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AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December

December 2008

Georgia High School Wrestling: Pound For Pound reviews out-of-state action

By Kurt Aschermann Jr. | Wednesday, December 31, 2008, 12:44 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Every year around this time, the Pound for Pound staff awakens from holiday slumber and begins to sift through the out-of-state high school wrestling. Following last season’s breakout campaign nationally, Peach State wrestlers hit mats across the country and put up some impressive finishes once again.

No. 1 Collins Hill visited the Midwest Wrestling Classic in Kansas City and picked up the third-place trophy and in the process climbing to No. 26 in Amateur Wrestling News Prep 40 poll. The Eagles top three wrestlers-119 pound T.J. Mitchell; Joel Smith (140); and 152-pounder Taylor Knapp-were all runners-up, each losing to nationally-ranked wrestlers. Four others placed in the top 6.

No. 2 Union Grove placed third in the ultra-competitive Brecksville Invitational in Ohio. Joey Lazor continued his torrid senior campaign, winning a second consecutive Brecksville title, while heavyweight Wesley Mena picked up his second straight runner-up medal.

No. 3 Jefferson won the Smoky Mountain Duals in Pigeon Forge (TN), clipping tournament runner-up Lafayette on the way. The No. 4 Ramblers had a good couple of weeks otherwise, finishing 5th at the McCallie Invitational in Tennessee and handling Murray County with ease in a Tuesday dual.

“Those guys are good,” Lafayette coach Sam Forester said of Jefferson in the understatement of the decade. “They’ve got a great squad.”

Individually, it was another great out-of-state holiday season for Georgia wrestlers. McEachern’s Brandon Westerman (130) won Most Outstanding Wrestler at the McCallie Invitational (TN) and Centennial blue-chipper Brian St. James was MOW at 112 pounds at the Spencerport (NY) Teike-Bernabi Tournament, helping the No. 7 Knights finish third.

AJC Top 10 All-Class Rankings
1. Collins Hill (1)
2. Union Grove (2)
3. Jefferson (3)
4. Lafayette (5)
5. Pope (3)
6. Kennesaw Mountain (7)
7. Centennial (9)
8. Henry County (8)
9. Camden County (NR)
10. Eastside (NR)









Note: The Coaches Poll will return January 14.

Quick Takedowns
No. 9 Camden County ended Oviedo High School’s (FL) 84-match win streak, winning 41-22 over the Lions in the Camden Holiday Duals. Stephen Spradlin (Wrestling USA’s No. 22 junior at 112 pounds) was one of five Wildcats who scored six-point victories, and of the six Camden losses, five were minor decisions…..Deja vu? Loganville nipped Lowndes by a single point, 186-185 at the Fayette Christmas Classic, a year after Red Devils’ coach Don Williams’ former team, Stockbridge, split the Fayette tournament title with Wesleyan…..Welcome back: Apalachee duo Austin Sheppard and Zak Moore each made his first big splash of 2008, winning titles at 125 and 130 pounds, respectively, at the George Thompson Memorial at Winder Barrow. No. 10 Eastside ran away with the team title, getting seven individual titles out of 11 finalists.

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 (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Pound For Pound

Georgia High School Football: The All State teams — Did we get it right?

By Todd Holcomb | Monday, December 29, 2008, 09:02 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This is the first season that I’ve coordinated the selection of the AJC’s All State teams, and while I enjoyed it, it’s probably the most difficult and worrisome job I’ve done here in awhile.

What I’ve learned is that there’s no way to get it right. That’s unlike the team rankings, where I’ve become infallible. (Kidding, of course.)

For All State, there are just too many players, too many opinions, not enough time. There are 375 teams, most of which our staff never got to see in person. But on the other hand, countless hours went into it, reaching out to the coaches and to the media throughout the state and collecting as many statistics and good opinions and witnesses as we could find.

I’d like to hear what you liked and didn’t like about this year’s All State teams. The Associated Press also did a team, and the GACA (Georgia Athletic Coaches Association) will do one in a couple of months. The good news is that among the three of them, hopefully anyone who is All State-caliber will get some recognition.

• 2008 Class AAAAA All-State football team

• 2008 Class AAAA All-State football team

• 2008 Class AAA All-State football team

• 2008 Class AA All-State football team

• 2008 Class A All-State football team

Make your point: Share your opinions on our 2008 All State teams. What did we get right? What did we get wrong? What did we miss completely?

Permalink | Comments (104) | Post your comment | Categories: Extra Point

Final rankings: AP likes Coffee over East Paulding

By Todd Holcomb | Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 03:51 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The final rankings in the Associated Press are out. They don’t differ too much from the AJC’s rankings, but the AP chose Clinch County over Athens Academy (Class A), Jefferson and Toombs County over Callaway and Thomasville (AA), Burke County over Stephens County (AAA), SW DeKalb and Mount Zion over Sequoyah and North Clayton (AAAA), and Coffee over East Paulding (AAAAA).

Here are our rankings if you want to compare:

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/prepsports/entries/2008/12/14/finalrankings1.html

Class A

  1. Wesleyan (9) 13-2 90

  2. Emanuel County Institute 14-1 81 1

  3. Lincoln County 12-2 72 3

  4. Wilkinson County 10-4 60

  5. Wilcox County 12-1 51 2

  6. Bremen 11-2 44 5

  7. Turner County 10-3 40

  8. Miller County 11-2 25 10

  9. Brookstone 11-1 11 4

  10. Clinch County 9-3 7 9

    Others receiving votes: Athens Academy 6, Whitefield Academy 2, Holy Innocents’ 3, Eagle’s Landing Christian 2.<

Class AA

  1. Buford (9) 15-0 90 1

  2. Calhoun 12-3 81 10

  3. Brooks County 12-2 72 3

  4. Fitzgerald 11-3 64

  5. Dublin 11-2 46 2

  6. Pepperell 11-2 44 6

  7. Lovett 9-4 43

  8. Toombs County 9-4 17

  9. Westminster 9-3 13

  10. Jefferson 11-1 11 4

    Others receiving votes: Thomasville 5, Henry County 4, Callaway

  11. <

Class AAA

  1. Cairo (9) 15-0 90 1

  2. Flowery Branch 12-3 81

  3. Carver-Columbus 11-3 70 5

  4. LaGrange 11-3 60 8

  5. Baldwin 12-1 51 2

  6. Gainesville 12-1 45 4

  7. Dunwoody 12-1 38 3

  8. Eastside 11-2 32 9

  9. Ridgeland 9-3 14

  10. Burke Co. 7-4 5

    Others receiving votes: North Hall 2, Cartersville 2, Carrollton 2, Stephens County 2.

Class AAAA

Record Pts Prv

1. Tucker (9) 14-1 90 4

  1. Marist 13-2 80 3

  2. Rome 11-3 68

  3. Westside-Macon 12-1 58 1

  4. Griffin 10-4 55

  5. Statesboro 11-2 40 7

  6. Southwest Dekalb 9-4 26

  7. Mount Zion 8-5 23

  8. Sandy Creek 11-1 22 2

  9. Brunswick 9-3 13 10

Others receiving votes: Sequoyah 9, North Clayton 8.

Class 5A

Class AAAAA

Record Pts Prv

1. Camden County (9) 15-0 90 2

  1. Peachtree Ridge 12-3 81 9

  2. Grayson 13-1 71 5

  3. Newnan 13-1 56 3

  4. Lowndes 12-1 50 1

  5. Woodstock 8-5 42

  6. Northside-Warner Robins 10-2 36 4

  7. North Gwinnett 10-3 33 10

  8. Coffee County 9-4 15

  9. Harrison 9-3 10

    Others receiving votes: East Paulding 6, Tift County 4.<

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Leaderboard: State’s top passers, rushers, receivers in ‘08

By Todd Holcomb | Monday, December 22, 2008, 11:09 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

High school football statistics are not kept officially, but here are the leading rushers, passers and receivers that have been reported to us this season. It’s most everybody, but let us know if you think someone is missing. If I have time, I’ll see if I can compile a list of players with the most touchdowns.:

Rushing (minimum 1,500 yards)

2,828, Washaun Ealey, ECI

2,165, Adrian Alexander, SW Macon

2,161, Justin Beasley, Banks County

2,072, Brandon Whitaker, Pepperell

2,010, William Pratcher, Cedar Grove

2,004, Toney Williams, Milton

1,949, Ean Pemberton, Grayson

1,902, Kyle Karempelis, Wesleyan

1,878, A.J. Cornelius, Northeast Macon

1,859, Michael Boydston, Walton

1,780, Demond Dennis, Carver-Atlanta

1,737, Ryan Boykin, Etowah

1,729, Julian Suber, Riverside Military

1,692, Reginald Bryant, Cairo

1,690, Martez Christopher, Brooks County

1,677, Xavier Bacon, Northside-Warner Robins

1,665, P.J. Greene, Rome

1,660, Mack Brown, M.L. King

1,621, Martez Eastland, Ringgold

1,620, Jonathan Finch, Evans

1,585, Allen McKay, Marion County

1,577, Brandon Jacobs, Parkview

1,563, Ben Souther, Chestatee

1,558, Chris Hunter, Westside-Augusta

1,555, Sam Burkhalter, Blessed Trinity

1,551, Harold Small, Brunswick

Passing (minimum 2,000 yards)

3,705, Hutson Mason, Lassiter

3,024, Drew Little, Henry County

2,836, Caleb Horvath, Chattahoochee County

2,753, Kevion Newberry, Turner County

2,559, Michael Johnson, Calhoun

2,556, Shunquez Stephens, West Hall

2,453, Blake Sims, Gainesville

2,266, Russ Powell, Newnan

2,254, Cain Campbell, North Paulding

2,226, Nick Marshall, Wilcox County

2,208, Mike Polascik, South Gwinnett

2,198, Mike Tamburo, North Gwinnett

2,178, Jordan Carkhuff, Lovett

2,177, Dre Prather, Gordon Central

2,183, Jake Durham, Long County

2,146, Connor Shaw, Flowery Branch

2,106, Zach Mettenberger, Oconee County

2,034, Josh Morgan, LaFayette

Receptions (minimum 50 catches)

81, Tai-Ler Jones, Gainesville

77, Blake Gowder, Union County

73, Price Garrett, Walton

72 Philip Lutzenkirchen, Lassiter

70, Christian Conley, North Paulding

69, Ricky Rivera, Long County

62, Dimitri Holmes, Clarke Central

62, Jonathan Krause, South Gwinnett

61, Drexel Copeland, Mount Zion-Jonesboro

61, Rodney Gibson, West Hall

61, Darqueze Dennard, Twiggs County

60, Eldridge Cooper, North Atlanta

59, Kevin Martin, Chattahoochee

57, Dedric Shipman, Meadowcreek

56, Jamal Patterson, Henry County

54, Alan Bonner, Newnan

54, Jordan Afman, Gordon Lee

53, Tyler Jarry, North Gwinnett

53, Hiawatha Parker, Turner County

53, Kevin Steed, Lithia Springs

52, Teddy Gibson, Chattahoochee County

52, Quan Jones, Henry County

Permalink | Comments (32) | Post your comment | Categories: Extra Point

High School Football — Ranking the regions: 5-AAAAA finishes on top

By Todd Holcomb | Sunday, December 21, 2008, 08:43 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

You don’t think of Cobb and Cherokee counties as the hotbeds of Georgia high school football. There have been no state titles there in 40 years.

But if you ask me which was Georgia’s toughest region in 2008, I’m going to say CheroCobb. Or is it CobbOkee? OK, let’s just call it Region 5-AAAAA.

According to the computer rankings of Loren Maxwell, Kennesaw Mountain was better than 2-AAAAA champ Stephenson this year. McEachern was better than 6-AAAAA champ Walton. And Kennesaw Mountain and McEachern didn’t make the state playoffs.

And look at the third- and fourth-place teams: Harrison had a victory over Peachtree Ridge, and Woodstock lost to Camden County only 18-17 in Kingsland.

Here’s how I rank the regions today. Compare them to how I ranked them in September. Looks like I and much of the state underestimated North Georgia places where you might find Calhoun, Rome and Flowery Branch.

Class AAAAA
5 - State’s best non-playoff team: Kennesaw Mountain
1 - Lowndes, Coffee, Tift met shocking ends
7 - Peachtree Ridge led the way
6 - No. 4 seed Lassiter upset Etowah
8 - Grayson upheld region tradition in playoffs
4 - Newnan is region’s only top-25 team in AAAAA
2 - Stephenson’s region 0-for-4 in state playoffs
3 - Home of the four worst teams in AAAAA
How I ranked them in September: 1, 5, 7, 8, 6, 4, 2, 3








Class AAAA
6 - Tucker, Marist, SWD made the quarters
7 - Dalton was best AAAA team not to make the playoffs
5 - 7-3 Mays was No. 2 in state at one point
4 - Semifinalist Griffin was runner-up in this region
2 - Might’ve been No. 1 if Ware had represented
1 - TCC & Bainbridge were disappointments
8 - One and done for region champ Loganville
3 - Evans wins worst region above Class A
In September: 6, 1, 5, 2, 7, 4, 8, 3








Class AAA
1 - Cairo, and seven average-to-good teams
7 - Flowery Branch wasn’t even the region champ
2 - Carver, LaGrange great, but no other winning records
3 - Baldwin leads good quartet, but no depth
8 - Eastside only team to win a round
5 - Dunwoody only team to win a round
6 - Despite Ridgeland, Carrollton, Cartersville advancing
4 - 10-0 Jackson lost in first round
In September: 2, 1, 5, 3, 7, 8, 6, 4








Class AA
6 - Buford’s toughest game: 5th-place Blessed Trinity
1 - Fitzgerald was third in region, fourth in state
3 - Dublin won it. I underrated this region all season
7 - Calhoun, Pepperell a powerful 1-2 bunch
2 - Charlton’s region was a playoff disaster: 0-for-4
4 - Decent playoff teams led by Henry Co.; soft underneath
5 - Callaway was the best of a weak lot
8 - Jefferson met no resistance to 10-0
In September: 6, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8








Class A
2 - Wilcox was champion of only region without a bad team
7 - Lincoln County, Wilkinson County make semis
8 - This region’s stock rose in playoffs with Wesleyan
5 - 3-1 in first round, but wretched below that
6 - Bremen only team to win in first round
1 - Clinch, Miller lost early, but this region was deep
3 - ECI’s region had more poor teams than any other
4 - Brookstone runs table on state’s weakest region
In September: 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8








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Pound for Pound: Collins Hill wrestling machine humming right along

By Kurt Aschermann Jr. | Friday, December 19, 2008, 02:20 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Could this year’s Collins Hill team be better than last year’s juggernaut? An early dual loss to Pope, minus two of the state’s top wrestlers, T.J. Mitchell and Taylor Knapp, might have scared off some prognosticators, but not the staff at Pound for Pound. We knew it would just be a matter of time before the Eagles got going, and last weekend’s victory at the Cleveland Duals was a good jumping off point.

In winning for the fifth consecutive time at the longtime Tennessee dual tournament, Collins Hill re-established itself in Amateur Wrestling News Prep 40 poll at No. 36 with the victory against former No. 40 South Dade. Now it’s about proving itself in the Midwest, as in the Midwest Classic in Kansas City, Mo., this weekend.

“I do think that we should be ranked in the top 40 nationally,” Eagles coach Cliff Ramos said. “Now the challenge is to see if we can keep that ranking as we face some of the top teams in the nation over the next two weeks.”

After Ramos takes his crew to Missouri (where he started his coaching career), the Eagles host the Kyle Maynard Duals, Dec. 27, and head to Rochester, Minn., for The Clash Duals on Jan. 2.

“We are not afraid to go against the national powers,” said Ramos. “We may not always beat them, but we will not shy away from them.”

AJC Top 10 All-Class Rankings (Last week’s rank in parenthesis)

  1. Collins Hill (1) Wrapped up fifth consecutive Cleveland Duals title with victory against South Dade (FL); head to Midwest Classic this weekend

  2. Union Grove (2) South Metro champions heavy favorite this weekend at Loganville

  3. Pope (3) Only loss to Bradley Central (Tenn.) in finishing second at Sawnee Mountain Duals

  4. Jefferson (4) Third at Sawnee; only loss to Bradley Central

  5. Lafayette (5) Brett Warren champions looking like clear favorite in Class AAA

  6. Cass (8) Fifth-place finish at Sawnee was followed by tight victory against No. 7 Kennesaw Mountain

  7. Kennesaw Mountain (6) Mustangs win Raider Rumble

  8. Henry County (7) Warhawks second at South Metro

  9. Centennial (10) Sequoyah Invitational champions coming together

  10. Dacula (9) After more than two weeks off, Falcons head to King of the Mat in North Carolina on Monday

AJC Coaches Poll — Week 5

  1. Collins Hill (8), 80 points. Last week: 1

  2. Union Grove, 66. Last week: 2

  3. Jefferson, 62. Last week: 3

  4. Pope, 61. Last week: 4

  5. Lafayette, 41. Last week: 5

  6. Henry County, 24. Last week: 6

  7. Centennial, 21. Last week: T7

  8. Kennesaw Mountain, 19. Last week: 10

  9. Cass, 14. Last week: 9
    T10 Eastside, 10. Last week: NR
    T10 Walton, 10. Last week: NR

Others receiving votes: Grayson, 8; Parkview, 7; Whitewater, 4; Camden County, 3; Peachtree Ridge, 3; Dacula, 2; Rockdale County, 2; Wesleyan, 2; Lovett, 1

Takedowns

• No. 2 Union Grove is rolling along after a runaway victory at the South Metro Invite. Joey Lazor, making a strong argument for Georgia’s wrestler of the year, won the 140-pound title, while Justin Crozier (135 champ), Ryan Devita (130), Jack Roberts (160) and Wesley Mena (285) won. All five wrestlers improved to 16-0.

• No. 3 Pope and No. 4 Jefferson never got a chance to meet at Forsyth Central’s Sawnee Mountain Duals, each losing to Bradley Central. The Tennessee state champion Bears defeated Jefferson 40-18 in the semifinals and slipped by the Greyhounds 33-28 in the final.

Where we’ll be

The Pound for Pound staff was tempted to make the 115-mile trip to Chattanooga for this weekend’s McCallie Invitational. Instead, we’ll head to Loganville for the Eric Hill Memorial Tournament and watch the favorite, Union Grove.

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Take 10: Top moments from the 2008 Georgia high school football season

By Glenn LaFollette | Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 12:42 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ah, memories. It has a been a fun ride in a football season that was full of upsets, improbable runs and ESPN-worthy highlights. We’re sure several of you out there are sad to see the season come to an end.

But don’t worry. Recruiting will keep you interested through February, then comes spring practice and after that it’s just a couple months before we’re back in the saddle again. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though.

Here are our top 10 moments of the 2008 football season:

10: Washaun Ealey breaks career TD mark - ECI’s talented tailback didn’t have the end to his career we’re sure he wanted, but finishing as Georgia’s all-time career touchdown king isn’t too shabby. On Oct. 16, he broke the mark of 112 set by Pacelli’s Matt Dunham in 2004.

9: Camden County goes Dome to Dome - The Wildcats started the year with a 21-6 victory against Norcross in the Kell Classic and finished it with a victory against Peachtree Ridge for their second state title in Class AAAAA. If you add in a semifinal game at Newnan, we calculate Camden County traveled the most miles of any eventual state champion: 152,423 miles. That’s roughly half the distance to the moon.

8: Quick turnarounds - We’ve pointed this out a few times, but it was a good year for bouncing back. Lassiter (9-3 from 3-7), Kell (8-3 from 2-8), Chapel Hill (9-3 from 0-10) and North Clayton (10-2 from 5-5) all made quick changes under first-year head coaches. Let’s hope the mojo continues for these programs in 2009.

7: The end of Take 10 picks - We’ve learned our lesson when it comes to picking games. We tried to give you - the readers - our general thoughts on the semifinal games. How did we do? We went 6-4 and two of the teams we picked against (Wesleyan and Camden County) won state crowns. That doesn’t equate to genius. Todd Holcomb and Chris Whitfield, it’s all yours.

6: Wesleyan upsets undefeated ECI - As a matter of disclosure, we hadn’t heard of Wolves sophomore running back Kyle Karempelis until Saturday. Wesleyan rode his legs to a 33-21 victory against the unbeaten Bulldogs. We can offer no excuse for this other than to say, our bad. We look forward to seeing Karempelis as a junior.

5: The Philip Lutzenkirchen throw-back - If you think this is some sort of style, you’re wrong. The Lassiter tight end made SportsCenter for this ridiculous play against Centennial on Oct. 31. The Trojans senior caught the ball out of the back of the end zone and threw it back in to a teammate. That’s not exactly how Lassiter coach Chip Lindsey drew it up.

4: Lowndes falls in quarterfinals - No, we didn’t see this coming. We doubt Grayson saw this coming. The 17-7 Rams victory ended a 26-game winning streak and the Vikings’ bid for a fourth title in five years.

3: Kacy Stuart allowed to kick - We were happy to see the 14-year-old kicker allowed to step foot back onto the field for the New Creation Center in October. The nationally-covered barring of Stuart from the Crusaders ended after six missed games. Here’s hoping she comes back next season.

2: Woodstock’s improbable run - The Wolverines began the season 2-4 before rattling off six consecutive victories and a state quarterfinal appearance. That’s ridiculous. What’s also crazy is that it could have gone farther had Mike O’Brien’s team not fallen one point short to eventual Class AAAAA state champion Camden County.

1: Tucker’s first-ever state title - Getting a revenge victory against a rival is one thing. Reversing a 38-0 loss into a 15-3 Class AAAA state championship victory is another. The Tigers earned the their first state title. Congratulations to coach Franklin Stephens and company.

Go on. Take Ten. What are your most memorable moments of the 2008? What are the stories we missed? Here’s your chance to share your thoughts or tell us we’re idiots.

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Final rankings: At least we agree on No. 1

By Todd Holcomb | Sunday, December 14, 2008, 04:10 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For weeks, we’ve been told that it’s only the final rankings that matter, This week, we’ll hear that the final rankings are horse poop, too.

Except for the teams that won state titles last weekend. We all argee on that. Congrats to Camden County, Tucker, Cairo, Buford and Wesleyan.

Besides Wesleyan, each champion started the season No. 3 or better. Wesleyan started No. 10. So I did well picking those. Here are some I didn’t see so well.

Most overrated based on preseason rankings:

• MLK (4), Valdosta (9)

• Ware County (1), TCC (4)

• Shaw (5), Perry (7)

• Charlton County (2), GAC (10)

• Clinch County (2), Twiggs County (8)

Unranked teams in preseason that did well:

• Peachtree Ridge, Woodstock

• Sandy Creek, Sequoyah

• Flowery Branch, Gainesville

• Calhoun, Brooks County

• Wilkinson County, Turner County

OK, have at it. Except for the preseason rankings, the final Top 10s are the toughest. Note that I still love Thomasville. And even East Paulding is starting to grow on me.

Class AAAAA

  1. Camden (15-0)

  2. Peachtree Ridge (12-3)

  3. Grayson (13-1)

  4. Lowndes (12-1)

  5. Newnan (13-1)

  6. Northside-Warner Robins (10-2)

  7. North Gwinnett (10-3)

  8. Woodstock (8-5)

  9. Harrison (9-3)

  10. East Paulding (9-3)

Class AAAA

  1. Tucker (14-1)

  2. Marist (13-2)

  3. Westside-Macon (12-1)

  4. Rome (11-3)

  5. Sandy Creek (11-1)

  6. Statesboro (11-2)

  7. Sequoyah (10-2)

  8. Griffin (10-4)

  9. North Clayton (10-2)

  10. Brunswick (9-3)

Class AAA

  1. Cairo (14-0)

  2. Flowery Branch (12-3)

  3. Baldwin (12-1)

  4. Carver-Columbus (11-3)

  5. Gainesville (12-1)

  6. LaGrange (11-3)

  7. Dunwoody (12-1)

  8. Eastside (11-2)

  9. Ridgeland (9-3)

  10. Stephens County (8-3)

Class AA

  1. Buford (15-0)

  2. Calhoun (12-3)

  3. Brooks County (12-2)

  4. Fitzgerald (11-3)

  5. Pepperell (11-2)

  6. Westminster (9-3)

  7. Dublin (11-2)

  8. Callaway (10-2)

  9. Lovett (9-4)

  10. Thomasville (7-5)

Class A

  1. Wesleyan (13-2)

  2. ECI (14-1)

  3. Lincoln County (12-2)

  4. Wilcox County (12-1)

  5. Wilkinson County (10-4)

  6. Bremen (11-2)

  7. Turner County (10-3)

  8. Athens Academy (10-2)

  9. Brookstone (11-1)

  10. Miller County (10-2)

Permalink | Comments (229) | Post your comment | Categories: Poll Talk

Free-For-All Finals: Georgia high school football scores and chat — LIVE!

By AJC Sports | Saturday, December 13, 2008, 10:00 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It’s the second day of FINALS in the state playoffs, and the AJC will be at all of today’s games at the Georgia Dome.

If you’re not going to one of the big games, hang out with us and talk high school football with other aficionados. We are here to talk football, football and more football. If you’re going to a finals game and you’re taking the cellphone or the Blackberry, let us know what’s going on at YOUR game and we’ll post it here.

If you have a score update - tell us who just scored, who’s ahead, who’s losing big. See a killer play? Message us. Got a shout-out? Keep it clean and email it our way. Send messages here: onlinesports@ajc.com • Send finals photos here

We have reporters and photographers at all of today’s games…

Class A final — Wesleyan (12-2) vs. ECI (14-0), 2 p.m.
Class AAA final — Cairo (13-0) vs. Flowery Branch (12-2), 5 p.m.
Class AAAAA final — Peachtree Ridge (12-2) vs. Camden Co. (14-0), 8 p.m.

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Free-For-All Friday: Georgia high school football scores and chat — LIVE!

By AJC Sports | Friday, December 12, 2008, 12:00 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It’s the first night of FINALS in the state playoffs, and the AJC will be at both of tonight’s games at the Georgia Dome.

If you’re not going to one of the big games, hang out with us and talk high school football with other aficionados. We are here to talk football, football and more football. If you’re going to a finals game and you’re taking the cellphone or the Blackberry, let us know what’s going on at YOUR game and we’ll post it here.

If you have a score update - tell us who just scored, who’s ahead, who’s losing big. See a killer play? Message us. Got a shout-out? Keep it clean and email it our way. Send messages here: onlinesports@ajc.com • Send finals photos here

We have reporters and photographers at both of tonight’s games…

Class AA final — Buford 45, Calhoun 21
Class AAAA final — Tucker (13-1) vs. Marist (13-1), 8 p.m.

Permalink | Comments (142) | Post your comment | Categories: Forum

AJC Football Predictions: State finals spell controversy; so do these title picks

By Chris Whitfield | Thursday, December 11, 2008, 06:31 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Controversy. I love it. It is what keeps me coming back year after year.

Should Valdosta fire a coach who has won more than 70 percent of his games and a state title? Should Dublin have gone for it at midfield rather than punting in the championship game, settling for a tie? Did the ball cross the plane of the goal line before Marist’s Kevin Allman’s knee hit the ground last week against Rome? Was Brooks County robbed of a shot at the Class AA title in the closing seconds last Friday?

Ahhhh… Debates that will rage for years and years, keeping Internet chat rooms full and blogs on ajc.com churning out page views.

Controversy comes with the territory, and that includes picking games. There is nothing more controversial than telling a fan base that its team is going to lose. Keep those kind e-mails coming, Tucker fans.

• Camden County vs. Peachtree Ridge — Peachtree Ridge would like to win its first undisputed title after finishing in a tie with Roswell a couple of years ago. Camden is going for its second title of the Jeff Herron era. I’ve really been impressed with both teams all season, and the Lions seem like a gutty team that can get the job done, but Camden is running its offense to perfection right now. Take the Wildcats at their second home — the Dome. Whitfield’s winner: Camden County

• Marist vs. Tucker — Marist might have gotten a little lucky last week, but I can guarantee you that the War Eagles aren’t talking about the Rome game with Tucker on the horizon. The last time these teams played, it was 38-0 in favor of Marist. This game will be one of two things — a close Marist win or a Tucker rout. No need for me to jump on the Tucker bandwagon now. I’ll stay with the War Eagles. Whitfield’s winner: Marist

• Cairo vs. Flowery Branch — Ever since that loss to Carver-Columbus in the final last year, Cairo has had just one goal and it is within one win of it now. Flowery Branch is a feel-good story, but I have seen teams make it to the final that were just happy to be there, and things never end well for Cinderella. Besides, I like the idea of Syrupmaker headlines in Sunday’s paper. Whitfield’s winner: Cairo

• Buford vs. Calhoun — Wasn’t Buford supposed to be playing in the Dome last week against Florida for the SEC title? It sure seems that way in Class AA, where once again it is Buford and whoever is playing for second behind Buford. However, Calhoun has a chance. The Yellow Jackets were my pick to make it to the Dome when the playoffs started (brain freeze last week with the Brooks County pick over Calhoun), and that spread offense is the only thing that can beat Buford. But I just can’t do it. Buford’s domination continues. Whitfield’s winner: Buford

• ECI vs. Wesleyan — All season long it has seemed like a foregone conclusion that ECI would repeat as Class A champion because Washaun Ealey has something like 10,000 yards rushing and is the best Class A running back since some guy named Herschel. I challenge you if you aren’t a Wesleyan fan to name three players on this team. This isn’t a slight on Wesleyan (well, maybe a little), but it’s a fact that not many people saw you making it here. It may be a good game, but many people aren’t thinking it will be. Same here. Bulldogs repeat. Whitfield’s winner: ECI

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Take Ten: Don’t complain about the Dome … you could be here

By Glenn LaFollette | Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 10:36 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

We’ve heard the grumblings. It’s as loud in Kingsland as it is in Valdosta. Many of you don’t want football state championships in the Georgia Dome. You miss the feel of home games. Well, it could be worse.

Don’t believe us? We at Take Ten spent the weekend searching around to see what other states do for their title games. You’ll find a mix of home-site games and central locations around the United States and North America. And some of them will make Friday or Saturday’s trip to downtown Atlanta seem like a piece of cake.

Here are 10 high school football championship sites worse than the Georgia Dome:

10: Fitzpatrick Stadium (Portland, Maine) — If you were to believe Stephen King, half of Maine is haunted by psychotic clowns, aliens or small faceless creatures that eat away at the planet. Instead, you’ll find this 6,000-seat arena where the state hosts its football state championships. It’s part of a complex that includes the Portland Exposition Building, which is the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the U.S. Exciting, right?

9: CIF State Championships (Carson, Calif.) — The California Interscholastic Federation holds its annual title games at — get this — a soccer stadium. Championships are held at the Home Depot Center on the campus of California State University, about 13 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Its nickname is the “Cathedral of American Soccer,” and it holds about 27,000 people. You’ll find David Beckham running on the pitch (when healthy) because it’s home for the L.A. Galaxy. And you wonder why football is different on the West Coast?

8: UIL Football Finals (Houston, Tex.) — We don’t even begin to understand the mystery that is Texas high school football. There are a million divisions, a hundred different state champions and even a handful of six-man teams for the small schools. But the Division I and Division II teams hold their state title games at Reliant Stadium in Houston. There’s nothing wrong with the stadium itself, which was the NFL’s first retractable roof arena. It’s just Houston we have a problem with. Dallas, San Antonio and Austin would be more worth our time.

7: OFSAA Bills Toronto Series Football Bowls (Toronto, Ontario) — So if you think driving from Camden County to the Georgia Dome is bad, how about the 20-hour journey from the Arctic Circle to Toronto? The Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations holds its title games in a series of bowls at Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in Toronto. To spice up this year’s event, the OFSAA even invited former NFL quarterbacks Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. That’s right, Canada, don’t invite a quarterback that won a Super Bowl.

6: AHSAA Super Six (Birmingham, Ala.) — Yes, we’re going to be the ones to say it. Legion Field sucks. It just does. Always has. We don’t care about the history. It isn’t getting any better. Sorry, Alabama. You have better options now besides the home of the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers.

5: BlueCross Bowl (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) — You fight all season. You win your region. You plow through the first four rounds of the playoffs, and what is your reward in Tennessee? A visit to Memphis or Neyland Stadium? Nope. It’s a trip to majestic Murfreesboro and Floyd Stadium. That’s where the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association holds its state championships. The city is virtually the geographic center of the state, but the only things to do there are eat at Cracker Barrel or visit the site of one of Pac-Man Jones’ many off-the-field incidents.

4: NYSPHSAA Football Finals at the Carrier Dome (Syracuse, N.Y.) — New York wins the prize for longest state athletics association acronym with New York State Public High School Athletic Association. The Empire State hosts its championships in lowly Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. It holds about 50,000 and is the largest domed stadium of any college campus and largest in the Northeast. The biggest downsize is that the arena has no air conditioning. Sure, you’re in cold temperatures most of the year, but throw 50,000 people in a small space and that changes.

3: The Does-Not-Exist Bowl (Puerto Rico) — After hours upon hours of Internet searching, we’ve gathered that Puerto Rico, despite being America’s stepchild, doesn’t play American football. There’s plenty of the other kind and some American football recreational leagues. That’s a shame. Basketball has been very popular on the island, but the new American pastime has not. So just let that sink in. You could live in a state/self-governing territory that doesn’t even have your sport.

2: University of South Dakota DakotaDome (Vermillion, S.D.) — If you thought Murfreesboro sounded desolate, try Vermillion. The South Dakota High School Activities Association holds its annual championships in this small South Dakota town of less than 10,000. You’ll find more soybean fields than you will people. The DakotaDome is a multi-purpose facility for the university and city located in the Southeastern corner of the state.

1: Alaska First National Bowl (Anchorage, Alaska) — Kickoff temperatures in the 20s. A stadium capacity of only 3,500. There aren’t many things to like about the Alaska state football championships at the Anchorage Football Stadium. The Alaska Schools Athletic Association divides its teams into a Large School Division and Small School Division. But there is free parking across the street at Sullivan Arena, a hockey stadium. That’s a plus, right?

Go on. Take Ten. Do you think there’s a worse place to hold the state title games? Are home sites really that much better? Here’s your chance to voice your opinion or just to tell us we’re idiots.

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Pound for Pound: News from the Panther Invitational

By Kurt Aschermann Jr. | Wednesday, December 10, 2008, 01:32 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Pound for Pound spent last weekend at the 15th Panther Invitational. Former Class A kingpin Jefferson opened its first season in Class AA with the team title because of 11 finalists and six individual champions. There were other stars in this great early December tournament. Here’s a recap:

PFP Most Outstanding Wrestler

Daniel Barber, Jefferson: Before you knew it, the 119-pound title match was over. Barber pinned a good wrestler, Gilmer’s Danyuhl Becker, in 35 seconds to cap a two-pin, 15-0 tech fall weekend for last year’s 119-pound runner-up.

Look out for Gilmer

Still unranked, but possibly not for long, the Bobcats looked strong at the Panther, finishing second without starters Hunter Barnes (torn ligament in thumb), Cody Bollinger (broken hand) and Nathan Nestor. Gilmer graduated four state finalists from its Class AAA Traditional championship team, but coach Sam Snider has reloaded, and something tells us we’ll know all about the new men in purple by February.

“We’ve got one senior and he may not get in the lineup, so we are rebuilding in that sense,” said Snider. “But these kids wrestled state placers [in the practice room] for the last few years, so now it’s their turn.”

Ware County will be fun to watch this season

The Gators have a new coach, Scott Konicki, who plans to build a winning program down in the swamp. Having a potential state placer like Maurice Taylor (160-pound runner-up to Jefferson’s Jay Fowler this past weekend) helps the building process for Konicki. Ware County, which hasn’t finished better than 39th in the past three Class AAAA Traditional tournaments, placed 10th at the Panther.

“This is real big,” Konicki said of the Gators’ top-10 finish. “No one paid attention to us; now they’re saying, ‘Who are these guys?’”

A wrestling wish

Here’s hoping Fowler and Henry County’s Anthony Fretwell (defending champion, still unbeaten this season for the No. 7 Warhawks) reach the Class AA 160-pound title match in February. That could end up being one of the most entertaining bouts of the entire Traditional tournament, especially with Fowler’s fourth state championship on the line.

The national spotlight

— We start at the Knoxville Invitational, where Sprayberry’s Colby Rinehart defeated Tennessee state champion Trey Stavrum (Baylor High School) to win the 135-pound title, and Lassiter wrestlers Zach Walker (215) and Connor Griffin (171) both walked away with titles. Marietta had eight placers (two finalists) and finished third, while Blessed Trinity finished fifth and had five placers (three finalists).

— McEachern’s Brandon Westerman had a tough weekend, going 1-2 at Walsh Ironman. Westerman, the four-seed at 125 pounds, opened the tournament with a 6-2 loss to Brent Fickel of Padua Franciscan (Ohio), a Tulsa national champion in his pre-high school days. Westerman dropped to the loser’s bracket and defeated unseeded Tom Collum of Glenbard North (Ill.), 18-3, before dropping a 10-1 major decision to nine-seed Stephen Robertson (Montini Catholic, Ill.).

— Parkview won the Southern Slam in South Carolina, getting individual titles from Robbie Kane (112) and Matt Johnson (215). Wesleyan finished fifth, led by 160-pound champion and Outstanding Wrestler Colin Genthert, who handed two-time South Carolina state champion Zane Newton his third high school loss.

AJC Top 10 (Last week)

1. Collins Hill (1): Eagles dominant in five-match sweep at Walton Duals.

2. Union Grove (2): Wolverines pick up easy wins over Eastside, Lithonia.

3. Pope (3): Second at Walton Duals.

4. Jefferson (4): First at Panther; six champs, 11 finalists. Not in top shape yet, but it’s only a matter of time with Dragons.

5. Lafayette (5): Defeated four Tennessee teams on way to first-place finish at UTC Duals; whipped Ringgold on Tuesday.

6. Kennesaw Mountain (6): Champions of Carpet Classic, despite missing four wrestlers.

7. Henry County (7): Three individual champions help Warhawks win Starr’s Mill Invitational title.

8. Cass (8): Only loss at Walton Duals to No. 3 Pope; finish third.

9. Dacula (9): Falcons finish first at Falcon Duals.

10. Centennial (10): After hectic first two weeks, Knights took the week off. Host Kell tonight.

Coaches Poll Week 4

  1. Collins Hill (8), 89 points. Last week: 1

  2. Union Grove, 68. Last week: 2

  3. Jefferson (1), 67. Last week: 4

  4. Pope, 59. Last week: 3

  5. Lafayette, 37. Last week: 6

  6. Henry County, 31. Last week: T-7

T-7 Whitewater, 24. Last week: NR

T-7 Centennial, 24. Last week: 5

  1. Cass, 22. Last week: 9

  2. Kennesaw Mountain, 20. Last week: T-7

Others receiving votes: Eastside, 16; Parkview, 11; Camden County, 7; Dacula, 6; Grayson, 6; Walton, 4; Gilmer, 2; Wesleyan, 1; Fayette County, 1

Takedowns

— It’s safe to say No. 1 Collins Hill exacted a bit of revenge from its early season dual loss to Pope. The Eagles drubbed the No. 3 Greyhounds, 54-9, in the championship match to seal a near-perfect day at the Walton Duals. Here’s what domination looks like: Including forfeits, Eagle wrestlers went a combined 63-7 in five dual victories.

— You might not have heard of Hephzibah wrestlers Bobby Liggins and Cory Campbell, but you probably will soon. At South Effingham High School’s Mustang Invitational, Liggins (third last year) won the 215-pound title and Campbell took home the 189-pound crown. In a wide-open Class AAAA where several weight classes appear up for grabs, look out for this duo.

On the record

“We beat McCallie for the first time … it was a great day for us.” — Lafayette coach Sam Forester on the Ramblers first-ever victory against the Tennessee school and a first-place finish at the UTC Duals.

Where we’ll be

It’ll be a light week for the Pound for Pound, but we’ll be catching as much of Friday night’s action at the Sawnee Mountain Duals as we can. Next Monday we head to Bartow County, where No. 6 Kennesaw Mountain visits No. 8 Cass.

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High School Football Finals: GHSA moves games to Georgia Dome

By AJC Sports | Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 10:50 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Football finals time is here again but with a big difference this year — all the games will be played in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome.

What’s standard practice in most every other state — playing the championship games at one large, central site — remains a controversy in Georgia, which until now almost always has played the state finals on home fields. From 1994 to 2007, the Dome was the site of the semifinals, but never the championships.

But the championship games had become too big for many campus stadiums, according to GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin. In 2006 and 2007, more tickets were sold than there were seats at home stadiums in every final, Swearngin said.

— Todd Holcomb

What’s your opinion on the GHSA moving all high school football finals to the Georgia Dome? Will you attend your school’s final or any of the games?

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All-state: Let us know who’s worthy

By Todd Holcomb | Sunday, December 7, 2008, 03:02 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

I got about 100 emails from coaches last week nominating players for our all-state team, which will be announced Dec. 28. Hope to get a hundred more this week. I’m sure they know a little about it, but I’m also eager to know our Poll Talk experts think about the state’s best players in 2008.

Who is worth of all-state? Who is overrated? This is your only week to lobby for somebody because next week, this spot is reserved for the final rankings.

For all-state, we’ll be selecting an all-class player of the year. Should it be Washaun Ealey again? Greg Reid? Branden Smith? I know Smith isn’t a typical choice because his team was not a factor, but I don’t know if I saw a better player in person than him.

We’ll also be selecting offensive and defensive players of the year in each class. Who’s the offensive player of the year in AAA? Angelo Pease? What about the defensive player of the year in AAAA? Jonathan Davis?

As for the finals, I’m going to let Chris Whitfield do the predicting for us later this week, but jump in all you want about the semifinals and the finals. Did Marist cross the plane, and were Carver and Newnan exposed, or did they play their worst game at the worst time?

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Free-For-All Friday: Georgia high school football scores and chat — LIVE!

By AJC | Friday, December 5, 2008, 05:24 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It’s semifinal night in the state playoffs, and the AJC will be at all 10 games around the state.

If you’re not going to one of the big games, hang out with us and talk high school football with other aficionados. We are here to talk football, football and more football. If you’re going to a playoff game and you’re taking the cellphone or the Blackberry, let us know what’s going on at YOUR game and we’ll post it here.

If you have a score update - tell us who just scored, who’s ahead, who’s losing big. See a killer play? Message us. Got a shout-out? Keep it clean and email it our way. Send messages here: onlinesports@ajc.com • Send playoffs photos here

We have reporters at all the games tonight, and here are where the AJC photographers will be…

Grayson at Peachtree Ridge
Camden County at Newnan
Griffin at Tucker
Rome at Marist
Lincoln County at Wesleyan
Fitzgerald at Buford






Good luck to all the teams in their Drive to the Dome.

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Prep Picks: Hard to stay neutral about going on the road

By Chris Whitfield | Friday, December 5, 2008, 08:41 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Welcome to the Georgia Dome, high school football fans! Oops, sorry, thought this was last year.

I’m not a big fan of the GHSA, and that isn’t a slight at those fine people in Thomaston. The blame for my dislike with the GHSA spreads all over Georgia because the executive committee is responsible for most of the organization’s decisions. Fine people, but slow to change. That can be good and bad.

Take ties in the state championship game, for example. For years, we heard how it was a shame for someone to make it to the final and “lose” on a tiebreaker. So, we had co-champions. Worked fine for years. Then we have a tie in the largest class and two on the same day, and all heck breaks loose, and “It’s time for a change.” Now, state titles can be decided by a tiebreaker.

Today’s topic is neutral sites.

I always thought that if you were going to have the semifinals at a neutral location, then why not the finals? OK, so they finally changed that, and again, I ask, why shouldn’t all of the semifinal and final games be at neutral locations? (Of course, if writers aren’t complaining we aren’t happy, right?)

You can say what you want about home field not playing a factor, but I would argue that you are not just wrong, but dead wrong. Ask any coach where he would rather play, and home would be the answer. This week, there are several games where home field will play a decided advantage.

Now, I am all for higher seeds having earned the home-field advantage for the first three rounds of the playoffs, but when you get to the semis and the finals, I’m for neutral fields. And it doesn’t just have to be at the Dome. I mean, I’m not expecting Alabama and Florida to have to wait to get into their locker rooms because the Rome-Marist game went into overtime.

There is a nice little stadium off of North Avenue that could be used. Or the “prettiest little stadium in America” down in Statesboro. Or a half a dozen other locations in the state that could be the home to the semis with the finals at the Dome. What do you say, Raynette Evans? You’re the Bibb County athletics director. How about putting together a proposal to have the semis in Macon?

All right, enough of my lobbying, and on to what you came here for —- WINNERS, baby! And only three of them will get the job done on the road.

Class AAAAA

Grayson at Peachtree Ridge: Please forgive me, Grayson. I still love you! That other girl meant nothing to me! You are the one that I want to be with, not that Vikingette from South Georgia. I swear, it meant nothing. Wait, stop throwing all my clothes at me. Honey, please! Fine, be that way. Take Peachtree Ridge on home-field advantage. Gwinnett still rules!

Camden County at Newnan: It would be a great story for Newnan to send Robert Herring out with a state title, but I have a theory about wake-up games. Camden received its wake-up call last week against Woodstock, and coach Jeff Herron (Herron, Herring? Don’t birds —- heron —- eat fish —- herring?) now leads my favorite for the state title. Of course, that could just be a red herring, but still take Camden because it is used to making trips to the metro area.

Class AAAA

Griffin at Tucker: I’m just a Tucker “hater.” At least that is what my e-mail messages tell me. Now, I haven’t had any run-ins with anyone from Tucker that would make me have any disdainful feelings toward the Tigers, but I will keep picking against Tucker.

Rome at Marist: Rome had its wake-up game to end the regular season, and since then, the Wolves have been beasts. But, Marist can take the punishment at HOME. (Sensing the theme?)

Class AAA

Cairo at Carver-Columbus: I’ve always been crazy about Cairo. Love the mascot, love the nickname, love the area. If I could be at any game this Friday night, it might be this one. Sticking with my Syrup, again.

Flowery Branch at LaGrange: Flowery Branch has been on a great run, but the road finally catches up with the Falcons.

Class AA

Fitzgerald at Buford: Man, I want to pick the Hurricanes this week, and against anyone else, I would. Jess Simpson’s Wolves aren’t nearly the juggernaut that they have been in the past, but they won’t lose this one at home.

Calhoun at Brooks County: Going to Brooks County was a long drive when I lived in Middle Georgia. Going from south Chattanooga to Colquitt is an old joke. You can’t get there from here. Brooks makes the Dome.

Class A

Wilkinson County at Emanuel County Institute: Doesn’t Wilkinson County (winner of four state basketball titles in the past 10 years) know that it is hoops season? Coach Pete Geter gets his guards back after the Warriors meet the Bulldogs in Twin City.

Lincoln County at Wesleyan: Lincoln beat Wesleyan the only time the teams played back in 2000, but I’m picking the home upset for the Wolves to get to .500 against the Red Devils.

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Wrestling season hits high gear

By Kurt Aschermann Jr. | Thursday, December 4, 2008, 12:47 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

To the Pound for Pound staff, the wrestling season officially begins only when Georgia teams and individuals start traveling outside the state’s borders for competition. This weekend, McEachern’s Brandon Westerman travels to the Walsh Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, trying to follow in the footsteps of former Harrison wrestler Josh Condon (now at Chattanooga), who won last year’s Ironman at 160 pounds.

Westerman is seeded No. 4 in the 125-pound weight class that includes No. 1-seed Sam White (Massillon Perry High School, Ohio), Wrestling USA Magazine’s No. 3 at 125 pounds, and 2-seed Zach Neibert (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), WUSA’s No. 5 at 119 pounds.

Parkview will hit the Southern Slam in Taylors, S.C.,, while Sprayberry and Chattanooga signee Alex Hudson and three other teams head to Tennessee for the Knoxville Invitational.

Pound for Pound will have its eye on the results from all three spots and provide a detailed recap next week.

AJC Top 10 All-Class Wrestling Rankings - Week 3

(Last week in parentheses)

  1. Collins Hill (1): Eagles look strong in 63-9 victory against Grayson.
  2. Union Grove (2): Six more dual wins for Wolverines, including victories against No. 6 Kennesaw Mountain and No. 9 Centennial.
  3. Pope (3): Greyhounds complete strong trio at top of Class AAAAA.
  4. Jefferson (4): Season finally begins for Dragons, Friday at Panther Invitational.
  5. Lafayette (5): Ramblers open season with 56-12 dual victory against Sonoraville.
  6. Kennesaw Mountain (9): Mustangs (10-2) only loss in Georgia to No. 3 Pope.
  7. Henry County (NR): Warhawks are 10-5 with four of the losses coming by a combined 18 points.
  8. Cass (10): Colonels followed win at Hiram Duals with two comfortable victories against Sprayberry and Sequoyah.
  9. Dacula (NR): Despite recent loss to North Forsyth, Falcons look like a Class AAAAA sleeper.
  10. Centennial (6): Knights slip again with dual loss to Milton.

Coaches Poll - Week 3

(First-place votes)

  1. Collins Hill (7), 88 points. Last week: 1
  2. Union Grove, 71. Last week: 2
  3. Pope (2), 70. Last week: 3
  4. Jefferson, 58. Last week: 4
  5. Centennial, 43. Last week: 5
  6. Lafayette, 32. Last week: 6 T7 Kennesaw Mountain, 21. Last week: NR T7 Henry County, 21. Last week: NR
  7. Cass, 16. Last week: T-9
  8. Eastside, 11. Last week: 7

Others receiving votes:

Walton, 8; Gilmer, 7; Camden County, 6; Parkview, 5; Fayette County, 5; Dacula, 5; Peachtree Ridge, 5; Whitewater, 5; Harrison, 4; North Forsyth, 4; Grayson, 3; Wesleyan, 2; Loganville, 2; Woodland (Bartow), 1; Ola, 1; Kell, 1

On the record

“We’ve got some really tough competition coming up, [but] we showed we could compete with the best in the nation [last year]. We’ve got the Clash, and I think we’ve got a good shot at placing top 4.” — Collins Hill 140-pounder Joel Smith on the Eagles’ national schedule that includes a Jan. 2 trip to Minnesota for the Clash Duals.

Where we’ll be

This weekend, Pound for Pound heads to Jackson County, where No. 3 Jefferson opens its season in the always competitive Panther Invitational.

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Take Ten: The good semis, the bad semis

By Glenn LaFollette | Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 01:29 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Not all semifinal games are created equal. There are several games on Friday that we’re looking forward to. But there are some we’re not.

Every week, we try to give you the top 10 somethings or a look at 10 things you need to know. With 10 games remaining before we end this glorious 2008 football season in the Georgia Dome, we at Take Ten decided to rank the games you should care about (and the ones you shouldn’t).

Here’s our take on the most interesting matchups (from last to first) this Friday:

10. Wilkinson County (10-3) at ECI (13-0): The Warriors have four straight victories but fell to fellow semifinal team Lincoln County 20-0 on Oct. 31. That’s doesn’t bode well going up against undefeated ECI. We smell snoozer. Take Ten Take: ECI 24-10

9. Rome (11-2) at Marist (12-1): We’re still not sure how Rome lost to Sprayberry, a talented, but inconsistent, team. The Wolves roll into Hughes-Spalding Stadium where the War Eagles rarely lose. Take Ten Take: Marist 24-7

8. Lincoln County (12-1) at Wesleyan (11-2): We like pedigree for the Red Devils, but even more interesting is that the Wolves have recovered from a 1-2 start to rattle off 10 straight victories. But Class A just doesn’t shiver our timbers. If Wesleyan wanted to spice things up, they’d let their nationally ranked women’s basketball team face Lincoln County. Take Ten Take: Lincoln Co. 35-21 (If girls basketball team plays, Lincoln Co. 94-89)

7. Calhoun (11-2) at Brooks County (12-1): The Yellow Jackets were 1-2 to begin the year before winning 10 in a row, while the Trojans eeked out a quarterfinal victory against Lovett. We like both teams, but the winner is just waiting to lose to Buford/Fitzgerald in the state final. Take Ten Take: Calhoun 20-17

6. Fitzgerald (11-2) at Buford (13-0): We actually like the Purple Hurricanes’ chances in this game and think the two Class AA heavyweights will put on a good show. Buford hasn’t lost a game since 2006. If this were in the Georgia Dome, it may be closer. One of these teams is our state champ. Take Ten Take: Buford 44-21

5. Griffin (10-3) at Tucker (12-1): Most of our interest in this game comes from seeing if the Tigers can come back down to earth after upsetting Westside-Macon. We think they will, and that’s bad news for da Bears. Take Ten Take: Tucker 27-14

4. Grayson (13-0) at Peachtree Ridge (11-2): These two Gwinnett County teams share a mutual opponent: Lowndes. The Lions lost on the road 22-7, while the Rams pulled the shocker last week, winning 17-7. Should be fun to see if Grayson is still on cloud nine. If so, beware of the talented Lions. Take Ten Take: Grayson 17-7

3. Flowery Branch (11-2) at LaGrange (11-2): The Grangers got lucky with a home contest here, but they are no stranger to semifinal games. Two of the best programs in Class AAA face off with LaGrange looking to add even more history to its books. Take Ten Take: LaGrange 7-6

2. Cairo (12-0) at Carver-Columbus (11-2): This is nearly one of the best matchups of the season. We’d love to be in Columbus for this battle of top-tier teams. The Tigers look like they’re in championship form again after rattling off nine straight. Take Ten Take: Mrs. Butterworths 24-21

1. Camden County (13-0) at Newnan (13-0): You’ve got one team on a mission with a head coach expected to retire at the end of the season. You’ve got a battle of undefeated teams. You’ve got one of the best programs in the state looking for its first title since 2003. Well, you’ve got out attention. Take Ten Take: Newnan 31-21

Go on. Take Ten. Who are the best matchups of the weekend? Which games are snoozers? Let us know. Here’s your chance to defend your team, and tell us we’re idiots.

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Georgia High School Wrestling: Pope pulls the upset

By Kurt Aschermann Jr. | Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 10:24 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It was an interesting first weekend in Georgia high school wrestling. No. 3 Pope defeated No. 1 Collins Hill, 33-29, although the Eagles were missing their top two wrestlers and two others who have a good chance of medaling in February. T.J. Mitchell, Allen Willard and Taylor Knapp were suspended for violating team rules, according to Eagles coach Cliff Ramos. Gary Tiller is recovering from a football injury. Starters missing or not, it was still a nice victory on opening day for the Greyhounds.

PFP on location

Pound for Pound once again will spend nearly every weekend in gymnasiums all over Georgia. We spent the opening weekend at Centennial for the Turkey Trot Duals. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Dual of the day

Kennesaw Mountain had a strong day that almost turned into a perfect day, but a 34-33 loss to Vestavia Hills, the two-time Class AAAAAA Alabama state champion, left the No. 9 Mustangs a little short.

Match we would have liked to see

Henry County and McEachern never got a chance to dual, so a 125-pound tussle between McEachern’s Brandon Westerman and the Warhawks’ Evan Warrington never came to fruition. Westerman has not lost to a Georgia wrestler since the 2006 State Duals, but something tells us Warrington might have the edge if the two ever hook up.

A couple of questions answered

  1. Henry County will be a major factor in Class AA. With Warrington, Anthony Fretwell and an under-rated pack of lightweights, the Warhawks appear to be Jefferson’s biggest obstacle to its first Class AA state title.

  2. Sam Kuntz is a beast. The Peachtree Ridge 189-pounder, who finished second last season, won’t finish second again. Kuntz is quick, strong and athletic and is a big reason why the Lions have a good shot at finishing in the top 10 again in Class AAAAA.

AJC Top 10 (Last week)

  1. Collins Hill (1): Four potential state champions sit out close dual loss to Pope.
  2. Union Grove (2): Wolverines pick up dual wins over Cass and Forsyth Central.
  3. Pope (4): Greyhounds follow victory against Collins Hill with blowout victories against Kennesaw Mountain and Whitewater.
  4. Jefferson (3): Dragons open season Dec. 5 at Panther Invitational.
  5. Lafayette (5): Staph infection scare cancels Ramblers opening duals; now scheduled to open Dec. 2.
  6. Centennial (6): Knights go 4-1 at Turkey Trot Duals; only loss to Vestavia Hills (Ala.).
  7. Harrison (7): Hoyas open season by hosting dual tournament today, then head to Kennesaw Mountain this weekend.
  8. Eastside (8): Defending Class AAAA dual runners-up start their first year in Class AAA with five consecutive dual victories.
  9. Kennesaw Mountain (NR): Mustangs have strong showing at Centennial, split with Walton and Pope, Tuesday.
  10. Wesleyan (NR): Wolves take first at Alexander Duals, going 5-0 with a victory against then-No.10 Whitewater in championship.

AJC Coaches Poll Week 2

(1st place votes)

  1. Collins Hill (7), 88 points. Last week: 1
  2. Union Grove, 74. Last week: 2
  3. Pope (1), 66. Last week: 3
  4. Jefferson (1), 64. Last week: 4
  5. Centennial, 33. Last week: 5
  6. Lafayette, 32. Last week: 9
  7. Eastside, 24. Last week: 6
  8. Walton, 20. Last week: 8 T9. Gilmer, 17. Last week: 7 Cass, 17. Last week: NR Others receiving votes: Harrison, 14; Whitewater, 10; Kennesaw Mountain, 8; Kell, 6; Henry County, 4; Peachtree Ridge, 4; Parkview, 4; Fayette County, 5; Grayson, 3; Wesleyan, 2

They said it

“He’s got to be the best I’ve ever coached as far as the work ethic and the way he handles himself. It’s great to have a kid like that, that you can point to for the younger kids.” — Union Grove coach Joey Dinino on 135-pounder Joey Lazor

Where we’ll be

Pound for Pound heads to Wesleyan today for a dual tournament involving No. 2 Union Grove, No. 6 Centennial and the No. 10 Wolves, among others.

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