Becky Taylor | The Tifton GazetteJason Strickland speaks at a press conference during his tenure as Fitzgerald head coach.

Valwood head coach Ashley Henderson is among the final four candidates in the running to become the next head coach of the Thomas County Central football program.

The decision will be voted on at the Thomas County Board of Education meeting today at 7:30 a.m.

Thomas County has narrowed the field of what was once a flurry of applications to just a few people —all Georgia natives, but varying in terms of their backgrounds.

Henderson has compiled an impressive resume since taking over the helm of the Valwood football program in 2012. In six seasons with Henderson, the Valiants are 66-12 overall and 28-2 in region games with three region titles and three GISA state championships — including a Class 3A title in 2017.

Before assuming the position of head coach at Valwood, Henderson was an assistant coach for his alma mater Valdosta High.

Central Gwinnett head coach Todd Wofford is another candidate for the Thomas County position. The Cartersville native has been at the helm of the Black Knights since 2010, amassing a 39-46 record in some tough regions that have included powerhouses Archer and Grayson in the past. Central Gwinnett currently plays in Region 7-7A, which currently consists of Brookwood, Norcross and Parkview.

Before getting his current job, Wofford was the offensive coordinator at Gainesville, a program that has seen a lot of success. His team finished 5-5 in 2017.

The last two candidates should be a bit more familiar to the community in Thomasville.

Leonard Guyton has been the Yellow Jackets’ offensive coordinator since 2015, and his work with quarterback Kelias Williams and the rest of the split-back veer offense helped Central win the 2016 Region 1-5A championship, the team’s first region title in seven seasons.

A graduate of Central, Guyton also won two state championships in 1996 and 1997 as the Yellow Jackets’ quarterback during the team’s dynastic decade-long run. Before his current position, he was the offensive coordinator at Bainbridge and Berrien under his former coach, Central legend Ed Pilcher.

The final candidate, Jason Strickland, is a Clinch County native, and the head coach of the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane of Region 1-2A from 2012-16 before leaving to coach Pierce County last year.

Strickland won two region titles with Fitzgerald, leading that team to state final appearances in 2015 and 2016. He also served as the head coach of Lamar County from 2008-2011, where he won one region title.

Pierce County finished 5-6 in its first year under Strickland, losing to eventual Class AAA runner-up Peach County in the second round of the playoffs.