school athletic teams after the product their town was famous for—syrup. In 1986, ESPN ranked “Syrupmakers” as the No. 1 high school sports nickname in the nation. Adding to the distinctiveness of the school’s moniker, Cairo’s girls teams are called the Syrupmaids. 

2. Johnson (Savannah) Atom Smashers

Johnson High School opened its doors in 1960, shortly after the atom smasher (or particle accelerator) was discovered. The school also had ties to Savannah State University’s science department and decided that "Atom Smasher" was an appropriate nickname for a school with a focus on the sciences.

Playing off of this dynamic name, the school’s basketball gym is called the “Reaction Chamber” and the football helmet features a picture of an atom.

3. Clarkston Angoras

An “angora” is a type of long-haired goat. Early citizens of Clarkston were said to own a large number of angora goats, which led to the town being nicknamed “Goatsville” and then the more prestigious “Angora Heights.” The high school chose this rare nickname to honor the town's reputation.

4. Glynn Academy Red Terrors

Tracing its beginnings to 1788, Glynn Academy (located in Brunswick) is the second oldest high school in the state.

The school can trace its nickname to a band of Scottish Highlanders who defended the coastal region from the Spanish. The Highlanders wore bright red uniforms and came to be known as “Red Terrors.”

5. Warren County Screaming Devils

If you wanted to make a list of sinister mascots, the Screaming Devils definitely would top the list. And if this nickname isn’t enough to scare the pants off of visiting teams, the eastern Georgia school plays in a stadium called Death Valley.

If these schools still existed, they might have made the list…

Honorable Mentions: Commercial Typists, Lanier Poets, Ocilla Orphans, Sandersville Satans.