Sports
10 - Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 ■ Scoreboard Sports on TV Today AUTO RACING Noon SPEED — NASCAR, Nationwide Series, pole qualifying for Hefty Odor Block 200, at Avondale, Ariz. 1:30 p.m. SPEED — NASCAR, Sprint Cup, practice for Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, at Avondale, Ariz. 3 p.m. ESPN2 — NASCAR, Sprint Cup, “Happy Hour Series,” final practice for Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, at Avondale, Ariz. 4:30 p.m. ESPN2 — NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Hefty Odor Block 200, at Avondale, Ariz. COLLEGE FOOTBALL Noon ESPN — Michigan at Minnesota ESPN2 — Ohio St. at Northwestern FSN — Baylor at Texas 12:30 p.m. VERSUS — Colorado at Iowa St. 3:30 p.m. ABC — Regional coverage, Penn St. at Iowa, Clemson at Florida St. or Oklahoma at Texas A&M CBS — Alabama at LSU ESPN — Regional coverage, Penn St. at Iowa or Clemson at Florida St. FSN — Stanford at Oregon 7 p.m. FSN — Kansas St. at Missouri 8 p.m. ABC — Regional coverage, Oklahoma St. at Texas Tech or California at Southern Cal ESPN — Notre Dame at Boston College ESPN2 — Florida at Vanderbilt GOLF 1 p.m. TGC — PGA Tour, Children’s Miracle Network Classic, third round, at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. 4 p.m. TGC — Nationwide Tour Championship, third round, at McKinney, Texas (same-day tape) 1 a.m. TGC — European PGA Tour, SBC Champions, final round, at Shanghai, China (delayed tape) RODEO 9 p.m. VERSUS — PBR, World Finals, sixth round, at Las Vegas
Prep football Friday’s Scores Alexander 21, McIntosh 0 Allatoona 40, Murray County 21 Apalachee 23, Salem 7 Appling County 35, Benedictine Military 7 Armuchee 28, Gordon Central 27 Athens Academy 34, Social Circle 3 Athens Christian 35, Lakeview Academy 6 Baldwin 21, Thomson 7 Bremen 31, Bowdon 7 Brookstone 28, Schley County 7 Brunswick 30, Statesboro 29, OT Buford 34, Greater Atlanta Christian 6 Calhoun 28, Pepperell 27 Callaway 21, Pike County 14 Camden County 31, Bradwell Institute 0 Campbell 31, Alpharetta 10 Cartersville 30, Ringgold 14 Cedar Shoals 17, Conyers Heritage 0 Cedartown 34, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 19 Centennial 28, Wheeler 0 Central-Macon 34, Putnam County 0 Chamblee 14, Miller Grove 0 Charlton County 20, McIntosh County Academy 0 Chattahoochee 21, Duluth 14 Chattahoochee County 46, Webster County 8 Clarke Central 19, Madison County 7
Commerce 22, Prince Avenue Christian 12 Cook 49, Early County 14 Coosa 17, Sonoraville 8 Creekview 69, Chestatee 35 Dacula 28, Meadow Creek 3 Darlington 28, Trion 7 Dougherty 21, Perry 7 Dublin 13, Jefferson County 12 Dunwoody 20, St. Pius X 14 Eagle’s Landing 35, Columbus 14 East Laurens 28, Dodge County 14 Eastside 34, Franklin County 0 Etowah 44, Harrison 21 Evans 27, Richmond Academy 10 Gainesville 27, Flowery Branch 13 George Walton 16, Gatewood 7 Glenn Hills 47, Butler 8 Grayson 40, Central Gwinnett 7 Greenbrier 59, Redan 57 Greenville 12, Marion County 6 Groves 26, Jenkins 12 Harris County 10, Americus Sumter 7 Henry County 45, Jasper County 7 Hephzibah 35, Cross Creek 14 Hillgrove 43, Dalton 29 Holy Spirit 27, John Milledge 7 Jackson 16, Spalding 7 Jefferson 48, East Jackson 0 Johnson County 45, Claxton 20 Johnson-Savannah 18, Savannah 6 Kennesaw Mountain 28, Marietta 0 LaGrange 17, Troup County 14 Lakeside-Evans 35, Josey 7 Landmark Christian 42, Mt. Pisgah Christian 7 Laney 32, Southeast Bulloch 0 Lassiter 21, Roswell 7 Loganville 19, Winder-Barrow 7 Lovett 48, Decatur 27 Lowndes 35, Warner Robins 14 Marist 48, Lakeside-DeKalb 0 McEachern 37, Cherokee 12 Mill Creek 35, South Forsyth 0 Milton 14, Kell 7 Model 17, Adairsville 14 Newnan 12, East Coweta 0 Norcross 17, Collins Hill 3 North Atlanta 24, Druid Hills 14 North Clayton 25, Dutchtown 20 North Cobb 7, South Cobb 0 North Hall 35, Lumpkin County 17 North Oconee 21, Fannin County 14, OT Northeast-Macon 51, Greene County 7 Northgate 24, Banneker 21 Northside-Warner Robins 31, Colquitt County 7 Oconee county 41, Morgan County 12 Parkview 7, Brookwood 0 Peach County 38, Crisp County 7 Peachtree Ridge 19, North Gwinnett 7 Pebblebrook 40, Mundy’s Mill 6 Piedmont 38, Harvester Christian Academy 13 Ridgeland 28, Carrollton 13 Riverdside Military Academy 33, Dawson County 0 Rockdale County 28, Monroe Area 15 Rockmart 40, Chattooga 34 Sandy Creek 23, Villa Rica 0 Sequoyah 21, Hiram 14 South Effingham 32, Wayne County 0 South Gwinnett 14, Berkmar 9 Southwest Georgia Academy 42, Howard 10 Spencer 12, Jordan 0 Stephens County 35, Jackson County 0 Tattnall Square 37, Southland 14 Thomas County Central 13, Bainbridge 7, OT Thomas Jefferson 51, Covenant 15 Thomasville 21, Fitzgerald 15 Tift County 30, Coffee County 27 Towers 18, Therrell 3 Tucker 49, Forsyth Central 0 Turner County 34, Hawkinsville 3 Upson-Lee 7, Jones County 0 Valdosta 17, Houston County 0 Walton 24, Pope 14 West Forsyth 48, West Hall 7 Westminster 14, Blessed Trinity 10 Westside-Macon 37, Hardaway 0 White County 40, Gilmer 0 Whitefield Academy 20, Eagle’s Landing Christian 17 Wilcox County 37, Irwin County 7 Windsor Forest 12, Beach 0 Woodstock 27, East Paulding 16 Woodward Academy 41, Woodland Stockbridge 0
Can Wildcats relive victory? LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Ventrell Jenkins saw the tears in Jacob Tamme’s eyes, and knew it wasn’t just another game. Walking into the tunnel at raucous Commonwealth Stadium two years ago following Kentucky’s stunning 24-20 upset over Georgia, the then-sophomore defensive lineman caught the normally reserved Tamme — a junior tight end at the time — letting go after the Wildcats’ first win over the Bulldogs in a decade. “I knew it was special then,” Jenkins said. “After that win, that’s when we came together and no longer accepted moral victories. It brought us to a point in this program where we understood what it“takes to win big games.” The win helped propel the Wildcats into a bowl game and ignited the program’s resurgence under coach Rich Brooks. Kentucky is 179 since that chilly November afternoon when the fans tore down the goal posts and tried – unsuccessfully – to carry the 285-pound Jenkins off the field. A win over the suddenly reeling 14th-ranked Bulldogs (7-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) would probably be met with a more sedate celebration, perhaps a sign of how far the Wildcats (63) have come anl how quickly the preseason No. 1 team has fallen. The Bulldogs were humbled 49-10 by Florida last weekend, the kind of whipping the Wildcats know all too well. The Gators pummeled Kentucky 63-5 on Oct. 25, the kind of resounding defeat that Brooks worried could derail a promising season. Yet the Wildcats rallied with a warts-and-all 14-13 win over Mississippi State that made them bowl eligible for the third straight year
■ Georgia — the first time that’s happened since the 1950s. “Vhis team over“the last three years has been doing a lot of first-in-a longtime type things. I think (beating Georgia) was just one step in that direction,” Brooks said. “It was a significant step because it was a team that we hadn’t beaten in quite awhile. There are still a lot of those guys (teams) out there.” Maybe, but the Wildcats would like to turn beating the Bulldogs into a habit. They’ve done a decent job against Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, ripping his helmet off and leaving him with a busted lip and a little bump on his head during the win two years ago, a game Stafford called the lowest point of his career. “The coaches actually showed (me the tape) the other day, it was pretty funny looking,” Stafford said. “The swollen face. It was bad.” Last week’s woeful performance against the Gators wasn’t much better. The Bulldogs were pushed around by the Gators as Stafford threw three interceptions to end any outside shot they had at an SEC crown and a national title. Now the BUlldogs can simply hope to restore a little order in the SEC universe, starting with the Wildcats. Georgia has owned Kentucky for decades and leads the series 48-11-2. Then again, the Bulldogs know they’re not in a position to take anything for granted. “I’m glad we have a 12:30 kickoff,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “The sooner the better for us. We have to get back to work and get
LAGRANGE
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“There was no doubt if he could hit it he would make it in my mind,” Pardue said. “I thought it might be our only chance to get three.” Matt Pauley made the snap, and Rodney Tolbert got the hold down. Pauley was filling in for the regular long snapper, John Jackson, who was out with an injury. “Without the snap and without the hold, I couldn’t have done it,” said Mansour’s, whose kick probably had at least 5 yards of clearance. Troup got the ball twice more in the closing minutes with a chance to move down the field, but LaGrange’s defense was up to the task. The game effectively ended when the Tigers failed to convert on a fourthand-16 from their own 13. Tolbert, the Grangers’ quarterback, took a knee and the clock ran out. “It was a great ballgame,” LaGrange linebacker Demetri Merritt said. “I think Troup was real physical, but we were physical, too. Our defense played really good. The offense, they scored 17 points. I can’t argue with that.” LaGrange (8-2) will host a playoff game next week after finishing second in Region 2-AAA, while Troup (4-6) will visit top-ranked Cairo after taking the fourth spot in the region. For Troup, it was the latest in a long line of heart-breaking losses. Outside of a lop-sided setback against Carver, Troup’s other five losses were by a combined 16 points. “They’ll come back,” Troup head coach Bubba Jeter said. “They’ve been stepped on and squeezed and spit on, and everything else. They keep bouncing back. They don’t quit.” For LaGrange, it’s a nice way to head into the playoffs, and it eases the pain of last week’s 24-0 loss to Carver in the region-championship game. “I’m proud of these kids for bouncing back after a disappointing loss last week,” Pardue said. “I feel like it gives us a lot of momentum.” The Grangers led 14-7 at the half, with Tolbert throwing touchdown passes of 14 yards to Pauley and 13 yards to David Earl. LaGrange scored the final 14 points of the half after Jacorius Cotton gave Troup the early lead with a 5-yard scoring run. Troup tied it early in the fourth quarter, with Brandon Worle bulling his way into the end zone from 1 yard out and Russell Dougherty converting the extra point. After LaGrange went three-and-out, Mansour’s 55-yard punt pinned Troup back at its 15-yard line. Troup couldn’t move the ball, and LaGrange got the ball at the Tigers’ 37yard line after a short punt. The Grangers ended up backing up a yard from there, but it didn’t matter.
CALLAWAY
LaGrange Daily News
LaGrange 17, Troup 14 LaGrange Troup
0 14 0 3 - 17 7 0 0 7 - 14 First T – Jacorius Cotton 5 run (Russell Dougherty kick), 3:16 Second L – Matt Pauley 32 pass from Rodney Tolbert (Joseph Mansour kick), 9:42 L – David Earl 13 pass from Tolbert (Joseph Mansour kick), :25 Fourth T – Brandon Worle 1 run (Dougherty kick), 9:19 L – Mansour 55 field goal, 5:44 The Grangers only had about 10 yards of offense in the second half, but they found a way to win, and that’s all that mattered. “Give Troup credit. They played a great football game,” Pardue said. “But I was proud of our kids how we hung in.” Troup struck first in the game. After both teams swapped three-andouts, Troup began its second possession from its own 39. With Cotton doing most of the work, with a 10-yard completion from Jaquante Holloway to Marcus Williams helping out as well, the Tigers moved the ball steadily down the field. Moments after Cotton picked up a first down with a 5-yard run, he scored from 5 yards out with 3:16 left in the first quarter. Dougherty converted the extra point, and Troup was up 7-0. LaGrange answered with an impressive 15-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Running back Ocie Salter ran the ball seven times for 39 yards on the drive, including a 6-yard gain on fourth down from the Troup 29-yard line. Tolbert capped the drive with a bullet pass to Pauley just past the goal line. Mansour’s kick tied the game with 9:42 left in the half.
The Grangers had the ball deep in Troup territory when they got the ball back, but they were forced to punt when Tolbert was sacked at the 40yard line. Mansour’s punt was downed just inches from the goal line. Troup got out of the shadow of its goal line on a 17-yard run from quarterback Eric Bridges, but the Tigers were forced to punt from their own 20. The Grangers took over at the Troup 46 with 2:09 left, and Tolbert found Earl for a 28-yard completion on second down. After a Salter 5-yard run, Tolbert threw a fade pass into the right corner of the end zone, and Earl came up with the catch. Mansour’s kick was true, and the Grangers led 14-7 with 25 seconds left in the half. “I was thinking just take a couple of shots at the end zone, and if it didn’t work out kick a field goal,” Pardue said. “David just made an unbelievable catch right there.” Troup’s tying touchdown in the second half was set up by a special-teams miscue by the Grangers. The snap to Mansour was high on a punt attempt, and he was tackled for a 5-yard loss, giving Troup the ball at the Grangers’ 32. Bridges found Williams for a 9-yard completion on third down to keep the drive alive at the LaGrange 22. Worle had runs of 7 and 4 yards to get the ball to the 11. After a LaGrange penalty, Troup had the ball on the 7, and three more running plays moved the ball to the 1. Facing a fourth-and-goal, Worle got the call, and after getting hit at the line of scrimmage he powered his way across the goal line. Dougherty made the extra point, and the game was tied 14-14 with 9:19 left. From there, it was LaGrange’s defense and Mansour that made the difference.
Callaway 21, Pike County 14
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“This is what you work for.” The game had a frustrating start for Callaway. The Cavaliers fumbled on their opening possession – which would become a common theme in the matchup – and it was recovered by the Pirates. Pike set out on a sevenplay, 55-yard drive that included a 12-yard thirddown conversion. Running back Jessie Briscoe plunged in on a 4-yard score and the Pirates were ahead 7-0. Callaway responded quickly. Sophomore running back Quan Bray took a handoff on the Cavaliers’ next play from scrimmage and raced 80 yards for a score. Bray finished with 133 yards on 12 attempts. Josh Ham’s extra point tied the game at seven. For the rest of the first half, Pike dominated. The Pirate defense did a valiant job of bottling up Tigner and Bray, and Heard only attempted one pass. Pike’s offense, led by quarterback Kody Adams, converted three third-and-
Matt Jones / Daily News
LaGrange High’s Sandtron Harrell makes a play during Friday’s game.
C– P–
17 7 0 0 - 14 7 0 0 14 - 21
First quarter P – Jessie Briscoe 4 run, (PAT good) 6:52 C – Quan Bray 80 run, (Josh Ham kick good) 6:38 Second Quarter
P – Bret Car ter 20 pass from Kody Adams, (PAT good) 9:52 Fourth Quarter C – Quantavious Leslie 26 pass from Demetrius Heard, (Ham kick good) 11:27 C – Tharius Tigner 1 run, (Ham kick good) 6:59
long conversions on an eight-play drive in the second quarter. Adams competed a 20yard pass to wide receiver Bret Carter on third-and-7 for the Pirates’ second score of the night. The extra point gave Pike a 14-7 advantage. The third quarter also started rough for the Cavaliers. Callaway received the kickoff, but went three-andout and was forced to punt. The Cavaliers’ next possession showed signs of life from the normally explosive Callaway offense. Starting on its own 10yard line, Callaway drove the ball all the way to the Pike 20-yard line before personal foul and intentional grounding penalties knocked the Cavs out of field goal range. Although no points came
out of it, the promising drive sparked the offense. After Callaway forced Pike into a three-and-out, Callaway drove down the field in six plays and capped it off with a 26-yard scoring strike from Heard to wide receiver Quantavious Leslie with 11:27 left in the fourth quarter. Ham’s extra point was true to tie the score at 14, and the Cavaliers seized the momentum. Backup running back Bernard ‘Tub” Phillips was a key contributor on the scoring drive. Phillips finished with 58 rushing yards on five carries, and also caught two balls for 47 yards. After the ensuing Pike drive went backward, Tigner ripped off a 30-yard run to the Pirates’ 1-yard line,
where the senior scored on the next play. Tigner finished with 96 yards on 15 carries. Ham knocked the kick through to give the Cavaliers a 21-14 lead with just under seven minutes to play, and it was all the points they would need. The next Pike possession would fail miserably. A host of Cavaliers sacked Adams on first down, and the Pirates couldn’t recover. Pike was forced to punt, which was downed at the Callaway 6-yard line. From there on, a steady dose of Tigner, Bray, Heard and Phillips was able to run out the clock and give the Cavs a region title, although there were some scares. On second-and-2 from the Callaway 14-yard line, Heard fumbled a pitch, but was able quickly pounce on it. Later, Heard would fumble again, only for it to be retained by the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers weren’t as fortunate in the first half when they lost two fumbles. “I think it was because of the rain, because we haven’t fumbled like that before,” Tigner said.
Another huge game for Jackets CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina and Georgia Tech are stuck in the muddled mess of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division standings. Both the 19th-ranked Tar Heels and No. 22Jackets know the only way to come out on top is to keep winning. When they meet today, the teams find themselves among five two-loss teams in the race to reach the league championship game. There are only a hanlful of chances left to push forward or make up for any earlier-season slipups, which could have the division come down to a bunch of tiebreakers unless a team emerges from the pack. “I think everybody is kind of in situation where you control your own destiny,” North Carolina coach Butch Davis. “If you play well, good things
have a chance to happen, and if you don’t, they won’t.” The Tar Heels (6-2, 2-2 ACC) entered their bye week enjoying their most successful season since 1997 and their first bowl eligibility in four years. Yet they say none of that matters compared to what awaits coming out of the break, from ensuring their first winning season since 2001 to making good on the preseason expectations that they would contend for the division title. Their two losses have come against Virginia and Virginia Tech, so they would need those teams to lose even if North Carolina managed to win out thanks to head-to-head tiebreakers. That could be a tough task considering the Tar Heels’ final month includes a trip to No. 23 Maryland, a home
game against North Carolina State and the finale at improving Duke. A loss to the Yellow Jackets (7-2, 4-2) would add another team to North Carolina’s standings loss-watch list. “We’d all be lying if we told you we didn’t know who needed to lose,” quarterback Cameron Sexton said. “We all know that. I think generally, we do a good job of not paying attention to it, because if we don’t win, it doesn’t matter.” The Yellow Jackets’ are in similar position; both of their losses came against the Cavaliers and Hokies. They close their ACC schedule next week at home against Miami. “We can’t worry about what other teams are doing to help us or hurt us,” Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson said.