Two-sport standout John Samuel Shenker leaves Deerfield-Windsor

ALBANY — One of Deerfield-Windsor’s top two-sport athletes won’t be suiting up for the Knights on the football field or the baseball diamond.

John Samuel Shenker, who is a rising senior, recently left and enrolled at Colquitt County High School. Shenker was a standout on Deerfield-Windsor’s 2015 and ‘16 state championship baseball teams.

“It was a family decision,” Shenker said. “We thought it would be a great opportunity.”

He hit .359 this past season while playing mostly at first base with three homers and 32 RBIs. Earlier this month, Shenker was selected to the Georgia Dugout Club’s Top 100 Underclassmen Showcase which took place this past weekend.

Several outlets reported that Shenker had received an offer from Auburn to play baseball.

On the football field, he was Deerfield-Windsor’s leading receiver as a tight end last year and played a vital role in helping the Knights reach the GISA state football championship game. He had 37 catches for 723 yards and seven touchdown passes.

“It was a really tough decision to leave Deerfield,” Shenker said. “I’ve known everyone there basically my life. They knew what my goals are and that I want to play college football. At the end of the day, we thought it was the right decision for me.”

As a safety, Shenker had three interceptions and registered 35 tackles.

“They made the decision they thought was best for him,” Deerfield-Windsor football coach Allen Lowe said. “Our schedule is all set, and we will be ready to go when the season starts.”

Shenker has attended numerous camps across the state over the past few months and has garnered attention from multiple recruiting websites.

Earlier this month, Shenker attended the Sound Mind Sound Body Academy camp at Greater Atlanta Christian School where he earned rave reviews.

“Shenker was a virtual unknown coming into the SMSB camp, but will not for much longer,” UGASports.com said of Shenker’s performance. “Look for him to blow up over the summer.”

Shenker currently holds football offers from Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Mercer University.