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Thursday, October 25, 2007
Mundy’s Mill has uphill climb
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s time for the Mundy’s Mill Tigers to be greedy.
At 4-2-1 overall and 2-1 in Region 4-AAAAA, they’re all but certain to make the playoffs, closing the seasons as they do against struggling Morrow and Paulding County.
It’s likely, then, that their game Friday at Newnan will decide second place in the region. Win, and three weeks hence you’ll likely be playing at home, and you keep your region championship hopes alive. Beat Newnan and then Newnan beats East Coweta, and the possibility of a three-way tie for first is in play.
All of which makes this next fact unfortunate: The Tigers will be without multi-talented quarterback Miguel Starks, who was ejected from last week’s loss to East Coweta. If this is going to get done, the defense will have to have a stellar game and running back Quintory Braswell will have to have a big game.
Newnan, meanwhile, has outscored its opponents 246-61. Says here, Mundy’s Mill is in for a difficult night, and a loss is on the way.
MOVING ON …
Of the three teams in 4-AAAA Division A that have two losses, Jonesboro has the toughest path to a region playoff spot. The Cardinals face a road game at a hot Griffin team this week and a grudge match against Mt. Zion. Clint Satterfield’s club has a chance, but it’s hard to see them sweeping the next two …
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
Mt. Zion vs. North Clayton
7:30 p.m. Friday, Tara Stadium
RECORDS: Mt. Zion (2-4, 2-2 Region 4-AAAA Division A); North Clayton (4-3, 3-1).
COACHES: Mt. Zion, Jarrett Laws (2-4); North Clayton, Don Shockley (81-64-1).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mt. Zion — RB Martin Ward (Sr., 5-10, 195), WR Rashad Boone (Sr., 5-10, 170), OL Gideon Scott (Sr., 6-3, 305); North Clayton — DB Edward Ndem (Sr., 6-1, 190), DT Albert Carlisle (Jr., 6-0, 245), WR Daamon Cooper (Sr., 5-10, 160), OL/DL Devin Redmand (Soph., 6-1, 260).
LAST YEAR: North Clayton won, 32-14.
LAST WEEK: Mt. Zion beat Forest Park 20-12 in overtime; North Clayton beat Jonesboro 17-0. THE SKINNY: Currently sitting in a three-way tie for third place in the division, Mt. Zion can scarcely afford another loss. The Bulldogs breathed life into their fading playoff hopes by beating Forest Park in overtime last week, and picking up a third sub-region win would solidify their chances.
North Clayton, meanwhile, rediscovered its defense in a 17-0 victory against Jonesboro last week, the Eagles’ third shutout. With a win they virtually assure themselves of playing host to a region playoff game.
PREDICTION: North Clayton, 21-12 .
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Fayette Co. seeks playoff homefield
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It might not have been much of a reach to say Fayette County was the region favorite, given the lay of the land in Region 2-AAAA. Fayette County had virtually everyone back from last year, while most of the rest of the region suffered mightily from graduation.
Still, taking a page right out of the Jimmy Rollins playbook, Fayette County coach Tommy Webb said he felt his team was the team to beat, which surely generated no small number of arched eyebrows. This was, after all, Fayette County, they of the occasionally competitive, but often sordid, football history. If ever a program was worthy of taking a wait-and-see attitude, this was it.
The arches have all but disappeared now, for the Tigers (7-0, 5-0) indeed are the team to beat. They face Banneker Friday with a chance to clinch a home playoff berth. Get by the Trojans, and they’ll be favored in their final two games against McIntosh and Starr’s Mill.
10-0? Fayette County? Well, even I’m not willing to put the cart that far in front of the horse. We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. Says here, though, the Tigers will be 8-0 come Friday night.
MOVING ON … Starr’s Mill has made seven playoff appearances in the past eight years, but that run is in jeopardy. The Panthers, who play host to Woodward Academy Friday, lost head-to-head against Creekside, the current fourth-place team in Region 2-AAAA, which means they must win two more games than the Seminoles.
Says here, Starr’s Mill takes care of Woodward and survives in the hunt for the playoffs another week.
DIGGIN’ IT
Whitewater’s Casey Howett made 18 digs from the libero position, helping the Lady Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Area 3-AAAA Tournament …
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
Sandy Creek at Haralson County
7:30 p.m. Friday
RECORDS: Sandy Creek 4-3, 3-1 Region 6-AAA; Haralson County 5-2, 2-2.
COACHES: Sandy Creek, Chip Walker (18-11); Haralson County, Frank Vohun (117-69).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Sandy Creek — OL Chris Spaulding (Sr., 6-0, 270), TB Josh Williams (Sr. 5-9, 180), DE/TE Alex Green (Jr., 6-0, 240), CB Josh Holt (5-10, 175), S Jeremy Hold (Sr., 6-3, 185).
LAST YEAR: Sandy Creek won, 37-7.
LAST WEEK: Sandy Creek beat Carrollton 28-14; Haralson County beat Villa Rica 44-41.
THE SKINNY: Suddenly, Sandy Creek is a region championship contender. The Patriots’ upset of then-No. 3-ranked Carrollton last week not only contributed to the juggling of the Class AAA rankings, it put The Creek in control of its own destiny.
“If we win them all, we take the top spot,” said Walker. Not a fait accompli, to be sure, for Cass and Cedartown are both much-improved over last year, as is Haralson County, which is averaging more than 30 points per game. Walker said the Rebels have the best collection of skilled players his club has faced, but Sandy Creek’s defense has been solid all season.
PREDICTION: Sandy Creek, 23-17.
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ELCA has great Hope in softball
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Question of the week: Can anyone in Class A softball handle Eagle’s Landing Christian pitcher Hope Rush?
The Class A North Sectional gave little indication that they could. Rush struck out 34 batters of the 45 outs she recorded in three games at the sectional, during which she tossed two no-hitters.
The competition this weekend in Columbus undoubtedly will be stiffer, but with Rush toeing the rubber, the Lady Chargers, who are 31-6 overall, have to be considered the favorite to repeat as state champions. Rush has allowed three earned runs in 206 innings and has 25 shutouts.
MOVING ON… O-la, OlaOlaOla, O-la, O-La. OK, it’s volleyball, but the soccer hooligan chant seems in order for the Ola’s team, which won the Region 4-AAA title over the weekend. If that’s not the school’s fight song, it should be considered …
Speaking of fledgling programs … The Woodland volleyball team, which qualified for the state tournament, almost defines fledgling with seven freshmen, one sophomore and two juniors.
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK Henry County at Mary Persons 7:30 p.m. Friday
Records: Henry County 6-1, 3-0 Region 4-AAA Division A; Mary Persons 5-2, 3-0.
Coaches: Henry County, Mike Rozier (17-50); Mary Persons, Rodney Walker (269-125-3).
Players to watch: Henry County - WR/DB Chris Jackson (Sr., 6-1, 195), WR Jamal Patterson (Jr., 6-3, 205), QB Drew Little (Jr., 6-4, 240). Eagle’s Landing - LB/RB Ben Barnes (Sr., 6-2, 185), WR/DB Brock Callahan (Sr., 5-10, 170), QB Dylan Shaddix (Soph., 6-2, 200).
Last year: Henry County won, 22-14.
Last week: Henry County beat Spalding 21-10; Mary Persons beat Eagle’s Landing 28-7.
The skinny: The Warhawks make the short trip down I-75 with a chance to make history by the helmetful. They’ve won six straight, and haven’t won seven in a row since 1993. They can clinch the sub-region crown by beating the resurgent Bulldogs, which might well be the first time ever Henry County and football championship are words that can be paired in a truthful sentence. They’re also going for their third seven-win season since 1969.
On the other side of the field, Mary Persons coach Rodney Walker goes in search of his 270th career victory. Henry’s biggest hurdle has been special teams. The Warhawks have adjusted to moving with the underneath passing game and have continued to be productive, and the defense has been deceptively good all year; opponents have consistently burned Henry in the return game. If they get that squared away, Little, Jackson and Patterson should be enough to make that historical mark.
Prediction: Henry County, 27-23.
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Extreme team makeovers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
America loves a makeover.
Nip and tuck! Pimp my ride! Move that bus! And to tell the truth, high school football fans here are no different. And we have just as tough a time believing what we see of the “afters” when we remember what the “befores” looked like.
Time was — and I speak of the not-too-distant past — that “undefeated” and “Carver-Atlanta” did not belong in the same sentence. But after the Panthers defeat Southside on Saturday, they’ll be a sparkling 7-0 and a cinch to claim one of Region 5-AAA’s playoff berths.
I can remember watching Carver practice when 19 players would be on the field and only a handful of those knew which end of the helmet faced forward. They weren’t dumb. But the way they would get plowed weekly, the facemask was as likely to face forward as backward.
And what of Fayette County, East Paulding, Cross Creek and Jenkins? Does anybody recognize these guys? Teams that were once but one step ahead of the Winless Protection Program’s special agents sport unblemished records. These are they that bring hope to the Meadowcreeks, Cross Keyses and Druid Hillses of the world.
Fayette County takes on Banneker today, and the special thing about this stop on the Tigers’ Loss-Avenging Tour of 2007 is that this one should all but clinch the Region 2-AAAA championship free and clear. They were 2-8 a year ago, helped into that pit by Banneker, which spanked them 36-20. Everybody else who roughed up Tommy Webb’s team last season has paid the price so far. So now shall Banneker.
None of the makeover unbeatens has it particularly easy today. Glenn Hills will give Cross Creek a battle. Cherokee, smarting from last week’s 48-21 rout by Douglas County, will probably go to the wire with East Paulding before falling short.
Jenkins will have it even harder because only the Warriors from among the aforementioned bunch won’t escape tonight unscathed. But when was the last time Jenkins and Camden County went into a late October game tied for first in their region, with their game deciding its No. 1 playoff seed?
Fitzgerald at Thomasville: Couldn’t let this one pass, since you won’t find it in type this big anywhere else on the page. But a pair of Region 1-AA heavyweights (5-0 in league play) go at it.
I started the season on the wrong foot, giving Irwin County too much credit in opening its new stadium, against Fitzgerald, which won that day and every outing since. The Purple Hurricanes have done nothing but win — including last week’s 24-21 victory on the road at formidable Early County. That having been said, it says here that the homestanding Bulldogs will finally snap their string of futility against them.
They are too evenly matched for one team to maintain an extended domination. Thomasville has had an extra week to focus on nothing but Fitzgerald and it’s about time that pays off.
LISTMANIA: And now, without further delay, The Weekend Predix. Check the list, then return to scream, rant, holler, praise, genuflect at the shrine of, give shoutouts to or mount a protest against Maxie right here.
Video: Lights! Camera! MAXIE! See Darryl prognosticate.
Mad about Maxie? Our fearless prognosticator awaits YOUR comments. Are his patented Predix right on or way off? Throw down with D-Max now!
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