Score Vol. 12 Issue 21

Time to look great!

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

MY SHOT What comes next? | Pg. 9 Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst to appeal his one-year suspension

Meet Me Inside | Pg. 4 We breakdown the interior of the Falcons offensive and defensive fronts

Ricardo Allen steps into his largest role yet in Quinn’s secondary | Pg. 7

TICKETS TO THE 25TH ANNUAL

CORKY KELL CLASSIC

NOW ON SALE!

The biggest Corky Kell Classic ever is slated for August 18-20 at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium, McEachern High School and the Georgia Dome and features seven incredible matchups between the state’s top programs and most coveted prospects.

Games will be broadcast live on FOX Sports South, FOX Sports Southeast and FOX Sports GO

W W W. C O R K Y K E L L . C O M

Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016

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 DIRECTOR Rhonda Rawls MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Sandy

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein

PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS: Joseph Chapman (Falcons) Ricky Dimon (Braves)

Leigha Hinds (GA Tech)

Kevin Keneely (UGA)

Lauren Lockridge (KSU) Craig Sager II (GHSA)

Kyle Sandy (GSU, 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

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

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ATLANTA FALCONS, AP IMAGES AND CRAIG SAGER II

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SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

FALCONS FOCUS

BREAKING DOWN THE TRENCHES

BY ANDREW DEICHERT | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

I

n 2015 the Atlanta Falcons once again struggled to get to the quarterback and finished last in the NFL in sacks with 19. Dan Quinn and defensive line coach Bryan Cox have now shifted their focus to getting more pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. The team is shuffling the line in 2016 as defensive end Vic Beasley is moving to outside linebacker parttime, Ra’shede Hageman will bump out to defensive end after being a defensive tackle and long time defensive end Tyson Jackson will be bumping inside to defensive tackle.

The term versatility has been thrown around a fair amount during the Falcons 2016 offseason. Tyson Jackson, Grady Jarrett, Adrian Clayborn, Derrick Shelby and Vic Beasley have all been moved around to gain an under-

standing of different positions. By creating versatility, Bryan Cox is looking to create different matchups throughout the season and give the team a multitude of options.

Grady Jarrett is a player who appears to be taking on a larger role in his second year.

After a solid rookie year where he finished with 24 total tackles and a sack, Jarrett has been working on his craft at becoming an every down tackle. “I want to be an every down defensive tackle that can play base and nickel. I’m working hard to become a master at my craft.”

Jarrett may have the opportunity to step into that every down role this year and produce at a high level.

The Falcons certainly are not lacking depth this season along the defensive line.

FALCONS FOCUS

VETERAN SCHAUB’S

IMPACT AT MINICAMP

BY KEVIN KENEELY | INFO@SCOREATL.COM Falcons once again strugIinngledthe2015toNFLgettheintoAtlanta the quarterback and finished last sacks with 19. Dan Quinn and de-

fensive line coach Bryan Cox have now shifted their focus to getting more pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. The team is shuffling the line in 2016 as defensive end Vic Beasley is moving to outside linebacker part-time, Ra’shede Hageman will bump out to defensive end after being a defensive tackle and long time defensive end Tyson Jackson will be bumping inside to defensive tackle.

The term versatility has been thrown around a fair amount during the Falcons 2016 offseason. Tyson Jackson, Grady Jarrett, Adrian Clayborn, Derrick Shelby and Vic Beasley have all been moved around to gain an understand-

ing of different positions. By creating versatility, Bryan Cox is looking to create different matchups throughout the season and give the team a multitude of options.

Grady Jarrett is a player who appears to be taking on a larger role in his second year. After a solid rookie year where he finished with 24 total tackles and a sack, Jarrett has been working on his craft at becoming an every down tackle. “I want to be an every down defensive tackle that can play base and nickel. I’m working hard to become a master at my craft.” Jarrett may have the opportunity to step into that every down role this year and produce at a high level.

The Falcons certainly are not lacking depth this season along the defensive line. Jonathan Babineaux, Derrick Shelby, Adrian Clayborn

Jonathan Babineaux, Derrick Shelby, Adrian Clayborn and Tyson Jackson have all been in the league for over 5 years, Babineaux has been around the longest with this being his 12th professional season.

OFFENSIVE POWER…

After an impressive 2015 campaign where the Falcons had the 4th ranked offensive line, the team will head into the 2016 season trying to further improve that area of the team.

Atlanta will be returning all five of its starters from last years offensive line and has added Alex Mack through free agency. Mack was one of the gems of the offseason and he should add stability and toughness to the center position.

Matt Ryan said of Mack’s presence, “He’s a pro, he has picked up things really quickly. He’s a great communicator and he’s been really good for us.”

Jake Matthews will be going into his third year as the teams starting left tackle. After having a rough rookie year, Matthews was one of the leagues best tackles in 2015 after he surrendered only 1 total sack through 16 games and was called for a measly 4 penalties throughout the year. As Matthews develops even more strength and understanding for the teams offensive system, he could be even more impressive this year as Matt Ryan’s

and Tyson Jackson have all been in the league for over 5 years, Babineaux has been around the longest with this being his 12th professional season.

OFFENSIVE POWER…

After an impressive 2015 campaign where the Falcons had the 4th ranked offensive line, the team will head into the 2016 season trying to further improve that area of the team. Atlanta will be returning all five of its starters from last years offensive line and has added Alex Mack through free agency. Mack was one of the gems of the offseason and he should add stability and toughness to the center position. Matt Ryan said of Mack’s presence, “He’s a pro, he has picked up things really quickly. He’s a great communicator and he’s been really good for us.”

Jake Matthews will be going into his third year as the teams starting left tackle. After having a rough rookie year, Matthews was one of the leagues best tackles in 2015 after he surrendered only 1 total sack through 16 games and was called for a measly 4 penalties throughout the year. As Matthews develops even more strength and understanding for the teams offensive system, he could be even more impres-

blindside protector. “We love this offense, I especially love this offense I think it’s very well suited for myself. I feel real comfortable with it. We’re gonna be good, I’m excited for this year.” His role will be extremely important in a division where he will face players such as Charles Johnson, Kony Ealy, William Gholston, and Cam Jordan.

Andy Levitre and Ryan Schraeder appear to be locked into their starting roles at left guard and right tackle, as was the case in 2015. The two of them were solid, dependable starters as each they both started all 16 games. Schraeder will look to keep his 2015 form, when he finished as one of the leagues best pass blocking right tackles. Levitre and Schraeder will once again provide a veteran presence to this offensive line.

One of the more intriguing storylines to the Falcons team this year has been the competition at right guard. Chris Chester was the starter last year, but due to a shoulder injury and age, a competition has opened up with several other players. Tom Compton, James Stone, Mike Person and rookie Wes Schweitzer have all seen reps at the position and it will be something to keep an eye on throughout the offseason.

Photo courtesy of The Atlanta Falcons

sive this year as Matt Ryan’s blindside protector. “We love this offense, I especially love this offense I think it’s very well suited for myself.

I feel real comfortable with it. We’re gonna be good, I’m excited for this year.” His role will be extremely important in a division where he will face players such as Charles Johnson, Kony Ealy, William Gholston, and Cam Jordan.

Andy Levitre and Ryan Schraeder appear to be locked into their starting roles at left guard and right tackle, as was the case in 2015. The two of them were solid, dependable starters as each they both started all 16 games. Schraeder will look to keep his 2015 form, when he finished as one of the leagues best pass blocking right tackles. Levitre and Schraeder will once again provide a veteran presence to this offensive line.

One of the more intriguing storylines to the Falcons team this year has been the competition at right guard. Chris Chester was the starter last year, but due to a shoulder injury and age, a competition has opened up with several other players. Tom Compton, James Stone, Mike Person and rookie Wes Schweitzer have all seen reps at the position and it will be something to keep an eye on throughout the offseason.

Photo courtesy of AP Images

Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 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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Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James

Atlanta Braves

It took 52 years but the city of Cleveland finally has a champion. In one of the greatest NBA Finals Game 7's ever, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving carried the Cavs to an improbable 93-89 victory after trailing in the series three games to one.

The King was crowned after a 27-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist tripledouble. Hate him or love him, LeBron James might be the best player in NBA history. His ability to do everything was on display in Game 7. His fastbreak block of Andre Iguodala will never be forgotten.

Last-place? Not for long if Atlanta plays like they did against the reigning NL Champions. The Braves swept the Mets and their lowly offense. Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran were masterful with their brooms on Father's Day, collecting four hits and throwing a 1-hitter, respectively.

SCORE LIST

By Craig Sager II KING JAMES

There is no denying that what LeBron James accomplished this season has solidified his legacy amongst the NBA’s all-time greats. After falling behind 3-1 to the record-breaking Warriors, James completed the comeback and led the finals in every single statistical category. While the stats were impressive, James’ monstrous plays and leadership were unforgettable.

DRAFT WEEK

Just four days separate the end of the NBA season and Thursday’s anticipated NBA Draft. This year’s draft could see another year of blockbuster trades as the draft is scheduled before free agency begins. Expect Atlanta to be active and possibly put Jeff Teague on the block to make moves.

PACKERS LEAD

The third annual Corky Kell 7-on-7 Invitational featured 30 of the state’s top programs, but once again it was the Colquitt County Packers taking a first-place photo after clinching backto-back titles. Quarterback Jay Saunders was phenomenal leading the Packers and his dependability should serve the twotime 6A state champs well this upcoming season.

FROMM FIRST

Houston County quarterback Jake Fromm led the Bears to the finals of Friday’s Corky Kell 7-on-7 Invitational. The UGAcommit was without a doubt the most talented quarterback on display at the tournament. Fromm even earned praise from Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst after the tournament that dubbed him the best quarterback of the tournament..

MALLEX MATTERS

With the Braves off Monday, there was no update on Mallex Smith, but the rookie outfielder seemed likely to miss at least six weeks after his left thumb was broken when hit by a pitch during Sunday’s series-clinching win against the Mets. Smith will go on the disabled list and a replacement added to the roster before Tuesday’s series opener against the Marlins in Miami.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com Golden State Warriors

Mexico Soccer

Rush Propst

Steph Curry and the Warriors choked away a sure repeat and will have the smell of champagne fresh in their visiting locker room all offseason. Curry managed just 17 points and four turnovers while Klay Thompson added just 14 points. Draymond Green had 32-15-9 in the loss.

Shades of the 2014 World Cup any one? Brazil got thrashed by Germany 7-1.

Germany was a powerhouse that went on to win the Cup. Mexico just got annihilated by Chile 7-0 in the Copa America Quarterfinal. Looks like El Tri will be in the market for a new head coach.

The two-time state champion head coach of Colquitt County was suspended for a year on Thursday. Propst headbutted a player in the state playoffs last year, causing his own head to split open and bleed. If Propst can't coach, the Packers will truly be tested without their leader.

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.

?

TRIVIA QUESTION

HOW OLD IS LEBRON JAMES?

“

SANITY AT LAST

“It’s great to have Matt Schaub back.

He’s a guy who can really help me.”

4

Runs allowed by the Braves pitching staff in their sweep of the Mets.

1

Hit allowed by Julio Teheran in his shutout victory over New York.

52

Years since Cleveland last won a title before Sunday.

4

Hits for Freddie Freeman on Father's Day.

27

Points for LeBron James in Game 7.

17

Points for Stephen Curry in Game 7.

18.9

BLOCKBUSTER BASKETBALL

The AJC reported that the NBA Finals completed a strong showing on Atlanta TV by delivering a 21.3 rating locally for Cleveland’s Game 7 victory over Golden State on Sunday night. That was the largest audience of the series in the Atlanta market after ABC’s telecasts of the first six games drew ratings ranging from 15.6 to 19.1 here.

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- Falcons QB Matt Ryan

1

Nielsen Rating for Game 7, the highest sporting event rating on ESPN/ABC in a decade.

Round it took for Joe Smith Jr. to upset and knockout Andrzej Fonfara

Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016

ON THE COVER

ATLANTA FALCONS

ALLEN’S FOCUS FOR LONGEVITY IN STARTING ROLE

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

A

tlanta Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen’s prospering young career has already been a testament to his hard work paying off, but now his sights are set on more growth, more productivity and a new leadership role as he enters his third professional season. Allen’s first two years in Atlanta accelerated the learning curve as he evolved from a once-cut, practice squad cornerback his rookie season, to the Week 1 starting free safety under firsttime head coach Dan Quinn last fall. Allen’s work ethic and grasp of the defensive playbook was enough to solidify the starting free safety role in the 2015 offseason, but fulfilling the duties on Sundays was something that Allen was going to have to prove to himself, his coaches and teammates.

In his first start, Allen clinched the Falcons 26-24 victory over the visiting Eagles with an tipped interception with just 1:11 left.

nerback and I came in and played free safety and my body didn’t have the weight to do it,” admitted Allen at minicamp. “My muscle weight and my body fat was really low so I was taking the bruises. They were beating me down. But now, the way I’ve trained myself, I’ve trained for the longevity and take it one day at a time.”

As Allen found out last year, the NFL season is a long journey and the late switch to safety was a physical challenge he is spending each day preparing for.

“It was very, very long,” described Allen on playing the full season. “You have your ups and downs and you just learn. I had never played the free safety position before so I had to do a lot of learning and I’d get out and I’d start off fast and I make every open field tackle and then I’d get a little shaken up and I’d miss a couple tackles here and there. I had to learn to accept what my job is and my job is to be the eraser and erase all bad plays and no matter what it takes to get the ball carrier down. I take that challenge.”

REINVENTED RICARDO… He added five solo tackles and seven total takedowns over the span of the game to support his shining late-game moment. After the game, Allen proudly trotted off the field before disappearing into the tunnel where he emerged on the other side with the interception ball still held tightly by his side. With his new and well-deserved souvenir commemorating an unforgettable Falcons debut, he wore a victorious smile into the locker room to celebrate the team’s first win of the season.

Allen finished the year with 68 total tackles, one sack and three total interceptions. He will be the first to tell you that last year’s stats don’t matter anymore, but the experience Allen gained in his first full season is undoubtedly something he has taken into account as he prepares for the long road ahead this offseason.

“Last year I was training myself as a cor-

Anticipating how Allen will perform this year after his first full offseason spent preparing for the free safety position, is one of the most intriguing storylines entering the Falcons season. There is confidence from the coaching staff that his preparation will boost his production and that the pattern of success will continue for Allen.

"He was the best tackler on the team, and the thing about it was his mentality and his attitude," complimented secondary coach Marquand Manuel. "When you watched him, he worked at it every day. I tell him all the time, 'Your job is to stay on top, no seams, no posts, and make sure you get the ball down and give us another down.' And he took that challenge on which, for me, was awesome, because we really had a rookie at safety starting.”

Allen had eight games with five or more tackles last season and coming off the Week 10 bye, he took advantage of the time off and

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corralled interceptions in back-to-back home games against Indianapolis and Minnesota.

LIFTING OTHERS… Learning what it takes to lead a position for the whole season has given Allen valuable knowledge to pass on to this year’s first-round pick and rookie safety Keanu Neal. The former Florida Gator and strong safety will team up with Allen to star as a young and fast safety tandem. With Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant on the outside along with two former second round picks in Robert Alford (2013) and Jalen Collins (2015), the secondary is deep and poised for improvement that could keep building week to week as the 2016 campaign plays out.

“He’s [Allen] interacted a lot already,” said Neal at minicamp. “As soon as I got here, he was the guy who pulled me aside and pretty much told me that he was going to show me the ropes, show me the way and that we were going to end up working together and really getting to know each other.”

This offseason, the biggest change in Allen’s life came off the field, as he and his wife Grace welcomed in their newborn son. While his approach and work ethic remains focused on taking the process one day at a time, seeing his hard work paying off in his life on and off the field is another source of fuel as he works to lead this defense.

“I’ve always enjoyed being in the process of working for a goal,” explained Allen. “It’s never focusing on the end result, but always focusing on the process. And when you focus on the process and you enjoy the process and what you do, you enjoy everything you do.

You enjoy waking up early in the morning, you enjoy coming in and doing your same routine and the process and your end results will pay off. I have a family now and I’ve always strived to be the best for my family and for myself, but now to be able to set a legacy for my son.

That’s just amazing.”

Photos courtesy of The Atlanta Falcons

PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT

GRAYSON, COLQUITT REACH

NATIONAL HEADLINES

BY KEVIN KENEELY | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

G

rayson High School has have been a national powerhouse for years and even though they have a new coach coming in the expectations of winning still stands. Jeff Herron has been coaching in the state of Georgia for over 20 years now and has won four Georgia High School football state championships, one with Oconee County in 1999 and three with Camden County in 2003, 2008 and 2009. Herron has a career record of 273-51-0 and will be coaching at his seventh high school in the state of Georgia.

Last Tuesday MaxPreps came out with their preseason national high school rankings and Grayson debuted at No. 2 in the nation.

Herron wasn’t too sold on this ranking as he figures this was just another opinionated poll and that whoever it was that put these rankings together has yet to watch Grayson or any other school this offseason.

Herron knows that being a great team

doesn’t come easy and that a preseason ranking means nothing unless you can get the wins during the season. “Right now we are a team with talented individuals but I don’t think we are a great team yet. There is a lot that goes into being a great team,” Herron said.

Grayson has brought in a lot of new faces, both on the coaching staff and on the roster and so Herron is much more concerned about getting familiar with everyone and making sure everyone is on the same page. “I think we can be a good team but we are not there yet by any sense,” Herron said.

Grayson’s top recruits are QB Chase Brice, CB Deangelo Gibbs, CB Jamyest Williams, OT Tony Gray, LB Breon Dixon, DT Ellison Hubbard, C Will Taylor, and LB Owen Pappoe who was a freshman All-American last season.

His expectations for the team are to be as good as possible. “We want to be a team that plays hard every week,” Herron said. Of course

he wants to win every game on their schedule and win every playoff game but Herron knows that the level of competition is high in Georgia and that is not an easy task to complete.

The last time Grayson went undefeated was in 2011.

Grayson opens up the season this year at home against IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL), Aug. 27. IMG was ranked the No. 4 team in the nation according to MaxPreps preseason rankings. Last year IMG became the first high school in the nation to have every starter on their roster get a Division 1 college scholarship offer.

BREAKING NEWS…

A story that quickly reached news sources across the nation, broke last week involving two-time defending champion Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst. The celebrity coach was served a year-long suspension for an incident last season when he head-butted one of his players during the Class AAAAAA state playoffs in December.

According to the report, Propst has appealed as his team is preparing for one of the toughest schedules in the nation this upcoming season and a shot at a third-straight state title. The Moultrie Observer was the first to report that Propst received a letter from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission,

informing him of the suspension for making contact with a student.

Propst has declined to comment, but has not stopped coaching and just got done leading the Packers to the Corky Kell 7-on-7 title for the second straight year over the weekend.

Propst was not reprimanded by the Colquitt County High School administration or the Georgia High School Association and this will remain between the GPSC.

Propst’s reputation for being an intense football coach is no secret and that is why the news is hard to grasp for many of the state’s informed football fans. Propst’s sideline antics have been broadcasted since he was the star of MTV’s Two-A-Days at Hoover High School.

"I'll tell you what. That was a dad gum intense football game," Propst said immediately following the incident last December. "That game was not for the weak or the young. That was big boy football right there. You saw a bunch of good football players out on that field tonight. We got 'em and Mill Creek's got 'em, too."

The Packers went on to dominate Roswell in the finals the next week for the state title and that was that. The return of this story and the prospect of a year without Propst on the sideline will remain the biggest story entering the 2016 High School Football season.

Photos courtesy of Craig Sager II and AJC

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Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

DAWGS FINISH YEAR OF ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE

BY KEVIN KENEELY | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

T

he University of Georgia once again had a great athletic year for both men and women’s sports. The women finished 17th in the Capital One Cup standings, while the men finished 49th this year. The Capital One Cup is an annual award given to the best men’s and women’s Division 1 athletic programs, points are earned based on final standings of NCAA Championships and final official coaches’ polls.

UGA announced that CollegeSwimming has selected Senior Associate Head Coach, Harvey Humphries, of the UGA women’s swimming & diving team as the Established Assistant Coach of the Year. Humphries helped the Lady Bulldogs to an NCAA Championship this past season.

The Bulldogs won a national championship in swimming & diving, while winning SEC Championships in men’s golf and men’s tennis during the 2015-2016 academic year. The women’s track & field team took home a third place finish at NCAAS, with Chanice Porter and Keturah Orji both winning national cham-

GEORGIA STATE

PANTHERS GO ON WORLD TOUR

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

atcher Joey Roach was selected in the MLB C First-Year Player Draft on June 11 by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 31st round. Georgia State signee

Jaquez Williams out of East Coweta, was drafted in the 18th round by the San Diego Padres.

Roach finished his senior season with a .325 batting average and 11 home runs. He was a three-time All-Conference selection and was a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2016. The left-handed hitter got the job done on the diamond and in the classroom and now will have an opportunity to follow his dreams to the Major Leagues.

"I am extremely happy to see Joey get this opportunity," head coach Greg Frady said. "He has worked extremely hard, and he has been a model citizen, a model student and a model player for four years, so this is a dream come true."

"This means everything," Roach said. "To be drafted and have an opportunity to play professional baseball is everything you dream about and work for as a baseball player.

"I really want to thank all my teammates and coaches at Georgia State for giving me an

pionships in their respective events.

Moving on to bigger and better things In this year’s MLB Draft that took place last week, six current Bulldogs and three signees were drafted. The six current players drafted were Robert Tyler, Stephen Wrenn, Connor Jones, Bo Tucker, Skyler Weber, Heath Holder.

Stephen Wrenn is the son of former Braves GM Frank Wrenn. The three UGA signees drafted were Justin Glover, Zac Kristofak, and Cam Shepherd. Kristofak was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 37th round.

CONTINUING THE DOMINANCE

UGA’s men’s tennis team claimed the top 2016 recruiting class after receiving all 22 first-place votes in the organization’s media poll. They are bringing in four of the top-25 ranked high school players including the top player in the nation, Nathan Ponwith. The men’s tennis team just won its fourth-straight SEC Championship and 23rd of all time. With the new class of recruits coming in this year, the Bulldogs can expect to be right back on top of the conference.

BULLDOGS IN THE U.S. OPEN

UGA will be represented in this year’s U.S. Open with Bailey Tardy and Rinko Mitsunaga earning a spot in the tournament by winning sectional qualifying tournaments in the month of May. These two are currently on the Lady Bulldog’s roster.

opportunity and helping me develop."

PANTHERS GO OVERSEAS …

Wayne Wages has decided to continue his baseball career overseas in Germany. The pitcher signed with the Stuttgart Reds. The lefty compiled a 4.72 ERA over 112 innings his past two seasons in Atlanta.

Head Coach Greg Frady has ties to Germany, managing the German National Team for 11 years.

"I'm very happy to see Wayne have this opportunity in Germany, and I think he will be successful," Frady said. "It's a wonderful opportunity to keep playing the game he loves as a professional while having the chance to experience a new culture."

"Georgia State was a great opporunity for me," Wages said. "I loved my time here, and I loved my teammates and coaches. Each year, I got better, and now thanks to Georgia State and Coach Frady, I'm able to keep playing baseball and to be a professional.

"Baseball takes you everywhere, and now it's taking me across the seas."

DOMINICAN BOUND …

The basketball team will be heading overseas as well. In August, they will head to the Dominican Republic with Samaritan’s Feet.

“Although we have some time before we get there, I think there is also excitement to go to the Dominican Republic in August. Samaritan’s Feet is an organization extremely close to my heart and it will be a great team bonding experience,” said Coach Ron Hunter.

GEORGIA TECH

the 375th pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

JACKETS HAVE FIVE PLAYERS PICKED IN MLB DRAFT

SOFTBALL SCHOLAR ATHLETES …

BY LEIGHA HINDS | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

The Yellow Jackets completed their 2016 Baseball season with a 38-25 overall record.

Their season ended with a 10-1 loss to the Gators in the NCAA Gainesville Regional when their hopes of going to Omaha for the College World Series ended. Danny Hall can mark off that for the 17th time in the past 23 years as head coach of the Jackets, he had five or more players selected in a single MLB Draft. During Day Two of the draft, Connor Justus a junior shortstop was chosen in the fifth round as the 156th pick by the Los Angeles Angels and Matt Gonzalez a senior OF/INF was chosen in the sixth round as the 169th pick by the Atlanta Braves.

During Day Three of the draft all three Jackets were selected during the 12th round, Brandon Gold a junior pitcher was chosen as the 350th pick by the Colorado Rockies, Matthew Gorst a junior pitcher was chosen as the 358th pick by the Boston Red Sox and junior catcher Arden Pabst was selected as

KENNESAW STATE

ROYALS DRAFT OWLS’ LEFTY RICHARD LOVELADY

BY LAUREN LOCKRIDGE | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

fter 8 consecutive years of having a A player drafted to the MLB from Kennesaw State University, one more year can

be marked off as KSU’s left handed pitcher Richard Lovelady is drafted in the 10th round by the Kansas City Royals. Lovelady played a significant role for the owls this past season helping the team land their first regular season ASUN title in program history. In addition to Lovelady, Senior Brennan Morgan was selected in the 24th round to the Los Angeles Angels, only the 7th catcher to be drafted from KSU. On June 7th, Owls head football coach Brian Bohannon was named Georgia’s “Most positive collegiate coach” during the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-a fan experience in Atlanta. "What the Kennesaw State football team did this year as a first year program was amazing," said Ward. "Coach Bohannon's positive attitude is infectious to everyone he encounters, and was a major key to that success"(DeGeorge, ksuowls.com).

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Six of the Jackets Softball players have been named as NFCA Division I All-American Scholar Athletes. Maddie Lionberger, Morgan Taylor, Samantha Pierannunzi, Emily Anderson, Draven Sonnon and Kendall Chadwick were recognized due to the having a 3.5 or better GPA in 2015-16. Both Lionberger and Taylor graduated May 2016, and Lionberger is planning on attending medical school and Taylor has joined Home Depot in its E-Commerce department as a brand advocate.

2017 ITA KICK-OFF WEEKEND …

Finishing this season in the top 16 of the final ITA team rankings, the Jackets have been named one of the 16 hosts for the 2017 ITA Kick-Off Weekend. This past season, the Jackets finished 19-9 overall. The Jackets will host Kentucky, UCLA and Penn in the competition at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex January 29-30.

Along with receiving the ITA news, the Jackets are excited to welcome Luca Fabian to the 2016 tennis class. Originally from Palhaza, Hungary, she has competed against numerous top players in European competitions. She will be joining Nadia Gizdova, Kenya Jones and Nami Oksuka which ranks eighth nationally

by Tennis Recruiting Network.

FIELD DAY…

The KSU football team recently welcomed former NFL player Ben Troupe to come speak with the team on behalf of the NFL College Relations Program. Troupe’s goal is to educate the team on issues such as character development, leadership, and life after football. Being a new and developing football team, it was very beneficial to hear the lessons troupe explained and to be the first collegiate team in the country to partake in this program.

Redshirt senior Andre Dorsey finished his outstanding collegiate career in Eugene Oregon at the NCAA Championships. Finishing in 22nd place for his impressive high jump, Dorsey cleared the bar at 2.09 meters, his 4th highest jump of the season. It is clear Dorsey will be missed at KSU, as Director of track and field Andy Eggerth describes him as Irreplaceable, according to Hunter McKay. However, Dorsey’s career is not over just yet, as he will be participating in the Olympic trials in a couple of weeks.

KSU’s men’s basketball team signed 3 more players in early May, including James Scott from Newark, NJ, Zach Cameron-Chodes from Sacramento, CA, and Anthony Wilson from Miami, FL. Head coach Al Skinner states he is very pleased with the incoming freshman class, and looks forward to an exciting new season for the KSU Owls.

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ATLANTA HAWKS

DRAFT WEEK DECISIONS

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

he NBA Draft is finally here, June 23 T will help determine the path the Atlanta Hawks drive down for their future. At

a crossroads, it is imperative for Atlanta to hit home runs with their draft picks or use them to make beneficial moves. Al Horford and Kent Bazemore loom as free agents and the decision to sign them or let them walk will further clarify the direction the Hawks are going.

WHAT WILL ATLANTA DO?

Picks No. 21, 44 and 54 belong to the Hawks – for now. Having three draft picks affords the Hawks flexibility to package the picks and move up or use them as trade bait. NBADraft.net has the Hawks selecting Cheick Diallo, Gary Payton II and Jarrod Uthoff.

Diallo is a painfully raw 6-foot-9 power forward out of Kansas that averages just 7.5 minutes per game as a freshman. He averaged 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds. Scouts think he is years away from contributing, but if he reaches his ceiling he can be a high-

ATLANTA BRAVES

BRAVES STILL SKIDDING, BUT PREPARATION FOR FUTURE CONTINUES

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

nfortunately for the 2016 Atlanta Braves, U they are no stranger to losing streaks. And as of Wednesday afternoon, no other team in

Major League Baseball has a longer one. The Braves, who previously endured slides of nine games, eight games, five games, four games and six games, have dropped four more in a row after losing the last two of a three-games series against the Chicago Cubs and the first two of a four-game set with the visiting Cincinnati Reds. In Monday’s opener against Cincinnati, Atlanta tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with a solo shot by Adonis Garcia, but the home team gave up the eventual winning run in a 9-8 loss when Arodys Vizcaino walked Tyler Holt with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.

“We did some good things,” interim manager Brian Snitker told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Something we haven’t been doing is scoring some runs, and we did that. It’s just a shame we can’t get everything on the same page like that, because you kind of see bits and

energy rebounder and shot blocker. Offensively, he is limited.

The son of Gary Payton, Payton II is one of the most athletic guards in the draft and a late bloomer. He is already 23-years old, but his defense gives him great value as an on-ball stopper. He averaged 16 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2.5 steals per game his senior season.

Uthoff looks the role of a stretch forward in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 38 percent from three.

Though he isn’t a great athlete, he could provide helpful minutes off the bench and become a rotational player.

TRADE?

If players of that ilk don’t fit yours or Atlanta’s fancy, maybe they will trade some picks. Last year the Hawks traded down and ended up with Tim Hardaway Jr. in a trade with the Knicks. Atlanta could package some picks along with a valuable asset, maybe Jeff Teague, to move up and grab someone that fits a need. Could Atlanta sneak into the lottery and try to grab St. Francis product Malik Beasley out of Florida State to start at shooting guard?

Atlanta doesn’t necessarily need to trade for a draft pick. They could move the pick and an asset to acquire an already established NBA player. It is up to the Hawks front office to decide which move is best.

spurts of what we’re capable of.”

None of that was on display one day later, as the Braves fell to the Reds 3-1. Julio Teheran gave up three runs in the first inning and Atlanta could not make up the early deficit.

DRAFT RECAP …

With the third overall pick of the MLB Draft last Thursday, the Braves selected righthanded pitcher Ian Anderson out of Shenendehowa High School in New York. Anderson was one of just two players invited the draft’s onsite festivities, joining Atlanta native Will Benson of Westminster (taken 14th overall by the Cleveland Indians). With its second and third picks, Atlanta snagged a pair of left-handed pitchers straight out of high school—Joey Wentz (No. 40) and Kyle Muller (No. 44). All three aforementioned players were reportedly on the top 40 of the Braves’ big board.

"What really sealed the deal was the maturity of this young man at such a young age," Braves’ scouting director Brian Bridges told the team’s website, referring to Anderson.

"This was a big victory for the Braves…. When you're fortunate to get three of your first 20, you're happy."

First-base coach and former catcher Eddie Perez was an especially happy man last Saturday, when Atlanta drafted his son in the 36th round. Andres Perez graduated from Pinecrest Academy in Cumming, Ga. this spring and he is committed to North Georgia College, where he will likely play instead of signing with the Braves.

ATLANTA FALCONS

BALANCED OFFENSE STRENGTHENS DIVISION RACE

BY JOSEPH CHAPMAN | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

I

n his rookie season, Jameis Winston stepped into arguably the League’s most talented division of quarterbacks and proved that he is more than capable of competing with some of the NFL’s top passers. And while the NFC South is known for its quarterback play, it was the running backs that nearly outshined the quarterbacks this year as there were three Pro Bowlers in the division that were each top-10 rushers in 2015. Doug Martin took a large load off of Winston’s shoulders last season, as he was the second leading rusher in the League with 1,402 yards and six touchdowns.

Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman earned the title of 2016 Pro Bowl captain after his breakout campaign last year that featured 1,056 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. Jonathan Stewart benefited from a high tempo offense in Carolina as he nearly surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career with 989 yards rushing and six touchdowns while only playing in 13 games due to injury. With the emergence of star running backs assisting the

GHSA BEAT

COLQUITT COUNTY REPEATS AT CORKY 7-ON-7

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

here were 30 of Georgia’s top programs T represented in the 2016 Corky Kell Classic 7-on-7 Invitational on Friday, but in the end

it was middle Georgia’s Houston County and south Georgia’s Colquitt County as the last two teams standing. For Colquitt County, the Packers won the tournament a year ago and were able to cruise past Walton, McEachern, Grayson and Centennial after earning the No. 6 seed to return to the finals. Houston County, which makes its Metro PCS Corky Kell Classic debut this August, reached the finals after topping Kell, Alpharetta, Collins Hill and Roswell as the 26 seed.

Quarterback Jay Saunders led the Packers, while UGA-commit Jake Fromm commanded the Bears’ offense. While Fromm never stopped proving his status as one of the top passers in the entire nation, it was the determination, defense, depth and the dependability of Saunders that lifted Colquitt to a 2015 victory in the finals.

“I’m sitting here looking at Jake Fromm and to me, he is the best quarterback here

already highly talented quarterback crop, the NFC South could have four of the top offenses in the NFL next season.

AROUND THE SOUTH

To improve what was one of the League’s worst scoring defenses last season, the Buccaneers selected cornerback Vernon Hargraves with the 11th pick in the draft. Joining Hargraves are former Falcon, Brent Grimes, and Gerald McCoy for a defense that needs to step up to complement what looks to be a highpowered offense in Tampa.

Coming off of a 15-1 regular season and a Super Bowl appearance, the Carolina Panthers addressed the loss of Josh Norman in the Draft by selecting two cornerbacks. While the defense takes the big hit by losing Norman, the offense gets a huge gain with the return of a healthy Kelvin Benjamin at receiver. Reigning MVP Cam Newton is hungry to bring a championship to Charlotte and has the credentials to take them all the way.

Drew Brees enters his sixteenth year in the NFL (eleventh with the Saints) but doesn’t appear to be slowing down as he surpassed 4,800 yards passing for the fifth straight season last year. Brees needs to do all he can again this year if the Saints look to be a playoff contender as the defense was worst in scoring defense in the NFL last season.

today,” admitted Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst. “Now the second best quarterback here today was Jay Saunders from the Colquitt County Packers. … Jay Saunders is a winner.”

TOO TOUGH…

The tournament filled the day with highlight reel plays and incredible head-to-head matchups after the teams settled the seeding with five rounds of pool play. Gainesville earned the No. 1 seed, but after a bye in the first round, dropped a 28-13 game to Roswell and was sent home as a one-and-done in the single-elimination format. Centennial’s impressive run to the semifinals where Colquitt County dominated 35-0 was kept alive with a 25-17 overtime thriller against Jones County in the second round and a 28-16 win over Peachtree Ridge in the quarterfinals. Jones County is also representing middle Georgia as a first-time Corky Kell participant this year.

Colquitt County’s most impressive victory might have been its 24-6 blowout over Grayson in the quarterfinals after a 36-23 shootout versus McEachern in the quarterfinals.

The nationally acclaimed teams and players that participated in the Corky Kell 7 on 7 once again made it a marquee event in the offseason for the nearly 1,100 players that participated. The event provided a competitive football environment that showcased the high level of football Georgia will offer as the celebrated 25-year anniversary of the Corky Kell Classic kicks off the high school football season in just two months.

Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016

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Vol. 12 Iss. 21 | June 22 - June 28, 2016

May 24

June 2

Wingfoot High School All-Star Mile Emory University Track Email etomas@atlantatrackclub.org to enter

All-Metro Track & Field Banquet The Stave Room/Atlanta Track Club Athlete of the Year Voting opens May 17

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July 18-22

September 24

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