“Willie’s Gift,” the Prep Legends Media documentary film about Athens High School’s 1975 state championship football team, has won a prestigious Telly Award.

The film, which premiered last year at the Athens Performing Arts Center before streaming, won a Silver Award in the short documentary category of the 45th annual Telly Awards, which honors the best in television and video from across the world.

More than 13,000 entries were received from 65 countries. Winners included ESPN, NBC News, Delta Airlines, MTV Studios, Pepsico and National Geographic.

“This is a wonderful honor for our team,” said director/producer Keith Dunnavant, a 1983 AHS graduate. “We are grateful to the Athens community for embracing the film, especially the presenting sponsors who made it possible.”

Dunnavant shares the award with director of photography/editor Jonathan W. Hickman, graphics coordinator Maggie Hickman, digital media coordinator Joe Beamon and assistant editor Layla Khan-Hickman.

Presenting sponsors of “Willie’s Gift” included First Metro Bank, TOC, City of Athens, Martin & Cobey, Jimmy Smith Buick GMC, Ming Commercial Real Estate Group, Jimmy Bryan Homes, Athens State University and Mauldin & Jenkins.

Dunnavant credited the “invaluable help” of the benefiting Feed the Eagle organization, especially judge Jimmy Woodroff, Chris Seibert, Barry Hamilton and Greg Young, as well as Athens City Schools Superintendent Beth Patton, Athens High School principal Willie Moore and head football coach Cody Gross.

In 1975, Coach Larry McCoy’s Golden Eagles stormed to a 12-1-1 season. Led by 3A Player of the Year Freddie Smith and stars including John Marshall, Bill Ming, Steve Parker, Thomas Woodroof and Ollie McGee, Athens crushed undefeated Andalusia, 35-15, to capture the school’s first football state championship.

The film puts that season in context and also explores a previously unknown storyline concerning Smith and his mother.

For a limited time, “Willie’s Gift” can be streamed at

https://www.preplegends.com/prep-legends-athens.