Score Atlanta Vol. 10 Issue 39

Time to look great!

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 39 | OCTOBER 24-30, 2014

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

Gone Gurl | Pg. 4 Georgia seems fine without superstar running back.

Playoff Push | Pg. 8 Metro teams advance through softball, volleyball playoffs.

TIP-OFF TIME Hawks begin Year 2 in the era of Budenholzer, Ferry and a new attitude. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 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 (Tech) Brian Jones (KSU) Dan Mathews (UGA)

Craig Sager II (Falcons)

Kyle Sandy (Hawks, GSU)

Stephen Black (Silverbacks)

STAFF WRITERS 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 ROB SAYE, KENT PRYOR AND JON BARASH.

ON THE INSIDE AT SCORE Score Atlanta is looking for interns. Please visit www.scoreatl.com/internships for more information on our program.

We are covering the softball and volleyball playoffs and need your scores! Please send to @ScoreAtlanta on twitter, email to scores@scoretl.com or call us at 404-2561572. To see the latest scores and brackets, go to the high school page on AJC.com or visit ScoreATL.com.

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CASON’S CORNER

DAWGS ARE FINE WITHOUT GURLEY

BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

he Bulldogs cannot do this. They cannot be T a high-scoring offense after losing a player of Todd Gurley’s stature. They’re going to get

killed by Missouri. Might as well call it quits.

That was a small sample of the various reactions by Bulldog Nation and media outlets across the nation after it was reported that Gurley was suspended indefinitely while claims were investigated of him accepting “extra benefits for his likeness from memorabilia brokers.” Everyone had their doubts of Georgia pulling through a predicament of this magnitude. Although it is completely understandable, as Gurley was the backbone of an offense that ran for 773 yards while scoring eight touchdowns in just five games.

Without a doubt, the pessimism grew

when fans looked at the big picture. The Bulldogs offense featured a decimated stable of running backs with the likes of Sony Michel and Keith Marshall on the shelf, a redshirt-senior quarterback in Hutson Mason, who looked more like the second-coming of Joe Cox than Aaron Murray, and, above all, playing a tough SEC schedule in which two losses means no conference title opportunity does not give high hopes. Yet Georgia put up 34 points in the shutout win over Missouri and followed with a 45-point outburst in a win at Arkansas. How can an offense that seemed so reliant on Gurley’s production be able to pull this off?

MINDING MASON …

Mason had the weight of Athens on his

SANDY’S SPIEL

IS EVERYONE PLAYING FOR SECOND PLACE IN CLASS AAAAAA?

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

e are now in Week 11 of the highly competitive AAAAAA Georgia high school W football season but the question is, how com-

petitive is it? There has been one team that has caught my eye time and time again and looks hell-bent on finally winning a state title. My preseason pick to win it all, the Colquitt County Packers, have looked all but unstoppable. Led by the MTV-famous head coach Rush Propst, this year’s team looks to be the best he has had at Colquitt County and possibly one of the best he has ever coached period.

Region 1-AAAAAA is chock-full of Georgia mega-powers that would make almost half of the country tremble. Lee County, Camden County, Lowndes, Tift County and, of course, Valdosta are all schools that true southeastern football fans must know about. Camden County has not

missed the playoffs since 1988, but this murders’ row of Region 1 foes has it sitting at 0-3 in region and in major jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. Valdosta has the most prestigious history in the entire nation with nearly 900 wins. Valdosta has struggled in the past few seasons but coach Rance Gillespie had the Wildcats 7-0 heading into their matchup against the Packers this past Friday.

SLAUGHTER OF AN UNBEATEN …

Even with a packed Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Colquitt County was unphased. The nationally-ranked Packers disposed of the No. 3 team in AAAAAA to the tune of 48-20. Valdosta came in with four shutouts under its belt and an average of six points per game being allowed by the defense. The Packers

shoulders once he supplanted an injured Aaron Murray, toward the end of 2013-14 and undoubtedly he heard the barks of critics about his deficiencies. He did not have Murray’s size, arm strength, or poise, but he did have a safety net with Gurley and Michel producing help to take the pressure off of him.

Once the net busted with Gurley’s suspension and injuries, Mason was being looked at to provide steadiness to a seemingly directionless offense and, for his first order of business, he had to take on a Missouri defense that ranked in the top 25 in points allowed per game.

Surprisingly, the redshirt senior went out and completed 22 of 28 passes for 156 yards and two total touchdowns with no turnovers in the 34-0 win, without a doubt his best game as a Bulldog. What did he attribute to his strong performance? His mental approach.

“A lot of that has to do with the new mindset that I have as far as not over-thinking things and not over-doing things and not trying to get everything right, just playing off instincts and reacting,” said Mason. “That’s what got me here and that’s what got me at the highest level.”

He followed it up with a two-touchdown performance at the Razorbacks, perhaps a message to fans that he’s not here to be the next Aaron Murray, he’s here to win football games. I feel Bulldog fans are fine with that.

WRECKING BALL …

Many expected freshman Nick Chubb to see small stints of playing time and that was not due to a lack of ability, being widely considered a five-star running back coming out of high school, but mainly due to the wealth of talent that stood ahead of him on the depth chart.

Chubb was listed among the likes of Gurley, Marshall, Brendan Douglas and dormroommate Michel and, to no one’s surprise, received just 38 touches through his first five games. Now he’s expected to be the primary workhorse. Against Missouri he did just that, logging 42 touches for 174 yards with a touchdown displaying an aggressive-running style not typically seen in freshmen.

Similar to his quarterback, he proved it wasn’t a one-week fluke by shredding the Razorback defense into slices of bacon for 202 yards and a pair of scores while putting the UGA fans at ease. He has been a saving grace for the Bulldogs just five months removed from being a senior in high school and now has helped sustain the Bulldogs’ offensive production despite the loss of Gurley. In the past, bad news usually means Mark Richt’s squad crashing on the final lap of the race, but this team has overcome adversity to continue success in a way that no fortune teller could foresee.

Photo courtesy of Rob Saye.

used a 28-point second half to shred through a beleaguered Valdosta. Sihiem King sparkled by rushing for a career-high 302 yards against one of the state’s best defenses. The senior running back, who rushed for 1,439 yards last season, scored five touchdowns in the statement win.

King nearly doubled the 159 yards per game the Wildcats were allowing coming into the game.

If you think the offense is what always powers Colquitt, you are sadly mistaken. The defense is allowing just 13 points per game and is led by seniors Quintin Hampton and ‘Bull’ Barge. A Central Florida commitment, Hampton recorded 19.5 sacks last season and was voted all-state. Barge recorded 196 tackles last year and is averaging more than a tackle for loss per game this season. The defense has suffocated fellow national powers Hoover High School and Enterprise; two of Alabama’s finest programs.

terbacks, but the defense has still been strong allowing 11 points per game. A two-quarterback system and the running game of Jamir Billings currently has Norcross ranked eighth in the state.

Peachtree Ridge and Mill Creek pose stiff tests in upcoming weeks.

After a rare down year, Grayson is back at 8-0 and ranked second in the class. Using a sturdy defense that allows six points per game and a balanced offensive attack, the Rams have breezed by opponents. Cameryn Brent and Chase Brice pace the offensive attack. This week poses a huge matchup which will help solidify the AAAAAA picture with Grayson traveling to third-ranked Dacula.

One final team that might be a dark horse able to matchup with Colquitt is North Gwinnett.

Bob Sphire knows how to win. The Bulldogs are sitting at 5-2 and have just reentered the polls, but an explosive offense led by John Urzua and the Imatorbhebhe brothers could put pressure on any defense. The only problem is that North Gwinnett’s defense is allowing 30 points per game.

Whatever happens the rest of the way will surely be fascinating. Colquitt County is the favorite to win it all, but anything can happen in the playoffs. Injuries can occur and unsung heroes can arise.

Photo courtesy of Ty Freeman.

CONTENDERS OR PRETENDERS? …

So with all this being said, who can stack up with Colquitt County and stop it from winning its first title since 1994? Let’s start with the last team that was able to upend the Packers: the Norcross Blue Devils. Norcross is the reigning AAAAAA champ after knocking off Colquitt 14-9 in the semifinals and handily defeating North Gwinnett.

The Blue Devils are currently 6-1 with their only blemish a shocking 26-0 shutout to upstart Milton. Lorenzo Carter is no longer harassing quar-

Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 2014 holzer’s system was new to every single player.

This time around, only a trio on the roster is unfamiliar with it. Kent Bazemore signed as a free agent this offseason, Thabo Sefolosha was acquired in a sign-and-trade with Oklahoma City and Atlanta used its No. 15 overall pick in round one of this summer’s NBA Draft to select Adreian Payne. This 2014-15 squad is loaded with veterans and every one of those veterans except Sofolosha played for the Hawks last year.

ON THE COVER

HAWKS PREVIEW

HAWKS POISED FOR MORE THAN JUST KEEPING PLAYOFF STREAK ALIVE

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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ho holds the longest current streak of playoff appearances in the Eastern Conference? That would be none other than your Atlanta Hawks, with seven. They snuck into the postseason as the No. 8 seed in 2008, pushed Boston to seven games in a memorable firstround series and have never looked back. This season’s team should have no trouble playing its way to playoff basketball, but its goals are undoubtedly much loftier than that. Although the Hawks have been competitive in every postseason series since getting swept by Orlando in the 2010 conference semifinals, they have not escaped the first round since 2011.

While Atlanta’s more favorable streak should continue in 2013-14, that futile stretch of three opening-round exits may come to an end.

MOMENTUM …

It is fair to say that the Hawks could and arguably even should have upset the top-seeded Pacers in last season’s first round. Atlanta

gave away series leads not once, but twice against an Indiana team that had been mired in a massive slump. In two losses they suffered at Philips Arena, the Hawks squandered a fivepoint lead with less than five minutes remaining in Game 4 and could not finish off the series in Game 6 despite leading by five points with three minutes left.

Still, Atlanta surprised most basketball fans by making the most of trying circumstances. Al Horford missed 53 games after sustaining a torn pectoral muscle. Lou Williams returned from an ACL tear and was never the same player. He played in just 60 games, while Pero Antic was on the shelf for 32 games— mostly due to an ankle injury. Nonetheless, the Hawks punched another ticket to the playoffs and managed to do so with relative ease.

In addition to the concrete results posted last season, the Hawks also head into this campaign with a year of experience under head coach Mike Budenholzer. In 2013-14, Buden-

TEAM, TEAM, TEAM …

In Hoosiers, Hickory High head coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) stressed, “Team, team, team; no one more important than the other.” As much as this city craves a bona fide superstar to affect both won-loss column and attendance, that is not how the Hawks are going about their business. The three aforementioned acquisitions suggest as much. Bazemore is a backup shooting guard who should be brimming with confidence after a breakout 23 games (15 starts) with the Lakers in 2014 following a mid-season trade. Sefolosha is a defensive enforcer who will make the occasional contribution on offense through both scoring and rebounding. Payne, who will also come off the bench, is a big man who can extend defense with a slick shooting touch not unlike Horford. The former Michigan State star looked impressive during game action in the Las Vegas Summer League.

While the Hawks brought in Bazemore, Sefolosha and Payne, they said goodbye to Williams (traded to Toronto), Gustavo Ayon (left as a free agent) and Cartier Martin (waived). Those transactions are by no means inconsequential, but the bottom line is these Hawks have an extremely similar makeup to that of last season’s team.

“So we’re going to be the eight seed again,” you might question. Not so fast. Don’t forget that Horford—a two-time all-star and the team’s undisputed leader—played in just 29 games last year. Atlanta will once again be without a true center, but the frontcourt should be strong with Horford and Paul Millsap backed up in part by Payne, Antic, Mike Scott and Elton Brand. The backcourt, as always, will be able to do it all. Kyle Korver is one of the best shooters in the game and his ability to stretch defenses

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not only makes life easier on Horford and Millsap but also helps Jeff Teague penetrate to the basket. With so many weapons, offensive production from the small-forward position would simply be a luxury. Sefolosha and DeMarre Carroll are expected to anchor an aggressive but also fundamentally-sound defense.

“The great thing about our team is I think we’ve got really some good depth,” Budenholzer said after Monday’s preseason contest against Charlotte. “That will be one of the hard things, figuring out how to use them all and take advantage of all their abilities. We’ve got a lot of guys that really deserve to play. It’s going to be hard.”

BEASTS OF THE EAST …

Navigating through Eastern Conference waters that include Cleveland and Chicago will also be hard, but it sure beats being out west.

The Cavs are loaded on paper, with LeBron James and Kevin Love having joined Kyrie Irving. Consider, however, the first years of the two most recent instances of “Big 3” assemblage. Although the 2007-08 Celtics won the NBA Championship, Atlanta almost beat them in the first round. The 2010-11 Heat reached the finals, but their relatively unspectacular 58-24 regular-season mark left them well back of Chicago for the East’s No. 1 seed. This season’s Bulls should be formidable, but they are not getting any younger and Derrick Rose staying healthy for a full season is questionable at best.

As for the Hawks’ own division, it appears to be there for the taking. Miami will still be in the mix even without LeBron, but it is obviously the start of a new era in South Beach. Although Washington is on the rise, it is young, unproven and showed far less against Indiana in last season’s playoffs than did Atlanta. Neither Charlotte nor Orlando scares anyone.

“We know opportunity is knocking,” Teague said in an interview with NBA.com. “We have one year under our belts in this system and as a core group and that’s to our advantage. I feel like getting Al back is going to be huge for us; that’s like getting a big-time free agent in a sense. But instead of talking about it, we have to go out there and show it every night. We can see how good we really are this season.”

Photos courtesy of Jon Barash.

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Nick Chubb

Roddy White

Mike Scott

The Chubbster was at it again by rushing for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in a win over Arkansas Saturday. Hopefully the freshman’s legs won’t fall off after 68 carries in two games. Unimaginably, the youngster has filled in and produced numbers nearly identical, if not better, than suspended Heisman hopeful Todd Gurley.

Roddy finally came through with a big game by catching nine balls for 100 yards and a score in Sunday’s loss.

Falcons fans have to hope that the 10-year vet is fully healthy and has regained his step on the gridiron. White has been a non-factor in the passing game compared to years past and will look to capitalize on his latest performance.

Entering his third season, Mike Scott will be relied upon to give the Hawks a scoring boost off the bench. He has played well this preseason and pitched in 16 points in an overtime win against the Hornets. His versatility allows him to be a mismatch for defenses due to his well-rounded inside-out game.

SCORE LIST

By Brian Jones

FALCONS DO LONDON

It’s been a struggle for the Falcons recently, as they have lost their last four games. They look to get back on track this Sunday when they face the Detroit Lions in London.

Maybe the extreme change of scenery will bring them some luck. It would also be good to see them win before heading into the bye.

IMPRESSIVE AT MIDSEASON

The Bulldogs have the week off and they have become one of the hottest teams in the SEC. Since losing Todd Gurley indefinitely, every player on the roster has stepped up and they were able to dominate Missouri and Arkansas. With Florida coming up next week, the Bulldogs are looking poised to make a run at the SEC title.

SLUMPING JACKETS

Since winning its first five games of the year, Tech has lost two straight and it is fighting to stay in the ACC Coastal Division race. But if they want to win the Coastal, the Yellow Jackets need to win on Saturday at Pittsburgh, which is coming of a big win against Virginia Tech. Let’s get it together, Tech.

EAGLES VS. PANTHERS

Two Division I teams from Georgia will go at it on Saturday and it’s not the Bulldogs and the Jackets. Georgia State plays hosts to Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt Conference battle. The Eagles look to remain undefeated in conference play, while the Panthers hope to earn their second win of the year. It should be a fun game.

ANOTHER GWINNETT BATTLE

Two undefeated teams in Gwinnett County go at it on Friday Night as Grayson travels to Dacula to face the Falcons. We will monitor the game closely in our office so please be sure to log on to scoreatl.com for the latest score of that game as well as all the rest of the action around the state.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Jimbo Fisher

Peter Konz

Georgia Tech

Florida State’s head coach has been argumentative and downright petulant in addressing Jameis Winston issues over the years. He walked out of a press conference Monday saying his QB “has done nothing wrong.”

Sorry, Coach, but no one’s buying it and as soon as Jameis is gone, you’ll have nothing except a damaged reputation.

The latest offensive line casualty is out for the season after tearing up his knee. The Falcons’ offensive line has been held together by a couple sticks and a piece of bubble gum all season. If rookie James Stone goes down next, don’t be surprised if the Falcons start picking fans out of the stands to try out at center.

After starting 5-0, the Yellow Jackets have dropped two straight. B-back Zach Laskey is out with a shoulder injury he suffered in Saturday’s loss to North Carolina. Tech’s offense has still been able to score, but the defense has been a weak point in allowing 79 total points in the Jackets’ last two games.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Craig Sager II

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

GEORGIA HAS BEATEN FLORIDA THREE STRAIGHT TIMES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 198789. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE DAWGS BEAT THE GATORS FOUR STRAIGHT TIMES? ANSWER ON PAGE 14

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SANITY AT LAST

“I want to thank the University, coaches, teammates, and the Bulldog Nation for their patience and support. I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made, and I can’t thank the University, my coaches, and teammates enough for supporting me throughout this process.”

- Georgia RB Todd Gurley upon applying for reinstatement.

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Career-rushing touchdowns by North Oconee senior Kawon Bryant

4,204

Miles from Atlanta to London, the site Sunday’s Falcons home game

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Consecutive times the Falcons have beaten the Lions

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Career touchdown receptions by Roddy White, a new franchise record

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Remaining undefeated high school football teams in Georgia

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Starters on the Falcons’ offensive line that have been lost for the season due to injury

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Rushing yards by Nick Chubb in Georgia’s win over Arkansas

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Interceptions thrown by both Georgia and Georgia Tech this season

Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 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

KACHEL TOSSES NO-HITTER; WARRIORS TOP NO. 1 WALTON

BY RICKY DIMON & CRAIG SAGER II

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arrison sophomore Emily Kachel threw a no-hitter in Game 1 of the Hoyas’ firstround series against Westlake Oct. 22. Kachel recorded 13 strikeouts in six innings of work as Harrison prevailed 8-0. The host Hoyas finished off the sweep with a dominant 13-1 performance in Game 2. Emily Fitchjarrell went 2-for-3 in the opener and had two RBIs in the clincher. The Hoyas will host Tift County in the round of 16 beginning on Wednesday.

A brutal Class AAAAAA second-round matchup will pit Pope against defending state champion Collins Hill. Pope booked its spot in the showdown by taking care of West Forsyth 5-1 and 7-2. Kelly Barnhill pitched in each of the two games and went the distance on both occasions while striking out a total of 34 batters.

Barnhill helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with a three-run homer in Game 1.

Another top individual performance in the first round came from Collins Hill’s Brea Dickey.

The senior, who owns the school’s all-time hits record, went 9-for-9 with two RBIs and four runs as the Eagles swept Shiloh by scores of 12-3 and 17-5. Winning pitchers were Amanda Chance in the opener and Aeshia Miles in the clincher.

Elsewhere in Class AAAAAA, Archer survived a three-game series against visiting North Gwinnett by taking the decider 2-0 Oct. 17. Archer’s Madison Abell hurled a complete game while allow just three hits as she improved to 14-4 for the 2014 campaign. Brittany Maresette went 2-for-4 with a home run and Andria Booth had an RBI double and a run scored. The Tigers are into the round of 16 for a fifth consecutive season and will host Etowah in a best-of-three series starting on Wednesday.

In Class AA, Wesleyan made the quar-

terfinals after beating Manchester 12-4 and 10-0 last week. The Region 6 champions were led by sisters Riley and Cassie Henning. Riley had two hits in Game 1 before Cassie took the mound for Game 2 and got the win by allowing no hits in five innings. Alyssa Bedard also enjoyed a two-hit performance in the opener and added three RBIs in the nightcap. Next up for the Wolves is Union County, which got past Darlington in round one.

Three Region 4-AAA representatives advanced to the second round of the state playoffs.

Blessed Trinity rolled over Laney, Westminster cruised past Washington County and Decatur swept Hephzibah. The top two Region 6-AAAA teams are still alive. Marist swept Troup County and St. Pius battled past Woodward.

WARRIORS’ WAY …

Walton’s quest for a fifth straight state title ended in the second round on Tuesday as visiting North Cobb took the match in four sets. North Cobb took the first two sets 25-21, 25-22 but Walton recovered to win 25-12 in the third. The fourth set was neck-and-neck until North Cobb got a 29-27 win.

Roswell, Harrison, South Forsyth, North Gwinnett and Johns Creek swept into the Elite 8 and Brookwood and East Coweta took their matches in four sets over Woodstock and Nor-

cross, respectively.

In Class AAAAA, Cambridge and Harris County advanced to the Elite 8 after having to play both rounds on the road. Columbus, Dunwoody, Camden County, River Ridge, Northside-Columbus and Sequoyah round out the quarterfinals.

North Oconee, Marist, North Hall, Woodward Academy, St. Pius X, Buford and Sandy Creek make up the Class AAAA Elite 8 and this field of teams is yet to drop a single set.

East Hall survived a five-set match with Ringgold in the opening round but took care of Kendrick with a sweep on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals. Morgan County upset Decatur in the first round but Savannah Arts proved to be too much on Tuesday and handed the Bulldogs a three-set sweep.

Class A had the most top 10 matchups in its second-round action and Savannah Christian, Calvary Day and ELCA were able to battle past ranked opponents. No. 2 Savannah Christian took down No. 5 Mt. Paran 3-1, No. 3 ELCA swept No. 7 Athens Academy and No. 10 Calvary Day pulled off a 3-1 upset over No. 4 Walker. Hebron Christian, Fellowship Christian and Prince Avenue Christian make up just six remaining teams in Class A.

Photos courtesy of Greg Spell, Craig Bossinas Sol Sims and Jennifer Cagle.

Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 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...............................Dacula 4............................ Valdosta 5..............................Hughes

1....................................GAC 2...............................Vidalia 3................................ Lovett 4.......................Benedictine 5...................... Thomasville

6........................ McEachern 7.................................Milton 8............................Norcross 9........................ Lee County 10................ North Gwinnett

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........ Woodward Academy 5..................................Cairo

6....................Mary Persons 7................................ Marist 8.....Thomas County Central 9........................Cartersville 10......................... St. Pius X

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

Pre-Playoff Softball Rankings Class AAAAAA

6.......................... Fitzgerald 7....................Lamar County 8...................Brooks 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 Chr. 9.................... Mount Pisgah 10......................Brookstone

Class A-Public

Class AAAA

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

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

6..................................... ECI 7.........................Commerce 8.................. Lincoln County 9....................Clinch County 10................... Dooly 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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A TWO-TOUCHDOWN DEFICIT

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Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 2014

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

DAWGS RISE IN POLLS, ENJOY WEEK OFF

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

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ell, it was another road trip in 2014 for the Georgia Bulldogs and for the second straight week it ended with a good result. This past week, the opponent was the Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock and Georgia came away with a 45-32 victory.

Now, the Bulldogs get to enjoy a little rest and relaxation before the final stretch of the season starts. But it is not, of course, complete relaxation mode for the players and coaches.

Head coach Mark Richt gave the team a day off on Monday, but he has everyone practicing Tuesday through Friday before a weekend away from the field.

Back to the Bulldogs win in Arkansas for a minute. For a second straight week, Georgia needed a strong performance out of freshman running back Nick Chubb. Ask and you shall receive! Last weekend, the Cedartown product ran for 202 yards on 30 carries. Let us not forget that he also found the endzone twice, including a 43-yard sprint for six.

GEORGIA STATE

PANTHERS LOSE LEAD, SIXTH STRAIGHT GAME

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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eorgia State cannot catch a break. The Panthers dropped their sixth straight game after a season-opening victory when South Alabama rallied to win 30-27 in heartbreaking fashion last Saturday. In 2014 alone, Georgia State has now lost three games by three points and has blown a 14-point halftime lead at Washington. Sitting at 1-6 and last place in the Sun Belt Conference, things can only get better for this snake-bitten team.

Last weekend’s proceedings in Mobile, Ala. saw Brandon Bridge kick off the scoring with a five-yard run after a 16-play, 76-yard drive on the Jaguars’ opening possession.

Bridge was a problem all day for the Panther defenders, throwing for 126 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 137 yards and one score. Nick Arbuckle, however, was up to the task, pacing the Panthers’ offense with 311 yards through the air and three touchdown tosses. Donovan Harden was on the receiving end of a 44-yard strike that tied the game

HONORS CONTINUE …

For the first time in his young career, Chubb was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his dominant performance against Arkansas. His showing against Missouri, which included 38 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown, had already been good enough for Chubb to pick up the Athlon Sports’ Freshman of the Week honor. It only seemed logical that his explosion against Arkansas would garner the same recognition—and it did. Similarly, it should come as no surprise that Chubb has been named SEC Freshman of the Week on consecutive occasions.

Not lost in all of Chubb’s accolades is that senior cornerback Damian Swann picked up the SEC Defensive Player of the Week honor for his career-high 11 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles, a sack and an interception against the Razorbacks. Swann has picked off a pass in two straight games.

POLLS LIKING DAWGS …

Having been ranked there earlier in the season, Georgia is back inside the top 10 of the AP and Amway/USA Today Coaches polls.

This week, the Bulldogs come in at No. 9 in both sets of rankings. They are one of five SEC teams ranked inside the top 10. Mississippi State is No. 1 in each poll and is joined by conference mates Ole Miss, Alabama and Auburn. Remember: Georgia will play Auburn later this season on Nov. 15 in Athens.

at 7-7. Joel Ruiz caught a short pass from Arbuckle early in the second quarter to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead that they nursed into halftime.

SECOND-HALF STRUGGLES …

The second half started with a sloppy GSU drive that saw the visitors lose 11 yards.

South Alabama took advantage of good field position after a 27-yard punt was shanked out of bounds. Bridge found Shavarez Smith for a 15-yard touchdown to take a 17-14 lead. Arbuckle answered the call, finding Harden again for his second score of the game on a five-yard pass. Harden finished with 10 catches for 132 yards and two scores. Aleem Sunanon hit one of his three field goals on the day late in the third to cut the Jaguar deficit to 21-20 heading into the fourth.

Closing out games has been a struggle for Georgia State all season and it found itself in a familiar predicament. After another Sunanon field goal, Duvall Smith scored on a short run to put the Panthers up 27-21 with 9:48 remaining. With five minutes left, Bridge ripped off a 65-yard run on first down, moving the chains from the USA 15 to the GSU 20. Two plays later, Bridge hit Danny Woodson for the go-ahead score. Georgia State made it to the Jaguars’ 40-yard line before being stopped on downs with 2:28 remaining and not enough timeouts left to stop the clock.

GEORGIA TECH

LASKEY TO MISS PITT GAME

BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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-back Zach Laskey is officially out for Georgia Tech’s matchup against Pittsburgh on Saturday, with the announcement coming on Monday through the Yellow Jackets’ Twitter page. This is a tremendous blow for the Ramblin’ Wreck as the senior from Peachtree City had been the most consistent performer in the running game. Laskey entered the season looking to fill the shoes of David Sims and has played exceptionally, totaling 597 yards while tying for the team lead in touchdowns with five.

Head coach Paul Johnson addressed a list of possible replacements at the position on Tuesday, mentioning redshirt seniors Synjyn Days and Matt Connors, along with freshman C.J. Leggett. Among those three, Days has seen the most snaps on the field and is seemingly a better fit for the position due to his physical running style. The Marietta native was listed in the top spot at B-back in the two-deep chart for the Pittsburgh game Tuesday morning and seemingly will get the nod to start.

KENNESAW STATE

SOCCER TEAM FALLS, MEN’S GOLF WINS THIRD STRAIGHT

BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

ins have not been easy to come by for the W soccer team. After recording a 1-1 record in Jacksonville, Fla. Oct.10-12, the Owls went

back on the road to take on Northern Kentucky in another Atlantic Sun Conference matchup last Saturday. They were aggressive in the contest, recording 15 shots and also committing 15 fouls. But Northern Kentucky’s Jessica Frey scored with 15 minutes left in the match to give the Norse a 1-0 win.

“Tonight was disappointing,” head coach Rob King told ksuowls.com. “Once again we dominated a game in terms of possession, shots, shots on goal and corners, but failed to score. I give credit to Northern Kentucky, who scored with their only shot on goal. We will regroup and focus on our home senior-night game against USC-Upstate.”

KSU controlled much of the possession throughout the match and outshot the Norse 8-4 in the first half. The Owls also had more shots on goal (5-1) and they held Northern Kentucky to seven total shots.

The Owls will conclude their regular sea-

FALL BALL …

Fans in downtown had the opportunity to get a taste of October baseball last weekend as Danny Hall and his team saw friends become foes—sort of—in the GT White-Gold Series at Russ Chandler Stadium. The three-game series highlighted the conclusion of fall practice. Team Gold scored bragging rights by winning the series two games to none in addition to one tie, as attendees had the pleasure to see a freshman stand out from the pack. First baseman Kel Johnson was a force to be reckoned with, as he finished the series going a remarkable 7-for-10 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs. COACH EXTENDED …

Arguably the most successful women’s basketball coach in Tech history will stay in Atlanta for the long haul. It was announced on Tuesday, by athletic director Mike Bobinski, that head coach MaChelle Joseph was signed to a two-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season.

“MaChelle has established a strong track record of success and player development here at Georgia Tech,” Bobinski said. “Her great appreciation for both academic and athletic excellence provides a solid foundation as we strive toward a championship level program.”

Joseph has had great success leading the women’s basketball program over the last 11 seasons, owning a career-record of 213134 while leading the Yellow Jackets to seven NCAA tournament appearances.

son when USC-Upstate comes to Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Friday. The game will start at 7 p.m. and seniors Alma Gardarsdottir, Nicole Calder, Julia Nelson and Iyani Hughes, as well as undergraduate student assistant coach Heather Joyce and former Owl Jewelia Strickland will be honored prior to the match.

BREAKING RECORDS …

The men’s golf team was able to win the Pinetree Intercollegiate in record-setting fashion on Tuesday. The win marked KSU’s third consecutive title and freshman Fredrik Nilehn set the school record for low 54-hole score on a par-72 course by shooting a 14-under par 202. He recorded rounds of 64-70-68 en route to posting a six-shot victory over senior teammate Jimmy Beck, who finished second with an 8-under par score of 208. Senior Austin Vick placed third at 7-under 209.

“I’m really proud of Jimmy (Beck) and Austin (Vick), finishing their senior year here at Pinetree in winning form,” head coach Jay Moseley told ksuowls.com “Fredrik had a true breakthrough performance. We’ve known he is a great player and tremendous talent but he really showed what he’s capable of doing this week and I am so proud of him. To get his first win by six strokes is truly phenomenal.”

The fall season has come to end and the team won’t start back up until the spring when it pays a visit to the Jones Invitational at the Valencia Country Club in Valencia, Calif.

Vol. 10 Iss. 39 | October 24-30, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS HEAD TOWARD REGULARSEASON OPENER

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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ans at Philips Arena this Monday were treated to a thrilling overtime affair which saw the Hawks clip the Hornets 117-114. Paul Millsap led the way with 21 points, three steals and two blocks. Kyle Korver pitched in 17 points despite surprisingly going 0-for-3 from deep.

Mike Scott finished as the team’s third leading scorer after canning four threes and coming away with 16 points.

Atlanta squandered all of a 15-point halftime lead before securing the victory in overtime. Late in the fourth quarter, Charlotte trailed 99-91 but managed to send the game to an extra period thanks to big games from Gary Neal (21 points), Cody Zeller (18 points) and Kemba Walker (17 points). Neal led the charge in the second half and gave the Hornets their first lead since the first quarter after hitting two free throws with 1:23 remaining in regulation. With the Hawks trailing 103-101, Korver hit a shot and Millsap added a free throw to regain the lead at 104-103. Zeller got fouled on the other end

ATLANTA BRAVES

CHIPPER ENDS HITTING COACH TALK

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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lthough he did not hands-down offer Chipper Jones the job, manager Fredi Gonzalez had a discussion with the former third baseman about Atlanta’s hitting-coach vacancy.

Greg Walker resigned after a disappointing season in advance of what would have been an inevitable firing. The Braves have not yet filled the position and they are not going to fill it with Jones. From his Texas hunting ranch, the future Hall of Famer said in a phone interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution that Gonzalez “took my temperature” on the subject and the temperature read “not ready.”

“It’s too soon and I don’t know if I’d be dedicated enough to the job right now,” Jones explained. “It’s even more of a time commitment from a coaching standpoint than it is (from) a player standpoint. I don’t want to be at the park at noon every day. I don’t want to be at the park until midnight every night. I don’t want to wake up at spring training and have to be there at 6:30 in the morning. It’s a huge

and split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds later to tie the game up. DeMarre Carroll had a chance to end it, but his long jumper at the buzzer did not fall. In overtime, Zeller fouled out and Thabo Sefolosha gave Atlanta a cushion with some free throws before P.J. Hairston’s game-tying three attempt was off the mark.

HORFORD ON THE MEND …

Preseason results do not matter that much to most fans. It’s nice to see an extra tick in the win/loss column, but the preseason is just a tune-up to get ready for the real thing.

Horford is using it just for that reason. He logged 24 minutes in the win; the most he has played since his season-ending pectoral injury last December. Rounding his way back into shape, the former Florida Gator posted 10 points and six rebounds. Horford will have one final preseason game at San Antonio to work out the kinks before the Hawks hit the skies to invade Canada and play the Toronto Raptors next Wednesday.

OPENING-NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA …

The Pac is officially back in town Nov. 1 as the Hawks host the Indiana Pacers after falling at the hands of Indy in seven games last May. Atlanta native T.I. will perform pregame, at halftime and also postgame. It will surely be an event like none other in the NBA.

commitment and I don’t want to cheat the organization at this point because I’m not ready to put that kind of time commitment into it.”

Possible candidates include Kevin Long and Dave Magadan. Long was the Yankees’ hitting coach before being given his marching orders at the end of this regular season, which saw New York miss the playoffs with room to spare. Magadan is still employed by the Rangers, but has been given permission to speak with other clubs.

HUDSON IN THE FALL CLASSIC ...

Former Braves’ pitcher Tim Hudson is scheduled to start Game 4 of the World Series between the Giants and Royals. He will take the mound at home in San Francisco for what could be the clincher, although that is certainly not a likelihood given the apparent competitiveness of the two teams. The Giants took Game 1 in Kansas City, but the score of Wednesday’s Game 2 was not available at press time.

The Braves have additional ties to the Giants in the form of outfielder Gregor Blanco, who played parts of four seasons in Atlanta.

As for the Royals, their general manager is former John Schuerholz assistant Dayton Moore.

Moore’s assistant GMs also worked with him in Atlanta. Moore is rumored to be a candidate for the Braves’ full-time general manager job that remains vacant.

ATLANTA FALCONS

KONZ PLACED ON IR; TEAM TRAVELS TO LONDON

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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he Falcons were hit with more injuries during Sunday’s 29-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens that sent Atlanta to 2-5. The Falcons will host the Lions in London for a 9:30 a.m. kickoff at Wembley Stadium in the NFL’s International Series. This will be the 10th NFL game played in Wembley Stadium since the NFL’s inaugural 2007 matchup and the designated home team has won just 3-of-9 games.

MISSING PIECES …

Atlanta placed center Peter Konz on injured reserve on Monday and signed tackle Jonathan Scott to the 53-man active roster. Konz was injured in the loss to Baltimore while replacing the injured Joe Hawley, who is also out for the season. Mike Johnson, Lamar Holmes and left tackle Sam Baker are also linemen missing the rest of the season. Scott was originally selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round (141st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Texas. He has played in 70 games

ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

‘BACKS ENTERTAIN CAROLINA IN HOME FINALE

BY STEPHEN BLACK | SBLACK@SCOREATL.COM

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ne week after ending a six-game losing streak with a 2-2 tie against Fort Lauderdale, the Silverbacks drew again, this time with Tampa Bay last Saturday. Georgi Hristov found the net for the Rowdies just before the half, but Jaime Chavez tied the game at 1-1 in the 54th minute off an assist by Shaka Bangura. It was Chavez’s team-leading ninth goal of the season. Neither team could find the net from there and the score remained the same.

The ‘Backs lit up the night sky with offensive fireworks, hitting the woodwork multiple times, but could not find the back of the net in the first half. Atlanta dominated the chances early on only to see Hristov knock home a rebound off a Thomas Hunter save. It was Hunter’s first start for the Silverbacks and only his second-ever appearance for the Red and Black.

Hunter was signed in May and has primarily backed up Ati.

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with 35 starts. Jake Matthews, Jon Asamoah, Gabe Carimi and Justin Blalock will start alongside rookie James Stone, who filled in for Konz last Sunday.

“It was time to get out there, do my job,” Stone said about his first NFL snaps. “That’s why we’re all out here, to play football. I go out there with those guys and play at the highest level I can.”

WEREWOLVES OF LONDON …

Facing the Lions will be a challenge for a Falcons offense that has struggled the last four games. Detroit boasts the top defense in the NFL in yards per game and has posted 21 sacks in just seven games. Detroit has gone 5-2 without All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson for much of the year and it has been a physical and energized defense that has helped get the job done.

Offensively, Golden Tate has been a huge addition for the Lions, especially as Calvin Johnson rehabs his way back to 100 percent.

Tate came from Seattle this offseason and just posted a season-high 10 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown in Detroit’s come-from-behind 24-23 win over the Saints last Sunday.

The Falcons have not won a road game since their 34-31 overtime win over Buffalo last November in Toronto. The last true road win inside of U.S. borders came during the 2012 season in Detroit. Atlanta is 0-4 away from the Dome this season and has been outscored by 59 points in the four defeats.

CAROLINA ON THEIR MINDS …

Now in dead last at 10th place on the NASL table with 13 points, the ‘Backs will host Carolina in the home finale Saturday at 7:30 p.m. A week from Saturday, Atlanta will play its regular-season finale at F.C. Edmonton at 4 p.m.

Alejandro Pombo’s first two games as head coach netted two points, but he is pointing to the Carolina game as a must-win for his team.

“This is the most important game (right now),” Pombo told his team earlier this week.

“We have to win.”

If the past is any indication, the Silverbacks will play well against the RailHawks. Atlanta shut out Carolina 2-0 on Aug. 30 when Ryan Massoud Roushandel and Junior Sandoval each scored second-half goals to go along with a clean sheet by goalie Eric Ati. The Silverbacks have not won since that game against the RailHawks. A win and an Ottawa loss to Indy on Sunday would tie Atlanta with the Fury for ninth in the league and get the ‘Backs out of the cellar.

Silverbacks fans will be rewarded at the game with a boot-shaped beer mug named “Das Boot.” The first 1,000 fans to make their way in to Silverbacks Park will go home with a free Das Boot mug. In addition to the mugs, Silverbacks Park will serve German beer and brats to add to the festivities.

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