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Thursday, August 30, 2007
McIntosh ready to ring the bell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
McIntosh coach Dwight Jones has a bell at home that is only rung when his team wins a game. Sort of like the bell on campus at UGA that students ring when the Bulldogs win.
Jones’ kids know that if they ring the bell out of turn — when no win has granted bell-ringing license — they’re going to be in trouble. All the same, they’re growing weary of waiting. For the record, Jones is too. That bell sits where, taunting him with each passing week. McIntosh went 0-10 in Jones’ first year at the Peachtree City school.
“You don’t ever go into a season expecting that,” Jones said. “There are constant reminders of it everywhere.”
How long the bell-ringing will have to wait is anybody’s guess. Starting with Friday’s game against Sandy Creek, McIntosh likely will be out-manned athletically on a weekly basis this fall, which means the Chiefs will have less margin for errors in execution than their opponents…..
Not exactly disarray — Mike Earwood simply doesn’t do disarray — but Starr’s Mill finds itself in a state of flux on offense to begin the season because of a variety of ailments.
Quarterback Matt Sweat hurt his hip in the Panthers’ scrimmage against Sandy Creek and is questionable for the opener against Cherokee in the Georgia Dome, leaving open the possibility that either sophomore Miles Jaye or freshman Adam Holley will get his varsity indoctrination in front of 70,000 seats. On top of that the Panthers could be without two projected starters on the line.
Coach Mike Earwood didn’t say who, but he has one lineman with a shoulder injury and one fighting a digestive-tract problem…..
The folks at Whitewater are happy to have been to the playoffs last year, but this year will be when they find out what sort of program they have. The Wildcats graduated 44 seniors — 25 is considered a good number at most large-school programs — including those responsible for virtually all of the team’s offensive production. For the record, I think they’ll be in the hunt for another playoff berth, for the general reason that Amos McCreary has produced consistent winners in the past.
I wanted to focus on football for the opening week, but we’ll start hitting the other sports next week.
GAME OF THE WEEK Fayette County at Mt. Zion 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Twelve Oaks Stadium COACHES: Fayette County, Tommy Webb (31-50); Mt. Zion, Jarrett Laws (first year) PLAYERS TO WATCH: Fayette - QB/DB Brandon Boykin (Sr., 5-10, 175); FB/DB Matt Daniels (Sr., 6-1, 195). Mt. Zion - RB Martin Ward (Sr., 5-10, 195), WR Rashad Boone (Sr., 5-10, 170), OL Gideon Scott (Sr., 6-3, 305), LAST YEAR: Mt. Zion won, 42-13. THE SKINNY: It’s not a region game, but both teams need to make an early statement, and Boykin and Ward are two of the state’s marquee players. Ward set the tone in last year’s rout, carrying 19 times for 202 yards and two touchdowns, and to slow him down would mean a lot to a Fayette defense that allowed 334 points last year. Fayette is likely to try to control the ball with Daniels, who like Ward rushed for more than 1,300 yards in 2006. Prediction: Mt. Zion, 27-24.
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Fantasy football: Gwinnett vs. the state; QB updates
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m tired of fighting my alleged Gwinnett bias and have decided to embrace it.
Gwinnett has more talent than any other county in Georgia and is the only county worthy of coverage.
Think I’m wrong? You’re right, but prove it.
Each week during the season, my esteemed colleague Kurt Aschermann and I will each draft a fantasy team made up of strictly Gwinnett high school players.
We will draft one QB, two RBs, two WRs and a defense.
You can participate by forming your own team made up of players from any other county … heck, the entire state for all I care. My team will still be better.
Simply post your team (QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs and a defense) on Wednesday’s or Thursday’s blog. (Due to a late start, this week we will take submissions up until noon Friday.)
Kurt and I will select one reader’s team based on the creativeness of their screen name. (Hint: Crudeness will not be rewarded. Mentioning my Sooners or Saints might)
The chosen team will be posted on Friday’s blog along with Kurt and my teams. If your team out-scores the experts—both of us—then you win a shirt out of one of our closets. Try hard because we’ve got some dope threads. We pick the shirt.
The scoring system is below and will be adjusted to benefit the experts throughout the year.
Passing
100-200 yards — 6
200-300 yards — 9
More than 300 - 15
Rushing/Receiving
50-99 yards — 6
100-150 — 9
151-199 — 12
More than 200 — 15
Rushing/Receiving/Passing TDs — 6
Defense: Every point the opposing team scores is subtracted from your total.
Results will be posted on Tuesday’s blog.
Gwinnett QB updates
Just callNorcross coach Keith Maloof Charlie Weis. Neither Maloof nor Weis is revealing who will be their starting quarterback for their season openers.
“You’ll find out Friday night,” said Maloof, whose second-ranked Blue Devils open at Duluth Friday.
I was almost certain senior Nick Sorel would be the guy last week. But it seems like Maloof wouldn’t mind announcing that a senior had won the job. Junior Charles King is the other candidate. With those receivers, does it really matter?
Senior Taylor Smith will start at quarterback for Dacula. Senior Ryan Meyer, who is recovering from knee surgery, has returned to practice, but would only be used at quarterback in an emergency situation. Junior Hunter Watts was in the mix, before breaking his collarbone in a scrimmage against Grayson.
At Wesleyan, junior Brent Pugh will start, but sophomore Conor Welton will have his chance in the first four series against Dawson County.
I’m at Dawson County-Wesleyan Friday. Come up and give me a hug. I’ll be the bald, sweaty guy.
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