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November 2007
Lowndes-ward bound wisely seek edge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maybe it’s nothing more than a mind game, motivating his team to coax another yard out of a play where it wouldn’t appear there’s another yard to be gained.
It’s understandable why Roswell coach Tim McFarlin fought for the interests of his team’s fans when it came to the scheduling of today’s quarterfinal game at Lowndes. It’s about a four-hour trip down I-75, and for many Roswell fans - working folk just like the good people of Valdosta - getting off work early enough to arrive in time for the kickoff is a hardship.
So he didn’t sign the contract to play Friday at his first opportunity, though truth be told, he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. What’s more, he painted himself into a corner by publicly admitting as much.
It’s Lowndes’ home game and therefore Lowndes’ call, he said. If the principals for both schools can’t work it out, the decision will go to the Georgia High School Association, he said. The GHSA almost certainly will rule in favor of Lowndes, he said.
Reading that, I wondered what motivation - other than goodness of heart - would the Lowndes principal, Wes Taylor, have for ceding any of his team’s home-field advantage.
McFarlin seemed to make it easy for Taylor to take a hard line, knowing Roswell didn’t have any leverage, knowing that McFarlin had already made it easy for the GHSA - which famously rocks the boat as little as possible - to simply rule in Lowndes’ favor, since McFarlin had already prepared fans to brace for the worst.
Yet, McFarlin pushed for an extra yard out of a situation where no extra yardage was to be gained. While the game wasn’t moved to Saturday, as McFarlin had hoped would reduce the strain on his team’s fans, you’ve got to give him credit for trying.
That may not sound like much, but if you’re going to the Concrete Palace - Lowndes’ Martin Stadium - you try to take whatever you can get. Toe hasn’t even met leather yet, to coin an old Ciraldoism, and the gamesmanship has begun.
Roswell isn’t a champion without reason, but it’s gotten some breaks along the way. The extra yard McFarlin tried to bargain for this week, Alex Daniel got last week for the decisive touchdown in overtime against Peachtree Ridge. That the ball popped free before Daniel broke the plane is a break - no different than hundreds of breaks that everybody gets in a season - but it must be remembered that the Hornets made their own breaks to position themselves for the freebie.
The fourth-down conversion on the last drive, the touchdown pass to Garrett Embry. Without those, Daniel is peeling off his jersey in the locker room rather than rumbling with determination in overtime toward Lowndes.
That said, the Hornets would have their hands full with Lowndes on any day of the week. Of the past three Class AAAAA championships, Lowndes has two. Roswell has a half. The Vikings have come up with monster home games when least expected. The nail-biter that was supposed to be the 2005 Class AAAAA championship became a Lowndes laugher, 49-7.
The moral of that story: One bets against the Vikings at home at his own peril. They’ve won 11 in a row since losing to Harrison in the season-opener. Says here they make it an even dozen.
Elsewhere, it’s time to break some “laws.”
• The Law of Reverse Polarity: “Every time you pick against us, we win.”
No doubt, some find the little extra motivational oomph to win when their name appears below the “loser” column. Conversely, some seem to misplace the juice when their name appears below the “winner” column.
This week, we’ll flout the law. Some of these picks are fake. Next week, after the games are over, I’ll reveal which ones were actually real, thus proving once and for all that The Law of Reverse Polarity can be faked out.
• The Law of Playoff Syllogism: Grayson crushed Chattahoochee. Chattahoochee beat Camden County. Therefore, Grayson will crush Camden County.
No.
Remember when North Gwinnett defeated Peachtree Ridge and Peachtree Ridge defeated Norcross and then North Gwinnett was supposed to defeat Norcross but got smacked in the head and coughed up a region championship?
That’s the commonplace exception that makes high school football so compelling. There are just some things you can’t count on, even though Camden County has been known to make a brother nervous (home playoff losses to Dacula in 2005 and Warner Robins in 2006).
• The Law of Charlton County Kryptonite: Charlton County has been Buford’s lone weak spot these last three years, but that all ends tonight in the swamp. Ralph Bolden’s torn ACL will weaken the Indians, though strengthen their resolve. But it won’t be enough. Buford wins.
QUARTERFINAL PREDICTIONS
CLASS AAAAA
Winner / Loser
Camden County / Grayson
Lowndes / Roswell
North Gwinnett / Newnan
Walton / M.L. King
CLASS AAAA
Winner / Loser
Northside-W.R. / Rome
Thomas Co. Cent. / East Paulding
Tucker / Bainbridge
Ware County / Habersham Cent.
CLASS AAA
Winner / Loser
Cairo / Carver-Atlanta
Carver-Columbus / Carrollton
Chamblee / Westover
North Hal / Perry
CLASS AA
Winner / Loser
Buford / Charlton Co.
Cook / GAC
Dublin / Pepperell
Thomasville / Lovett
CLASS A
Winner / Loser
Brookstone / Athens Acad.
Clinch County / Fellowship Christ.
ECI / Warren County
Lincoln County / Wilcox County
Permalink | Comments (223) | Categories: Darryl Maxie
10 guys who’ll light up the field Friday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The playoffs may be exciting enough for you, but we like shiny objects here at Take Ten. Shake your keys at us, and we’ll be entertained for hours.
So when we look at the playoff brackets to figure out which game to watch Friday, we’re more interested in players than teams.
We want to know which guys will do something amazing. Who’s going to make our heart race with an electrifying kick return? Who’s going to break open for an 80-yard run? Who’s going to nail the quarterback for a big sack?
So in our quest to help ourselves and you, we put together our list of the top 10 most exciting players who will be on the field this weekend. If you don’t have your own team and just want to see some sparks fly, these are the players to watch.
10. Chase Thomas, Walton, DE
Not many of our Super 11 players have lived up to their preseason hype, but he’s one who has. He’s always disruptive in the backfield and is very quick off the line. He is the school’s all-time season and career sack leader.
9. Jonathan Davis, Tucker, RB/LB
He made a name for himself during last year’s playoffs for St. Pius, leading a huge comeback at Thomas County Central and nearly carrying the Lions to an upset over Northside-Warner Robins at the Dome. He hasn’t had to be as dynamic this year on a team full of athletes, but he’s still one of those players you can’t take your eye off at any time on either side of the ball.
8. Michael Tamburo, North Gwinnett, QB
He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the state. He’s accurate and can be a playmaker with his arms or legs with his 4.6 speed. His ability to be a dropback passer or a speed rusher makes him difficult to defend, and he’s the catalyst for an offense that has scored more than 30 points six times this season.
7. Cordellaro Jones, M.L. King, RB
Quarterback Jarad Dorsey is the steadying presence, and Jones is the spark. He ran for more than 1,000 yards during the regular season, and he came up big for the Lions last week with 134 yards and three touchdowns. One of those came on a 65-yard run when he outran the Valdosta secondary. He’s quick and is very difficult to bring down when he gets a head of steam going.
6. Garrett Embry, Roswell, WR
He’s big with excellent hands and runs a sub-4.8 40. If the defense doesn’t double-team him, it’ll get burned. In Week 10, he took a short slant 68 yards through the Milton defense for a touchdown, and those are the types of plays he seems like he’s always about to make. He’s headed to Oregon next year, so catch him now while you have the chance.
5. Billy Burns, Walton, All-Purpose
There’s rarely a game when he doesn’t make some sort of play. His punt return for a touchdown was instrumental in the Raiders’ win over Roswell. He returns kicks, catches passes, whatever the Raiders need to win the game. He’s definitely worth the price of admission.
4. P.J. Williams, Thomas County Central, QB
He’s an option quarterback with excellent speed and ability to avoid tackles. He makes the Yellow Jackets offense tick with what he can do with the ball in his hands. Between him and running back Debrale Smiley, the Jackets’ offense is something to behold.
3. Tijuan Green, Northside-Warner Robins, RB
He ran for more than 100 yards in all but one regular-season game and scored 23 touchdowns, despite often only playing about half the game. He has a powerful 5-11, 190-pound frame with the speed of a smaller back. He already has one state title, and he’s got a good shot at another.
2. Tavarres King, Habersham Central, WR
His thin, wiry frame is nearly perfect for a receiver at this level. He can fly (4.53 40 time) and has some of the best hands of any receiver in the state. He has school records for just about everything, and he’ll be playing at Georgia next year. For now, though, he’s still in high school. He’s the definition of a playmaker.
1. Washaun Ealey, Emanuel County Institute, RB
He already owns Georgia’s single-season record for touchdowns with 49, and he’s still a junior with at least one more game to add to the number. His 4.32 40 time is incredible, and he uses that speed to his advantage. He can outrun just about anyone in the open field, and he is as elusive as they come. If you can get out to see him play, do it.
Go on. Take Ten. So who did we miss? Who do you like to check out when you get the chance? And is there something we didn’t mention about these guys that gets your heart racing? Let us know who your shiny object is.
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By taking step down are preps really taking a step up?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It might be a little strong to say private schools have dominated athletics in their classifications since 2000, but it’s not all that far off, especially with some sports.
During the 1.5-multiplier system went into effect in 2000, private schools below Class AAAAA won more than their share of state titles: 22 of 24 in volleyball, 40 of 56 in tennis, 14 of 14 in swimming, 36 of 53 in soccer and 55 of 64 in cross country.
But with the multiplier that bumped most of those private schools up one classification being dumped for 2008-10, there are concerns about what will happen from a competitive standpoint as they move down.
Marist has decided to remain in Class AAAA, but that’s the only private school in the metro area that has elected to play in a larger classification than its enrollment requires.
Schools like Westminster, which has won 49 state titles at AAA since 2000, are making the move down one level to compete with schools that don’t have the advantage of having more students.
Whether that amounts to making the competition tougher, though, is up for debate.
“We made assumptions [with implementing the multiplier], like that AAA is harder than AA; in some sports, that’s not true,” GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin said. “I think it becomes an easy explanation, ‘Why do some schools do well?’ It’s because they’ve got more money, or they recruit. It may be true, but it may not be as prevalent as people think.”
Swearngin may be right, but if Westminster, Blessed Trinity, St. Pius, Lovett, Greater Atlanta Christian and others had as much success as they did against schools sometimes much larger than them, how well can public schools compete when that enrollment advantage is taken away?
If there truly is a competitive advantage for private schools, is the 1.5 multiplier an effective way of dealing with that? Is there another solution that would work better?
Or is it just a matter of schools that put an emphasis on athletics and place good people in the right positions will be successful? And have some of the private schools simply been better at doing this than public ones? If this is the case, why should schools like Westminster be handicapped simply because they do things well?
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Jeff Haws
Underrated kudos; predicting the quarters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My predictions weren’t that bad last week, but I’ve got to admit that I’m more comfortable ranking things than predicting them.
So to get back into my comfort zone, here are the Top 10 most underrated teams throughout the season. These are teams that mostly I have underrated, not so much those Cinderella teams such as GAC or Perry that everybody underrated.
These are teams whose fans have told me I should know better, but I didn’t listen.
1. North Gwinnett: I didn’t rank the Bulldogs in the preseason despite their quarterfinal finish in 2006; I didn’t rank them No. 1 in October when they had faced the toughest schedule among all the undefeated teams; I didn’t think they were a serious state contender despite a 9-1 finish; and I didn’t think they’d beat Brookwood, even though they’d beaten them the last two times the two teams had played.
Now, I’ve seen enough.
I’m convinced North Gwinnett is the kind of well-balanced, well-coached team that can win it all. I’d also put Bob Shire in my Top 10 list for coaches who give the most insightful interviews. Not sure this is a compliment coming from a sportswriter, but I’ve been impressed.
2. Walton: I had Walton ranked higher than anyone else all season, but in a patronizing way. It was only because Walton had beaten Roswell and lost only once, at North Gwinnett, so I had no choice. I still haven’t seen Walton play this season, but I’m talking to too many coaches who hold Walton in high regard. Maybe this is Walton’s best team ever (although I still think Roswell is better. Just stubborn, I guess.)
3. East Paulding: I thought East Paulding was a flash in the pan. Still don’t think EP can hang w/the elite teams in AAAA, such as Thomas County Central, so I’m really meeting EP fans in the middle, not joining them in their living rooms. But to follow up one Final Four season with a 12-0 record and a run to the quarterfinals, that’s more than I figured the Raiders could conjure up with the talent that graduated. John Reid is making a name for himself in just two seasons as a Georgia head coach.
4. Chamblee: If the Bulldogs couldn’t make the playoffs with Roddy Jones, I saw no reason to rank them this season. Only when they got to 5-0 did I give them the No. 10 spot, and that was almost by default. Now, I’ve got to give new coach Jim Showfety credit. Chamblee has made the quarters and won 11 games for the first time since 1982.
5. Fellowship Christian: Got a call from coach Bob Lord in September suggesting that Fellowship should be ranked. I sort of laughed it off and told him nicely that maybe if Fellowship could just play Athens Academy a close game that the Paladins would get on the radar in the distance somewhere. Well, Fellowship has trounced Athens Academy, won Region 5 and made the quarterfinals. No way did I see that coming.
6. Grayson: I kept Grayson in the Top 10 in Week 3 after the loss to Norcross, so it can’t be said that I didn’t realize this was an outstanding team from the start, but I made the mistake of writing off the Rams as a state contender after Brookwood rolled them in October. I’m really not shocked that the Rams are in the quarterfinals, but I can’t believe those scores — 34-0 over Chattahoochee and 34-16 over Norcross. Anything is possible for Mickey Conn and his Rams now.
7. M.L. King: I ranked MLK in preseason (unlike the AP and Gasports.com), and while I picked Valdosta to beat the Lions last week, I put the point spread at one, basically a toss-up, so I’m not conceding much here. But somewhere, I lost faith in my preseason assessment, which was based on this team having a dozen seniors who likely will play college football. I didn’t see MLK winning Region 2 ahead of Stephenson, and I didn’t pick a quarterfinal finish, and MLK would not have been my preseason choice as the only 12-0 team in the state on Nov. 25. So MLK is getting a letter of respect in the mail from me this week. Still don’t think the Lions can win state, but I feel better about them than I have in a while.
8. Dublin: I saw the Irish taking a big step back this season, but now they’re on the brink of another semifinal despite heavy graduation from a state championship team. That’s a sign of good coaching, and Roger Holmes and staff are among the best.
9. Cherokee: Even though Cherokee lost last week, the Warriors get kudos for beating a region champion, Dalton, and nearly taking out Habersham Central, a team that I’ve pegged as state champion material. Cherokee always puts up a fight in the playoffs, and that’s a credit to Brian Dameron, one of Georgia’s more underrated coaches.
10. Newnan: After losing QB Thomas Darrah, one of my favorite competitors in high school sports last season, Newnan wasn’t a team I saw as a region champ or state quarterfinalist. I didn’t think Newnan would beat East Coweta or Coffee. Still don’t see the Cougars as one of the best 10 teams in the state, but it’s been a pretty good ride for the Region 4 champs.
OK, the predictions. Note point spreads in parentheses.
AAAAA
Lowndes d. Roswell (1)
Grayson d. Camden (3)
Walton d. MLK (6)
North Gwinnett d. Newnan (15)
NOTE: If the Roswell-Lowndes game were in ATL, I’d pick Roswell. Really impressed with them (despite the unfortunate finish vs. Peachtree Ridge last week).
AAAA
TCC d. East Paulding (8)
Ware d. Hab Central (3)
Tucker d. Bainbridge (21)
Northside d. Rome (7)
NOTE: Hab’s stock is dropping. Where’s the defense?
AAA
Cairo d. Carver-ATL (16)
North Hall d. Perry (4)
Carver-COL d. Carrollton (2)
Chamblee d. Westover (2)
NOTE: Getting nervous about North Hall.
AA
Thomasville d. Lovett (8)
Cook d. GAC (3)
Buford d. Charlton (12)
Dublin d. Pepperell (10)
NOTE: I’m sticking my neck out in Folkston.
A
Clinch d. Fellowship (10)
ECI d. Warren (9)
Wilcox d. Lincoln (8)
Brookstone d. Athens Academy (3)
NOTE: The bus lets off Lincoln at the next stop.
Permalink | Comments (525) | Categories: Poll talk
Sandy Creek, Fayette will march on
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you were going to highlight the favorites on the Class AAA bracket you’d probably have to start with Shaw and Carver-Columbus. After that, it looks wide open.
So it is that Sandy Creek, the No. 3 seed from 6-AAA has to feel it has as good a chance as anyone else to get to the Georgia Dome for the semifinals. The scariest team on the Patriots’ side of the bracket is Carrollton, and Sandy Creek beat the Trojans by two touchdowns.
That’s not to discount the Trojans from North Hall, who got to the third round last year and clearly know what to do when they get to the postseason.
But this looks like the time we might point to in two years and say, that’s when Ragion Neal came into his own. The Sandy Creek sophomore bolted for 182 yards last week in Sandy Creek’s 23-8 win over Hart County, which is significant because if opponents have to respect the running game, the chances of wideout Braxton Lane hurting them deep are enhanced.
Says here the Patriots’ defense, which has been solid all year, will slow down North Hall, and the group from Tyrone will make its first third-round appearance.
Sandy Creek 21, North Hall 12.
Bainbridge at Fayette County
Fayette’s Tigers are 11-0, Bainbridge’s Bearcats are 8-3. Yet both have an upstart feel in the big playoff picture. Neither has been here before.
Hate to look like a homer here, but I’ll take the home team, especially since Bainbridge is so far away it has a Mississippi ZIP code. There’s no good way to travel from Lake Seminole to Fayetteville, which means Bainbridge, under first-year coach Ricky Woods, will be out of its comfort zone from the get-go.
And Fayette, as I’ve written in this space before, seems to be coming up with all the answers. Here’s one: Matt Daniels and his 1,200 rushing yards.
Fayette County 19, Bainbridge 10.
Whitewater at Thomas County Central
The Wildcats have had a nice season, and their defense has been stellar all year. But like Bainbridge, they have to hit the road to the Rose City, where good teams have long been transitioning to basketball season.
Having steeled itself against the states’ marquee region (1-AAAAA), Thomas County Central looks to me to be the team to beat in AAAA, Northside’s 26-game winning streak notwithstanding. Whitewater will be competitive, but this will be a long right home.
Thomas County Central 31, Whitewater 17.
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Another shootout likely for Warhawks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A couple of weeks ago, I asked Mary Persons coach Rodney Walker about Henry County. His Bulldogs lost to the Warhawks in overtime, after Henry’s Chris Jackson happened to be in the right place as a pass bounced off a Mary Persons defender in the final seconds of regulation. Jackson grabbed the ball and scored to tie the game.
“I think he’s the best player in our region,” Walker said of Jackson. And the Warhawks as a group? “They’ve got a horseshoe.”
I survey the teams left in Class AAA, and none of them seems head and shoulders above the rest, though I suppose Shaw and Carver-Columbus have to be considered the favorites. That said, a team can ride a potent offense — which Henry has — and a little luck a long way.
The Warhawks, who lack a running game, manage to spread the passes around to enough players to have a different kind of offensive diversity. QB Drew Little is 59 yards shy of 3,000, and Jackson, who also anchors the defensive secondary, has more than 1,100 receiving yards.
The luck? Well, when you’re 10-1 it’s hard to say the entire thing was luck, but you do have to have some. But you also can’t discount their willingness to compete, even down 17-0 as they were last week against Harris County. With Westover’s Patriots coming to McDonough, another shootout would seem to be in the offing, but I’m going out on a limb and predicting the luck will last another week.
Henry 31, Westover 27.
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No turkey for Thanksgiving, just crow
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I am like that character in Forrest Gump, Benjamin Buford Blue, the one more commonly known as Bubba. If ever there was a way to prepare shrimp, Bubba could run it down until he had shrimp oozing through your pores.
So it is with me and crow.
It is with the taste of crow fresh upon my tongue that, undaunted, I venture back into the shark-infested waters of the second round of the high school football playoffs.
I said North Cobb would win in Class AAAAA and Fayette County wouldn’t in Class AAAA. Then, I had a wonderfully prepared crow souffle as I looked forward to Fayette County’s next game against Bainbridge and North Cobb’s next game sometime in the fall of 2008. That being a little far into the future to worry about now, I came back to the Fayette County game.
First, let’s dispense with the formalities. Fayette County’s going to win Friday. The Tigers were impressive in their completely-unforeseen-despite-winning-every-other-game victory over Baldwin last week. Certainly, they have more than enough left to take down Bainbridge. I would predict the rest of their playoff run right now, but maybe it’s better to wait until I’ve finished off the last of the crow dogs in the freezer.
Let’s instead turn our attention to the championship rematch between Roswell and, uh … Peachtree Ridge.
Yes, that Peachtree Ridge.
The one I doubted in favor of No. 1-ranked North Cobb, which has probably turned its uniforms in by now. The one I said would not once again run the table from Region 7-AAAAA’s fourth seed. The team I said everybody would see coming a mile away, knowing what it was capable of, the element of surprise gone for 10 games and an offseason of heightened expectations.
Amazing what crow aftertaste will do for a man, isn’t it? Peachtree Ridge will win Friday. There is no way I can doubt Bill Ballard’s Lions, not with visions of crow-flavored gum, crow tarts, and crow a la mode dancing in my head. Does it even matter who the Lions are playing? What’s that, you say? The other team is a champion, too? Champion, schmampion.
As far as I’m concerned, Peachtree Ridge is Bad, Bad Leroy Brown … baddest man in the whole (you know what) town and I have to say that because the song was popularized by a man named Croce, which is pronounced Crow-chee. This cannot possibly be a crow-incidence.
The last time I was right about a Peachtree Ridge loss was when Grayson beat the Lions at home. Then, of course, I had to get carried away with the feeling. I picked Grayson to beat Norcross shortly thereafter.
Three points, however, is not usually enough to beat Norcross, and it wasn’t nearly enough on that day. And now, here they are, about to play again. For the fourth time in two years. Grayson hasn’t won once.
I picked against Norcross twice. And each time the Blue Devils won decisively. So never mind the fact that the Rams looked like world-beaters against Chattahoochee last week. This game is Norcross’ world, and Grayson — blessed with speed and skill as it is — is just trying to get a nut. The Rams are 0-for-Norcross and 0-for-Norcross they will remain.
The only way to make sure this happens, of course, is to send the Blue Devils word that Grayson has been picked to win the game. By the time they figure out what the real deal is, I’ll be able to hide the rest of my crow supplies safely in a dog’s mouth somewhere.
M.L. King takes on Valdosta Friday. Back when Valdosta was falling on its face and going 1-9 last season — the worst season in its history — I told anybody who would listen that Valdosta would return much sooner than later. Now, here they are in the second round of the Class AAAAA playoffs and on metro Atlanta’s doorstep.
That having been said, MLK will win at home, if for no other reason than if they don’t, I’ll have several new friends to help me wash down the rest of these crow-kebabs I’ve accumulated. Fat chance of that happening, right?
Right. Because if one thing has proven true, lo these many years I’ve been in the prognostication business, it’s this: Predict well and the world laughs with you. Predict poorly, and you eat crow alone.
Those predicted against will chortle when you were wrong and they were right, but when the house inevitably wins — and I think we know who the house is here — you stand a better chance of finding Hoffa than finding them.
So, is it crow soup yet? Yep, and you out there who chortled amiss need to come get some.
CLASS AAAAA
Winner / Loser
Coffee / Newnan
East Coweta / Camden County
Lowndes / Douglass
M.L. King / Valdosta
Norcross / Grayson
North Gwinnett / Brookwood
Peachtree Ridge / Roswell
Walton / Harrison
CLASS AAAA
Winner / Loser
East Paulding / Mays
Fayette County / Bainbridge
Habersham Cent. / Cherokee
Northside-W.R. / Evans
Rome / St. Pius
Thomas Co. Cent. / Whitewater
Tucker / N.W. Whitfield
Ware County / Banneker
CLASS AAA
Winner / Loser
Cairo / Shaw
Carrollton / Westminster
Carver-Atlanta / Apalachee
Carver-Columbus / Monroe
Henry County / Westover
North Hall / Sandy Creek
Perry / Worth County
Stephens County / Chamblee
CLASS AA
Winner / Loser
Buford / Darlington
Calhoun / GAC
Charlton County / Fitzgerald
Cook / Dodge County
Jefferson County / Dublin
Lovett / Macon County
Pepperell / Holy Innocents’
Thomasville / Sav. Christian
CLASS A
Winner / Loser
Athens Academy / Whitefield Acad.
Brookstone / Sav. Cntry Day
Clinch County / Schley County
Dooly County / ECI
Fellowship Christ. / Gordon Lee
Lincoln County / Bremen
Warren County / Jefferson
Wilcox County / Miller County< / b>
Permalink | Comments (121) | Categories: Darryl Maxie
The All-Time biggest underdogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Perusing the brackets, it occurred to those of us at Take Ten that at least one of the teams still sitting out there will become the proverbial Cinderella of 2007.
And while we’re terrible at looking into the future (We would have bet the house that Notre Dame was a shoo-in for the national title this year), we’re all about looking into the past and judging what happened.
That led us to wonder, who were the least likely state champions of all time? There’s almost always at least one team at the Dome nobody saw coming, but how many of those teams can take it all the way?
This is the list of the ones nobody expected, especially us.
10. Morrow, 1987 The Mustangs came into the playoffs ranked No. 5 behind four undefeated teams — Valdosta, McEachern, Evans and Effingham County. They went on the road to take down McEachern in the second round, and then fortune turned toward Morrow in the quarters. That’s where Evans was eliminated by forfeit when its quarterback was caught with a radio in his helmet and an excellent Valdosta team was upset by Carver-Columbus. That left only Effingham, who Morrow took out 21-0 for the title.
9. Marietta, 1967 It’s Cobb County’s only state champion ever, and it probably shouldn’t have happened. This looked like a great team through much of the season but appeared to be splintering a bit down the stretch, losing its final two regular-season games, including a 17-14 loss to Rossville that would have kept the Blue Devils out of the playoffs if the region tie had been broken by head-to-head result as it is today instead of playing a region final. Winning that second game against Rossville got Marietta into the playoffs, and the Blue Devils eventually beat undefeated Columbus 14-7 in the state final.
8. Peachtree Ridge, 2006 The Lions got out of the gates slow (they were 4-3 on Oct. 13) and were unranked when postseason play began. But they got hot on the road in the playoffs, racking up a series of close victories against Wheeler (17-3), Campbell (16-14), Stephenson (12-9), Warner Robins (13-7) and then the infamous 14-14 tie against Roswell in the final that split the title.
7. Lowndes, 1999 This team didn’t look much like a state title squad when it started 3-3 and wasn’t looking much better when the playoffs started. The Vikings weren’t even listed in the AJC’s top 15 poll at the start of the postseason, yet they won at Lovejoy before squeaking by undefeated Southwest DeKalb 28-27 and undefeated Northside-Warner Robins 31-28, then took down a third straight undefeated team Brunswick, 17-0 in the state final.
6. Griffin, 1978 Griffin wasn’t a bad team. As the playoffs started, the Journal had the Bears No. 5 in the state and, by the time they got to the final, they had won 11 in a row since a 1-2 start to the season. But nobody was supposed to beat Valdosta. No opponent had scored more than seven points all year against the Wildcats, and they looked poised to win their first title since 1971. But a tough Griffin defense held Valdosta to a season-low seven points while the offense got the one touchdown it needed to forge a tie and a split title.
5. Westminster, 1971 This is another team that stumbled coming out of the blocks, starting 3-3-1. But a solid run in the region got the Wildcats to the Region Final against Marist, where a 16-7 victory got them into the playoffs. Once there, they had to beat the No. 3 and No. 5 team before shutting out undefeated No. 2 North Fulton 13-0 to take home the school’s first state championship.
4. Athens, 1969 It’s another one that revolves around Valdosta. There wasn’t anything wrong with this Athens team, which entered the final against Valdosta 11-1, but the Wildcats looked unbeatable. They had shut out 11 of their first 12 opponents, giving up just seven points all season. Valdosta was riding a 26-game winning streak and was expected to cruise to its second consecutive title and fifth of the decade. But somehow, the Trojans inexplicably scored 26 points to tie Valdosta in the final game the school ever played.
3. Thomas County Central, 1992 The AJC never ranked the Yellow Jackets once until the one poll that mattered — the final one. They started 1-5 and basically fell off everyone’s radar even as they somehow found their way into the playoffs at 5-5. By that time, they had won four in a row and were rolling. They won their first two playoff games easily before surprising undefeated No. 1 Stephens County 20-14 in the semis and then holding off a late rally by undefeated No. 2 Peach County to win 14-13 and start a run of five state titles in six years.
2. West Rome, 1965 The Chiefs started the season 0-3-1 and extended that to 3-5-1 but made the postseason partly because two of those five losses came against teams from Tennessee. Once St. Pius took out No. 1 Thomasville in the semifinals, it looked like the Golden Lions would win their first state title, but West Rome had suddenly found a defense. After surrendering 20 or more points four times during the season, the Chiefs gave up just 14 total points over their final four games, including a 6-0 shutout of St. Pius to win the title.
1. Douglass-Montezuma 1981 This is the king of the Out-of-Nowhere champs. While they existed, the Hornets were one of the worst programs in the state. In 30 years of play, they won six games only three times, including the amazing 1981 season. When they started 1-2, it didn’t raise any eyebrows, but then they started winning. And winning. They won eight in a row before taking down undefeated No. 3 Emanuel County Institute by penetration in the semifinals, then beating Palmetto 20-0 in the final. The Hornets went 0-10 the next year and never again won more than three games in a season before the program dissolved in 1995.
Go on. Take Ten. What deserving out-of-the-blue champ did we forget? What do you remember about the ones we did include? Did any of these unexpected title teams break your heart? Let us know all about it.
Permalink | Comments (70) | Categories: Football, Take Ten
No polls, just playoff talk
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s no poll this week, so it’s time for Let’s Get Ready to Ramble, Playoff Edition…
Gwinnett is Great: Grayson, 34-0. PeaRidge 35-28. North Gwinnett 44-0 at halftime.
Class AAAAA favorites: Brookwood, Norcross. Anything Gwinnett. Roswell & Lowndes. Nobody else. Not Harrison, not Walton, not Camden, not MLK.
Class AAAA: Baldwin, overrated. Westside, overrated. Griffin, overrated. Region 4, overrated. Northside? Pollmeister looking for socks. Getting cold feet about the Eagles.
Class AAA: Shaw d. Peach 40-0, but Perry d. LaGrange 27-7. What’s up, 2-AAA? Sticking with Carver, the Columbus edition.
Class AA: Ex-champs endangered. Dublin, Charlton County. One will not survive. Not saying’ which.
Class A: Two words - Washaun Eli. Three words - ECI. It’s ECI or Wilcox. Nobody else.
Permalink | Comments (456) | Categories: Poll talk
Better-than-expected Round 1 fare
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
They could not have done any better, part one. The Fayette County Tigers went 10-0, winning their region, home-field advantage through at least the second round — assuming that they get that far — and awoke to find an opponent that, if opinion means anything, is higher on the food chain than they.
They could not have done any better, part two. The North Cobb Warriors went 10-0, winning their region, home-field advantage through at least the second round — assuming that they get that far — and awoke to find an opponent that, if history means anything, is higher in the pecking order than they.
Thus, sixth-ranked Fayette County hosts fourth-ranked Baldwin in Class AAAA and No. 1 North Cobb hosts defending co-champion Peachtree Ridge in Class AAAAA. High school football fans win, even as the home teams that were supposed to have an easier time of it — by design — stand a much better chance of losing.
Fayette County will. North Cobb won’t.
Fayette County will because it has yet to play anybody as good as Baldwin. The Braves have steeled themselves against the likes of Northside-Warner Robins, Westside-Macon and even an Upson-Lee team that split with Griffin. A year after the splendid running back Darius Marshall graduated and everybody expected Baldwin to slip, the Braves have reloaded and perhaps are better balanced than the team that reached the second round last season.
They’ve been able to go on the road and win a triple-overtime game at Westside and have lost only once on the road all season — and that at No. 1-ranked Northside-Warner Robins, which could be the best team in any class when quarterback Marques Ivory is healthy.
North Cobb won’t because Peachtree Ridge has tried this trick before. The Lions slipped into the playoffs last season in the lowest position they could — the No. 4 seed from Region 7-AAAAA — and rode an improbable roll to a completely unexpected finish.
Now, here they are again, trying the same stunt — only they’re no longer a blank slate full of potential. They have an impressive resume now, reaching heights more rapidly than anybody had a right to expect. The element of surprise is not among their bag of tricks.
North Cobb knows Peachtree Ridge won’t be intimidated and will have to step up its game accordingly. They also know that Peachtree Ridge quarterback Asher Clark steps up large in the large games, like he did against Norcross on Sept. 28.
They also know that Peachtree Ridge is beatable, as North Gwinnett and Mill Creek discovered on consecutive weeks. North Cobb is beatable as well, but the team that can do it hasn’t been found yet. Maybe North Cobb can get through five games without that team being unearthed. But that’s a prediction for another day.
Speaking of playoff improbables — if not teams who could have done better — who imagined Lincoln County playing on the road in the first round? The Red Devils finished in a three-way tie with Twiggs County and Warren County in Region 7-A, while high-scoring Landmark Christian likewise ended in a three-way tie with Fellowship Christian and Whitefield Academy.
Once all the tiebreaker smoke cleared, Landmark Christian found itself at home and Lincoln County on the road — another of those better-than-the-brackets-say-it-should-be first-round games.
Landmark Christian comes into the game, averaging 51.3 points in its last three contests. Of course, Lincoln County is hardly lumped in the same basket with Mount Pisgah Christian, Eagle’s Landing Christian and Our Lady of Mercy — the teams Landmark tuned up against.
One bets against a Larry Campbell-coached team at his own peril, I have learned through years of experience, while he’s piled up 412 career victories. At some point, I may do it again, but it won’t be today and it won’t be against Landmark Christian.
Permalink | Comments (67) | Categories: Darryl Maxie
With preseason poll out, questions loom
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thousands of fans will pack stadiums this weekend to view the first round of the football playoffs. But a good number of people will escape from the cold to watch some basketball action.
The first Georgia Sportswriters Association preseason basketball poll has been released, and this looks like another interesting year.
Two-time defending state champion Norcross edged powerhouse Wheeler for the top spot in Class AAAAA. Both teams will test their prowess against some tough national competition to prepare for the playoffs.
Now that Maya Moore is miles away at UConn, the large-school girls class seems to be up for grabs. Stephenson has reloaded, and Taylor Turnbow has moved over from Tucker to give the Jags a much-needed inside game.
Douglass returns four starters from its first Final Four team and will battle Stephenson and Redan in a tough Region 2-AAAAA.
Etowah, Mill Creek and Marietta will have a say in the AAAAA crown.
As far as AAAA, will someone other than a team from Region 6-AAAA win the title? With Charenee Stephens in the middle, this might be the year for Southwest DeKalb to break out of the shadows of Marist and St. Pius.
On the boys side, Columbia has appeared to reload. However, Westlake, Fayette County and Miller Grove will be nipping at their heels.
Georgia Sportswriters Associations Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Girls
Class AAAAA
- Stephenson (2); 2. Douglass (2) and Marietta (tie); 4. Mill Creek (1); 5. Collins Hill; 6. Sprayberry; 7. Houston County and Berkmar (tie); 9. Camden County; 10. Redan and Beach (tie). Others receiving votes: North Cobb, Warner Robins.
Class AAAA
- Southwest DeKalb (2); 2. Marist; 3. St. Pius (1) and Northside-Warner Robins (2) (tie); 5. Westside-Macon; 6. Cherokee; 7. Fayette County; 8. Mays; 9. Dalton; 10. Westlake. Others receiving votes: Hillgrove and Cedar Shoals.
Class AAA
- Southwest Macon (1); 2. Carrollton (3); 3. East Hall; 4. Kendrick (1); 5. Northeast Macon; 6. Hardaway; 7. Franklin County; 8. Dunwoody; 9. Hephizbah and Hart County (tie). Others receiving votes: Mary Persons, Westminster, Glenn Hills.
Class AA
- Wesleyan (5); 2. Randolph-Clay; 3. Buford; 4. Laney; 5. Greater Atlanta Christian; 6. Macon County; 7. Putnam County; 8. McIntosh County Academy; 9. Fitzgerald; 10. Rutland. Others receiving votes: Avondale, Screven County.
Class A
- Southwest Atlanta Christian (5); 2. Hancock Central; 3. Hawkinsville and Truetlen (tie); 5. Calhoun County and Landmark Christian (tie); 7. Gordon Lee; 8. Savannah Country Day; 9. Calvary Day; 10. Taylor County and Terrell County (tie). Others receiving votes: Hebron Christian
Boys
Class AAAAA
- Norcross (3); 2. Wheeler (2); 3. Centennial; 4. Marietta; 5. McEachern; 6. Meadowcreek
- Stephenson and Beach (tie); 9. Mundy’s Mill; 10. Parkview. Others receiving votes: M.L. King, Warner Robins, Tift County.
Class AAAA
- Columbia (5); 2. Tucker and North Clayton (tie); 4. Westlake; 5. Fayette County; 6. Miller Grove and Rome (tie); 8. Riverdale; 9. Griffin; 10. Pebblebrook and Lithia Springs (tie). Others receiving votes: Stockbridge, Richmond Academy.
Class AAA
- Jordan (4); 2. South Atlanta; 3. Dunwoody (1); 4. East Hall; 5. West Laurens and Central Macon (tie); 7. Hart County; 8. Chamblee; 9. Carver Columbus; 10. Northside Columbus. Others receiving votes: Washington County, Westover, Thomson, Blessed Trinity.
Class AA
- Randolph-Clay (1); 2. Manchester (1); 3. Wesleyan (3); 4. Lovett; 5. Rutland; 6. Swainsboro; 7. East Laurens; 8. Dodge County and Buford (tie); 10. Thomasville. Others receiving votes: Greater Atlanta Christian, Decatur.
Class A
- Whitefield Academy (4); 2. Turner County (1); 3. Southwest Atlanta Christian; 4. Hawkinsville; 5. Hancock Central; 6. Terrell County; 7. Wilkinson County; 8. Portal; 9. Taylor County; 10. Wilcox County. Others receiving votes: Miller County, Jefferson.
Post up: The sportswriters in the state have made their choices. Are these teams you think are the best in the state? Who did we miss? Have any suggestions?
Permalink | Comments (40) | Categories: Fastbreak
Says here, Geaux Tigers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One has to wonder now that Fayette County has vanquished all comers in the regular season, how the Tigers will handle having no more payback due. I mean, they’ve never lost to their first-round playoff opponent, Baldwin, and the last time the two teams met was in 1977. Virtually every opponent Fayette has had this fall beat them in 2006, so the blood-boiling motivation of revenge was easy to tap into.
Says here they’d better find it. The No. 4-ranked Braves’ only loss was to Northside-Warner Robins, and they might be the most well-rounded team Fayette has faced. Nonetheless, Fayette has played too well this year to falter in the first round, although the brackets did them no favors with this draw. Geaux with that Tiger, but in a squeaker.
Lovejoy at Whitewater
This battle of Wildcats is a fire vs. ice kind of matchup. Lovejoy’s offensive firepower against Whitewater’s icy defense. Before it let up in the second half against Northgate last week, Whitewater had held eight straight opponents to 14 points or less. After traveling to Macon to take on Westside in a Region 4-AAAA playoff, Lovejoy isn’t apt to be scared by Whitewater. A low-scoring game might favor Whitewater, which had gotten 613 yards and 12 touchdowns from Jonathan Frierson. Lovejoy, on the other hand, has found another gear offensively after losing its first four games.
I’m picking Lovejoy, because the Clayton club has shredded five of its last six opponents. Says here, the Wildcats win.
Sandy Creek at Hart County
Sandy Creek was a hiccup away from finishing first in 6-AAA, which means they have to ride. And ride. And ride some more. And after they get there, says here that Rio Johnson and Braxton Lane will have a field day against the Bulldogs.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Fayette
Take Warhawks to advance
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
They’ve set a school record for victories. They have a playoff history that is not stellar. Hence, they’re breaking new ground with their first-round appearance Friday night. They wear black and gold.
Henry County? Well, yes. But also the Warhawks’ opponent, Harris County. The Tigers have been to the playoffs before — in 2000 and in 1976— but they’re the interloper among the representatives from Region 2-AAA. LaGrange, Shaw and Carver are no strangers to the postseason stage, but Harris falls into the category of somebody had to fill the final spot. Their 7-3 record is the best in school history, but their three losses — to LaGrange, Shaw and Carver — were by a combined 100-3 score.
Henry’s only loss was in overtime to Class AAAA Dutchtown, and since then the Warhawks have reeled off nine consecutive victories. Behind quarterback Drew Little (2,916 yards, 30 touchdowns, five interceptions), they’ve rolled up 335 points. The defense looks worse than it is because Henry has allowed 252, but special teams is where they’ve struggled most, and many of those points have come there.
So how do you go about picking a winner in a game where neither team has a legitimate playoff history?
Me? I’m going with the home team. So take Henry to advance to a date with the Thomson-Westover winner.
Eagle’s Landing Christian at Warren County
A college baseball teammate of mine was fond of saying that eventually you were going to have to face the monster. It meant that Brad Lidge would eventually be forced to pitch to Albert Pujols. So it is with ELCA. The Chargers have one of the most potent offenses in Class A, but their three-game losing streak late in the season resulted in the expenses-paid trip to Warrenton, where the Screaming Devils appear to be having one of their breakthrough years. QB Wes Carter, RB Van Jakes and WR Jordan Clanton will give ELCA a chance, but ultimately, Warren will win at home.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Henry
Wildcats to win. Hey, wait…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are some things in football that are simply inexplicable. Like Lovejoy’s 0-4 start that had some observers leaving the Wildcats for dead, then the same team going on the road and throttling a ranked Westside-Macon team. At any rate, they’re hitting the road again, although the trip is significantly shorter, to play Whitewater in the first round of the state playoffs. This battle of Wildcats is a fire vs. ice kind of matchup. Lovejoy’s offensive firepower against Whitewater’s icy defense.
Before it let up in the second half against Northgate last week, Whitewater had held eight straight opponents to 14 points or less. After traveling to Macon to take on Westside in a Region 4-AAAA playoff, Lovejoy (5-5) isn’t apt to be scared by Whitewater and its 8-2 record. A low-scoring game might favor Whitewater, which had gotten 613 yards and 12 touchdowns from Jonathan Frierson. Lovejoy, on the other hand, has found another gear offensively after losing its first four games. Says here, the Wildcats win.
Keep…
On…
Reading…
Southside…
Football…
Fans…
Ha, had you going. I’m picking Lovejoy, because the Clayton club has shredded five of its last six opponents.
Mundy’s Mill at Douglass
The Tigers (6-3-1) hit the playoffs playing well after whipping Paulding County and Morrow by a combined 81-13 to close the regular season, and they face a battle-tested Astros (7-3) club that has had seven games decided by a touchdown or less, including all three of its losses. If the Mill can get a big night from Quintory Braswell, it can win, though this game figures to be another close one. Douglass routed Tri-Cities 42-0, while Mundy’s Mill beat Tri-Cities 27-6. I’ll go with the Tigers to advance.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Clayton
Take 10: Worst playoff draws 2007
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The playoffs are upon us, and cries of “Why us?” are echoing throughout the state. It’s inevitable that, no matter how many games some teams win during the regular season, they just won’t be able to catch a break when the playoff brackets rear their ugly head.
Of all the teams that feel like they got the shaft this year, these are the 10 toughest-luck draws for any top-10 team across the board. These are the good teams that will have really earned it if you see them at the Dome next month.
And if they lose? Well, just blame it on the bracket.
10: Dodge County (No. 10 in AA)
The Indians’ only region loss came to region champ Dublin, and it’ll cost them. Pierce County is also 8-2, and the Bears come into the playoffs having won five of six. Getting by them means the Indians would get a likely second-round matchup with No. 8 Swainsboro (9-1), with No. 5 Calhoun (9-1) the probable prize for the winner.
9: Shaw (No. 4 in AAA)
Being in the same region as Carver-Columbus didn’t help the Raiders. Not only did Carver hand Shaw its only loss and relegate the Raiders to No. 2 in the region, but while the Tigers sit in a relatively benign quadrant, Shaw must start with Peach County (8-2), likely followed by No. 5 Cairo (9-1) and, perhaps, undefeated No. 8 Carver-Atlanta.
8: Mays (No. 8 in AAAA)
The Raiders from Mays are in much the same position as the Raiders from Shaw. They’re the No. 2 seed from a region whose No. 1 is undefeated and sits in a relatively easy bracket. Whereas Mays has to stare down Cedar Shoals (9-1), likely followed by undefeated teams at No. 7 East Paulding and No. 2 Thomas County Central.
7: Camden County (No. 10 in AAAAA)
This is apparently what going undefeated since Sept. 7 (a 17-16 loss to Chattahoochee) and winning your region gets you. After what should be a fairly leisurely opener against Tift County, the Wildcats will face either undefeated East Coweta or previously No. 1 Stephenson, then No. 4 Norcross (9-1), Grayson or get a rematch with Chattahoochee.
6: Flowery Branch (No. 10 in AAA)
The Falcons beat all their opponents by double figures — all, that is, except for undefeated North Hall. That made them No. 2 in the region, and they ended up here. Flowery Branch starts out with Chamblee, which was No. 4 in the state less than a month ago. If the Falcons get by the Bulldogs, they’d most likely face undefeated No. 3 Stephens County, and undefeated No. 9 Thomson could await the winner of that in the quarters.
5: Fayette County (No. 6 in AAAA)
The Tigers haven’t lost a game all year, and this is the thanks they get. Because of some screwy subregion rules in Region 4, Baldwin is No. 4 in the state and its region, and Fayette County is the beneficiary. If the Tigers manage to get by Baldwin in the first round, they’ll get a slight breather with Bainbridge or Statesboro in the second round before probably seeing undefeated No. 3 Tucker in the quarters.
4: Walton (No. 6 in AAAAA)
The last time the Raiders were 9-1, in 2004, they made a run to the Dome. If they do it again this time, it won’t be a fluke. Say what you will about this Parkview team, it’s still Parkview, and the Panthers are never an easy out. If the Raiders clear that hurdle, there’s a good chance they’ll see a No. 9 Harrison (8-2) team that has been playing well, perhaps followed by undefeated No. 2 M.L. King.
3: Charlton County (No. 2 in AA)
Another undefeated team, and another merciless draw. Perhaps East Laurens doesn’t look too daunting at 5-5, although the Falcons have won three of their past four. After that, Charlton should see No. 4 Fitzgerald (9-1), with undefeated No. 1 Buford awaiting the winner. The Indians certainly won’t be sleep-walking to a fourth straight title.
2: North Cobb (No. 1 in AAAAA)
North Cobb notches its first 10-0 regular season since 1979, and they kick off the playoffs with defending state champion Peachtree Ridge, followed by a likely matchup with — stop me if you’ve heard this before — defending state champion No. 7 Roswell (8-2). If, by chance, the Warriors get through that gauntlet, they probably get the pleasure of playing No. 5 Lowndes (9-1).
1: Pacelli (No. 8 in A) / Dooly County (No. 6 in A)
After much deliberation, I just had to lump these two together. Call it the Hard Luck Bowl. First, they have to play each other, which seems like a cruel first-round matchup for top-10 teams. Whoever survives that war should be rewarded nicely with undefeated No. 1 ECI. And even if ECI is somehow upset in the first round, the winner would see an underrated Seminole County team that dropped because of a forfeit. If either team could get through that, they would likely see No. 5 Warren County (8-2) in the quarters. Pacelli and Dooly should write their congressman or something.
Go on. Take Ten. Are these teams’ draws not as tough as we think? Who did we miss? Have any suggestions? Or would you just like to bellyache about your team’s tough luck? Take Ten is here to listen. Consider this group therapy.
MORE PREPS: Video | Rival Smasher | Send photos!
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Extra Point: Does seeding sow parity?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Looking at the playoff brackets these past few days, it has been easy to pick out some of the early-round inequities. Some portions of the bracket are much easier than others.
So the thought came to mind: What if Georgia had an NCAA basketball tournament-style seeding system? The regions would determine who to send to the playoffs, but the GHSA would form committees to seed the teams and place them in the brackets.
Starting the season one week earlier and giving teams a bye week heading into the playoffs would provide plenty of time to formulate the brackets. It would allow for the opportunity to place the top four seeds in opposite quadrants and perhaps even attempt to cut down on travel by grouping geographically close teams together when possible.
GHSA director of media relations Steve Figueroa pointed out that Arkansas does something similar, even drawing impressive ratings numbers to its televised selection show that unveils the brackets.
But he was skeptical that this system could work in Georgia, where tradition often dies hard.
“I don’t think it would ever fly here,” Figueroa said. “People in South Georgia would say they don’t get enough publicity. People in North Georgia would say people are just favoring the big programs in South Georgia.”
Not only does Figueroa say it would be tough to not draw the ire of much of the state, but he says the result of it might not be any better than what we have now.
“Part of me would like to see that, but you see what happens to these 10-0 teams in the first round sometimes,” Figueroa said. “Like most playoff situations, it’s a case of who hits the playoffs hot. One thing that’s certain is the four teams that get to the semifinals are pretty good.”
Other issues would include who to place on the selection committees, which could be difficult to assemble with enough knowledge and lack of bias toward particular schools. GHSA and varying media representatives would probably have to be included to give it a chance at working.
You make the call: What do you think? Could a system like this work in Georgia? If so, how would you set it up? If not, do you have a different solution for some of the inequities we see each year in the brackets? Or are you content to keep things how they are? Give us your thoughts.
Pile on! Got a high school sports issue for Jeff to tackle? E-mail him here.
Permalink | Comments (57) | Categories: Jeff Haws
Those blasted bracket busters!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every November it happens. There’s at least ONE team that busts your HS playoff brackets SO bad, you can’t recover. Not that we’re insinuating you might be — ahem — keeping a bracket for any big reason, like, say, to win anything of the monetary sort in an office-type pool.
But whatever the reason you fill out brackets after researching each team’s stats with the fervor of an Elias Sports Bureau job candidate trying to show off during the interview, we’d like to know which of the usual playoff suspects traditionally bust your brackets and — ahem — break your bank. Not that we’re insinuating anything.
Bracket busters lurk here: AAAAA | AAAA | AAA | AA | A
Permalink | Comments (108) | Categories: Forum
Predicting the playoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s the last official Poll Talk until after the state finals, so let’s come with predictions. Check out my team-by-team Poll Talk Predix and tell me if you think I got the winners and losers in each class right. If not, tell me why not.
Here are my quick thoughts on each classification:
Class AAAAA
Favorites: Brookwood, Lowndes, Norcross
Sub-favorites: Roswell, North Cobb
The winner of their potential second-round game (I’m picking Roswell) will join the top three as a favorite.
Could win it: Harrison, North Gwinnett, Camden County
I know that MLK, Walton, Valdosta and Stephenson can beat anybody, but I don’t see five straight from any of them.
Class AAAA
Favorites: Northside, Thomas County Central
Sub-favorites: Tucker, Habersham Central
We’ll probably see a Cinderella in the Final Four and several upsets, but I can’t see anyone outside those four winning the title.
Class AAA
Favorites: Carver-Columbus, Stephens County, North Hall
Sub-favorites: Cairo, Carrollton, LaGrange
Those top three have separated themselves, but this is a deep competitive class.
Class AA
Favorite: Buford
Sub-favorites: Too many to name
A very deep class, but with Buford in a class of its own. If Charlton County wins a fourth straight state title — which would tie a state record — Rich McWhorter should be put in the coaches’ hall of fame for Christmas because that draw is unreal: Fitz, Buford, Dublin, state final.
Class A
Favorites: Wilcox County
Sub-favorite: Clinch County
Lincoln County does not have the horses. ECI does not have the draw. The door is open for a surprise finalist, but one of those two (Wilcox, Clinch) will win it, or the team that survives the ECI quarter (Seminole, Dooly, Warren or ECI). ECI is great, but the Seminole game with a healthy Bacarri Rambo may be the one to watch in any classification.
Poll Talk Predix: Todd predicts the team-by-team playoff winners and losers in every class.
Talk back to Todd: Holcomb chats live with YOU each Monday, starting at 7 p.m. Leave comments, questions, etc., here and return to talk about the rankings.
Due to technical difficulties, Holcomb was unable to chat live Monday night.
Permalink | Comments (388) | Categories: Poll talk
Locals top off successful season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s to the winners! We go into the final week of the pre-state playoff season (regular season for most, region playoffs this week for 4-AAAA and 4-AAA) with local teams looking to finish off what is likely the most successful season in county history.
Ola and Henry County are still alive in 4-AAA, where they play region playoff games Friday. Luella takes on Redan with a state playoff spot and a winning season at stake (both teams are 5-4), ELCA has clinched a playoff spot, and Stockbridge looks to finish strong in a 4-AAAA consolation game with a chance to finish 6-4 after demolishing Jones County last week.
Ola gets defending state champion Peach County, and the Mustangs don’t figure to unseat the Trojans, who are averaging 26 points per game and have held seven of nine opponents to 14 points or less. This county has long been a football doormat, but could this season be a precursor to future grid success? Or is this season a harmonic convergance of athletes for the local teams? You guys tell me …
GAME OF THE WEEK
Cent.-Macon at Henry Co. — Reg. 4-AAA Playoff: 7:30 p.m. Fri.
RECORDS: Central-Macon, 4-5; Henry County 8-1.
COACHES: Central-Macon, Anthony Hines (24-35); Henry County, Mike Rozier (19-50).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: WR/DB Chris Jackson (Sr., 6-1, 195), WR Jamal Patterson (Jr., 6-3, 205), QB Drew Little (Jr., 6-4, 240), CB Tony Dopson (Sr., 5-6, 180), LB Benson Gyang (Sr., 5-10, 210).
LAST MEETING: Henry won 33-28 on Sept. 14.
LAST WEEK: Henry County beat Ola 26-7; Central beat West Laurens 26-21.
THE SKINNY: Henry County’s MO has been to score in great enough quantities to overcome its shortcomings in special teams. Nowhere was that more evident than in their win over Central in the regular season, when the Chargers got three returns for touchdowns but had no answer for Little and company. If the Warhawks can force Central to beat them from scrimmage - if that means kicking the ball out of bounds, then so be it — this one probably won’t be close. Says here, Central still won’t have an answer for Henry’s passing game, and the Warhawks will walk away with their first region championship.
PREDICTION: Henry County, 34-17.
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Pats next into playoff pool
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fayette County has its region championship. Sandy Creek is looking to make it two, though the Patriots will need some help. They need a win over Cedartown along with a Cass win over Haralson County and a Villa Rica win over Carrollton. It could happen, though the other two games look much more iffy than Sandy Creek’s own game, which figures to be close. Says here, Patriots win to get into the playoffs, but they won’t get the required help.
MOVING ON …
Our Lady of Mercy seems to have turned a corner, though beating Landmark to finish 5-5 is a longshot. Still, Bryan Pinabel’s club might very well challenge for a playoff spot in 2008, the third year in his three-year plan. And if the Bobcats can pull off the upset Friday night, it sets up what could be a watershed weekend at the Fairburn private school, which likely will challenge for state titles in boys and girls cross country Saturday at the state meet in Carrollton …
GAME OF THE WEEK
Fayette County at Starr’s Mill — 7:30 p.m. Friday
RECORDS: Fayette County, 9-0, 7-0 Region 2-AAAA; Starr’s Mill 5-4, 4-3.
COACHES: Fayette County, Tommy Webb (40-50); Starr’s Mill, Mike Earwood (173-73-1)
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Fayette County — QB/DB Brandon Boykin (Sr., 5-10, 175); FB/DB Matt Daniels (Sr., 6-1, 195); HB Cuincy Carruthers (Sr., 6-11, 175); Starr’s Mill — QB Matt Sweat (Sr., 6-0, 185), LB Parker duPont (Sr., 6-0, 210), CB Santrez Collier (Sr., 6-10, 165).
LAST YEAR: Starr’s Mill won, 42-14.
LAST WEEK: Fayette beat McIntosh 41-3; Starr’s Mill beat Northgate 37-0.
THE SKINNY: Oh. And. Seven. That’s Fayette County’s all-time record against Starr’s Mill. So even though the Tigers have turned in their best season ever and they’re adorned with their first-ever region championship, they’ve got some business to finish. Four of those seven Starr’s Mill wins in the series have been by four touchdowns or more. In a season where Fayette has flipped the script on virtually everyone, erasing this particular bagel is particularly important to the Tigers. For its part, Starr’s Mill needs a win to keep its faint playoff hopes alive, and the Panthers find themselves in the unique position of rooting for crosstown rival McIntosh; they need the Chiefs to beat Creekside to open the playoff door. Says here, though, that game won’t matter, because Fayette will exorcise another demon.
PREDICTION: Fayette County, 24-21.
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MTZ won’t snap NWR win streak
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jarrett Laws has done his best to connect his Mt. Zion team with the school’s better teams from the past and the Bulldogs, by virtue of their blowout win over Jonesboro last week, get a chance to sneak into the state playoffs. But here’s what they’re connected with now: Defending state champion Northside-Warner Robins, owner of a 24-game winning streak and perhaps the state’s best player in Tijuan Green, the touchdown machine. Green has found the end zone 24 times (22 rushing, two receiving).
Northside is that rare team that does everything right, and thus when North Clayton coach Don Shockley popped in the Houston County school’s game tapes his first response was, “Oh, snap.” Or something to that effect. This is the last chance for Martin Ward to enhance his reputation as a big-time player, but says here the Bulldogs won’t have enough to snap that Northside winning streak.
MOVING ON …
North Clayton hits the road to Baldwin to play a 4-AAAA playoff game for the second straight year, and if the Eagles can square away their special teams play, they’ll keep the came close and perhaps have a chance to win. Says here, it won’t be the three-touchdown romp the Braves enjoyed in 2006, but North Clayton still comes away empty … Mundy’s Mill needs a win against Morrow to secure the third seed in 4-AAAAA and a trip to Stephenson in the first round. Though the Mustangs are looking to salvage some pride — they’re 1-8 — the Tigers will take care of business.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Westside-Macon at Lovejoy — 7:30 p.m. Fri., Twelve Oaks Stadium
RECORDS: Westside, 7-2; Lovejoy, 4-5.
COACHES: Westside - Robert Davis (341-71-1); Lovejoy - Al Hughes (64-63).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Lovejoy — OL Andre’ Harris (Sr., 6-4, 320), QB Kyle Lacy (Sr., 6-1, 190), WR T.J. Brown (Sr., 6-2, 190). Westside - QB Orrin McFadden, WR Danny Madison, RB Marcus Wilson.
LAST MEETING: Westside won 41-35 in 2003.
LAST WEEK: Westside lost to Northside-Warner Robins 22-12; Lovejoy beat North Clayton 24-13.
THE SKINNY: The Wildcats appear to be surging. After starting 0-4, they’ve won four of five and secured the second-place spot in Region 4-AAAA, Division A, which is why the have a losing record and are playing at home. Westside narrowly lost to top-ranked Northside last week, which could go one of two ways. Lovejoy could benefit from the Seminoles being hung over from that game, but Westside could be bolstered by playing one of the nation’s top teams close. Says here, the Wildcats, despite playing at home, won’t have enough firepower to keep up.
PREDICTION: Westside, 31-24.
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Aristotle Throttle vs. Atom Smashums
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today, dear reader, we take the wild and wacky journey from Atom Smashers to Aristotle, which in the entire history of journalism probably hasn’t been attempted and after today may be outlawed forever because of this.
But that has never stopped us before.
It was Aristotle, the ancient philosopher, who taught us,”You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence is not an event — it is a habit.”
It was the Atom Smashers, the team from Savannah’s Johnson High, who taught us, “Sometimes you have to get by on what you do once — and we don’t need no stinking habit.”
They have won once this season — better than 20-some-odd teams who were forced into a Winless Protection sequestering. They are our examples, if for no other reason than all the other “A” teams who might’ve been dragged kicking and screaming into this example had the decency to win more than once.
For some today, it will be enough to be the Atom Smasher. One win will do. For others, nothing less than Aristotle — doing again what they’ve done repeatedly — will suffice.
Take Marist. It is what it repeatedly does. It is a St. Pius-beater. Twenty-four of the last 25 times. But today, St. Pius must beat the Aristotle out of Marist and become the Atom Smasher.
St. Pius is the team that just went on the road two weeks ago to beat the same team Marist couldn’t handle at home a week ago. St. Pius is the team that woke up after losing to Cedar Grove and hasn’t lost since. St. Pius is the team that would seem to have the superior momentum today, which is when it counts. With a win today, St. Pius will claim second place in Region 6-AAAA and the home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs that comes with it.
North Gwinnett needs to be Aristotle. The Bulldogs were what they repeatedly did last season, right up until the time Norcross stuffed their mugs and spoiled the unbeaten regular season.
Now, on the verge of another unbeaten regular season, they must avenge themselves. The Region 7-AAAAA championship hangs in the balance and for one day the Bulldogs must prove themselves heads and shoulders better than the Blue Devils to snag it — better in the running game, the passing game and on defense. In any case, it’s the Gwinnett County game that has supplanted Brookwood-Parkview for pure impact. No region titles are at stake in the Battle of Five Forks Trickum. Just bragging rights. But Brookwood is trying to do something it has done only once before — beat the Panthers for a third consecutive time —and it says here that the Broncos can, led by Kenny Miles and his 1,947 yards. Yes, even in the Big Orange Jungle.
Coaches will tell anybody who’ll listen how hard it is to beat the same team twice in the same season. But that’s the task that faces Hawkinsville, Upson-Lee and Washington-Wilkes, to name three. If they aspire to something better than Atom Smasher status, they’ll have to beat their opponents for the second time this season.
But both of these rematches come in region-playoff settings. There is no time to dawdle. Nothing less will do than the Aristotle Throttle.
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.
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Take 10: Why Georgia FB rules
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sure, WE know Georgia is a great state for high school football. The best, even. But there are still states like Texas, California and Florida that want to claim that mantle — and Take Ten is here to defend Georgia’s honor.
Don’t get us wrong. High school football is just fine in those states, but we can see their fatal flaws and expose them for the masses. And there are plenty of reasons Georgia beats them all down.
10: The Dome
When teams advance far enough in the playoffs, they get a chance to play at the Georgia Dome. Not every state gives its players a game on an NFL field, and it’s a great experience for those who get there. Starting next year, the Dome will host the state finals.
9: Coaching
Larry Campbell. Robert Davis. Luther Welsh. Conrad Nix. Buck Godfrey. Cecil Flowe. Those are just a few of the coaches who have become legends of sorts in Georgia football. According to the records at FootballFridayNights.com, only Iowa has more coaches in the list of top 25 active coaches by number of victories.
8: Athletes
You can’t sling a football in this state without hitting a big-time athlete or two. They’re everywhere. South Georgia. North Georgia. And, as Atlanta threatens to annex the entire state through relentless expansion, it starts to seem more and more that there isn’t a town in the state that doesn’t have a Division I-A prospect … or 30.
7: Parity
Especially in Class AAAAA, the debate rages whether this is a good thing for the state or if it would be better to have a powerhouse or two. But from a “this is fun to watch” standpoint, it’s great to have teams like North Cobb sneak up to the top. The powerhouse programs are having a harder time staying at the top, and everybody feels like they have a chance.
6: Weather
Everybody talks about how great the football in Florida is. Just try to make it through an entire summer and fall in central or south Florida. “Football weather” there means they have to wear t-shirts instead of tank tops. A “brisk fall evening” is one where the humidity drops to 99 percent. In Georgia, late-season football weather is chilly — like it should be. But it’s not brutal. Just cold enough to feel right.
5: The Southeast
This is the place where football is king. No region of the country has more of a rich football history than this one. Texas tries to claim itself as its own region, but even they can’t match the football pedigree of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, a triumvirate that has been competing in and watching the game for more than 100 years and takes it more seriously than anyone reasonably should.
4: Passionate fans
Goes hand-in-hand with No. 5, but it’s important to note for high school football in particular. Especially when comparing Georgia to California. Out there, they’ve got their pristine beaches, Hollywood, massive cities, hordes of people, activists and professional/college sports teams bursting at the seams. Fans there are known for having a laissez-faire attitude toward the teams they follow. Not in Georgia. Even the people in Atlanta have been accused of not being loyal enough to their pro teams. But there’s no such accusation at the high school level. The passion is always there.
3: No long, lonely drives
Ever driven down the highways in Texas? Some of them make the moon seem congested. You could fall asleep at the wheel, and it probably wouldn’t matter. Trying to follow Texas high school football outside of your hometown team takes several bottles of caffeine pills and a few gas cans. In Georgia, you can get just about anywhere without driving down lonely, deserted highways. You don’t have to sleep for 17 hours to prepare for a playoff road trip.
2: North vs. South
The rivalry has lost a bit of its intensity as the styles of play have become less identifiable to each region, but the North Georgia vs. South Georgia rivalry still brings plenty of debate from the state’s fans. It’s a debate that is uniquely Georgian, and it does its part to make Georgia high school football what it is.
1: Valdosta
They’re the top program in the nation, and the road trip to Bazemore-Hyder is a pilgrimage even out-of-state football fans want to take at least once. Other states certainly have their historic teams, but there’s only one Valdosta. And we have them.
Go on. Take Ten. Are you convinced yet? What did we miss? Is it even possible we’re wrong? Is there another state you can make a case for? Here’s your chance.
MORE PREPS: Video | Rival Smasher | Send photos!
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Extra Point: To score or not to?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
68-0. 68-6. 73-20. 66-0. 63-0.
These are just a few of the blowout scores that have been posted during the course of this season, as the winning team physically overmatched its opponent and put up huge numbers.
When your team is on the short end of one of these games, it can be tough to endure. But Avondale coach Mark Adams — whose opponents have scored 60 or more points nine times during his seven combined years at Cross Keys and Avondale — says it’s important to keep things in perspective in these situations.
“You have to be able to be analytical about it and not emotional,” Adams said. “Even in a one-sided loss, you wouldn’t ever want to stop competing. We seek the opportunity to compete, but never pity.”
Adams pointed out that each team needs to get quality work for its first- and second-string players, and work within the GHSA’s six-quarter rule, which prohibits junior varsity players from playing more than six quarters in a week. That means an opponent with a big lead can only go so deep into the bench before the second half.
And Tucker coach Franklin Stephens, whose undefeated team defeated Lakeside 62-0 and North Springs 63-0 this season, said there are other issues for the winning coach to consider.
“You’re not trying to embarrass the other coach, but you’re also trying not to embarrass the kids,” Stephens said. “But sometimes things just go wrong. The other night [against North Springs], I called a hold-up on our punt return team, but one of the kids dove and he blocked the punt, and we ran it back for a touchdown.”
Adams and Stephens admitted there were times in blowout situations when young players are more aggressive than the coach wants them to be, largely because it may be the first time they’ve played all season. They get excited and want to make a play while they’re on the field.
You make the call: What do you think? What constitutes “running up the score”? Are coaches doing enough to keep the scores from getting out of hand? Should a winning team at some point just take a knee to keep from scoring in the 60s and 70s?
Pile on! Got a high school sports issue for Jeff to tackle? E-mail him here.
It’s region rankings time!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The bad thing about ranking teams is that only those handful of schools that are borderline Top 10 get really get steamed if they’re not included. For example, Poll Talk has not heard a single Mill Creek fan complain about not being ranked. It’s just a challenge to some teams bent out of shape.
However, when you’re ranking regions, whole areas of the state can be insulted in one swoop. Folks who pretend they don’t like each other, like Brookwood and Parkview or Lowndes and Warner Robins, become fast friends when defending their region.
So with that, Poll Talk does its annual region rankings.
That doesn’t mean we can’t still talk about Brookwood-Parkview or St. Pius-Marist or Region 6-AAAAA or Chattahoochee. I feel certain we’re going to talk about 6-AAAAA. And 1-AAAAA. Now let me be done before I change my mind.
Talk back to Todd: Holcomb chats live with YOU each Monday, starting at 7 p.m. Leave comments, questions, etc., here and return to talk about the rankings.
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Playoff cards in Cards’ favor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Of course, Mt. Zion coach Jarrett Laws and Jonesboro’s Clint Satterfield are looking at this from the perspective of keeping their state playoff hopes alive. But here’s the reality: The reward for winning tonight’s showdown at Tara Stadium is … an all-expenses paid trip to Warner Robins for a matchup with No. 1-ranked Northside in the Region 4-AAAA playoff. That team will have to win at McConnell-Talbert Stadium to get into the state playoffs. Stranger things have happened, I suppose, (Appalachian State, anyone?) but … Anyhow, there are local bragging rights to consider. Jonesboro is looking to finish strong with an eye toward next year; Mt. Zion is trying to give Martin Ward a positive sendoff from what has been an otherwise disappointing senior season. Says here, Cardinals wing their way to Warner Robins next week.
GAME OF THE WEEK
North Clayton at Lovejoy — 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Twelve Oaks Stadium
RECORDS: North Clayton 5-3, 4-1 Region 4-AAAA Division A; Lovejoy 4-4, 3-2.
COACHES: North Clayton, Don Shockley (82-64-1); Lovejoy, Al Hughes (63-63).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: North Clayton — DB Edward Ndem (Sr., 6-1, 190), DT Albert Carlisle (Jr., 6-0, 245), WR Daamon Cooper (Sr., 5-10, 160). Lovejoy — OL Andre’ Harris (Sr., 6-4, 320), QB Kyle Lacy (Sr., 6-1, 190), WR T.J. Brown (Sr., 6-2, 190).
LAST YEAR: North Clayton won 32-0.
LAST WEEK: North Clayton beat Mt. Zion 26-18; Lovejoy beat Forest Park 29-6.
THE SKINNY: The difference between playing at home in the Region 4-AAAA playoff and hitting the road against No. 4 Baldwin is likely going to be one play. North Clayton and Lovejoy are separated by one game in the standings and they might bet the two most evenly matched teams in the state this week. North Clayton has scored 161 points and allowed 130; the Wildcats have scored 152 and allowed 130. Each has a narrow loss to Griffin. All of which points to a tight game.
PREDICTION: North Clayton, 26-24.
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Two state volley champs on tap?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t look now, but it could be that the county winds up with two state champions in volleyball. McIntosh and Starr’s Mill fill half the state semifinals bracket in Class AAAA (Starr’s Mill faces St. Pius, while McIntosh takes on Woodward Academy), and Sandy Creek, behind hitter Olmpia Haney, faces Westminster in AAA.
LOOKIN’ FOR HISTORY
If Fayette County beats McIntosh Friday, and says here they will, the Tigers will claim the Region 2-AAAA championship. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, it will be their first ever, and it’s been a long wait for the county’s oldest school.
SEE-SAW EFFECT
Starr’s Mill has alternated losses and wins since football season began, but their end of the seesaw will stay up this week against Northgate, which has been shut out four times and has lost seven straight.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Whitewater at Woodward Academy — 7:30 p.m. Fri.
RECORDS: Whitewater 6-2, 5-1 Region 2-AAAA; Woodward Academy 4-5, 3-4.
COACHES: Whitewater, Amos McCreary (102-47); Woodward, Mark Miller (15-14)
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Whitewater — FB Collin Wooddy (Sr., 6-1.210), CB Chris Asbury (Sr., 5-9, 175), DE Thomas Richard (Jr., 6-1, 200).
LAST YEAR: Woodward won, 17-12.
LAST WEEK: Whitewater was off; Woodward lost to Starr’s Mill, 28-12.
THE SKINNY: The Wildcats have shaken off a 1-2 start and won five straight, during which time they’ve allowed just 34 points, and now appear headed for the second-place spot in 2-AAAA. Woodward is trying to avoid its second losing season in three years, but Whitewater’s defense likely will be the difference; only one team, Newnan in the season opener, has scored more than two touchdowns against the Wildcats.
PREDICTION: Whitewater, 31-9.
Permalink | | Categories: Fayette
Chargers should take 5-A title
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two weeks ago, a perusal of the schedule would have prompted the peruser to pause at Eagle’s Landing Christian’s game Friday against Landmark Christian with the thought: Will this be the year the Chargers unseat Landmark as Region 5-A champion? Now, though, the Chargers have lost two straight and the War Eagles’ stranglehold on the region title has been usurped instead by Fellowship Christian, which has beaten both of them. This duel on Highway 42, though, probably means a home playoff game for Landmark, while ELCA can clinch a postseason berth. Says here that the Chargers, who had suffered back-to-back single-digit losses, will break through.
MOVING ON…
The optimism generated by a 4-0 start has given way to disappointment for Stockbridge, which has lost four straight to the Region 4-AAAA powers, but the Tigers still have a good chance to finish with their first winning season since 1995. They were within a point last year of beating Jones County, this week’s opponent, and they’ve been a play away the last two weeks against Westside-Macon and Upson-Lee. Says here the Tigers get it done this time.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Luella at M.L. King — 7:30 p.m. Sat., Panthersville Stadium
RECORDS: Luella 5-3, 4-1 Region 2-AAAAA; M.L. King 8-0, 5-0.
COACHES: Luella, Paul Burgdorf (17-26); M.L. King, Corey Jarvis (27-5)
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Luella — WR Chance Masters (Sr., 5-11, 170), TE Jake Burgdorf (Sr, 6-0, 230), QB/DB Roderick Sweeting (Jr., 5-11, 175).
LAST YEAR: M.L. King won, 31-9.
LAST WEEK: Luella beat Lithonia 10-0; M.L. King beat Newton 47-12.
THE SKINNY: This battle between Lions could settle the issue of the Alpha Helmet in 2-AAAAA. Luella has weathered the storm that came with its fracas during the Union Grove game Oct. 12 and now hits the road for the biggest game in the school’s short history. They’ve reached five wins for the first time, have won four straight and need one more win to clinch their first-ever playoff berth. None of which is to say it will be easy. M.L. King is ranked No. 3 in AAAAA and has topped 40 points five times in eight games. The big question is whether Luella is ready for its close-up.
PREDICTION: M.L. King, 30-19.
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The ABCs of prognostication
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Winless Protection Program left me 26 games short this week. That’s 23 games that involved at least one 0-fer and three others that actually qualified for double-secret winless probation because neither sideline has known victory since back when Georgia wasn’t Arizona.
Winless Protectees drop beneath the prognostication radar because their games simply have become too easy. At some point you have to subtract the monotony of “[insert team of futility here] loses again” this week and go to playoff mode.
At least three 0-fers will rejoin the fold next week because they’re forced to win. Until then, I present the ABCs of prognostication.
A is for accident. As in, what it would take for McEachern to beat Harrison this week, or what many Harrison fans consider that Sept. 14 loss to North Cobb.
B for blunder. No matter how badly teams from regions 1-AAAA and 6-A blunder, they can’t miss the playoffs.
C is for catastrophe. If GAC accidentally blunders and loses to Decatur, it’ll be a catastrophe.
D is for Dutchtown, which has the most football appropriate-sounding school name in the state (just transpose the D and the second T), but not enough else to stop Baldwin today.
E is for East Coweta remaining unbeaten because it’s idle and just benefited from F is for forfeit, erasing a season-opening loss to an Alabama team which used an illegal player.
G is for Glascock County, which practically invented winless protection when it lost 82 in a row but has no need for it now. However, it could use a little Athens Christian Protection today.
H is for Henry County, which will beat Ola to tie its most wins in a season since 1955 (eight).
I is. U is, too. Don’t do this in English class, kids, or the F you get will not be for forfeit.
J is for Jefferson, which hasn’t beaten Commerce since 1995, but breaks the streak tonight.
K is for Kell, which most minimally has avoided winless protection, but doesn’t have enough left to beat Corey Tower-less Wheeler.
L is for Laney, which will avoid an unfortunate alliteration — “Lucy Laney loses” by beating Jefferson County in a big Region 3-AAA game.
M is for McNair, which has a worse record than Southside, but will beat the Lasers handily.
N is for Northside-Warner Robins, perhaps the state’s best team with Marques Ivory, but a tempting upset pick without him and with Westside-Macon as the opposition. But I’ll resist.
O is Oconee County, today’s only “O” winner.
P is for Peachtree Ridge, which is back in fourth in Region 7-AAAAA, the spot from which it launched a state title-sharing run last season.
Q is for Quiles (quarterback is too easy), as in Marquese, the North Gwinnett star defender who has a week until the big Norcross game.
R is for Rome rocks Ridgeland. Right.
S is for Salem settling a score with Cedar Shoals and snatching the subregion lead.
T is for time off, exactly what Claxton will have until August after losing to Bryan County.
V is for Valdosta victory No. 837 tonight.
W is for “Westminster wins” because it does and “wrong” because I have been about them for much of the season. And for “whoa.” Don’t want to get in the habit of that.
X and Z are for Xzavian Brandon, vainly trying to keep Northview from losing to Roswell today.
There’s no Y, OK? That’s Y I end on a Y not.
Check out his video • See the full list of predictions
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