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Monday, December 31, 2007
Muhammad’s game matures to match new role
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Running the point for Norcross is not like running the point anywhere else in Georgia. With the Blue Devils, each year brings the expectation of a championship — even if three seniors graduate to play Division I basketball.
No one knows this better than Taariq Muhammad, Norcross’ junior floor leader whose responsibility switched from last year’s don’t mess things up to this year’s make things happen.
It is a drastic alteration in a number of ways, and yet Muhammad has made it with the deftness of a savant. Norcross (8-1) remains No. 1 in the state and is ranked nationally in several polls, and a significant reason for such a lofty position rests with Muhammad.
The growth in his game from a year ago, when he was surrounded by luminous talent and required to do less, is subtly commendable. It’s not like he has morphed into a Louis Williams (formerly of South Gwinnett) or a Chris Allen (late of Meadowcreek).
Rather, he puts together one solid performance after another, a spectacularly steady performer in leadership and effort. Forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who has signed with Wake Forest, is Norcross’ best player. Muhummad might be the Blue Devils’ most indispensable.
How? Because if Muhammad is not running the offense, setting up teammates, applying defensive ball pressure or functioning as an extension of coach Eddie Martin, Norcross would have little on-court direction.
“Taariq is a Division I guard,” said Martin. “He understands the game, how to play. With the players we lost, it’s important for him to be a leader for us. And that’s what he has been.”
Moreover, he eagerly accepted the responsibility, understanding it would be a lot different without Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech), Jordan DeMercy (Florida State) and Tony Neismith (Oklahoma) from last season’s AAAAA title team.
“We live with expectations of a championship,” said Muhammad, who averages about 15 points and 9 assists a game. “We play in front of big crowds because people know the kind of team we are, every year. So, it’s more of a challenge for me this year. My role is one with more responsibility now.
“I have to be a leader now, and as a leader I have to come with it every night. We have a tradition of making the championship, and I have to be a leader by example in order for us to get back there.”
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard plays with a confidence and desperation that others can learn from, if they are willing to make the commitment.
Muhammad will sacrifice his body through taking charges and diving for loose balls. He’ll also run the club with supreme self-esteem, a we-won’t-lose attitude that permeates the team.
And now that he continues to develop a consistent jump shot, Muhammad will go down as one of the Norcross all-time stars before he is done.
“That’s a long ways off,” he said. “I have a lot to work on and I have a lot of strengths. I use my strengths and work on my weakness, which really is getting stronger and my jump shot.”
He participates in the Norcross weight-training program and does extra lifting after practice. He shot hundreds of jump shots a day in the summer and now. He understands the magnitude of running point for Norcross.
“It’s a big job,” said Muhammad, who has received college interest from Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Miami, Clemson and many others, “but it’s the only one I want. It’s humbling. And it’s all about winning, doing what it takes to win. That’s what’s expected. And that’s what I expect from myself.”
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No holiday break from the mats
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Dec. 31.
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
Pound for Pound took a couple weeks off from blogging but not from following some fantastic high school wrestling both in-state and, thanks to the magic of the internet, far across Georgia’s borders.
Brecksville Invitational
Union Grove spent the holidays competing in the ultra-competitive Brecksville Invitational. Facing top-tier Ohio schools, the Wolverines finished fifth and pushed two wrestlers into the finals. Joey Lazor blew through a difficult 130-pound field that included seven nationally-ranked wrestlers. Lazor, the No. 22 ranked 125-pound junior, pinned three other ranked wrestlers in succession: Harrison Hightower (No. 25 130-pound sophomore/freshman) in the quarterfinals; Garland McCormick (Special mention 135-pound sophomore/freshman) in the semifinals and Jake Vaughan (No. 17 135-pound junior), who Lazor dropped in 2:39 in the final.
“(Lazor) was on this tournament; he kind of mowed through the bracket,” said Union Grove coach Joey Dinino. “He completely dominated the finals.”
Heavyweight Wesley Mena fell in the final to Columbus DeSales’ John Hiles (No. 8 285-pounder) with an early-third period pin.
Pound for Pound Top 10 (Last week’s rankings in parenthesis)
1: Collins Hill (2) — The Eagles followed a run away win at the Gwinnett County meet with a dominant victory at Kyle Maynard Duals
2: Union Grove (1) — Unbeaten in duals and fifth-best team at Brecksville Invitational
3: Harrison (3) — Hoyas place 12th at Powerade, head to Minnesota this weekend for The Clash Duals
4: Jefferson (4) — Wins at South Paulding and Keen Classic Duals keep Dragons rolling
5: Pope (9) — Dirty South champs finished fifth at Wadsworth tourney
6: Cass (NR) — 2nd at Dirty South; 4th at Wadsworth
7: Stockbridge (7) — Fayette Classic co-champs pulling it together at right time
8: Eastside (5) — Second-best Georgia school at Kyle Maynard Duals
9: Gilmer (8) — Bobcats hoping to get 171-pound David Snider healthy
T10: Lafayette (6) — Dominated Pigeon Forge Duals
T10: Kennesaw Mountain (10) — Along with Harrison, proving to be one of Area 5-AAAAA’s finest teams
Kyle Maynard Duals
Count this reporter as perhaps the last man in Georgia to jump aboard the Collins Hill bandwagon. The Eagles continued their dominance by cruising to a first-place finish at the Kyle Maynard Duals, clipping Baylor (TN), 34-22 (their second win of the season over the Tennessee powerhouse) in the first-place match. Before that, Collins Hill shut out Montgomery Bell Academy (TN), 68-0; and defeated Eastside, 58-6; Ravenwood (TN), 73-3; and South Carolina’s No. 5 Fort Mill, 53-6.
Dirty South Classic
Pope and Cass saw quite a lot of each other over the holidays. At the Dirty South Classic, Pope won while Cass finished second and the Greyhounds won four of seven head-to-head matches. This past weekend at the Wadsworth (OH) Grizzly Invitational Tournament, Cass finished fourth, Pope finished fifth and the Colonels won four of five head-to-head bouts. Pope also owns a win over Cass, 37-24 at the Walton Duals in early December.
Powerade Invitational
Harrison ran up against some of the better teams in the country at the 41st Powerade Invitational at Canon McMillan High School in Pennsylvania. The Hoyas finished 12th and placed three wrestlers, led by InterMat No. 8 160-pounder Josh Condon, who gave up a near fall in the third period to secure State College’s Steve Bosak’s 3-0 decision in the final. Thanks to the magic of the Web, Pound for Pound editors were able to listen to Condon’s bout on msasportsnetwork.com, as well as the consolation final matches for Ryan Medved (fourth at 135 pounds) and Alex Medved (fourth at 140).
Zac Jarzynka Memorial Ironman
Four of Georgia’s Class AAAAA teams made a stop in Oviedo, Florida for the Zac Jarzynka Memorial Ironman Tournament and three wrestlers took home individual titles. Camden County 119-pounder Sam Spradlin guided the Wildcats to a top-15 finish, winning his second consecutive crown in Oviedo after taking home gold at 112 pounds last season. A pair of North Gwinnett wrestlers — Travis Sheehy at 152 (defeating Wrestling USA top-20 152-pounder Zach Mastro of Palmetto Ridge) and Steven Buffington at 285 — won titles to help the Bulldogs finish 10th. Parkview finished ninth behind medalists Carson Fields (2nd at 135 to WUSA top-15 140-pounder Tico Baez of South Dade) and Brent McFall (3rd at 215). Forsyth Central’s Michael Vazquez finished 2nd at 140 pounds.
Fayette County Christmas Classic
The Fayette County Christmas Classic was one of the closer team races in recent memory. Stockbridge, trailing Wesleyan by six points heading into the final match of the tournament, the 285-pound championship, got a first-period pin from big man Randy Salmon against Rome’s Emanuel Woods and the Tigers split the title with Wesleyan and won their second consecutive Fayette Christmas crown.
Class AA Wesleyan, meanwhile, made perhaps the strongest statement of the tournament. The Wolves placed nine wrestlers, the most impressive being Kelby Smith, who not only dominated East Coweta’s Christian Flavin in the 215-pound title match, but also solidified himself as Class AA’s 215-pound front-runner.
Kennesaw Mountain finished third and collected four individual titles. Ryan and Alex Maus won the 112 and 140-pound titles, respectively, while first-year wrestler Jonathan Rivera won at 135 pounds and Zach Fultz picked up the 145-pound crown.
Takedowns
• Walton finished 24th at Brecksville as Andrew Lanham placed third at 152 pounds and heavyweight Jeff Francis (Dirty South runner-up) finished sixth.
• Carrollton has come a long way in six years. During the 2002-2003 season, the Trojans’ first year of wrestling, they finished last at the Fayette Christmas Classic and collected just three team points. This past weekend, Mike Mason’s crew went to Fayette and finished sixth.
• Fayette County once again is strong at 171 and 189 pounds, a year after 171-pounder Audy Whittington won the Class AAAA state title and Patrick Blankenbeker was state runner-up at 189. Blankenbeker, a Fargo All-American, is once again a state title contender at 189 and Brian Tilton, fresh off a Fayette Classic title, is looking good at 171.
• Dacula won the George Thompson Memorial tournament at Winder-Barrow, capped by lightweight Outstanding Wrestler, Noah Hunt, who won the 119-pound title.
• Effingham County picked up a 7th-place finish at the Seahawk Duals in Hilton Head, SC, Friday, and in Saturday’s traditional tournament, the Rebels placed seven wrestlers. Head coach Chris Hardin held out Josh Barnhill (20-0) for Kyle Piche, who placed third. Wade Hall (119) and Kevin Ulmer (now 30-2 at 125) were runners-up and freshman Bruce Smith, in his first year wrestling, placed fourth at 130 pounds. Three others placed for Effingham County.
• Ringgold won the Rockdale County Duals, sweeping five matches, including a 53-24 win over second-place Rockdale County.
On the Record
“It’s a good environment. (There’s) 60-something kids in the practice room (and) there’s not an easy kid in there.” — Jim Haskin, Pope head coach on the depth and quality of the wrestling program
“This one, as far as the balance, was the best tournament we’ve been to. I’m happy (with fifth-place finish); we wrestle a little bit better, we might’ve finished top two or three.” — Union Grove coach Joey Dinino on the Brecksville Invitational
“It’s just a sport I love to do. (Wrestling) is my first love, girls second. I’d rather wrestle than go on a date. Maybe Hugh Hefner calls me up, I might have to go.” — Cass’ Justin Martin
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
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