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February 2008
Rating GSWA preseason polls’ accuracy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LIVE ONLINE: DERRICK MAHONE CHATS WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAY ABOUT THE STATE TOURNAMENT
The season started four months ago with more than 800 teams trying to make runs at state titles. As the quarterfinals begin on Friday in various venues around the state, only eight remain in each of the five classifications.
Now that the field has been narrowed to 80 boys and girls teams, perhaps it’s time to look back at the Georgia Sportswriters Association preseason rankings to see how well they projected the season.
There are 25 boys teams still alive that started the season in the preseason rankings. In Class AAAA and Class A, seven of the last eight teams still playing were ranked. In Class AAAAA, only three preseason ranked teams remain. Beach, which had its best player transfer midway through the season, was the only preseason ranked team in the state’s largest classification not to make the state tournament.
Mundy’s Mill was the only preseason ranked team not to be eliminated from the tournament by another ranked team.
In Class AAAA, Griffin and North Clayton were the only preseason teams not to make the state tournament.
Dunwoody, East Hall, Hart County and Carver-Columbus were ranked in the preseason and remain alive. Four teams — Randolph-Clay, Wesleyan, Lovett and East Laurens — still have title shots.
On the girls’ side, 25 of the 50 teams that were ranked in the preseason are alive — five in the three highest classes, four in Class AA and six in Class A.
Only five of the 50 teams ranked in the preseason did not make the state playoffs on the girls’ side.
Post up: Did the GSWA preseason poll make the grade? Who do you expect to be in the state tournament boys and girls Final Four?
LIVE ONLINE: DERRICK MAHONE CHATS WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAY ABOUT THE STATE TOURNAMENT
Permalink | Comments (59) | Post your comment | Categories: Fastbreak
Final tourney thoughts; final rankings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Feb. 27.
Pin it down and rank the final rankings: Let us know who YOUR final Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s end-of-season picks.
Even though I have covered each of the three state wrestling tournaments at the Arena at Gwinnett Center, there was something about this particular tournament that trumped the other two. Maybe it was the upsets, with Centennial 112-pounder Brian St. James knocking off T.J. Mitchell of Collins Hill in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals standing as the biggest shocker.
Maybe it was the Collins Hill machine not only taking the Class AAAAA title by a comfortable margin but seemingly grabbing every Eagle backer they could find and filling an arena seat with green-clad wackos.
Georgia High School wrestling needs teams like Collins Hill because what’s a sport without its villain?
Perhaps it was the chance to see Josh Condon and Peter Yates wrestle for the last time in a Harrison and Salem singlet, respectively, and each win their third state titles. Maybe it was seeing Parkview’s Carson Fields finally nab that elusive ring. Or watching wrestlers like Bryan Benton (Toombs County), Jordan Dukes (Hiram), Brandon Westerman (McEachern), Joey Lazor (Union Grove) and Jonathan Gregory (Ringgold) complete unbeaten seasons, though several grapplers went without a loss against Georgia competition.
Or it could’ve been the Class AAAAA mat, in the far corner of the arena, dubbed “the mat of death” among other things by yours truly and North Forsyth coach Travis Jarrard.
Maybe it was Tri-Cities heavyweight Marcus Brewster, the most entertaining wrestler I’ve ever seen.
But I’m willing to believe it was something else: no event comes close to the Traditional State Wrestling Tournament. Nothing matches the emotion from the wrestlers; the coaches; the fans. And if you can show me a high school athletic event like the wrestling finals, I’ll show you an event in another state.
I’m already looking forward to next February.
Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestlers
Class AAAAA: Carson Fields, Parkview — Fields finally got his state title and in dominating fashion: a tech fall and four pins, including a fall in 1:05 of Collins Hill’s Joel Smith in the 135-pound final.
Class AAAA: Peter Yates, Salem — Poor J.C. Hall of Dacula, a fine wrestler, but one who had the unfortunate task of facing the Virginia Tech-bound Yates in the 145-pound final. Total domination by Yates in five tourney matches: pin in 1:06; 17-0 tech fall; pin in :38; pin in 1:31 and another 17-0 tech fall of Hall in the final.
Class AAA: Josh Boler, Apalachee — The Maryland transfer was a monster all weekend and capped his first season in Georgia with a pin in 1:51 of Spencer’s Brian Davis in the 215 final. Boler finished the year 59-1.
Class AA: Bryan Benton, Toombs County — Benton got better as the tournament went on: 1st round, 11-4 decision; quarterfinals, 18-8 major; semifinals, 12-2 major; 135-pound final, 22-7 tech fall.
Class A: Jed Gurley, Jefferson — Tough to pass up Gurley’s teammate Lucas Redd (two quick pins and 15-0 tech fall at 171), but Gurley won his third state title at 125 pounds with three first-period pins.
Final Pound for Pound Top 10 (last week’s rankings in parenthesis)
- Collins Hill (1): The Eagles completed one of the greatest seasons in Georgia’s long wrestling history.
2. Harrison (6): After a runner-up finish in Class AAAAA, the Hoyas are clearly Georgia’s second-best team.
3. Union Grove (2): The Wolverines finished third in AAAAA without Alex Lazor and Justin Crozier.
4. Jefferson (4): The Dragons leave Class A with eight consecutive traditional titles; all seven duals crowns.
5. Pope (5): Tough first-round draws doomed the Greyhounds; Mallard (130) was the only finalist.
6. Eastside (9): The Eagles get over the hump with a Class AAAA title.
T7. Lafayette (7): Ramblers sweep Duals/Traditional in AA.
T7. Gilmer (10): Two champs help Bobcats win their second Class AAA Traditional title.
9. Cass (5): Co-champs in dual format; solid No. 2 in Class AAA Traditional.
10. Ringgold (8): Class AAAA Duals champs collect two individual champions and finish seventh at Traditional.
LOOK OUT FOR AJC.COM’S ALL-STATE WRESTLING TEAM, COMING SOON!
Pin it down and rank the final rankings: Let us know who YOUR final Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s end-of-season picks.
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Take 10: Things we’d change about the state tournament
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As we move through the second round of the state tournament, all seems right in the basketball world. But sitting in our little Take Ten paradise, we couldn’t help but try to bring you down from your postseason high. So here we are with our top 10 things we would change about Georgia high school basketball if we were named the grand ruler. And we’re fully expecting that day to one day come.
10. Get rid of “intentional” fouls There’s no reason for “intentional” fouls to be against the rules. It’s not like players don’t do it anyway at certain times. Let’s take it off the rule books. If the foul is too violent, go ahead and punish it. But allowing officials to read minds and determine intent doesn’t sit too well with us.
9. Dump the possession arrow No more jump balls going to whatever team the arrow points to. If somebody can make a good play and tie his opponent up, he should get a shot at the basketball if he can outfight him for it. Have a jump ball right there where they stand. Whoever wants it more gets it.
8. Give officials monitors to use At least in the finals, if not sooner, officials should have the ability to check with a courtside monitor to confirm how much time should be on the clock … or if a player got the shot off before the buzzer and if a shot is a 2- or a 3-pointer. Just like in college and the NBA.
7. Put your opponent in the bonus Instead of forcing trailing teams to commit several late fouls to get their opponent up to seven fouls and into a bonus free-throw situation, a coach should be able to go to the officials at any time and put his or her opponent into the bonus immediately. It might save time and quicken the inevitable.
6. Eliminate the double bonus While you’re messing with the bonus, let’s get rid of the double as well. It would make it tougher to hold onto late leads and put an added emphasis on free-throw shooting. If you can’t make that first free throw, you don’t get a second one when you’re trying to stay out in front of your opponent. It would also make “Hack-a-Shaq” a more viable option.
5. All-class tourney Even if it were just an exhibition, they should re-seed 12 or so of the best teams after the regular state tournaments and give fans a chance to see how their team stacks up against the rest of the state. Maybe we could have our own “Hoosiers” story.
4. No home games in state tournament Or at least none after the first round. Putting both of the first two rounds at home creates a pretty significant disadvantage for some visitors and makes it very difficult for fans to follow. They should go to neutral sites by the second round at the latest.
3. Call charging correctly This isn’t a criticism of officials so much as it is a criticism toward basketball officiating on all levels. A defender should not have to fall on his back to draw a charge call. The defender should be able to maintain defensive position — on his feet — and still take a charge. Falling down should not be considered good defense.
2. Form committee to seed state tournament Each region champion and region tournament champ would get an automatic bid. The committee would then choose the rest of the 32-team field and seed them out. A good region could get five, six, seven or whatever number of teams, while a weak one might only get one. This would make the state tournament field deeper while making for better first-round matchups.
1. Shot clock We’ve got to get a shot clock. It’s maddening to see a leading team start to milk the clock down with three minutes left. This would be a top priority for our administration. Increase the pace of the game, force teams to run through their offense quickly and make them play the entire game, instead of running out the clock in the end.
Go on. Take Ten. Would these rules changes help the game? What would you change, if you had the chance? Put your grand ruler hat on and let us know.
Permalink | Comments (23) | Post your comment | Categories: State Semifinals, Take Ten
Can second-round sequels compare?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In Hollywood films, the sequel is not always as good as the original. In sports, that is not always the case. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had some epic boxing battles throughout their championship careers. Just last month, the New York Giants’ Super Bowl victory against the undefeated New England Patriots was more entertaining than their regular season matchup.
High school basketball fans can only hope, in some cases, that the many rematches of key games from last season’s tournament are just as entertaining this year.
• The headliner of the rematches has to be Centennial at Norcross. Last season, a Centennial underdog went down to the wire with the talent-laden Blue Devils before losing 59-58. Can All-American Al-Farouq Aminu equal former teammate Gani Lawal’s dominating performance to lead the Blue Devils to another victory?
• Pebblebrook is hoping for a better showing this time around against Columbia in a rematch of last season’s quarterfinal round, which the Eagles won 77-56. Will sharpshooter Chris Beasley and his supporting cast have enough to bring down the second-ranked Eagles?
• Savannah will make its second trip this season to Clayton County to take on Mundy’s Mill. On Jan. 26, the Yellow Jackets lost 71-69 in overtime to suffer their first loss of the season.
• In their second season, have the Hillgrove girls closed the gap against Mays? Last season, the Raiders dominated 81-55 in the second round. Hillgrove will be looking for its second road victory against a formidable opponent.
• A rematch of the Class AAA girls’ championship game between East Hall and Franklin County will take place on Wednesday. Last season, the Vikings won the title 57-50, but East Hall only returned one starter from that group. Franklin County got off to a surprising 18-0 start and has put itself in position to make another long playoff run.
Post up: Will the Centennial at Norcross rematch live up to last season’s championship game excitement? Will last season’s losers get their revenge this time around?
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Winning HSFB coaches in short supply
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s bad news for the 37 Georgia high schools still looking for a football coach. If they’re looking for a proven winner, they probably won’t find it.
Of 38 coaches hired (out of 75 openings), only about 10 have won consistently or recently at their former schools. Four of those came from out of state. Eight other hires were head coaches from teams that went 5-5 or worse last season, and 17 were assistant coaches in 2007.
My questions for the gallery…
Which schools have made the best hires? My list: Bainbridge (Ed Pilcher), Colquitt County (Rush Propst), Dodge County (Lee Campbell), Northview (Jim Showfety), Toombs County (Shane Williamson) and Houston County (Greg Robinson).
What are the best jobs still open? Central Gwinnett, Archer (new school in Lawrenceville), Union Grove, Swainsboro.
And how would you choose a coach? If the team has been winning, promote an assistant, as GAC did with Ken Robinson.
Some coaches with nice experience are coming from out of state, but unless they’re from Florida or Alabama, where the football culture is similar to Georgia’s, those moves are risky.
Instead, go with someone you know. Don’t let some stranger wow you with a good interview. McEachern took Kyle Hockman, and Kell snagged Derek Cook, two coaches without sterling resumes but with the respect of the local coaches they’ve competed against.
Be wary of strangers.
Kick off the debate: Weigh in with your thoughts on Todd’s questions (see above) right here.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: Extra Point
10 killer state tourney brackets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The brackets are set, and the state tournament kicks off in a couple of days. We’ve been sitting around at Take Ten headquarters since Sunday studying these things like it’s March Madness in February.
What we notice every year, besides the fascinating matchups and the potential for big games down the road, is that some teams have it tougher than others. Some of them deserve that fate, and others sort of stumbled into it. But the nature of the bracket is that the best teams aren’t going to be evenly distributed, and some spots are going to make for difficult roads to the high school version of the Final Four.
So here are our top 10 toughest quadrants of the bracket in the boys and girls tournaments. For purposes of this list, think of the top left as No. 1, bottom left as No. 2, top right as No. 3 and bottom right as No. 4.
10. Boys AAA No. 1
Defending champ Jordan is No. 1 in the state, and the Red Jackets could have a huge second-round game with Region 3-AAA champ Glenn Hills, the No. 4 team that hasn’t lost to an in-state team this season. In the top half, you’ve got No. 5 Central Macon traveling to Northside-Columbus and a Dougherty team that took out No. 6 Westover to win the Region 1-AAA title.
9. Boys AAAAA No. 1
There are only two top-10 teams in this quadrant, but it’s a very strong grouping. No. 3 M.L. King may be the least known team in the state that’s ranked that highly, and the Lions have to travel for a tough game at Hiram. If they get by that, they should get Region 3-AAAAA champ Johnson-Savannah, which has the players to make a run at the Final Four. And No. 10 Coffee lurks on the other side with two solid teams, Stephenson and Newnan.
8. Girls AAA No. 3
No. 1 Hephzibah suffered its first in-state loss Saturday, but the Rebels are capable of winning state. But they likely will have to get through a second-round date with No. 4 Southwest-Macon, which eliminated Hephzibah last season. The winner could get No. 3 Kendrick, which came within one point of the state final last season.
7. Girls A No. 1
The top three teams in the state reside here, and the second round could look exactly like last season. No. 1 Terrell County has a potential second-round rematch with Treutlen, which ended the Greenwaves’ season last year. On the bottom half, No. 2 Savannah Country Day and No. 3 Taylor County could be bound for a rematch of their own, this time on the Hornets’ home court.
6. Boys A No. 4
Defending champ and No. 3 Wilkinson County barreled through this bracket last season but should have a tougher time. The Warriors’ reward for winning Region 7-A was to get No. 9 Eagles’ Landing Christian in the first round, with No. 10 Athens Academy possibly awaiting in the second. No. 6 Southwest Atlanta Christian is in the top half, looking to give Wilkinson one more tough one before making it to Macon.
5. Girls AA No. 4
No. 1 Wesleyan made it to the final last year, but the Wolves will have to work hard to get back there again. If they can get by Fannin County in the first round, they could have to travel to No. 9 Model in the second, while No. 6 Rutland and No. 10 Buford battle it out in the top part of the bracket, if they can get through their own difficult first-round matchups.
4. Boys AAAA No. 2
It’s proves how deep Region 6-AAAA is that defending champ and No. 4 Tucker is the No. 4 seed from the region. That leaves fans with a surprising first-round matchup between Tucker and No. 6 Dacula. Next to them in the bracket sits No. 9 Lithia Springs. On the bottom half is No. 7 Miller Grove, the Region 6-AAAA champs, and a well-coached Cherokee team.
3. Boys AAAAA No. 4
No. 2 Norcross vs. No. 8 Harrison is one of the most intriguing first-round games in any class, while a rematch of last year’s state final could come in the second round, if Norcross and No. 6 Centennial make it there. Another familiar matchup could come in the third round, where No. 5 Marietta lost to Norcross last season.
2. Girls AAAA No. 4
This is the only quadrant with five top-10 teams, and those aren’t the only quality teams there. No. 2 Marist will have to go on the road to make it back to the state final, first traveling to No. 10 Madison County before likely going to No. 9 Cherokee in the second round. On the bottom half, No. 7 Rome plays No. 6 Hillgrove, the first-year team that has had an excellent season. Also, Mays, which nearly won a very difficult Region 6-AAAA, hosts Salem, which has one of the best players in the state - Courtney Hurt.
1. Boys AAAA No. 4
Clarke Central made a nice run to get the runner-up spot in Region 8-AAAA, but playing No. 2 Columbia can’t be what the Gladiators had in mind. The winner of that game could get to travel to No. 5 Pebblebrook, a team that deserves much more attention that it has gotten. On the bottom side is No. 3 Rome, which hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent since early December, and No. 10 Stone Mountain, which proved its toughness in an upset of Columbia during the region tournament.
Go on. Take Ten. Who do you think has the toughest road in the playoffs? What’s the deepest side of the bracket? For that matter, what’s the weakest?
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New ‘home game’ format lacks playoff feeling
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The 160 basketball teams that earned the right to host first-round playoff games say they are treating it like another home game. The other 160 teams that will have to play in their opponent’s gym will approach it like it’s just another road game. For the first two rounds, the higher-seeded team will get a home game. The tournament will not move to a neutral floor until the quarterfinals.
If you are a fan of a particular team, you have to be more than excited about the new format of the GHSA playoffs, which offers the chance for two home games. For the high school basketball purist, it is very disappointing. With two rounds of home games, the playoff feel is missing, not to mention the opportunity to watch multiple games.
Several years ago, the first-round format allowed for one region to host all eight games against the region it was paired against in the first round. The hosting region would pick what they thought was the best and most accommodating gym. The next four rounds were played at neutral sites.
Playing on a neutral floor and making both teams travel gives the state high school tournament more of a special feel. For the basketball fan, this is usually the time of the year they can take in multiple games at one site and see all the talent the state has to offer.
Now you are left with the decision of having to pick only one site for only one game.
Post up: What do you think? Should all tournament games be played on a neutral floor? Should all games be played at the higher seed, including the championship? Sound off — what’s your choice?
Permalink | Comments (92) | Post your comment | Categories: Fastbreak
Region titles spell state tourney advantage
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We now know which basketball teams will play at least another week. The region semifinals will begin today. Grabbing that region championship this year is especially important because the first two rounds of the state tournament will be played at the home of the higher-seeded team.
There have been some exciting moments in the tournament, including Northview’s Daniel Stryzinski making a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give his team a spot in next week’s state tournament. Stone Mountain football standout Charles Reeves, playing in only his fifth game of the season, made a 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds remaining to give the Pirates a 50-47 victory against Marist for a state tournament berth.
Numerous players — boys and girls — have reached 1,000 career points. In Thursday’s victory against Cherokee, Pebblebrook’s Chris Beasley got his 2,000th career point and helped his team reach the region finals.
Duluth juniors Daphne Adebayo and Mykala Walker combined for 40 points in a 62-45 victory against South Forsyth to end the Wildcats’ 32-year drought without an appearance in the state basketball tournament. More memories will be made in the next two nights.
Post up: What will you remember most about this year’s region tournaments? What team or player has impressed you the most? Better yet, what’s your prediction for the next two nights?
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Non-playoff schools boast most signees
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The recruiting rankings are out. Not the college stuff. That’s old news. We’re talking high schools. Who’s No. 1? Based on the number of signees per school, the results will surprise you.
It’s a tie between Carver-Columbus, the state champs of AAAA, and Stockbridge, which didn’t make the playoffs in AAAA. Each had 15. That’s according to superfan Steve Slay, who has compiled the totals and shared with us. Keep in mind that there is no official statewide count of signees per school so if there are errors or omissions, let us know.
Most surprising is that most of the 11 schools with at least nine signees did not make the playoffs, or they lost in the first round. How did Stockbridge, Southwest DeKalb and Lovejoy have more signees than victories?
Was it chemistry? Coaching? Tough region? Or does getting a football scholarship mean you’re a prospect, not necessarily a great high school player? Or do certain coaches work harder than others to place their kids on college teams? Here’s another issue: How can Buford, a Class AA school, have nine signees (six to D-1) and four more preferred walk-ons, while Parkview is sending just three players to college? How can Carver and Stockbridge have 15, and McEachern have two?
I know there are magnet schools for science and math, but do we have magnet schools for football, too? Does that explain why Carver and Buford have so much talent? Do the top athletes choose these schools for athletics? (Thanks to superblogger “Slalom!” for some of those questions.)
The rankings
• Stockbridge (15) — Maryland got QB Tyler Bass off a team that went 6-4 due mainly to injuries and brutal Region 4-AAAA.
• Carver-Columbus (15) — The Class AAA champions sent QB DeRon Furr to Auburn and WR Jarmon Fortson to FSU. Most of the rest were Division II or junior college signees, but still an amazing haul.
• Lovejoy (13) — DE Tory Allen went to Virginia. Lots of small-school prospects off this 5-6 team.
• Southwest DeKalb (12) — No D-1 signees. Coach Buck Godfrey might be the state’s best at working to get his kids on college teams.
• Northside-Warner Robins (11) — The AAAA champs had nearly a dozen signees, but none to Division 1-A. QB Marques Ivory signed with Jacksonville State.
• Valdosta (11) — The Wildcats had more signees than crosstown Lowndes, although most are headed across town for college to Valdosta State, or to a junior college. RB David Arnold (Georgia Southern) was the top recruit.
• Creekside (10) — Florida State nabbed DB Terrance Parks. Most of the rest went JUCO.
• Grayson (10) — So Grayson is Gwinnett’s real football factory? Who knew? LB Tristan Strong, who signed with Vandy, is the blue-chipper off an underrated team.
• Buford (9) — Six are D-1 — WR Melvin Harris (Mississippi), FB Alex Hunt (Indiana), DL Omar Hunter (Florida), RB Demetris Murray (South Florida), LB T.J. Pridemore (Florida) and LB/TE Jay Tee Swanson (Miami-Ohio).
• M.L. King (9) — Ole Miss got OL Aaron Hawkins, and WR Daniel McKayhan is headed to Georgia Tech.
• North Cobb (9) — All-state QB Matt Roark will follow his father to Kentucky, where he’ll play receiver. LB Nnandi Ezenwa signed with Purdue.
• Schools sending eight to college — Marietta, Walton, Cedar Grove, North Gwinnett, Roswell, Tucker, Kendrick, Grady.
Kick off the debate: Why are some schools more talent-blessed than others? Share your theories here.
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10 toughest tourney regions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is the week when everybody is jockeying for state tournament slots, and some promising basketball seasons are bound to come to sudden, unexpected ends while Cinderella jumps in her pumpkin chariot. At Take Ten, while we love surprises, we’d like to see the best teams slugging it out at the end of the month. So which regions are the toughest for top teams to escape from during the next few days? Here are our top 10.
10. 5-AAAA
Best teams — Cherokee, No. 9 Lithia Springs, Pebblebrook, Hillgrove, Osborne: The top four look solid and very tough, but Osborne entered this tournament with an earlier win over Pebblebrook that gave the Cardinals some confidence they could pull a surprise.
9. 2-AAA
Best teams — No. 1 Jordan, Northside-Columbus, Shaw, LaGrange, Carver-Columbus: Jordan has been unbeatable so far, but one of these next four will almost certainly miss the state tournament despite a strong year.
8. 6-AAAAA
Best teams — No. 1 Wheeler, Centennial, Northview, Sprayberry, Walton, Milton: On paper, Wheeler would seem like the obvious choice since the Wildcats didn’t lose a region game all year, but Sprayberry played them tight twice, as did a few non-region foes. If the Cats happen to go down, this one is wide open.
7. 2-AAAAA
Best teams — No. 3 M.L. King, Douglass, Stephenson, Redan, Newton: MLK is the most complete team in the region, but Douglass has surprised all year, and the Astros entered the postseason with a chance to do so again. This region is top-heavy but tough.
6. 4-AAAAA
Best teams — No. 9 Mundy’s Mill, Newnan, Hiram, Tri-Cities, Morrow: This is one of the closest regions from top to bottom, with Mundy’s Mill and Newnan occupying, but not dominating, the top two spots. All five of these teams came in with a shot at this region if a break or two went their way.
5. 6-AA
Best teams — No. 4 Wesleyan, No. 3 GAC, No. 8 Lovett, Pace, Decatur, Avondale: Wesleyan and GAC may be vying for the role of favorite, but the next three are pretty closely matched, and the strength of the south subregion gave this one additional intrigue.
4. 2-AAAA
Best teams — No. 1 Westlake, Fayette County, Creekside, McIntosh, Banneker, Woodward: There is a large pack of teams vying for the third and fourth playoff spots in this region because there really isn’t a clear-cut favorite after you get past Westlake.
3. 5-AAAAA
Best teams — No. 4 McEachern, No. 5 Marietta, No. 8 Harrison, Campbell, Kennesaw Mountain, South Cobb, Etowah: Like 6-AA, this region has three top-10 teams. But this one has more depth, with a long list of teams that could definitely make a run at the playoffs and a history of surprises.
2. 5-AAA
Best teams — No. 2 South Atlanta, No. 3 Dunwoody, No. 7 Blessed Trinity, Druid Hills, Chamblee, Riverwood: Those top three are as good as the top three in any region in the state. The next three are tough too. And even with Druid Hills getting surprised by Therrell on Monday, Chamblee and Riverwood still have to battle for that fourth spot.
1. 6-AAAA
Best teams — No. 2 Columbia, No. 4 Tucker, No. 7 Miller Grove, No. 8 Marist, No. 10 Stone Mountain, Mays: No region has more top 10 teams, and no region has a tougher top half than this one. Columbia and Tucker are the standard-bearers. Miller Grove and Stone Mountain are the relative newcomers to the top. Marist is the surprise. Mays is just behind them all. Two teams from this region played in the state final last year; don’t be surprised if it happens again this season.
Go ahead. Take Ten. What do you think is the toughest region to get out of? Can any region stand up to the strength of 6-AAAA? Give us your winners and your surprises. Who’s going to be dancing next week?
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Cass, Henry Co. in Riverwood rematch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Feb. 11.
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
It didn’t have the glitz and glamour of the state duals, but Cass and Henry County got together at Riverwood to settle a score of sorts. Although the Class AAA co-champions in last month’s duals were without key starters &mdash Henry minus Anthony Fretwell, Cass minus Stevie Timm and Jason Evans — and it was impossible to capture the Macon-type atmosphere, the dual, won 46-28 by Cass, still held some intrigue.
The marquee match was at 119 pounds where Cass’ Justin Martin majored Evan Warrington, 14-4, in a long, bizarre dual that saw Martin pick up six penalty points. Martin, who earlier in the day picked up career victory No. 200 against Riverwood, got a late takedown and near fall to secure the decision. After Henry County picked up a pin at 125 to cut the lead to 20-18, Cass won the next three matches to go ahead 37-18.
Pound-for-Pound Top 10 (last week’s rankings in parenthesis)
1. Collins Hill (1) — Eagles move up a spot to No. 30 in latest AWN Prep 40
2. Union Grove (2) — Wolverines hit with injuries, sickness; still favorites at this weekend’s 2-AAAAA tournament
3. Pope (3) — Greyhounds dominate Loganville Tournament
4. Jefferson (4) — Three champions help Dragons win Vidalia Tournament
5. Cass (5) — Colonels 5-0 at Riverwood, including victory against Henry County
6. Harrison (6) — Hoyas take weekend off to get ready for 5-AAAAA Traditional
7. Lafayette (7) — Ramblers could qualify all 14 this weekend at 4-AA tourney
8. Ringgold (9) — Two impressive victories against Our Lady of Mercy and Milton help Tigers get ready for tough 7-AAAA tourney
9. Eastside (8) — Eagles go 2-1 at Parkview Duals; lose to Parkview
10. Gilmer (10) — Bobcats heavy favorites at 7-AAA bash this weekend
Takedowns
• Another coach reached a milestone this past weekend. Northgate’s Adrian Anderson picked up career dual win No. 300 in a 66-15 victory against Landmark Christian.
• No. 1 Collins Hill seems to be wrestling in its own world. The Eagles (43-2) lost four matches at the Grayson Duals in picking up victories against Warner Robins, Grayson and Walton.
• Martin wasn’t the only Cass wrestler to hit a milestone against Riverwood as 135-pounder Chase Lackey won his 150th career match against the Raiders.
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Pound For Pound
Rankings, records mean nothing in regionals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is the week high school basketball teams around Georgia will try to earn a trip to the state tournament. But not all the teams in the state have to play their way through their respective regional tournaments for a shot at a state title.
The Parkview boys’ and girls’ teams, for example, already have their playoff tickets by virtual of earning the No. 1 seed for this week’s Region 8-AAAAA tournament. The Panthers’ next game is Friday in the region semifinals.
“This is the exciting time of year for all the teams,” Parkview boys’ coach Tim Watkins said. “We are just trying to stay sharp until we play again.”
While the Panthers are lucky enough to have a comfort zone in the tournament, most teams in the state have to win at least two games before earning their playoff berth.
The top four teams from each region advance to the first round of the state playoffs, which begin Feb. 22. A team just needs to advance to it region semi-final round to earn a playoff berth. Some regions reward their regular-season top seed with a placement in the semifinal round. In other regions, everyone has to play their way into the state tournament.
“You got to come with it every night,” Miller Grove junior point guard Mfon Udofia said. “You have to bring your A-game, because someone is always looking for that upset win.”
Miller Grove knows all too well about upsets in the region tournament. Last season, Mays upset the highly-ranked Wolverines in the quarterfinals of the Region 6-AAAAA tournament at home. Miller Grove has a bye in the first round but faces the winner of the Mays vs. Washington game in the quarterfinals, with a trip to the state tournament on the line. Last Friday, Miller Grove beat Mays 58-51 in the regular season final for both teams.
“I don’t want what happen last year to happen again in the region tournament,” Udofia said. “I couldn’t sleep for about a month after that loss. We are real hungry.”
Ranking and records mean nothing at this point in the season. Westlake’s boys team cruised through its Region 2-AAAA schedule with a 16-0 record. The Lions are ranked No.1 with a 22-2 record, but the players said all that is in the past now.
“What you did in the regular season doesn’t matter,” Lions senior guard Gideon Gamble said. “I was a sophomore when we won every game and then lost in the state championship finals.
“If you lose now, your season is over. It is all about who plays the hardest and wants it more.”
Post up: Who do you expect to survive regionals? Which teams could prove to be this season’s biggest surprise spoilers? Let’s talk tourney.
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Pope among trio of state’s finest
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wrestling writer Kurt Aschermann Jr. ranks the top wrestling teams in the state, regardless of class: Week of Feb. 4.
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks.
Collins Hill sits alone atop the Class AAAAA charts, and Union Grove stands a small step down from the Eagles. That much was certain for much of the year, but after this past weekend’s Cobb County Invitational, it’s clear Pope has established itself as one of the three best wrestling teams in Georgia. The Greyhounds outlasted Harrison and placed 11 wrestlers in winning the Cobb County title.
No surprise, Pope’s lower weights had a strong weekend — 103 Patrick Anthony and 112 Dexter Bushart won individual titles, while three others were runners-up. Harrison had one more champion than Pope (152-pound Josh Condon joined brothers Ryan (135) and Alex (140) Medved on top of the county podium) but struggled in wrestlebacks (four losses in third-place matches) and settled for a runner-up trophy.
Walton was a perfect three-for-three in the finals as Andrew Lanham and Phil Holloway joined Jeff Olsen (dominant 171-pound titlist) atop the podium, helping the Raiders finish third. Lanham won his fourth consecutive county title with an 8-4 decision in the 130-pound final, and Holloway was dominant in three matches on his way to the 130-pound crown.
The Cobb coaches picked Condon for Outstanding Wrestler; much deserved after toying with three wrestlers on his way to the 152-pound title. But the Pound-For-Pound editors couldn’t go against Walton’s Jeff Olsen, who picked up three first-minutes pins, then clipped Walker’s Chad Pair, 3-1 in the title bout for his first county title.
Pound for Pound Top 10 (Last week’s rankings in parenthesis)
1. Collins Hill (1) — No. 31 in Amateur Wrestling News Prep 40
2. Union Grove (2) — Four champions in North Metro victory
3. Pope (6) — Cobb County champions
4. Jefferson (3) — Dragons off to Sweet Onion Classic this weekend
5. Cass (5) — Crossbone Classic champs place 12
6. Harrison (4) — Wrestlebacks hurt Hoyas in runner-up finish at Cobb
7. Lafayette (7) — Ramblers roll in Walker Cup victory
8. Eastside (8) — Picked up dual wins over Salem and Whitewater
9. Ringgold (10) — Area 7-AAAA shaping up to be a fight in two weeks
10. Gilmer (9) — Bobcats seventh at North Metro
PFP Cobb County Accolades
Lightweight Outstanding Wrestler: Brandon Westerman, McEachern. Stayed unbeaten at 49-0 with two tech falls to reach the 119-pound final, then allowed three escapes in 9-3 decision over Pope’s Russ Crowe in final.
Middleweight OW: Holloway, Walton. Defending state champ now 42-3 after two, first-minute pins and a 12-6 decision in 130-pound title.
Heavyweight OW: Olsen, Walton. Gave up two escapes all weekend.
Pin it down and rank the rankings: Let us know who YOUR Top 10 are and how they stack up against Kurt’s picks. Talk wrestling here.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Pound For Pound
Surely, you know more than the pollsters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Unlike Super Tuesday presidential primaries that saw record turnout among the voters, there was light voter turnout for this week’s Georgia Sportswriters Association poll. There was a good excuse as many of the writers from across the state were tracking the signings of the hot football recruits in their areas. As you know, nothing comes before football.
As the region tournaments begin this weekend, there is a new No. 1 team in the state’s largest classification as powerhouse Wheeler replaces two-time defending champion Norcross. A 68-65 loss to powerhouse Oak Hill Academy last Saturday snapped a 15-game winning streak for the Blue Devils. Norcross still hasn’t lost to a team in Georgia this season, so did the Blue Devils deserve to lose their top ranking?
Whitefield Academy’s 91-90 double overtime win over No. 8 Harrison of AAAAA coupled with defending champion Wilkinson Co.’s loss to Hancock Central last week has given the Wolfpack the top spot in Class A. The Wolfpack have lost a couple players since the new year began, but they haven’t lost a game.
Marist finally has caught the attention of the voters with an impressive week. The War Eagles, who won only eight games last season, have won 17 this season, including their last six, which include wins over ranked teams Blessed Trinity and Miller Grove. Can the War Eagles fight their way through a tough Region 6-AAAA tournament and earn a playoff spot? Friday, the War Eagles face another major team in hosting No. 2 Columbia in their regular season finale. Marist will close the season against three ranked opponents.
Post up: Who are the hot teams going into the region tournaments? Which teams are missing in the final regular season rankings? It’s your turn to take the pollsters to task.
Georgia Sportswriters Association Poll — Girls
(Numbers in parenthesis represent first-place votes)
Class AAAAA
1. Mill Creek (7) 70 points
2. Stephenson 57
3. Marietta 54
4. Douglass 46
5. Beach 40
6. McEachern 37
7. Mundy’s Mill 25
8. Parkview 25
9. Etowah and Berkmar (tie) 13
Others receiving votes: Coffee, Lowndes, Groves
Class AAAA
1. Southwest DeKalb (7) 70
2. Marist 63
3. Westlake 53
4. St. Pius 43
5. Americus-Sumter 36
6. Hillgrove 32
7. Rome 30
8. Greenbrier 18
9. Cherokee 16
10. Madison Co. 7
Others receiving votes: Northwest Whitfield, Clarke Central, Jones Co., Dalton
Class AAA
1. Hephzibah (6) 69
2. Carrollton 61
3. Kendrick (1) 59
4. Southwest-Macon 48
5. Franklin Co. 41
6. East Hall 33
7. Sandy Creek 26
8. Gainesville 18
9. Butler 15
10. Mary Persons 7
Others receiving votes: Gilmer, Southside
Class AA
1. Wesleyan (7) 70
2. Randolph-Clay 60
3. Greater Atl. Chr. 57
4. Laney 43
5. Vidalia 38
6. Rutland 36
7. Coosa 34
8. Paideia 17
9. Model 14
10. Buford 13
Others receiving votes: Dodge Co.
Class A
1. Terrell Co. (7) 70
2. Savannah Co. Day 59
3. Taylor Co. 53
4. Hancock Central 47
5. Southwest Atl. Chr. 38
6. Landmark Chr. 35
7. Towns Co. 30
8. Gordon Lee 23
9. Calvary Day 19
10. Trion
Georgia Sportswriters Association Poll — Boys
(Numbers in parenthesis represent first-place votes)
Class AAAAA
1. Wheeler (7) 70
2. Norcross 63
3. M.L. King 55
4. McEachern 37
5. Marietta 35
6. Savannah and Centennial (tie) 33
8. Harrison 17
9. Mundy’s Mill 13
10. Coffee 9
Others receiving votes: Parkview, Johnson-Savannah, Newnan
Class AAAA
1. Westlake (7) 70
2. Columbia 63
3. Rome 51
4. Tucker 38
5. Pebblebrook 32
6. Dacula 25
7. Miller Grove 24
8. Marist 21
9. Lithia Springs 16
10. Stone Mountain 13
Others receiving votes: Fayette Co., Thomas Co. Central, Riverdale, Ridgeland
Class AAA
1. Jordan (6) 69
2. South Atl. (1) 64
3. Dunwoody 54
4. Glenn Hills 43
5. Central-Macon 40
6. Westover 32
7. Blessed Trinity 20
8. East Hall 19
9. Liberty Co. 16
10. Northeast-Macon 9
Others receiving votes: Sandy Creek, Franklin Co.
Class AA
1. Randolph-Clay (6)
2. East Laurens (1) 63
3. Greater Atl. Chr. 57
4. Wesleyan 49
5. Appling Co. 40
6. Fannin Co. 29
7. Josey 26
8. Lovett 22
9. Calhoun 20
10. Long Co. 6
Others receiving votes: Dublin, Darlington
Class A
1. Whitefield Acad. (4) 67
2. Hancock Central (1) 62
3. Wilkinson Co. 54
4. Turner Co. (2) 52
5. Portal 41
6. Southwest Atl. Chr. and Terrell Co. (tie) 26
8. Atkinson Co. 25
9. Eagle’s Landing Chr. 15
10. Athens Acad. 10
Others receiving votes: Wilcox Co., Gordon Lee
Post up: Who are the hot teams going into the region tournaments? Which teams are missing in the final regular season rankings? It’s your turn to take the pollsters to task.
Permalink | Comments (50) | Categories: Fastbreak
10 Signing Day quotes you’ll never hear
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday is Signing Day — the day every recruiting junkie lives for. And with Mark Richt at Georgia raking in just about every significant prospect in the state this year, it has even more potential for buzz than usual. But as soon as the players start talking, the buzz dies down a bit. The quotes?
“They just felt like family” and “I really liked what I saw at both places, but …”
So we started wondering what it would be like to live in a world where the players said what was really on their minds when they officially made their decisions. And so, with the help of Take 10 Vice Presidents Chris Whitfield and Derrick Mahone, we’ve listed the top 10 quotes we wish we would hear Wednesday … but won’t.
10 Things Signees Never Say On Signing Day
10: “I knew I was going to State U. after my visit; I just strung everybody else along.”
9: “I really wanted to go to USC, but when they didn’t offer I figured State U. would have to do.”
8: “Honestly, the only reason I chose State U. was because they had the hottest girls.”
7: “Their first-string running back really isn’t very good, so I know I should be able to start the first game.”
6: “Did you see the size of the jet State U. sent to pick me up for my visit?”
5: “It didn’t really matter which school I chose because I’ll be in the NFL the first chance I get, anyway.”
4: “I just signed with them to give me some leverage in the baseball draft. I won’t be going anywhere near campus once I get drafted.”
3: “Academics was important to Mama, but I really liked the club scene in Tallahassee.”
2: “Awwwww… I wasn’t seriously gonna go to Michigan. Do you know how cold it is up there in January?”
1: “I’m glad they don’t know that I tore my ACL last week in a pickup basketball game.”
Go on. Take Ten. What kind of refreshing honesty would you like to hear from the signees on Signing Day? What words would just be fun to hear come out of their mouths? Give us your (clean, good-natured, witty, non-Make Us Hit The Delete Key type) thoughts here.
Permalink | Comments (40) | Categories: Take Ten
Don’t overlook underrated recruits
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week, the AJC’s Todd Holcomb offers another extra special Extra Point in advance of national signing day, Feb. 6.
I’m no recruiting guru, but I do watch a lot of high school football, and every year there are players who look much better on the field to me than they do at Rivals.com.
The best linebacker I ever saw in high school was Jon Abbate of Harrison, now on an NFL roster. But in-state schools ignored him, and he went to Wake Forest and became the best defensive player in the ACC. Other players in that mold are Eric Norwood and Kenny McKinley, now all-SEC players at South Carolina, and T.J. Yates, North Carolina’s starting quarterback.
Those players are from Cobb County, where I’ve seen the most games. But they are players just like them throughout the state. With the help of some of my colleagues on our high school sports staff, here are just a handful to get you started.
• Garrett Embry, Roswell — Best instincts and body control of any wide receiver I saw last season. And he’s 6-3, 210 pounds, going to Oregon, but somehow he’s not rated among Georgia’s best five at his position.
• Bernard Smith, Mays — Marist’s Alan Chadwick and Northview’s Jim Showfety (formerly at Chamblee) say Smith, a defensive end, might be the best defensive player they’ve seen in 20 years. But he’s only a three-star recruit who didn’t get SEC offers. He’s headed to West Virginia.
• Walter Lenard, Landmark Christian — He’s a 6-2, 205-pound quarterback who has played football for only two years. Our Derrick Mahone calls Lenard “a steal” for Furman.
• Charles “Chip” Reeves, Stone Mountain — One of my favorite quotes from 2007 was the assessment of Stone Mountain’s coach when asked to compare Reeves to Cedar Grove’s four-star receiver Josh Jarboe: “We played against them last year. Chip guarded Jarboe. Jarboe caught one pass. Chip caught 10. In a foot race, it ain’t even close.” It should be noted that Stone Mountain’s coach is Reeves’ father, Charles Sr. And Reeves Jr. and Jarboe are close friends, so no offense intended. Reeves, a three-star, is headed to Troy but is never mentioned among Georgia’s top receivers.
• Eric Eberhardt, North Gwinnett — The classic example of a great high school player who lacks the size (6-foot-1) to get major D-1 looks as a lineman. Coach Bob Sphire calls Eberhardt the most productive defensive player he has ever coached. Eberhardt led the Class AAAAA runner-up in tackles and sacks. He’s headed to Wofford.
Kick off the debate: Who are the players statewide this year who are better than their recruiting rankings? Let us know.
Permalink | Comments (37) | Categories: Extra Point
Top Mr. & Miss Basketball candidates
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
During the last few years, there has been little debate on who deserved to be named Mr. and Miss Georgia Basketball.
It was a no-brainer for Maya Moore to receive the award during her last two years of a stellar high school career. The choice was obvious with Dwight Howard, Louis Williams and Javaris Crittenton after standout senior seasons.
It won’t be that easy this year. As the regular season heads into the final week, here are some of the leading candidates for the AJC’s annual awards.
Boys
1. Derrick Favors, South Atlanta — Putting up incredible numbers for the nationally-ranked team.
2. Al-Farouq Aminu, Norcross — Wake Forest signee is carrying the Blue Devils on his shoulders while keeping them among the nation’s elite.
3. Trey Thompkins, Wesleyan — Playing in same county as Aminu has somewhat overshadowed his accomplishments.
4. Raymond Willis, Westlake — Silky smooth player leading the top-ranked team in Class AAAA.
5. Chris Singleton, Dunwoody: — Two-time all-state player is having his best season.
6. DeQuan Jones, Wheeler — Best player on perhaps the state’s best team.
7. Wesley Witherspoon, Berkmar — Might have the best skills of any of any player in the state.
Girls
1. Alicia Manning, Etowah — Tennessee signee might be most skilled player in the state.
2. Telia McCall, Marietta — Dominating player inside has the Blue Devils in title hunt.
3. Jylisa Williams, Stephenson — Standout guard/forward in Jags’ uptempo style of play.
4. Anne Marie Armstrong, Wesleyan — Has the skills to play all five positions.
5. Charenee Stephens, Southwest DeKalb — Dominating player could lead the Panthers to the title.
6. Courtney Hurt, Salem — A deep playoff run would certainly improve her chances.
7. Porsha Porter, Mill Creek — She is the spark for perhaps the state’s best team.
Post up: Who do you think are the leading candidates for Mr. and Miss Basketball? Who are we missing?
Permalink | Comments (48) | Categories: Fastbreak
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