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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Spring Football Fling: Mill Creek now ready to reload, not to rebuild
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 several of the top teams in the metro and state.
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Creek in ‘08? Are the Hawks headed back to the playoffs? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Mill Creek Hawks
Region 7-AAAAA
Spring practice dates: May 6-May 17
Last year’s record: 7-4, lost in first round of state playoffs
Working on: The Hawks return just one starting offensive lineman and one starting linebacker, so competition will be fierce at those positions. “Those are two fairly critical spots,” coach Shannon Jarvis said. “It’s not like I’m saying we need another wide receiver.”
Key starters lost: TE Austin Wilson, FS Sam Davis, LB Collin Stuart, OL Darius Jackson
Key starters returning: QB Zach Landis, RB Lenny Brooks, WR/QB Ed Russ, DE Ryan Robinson, DB Chris Boggs, LB Scott Ooley
2008 strengths: The Hawks return nearly all their playmakers, including quarterback Zach Landis, tailback Lenny Brooks and Ed Russ, who will split time between receiver and quarterback. Coaches are high on tight end Kevin Darley, who is trying to replace standout Austin Wilson. The defensive front, led by explosive end Ryan Robinson, should cause lots of problems for opposing quarterbacks.
2008 weaknesses: Mill Creek made the playoffs for the first time in school history behind a rock-solid offensive line. But four starters and tight end Austin Wilson are graduating, leaving big holes to fill.
This season’s projection: The Hawks, who open against Dacula and Central Gwinnett before starting region play, need to mesh quickly. Three of their first four region games are against Norcross, North Gwinnett and Peachtree Ridge. If the inexperienced offensive line jells, Mill Creek could make the playoffs again.
Comment: Jarvis believes the program has matured to the point where the Hawks can reload, not rebuild, with up-and-coming players. “There’s not one person in our program who is satisfied with what happened last year,” Jarvis said, referring to the school’s first winning season and playoff berth. “The good thing is they barely got a taste of it. We’ve got some goals in place and we want to take the next step.”
Week Three Lineup
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside-WR • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
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
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Creek in ‘08? Are the Hawks headed back to the playoffs? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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Spring Football Fling: GAC expects winning ways to continue as usual
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 several of the top teams in the metro and state.
You make the call: What’s the buzz on GAC in ‘08? Will change affect the Spartans’ winning ways? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
Greater Atlanta Christian Spartans
Region 6-AA
Spring practice dates: May 6-May 16
Last year’s record: 9-4, lost in state quarterfinals
Working on: The Spartans lost their top two tailbacks from 2007, Ben Donald to graduation and Bobby Petrino to Arkansas. Fullbacks Matt Cape and Blake Southerland will get some carries, but new coach Ken Robinson is looking for tailbacks. “We’ve got some consistent guys who have been in our program for a while,” he said. “It will probably have to be more by committee. That’s one of the questions that hopefully will get answered this spring and summer.”
Key starters lost: TE/LB Christian Robinson, OL/DL Justin Lumsden, TE/LB Michael Carothers, RB/LB Ben Donald
Key starters returning: QB Colton Chapple, FB/LB Blake Southerland, OL/DL Luke Davis, OL/DL Patrick Hartman, WR/DB Julian Horton, DB Stephen Atwater
Strengths: The Spartans are experienced on both lines. On offense, four projected starters played a lot of snaps last year. Quarterback Colton Chapple and wideout Julian Horton have developed great chemistry and should continue to burn defenses for long pass plays.
Weaknesses: There are no Caleb King or Micah Andrews-type talents at running back, and the top two tailbacks from last season are gone. Look for the Spartans to divide carries among several runners. Linebacker is another question mark due to the departure of Georgia-bound Christian Robinson.
Projection: The Spartans are adjusting to a new head coach, Robinson, and a new defensive coordinator in Felix Curry, formerly of South Gwinnett. But Robinson, a GAC assistant for six years, isn’t planning major scheme changes, so it should be a smooth transition. GAC has the talent to go deep in the playoffs.
Comment: “There’s nothing wrong with our system,” said Robinson, referring to GAC’s success under predecessors Jimmy Chupp and Jim Lofton. “We’re hoping to build a special team, which is separated by those intangibles. The way you build it is to get a bunch of guys paying the price together, making an investment and caring so much that they’re not willing to let one another down.”
Week Three Lineup
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside-WR • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
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
You make the call: What’s the buzz on GAC in ‘08? Will change affect the Spartans’ winning ways? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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Georgia High School Baseball Blog - May 6, 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.
UPDATE May 7
Scroll below the rankings and Kurt’s playoff picks to see the May 9 playoff pairings.
AJC All-Class Top 10 Rankings
1. Brookwood (1): Broncos are 13-0 against 2008 playoff teams.
2. Harrison (2): Extra-inning victory against Etowah caps 25-1 regular season for Region 5-AAAAA champion Hoyas.
3. East Paulding (3): Raiders last lost to Georgia team on March 21.
4. Columbus (4): Junior lefties Taylor Wolf and Matt Taylor leading 23-3 Blue Devils.
5. Wesleyan (NR): Wolves roll to Region 6-AA crown behind seven-homer barrage.
6. Cartersville (10): All five of Canes losses to Class AAAAA teams; finished 14-0 in Region 6-AAA.
7. Marist (7): War Eagles’ 17-game winning streak snapped by Columbus.
8. Greenbrier (8): Region 3-AAAA champs begin quest for three-peat, Friday against Americus-Sumter.
9. Heritage (9): Patriots’ pitching staff had 10 shutouts during regular season.
10. Holy Innocents’ (5): Lost last two games to Walker and Wesleyan by a combined 28-6; finished regular season 21-4.
* Last week’s rankings in parenthesis
Hardball picks the playoffs
A long baseball season has come down to three exciting weeks of playoff competition. Hardball will be blogging after each round, but first we give you our picks on which teams will be lifting state championship trophies.
Class AAAAA
It’s tough to pick against a 24-1 team that is 13-0 against 2008 playoff teams. So we won’t. The Brookwood Broncos’ three-man rotation of Chase Hawkins (10-0, 1.02 ERA), Alex Beebe (7-0, 1.53 ERA) and Matt Adams (5-0, 1.56 ERA) is as good as any in the state, and six different players have 18 RBIs or more. We’d be shocked to see a team other than Rick Howard’s Broncos claim the Class AAAAA title in three weeks.
Look out for: Harrison, Lassiter, Walton, Valdosta, Kell.
Class AAAA
A number of teams could claim to be the Class AAAA favorite, including two-time defending champion Greenbrier, Heritage and Marist. But something tells us it’s the year of the Raiders, namely Tony Boyd’s 23-3 East Paulding Raiders, which boasts a lineup that can score in a hurry and a Zack Wheeler-led pitching staff that is unheralded.
Look out for: Heritage, Greenbrier, Marist.
Class AAA
Quick, name the Class AAA favorite. … It’s not an easy thing to do. So, we’ll go with the team that has been in our top 5 all season: The Columbus Blue Devils, last year’s runner-up, finished the 2008 season 23-3. With left-handed starters Taylor Wolf (7-0), Matt Taylor (7-2) and a solid bullpen, Columbus is primed to take the next step to a state title.
Look out for: Cartersville, Dunwoody, Flowery Branch, South Effingham.
Class AA
While we sat behind home plate at Holy Innocents’ during last Friday’s Region 6-AA championship game, one thought crossed our minds: Wesleyan is the best team in Class AA. The Wolves have the pitching, led by Vanderbilt commitment Grayson Garvin, and they have .500 hitters Connor Winn and Kevin Ruiz, who lead a potent offense that hit seven home runs during the 6-AA title-game rout. Coach Michael Shaheen’s team hasn’t lost since March 22. After bowing out in the state title series in 2006 (Lovett) and the semifinals last season (Calhoun), we think this is the year Wesleyan gets over the hump.
Look out for: Cook; Pierce County; Holy Innocents’.
Class A
Region 8-A champion Jefferson has won 17 of 18 games since a 1-3 start. The Dragons are led by sophomore outfielders Jake Fields (13 home runs, 38 RBIs) and Lucas Redd (.446 average, .492 on-base percentage) and junior pitcher Chris Beck (7-0, 1.62 ERA, 77 strikeouts in 43 1/3 IP) and senior pitcher Cameron Blinn (5-0, 1.24 ERA). Jefferson advanced to the semifinals last season. Tommy Knight’s team can win it all this year.
Look out for: Landmark Christian, Calvary Day, Aquinas, Claxton, Bowdon.
UPDATE
May 9, 2008 Baseball Playoffs — (Best two of three)
Class AAAAA
Bradwell Institute at Valdosta, 4 p.m.
Hiram at Luella, 4:30 p.m.
South Forsyth at Harrison, 5 p.m.
South Gwinnett at Kell, 5 p.m.
Tift Co. at Camden Co.
Union Grove at Mundy’s Mill
Kennesaw Mountain at Mill Creek, 4 p.m.
Walton at Parkview, 4 p.m.
Grayson at Lassiter, 5 p.m.
North Gwinnett at North Cobb, 5 p.m.
Newnan at Redan
Groves at Warner Robins, 4 p.m.
Alpharetta at Brookwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstock at Norcross, 5 p.m.
M.L. King at East Coweta, 4 p.m.
Coffee at Jenkins, 1 p.m.
Class AAAA
Evans at Lee Co.
Northside-Warner Robins at Starr’s Mill, 4:30 p.m.
Ridgeland at East Paulding, 4 p.m.
Salem at Lakeside-DeKalb, 2 p.m.
Americus-Sumter at Greenbrier, 4 p.m.
McIntosh at Jones Co., 4:30 p.m.
Cherokee at Rome, 5 p.m.
St. Pius at Loganville, 1 p.m.
Madison Co. at Marist, 3 p.m.
Ringgold at Sequoyah, 5 p.m.
Dutchtown at Woodward Academy, 5 p.m.
Effingham Co. at Thomas Co. Central, 4 p.m.
North Springs at Heritage, 4 p.m.
Alexander at Dalton, 5:30 p.m.
Northgate at Griffin
Bainbridge at Statesboro, 4 p.m.
Class AAA
Burke Co. at Cairo, 4 p.m.
Ola at Shaw
White Co. at Dunwoody, 4:30 p.m.
Franklin Co. at Carrollton, 4 p.m.
Worth Co. at Harlem, 4 p.m.
Troup at Perry, 4 p.m.
Riverwood at Flowery Branch, 3:30 p.m.
Sandy Creek at Stephens Co., 5 p.m.
Elbert Co. at Cartersville, 4 p.m.
Gilmer Co. at Blessed Trinity
Spalding at Columbus
Liberty Co. at Crisp Co., 2 p.m.
Cass at Oconee Co., 4 p.m.
Westminster at Gainesville, 3:30 p.m.
Northside-Columbus at Henry Co.
Westover at South Effingham, 5 p.m.
Class AA
Southeast Bulloch at Cook, 3 p.m.
Vidalia at Savannah Christian
Adairsville at Pike Co., 3:30 p.m.
Banks Co. at Holy Innocents’, 2:30 p.m.
Early Co. at Westside-Augusta
Jeff Davis at Bleckley Co., 4 p.m.
Heard Co. at Calhoun, 5 p.m.
Lovett at Fannin Co., 3 p.m.
Washington-Wilkes at Wesleyan, 4 p.m.
Rockmart at Callaway
Dodge Co. at Pierce Co.
Swainsboro at Fitzgerald
Greater Atlanta Christian at North Oconee, 4:30 p.m.
Rutland at Armuchee
Appling Co. at Dublin, 4 p.m.
Berrien at Screven Co., 3 p.m.
Class A
Jenkins Co. at Lanier Co., 3 p.m.
Schley Co. at Wilcox Co.
Wilkinson Co. at Landmark Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Athens Christian at Bowdon, 2 p.m.
Bacon Co. at Calvary Day, 1 p.m.
Montgomery Co. at Brookstone, 2 p.m.
Mt. Paran at Aquinas
Gordon Lee at Lakeview Academy, 2 p.m.
Athens Academy at Bremen
Monticello at Providence Christian, 2 p.m.
Taylor Co. at Telfair Co., 4 p.m.
Savannah Country Day at Seminole Co., 4 p.m.
Trion at Jefferson, 4:30 p.m.
Eagle’s Landing Christian at Georgia Military
Turner Co. at Pacelli, 5 p.m.
Baconton at Claxton, 2 p.m.
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 (34) | Post your comment | Categories: Hardball
Spring Football Fling: Grayson counting on chemistry to key ‘08 success
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
• 5/5: Chamblee • 5/6: Grayson • 5/7: N. Gwinnett • 5/8: Douglass
Photos: A look at Grayson
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Grayson in ‘08? Can the Rams top 2007’s success? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
The way Grayson coach Mickey Conn sees it, the unity within a team is just as significant as the talent.
“That’s the key,” he said. “How your team comes together as a team, wanting to work hard for one another, fight for one another. Our team had great chemistry last year.
“We’re working on that the most.”
If they are successful at becoming unified, the Rams have a chance to again make some noise. Grayson was 10-3 last season.
“I’m really excited to have my quarterback [Tyler Horne] returning. Really excited,” Conn said. “And we have our leading rusher [Ean Pemberton] back. We lost some key players; we have a few pieces to fill.
“But we have some players returning, too. And the players have worked really hard. Winning breeds winning. The success we had last year gives them hope and encouragement to try to match what the guys did last year. It sets the tone on where we want to be. In my mind, we can build on that success.”
Part of the Rams’ emergence occurred because of linebackers Terry Williams and Jonathan Langston. Grayson went into the season concerned about the position. Williams and Langston played great football.
“Now we need some players to step in on the lines,” Conn said. “We need to find a center. We need another offensive lineman and two on the defensive line. So if we find players like we did last year, we’ll be all right.”
Grayson Rams
Region 8-AAAAA
Spring practice dates: Through May 16.
Last year’s record: 10-3, lost in the third round of the state playoffs.
Reclassification challenge: Does not apply.
Working on: The Rams are riding the confidence of an outstanding 2007. Their coaching staff did a commendable job in game-planning and preparation, but also in building a unified group. It will take another cohesive unit to grow into a contender.
Key starters lost: LB Tristan Strong; G Nick Amon; C Stephen Bolt; S Denzell Guerra.
Key starters returning: QB Tyler Horne; LB Terry Williams; RB Ean Pemberton; LB Jonathan Langston.
2008 strengths: The Rams are riding the confidence of their best season. They are well-coached and believe a standard of excellence has been set. Horne and Pemberton are experienced in two key offensive positions.
2008 weaknesses: Grayson needs strong players to emerge on the offensive line and defensive front. The Rams were able to run the ball and stop the run because of their size and strength on both lines.
This season’s projection: It is likely Grayson again will be a force in the region and beyond. If the Rams get a few players to emerge on the offensive and defensive lines, they could be the premier team in the region.
Photos: A look at Grayson
Week Three Lineup
• 4/28: Lowndes • 4/29: Parkview • 4/30: Mays • 5/1: Marist • 5/2: Northside-WR • 5/3: Lovett • 5/4: St. Pius
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
You make the call: What’s the buzz on Grayson in ‘08? Can the Rams top 2007’s success? Games start in August. Talk starts NOW.
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