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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Spring Football Fling: Parkview’s offense veteran, defense young
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
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside-WR • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
Photos: A look at Parkview
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Parkview in ‘08? Can the Panthers’ young “D” step up? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Consecutive exits in the first round of the state playoffs are not something the Parkview football program is used to. But that’s the current situation in Lilburn after losses to Etowah and Walton the last two seasons.
In 2008, the good news is on offense, where nine starters return, including standout running backs Brandon Jacobs and TaRon Squires. Clayton Wilkin and Kalik Barnes will stage a healthy quarterback competition when spring camp opens in one week.
The bad news is defense, where cornerbacks Squires and Julian Vann return to a unit that allowed 15 points a game last season.
“We’re going to be young on [defense],” coach Cecil Flowe said. “We’ve had to do that before, and we’ve been young on offense. We’ll make it go.”
Parkview will depend on several sophomores, including Kendrick Adams, A.J. Carroll, Walter McGriff and Justin Peurone, to win a starting jobs during spring camp. Flowe and his staff made a conscious effort to start the spring season later so the younger players could work in the weight room.
“We used to have spring early-to-late January, early February,” Flowe said. “[But] that’s why we’re having spring late so they can grow some more physically.”
Parkview Panthers
Region 8-AAAAA
Spring practice dates: May 5-16.
Last year’s record: 7-4, lost in the first round to Walton.
Reclassification challenge: Does not apply.
Working on: Finding a quarterback. Rising senior Clayton Wilkin lost his starting job late in the 2007 season, then injured his ACL. Now Wilkin will have to cmpete with rising junior Kalik Barnes for the starting job. The defense will have to replace six starters.
Key starters lost: WR/QB Derrick Heitkamp; SS Brandon Evans; K/P Jordan Stowe; DE Brian Farris.
Key starters returning: QB Wilkin; RB/LB Brandon Jacobs; RB/DB TaRon Squires.
2008 strengths: The Panthers should be solid in the backfield with seniors Jacobs and Squires (combined for nearly 1,600 rushing yards) getting the majority of the carries.
2008 weaknesses: The defense will be, for the most part, young and inexperienced. But Flowe is hoping a strong rising sophomore class can help soften the blow of losing six defensive starters.
This season’s projection: With Jacobs and Squires and an experienced offensive front, Parkview will be able to run the football. The healthy return of Wilkin from ACL surgery or the emergence of Barnes under center could determine whether Parkview is a good offensive team.
Comment: “You have to put some guys mentally and physically in the mix and see if they’ll mix it up,” Flowe said. “You can see if they’re coachable and then you’ve got a foundation.”
Week Two Lineup
• 4/21: ML King • 4/22: Valdosta • 4/23: Buford • 4/24: P-Ridge • 4/25: Tucker • 4/26: Fayette • 4/27: Brookwood
Week One Lineup
• 4/14: Roswell • 4/15: Norcross • 4/16: Walton • 4/17: Harrison • 4/18: Camden • 4/19: Newnan • 4/20: Stephenson
Photos: A look at Parkview
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Parkview in ‘08? Can the Panthers’ young “D” step up? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Spring Football
Georgia High School Baseball Blog - April 29, 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.
Don’t go breakin’ my… bat
Ever seen the bottom of an aluminum bat break off? That’s what happened when the Hardball staff took in Landmark Christian-Providence Christian last Friday. Landmark leadoff hitter Kyle Wren sawed off the bottom three or four inches of the bat with a first-inning single.
Kyle’s brother, Colby, later was involved in a 1-5-3-4 triple play from his third base position in a wild game that helped the War Eagles move a step closer to the Region 5-A title.
Afterward, winning pitcher Tanner Bryant, whose bat Wren broke in the first, sounded sad to see the piece of aluminum go.
“We’ve been using it a lot this year,” Bryant said. “That bat has hit 14 home runs this year.”
Had hit.
AJC All-Class Top 10
1. Brookwood (1) - Broncos No. 3 in national poll.
2. Harrison (3) - Seven straight wins for Hoyas, No. 15 in national poll.
3. East Paulding (7) - Raiders red-hot after Monday victory against Sequoyah pushed winning streak to eight games.
4. Columbus (2) - Blue Devils on short list of Class AAA favorites.
5. Holy Innocents’ (5) - Region 6-AA title game with Wesleyan looming.
6. South Effingham (6) - Mustangs battle Harlem Tuesday for Region 3-AAA crown.
7. Marist (NR) - War Eagles on 15-game winning streak.
8. Greenbrier (8) - Wolfpack battle Effingham County in Region 3-AAAA semifinals.
9. Heritage (4) - Patriots drop two straight, still control own destiny in 8-AAAA race.
10. Cartersville (NR) - Region 6-AAA champs averaging 11 runs per game during nine-game winning streak.
* Last week’s rankings in parenthesis
Class AA Profile: Westside-Augusta
We told you the Class AA profiles would keep coming. This week we take a look at Westside-Augusta. The Patriots, under long-time coach Gerald Barnes, are 18-1 and 12-0 in Region 3-AA. Westside is on a 16-game winning streak, trying to get back to the state finals after a two-year absence.
Westside has been winning with the home run. Seniors Sanders Commings (University of Georgia football signee) has hit 12, and Middle Georgia baseball signee Chandler Hall has added 13. Add 13 from junior shortstop Logan Gaines, and Westside has a trio of hitters who have hit the most home runs in Barnes’ 33 years.
Fire breathin’ Dragons
If you’re looking for a Class A favorite, you might want to try Region 8-A champ Jefferson. The Dragons have two excellent sophomore outfielders in Jake Fields (.600 average, 13 HRs, 36 RBIs) and Lucas Redd (.442, 18 RBIs) and solid pitching from senior Cameron Blinn and junior Chris Beck, who are a combined 11-0 with 123 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings.
Squeeze bunts
Pope has won six consecutive games, including victories against Holy Innocents’ and Kell. … Senior right-hander Cliff Carter has been the savior in the Parkview bullpen, compiling a 1.25 ERA with eight saves for the 19-6 Panthers.
April 29 results
Brookstone 16, Greenville 0
Chattahoochee 1, Roswell 0
Dalton 6, Southeast Whitfield 1
Dunwoody 13, Clarkston 1
Greenbrier 5, Effingham County 1
Griffin 16, Westside-Macon 4 (Game 1)
Griffin 15, Westside-Macon 4 (Game 2)
Harlem 10, South Effingham 5
Harrison 10, North Cobb 2
Hebron Christian 12, Prince Avenue Christian 1
Jones County 15, Forest Park 1 (Game 1)
Jones County 10, Forest Park 0 (Game 2)
Kennesaw Mountain 10, Murray County 0
Lee County 10, Valdosta 3
McEachern 4, Woodstock 3
Mundy’s Mill 15, Tri-Cities 0
Landmark Christian 13, Mt. Pisgah 1
Pace Academy 11, Walker 7
Pacelli 13, Chattahoochee County 0
Providence Christian 17, Mt. Paran 0
Screven County 8, Westside-Augusta 6
Wilkinson County 14, Glascock County 4
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.
Permalink | Comments (42) | Post your comment | Categories: Hardball
