Score Atlanta Vol. 10 Issue 34

Time to look great!

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 34 | SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2014

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

PARDON OUR Good, Bad, Ugly | Pg. 4 Craig Sager II reviews the first few weeks of the prep football season.

Cream Rises | Pg. 8 The state’s top cross country and softball teams emerge in recent action.

PROGRESS Braves begin building new stadium in Cobb. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 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) Kyle Sandy (Dream, GSU)

STAFF WRITERS Alex Ewalt Alex Ordu Jalisa Smith Darrin Heatherly

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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.

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

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF LASITER HS, SANDY MCGRAIL AND POUYA DIANAT/ATLANTA BRAVES.

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SAGER SAYS

STATE’S LARGEST CLASSIFICATION SEES SHIFT IN POWER

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

ower shifts in the high school football landscape. While some programs continue to Pstring together winning seasons year after

year reclassification, newly built programs and coaching changes help challenge the hierarchy each year. With all the state competing for the ultimate goal, each season will have the good, the bad and the ugly.

FREE FALLIN’ …

In Class AAAAAA, it is amazing to see how far certain programs have fallen the past few years. Lassiter entered the 2012 playoffs as the No. 1 team in the state and finished 7-4 last year with a 59-20 exit to Peachtree Ridge in the first round of the playoffs as the No. 1 seed coming out of Region 5. This year, the Trojans are 0-4 and have allowed 49.8 points per

game. Pope is 0-3 and has allowed 44 points per game with lopsided losses to Harrison, South Cobb and Etowah. Roswell, Woodstock, Milton, Cherokee and Etowah look like top teams in the region now after getting pushed around the past few years.

Region 5 is not alone. In Region 6, playoff powers have slid closer to the basement of the region and Class AAAAAA. Chattahoochee was thrashed 42-7 in its opener to Cherokee and grabbed a 20-17 win over North Forsyth before a 23-15 loss to West Forsyth last week.

The Cougars kept it close with the Wolverines, but that same West Forsyth team was outscored 103-34 in its first two games to Mill Creek and Alpharetta. Johns Creek was 8-3 in 2012 and has since lost 13 consecutive games.

Meanwhile, south Georgia and Gwinnett

SANDY’S SPIEL

A CRITICAL LOOK AT ATLANTA’S RECENT SPORTS COLLAPSES

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

nother season has come and nearly gone, A and another Atlanta meltdown is upon us. There is something with the sports teams

of Atlanta that must change but it is difficult to put a finger on what exactly it is. Atlanta is home to many proud franchises. The Falcons, minus last year’s blip on the radar, have been an NFC contender nearly every season with quarterback Matt Ryan and coach Mike Smith.

The less popular Atlanta Dream have quietly built themselves into an Eastern Conference powerhouse just seven years into their existence. The Hawks have been a staple in the playoffs for the past decade, flirting with making a run to the Eastern Conference Finals three straight years. And, of course, we all know about the Braves and their dominance in the

90’s and early 2000’s winning 14 straight division crowns. All these hometown teams have proven they can win in the regular season, but why haven’t they been able to put it together in the postseason?

This disturbing trend has been omnipresent lately as the top-seeded Dream fell in the first round to the Chicago Sky, losing both of their games at Philips Arena. There are reasons why one can blame the Dream’s failure this year.

It could be Angel McCoughtry’s lack of consistent support mainly at the guard position or the Michael Cooper absence that sent the Dream into a 4-9 skid to end the season once Cooper was revealed to have tongue cancer.

The latest collapse that fans have their eyes on is the fall from grace that the Atlanta

County are getting stronger and stronger. Football is a numbers game and that seems to be what is happening. Gwinnett teams have increased participation each year as the schools’ enrollments continue to grow. South Georgia’s rich history keeps participations numbers consistent season to season. In Cobb County and parts of Fulton County, a lot of kids are choosing baseball and lacrosse over football.

I can’t really blame them. Football practice is not fun and there is no easy way to play this game. Football practice is going to have to be that way if a team is going to be successful.

These schools thrived over the years because they’d get kids into the program at a young age and once they’d get to high school they could develop their first three years and then, when senior year came, it would be their time to play. It is 2014 and I just don’t see as many kids wanting to practice for four years just to play in a handful of varsity games. In certain schools there is still that level of pride where that is worth it but in other areas of the state, lacrosse and baseball look a lot more appealing. I see this trend continuing and teams could face this challenge for years to come.

WEEKEND SLATE …

While some teams are certainly struggling this season, football in the Peach State is better than ever and this weekend has plenty

of must-see action. McEachern has the hardest schedule in the state according to the Maxwell Ratings and will face its fourth consecutive ranked opponent on Friday. The Indians play at Lovejoy in a clash of Class AAAAAA powers.

Roswell at Milton and Collins Hill at North Gwinnett are crucial region matchups along with Parkview at Grayson. Grayson topped Archer last week and a win over Parkview would put the Rams in the driver’s seat of Region 8.

Houston County at Warner-Robins and Northside-Warner Robins at Jones County pin together some of middle Georgia’s finest programs. Houston County entered the Class AAAAA rankings this week after a 3-0 start and Northside-Warner Robins looks to protect its No. 1 ranking against a 3-0 Jones County team.

Glynn Academy and Coffee is a great South Georgia matchup. Coffee is coming off a loss to Ware County and the Red Terrors could gain footing in Region 3-AAAAA by handing Coffee a second region loss.

Stephenson lost rival Tucker to Class AAAAAA with region realignment, but Creekside, the team that beat Tucker 52-28 in the Class AAAAA championship last season, steps into the Jaguars’ region for the first time.

These two are the favorites for the Region 5 crown and the winner on Friday will be in a direct path to capturing it.

Photo courtesy of Ty Freeman.

Braves have suffered. At the All-Star break Atlanta was just a half game out of first place behind the Washington Nationals. Fast-forward to 13 games remaining and the Braves have seen the Nats clinch on their home field and now have focused their goals on just finishing above .500. I am sorry, folks, but the wild-card chase is out of the Braves’ reach at this point.

So where did it all go wrong for the Braves? An anemic offense is the main culprit.

They have managed just 3.38 runs per game in the second half of the season compared to a more reasonable 3.8 runs per game in the first half. The Nationals, who have run away with the division, are second in the NL averaging 4.29. The Braves rank second to last in the entire MLB. Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton have carried the team as far as they can. The rest of the lineup has been consistently inconsistent. Evan Gattis has been a nice replacement for long-time catcher Brian McCann, but he has not been able to stay on the field due to injuries. Jason Heyward has turned out to be an average corner outfielder, not the nextcoming of Hank Aaron like the media made him out to be in his rookie season.

This current Braves roster does not know how to win late in the season or in the postseason. Old-faithful Chipper Jones is not there to tutor the young ones in times of need. The

Braves now rely on journeyman pitcher Aaron Harang and back-up catcher Gerald Laird for leadership. Atlanta has not won a single playoff series in 13 years. Thirteen years! That’s an astounding 0-7 in playoff series since they made the NLCS in 2001.

So where does Frank Wren go from here?

He extended a plethora of his young talent this off-season. Many loved the moves, but from a skeptic’s standpoint, I did not care for them.

I love Freddie Freeman and Julio Tehran has proved he belongs at this level, but the rest of the team aside from Justin Upton, are roleplayers. These extensions have gone to nice players, but they might have mired the Braves into more mediocrity. The farm system is nearly barren as Baseball Prospectus has ranked it 24th out of 30 teams. Atlanta must find some difference-makers on offense if the Braves want another title. Pitching has been good enough to compete. Whether it is free-agency or striking gold in the amateur draft, Wren and company must find the next wave of hitters to help this team make strides. The farm system needs more Freddie Freeman’s and less Jeff Francoeur’s.

Photo courtesy of Pouya Dianat/Atlanta Braves.

Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 2014

ON THE COVER

SUNTRUST PARK

BRAVES BREAK GROUND, ANNOUNCE NAMING RIGHTS TO NEW STADIUM

BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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ome April 2017, fans from throughout Braves Country will travel in packs in anticipation of visiting a complex that will celebrate its grand opening with the Atlanta Braves home-opener. And when they get a glimpse of the newly constructed facility, the first words they will read will be the stadium’s name, SunTrust Park.

BIG WIGS …

It was a “Who’s Who” of Atlanta Braves and government officials as they stood around in a cooled tent situated next to an outside area marked off by four balloons, representing bases, where fans hope to see the likes of Andrelton Simmons and Freddie Freeman robbing base hits in a few short years. Team chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk was joined by team president John Schuerholz, senior vice president Hank Aaron and Major League Baseball Commissioner-elect Rob Manfred for a groundbreaking ceremony in the middle of a construction site that plans to flourish as the home of the Atlanta Braves franchise, as those

in attendance celebrated the first step being taken towards a bright future with a stadium that hopes to be a gem of the southeast.

McGuirk announced a 25-year naming rights deal with SunTrust Bank and the business’ president and CEO, Bill Rogers, could not envision his bank affiliating itself with a classier franchise than the Atlanta Braves. “The partnership between SunTrust (Bank) and the Atlanta Braves fits like a glove,” said Rogers. “We both share an incredible, competitive spirit, we both have long-standing roots in Atlanta, and we both believe in building and investing in our communities. We are extremely proud to be affiliated with a world-class franchise with tremendous potential and extremely loyal fans.”

The roots spoken of by the SunTrust Bank president and CEO were in reference to the headquarters that the business established in Atlanta over 120 years ago.

Along with his excited remarks on the occasion, the SunTrust president and CEO recognized the efforts of Braves Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron and his organization, the “Chasing the

Dream Foundation,” by contributing $100,000 to his charity. The Braves’ legend’s efforts with the “Chasing the Dream Foundation” focuses on providing assistance to young people with limited opportunities to have the chance to develop their special talents and pursue their dreams.

Manfred spoke praise about the project and referred to it as an example of the vision that the Braves have always shown.

“No club in Major League Baseball has ever undertaken to build a facility or stadium that is as fully integrated with a mixed-use project of this scope,” spoke the commissioner-elect. “It will provide a unique experience for the fans and the Braves and I personally can’t wait for Opening Day 2017.”

The developments of the new Braves stadium have been one of controversy since the franchise announced its intentions of leaving Turner Field, along with the downtown Atlanta-area, at the end of 2016. For Manfred, he viewed the Atlanta project as a good decision

by Cobb County officials to make an investment, stating that it was an opportunity that he felt would provide great returns for the Atlanta Braves as well as Major League Baseball.

PARK FEATURES …

For a stadium that is planned to cost around $672 million and for Cobb County taxpayers, expectations are high for what SunTrust Park will provide to the fan experience for baseball games. During the ceremony, Schuerholz presented a few aspects of what fans can expect including the creation of a new level of intimacy for baseball parks. From the screenshots presented at the ceremony, the plans for the set-up of the 41,500-seat stadium look to be on top of the action, as fans down both foul lines are expected to be lower and closer to the field of play than they are currently placed at Turner Field.

When asked how the intimate setting will affect the interaction between fans and players, Braves general manager Frank Wren spoke, “Our players are going to be up-close and attainable to have interaction (with fans) with the way the new ballpark is going to be configured. I think it is going to be great for the fans.”

Other features in the park will include a feature that fans familiarized themselves with at Turner Field, as the “Chop House” will be installed at SunTrust Park and expanded to

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cover four floors. There will also be a field-level viewing spot, built inside the right-field fence, to accommodate up to 100 people and present a unique perspective of the game-play action.

The stadium is planned to have a theme that is representative of its surrounding Cobb County area with a water-element, which according to Schuerholz, “embodies and celebrates any elements that make our region so very attractive to so many people.”

There will be 14 different access points to the stadium along with a collective amount of parking spots that present a presumably easier traffic flow into and out of the complex. Fans will also have the opportunity to expand their experience outside the ballpark as the development area plans to include first-class dining, entertainment and unique shopping that Braves officials claim will make SunTrust Park the place for people from all over the Southeast to gather and enjoy, year-round. The complex is also said to include around 500 residences, a boutique hotel, as well as office space.

BRIGHT FUTURES …

Aside from what the ballpark will bring to the game-day fan experience. Governor Nathan Deal spoke in the presentation about the economic impact it will make for the state, stating that SunTrust Park is planning to provide jobs for approximately 3,100 people while the stadium’s revenue expectations will be around $35 million. Tourist and visitor revenue is being figured to generate another $25 million with both totals put on a year-scale.

It was an appropriate ending to the ceremony as Schuerholz was joined alongside by his fellow Braves executives as well as MLB and Cobb County officials. They approached a dirt triangle that featured a large home plate structure featuring the new stadium name and began the two-and-a half year dig, with hard hats equipped and shovels in hand, toward a bright future for the franchise along with Cobb County and the state of Georgia.

“This is a great day for Georgia,” said Deal.

“It’s nice to see happy occasions like this one and I think the people here today and many others that have been interested in the project are glad to see it come to this point.”

Photos courtesy of Pouya DIanat/Atlanta Braves.

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Justin Thomas

Tucker Football

SunTrust Park

That was close, wasn’t it?

The Techsters almost let a 25-point, first-half lead slip into oblivion against Georgia Southern. Thomas threw for four touchdowns and ran for one to preserve the Jackets’ victory. A game-winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds left capped Thomas’ 325 total yards of offense.

Has any team seemingly righted the ship more than perennial powerhouse Tucker?

The Tigers have outscored their opponents 128-0 since starting the season 0-2. The majority of Tucker’s big games loom later on in the season, but look for the Tigers to make another deep run into the state playoffs.

The Braves broke ground on their new state-of-theart ballpark this Tuesday.

SunTrust landed a 25-year naming rights deal with the Braves. Even though Turner Field is less than 20-years old, the new park will be in a nicer area, which will be surrounded by restaurants and hotels to inject life around the stadium.

SCORE LIST

By Brian Jones

LOOKING AHEAD

The Falcons were put in a tough spot by having to travel to Cincinnati, one of the best home teams in the NFL, the week after a huge win over division-rival New Orleans, then having another NFC South team, Tampa Bay, on the docket just four days after the trip to Ohio.

A win over the Bucs would make it a successful start to the season.

DAWG GONE IT

The Bulldogs had their chances to win in Columbia, but questionable decisions and missed field goals led to a Gamecocks upset. The season is not over for the Bulldogs, though, because there are still 10 games left.

But the boys will first have to get past Troy on Saturday before they think about getting back in the SEC mix.

DODGING A BULLET

Georgia Tech avoided a major upset on Saturday as they rallied to beat Georgia Southern. It took a last minute touchdown by Justin Thomas, but the Jackets got the job done. However, their next opponent is Virginia Tech, which is looking to rebound after losing to East Carolina last week. This is a crucial game in the Coastal Division.

WE GOT A NAME

The Braves broke ground on their new stadium on Tuesday and in the process they got a name for the facility as well. SunTrust Park will open in Cobb County in 2017 and it will feature an entertainment complex and housing. I can’t wait to see the new stadium completed and the Braves making new memories in it.

BACKYARD BATTLE

One of the best high school football contests will be played in North Fulton County Friday as Chattachoochee will travel to Centennial to face the Knights. That game will be streaming on www.scoreatl.com, so be sure to watch it and check out our scoreboard for updates on all 160 games that will be played across the state on Friday night.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Local Teams

NFL

The Weather

The Braves’ collapse is all but complete. The Bulldogs were tamed again by Steve Spurrier. Georgia State got nipped

by Air Force. The Falcons got their wings clipped in Cincinnati. The Hawks’ front office continues its tumultuous offseason. It was a rough week to be a Georgia sports fan, folks.

What has happened to the NFL? It seems like every star player is dealing with ugly legal issues and are facing suspensions or jail time. Even Commissioner Roger Goodell has his head on the chopping block for covering up the Ray Rice video. Remember the simpler times when the only story was an openly gay defensive end?

Ugly thunderstorms delayed high school games all over the state this past Friday. Many games started an hour or two after their regular 7:30 p.m. kickoffs. Delays turned into postponements and cancellations in some places as fans sat through a long, soggy night. Here’s to a rain-free night of football this Friday!

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

PRIOR TO TUESDAY’S LOSS TO THE NATIONALS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE BRAVES HAD A WINNING PERCENTAGE UNDER .500?

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

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SANITY AT LAST

“I said after the game if I had it to over again, I just would’ve hammered the ball.”

- Georgia head coach Mark Richt on the decision to pass it on first and goal from the South Carolina 4-yard line

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Games the Braves are under .500 Days since the Braves were under .500 prior to Tuesday’s loss Percent probability of the Braves making the playoffs as of Aug. 31

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Percent probability of Braves making playoffs as of Sept. 17

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Home runs hit by the Braves in September, third-fewest in MLB

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Home runs allowed

by Braves pitchers in September, second-best in MLB

21

Consecutive regularseason games won by Buford on the field (two were forfeited)

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Shutouts by Valdosta’s defense in four games this season

Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 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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FALL SPORTS

MARIETTA BOYS WIN IN CARROLLTON; HAYWARD THROWS NO-NO

BY STEPHEN BLACK & RICKY DIMON

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arietta’s boys won the Carrollton Orthopedic Invitational Saturday with 82 points, besting Leon (Fla.)’s 90 points.

Peachtree Ridge had 156 points, Mill Creek took fourth with 160, edging Holy Trinity Academy (Fla.)’s 161.

Winter Park (Fla.) won the girls race with 95 points, just ahead of Northview’s 97. Holy Trinity Academy came in third with 118 points and Landmark Christian took fourth with 166 points. West Forsyth took fifth place with 172 points.

Northview’s Lindsay Billings won the girls race with a time of 18:32.04 while Landmark Christian’s Kathryn Foreman came in third in a time of 19:32.17.

The boys race was won by Mountain View’s Tyler Barber in 17:26.54. Second place went to Chance Roe of Lowndes in 17:55.78.

The Whitewater boys won the Sandy Creek Fall Classic Saturday in Tyrone. McIn-

tosh came in second with 71 points, well behind the Wildcats’ 34. Sandy Creek (73), Northgate (132) and Morrow (135) rounded out the top five in the boys race.

Whitewater’s Parker Nail won the race with a time of 16.51.59 ahead of runner-up Jaison Morning of Cass, who finished the race in 16:57.22.

McIntosh won the girls race in Tyrone with 29 points while Harrison took second with 81.

Northgate came in third, just behind the Hoyas with 88 points. Whitewater totaled 101 points and Fayette County took 142.

Cass’s Jana Morning won the race with a time of 20:35.94 while Alyssa LeClaire took second in 20:48.32.

Wesleyan hosted 10 schools in its home meet Saturday and came away with first place in the girls meet and second in the boys meet.

Dawson County won the boys meet with 85 points, edging Wesleyan’s 87, which was tied

with Spalding. Holy Innocents’ came in fourth, right on the heels of the top three, with 88 points.

While the boys race was tight at the top, Wesleyan convincingly won the girls meet with 39 points to Holy Innocents’ 54. Collins Hill was a distant third place with 91 points. Athens Academy took fourth with 95.

Wesleyan girls took first and second place in the race as Jordan Zimmerman won it with a time of 21:03.97 and Ellie Bradach came in second with 22:13.38. Will Maetin of First Presbyterian won the boys race in 18:06.71 ahead of runner-up Ben Davies of Holy Innocents’, who put in a time of 18:18.55.

SKYLAR-HIGH …

Skylar Hayward threw a no-hitter while striking out seven through eight innings of work in Mill Creek’s 8-0 shutout of Region 7-AAAAAA rival Peachtree Ridge Thursday night. Additionally, Hayward went 2-for-2 at the plate and drove in a run. The Hawks also got two hits from Mikayla Rood and Kaylyn Anthony, who had a double, an RBI and two runs scored. They improved to 9-5-1 overall and 4-2 in region play.

In another Thursday showdown between region foes, Wesleyan hammered Greater Atlanta Christian 11-1 to stay undefeated at 4-0 in Region 6-AA competition. The game was called after five innings, which meant Wolves’ starter Jameson Kavel did not have to work too

hard despite going the distance on the mound.

She struck out five and surrendered just three hits. Meredith DiStaci and Cassie Henning each drove in two runs and Alyssa Bedard contributed a triple. Greater Atlanta Christian scored its only run on a solo shot off the bat of Stephanie McIntosh.

Blessed Trinity gave Wesleyan a taste of its own blowout medicine in the form of a 13-1 rout on Saturday. The Wolves returned to their winning ways later in the day and improved to 12-3 overall by taking care of Stratford Academy 4-1. Henning fanned four hitters in a complete-game effort and DiStasi belted a two-out RBI double during a four-run third inning.

In Class AAAAAA, both North Gwinnett and Brookwood posted 8-0 victories last Thursday. Kylee Smith mowed down eight batters in five innings to lead North Gwinnett past Norcross. Emily Dennis and Allison Roach had two RBIs apiece for the Bulldogs. Brookwood rode ace Amanda Ablan (11-0) to an easy win over Dacula. Ablan struck out 11 and gave up only one hit in five innings.

Both Lovett and St. Pius X fell to Murray County last Saturday. The Lions lost 8-6 and the Golden Lions lost 8-1. It was a long week for Murray County, which also endured setbacks against highly-ranked opponents Calhoun and First Presbyterian Day.

Photos courtesy of Walter Pinion, Sandy McGrail and Deanna Fiveash.

Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 2014

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Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 2014

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

TIME FOR DAWGS TO MOVE ON FROM SOUTH CAROLINA LOSS

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia found out it could lose in 2014 when G it fell 38-35 to South Carolina on the road last weekend. Now it’s time for the Bulldogs to turn their attention to the Troy Trojans inside Sanford Stadium on Saturday.

Sure, it’s not a matchup with the same cache as a showdown against South Carolina, but it is the next game. You can’t continue the season without playing the next game. Troy is winless in three outings this season and Bulldogs’ head coach Mark Richt knows the Trojans won’t take it easy on them.

“They’re a team that’s desperate for a victory, I’m sure,” Richt explained. “We’re desperate for a victory, as well, so it ought to be a good game.”

INJURY UPDATE …

Richt and the Bulldogs will likely play this week without the services of wide receivers Justin Scott-Wesley and Malcolm Mitchell.

Scott-Wesley continues to practice in a green non-contact jersey after tearing his ACL last season. There is still no definitive word on

GEORGIA STATE

SLOW START DOES IN SHORT-HANDED PANTHERS

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

A

slow start surely was not what Georgia State head coach Trent Miles envisioned heading into Saturday’s game against the Air Force Falcons. The Panthers found themselves in an early hole down 14-0 after one quarter and 31-10 at the half in the Georgia Dome.

Miles may have known, however, it would be tough sledding as leading rusher Krysten Hammon was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team along with wide receiver Avery Sweeting and safety Bryan Williams.

A 21-point deficit is usually too much for any team to overcome, let alone a team without all its starters. The Panthers ended up falling 4838 after a fourth-quarter comeback helped the team keep the score respectable.

OFFENSES ERUPT …

Without Hammon running the ball, quarterback Nick Arbuckle was relied upon to engineer drives through the air. Arbuckle connected on 26 of 42 passes and racked up 414 yards to go along with two touchdowns and

when the two receivers will be back on the field. Mitchell and Scott-Wesley may not be back this weekend, but we could see freshman running back Nick Chubb return. Chubb underwent thumb surgery earlier this week after getting hurt during a recent practice. Richt is not ruling him out for this upcoming game.

“I don’t know how much he’ll practice this week,” Richt said of Chubb. “If he wakes up Saturday and feels good, I think he’ll remember how to run a sweep, stretch, or a zone play. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him play.”

The Bulldogs could also give running back Keith Marshall some good carries against Troy, at least based on what Richt led reporters to believe at Tuesday’s press conference.

GETTING DEFENSIVE …

Georgia’s defense will have a chance to gain some confidence after having 38 points hung on it by South Carolina. The unit is facing a Troy team that throws the football with some regularity. In fact, Troy is tied with Texas A&M for the most players on a roster that have at least one catch this season. Quarterback Brandon Silvers has found 16 different receivers so far in 2014.

These numbers will lead you to believe that this Bulldogs’ secondary will be challenged for a second straight game. That is probably not a bad thing, seeing how it finished up on a high note last weekend against South Carolina.

one interception. Sophomore Kyler Neal out of East Paulding High School chewed up 80 yards on 10 carries and found the endzone on a 25yard run early in the second quarter.

Air Force was led by a rushing attack that finished with 315 yards—122 of which came behind the legs of Jacobi Owens, who also scored twice. Georgia State’s defense also struggled to disrupt the passing game of Kale Pearson.

He threw only three incompletions and found former Pope Greyhound Garrett Brown twice for touchdowns.

Pearson gave credit to the Panthers’ offense after the game, explaining, “We knew the whole game their offense was powerful.

They’re explosive. I was kind of honestly nervous the whole game. It seemed they were making big plays every time I turned around.

It’s nice to get out of here with a ‘W.’”

Panther fans felt a comeback could be in the works after Arbuckle hit Lynquez Blair from 13 yards out for a score and the defense held Air Force to a 41-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Duvall Smith punched in a short touchdown to make the score 48-38 with 4:57 remaining. Miles elected for an onside kick, but Georgia State failed to recover it.

Air Force struggled on its drive and eventually faced a big fourth down, but on 4th-and4 the Panthers were unable to get a stop. Pearson connected with Brown for 11 yards to ice the game.

GEORGIA TECH

JACKETS SURVIVE SCARE, DEFEAT GEORGIA SOUTHERN

BY MATTHEW CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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aul Johnson finally had a first half that met his expectations when his squad took on his former team, the Georgia Southern Eagles, last Saturday. It is doubtful at that point, though, that he thought his team would be trailing late in the game and in need of a turnover.

The Yellow Jackets were smoking-hot during the first half, scoring touchdowns on their first five offensive possessions to build up a seemingly insurmountable 35-10 lead as they went into halftime. However, the Eagles’ offense pepped up in the third quarter and came out with guns blazing. A 32-yard rushing score by running back Kevin Ellison started a streak in which the visitors scored 20 consecutive points to pull within 35-30. When five more minutes ticked by to the 10:41 mark, Tech’s momentary collapse was complete. An 11-yard run by GSU’s L.A. Ramsby put Tech in a predicament, which saw the Yellow Jackets befuddled as they trailed 38-35 following Ramsby’s score and ensuing two-point conversion.

KENNESAW STATE

FOOTBALL BEGINS PRACTICE, GETS READY FOR OCTOBER SCRIMMAGE

BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

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ith the scrimmage set for Oct. 11 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the football team began to work last week as they practiced for the first time in helmets at the Perch.

The team practiced on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning and each practice was intense and fast-paced. In the Monday practice, the players were in jerseys and helmets. The 90-minute session featured a lot of individual and team drills to prepare them for when they go on 11-on-11 which began this week.

“We have been conditioning for three weeks, so they are ready for some football,” head coach Brian Bohannon said after the Monday practice. “And they got it today.”

The Friday practice was the first time the team was in full-pads and the practice started with the Oklahoma drill. That got the players fired up, which continued throughout practice.

“We’re all about maximizing our time,” Bohannon said after the Friday practice. “It started with our conditioning drills. We set the

With fewer than five minutes remaining in the game and Georgia Southern owning possession, the Eagles ran an option to the left and on a lateral by quarterback Favian Upshaw, Tech safety Jamal Golden batted down the attempt for an apparent fumble that was recovered by freshman defensive end KeShun Freeman. However, the ACC officiating crew called the attempt a forward pass. Upon further review, that call was overturned and ruled a fumble to give the Yellow Jackets new life. A clutch drive by quarterback Justin Thomas moved the Jackets down to the Eagles’ 11-yard line with 30 seconds left. For the game-winning score, Thomas instinctively scrambled away from a blitzing linebacker and found Deion Hill with a pass-and-dash into the endzone as fans in Georgia Tech gold roared with approval.

JUSTIN TIME …

It turned out to be a productive day for Thomas, as the Alabama native finished with 188 passing yards and five total touchdowns (four passing) alongside 148 rushing yards.

After overcoming a tumultuous second half in which Thomas completed just three of his last 10 passes, the redshirt sophomore spoke about the mindset that he carried into the final drive.

“I knew we had to score,” he explained.

“We could have gotten a field goal and taken it into overtime, but I wanted to get in the end zone on that last drive. I tried to give it everything I had.”

bar with that and it just translated to how we wanted to practice. The tempo is not where we wanted yet, but it’s drastically improved from Monday.”

There were times the players had a hard time figuring out what was going on, but every day the players improved and will continue that trend throughout the fall.

“Every day is a learning day,” freshman safety Taylor Henkle said after the Friday practice. “There are some days where we struggle in some aspects of it. But every day we have seen improvement. We’ll continue everyday to work on the little things and we’ll go from there.”

The Owls’ first scrimmage will kickoff at 3 p.m. The doors will open at 2 p.m. and admission will be free. After the scrimmage, there will be an autograph session from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

TOP SUMMER OWLS …

After having great performances in their respective summer leagues, baseball players Kal Simmons and Gabe Friese earned honors from Baseball America. Friese was named the top player in the Sunbelt Collegiate League while Simmons was named the 22nd highestrated prospect in the Cape Cod League.

Friese played for the East Cobb Patriots and posted a 1.87 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched.

He also struck out 45 batters, which is a league-best and allowed only eight runs and five walks. Simmons posted a batting average of .275 and was considered as one of the best defenders in the league.

Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

FERRY TAKES INDEFINITE LEAVE OF ABSENCE

BY MATTHEW CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

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tlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin announced last Friday that the team’s general manager, Danny Ferry, will take an indefinite leave of absence. Ferry had been in the national spotlight throughout the past week for a racist comment that was made in a meeting about then-free agent forward Luol Deng.

In a written statement, Koonin said, “This has been an incredibly difficult time for him and his family and it is my hope that this time away from the Hawks organization allows him the privacy he needs to listen to the community, to learn about his mistakes, and to begin the long process of personal healing. As a human being, manager and friend, I wish him well as he undergoes this process.”

Head coach Mike Budenholzer will assume the role as the team’s head of basketball operations for the duration of Ferry’s absence.

CHANGE AHEAD …

A day after the announcement of their GM’s leave of absence, the Hawks sent out a

ATLANTA BRAVES

NATIONALS CLINCH NL EAST TITLE ON BRAVES’ HOME FIELD

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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he Braves’ non-existent division title hopes came to an official end on Tuesday night at Turner Field. It could not have come in more appropriate fashion, too. Atlanta, which leads all of Major League Baseball in quality starts but has been plagued by an inept offense from start to finish, got shut out for the 14th time this season. Even more alarming is that it was the sixth time the ballclub had been shut out since Aug. 23.

It also could not have come in a much more difficult fashion to stomach, as the Braves had to watch their biggest rival celebrate in their own stadium. Washington clinched the NL East by blanking Atlanta 3-0, spiraling the home team to a second straight loss in the three-game series, a fifth consecutive setback overall and a 1-8 record in its last nine outings.

“First of all, you’ve got to congratulate them on winning the division,” Braves’ manager Fredi Gonzalez said in his postgame press conference. “You’ve got to tip your hat. But yeah, you never want anybody celebrating on

letter of apology for all the recent events and distractions. After the initial statement of resentment toward the actions of Ferry and partowner Bruce Levenson, four points of improvement were brought to attention: the Hawks are working with a diversity consultant to ensure a repeat of the act does not occur, they are committed to hiring a chief diversity officer, finding a new owner for the franchise and regularly meeting with community leaders to ensure the team’s values reflect the city of Atlanta.

POTENTIAL OWNERS …

New names have surfaced about potential buyers of the Atlanta Hawks. According to the New York Post, Doug Davis—the son of famous music producer Clive Davis—is assembling a group that is interested in purchasing the team.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Chris Vivlamore, the group is considered a legitimate candidate. The 40-year-old Davis is the managing member of the Belli Weil Grozbean & Davis law firm, which includes clients such as hip-hop artists Lil Jon and Swiss Beatz along with NBA all-star Metta World Peace.

It is unclear if Davis is aiming to purchase only Levenson’s share of the Hawks. Levenson, a co-owner, announced his intention to sell his share of the franchise last week after admitting to have written racially-insensitive remarks in an e-mail about the makeup of the Hawks’ fanbase and gameday staff.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS APPROACH BRUTAL STRETCH OF ROAD GAMES

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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he Falcons entered their Week 3 matchup with Tampa Bay boasting the No. 2 offense in the NFL with 438.5 total yards per game.

Matt Ryan sat atop the NFL with 328.5 passing yards per game and Julio Jones is fourth in the League with 204 receiving yards through two games. Defensively, Atlanta ranks on the other end of the spectrum. Paul Worrilow notched an NFL-best 29 total tackles through the first two games, but the defense allowed 472 yards per game, the worst in the NFL. Atlanta was also the only team not to record a single sack in the first two games.

There are a lot of new pieces on the defense this year and the good news is Atlanta has the offensive firepower to take pressure off the unit and there is more than enough room for improvement.

THE ROAD AHEAD …

The Falcons started the season with three games in 13 days, including two of the three

your field. ... Now we’ve got to set our sights on a winning streak and maybe we can come in the second wild card.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Atlanta is 5.5 games behind Pittsburgh for the second wildcard spot in the National League. San Francisco currently owns the No. 1 wild card and Milwaukee is third in the race for one of two places, four games ahead of Atlanta. The Braves last failed to reach the postseason in 2011, a year that was preceded by a wild-card finish in 2010 and followed by another wild card in 2012 and a division title in 2013.

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BREAKING GROUND ...

It’s not quite time to be looking all the way ahead to 2017, but a nice distraction from the on-field doldrums came in the form of the new stadium’s groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday. Festivities included the traditional breaking of ground with shovels, words from various team and league officials and also one noteworthy announcement. SunTrust Bank will serve as the naming rights partner for the new stadium, which will be known as SunTrust Park.

“A groundbreaking is a beginning,” team CEO and chairman Terry McGuirk told an attendance that included MLB commissioner-to-be Rob Manfred and Braves legend Hank Aaron.

“In two years, we’ll transform this bare patch of dirt from what it is today into a magnificent ballpark and a majestic ballpark village.”

COSMOS TOO TOUGH …

Atlanta’s latest loss came this past Saturday against the New York Cosmos via a 3-2 decision. The Cosmos are near the top of the table in third place in the combined season

ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

SILVERBACKS SLIP AGAINST COSMOS ON SOGGY PITCH

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

he Atlanta Silverbacks have continued to struggle to find their footing on the pitch this season. The spring campaign saw the Silverbacks go 3-5-1. For those who have not stuck with soccer after catching World Cup fever this summer, that is three wins, five losses and one draw—equaling out to 10 points. A win nets three points, a draw earns one point and a loss gets none. In its nine-game spring season, Atlanta finished eighth out of 10 teams. So far through 10 fall-season games the Silverbacks have not fared much better, going 3-5-2 and sitting in ninth place. In the combined season standings, they are near the bottom of the standings. To put it in soccer terms, they are in eighth place in the table.

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divisional games heading to the Dome this season. Now, the team prepares for one of the roughest road stretches the NFL will see this season. The Falcons will play just two games in the Georgia Dome in the next eight weeks.

Trips to Minnesota and New York to face the Giants are followed by the next home game against the Bears on Oct. 12. The Falcons head back on the road for a Week 7 trip to Baltimore before hosting the Lions in London on Oct. 26.

After a bye week, Atlanta will visit Tampa Bay and Carolina before finally returning to the Dome to host the Browns on Nov. 23.

SPECIAL FORCES …

The Falcons signed punter Matt Bosher to a five-year extension and also extended long snapper Josh Harris four years on Wednesday.

Bosher was selected by the Falcons in the sixth round (192nd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft and has accumulated a 45.5 yard average and a 40.2-yard net average in his three years with the team. Bosher also handles kickoffs and has 126 touchbacks with a 48.3 touchback percentage.

Harris, a former Carrollton Trojan, was signed by the Falcons as a college free agent out of Auburn following the 2012 NFL Draft.

He has played in 35 games as the Falcons long snapper on place kicks and punts.

standings. That franchise rose to fame in the 1970s when it was a part of the now-defunct North American Soccer League. It even managed to acquire arguably the greatest soccer player of all-time, Pelé.

Atlanta was plagued by a slow start on the road. Mads Stokkelien struck a minute into the game on a deflected back-heel goal from a cross. Sebastian Guenzatti scored on a header in the ninth minute to expand New York’s lead to 2-0. The Silverbacks knew they had plenty of time left and did not panic in the rain-drenched affair. They got on the scoreboard after a rebound from a corner kick landed right at the feet of Junior Sandoval. He was able to boot the ball into the net from six yards out to tally his fifth goal of the season. The tying goal for Atlanta came in the 59th minute, when Pablo Cruz cleaned up another rebound and connected on his fourth goal of the year.

With the game all knotted up, a point seemed like a welcomed outcome after the early deficit. The Cosmos, however, had other plans. Danny Szetela was able to send the New York crowd home happy by blasting a shot past two defenders with 84 minutes already elapsed. The late goal was tough to stop due to goalie Eric Ati’s sight being shielded with the congestion in front of him.

Atlanta returns back home to face the Ottawa Fury on Saturday.

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Vol. 10 Iss. 34 | September 19-25, 2014

A young athlete’s brain is still developing, so don’t take chances with a head injury. Bring him to Children’s, where doctors have the expertise to diagnose and treat concussions. And with ImPACT testing, we can compare a patient’s progress to a normal baseline score to help determine when he’s ready to play again. To schedule a baseline ImPACT test for your athlete or team, visit choa.org/baselinetesting.

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©2014 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved.

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