Score Atlanta Vol. 10 Issue 38

Time to look great!

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 38 | OCTOBER 17-23, 2014

Happy Hawks | Pg. 4 Our Kyle Sandy explains why fans can look forward to the Hawks’ upcoming season.

Playoff Preview | Pg. 8 We break down the softball and volleyball playoffs in this week’s prep cover story.

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

MIDTERM REVIEW We break down the local college football teams at the midpoint of the season. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

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COLUMNISTS

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ON THE COVER

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PREP COVER

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Black ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves) Matthew Cason (Hawks, Tech) Brian Jones (KSU) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons, GSU)

Kyle Sandy (Silverbacks)

STAFF WRITERS Darrin Heatherly Jalisa Smith

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Copyright 2014 Score Atlanta Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Score Atlanta is published in print every other week on Fridays and a digital version is posted to ScoreAtl.com in-between print issues. Views expressed in Score Atlanta are not necessarily the opinion of Score Atlanta, its staff or advertisers. Score Atlanta does not knowingly accept false or misleading editorial content or advertising nor is Score Atlanta responsible for the content or claims of any advertising or editorial in this publication. No content (articles, photographs, graphics) in Score Atlanta may be used for reproduction without written permission from the publisher.

TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES

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SCORE LIST | NUMBERS GEORGIA STATE | KENNESAW STATE GEORGIA | GEORGIA TECH BRAVES | FALCONS HAWKS | SILVERBACKS

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF JON BARASH, GREG SPELL AND ROB SAYE.

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SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com a brutal road to the Georgia Dome will have to be conquered.

SAGER SAYS

AN EARLY LOOK AT THE STATE PLAYOFFS

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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our weeks remain in the high school football season before the playoffs and the postseason picture has begun to manifest itself. In the state’s highest classification, Region 1 has been the deepest and most competitive region in the state this year with Colquitt County, Valdosta, Lowndes, Tift County, Camden County and Lee County. Region 1 will face Region 2 in the opening round of the playoffs and that will pin some of the most anticipated opening round games in any classification. Tucker, Lovejoy and Newton will likely be the top 3 seeds heading out of Region 2. That could be bad news for Tucker in its first season in Class AAAAAA.

Another anticipated first-round storyline will be Gwinnett County’s showdown in Class AAAAAA. Dacula, Grayson, Archer and Cen-

tral Gwinnett would represent Region 8 in the playoffs if the season ended today and Parkview, Brookwood and South Gwinnett would be on the outside looking in. Norcross is the only team in Region 7 without a region loss and North Gwinnett, Collins Hill, Peachtree Ridge and Mill Creek each sit at 3-1. Whichever four teams make into the playoffs out of Region 7 and Region 8 will have a tough in-county matchup waiting for them in the first round. After the first round, it will not get any easier for these two Gwinnett regions. The four winners that make it to the second round will face the winners of the Region 1 vs. Region 2 first-round games. A Gwinnett County team has won the state title the last four years in Georgia’s highest classification and if it is going to be a fifth,

SANDY’S SPIEL

OPTIMISM APLENTY FOR HAWKS FANS

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

lenty of doom and gloom has been surrounding athletics in the state of Georgia lately. Of Pcourse by now everyone has heard of the Todd Gurley suspension. Georgia Tech fell from the ranks of the unbeaten by dropping a tough one at home to Duke. The Falcons continued their whirlwind of bad play by losing to the Chicago Bears at the Dome. The Silverbacks are in last place and have fired their coach, but I am not here to highlight the recent misery of the Atlanta sports fan. I am here to spin you on a positive: the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta’s other dirty birds have quietly made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons; the second-longest streak in the NBA only behind the San Antonio Spurs. I’ll bet you didn’t realize that! Atlanta hasn’t hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy yet, but credit still must

be given to the franchise for becoming a staple in the postseason. The Hawks have managed to make the playoffs under three different coaches during the streak. The franchise record is 11 straight appearances, which started back when the team was still in St. Louis.

POSITIVE IMPRESSION …

The Hawks have benefited from playing in the weak Eastern Conference. Coach Mike Budenholzer went just 38-44 in his first season, but managed to capture the eighth seed and push the top-seeded Indiana Pacers to the brink of elimination. Coach Bud did a great job keeping the team together after the injury to star center Al Horford. Atlanta actually was 25-21 at one point, but the loss of the team’s leading scorer eventually hamstringed the Hawks and

EARLY PREDICTIONS …

The last two seasons have seen 12 different schools win state titles. Seven of the schools were first-time state champs and it looks like we’ll see some new faces hoist the hardware this December as well. In Class AAAAAA, Colquitt County is the front-runner for its first state title since 1994. The Packers have made it to the state semifinals the past five years under head coach Rush Propst, but have continued to come up just short. In the last five years of postseason runs, only three of 21 games have been played at home as the Packers have won 13 road playoff games.

Colquitt County is undefeated in region play this season and the road to the Georgia Dome could finally run through Moultrie.

In Class AAAAA, Franklin Stephens has Ware County off to a 6-0 start in his first year as the Gators’ head coach. Stephens led Tucker to its first-state title in 2011 and took Lamar County to the Class AA state championship last season. The Gators are the top-ranked team in Class AAAAA this year.

Buford will have little resistance until the playoffs start and should be able to capture the

Class AAAA state title after a 15-0 season in 2013 that saw the Wolves break the all-time state scoring record. Jess Simpson is 129-8 in his 10 seasons as Buford’s head coach and two of the losses were forfeits in 2012.

Washington County fell short to Buford in the state championship last year, but the defending Class AAA-champion Wolves are classed into Class AAAA and Washington County’s chances to take home a fourth state title and first since 1997 are looking good.

Gwinnett County’s Greater Atlanta Christian is the favorite in Class AA and Class A also has new state title hopefuls.

Marion County knocked region-rival Hawkinsville out of the Class A-Public playoffs in the semifinals before capturing the state title, but the Red Devils are 7-0 under third-year head coach David Daniell and have a team capable of dethroning the Eagles. Marion County beat Hawkinsville 14-10 in the 2013 regular season, but dominated the Red Devils 40-7 in the semifinal matchup. Hawkinsville and Marion County play Friday night in a huge Region 4-A battle that could determine which team gets the No. 1 seed in the playoff bracket. In Class A-Private, Mt. Paran has an impressive roster capable of bringing Cobb County its first football state title since 1967.

Photo courtesy of Ty Freeman.

sent them limping into the postseason.

A healthy Horford along with another season of Paul Millsap, the emergence of Mike Scott and some nice depth signings will likely propel Atlanta into the mix for a 4-6 seed this year. The duo of Millsap and Horford was short lived last season, but the two bigs complement each other well. Horford is more of a true post presence with the ability to score with his back to the basket.

Millsap at 6-foot-8 is an undersized power forward who uses his versatility to step away from the basket and become a matchup nightmare for opponents. He took a career high 212 threes last season and was able to connect at a respectable 35.8 percent clip. Millsap’s growth was not only evident with the long ball; he also posted a career high 3.1 assists per game and grabbed 8.5 rebounds per contest.

Mike Scott was another player who greatly benefited from Horford’s absence. The former Virginia Wahoo turned himself into a three-point shooter and knocked down 62 on the season. Scott’s 36 minutes played on the line projected him out at 18.6 points per game and 7 rebounds. He will be vying for a bigger role this season and will have to beat out rookie Adreian Payne, who was selected at No. 15 this summer. The Michigan State Spartan brings a lot of the same intangibles as Scott, but has proven to be a little trigger-happy with the three-ball throughout his college career.

NEW TO THE NEST …

Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore were signed this offseason to add length and depth to the wing position. Their athleticism will fit into the “3 & D” mold nicely, as they will be expected to lock down opposing guards and hit corner threes. DeMarre Carroll excelled at this role last year and will be relied upon again to produce.

Starting point guard Jeff Teague’s slow but steady improvement continued as he recorded a career high 16.5 points per game. He also dished out 6.7 assists per game, but must cut down on the turnovers to become an elite point guard. Along with Teague in the backcourt, Kyle Korver remains the league’s top marksmen from downtown.

With a healthy team, the Hawks have a chance to make noise this year. Another season in the Budenholzer system should reap benefits for the talented team. Mike Muscala has played well this preseason and should add some depth up front. Aside from the Cavaliers, the East should be wide open this season. Atlanta has managed to maintain payroll flexibility so if a trade presents itself at the deadline they will have the funds to make it happen. It should be another exciting season at the Highlight Factory.

Photo courtesy of Jon Barash.

Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014 they have to be feeling more unified as a team than ever after proving they are by no means a one-man show. Factor in a favorable remaining schedule on which its only current ranked opponent (Auburn) has to visit Athens and Georgia should make it to the SEC Championship if it can get past Florida on Nov. 1.

“We’re improving in a lot of areas,” head coach Mark Richt assured following a win over Vanderbilt earlier this month. “Defensively we’re getting closer to communicating the things we need to do and we’re executing better. We’re getting more confidence. We’ve got a chance to keep improving as a football team.

If we do that, we’ve got a chance to get back to Atlanta.”

ON THE COVER

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRIO NOT PERFECT, BUT GOOD ENOUGH AT MIDWAY POINT

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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wo of the teams have just one loss. The other has that many wins. What Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State almost certainly share, however, is a similar mentality at the midpoint of this college football season.

All three schools can kick themselves over lost opportunities here and there, but all three also have plenty about which to be feel good.

Georgia has a loss to South Carolina that is looking worse and worse with each passing week, but it also clobbered Missouri 34-0—on the road, no less—without arguably the best player in the nation. Georgia Tech fell at home to Duke, but it boasts wins over Virginia Tech and Miami. Georgia State has already exceeded its 2013 win total, but it could easily possess three victories right now (two of its losses have come via 34-31 score lines).

So...what to make of what has been a wacky first half of the gridiron season in this state and throughout the entire country? Well, the bottom line for the three teams that matter most around these parts is that they still have everything to play for as they head down the stretch.

IN THE NICK OF TIME …

With a roster highlighted by a heralded quartet of running backs in Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, nobody could have expected that any one of those four would get 38 carries in a single game. But if one would—in fact—receive such a workload, it would undoubtedly be Gurley.

Right? Wrong. Unforeseen circumstances, the only good one of which is Chubb’s immediate rise to prominence, resulted in Chubb rushing 38 times last week against Missouri. With Gurley suspended and both Marshall and Michel injured, the freshman out of Cedartown High School parlayed his opportunity into 143 yards and a touchdown during Georgia’s statementmaking rout of the Tigers.

And with that, the Bulldogs’ season has effectively become a phoenix rising out of the ashes. They were all but left for dead when Gurley was banned indefinitely by the team for allegedly benefiting from autographed paraphernalia. Suddenly, however, the Dawgs have won four in a row to bounce back in style from the heartbreaker at South Carolina and

BEDEVILED BUT STILL BUZZING …

Similarly, Georgia Tech has a shot at making it to Charlotte for the second time in three years despite last weekend’s disappointment.

After three winning but lackluster performances against non-conference competition, the Jackets reached new heights and seemingly took control of the ACC Coastal by posting a dramatic 27-24 victory at Virginia Tech and a 28-17 defeat of Miami. Last Saturday, though, they were hit with a reality check in the form of a 31-25 setback against Duke. At 5-0, the schedule had set up nicely for Tech to possibly be 10-0 heading into a Nov. 15 date with Clemson. Now it’s time to go back to the drawing board and take things one game at a time in an effort to get back on top of the Coastal.

As many expected heading into the season, this team is not consistent enough in any phase of the game to have grandiose visions of an undefeated season and berth in the College Football Playoff. Georgia Tech is eighth in the nation with 294.7 rushing yards per game, but quarterback Justin Thomas is completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes, has been picked off three times (twice against Duke) in 87 attempts and the team has lost four fumbles. Tech’s defense showed up versus the Hokies and Hurricanes, but the unit is 12th in the ACC in total defense, 10th in scoring defense and last in sacks. Harrison Butker nailed a game-winning field goal to beat Virginia Tech, but he has missed four times in 10 tries— including three from less than 40 yards.

“We’re still great in the standings and in a good position,” senior linebacker Quayshawn Nealy said following the loss to Duke. “My role is going to be to encourage guys to keep their heads up. We just have to work on the little things so we can make the big things happen.”

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WON ONE …

Big things are still possible and can mean just as much for Georgia State, even if they do not come in the form of a conference title and major bowl bid. An attainable goal, for example, would be to score the first win over an FBS opponent in the program’s history. The Panthers have already done well to win a game, 38-37 over Abilene Christian in the opener to erase a 16-game losing streak dating back to last October.

Led by junior quarterback Nick Arbuckle, who has four pass-catchers already with at least 24 receptions this season at his disposal, GSU has enough offensive talent to win games on a more consistent basis. In addition to two setbacks by three points, it also fell 48-38 to Air Force and took a stunning 14-0 lead into halftime at Washington before the Huskies rolled.

A problem for the Panthers, who still get to play the three worst teams in last year’s Sun Belt Conference standings, is that they have allowed at least 34 points in all six of their outings.

Not unlike the few problems plaguing Georgia and Georgia Tech, it is something that can be overcome during what should be an extremely interesting second half of the 2014 campaign.

Photos courtesy of Rob Saye, Jason Mussel and Jon Barash.

Nick Chubb

Al Horford

Colquitt County

No Gurley? No Problem. The freshman ran for 143 yards on 38 carries with four receptions in the Bulldogs’ 34-0 victory over the Missouri Tigers in Columbia. The 210 team rushing yards along with Hutson Mason’s steady play have to make UGA fans feel fortunate about their offensive weapons despite Gurley’s suspension.

Atlanta Hawks fans received a shot of encouragement when center/forward Al Horford took the court in an NBA game for the first time since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in December of 2013. The veteran played 11 minutes on the hardwood and collected two points, two assists and one rebound during the Hawks’ 109-103 win over Miami.

The Packers have breezed through their first two region tests by thumping previous unbeatens Lowndes and Lee County. This might be coach Rush Propst’s best team as it has beaten opponents by an average score of 44-12. The Pack travel to undefeated Valdosta Friday. The Wildcats are allowing just six points per game.

SCORE LIST

By Brian Jones

NEED TO RISE UP

After a loss to the Chicago Bears in which nothing went right for the Falcons, they will look to bounce back as the travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens this Sunday. The Falcons have yet to win a road game this season, but if they want to get back on track, they must beat the Ravens.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The Bulldogs got a dominating win against Missouri last week, but they have another tough road test on Saturday as they take on Arkansas. It will be an emotional game for the Razorbacks because they lost to Alabama last week by one point. The Bulldogs must run the ball and stop the run in order to get another conference win.

GURLEY (SORT OF) RETURNS

Bulldogs’ fans got some good news this week as Todd Gurley returned to practice. This does not mean anything because Gurley (as of Wednesday) is still suspended, but there could be a chance he returns to the field very soon. Is it possible he makes his comeback against Florida?

BOUNCE BACK

Georgia Tech had a chance to be the talk of the town this week. But the Yellow Jackets fell short against Duke last Saturday and they will look to get back on track as they travel to North Carolina. The Tar Heels are on currently on a four-game losing streak, but they have a 2-1 record at home.

So Tech needs to be ready for a battle at Chapel Hill.

WAR IN VALDOSTA

The city of Valdosta will be buzzing on Friday night when No. 1 in Class AAAAAA Colquitt County takes on No.3 Valdosta for the top spot in Region 1. We will be following this game closely, so make sure you log onto scoreatl. com for the latest updates on this game and the 160-plus games in Georgia.

WHO’S NOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

WHO’S HOT

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NCAA

Georgia Tech

Braves

There is a ton of heat on the NCAA right now as Heisman Trophy candidate Todd Gurley has been suspended indefinitely by Georgia after allegations that he profited off his signature. Nation-wide pundits like Jay Bilas and Darren Rovell have roundly criticized the rule, which prevents student-athletes from accepting money for their likeness or autograph.

Three turnovers in the second half led to 14 Duke points, costing the Yellow Jackets the chance to go 6-0 for the first time since 2011. Paul Johnson’s squad scored a season-low 25 points while starting quarterback Justin Thomas completed a season-worst 6-of-15 passes with two picks before leaving with an injury.

The Braves still don’t have a permanent general manager.

Not only that, but the organization seems to be confused as to whom they are going after. Published reports are claiming temporary GM John Hart has refused the permanent gig, but Braves President John Schuerholz is saying Hart is still a candidate.

Sounds organized.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Kyle Sandy

Our email newsletter is something we take a lot of pride in at Score. If you aren’t familiar with it, it is a high school sportsheavy publication that we produce each day to fill in our readers on the latest happenings in Georgia prep sports. We send it out Monday through Friday throughout the year and Monday through Saturday during the fall.

Not only do we cover popular sports like football, basketball and baseball, we also cover every other varsity sport the GHSA fields. If you like Georgia high school sports at all, sign up for our email newsletter by visiting www.tinyurl.com/scorenewsletter and enter your email address(es) that you’d like added to the distribution list.

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TRIVIA QUESTION

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME GEORGIA SHUT OUT A RANKED TEAM ON THE ROAD PRIOR TO LAST WEEK’S WIN AT MISSOURI? ANSWER ON PAGE 14

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SANITY AT LAST

“I knew going into the game that we could still win with Chubb there. You just kind of worry about how many times can he carry the ball. Going in I’d have never guessed that he’d carry it 38 times.”

- Georgia QB Hutson Mason on Nick Chubb’s role in the Bulldogs’ win at Missouri.

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Matt Ryan interceptions through six games

78.5

Hutson Mason’s completion percentage in Georgia’s win at Missouri

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Team-leading touchdowns by Antone Smith this season Combined points Valdosta and Colquitt County have outscored opponents by this season

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Undefeated high school football teams left in Georgia heading into Week 9

485

Rushing yards by Pepperell junior Devyn Collins last Friday, a new state record

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Rushing touchdowns by Hillgrove running back Sonny Harris last Friday.

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Different schools that have won football state championships the past two seasons

Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014

IT DOESN’T TAKE A GENIUS TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU PLAY,

GEORGIA’S KIDS WIN.

It’s elementary, actually. See, every time you play the Lottery, you’re helping our kids get one step closer to their dreams. For over 20 years the Georgia Lottery has contributed over $15.5 billion to education. On top of that, more than 1.6 million HOPE scholars have gone to college and more than 1.3 million 4-year-olds have attended a Lottery-funded Pre-K Program. Add those numbers up and, well, let’s just say that’s a hair-raising number of happy kids.

galottery.com

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PLAYOFF TIME

SOFTBALL, VOLLEYBALL SQUADS PREPARE FOR STATE TOURNEY

BY RICKY DIMON & CRAIG SAGER II

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n Region 8-AAAA, Buford barely avoided a do-or-die date with Madison County by sealing the deal with a thrilling 4-3 win last Thursday. Madison County erased a 3-0 deficit to force extra innings, but Buford’s Tessa Daniels came up with heroics just in time. Daniels tagged a Red Raiders runner out at home plate in the top of the eighth then hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame, scoring Samantha Thomas. Bria Bush improved to 14-0 on the mound this season for the 29-1 Wolves.

Blessed Trinity battled its way to the Region 4-AAA title last week despite dropping the first game of the final series to rival Westminster.

The visiting Wildcats pulled out the first contest via a 5-4 decision before the Titans forced a decider on Friday by dominating the second game 9-1. With momentum in hand, Blessed Trinity

scored 10 unanswered runs in Game 3 to prevail 10-1 and thus take the last two meetings by a combined score of 19-2.

The Region 8-AAAAAA tournament also ended with a winner-take-all showdown.

Brookwood had emerged from the winners’ bracket, but Archer advanced out of the losers’ bracket and took the first game against the Broncos 2-1 to force a decider in the doubleelimination event. Undaunted, Brookwood had an ace in the hole for last Friday’s contest.

Star pitcher Amanda Ablan took the mound a hurled a complete-game shutout while striking out 10 Archer batters and allowing only three hits in a 2-0 Broncos’ victory. Brookwood scored both of its runs in the bottom of the sixth, first on an error and then on a single by Danna Downs.

VOLLEYBALL NOTES …

Class AAAAAA’s 32 playoff teams squared off Thursday and the winners were rewarded a ticket into the second round, which resumes Tuesday. After the second round, the final eight teams will be re-seeded and placed into a championship bracket. Top-ranked Walton hosted Chattahoochee in a rematch of last year’s Class AAAAAA state championship on Thursday. The four-time defending state champion Raiders are the No. 1 seed after taking the Area 5 crown. West Forsyth at Roswell, Lassiter at South Forsyth and Etowah at John’s Creek are the three top 10 showdowns Class AAAAAA saw in the opening round.

Sequoyah failed to take a No. 1 seed into the playoffs and will host Miller Grove as a No. 2 seed to open the first round. The Chiefs fell 3-1 in the Class AAAAA championship to McIntosh last season and this rematch could manifest itself early this postseason. McIntosh took the Area 4 championship and will host Alexander in the first round. The winner of McIntosh vs. Alexander will take on the winner of Miller Grove and Sequoyah.

In Class AAAA, Buford cruised through the regular season and earned the top seed out of Area 8. The Wolves lost 3-1 to eventual Class AAA state champion St. Pius X last year

and will host West Laurens in the first round on their road to the program’s first state title.

The Golden Lions host Northwest Whitfield in a No. 4 vs. No. 10 ranked showdown.

Decatur’s place in the top-heavy Area 2 could cost them in the Class AAA playoffs.

Westminster took the top seed and Blessed Trinity took the No. 2 seed as a result of the Wildcats’ triumph over Blessed Trinity in the Area 2 championship. Decatur earned the No. 3 seed and will visit No. 2 seeded Morgan County in the opening round. Decatur has been one of the biggest turnaround programs this year and compiled a 29-11 record after failing to make the playoffs last year. Meanwhile, Blessed Trinity sits in familiar territory as a No. 2 seed. The Titans entered last year’s playoffs as the No. 2 seed after St. Pius X edged Blessed Trinity in last year’s Area championship.

The Golden Lions would meet Blessed Trinity again in the state championship and serve up a 3-1 defeat to the Titans. St. Pius X is in AAAA now and it will be Area-rival Westminster that could end up in a winner-take-all rematch with the Titans.

Photos courtesy of Greg Spell, Craig Bossinas and Cynthia Davis.

Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014

Score Atlanta Football Rankings

Class AAA 1.......... Washington County 2.............................Calhoun 3..................Blessed Trinity 4....................Peach County 5...........................Jefferson

Class AAAAAA

Class AA

1................. Colquitt County 2.............................Grayson 3............................ Valdosta 4...............................Dacula 5........................... Lowndes

1....................................GAC 2.......................Benedictine 3................................ Lovett 4...............................Vidalia 5.................. Brooks County

6.............................. Hughes 7........................ McEachern 8.................Camden County 9.................................Milton 10..........................Norcross

Class AAAAA 1..................... Ware County 2................................Coffee 3...........................Allatoona 4....................................Kell 5...................Northside-WR

6................................ Lanier 7..........................Creekside 8....................... Stephenson 9..................................Mays 10................ Carver-Atlanta

Class AAAA 1...............................Buford 2..................... Sandy Creek 3................................Griffin 4.......... Thomas Co. Central 5........ Woodward Academy

6....................Mary Persons 7................................ Marist 8.................................. Cairo 9........................Cartersville 10......................... St. Pius X

6......................Westminster 7..................Central-Carroll 8........................Hart County 9...............Westside-Macon 10..................Dodge County

Pre-Playoff Softball Rankings Class AAAAAA

6.......................Thomasville 7.......................... Fitzgerald 8....................Lamar County 9..........................Darlington 10...............Screven County

1.............................Lassiter 2.........................Collins Hill 3....................... Brookwood 4............................ Lambert 5............................Harrison

Class A-Private

Class AAAAA

1.............................Aquinas 2..................... Mount Paran 3.......................Calvary Day 4.......... Savannah Christian 5..................Tattnall Square

1........................ Greenbrier 2..........................Northgate 3.....................................Ola 4...............South Effingham 5........................Cambridge

6..........Landmark Christian 7................................Pacelli 8...Prince Avenue Christian 9.................... Mount Pisgah 10.........Pinecrest Academy

Class A-Public

Class AAAA

1.................. Marion County 2..................... Irwin County 3..................... Hawkinsville 4................Charlton County 5.....................Dooly County

1...............................Buford 2.............Heritage-Catoosa 3.................... Walnut Grove 4...................Wayne County 5................................Marist

6...............................Claxton 7..................................... ECI 8.........................Commerce 9.................. Lincoln County 10..................Clinch County

6...................................Pope 7................................Archer 8....................South Forsyth 9............................Hillgrove 10..............................Alcovy

Class AAA 1............Central-Carrollton 2.............................Calhoun 3............................Ringgold 4..................Blessed Trinity 5................... Dodge County

6....................Pierce County 7......................Westminster 8.................Jackson County 9.........................Cedartown 10.........................Rockmart

Class AA 1....................... Gordon Lee 2.............................. Harlem 3....................Heard County 4.......................... Wesleyan 5......................... Armuchee

6....................Bacon County 7...........................Jeff Davis 8.............................. Berrien 9......................Social Circle 10............................. Vidalia

Class A-Private 6..............Effingham County 7.......................Union Grove 8.............. Woodland-Henry 9.................Houston County 10....................... Creekview

1.. Prince Avenue Christian 2..................................ELCA 3...............Athens Christian 4.. Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 5......First Presbyterian Day

6..Tattnall Square Academy 7........................Brookstone 8............Stratford Academy 9....................... Calvary Day 10.....Strong Rock Christian

Class A-Public 6................ Madison County 7............................ Veterans 8.......................... Carrollton 9........................Whitewater 10................................Perry

1................Georgia Military 2...................Schley County 3...................Wilcox County 4................Charlton County 5...................Echols County

6......................Hawkinsville 7..............................Treutlen 8.........................Commerce 9.................... Telfair County 10.................................Trion

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Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

GURLEY PRACTICES; 2015 SCHEDULE RELEASED

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

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eisman hopeful running back Todd Gurley is still out for the Georgia Bulldogs and as of right now it’s a mystery whether or not they’ll see him back on the field this season. Reports say they could find out news from the NCAA sometime this week. At the moment, Georgia is preparing for this Saturday’s game against Arkansas without Gurley being in the plans. As for whether or not head coach Mark Richt knows anything? You can ask him, but you might not get a lot from the answer.

“I just don’t have an answer for that,” Richt said. “I don’t know. If there’s something worthy of reporting we’ll report it, but other than that, we’re just focusing on the things that we can control right now.”

Richt knows that life would be a little easier with Todd Gurley reinstated this week and going forward. However, he knows that games won’t be easy regardless and he indicated the same Bulldogs’ offense will be on display this week.

“Our game-plan won’t change,” Richt as-

GEORGIA STATE

PANTHERS FACE TOUGH SECOND-HALF SCHEDULE

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER @SCOREATL.COM

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eorgia State suffered its biggest loss of the season on Saturday as visiting Arkansas State rolled to a 52-10 victory. The Red Wolves took a 24-0 lead into the second quarter and led 52-3 before the Panthers finally got in the endzone. The Panthers are averaging 301.8 passing yards on offense, but the problem sits on the defensive side of the football. Georgia State has allowed 41.7 points per game this season, 126th in the country.

With a 1-5 record, the Panthers enter their second half of the season. Four of the six games will be played on the road, including a trip to South Alabama on Saturday and a visit to Death Valley to take on Clemson Nov. 22. South Alabama is 2-1 in the Sun Belt and comes off back-to-back wins over Idaho and Appalachian State. The Jaguars’ defense is ranked 38th in the country and will be a challenge for Nick Arbuckle and the pass-happy Georgia State offense.

sured. “Last year Todd had a high ankle sprain and Keith Marshall tore his ACL, unfortunately, but we didn’t change our offensive scheme.

We’re not going to do that.”

While Richt may not have sounded very optimistic that we could see Marshall back this week, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo seems a little more encouraged that No. 4 could return from his knee and ankle issues.

“He got out there a couple reps today (Tuesday),” Bobo reported. “It was good to see him jump in there and take some reps. Hopefully he felt a little bit better. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and see if he can go full speed.”

Another option in the running game for Georgia is J.J. Green. Yes, he did move over to defensive back earlier this season. But with these injuries, he has been moved back to running back.

SCHEDULE RELEASE …

Georgia found out Tuesday night when and where it will play its games in 2015. The “where” portion of the schedule had already been determined. Now the Bulldgos know the “when” part of the equation.

I know what you’re thinking: “When do they play Alabama?” The answer is Oct. 3 at home. Needless to say, I’m sure we can expect to see Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and the SEC on CBS crew in town for that game. You can find Georgia’s full schedule on ScoreATL.com.

ON THE PROWL …

Georgia State has a unique place in recruiting in the Peach State. While they could actively pursue Georgia’s bevy of talent, the Panthers will benefit most from finding under the radar guys and the bigger names that slip through the cracks closer to National Signing Day. This year’s 2015 class has some key pieces that will help the program immediately.

Jaleen Thomas is a three-star running back out of Northview, Ala. and brings a physical style to the backfield at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. Defensively, Drew Harris is a key piece to the incoming class at defensive end. Harris is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound pass rush specialist at Stephenson, a hotbed for college talent. Fellow Jaguar Tyler Taylor is a 6-foot-3 wide receiver that is joined by Hillgrove wideout Richard Hallman in this class. Hallman is another big target at 6-foot-4.

GEORGIA PRIDE …

Commitments and targets have dotted the sidelines at each of the Panthers’ home games this year and the next home game will be big in the recruiting scene. Georgia Southern visits the Dome on Oct. 25 for a 2 p.m. kickoff. The Eagles were in Atlanta on Sept. 13 for a heartbreaking 42-38 loss to Georgia Tech.

Expect a lot of Georgia talent to be on the sideline for this in-state battle.

GEORGIA TECH

UNDEFEATED SEASON GONE AFTER LOSS TO DUKE

BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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eorgia Tech looked to start a season at 6-0 for the first time since 2011 and history suggested that a win was in place against a Duke team the Yellow Jackets had defeated in 10 straight meetings. However, Tech fell to the Blue Devils 31-25 last Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium for its first loss of the season.

Sloppy play led to the Jackets’ demise as they committed three turnovers, including two interceptions by quarterback Justin Thomas that resulted in 14 Duke points in the second half. An ankle injury forced Thomas to the bench midway through the fourth quarter as backup Tim Byerly replaced him under center. The redshirt junior led the Jackets on two touchdown drives, both finished off by Byerly scoring runs, to cut the deficit to six points with 1:52 remaining. Paul Johnson’s squad attempted an onside kick but failed to obtain possession as Duke gained its first win over Georgia Tech since 2003.

KENNESAW STATE

FOOTBALL TEAM HOLDS FIRST-EVER SCRIMMAGE

BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

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he fall is always a busy time when it comes to sports at Kennesaw State. Soccer is in full swing as well as volleyball, preseason basketball and offseason workouts for baseball and softball.

But last Saturday was a day that will go down in the university history books. It was the first time the football team held a public scrimmage and it gave students, faculty, staff and alumni a taste of what Saturdays will be like at Fifth Third Bank Stadium next year.

“Could you get a better atmosphere for a scrimmage for the first time ever,” head coach Brian Bohannon exclaimed. “What an unbelievable showing by the Kennesaw State fan-base, the greater Cobb area (and) our students. It was an unbelievable atmosphere. Our kids were excited and it was great to be out here in that kind of environment for the first time ever.”

The majority of the 4,270 fans in attendance arrived right when the gates opened at

TIMMY TIME …

Byerly took full advantage of his time on the field as he almost led the Yellow Jackets to a comeback victory late in the fourth quarter.

While this may have caught many by surprise, Johnson was not in that group.

“He didn’t surprise me,” the head coach assured. “I expected him to play that way.

That’s the way he practiced in the spring and fall. We just haven’t had a chance to get him in the games many times because they’ve all been don’t-miss-your-turn games.”

Byerly completed a career-high seven passes on 10 attempts for a career-high 125 yards with the two rushing touchdowns along with a 15-yard reception. Prior to the Duke matchup, the quarterback had completed only one pass on three attempts in his Georgia Tech career.

MOVING ON …

Georgia Tech will aim to move on and refocus its efforts on a North Carolina Tar Heel team that pushed sixth-ranked Notre Dame to the limit last weekend only to lose 50-43 in South Bend. Similar to last week’s situation against Duke, Georgia Tech will head into the matchup at Chapel Hill with recent head-tohead success, having won the last six meetings with UNC. The Yellow Jacket offense will enter having averaged 33 points per game on the season, while North Carolina has been plagued by a defense that has given up 43 points per contest.

2 p.m. The festivities began at 3 p.m., with a Homecoming ceremony and the introduction of new members of Kennesaw State Athletics Hall of Fame. The players came on to the field shortly after that and stretched for 20 minutes to get ready for the 35-minute scrimmage.

OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE …

The offense was in gold jerseys while the defense was wearing white. At the beginning of the scrimmage, it was the defense that had the upper hand as it forced a few three-and-outs and even got a turnover when it caused a fumble that defensive end Austin Byrd recovered and returned 30 yards for a touchdown. After that, though, the offense picked things up and scored on three of its last four possessions.

“We just need to continue to stay focused,” safety Taylor Henkle said. “You get a little worn down with the high-paced offense, but we’ll continue to get better and that will pay off in the long run.”

One of the big offensive plays of the game came when quarterback Jake McKenzie threw a long touchdown pass to receiver Justin Sumpter. The Owls run an option offense, but they won’t be afraid to air it out on occasion.

“We’re trying to be different from other option teams,” Sumpter explained. “We’re trying to put the ball in the air more.”

Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

HORFORD RETURNS TO ACTION IN PRESEASON

BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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he Atlanta Hawks continued their preseason preparation as they fought to a 93-88 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies last Saturday. Guard John Jenkins scored a team-high 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting while being supported by a 14-point effort from backcourt mate Dennis Schröder. They were two of four Hawks players to score double-digit points in the contest. Rookie forward Adreian Payne was ineffective on the shooting end, going 0-for-2 from the field, but he collected a teamhigh eight rebounds in just over 19 minutes on the court. Despite the loss, head coach Mike Budenholzer liked the experience that younger Hawks players gained late in the game while going up against the likes of the Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley.

“Probably one of the best things of the night was for some of our younger bigs and even Dennis (Schröder) and Shelvin (Mack) got to play against that type of elite player in close game and in the fourth quarter,” said Budenholzer.

ATLANTA BRAVES

UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDS GM SEARCH

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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raves’ interim general manager John Hart, who had been offered the full-time job, reportedly turned it down on Tuesday, but Braves President John Schuerholz said that news was not accurate. Hart became Atlanta’s senior advisor for baseball operations after being hired in October of 2013, but he took over as interim GM last month when Frank Wren was fired. The 66-year-old, who previously served extensive GM stints in Cleveland and Texas, did not—over the past month—seem to be absolutely set on committing to such a big role in baseball on a full-time basis.

If Hart does in fact decline the job, assistant general manager John Coppolella would become one of the leading candidates. Current Kansas City GM Dayton Moore could also be a possibility.

FIELD OF NIGHTMARES …

Turner Field averaged 29,065 fans per game in 2014, down from 31,465 the previous season.

The drop-off of 2,400 was the biggest since the

HEALTHY HORFORD …

On Tuesday, veteran center/forward Al Horford saw his first game action since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in a Dec. 26, 2013 game at Cleveland. Horford was on the court at Miami for 11 minutes—all in the first half—and finished with two points on 1-for-3 shooting while pulling down one rebound and dishing out two assists. The seven-year veteran appeared in just 29 games during the 2013-14 campaign prior to the injury.

Atlanta overcame a 19-point first-quarter deficit to beat the Heat 109-103. Paul Millsap scored a game-high 23 points and Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Mike Scott and DeMarre Carroll also reached double-figures in points for the Hawks.

THE MASK …

The basketball mask has been popularized over the last decade by the faces who have worn it. LeBron James, Rip Hamilton and Kobe Bryant are just a few names that took to “the mask” after suffering facial damage, such as a broken nose, etc. However, Hawks forward Pero Antic admits to absolutely hating the accessory.

“It is difficult to play with the mask,” Antic commented. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve had an injury to my nose. It’s difficult to see. It’s difficult to adjust. But I have to wear it.”

The center has been required to use the protective mask since getting surgery to repair a broken nose he suffered from an inadvertent elbow by Payne during a preseason practice.

2001 and 2002 campaigns. Atlanta’s total attendance this season came in at 2,354,305, the lowest since 2,322,565 fans took to the ballpark in 2004. The Braves have not entertained more than 34,000 fans per contest since 2004 and they have not averaged more than 32,000 fans since 2007, when 33,891 headed to Turner Field on average.

WAIT ‘TIL NEXT YEAR ...

The Braves know a thing or two about drastic turnarounds. Remember 1991? Who doesn’t? Atlanta went from worst to first to win the National League West and beat Pittsburgh in the NLCS to reach the World Series. Even the last two times it missed the postseason prior this one (2009 and 2011), it bounced back to win more than 90 games and reach the playoffs in the ensuing campaign.

This year’s postseason can only encourage any team that endured a disappointing 2014 and inspire hope for next year. Of the four league championship representatives, only one (St. Louis) appeared in the 2013 playoffs. Both the Royals and Orioles posted winning records last season, but they finished seven and 12 games out of first place in their respective divisions. The Giants finished 10 games under .500.

This ballclub has not missed back-to-back postseasons since 2008-09 and there are reasons to believe that statistic will remain the same come next October.

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co and company dismantled Tampa Bay 4817 last week as Flacco tossed five touchdown passes in the first 16 minutes of action. Flacco has thrown for 1,596 yards and 12 touchdowns this season with just three interceptions. Leading the Baltimore receiving corps is a familiar face to Falcons fans. Former Carolina receiver Steve Smith Sr. was dropped from the Panthers after last season and picked up by Baltimore.

The feisty 14-year pro has caught 35 passes for 573 yards and four touchdowns through six games, putting him on pace for one of his most productive seasons.

WHAT’S NEXT? …

Atlanta’s next game is a trip to Baltimore to take on the 4-2 Ravens on Sunday. Joe Flac-

BITE THE BULLET …

Atlanta’s depth has been tested this year, but Julio Jones and Jake Matthews worked through injuries this week in practice to make sure they would be prepared for Sunday’s contest. Jones played 51 of 56 snaps in the loss to the Bears and has a left ankle injury that kept him limited during practices. Matthews suffered a high left ankle injury in the season opener against New Orleans and re-injured it in a loss to the Giants. Matthews played through it on Sunday but gave up a pair of sacks to the Bears aggressive defensive front.

“Jake has done a very good job of dealing with that ankle all through this season,” said head coach Mike Smith. “I’m not going to say that it’s affecting his play. I think that he’s toughing it out in practice and in the games.”

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS LOOK FOR TURNAROUND IN BALTIMORE

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Falcons dropped to 2-4 and lost their third straight game on Sunday as Jay Cutler and the Bears ran away with a 27-13 win. The Georgia Dome had been rocking throughout the Falcons’ first two home games this season. An overtime victory over the Saints and a Thursday night beatdown of the Bucs were electric. However, two straight road losses and a slow start against the Bears created a much different feel inside the Georgia Dome, which will not host another game until Week 12.

Defensively, there are not many positives to take away from the last several performances. The Falcons are 29th in the NFL in pass defense and 28th in run defense. The unit is surrendering 419 total yards per game and only Tampa Bay has allowed more yards this season.

ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

‘BACKS EARN POINT IN NEW COACH’S DEBUT

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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ife under new head coach Alejandro Pombo has already gotten off to a better start than expected for the Silverbacks. The home team rallied from two one-goal deficits to score a 2-2 draw against the fourth-place Ft. Lauderdale Strikers last Saturday. Pombo preached a more aggressive style of play to score more goals and was rewarded with Atlanta notching two goals after having been shut out in four straight matches.

HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS …

The Strikers struck first on a 25th-minute goal by Aly Alberto Hassan. Shawn Chin sent in a nice cross after a quick throw-in that caught the Silverback defenders napping. The cross found Hassan, who headed it past keeper Eric Ati. Ft. Lauderdale was able to nurse the one-goal lead into halftime. Whatever Pombo said in the locker room must have worked because just two minutes into the second half, Junior Sandoval scored from 30 yards out. It

seemingly looked like there was not shot to be taken, but Sandoval ripped a one-hopper to the left post and it snuck past goalie Kamil Contofalsky.

Two shots from Blair Gavin and Shaka Bangura nearly put the ‘Backs ahead, but Contofalsky denied the efforts with saves off his fingertips. Bangura sent a shot at the net but the Striker keeper tipped the ball just enough to send it bouncing wide of the left post. Ryan Roushandel also had an opportunity to take the lead off a free kick that had rebounded off a crossbar. His chested attempt towards goal was sent away, however, as a Ft. Lauderdale defender cleared the ball off the line.

COMEBACK KIDS …

Fafa Picault put the Strikers back in front in the 79th minute by converting a rebound after Ati had saved the previous attempt and was left out of position. It looked as if a solid Atlanta effort was going to the wayside, but the team caught a break when Ft. Lauderdale’s Rafael Alves scored an own-goal in the 89th minute. A ball was slung into the box and Alves was unable to kick it away and had it deflect off his foot into his own net, tying the game at 2-2.

Next in line for the Silverbacks are the visiting Tampa Bay Rowdies with the game kicking off at 7:30 p.m. at Silverbacks Park this Saturday.

There are only three games remaining in the season, with the last home contest on Oct. 25.

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Vol. 10 Iss. 38 | October 17-23, 2014

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