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November 2006
Please, pretty please, pick us to lose again!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eating crow tastes like chicken, for you who have never tried it. Spend any length of time in the prognostication business and, sooner or later, some will end up on your plate, too.
Usually, the days after Thanksgiving are full of leftover turkey. I have had so much fresh crow, however, it has become a staple of my diet. So much so that, were I one of the characters in Forrest Gump, I might say, “You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. There’s, um, crow kebabs, crow creole, crow gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There’s pineapple crow and lemon crow, coconut crow, pepper crow, crow soup, crow stew, crow salad, crow and potatoes, crow burger, crow sandwich.”
Even my sister branded me a “traitor” for picking against her team last week.
I also picked LaGrange against Peach County last week. Let’s just say it didn’t escape Peach County’s notice before the Trojans went out and stifled the Grangers 24-7.
“If it wasn’t for the refs, they wouldn’t have scored at all. I just want to say thanks for picking Peach County to lose. I’m a 1978 grad of Peach County (former football player) and a 1982 graduate of the Citadel. We like it when we are picked to lose. It fires us up! So, please do it again this week. No, make that, pretty please with sugar on it. :-) :-)”
Let’s see … Peach County plays Hart County, of which I said that a certain team would be too good for last week. Which didn’t go unnoticed in Hartwell.
“‘Cartersville: Too Good for Hart County’? You can not imagine the buzz around the Hart County side of the field at Cartersville on Friday night when a sports guy with the Atlanta Journal Constitution would make such a bold statement in Friday’s paper. The beauty of the scenario is that your out of line prediction only motivated us even more. One day the AJC will give Hart County the credit it deserves.”
Yes, but that day won’t be today. Feel free to be even more fired up than last week. Against Peach County and their double-emoticon-wielding fans, you will need it.
They can’t be any more fired up than they are at Grady, which escaped with a win against Flowery Branch last week. I picked Flowery Branch, which I might add did not send me any help-you-eat-that-crow e-mails for failing to live up to all the love shown in my prediction. So, they left me to dine alone on my words, played back to me in single quotes below.
“Before tonite [sic], Grady ‘hadn’t played a team this good’ (Flowery Branch). But now they have, and you were wrong again. Despite a larger number of players and many of the refs working for them, Flowery Branch lost. Keep up the good work with your predictions. You are our good luck charm.
Warm Regards,
The mother of a Grady senior”
And she wasn’t the only Grey Knight warming my crow with her regards.
“NEVER EVER EVER EVER … Doubt the Mighty Grey Knights of Grady High School hahahahahahah ‘culture shock win for flowery branch’ hahahahah was sup wit it now…i sure grady will be in your win catgoery next week.”
Nope. Grady was in my win category — somebody remind me to send the young man a spell-check button — against playoffs-missing Westminster. The Grey Knights lost. They haven’t been in the state-championship category in recent memory, so maybe doubting them every now and then isn’t such a wild and crazy idea.
Especially when the alternative is to doubt Shaw, which waxed Monroe last week. Yes, Grady can beat Shaw, the 2000 Class AAAA champion, which wins so often it doesn’t even bother sending crow by the slice. Even though it could have, since I picked Monroe to continue a Cinderella season and beat the quietly confident Raiders. I now pick Shaw. I can picture Grady coach Ronnie Millen moonwalking with joy at these words.
But not the Grady mother, who took the us-against-the-world motif one step further in another e-mail a day later. She re-examined my picks and found something more sinister at work but exonerated me (I think) in the same breath.
“The image of a hardscrabble yet successful inner-city football team, 10 of whose starters are African American, is still hard for some Southerners (not necessarily yourself, Mr. Maxie) to take.”
Many I pick to win will tell you they’re hardscrabble yet successful, be they inner-city, outer-country or whatever. Much was made of Grady’s resurgence last season, as alumni emerged from the four corners of the Earth while the Grey Knights charged toward apparent glory. So the notion that Grady gets no respect …
Rising quarterfinalists have all the respect they need — the right to don pads another day. As for my predictions, can a brother get some crow without somebody holding up the line for a little whine and cheese?
Winner/Loser
Class AAAAA
Houston County/Roswell
Norcross/Warner Robins
Stephenson/Peachtree Ridge
Tift County/North Gwinnett
Class AAAA
Creekside/Marist
East Paulding/Starr’s Mill
Northside-W.R./Habersham Cent.
Thomas Co. Cent./St. Pius
Class AAA
Carrollton/Carver-Columbus
Peach County/Hart County
Shaw/Grady
Washington Co./North Hall
Class AA
Buford/Charlton County
Calhoun/Early County
Dublin/GAC
Lovett/Bleckley County
Class A
Athens Academy/Johnson County
Clinch County/Warren County
Commerce/Pacelli Catholic
Lincoln County/Hawkinsville
*Last week: 23-17 (.575) • Season: 1,415-402 (.779)
Permalink | Comments (90) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
GHSA still has last 2 rounds backward
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The tradition has been to play the state semifinal games at the Georgia Dome. It’s a grand occasion for the teams that make it that far. But to play the championship games the following week on someone’s home turf, well, that’s where a change is in order.
How about this — and this is not a conventional thought, mind you, but timely considering the magnitude of the games this week: Play the semifinal games at school stadiums and the title games at the Dome.
Why? The championship games should be played at a neutral site. No other level of football conducts title encounters on a team’s home field. Additionally, the Dome is the ultimate site to crown champs.
I understand that more teams get to experience the Dome with the games there in the semifinal round, which certainly is a good thing. But to give one team a home-field advantage in the title game does not ring fair.
Of course, the argument has been made before to make the change, and it has gone nowhere. And it’ll likely stay as presently set up. But it’d bet a whole lot of folks would welcome a change.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Quick Q&A: Warner Robins coach Bryan Way
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Q: Coach, after losing back-to-back games late in the season (17-10 to Tift County and 24-14 to Colquitt County), your team has bounced back with three straight impressive wins. Are you playing your best football right now?
A: Hopefully, we’re finally figuring things out. This time of year if you don’t play well, you don’t advance. By no means are we a great football team. But we are executing much better in all three phases.
Q: Last week, Norcross struggled to slow down Grayson’s Wing-T. That has to give your offense some confidence.
A: Yeah, but Grayson is a lot better than us.
Q: What impresses you most about Norcross?
A: Everything. They’re very athletic, well coached and know how to win close games. Plus, the receivers look like they’re all about 6-foot-4.
Q: Do you have defensive backs that can match-up with those big receivers?
A: Our guys are all 5-11, 6-foot. We don’t have any 5-5 guys, so hopefully we’ll be able to hold our own.
Q: Rain is expected Friday night. How does that change your game plan?
A: I don’t think we’ve played a game in the rain this year, but we’ve certainly practiced in it. It won’t change things too much.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: David Purdum
Wheeler’s Williams potentially an Ivy Leaguer
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For Adrian Williams, a college basketball career must be a footnote to his higher education, not the other way around, which means the Wheeler senior gets the idea of what being a student-athlete is all about.
A point guard with crafty ball-handling skills and deft scoring ability, Williams understands the value of basketball for him: a means to a greater end.
“I know basketball will run out eventually, and so I want to be prepared for life when it does,” he said.
With that in mind, Williams has reduced his college options to Ivy League schools Princeton, Cornell and Dartmouth.
“They are great schools where I can get a great education and still play basketball,” he said.
Once a marquee player on an underwhelming Westminster team, Williams and his mom, Lisa Robinson, moved to the Wheeler district. Williams became a solid reserve last year on a team that had championship aspirations. Now, one of the state’s best coaches, Doug Lipscomb, has entrusted his squad to Williams.
With a stellar season, he could end up attracting the attention of other Division I programs. But he is resolute in going somewhere where the academic standards are among the highest.
“Adrian has come to this decision on his own, which is something I’m proud of,” his mother said. “He’s made it clear that if the school does not have a strong business program, that’s not where he will go. I’ve always been confident in his ability to process his future.”
Of course, it takes a top-flight academic transcript and outstanding test scores to get into Ivy League schools. Williams was an honor-roll student at Westminster and has received all A’s in the magnet program at Wheeler. He scored 1890 on the three-part SAT.
In other words, he’s just the student-athlete Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth and other premier academic institutions seek: talented on the court, outstanding in the classroom.
Coaches from Princeton and Cornell plan to attend Wheeler’s matchup against Columbia next week at Georgia Tech. What they will witness is a player who, under Lipscomb, has blossomed into an on-court leader.
“Transferring was a great decision,” the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Williams said. “Coach Lipscomb is easily the best coach I’ve ever had. He’s pushed me to be the best I can be and to be a vocal leader on the court. I feel like I’ve grown as a player at Wheeler.”
It also has helped that Williams, the son of former NFL quarterback Doug Williams, finally is not feeling the effects of a major knee injury that occurred when he was a freshman at Westminster.
Williams’ confidence is at an all-time high in his ability to finish plays. All his quickness and elevation has returned.
“Playing at Wheeler has been great for me,” he said. “Our practices are tough and get you better. Playing against tough competition every day, being pushed by Coach and playing [in AAAAA] against better competition all helps you improve.”
Most significantly for his mom, she has seen her soft-spoken and very mature son grow into a leader on the court.
“From a pure basketball standpoint, being at Wheeler has been great for Adrian,” she said. “Doug Lipscomb’s program is one of the best in the country, and it’s made a difference in Adrian. Under Coach’s tutelage, he’s grown a lot.”
That growth likely will help carry him to one of the finest higher education institutions in the country, where he’ll at once fulfill his basketball ambition and academic promise. What can be better than that?
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Pros and cons of neutrality
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tennessee does it. So does Texas. It’s good enough for the semifinals in Georgia, but not the finals.
So why aren’t the high school state championship football games played at neutral sites here in Georgia? Take Ten has mixed feelings about the whole thing, so here is our take on the pros and the cons of having the state title games played on neutral fields.
Pros
— 1. No team should have a homefield advantage in the championship: Washington County has won three state titles, but none of them have ever been played in the “House of Pain.” Sure the Golden Hawks were able to overcome that disadvantage, but playing a state championship game at one school’s field is like having Florida and Ohio State play for the national championship in the Swamp.
— 2. Travel: If you think a five hour ride on a cheese wagon from Camden County or Thomas County Central up to metro Atlanta isn’t taxing, try it sometime.
— 3. Money: Playing at neutral sites could allow a lot more fans to make the game. If say, Tift County and Norcross were to play for the state title and the game was to be played in Macon, not only would you get Tift County and Norcross fans, but fans from across the state would have a chance to see the game in a centrally-located place.
— 4. Plenty of places to have it: There are several ways to have the title games played at neutral sites. You can rotate the championship games through different venues of the state or you can set one central site to be host. Imagine having the AAAAA title game in the Dome, AAAA at Sanford Stadium, AAA at Georgia Tech, AA at Paulsen Stadium in Statesboro and A at the Shamrock Bowl in Dublin or Cantrell Stadium at McEachern.
— 5. Football and baseball are the only sports that still do it like this: Only in those two sports is there such a thing as a homefield advantage in the finals. Basketball is played on a neutral court. Tennis plays at a centralized facility. Wrestling is held at neutral sites. Golf is played on courses throughout the state. If it works for other sports, it can work for football and baseball as well.
Cons
— 1. You take away what makes football special in Georgia: Despite the protests of metro fans, small-town Georgia is what makes high school football so great here. If a Gwinnett team makes and hosts a state championship game, only a handful of Gwinnett fans from outside that school will make the game. If Johnson County travels to Lincolnton for a state title game, there might be a handful of people left in all of Johnson County, and the population in Lincolnton will triple for one special night.
— 2. South Georgia knows that “neutral site” means the Georgia Dome, and “that ain’t happenin’.”: It’s bad enough in some people’s eyes that the semifinals are played at the Dome. If you put the state finals there, south Georgia automatically sees that as catering to the Parkviews and Brookwoods of the world. And, really, how much atmosphere is there in a half-empty Georgia Dome?
— 3. Money: The Georgia High School Association gets its cut of the gate proceeds, but the two schools playing for the title get a ton of money out of this. The community makes money on sales tax revenue as restaurants and hotels fill up. Neutral sites would cut into that money by having to pay for using the facility.
— 4. Tradition: Just like the antiquated bowl system of college football, playing state title games at home locations is part of the tradition.
— 5. Just cause: Playing at a neutral site makes about as much sense as having state championship games end in a tie. Oops. Told you we had mixed feelings about this.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: Take Ten
Absolute best players in Gwinnett County (No arguing)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are the best players by position in Gwinnett County, according to Dave P. These are absolutely right. No arguing.
QB — Mikey Tamburo, North Gwinnett
RB — Demetre Ledlum, Brookwood
WR — Cameron Kenney, Dacula
OL — T-Bob Hebert, Greater Atlanta Christian
TE — Michael Butler, Dacula
K — Drew Butler, Peachtree Ridge
DL — Cameron Heyward, Peachtree Ridge
LB — Rennie Curran, Brookwood
DB — Tremayne Graham, Parkview
Permalink | Comments (37) | Categories: David Purdum
Creekside validates its stature
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How the Nos. 2 and 3 teams in the state, respectively, end up playing in the second round of the Class AAAA playoffs, in and of itself, calls for a re-examination of the seeding process.
Undefeated and virtually unchallenged all season, Griffin and Creekside, ideally, would clash, say, at the Georgia Dome in the semifinals or some other time much deeper in the postseason. But that would be too much like right, huh?
As it was, the two schools that combined for 22 wins and no losses met at Northgate High (another issue for another day), and it was less the challenge expected and more the confirmation of Eric Berry as the premier player in the state and Creekside as a legitimate title contender.
All season, the Seminoles and Berry have made mincemeat of the competition, a lot of it clearly inferior. Friday, against a team considered among the best in the state, the star and the team validated their stature.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players come through, and Eric’s probably the best I’ve ever seen,” coach Kevin Whitley said. “He’s just unique. In practice, in school, in the game — he’s great in every way.”
Although a quarterback, Berry has done much of his damage with his uncanny ability to run, picking up huge yardage after breaking tackles. Seldom does a single player bring Berry to the turf.
Friday, however, Berry was just as effective as a passer in his team’s 20-0 victory. On Creekside’s first scoring drive of the game, he completed 3 of 4 passes, including a beautifully thrown fade to Terrance Parks for a 30-yard touchdown.
Before halftime, he rolled left and hit Kayman Sutton for a 20-yard completion, setting up Berry’s 4-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 advantage.
It was 20-0 at the midway point, which spoke loudly to Creekside’s overall team ability. Going against Bobby Rainey, one of the top running backs in Georgia, the Seminoles swarmed him at nearly every turn. To get the ball in his hands more immediately, Rainey was moved to quarterback. Didn’t work. Creekside’s defense was sound, playing containment on the edges the way coaches diagram it. Rainey was forced to the middle of the field, where eager help took him down.
This show of stout defense against an offense that has been potent all season is as much a verification of Creekside’s championship prowess as Berry’s talent. For, no matter what the star does, the team does not shine if the other components do not get it done.
And the Seminoles are getting it done in all facets. The offensive line is physical and tireless. Berry is indefatigable, participating in almost every play Friday night. The difference-maker, however, likely will be their defense. If Friday was an indication, Creekside has a few more games left.
Up front, the Seminoles are big and fast. Their linebackers attack the ball-carrier as if heat-seeking missiles. The cornerbacks shut down receivers and wide runs.
And anchoring it all at safety is Berry, who had a strong hit on Rainey in the third quarter.
Two issues: No kicking game and penalties. The Seminoles had enough infractions Friday to make a coach lose hair, some of them negating big gains. Clean those up, and Creekside’s a terror. In ending Griffin’s season, the Seminoles made the Bears look ordinary, while they themselves looked quite scary.
Permalink | Comments (24) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Playoff roll call
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens Academy will win the Battle of Mismatched Nicknames. Sparta is where Athens Academy’s second-round opponent, Hancock Central, calls home. But the Spartans are from Athens Academy, near where the Georgia Bulldogs call home. Which explains why Hancock became the Bulldogs, right?
Such is the intro for a light-hearted (or lightheaded, if you prefer) roll call covering the 40 teams that should be around next week.
• Baldwin: Starr’s Mill won’t find the Braves nearly as flat as they did Ware County.
• Bleckley County: The Royals have enough left for a second playoff stunner.
• Brookstone: Dooly County knows for sure, having played it and Johnson County, but Brookstone’s better.
• Brookwood: It lost to one former No. 1 (North Gwinnett) but former No. 1 Roswell balances the books.
• Buford: Tuning up for Charlton County.
• Calhoun: Greene County came up short against Washington-Wilkes and Greater Atlanta Christian, and Calhoun’s better than both.
• Camden County: It doesn’t come up short in big games, even when it looks beat.
• Campbell: They won’t stop Peachtree Ridge’s Brandon Davis, but will slow him enough to win.
• Cartersville: Too good for Hart County.
• Carver-Columbus: The Tigers keep proving better than expected.
• Charlton County: I’m not sure what the next level is for the two-time defending champion, but Dodge County isn’t there yet.
• Clinch County: The Panthers’ strong nonregion schedule (Charlton County and Coffee) has them in mauling mode.
• Coffee: Stephenson has yet to test itself this season against a defense of the Trojans’ strength. Hiram learned this last week.
• Commerce: Best it has looked since the Monté Williams era produced a 2000 crown.
• Creekside: Griffin coach Steve DeVoursney evicted the Seminoles from their beloved Swamp because it doesn’t meet GHSA playoff standards. Sounds like motivational backfire.
• Dublin: Unlike Cook, Laney has given Dublin no reason for revenge. So the beating may be just a little less severe than the 60-0 Cook got.
• Early County: Somebody, tell Brantley County the Jefferson County joyride is over.
• East Paulding: I picked against Rome last week trying to ferret out the inevitable upset. That’s not what this is about, though.
• Etowah: This, however, is what that’s about.
• Flowery Branch: Grady hasn’t played anybody this good. This is a culture-shock win.
• Hawkinsville: I bought into the ECI hype last week — and all the way down one bracket — and the Red Devils rebutted. They’re baaaaack.
• Heard County: Can Lovett contain Dontavius Jackson? The Lions sleep tonight.
• Houston County: Corey Jarvis’ Lions pulled a shocker last year (Carrollton), so the Bears are ready and wary.
• LaGrange: Crisp County’s coach said, “If there’s a better team in AAA football [than Peach County], I want to see it.” It’s here.
• Landmark Christian: At Landmark, they love giving Devils a reason to scream. Get thee behind me, Warren County!
• Lincoln County: Larry Campbell gets win No. 400. (Yawn.) Just another nobody-else-has-done-this moment. (Ho-hum.)
• Marist: The jig is up. The War Eagles can’t realistically poor-mouth themselves anymore.
• Mays: Impressive defense will carry these Raiders past Habersham Central’s Raiders.
• Monroe: Beating Shaw will mean it’s for real.
• Norcross: Grayson missed its best upset chance in the regular season. Rematch = too late.
• North Hall: McNair should be easier than Cass was last week.
• Northside-Warner Robins: Tuneup No. 2.
• St. Pius: Pebblebrook survived an upset bid to tell the story. Now the Falcons’ story ends.
• Stephens County: I didn’t go out on enough limbs last week. Upsets don’t end with Round 1.
• Thomas County Central: Last week, Westlake was on fire. Literally. Then, the football team was on fire, figuratively, in destroying Statesboro. Methinks both flames are out now.
• Tift County: Keep Charlie Edwards ready. Mr. I’ve Kicked Three Overtime Winners may be needed against Union Grove.
• Turner County: Because I said so. Hey, it worked for Dad.
• Washington County: Syrupmakers visit “The House of Pain.” Pain-givers win.
• Washington-Wilkes: Injured Caleb King doesn’t have to be the only GAC player enrolling in college early after this one.
MAXIE’S PREDICTIONS
Winner Loser
Class AAAAA
Brookwood Roswell
Camden County Warner Robins
Campbell Peachtree Ridge
Coffee Stephenson
Etowah North Gwinnett
Houston County M.L. King
Norcross Grayson
Tift County Union Grove
Class AAAA
Baldwin Starr’s Mill
Creekside Griffin
East Paulding Rome
Marist Dacula
Mays Habersham Cent.
Northside-W.R. Brunswick
St. Pius Pebblebrook
Thomas Co. Cent. Westlake
Class AAA
Cartersville Hart County
Carver-Columbus Jackson
Flowery Branch Grady
LaGrange Peach County
Monroe Shaw
North Hall McNair
Stephens County Carrollton
Washington Co. Cairo
Class AA
Bleckley County Sav. Christian
Buford Manchester
Calhoun Greene County
Charlton County Dodge County
Dublin Laney
Early County Brantley County
Heard County Lovett
Wash.-Wilkes GAC
Class A
Athens Academy Hancock Central
Brookstone Johnson County
Clinch County Wilcox County
Commerce Bremen
Hawkinsville Seminole County
Landmark Christ. Warren County
Lincoln County ELCA
Turner County Pacelli Catholic
MAXIE’S NUMBERS
• Last week: 67-13 (.838)
• Season: 1,392-385 (.783)
Permalink | Comments (65) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
Be thankful for high school football
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Be thankful for Georgia high school football. I’ve covered prep sportsl in five states: Florida, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia. Folks, you don’t know how good you have it.
Not only is there an abundance of big-time talent in Georgia, but also the facilities are by far some of the best I’ve seen. Georgia has Jumbotrons; Louisiana had dimly lit scoreboards that worked most of the time. Sometimes.
In Gwinnett, we are blessed with thick-skinned and ultra-successful coaches that are more heavily scrutinized than possibly anywhere else in the nation. Message boards light up on a daily basis about how this coach needs to throw ball more; how this coach is recruiting, and how this coach isn’t helping his players get recruited. Yet, the coaches fight through the criticism, while protecting their players at all costs.
Like it or not, there’s also more television, radio, Internet and newspaper coverage in Gwinnett than at any of the other areas I’ve covered. You may not like the coverage, but you’re getting a lot more of it than you would in Oklahoma. (South Georgia, your concerns with the lack of coverage are being heard. Craig Custance now writes a weekly blog dedicated to teams outside the metro area.)
But when you strip away the glitz, glam and controversy of Gwinnett County football in particular, you’re left with what makes high school athletics so great — young athletes and their families playing and cheering the games they love. I don’t have any children, and it’s hard for me to imagine seeing a son or daughter play their last game. But I believe this post written by footballmom101 and posted by CentralPanther42 on Gwinnettpreprally.com sums it up.
Read and be thankful for Georgia high school football. Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble, gobble, gobble.
http://www.gwinnettpreprally.com/gprmessageboard/forum1/273.html
“As my son finished playing his last game of high school football, he looked up in the stands at me and I looked at him. And for a moment, he was my little boy once again. He had tears streaming down his face and I had tears falling down my cheeks the size of raindrops. I could see the fear in his eyes and I could see the uncertainty of not knowing if he would ever play football again. And then I cried for him and then I cried for me. It was hard to remember a time when he did not play. He looked at me, one last time and rejoined his team. I wanted to run out on the field and hold him, but I did not. He needed to have that moment, to reflect, because I need time also to gather my composure. Long after the players, and the band had left the stadium. I was still there, reminiscing, and remembering. I remembered his first touchdown. I remembered his last touchdown and every thing in between I etched into my mind. Memories, I am sure will last a lifetime and memories I will replay in my head for years to come.
I started reading the vent two years ago. It quickly became a favorite past time. I stopped watching Young and the Restless, because Positive Panther became more conniving and a bigger villain than anyone on the soaps. I started reading what the coaches had to say and what the dads had to say. I started going to the games and studying the games and not just watching the games. I learned to appreciate good blocks. I am ashamed to admit, I gave the other moms dirty looks when their son’s missed blocks and my son get pummeled and the moms were oblivious to what happened. I hope God forgives for wanting to punch one mom in particular. I remember reading about falling in love on the vent and I remembered someone posting a funny thing about why they love their dog more than a woman. I looked forward to all the men analyzing the game. As much as I love football it will never have the same intensity for me, watching a game and not seeing my boy play. I wonder where I will spend my Friday’s. I cannot remember what I did before football. Sure he plays other sports, but there is nothing more intense than a football game. After he walked off the field for the last time, I finally understood why you guys on the vent are so intense. I finally understood the true pain of a losing game. I finally understood, why for some man, the football bond between father and son is so great. Having never played the game, I could never understand what it means to play your last game. I played some sports in high school, but they were not intense like football. I looked at my son, who is vicious on the field, I looked at his teammates who played injured, and through pain and I saw the toughest guys I know cry. I cried for them also. I took one last look at the scoreboard, and I left the stadium as a football mom for the last time. If I had it to do over again, I would have had three sons, four years apart and then as one son’s high-school career ended another one would be beginning. I would have 8 more years of football, instead of the memories.”Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: David Purdum
Strong start for Region 1-AAAAA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Tift County won the Region 1-AAAAA championship by a hair, head coach Jay Walls immediately realized the title came with expectations.
He gathered his team and explained to them that being the champion of a region known for winning state titles adds a little pressure.
“I said, ‘Hey, we’re Region 1-AAAAA champs, we have to represent,” Walls said. “There’s been a tradition that the top teams in this region have done well in the playoffs, hopefully we can too.”
Walls said he felt the pressure before Tift County’s first playoff game against East Coweta, because he felt like the Indians were much better than a No. 4 seed. His biggest fear was winning a tough region, and then losing in the first round of the playoffs.
But Tift County beat East Coweta 22-7 as Region 1-AAAAA went a perfect 4-0 in first-round playoff action.
The Region 1-AAAAA sweep validated the contention that the best region in the state is outside Metro Atlanta. Both Warner Robins coach Bryan Way and Houston County coach Doug Johnson said they weren’t surprised with the first-round sweep.
“No, we’re not [surprised],” Johnson said. “It’s a really tough region. I know y’all get tired of hearing it, but we’ve been in it three years and you just fight to get in [the playoffs]. And we left some good teams at home.”
Those good teams not playing include reigning champ Lowndes and Colquitt County, both teams who cracked the top five in the Class AAAAA AJC rankings at some point this season. Heck, Walls agreed that Region 1-AAAAA might have gone 6-0 if those two teams were somehow allowed in the playoffs.
“I’m going to tell you this about Colquitt, they have a group of athletes that are as good, if not better, as any in the region,” Walls said. “There’s no question they would do well in the playoffs. Lowndes would do well too.”
Now the question remains - Can the region pull it off again? Can half of the Class AAAAA quarterfinalists come from one region?
The biggest obstacle of that happening this week is Camden County, Warner Robins’ opponent on Friday. Way said the Wildcats have the best front eight he’s seen all year, and Camden isn’t exactly an easy environment to go win a playoff game.
But Way hopes the playoff-type atmosphere that comes with playing in Region 1 prepared his team for the biggest game of their season.
Camden typically blew out its region opponents, allowing only 13 points total in region play. On the flip side, Warner Robins played close games all season long. That might give the Demons an edge if this game is a tight one.
“I sure hope so. That may be the only edge we have,” Way said. “Every week in the region this year was like a playoff game - big crowds, a lot at stake. Every game was close and came down to the end. We’re battle tested, if nothing else. “
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: Giving Thanks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Isn’t this a great time of year? The leaves have changed to beautiful colors. The NFL is beyond the midway point and NCAA football is headed toward a crescendo — setting the pace for an exciting postseason. And you can almost smell the turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving dinner. With it also comes thoughts of appreciation and thankfulness. And when it comes to the purest of sports, it is impossible to not be grateful for high school football. And so, here’s my list of the top 10 reasons I’m thankful for high school football:
10: No need to get on a plane to cover a game.
9: Concessions stands are reasonably priced.
8: No elevators to the press box.
7: All games are outside (except Georgia Dome games), where football should be played.
6: The bands — especially Stephenson, S.W. DeKalb, Washington & Douglass.
5: No showboating allowed.
4: The entire community is involved.
3: Players play because of passion for the game.
2: So many life lessons are imparted.
1: Friday nights under the lights.
Go on. Take Ten. Tell us what you’re thankful for when it comes to high school football. And Happy Thanksgiving from the ajc.com/highschool sports staff.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Categories: Take Ten
Who’s the Gwinnett County Coach of the Year?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s still plenty of football to be played, but here’s a look at the candidates for the Gwinnett County coach of the year.
Top Dogs
Norcross Keith Maloof — After years of respectability, Maloof is experiencing his best season of his eight-year career at Norcross. With a win of Friday over Grayson, the Blue Devils would set the school mark with 12 wins.
North Gwinnett’s Bob Sphire — The new guy on the block took Gwinnett by storm and raced to top spot in the rankings. But his biggest fete could be keeping his team’s confidence up during the playoffs, especially with the blowout loss to Norcross fresh on their minds.
Brookwood’s Mark Crews — The Broncos appear poised for another run to the Dome, despite early off-the-field problems that led to suspensions.
Buford’s Jess Simpson — With an abundance of Division I talent, winning it all is the measuring stick for Simpson and the Wolves.
Grayson’s Mickey Conn — The Rams are in the AAAAA playoffs for the first time in school history. Conn may have done more with less than any other coach in the county.
Honorable Mention
Greater Atlanta Christian’s Jimmy Chupp — Even with the loss of the No. 1 running back in the nation Caleb King, Chupp has the Spartans playing their best ball at the right time.
Berkmar’s Wendell Early — Early puts his best playmakers in a position to win, even though the surrounding parts have trouble matching up, especially on the offensive and defensive lines
Permalink | Comments (31) | Categories: David Purdum
Hosting a playoff game not that simple
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here are the two basic GHSA requirements to host a playoff game:
•Total seating capacity must be:
A — 2,000 seats
AA — 2,500 seats
AAA — 3,000 seats
AAAA — 4,000 seats
AAAAA — 6,000 seats
•Press box space:
A — 30 linear feet
AA — 30 linear feet
AAA — 30 linear feet
AAAA — 40 linear feet
AAAAA — 50 linear feet
The visiting team may waive these requirements in the first and second rounds. If you were the coach of a visiting team and the hosting stadium did not meet the requirements, would you elect to move the game from your opponent’s home stadium?
Is the 6,000-seat requirement excessive?
Do you believe there is such a thing as home-field advantage in high school football?
Permalink | Comments (22) | Categories: David Purdum
Etowah’s Stewart makes Flowe proud
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Etowah coach Bill Stewart and Parkview coach Cecil Flowe spent some pleasant moments together before Friday night’s opening-round playoff game in Woodstock. Mentor and student wishing each other well before battle.
Both had reason to feel great: Flowe had to be proud of Stewart, a former assistant who learned under his leadership. Stewart, meanwhile, led the Eagles’ resurgence to a 7-3 record and region title.
“Since we don’t actually get out there on the field,” Stewart said, “we don’t have to get into the mean and nasty mode. We have a lot of respect for each other.”
Afterward, they were just as cordial. However, you had to wonder if the two men led programs headed in opposite directions.
Long a powerhouse in the state, Parkview’s gradual decline this season reached its nadir. The Panthers were bounced on the first night of the postseason, a 26-21 victim of Etowah’s stunningly efficient offense and their own late-game miscues.
And so, the Panthers’ year ends at 5-6, which is Flowe’s first losing season since taking over in 1993.
At the same time, his protégé’s team has shown itself to be legitimate in Stewart’s first year. Parkview might be down, but it is experienced, well-coached and tough, and to hold off the Panthers represented an admirable feat for Etowah.
It was some of Flowe’s teachings at Parkview that have been significant in what Stewart has done at Etowah.
“In the framework of the program, in the weight room, in the defensive [philosophy],” Stewart said, while listing what he learned under Flowe.
More than anything, Stewart brought stability and confidence to a downtrodden program. His players feel good about themselves and what they can do, and it has translated into a resurgence.
“I came here feeling we had a chance of being successful,” Stewart said. “But at no time did I ever think we’d win our region and host the first playoff game.”
Not only did they host it, the Eagles did damage. In the first half, Etowah got the ball three times and drove pretty much the length of the field to score two touchdowns and a field goal.
It looked rather easy the way quarterback Trey Wilborn smoothly and calmly directed his team through and around the Parkview defense.
Then, in the second half, Etowah’s defense, which showed holes early, stiffened just enough, especially in the fourth quarter, when the Panthers were shut out.
Juxtaposed against its past squads, this Parkview team never measured up. This atypical season was not due to lack of heart or effort by the Panthers. In that way, Flowe’s team played tough and hard and determined as all his teams do. It’s just that they never came together. And they were quite young.
Etowah has 15 seniors; Parkview 21. The Panthers lose the dynamic Tremayne Graham, but sophomore quarterback Clayton Wilkin will be back to lead the troops.
The spirit of the Eagles has to be soaring, but not quite the same in Lilburn.
More than likely, this was a Parkview aberration in a freaky year. I mean, defending champion Lowndes did not even make the playoffs. Storied Valdosta lost nine of 10 games. Now the Panthers go down on the first night.
Parkview likely will be back, but when?
Meanwhile, Etowah has arrived.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Big games everywhere: Who do you guys like?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• Roswell or Collins Hill? Larry Sherrill’s Eagles have improved more than any team I’ve seen this season, especially quarterback Brent McDonald. But I think their short one playmaker. I like Roswell.
•Parkview or Etowah? Parkview is another team that appears to have improved over the course of the season and that’s a credit to Panther coach Cecil Flowe. I like Parkview.
• Peachtree Ridge at Wheeler? Wheeler’s a basketball school, right? So is Peachtree Ridge … at least this year. I like Wheeler.
•Central Gwinnett or Campbell? I like Bradley Warren’s Black Knights in a shutout.
• Dacula or Sequoyah? At 8-2, Sequoyah is a cause for concern for Dacula. But the real problems—No. 5 Marist and No. 2 Griffin or No. 3 Creekside—lie ahead. The Falcons best not look ahead. But I like Dacula, “closer than the experts think, though.”
•Michigan or Ohio State? I like the Wolverines on a hunch plus a little inside information.
Permalink | Comments (22) | Categories: David Purdum
Logic? These upsets defy all that
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
Upsets are the hardest games to pick. It just doesn’t feel right when you go against the team that you know should win the game, that if form holds will win the game, the better team.
But they are just as inevitable in the Georgia High School Association postseason as they are in the NCAA Tournament.
There are 40 fourth-seeded teams in the playoffs. Last year, nine upset region champions in the first round.
That was an aberration — the usual number is three. There were three in 2004, including a 4-6 Westover beating 9-1 Cairo, and three each in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
With the crazy way that Class AAAAA has unfolded, the number of first-round upsets — if in such a topsy-turvy year they can even be termed such a thing — will be elevated, though the largest class should contribute only one.
I see five, spanning four classes, and will even be foolish enough to specify them:
1. Houston County, winning at Newnan: Fourth seeds from Region 1-AAAAA are seldom typical fourth-seed caliber. The Bears are no exception. After emerging from a bruising region dogfight that went down to the final weekend, they can hammer you with Eric O’Neal. They’re part of the reason why a certain two-time defending champion isn’t around for the proceedings.
2. Clarke Central, winning at Pebblebrook: The Gladiators aren’t as good as Pebblebrook, which is part of the requirement for an upset. I didn’t think they would be as good as Cedar Shoals the second time around, but even an archrival, bent on revenge and playing at home, didn’t stop the Glads from sweeping the Jaguars. So they are as good a candidate as any to defy the odds and stick around for at least the second round.
3. Brantley County, winning at Jefferson County: Before explaining this one, allow me to go off on a tangent. Cook went into Dublin last year as a second seed in a season where the Fighting Irish were looking nigh-invincible. They had allowed fewer points (10) than games played (11). And then the Hornets stung them for a 20-14 victory. Cook revisits the scene of the crime, with the evidence fresh in the Irish’s minds. The chances of lightning striking even more forcefully — from the fourth seed position instead of the second — have to be considered even more remote. That’s the only reason I don’t venture out on that twig and call for a second upset. As for the other top seeds in Class AA who aren’t Jefferson County — Charlton County, Buford, Washington-Wilkes, Fitzgerald, Calhoun and Heard County — they all look less likely to be knocked off so early. I’m tempted to say it can’t happen, but why so blantantly fly in the face of my original premise? Jefferson County losing is sufficiently shocking.
4. Cass, winning at North Hall: Ask Carrollton and Cartersville — two of the best teams in Class AAA — what they think of the Colonels. Cass gave each as much as they could handle before falling short. The Caskos make Cass go — that’s son Ricky and coach Rick. The Colonels come from a traditionally strong region — it wasn’t that long ago that LaGrange was part of that equation.
5. Southwest DeKalb, winning at Rome: Buck Godfrey is hardly a stranger to the playoffs. The Panthers have missed the postseason only once in his 24 years at the school, and you don’t last that long without weathering a few storms and squirreling away a few tricks up your sleeve. Many of the players on Southwest DeKalb’s roster were around the last time they went in as a fourth seed and lasted longer than the brackets suggested they should. That was last year, when the Panthers shut down an unbeaten Tucker.
Only Class A, where the disparities between haves and have nots are magnified, is spared a first-round major upset. The picks look crazy. But that’s the point: Upsets always do.
Winner / Loser
Class AAAAA
Brookwood / South Cobb
Camden County / Redan
Campbell / Central Gwinnett
Coffee / Hiram
Collins Hill / Roswell
Grayson / North Cobb
Houston County / Newnan
M.L. King / Bradwell Institute
Norcross / Walton
North Gwinnett / Chattahoochee
Parkview / Etowah
Peachtree Ridge / Wheeler
Stephenson / Groves
Tift County / East Coweta
Warner Robins / Mundy’s Mill
Windsor Forest / Union Grove
Class AAAA
Baldwin / Americus-Sumter
Brunswick / Whitewater
Clarke Central / Pebblebrook
Creekside / Glynn Academy
Dacula / Sequoyah
East Paulding / Madison County
Griffin / Bainbridge
Habersham Cent. / Cherokee
Marist / Ridgeland
Mays / N.W. Whitfield
Northside-W.R. / Lee County
Southwest DeKalb / Rome
Statesboro / Westlake
St. Pius / Dalton
Thomas Co. Cent. / Westside-Macon
Ware County / Starr’s Mill
Class AAA
Cairo / Perry
Carrollton / Gainesville
Cartersville / Chestatee
Cass / North Hall
Flowery Branch / Sandy Creek
Grady / Apalachee
Hart County / Dunwoody
Jackson / Worth County
LaGrange / Liberty County
McNair / Franklin County
Monroe / Northeast-Macon
Peach County/ Crisp County
Shaw / South Effingham
Stephens County / Carver-Atlanta
Thomson / Carver-Columbus
Washington Co. / Troup
Class AA
Buford / Rockmart
Calhoun / Wesleyan
Charlton County / Screven County
Dublin / Cook
Early County / Toombs County
Fitzgerald / Bleckley County
GAC / Chattooga
Greene County / Macon County
Heard County / Morgan County
Jefferson County / Brantley County
Laney / McIntosh Co. Acad.
Lovett / Pepperell
Manchester / Fannin County
Swainsboro / Sav. Christian
Dodge County / Thomasville
Wash.-Wilkes / Callaway
Class A
Athens Academy / Fellowship Christ.
Bremen / Wilkinson County
Brookstone / Atkinson County
Clinch County / Taylor County
Commerce / Whitefield Acad.
ECI / Hawkinsville
ELCA / Jefferson
Gordon Lee / Hancock Central
Johnson County / Portal
Landmark Christ. / Social Circle
Lincoln County / Trion
Pacelli Catholic / Terrell County
Sav. Country Day / Wilcox County
Seminole County / Chattahoochee Co.
Turner County / Bryan County
Warren County / Bowdon
Permalink | Comments (46) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
No complaints from Boddie, but…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Justin Boddie’s season and career are over - North Atlanta did not make the playoffs - but the Warriors quarterback left a mark as a star player with too little acknowledgment.
While North Atlanta was going 5-5, Boddie was throwing 23 touchdown passes and running for nine. He presented a double threat when he dropped back, virtues of many of the top quarterbacks in the state.
Not much recognition came his way, but he still attracted the eyes of a dozen colleges who have offered scholarships.
In December and January, Boddie will make his five visits and make a decision. He’ll travel to Central Florida, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Tulane and Indiana.
He’ll choose among them, although Middle Tennessee, Army, Navy and the Air Force also want him.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Boddie is excited about his future, but he does wonder what might have been had he received the exposure of, say, Eric Berry of Creekside.
“Every week I would do something big, but no one would notice,” he said. “What I do just didn’t get out.”
A starter since the 10th grade, Boddie was “explosive” as a quarterback with an arm to make all the throws and legs to elude the rush. He actually enjoys running more than passing, he said.
Even with that, Boddie likely will play defensive back in college, a testament to his athleticism. He played sparingly on defense this year and had two interceptions and a number of bone-jarring hits.
“I like the contact on defense,” he said. “I like to hit.”
He tries not to struggle playing the “what if” game.
“It’s not frustrating, but I do feel if I had gotten more publicity during the season I would have gotten more offers from bigger programs,” he said.
He made clear that was not a complaint.
“No, I’m not complaining,” he said, “because I’m grateful for the schools that want me. I had a great career and it didn’t go completely unnoticed. High school football was fun. Now I’m going on.”
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Players need shining armor to play for Knight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Bobby Knight grabbed former Indiana and Southern Miss point guard Neil Reed by the throat, I was through considering him a genius and would never send my child to play for him. A genius solves problems without violence. A genius can get a player to look him in the eye without harshly smacking his chin.
Monday’s incident involving Knight and sophomore guard Michael Prince wasn’t that big of deal. It looked like Knight didn’t mean to strike Prince with as much force as he actually did. But enough’s enough. Stop hitting, head-butting, kicking and choking your players. Please.
Would a high school coach get away with what Knight did?
What happens if a player hits Knight back the next time? Will the player be suspended?
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: David Purdum
Take Ten: Worst playoff draws
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
They played hard all season long for this. It’s why they sweated in broiling summer temperatures and put themselves through punishing practices. We’re talking playoffs. This Friday, first-round action begins in all state classifications and although bracket matchups come down to the luck of the draw, as the old saying goes, Lady Luck apparently reserved a bigger smile for some squads than for others. And the teams listed in this week’s Take Ten, we think, caught the Lady in the midst of a seriously Bad Draw Day.
10. Central Gwinnett - The Reg. 8 AAAAA two-seed faces R5 three-seed Campbell, possibly this year’s biggest sleeper, in the first round. If the Spartans awake as a true sleeping giant, it’s bye-bye Black Knights. If not, Central gets either Wheeler or county rival Peachtree Ridge in round two.
9. Cartersville - It’s not easy being a top seed in Class AAA. Not when your bracket contains a trifecta of possible future foes such as Hart County, LaGrange and last year’s AAA state title winner, Peach County.
8. ELCA - Perhaps something of an unknown to folks not living in or around Henry County, Eagle’s Landing Christian is making its mark as a private school football power. The hard lesson for the Chargers faithful is that while success brings rewards, it also brings 2005 Class A titlist Lincoln County in the second round.
7. Rome - When in Rome… blah blah blah. We’ll save the cliches. Buck Godfrey hasn’t taken Southwest DeKalb to the playoffs 23 of 24 seasons simply because the Panthers football team had nothing better to do in mid-November. And SWD’s being a fourth-seed means… not much. To them or to anyone else, either. Rome may say “The Buck Stops Here,” but we’re not sure. (Sorry. Couldn’t help ourselves. Score thus far: Cliches 1, Take Ten 0.)
6. Warner Robins - The Demons enjoyed the fruits of topping tough R1-AAAAA for much of the season. But then Tift County came along and snagged the region No. 1 gold seeding for itself, leaving WR to take the silver. Over in R3, Camden County nailed its No. 1 seed, however, and would enjoy the fruits of facing WR in round two. If WR beats pesky three-seed Mundy’s Mill this Friday. Math is hard.
5. Carver-Atlanta - Cinderella’s finally going to the ball after 20 years and posting a 25-157 record since that last playoff appearance in ‘86. In this case, Cinderella just happens to be a four-seed who went 7-2 this season. And so the storybook Panthers earn a long trip to visit top-seed Stephens County. So what does this season’s feelgood city team get for its troubles (and travel)? Either one-and-done or a Carrollton/Gainesville round two go-to. The fun never ends.
4. Etowah - Is there any doubt that the Eagles’ surprising ‘06 season will go down in school history? Well, no. It was Etowah’s first region football title in the history of the program. That’s huge. And for that, they’ll face a No. 4-seeded Parkview team that, while “off” by its lofty standards, is coached by Cecil Flowe, who knows his way around a few state playoffs. If they win, a North Gwinnett squad still smarting over losing the No. 1 AAAAA state ranking to rival Norcross to cap the regular season may await the Eagles in round two. Pick your poison.
3. Marist - How it happened: Marist suffers a controversial early loss to Tucker, for which Coach Alan Chadwick nets a suspension, but then runs the table - rolling off eight straight wins - to finish 9-1. So they’re the R6 No. 1 seed in Class AAAA. Sweet first-round setup, right? Um… no. Not when Ridgeland, an up-and-coming program, is your four-seed startoff match. And then if you win, you meet either Dacula or Sequoyah next. Neither of those teams are postseason neophytes. Go even farther and maybe you hook up with Creekside or Griffin. War Eagle. Rah.
2. Peach County - Whoever coined the overused phrase “Are we having fun yet?” must have known that someday in the distant future, a GHSA Class AAA state playoffs bracket matching Peach County against three-seed Crisp County would spawn from the depths of the aforementioned Lady Luck’s diabolical draw. That anonymous sage also knew many migraines would split heads and pencils would be gnawed to their gruesome early deaths when bracketologists then tried to determine a potential LaGrange-Peach County second round victor. Tough road for the Peachsters to hoe.
1. Griffin - Apparently, going undefeated is just SO overrated these days. Because Da Bears are a two-seed, thanks to preseason predetermination. Or as one of our prep writers put it, “Somebody had to be the region one seed and it wasn’t Griffin.” Because Northside-WR also went 10-0. Anyway, Griffin hosts Bainbridge and then, barring unforeseen first-round disaster (aka “a loss”), would likely face R2 No. 1-seed Creekside and some kid named Eric Berry who we keep hearing amazing things about here at the AJC, namely because we’re the ones reporting them. Griffin and Northside-WR could eventually hash out the whole “Quien Es Mas Macho?” in Region 4 thing in the finals Dec. 15. Weird twist of fate, no? We’re just saying.
Go on. Take Ten. Who got hosed in this year’s state playoffs draw? And of course - tell us why we’re totally wrong.
Permalink | Comments (54) | Categories: Take Ten
It’s playoff time in Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
•Which Gwinnett team is the biggest underdog?
Clearly, it’s Wesleyan, which faces fifth-ranked Calhoun in the first round. Under first-year head coach Franklin Pridgen, the Wolves have shown signs of advancing as a program. Quarterback Andrew Donovan has been spectacular during his senior campaign, leading an offense that has the ability to score quickly.
But the depth and overall talent level of the Wolves will prevent upset of a powerful Calhoun squad. After an opening loss at Dalton, coach Hal Lamb’s Yellow Jackets, who lost to Charlton County in the last year’s final, have won nine straight. And they’ve done it in impressive fashion, squashing the competition by 44 points a game.
•Which team goes further: North Gwinnett or Norcross?
Now that all of you (sans Puddin’) have jumped on the Norcross bandwagon, be prepared to eject.
How can you not be impressed by the Blue Devils’ blowout victory over North Gwinnett? But Keith Maloof’s talented group has been as inconsistent as an undefeated team can be. Struggles against Peachtree Ridge, Grayson and Collins Hill sound upset alarms.
If Norcross survives up-and-down Walton in the first round and a possible second-round rematch with Grayson, the Blue Devils’ season ends against either Camden County or Warner Robins.
On the other side of the bracket, North Gwinnett has a much friendlier path. First-round foe Chattahoochee is the only team Valdosta beat this year and should wilt to North. Neither Parkview nor Etowah pose a threat in the second round, leaving North only having to deal with talented but beatable Tift County for the right to go to the Georgia Dome.
•What Gwinnett teams go to the Dome?
Only Buford. Unfortunately, the Wolves are the only Gwinnett County team still alive that I haven’t seen in person. However, Buford’s vaunted reputation, this season’s results and respect among my colleagues is enough for me to believe Jess Simpson’s Wolves are headed on a deep playoff run.
In 5A, Brookwood has picked up momentum after a rocky start to the season and appear poised for a return trip to the Georgia Dome. But don’t discount a possible second-round matchup with peaking Collins Hill.
•Which Gwinnett team got the toughest draw? That would be the Dacula Falcons, who must survive 8-2 Sequoyah in the first round, before possible match-ups with No. 5 Marist and likely the winner of No. 2 Griffin and No. 3 Creekside.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Categories: David Purdum
Draws inspire postseason predictions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just checking the playoff draws today, and if I’m reading this right, there’s a good chance that the No. 1 and No. 2 teams won’t make it to the semifinals in any of the classifications. That’s because in three cases, they’d have to meet in the quarterfinals.
Check out these potential matchups that would take place BEFORE the Georgia Dome semifinals.
That’s one blockbuster in every class.
Second round
AAAA: No. 2 Griffin vs. No. 3 Creekside
AAA: No. 1 LaGrange vs. No. 2 Peach County
Quarterfinals
AAAAA: No. 1 Norcross vs. No. 3 Camden County
AA: No. 1 Charlton County vs. No. 2 Buford
A: No. 1 Lincoln County vs. No. 2 ECI
With that, here are my playoff predictions. Remember that while my rankings have proven infallible this season, I have occasionally missed a prediction. I’m a ranker. I’m no Darryl Maxie. The following is intended to provoke your predictions. Here are mine:
Class AAAAA semifinalists: Tift, Brookwood, Camden County, Central Gwinnett
First round
Tift County d. East Coweta; Union Grove d. Windsor Forest; Parkview d. Etowah; North Gwinnett d. Chattahoochee; Houston County d. Newnan; ML King d. Bradwell Institute; Brookwood d. South Cobb; Collins Hill d. Roswell: Norcross d. Walton; Grayson d. North Cobb; Camden County d. Redan; Warner Robins d. Mundy’s Mill; Wheeler d. Peachtree Ridge; Central Gwinnett d. Campbell; Stephenson d. Groves; Coffee d. Hiram
Second round
Tift d. Union Grove; North Gwinnett d. Parkview; Houston County d. MLK; Brookwood d. Collins Hill; Norcross d. Grayson; Camden d. Warner Robins; Central Gwinnett d. Wheeler; Stephenson d. Coffee
Quarterfinals
Tift d. North Gwinnett; Brookwood d. Houston County; Camden d. Norcross; Central Gwinnett d. Stephenson
Final analysis in AAAAA: I’m still picking Tift to win it all, mainly because the Blue Devils have the best chance of getting to the semifinals due to its draw. But if Brookwood survives to the Georgia Dome, then I’m picking Brookwood to make the final and probably win it. The state champion will be Tift, Brookwood or Camden, whichever gets home-field advantage. However, I’m really liking Norcross after last week, especially if Norcross gets that quarterfinal vs. Camden at home. How’s that for picking one team and sticking with it?
Class AAAA: Thomas County Central, Northside, Baldwin, Griffin
First round
Thomas County Central d. Westside (worthy of a semifinal); Statesboro d. Westlake; Pebblebrook d. Clarke Central; Dalton d. St. Pius; Northside d. Lee County; Whitewater d. Brunswick; Habersham Central d. Cherokee; Mays d. Northwest Whitefield; Rome d. SW DeKalb; East Paulding d. Madison County; Ware County d. Starr’s Mill; Baldwin d. Americus-Sumter; Marist d. Ridgeland; Dacula d. Sequoyah; Creekside d. Glynn Academy; Griffin d. Creekside
Second round
TCC d. Statesboro; Dalton d. Pebblebrook; Northside d. Whitewater; Habersham d. Mays; Rome d. East Paulding; Baldwin d. Ware; Marist d. Dacula; Griffin d. Creekside
Quarterfinals
TCC d. Dalton; Northside d. Habersham; Baldwin d. Rome; Griffin d. Marist
Final analysis: Northside has a super draw, not to mention the best team. (Unless it’s Griffin, but the Bears face the most brutal draw imanigable.) It would be foolish to bet against Northside, excpet for that little thing about Northside having never actually won a state title.
Class AAA: Shaw, Carrollton, Washington County, LaGrange
First round
Monroe d. Northeast; Shaw d. South Effingham; Grady d. Apalachee; Sandy Creek d. Flowery Branch; Jackson d. Worth County; Carver-Columbus d. Thomson; Stephens County d. Carver; Carrollton d. Gainesville; Cass d. North Hall; McNair d. Franklin County; Washington County d. Troup; Cairo d. Perry; Cartersville d. Chestatee; Hart County d. Dunwoody; LaGrange d. Liberty County; Peach County d. LaGrange
Second round
Shaw d. Monroe; Sandy Creek d. Grady; Carver d. Jackson; Carrollton d. Stephens County; Cass d. McNair; Washington County d. Cairo; Cartersville d. Hart County; LaGrange d. Peach County
Quarterfinals
Shaw d. Sandy Creek; Carrollton d. Carver; Washington County d. Cass; LaGrange d. Cartersville
Final analysis: I just like Carrollton’s draw, so I’m taking the Trojans.
Class AA: Fitzgerald, Dublin, Calhoun, Buford
First round
Fitzgerald d. Bleckley County; Swainsboro d. Savannah Christian; Heard County d. Morgan County; Pepperell d. Lovett; Dublin d. Cook; Laney d. McIntosh County Academy; Washington-Wilkes d. Callaway; GAC d. Chattooga; Calhoun d. Wesleyan; Greene County d. Macon County; Jefferson County d. Brantley County; Early County d. Toombs County; Buford d. Rockmart; Manchester d. Fannin County; Charlton County d. Screven County; Thomasville d. Dodge County
Second round
Fitzgerald d. Swainsboro; Pepperell d. Heard County; Dublin d. Laney; Washington-Wilkes d. GAC; Calhoun d. Greene County; Jefferson County d. Early County; Buford d. Manchester; Charlton County d. Thomasville
Quarterfinals
Fitzgerald d. Pepperell; Dublin d. Washington-Wilkes; Calhoun d. Jefferson County; Buford d. Charlton County
Final analysis: The Buford-Charlton winner is the favorite, and I’d favor whichever won the coin toss for home-field advantage. I’ll take Dublin on the other side. Buford, Charlton, Fitz and Dublin are four of the most dominant teams we’ve seen in one class in years. They could compete in any classification.
Class A
First round
Clinch County d. Taylor County; Wilcox County d. Savannah Country Day; Landmark Christian d. Social Circle; Warren County d. Bowdon; Brookstone d. Atkinson County; Johnson County d. Portal; Athens Academy d. Fellowship Christian; Gordon Lee d. Hancock Central; Lincoln County d. Trion; Eagle’s Landing Christian d. Jefferson; ECI d. Hawkinsville; Seminole County d. Chattahoochee County; Bremen d. Wilkinson County; Commerce d. Whitefield Academy; Turner County d. Bryan County; Pacelli d. Terrell County
Second round
Clinch d. Wilcox; Landmark d. Warren; Johnson County d. Brookstone; Athens Academy d. Gordon Lee; Lincoln County d. ELCA; ECI d. Seminole; Bremen d. Commerce; Turner County d. Pacelli
Quarterfinals
Clinch d. Landmark; Johnson County d. Brookstone; Lincoln County d. ECI; Bremen d. Turner County
Final analysis: JoCo gets hot at the right moment. But when it’s title time, go with Clinch and Lincoln all the way. Larry Campbell will win No. 11.
Permalink | Comments (99) | Categories: Poll talk
Would you recruit a wing-T quarterback?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you were a college coach, would you consider recruiting a quarterback that ran the wing-T in high school?
Georgia Tech recruiting coordinator Giff Smith would.
“Absolutely,” said Smith in an email. “You still evaluate the player in terms of size, speed, arm strength, athletic ability, football savvy, all the things that you look for in a college football player, and project how he might fit into your program. We frequently recruit players and project them for a different position that what they are playing in high school, so this would be a similar evaluation process.The Wing-T is a complex offense, and running that successfully in high school speaks to a young man’s ability to read defenses and to learn another system in college. A good football player is a good football player, regardless of the system that he is in.”
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: David Purdum
Is North Gwinnett Rutgers?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The surprise story of the college football season has been Rutgers. The surprise story in Georgia high school football has been North Gwinnett. Both programs are thin on tradition. Rutgers’ victory over No. 3 Louisville Thursday was the Scarlet Knights’ first over a ranked opponent in 18 years. North Gwinnett is just three years removed from a 2-8 season.
Both programs had shown signs of turning things around. Under hot-topic head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers played in its first bowl game since 1978 last December. For North Gwinnett, this will be the first time in school’s 46-year playing history that the Bulldogs will go to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.
This season, both programs have taken it to the next level, reaching heights neither team has ever experienced. But the biggest similarity between Rutgers and North Gwinnett is the overall perception of both teams.
The Scarlet Knights own the nation’s No. 2 overall defense and Thursday’s upset of third-ranked Louisville. But does anyone think Rutgers would have a chance against any of the top-five SEC teams, not to mention Ohio State or Michigan? Georgia Tech might even be considered the favorite if it was to face Rutgers. (Needless to say, Georgia would be an underdog.)
The same perception exists with North Gwinnett. Bob Sphire’s Bulldogs own an explosive offense, an underrated defense and a win over No. 5 Brookwood. But if you were to list the favorites to win the AAAAA state title, North likely wouldn’t be higher than fourth, somewhere behind Camden County, Tift County and even Brookwood.
What happens first: North Gwinnett wins the state title or Rutgers wins a BCS bowl game?
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: David Purdum
Griffin-Northside for region title? Not in ‘06
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If Steve DeVoursney had his way, the biggest game in the state this week might not involve Norcross and North Gwinnett.
The Griffin coach voted at region meetings for the Region 4-AAAA subregion champs to play each other in a region championship. He was outvoted, so Griffin, which won its subregion, plays Upson-Lee this week with a playoff berth on the line.
But it could have been No. 1 Northside-Warner Robins, the subregion champ in Region 4-AAAA Div. B. There would have been a huge buildup for No. 1 vs. No. 2 in Class AAAA - perhaps a preview of the state title game. But it’s not happening.
Instead, even if Griffin goes undefeated, a perfect season by Northside earns the Eagles the region’s No. 1 seed, and Griffin the No. 2. If Griffin loses, despite being 9-1, it’s out of the playoffs.
“It’s not a great thing,” said DeVoursney of the region system. “You wish you could decide [a region championship] on the field, but we’re in a situation where we can’t. We’ll do the best with what we’ve got and hopefully things will work out for us.”
Now, we’ll have to wait until the state championship for a possible matchup between Griffin and Northside.
Dublin eyeing up rematch with Cook
A Dublin win this week over Dodge County gives the Fighting Irish a region championship. But the real reward for a win will be a potential rematch with Cook County in the first round of the playoffs. Cook County beat Dublin last year in the second round of the playoffs, a win that was considered a huge upset considering the Dublin defense had allowed 10 points in the previous 11 games.
The motivation of winning a region title and securing a possible rematch with Cook is a big one this week for the Fighting Irish.
“It’s got to be, you want to right your wrongs,” said Dublin coach Roger Holmes. “Very few times in the athletic world do you get a second chance.”
But first Dublin needs to beat a Dodge County team that Holmes said has a huge offensive line and a good defense, making the Dublin-Cook rematch anything but a sure thing. Cook needs to beat Mitchell County to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Dublin is again getting strong play from quarterback Ben Cochran, a three-year starter. Cochran has thrown for 11 touchdowns and only one interception. Holmes also said that running back Brian Wilcher is one of the state’s best, but hasn’t played enough to pile up huge stats.
Wilcher has 870 yards rushing and is averaging nine yards per carry, but since Dublin is steamrolling teams, he’s often on the bench for the second half. Of Dublin’s nine wins, only one (Stephens County) didn’t involved the mercy rule.
But despite the impressive Dublin regular season, Cook County coach George Dean said his team would be ready for another playoff game against the Fighting Irish. In fact, he’d prefer his team be the underdog in that game.
“That’s exactly where you want to be,” he said.
Cook County has its own three-year starting quarterback (Ty Goff) and Dean said he expects standout runner David Arnold to be ready to play after breaking his hand against Berrien.
Links to news from around the state:
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.
For the 30-11th time, take Cedar Shoals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
If I ask my nephew Jalen what number follows 29, he successfully whispers to himself all the numbers that lead up to it before he answers. And then he says, “Twenty-ten.”
When I nod to signal wrong answer, he throws out any nearby number that comes to mind. “Twenty-seven?” “Twenty-three?”
He has an excuse. He is 5. But I understand the process.
See, if you ask me who’s going to win the Cedar Shoals-Clarke Central game tonight, I run through all the games that have led up to it. And when I say, “Cedar Shoals,” some fans will nod in disagreement and say, “The mind of a 5-year-old!”
Or something like that.
“Twenty-ten” could be the Jalen-esque score. Or 20-7. Or 20-3. Makes no difference really. The point is that, in a week that otherwise probably won’t stray too far from the status quo, this is the game that sticks out.
This Region 8-AAAA game is one of several tonight that determines a playoff berth. There will be plenty of time for upsets, but as far as the teams who should get to the playoffs getting there, I see nobody getting lost on the way.
Before they played two months ago, I ran through all the numbers that led up to Clarke Central-Cedar Shoals. Though it had lost five in a row in the series, its worst run in the Athens rivalry, I said, “Clarke Central.”
I was right. Coach Leroy Ryals found a game plan that interrupted a five-game Cedar Shoals winning streak. Now, he’s got to find one that chops an eight-game winning streak to size, using the same faces that the Jaguars have now set in their crosshairs.
So much more rides on this game. Lose-and-go-home time already has begun in the Classic City. Cedar Shoals is better than it was the first time. The breaks that went Clarke Central’s way the first time, and against Hart County, have fled into the opposition’s huddle, starting when Heritage rallied from 21 down to stun the Gladiators.
And, in keeping with football coach wisdom, it’s hard for me to see Cedar Shoals players fading into the offseason, knowing that not one, but two losses to Clarke Central put them there.
Hence, their thirty-eleventh meeting goes Cedar Shoals’ way.
• Short shrift: I have Mays beating Lakeside-DeKalb, just to disprove the Mays fan notion that I somehow “jinxed” the Raiders by picking them to beat Marist last week. I’m also picking Marist over St. Pius. If Marist gets jinxed, Mays could get top seed in Region 6-AAAA. Of course, if Mays really believes in jinxes, it’ll lose to Lakeside and the whole point will be moot. … Never thought Parkview-Brookwood would be an afterthought. But I just thought of it. The words of Brookwood coach Mark Crews ring true after his team defied last week’s boldly errant pick against Central Gwinnett: “Same old order.” Silly me. … When Appling County upsets Brantley County, there will be a three-way tie for the last Region 2-AA berth. Pierce County, with one extra Class AA win, will get it.
FRIDAY
Winner / Loser
Adairsville / Dade County
Alpharetta / Northview
Americus-Sumter / Lee County
Apalachee / Oconee County
Appling County / Brantley County
Aquinas / Monticello
Athens Academy / Jefferson
Atkinson County / Bacon County
Avondale / Cross Keys
Baldwin / North Clayton
Beach / Jenkins
Bremen / Bowdon
Brookstone / Pacelli Catholic
Brookwood / Parkview
Bryan County / Calvary Day
Buford / Lovett
Cairo / Crisp County
Calhoun / LaFayette
Camden County / Bradwell Institute
Campbell / Harrison
Carrollton / Villa Rica
Cartersville / Central-Carroll
Carver-Atlanta / Therrell
Cass / Haralson County
Cedar Shoals / Clarke Central
Central Gwinnett / Shiloh
Chapel Hill / Woodland
Charlton County / McIntosh Co. Ac.
Chattahoochee / Milton
Cherokee / Osborne
Clinch County / Terrell County
Collins Hill / South Forsyth
Cook / Mitchell-Baker
Coosa / Model
Creekview / Armuchee
Dacula / Rockdale County
Dalton / Ridgeland
Darlington / Rockmart
Dawson County / Oglethorpe Co.
Douglas County / Alexander
Dublin / Dodge County
Dunwoody / Druid Hills
Early County / Thomasville
East Hall / Gilmer
East Paulding / Lithia Springs
ECI / Sav. Country Day
Effingham County / Brunswick
ELCA / Mt. Pisgah Christ.
Etowah / McEachern
Evans / Wayne County
Fellowship Christ. / Whitefield Acad.
Fitzgerald / Brooks County
Flowery Branch / Pickens
Forsyth Central / North Forsyth
Franklin County / Monroe Area
Glynn Academy / Richmond Acad.
Gordon Lee / Trion
Grady / Blessed Trinity
Grayson / Berkmar
Greene County / Banks County
Greenville / Central-Talbotton
Griffin / Upson-Lee
Habersham Cent. / Eastside
Hancock Central / Warren County
Harlem / Cross Creek
Hart County / Winder-Barrow
Hawkinsville / Telfair County
Heard County / Lamar County
Hephzibah / Richmond Hill
Jackson / Central-Macon
Jefferson County / Westside-Augusta
Johnson County / Irwin County
Kendrick / Harris County
LaGrange / Troup
Laney / Josey
Landmark Christ. / Our Lady of Mercy
Lanier County / Miller County
Lassiter / Kell
Liberty County / South Effingham
Lincoln County / Ga. Military Coll.
Lovejoy / Jones County
Lowndes / Warner Robins
Manchester / Rutland
Marist / St. Pius
Mays / Lakeside-DeKalb
McNair / Clarkston
Monroe / Dougherty
Morrow / Mundy’s Mill
Newnan / East Coweta
North Cobb / Marietta
Northeast-Macon / Mary Persons
North Gwinnett / Norcross
North Hall / Chestatee
Northside-W.R. / Mt. Zion-Jones.
Ola / Southwest-Macon
Peach County / Henry County
Peachtree Ridge / Duluth
Pepperell / Temple
Perry / Spalding
Pickens / Johnson-Gaines.
Pierce County / Long County
Portal / Jenkins County
Rabun County / Morgan County
Redan / Luella
Ringgold / Gordon Central
Rome / N.W. Whitfield
Roswell / Centennial
Salem / Madison County
Savannah Christ. / Jeff Davis
Schley County / Chattahoochee Co.
Screven County / S.E. Bulloch
Sequoyah / Pebblebrook
Southwest DeKalb / Miller Grove
Shaw / Northside-Col.
Social Circle / Prince Av. Christ.
South Cobb / Kennesaw Mtn.
South Paulding / Hillgrove
Sprayberry / Pope
Starr’s Mill / Fayette County
Statesboro / Ware County
Stephens County / Elbert County
Stockbridge / Jonesboro
Tattnall County / Vidalia
Thomas Co. Cent. / Bainbridge
Thomson / Washington Co.
Tift County / Colquitt County
Toombs County / East Laurens
Towers / Southside
Tucker / Cedar Grove
Turner County / Wheeler County
Union Grove / Newton
Walton / Wheeler
Washington / Stone Mountain
Wash.-Wilkes / Fannin County
Wesleyan / Walker
Westlake / Banneker
West Laurens / Eagle’s Landing
Westminster / Riverwood
Westside-Macon / Riverdale
Whitewater / Northgate
Wilcox County / Treutlen
Wilkinson County / Twiggs County
Windsor Forest / Savannah
Worth County / Westover
SATURDAY
Winner / Loser
Burke County / Benedictine
Chamblee / North Atlanta
GAC / Holy Innocents’
Houston County / Coffee
M.L. King / Lithonia
Stephenson / Douglass
Permalink | Comments (28) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
Take Ten: Best players since ‘66
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a go at ranking the best 10 Georgia high school football players of the past 40 years. I made the cutoff 1966 because that’s the first year the Georgia High School Association opened its membership to the governing body of black schools, the Georgia Interscholastic Association. Some consider that the start of the modern era of Georgia high school football. But more practically, I didn’t want to list too many players that most readers had never seen play. How many people saw Fran Tarkenton at Athens High? Or Larry Morris at Decatur? Or Clint Castleberry of old Boys’ High of Atlanta, the running back who won three Georgia state titles (1939-40-41), then finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1942 as a Georgia Tech freshman? From 1966 forward, here’s my Top 10.
10. Reggie Brown, Carrollton (senior season 1998): Brown was a Parade and a USA Today All-America player in 1998, when he caught 62 passes for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two regular-season games to injury. The AJC all-class player of the year and two-time all-state player, Brown also was the No. 1 wide receiver recruit in the country when he signed with Georgia in 1999. Carrollton was 50-6 during Brown’s four seasons with three semifinal appearances, two state title game appearances and the 1998 Class AA Championship. Carrollton also won two track and field state titles with Brown, and he set the state record in the long jump as a sophomore. Brown now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
9. Deon Grant, Josey (1996): Grant was just a junior in 1995, when he led Josey to its first state title. At 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Grant was a head-hunting, ball-hawking safety, the AJC’s Class AAA defensive player of the year, but he also was a weapon at wide receiver. As a senior, he had 99 tackles, six interceptions and five forced fumbles. He caught 28 passes, eight for touchdowns. He was a collegiate All-American at Tennessee and has played six seasons in the NFL.
8. Larry Kinnebrew, East Rome (1977): A Parade All-American and the AJC’s lineman of the year in 1977, Kinnebrew predated Herschel Walker as a freak of nature, a 240-pound fullback fast enough to win a state title in the 100-yard dash. But Kennebrew was more noted as a defensive player, the monster in the middle for the 1977 East Rome team known as “Big Brew’s Wrecking Crew.” East Rome allowed only one regular-season touchdown and became the first 15-0 team in state history. Signed by Georgia, Kennebrew wound up playing college ball at Tennessee State before a seven-year NFL career.
7. Charles Grant, Miller County (1997): A 240-pound load in the backfield, Grant was a Parade Magazine in 1997, when he tied Herschel Walker’s record for touchdowns in a season with 45. He had 3,472 all-purpose yards that season for the Class A Pirates. Grant, now with the New Orleans Saints, is the only player ever to be selected his classification’s offensive player of the year (1997) and defensive player of the year (1996) by the Journal-Constitution. He was a linebacker primarily in high school, a defensive end in college and the NFL.
6. Eric Zeier, Marietta (1990): The Marietta quarterback was the AJC’s all-class player of the year and a USA Today All-American in 1990, when he led Marietta to a 10-0 regular-season finish. Zeier threw for 2,477 yards, at the time the fifth-most ever in the highest classification, and Marietta was 22-2 in Zeier’s two seasons after moving to Georgia from Germany. Zeier later became a freshman starter at Georgia and the school’s all-time leading passer before spending five seasons in the NFL.
5. Garrison Hearst, Lincoln County (1989): Hearst was the AJC’s all-class player of the year in 1989, when he led Lincoln County to the Class A title and rushed for 2,057 yards. Hearst also was the all-state punter in Class A, not to mention a Parade All-America selection. Lincoln County won three state titles with Hearst in school. Hearst was the SEC player of the year at Georgia in 1992 and played 12 seasons in the NFL.
4. Andy Johnson, Athens (1969): It’s hard to imagine that any player has meant more to a state champion in the largest classification than Johnson. He rushed for 1,178 yards and 15 touchdowns and passed for 1,251 yards and 15 touchdowns, all in 13 games. He returned three kicks for TDs. He intercepted three passes. He was the team’s punter. In the state title game, Athens played defending champion Valdosta, a team that had allowed seven points all season, that coming after Valdosta had fumbled on its 11-yard line. Johnson scored twice himself against the vaunted Wildcats’ defense. Then, with a minute left, he drove Athens 75 yards for a touchdown and tying 2-point conversion for the tie, 26-26. Johnson played at Georgia, then seven seasons in the NFL with the Patriots.
3. Stan Rome, Valdosta (1973): Valdosta’s passing game in 1971 was ahead of its time, and so was Rome, a 6-4 wide receiver who caught 72 passes for 20 touchdowns and a national record 1,573 yards that year, all as a sophomore in just 13 games. He was a rare three-time all-state player in the highest classification and the first Georgia wide receiver to be named a Parade All-American. Valdosta was 30-3 with Rome on the varsity, but that ‘71 Valdosta team was unforgettable, considered by many the best in Georgia history after it defeated Avondale 62-12 in the state title game. Rome played in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, but many believe his decision to play basketball at Clemson shortened what could’ve been a greater football career.
2. Takeo Spikes, Washington County (1994): As a 6-3, 225-pound tight end, Spikes caught 34 passes for 706 yards and 17 touchdowns in 1994, when he led Washington County — perhaps the best team man for man in Georgia history — to a 15-0 season. But he was even more devastating on defense, where he’d make a living in the NFL after an All-America career at Auburn. In high school, Spikes was the AJC’s all-class player of the year and a USA Today All-American in 1994. No team came within 16 points of beating WaCo that year.
1. Herschel Walker, Johnson County (1979): Not going out on a limb on this one. Walker was Parade magazine’s national high school player of the year in 1979, when he rushed for 3,167 yards and 45 touchdowns, both state records. Johnson County finished 14-1 and won its only state title, in Class A. Walker rushed for 318 yards in the state title game, a 35-17 victory over Feldwood. Also won the state titles in the 100-yard dash and shot put.
Go on. Take Ten. Who’s the best Georgia prep football player since ‘66? Who’d we miss?
Permalink | Comments (84) | Categories: Take Ten
Norcross-North Gwinnett biggest game ever? Not a chance.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Somebody please hit the kill switch on the hype machine. I certainly hope Friday night’s North Gwinnett-Norcross showdown isn’t the “biggest regular-season game ever” in Gwinnett County.
Yes, yes … Bob Sphire’s top-ranked Bulldogs and Keith Maloof’s third-ranked Blue Devils are the last two undefeated squads in 5A. And, yes, the Region 7 title is on the line. But shouldn’t the “biggest regular-season game ever” match the two best teams in the county?
North Gwinnett has held up its end, but, sorry, Norcross, you were less than impressive in last week’s triple-overtime win over Collins Hill. The Devils could have very easily been down 12-0 before they even picked up a first down. Combine that with the ease that Brookwood disposed of Central Gwinnett, and it becomes pretty obvious that the Broncos are the second best team in Gwinnett.
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: David Purdum
Taking shots at predicting titles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s been posted here once if not 1,237 times that rankings mean nothing in a sport in which a playoff decides the eventual champion.
I don’t know about that, but rankings do hide the truth. I admitted as much last week when I offered that Brookwood was perhaps AAAAA’s best team while then allowing that Tift County had the best shot at actually winning state due to its projected playoff draw.
Building on that model, below are some gut feelings and unabashed biases about which teams I believe are best-positioned to win, along with the ”no shots” — those that have nice records and name recognition but no real shot at the title.
Tell me if I’ve nailed it, or if on the off chance that I haven’t, just remember that predictions have even less meaning that rankings.
Class AAAAA
Best bets — Tift County, Brookwood
Next wave — North Gwinnett, Camden County
Long shots — Central Gwinnett, all qualifiers from 1-AAAAA
No shots — Stephenson, Roswell, ML King, teams from regions 2, 4, 5, 6
Class AAAA
Best bets — Northside, Griffin
Next wave — Statesboro, Marist
Long shots — Creekside
No shots — Baldwin, Rome, Mays, St. Pius, Dacula, Dalton
Class AAA
Best bets — LaGrange, Cartersville
Next wave — Carrollton, Thomson, Peach County
Long shots — Shaw
No shots — Carver, Chamblee, all of Northeast Georgia
Class AA
Best bets — Buford, Fitzgerald
Next wave — Dublin, Charlton County
Long shots — Calhoun
No shots — GAC, Washington-Wilkes, Heard, McIntosh, Dodge
Class A
Best bets — Lincoln County, Clinch County
Next wave — Turner County, ECI
Long shots — Hawkinsville
No shots — Athens Academy, ELCA, Bremen, Wilcox, Landmark
Parting shots: Actually, an admission of guilt and a note.
Admission: Cairo was ranked for a day this week in AAA despite its loss to Monroe on Saturday. I completed the new rankings Saturday, then neglected to check the outcome. The rankings have been updated, reflecting Cairo’s demise.
Note: This will be only the third season in 25 years that the highest classification will enter the playoffs with just one 10-0 team, either Norcross or North Gwinnett, who play each other Friday. The others were 1993 Dunwoody and 1990 Marietta. Dunwoody won the state title, but Marietta with Eric Zeier lost in the quarterfinals to SW DeKalb. Only five of 38 teams that were 10-0 have won state titles in the highest class in the past 10 seasons.
Permalink | Comments (121) | Categories: Poll talk
Collins Hill-Norcross, a closer look
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Writing on deadline is an adventure under normal circumstances. But things really get fun when the story is about a triple-overtime thriller like Friday’s Collins Hill-Norcross classic. Thanks to the almighty blog, though, I get a second chance to take a closer—and hopefully more accurate—look at one of the strangest high school games I’ve ever attended.
First quarter
2:07 —Collins Hill records a safety when an errant Norcross snap sails over the punter’s head and out of the back of the end zone.
The Eagles would have two more opportunities to extend their lead in the first half. After the safety, Craig Jackson returned the ensuing free kick 37 yards to set the Eagles up deep inside Norcross territory. Five plays later from the 9-yard line, James Lewis burst up the middle, spun free and appeared headed for the end zone. But the senior who had a terrific all-around game fumbled, and the ball bounded out of the end zone for a touchback.
Collins Hill’s defense would force its third three-and-out of the first half, and after another nice punt return, the Eagles were in business inside Norcross’ territory once again. The drive would stall at the 32, though, and punter Kurt Diel would be pulled down short of the first down on a fake.
Second quarter
:57 — Norcross kicker Chris Tanner drills a 47-yard field goal to put the Blue Devils ahead 3-2, despite having amassed -4 yards in the first half.
Third quarter
No scoring
Fourth quarter
9:40 —Jackson caps off a 10-play, 72-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run. The Eagles went for two and converted on a Brent McDonald pass to Diel.
The Eagles converted on three third downs on the drive, including one on a pass interference call, and gobbled up nearly seven minutes off the clock to take a 10-3 lead.
8:45 — Two plays after Jackson’s score, Norcross’ Darius Hanks hauls in a 75-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Dykes. Hanks blew by two defenders on a post pattern, and Dykes, who had completed just two passes all came, hit him in stride. Tanner, who was a perfect 4-for-4 on PATs, tied the score 10-10.
5:26 — On 3rd and 10, Lewis breaks free on a 69-yard touchdown run, silencing the crowd and sending the nice gentleman keeping stats for TV in the press box into a raging temper-tantrum.
On the first play of Norcross’ following possession, Dykes took off on a 70-yard touchdown run, electrifying the crowd and calming down the on-edge stat keeper. But the Blue Devils would be flagged for an illegal shift, negating what would have been the tying score and infuriating the stat guy. (At this point, his face is bright red, and I think I speak for everyone in the press box, we were all scared of him.)
The Blue Devils were not able to pick up a first down and were forced to punt the ball back to Collins Hill with 3:53 to play.
Norcross’ defense would get the three-and-out it needed, and Collins Hill punted the ball away with 2:13 left.
:45 — Norcross’ Demetrius Hill caps off a 10-play, 74-yard drive with a seven-yard run. Tanner’s extra point tied the score at 17-17 and forced overtime. Hill also had 20-yard run on third down to keep the drive alive. Dykes was 6 of 7 on the drive and hooked up with Hanks four times.
First Overtime
•Collins Hill won the toss and forced Norcross to take the ball first. After picking up a first down, the Blue Devils committed consecutive penalties and ended up facing a 2nd and goal from the 15. Dykes would find Sam Snider for the go-ahead score. It was Snider’s only catch of the game. After Tanner’s PAT, Norcross led 24-17.
•The Eagles tied the score with a third-down touchdown pass from McDonald to Diel from 10 yards out and David Isbill’s PAT.
Second Overtime
•Collins Hill retakes the lead on a McDonald sneak. The junior set up the drive with a big completion to Michael Young on first down.
•Norcross retaliated with a direct snap to Hanks, who sprinted around the right side for a 15-yard touchdown.
Third Overtime (Teams must go for two)
•Norcross gets the ball first and goes right back to Hanks. This time the senior wide out took the direct snap, rolled right and tossed a pass to Brice Butler, who took the ball down inside the five yard line. Three plays later, Dykes would sneak in from a yard out. Hill would convert on the two-point conversion, putting Norcross head 39-31.
•McDonald, who has drastically improved over the season, hit Lewis from 10 yards out on Collins Hill’s possession to make the score 39-37. But Kendall Parks intercepted McDonald’s pass on the two-point attempt, sealing the victory for Norcross.
Final Score: Norcross 39, Collins Hill 37
Summary
There were so many other huge twists and turns in this instant classic. I’d love to hear about what you guys thought were some of the key moments in a game that surely will go down as one of the greatest ever in Gwinnett County. So, please, let me here what I’ve left out or messed up.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Categories: David Purdum
Grady now feels at home in playoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You might be surprised by this fun fact: Five years in a row, Grady has made the playoffs. Long perceived as a program looking to return to prominence, five consecutive postseason appearances actually indicates the Grey Knights have arrived.
At 7-2 after disposing of Druid Hills 43-0 Friday night at home, this year’s Grey Knights have legitimized the school’s new-found position as a consistent championship contender.
In other words, Grady has backed up last year’s 13-1 season and first trip to the Georgia Dome. That moment was so moving, the community and alumni supported the team in an unprecedented way.
And in doing so, they helped push the Grey Knights from just another program to a program of respect.
“I’d certainly like to think that,” coach Ronnie Millen said. “It’s what you want to accomplish when you take over a program … but it wasn’t necessarily easy.”
When Millen moved up from assistant to head coach in 2001, his grand plan was to achieve just what he has — consistency. He instituted a weight regimen, strengthened the junior varsity program and hired volunteer assistant coaches to give the players more individual instruction.
The playoff berths in his first three years were greeted with grateful applause. Last year’s trek to the Dome galvanized Grady’s community and caused alumni, who had not been to a game in decades, to proudly wear the Grey Knights colors.
“That year meant a lot to us,” Millen said, “because not only did we win, but the support of the parents and the alumni and community became important. Now, we have parents who have set up tutorial programs for the players. It’s just been big for us in a lot of ways.”
It’s even bigger now that Grady has followed with another strong regular season. The Grey Knights opened the year with a loss to Douglass and a few weeks later dropped a tight game to Westminster. The playoffs looked to be a mere ambition, not a true possibility.
But Grady saved its season with a dramatic victory against Chamblee when it scored on a last-second two-point conversion for a one-point victory.
“That turned things around for us,” Millen said. “I showed confidence in the kids in going for two points, and they have since gained a lot of confidence.”
Which is good and bad. Good because they believe in themselves; bad because one of the true challenges of coaching is managing players’ handling of success.
“That’s been a major part of our conversations with the players,” Millen said. “We’ve had a little adversity here and there with that. We have tried to make them understand that to do what we did last year requires hard work. That’s how it was done then, and that’s how it will be done now.”
Having lost just five seniors off that team, he sees this version of the Grey Knights as potentially better than last year’s. “But this team hasn’t jelled yet as last year’s team did,” Millen said. “We lost some senior leadership that was important for us.”
Still around, however, are a number of seniors who are making the most of their last year, including senior quarterback Simeon Kelley, running back Dexter Barnett and defensive stalwart Anthony Johnson.
And with 31 underclassmen on the roster, including potential star Brandon Outlaw at defensive end, there is no reason not to believe Grady again will be formidable.
“I believe that, but that doesn’t mean we will work any less hard. In fact, it means we’ll work harder,” Millen said. “We’ve built something here, and teams are looking at playing us as a big game. That’s the challenge of becoming a consistently good program. But it’s the challenge all programs would like to have.”
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Where’s the love for Norcross?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
North Gwinnett mania is contagious, but Bob Sphire’s top-ranked Bulldogs may not even be the best team in their own region. Very quietly, about 25 miles south of North Gwinnett, sits a talented and third-ranked Norcross team that hasn’t received nearly the attention the Bulldogs have. Why is that? Keith Maloof’s Blue Devils are just as undefeated and have been just as impressive as North Gwinnett.
Other than a mid-season GHSA controversy, what does North Gwinnett have that Norcross doesn’t? A win over No. 6 Brookwood is the obvious answer. But remember North’s 10-3 Week 2 victory over Brookwood came at a time when the Broncos were missing several suspended starters, including their quarterback Daniel Peek. Why is North’s win over a depleted Brookwood squad more impressive than Norcross’ win at Grayson? It’s not.
With that said, Norcross, which is allowing less than five points a game, could very easily lose to an improved Collins Hill team tonight. Collins Hill has won with its defense all season long, but Larry Sherrill’s Eagles seemed to have found an offense … against North Forsyth (1-7), Forsyth Central (2-6) and Duluth (2-6). Collins Hill has beaten Norcross six consecutive times and leads the overall series 7-1.
Who knows, by the end of next week we could all be suffering from Collins Hill mania?
Permalink | Comments (40) | Categories: David Purdum
Peach County and Twiggs make smooth transitions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When you lose the state player of the year like Peach County did in Antonio Henton, you’re allowed some transition time. But in Fort Valley, the transition to a new quarterback came awfully quick.
Bryan Ellis, who transferred to Peach County for his senior season, has made the loss of Henton a little less painful for the Trojans. Last week in a win over Central-Macon, Ellis passed for 262 yards putting him over 2,000 yards passing on the season.
“He’s done really well, he’s put up some really impressive numbers,” said Peach County coach Rance Gillespie. “He worked real hard and fit right in with our kids and learned the system.”
Gillespie said that by the time the summer passing leagues were finished, Ellis and his teammates were clicking.
One of those teammates, wide receiver Udom Umoh, has helped the team play through injuries at wide receiver. Umoh has 38 receptions for 650 yards. Peach County has also battled injuries on its defensive line and in its backfield.
“We’re fortunate this year in that we do have some depth,” Gillespie said. “Some of our key kids have stepped up and played well.”
The transition at Peach is nothing like the transition going on down in Twiggs County. Twiggs lost 15 starters from last season and coach Dexter Copeland replaced many of them with freshmen. When Twiggs travels to Lincoln County this week, the Cobras will be trying to beat the No. 1 team in Class A with seven freshmen making contributions.
“Early on in the year we went through some growing pains. It didn’t help that you played a team like Dublin,” Copeland said. “At the beginning of the year I told people ‘You better beat us early, because we’re going to get better by week seven or eight.’ That’s what happened.”
Freshman running back Daven Bell caught the eyes of Twiggs County coaches with his fearless play on the scout team against the Cobras No. 1 defense. Copeland decided to give him a carry against Hancock Central and Bell broke it for a 75-yard touchdown. He’s been playing ever since and had 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns on only six carries last week. But this week, Twiggs’ biggest test is waiting. “This [Lincoln County] team is probably the most athletic I’ve seen,” said Copeland.
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.
Tune in, turn on, predict
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Podcast
- audio: Podcast Behind The Picks
Here’s the 6,934th way to tell when you have too much time on your hands: When you start predicting high school football games and give them themes based on television show titles. But you can’t tell a man that Bob Barker won’t be on TV anymore and not have it affect him.
• The “L” Word: Legitimacy. There will be no better regular-season opportunity for Central Gwinnett to get some than tonight at Brookwood. This isn’t the same Brookwood that lost its first two games. But it might look the same, however, after the Black Knights get through with them.
• The Nine: The margin the last time Lowndes beat Tift County, which Lowndes has done 11 times in a row. Look for No. 12 tonight.
• Jericho: Mushroom cloud on the horizon, visible from the small town way downwind of the big city. The small town is Hartwell, home to Hart County. The home team has gotten the worst of its recent meetings with Stephens County, but the fallout from this one will change things.
• Lost: That’s how Greene County has looked in the last nine meetings with Washington-Wilkes. The only victory the Tigers have to show for that time was a forfeit, which counts in technicality only. But tonight’s victory will need no asterisk.
• Grey’s Anatomy: This should be more like the Grey Knights’ anatomy. As in Grady, where, like most other places, the leg bone’s connected to the foot bone. And tonight, the foot bone’s going to be connected to … Druid Hills’ anatomy. Grady wins.
• Heroes: Guys with comic book powers. A painter who draws the future. An invincible cheerleader. I don’t know what game this represents, but I wouldn’t miss it if I did. No prediction here, merely a prognosticational interlude.
• Deal or No Deal: The game where contestants open cases to reveal what they hope are small-dollar amounts, so as to increase the worth of the one case they call their own. As far as Hiram is concerned, the Hornets are going to open a case of something else on Newnan. Can the Cougars avoid this? No deal.
• Law and Order: Time for Harrison to restore this after living on the edge and getting away with it. Bruce Cobleigh’s Hoyas would fall behind and rally to beat North Cobb and South Cobb. Finally, Kennesaw Mountain made them pay. Now, after an off week, the Hoyas will send McEachern to the special victims unit.
• Friday Night Lights: They’ll shine brightly at Weinman Stadium, where Carrollton will drop by to continue its dominance of all things Cartersville and win Region 6-AAA.
• Flavor of Love: The implausible happens on this show, where a man donning clocks around his neck and viking hats on his dome dates a bevy of reality-show models. For me, implausibility means showing Mays some love against Marist. I’ve given the Raiders ample opportunity to prove me wrong. Now that they wear the big shoes, let’s see if they can prove me right.
FRIDAY
Winner / Loser
Alpharetta / Milton
Apalachee / Monroe Area
Athens Academy / Social Circle
Athens Christian / Glascock County
Berkmar / South Gwinnett
Berrien / Mitchell-Baker
Bleckley County / Tattnall County
Bradwell Institute / Savannah
Brantley County / Long County
Bremen / Gordon Lee
Brookstone / Schley County
Burke County / Richmond Hill
Calhoun / Dade County
Callaway / Crawford County
Camden County / Windsor Forest
Carrollton / Cartersville
Carver-Atlanta / Towers
Cass / Sandy Creek
Cedar Grove / Stone Mountain
Cedar Shoals / Salem
Central Gwinnett / Brookwood
Central-Macon / West Laurens
Chamblee / Riverwood
Chapel Hill / Osborne
Charlton County / Appling County
Chattahoochee / Centennial
Chattahoochee Co. / Central-Talbotton
Chattooga / Adairsville
Claxton / Bryan County
Clinch County / Miller County
Commerce / Jefferson
Creekside / Banneker
Creekview / Hillgrove
Crisp County / Westover
Dacula / Loganville
Dalton / Gordon Central
Darlington / Model
Dawson County / Banks County
Dodge County / Toombs County
Dougherty / Worth County
Douglas County / Lithia Springs
Douglass / Newton
Duluth / Mill Creek
East Paulding / Sequoyah
Effingham County / Lakeside-Evans
ECI / Portal
ELCA / Landmark Christ.
Etowah / North Cobb
Fannin County / Rabun County
Fellowship Christ. / Our Lady of Mercy
Fitzgerald / Cook
Flowery Branch / Johnson-Gaines.
GAC / Decatur
Gainesville / West Hall
Gilmer / White County
Glynn Academy / Evans
Grady / Druid Hills
Grayson / Shiloh
Greenbrier / Wayne County
Greene County / Wash.-Wilkes
Greenville / Taylor County
Habersham Cent. / Jackson County
Hancock Central / Aquinas
Harrison / McEachern
Hart County / Stephens County
Henry County / Ola
Hiram / Newnan
Houston County / Valdosta
Jackson / Eagle’s Landing
Jefferson County / Laney
Johnson County / Telfair County
Kell / Sprayberry
Lanier County / Atkinson County
Lincoln County / Twiggs County
Lovett / Cross Keys
Manchester / Lamar County
Marietta / Woodstock
Mays / Marist
McIntosh Co. Acad. / Jeff Davis
McNair / Southside
M.L. King / Luella
Monticello / Ga. Military Coll.
Mt. Zion-Jonesboro / Jonesboro
Norcross / Collins Hill
North Atlanta / Blessed Trinity
North Hall / East Hall
North Oconee / Union County
Northside-W.R. / Westside-Macon
N.W. Whitfield / S.E. Whitfield
Oconee County / Elbert County
Peach County / Southwest-Macon
Peachtree Ridge / North Forsyth
Pebblebrook / Cherokee
Pepperell / Armuchee
Redan / Lithonia
Rockdale County / Eastside
Rockmart / Temple
Rome / Ridgeland
Roswell / Northview
Rutland / Marion County
St. Pius / Miller Grove
Savannah Christ. / Pierce County
Sav. Country Day / Calvary Day
Seminole County / Bacon County
South Cobb / Campbell
South Effingham / Hephzibah
South Forsyth / Forsyth Central
Spalding / Mary Persons
Starr’s Mill / Northgate
Statesboro / Brunswick
Stephenson / Union Grove
Stockbridge / Jones County
Swainsboro / Screven County
Thomasville / Randolph-Clay
Thomson / Cross Creek
Trion / Bowdon
Troup / Kendrick
Turner County / Irwin County
Vidalia / East Laurens
Villa Rica / Central-Carroll
Walker / Avondale
Ware County / Richmond Acad.
Warren County / Wilkinson County
Washington Co. / Glenn Hills
Wesleyan / Holy Innocents’
Westminster / Dunwoody
Westside-Augusta / Josey
Wheeler / Pope
Whitefield Acad. / Mt. Pisgah Christ.
Whitewater / Woodward Acad.
Wilcox County / Dooly County
SATURDAY
Winner / Loser
Cairo / Monroe
Groves / Jenkins
Harris County / Columbus
Liberty County / Benedictine
North Clayton / Lovejoy
Southwest DeKalb / Lakeside-DeKalb
Therrell / South Atlanta
Tri-Cities / Morrow
Washington / Columbia
— Neither games vs. out-of-state teams nor games involving winless protectees included.
Permalink | Comments (31) | Categories: 2006, Darryl Maxie
How long before big-time recruits sit out their senior seasons?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He’s high school’s biggest star, so why shouldn’t quarterback Jimmy Clausen arrive at his own press conference in a stretch Hummer limousine? A week before his senior season began, Sports Illustrated, USA Today and ESPN were among the approximately 20 media outlets that wanted a piece of the 18-year-old Oaks Christian (Calif.) quarterback, who has already been anointed as Notre Dame’s next golden boy. (He even big-timed the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gasp!)
Welcome to the modern era of high school football, a time when players are bigger than any program or coach; a time when superstars the caliber of Caleb King may decide to sit out their senior years.
In Gwinnett, the question of which school King would play for this season stirred up emotions across the state. His decision to transfer from Parkview, a perennial AAAAA power, to AA Greater Atlanta Christian also showed that the team name on the front of a jersey matters little in the recruiting world. Before long, the question surrounding the elite senior athletes will be about not where they’ll play, but if they’ll even play at all.
When King, who is out for the year with a broken leg, was making his decision to transfer, his older brother Andre King said, “I don’t care if Caleb plays another down of high school football. I’d rather him miss his senior year at Parkview than his freshman year in college.”
Even if King had chosen to sit out this season, it would be unlikely that many of his 60 offers, if any at all, would have been rescinded. That’s the case for most of the nation’s elite high school athletes. They simply don’t need to play their senior year. Which raises a question that until now had been reserved for college juniors considering entering the NFL: With scholarship values rising well over $100,000, why risk injury?
The increasing frequency of transfers shows that loyalty to a school or coach clearly is not an issue, and does anyone really need a 61st offer? That leaves playing for the love of the game. Is a passion for the pigskin really worth $100K?
“There’s no such thing as loyalty at any program,” said Bill Redell, Clausen’s head coach at Oaks Christian. “There’s a lot of excuses, but there’s just so much money involved with how much it costs to go to college.”
Camps, combines, passing leagues and online scouting sites have streamlined the recruiting process. They’ve also forced college recruiters to start earlier. College coaches have pinpointed and often offered scholarships to the athletes they’re interested in by the end of their junior year. They’ve known about the Caleb Kings of the world way before their senior year. If they haven’t, they’re probably too late.
Redell sees the day when players will commit to a major university early and then decide not to play during their final year of high school. In fact, it might already be here. Eight years ago, an Oaks Christian player committed to a major university before his senior season and then sat out most of the year with an injury that Redell wasn’t sure was that serious.
The Forbes Report provides recruiting information on sophomores and juniors to more than 100 of the 119 NCAA Division I programs. Founder and president Terry Forbes, a former assistant coach at Notre Dame, says college coaches cannot afford to use a wait-and-see approach to recruiting. They’re forced to recruit potential, not on-the-field performance. They’re forced to recruit athletes, not football players.
“From a college coach’s standpoint, I don’t think that any of them want to recruit juniors and sophomores,” Forbes said, “but there’s really not much choice. You have to be early coming in or else the game might be over.”
Forbes doesn’t think we’re to the point where we’ll see a player sit out his senior season, but notes that the possibility of it happening grows each year.
“You’re not talking about that many guys,? he continued. “You might be talking about 50 guys in the nation. It’s rarified air. “Sometimes the guys that are the most highly thought of are guys that don’t have the highest profiles, may not have won all the awards, but they are still the guys that those top 20 programs might say if we could only sign five guys, these are the guys we would sign. And you’d be surprised [who] would be left out and some of the guys that would be included.”
Marshall “Scottie” Williams, who transferred to Southwest DeKalb this summer, started just three games for Parkview last year. But strong performances at spring camps earned him a scholarship offer from Auburn. Patrick Witt was considered an unspectacular quarterback last year at Parkview. He moved to Dallas, performed well in passing leagues and picked up several offers, before committing to Nebraska.
Byrnes (S.C.) High School head coach Bobby Bentley, whose quarterback, Willy Korn, is ranked second behind Clausen by Rivals.com, says there’s too much emphasis on combine statistics.
“The recruiting services and dot-coms get these stats from in kids running in shorts at these camps,” he said. “The last time I checked football was played in helmets and shoulder pads.”
Forbes and Redell agree with Bentley and urge players not to overthink the recruiting process.
Said Redell, “High school is becoming like the NFL to a certain degree. They bring in all these guys into combines to judge athletic ability and potential. Coaches have their fanny on the line and can’t afford a recruiting mistake. So they come to these things to find kids and also eliminate others. It’s big business. High school football throughout the country is too much. The kids don’t have a chance to be a kid.”
Do you think the day is coming when we’ll see a star athlete choose to sit out his senior year?
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: David Purdum
Take Ten: Best active coaches
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s the scenario. AJC High is opening and we need a head football coach. We have a strong student body, supportive parents and will compete in Class AAAAA. We want to win a title this year because we don’t have patience for a long building process. We think we know the coaches who could do it. This week’s Take Ten: Our Top Ten active coaches.
10. Darren Myles, Carver - Who’s Darren Myles, you ask? Besides the guy who bumped Rick Tomberlin, Ed Pilcher and many other deserving coaches out of the top ten, Myles is a guy we see as the next great coach in Atlanta. He gets respect from his players, having played college ball at Purdue. And he’s a miracle worker. Carver had exactly one winning season since 1978 when Myles was hired two years ago. Now the Panthers are 6-1 and headed to the playoffs. “The biggest key is the kids understand that he has their best interests at heart,” said Carver athletics director David Dada. “You pair that with the fact that he’s sent several players to SEC and D-1 schools. Those players come back to see him on a regular basis. Our kids see he can get them where they want to go.”
9. Cecil Flowe, Parkview - Names like Larry Campbell and Robert Davis carry weight throughout the state, but no hire would make as big an impact in Atlanta as Cecil Flowe. We’d have instant credibility, a coach with four championship rings, plus we’d be weakening Parkview in the process. Flowe has proven that given some talent, he can go a long way. “He’s not a big shot, he’s just a ball coach, a very down to earth guy,” said McEachern coach Jimmy Dorsey. “I got to coach Jeff Francoeur in the Georgia/Florida all-star game and was impressed with how much respect he had for Coach Flowe. That kid thought the world of him.”
8. Robert Davis, Westside-Macon - Originally Davis wasn’t in our top ten. See, we wanted a Metro Atlanta coach in this spot - maybe a Mike Earwood, Mark Crews or Sid Maxwell. But boy, those Robert Davis credentials are too hard to pass up. Some consider his 1976 Warner Robins team the best-ever. He’s got three state titles, a national title, and has built a program from scratch at Westside into a perennial state contender.
7. Buck Godfrey, Southwest DeKalb - During an interview this summer, Godfrey explained the kind of football player his program produces: “You get well-coached players with good manners, ‘Yes sir, no sir.’ They’ll be on time.” We like the sound of that. A top-notch, respectable program - but will we win? How does a career record of 222-69-1 sound? Godfrey’s got a ring, courtesy of the 1995 Southwest DeKalb team led by Quincy Carter. But perhaps his best job coaching came in 2005 when he led the Panthers to the quarterfinals, just three years after M.L. King opened. King’s opening depleted his program of players. “When they put that King school down there, I thought it was personal,” Godfrey said. “We took a bunch of kids… and they put some fun back in the game, and we’re in the quarterfinals. When you get a group together with a common purpose, you can achieve anything.”
6. Rich McWhorter, Charlton County - There might not be a Georgia high school football coach on a hotter streak than McWhorter right now. After losing the state title game to Buford in 2003, he’s led the Indians to two consecutive state titles and is undefeated this season. The part we like best is that he built this program from the ground up. Before McWhorter took over at Charlton County in 1990, the team hadn’t had a winning record since 1979. The Indians have never had a losing season under McWhorter.
5. Steve Pardue, LaGrange - We’d at least reach the state quarterfinals if we hired Pardue, because he’s led LeGrange there five consecutive seasons. He has a pair of state championships as head coach of the Grangers and has a .813 career winning percentage. “He and his staff do an excellent job,” said Peach County coach Rance Gillespie, who beat LaGrange last year in the Georgia Dome on the way to a state title. “It’s obvious those kids believe in the program. They’re proud to strap on those silver helmets, they come out and get after you. They’ve got some good players, but they’ve done a good job developing those players.”
4. Alan Chadwick, Marist - Our top-rated Metro Atlanta coach may not be who you think. But if you don’t believe us that Chadwick is an elite coach, here are the words of a rival, St. Pius coach Paul Standard: “Alan Chadwick is probably, to me, one of the brightest football coaches who I ever had the opportunity to compete against,” Standard said. “I think he does a great job of preparing his teams for the big games. Every year they’re in several big games and they’re always prepared. I’ve never seen or known of a Marist team to be out-coached. Even the games they get beat in, I’ve never seen them out-coached.”
3. Randy McPherson, Lowndes - We’d like to build around defense here at AJC High, so McPherson has to be in the top three. “He’s a great defensive coach,” said Tift County coach Jay Walls, who faces Lowndes this week in a battle to stay on top of Region 1-AAAAA. “They know exactly what they’re going to run offensively and defensively and they don’t mess around with any other junk.”
2. Larry Campbell, Lincoln County - You could argue Campbell should be at the top of the list and the guy at No. 1 would probably agree. Campbell is the all-time leading Georgia high school football coach for career wins (396 since 1972 - thanks ghsfha.org) and has ten state titles. Rob Morton, one of our high school sports reporters, points out that last season might have been Campbell’s best coaching performance. He lost half a dozen players to injuries, yet still led the Red Devils to a state title. Campbell’s still got it.
1. Jeff Herron, Camden County - Our first phone call is down to Camden County to see if Coach Herron feels like leaving the beach to come to Atlanta. Herron has proven he can win anywhere. He won a state title at Camden County, something even the great Luther Welsh wasn’t able to accomplish. He has two 15-win seasons on his resume and state titles at Camden and Oconee County. The secret? McEachern coach Jimmy Dorsey, who probably should be on this list, explains. “It was pretty easy to see right off the bat that [Herron] had the personality and persona to communicate with kids,” Dorsey said. “That’s the thing that Jeff brings to the table, that makes him what he is… He’s kind of the pied piper. Those kids just hang on every word that he says. “
Go on. Take Ten. Who’d we miss? Who would you remove from our list? Let us know your top ten.
Permalink | Comments (128) | Categories: Take Ten
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