Friends and family to celebrate the life of St. Andrew's student-athlete Ethan Bland
There was no mistaking Ethan Bland when he was playing the sports he loved. He had that ultra-competitive drive and was a leader of the teams he played for at St. Andrew's School.
Bland was the same way in all aspects of his life — and he had a special way of connecting with people.
Friends and family from the St. Andrew's and Wilmington Island communities will be on hand Sunday, June 5, to remember Bland, who died on May 15 at the age of 18 from injuries he sustained in a car accident two weeks earlier. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. at the Compassion Christian Church — Main Campus at 55 Al Henderson Blvd., Savannah 31419.
Bland was a standout goalkeeper on the Lions soccer team that advanced to the GISA state semifinals last month, earning GISA all-state honors. He also played basketball for his first three years at St. Andrew's. He took up football over the last couple seasons and became a team captain as a running back and linebacker for the Lions.
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He also excelled in the classroom and had earned admission into his dream school of the University of Georgia, where he planned to study with the ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric gastroenterologist.
"He was the heartbeat of our team," said St. Andrew's soccer coach Blake Seale. "He brought so much energy and kept the players engaged on the field and in the locker room in a positive way. Ethan was super smart, and he had his own way of getting people to come out of their shell. He was good at reading personalities. He knew if someone could handle jokes, and when to stop. He was really vocal and had a great way with people."
In football, Bland played the same kind of role for the Lions. He was a blocking tight end in his first year on the team as a junior, then moved to running back and linebacker for his senior season. He had a breakout game against crosstown rival Memorial Day in September as he rushed 16 times for 168 yards and the first four touchdowns of his career to earn Savannah Morning News Football Player of the Week honors.
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He told Savannah Morning News reporter Nathan Dominitz that there was nothing fancy about his running style.
"I run straight," Bland said after the game on Sept. 24th. "I'm trying to go north and south for as many yards as possible."
Former Lions football coach Blake Henry, who coached Bland his senior season, said Bland was the kind of player coaches love to work with.
"He was the heart and soul of our team," Henry said. "He was a vocal and dynamic leader who played with such a high level of intensity no matter what. He was the same way in practice and games, and that lifted his teammates up.
"Ethan was always upbeat with his teammates, and he was the same way in the hallways at school, where he was an excellent student. He was very well loved at St. Andrew's and everyone is going to miss him."
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Bland had a strong game in net in front of a packed house at St. Andrew's as the Lions beat visiting Brookwood 3-1 on April 29 to punch their ticket to the GISA state semifinals the following week at Mercer University. He was hurt in the accident later that evening.
Seale had his squad take the field at Mercer with 10 players to start that Final Four game against Westminster School. The Lions lost 4-0, with Bland weighing heavy on the players' minds.
"Ethan was dedicated and passionate about sports," said his longtime friend, classmate, and teammate William Marsden. "He was the hardest working teammate I've had — whether he was on on the practice field or in the weight room. And he was always the loudest voice on the field, and everyone looked up to him and tried to follow his lead. He would get into the heads of our opponents, and he loved that.
"Losing a friend like Ethan was definitely a shock to us all," Marsden said. "We should be hanging out together over the summer. It's hard to understand, but we're going to celebrate his life on Sunday and remember him."
Donations may be made to Compassion Christian Church in memory of Ethan.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: St. Andrew's student Ethan Bland celebration of life ceremony set
