Score Vol. 12 Issue 16

Time to look great!

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

DRAFT PRIMER Take a look back at the Falcons busy offseason leading up to Draft Day. | Pg. 7

Growth and Change | Pg. 9 Craig Sager II remembers the last time Atlanta introduced two new stadiums.

Another Dynasty | Pg. 4 Buford gymnastics cruises to a third-straight state crown.

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

This comeback athlete had a long road back. Today it’s 8.5 miles.

Know a young athlete who overcame a serious injury or illness? Nominate them for Comeback Athlete of the Month at choa.org/comeback.

Vol. 12 Iss. 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rhonda Rawls

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

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COLUMNISTS

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ON THE COVER

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PREP COVER

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Sandy

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein

PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS: Ricky Dimon (Braves) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons, Kennesaw)

Colin Hubbard (GA Tech)

Kyle Sandy (GSU, GHSA, Hawks)

STAFF WRITERS Tyler Andrews Ned Kaish

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Copyright 2016 Score Atlanta Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Score Atlanta is digitally published every week on ScoreAtl.com. 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

06 11 12

SCORE LIST | NUMBERS GEORGIA STATE | KENNESAW STATE GEORGIA | GEORGIA TECH BRAVES | FALCONS HAWKS | HIGH SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ATLANTA FALCONS AND GHSA.NET

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MercedesBenzStadium.com

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SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com enough to play in three high school football games in the Georgia Dome.

I have seen SEC championships, SEC tournaments, Final Fours, state championships, Falcons games, Peach Bowls, Chick-fil-A Bowls, concerts, motor cross, etc. at the Dome, and I can remember it all.

SAGER SAYS

GROWING UP WITH NEW STADIUMS

THE TED …

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM effortlessly shielded myself with denial, Ijorhave but it is the year 2016, and I realize that a machapter of my life is coming to a close. The

new Braves’ and Falcons’ stadiums set to open in 2017 remains a reality stuck in oscillation. My outlook is melded between imagining the new fan experience and reminiscing about my childhood experiences.

I grew up with these two stadiums from their beginnings. I was only four-years old when the Georgia Dome opened and my family posed for a family photo on the hood of our blue (two-toned) Astro van in front of the newly christened Dome. We used the picture for our Christmas card that year.

My mom would take my two sisters (ages six and one) and I to every Falcons home game

up until we were at the age where our own sports and activities began marking up the weekend calendar. I learned the game of football during this time by watching the live action in this mysterious indoor stadium called ‘the Dome’. I still remember my “Eureka” moment when I finally decrypted what the down markers on the sideline were used for. It is actually one of the earliest memories I have in my life. I can still feel that rush of information that detonated MercedesBenzStadium.com at this precise moment and how enriching that feeling was. It was the first time I both saw and understood the game of football.

The place where I learned the game of football became the same place that I opened my sophomore season of high school football in the 2003 Corky Kell Classic. I was actually lucky

GHSA CHANGES…

SAGER SAYS 2

STATEWIDE

PREP SPOTLIGHT

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

wo former Florida High School Football T Coaches were hired in Georgia this past week.

North Cobb Christian was the first of the two as

they hired Jake Sorg as its head football coach.

Sorg had been head coach at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where he also was the school’s director of strength and conditioning. His football teams were 2812 over the past four seasons. He has 14 former players who have played college football or signed to play this fall.

Sorg will join North Cobb Christian’s staff on April 27 and meet parents and potential players on April 28. Spring football practice will begin May 9. He is a graduate and former four-year starter at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C.

North Cobb Christian had its first winning season (6-4) in the progam’s nine-year history last season under third-year coach Scott Ryle,

As a football fan, I can seem partial to the Dome, but Turner Field is just as memorable to me. I remember life before Turner Field, when I’d watch Fred McGriff play in the old Fulton County Stadium. I sat in Centennial Olympic Stadium for opening ceremonies in 1996 and watched the venue transform to a new, fun and exciting place to watch the Braves. With a giant firework-shooting Coca-Cola bottle in left field and tomahawk-chopping neon lights on top of the scoreboard in center field, this place looked and felt like home. Add the skyline, a guaranteed breathtaking sunset and the Olympic torch painting the backdrop of the stadium and it really didn’t get more “Atlanta” than that.

Turner Field’s opening came during the same time period of the maligned, but must-see steroid era of baseball. I was one of the spectators at the 2000 Home Run Derby watching the peak of the juicing greats as Sammy Sosa

Brian Sorg & Family who in March was announced as head football coach at Brook Hill School in Texas.

Westlake will hire Kareem Reid of Coconut Creek High in Florida as head football coach to replace Bryan Love.

Reid’s Coconut Creek teams were 16-14 and did not have a losing season in three years at a school that had gone 1-19 over the previous two campaigns.

“A lot of it was family-based,” Reid told the Sun-Sentinel out of Fort Lauderdale “I have a young son in the Atlanta area, and I wanted to be a strong presence in his life. To leave here, it would have to be a special place.”

Westlake was 10-3 and reached the Class AAAAAA quarterfinals in 2015 under Bryan Love, who accepted the head coaching job at Lamar County. Westlake was 0-10 in 2012 but went 24-11 in Love’s three seasons.

Georgia high school football teams may have spring games against each other beginning in 2017, the GHSA’s executive committee approved Monday in Macon.

‘’It adds a lot to the motivation of kids wanting be participate in football, and it’s going to make the off-season from January to May a lot better,’’ Norcross coach Keith Maloof told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “It’s going to give kids something to look forward to.’’

Schools still have the option of bypassing spring practice and having two preseason games against other teams in August. Those that have a spring game may also have one fall preseason game.

OTHER CHANGES…

Slow-pitch softball is back. By a 34-24 roll call vote, softball was reinstated as a varsity-only state-championship sport beginning in the spring of 2017 with one classification broken into four designated areas. Girls will be allowed to play fast pitch (fall) and slow pitch (spring). Slow pitch was discontinued as a GHSA state-championship sport after the 2008 season because of low participation.

The quarterfinal round of state basketball tournament will return to high school gyms of highest seeds. For the past two seasons, the quarterfinals were held in neutral-court college arenas. With the expansion to seven classifica-

blasted Herculean homers. Sosa’s macho-man performance at the Derby was punctuated with a 508-foot blast that sailed over the center-field TV cameras. I remember every second of that ball’s path from home plate to oblivion and I don’t now if I’ll ever see someone hit the baseball as hard as he did that day.

In 1998, I was sitting behind the Braves dugout days before my birthday. It was a July afternoon game, so as you can imagine, it was miserably hot. I was surviving the heat with my frozen lemonade. As I looked down to take another spoonful, John Smoltz sliced a foul ball that blistered through the muggy summer air and sliced a direct path to my left ring finger.

The ball chipped the bone on impact and spilled my lemonade, before ricocheting halfway up the section. The man that eventually wound up with the baseball came down to make sure I was okay and then handed me the ball. I still remember how quickly the pain went away the second that man handed me what was my firstever foul ball.

The good memories of our stadiums outweigh the bad and even the ugly ones. So let us limit the ‘selfies’ and preserve the authentic experiences that shape our love of the game and the precious memories that come with it.

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons tions and eight state finals (16 overall counting girl and boys finals), the GHSA office recommended a return to high school gyms, where they were held in 2013 and 2014, to ease the logistical challenges of staging them. Prior to 2012, when there were only five boys and five girls champions and brackets, all quarterfinals were played at neutral sites.

GHSA schools may play GISA and GICAA member schools provided that there is a written cross-play contract and that the GISA and GICAA schools comply with all GHSA safety rules and requirements. Inter-association competition will not count toward GHSA post-season qualification nor GHSA power ratings.

Football teams will be limited to attending no more than three summer camps that entail contact, and they may not total more than eight days. That is effective this summer.

Soccer, wrestling and volleyball turned down proposals to blend teams from two smaller classes to make for fewer state championships.

Instead, all will have seven championships (up from six this academic year). Those sports will be run with four areas per class (instead of eight regions per class), which will result in fewer stateplayoff teams, but more state champions.

And finally, the state golf tournaments will be two-day, 36-hole events beginning in 2017.

They are 18-hole events currently.

Photo courtesy of northcobbchristian.org

Vol. 12 Iss. 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016

PLAY. GROW. WORK. SUCCEED.

“I told myself that

I’m going to do something and that this organization would help me. From that day, I stuck to it.”

—Adam Adam, a Soccer in the Streets graduate and current coach in the program

888-436-5833 | soccerstreets.org | info@soccerstreets.org |

@soccerstreets |

/SoccerintheStreets

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6

Wesleyan Soccer

Villa Rica Baseball

Millsap did everything he could to try and lift Atlanta to a 3-1 series lead but it just wasn’t in the cards. After averaging nine points per game through the first three games of the series, Millsap erupted for 45 points and 13 rebounds. Atlanta can’t expect that output every night, but it is a positive sign for Millsap moving forward.

The boys soccer team polished off a perfect 17-0-1 regular season and enter the Class AA tournament as the No. 1 ranked team in the state. The Wolves have won 17-straight since a season opening draw with Marist and handed No. 2 Pace Academy its only loss of the season last week at Pace, 3-0.

At only 9-17 with no playoff berth to play for, the Wildcats stunned Class AAAAA by defeating No. 1 Allatoona 6-5, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

The Bucs’ loss snaps a 10game winning streak and is their first Region 5 loss since dropping to Alexander last season in March.

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

Paul Milsap

SCORE LIST

By Craig Sager II DRAFT WEEK

The Atlanta Falcons hold the No. 17 overall pick in Thursday’s anticipated NFL Draft. It’s already been a busy offseason through free agency and leading up to the draft in the second year of the Dan Quinn era. All eyes will be on the defensive guru and Thomas Dimitroff as the franchise searches for defensive talent in the early rounds.

HAWK-EYED

Game 4 of Atlanta’s opening round series versus the Boston Celtics was painfully disappointing. The Hawks blew a 16-point lead to the Celtics. Paul Millsap netted a career playoff-high 45 points, including 33 in the first half, but the effort was wasted as the All-Star was held to two baskets in the final nine minutes and overtime.

OVERTIME BLUES

Atlanta was outscored 12-3 in Sunday’s 104-95 overtime loss to Boston and with the defeat, moved to 0-9 in its last nine overtime games. The Hawks have struggled closing out games with incisiveness and lack of aggression, but the overtime woes are still a mystery that Coach Budenholzer must solve.

BUFORD THREEPEATS

The Buford gymnastics team won its third consecutive state title Friday at Westminster. Senior Logan Nugent led the way with Claudia Goyco, Berkley Barrett and Lyndzi Jones. The Wolves totaled 111.55 as Forsyth Central earned second place with a score of 107.825.

ALL-AROUND CHAMP

Sterlyn Austin of Thomas County Central won the prestigious All-Around title with a mark of 37.625. Elizabeth McMullan of Jefferson posted a 37.475 for second place and Goyco finished third after the Superior Judge rewarded a tiebreaker with West Forsyth’s Sienna Schreiber’s cumulative 37.250 to Goyco.

Los Angeles Clippers

Atlanta Hawks

Steph Curry

A 2-0 series lead over the Portland Trailblazers has evaporated into a 2-2 tie.

The trip to Portland has been trail of tears as Chris Paul broke his hand and Blake Griffin reinjured his quad, leaving both star players in doubt to return to the playoffs. It is just another unlucky postseason for L.A.

Like the Clippers, the Hawks now find themselves in a dog fight with the Boston Celtics, tied at two games apiece. Jeff Teague fumbled away a last shot in regulation that could have saved Atlanta from blowing a 16-point second half lead.

It’s gut check time for the Hawks as they return back to Philips Arena.

Golden State’s superstar point guard sprained his MCL and will miss a couple games in the NBA Playoffs.

Injuries have derailed this year’s postseason with the Clippers, Grizzlies and now Warriors all suffering major blows to their championship dreams. What a shame it has been after such a great regular season.

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

HOW MANY CONSECUTIVE OVERTIME GAMES HAVE THE ATLANTA HAWKS LOST?

TEAM SPEED

Who the Falcons will take with the 17th overall pick of the draft remains the most important question of the offseason.

Nearly every mock draft has impact linebackers still available by the time the Falcons take the stage, including Darron Lee out of Ohio State and Reggie Ragland out of Alabama.

WHO’S NOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

“

SANITY AT LAST

“We have had opportunities to put people away all year and we haven’t gotten it done. It’s time to learn that lesson.”

- Paul Millsap

3

Goals allowed all season

by Class AAAA No. 6 Pike County girls soccer.

43

Three-pointers attempted by the Hawks in their Game 4 loss.

5

Al Horford points in Game 4.

102

McIntosh boys soccer has outscored opponents 102 to 4 this season.

10

No. 1 Fellowship Christian girls soccer has 10 clean sheets this season.

43

Southwest DeKalb’s Javeon Cody has stolen 43 bases.

101

Colby Rhea of Liberty County has 101 strikeouts in 58.1 innings.

0

Allatoona’s Kyle Jacobsen has not given up an earned run in 28 innings of work.

Vol. 12 Iss. 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016 ing scheme after spending the entire year with Shanahan. Before the injury in 2014, Mack, a 2009 first round pick (21st overall), never missed a snap in the NFL. He returned last season fully healthy and started all 16 regularseason contests for the Browns. This durability helped Mack to three Pro Bowl nominations and solidified him as one of the best free agent offensive lineman available this free agency.

This is a significant deal as Mack was brought in to be an immediate leader on the field and in the locker room. Mack’s five-year deal is worth $45 million and includes $28.5 million in guaranteed money. The contract made Mack the highest paid center in the NFL going into the 2016 season if that’s any gauge on the level of performance the organization expects from the former Cal Bear.

ON THE COVER

ATLANTA HAWKS

BUSY OFFSEASON PRECEDES DRAFT WEEK

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

T

here is a delicate balance between patching up weaknesses and diving for treasure that the Falcons have watchfully demonstrated in the first stages of the offseason. Before the free agency period began, the Falcons gears were already turning. Veteran safety William Moore and linebacker Justin Durant were released on Feb. 8 and a week later the team shed more weight by parting with cornerback Travis Howard and fullback Collin Mooney.

The final move made before free agency was the biggest move of the 2016 offseason so far and sent a message to an openness for drastic changes as the Falcons released Roddy White on March 2. Parting with White, the best receiver in franchise history, is understandably difficult for much of the fan base, but what is important now is where the team goes from here. This move also proves what we already knew; Julio Jones is the new face of the franchise and this is his era.

Atlanta introduced one new face and one familiar face to the offensive side of the ball on March 9, while waiving nose tackle Paul Solia.

Center Alex Mack was inked to a five-year contract with the Falcons to give the team an experienced anchor to the line. We all remember the botched snaps and busted plays that were direct results of inexperience and inconsistency at the center position last year. Mack is an expensive pillar, but the upside is well worth it.

Mack is a beast in the run game at 6-foot-4, 311 pounds and a big body in the interior to free up the elusive and hard-running of Devonta Freeman, who needs just a sliver of open field to make something happen.

Mack joins Atlanta with a familiarity of the current playbook, having spent 2014 with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. His leg injury in 2014 prevented him from playing much that year, but he nonetheless was well-acquainted to the outside zone block-

FAMILIAR FACES…

The familiar face that returned to Atlanta, was quarterback Matt Shaub, who was picked up on Wednesday from Baltimore. Shaub, at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, was originally selected by the Falcons in the third round (90th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft out of Virginia. He spent his first three seasons in Atlanta and played in 38 games with two starts for the team, while completing 84-of-161 passes for 1,033 yards and six touchdowns.

Schaub was traded to the Houston Texans during the 2007 offseason. He played in 90 games with 88 starts for the team, and completed 1,951 of his 3,020 passes for 23,221 yards with 124 touchdowns, and a 90.9 passer rating, while being selected to two Pro Bowls.

During the two years Shanahan was offensive coordinator for the Texans (2008-09), Schaub went 647-of-963 for 7,813 yards and 44 touchdowns, and had a 95.7 passer rating.

This move is intriguing to me for two reasons. First, it gave the Falcons a reliable and proven backup at the quarterback position, something Matt Ryan has never had. Secondly, it brought in an experienced quarterback that I believe will directly impact Ryan this offseason. By having a quarterback familiar with Shanahan, familiar with the Falcons organization

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and fluent to life in the NFL, it will undoubtedly push Ryan and should make him a better-prepared quarterback in 2016.

Day 2 of free agency was focused on the defensive end position as the Falcons agreed to terms with Adrian Clayborn and Derrick Shelby. Clayborn was signed by the Falcons last offseason and played in every game in 2015, while tallying 15 total tackles (14 solo), three sacks and one fumble recovery.

Shelby, 6-2, 280 pounds, was originally signed as a college free agent by the Miami Dolphins following the 2012 NFL Draft out of Utah. Shelby has seen action in 63 games with nine starts, while posting 103 total tackles (74 solo), nine sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one defensive touchdown. Last season, he started eight of the 16 games he played in and recorded career highs in total tackles (37 – 25 solo) and sacks (3.5), as well as recording two forced fumbles and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu was added as a 6-foot-2, 210-pound target for the offense.

Sanu comes from Cincinnati and will have a much more important role in Atlanta’s offense.

On Friday, former Falcon Sean Weatherspoon was signed to a one-year deal. After missing the entire 2014 season, Atlanta separated with Weatherspoon and he spent last season on the Arizona Cardinals

To end the month of March, Atlanta bolstered the roster with the signing of linebacker Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw, 6-2, 272 pounds, was originally selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round (35th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Upshaw saw action in 64 games with 51 starts and has recorded 183 total tackles (111 solo), seven passes defensed, five sacks, five fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles.

Last season, he started 15 of the 16 games he played in and recorded 51 total tackles (29 solo), three fumble recoveries, two sacks, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles

Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons and AJC.com

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TEAM STANDINGS 1. BUFORD (111.550)

6. TIFT COUNTY (103.225)

VAULT RESULTS

BARS RESULTS

2. FORSYTH CENTRAL (107.825) 3. LAMBERT (105.250)

PREP COVER

4. NORTHVIEW (104.625)

BUFORD CAPTURES THIRD-STRAIGHT GYMNASTICS CROWN

5. WEST FORSYTH (104.450)

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

B

uford clinched its third consecutive GHSA Gymnastics State title Friday night at Westminster’s Turner Gymnasium with a 111.55 team score, edging second place Forsyth Central (107.825). The Wolves have struggled on the beam in each of the three championshipclinching years, but once again recovered from after stumbling on their shakiest event.

“The beam seems to be our nemesis,” admitted Buford head coach Amanda Allen. “It was a bummer and they did poorly, but they walked out of there like champions and they wanted it and picked up their game on the floor and vault and got the job done. These girls are fighters.”

Buford’s Lyndzi Jones, who placed first on the beam with a 9.7 last year, posted a solid third-place 9.40, but the remaining trio came up short of expectations. It took polished routines on the floor by Logan Nugent (9.50), Claudia Goyco (9.60) and Berkley Barrett (9.50) to reestablish Buford’s standings. Buford closed the night out on the vault and Goy-

co stuck a second-place 9.75 before Nugent landed a 9.4 to match Barrett’s score. Kelsey Shulman added a confidence-boosting 9.0 to give Buford four high totals.

Individually, Sterlyn Austin of Thomas County Central won the prestigious AllAround title with a mark of 37.625. Elizabeth McMullan of Jefferson posted a 37.475 for second place and Goyco finished third after the Superior Judge rewarded a tie-breaker with West Forsyth’s Sienna Schreiber’s cumulative 37.250 to Goyco.

Schreiber took an individual title on the beam with a 9.650 and teammate Aundria Crittenden finished second with a 9.450. Schreiber also added a first place finish on the vault with a 9.800. Austin easily won the floor with a near-perfect 9.825 routine. Nugent won a first-place medal on the bar with a 9.550.

Photos courtesy of ghsa.net and westforsythathletics.com

ALL-AROUND RESULTS

1. STERLYN AUSTIN (THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL) 37.625 2. ELIZABETH MCMULLEN (JEFFERSON) 37.475 3. CLAUDIA GOYCO (BUFORD) 37.250 4. SIENNA SCHREIBER (WEST FORSYTH) 37.250 5. LOGAN NUGENT (BUFORD) 36.800 6. MADDY SIMS (SOUTH FORSYTH) 36.750 7. KHOLE PARKER (TIFT COUNTY) 36.625 8. ALAINA STEINBERG (LAMBERT) 36.100 9. LAUREN GIST (FORSYTH CENTRAL) 36.050 10. MACKENZIE MILLER (FORSYTH CENTRAL) 36.00

1. SIENNA SCHREIBER (WEST FORSYTH) 9.800 2. CLAUDIA GOYCO (BUFORD) 9.750 3. TRINITY SAWYER (NORTHVIEW) 9.700 4. ELIZABETH MCMULLAN (JEFFERSON) 9.550 5. STERLYN AUSTIN (THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL) 9.500 6. KHLOE PARKER (TIFT COUNTY) 9.500 7. MADDY SIMS (SOUTH FORSYTH) 9.400 8. KATIE BETH CATER (CARROLLTON) 9.400 9. LOGAN NUGENT (BUFORD) 9.400 10. ALAINA STEINBERG (LAMBERT) 9.350

BEAM RESULTS 1. SIENNA SCHREIBER (WEST FORSYTH) 9.650 2. AUNDRIA CRITTENDEN (WEST FORSYTH) 9.450 3. LYNDZI JONES (BUFORD) 9.400 4. EVELYN HUANG (ROSWELL) 9.400 5. ELIZABETH MCMULLAN (JEFFERSON) 9.300 6. MACKENZIE MILLER (FORSYTH CENTRAL) 9.250 7. STERLYN AUSTIN (THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL) 9.200 8.ALAINA STEINBERG (LAMBERT) 8.950 9. MAECIE WINTER (FORSYTH CENTRAL) 8.850 10. BETHANY CHUNG (LAMBERT) 8.800

1. LOGAN NUGENT (BUFORD) 9.550 2. TRINITY SAWYER (NORTHVIEW) 9.35 3. MADDY SIMS (SOUTH FORSYTH) 9.325 4. KHLOE PARKER (TIFT COUNTY) 9.325 5. CLAUDIA GOYCO (BUFORD) 9.300 6.ELIZABETH MCMULLAN (JEFFERSON) 9.20 7. MADISON LORD (LAMBERT) 9.125 8. BERKLEY BARRETT (BUFORD) 9.100 9. STERLYN AUSTIN (THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL) 9.100 10. ALAINA STEINBERG (LAMBERT) 9.100

FLOOR RESULTS 1. STERLYN AUSTIN (THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL) 9.825 2. CLAUDIA GOYCO (BUFORD) 9.600 3. MADDY SIMS (SOUTH FORSYTH) 9.500 4. LOGAN NUGENT (BUFORD) 9.500 5. BERKLEY BARRETT (BUFORD) 9.500 6. ELIZABETH MCMULLAN (JEFFERSON) 9.425 7. KHLOE PARKER (TIFT COUNTY) 9.400 8. AUNDRIA CRITTENDEN (WEST FORSYTH) 9.225 9. MACIE WINTER (FORSYTH CENTRAL) 9.225 10. TRINITY SAWYER (NORTHVIEW) 9.125

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SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

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Vol. 12 Iss. 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

ATHLETICS HONORS 2016 STANDOUTS

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

M

alcom Mitchell (football) and Keturah Orji (women's track and field) claimed Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year awards at the annual Student-Athlete Awards Banquet hosted by the University of Georgia Athletic Association on Monday, April 25.

DJ Shockley, former Georgia quarterback who led the Bulldogs to the 2005 SEC Championship, hosted the event.

Seniors Sylvie Brick (women's golf) and Kisean Smith (men's track and field) were named Georgia's nominees for the SEC Brad Davis Community Service Postgraduate Scholarships, while sophomore Jeb Blazevich (football) and senior Brittany MacLean (women's swimming) were named recipients of the UGA Athletic Association Sportsmanship-Ethics Award.

Swimmer Ty Stewart and basketball player Marjorie Butler were recognized for receiving the Boyd McWhorter SEC Postgraduate Scholarship.

The men's cross country and women's swimming and diving teams were recognized as

GEORGIA STATE

PANTHERS LAND TRANSFER; TENNIS BRINGS HOME TITLE

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

eet Jeremiah Davis, Georgia State’s newM est addition to the basketball program.

Davis, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound point guard, is a

graduate transfer from Ball State. As a Cardinal he appeared in 22 games as a senior and averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Davis, whose hometown is in Muncie, played his past two seasons at Ball State. He started his collegiate career at Cincinnati and spent parts of three seasons as a Bearcat. Next season will mark year six of Davis stepping foot on a college floor. The Panthers welcome the experienced guard to a backcourt that features Austin Donaldson, and off guards Isaiah Williams, Isaiah Dennis, Jeff Thomas and Devin Mitchell.

Gainesville’s D’Marcus Simonds is also set to enter the fold and vie for big minutes as a freshman two-guard.

SUN BELT CHAMPS

Georgia State earned won the Sun Belt Championship with a 4-2 victory over South Alabama Sunday at City Park/Pepsi Tennis Center in Women’s tennis. GSU, ranked No. 46 by the

the recipients of the Faculty Athletics Representative's award, after earning the highest team grade point averages of 3.42 and 3.16, respectively, during the 2014-15 academic year.

TWO-SPORT STAR…

Former Bulldog two-sport standout James Thomas “Jack” Roberts passed away Thursday, April 21.

Roberts, a native of Gainesville, Ga., played football and was an All-Southeastern Conference pitcher at the University of Georgia. His finest season on the diamond came in 1953 when he led the team to an SEC title, going 8-2 with a school record 87 strikeouts. His strikeout mark, achieved in just 12 appearances, held for 32 years. Following his graduation, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and reached their AAA club, Rochester. Also, he played for the Atlanta Crackers. His professional baseball career was interrupted by a period of military service with the United States Air Force from 1956-58.

In 1958, Roberts was inducted in to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame for football, baseball, basketball and track. Together with his wife Mary Ann, he owned and operated Little Ones Day Care for many years. He had his jersey retired in 2008 at Gainesville High School.

Roberts, 86, was an outstanding athlete, coach, teacher and friend.

A memorial service will be held Friday, April 29 at 11 a.m., at Fayetteville First United Methodist Church, with Dr. David Campbell officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations are made to Fayetteville First United Methodist Church.

ITA and the No. 1 seed, now awaits its seed in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show for the 2016 Women’s Tennis Championship will air on Tuesday, May 3, at 4 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.

It is Georgia State’s second championship in the past three seasons since joining the Sun Belt Conference prior to the 2012-13 season.

The Panthers defeated South Alabama by a 4-1 margin to win the 2014 title. GSU enters the tournament with a 15-5 record.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL CLAIMS SECOND

No. 9 Georgia State (26-8, 6-4) fell to No. 3 Florida State in the inaugural CCSA Beach Volleyball Championships at Lakepoint Sports Complex on Sunday. The Panthers defeated LSU in the semifinals to reach the championship.

FSU overpowered the Panthers 3-0 to hoist the trophy. The duo of Milani Pickering and Delaney Rohan was named to the All-Tournament team.

Eight teams receive bids to the 2016 NCAA Tournament that will take place May 6-8 at Gulf Shores, Ala. The NCAA Selection show will be shown Sunday, May 1 at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.

HOOD’S HOUSE

Jarrett Hood cracked his second walkoff hit of the season in the 11th inning against Appalachian State to earn a 5-4 win on Sunday. The Panthers rallied from down 4-2 in the 11th before Hood’s single proved to be the game winner.

“Wow, that’s all I can say. It feels great to win,” head coach Greg Frady said. Georgia State is now 18-21 with a 7-11 mark in the Sun Belt.

GEORGIA TECH

JACKETS SHINE ON ACADEMIC STAGE

BY COLIN HUBBARD | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

ach of the Georgia Tech's 15 athletics proEteams grams are in good standing, while three lead the Atlantic Coast Conference ac-

cording to the latest Academic Progress Rate statistics released Wednesday by the NCAA. An impressive 13 of Georgia Tech’s 15 teams scored 980 or better out of a possible 1,000 points, while 12 teams posted either identical or better scores from the previous APR release – baseball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, golf, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track, women’s track, and volleyball.

Golf (1000), men’s swimming & diving (1000) and volleyball (1000) are all tied for the top multi-year APR score in the ACC, while football (987) has the second-highest APR among ACC football programs. Softball (989) and women’s swimming & diving (995) are tied for the third-highest scores in the ACC.

SEASON REWIND…

It was a cause for celebration Monday night as the Georgia Tech Athletic Association

KENNESAW STATE

OWLS FALL IN EXTRA-INNING THRILLER

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

L

ipscomb snapped Kennesaw State's eightgame Atlantic Sun Conference win streak, defeating the Owls in a dramatic extra-inning tilt, 11-9, in 13 innings at Stillwell Stadium Sunday afternoon to avoid a series sweep. Even with the loss, Kennesaw State equaled the best start after four league series since 2014 when Lipscomb and Mercer each started 10-2 in conference action and took 2-of-3 from the Bisons.

With the loss, KSU dropped to 20-21 overall and 10-2 in conference play, while Lipscomb improved to 20-20 overall and 4-5 in league play.

The Owls will take on Georgia Southern and Georgia State in a pair of non-conference mid-week tilts this week, before Kennesaw State will take a week off. Tuesday's game will be played at Stillwell Stadium.

SOFTBALL SPOTLIGHT…

Kennesaw State returns home this week to play its final non-conference game of the season when it hosts Georgia Tech Tuesday at Bai-

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honored its nearly 400 student-athletes at the annual Yellow Jacket Celebration. The event was held at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Convention Center in Tech Square.

Women’s tennis senior Megan Kurey and current Student-Athlete Advisory Board President and men’s tennis senior Nathan Rakitt were the recipients of the night’s highest honor, the Total Person Award. All-American guard Aaliyah Whiteside and men’s basketball senior Marcus Georges-Hunt were named the 2015-16 GTAA Athletes of the Year.

Baseball’s Tristin English and women’s track and field standout Bria Matthews were recognized as Georgia Tech’s Rookies of the Year. English has quickly become one of the ACC’s best freshman hitters, batting .346 with a team-high 15 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBI. English is the only Yellow Jacket with multiple home runs in a game, crushing two homers on April 23 at Clemson. Matthews was named ACC Women’s Indoor Freshman of the Year after claiming gold medals in both the long jump (6.35m) and the triple jump (13.08m).

BEST MOMENT…

Winning best moment unanimously was the “Miracle on Techwood”. With the game tied 16-16, Florida State lined up for game-winning field goal. Pat Gamble blocked Roberto Aguayo’s 56-yard field goal attempt and Lance Austin picked up the ball and raced 78 yards for the game-winning score for a 22-16 upset win over No. 9 Florida State. The Jackets handed FSU its first ACC loss since Oct. 6, 2012, and marked their second straight win over the Seminoles in Atlanta.

ley Field beginning at 6 p.m. (ET). The game can be watched live on A-Sun TV beginning at 5:45 p.m. This year marks the ninth annual Lexi's Day game where the Kennesaw State softball program partners with the Alexis Kaiser Foundation in an effort to assist local young people who suffer with a neuromuscular disease. The 2016 honoree, selected by the Alexis Kaiser Foundation, is 11-year old Tyler George, son of David and Tracey Britt George, who played for Whitlock from 1991-94 and earned NAIA AllAmerican honors in 1994. Tyler, who suffers from cerebral palsy, will receive a tricycle that will help improve his quality of life.

STRIKE OUT HUNGER…

KSU, in conjunction with Fifth Third Bank (Georgia), have announced plans to kick off the annual Strike Out Hunger food drive. The community food drive will take place Tuesday, April 26 at KSU when the Owls take on Georgia Southern at Stillwell Stadium with first pitch set for 6 p.m. Fifth Third Bank will also donate $53 to the CARE Center for every strike out pitched by a KSU pitcher during the game.

The Owls have been playing their best baseball of the 2016 season as of late, reeling off eight straight victories before dropping Sunday's 13-inning tilt to Lipscomb. Kennesaw State is 10-2 over its first 12 games, equaling the best four-series start in conference since 2014 when Lipscomb and Mercer started 10-2. This is the best start to conference play in Owls' history since becoming a D-I member in 2006.

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ATLANTA HAWKS

MELTDOWN IN BEANTOWN

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

once commanding 2-0 lead has soured A into a 2-2 tie after the Hawks were unable to take a game in Boston, losing 111-103 in Game 3 and blowing a 16-point third quarter lead in Game 4, 104-95 in overtime.

GAME 3

Atlanta came out listless with a chance to go for the throat against Boston and take a 3-0 lead. Instead, the Hawks allowed the Celtics to race out to a 37-20 lead after the first period. Atlanta slowly would crawl back into the game and take a 85-84 lead with 9:29 to play off a Dennis Schroder lay-in, but Boston would quickly re-seize momentum and outscore Atlanta 27-18 the rest of the way.

It was a physical and emotional game as at one point the two teams traded flagrant fouls in successive possessions. Schroder sparked the Hawks with 20 points off the bench while Jeff Teague scored 23 and Kent Bazemore added 20, but Isaiah Thomas, who got into a kerfuffle with Schroder, exploded for a career-high 42 points.

ATLANTA BRAVES

BREAK UP THE BRAVES! ATLANTA WINS FOUR IN A ROW

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

F

rom just about out of nowhere, the Atlanta Braves went on a four-game winning streak from last Friday through this Tuesday. The Braves, of course, had started the season by losing a horrendous nine games in a row. But it is safe to say the devastating 0-9 record is a thing of the past, as Atlanta answered with a three-game sweep in Miami prior to an 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. The Braves torched former teammate Alex Wood for six runs (only three earned) on seven hits in four innings on Tuesday. Catcher Tyler Flowers went 4-for-4 with three RBIs “It’s not the way we wanted to start; lose nine and win four,” outfielder Jeff Francouer told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “At the same time, screw it, might as well keep it going.”

NOT ALL IS WELL …

Despite the recent winning streak, the big picture—at least in 2016—cannot be considered a good. After all, Atlanta is still a disap-

Thomas drilled five threes and 13 free throws while exchanging words with Schroder throughout. At one point, the two got dinged for a double technical. Things boiled over when Thomas slapped Schroder in the head on the way back down the court. Thomas explained the hit was unintentional and later was cleared to play for Game 4.

“I’m not, because I didn’t mean to hit him in the head,” Thomas said. “He got mad, he was talking. But it’s playoff basketball; that’s what it’s about. I’m not gonna back down from anybody. And he knows that.”

GAME 4

As good as Isaiah Thomas was in Game 3, Paul Millsap was even better in Game 4 on Sunday, erupting for 45 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and four blocks after averaging just nine points per game in the first three contests. However down the stretch after the Hawks saw their 16-point lead evaporate, Coach Mike Budenholzer elected to have the ball in Teague’s hands as the clocked ticked down in regulation. There, with only five seconds left on the clock, Kyle Korver was run off a well-guarded screen. Panicked with nowhere to go, Teague tried a desperation heave at the buzzer which slipped out of his hands.

“I think we took our foot off the pedal.

I think we maybe pressed a little bit, tried to take them off their game,” Millsap said. “Give them credit: We had the opportunity to blow the game out. We just didn’t do it.”

pointing 4-9. But the win-loss column may be the least of the Braves’ concerns at the moment, because they are also dealing with other issues.

One of the key pieces for both the present and the future is left fielder Hector Olivera, who was arrested last week in Washington, D.C. and charged with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery. The 31-year-old Cuban was immediately placed on administrative leave in accordance with Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence Policy. Olivera may have to wait two more weeks to find out if the league will discipline him, but his future status with the Braves is also in question regardless of what the MLB decides.

On the injury front, infielder Gordon Beckham went down with a strained left hamstring during last Saturday’s victory over the Marlins. When the Braves learned on Monday that Beckham would need at least a week to fully recover, they placed him on the 15-day disabled list and called up relief pitcher Ryan Weber. Beckham, an Atlanta native and former University of Georgia star, will be eligible to come off the DL on May 2. Center fielder Ender Inciarte is also dealing with a hamstring problem. He is eligible for activation this weekend but is not expected to return until May. Mallex Smith, who had a three-game winning streak through Tuesday night and delivered the game-winner in the finale against the Marlins, will continue to carry the load in center.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS REACH INJURY SETTLEMENTS

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Atlanta Falcons today announced that they have reached an injury settlement with T tight end Beau Gardner and offensive lineman

Adam Replogle. Gardner, 6-4, 240 pounds, was originally signed as a college free agent following the 2015 NFL Draft out of Northern Arizona. He caught 28 passes for 412 yards with five touchdowns in his final season with the Lumberjacks. Replogle, 6-3, 294 pounds, was signed by the Falcons as a college free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent the 2014 season as a member of Atlanta’s practice squad.

BUSINESS AS USUAL…

The NFL’s Atlanta Falcons today announced Morgan Shaw Parker has been named Vice President, Football Communications after a nationwide search to fill a key position in the team’s front office. Shaw Parker will assume leadership of the Falcons communications department in late May, reporting to AMB Group Senior Vice President, Brett Jewkes.

Shaw Parker brings a nearly 20-year proven track record in sport business and in-

GHSA BEAT

UNSIGNED SENIORS FINDING THEIR HOMES

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

The NCAA Live Period is among us and with that brings more scholarship offers for players looking to take their high school basketball careers to the next stage. As those young hot shots shoot for the stars, don’t forget about the unsigned seniors across the state still looking for a home. The clock is ticking for players and their families to make the biggest decision of their life: where to further their education and continue playing basketball at.

This past week has seen a handful of GHSA standouts make their commitments.

Kerney Lane of St. Pius elected to commit to Alabama-Hunstville, a D-II power. Lane was a steady performer for the Golden Lions as a 6-6 lefty with a versatile array of skills.

He held some D-I interest most notably from Holy Cross, but decided to become a Charger instead due to fit. He averaged 18 points and 7 rebounds in his senior season and was selected Sandy’s Spiel All-State Honorable Mention for Class AAAA.

novation including the NFL, NCAA, media, corporate brand and agency. She joins the Falcons after spending over 10 years at NIKE, Inc. where she most-recently served as Director within its North America Communications function. In that role since 2009, Shaw Parker set the strategic and tactical communications direction for multiple Nike brand categories, including Football (NFL and NCAA) where she led the 2012 media launch for Nike’s NFL partnership and has continued a strong relationship with the league office and all 32 clubs.

She also held positions leading communications strategy for Nike Baseball (MLB), Men’s Training, Women’s Training, Running, Olympics and affiliate brand communications for NIKE, Inc., among others. Within these roles, her responsibilities included developing long-term integrated communications strategies across marketing, social/digital, product, design and retail.

Earlier in her career, she spent 1999-2004 with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in its public relations, community relations and corporate affairs departments. While a member of the @Chiefs PR staff, she served as a feature reporter for the Chiefs Gameday Show with Metro Sports on Time Warner Cable / KCTV5, and was a member of the NFL’s Super Bowl PR team for over a decade. She also sat on the board of @WINforKC - part of the Kansas City Sports Commission - helping to provide opportunities for girls and women in sports.

“The Atlanta Falcons and all of the Blank Family of Businesses are truly world-class organizations and I couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity to join the Falcons family,” said Shaw Parker.

Will Washington, a Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAAA All-State First Teamer, might have been the most entertaining point guard in the state to watch this season. He found his temporary home at Tallahassee Community College. He helped key McIntosh’s offense as they finished with a school record 29 wins.

Washington averaged 13.8 points and 7.3 assists while garnering national attention with a SportsCenter Top 10 dunk at the Lake City Classic. After two years of schooling, Washington should resurface in a D-I backcourt.

A WAITING GAME…

Another top notch guard who was a Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAAA All-State Second Teamer, Aaron Augustin, rolled the dice and came away with a nice pot. Augustin transferred from Peachtree Ridge to Miller Grove, a gamble in itself, and also decommitted from East Tennessee State. Augustin played his senior season unsigned, waiting for more offers to role in. All was quiet on his recruiting front until this week when Augustin emerged with a scholarship to play at Stephen F. Austin, a Cinderella story from this year’s NCAA Tournament.

There are still hundreds of quality players searching for the right fit at the next level.

These three are just the latest lucky few to end the lengthy and tiring recruiting process.

Vol. 12 Iss. 16 | Apr. 27 - May 3, 2016

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