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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Georgia High School Baseball Blog - April 25, 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Step up to the plate: Pitch YOUR all-class Top 10 Kurt’s way. Hardball is the place to talk high school baseball on ajc.com. We’ll be posting scores as they become available, but if you’ve got the scoop, please feel free to post scores, recaps and highlights. Thanks.
Mea culpa: Unintentional pass on Class AA
A handful of readers have pointed out that Hardball is not giving enough love to Class AA. While the omissions have been unintentional, we’ve decided to make peace by giving you one Class AA title hopeful each week.
Class AA profile: North Oconee
Coach Dwayne Sapp has built quite a program in just four years in Bogart. In each of the program’s first three years, the Titans reached the Class AA playoffs, finally getting past the first round last season. This year’s team has 15 consecutive Region 8-AA victories and will head into this weekend’s region tournament as the favorite.
“It has been a fun year so far, and we’ve won our 15 straight region games, but it won’t mean too much if we don’t take care of our business Friday,” Sapp said. Sapp’s team is hitting .370. His pitching staff has a 2.40 ERA. Justin Driscoll is hitting .481, and two-way threats Michael Vogel (.465 average; 4-1 on mound) and Taylor Hicks (6-1; 9 HR, 40 RBIs) have been sensational.
AJC All-Class Top 10
1. Brookwood (1) — Class AAAA Broncos keep rolling; shut out against Grayson extends winning streak to 13 games.
2. Columbus (2) — Blue Devils wrap up Region 2-AAA title with rout of Northside-Columbus.
3. Harrison (3) — 19-1 Class AAAAA Hoyas get Wednesday chance to avenge only loss to Kennesaw Mountain.
4. Heritage (4) — Shut out of Dacula puts winning streak at 20 games for Class AAAA power.
5. Holy Innocents’ (5) — Bears head into Thursday’s Region 6-AA round-robin as top seed.
6. South Effingham (7) — 3-0 week runs Mustangs’ winning streak to 10 games in Class AAA.
7. East Paulding (8) — Like Harrison, Class AAAA Raiders get a Wednesday chance at avenging only in-state loss to Alexander.
8. Greenbrier (6) — Wolfpack snap losing streak with trouncing of Evans Class AAAA matchup.
9. Kell (10) — Class AAAAA Longhorns face tough Lassiter-Pope-Walton stretch with 10-game winning streak on the line.
10. Kennesaw Mountain (NR) — Last year’s Class AAAAA runner-up has won seven consecutive games.
* Last week’s ranking in parenthesis
Squeeze bunts
No. 4 Heritage looks like one of the top Class AAAA title contenders after its 20th consecutive Region 8-AAAA victory Monday against Dacula. Sophomores Tyler Austin (.700 average, 10 home runs) and Travis Tarleton (nearly .500 average) have been catalysts and run-producers at the top of the lineup. … In North Gwinnett’s 15-5 victory against Norcross, Taylor Forrester hit three home runs and drove in eight. … A year after hitting six home runs, Jeff Davis outfielder/pitcher Kelly Williams already has nine for the Yellow Jackets. … After a 4-6 start against a brutal non-region schedule, Lassiter has allowed 16 total runs in winning its first 11 Region 6-AAAAA games.
Where we will be
On Wednesday, we travel to Dallas for a big Region 5-AAAA game between Alexander and No. 7 East Paulding. On Friday, we head to Lilburn as Landmark Christian and Providence Christian try to get a leg up on the Region 5-A crown. Let us know where you’re headed.
Step up to the plate: Pitch YOUR all-class Top 10 Kurt’s way. Hardball is the place to talk high school baseball on ajc.com. We’ll be posting scores as they become available, but if you’ve got the scoop, please feel free to post scores, recaps and highlights. Thanks.
Friday’s Scores
Alexander 9, South Paulding 0
Alpharetta 5, Chattahoochee 0
Aquinas 7, Hancock Central 0
Butler 11, Glenn Hills 1
Chamblee 13, McNair 3
Cherokee 12, Lithia Springs 0
Dunwoody 11, Carver-Atlanta 1
East Paulding 8, Chapel Hill 4
Etowah 11, McEachern 1, 5 innings
Gainesville 6, White County 5
Greenbrier 11-8, Ware County 0-10
Harlem 6, Cross Creek 5
Jefferson 14, Social Circle 4
Lakeside DeKalb 8, Southwest DeKalb 5
Lakeview Academy 20, Athens Academy 3
Landmark Christian 2, Providence Christian 2
Loganville 9, Heritage 7
Mill Creek 9, Forsyth County 1
Milton 17, Roswell 9
Mundy’s Mill 12, Tri-Cities 1
North Springs 17, Tucker 4
Redan 8, Lithonia 7
Screven County 11, Josey 0
Shaw 15, Spencer 0
Shiloh 12, Central Gwinnett 7
Walton 12, Lassiter 0
Westside-Augusta 6, Southeast Bulloch 4
Woodstock 10, Kennesaw Mountain 5
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Spring Football Fling: Valdosta, still rebuilding, has plenty of holes to fill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE SPRING FOOTBALL FLING
In upcoming weeks, teams throughout the state will spend 10 days on the practice field preparing for the 2008 football season. In a series of stories, ajc.com will provide an offseason outlook for 25 of the top teams in the metro and state.
This Week’s Lineup
4/21: ML King • 4/22: Valdosta • 4/23: Buford • 4/24: P’tree Ridge
4/25: Tucker • 4/26: Fayette Co. • 4/27: Brookwood
Photos: A look at Valdosta
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Valdosta in ‘08? Can the ‘Cats return to form? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Valdosta left with many holes to fill
The building process continues in Valdosta.
Graduation was not kind to the Wildcats, who must replace eight starters on defense and its three best skill-position players - running backs David Arnold and Marcus McNair and quarterback Michael Turner.
Ever-optimistic coach Rick Tomberlin insists he has talent to fill the holes.
Tomberlin points to the fact that the Wildcats’ junior varsity, ninth- and eighth-grade teams excelled last year and that his third year of heavy emphasis in the weight room will reap huge benefits this fall.
Leading the way will be two of the state’s top college prospects - linebacker Michael Gilliard and offensive tackle Tony Foster. Gilliard is considering offers from Georgia, Florida State and Florida, and Foster should play at an ACC or SEC program.
Valdosta Wildcats
Region 1-AAAAA
Spring practice dates: May 5-16
Last year’s record: 9-3, lost in the second round of the state playoffs to M.L. King, 21-18.
Reclassification challenge: As if the region needed another powerhouse, two-time Class AAAA state champion Northside-Warner Robins was forced to move up and was placed in 1-AAAAA.
Working on: The Wildcats made great strides last year by winning nine games and being a play away from reaching the state quarterfinals after winning only one game the season before. Merely surviving Region 1-AAAAA and making a deeper run in state would be considered a success.
Key starters lost: QB Turner (Hutchinson Junior College), RB Arnold (Georgia Southern), RB McNair (Valdosta State), LB Curtis Weatherspoon (Valdosta State).
Key starters returning: LB - Michael Gilliard, Sr., (6-2, 205); LB - Ahmad Williams, Sr., (6-2, 205); DT - Damien Doe, Sr., (5-11, 260); OT - Tony Foster, Sr., (6-4, 290).
2008 strengths: Quickness. The defense lacks experience, but this group will be active. Tomberlin also is convinced his offensive line will be his best. A talented group of wide receivers will be paced by 6-foot-5 sophomore Jay Rome, son of legendary Wildcats QB Stan Rome.
2008 weaknesses: Quarterback. Tomberlin feels the skill and smarts are there - it is just a matter of who will take the helm. Inexperienced seniors Kyle Rowe and Tavoris Belcher and junior Chad Prain lead the pack. The running back situation is in a similar situation.
This season’s projection: Winning a 24th state championship is the ultimate goal. But even getting out of Region 1-AAAAA will be a challenge.
Photos: A look at Valdosta
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Valdosta in ‘08? Can the ‘Cats return to form? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Last Week’s Lineup
• 4/14: Roswell • 4/15: Norcross • 4/16: Walton • 4/17: Harrison
• 4/18: Camden • 4/19: Newnan • 4/20: Stephenson
