Score Vol. 12 Issue 17

Time to look great!

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 17 | May 4 - May 10, 2016

Championship Weekend | Pg. 9 State records are pursued with a star-studded championship meet field.

Underclassmen on the Rise | Pg. 4 Kyle Sandy breaks down the starstudded Class of 2019.

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

SAFETY FIRST

Falcons use first-round pick to add Keanu Neal to Quinn's secondary | Pg. 7

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Vol. 12 Iss. 17 | May 4 - May 10, 2016

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rhonda Rawls

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

04

COLUMNISTS

07

ON THE COVER

09

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, GHSA, Kennesaw)

Colin Hubbard (GA Tech)

Kyle Sandy (GSU, Hawks)

STAFF WRITERS Tyler Andrews Ned Kaish

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TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES

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TOP TEN PICKS | NUMBERS GEORGIA STATE | KENNESAW STATE GEORGIA | GEORGIA TECH BRAVES | FALCONS HAWKS | HIGH SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

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SANDY’S SPIEL EXCLUSIVE

A LOOK AT THE CLASS OF 2019

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

B

eing a four-year varsity starter isn’t the most common feat. A few freshmen made some major impacts as ninth graders this past season and should steadily improve throughout their high school careers. Here’s a look at some names that should become mainstays in the GHSA over the next three years.

ASHTON HAGANS – NEWTON – 6’3”

Ashton Hagans, the Sandy’s Spiel Class AAAAAA Freshman of the Year, was so good this year I almost forgot he was a freshman. The dazzling point guard already holds high-major division one offers and is hands down the best young point guard in the state with his advanced floor vision. He helped the Rams to the Final Four this year and returns to a loaded backcourt which will be relied upon to take Newton deep into the postseason again.

KYLE STURDIVANT – NORCROSS – 6’2”

Ashton Hagans might be the best freshman point guard in the state, but I’d be lying if I didn’t mention Kyle Sturdivant as a D-I talent too. Sturdivant may have won the award any other year if it weren’t for Hagans. The mature

guard already has an offer from Kennesaw State and should continue to shine in year two.

ISAAC OKORO – MCEACHERN – 6’5” & ISAAC MARTIN – MCEACHERN – 6’4”

The Indians are loaded with players ready to take their game to the next level. Isaac Okoro already has shown brilliant flashes as a doeverything forward, hitting shots, rebounding and denying anything close to the hoop. Teammate Isaac Martin is a big shot maker. He drilled some big threes down the stretch when the Indians upset McIntosh at the Lake City Classic. Both are slated to have huge years now that Darius Jones, AJ Jones and Bryce Smith are all graduating.

KENYON JACKSON – GRAYSON – 6’5”

Kenyon Jackson wasn’t known for his offensive prowess as a young buck anchoring Grayson’s Cinderella Elite Eight team that knocked off No. 1 Wheeler in the first round, but it is his long arms and advanced rim protecting skills that stood out. Jackson averaged a little over five points per game and close to 10 boards a night while swatting away four shots on av-

erage. He is already a battle-tested big man coming out of Region 8-AAAAAA. Jackson is a hot prospect on the football field but if he adds another inch or two and can grow offensively, Coach Geoffrey Pierce has a stalwart to turn to inside.

MESSIAH THOMPSON – NORTH ATLANTA – 5’8”

Graduation and transfers hit North Atlanta hard following its 18-11 campaign in 2014-15. All that was left was a diminutive point guard on a rebuilding team that won nine games. Messiah Thompson shouldered the load and led the team in scoring with close to 12 points per game and looks like strong floor general to build around.

Thompson has quick hands, picking over three steals per game this year. This summer he has manned the Atlanta Xpress 15U team at point guard. I watched him score 12 points, grab five rebounds and come away with three steals including a couple big ones late in a 54-50 victory.

He finds a way to be in the right spot at the right time and is an easy lead guard to play with.

TRAE BROADNAX – ISLANDS – 6’2”

Islands had school record setting season going 20-7, but the Sharks still missed out on the playoffs. Who took the Savannah-based team to the next level as a third scoring option and the lead ball-handler to take pressure off 1,000-point scorer Justin Cave? It was Trae Broadnax. The freshman averaged 12 points per game and is continuing to improve. He has played with the 17U Savannah Terps, a team predominately populated with the returning Islands roster. Broadnax has good size already and a nice feel for the game. The Sharks see plenty of familiar faces in Region 3-AAA next year with

Jenkins returning as the favorite. With Cave and Broadnax in the backcourt and another year of experience under their belt, it’s now or never for the Sharks to take a bite out of AAA.

ALEC WOODARD – MORGAN COUNTY – 6’1”

Alec Woodard finished with seven points and eight rebounds in Morgan County’s state championship victory over Jenkins. Not a bad way to start a career. Woodard is more known for his sharp shooting however. He banged home 10 threes in a game this year, good for a Morgan County school record. The Sandy’s Spiel Class AAA Freshman of the Year is in line for a big year as his role will increase for the defending state champs.

TJ BICKERSTAFF – SANDY CREEK – 6’6”

Coach Anthony McKissic has a potential gem in TJ Bickerstaff. The long guard can play any position on the floor with his size and skillset but he looks most comfortable on the wing.

If he can harness his talent and find a starting role with the Patriots, Sandy Creek could take off with Elias Harden and Evan Jester already in place. There is a lot of potential in Bickerstaff.

RYAN GREER – LOVETT – 5’11”

Ryan Greer made his presence known quickly as he and first-year head coach Ryan Koudele turned the Lions from a 13-15 team into a 22-7 Elite Eight team in Class AA. The Sandy’s Spiel Class AA Freshman of the Year averaged 13 points, six rebounds and six assists per game.

Greer has a knack for making all the right plays and finding ways to win. He has been a standout for TNBC this summer.

Photo courtesy of the Ty Freeman

Vol. 12 Iss. 17 | May 4 - May 10, 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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LakesideDeKalb

Ohio State

The biggest upset in sports history is complete. Over the pond in the English Premier League Leicester City, a 5,000-1 shot to win the EPL did just that – win the EPL. Bettors who put any sort of money on the soccer team received massive paydays. Cinderella stories still exist.

The No. 1 ranked boys soccer team in Class AAAAAA will face its stiffest test of the season against top ten foe Norcross. The Vikings are undefeated at a perfect 19-0. The Blue Devils enter at 13-3-1 after surviving the brutal Region 7. Tuesday’s match should provide fireworks.

The Buckeyes had a whopping five players drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, highlighted by No. 3 Joey Bosa and No. 4 Ezekiel Elliott. It’s safe to say the balance of power has shifted away from the SEC and back to the rest of the country.

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

Leicester City

TOP 10 PICKS

By Craig Sager II

LOS ANGELES RAMS – JARED GOFF

After making a blockbuster trade on April 14 to move up to No. 1, the Rams got their man in Goff. The former Cal Bear threw for 43 touchdowns in his final season.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – CARSON WENTZ

From FCS unknown to the second pick in the draft, the Eagles hope Carson Wentz can eventually repeat the success he had as quarterback at North Dakota State.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS – JOEY BOSA

San Diego nabbed the top pass rusher in the draft in Joey Bosa. The Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year is known for his relentless motor and productivity on the edge.

DALLAS COWBOYS – EZEKIEL ELLIOTT

Jerry Jones is on the hunt for the next Emmitt Smith to carry the load in the backfield. Ezekiel Elliott is a 225-pound proven workhorse back that gets downhill in a hurry.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – JALEN RAMSEY

From Tallahassee to Jacksonville, the freakish athlete from Florida State stays in the Sunshine state. Ramsey might be the most talented defender in the Draft when all is said and done.

BALTIMORE RAVENS – RONNIE STANLEY

Ronnie Stanley, a durable and athletic left tackle with a clean track record, quickly moved up draft boards to become the first lineman selected. He will be tasked to protect Joe Flacco.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – DEFOREST BUCKNER

The Niners double dip with Oregon Ducks on the defensive side of the ball after selecting Arik Armstead a year ago. Buckner blends size and speed and has great upside at 6-foot-7.

TENNESSEE TITANS – JACK CONKLIN

The Titans traded up in the draft with the Cleveland Browns to select Jack Conklin, a left tackle from Michigan State. The All-American will become favorite of Marcus Mariota’s.

CHICAGO BEARS – LEONARD FLOYD

Chicago traded with Tampa Bay to move up two slots and select linebacker Leonard Floyd out of Georgia. The former Bulldog was a standout at Dodge County High School.

NEW YORK GIANTS – ELI APPLE

There are now two Eli’s in the Big Apple. The Giants finished third to last in points allowed last season at 27.6 and dead last in passing yards making cornerback a logical decision.

WHO’S NOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Hawks

Make that eight straight losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Atlanta has been owned by Cleveland. They had a chance to steal Game 1, but LeBron and Kyrie Irving were too much down the stretch en route to a 104-93 loss. Coach Bud will go back to the drawing board for Game 2.

Al Horford

Mike Foltynewicz

Enough is enough. The talk of a max contract deal for Al Horford should have never been whispered and after another weak playoff performance hopefully they can be put to rest. Horford’s soft play has been a defining characteristic for the Hawks over his career.

See ya later. Folty was horrendous as the Mets shelled the young starter in his first MLB start of the season. Three homers greeted Foltynewicz in the first inning. He was chased after just 3.2 innings of work.

It’s getting close to time to stamp the hard throwing righty as a bust.

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

“

SANITY AT LAST

HOW MANY TACKLES DID FALCONS FIRST-ROUND PICK KEANU NEAL TALLY LAST SEASON?

"We had targeted our first round pick Keanu Neal from the beginning. He was guy that we really believe was the top safety for our system.”

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- Thomas Dimitroff

1 8.8 27 0

Shot attempt Kyle Korver was able to get off against Cleveland in Game 1.

Points per game Al Horford is averaging in his last five games.

Dennis Schroder points off the bench in Game 1.

Braves runs off 42-yearold Bartolo Colon.

20

Team-leading RBIs for Nick

13

Hits in Freddie Freeman’s

14.3

Points per game for Kent

12

Braves games back of first

Markakis.

last nine games.

Bazemore in the playoffs.

place in the NL East.

Vol. 12 Iss. 17 | May 4 - May 10, 2016

ON THE COVER

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS SOLIDIFY 2016 DRAFT CLASS

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

T

he Atlanta Falcons selected Florida safety Keanu Neal with the 17th overall pick of the NFL draft on Thursday and added physicality and versatility to their energetic and talented secondary. With a vision to bring in a hard-hitting safety that can disrupt plays, cover sideline to sideline and get downfield in a hurry, the franchise successfully brought in the 6-foot-2, 211-pound Neal and solidified his immortal status as a first round pick.

“We had a game plan coming into this draft like we always do,” explained Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff. “It was very well though out. We had targeted our first round pick Keanu Neal from the beginning.

He was guy that we really believe was the top safety for our system.”

Neal’s fit into the Falcons system and his projected success at the professional level made him one of the hottest commodities available on draft day. Taking into account that Neal is joining a Falcons defense that will give

him an opportunity to become the starter right away, it is a mutually beneficial relationship that the young star is eager to begin.

“I think I fit perfectly,” Neal said moments after the Falcons called his name. “They want guys who are interchangeable. Who can do more than just one thing and I fit that.

STARRING ROLE…

The ability to be interchangeable is a key ingredient to Quinn’s defensive philosophy and the safeties that star in his exciting and fastpaced style. Neal has the ability to cover tight ends with his physicality and contribute in the run-game with his explosive tackling. Neal’s power and explosiveness as a tackler went viral in 2014 when he stonewalled Heisman Trophy Winner and 240-pound running back Derrick Henry with a crushing hit.

The immediate impact that Neal will have on the roster, however, is perhaps the most exciting aspect that the organization and fans

can look forward to. The Falcons are in need of a strong safety after releasing William Moore and having big shoes to fill grants Neal the opportunity to shine and develop his way into a young leader on a future-minded pack of emerging defensive stars.

Even with his reputation as being an enforcer and not backing down from contact, there are gifted and proven coverage skills already in his repertoire. He played both safety positions at Florida and is more than capable of dropping into coverage and fulfilling the challenging role of strong safety.

“The strong safety position is a critical one for us and one that’s really valuable,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said on Neal’s versatility. “You have to have the run-and-hit factor of playing a linebacker because we play our safeties so close to the line of scrimmage. He’s either in the box or close to the line. He also has to have the coverage skills to play safety, play on the tight ends and be a real factor on third downs.”

There is already a familiar bond that Quinn and Neal share as both hail from the Swamp in Gainesville, Florida. Quinn led the Gators defense from 2011-2012 as defensive coordinator before making the move back to the NFL as a first-time coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks, where he reached back-toback Super Bowls. As a coordinator with Florida, his defense was top-10 in the country both seasons. During the 2011 season, the Gators would rank eighth nationally in total defense (299.5), seventh in passing defense (166.8) and second in third-down defense (27.12 percent). Neal was partially recruited by Quinn before he left Florida to return to the NFL. Neal is coming off a productive junior season and skipping his senior year was a lucrative decision for the highly demanded defender. Neal was the Gators’ third-leading tackler last year with 96 tackles and added one interception. The leading factor to his first-round draft status, was the course that last season took. After beginning the year with an injured hamstring that sidelined him for the first two games, Neal rapidly improved as the season went on and his health returned. His emergence as a leader and his impact on the

7

field continued to blossom each week and his potential for more growth at the next level became visible.

His ability to fight through an injury and lead through example fits the toughness that Quinn is looking to bring to the defense. The 8.5 tackles per start he tallied along the way, is evident of his ability to push through setbacks and play through pain.

“He is a guy that embodies what we were looking for as far as his passion and his toughness on and off the field,” Dimitroff said. “It’s something that’s very important for this organization to have someone who has a presence on the field and makes a big impact defensively both in the run and the pass game.”

CLASS OF 2016 In the second round, Atlanta brought in LSU Linebacker Deion Jones. Jones led LSU in tackles with 100 last season. The third-round selection brought in tight end Austin Hooper.

He recorded 34 catches for 438 yards and six receiving touchdowns during his final year at Stanford.

Another linebacker was brought in with the fourth-round pick with De’Vondre Campbell. Campbell, 6’4, 232 pounds, played in 39 games with 27 starts during his three years with the Minnesota Gophers.

The final two picks were on the offensive side of the football. Wes Schweitzer was brought in to play guard in the sixth-round.

Schweitzer, 6’5, 314 pounds, has played in 38 games for the Michigan State Spartans, 37 of them consecutively since the 2013 season. Last season, he blocked for a team that averaged 27.9 points per game, 182.9 rushing yards per game and 221.7 passing yards per game. The final pick went to wide receiver Devin Fuller in the seventh-round.

Fuller, 6-0, 200 pounds, saw action in 44 games during his four-year tenure with UCLA. Fuller piled up 146 catches for 1,322 yards, while also hauling in 10 touchdowns as a Bruin.

Fuller’s 146 career receptions rank sixth on UCLA’s all-time list.

Photo courtesy of CollegePressBox.com

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Warner Robins posted the fastest time out of both Sectional meets with a 3:48.83 in the 4x400 meter relay while Chapel Hill enters state as the favorite in the 4x100 meter relay after a 46.55 time.

PREP COVER

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST

DIGGING DEEP

BYKYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

T

his year’s state meet will showcase the state’s best track and field stars from across Georgia. Powerhouse programs and up and comers face up to see who will claim the podium and hang a banner at their respective school.

In Class AAAAAA, Westlake has been the team to beat the past three years, three-peating as state champs. This year the Lions will be pushed to the brink by a bevy of top contenders but veterans such as senior Jenee Nichols and sophomore Kennedy Simon hope to keep distance between themselves and the field.

Nichols has been a steady performer all year long. At Sectionals she scored a third-place finish in the 100 meter dash (12.05) and firstplace in the 200 meter dash (24.47). Simon took fourth in the 300 meter hurdles (45.52), second in the 400 meter dash (54.87) and first in the long jump with a 18-03.00. The Lions as a team grabbed second in the 4x100 meter re-

lay (47.17) and first in the 4x400 meter relay at 3:50.36, making them one of the favorites heading into the state meet.

A pair of freshmen could steal the show in the 100 meter hurdles as Walton relies on Tia Jones (13.40) and Elasia Campbell (14.98).

Jones placed first and Campbell fifth in their Sectional meet.

Class AAAAA has been a revolving door for champions not seeing a repeat winner since 2006-08 when Collins Hill raced past the competition. Last year’s champion North Springs will ride senior Bria Dean and sophomore Jayda Drake-Howard in multiple events to rack up the points. In the 300 meter hurdles, the duo finished one and two with DrakeHoward running a 42.93 and Dean a 45.28.

Dean dominated in the long jump, posting a first-place 19-07.00 to best Breeanna Mahone of Shaw’s 19-04.25 and third-place finisher Alexis Farley of Starr’s Mill (19-03.75).

Marist attempts to continue its reign of dominance over Class AAAA with Josie Wirtz leading the way. Wirtz will play a big role in deciding whether the War Eagles make it fourstraight state titles or not. She has owned the 1,600 meter run and the 3,200 meter run, posting bests of 5:07.98 and 11:10.56 this season in her respective events. Wirtz also blazed the field with a 2:19.45 finish in the 800 meter run.

Monroe will make a push for the podium with their speed merchants in the 4x100 meter relay and the 4x400 relay. The Tornadoes smoked their competition at Sectionals, taking first with times of 46.39 in the 4x100 and 3:44.05 in the 4x400, finishing a full 13 seconds ahead of second-place Fayette County (3:57.67).

Jackson-Atlanta looks like the team to beat in Class AAA as the Jaguars are in hunt of repeating. Sophomore China Waldorf (15.70) and freshman Ryah Jackson (15.73) blew the doors off the competition in the sectionals for a first and second-place finish. Taryn O’Neal provides the Jags with speed in the 400 meter dash, slipping by Calhoun’s Sydnie Parker for

first-place, edging her 58.55 to 58.59.

Cedar Grove’s Amani Taylor tossed the discus 129-00.00 for first-place. The closest to catching Taylor’s mark in the Sectionals was Ivey Ginn of Franklin County who threw a 111-07.00.

WE MEET AGAIN

Lovett and Greater Atlanta Christian will jockey for the podium in Class AA. Both Region 6 powers filled the top five in a plethora of events with Wesleyan looming close behind.

Washington-Wilkes remains a threat to play spoiler in the relay events. The Tigers finished first in the 4x100 meter relay (47.61) and third in the 4x400 relay (4:09.92).

Our Lady of Mercy and Georgia Military enter as the defending champs in Class APrivate and A-Public. Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy had a strong showing at Sectionals and seem like the biggest threat to dethroning the Bobcats. Georgia Military posted a 4:08.15 in the 4x400 meter relay, good for first-place at Sectionals. Telfair County freshman Brandy Mackey has chance to establish a name for herself in the long jump, 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash.

Photos courtesy of Pinion Photography

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Vol. 12 Iss. 17 | May 4 - May 10, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

FLOYD LEADS BULLDOGS IN 2016 DRAFT

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

G

eorgia junior linebacker Leonard Floyd has been selected in the NFL Draft's opening round by the Chicago Bears with the ninth overall pick in the team's downtown on Thursday night.

Floyd became the first player from the Southeastern Conference taken in this year's draft. Eight players from the SEC were taken in the first round.

Floyd, a native of Eastman, Ga., becomes the 31st Bulldog taken in the first round of the draft since the Detroit Lions selected Frank Sinkwich as the No. 1 pick in 1943. Floyd is the 15th former Georgia player selected in the top 10.

Including the Bears calling on Cornelius Washington in the sixth round of the 2013 draft, Floyd is the 18th Bulldog taken overall by Chicago since 1944. Todd Gurley, the league's 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year, was taken 10th overall by the St. Louis (now L.A.) Rams from Georgia last year. A total of five Bulldogs were drafted in 2015.

Floyd is coming off a season that saw him finish second on Georgia's defense with a career-high 74 tackles, including a team-high 4.5

GEORGIA STATE

HISTORIC SUNDAY FOR GSU WOMEN

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

G

eorgia State (26-8, 6-4) was one of eight teams selected to play in the first ever NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Tournament. Slotted as the No. 7 seed, the Panthers face No. 2 Southern California this Friday at noon. The eight-team bracket will be the NCAA’s 90th and newest National Championship. The field was selected from the 60 NCAA institutions sponsoring the sport of beach volleyball. Three teams were selected from the east region and three teams were selected from the west region. The remaining two teams were selected at-large from the teams across the country. All eight teams were then seeded.

The Panthers held a top-10 AVCA ranking the entire season and picked off wins against three top-10 opponents over the course of the season. The championship will be held Friday through Sunday, May 6-8, in Gulf Shores, Ala., hosted by the city of Gulf Shores, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Orange Beach Sports Commission. The event will be televised

sacks. Starting all 13 games, the Butkus Award finalist also shared the team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss and had one fumble recovery that he took 96 yards for a touchdown at Tennessee.

For his career, Floyd tallied 184 tackles, including 17 sacks (No. 11 in UGA history) and 28.5 tackles for loss (No. 9 in UGA history), five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft will be held on Friday starting at 7 p.m.

Rounds four through seven will start at noon on Saturday. ESPN will provide coverage of all rounds.

DAWGS IN THE NFL…

Georgia senior linebacker Jordan Jenkins was picked up in the third round by the New York Jets with the 83rd overall pick on Friday night.

Jenkins became the second Bulldog selected in the 2016 draft's first three rounds.

Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, offensive tackle John Theus and running back Keith Marshall became the third, fourth and fifth Bulldogs, respectively, taken in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Mitchell was selected in the fourth round by the New England Patriots with the 112th overall pick, while Theus went to the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round with the 145th overall selection and Marshall was picked by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round with the 242nd overall pick.

live by Turner networks, with truTV providing live coverage on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, from 3-6 p.m. and the championship round airing on TBS on Sunday, May 8, at 2 p.m.

MAKING HISTORY

It was a historic day on Sunday for Georgia State softball (28-25, 11-10) as the Panthers notched their 1,000th win as a program and coach Roger Kincaid’s 200th after sweeping UL Monroe in a doubleheader, 6-2 and 7-3. Katie Worley tossed 6.1 innings of 2-run softball to earn the victory in Game 1. Taylor Anderson collected three hits from her lead off position while Morgan Brown (2-4) and Taylor Bradley (3-4) did damage at the bottom of the lineup.

In Game 2, Georgia State took advantage of a costly ULM error that led to four unearned runs. Brenna Skalski cleared the bases with a 3-run triple and Ivie Drake blasted her 14th homer of the year to drive in two runs to cap the scoring for the Panthers. On the mound Amanda Chance lasted 5.1 innings while allowing three runs. Annie Davis finished the game with 1.2 innings of scoreless work.

Up next for the Panthers is the final series of the regular season. Georgia State hosts rival Georgia Southern for three games at the Bob Heck Softball Complex beginning Friday at 5 p.m. and concluding with a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday.

GEORGIA TECH

ADAM GOTSIS, D.J. WHITE SELECTED IN NFL DRAFT

BY COLIN HUBBARD | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

D

efensive tackle Adam Gotsis and cornerback D.J. White were the Yellow Jackets’ lone two players selected in the 2016 NFL draft this past weekend. Gotsis was selected in the second round by the Denver Broncos and White was selected in the sixth round by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Many expected White to go higher than Gotsis in the draft but that turned out not to be the case. Gotsis was very high on the Broncos’ draft board and will be used as in interior pass rusher with the team. He will likely take over Malik Jackson’s role with the team and should fit in very nicely.

The Chiefs were in need of cornerback depth and they got a solid player in White.

White was one of the best corner’s in the past 10 years for the Yellow Jackets and will have a great shot at making the 53-man roster.

KENNESAW STATE

OWLS ATHLETICS CELEBRATE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

K

ennesaw State held its annual studentathlete banquet to celebrate the previous year's hard work on Sunday, May 1.

"This was an Owl proud night," Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams said. “This was our best student-athlete banquet yet. The student-athletes have really gotten behind creating what's relevant for their classmates and for all of their colleagues and that's been a great thing to see. This is a celebration of them. I'm proud of everyone that helped put together everything to make this such a great night."

The banquet was highlighted by the Dr. Dave Waples Total Person award given this year to track and field star, Andrew Dorsey.

The Total Person Award is given out to the upperclassman who exemplifies all of the qualities that are wanted in a Kennesaw State student-athlete, including athletic and academic achievement, character, leadership and community service.

In Dorsey's career, he is a five time NCAA

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25TH-RANKED BASEBALL MUST FINISH STRONG…

25th-ranked Georgia Tech baseball hasn’t played very well against teams in the ACC but they have put themselves in a position to make some noise once the tournament rolls around on May 24-29.

The Yellow Jackets (30-14) are coming off of a 3-game sweep of Coastal Carolina and will start a 3-game series with the Miami Hurricanes after finals conclude this coming weekend. Miami sits atop the coastal division with a record of 14-5 and seem to have the No. 1 spot locked up heading into the tournament.

Georgia Tech sits at a conference record of 10-10 but will still play nine more games in the conference before the regular season is over.

These nine games will come against the first place Hurricanes, the second place Virginia Cavaliers and the last place Boston College Eagles.

Six of the nine remaining games amongst ACC teams will be played at home at Russ Chandler Stadium while only three will be played on the road. The Yellow Jackets will need to pick up at least five wins in order to secure at least a third place finish in the coastal division. North Carolina sits only two games back of the Yellow Jackets for a third place finish and that is something the Yellow Jackets do not want to let slip away.

All-American, won 12 individual Atlantic Sun individual titles as well as helped lead the men's team to seven straight A-Sun team titles. He's also been a leader off of the track in the classroom as well as in the community.

"These last four years has meant a lot to me," Dorsey said. "Kennesaw State has offered me nothing but respect, love and support my entire time here. People know who we are now and know that we have their backs and they have our backs. That's been one of the best things I've ever been a part of. Kennesaw is what I consider home now."

The male Rookie of the Year award was given out to Kell alum Taylor Henkle after his outstanding first season on the football field.

The female Rookie of the Year award was split between Clara Aveling and Sydni Shelton.

OPEN AUDITIONS…

The Kennesaw State Football Team will hold open tryouts in August for those KSU students wishing to earn a spot on the 2016 squad.

Although the tryout is not scheduled until Tuesday, August 16 at 7 a.m., those wishing to participate in the tryout must complete mandatory paperwork that is due to the Football Office no later than Friday, July 15 at 5 p.m. ET. Current KSU students that are enrolled in 12 hours of coursework are eligible. All player information will be reviewed, and participation in the tryout is dependent on the individual meeting NCAA and University eligibility requirements.

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ATLANTA HAWKS

BOSTON BEAT-DOWN; KING NEXT

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

H

ere we go again. After Atlanta put its foot down and dominated the shorthanded Celtics to clinch the first round series four games to two, the Hawks now take a trip up north to Cleveland to face LeBron James and a healthy Cavaliers team. Last year it was LeBron and a rag-tag cast of bench players that swept the Hawks in four. Dating back to last year’s postseason, the Hawks have lost seven in a row to the Cavaliers, getting dominated on the glass in each game.

Tiago Splitter was brought to Atlanta to solidify the Hawks interior while providing a toughness on the glass, but Splitter injured himself early in the season and hasn’t played since. It would behoove Atlanta to insert Kris Humphries into the rotation to try and negate Tristan Thompson’s presence on the boards.

Humphries has played just nine minutes in the postseason, all of them in Atlanta’s Game 5 rout when he contributed eight points and four rebounds.

ATLANTA BRAVES

RELATIVELY SPEAKING, BRAVES ARE ROLLING AWAY FROM HOME

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

A

fter getting swept by the New York Mets last week and dropping the first two installments of a home-and-home series with the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves fell to 1-12 at Turner Field. Fortunately for the Braves, they are a respectable 6-7 away from home.

That mark, however, is not enough to prevent Atlanta from shedding the distinction as the worst team in Major League Baseball (7-19 overall as of Wednesday afternoon).

Still, there have been some recent signs of encouragement. The Braves blanked the Mets 3-0 on Tuesday night to win for the third time in their last five outings, having previously pocketed victories at the Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. Matt Wisler gave up only one hit over eight innings to outduel New York’s Matt Harvey, who was chased after allowing three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Center fielder Mallex Smith provided some of the offense with his first career home run to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. That would have been enough for Wisler before the starter gave way to closer Arodys Vizcaino, who shut the door

CLOSING TIME

After flopping in Games 3 and 4 in Boston, the Hawks shut the door on the Celtics with two blowout wins. In Game 5 the Hawks took a 110-83 victory at Philips Arena. Mike Scott added 17 points and five rebounds off the bench to lift Atlanta. Kent Bazemore and Jeff Teague both pitched in 16 points in the win.

Boston was held to 37 percent shooting while Isaiah Thomas was stifled to 3-of-12 from the field for just seven points.

"It should be a sign of disrespect to my teammates," Thomas said after being showered by boos every time he touched the ball while being double-teamed all night. "Other guys have to step up and make plays."

The deciding Game 6 saw Atlanta cruise 104-92 after the Celtics attempted a late comeback. The Hawks were too balanced with six players reaching double figures led

by Paul Millsap’s 17 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Bazemore and Al Horford chipped in 15 apiece and Kyle Korver found his stroke, going a perfect 4-for-4 for 14 points.

Isaiah Thomas didn’t go down without a fight – literally. He went for 25 points and 10 assists and called out Dennis Schroder at the end of the game, egging him on shouting at him to meet him out back.

"I think we should give the Hawks credit.

They're better right now," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.

and recorded a save with a perfect ninth inning.

“When guys got on base, I shut them down pretty quick,” Wisler told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “That’s the kind of mindset I’ve got to take.”

ROSTER MOVES …

The Braves made a flurry of moves on Monday, sending second baseman Jace Peterson to Triple-A Gwinnett and designating outfielder Drew Stubbs for assignment. They also brought up second baseman Reid Brignac, outfielder/first baseman Matt Tuiasosopo and outfielder Chase d'Arnaud from Gwinnett. Peterson is saddled with a horrendous .182 average that includes only one extra-base hit (a double) with 13 strikeouts, five walks and no stolen bases, while Stubbs was 9-for-37 (.238) with one extra-base hit (a homer) and three RBIs in 20 games.

"I don't think this is a desperation move," manager Fredi Gonzalez told the team’s website. "I think we gave [Peterson and Stubbs] opportunities to prove themselves and now we need to get better offensively.

"You feel like you needed to do something, and we've been in constant contact with [Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker]," Gonzalez added. "He says d'Arnaud is playing well, can play all three outfield positions and is good in center field. He said Brignac is still swinging it and Tuiasosopo will be a guy off the bench who can scare somebody and hit a ball out of the ballpark. So you make those moves."

ATLANTA FALCONS

COCA-COLA TO SERVE NEW MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

MB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) and A The Coca-Cola Company announced that the leading beverage provider has been named

a founding partner of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Through the partnership, Coca-Cola is the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partner of the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United and MercedesBenz Stadium, the highly-anticipated new home of both professional sports franchises.

The partnership expands on the long-standing relationship between the Falcons and CocaCola, which has been serving its products at Falcons games since the team’s inception in 1966.

Upon completion in June 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will exclusively serve Coca-Cola products including Dasani bottled water and fresh brewed Gold Peak Tea, at its 673 food & beverage points of sale. To improve the concessions experience, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will utilize self-service kiosks serving Coca-Cola products as part of the stadium’s promise to deliver an exceptional fan experience.

“Coca-Cola is a one of the most recognized brands in the world, and we are thrilled to expand on our long-standing partnership,” says Steve Cannon, chief executive officer of AMB Group,

GHSA BEAT

FORMER PREP STARS SIGNED AS UNDRAFTED ROOKIES

BY CRAIG SAGER | KSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

In addition to the 15 players from Georgia drafted in this year’s NFL Draft, two dozen more were added as undrafted free agents by teams this week.

ATLANTA FALCONS

• Josh Dawson (Tucker) 6-4, 273 lbs., DE, Georgia • Chris Mayes (Spalding) 6-4, 323 lbs., NT, Georgia

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• Will Lutz (Northgate) 6-0, 190 lbs., K, Georgia State

BUFFALO BILLS

• Reid Ferguson (Buford) 6-2, 244 lbs., LS, LSU

DENVER BRONCOS

LLC. “As a global brand with deep-rooted ties to the Atlanta community, Coca-Cola’s activation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium solidifies our ties in the heart of Atlanta and demonstrates our aspiration to be benchmark in everything we do.”

DREAM TEAM…

Coca-Cola joins the roster of other top brands as founding partner of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, including Equifax, The Home Depot, NCR, Novelis, SunTrust, IBM and American Family Insurance.

“Atlanta is the birthplace and home of CocaCola, so we are always proud to support hometown partners,” said Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America. “The new MercedesBenz Stadium will provide numerous opportunities for refreshing experiences while cheering on our hometown teams – the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, as well as other thrilling events.”

To launch the partnership in a unique way, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Coca-Cola created a campaign video released today that puts Coca-Cola on top of Atlanta. The video features Cannon; Rich McKay, president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons; Ann Rodriguez, vice president, business operations Atlanta United; Carlos Bocanegra, technical director, Atlanta United; Mike Gomes, senior vice president, fan experience; and Alan Rabb, vice president, finance Coca-Cola USA operations along with more than 200 stadium workers, including Westside Works graduate Ian Miller.

Committed to supporting the revitalization of Atlanta’s Westside, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has employed Miller and more than 100 graduates of Westside Works, a long-term neighborhood program focused on creating employment opportunities and job training for residents of the Westside community.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• Sterling Bailey (East Hall) 6-3, 282 lbs., DT, Georgia • Chris Milton (Carlton County) 5-11, 190 lbs., DB, Georgia Tech

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

• Mike Hilton (Sandy Creek) 5-9, 184 lbs., DB, Ole Miss

LOS ANGELES RAMS

• Brandon Chubb (Hillgrove) 6-1, 245 lbs., LB, Wake Forest • Brian Randolph (Kell) 6-0, 208 lbs., DB, Tennessee

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

• Cedric O’Neal (Dublin) 6-0, 213 lbs., RB, Valdosta State

PITTBURGH STEELERS

• Jay Rome (Valdosta) 6-6, 250 lbs., TE, Georgia

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• Jonathan Jones (Carrollton) 5-10, 181 lbs., DB, Auburn

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• Dillon Lee (Buford) 6-4, 242 lbs. LB, Alabama

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

• Chris Swain (Macon, Mount de Sales Academy) 6-1, 245 lbs., FB, Navy

• Antonio Glover (Douglas County) 6-1, 190 lbs., S, Georgia Southern • Kalif Raymond (Greater Atlanta Christian) 5-9, 160 lbs., WR, Holy Cross

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

DETROIT LIONS

TENNESSEE TITANS

• James DeLoach (Jenkins County) 6-3, 284 lbs., DT, Georgia • Scott Hosch (North Gwinnett) 6-3, 205 lbs., QB, Harvard

GREEN BAY PACKERS

• Demond Smith (Monroe Area) 6-0, 195 lbs., DB., Georgia Tech

• Peyton Barber (Milton) 5-11, 225 lbs., RB, Auburn • Davonte Lambert (Burke County) 6-2, 282 lbs., DL, Auburn • Quayvon Hicks (Blackshear, Pierce County High School) 6-2, 251 lbs., FB, Georgia

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

• Anthony Lanier (Savannah, H.V. Jenkins) 6-6, 220 lbs, DE, Alabama A&M • Geno Matias-Smith (Atlanta, St. Pius X) 6-0, 196 lbs., DB, Alabama

Vol. 12 Iss. 17 | May 4 - May 10, 2016

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