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October 2006
Recruiting between high schools: Is it such a bad thing?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Want to see a high school coach get an instant case of lockjaw? Ask them about recruiting between high schools. They’ll grumble under their breath about one school or another stealing one of their players away, but when asked to make an official report, they’ll shrug and shake their head.
Recruiting is high school sports dirty little secret. It happens. Lots. But is it really such a bad thing?
Often, it is a player contacting another school about transferring rather than the other way around. If the ultimate goal is to help athletes earn a college scholarship, then why do athletes who transfer in an effort to better their chances of getting into college receive so much criticism? Doesn’t everyone want what is best for the kid?
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: David Purdum
Playoff projections: OK, Valdosta’s out…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The AJC’s rankings don’t predict the state playoffs. Instead, they reflect what’s happened so far.
That’s why North Gwinnett, a team that I really don’t expect to win the state title, is ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAA. The Bulldogs deserve their ranking, but they’d not be my first choice to win state. Or to make the semifinals, for that matter.
If I ranked teams on their chances of winning state, how would it look? I’d have to consider the draw that a team likely is to face in the state playoffs.
Looking at AAAAA, Camden County — my preseason No. 1 — faces a potential gantlet of Lowndes, North Gwinnett, Central Gwinnett and Brookwood to a state title. Or the road might include Tift County, Collins Hill, Brookwood and Lowndes instead.
Hard to see any team winning four straight against that, especially a team that won’t have played a real contender in two months due to Camden’s regular-season cakewalk.
Another team that faces rough going, assuming that it wins its region, is Brookwood. The Broncos could face Region 5-AAAAA’s No. 4 team (Campbell or South Cobb) in round one. Many believe those two are Region 5’s most talented teams, but close losses have buried them.
From there, Brookwood could face Collins Hill (or Norcross), Houston County (or some other tough 1-AAAAA team), Tift County (or Lowndes) and then maybe Camden.
Funny thing is, I think Brookwood and Camden might be the best two teams, given talent level and experience.
But I don’t think either has the best shot at winning state. The region champions of 3 and 8 will have too many land mines in their draws.
That’s why I’m picking as the most likely state champion the team that wins Friday night’s game between Tift County and Lowndes. It’s in Tifton, so it’s probably going to be Tift County. Not that anybody has the slightest clue who’ll win any 1-AAAAA game except when Valdosta is playing.
The 1-AAAAA champion is facing a projected playoff lineup of Tri-Cities, Union Grove and Norcross (unbeaten, but unproven) to get to the Dome. Meanwhile, the Tift-Lowndes loser is looking at a possible matchup at Camden County in the second round.
Below, for your amusement, are the projected seeds from each Class AAAAA region, and a projected AAAAA playoff draw.
And how is this for double-talk: Brookwood will be favored to win all five of its state playoff games (thus, it’s victory in the projected draw below), but in reality won’t win because the winner of 1-AAAAA (Tift or Lowndes) will have the better draw.
So take it to the bank: Brookwood, Camden, Tift or Lowndes is a lock to win the state title. Unless, of course, it’s Houston County or Central Gwinnett, my sleeper choices. But don’t count out North Gwinnett, either. Or any team from 1-AAAAA.
1-AAAAA: Tift, Lowndes, Warner Robins, Houston County
2-AAAAA: Stephenson, MLK, Union Grove, Redan
3-AAAAA: Camden, Windsor, Bradwell, Groves
4-AAAAA: Hiram, East Coweta, Mundy’s Mill, Tri-Cities
5-AAAAA: Harrison, North Cobb, Etowah, Campbell
6-AAAAA: Roswell, Walton, Wheeler, Chattahoochee
7-AAAAA: North Gwinnett, Norcross, Collins Hill, Peachtree Ridge
8-AAAAA: Brookwood, Central Gwinnett, Grayson, Parkview
First round
Tift County d. Tri-Cities
Lowndes d. Mundy’s Mill
Warner Robins d. East Coweta
Houston County d. Hiram
Stephenson d. Groves
MLK d. Bradwell
Union Grove d. Windsor
Camden d. Redan
Harrison d. Parkview
North Cobb d. Grayson
Brookwood d. Campbell
Central Gwinnett d. Etowah
North Gwinnett d. Chattahoochee
Norcross d. Wheeler
Collins Hill d. Walton
Roswell d. Peachtree Ridge
Second round
Tift County d. Union Grove
Norcross d. Harrison
Houston County d. MLK
Brookwood d. Collins Hill
North Gwinnett d. North Cobb
Camden County d. Lowndes
Central Gwinnett d. Roswell
Stephenson d. Warner Robins
Third round
Tift County d. Norcross
Brookwood d. Houston County
Camden County d. North Gwinnett
Central Gwinnett d. Stephenson
Semifinals
Brookwood d. Tift County
Camden County d. Central Gwinnett
Final
Brookwood d. Camden County
Permalink | Comments (89) | Categories: Poll talk
Refs’ non-call failed Rams, Broncos
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Unless you do the job, you cannot truly know how tough it is officiating a football game. I haven’t done it, yet I appreciate the time, effort, knowledge and difficulty that comes with the job.
That cannot be overstated. Still, in the end, they have to get it right because when they don’t sometimes the end result is impacted.
It may have been that Brookwood would have come back to defeat Grayson on Friday night without the aid of a gross no-call. Maybe not.
That’s what makes it troubling. The officiating crew at the Brookwood 13-7 double-overtime victory all failed to blow a whistle on a critical play, a play that could have altered the outcome of the game.
You may already know the scenario. Up 7-0 late in the fourth quarter, Grayson set up to punt on fourth down as Brookwood frantically rushed its punt return unit onto the field. At the same time, the defense was rushing off the field.
When Grayson snapped the ball, several Broncos failed to make it to the sideline in time - an obvious violation of too many men on the field. Anyone watching saw the infraction.
No whistle was blown.
The Rams’ hurried punt went but a few yards, Brookwood marched the 46 yards and scored with 45 seconds left to force overtime.
That non-call helped Grayson suffer a devastating defeat, although it still had a chance in overtime to pull out the victory.
“I’m not the referee,” Brookwood coach Mark Crews said afterward. And he is right; it’s the officials’ responsibility.
But not so fast. That play actually was tough to call because the referees each have a specific assignment for each play. No ref’s assignment was to eyeball Brookwood’s players to see who made it off the field in time. Doing that would take their attention off of the action on the field.
Still, on the play, Grayson had a few players who were not set before the snap, which, of course, is a violation. That penalty was not called, either.
At its best it should have been off-setting penalties (someone should have noticed the extra Brookwood players on the field and the movement by Grayson), forcing Grayson to punt the ball again, perhaps pinning Brookwood farther down the field.
In any case, as tough a job as it is, the officials have to get it right, especially when it is so obvious.
This is not a slap at the referees; it’s straightforward truth.
GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin has said the officiating continues to get better and better, and that may be correct. It is one of those jobs that only get noticed when there is a blunder, which is not very fair. Many times the referees are all over the action, and still get grief because one team wanted a different call.
Referees essentially can’t win. But for the coaches and players, losing is tough enough as it is. To take an “L” from refs not making an obvious call is hard to stomach.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Brookwood can finally make some noise
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seven weeks into the season and the loudest noise Brookwood had made was the suspension of seven players for two games before the first kickoff of the year.
That was until Friday night, when the Broncos exhibited a championship will.
After five consecutive victories against teams that amounted to patsies, the Broncos faced a solid, well-coached Grayson club at home in muddy conditions — and won, when it looked for so long that they would not.
Behind by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, Brookwood did not panic; instead it rallied with the kind of effort that will go a long way toward a title push.
The Broncos rallied for an exhilarating 13-7 victory in two overtimes, Demetre Ledlum capping a gutty personal and team performance with a 4-yard touchdown run.
The Brookwood crowd celebrated wildly afterward, and deservedly so. It should have understood that its team that had discord early had made a quantum leap.
With 32 seniors and a stellar coaching staff, the Broncos have the goods: an offense that can move the ball passing and rushing; a defense, led by the phenomenal Rennie Curran, that is stout and a special teams unit that is a virtue.
More than that, though, Brookwood showed tremendous will and fortitude Friday night. The playing conditions made it tough going for both teams, but once it appeared Grayson had a chance for victory, the Broncos found a way.
And it confirms their status as a frontrunner for the championship. It is one thing to beat up on inferior competition like bullies, outscoring five consecutive victims by a combined 166 points as Brookwood did before Friday night.
But it is quite another for the Broncos to overcome the conditions, a tough Grayson team and a 7-0 deficit late in the game to run the winning streak to six.
“Sometimes [this team] is hard to judge,” coach Mark Crews said.
Not anymore. His team is legit, even more so than No. 1 North Gwinnett and any of the other four teams ranked ahead of it. “I’m pleased with the progress,” is the way Crews put it.
Tough-running Grayson back Robert Staton put his team on top with a 3-yard spinning touchdown with 10:10 to play. With the field slippery and soaked, it seemed a considerable lead.
But the Broncos showed the gumption of champions, with the benefit of one of the most blatant non-calls by the officials you’ve ever seen. On fourth down, Brookwood rushed its punt-return unit on the field as its defense ran off. Grayson snapped the ball and the Broncos had up to 17 players on the field.
Inexplicably, there was no penalty called. The punt was squibbed with Brookwood recovering on Grayson’s 46 with 4:50 to go. The Broncos did not squander the opportunity, with Ledlum picking up 3 yards on fourth-and-2 when it seemed there was no way he could reach the mark. He later scored with 45 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
After neither team scored on its first possession, the defense stopped Grayson and Ledlum barreled across the goal line from 4 yards for the winning score.
“We’re a work in progress, hopefully for the entire season,” Crews said. “You’re hoping your team continues to get better as the season progresses.”
Brookwood just got considerably better Friday night. The Broncos showed an intangible that makes champions: guts. It is a gut-wrenching defeat for Grayson; a title-influencing triumph for Brookwood.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Wish Coach Roland well
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southeastern Louisiana University Head Football Coach and Interim Athletic Director Dennis Roland has requested a medical leave of absence, SELU announced Tuesday. Roland, who was the head coach at North Gwinnett in 2004, was diagnosed and treated for non-Hodgkins lymphoma last year. On Monday, he entered Emory University Medical Center in Atlanta for medical testing and possible treatment.
Please join me in wishing Coach Roland a speedy and safe recovery.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: David Purdum
Cold? Rainy? That’s football.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What represents that the football season is in full throttle than cool, breezy Friday nights?
There is a crispness in the air - this week it’ll be downright cold and probably rainy - that comes with late fall games.
And I love it.
It’s not so much fun in the open-air pressbox, where the wind hurls in and the fingers get numb and the nose and ears cold stiff. But as it relates to the games, it’s classic football weather.
The start of the season is exciting. It’s what we all anticipate after a long offseason. However, it’s football played in 80 degrees, which is very pleasant and comforting. But it’s not the classic football weather that we’ll likely see from here to the championship weekend - the semifinals at the Georgia Dome notwithstanding, of course.
Surely, with the cold and potentially inclement weather comes the prospect for games that are won more on will and grit than flawless execution. That’s football.
It might not be as pleasing to watch. The ball will carry less on passes in the rain and cold air. Footing will be troublesome at times. Uniforms will be muddied. Can’t get better than that.
So throw on the light coat, slip on the gloves and scarf, pack the hot chocolate - and watch some good old classic cold-weather football. And enjoy it.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Kicking game strong for Tift County
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tift County’s two wins in Region 1-AAAAA have each come by three points, and both wins came in overtime. If you guessed the Blue Devils have a pretty clutch kicker, you’d be right.
Charlie Edwards, a senior punter and kicker, has been the difference in tight region games, and might be the weapon that gives Tift County the edge when the Blue Devils take on Warner Robins in Friday’s region showdown.
In Tift County’s region opener against Valdosta, Edwards connected on a 43-yard field goal in the second overtime to beat the Wildcats. Last week, on the first play of Tift’s first overtime series, Edwards made the game-winning field goal to beat Houston County 20-17.
But perhaps more importantly, in the win over Houston, Edwards boomed a 50-plus yard punt late in the game out of his own endzone that helped keep the game tied.
“Our kicking game was huge,” said Tift County coach Jay Walls.
There was even some speculation that Edwards was on the verge of breaking a state record for career field goals, although murky record keeping makes that accomplishment tough to prove.
According to Steve Carter, who covers Tift County for the Tifton Gazette, Edwards has 32 career field goals. Some record books show former Redan kicker Chris Gardocki as the record holder with 33 career field goals, while Carter found evidence that former Cairo kicker Jake Bundrick made 46 field goals from 1998-2001.
Whatever the record is, there’s no denying that Edwards has been a huge weapon this year for Tift County, and he might be the difference when Tift hosts Warner Robins on Friday night.
Edwards has sent 16 of 32 punts inside the opponents 20-yard line, is averaging 45 yards per punt and 19 of his 30 kickoffs were touchbacks.
“I would say the kicking game is huge in this region race,” said Walls.
Since Warner Robins played Coffee last week on a Saturday, Walls was able to watch the game live. He was impressed how calmly Warner Robins handled Coffee’s early scoring (“They never got shook up,” Walls observed) and left the game understanding one thing - his offensive line has to contain defensive end Justin Cowart.
According to Walls, Cowart batted a fourth-quarter pass, intercepted it and ran 40 yards for a touchdown. Later Cowart caused a fumble that Thomas Bruce turned into a touchdown.
But Walls said his offensive line is one of Tift County’s strengths. Left tackle Zack Allen is somebody Walls thinks is a D-1 prospect. Allen is 6-foot-3, 280 pounds and can run. Walls also said he expects a strong game from his junior center Thom Roberson.
“We’re going to have to play good offensively, especially in the turnover category,” Walls said. “When you look at the [Warner Robins] game last week, Coffee County had five turnovers, that cost them the game. We can’t do that.”
The State Football Report features high school football news from outside Metro Atlanta. If you have news for the State Football Report or a team you’d like to see featured, e-mail ccustance@ajc.com.
Q&A with Camden County’s Jeff Herron
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the Oct. 9th AJC rankings, neither Parkview nor Lowndes nor Valdosta was ranked. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association’s Web site, the last time that happened was way back on Oct. 25, 1993. Are we experiencing a changing of the guard?
On Thursday, Jeff Herron, head coach of second-ranked Camden County, visited about the “new� AAAAA hierarchy, No. 1 North Gwinnett and his star free safety Willie White, a Georgia Tech commitment.
Q: With the struggles of some of the perennial powerhouses like Valdosta, Parkview and Lowndes, do you believe we’re experiencing a changing of the guard?
A: I think it’s too early to tell. When playoff time comes around, I’m pretty sure Lowndes is going to make a good showing. Just because those teams from Region 1 beat each other doesn’t mean they aren’t good football teams. But I don’t think there is a dominant team, like maybe Lowndes has been recently or we were in 2003.
Q: Does South Georgia football not receive the respect it deserves?
A: I don’t think it has anything to do with respect. We’re just a long way away, kind of excluded down here. We’re closer to Jacksonville than Atlanta. From a AAAAA standpoint, there’s only two regions outside of the metro area now. If I was writing for the AJC, I’d write about the metro area teams too.
Q: Have you had a chance to see No. 1 North Gwinnett on film?
A: No, but we were at a camp with them this summer, and I talked to Coach [Jeff] Hollis at North Forsyth [who plays North Gwinnett Friday]. He said that [North’s] defense is a lot better than people know, and that when their offense gets clicking, they can really move the football.
Q: Georgia Tech fans want to know just how good your senior star Willie White is.
A: I look at Willie and [current Tech free safety] D.J. Jones, who also was here, and see a lot of similarities. Willie predominantly plays free safety for us, but we use him on offense a little as well. He made a tremendous catch for us last week. He looked like Willie Mays, looking back over is head and grabbing it.
*Every Thursday staff writer David Purdum talks South Georgia football on the prep zone.
Permalink | Comments (15) | Categories: David Purdum
Winless Protection Program at O-fers’ service
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
Some seem to think that making predictions is simply about picking the team with the better record. If that were the case — which it is not — wouldn’t it beat the alternative, always picking the team with the lesser record?
Anyway, the next move is made with two-part motivation — removing games that have become too easy and shielding those that have made it too easy from the harsh realities of life.
You know it’s time for the Winless Protection Program to be enacted when fans clamor for the teams to be identified as winner and “underdog” instead of winner and loser because the latter is somehow too harsh.
It isn’t. If Lowndes defeats Valdosta, it isn’t because Valdosta underdogged the game. It lost, past tense of lose. Is a used car any less used because we call it “pre-owned?” Need we run a smoke-blowing disclaimer that every player’s a winner?
Thirty-one teams — including six that have hoisted state championship trophies — need not worry about being picked to lose or underdog or whatever the most delicate term du jour is. Agents have whisked them to where they can lose without it being a foregone conclusion.
Region 6-AAAA: OK, well Mays is 7-0 so obviously it has the better record and … hold on … what’s that? Mays doesn’t have the better record? OK, I guess that means St. Pius must be 8-0 or 9-0 or something that gives it the better record, so … oh, what is it now?
They have the same record? Uh-oh. Who has the prettier uniforms? They both wear blue and gold? What were the odds of this? Noooooo!!
Why won’t this computer allow me to take the easy way out and pick a tie? Let me pick an easier one since Southwest DeKalb and Marist are also playing. And … yikes! They’re both 6-1. Is there no escape from this house of horrors?
Trion at Bremen: This ought to be a little easier since … you gotta be kiddin’ me. How can this be happening? Bremen and Trion have the same records, too? Is this a conspiracy?
Mt. Zion-Jonesboro at North Clayton: Whoever’s picking these games for me obviously is playing a big joke. Let’s assume they have the same record, since … oh … everybody else to this point has. Well, will you look at that! Same records. You know, I didn’t see that one coming.
The envelopes, please: I had intended to ride the Mays wave to season’s end. Then, I spent last week sweating out the Raiders’ struggle to beat one-win Miller Grove. Paul Standard’s St. Pius boys keep it simple: I pick them to win. They do. Next! … There’s no logic to picking Marist, since it lost to Tucker, which lost to Southwest DeKalb. Last time I thought Marist and SWD were on equal footing, I picked SWD, Marist won by 32. … Trion’s better than last season, Bremen not as good. But have the two converged enough to make up the 34-point chasm that separated them last season? Take Bremen, which has come close to beating two teams now 7-0. … North Clayton, like Mt. Zion-Jonesboro, has weathered a three-game skid, but has impressed against one power on its schedule (a narrow loss to Northside-Warner Robins). Griffin beat both until it got bored, but take the Eagles.
FRIDAY
Winner Loser
Alpharetta Chattahoochee
Appling County Savannah Christ.
Bacon County Calhoun County
Bainbridge Americus-Sumter
Baldwin Upson-Lee
Banneker Fayette County
Benedictine Richmond Hill
Bleckley County East Laurens
Blessed Trinity Druid Hills
Bowdon Gordon Lee
Brantley County Pierce County
Bremen Trion
Brooks County Mitchell-Baker
Brookstone Chattahoochee Co.
Brookwood Grayson
Bryan County Jenkins County
Buford Cross Keys
Cairo Dougherty
Calhoun Chattooga
Camden County Jenkins
Campbell Kennesaw Mtn.
Carrollton Central-Carroll
Cartersville Villa Rica
Carver-Atlanta Southside
Cedar Grove Columbia
Cedar Shoals Rockdale County
Central Gwinnett Parkview
Charlton County Jeff Davis
Clarke Central Winder-Barrow
Clinch County Atkinson County
Coffee Valdosta
Collins Hill Duluth
Commerce Athens Academy
Cook Berrien
Coosa Darlington
Crawford County Marion County
Creekview Mt. Zion-Carroll
Crisp County Worth County
Dodge County Vidalia
Dublin Toombs County
Dunwoody North Atlanta
ELCA Fellowship Christ.
Early County Randolph-Clay
East Coweta Hiram
East Hall White County
East Paulding Cherokee
Fannin County Banks County
Fitzgerald Thomasville
Flowery Branch Pickens
Franklin County Apalachee
Gainesville Johnson-Gaines.
Gilmer Chestatee
Glenn Hills Cross Creek
Glynn Academy Greenbrier
Grady Riverwood
Greenville Pacelli Catholic
Habersham Cent. Loganville
Hardaway Northside-Col.
Hart County Oconee County
Hawkinsville Wilcox County
Heard County Rutland
Jackson Spalding
Jefferson Prince Av. Christ.
Jefferson County S.E. Bulloch
Johnson County Treutlen
Landmark Christ. Mt. Pisgah Christ.
Laney Westside-Augusta
Liberty County Hephzibah
Lincoln County Warren County
Lovett Walker
Lowndes Colquitt County
Luella Lithonia
Macon County Callaway
Madison County Jackson County
Marist Southwest DeKalb
Mary Persons Henry County
McIntosh Co. Acad. Long County
Miller Grove Lakeside-DeKalb
Model Temple
Monroe Westover
Monroe Area Elbert County
Morgan County Oglethorpe Co.
Newnan Mundy’s Mill
Norcross Forsyth Central
North Clayton Mt. Zion-J’boro
Northeast-Macon West Laurens
North Gwinnett North Forsyth
North Oconee Glascock County
Northview Centennial
N.W. Whitfield Ringgold
Osborne Woodland
Peach County Central-Macon
Peachtree Ridge Mill Creek
Pebblebrook Chapel Hill
Perry Southwest-Macon
Pope Kell
Portal Calvary Day
Rabun County Union County
Ridgeland Gordon Central
Rockmart Armuchee
Rome S.E. Whitfield
Roswell Milton
Salem Heritage
Sandy Creek Haralson County
Sav. Country Day Claxton
Seminole County Lanier County
Sequoyah Douglas County
South Cobb McEachern
South Effingham Burke County
South Gwinnett Shiloh
St. Pius Mays
Starr’s Mill Woodward Acad.
Statesboro Effingham Co.
Stephenson Newton
Swainsboro Josey
Taylor County Central-Talbotton
Thomas Co. Cent. Lee County
Thomson Harlem
Tri-Cities Paulding County
Tucker Stone Mountain
Turner County Dooly County
Twiggs County Monticello
Union Grove Douglass
Walton Sprayberry
Ware County Evans
Warner Robins Tift County
Wesleyan Decatur
Westminster Chamblee
Westside-Macon Stockbridge
Wheeler Lassiter
Wilkinson County Hancock Central
Windsor Forest Beach
SATURDAY
Winner Loser
Brunswick Richmond Acad.
Creekside Westlake
Griffin Jonesboro
Holy Innocents’ Avondale
McNair Therrell
Shaw Spencer
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
On string and a prayer, McNair girls make sectionals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There have been hundreds of road trips throughout the state leading up to this weekend’s state volleyball sectionals, but none of the teams took a longer road than McNair.
In the past two years, the Mustangs have played every match away from their south DeKalb campus. In 2005, construction prevented any home games. Before this season, equipment was stolen — and a lengthy debate over purchasing new poles, nets, etc. produced nothing — so the three scheduled home games were played away.
And still, McNair, with some players who had to be coaxed into playing, made history as the school’s first team to advance to the sectionals.
“Just a great group of girls,” coach Doug Wheeler said. “They may not be the most athletic, but they play great together and their hearts are into it.”
At the predominantly African-American McNair, just getting girls to participate is a chore.
“They just feel like it’s not a sport for them,” Wheeler said. “But we have to expose our kids to everything. I tell them all the time that there are opportunities for college scholarships in volleyball. Plus, it’s a great game.”
With his reliable and talented assistant coach, Cheryl Way, and their loyal eight — seniors Cherelle Mack, identical twins Alecia and Jalecia Hiley, sophomore sensation Brianna Coleman, ultimate team players Whitney Stembridge and Chenquiella Faust and freshmen Jelesia Presley and Desma Gray — the Mustangs finished the regular season 17-11 and emerged from the area tournament with the school’s first chance to win the Class AAA volleyball championship. They meet North Hall on Saturday in the sectionals at Westminster.
“It’s really special that the girls hung in there and are seeing the rewards,” Wheeler said.
Without equipment, the team still needed to practice. So, Wheeler and players made a net out of string and tape and created a contraption that replicated the elements of a real net.
“If you had seen that thing,” he said. “But while people went back and forth on who was going to pay for new equipment, my girls and I just went on about our business. We were not going to let it hold us back.”
Which is in keeping with Wheeler’s past. He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., played basketball in high school, and after two years of college, started a 10 1/2-year career with the Marines. While he was in the military, he attended college at all his stops. When he left the service, Wheeler served as a federal correctional officer, a high school basketball referee and a mailman, all the time attending school.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s from Troy State and is studying for his doctorate. “Been in school all my life, it seems,” he said. “My wife’s a teacher. My son’s a teacher and my daughter will be a teacher. … My heart and soul is into teaching. My whole family is.”
Last year, Wheeler’s father died. “That hit me hard,” he said. “But these kids kept me going. They kept me going.”
And his team’s season has gone a way no one could have foreseen. Except for him and his players.
“We have one of the hungriest group of seniors I’ve ever coached,” Wheeler said. “They love to win, but hate to lose. If not for the grace of the Lord, I would have walked away from this with all we had to go through. But thank God I didn’t. And now, here we are.”
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Carver-Columbus looking good in Region 2-AAA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you ask Dell McGee, looking good leads to playing good. When the Carver-Columbus coach got a $7,000 NFL Youth Grant, the first thing he did was purchase new uniforms and helmets for his team.
Now the Tigers are 7-0 heading into Thursday’s big game against undefeated LaGrange. Coincidence? McGee doesn’t think so.
“Most the time when you look good you play good,” he said. “Same thing when you go to work, or go on a date.”
It also helps that the second-year coach has his defense playing better than most in the state.
Last week Harris County scored 13 on Carver’s defense, the highest total any team scored this season on the Tigers. But those points came against junior varsity players, McGee said. Three of the four games before that, the Carver defense pitched a shutout, with Troup the only team to find the endzone.
McGee declined to highlight just one or two players for the defensive effort.
“Our defense has played tremendous, I don’t want to say one name, it’s been a host of these guys,” he said.
McGee also said junior running back Chris Kyles is expected to play on Thursday against LaGrange after missing time because of a high ankle sprain. Conditioning will be the key factor in determining how many snaps Kyles takes on offense.
The winner of Thursday’s showdown should have a big edge in the race for the Region 3-AAA title, but McGee wasn’t ready to crown the winner the region champion.
“I’m not going to say it’s for the region, because anything can happen,” he said, but later conceded, “I would say whoever wins should pretty much win the region.”
As for the new uniforms, McGee got the $7,000 grant through a program that aids former NFL players who are now coaching. McGee played in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions after a college career at Auburn. He also won an XFL championship with the L.A. Extreme. We’re pretty sure this makes McGee the only Georgia high school football coach with an XFL Championship ring.
Now he’s trying to earn a ring with the Tigers.
“Carver has been known as a basketball school,” McGee said. “Now there’s more excitement about football.”
The State Football Report features high school football news from outside Metro Atlanta. If you have news for the State Football Report or a team you’d like to see featured, e-mail ccustance@ajc.com.
Take Ten: Best double-dippers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
High school sports are quietly becoming more specialized for athletes. Some spend the entire year honing their skills at just one particular sport. Others try their hand at multiple sports. Here is a list of the top 10 football players who also excel at another sport. These athletes will sign football scholarships, but professional baseball careers and basketball scholarships are also at their disposal.
10: John Douglas, Aquinas: The 6-foot-3, 220-pound fullback has committed to Auburn. He will be the first scholarship freshman from Aquinas at a Division I-A school since 1973. He has good bloodlines, too. Douglas’ paternal grandfather was an All-American defensive end for the legendary Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech and his maternal grandfather was an All-SEC first baseman at Georgia. Last season, Douglas hit .342 with 11 homers and 48 RBI as a first baseman/DH. On the football field this season, despite his team’s winless record, Douglas has 66 carries for 236 yards and four touchdowns. A versatile player, he has seven receptions and over 40 tackles on defense. He also handles the punting duties with a 34.9 average.
9: Recentae Harris, Tri-Cities: A talented receiver with 25 receptions, 500 yards and three touchdowns. He has the ability to make the big play with a spectacular catch at any time. The 6- foot-3, 190-pounder was just as amazing on the basketball court. He helped the Bulldogs basketball team win the Region 2-AAAAA championship last season by averaging 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals for a team that was 27-3 last season. He was named region player of the year by the league coaches.
8: Brandon Barden, Lincoln County: He is doing it all for the top-ranked Red Devils. The 6-5, 230-pounder plays quarterback, wide receiver and tight end for the legendary Larry Campbell. He has committed to play football next season at Virginia Tech. He’s thrown a football 71 yards on the run at a Furman QB camp. And he’s been clocked at 87-88 mph off the mound at a recent area baseball showcase event. Last season in baseball, he hit .507 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI as a third baseman.
7: Austin Kelly, South Cobb: He has bounced around between quarterback and wide receiver for the Eagles. The 6-3, 200-pounder has gotten several offers and was an important part of the team’s region championship basketball team. He has passed for over 300 yards this season and will again help the basketball team challenge in the state playoffs.
6: Zach Graham, Peachtree Ridge: He has committed to play basketball next season at Ole Miss. The 6-5 senior has used his quickness and athletic ability for the Lions at the quarterback position this season. Graham has passed for 742 yards and five touchdowns. In helping the Lions reach their first state basketball playoffs, he averaged a team-high 20.6 points and 5.2 rebounds.
5: Walter Hill, Gainesville: During the summer, he committed to play basketball at Georgia, but a few weeks ago had a change of heart. The 6-5, 210-pounder still plans on attending school in Athens, but instead will sign as a football player. Hill was switched to quarterback this fall for the Red Elephants, but will be a receiver at Georgia. This season, he has completed 76 passes for 1,289 yards and five touchdowns. In leading the Vikings to the state semifinals in basketball, he averaged 20 points and seven rebounds per game, and had a team-high 108 steals on the season.
4: Israel Troupe, Tift Co.: Another talented receiver who has committed to Georgia. With another solid spring of baseball, Troupe’s plans of playing in Athens could be derailed by a baseball career. He hit .354, with 26 RBIs as an outfielder and is considered the Southeast’s ninth-best wide receiver by Rivals.com.
3: Brandon Nolley, Hancock Central: At a small Class A school, coaches count on athletes to be standout in multiple sports. The 6-0, 217-pound senior has lived up to those expectations. A four-year starter on the Bulldogs football team, he plays quarterback and free safety. On the basketball team, Nolley plays point guard where he averaged 12 points, six rebounds and six assists for the playoff team.
2: Cameron Heyward, Peachtree Ridge: The son of the late former NFL running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward is a load to handle on both the football field and basketball court. The 270-pound Super 11 selection is one of the top defensive line recruits in the nation. He has 54 tackles, two sacks and an interception for the Lions. In helping the Lions reach the state playoffs for the first time in school history, Heyward averaged 12.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 blocked shots and 2.1 steals. Prior to transferring to Peachtree Ridge, Heyward helped the Whitefield Academy basketball team to the state finals.
1: Eric Berry, Creekside: A four-year starter at quarterback and safety for the Seminoles. Berry has elusive moves on the football field, which can be attributed to his speed. On the track, he was the 2005 200-meters state champion. Had a shot at repeating last spring, but a hand injury slowed him. The Super 11 player is having an amazing season for the fourth-ranked Seminoles. He has rushed for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns, and has thrown for 488 passing yards with three touchdowns.
Go on. Take Ten. Who’s the best two-sporter you know? Besides you.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Categories: Take Ten
I smell hoops
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hoops season tips off in three weeks, and, as usual, Gwinnett is loaded with Division-I talent. According to Rivals.com, seven of the top 25 seniors in Georgia lace up their sneakers for a Gwinnett high school. Six of those seven come from two teams — Norcross and Peachtree Ridge. The Blue Devils and Lions will meet on Jan. 13 and Jan. 31.
Here’s a look at the Super 7 and where they’re headed to college:
•Norcross’ Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech)
•Norcross’ Tony Neysmith (Oklahoma)
• Norcross’ Jordan DeMercy (Florida State)
• Peachtree Ridge’s Zach Graham (Ole Miss)
• Peachtree Ridge’s Cameron Heyward (Undecided)
• Peachtree Ridge’s Kevin Anderson (Undecided)
• Meadowcreek’s Chris Allen (Michigan State)
Two questions about this list:
In a pick-up game, which one of these guys would you take first? It would have to be Heyward, right? Tell me who’s going to block out this 6-6, 282-pound man.
Who’s left off this list? Rivals has Norcross’ Al-Farouq Aminu (6-8, 210) ranked as the ninth-best junior in the nation. Wesleyan’s Howard Thompkins (6-8, 225) comes in at No. 11. And what about Meadowcreek’s Teondre Williams or Central Gwinnett’s 6-7 sophomore Richard Howell?
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: David Purdum
North-South title game in offing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have seen enough, although I haven’t seen everything. But for all the parity that exists this year in Class AAAAA, eight weeks are enough to assess championship chances.
And so, it says here that the two teams most likely to win the title in the state’s largest classification are … Camden County and Brookwood.
This was not a conclusion easily deduced. North Gwinnett has enough talent at the skill positions on offense to run up big numbers. But as the weather gets colder and the air thicker, moving the ball primarily through passing likely will get problematic.
Norcross, Central Gwinnett and Roswell all are having stellar seasons and have every reason to believe this is their year. But how will they react to the pressure as the games get more and more meaningful?
The other teams in the top 10 - Tift County, Stephenson, Warner Robins and Lowndes - just do not have that certain something that makes you feel it is their year.
That leaves Camden County, which at 6-1, has not lost to anyone in the state. It has a championship coach, a championship history and a championship mentality.
Meanwhile, Brookwood has two losses, but are adept at the areas of the game that matter most, especially in the playoffs: running the ball and stopping the run. The Broncos have a tradition of championship and a coaching staff that has proven itself among the best in Georgia.
So that’s how I see it: South vs. North for the state championship, which would be cause for much banter, I’m sure.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Let’s rank the regions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So is Region 1-AAAAA really that good? The Maxwell computer rankings, featured here last week, certainly thought so. All seven 1-AAAAA teams were among the top 20 teams in Class AAAAA.
There’s no point arguing that 1-AAAAA is not the deepest region. No other league will have a better three teams that don’t make the playoffs. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if none made the semifinals in Atlanta. Each has proven it can be beaten.
Below is a stab at a ranking of the regions. Next to each region are some of the region’s top teams. That’s mainly to jog my memory because I can’t remember them by number.
The most underrated region by far is 5-AAAAA. It’s the only one that could put its top seven against 1-AAAAA and have a shot to win.
Class AAAAA
1-AAAAA: Warner Robins, Tift, Lowndes, etc. …
5-AAAAA: Harrison, South Cobb, Campbell
8-AAAAA: Brookwood, Central Gwinnett, Parkview
7-AAAAA: Norcross, North Gwinnett
6-AAAAA: Roswell, Wheeler
2-AAAAA: Stephenson, ML King, Douglass
4-AAAAA: Newnan, East Coweta
3-AAAAA: Camden
Class AAAA
4-AAAA: Griffin, Northside, Baldwin
6-AAAA: St. Pius, Marist, SWD, Mays
2-AAAA: Creekside, Starr’s Mill
7-AAAA: Statesboro
8-AAAA: Dacula, Cedar Shoals
1-AAAA: TCC, Bainbridge
3-AAAA: Statesboro
5-AAAA: Sequoyah
Class AAA
6-AAA: Cartersville, Carrollton
2-AAA: LaGrange, Shaw, Carver
8-AAA: Stephens, Hart
1-AAA: Cairo, Monroe
4-AAA: Peach, Jackson
3-AAA: Thomson, WaCo
5-AAA: Grady, Chamblee
7-AAA: North Hall, Chestatee
Class AA
3-AA: Jefferson Co., Laney, Swainsboro
4-AA: Dublin, Dodge, Toombs
6-AA: Buford, GAC, Lovett
1-AA: Fitzgerald, Early, Thomasville, Cook
2-AA: Charlton, Mcintosh Co., Savannah Christian
7-AA: Pepperell, Darlington
5-AA: Heard, Manchester, Macon Co.
8-AA: Greene Co., Washington-Wilkes
Class A
6-A: Gordon Lee, Bremen, Bowdon, Trion
2-A: JoCo, Telfair
3-A: ECI, SCD
7-A: Lincoln County
1-A: Seminole, Clinch
8-A: Athens Academy, Social Circle
5-A: Eagle’s Landing, Landmark
4-A: Brookstone, Pacelli
Permalink | Comments (73) | Categories: Poll talk
Who wins these recruiting battles?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
•Greater Atlanta Christian running back Caleb King: Even after having his senior season cut short by a broken leg, King has his choice of all the biggest colleges. He said Friday that he had not yet decided which five schools that he would take his official visits to. With his friendship with Auburn running back Brad Lester, Tommy Tuberville’s Tigers seem to have the upper hand. But when Notre Dame and USC come knocking it’s hard to say no. Prediction: Auburn
•Peachtree Ridge defensive lineman Cameron Heyward: This 6-foot-6, 282-pound animal wants to play both basketball and football at the next level. He’ll visit Ohio State before making his choice. Georgia, Tennessee and Clemson are also on his radar. Prediction: Georgia
•Greater Atlanta Christian quarterback Lee Chapple: LSU, Auburn, Boston College, Georgia and Louisville have shown interest, but no official offers have been made, yet. He visited Samford over the weekend. Prediction: Samford
•Central Gwinnett linebacker Bryce Smith: With Colorado coach Dan Hawkins looking on, Smith rocked Grayson with 14 tackles on Friday. Georgia, Memphis and Vanderbilt are in the mix as well. Prediction: Georgia
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: David Purdum
SWD’s back and Godfrey’s got ‘em
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In his 24 years at Southwest DeKalb, Buck Godfrey constructed a reputation that has run the gamut from no-nonsense to ornery to disciplinarian to controversial to champion. And all of those character traits still apply today, after all this time.
His Panthers have always exhibited the edge and toughness of their coach, even in recent years, when they were not a legitimate title contender. In other words, Godfrey has not changed. There’s a conviction in his speech, a confidence in his presence that commands attention and respect.
His team went into Friday night ranked No. 5 in the state, which was good news for everyone. The game is better when Southwest DeKalb matters, as it does now.
“I got my program back,” Godfrey said. This came after No. 6 St. Pius pulled out a 21-7 victory at Hallford Stadium, which tells you something.
You can tell the Panthers are back in a number of ways, starting with the play on the field, which is aggressive and rugged. The crowd in blue and gold is larger and more lively. The band plays more emphatically and louder. That’s the power of Godfrey’s program when things are as they are now.
Not even Godfrey felt good about his teams from 2001 to 2004, the run during which SWD’s significance took a hit. Never bashful about speaking his truth, Godfrey explained simply why the Panthers were less than their history during that four-year period.
“We had a plethora of selfish parents,” he said, “and the kids were confused about what to do. Once all those kids left, we got back to business.”
See? Buck Godfrey remains Buck Godfrey, after all this time.
“Nothing changes with a real football coach,” he said. Then he pointed out that he did not return a phone call before the game because of “pregame jitters.”
“Still get them,” he said.
The excitement in him boiled with Jerald Hatchett’s 2-yard touchdown run that evened the score at 7 early in the fourth quarter. It was a play that resuscitated a Southwest contingent that had only the rhythm of the band move it all evening to that point. The momentum seemed to ride the cool breeze to the Panthers’ side of the stadium. However, St. Pius had a resounding retort: two decisive touchdown runs in a matter of minutes.
As the clock ticked toward all zeroes, the St. Pius coaching staff exchanged emphatic embraces, which underlined the significance of the victory. Then those same coaches, one by one, took several minutes to hug and engage Godfrey. That’s respect.
“The gist of a human being is his character,” Godfrey said. “And I think I’ve shown that.”
Not often does he show the softer, gentler side that his family and close friends know all so well. But if you want to see his chest stick out, mention his son, Colin, who had an accomplished football career at Tennessee State, or his daughter, bubbly radio personality Rashan Ali of The A Team on Hot 107.9 — that tough veneer softens in an instant.
And if you want to see him blush, ask him about his first grandchild that is coming in December. The broad smile is infectious, even after a loss.
“Very few people know who I really am,” Godfrey said. “I’m proud of everything Rashan and Colin do. They make me proud.”
Godfrey has built a program that again is the pride of its community. He has a young team that holds great promise and still may have a run in the playoffs.
Simply, Godfrey said: “I got my program back.”
Permalink | Comments (34) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Four things to watch for with four Fridays left
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How good is Greater Atlanta Christian quarterback Lee Chapple? With star runner Caleb King on crutches, we’ll certainly find out. The senior Spartan made a name for himself among college recruiters with strong showings at summer camps. His performance garnered interest from some big-time programs, including Boston College and Georgia. Nothing would impress recruiters more than if Chapple were to spur a deep playoff run by the Spartans.
Parkview’s 12-year playoff streak is in jeopardy. In Region 8, Brookwood and Central Gwinnett are locks for the postseason, and 3-0 Grayson also seems headed in that direction. That leaves the winner of tonight’s Berkmar-Parkview game in good shape. Don’t be surprised if coach Wendell Early’s Patriots pull of the upset, leaving Parkview faced with having to beat either No. 4 Central Gwinnett or No. 7 Brookwood to have a chance.
With Caleb King sidelined, who will lead Gwinnett County in rushing? King finished with 939 yards, 280 more than his nearest competitor. Buford’s tandem of Quentin Cantrell (657) and Demetris Murray (637) should each surpass King’s total. Collins Hill’s Craig Jackson (535) is surging, and Eagle coach Larry Sherrill has never been accused of abandoning the running game. But Brookwood’s bruiser Demetre Ledlum (653) will get the most carries and end up as the county’s yardage leader. Yes, the Broncos still have to face a pair of stiff defenses in Grayson and Central Gwinnett. But, since those games should be close, Ledlum will be on the field for the entire game.
Will North Gwinnett quarterback Michael Tamburo’s bubble ever burst? The sophomore lefthander has been nearly perfect. He’s completing 73 percent of his passes and has thrown only one interception in 152 attempts.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: David Purdum
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
I was wrong.
Wrong about North Gwinnett losing its appeal before the Georgia High School Association. The Class AAAAA championship will be settled on the field. Kudos to all parties for getting that right.
Wrong about Lassiter beating Sprayberry. I could’ve cheated on that one because I also was wrong about the day it was played. Wrong, squared.
Wrong about Stephenson being less than the best team in Region 2-AAAAA. Still.
Wrong about only graybeards recalling St. Pius’ games against Southwest DeKalb, who play for the first time in 35 years. Don White’s e-mail sets me straight: “As someone who played both teams in 1967, a split, I can tell you that I don’t have gray hair and I can out 100-yard sprint 85 percent of the male seniors in H/S today.” Ouch.
Wrong about thinking last week’s column got posted to our Web site too quickly. I’d picked Flowery Branch to beat Gainesville, started thinking about how good Gainesville really is and thought maybe I’d miscalculated. But it had already been posted, so I swallowed hard and left it alone. Good thing I was wrong about goofing.
Wrong about East Coweta beating Tri-Cities. If you left that game when it was 35-6 in East Coweta’s favor, you were wrong, too. Tri-Cities came back to win 49-42.
Wrong about Houston County three weeks in a row. Had the Bears losing to Parkview, beating Warner Robins, losing to Lowndes. Wrong, cubed. I was sure last week’s pick that they would beat Colquitt County would extend the pattern to a fourth week. But I was wrong.
Wrong about Mays losing to Tucker. Hey, it made Mays lineman Sheldon Mabry laugh. He wrote, “I thought to myself, ‘Isn’t this the same guy that said we would lose to Washington?’ ” He not only points out a current wrong, but juxtaposes it with a historical wrong. If Mabry gets less than an “A” in history, coach Jesse Solomon should have him run the Lakewood Stadium stands. But it might be wrong to plant that idea in a coach’s head, so I won’t.
Wrong about Northside-Warner Robins beating Baldwin last year to earn a trip to the Dome. The Eagles earned a trip beyond the Dome, because they beat Baldwin in the Dome. I stand corrected by an e-mailer who proclaims himself, “not one of these Valdosta loonies that is going to write [too] much about it.” If he knew the difference between to, too and two, I wouldn’t have to edit it into the brackets.
I also was wrong about Etowah, Rome, Carver-Atlanta, 254 other picks, a rule interpretation, small schools’ sense of humor … and whether I could squeeze as much wrongness as I have into this little bit of space. Wish I could promise that this will be the end of it.
But I’d be wrong.
THE WEEKEND PREDICTIONS
• Last week: 137-28 (.830) • Season: 842-261 (.763)
Friday’s games
Winner/Loser
Albany/Mitchell-Baker
Alexander/Osborne
Athens Academy/ Athens Christian
Atkinson County/Pelham
Avondale/Decatur
Bainbridge/Lee County
Baldwin/Jones County
Banks County/Union County
Blessed Trinity/Westminster
Bradwell Institute/Johnson-Savannah
Brooks County /Cook
Brookstone/Central-Talbotton
Brookwood/South Gwinnett
Brunswick/Evans
Buford/Walker
Burke County /Hephzibah
Cairo/ Worth County
Calhoun/Adairsville
Calvary Day/Jenkins County
Camden County/ Beach
Campbell/McEachern
Carrollton/Sandy Creek
Cartersville/Cedartown
Carver-Columbus/Harris County
Cass/ Central-Carroll
Cedar Shoals/ Alcovy
Central Gwinnett/Grayson
Chamblee/Grady
Charlton County/Brantley County
Chattahoochee Co./Stewart-Quitman
Chattooga/LaFayette
Cherokee/Douglas County
Chestatee/White County
Clarkston/Southside
Clinch County/ Seminole County
Collins Hill/Forsyth Central
Commerce/Prince Av. Christ.
Coosa/ Temple
Creekview/South Paulding
Crisp County/ Monroe
Cross Creek/ Butler
Dacula/Winder-Barrow
Dade County/ Sonoraville
Dalton/N.W. Whitfield
Dawson County /Fannin County
Dodge County/ Bleckley County
Douglass/Luella
Dublin/Vidalia
Duluth/North Forsyth
Dunwoody/Riverwood
East Coweta/ Mundy’s Mill
East Hall/ Lumpkin County
East Paulding/ Chapel Hill
Eastside/Heritage
Effingham County/Wayne County
ECI/ Bryan County
ELCA/ Whitefield Acad.
Etowah/Marietta
Fitzgerald/Early County
Franklin County/Elbert County
GAC/Wesleyan
Gainesville/Pickens
Glascock County/Mt. Zion-Carroll
Glynn Academy /Lakeside-Evans
Gordon Central/Lakeview-Fort O.
Greene County /Oglethorpe County
Greenville/Schley County
Griffin/Riverdale
Groves/Savannah
Habersham Cent./Clarke Central
Hancock Central/Ga. Military Coll.
Harrison/Kennesaw Mtn.
Hart County/Monroe Area
Hawkinsville/Turner County
Heard County/Callaway
Irwin County/Dooly County
Jackson/Ola
Johnson-Gaines./West Hall
Jordan/Spencer
Lamar County/Marion County
Landmark Christ./Fellowship Christ.
Laney/ S.E. Bulloch
Lanier County/ Calhoun County
Lassiter/Pope
Liberty County/Richmond Hill
Lincoln County/Wilkinson County
Loganville/Jackson County
Lovett/Holy Innocents’
Lowndes/Valdosta
Manchester/Macon County
Marist/Lakeside-DeKalb
Mary Persons/Eagle’s Landing
Mays/Miller Grove
McIntosh Co. Acad./Appling County
Milton/Centennial
M.L. King/Newton
Model/ Armuchee
Morgan County/ Rabun County
Mt. Pisgah Christ./Our Lady of Mercy
Norcross/Mill Creek
North Clayton /Jonesboro
North Cobb/Murray County
Northeast-Macon/Central-Macon
Northgate/Banneker
North Gwinnett/South Forsyth
North Hall/Gilmer
Northside-W.R./Upson-Lee
Northview/Chattahoochee
Parkview/Berkmar
Paulding County/Morrow
Peach County/Perry
Pebblebrook/Woodland
Pepperell/Rockmart
Pierce County /Jeff Davis
Portal/Claxton
Randolph-Clay /Berrien
Ridgeland/S.E. Whitfield
Rockdale County/Salem
Rome/Ringgold
Roswell/Alpharetta
Rutland/Crawford County
Screven County/Josey
Sequoyah/Lithia Springs
Shaw /LaGrange
Shiloh/Meadowcreek
Social Circle/ Jefferson
South Cobb/Woodstock
South Effingham/Benedictine
Spalding/Henry County
Starr’s Mill/ Whitewater
St. Pius/Southwest DeKalb
Statesboro/Richmond Acad.
Stephens County/Oconee County
Stephenson/Redan
Stone Mountain/Columbia
Swainsboro/Jefferson County
Tattnall County/East Laurens
Taylor County/ Pacelli Catholic
Telfair County/Montgomery Co.
Terrell County/Miller County
Thomas Co. Cent./Americus-Sumter
Thomson/Glenn Hills
Towers/South Atlanta
Treutlen/Wheeler County
Tri-Cities/Newnan
Troup/ Columbus
Tucker/Washington
Twiggs County/ Aquinas
Union Grove/Lithonia
Villa Rica/Haralson County
Walton/Kell
Ware County/Greenbrier
Warren County /Monticello
Washington County/Harlem
Wash.-Wilkes/ Putnam County
Westlake/Fayette County
West Laurens/Southwest-Macon
Westover/Dougherty
Westside-Augusta/Metter
Westside-Macon/Dutchtown
Wheeler/Sprayberry
Windsor Forest/Jenkins
Woodward Acad./McIntosh
Saturday’s games
Winner/Loser
Cedar Grove/North Springs
Coffee/Warner Robins
McNair/Carver-Atlanta
Northside-Col./Kendrick
Sav. Christian/Long County
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
Health may decide Region 1-AAAAA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a tight Region 1-AAAAA race, it might come down to who can stay healthy. Warner Robins and Houston County are getting healthy at key positions, and at just the right time.
Houston County’s Martez King got hurt in the season opener against Northside-Warner Robins and sophomore Jeff Thompson played the next three games at quarterback.
Comfortable with Thompson’s performance under center, Houston County coaches switched King to wingback to give the Bears another running threat. Since the move, Houston County has won two big games over region rivals Lowndes and Colquitt County.
“That helped [running back] Eric O’Neal, he got 100 yards rushing in both of those games,” said Houston County coach Doug Johnson. “It balanced us out, we were one-dimensional. Now we’re able to have the counters to the wingback.”
Warner Robins, meanwhile, has risen to the top of the Region 1-AAAAA standings, and entering this week’s games, the Demons are the only team undefeated in the region.
After losing two of its first three games, the Demons fell off the radar a bit. But senior quarterback Mark Wright was banged up, and coach Bryan Way said he made a mistake in rushing him back a week too early.
Now Wright is healthy, and Way said he expects Antwan Hamilton at full strength this week. Hamilton has been battling ankle injuries all season, but is ready for Saturday’s big game against Coffee. Last year Hamilton rushed for 829 yards and nine touchdowns, making his return a timely one in a game that could give the Demons an edge in the region race.
“It’d be very big, we’d still have three tough games after that,” Way said. “But if we were to go 3-0 in the region to start off with, that would definitely put us a leg up on everybody else, and more importantly give our kids some confidence.”
The State Football Report features high school football news from outside Metro Atlanta. If you have news for the State Football Report or a team you’d like to see featured, e-mail ccustance@ajc.com.
Toughest region lives in South Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Which is the toughest region: 1-5A, 7-5A or 8-5A?
Without question, it’s Region 1. It has the most depth and could very easily have four teams ranked in the top 10. Right now, No. 5 Coffee and No. 7 Tift County are Region 1’s only ranked teams, but Warner Robins and Houston County have proven to be top 10-worthy. And don’t forget about the defending state champions, Lowndes.
Region 7 is top heavy, with No. 1 North Gwinnett and No. 3 Norcross, neither of which, by the way, has faced another top team at full strength. After North and Norcross, the drop off is steep. Collin Hill’s ultra-stiff defense hasn’t received much help from its offense, and talented Peachtree Ridge has not lived up to expectations.
Region 8’s big guns, No. 4 Central Gwinnett and No. 7 Brookwood, own victories over Region 1 teams in Warner Robins and Valdosta respectively. But, with Parkview struggling, 3-3 Grayson and 2-4 Berkmar are the next two in line.
Permalink | Comments (27) | Categories: David Purdum
Take Ten: Best defenses
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sequoyah doesn’t have the big-name defensive recruits. Peachtree Ridge, on the other hand, has one of the best in Cameron Heyward. The two teams do have one thing in common, though — fierce defenses that are among the best in metro Atlanta. We take a look at the toughest defensive groups in the area, each perhaps worthy of a Junkyard Dawgs-type nickname:
NORCROSS (6-0), No. 3 Region 7-AAAAA
Keith Maloof’s Blue Devils have earned a reputation as a fast and physical bunch and this group might be better than any that he’s had. They’re allowing a scant 4.2 points per game – fewest of any team in AAAAA, and 2 yards per rushing attempt. Division 1 prospect James Simien leads an aggressive group of linebackers and Brooks Cunningham, also heavily recruited, is a dominant pass rusher.
MAYS (6-0), No. 8 6-AAAA
Raiders field a scary defense that attacks from everywhere. In each of six games, a different player has led the team in tackles. They are allowing just 3.5 points (third in Class AAAA) and 86 total yards per game. Team has three shutouts. No team has run for more than 67 yards or scored more than seven points. Trezley Lockhart is a force at DE.
GRAYSON (3-3) 8-AAAAA
Defense gives team a chance in every game. Gives up fewer than six points a game. Given up 35 points in six games, just 13 in the last three. Beat Parkview 28-6 last week. “They take it personal if they give up a score,” said coach Mickey Conn.
PEACHTREE RIDGE (4-3) 7-AAAAA
After a tough 6-3 loss to Norcross, Lions’ head coach Blair Armstrong said he’s seen only one better defense – his. Prized prospect DT Cameron Heyward bogs down the middle and the opportunistic defense forces turnovers. No one on the defense runs slower than a 4.9 40-yard dash.
STEPHENSON (5-1), No. 9 2-AAAAA
Seven new starters but you’d never know it. Seniors Dami Teneoila and Nigel Mitchell-Thornton, first-year starters, lead a defense that flies to the ball and makes plays behind the line of scrimmage. Allowing 6.3 points per game, although they haven’t played many high-powered offenses.
BUFORD (7-0), No. 2 6-AA
Led by Omar Hunter, Buford’s front seven is peppered with Division 1 prospects. Wolves held Greater Atlanta Christian’s Caleb King to 54 yards, 29 on one run. Team allows 8.3 points per game. GAC coach Jimmy Chupp remarked that there’s not a better front seven in any classification.
CENTRAL GWINNETT (5-1), No. 4 7-AAAAA
Dressed in black and gold, this defense swarms like angry bumble bees. Great size up front frees up playmaking linebackers Bryce Smith, Jonathan Massaquoi and Richard Milton. Allowing just 6.8 points per game. Simply bottled and beat up defending champion Lowndes in 11-7 win in Week 3.
COLLINS HILL (4-2) 7-AAAAA
Giving up just five points a game. North Forsyth managed 12 yards passing last week and a total of 72. Held Grayson to 85 total yards in season-opener. T.J.Greenstone (committed to Vanderbilt) is a beast up front, along with Bo Adebayo, a disruptive defensive end.
WHEELER (4-2) 6-AAAAA
Wildcats might be the most improved defense. Just ask Roswell (which lost to Wheeler, 14-3, and fell from its No. 1 ranking.) Giving up 10 points a game this season after allowing 20 last season. Not that big, but they’re fast and athletic. “We’ve got kids up front who can run,” said new head coach Paul Lombardo.
SEQUOYAH (6-0), NO. 7 5-AAAA
Chiefs haven’t faced top competition just yet, but it’s tough to argue when a team allows 2.8 points per game (second in AAAA, trailing Statesboro) and posts three shutouts. Free safety Tyler Reedy patrols the secondary and Adam Mincey is a versatile linebacker.
Others worthy of mention: Brookwood, St. Pius, Southwest DeKalb, Harrison, Lovett, Alpharetta, Dacula.
Go on. Take Ten. Defend your pick for the state’s best prep defense here.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Categories: Take Ten
Hoopla over, Bulldogs still top-notch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that the GHSA has ruled that a North Gwinnett transfer situation was legal, the focus can return to the action on the field, where, by the way, the Bulldogs are pretty good.
Most everyone believes in the same principles to win at the high school level: run the football and stop the run. North Gwinnett’s approach is somewhat different: Throw the football and stop the run, maybe.
Coach Bob Sphire, in his first year, has instituted an attack that is as aggressive as you have seen. It’s not smashmouth; it’s mouth-watering - if you enjoy constant passing.
Here’s the case for the Bulldogs by the numbers:
North Gwinnett quarterback Michael Tamburo has the most-used arm in the state. He has thrown 152 times in seven games, and he has completed 112 passes for 1,273 yards and 13 touchdowns with one interception.
At the same time, the Bulldogs, with Evan Gilles and Tyler Jarry leading the way, average 107 yards a game rushing. Not great, but not awful, either.
They have given up 791 yards rushing and 624 passing. All told, North Gwinnett has scored 10 more touchdowns (23 to 13) than their opponents.
So far, the pass-first philosophy has held up because North Gwinnett passes so well to good receivers (especially senior Ryan McDaniel). The defense makes enough plays to hold it all together.
With their position as No. 1 preserved, the Bulldogs have every reason to believe this could be their year. Lots of football to be played, for sure. But at least now they can continue with their minds singularly on the game, knowing they have what it takes to be No. 1 in the end.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Would you still recruit Caleb King?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you think any of Caleb King’s approximately 60 scholarship offers will be rescinded now that he is likely out for the rest of his senior season? And if you were a college coach, would you take back your offer?
Heading into your child’s senior season, if he or she were one of the biggest recruits in the nation and already had a bag full of scholarship offers, would you consider having them sit out their final prep season to avoid injury?
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: David Purdum
No ifs, ands, buts (or humans)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The great thing about the AJC rankings is that no team is overrated, and no team is underrated. At least not in my opinion, or else I’d rate them differently. Right?
But for a little objectivity, I asked my friend Loren Maxwell, the founder of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, to run his computer rankings on Georgia high school football.
The good thing about computer rankings is that they are not biased. They look only at scores and strength of schedule. I don’t always agree with computer rankings, but I respect what they are trying to tell me. For example, I think LaGrange is the most deserving No. 1 team in Class AAA, but if you look at LaGrange’s results only, there’s nothing there to suggest any of the Top 10 teams in AAA wouldn’t have put up the same margins of victory.
Here are some teams that the computer says haven’t done anything this season to justify their high standing in the AJC’s or other rankings:
AAAAA: Stephenson, Roswell
AAAA: Mays, St. Pius
AAA: LaGrange, Gainesville
AA: Charlton County, Heard County
A: Telfair County, Lincoln County
Here are some of the more underrated teams, according to the computer rankings:
AAAAA: Houston County, Wheeler
AAAA: Westside-Macon, Habersham Central
AAA: Cartersville, Cass, Cairo
AA: Dodge County, Early County
A: Turner County, Clinch County
Here are Maxwell’s Top 10s in each class. In parentheses are where the teams rank in the AJC poll.:
AAAAA
1: North Gwinnett (1)
2: Houston County (un)
3: Central Gwinnett (4)
4: Norcross (3)
5: Camden County (2)
6: Harrison (8)
7: Coffee (5)
8: Lowndes (un)
9: Warner Robins (un)
10: Brookwood (6)
AAAA
1: Northside-Warner Robins (1)
2: Griffin (2)
3: Baldwin (9)
4: Westside-Macon (un)
5: Rome (10)
6: Creekside (4)
7: Sequoyah (7)
8: Dacula (un)
9: Statesboro (3)
10: Dalton (un)
AAA
1: Cartersville (5)
2: Cairo (6)
3: Thomson (3)
4: Carrollton (2)
5: Stephens County (un)
6: Carver-Columbus (7)
7: Shaw (8)
8: Cass (un)
9: Peach County (4)
10: Villa Rica (un)
AA
1: Dublin (3)
2: Buford (2)
3: Fitzgerald (5)
4: Charlton County (1)
5: GAC (6)
6: Calhoun (4)
7: Dodge County (un)
8: Lovett (un)
9: Early County (un)
10: Greene County (7)
A
1: ECI (2)
2: Clinch County (7)
3: Hawkinsville (3)
4: Lincoln County (1)
5: Dooly County (6)
6: Seminole County (8)
7: Eagle’s Landing Christian (4)
8: Bremen (9)
9: Commerce (10)
10: Athens Academy (un)
Permalink | Comments (66) | Categories: Poll talk
GHSA, just DON’T do it
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For what it is worth, here’s a plea to the GHSA, which on Tuesday will decide if North Gwinnett’s magical season goes kaput to a minor technical infraction: Don’t do it.
Your reputation as inflexible and, to an extent, archaic, can be softened a great deal with a decision based more on human compassion and less on convoluted rules.
This eligibility case is hardly worthy of the kind of penalty that is expected to be levied. Forfeiture of games because of the timing of a player transfer? There has been no evidence of recruiting or a question of whether the transfer was legitimate. Just the timing of the transfer.
Even if North Gwinnett was not 6-0 and No. 1 in the state, the reprimand of forfeiting games would be too severe. The GHSA’s history is that of completely by the book, and to veer from the previous stance would cause a firestorm from all the schools over the years that were similarly victimized.
So while this is a plea for the GHSA to do the human, rational thing and not impose the usual punishment, it is not realistic that it will happen.
Apparently rules were broken. And North Gwinnett has to suffer the same consequences of other schools across the state who failed to adhere to the regulations. And who can blame the GHSA for doing what it always has done, which is to execute the bylaws set forth?
Certainly, this is not to make the GHSA out as the villains. Led by Ralph Swearngin, the body is committed to governing the state with integrity. And administrators have to, first, know the rules and regulations and then adhere to them.
Do the rules need to be revamped in some cases? Yes. In this case, there was no intent to deceive or circumvent the rules. No real harm done, so why foul up a wonderful run by North Gwinnett?
It’d be great if the four-person voting panel could unanimously vote contrary to the guidelines. But do not count on it.
Permalink | Comments (36) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Are clubs a boost or burden?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you think the proliferation of high school booster clubs, and the spending they bring about, is a positive or negative?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Forum
North Gwinnett should not fall in rankings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tuesday’s ruling by the GHSA, 7-0 North Gwinnett might be 1-6, but its ranking should stay at No. 1.
The GHSA has little choice other than to force North Gwinnett to forfeit any game that an ineligible player appeared in. It doesn’t matter that the player in question had little to no impact on the Bulldogs’ opening six wins. Every element, from benchwarmer to starter, contributes to a team’s success. What if he had been forced into action because of an injury to a starter? What if a back-up’s abilities allow a banged-up star to take less reps in practice, preventing further injury? Then, would the school’s miscue be worthy of the forfeit penalty?
The rankings are a whole different thing, though. Voters and poll-meisters need to use common sense. Unlike in college, a high school team’s ranking has absolutely no baring on the playoffs. There’s no need to pretend the Bulldogs aren’t one of the top teams in the state. We all know better.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: David Purdum
Forfeiture penalty too harsh
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For two weeks, North Gwinnett resided atop Georgia high school football with equal parts pride and glee. Never before in 45 years had the Bulldogs been so recognized, which makes the drama that now envelops the program that much more untimely.
They went to Peachtree Ridge unfazed by the specter of GHSA punishment and handled that business with ease Friday night, maintaining AAAAA top billing at least for another few days.
Come Tuesday, that all likely will change when the four-person GHSA review board upholds its ruling that North Gwinnett used a player deemed ineligible because of the timing of his transfer from Collins Hill to North Gwinnett.
The penalty would be severe — too severe: forfeiture of games, which would knock the Bulldogs off the No. 1 perch and possibly out of the playoffs. It’s one thing to get felled by an opponent. It’s quite another to be felled by the GHSA after shooting yourself in the foot.
There was a simple solution to what has become a complicated issue: Complete a hardship transfer application before the season, when North Gwinnett administrators were notified of the transfer. The GHSA would have approved it with no hesitation.
North Gwinnett apparently did not take the proper steps, so trouble lurks. To get a comfort level on the situation, athletics director Chris Culpepper examined the driver’s license of the mother of the unnamed player to confirm the family’s new address. That probably was not enough.
GHSA Bylaw 2.63 essentially allows a student to remain at his old school to complete the semester. In this case, there is a question about when the transfer occurred. Apparently, the player lacked the hardship application he needed to be eligible to play sports. Hence, the problem.
North Gwinnett administrators, however, plan to attack at the appeal hearing Tuesday in Thomaston and insist they are confident their 7-0 record will remain in tact.
“There has been a lot of buzz around school, a lot of concern,” Culpepper said. “But we’ll make our presentation on Tuesday. We believe we should win.”
Let’s hope so. This is not to root for North Gwinnett. It is to root against the severity of the punishment. If North Gwinnett clearly tried to circumvent the rules with an illegal transfer, then that is a different case.
But should the GHSA make North Gwinnett forfeit possible region victories? Why does it matter that the kid finished a semester-plus at Collins Hill before transferring to North Gwinnett? It seems as long as he transferred before the start of school, he should be eligible.
Surely the spirit of the rule was not intended to hurt programs. Camden County, Lowndes and Roswell, the previous AAAAA No. 1-ranked teams this year, got beat. Getting knocked from the top spot without losing on the field would not be right.
“[Being No. 1] has been great,” Culpepper said. “The community spirit has been unbelievable. And it’s well-deserved. The kids have worked hard. The coaches have worked hard.
“We’ve gone through some coaches [in recent years], but this has proved that all of them did a good job.”
It should be noted that the GHSA has been consistent in other cases throughout the years. If the player is ruled ineligible, games are forfeited.
So barring some really dramatic and persuasive testimony, we’ll have a new No. 1 come Tuesday afternoon.
Permalink | Comments (47) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Questions about the North Gwinnett debacle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
North Gwinnett’s undefeated season is in serious jeopardy, after the GHSA ruled the state’s top-ranked 5A team used an ineligible player.
Do you believe North Gwinnett broke the spirit of the transfer rule and deserves to have its dream season crashed by a player that made very limited contributions?
If forfeiting all games in which the ineligible players appeared is too stiff of a penalty, what do you think is fair?
Who is to blame for the debacle: the principal, coach or athletic director?
Did Collins Hill do the right thing by notifying the school before the season began?
North Gwinnett
Permalink | Comments (17) | Categories: David Purdum
Valdosta OK with waiting game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Breaking news: Rick Tomberlin is still coach at Valdosta, even though the Wildcats are 1-5.
Breath-taking news: The Valdosta Touchdown Club, notorious for its impatience, maintains a posture of support and understanding amid the losing.
“Anytime you have a new coach, you have to be patient,” Touchdown Club president Doug McQuaig said, and he was serious. “Even [legendary coach Nick] Hyder went 3-7 his first year. You’ve got to give the man a chance.”
That is not a misprint. Here lately, the most powerful booster club of the most storied program in Georgia has not exhibited much patience. Just ask Mike O’Brien and Rick Darlington, who won 77 percent and 65 percent of their games, respectively.
But today is a new day.
“Everybody down here is still real positive,” McQuaig said. “Coach Tomberlin is a good person and a great coach… It’s going to take two or three years to get his program in place.”
Huh?
There’s more.
“We have the hardest schedule we’ve had in 20 years,” McQuaig said. “We don’t play a lot of middle school teams. To be the best you’ve got to play the best.”
That sounded decidedly like the VTD’s president offering an excuse for the program.
How about this?
“We’ve lost the games by a combined 18 points,” he said. “We just haven’t gotten the breaks.”
True enough, against in-state teams, Valdosta lost to Brookwood by two, Colquitt County by two and Tift County by three. And the Wildcats are still finding their way under Tomberlin, who had to believe he’d have his complimentary car egged by now.
Still to play for Valdosta are Warner Robins and Lowndes at home, at Coffee and home again against Houston County to close a season that very well could end that night.
But don’t think the Valdosta Touchdown Club has gone completely soft.
“We don’t like to lose, you know that,” McQuaig said. “I promise you that Coach is more upset or just as upset as we are about the losing. I talk to him every Saturday.”
But, for now at least, there is an air of understanding and patience in Valdosta, which certainly is unexpected news.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
FYI, Guv: ‘Cats place? Loss column
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
It was 1963. A young man in his first season as a high school starting quarterback lines his team up against a Valdosta team that hasn’t won in weeks.
And gets beat 23-0.
Remember that, because I’m sure he does.
There were no favorable headlines that day, nor for any of the others that followed game days that year. Warner Robins went 0-for-the-season in the victory column.
The quarterback graduates after the following three-victory season and walks on at the University of Georgia.
The narrator fast-forwards four decades to a mansion along West Paces Ferry Road, where a whole bunch of Georgians decided the old quarterback should live for four years. The old QB picks up his newspaper and reads a headline that screams, “Dogs get put in their place.”
And suddenly, the old QB goes to scrawlin’, woofin’ and howlin’ and it becomes the headline read ‘round the state. But what he doesn’t realize is it’s only days before things come full circle on a fall Friday night that’s taken him 43 years and two gubernatorial campaigns to see.
Valdosta is once again a team that hasn’t won in weeks. And Warner Robins is once again on the other side of the ball.
On the morning after they collide, somewhere the old QB will pick up a newspaper that details the Warner Robins victory that sends Valdosta’s Wildcats to their first losing season in 32 years. The headline might even say, “Cats get put in their place.”
And the ol’ Warner Robins-loving QB in Sonny Perdue will let out a wholly different sounding woof that echoes throughout the mansion, the kind only old Dogs can hear.
• Tucker at Mays: Here’s the game that adds spice to the Region 6-AAAA race. Tucker has lost to region foes St. Pius and Southwest DeKalb by a total of four points. Although it has beaten Marist and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage against the War Eagles, the Tigers probably won’t qualify for any meaningful tiebreakers with three losses. So when they hand Mays its first loss and slow one of the best starts the Raiders have had, it will complicate matters just a little bit.
• Short shrift: Dalton visits Rome, and each has had an extra week to prepare for the other. Rome is young and made a ton of mistakes that Gordon Central didn’t capitalize on two weeks ago. Teams like Cartersville and Dalton, with Adrian Mora kicking 50-plus-yard field goals to boot, don’t miss those chances. Go with Dalton. … M.L. King needs one more major-caliber victory to prove it’s the best in 2-AAAAA — the kind only Stephenson can provide.
FRIDAY
Winner/Loser
Adairsville/LaFayette
Alpharetta/Centennial
Apalachee/Elbert County
Appling County/Pierce County
Athens Academy/Prince Av. Christ.
Athens Christian/Mt. Zion-Carroll
Bainbridge/Forest Park
Berkmar/Shiloh
Blessed Trinity/Riverwood
Bowdon/Randolph-Clay
Bremen/Jefferson
Brookstone/Stewart-Quitman
Brookwood/Meadowcreek
Brunswick/Greenbrier
Bryan County/Portal
Buford/Holy Innocents’
Burke County/Liberty County
Cairo/Westover
Calhoun/Sonoraville
Camden County/Savannah
Carrollton/Cedartown
Cartersville/Haralson County
Cass/Villa Rica
Cedar Shoals/Eastside
Cent. Gwinnett/South Gwinnett
Chamblee/Dunwoody
Charlton County/Savannah Christ.
Chattooga/Dade County
Cherokee/Lithia Springs
Clarke Central/Jackson County
Clinch County/Calhoun County
Coffee/Tift County
Collins Hill/North Forsyth
Columbia/Miller Grove
Commerce/Social Circle
Cook/Albany
Coosa/Rockmart
Creekside/Fayette County
Creekview/Towns County
Dacula/Habersham Cent.
Dalton/Rome
Dawson County/Union County
Dodge County/Tattnall County
Douglas County/Chapel Hill
Douglass/Redan
Dublin/Bleckley County
ECI/Claxton
ELCA/Our Lady of Mercy
East Coweta/Tri-Cities
East Hall/Chestatee
Early County/Brooks County
East Paulding/Woodland
Effingham County/Glynn Academy
Etowah/Murray County
Fitzgerald/Berrien
Flowery Branch/Gainesville
Forsyth Central/Mill Creek
Grady/North Atlanta
GAC/Avondale
Gilmer/Lumpkin County
Glenn Hills/Harlem
Gordon Lee/North Oconee
Grayson/Parkview
Greene County/Morgan County
Greenville/Chattahoochee Co.
Griffin/Lovejoy
Groves/Beach
Harrison/South Cobb
Hart County/Franklin County
Hawkinsville/Irwin County
Henry County/Eagle’s Landing
Hiram/Mundy’s Mill
Houston County/Colquitt County
Jackson/Mary Persons
Jefferson County/Metter
Jenkins/Johnson-Savannah
Johnson County/Wheeler County
Josey/S.E. Bulloch
LaGrange/Spencer
Lakeside-DeKalb/North Springs
Lamar County/Callaway
Landmark Christ./Whitefield Acad.
Lanier County/Bacon County
Laney/Screven County
Lassiter/Sprayberry
Lincoln County/Hancock Central
Lithonia/Newton
Long County/Jeff Davis
Lovett/Decatur
McIntosh Co. Acad./Brantley County
M.L. King/Stephenson
Macon County/Crawford County
Madison County/Loganville
Manchester/Heard County/Marist/Stone Mountain
McEachern/Kennesaw Mtn.
McNair/Towers
Milton/Northview
Monroe/Worth County
Mt. Pisgah Christ./Fellowship Christ.
Newnan/Morrow
North Cobb/Woodstock
North Gwinnett/Peachtree Ridge
North Hall/White County
Northside-W.R./Baldwin
N.W. Whitfield/Gordon Central
Pacelli Catholic/Central-Talbotton
Peach County/Northeast-Macon
Pebblebrook/Osborne
Pepperell/Darlington
Pickens/West Hall
Pope/Walton
Rabun County/Banks County
Ridgeland/Lakeview-Fort O.
Ringgold/S.E. Whitfield
Rockdale County/Heritage
Roswell/Chattahoochee
Rutland/Pike County
Sandy Creek/Central-Carroll
Savannah Ctry Day/Jenkins County
Schley County/Taylor County
Seminole County/Pelham
Sequoyah/Alexander
Shaw/Hardaway
South Effingham/Richmond Hill
South Forsyth/Duluth
Southside/South Atlanta
Southwest-Macon/Central-Macon
Spalding/Ola
St. Pius/Cedar Grove
Statesboro/Evans
Stephens County/Monroe Area
Swainsboro/Westside-Aug.
Temple/Armuchee
Terrell County/Atkinson County
Thomas Co. Cent./Dutchtown
Thomasville/Mitchell-Baker
Thomson/Butler
Toombs County/Vidalia
Treutlen/Montgomery Co.
Trion/Glascock County
Troup/Harris County
Turner County/Wilcox County
Union Grove/Luella
Upson-Lee/Stockbridge
Walker/Cross Keys
Ware County/Lakeside-Evans
Warner Robins/Valdosta
Warren County/Aquinas
Washington Co./Cross Creek
Wash.-Wilkes/Oglethorpe Co.
Westlake/Northgate
West Laurens/Perry
Westside-Macon/Jones County
Wheeler/Kell
Whitewater/McIntosh
Wilkinson County/Monticello
Woodward Acad./Banneker
SATURDAY
Winner/Loser
Benedictine/Hephzibah
Clarkston/Therrell
Riverdale/Jonesboro
Salem/Alcovy
Southwest DeKalb/Washington
Tucker/Mays
Westminster/Druid Hills
Windsor Forest/Bradwell Institute
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
South Georgia Thursday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As promised, it’s South Georgia Thursday here at the Prep Zone. Today is dedicated to the fans of Camden, Colquitt, Lowndes and others who feel slighted by the AJC.
For the record, we don’t hate you or think your teams stink. We’re simply far away. Plus, I’m new to the state. Floated this way via hurricane from New Orleans. So I’m still learning who’s good and who’s not and what’s considered South Georgia and what’s not. Warner Robins is considered south, correct?
If so, here are my top 5 South Georgia teams (I’ve actually seen two of these teams play.) Please feel free to correct me.
Northside: Most impressive resume in AAAA or AAAAA. (From now on, classifications will be designated in numerals. Exp. 5A. It’s just so much easier.) At 6-0 and with convincing wins over Houston County and Warner Robins, coach Conrad Nix’s Eagles demand respect. Their offense has posted four consecutive 40-point games and their defense gobbles up everything in sight.
Camden County: Hasn’t lost an instate game yet, but wasn’t overly convincing in early win over depleted Brookwood team.
Tift County: Hard to argue with 5-0, but squeaking by a second-tier Gwinnett team in Collins Hill sparks doubt. Needs to show something Friday against Coffee.
Houston County: Owns wins over Lowndes and Parkview, but those two perennial powers aren’t what they used to be.
Coffee: Yes, Jerry Odom’s Trojans were shutout at home by Lowndes, but they also went to a highly touted Colquitt County team and won a triple-overtime thriller. Can jump with upset of Tift.
For AJC Insider subscribers only: If you haven’t seen the reader-submitted headlines regarding Governor Perdue’s temper-tantrum over Sunday’s “Dogs get put in their placeâ€? headline, check it out. It’s hilarious. My favorite — “Georgia tries real hard, but kind of loses, barely. 51-33â€?
Permalink | Comments (17) | Categories: David Purdum
Take Ten: Best stadiums
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Home is where the heart is, they say.
In Claxton, it’s where the pecan trees grow. In St. Mary’s, it’s where the Camden County Wildcats have won nearly 80 percent of the time. And in Atlanta, it’s where - legend has it - the late Anthony Flannigan, who was right-handed, threw a 60-yard pass while scrambling away from the rush. With his left hand.
Home is the stadiums where local high school teams suit up on Friday nights. Some are known for their tradition, some for aesthetics, and some for both.
Here, with apologies to everyone who is not listed, we take a look at the top 10 high school stadiums in Georgia (in alphabetical order, of course).
Honorable Mention:
Atlanta’s Lakewood Stadium - From local legends like Flannigan (Southwest High), to long-time NFL veterans like Joey Browner (Southwest High), to current NFL stars like Jamal Lewis (Douglass High), a ton of talent has been featured on Claire Drive.
Lovett’s Kilpatrick Stadium - Long after the crowd noise has ended, you can still hear the Chattahoochee River rushing by, just a pooch kick behind the visitor’s bleachers.
McEachern’s Cantrell Stadium - The first in the state to feature the new field turf. Though the 30-foot Indian at one end can be intimidating, it’s about as un-PC as it can get.
Top 10:
Camden County’s Chris Gilman Stadium - The Wildcats are 162-46-1 at home since 1970. They went 7-0 in 2003, en route to a 15-0 record and a state championship.
Claxton’s Pecan Grove - Pecan trees can be seen all around. But they haven’t helped the Tigers win much lately. After going 10-1 in 2001, they are 10-30 since.
Dalton’s Bill Chapel Stadium at Harmon Field - Downtown residents deal with the traffic during the day and Catamount football games on Friday nights. Many can watch games from a lawn chair in their back yard.
Dublin’s Shamrock Bowl - A recently-completed $3 million renovation has Irish eyes smiling in one of the state’s most picturesque football venues.
Elbert County’s Granite Bowl - Any field built with rocks has to make the list. In the “granite capital of the world,” as Elbert County is known, more than 100,000 tons of it went into the construction of the Granite Bowl - which also features Sanford Stadium’s old scoreboard.
Marietta’s Northcutt Stadium - As scenic as it gets. There was talk of building a new stadium to go with the new campus, which opened a few years ago. But the Blue Devil Nation would hear none of it.
Parkview’s Big Orange Jungle - Not the intimidating place it once was not too long ago, but its plush amenities and the Panthers’ rowdy students - many of whom paint themselves orange - help it make the list.
Valdosta’s Bazemore-Hyder Stadium - Named for two of the state’s most notable coaches, the home venue for the winningest high school program in America was renovated in 1994.
Ware County’s Memorial Stadium - Residents of one of the state’s largest counties (in square miles) approved a special sales tax in 2001, and transformed an old minor league baseball stadium into one of Georgia’s football jewels.
Washington County’s House of Pain - Since former head coach Rick Tomberlin gave the Golden Hawks’ home its intimidating moniker in 1992, they are 91-10 there. The mock cemetery at the visitors’ entrance, which features tombstones for each fallen opponent, is a classic touch.
Go on. Take Ten. Clue us in on the coolest stadiums not listed or just pile on about which of Seth’s Top 10 picks would be your second home if they’d let you move a bed into the coach’s office.
Permalink | Comments (50) | Categories: Take Ten
Which Gwinnett star will have the best college career?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Which current Gwinnett high school star will have the best college career? Here’s the top three, but—as I’m sure you fine folks will point out—there are plenty more. Maybe even a few studs outside of Gwinnett, like in South Georgia. Nah …
Brookwood linebacker Rennie Curran: The Liberian Nightmare is fast, strong, smart … what’s not to like? He’ll likely be the next standout, hard-hitting defensive back at Georgia. After seeing Tennessee light up Georgia’s secondary, Mark Richt likely wouldn’t mind having him suit up this week.
Peachtree Ridge defensive tackle Cameron Heyward: Elite defensive linemen are prized commodities on the next level. Heyward’s athleticism reminds some of LSU menace Glenn Dorsey. He’ll have a big impact and a chance to play on Sundays.
Greater Atlanta Christian running back Caleb King: Dacula coach Kevin Maloof once saw a clip of King and nearly dropped the remote. “He made about four guys miss and never moved more than a couple feet. He’s the real deal,� said Maloof, who, having coached Auburn’s Kenny Irons, knows a little bit about big-time college backs.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: David Purdum
There’s no discounting AAAAA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is Class AAAA actually stronger than AAAAA this season?
I’m not convinced, but the rankings and a few head-to-head battles give AAAA some ammunition in the argument.
There are certainly more dominant teams in the second-highest classification. In AAAA, every Top 10 team is undefeated, and virtually all of them possess the kind of history that suggests they’re not flukes.
Three additional undefeated teams – Sequoyah, Effingham County and Northwest Whitfield – are knocking on the door in AAAA, and once-beaten Marist and Westside of Macon are very highly regarded but can’t crack the Top 10.
In AAAAA, there are only four unbeaten teams, and none is a sure bet to make even the state quarterfinals, much less the final four at the Georgia Dome.
Two once-beaten teams (Camden County and Central Gwinnett) are in the top five, and a twice-beaten team, Brookwood, remains in the Top 10. It will be a surprise to many if a AAAAA team goes 15-0.
Dacula, the No. 5 team in AAAA, would probably be ranked No. 1 if the Falcons were still in AAAAA, the classification they played last season and reached the state semifinals. An undefeated record and the 6-0 victory over AAAAA’s No. 5 team, Central Gwinnett, would give them the best resume.
Another telling outcome was 28-7 victory by Northside, AAAA’s No. 1 team, over Warner Robins. While Warner Robins isn’t ranked in AAAAA, the Demons did beat Houston County, the team that just routed defending AAAAA champion Lowndes.
If you ask me, I think it’s a mistake to discount AAAAA. Perhaps the top five teams in AAAA – Northside, Griffin, Baldwin, Statesboro and Dacula – could win a five-game series with AAAAA’s top five.
But after that, I think AAAAA’s depth would begin to takes its toll. AAAA would have trouble matching up with teams in the 21-30 range such as Etowah and Wheeler and Valdosta.
As for the best team in the state? No one has played any better than AAAA’s Northside or Griffin. Not yet, anyway.
Another topic: Which are the best unranked teams? Here are some candidates.
AAAAA – Lowndes, Stephenson, Roswell, Collins Hill, Douglass, South Cobb
AAAA – Sequoyah, Westside, Marist, Northwest Whitfield, Effingham County
AAA – North Hall, Hart County, Stephens County, Villa Rica
AA – Pepperell, McIntosh County Academy
A – Bremen, Athens Academy, Wilcox County
Permalink | Comments (65) | Categories: Poll talk
Get used to North Gwinnett being on top
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All you North Gwinnett doubters better get used to the Bulldogs hanging around the top of the rankings. In fact, in the next three years, North Gwinnett will win a state title, maybe two. Here’s two reasons why:
• North head coach Bob Sphire runs a college-style offense. Kids aren’t dumb. Any player with aspirations of playing at the next level—especially quarterbacks—realizes that they’re not going to get near the attention running a wing-T offense. North quarterback Michael Tamburo is the perfect example.
• The county’s northern region is growing and growing and growing, which means the pool of talent is also expanding. Don’t be surprised if Mill Creek also becomes a force to be dealt with in the future.
**Sidenote: Each Thursday this blog will be dedicated to South Georgia schools. That said, I work in Gwinnett and have very limited opportunities to see teams from the South. So readers’ input will be a must. Help me help you.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: David Purdum
Jags-Lions newest great rivalry
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rivalries are the foundation of football season. They are built through the proximity of schools and communities, mostly, but they really matter when the teams are competitive.
Which leads us to M.L. King. In its fifth year of varsity play, Corey Jarvis has built the Lions to a point where they have established a bonafide rivalry with consistent power Stephenson.
This is pretty significant considering Ron Gartrell constructed the Jaguars into a program of championship quality before King even had a team. Now Jarvis’ program is 6-0 and ranked No. 6 in the state.
As such, M.L. King’s meeting Friday against Stephenson marks the start of another true rivalry that has all the makings of growing into one of the most fierce in the state.
Stephenson is 4-1, its only loss coming to McNair, which King beat by two points to start the season. In fact, King has already knocked off another south DeKalb foe, Redan, and manhandled Douglass 35-7 last week.
As for the Jags and Lions, the AAAAA schools of Region 2 in south DeKalb County have players who go to the same church, have played in the same recreation centers, shop at the same malls, travel in the same circles.
And now that King has blossomed into a true title-contending team, especially in this year of so much parity, its annual matchup with Stephenson will be as highly anticipated as Parkview-Brookwood, Lowndes-Valdosta, Douglass-Washington, Lovett-Westminster, Rockdale County-Salem and on and on.
And that only adds to the wonder of Georgia high school football.
Permalink | Comments (20) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
At Carver, it’s a different world
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When last probed by these eyes a few years ago, the Carver football players were muddied and bloodied, their heads bowed as they slowly, dejectedly headed to their team bus following their 18th consecutive defeat.
You would hardly recognize the Panthers now. Under coach Darren Myles, Carver actually resembles a football team. And a pretty good football team at that.
There is so much to this inspiring story, but it really comes down to this: There has been a commitment by coaches and players to restore pride in the program.
And so Carver is 4-1 with Friday’s 8-0 victory against Clarkston at Grady Stadium before a sizable crowd wearing school colors. The Panthers have not been north of .500 since 1987, which also happens to be the last time they made the playoffs.
“It’s most rewarding to see the kids walk around the school with pride and discipline,” Myles said.
He learned at 3 p.m. the last day of school in 2005 that he had gotten the daunting job of rebuilding the program at the Atlanta school. At 3:05 he was writing down his four-year plan, the contents of which drew chuckles from those familiar with Carver’s recent wretched past.
Year 1 called for “earning respect, playing with great sportsmanship and being noticeably different on the field.” Mission accomplished on all fronts: Carver was 5-5 and three points from making the playoffs last year.
Year 2 in Myles’ ambitious plan called for — gulp — making the playoffs. “People said, ‘That just can’t happen.’ I didn’t know how things were done in the past, but I knew what I had to do,” Myles said.
There was a lot to do. Carver had a weight room but no weights. The Panthers had no summer workout regimen, no spring practice, no scrimmages. Myles changed all that, borrowing weights from now-defunct Crim and later from Morehouse and instituting a year-round conditioning program.
“Kids now to come to practice on a daily basis who wouldn’t ordinarily come,” Myles said.
He points to running back Arsenio Hill as the symbol of the program. Hill has not missed a practice, meeting or game. “Great kid. Great example,” Myles said.
Before the season, one player did not want to conform to the new, disciplined approach for missing practice, so he quit. Less than an hour later, his aunt had him back in front of Myles. “He’ll do whatever he has to do, but he’s not quitting,” she said.
That player, Dontae Smith, is Carver’s leading receiver.
“It’s people like that who have helped, adults who are not going to let kids make those decisions,” Myles said. “My philosophy is that you shouldn’t treat kids as they are. You treat them as what they can potentially become.”
And he has treated them like family … with tough love. His son and two nephews, who were displaced from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, are on the team.
“We want to win and all that,” he said. “But it’s more than about that. It’s about making sure these kids grow into young men of good character.”
In that spirit, Myles requires his players to wear slacks, dress shirts and dress shoes on Tuesdays, khakis on Wednesdays and shirt and tie on Thursdays. “It’s all about building team camaraderie and discipline,” he said.
The players answer coaches with “Sir.” Study hall is mandatory and tracked by the staff.
“It’s just a great feeling now from what it was two years ago,” said Hill, the running back. “It’s a great feeling within the team and around school. For a while, we couldn’t win anything. Now, we’re taking it to the next level — and it feels good.”
Permalink | Comments (12) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Best defense in Gwinnett is …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is this the year of really good defense or really bad offense? When did completing a five-yard hitch become such a difficult task? That said, Georgia can’t do it, so why should we expect high school teams to do execute the simplest of pass plays?
Either way, there is no denying the majority of the talent in Gwinnett lies on defense. The big boys from AAAAA—Peachtree Ridge, Central Gwinnett, Brookwood, Norcross and North Gwinnett—have been tremendous. But the best defense in Gwinnett lives at little, old AA Buford.
Top Defenses in Gwinnett
Buford: Omar Hunter, who will be the biggest recruit in Gwinnett next year, is the best of a ridiculous five D-I prospects on Buford’s front seven. The 25 points surrendered to Cartersville doesn’t look nearly as bad, seeing as the Purple Hurricanes are averaging more than 35 a game
Central Gwinnett: The Black Knights are big, bad and stingy. They’re allowing less than 31 rushing yards per game. In a run-happy region, that stat makes them the favorite. Linebackers Bryce Smith and Jonathan Massaquoi are spectacular, but giving up 21 to Berkmar seems suspicious.
Peachtree Ridge: Cameron Heyward is an absolute beast and has a bright future ahead of him on the next level. But, while having not allowed a touchdown is impressive, the offenses they’ve been shutting down aren’t. Collins Hill, Grayson, South Forsyth and Shiloh struggle to score against everyone. The Lions’ nine turnovers don’t seem like much compared to Norcross’ 15.
Brookwood: Anytime you have a Rennie Curran your defense will be fierce. The future Georgia safety will have the best college career of any of this year’s Gwinnett seniors. Curran’s just one of a possible 11 senior starters that coach Mark (best mustache in Gwinnett) Crews can put on the field. Experience goes along way in pressure situations.
Permalink | Comments (27) | Categories: David Purdum
N. Gwinnett will be first to defend ranking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
At last — a No. 1-ranked team that actually will be ranked No. 1 for more than a week.
Camden County, Lowndes, Roswell … all No. 1 catching a bullet. Now we have North Gwinnett.
An unfamiliar name atop the rankings? Sure. And when you consider that the Bulldogs are working on their fourth coach in as many years, it looks even more curious.
But that’s the beauty of North Gwinnett being No. 1. Despite all the turnover with the guys wearing the headset, the Bulldogs just go out and beat whoever’s put in front of them.
There was sentiment for returning Camden County to the No. 1 post in the kind of awkward leapfrogging that would make you question why the Wildcats were ejected from first place in the first place. No. 1 again for beating … Groves?
Camden County has had its chances. The Wildcats were given an extraordinary benefit of the doubt from the get-go, being installed at No. 1 over a two-time defending champion. They looked shaky in beating a shorthanded Brookwood team, but a shaky win beats a steady loss any day, so No. 1 they remained.
Then, they lost.
Yes, it followed a brilliant, state-record run of 58 consecutive regular-season victories. But they lost. If they don’t fall then, why do weekly rankings at all?
That set in motion the merry-go-round that has brought North Gwinnett to the fore. It, too, beat the same shorthanded Brookwood team that Camden County did. By a bigger margin. On Brookwood’s home turf, not a semi-neutral Georgia Dome.
North Gwinnett under … let’s see, is it Tim Hammontree, Dennis Roland, Matt Moore or … I knew I’d find him — Bob Sphire! — has earned its way to the top. It need not apologize for being from someplace other than South Georgia, where so many misguided fans think the only real teams play.
There are some solid teams below the Gnat Line. Two of them have been No. 1 in our Class AAAAA rankings.
Then, they lost.
With Duluth visiting North Gwinnett Friday night, chances are nil that the Bulldogs will let the No. 1 ranking slip through their paws after only one week. The second week may tell a different tale, but it’ll be a second week that two of three never spent defending a No. 1 ranking.
• Douglass vs. M.L. King: One of the weekend’s best games matches similar teams having great seasons. Everybody knows about MLK’s Cordellaro Jones and all eyes will be on him. While Douglass is slowing him and the Lions’ running game, MLK should pass by the Astros to win.
• Short shrift: Lowndes’ youth is getting tested, but it should be old enough to beat Houston County at home. … Etowah knocked off once-unbeaten in Campbell last week. Is a second in a row, vs. South Cobb, too much to ask? Yes. … Part of me wants to believe Carver-Atlanta can win its fourth in a row, something it hasn’t done since 1991. But, with no fence to ride, I think not.
Friday’s winner/loser
Appling County/Jeff Davis
Athens Academy/Whitefield Acad.
Athens Christian/Prince Av. Christ.
Baldwin/Westside-Macon
Blessed Trinity/Dunwoody
Bowdon/Landmark Christ.
Bremen/ELCA
Brooks County/Berrien
Brookstone/Greenville
Brookwood/Berkmar
Brunswick/Lakeside-Evans
Bryan County/Wheeler County
Buford/Decatur
Burke County/Harlem
Calhoun County/Pelham
Callaway/Pike County
Camden County/Johnson-Sav.
Carrollton/Cass
Cartersville/Sandy Creek
Central-Carroll/Haralson County
Cent. Gwinnett/Meadowcreek
Central-Talbotton/Stewart-Quitman
Chamblee/Druid Hills
Charlton County/Long County
Chattooga/S.E. Whitfield
Clarkston/Carver-Atlanta
Claxton/Jenkins County
Clinch County/Bacon County
Colquitt County/Coffee
Commerce/Towns County
Creekside/Northgate
Creekview/Sonoraville
Cross Creek/Richmond Hill
Dacula/Clarke Central
Darlington/Armuchee
Dawson County/Rabun County
Dodge County/East Laurens
Dooly County/Hawkinsville
Dougherty/Americus-Sumter
Douglas County/Woodland
Dublin/Tattnall County
East Coweta/Morrow
East Hall/West Hall
East Paulding/Osborne
ECI/Calvary Day
Evans/Richmond Acad.
Fannin County/Union County
Fitzgerald/Albany
Flowery Branch/North Hall
Gainesville/Chestatee
Gordon Lee/Dade County
Grady/Westminster
Grayson/South Gwinnett
Greater Atl. Christ./Lovett
Griffin/Mt. Zion-Jones.
Groves/Windsor Forest
Harrison/Murray County
Hart County/Apalachee
Heard County/Crawford County
Holy Innocents’/Cross Keys
Irwin County/Wilcox County
Jackson/Henry County
Jefferson County/Josey
Jenkins/Bradwell Institute
Johnson County/Montgomery Co.
Johnson-Gaines./Lumpkin County
Jonesboro/Forest Park
Lamar County/Rutland
Lee County/Worth County
Liberty County/Glenn Hills
Lincoln County/Monticello
Loganville/Winder-Barrow
Lowndes/Houston County
Luella/Newton
Macon County/Marion County
Madison County/Habersham Cent.
Mary Persons/Ola
McEachern/Marietta
McIntosh Co. Acad./Pierce County
McNair/South Atlanta
Mill Creek/North Forsyth
Miller County/Atkinson County
Newnan/Paulding County
Norcross/South Forsyth
North Atlanta/Riverwood
North Cobb/Campbell
North Gwinnett/Duluth
North Oconee/Mt. Zion-Carroll
NE Macon/Southwest-Macon
Northside-Col./Columbus
Northside-WR/Stockbridge
Oconee County/Monroe Area
Our Lady of Mercy/Glascock County
Pacelli Catholic/Schley County
Parkview/Shiloh
Peach County/West Laurens
Peachtree Ridge/Forsyth Central
Pebblebrook/Alexander
Pepperell/Coosa
Perry/Central-Macon
Pickens/Gilmer
Putnam County/Oglethorpe Co.
Randolph-Clay/Mitchell-Baker
Rockmart/Model
Sav. Country Day/Portal
Seminole County/Terrell County
Sequoyah/Cherokee
Social Circle/Mt. Pisgah Christ.
South Cobb/Etowah
Spalding/Eagle’s Landing
Starr’s Mill/McIntosh
Statesboro/Greenbrier
Stephens County/Franklin County
Stephenson/Lithonia
Swainsboro/Vidalia
Taylor County/Chattahoochee Co.
Telfair County/Treutlen
Thomas Co. Cent./Cairo
Thomasville/Cook
Thomson/Benedictine
Tift County/Valdosta
Toombs County/Bleckley County
Towers/Therrell
Tri-Cities/Hiram
Twiggs County /Hancock Central
Trion/Jefferson
Upson-Lee/Dutchtown
Villa Rica/Cedartown
Ware County/Wayne County
Warren County/Ga. Military Coll.
Washington Co./South Effingham
Washington-Wilkes/Morgan County
Wesleyan/Avondale
Westlake/Woodward Acad.
Whitewater/Banneker
Wilkinson County/Aquinas
Woodstock/Kennesaw Mtn.
Saturday’s winner/loser
Carver-Columbus/Troup
Hardaway/Jordan
M.L. King/Douglass
Redan/Union Grove
Riverdale/Lovejoy
- Games involving out-of-state teams, like batteries, not included.
Permalink | Comments (35) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
Today, HS sports; tomorrow, the world
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jessie Tuggle last week was elected to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, which is a really big deal.
Tuggle got in with ease because of his outstanding NFL career with the Falcons and, to a lesser extent, his standout play as a linebacker at Valdosta State. But it all began for Tuggle at Griffin High.
And that’s what high school sports is - the start of everything.
Joining Tuggle in the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame were, among others: the state high school’s all-time winningest coach Larry Campbell of Lincoln County High; former Major League baseball pitching star Kevin Brown who got his career jump-started in high school in Macon; Russell Ellington, a prolific coach of more than 30 years at Beach High in Savannah, among other places; Don Richardson, who catapulted Southwest Macon High into a basketball power in the 1970s and ’80s; and John Tutt, the legendary coach from Augusta whose basketball, football and baseball teams won more than 1,500 games in five decades.
I could go on but you get the point: high school sports are the axis on which future success evolves.
As teenagers, the value of teamwork, hard work and competition are instilled, and they are lasting elements that grow into character. That’s the benefit of high school sports.
Tuggle’s son, Justin, is a junior quarterback for Northview. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds and has thrown for 748 yards and four touchdowns so far this season.
He likely will play college football in the future and could have NFL potential. Who knows?
This much is certain: The impact of playing high school sports will be just as significant on the many athletes whose careers will not extend beyond high school. And their success in life - from Georgia Sports Hall of Fame to hotel manager to coach to furniture maker — certainly will be traced, at least in some part, to playing in high school.
Permalink | | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Ledford: Region 2-A is state’s toughest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fans of Region 1-AAAAA have some competition in the argument for the toughest region in the state. Region 2-A, Division A has four teams ranked in the AJC’s top ten, and the fifth team in the region has three wins.
No. 3 Dooly County and No. 6 Wilcox County are both undefeated at 5-0, while No. 5 Hawkinsville has one loss, to a Class AA team and No. 7 Turner’s only loss is to Class AAA’s Clinch County.
So is this the most competitive region in the state?
“Yes. How’s that?,” said Wilcox County coach Mark Ledford. “You have four teams that have been in or around the top ten — and this case we have some in the top five or six, depending on the poll. And [unranked] Irwin County is a good football team too, that’s a team that came down from AA.”
We’ll get a real good idea on who is the favorite to win this region after Friday’s game between Hawkinsville and Dooly County.
Dooly coach Darryl Silas anticipates a school-record crowd at the game, and estimates his stadium has a capacity of 4,000 - tickets he expects to be long gone an hour before kickoff.
Adding to the rivalry is the fact that Silas was once a coach at Hawkinsville, and has two assistants who were born and raised in Hawkinsville.
Dooly County hasn’t beaten the Red Devils since 1999, a 20-13 win at home, but Silas thinks this could be the year they break the five-game losing streak.
“We’re thinking we match up pretty well, they have just as much quickness and spped that we have,” Silas said. “In the past they may have had more talented athletes than we have. Now, the talent pool is even.”
The State Football Report features high school football news from outside Metro Atlanta. If you have news for the State Football Report or a team you’d like to see featured, e-mail ccustance@ajc.com.
S. Forsyth ‘tag-team’ coaches reap success
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At South Forsyth High, a tag-team approach to coaching cross country has brought the boys and girls programs unprecedented success.
Technically, Clayton Tillery leads the girls team and Mike Fussell the boys, but it is not a reach to say their roles are interchangeable. For the past two years, the men, both former college runners, essentially have trained their athletes together with similar patience, techniques and philosophy.
It’s like they are each other’s assistant coach.
“We have a very good working relationship,” Tillery said. “We look at it as we have 56 kids in our program and we’ve found ways to where our 56 kids believe in what we are doing. They bought into it, and their hard work is paying off.”
It has paid off this way: Both teams are among the best in the state.
“It’s rewarding,” Tillery said. “We have some serious individual talent on both teams, but it’s about building a successful program versus a successful team. We’ve taught the kids to leave the program in better shape than it was when they arrived, to leave a mark.”
They are doing just that. On the boys side, the coaches have relied on the talent and leadership of Randall Bourquin and Michael Boyle. That duo has helped reinforce that “each player has a place on the team, and it’s their responsibility to push each other,” Tillery said. “Randall and Michael lead that push.”
Jennifer Barbi, Chelsey McDade and Stacey Keahon serve the same role on the girls team.
“We’re seeing what we expected from both teams,” Fussell said. “It’s been rewarding because we worked together with these teams. It’s been a natural fit working with Coach Tillery.
“I think it has been successful mostly because our personalities are similar.”
That personality includes being open when disagreements arise. “If we don’t agree on something, we always discuss it until we come up with an agreement,” Fussell said.
Sometimes it is not that simple. “So we play devil’s advocate,” Tillery said. “I’ll say, ‘What if we did it this way and that happened?’ And he’ll say, ‘OK, but what if that happens, what happens then?’ And we’ll go through that until we find the right way to go about it. It’s a great working relationship.”
The results show just that. Since the start of the season, runners from the junior varsity have been elevated to varsity, evidence of the program’s depth. South Forsyth recently won the Great American Cross Country Festival in Hoover, Ala. This weekend, the War Eagles travel to Charlotte for the Wendy’s Invitational, a meet that includes some of the top teams from the Southeast.
“A great opportunity for us,” Tillery said. “We’ve gotten better and better each year. It has been a process, but together we’ve gotten the players — all 56 of them between both teams — to buy into the philosophy and to put the hard work in during the summer.
“Now, they can see their hard work paying off. And for me and Coach Fussell, it’s great because it’s about the program and not individual talent. Our individual talent will show through, but it’s about building the program so it will maintain a high level of success over the years.”
Permalink | | Categories: Curtis Bunn
At the half: Best QB in Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Halfway through the prep season, here are my top 5 quarterbacks in Gwinnett.
•North Gwinnett’s Michael Tamburo
Key stats: completing 73 percent of his passes for 803 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT.
Added bonus: Lefthander buys time with his mobility and has scored four rushing touchdowns.
Question mark: Can a sophomore keep his poise as the pressure builds on top-ranked Bulldogs?
•Greater Atlanta Christian’s Lee Chapple
Key stats: Averaging 17.6 yards per completion
Added bonus: Has strong arm but also has displayed touch on shorter throws.
Question mark: Durability will be tested with injuries to O-line.
•Dacula’s Kyle White
Key stats: One of only two quarterbacks in the county to throw for more than 500 yards and rush for more than 100.
Added bonus: Doesn’t hurt to have dynamic receiving corps in Cameron Kenney, Blair Frost and tight end Michael Butler.
Question mark: Four picks against sub-par competition is way too many.
•Wesleyan’s Andrew Donovan
Key stats: Leads Gwinnett with 868 passing yards.
Added bonus: Standout pitcher for Wolves on the diamond.
Question mark: Completion percentage (55) needs work.
•Norcross’ Bryce Dykes
Key stats: Tied with White for county lead with 9 TDs.
Added bonus: Spreads the ball around well.
Question mark: With Norcross playing in plenty of tight games needs to cut down on interceptions (5).
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: David Purdum
Take Ten: ‘Friday Night’ Fanaticism
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We confess. We’re hooked. We can’t be fair and balanced. We’re confirmed ‘Friday Night’ Freaks. ‘FNL’ is beautifully filmed, well-acted, expertly written. It’s the football version of ‘Hoosiers,’ brought to the small screen. It’s got game. But it’s also got plenty of heart and thoughtfulness to spare. If you missed Tuesday night’s pilot episode, NBC is running an encore Wednesday, Oct. 4. Check your local listings.
So here are the Top Ten reasons to do as the fictional Dillon Panthers radio announcer says - “Lock up your daughters, sit down, shut up” - and book a standing Tuesday night date with ‘FNL.’
10: Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” played LOUD and PROUD during a hard-hitting montage segment. Can you not be pumped by this? If not, check to see if you have a pulse.
9: Kyle Chandler, who plays Coach Eric Taylor, is rocking a real Southern accent, y’all. He grew up in Loganville and matriculated at UGA.
8: The scene between starting QB/all-American good guy Jason Street and the Dillon, Tx., mayor is fall-out-of-your-chair hilarious. Check out Madame Mayor and then try telling us you don’t know where the term “Helmet Hair” may have come from.
7: Tyra! Tyra! Tyra!
6: You’ll be screaming for the Panthers to get it in gear against the Chaps. We won’t say why, but trust us on this one. Yeah, it’s just TV but you’ll root, root, root for the home team. The game looks so darn REAL.
5: “It’s only football,” followed by a knowing laugh. Right on, Coach. Keep smilin’.
4: YO! “Smash” raps.
3: If there’s a cooler TV wife/mom than Connie Britton’s character, Tami Taylor, clue us in. Because the phrases “Stuff it” and “His and Hers closets” will never sound the same to us after the ‘FNL’ pilot. Hee.
2: Backup QB Matt Saracen’s biggest fan is his grandma. Which is just as it should be.
1: ‘Friday Night Lights’ is on Tuesdays. And that means our own Fridays are freed up for… Friday night lights.
Pep Rally starts here: Friday Night Lights: Official site
Go on. Take Ten. Did you watch ‘Friday Night Lights’? What did you think?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Take Ten
What should the rankings reflect?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What should the high school football rankings really reflect? Should the state’s top-ranked team in each class be the team with the best chance to win the state title? Or should No. 1 represent the team playing the best at the current time?
Johnny Clark, who helps compile the Associated Press poll, gathers 10-15 votes from newspapers across the state and lets each voter determine his or her own criteria. Todd Holcomb, the man in charge of the AJC poll, says he bases everything strictly on results. And AJC Gwinnett News sports editor Scott Bernarde bases his Gwinnett County Power Rankings on how the teams are currently playing.
Associated Press Week 6 AAAAA Poll
- Colquitt County/Tift County (tie)
- Norcross
- Camden County
- North Gwinnett
- Lowndes
- Roswell
- Central Gwinnett
- Stephenson
- South Cobb
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Week 6 AAAAA Poll
- North Gwinnett
- Camden County
- Norcross
- Tift County
- Colquitt County
- Central Gwinnett
- Lowndes
- Brookwood
- Harrison
- South Cobb
Scott Bernarde’s Gwinnett County Power Rankings
- Norcross
- Buford
- North Gwinnett
- Dacula
- Central Gwinnett
- Brookwood
- GAC
- Collins Hill
- Peachtree Ridge
- Parkview
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: David Purdum
Polls meaningless? No way.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The polls come out and we rush to them to see which school is rated where, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is a weekly fun part of the football season.
But are they truly necessary? Well, yes.
When Roswell was booted by Wheeler from the No. 1 spot in Class AAAAA in its first game at the top, a blogger wrote about the uselessness of polls because, “only the poll at the end of the year,” matters. And that is true enough.
And because there is a true playoff system, where teams have to win more than one game to claim the title, the polls basically are rendered less-than-useful because there is a road that has to be traveled to win state, and the polls do not determine who will win. That’s determined in the games.
In college football, the BCS system puts the onus on the regular season, and the champion is derived from one bowl game victory. It’s a scheme that does not always pit the two top teams against one another for the championship. And it is a system that yearly spurs much debate over its legitimacy.
Meanwhile, high school football is done the right way. A loss in the regular season does not kill your championship hopes. Roswell went from No. 1 to out of the top 10 because of one game, which might be disappointing but it does not destroy the Hornets’ championship hopes.
And it was better to be at the top of the poll, even if just for a week, than not at all. Their time at the top was celebrated daily around school, which is reason enough for the polls.
At North Gwinnett this week, there is a euphoria in the community that it has never experienced. That’s what being at the top of the poll can do.
So, while, in the end, you still have to justify your position in the playoffs, the polls can be great during the course of the year for conversation and great for morale. And who can argue with the value of that?
Permalink | Comments (18) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Four weeks, four No. 1s
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fifty years ago this month, the late former Atlanta Constitution prep editor Charlie Roberts became the first journalist to rank Georgia high school football teams on a weekly basis.
In all the time since, there had never been four No. 1 teams in four weeks in the highest classification. There’s been only two examples of three No. 1s in three weeks, none since 1976.
So am I proud of myself? Well, no. I hope this isn’t about me, but the wacky season that’s Class AAAAA football this year.
If you thought Roswell was a curious No. 1 team, then get a load of North Gwinnett, the new No. 1 team.
Until this season, North Gwinnett had never been ranked higher than No. 10 at any point since starting varsity football in 1961.
Of the seven teams that are undefeated, North Gwinnett, Colquitt County and Douglass are the only ones that have won even one playoff game this century in Class AAAAA. And none has won more than one.
So we’re not talking about perennial contenders here.
The only legitimate candidate for No. 1 with any recent history of state contention is Camden County, the preseason No. 1. But the Wildcats lost 20-19 to Aiken of South Carolina, a defeat that many feel shouldn’t be held against them.
But then should Central Gwinnett’s loss to Class AAAA Dacula not count either? Like Aiken, Dacula is not a member of the classification that is being ranked.
Aiken is just another good team, much like the ones that have beaten other one-loss teams in Lowndes, Central Gwinnett and Harrison.
Maybe Charlie Roberts had it right in 1956. He didn’t believe in ranking teams until a few games into the season. His first No. 1 team was Northside of Atlanta — that’s where Northside bias gets its name — and Northside ran the table 10-0.
Of course, a team with a good Southern name and two losses and a tie — Richmond Academy — claimed the title. And that’s the way it was in 1956.
Permalink | Comments (62) | Categories: Poll talk
Football: Still a team sport
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So where is the lesson in what Buford did to Caleb King and Greater Atlanta Christian Friday night?
That King is overrated? No.
That GAC’s line didn’t do the job? No.
That Buford is the better team? Now we’re getting somewhere.
King’s transfer from Parkview to GAC was supposed to catapult the Spartans to sure-fire championship status. And it very well may do that. King is that talented.
But Buford showed that the sum of a lot of good parts can conquer one dominant player. With a committed effort, the Wolves stacked the line of scrimmage and put on a strong display of tackling in limiting King to less than 60 yards. Sixty.
In the process, GAC was rendered ineffective. Buford never let up; King was a nonfactor, and the Wolves took an impressive 20-7 victory.
This is not to minimize the impact of King, who justifiably is regarded among the top running backs in the nation. He deserves the accolades because he has shown this year in AA, and previously in AAAAA, that he is a force.
But that he was contained in a significant way, effectively shutting down GAC’s offense, shows the power of team. The best player on the field does not mean the best results.
The team that performs better as a team will conquer the team with the best player every time. If GAC did not know it before Friday, it does now.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
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