Score Atlanta Vol. 11 Issue 17

Time to look great!

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 17 | MAY 8-14, 2015

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

Stand Up | Pg. 4 See how the Peach State flexed its football prowess with this year’s draft.

Movin’ Cool | Pg. 8 Underdogs open up remaining playoff action with first round upsets.

BRING ‘EM OUT

The Falcons satisfy needs with a talent-packed 2015 draft class. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

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

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Sandy MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves) Brian Jones (KSU) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons)

Kyle Sandy (Hawks, GSU,

G-Braves) Colin Hubbard (Tech)

STAFF WRITERS Jalisa Smith Matthew Cason

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Copyright 2015 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 | GWINNETT BRAVES

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF AP IMAGES AND CROSS KEYS HS.

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NFL DRAFT

GEORGIA’S 30 FORMER PREP STARS DOMINATE THIS YEAR’S DRAFT

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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he 256 players taken in this year’s NFL Draft came as far away as Germany and American Samoa, but the state that impressed most in terms of producing NFL talent was our own.

Florida, double the population of Georgia, led with 39 players and Georgia finished second with 30. Georgia produced more than Texas (27) and California (26).

In the first round, DE Vic Beasley, OC Cameron Erving, DE Bud Dupree and WR Breshad Perrimen were taken. Beasley (Adairsville) went to the Falcons with the No. 8 overall pick and Erving (Colquitt County) went to Cleveland at No. 19. Three picks later, Dupree (Wilkinson County) was selected by Pittsburgh, and NFC North rival Baltimore picked up Perriman (Arabia Mountain) at No. 26.

The second round saw the fewest Georgia-products but Stephenson alum DE Preston Smith was selected by Washington with the sixth pick of Round 2. North Paulding WR Chris Conley (Kansas City), Maynard Jackson OLB Lorenzo Mauldin (New York Jets), Woodward Academy DE Henry Anderson (Indianapolis) and Northside-Warner Robins CB Steven Nelson (Kansas City) sent four more Georgia prep stars into the AFC in the third round.

Wayne County alum Tre Jackson was picked up by defending Super Bowl champion New England as an offensive guard with the 111th overall and four more Peach State natives were taken later in the fourth round. DL Gabe Wright (Carver-Columbus) went to Detroit and San Francisco took RB Mike Davis (Stephenson) and WR DeAndre Smelter (Tattnall Square).

Norcross’ Max Garcia went to Denver with the 34th pick of the fourth round to play center.

Rockdale County High School was represented with the first pick of the fifth round as DT Grady Jarrett was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.

Twenty picks later (157), tight end C.J. Uzomah (North Gwinnett) was drafted by Cincinnati.

Outside linebacker Neiron Ball (Jackson) went to Oakland with the 161st pick and New Orleans took former Grady star and Georgia Bulldog cornerback Damian Swann at 167. Dooly County’s Keith Mumphrey (WR) went to Houston at

175th overall.

The sixth round put five more Georgia stars on the board. WR Geremy Davis (Norcross) went to the Giants, WR Darren Waller (North Cobb) went to Baltimore, ILB Amarlo Herrera (North Clayton) went to Indianapolis, OLB Resard Cliett (Thomas County Central) went to Houston and TE Kennard Backman (Whitefield Academy) joined Green Bay. The last six Georgia players drafted came in the final round. OT Austin Shepherd (North Gwinnett; Minnesota), WR Mario Alford (Greenville; Cincinnati), OG Trent Brown (Westover; San Francisco), WR Tre McBridge (Ola; Tennessee), DE Xzavier Dickson (Griffin; New England) and TE Rory Anderson (McEachern; San Francisco).

Photos courtesy of AP Images.

WHERE THE 2015 NFL DRAFT PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HIGH SCHOOL STATE RD. 1 RD. 2 RD. 3 RD. 4 RD. 5 RD. 6 RD. 7 TOTAL Florida 7 1 8 6 2 8 7 39 Georgia 4 1 4 5 5 5 6 30 Texas 2 3 4 2 5 7 4 27 California 3 3 2 5 3 5 5 26 Alabama 1 3 1 4 2 3 14 Ohio 3 1 3 1 1 1 10 North Carolina 3 2 2 1 1 9 Pennsylvania 2 2 2 1 1 8 Maryland 1 3 1 2 1 8 New Jersey 1 1 2 2 1 7 Illinois 1 1 1 2 1 6 Louisiana 1 1 1 3 6 Michigan 2 1 1 1 1 6 Mississippi 3 1 2 6 Kansas 1 1 1 1 1 5 Arizona 1 2 1 4 Iowa 1 1 1 1 4 Missouri 2 1 1 4 South Carolina 1 1 2 4 Tennessee 1 2 1 4 Washington 1 2 1 4 Hawaii 1 1 2 Kentucky 1 1 2 Oregon 1 1 2 Virginia 2 2 Wisconsin 2 2 Arkansas 1 1 Colorado 1 1 Connecticut 1 1 D.C. 1 1 Delaware 1 1 Indiana 1 1 Minnesota 1 1 Nebraska 1 1 Nevada 1 1 New York 1 1 Oklahoma 1 1 Utah 1 1 *Other 1 2 3 Totals 32 32 35 37 40 41 39 256 Other = American Samoa, Germany and Canada

Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

ON THE COVER

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS LAND GAMECHANGING PASS RUSHER WITH BEASLEY

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Falcons opened up the franchise’s celeT brated 50th draft by welcoming Clemson’s all-time sack leader, Vic Beasley, to Atlanta

with the No. 8 overall pick. Beasley, who finished his college career with a record-breaking 33 sacks, is known for his ability to attack on third-down-and-long situations, an area on the defensive side of the football that Atlanta set as the priority to improve heading into this year’s draft. With the 6-foot-3, 246-pound defensive end still on the board for Atlanta’s first pick, his world-class athleticism and his speed off the ball were exactly the traits Dan Quinn and the front office were looking for.

“Beasley’s first step quickness is what makes him what he is,” explained an excited head coach Dan Quinn. “We were focused on Vic [Beasley] from the very beginning,” added Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, “I’m glad we didn’t have to get antsy to jump up to get him.”

WELCOME HOME…

The NFL Draft is anything but predictable and Beasley was projected as high as the third overall pick in several mock drafts before falling in the Falcons’ lap. However, his flashy red and black suit that matched Falcons col-

ors perfectly and his Georgia roots provided a storybook moment as Beasley slipped on his Falcons hat on the draft stage for the first time.

Beasley grew up a Falcons fan and played his prep football at Adairsville High School, located an hour north of the city.

“I think it’s awesome to have a guy who grew up a Falcons fan and wants to be here,” said Quinn.

Beasley showed his enthusiasm to play in his home state after stepping off the stage and opened his press conference with “There is no better place than the Falcons.”

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT…

Beasley’s burst and quickness off the ball is exactly what teams are looking for in an NFL pass rusher and not only does he begin the play with a burst, but he follows it up with excellent hand placement and leverage. His technique and athleticism blends to a point where at times it can appear almost effortless.

The resume he built during his college career is remarkable. Statistically, he had 101 tackles, 52.5 tackles for loss, 33 sacks, 29 quarterback pressures, 11 pass breakups, seven caused fumbles, two recovered fumbles and

two touchdowns in 1,421 snaps over 48 games (25 starts) in his career. He had at least one sack in eight consecutive games from the end of the 2013 season to the start of 2014 and was involved in a tackle for loss in each of his last 15 games. That level of consistency is testament to not only his talent, but also to his preparation. Beasley also builds on a legacy that saw back-to-back first-team All-American selections and two First-Team All-ACC honors. With so many highlight plays to watch from his career, Quinn, who has a passion for studying film of his own, was able to breakdown Beasley’s progress through the years and everything he can bring to the franchise.

One notable moment from last season was when Beasley matched up with Florida State’s All-American lineman Cameron Erving, who is an outstanding NFL prospect in his own right and was taken No. 19 overall by Cleveland this year. Beasley frustrated him with his full arsenal of speed, fundamentals and power.

“Coming from Clemson with a great coach like (Marion Hobby) really instilled in us great technique and discipline,” explained Beasley.

Like any great pass rusher, not only does Beasley possess the skills to win his individual battles, but he consistently was able to beat double teams as well. He could be so disruptive at times that teams would have to bring double teams and add a chip block from the backfield to try and stop him. Having a guy that requires that type of attention from opposing offensive coordinators is exactly the type of playmaker Atlanta is looking for to control the line of scrimmage. Beasley is stepping into what is sure to be an extremely competitive offseason driven by position battles across the defense and as this new class of rookies arrives for work, Beasley will be the guy asked to set the tone.

FIRST CLASS ROOKIES…

The second day of the draft allowed the Falcons to add more size and speed with LSU cornerback Jalen Collins (42nd overall) and Indiana running back Tevin Coleman (73rd overall). Collins is a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defensive star, who totaled 38 tackles and a team-high nine pass breakups for the Tigers in 2014. Coleman is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound durable back that finished last season with 2,036 rushing yards.

On the third and final day, the Falcons selected East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy in the fourth round with the 107th overall pick.

Hardy, 6-0, 188 pounds, played in 63 games for the Pirates and set school records with 387 receptions, 4,541 yards, and 35 touchdowns during his career.

In the fifth round, Atlanta traded the 146th and 184th overall selections to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 137th pick,

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which the club used to acquire Clemson defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. The Conyers, Georgia native started all 13 games as a senior in 2014, tallying 73 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Atlanta’s final two selections Eastern Washington tackle Jake Rodgers (225th overall) and San Jose State cornerback Akeem King (249th overall).

Rodgers, 6-6, 320 pounds, started 14 games at right tackle for Eastern Washington in 2014. He played in 10 games in his first season at EWU in 2013 after transferring in from Washington State. His athleticism on the line stems from his high school career where he did it all, seeing time at tight end, defensive line, placekicker while also lettering in basketball and baseball. King, 6-1, 212 pounds, played in 33 games, including 12 career starts as a senior.

His senior year ended with 71 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two passes defensed.

Photos courtesy of AP Images and the Atlanta Falcons.

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DeMarre Carroll

Shelby Miller

Steph Curry

The Junkyard Dog has joined rarefied air with his stellar postseason performance.

Carroll became the first Hawk since Dominique Wilkins in 1989 to score 20-plus points in five consecutive playoffs.

DeMarre will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and has likely played himself into a lucrative contract.

Through six starts this season, the newly acquired starting pitcher has cemented himself as the Braves’ ace thus far.

Miller tossed his third career complete-game on Tuesday and now sports a 4-1 record with a sparkling 1.66 ERA, good for fourth-best in the National League.

The three-point marksman was awarded Most Valuable Player this week. Curry gave a heartfelt acceptance speech thanking his father Dell, who was a deadly shooter in his own right. Who would have thought that the skinny kid from Davidson would take over the NBA?

SCORE LIST

By Brian Jones

DRAMA IN WASHINGTON

After winning Game 2 of the playoff series against the Wizzards, the Hawks look to go a game ahead when they face off in Washington on Saturday. It will not be an easy task, but if the Hawks can build on what they did in Game 2, they should be able to come away with a win.

SUCCESSFUL DRAFT

The Falcons possibly had their best draft in recent memory. Not only did they get a pass rusher in Vic Beasley, but they also got a big cornerback in Jalen Collins, they added depth to the running back position with Tevin Coleman and they drafted defensive tackle Grady Jarrett from Clemson. It should be fun to see these young guys develop.

GEORGIA CONNECTION

The Falcons were able to get local talent in the draft with the addition of Beasley and Jarrett. Beasley played high school ball at Adairsville while Jarrett, who is the son of former Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle, played at Rockdale County high school. They are the first Falcons players to be drafted from Georgia since Harry Douglas who went to Jonesboro High School.

NEW DAWGS IN NFL

It was also a good draft weekend for the Bulldogs as five former players were drafted this past weekend. Leading the way was Todd Gurley who was drafted by the St. Louis Rams at No. 10 overall. Chris Conley, Ramik Wilson, Damian Swann and Amarlo Herrera followed Gurley in the next two days. Congrats guys, and good luck to you.

PRO JACKETS

But let’s not forget about the Yellow Jackets as three former players got their names called. Shaq Mason was drafted by the New England Patriots, DeAndre Smelter will play for the San Francisco 49ers and Darren Waller will join the Baltimore Ravens. Good luck to these three as they will look to make names for themselves on the next level.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Jason Heyward

Jeff Teague

Christian Bethancourt

Former fan-favorite Jason Heyward has unsurprisingly stumbled out of the gates with his new ball club. He is hitting .224 with just five RBIs in 26 games. Heyward was one of the most highly touted mega prospects when he rose through Atlanta’s farm system, but has fallen flat in the Majors.

Teague has battled a gimpy ankle and has been taken to task by John Wall and now Ramon Sessions. Through two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Teague has averaged 10 points on a paltry 26 percent shooting. He must play better if Atlanta wants to advance.

The 23-year-old catcher was pegged as the future behind the plate for Atlanta and was expected to take the reins on the position and run with it.

Instead, he has hit .175 with two RBIs and has been thoroughly outplayed by 38-yearold stopgap A.J. Pierzynski, who has hit .344.

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

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SANITY AT LAST

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Former Georgia high school football players selected in this year’s draft

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Sacks by Falcons first round pick Vic Beasley Jr. during his Clemson career.

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Percentage of first round picks this year that played high school football in Florida or Georgia

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Weeks until the Corky Kell Classic

WHAT TWO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOLS HAD TWO FORMER PLAYERS TAKEN IN THIS YEAR’S NFL DRAFT?

“I think it’s awesome to have a guy who grew up a Falcons fan and wants to be here.”

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Weeks until the Falcons season opener with the Eagles

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Points per game this postseason by DeMarre Carroll

12.6

Points per game during the regular season by DeMarre Carroll

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn on drafting Vic Beasley Jr.

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Assists on Atlanta’s 37 made field goals in Game 2’s win over Washington

Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, July 22 Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA

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5) in round two after the Lions swept Bowdon (18-0) by a combined score of 32-2.

Round two of Class A-Private will be highlighted by a meeting between the past two state champions. Defending champ King’s Ridge (23-3) will lock horns with 2013 champion Eagle’s Landing Christian (19-3), who is riding a 16-game winning streak.

SPRING SPORTS

UPSETS STRIKE BASEBALL AND BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS BY: KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

T

he first round of the GHSA State Baseball Tournament has already changed the landscape of the upcoming rounds. In Class 6A, the nation’s preseason No. 1 ranked team and defending state champion Lambert (20-9) was defeated in three games by postseason arch rival Milton (18-6). The Longhorns were not the only No. 1 seed ousted in the first round.

East Coweta (19-8) and Tucker (17-9) were also greeted with rude exits.

In Class 5A, Starr’s Mill (21-4), a No. 1 seed and the top ranked team in our final preplayoff polls, was stunned by South Effingham (20-7). The Mustangs clawed out wins of 2-1 and 14-13 to defeat the powerful Panthers. No. 1 seed Richmond Hill (18-7) saw its season end prematurely thanks to Northgate (15-6).

The Wildcats had entered the playoffs on a 12game win streak. Greenbrier (20-3) fended off No. 4 seed Hardaway (17-12) in three games.

Defending 4A champion Carrollton (1216) snuck back into the postseason but was quickly turned away by No. 1 seed St. Pius (262) in two games. Four-seed Upson-Lee (16-9) knocked off No. 1 seed Crisp County (20-8) in three games.

Out of the eight No. 1 seeds in 3A, three went to series deciding third games. Fourseed Hart County (15-14) upset No. 1 Franklin County (20-6). No. 1 seed Jackson (23-5) held on against Jenkins (13-14). Callaway (20-7-1) knocked off upset-minded four-seed Adairsville (13-12-1). Blessed Trinity (25-2) and Pierce County (26-2) are the top two ranked teams entering the playoffs and proved why in round one. The Titans won 10-0 and 19-0 while the Bears won 10-1 and 15-0.

The only surprise in 2A was four-seed Harlem (16-11) beating Monticello (16-10). The Bulldogs now face the stiff test of Lovett (22-

SOCCER DRAMA…

Class 6A’s No. 1 ranked boys team heading into the playoffs, Chattahoochee, was upended by Milton in round one. The Eagles held on 1-0 and stunned the Cougars. Fellow oneseeds East Coweta and Central Gwinnett also lost in their first round matchups. McEachern slipped by the Indians 3-1, and Meadowcreek edged the Black Knights 2-1. Defending state champion Brookwood meets No. 1 seed Lakeside-DeKalb in round two.

The nation’s top-ranked team resides in Georgia’s Class 5A. Dalton is undefeated and romped its way to a 7-0 victory over Flowery Branch in round one. The Catamounts have successfully transitioned from 4A where they won the past two state titles. Clarkston, Allatoona, Houston County and defending 5A champion McIntosh all picked up impressive wins as No. 1 seeds. The Indians will attempt to three-peat as state champs, but with the addition of Dalton, the field has gotten much

tougher. Hardaway and Effingham County both lost their opening matches as No. 1 seeds.

St. Pius seeks its fifth title in seven years and enters as the No. 1 ranked team in 4A. The Golden Lions jumped from 3A to 4A and replaces Dalton as the perennial power in the classification. Every No. 1 seed handled its business except Wayne County who fell to Eastside, 4-1.

In Class 3A, fourth-seeded Sonoraville blew past Cedartown 5-0 and will now visit third-seed Decatur. The Bulldogs hammered Washington County 11-1 in round one. No. 1 ranked Westminster blew by Johnson-Savannah 9-0 while No. 2 in the pre-playoff polls Calhoun defeated Callaway 3-0.

Greater Atlanta Christian’s road to a repeat began smoothly with an 11-1 victory over Manchester in the first round of the 2A state playoffs.

A strong threat to dethrone the reigning champ is Riverside Military. The Eagles shutout Model 10-0 and will host Long County on Wednesday.

Paideia enters the Class A playoffs in search of its third consecutive state championship. The Pythons easily handled Mt. Pisgah 7-0 to start their quest for championship number three. Top-ranked Savannah Christian received a Bye in round one and the undefeated Raiders would not meet Paideia until the championship.

Photos courtesy of Silvia Shingleton and Sonny Kennedy.

Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

THEY’RE ALL INSPIRING. BUT ONLY ONE WILL BE COMEBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR. Help choose our Comeback Athlete of the Year. Please visit choa.org/vote between May 1-15, 2015, to watch these 8 amazing stories and cast your vote.

©2015 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved. For official contest rules, visit choa.org/comeback.

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Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

GURLEY LEADS FIVE BULLDOGS TAKEN IN THIS YEAR’S DRAFT

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

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ith one of the biggest picks of the 2015 NFL Draft, St. Louis used the No. 10 overall selection to land Georgia running back Todd Gurley. The reviews were mixed but there is no doubt Gurley will give St. Louis the physically running game they have been missing the past several seasons. More than 1,500 of Gurley’s 3,285 rushing yards in college came after contact and his ability to catch and block is eerily similar to former St. Louis Ram Steven Jackson when he established himself as one of the League’s most consistent rushers.

The Bulldog drafted was wide receiver Chris Conley with the 76th pick. Conley went to the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that is dotted with former Bulldogs but is also looking to boost a receiving corps that has struggled the past few seasons. Conley posted one of the best combines in NFL history this offseason and he has all the tools fit the Andy Reid offense.

Joining Conley in Kansas City will be his

GEORGIA STATE

SPRING SPORTS ENTER HOMESTRETCH

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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he Panthers (27-20, 14-8) find themselves in second place in the Sun Belt after topping the conference standings for the majority of the season. South Alabama has taken control of the conference with a 17-7 Sun Belt record.

Georgia State has now lost five of its last six games and dropped a home series against Texas State (20-26-1, 12-12) this past weekend.

On Sunday, the Panthers lost the rubber match 8-5 after rallying from a 6-0 deficit. Cole Uvila (1-6) was rocked again after allowing five runs (four earned) in three innings of work. Uvila failed to record an out in the Bobcats’ five-run fourth inning.

The Georgia State bats woke up in the fifth and sixth innings when Matt Rose hit a sacrifice fly to break the shutout. With the bases loaded in the sixth, Will Johnson shot a two-run single through the left side to make it 6-3. Justin Jones, the Sun Belt batting average, hits and runs leader among freshmen, slashed an opposite field single to plate two more runs.

Texas State would eventually tack on two more

teammate Ramik Wilson. The linebacker was selected in the fourth round with the 118th overall pick. Wilson won the Charlie Trippi Most Versatile Player Award last season and started in 13 games last season. He posted Led 56 solo tackles with 110 total tackles.

JUNKYARD DAWGS… Cornerback Damian Swann was taken with the 31st pick of the fifth round by New Orleans. The Saints put a priority on improving in the secondary this offseason and Swann will get plenty of chances to earn playing time.

The Grady alum had four interceptions and four forced fumbles last season and included 65 total tackles.

In the sixth round, linebacker Amarlo Herrera was selected with the 31st pick by the Indianapolis Colts. The North Clayton-native earned a spot on the AP First Team All-SEC list last season and won UGA Coaches’ Leadership Award. Herrera posted a team-leading 115 tackles and 10 tackles for loss last season and was third in the SEC in tackles per game (9.3).

Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason, center David Andrews and defensive end Ray Drew were not drafted, but each was signed this week and will be given an opportunity to make a roster.

Andrews signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent, and Mason and Drew were called up by the Miami Dolphins.

insurance runs in the seventh to help secure the victory.

SANDY SUMMER ...

The sand volleyball team was eliminated Friday in their first ever AVCA National Championships appearance in Gulf Shores, Ala. The program finished with an 18-3 record setting season. Losses to defending champion Pepperdine and Stetson ousted the Panthers from the tournament. “I’m really proud of how far we have come as a team. The belief we are starting to have in ourselves and in our ability is the reason for the heartbreak. We know we are capable of more and that is such a big life lesson for these ladies,” head coach Beth Van Fleet said.

Top pair Jansen Button and Sara Olivova qualified for the pairs championship as a No. 10 seed and defeated No. 7 Florida State before falling to No. 2 Loyola Marymount. The two were named AVCA All-Americans, making them the second and third Panthers to win the award in sand volleyball.

THE BROOMS ...

The softball team traveled to Statesboro this past weekend and brought the brooms with them as they were able to sweep rival Georgia Southern in three games. A convincing sweep of a doubleheader on Saturday was highlighted by wins of 19-6 and 10-7. The Panthers (35-20, 14-10) will now enter the Sun Belt tournament which begins May 6.

GEORGIA TECH

JACKETS HAVE TRIO OF STARS TAKEN IN DRAFT

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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eorgia Tech’s successful 2014 season resulted in three of its biggest stars landing new homes through this year’s NFL Draft.

Offensive lineman Shaquille Mason was the first off the board as the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots picked up the First Team All-American with the 32nd pick of the fourth round (131 overall).

Mason started all 14 games at right guard last season and anchored an offensive line that paved the way for Orange Bowl-record 452 yards of rushing vs. Mississippi State. In the run-heavy offense, Mason and the line allowed just 0.79 sacks per game (1st in ACC, 2nd nationally). Tech ranked first nationally in rushing offense, posting school-record marks for rushing yards (4,789) and rushing yards per game (342.1) and Mason earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week three times during last year’s record-breaking pace.

“From a run-blocking standpoint, I’d say he’s probably ahead of every other player

KENNESAW STATE

BECK WINS SCHOLAR ATHLETE AWARD, BOHANNON HOST FOUR FOOTBALL CAMPS

BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

T

he school year is coming to an end, which means the Owls’ 2014-15 sports season is also winding down. The school celebrated another successful year with their annual Student-Athlete Banquet on Sunday, and men’s golf standout Jimmy Beck was the big winner as he earned the Dr. David Waples Total Person Award, which is given to the upperclassman who exemplifies all the qualities that are wanted in a student-athlete, including athletic and academic achievement.

Beck has won the Atlantic Sun Scholar Athlete of the Year twice, making him the first person to reach that feat. He was also named to the Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar team last year. Last Thursday, Beck was named to the all-conference first-team. He was the runner-up in the Atlantic Sun Championships this season, and he finishes his career with seven top 10 and six top 10 finishes.

The golf team was not done receiving awards as Teremoana Beaucousin was named Male Athlete of the Year after being named At-

in the draft,” said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.”This guy run blocked in one game more than some teams did all season.”

HANDS TEAM…

Right after Mason got his phone call, wide receiver DeAndre Smelter joined San Francisco with the 132nd overall pick. Tech’s history of sending receivers to the NFL despite its triple option offense proved true once again.

The 6-foot-3 receiver, had 35 receptions for team-best 715 yards (20.4 yards per catch) and seven touchdowns and also rushed three times for 103 yards and one touchdown before a season-ending injury against the Bulldogs.

The 49ers buzz around Smelter is growing as they look at his measurables and athleticism. Smelter has the largest set of hands for a wide receiver to appear at the NFL Scouting Combine in the past decade and are an inch larger than Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr., and a half inch bigger than Hakeem Nicks, which required size-4XL gloves

In the sixth round, Darren Waller, another receiver from the Tech offense was taken with the 204th overall pick. Waller went to the Ravens and brings ridiculous size to the position at 6-foot-5, 241 pounds. Waller caught 26 passes for 442 yards and six touchdowns last season and included a career-high 114 receiving yards on five catches with one touchdown in Tech’s Orange Bowl win over Mississippi State.

lantic Sun Player of the Year. He led the Owls with a 71.14 stroke average and also had nine top 20 finishes.

Other winners include Natalie Rhodes from softball (Female Student-Athlete of the Year), Taylor McGhee from lacrosse and Rasmus Rooks from track and field (The Iron Owl Award) and Virginie Stein from women’s tennis (Wise Owl Award).

FOOTBALL CAMP…

With the summer rapidly approaching, it will be time for football season, and the Owl Nation is excited about the football team taking the field for real starting Sep. 3.

But before that happens, head coach Brian Bohannon and his coaching staff will scout future prospects as they will host four one-day camps in June and July.

The first one-day camp will be the Elite Prospect Camp, and that will be for rising high school junior and seniors on June 14. The second camp will be the following day, and that will be the Future Owl Youth Camp that will include rising third-eighth graders. There will be another Future Owl Youth Camp on July 6 and the last Elite Prospect Camp will be on July 11.

Each camp will take place at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, and each participant will get a t-shirt.

The Future Owl Youth Camp will be for young kids learning the game of football, while the Elite Prospect Camp will be for the high school athletes that are serious about taking their game to the next level.

Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS SPLIT OPENING PAIR WITH WIZARDS

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

A

n injured hand potentially has changed the complexion of the Hawks-Wizards series.

Washington took Game 1, 104-98, but John Wall sprained his left wrist in the victory. Wall was held out of Game 2 and instead of the Wizards taking a commanding 2-0 lead, the Hawks answered the bell with a 106-90 victory on Tuesday to even up the series.

Even with Wall sitting on the bench, Game 2 did not come easy for the Hawks until a strong fourth quarter sealed the deal. DeMarre Carroll once again was the story as he scored a game-high 22 points. After Game 1, Carroll became the first Hawk since Dominique Wilkins in 1989 to score 20-plus points in five straight playoff games. Carroll shouldered the load for Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver who both struggled mightily combining to shoot 7-of-23 from the field.

DeMarre knew the importance of taking Game 2 with Wall out. “We knew this was a game we had to win,” Carroll said. “It was kind

ATLANTA BRAVES

ACQUISITION OF MILLER LOOKING BETTER AND BETTER

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

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helby Miller continues to astound on the mound during his first season with the Atlanta Braves after being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in a trade involving Jason Heyward. Miller befuddled the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing only three hits and striking out eight. The 24-year-old improved to 4-1 for the 2015 campaign and saw his ERA dip to 1.66.

In six starts this season, Miller has pitched at least five innings without giving up more than two earned runs. He has 17 strikeouts in his last two appearances spanning 16 innings. In his last 12 starts dating back to the 2014 season with St. Louis, Miller is 6-1 with a 1.67 ERA. Not coincidentally, this hot streak began when he started perfecting a two-seam sinking fastball.

“It just gives him another weapon,” catcher A.J. Pierzysnki, who also played with Miller on the Cardinals, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He’s always been good at throwing

of a funky game.” Atlanta held a five point lead entering the fourth quarter and used a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 12 with under four minutes to play. Ramon Sessions played well in place of Wall and scored 21 points. Bradley Beal, Game 1’s hero, was held to 20 points. Paul Millsap and Al Horford both chipped in 18 for Atlanta.

MAGIC TOUCH ...

Bradley Beal led the charge in a Game 1 comeback over the Hawks on Sunday, 104-98.

Atlanta led by 11 points after the first quarter and by 10 points at halftime, 63-53. The Wizards would find a way to clamp down in the second half and hold Atlanta to just 35 points while Beal, John Wall and Paul Pierce asserted themselves. Beal scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Wall ran circles around Jeff Teague who rolled his ankle in the first half and finished with 13 assists, seven rebounds and three blocks to go with his 18 points. Pierce scored 19 points.

DeMarre Carroll poured in 24 points and Al Horford nearly notched a triple-double with 17 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists. Atlanta hit 13 threes, but took 38 of them making their offense too one-dimensional.

UP NEXT ...

The Hawks visit Washington this Saturday at 5 P.M. with a chance to take the lead in the series after the Wizards stole home court advantage in Game 1.

the four-seamer elevated and now he has a weapon where he can sink it away to lefties and sink it in on righties, just to back them up a little bit. He’s also added a slider along with the curveball and change-up. So he just has more weapons now. You can see his confidence on the mound is good. That’s a sign of maturity, a sign of him growing up and becoming the pitcher that people have thought he could be for a long time.”

MR. 1,000 …

Kelly Johnson is making the most of his second stint with the Braves and capitalizing on opportunities, which are growing in number thanks to both his own stellar play and to third baseman Chris Johnson’s hand injury that will sideline him for approximately one month.

In Tuesday’s shutout of Philadelphia, Johnson went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs while collecting the 1,000th hit of his career—a single to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.

“He was originally a Brave and now he comes back to us and gets his 1,000th hit,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said afterward.

“That’s got to be a great moment for him.”

Johnson, who was previously a Brave from 2005 through 2009, batted .206 with two homers through his first 38 at-bats of this season. While starting eight of the past nine games, however, he has hit .333 with four dingers.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS ADD 19 COLLEGE FREE AGENTS

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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he Atlanta Falcons announced Wednesday that they have agreed to terms with 19 college free agents. The list includes North Texas linebacker Derek Akunne, Tarleton State defensive tackle Chris Brown, Central Oklahoma wide receiver Marquez Clark, Azusa Pacific University offensive lineman Cody Clay, Louisville safety Terell Floyd, Northern Arizona tight end Beau Gardner, Wisconsin defensive tackle Warren Herring, Fort Valley State cornerback Mike Lee, Cincinnati tackle Eric Lefeld, Oregon linebacker Derrick Malone, Houston defensive tackle Joey Mbu, Central Florida cornerback Jordan Ozerities, Florida Atlantic safety Damian Parms, Ottawa University wide receiver Joshua Stangby, Auburn safety Robenson Therezie, New Mexico State center Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, Oregon State running back Terron Ward, Texas Christian cornerback Kevin White, and Indiana wide receiver Shane Wynn.

Ward will bring depth to running back this offseason and carries an impressive resume into his professional debut. The compact

GWINNETT BRAVES

BRAVES CRANK OUT 28 RUNS IN THREE GAMES

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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winnett (11-13) managed to put a poor game one loss out of the way and rip off three lopsided wins against Toledo (10-13) at home this past week. The Braves opened up the series with the Mud Hens on Thursday and fell 7-1, but in the following three games outscored Toledo 28-2. Routs of 15-1, 5-0 and 8-1 give the Braves momentum heading into road series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Lehigh Valley.

In Friday’s 15-1 win, the Braves blasted 19 hits. All nine starters recorded a hit while seven players notched a multi-hit game. Todd Cunningham and Cedric Hunter both tallied three hits with Hunter picking up three RBIs and Cunningham two. Barrett Kleinknecht also added three RBIs on three hits. Recently demoted Sugar Ray Marimon allowed one run over six innings.

Manny Banuelos pitched six shutout innings and allowed only two hits in Gwinnett’s 5-0 win Saturday. Catcher Braeden Schlehuber went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Sunday’s 8-1 win

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5-foot-7, 201-pound rusher finished his career with 1,843 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns and also added 87 receptions for 664 receiving yards at Oregon State. More importantly, Ward was a key player on the Beavers special teams units, something that could earn him a spot on the roster. Ward is a native of Antioch, California and attended De La Salle High School.

Lefeld comes in after an outstanding career at Cincinnati. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound tackle, started all 13 games in 2014 and missed just one start in his final three years with the Bearcats. He was named to the Outland Trophy watch list in 2013 and 2014, and earned first-team All-Big East honors as a sophomore in 2012.

Making the final roster will be tough for these free agent rookies but with a brand new coaching staff and system being installed, there is an opportunity that these hungry rookies will battle for. Head coach Dan Quinn has already hinted that this will be a very competitive preseason and this group of 19 players will make it that much more exciting to watch.

SUIT UP…

Falcons rookie minicamp returns to Flowery Branch this week and this will be a critical time for the rookies to soak in as much as they can before team practices are underway.

OTA workout sessions will be May 26-29, June 2-3, June 5 and June 9-12. The voluntary minicamp was April 27-30 and mandatory minicamp is June 16-18.

featured 15 more hits led by Jose Peraza’s perfect 4-for-4 night. Atlanta’s top prospect has shaken off a slow start and is now hitting .384 (20-for-52) in his last 14 games. He added two runs and three RBIs in Sunday’s game. Adonis Garcia drove in two runs on his three hits and is now batting .372 on the season. Williams Perez continued his great start to the season with four innings pitched and one unearned run, lowering his ERA to 1.33. Greg Smith entered in relief and picked up the win with four scoreless innings.

FROM GWINNETT TO ATLANTA ...

Atlanta’s No. 3 ranked prospect according to MLB.com, Mike Foltynewicz, was called up on Friday to make his first career MLB start.

Foltynewicz, who was acquired from the Houston Astros in the Evan Gattis trade, posted a tough-luck 0-3 record in Gwinnett while leading the International League in strikeouts with 30 in 21.2 innings. The 23-year-old amassed a 2.08 ERA in his time with Gwinnett.

The hard throwing righty picked up a win against the Cincinnati Reds after tossing five innings and allowing three runs (two earned).

A Kelly Johnson fifth inning two-run homer gave Atlanta the lead for good and secured the rookie’s first ever win. Foltynewicz also helped his own cause, doubling home Andrelton Simmons and Eric Young Jr. in the fourth inning.

“The dream about just pitching in the major leagues and getting a win is pretty incredible,” said Foltynewicz.

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Vol. 11 Iss. 17 | May 8-14, 2015

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