Score Atlanta Vol. 10 Iss. 28

Time to look great!

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 28 | AUGUST 8-14, 2014

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YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

NEW FACES Falcons in midst of training camp as preseason opener approaches | Pg. 5

Training Camp Analysis | Pg. 4 Craig Sager II breaks down the Falcons’ offense while Dan Mathews takes a look at the Birds’ defense.

Previewing the Kell | Pg. 8 Check out this week’s prep cover story, which looks ahead to the Corky Kell Classic.

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A GOOD HELMET. If your child or teen has a head injury, come to the only dedicated pediatric healthcare system in Georgia with a concussion program. Learn more about our expertise in treating head injuries at choa.org/concussion.

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Vol. 10 Iss. 28 | August 8-14, 2014

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

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COLUMNISTS

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ON THE COVER

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PREP COVER

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Black ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Marcus Nabors

BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves) Matthew Cason (Hawks, Tech) Brian Jones (KSU) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons) Kyle Sandy (Dream) David Norwood (GSU)

STAFF WRITERS Alex Ewalt Darrin Heatherly Alex Ordu

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Copyright 2014 Score Atlanta Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Score Atlanta is published in print every other week on Fridays and a digital version is posted to ScoreAtl.com in-between print issues. Views expressed in Score Atlanta are not necessarily the opinion of Score Atlanta, its staff or advertisers. Score Atlanta does not knowingly accept false or misleading editorial content or advertising nor is Score Atlanta responsible for the content or claims of any advertising or editorial in this publication. No content (articles, photographs, graphics) in Score Atlanta may be used for reproduction without written permission from the publisher.

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BRAVES | FALCONS HAWKS | DREAM

On ScoreAtl.com, we will continually be updating you, our readers, on the progress of the Falcons this offseason as they move towards what looks to be a promising 2014 season. We will have reporters at minicamp as well as training camp and Friday Night Lights.

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEROME PEARSON, TUCKER HS AND THE ATLANTA FALCONS

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DAN THE MAN

FALCONS DEFENSE LOOKS IMPROVED BEHIND NEW ADDITIONS

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

he Falcons have looked for every opportuT nity during the offseason to become a more physical football team on both offense and

defense. This was a goal voiced by head coach Mike Smith when he met with the media in April for the start of player workouts.

During the offseason, the Falcons geared their workouts toward becoming a bigger and stronger football team. To go along with this, the team also added defensive linemen Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai through free agency.

On the offensive side of the ball, the team brought in veteran offensive guard Joe Asamoah to help add some size upfront. Let’s not forget about the team drafting Jake Matthews on the offensive side of the ball to man the right tackle spot. Then, the team added eight defensive players with their next nine picks.

To headline the pack of defensive players, the Falcons picked up defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman. The Falcons wanted size and they got it.

REAL WORLD APPLICATION …

Now, will it translate to results on the field? This is a team that couldn’t get to the quarterback with any regularity in 2013 and struggled to get off the field on third downs.

Not to mention the host of missed tackles Falcons fans saw last season from this defense.

One thing we do know is that the practices have been more physical, with the BIRDS going through the famous “Oklahoma Drill” and allowing for tackling to the ground during some padded practices.

That first test to find out whether this

SAGER SAYS

RYAN AND COMPANY HUNT BALANCE BEHIND REVAMPED LINE

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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he Falcons return the personnel capable of fueling one of the NFL’s best offenses this season, but finding more balance in the playbook will be the key to keeping the group in motion. Imbalance with the running game factored into last year’s 4-12 record. With an almost non-existent running game, Atlanta finished last in the league in rushing while quarterback Matt Ryan had to nearly pace the NFL in pass attempts to try to move the chains.

Ryan threw the football just eight less times than Peyton Manning (659) and the record-setting Denver offense last year and it was the first time in Ryan’s career he threw more passes than Brees (650) and Stafford (634) in a season.

MAKING THE CHANGE …

The most noticeable difference on this year’s offense comes from the consistency that is coming from the offensive line. The right side of the line shuffled throughout last season, but rookie right tackle Jake Matthews and free agent pickup Jon Asamoah form a wall on the right side of line that has Ryan confident heading into the season.

“I think that’s a great combination when you talk about a guy like Matthews who’s drafted early and is going to be a cornerstone of this organization for a long time to come,” said Ryan. “He’s done it the way that rookies should do it and kind of kept his mouth shut.

He’s handled his business the right way and has been pretty quiet.”

team is physical or not came on Monday against the Tennessee Titans in Flowery Branch. Titans first-round pick/offensive lineman Taylor Lewan says the Falcons definitely were what they’re hoping to be.

“Strong, physical team and I know that’s what they want to be,” Lewan said. “I know when I was meeting with their GM and head coach that’s one of the things they preached.

They said if we bring you in, we’re one of those teams that has been talked about not being physical, not being tough. That’s one of the things they’ve really done, because I could really feel their toughness out there.”

Like Smith has said, it all starts up front (in this case with the defensive line). The Falcons added about 640 pounds combined with the additions of Tyson Jackson and Soliai. They’ll likely command some double-team blocks from other teams. So, that will likely give inside linebackers Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu the chance to shoot the gaps and get to the quarterback with a little more frequency. Don’t rule out the Falcons maybe dialing up some safety blitzes for William Moore or newly signed Dwight Lowery.

The man leading the defensive line is coach and 12-year NFL veteran Bryan Cox. His approach is a little more in your face and sometimes the language out of his mouth might be a

little more “R-rated.” But defensive coordinator Mike Nolan says his approach is working with the players.

“He’s got a real gruff style and real direct style,” Nolan said. “Sometimes it a real crude style. But nonetheless, they know that he’s coaching them because he loves them. It’s not one of those do this for me. Some coaches, I hate to say it, but it’s all about them and they want their players to play well, so they can walk around and say aren’t I neat. But Bryan’s not that way. Bryan’s really got the best interest of his players at heart.”

The Falcons will be successful on the defense if they can win the battle up front. The secondary is feeling confident with secondyear cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford ready to improve on their productive rookie seasons. The team got stronger at the safety positions, with 2012 Pro Bowl safety William Moore back for another year and the addition of Dwight Lowery.

The fact that the Falcons look like they can get a little more pressure up front on the opposing offense could mean great things for the defensive backs. The true test of whether they can do this, is on Friday against the Miami Dolphins in the Georgia Dome. So far they’re off to a good start.

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

On the left side of the line, the durable Justin Blalock looks primed for another season at left guard. Blalock has missed just two starts in the 112 games the franchise has played since entering he entered the NFL in 2007. Blalock leads all NFL guards for most consecutive starts with 98 and he has started in every game of each of the Falcons’ last five winning seasons. A healthy Sam Baker at guard and Joe Hawley at center has this Falcons offensive line looking the best it has looked in a long time.

“I feel great but the key is keeping me this way,” Jones said. “Not running me to death at practice, because it is practice. We’ve got to take those small steps to get me where they want me at, as far as being able to go out there to play a whole game and not have any doubts about my ability.”

MR. FALCON …

Roddy White has performed at a high level this offseason and has been a lot looser since signing his contract extension last month. White is the Falcons’ all-time receiving yards record-holder (9,436) by a margin of 2,087 yards, the career receptions leader (685) by a staggering 112 catches, and sits two touchdowns away from Terance Mathis’ franchise-record 57 receiving touchdowns heading into the season.

Julio Jones has been held to a one day on and one day off routine during training camp, but when he is on the field he has dominated. Jones missed the final 11 games of last season and if he stays healthy there is a very good chance he could end up as the 2014 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

BREAKOUT PLAYERS …

The core of the Falcons’ offense has been Ryan and the passing game, but there are new pieces to this year’s roster with the potential to spark the offense back to playoff form.

The first camp standout is record-setting return man Devin Hester, who is dazzling at the receiver position. Hester is slated as the fourth receiver, but he could end up sharing reps at No. 3 with Harry Douglas. Undrafted free agent Bernard Reedy was a longshot to make the roster, but he has done enough so far to make potential playing time this season a possibility.

In the backfield, Steven Jackson is out for the rest of camp and Jason Snelling retired this offseason. The group is thin, but rookie Devonta Freeman has stepped up and is going to get a golden opportunity this preseason to earn a significant role in this year’s offense.

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

Vol. 10 Iss. 28 | August 8-14, 2014 during his eight seasons in Chicago.

Atlanta landed another former Bear in Gabe Carimi, who played in the Windy City with Hester in 2011-12 before joining Tampa Bay last year. Carimi adds depth on Atlanta’s line and the former Wisconsin Badger has lined up at right tackle and right guard during his NFL career. Carimi played in 18 games and made 16 starts during his two-year stint with the Bears and took 218 total snaps last year with the Bucs.

ON THE COVER

NEW ARRIVALS

FALCONS ADD SEVERAL KEY PIECES THROUGH FREE AGENCY, HOUSTON TRADE

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

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rom the first day of the NFL’s free-agency period, the Falcons aggressively combed through the league’s potential pickups and bolstered an already-talented roster. It started on the lines of scrimmage and journeyed to the secondary, special teams and covered both sides of the football.

Offensive guard Jon Asamoah joined defensive end Tyson Jackson and nose tackle Paul Soliai as the Falcons’ trio of Day 1 signees (March 11). Asamoah is a 6-foot-4, 305-pound run-blocking specialist who previously played in Kansas City where he helped clear lanes for one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks.

Asamoah has size, strength and experience that give the Falcons enough confidence to put him directly into the starting role where he’ll line up next to rookie right tackle Jake Matthews.

Jackson was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2008 draft and, like Asamoah, was imported from the Chiefs. Jackson is a versatile and imposing piece to the puzzle at 6-foot-4, 296-pounds and he has increased his sack to-

tal the past three seasons, including a careerhigh four in 2013.

Soliai is another big-bodied addition to the team at 6-foot-4, 340 pounds and is able to take on double teams and anchor the middle of the defensive line. He is a seven-year vet that played under Atlanta’s current defensive coordinator Mike Nolan while he was with the Dolphins in 2010-2011. The pair worked well together and Soliai is familiar with Nolan’s defensive scheme and he excels at it.

CHI-TOWN TALENT …

One week into the free-agency period, Atlanta signed Hall of Fame-bound return man Devin Hester to a three-year, $9 million deal. Hester holds the record for most punt return touchdowns in NFL history with 13 and last season he tied the record for most return touchdowns (punt and kickoff combined) with his 19th such score.

Hester’s playmaking ability translates to the offense as well, and he can step in as a receiving threat. The 31-year old recorded 217 receptions for 2,807 yards and 14 touchdowns

SPARKING COMPETITION …

The Falcons increased competition in the secondary by adding cornerback Javier Arenas from the Arizona Cardinals. Arenas is also a return specialist and brought back 24 kickoffs during the 2013 season for 493 yards and posted a career-best 21.4 yards per return.

On defense, the former Alabama standout has played in 63 games during his pro career, while recording 148 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 22 passes defensed in just 12 starts.

While weighing his options during free-agency, Arenas looked for the fit that would not only give him a chance to compete for a starting job, but also would give him that opportunity in a variety of roles.

“As a player, you want to be on a team where you have the best chance to get on the field and help the football club, especially when those roles are in something you’re comfortable with,” said Arenas during OTAs. “I felt like Atlanta was the place for me.”

In college, Arenas became the first college football player to ever amass more than 1,500 punt return yards and 2,000 kickoff return yards in a career. He was senior when Julio Jones was a sophomore during the Tide’s 2010 BCS national title.

Joining Arenas in the cornerback position battle is Josh Wilson. Wilson is coming off a three-year stint with Washington. His best season of his eight-year NFL career came last year, when he set career-highs in total tackles (93), solo tackles (68), assists (25), sacks (two) and fumble recoveries (three).

SAFETY NET …

Finding starters in free agency that can mesh into the playbook was this year’s goal and Atlanta picked up free safety Dwight Lowery to compete for the starting job. Following the release of Thomas DeCoud, Lowery was brought in from his recent stay in Jacksonville.

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As a rookie in 2008, Lowery appeared in all 16 games for the Jets and made 54 solo tackles, 10 assists, forced five fumbles and had 16 passes defensed (all still career-highs). He picked off three passes in both 2009 and 2010 (career-highs) and had at least one interception in each of his first five seasons. Lowery has experience in a multitude of roles that will help him settle in quickly with the Falcons.

“As I progress throughout my career, I’ve played pretty much every defensive back position so you get to learn the responsibilities of all the other players,” Lowery told atlantafalcons.com. “When you play safety, a position that’s more back and has to understand the whole picture, it’s easier to because I’ve been in those different spots.”

THE HUNT ...

The Falcons lost Tony Gonzalez to retirement this offseason and signed McKenna Sean “Bear” Pascoe from the Giants to help fill the vacancy. Pascoe is a five-year veteran that has played in 66 career games, including 32 starts.

He was undeniably a key contributor in New York even without frequently showing up in the box score. He played in all 16 games last season while making six starts. Pascoe also brings championship experience to Atlanta, having won Super Bowl XLVI with the Giants.

On June 18, Atlanta traded Akeem Dent for Houston quarterback T.J. Yates and veteran linebacker Tim Dobbins. Dobbins is a veteran that brings much-needed experience and depth and he played under Nolan with the Dolphins in 2010. Yates, a Marietta native, returned to his home state and will fill in as a solid backup quarterback behind Matt Ryan.

Yates’ first start came against the Falcons in 2011 and the former Pope Greyhound led the Texans to a 17-10 victory. Like Ryan, Yates is a prototypical dropback passer with good size (6-foot-4) and he’s competed 101 of 166 career passes for 1,100 yards and three touchdowns.

Atlanta is preparing for its 49th season as a franchise and is aiming for its fifth playoff appearance in the last seven years. To satisfy the lofty goals the Falcons set each season, the team had one of their busiest free-agency periods ever and adding this talent and depth could be the theme of this year’s success.

Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

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Adreian Payne

The Falcons

Hard Knocks

During the NBA Summer League, Payne averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a steal in 29 minutes per game. The Hawks’ firstround pick will add depth at the forward/center position.

However, what makes him so unique is his versatility. Payne has developed into an exceptional player who can play on both sides of the ball.

The Falcons held their annual Friday Night Lights scrimmage last week at Archer High School. Julio Jones and Roddy White both look healthy after the productive wide receiver duo struggled last season with nagging injuries. However, expect them to be back to 100 percent and lighting up defensive secondaries during the regular season.

The HBO documentary series “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Atlanta Falcons” aired its first episode on Tuesday.

Each new episode will premiere at 10 p.m. eastern time on Tuesdays through the start of September. If you miss Tuesday night’s episode, it will re-air on HBO multiple times in the coming weeks.

SCORE LIST

By Brian Jones

PRESEASON FEVER

The wait is over as the Falcons will play real football on Friday. It’s only a preseason game, but it will be good to see how the Falcons look in game action after spending the last two weeks hitting each other in training camp.

They will face the Miami Dolphins at the Georgia Dome and kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

HARD KNOCKS

And speaking of the Falcons, they were on HBO this Tuesday as the first episode of “Hard Knocks” aired. For those who were able to watch it, they got a chance to see how the Falcons operate and why they have been successful since 2008. I don’t have HBO, so I will have to find another way to see each episode.

FALL CAMP

The Bulldogs started their road to the Georgia Dome with the beginning of fall camp this past weekend. One of the biggest storylines so far for Georgia has been injuries.

Guys like Ramik Wilson and Leonard Floyd are banged up, which is never a good sign. Let’s hope the Bulldogs don’t have any setbacks like they had last season.

GO KYLE

Hawks’ forward Kyle Korver remains on the USA Basketball team while Paul Millsap was cut this past weekend. Korver is on a team that includes Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis. I hope he makes the final cut because he would make a great teammate for the younger players on the roster.

REMEMBERING PETE

Braves country was shocked to hear that broadcaster Pete Van Wieren passed away over the weekend. Van Wieren called Braves games from 1976-2008 and he was known as “The Professor” because of his in-depth knowledge of the game and thorough preparation for each broadcast. Thanks for the memories, Pete.

WHO’S NOT

By Alex Ordu

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Atlanta Braves

Johnny Football

El Oso Blanco

The Bravos have lost eight games in a row beginning back on July 29. The streak continued into August when they were swept by the lowly Padres over the weekend. Although the Braves are still in second place in the NL East let’s hope they can get back to their winning ways soon. Losing streaks this time of year are bad news.

Manziel has been the topic of discussion all summer after being seen in Las Vegas and partying with Justin Bieber.

During training camp, Manziel was seen at a local bar just a couple miles from the Browns’ training camp facility. Furthermore, shortly after the bar incident, Manziel was listed as the backup quarterback for the preseason opener versus the Detroit Lions.

After having a hit streak of 17 games earlier this season, Evan Gattis has gone through a slump as of late. In the previous six games he’s gone 3-for-21 with only three hits and six strikeouts. As one of the Braves’ better hitters, Gattis has to turn it around in order for them to generate some offense. Atlanta fans hope he can get back into a groove during the pennant race.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Alex Ordu

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

WHEN WAS PETE VAN WIEREN’S FIRST SEASON AS AN ATLANTA BRAVES BROADCASTER?

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

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SANITY AT LAST

“He certainly doesn’t look like (a rookie) to me. He’s as savvy as any rookie I’ve been around at any position.”

- Matt Ryan on rookie offensive tackle Jake Matthews

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Wins in 11 attempts by the Braves in games played on the west coast this season

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Years since a major Atlanta sports team has won a championship

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Consecutive seasons the Dream have reached the playoffs, most by any team in the WNBA

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Saves by Craig Kimbrel, third in majors

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Days (from Wednesday) until Falcons first regularseason game

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Candidates left for USA’s Men’s National Basketball Team, including the Hawks’ Kyle Korver

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Career touchdowns scored (rushing and passing) by Matt Ryan

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Wins in the month of July by the Braves

CORKY KELL CLASSIC

STATE PREPARES FOR LARGEST-EVER KELL CLASSIC FIELD

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

T

he biggest Metro PCS Corky Kell Classic ever is slated for Aug. 22-23 featuring seven matchups between some of the state’s top programs.

Day one of the classic is packed with a double-header with two cross-classification matchups. Creekview has compiled a 56-28 record in its short existence that included an 8-3 finish last year before falling 34-33 to East Paulding in the opening round of the playoffs.

Creekview head coach Terry Crowder coached Chattahoochee in the Kell Classic before accepting the job with the Grizzlies. He is entering his second season at the school.

North Paulding was classified up to Class AAAAAA this year and looks to challenge the Class AAAAA Grizzlies while coming off a school-record 11-win season in 2013. Scott Jones took over the North Paulding program in 2012 and is entering his 18th season as a head coach after spending the bulk of his career at

South Cobb and Kennesaw Mountain.

Class AAAAAA Archer faces a Class AAAA Sandy Creek program in the backend of the Day 1 double-header. Like North Paulding, Archer finished with a school-record 11 wins last season. The Tigers were the only undefeated team in Georgia’s highest classification heading into the playoffs and fell short to state runnerup North Gwinnett 34-32 in a second-round heartbreaker that easily could have been theirs.

Sandy Creek won back-to-back state titles in 2009 and 2010 and returned to the podium in 2012 with a perfect 15-0 season, including a 45-10 rout over Ridgeland in the state championship. Last year, eventual state champion Griffin upset Sandy Creek in the state quarterfinals and snapped its streak of 27 games without a loss.

DAY TWO …

Saturday features a five-game marathon

with four Class AAAAAA matchups and one Class AAAA vs. Class AAAAA tilt. The action starts at 9 a.m. with the Kell Longhorns and the Carrollton Trojans.

Carrollton is one of the most successful programs in the nation and owns an all-time record of 632-213-28 (.740) with seven state championships. New head coach Ed Dudley fills in for Rayvan Teague after spending the past five seasons at Ware County. Dudley previously spent the 1988-91 seasons as Carrollton’s defensive coordinator under head coach Ben Scott. In his four seasons as coordinator, Dudley’s defenses held 35 opponents to single digits, including 21 shutouts.

Kell is coming off a school-record 13-1 season that ended with a semifinals loss to eventual state champion Creekside. The Longhorns are led by head coach Derek Cook and have compiled a staggering 44 wins the last four seasons. This is Kell’s fifth time in the Classic and the Horns are 3-1 in their previous appearances.

Mill Creek will kick off Game 2 with Colquitt County. Quarterback Daniel David and offensive linemen Kaleb Kim and Josh Fannin lead the Hawks. The majority of the unit returns from last year after averaging 40.2 points per game. Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst is searching for a state title after leading the school to five straight semifinals.

In Game 3, Valdosta tees off with Brookwood. The Broncos have played in all 23 Corky

Kell Classics. Valdosta’s only Corky Kell appearance came in 1996 against Brookwood and it resulted in a thrilling 31-28 victory over the Broncos.

Tucker and Norcross highlight Game 4. The Tigers are making the jump to Class AAAAAA this season after a 14-1 season that ended with a loss to Creekside in the championship. Norcross successfully defended its only state title last year with a 31-14 win over rival North Gwinnett. The Blue Devils are 28-2 the past two seasons while Tucker is 24-4 and an outstanding 88-10 the last seven years.

The final game matches North Gwinnett and McEachern. This is a rematch of last year’s Class AAAAAA semifinals that resulted in a 27-21 victory for North Gwinnett. The Indians’ offense is led by USC-commit Chuma Edoga on the offensive line and fellow Pac 12-commit Taj Griffin (Oregon), one of the fastest players in the country. Sophomore quarterback Bailey Hockman is a rising star. Brothers Daniel and Josh Imatorbhebhe and Almonzo Brown pace North Gwinnett’s passing attack and Clemson commit and five-star Mitch Hyatt leads the offensive line.

Photos courtesy of Sonny Kennedy and Terance Johnson.

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ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

DRAGSTERS NEAR FINISH LINE; JIMMIE JOHNSON COMING TO ATLANTA

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

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ith the racing season coming down the home stretch, there are still championships to be won. Last Friday saw some drivers draw one step closer to realizing their dreams of becoming the season champs, while others had their chase come to unceremonious ends.

Week 12 of O’Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags and Show ‘N’ Shine at Atlanta Motor Speedway featured double-points night, which could either get drivers right back into the hunt or give them a flat tire in their pursuit.

RAMSEY WINS …

Michael Ramsey of Canton was one man who hoped to cap off an otherwise disappointing year with a double-points night victory. The winner of last season’s dragster competition in the Jailhouse Brewing Company Super Pro di-

vision was a favorite heading into this season, but a slow start to 2014 ultimately did him in.

Ramsey won the double points he desired in the final round, but his season deficit was insurmountable. Driving in his 2012 Undercover Dragster, Ramsey was able to blow past Billy Clevenger of Jonesboro’s 1963 Chevrolet Chevelle. Clevenger was sitting two points behind Ramsey in seventh place heading into the night.

Reflecting on a season in which he was unable to capture back-to-back titles, Ramsey said, “We didn’t start racing this year until the sixth week. This year was all about coming back and having some fun and running a few races. My wife and I enjoy this and love coming here. It’s just a great time.”

Another storyline for Week 12 of O’Reilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags and Show ‘N’

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

FALCONS STAR IN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, ON “HARD KNOCKS” DAN MATHEWS AND STEPHEN BLACK

he Falcons held their annual Friday Night Lights practice on Aug. 1 in front of a crowd T of more than 12,000 people at Archer High

School in Lawrenceville. Fans got an opportunity to check out the 2014 team a little more up close and personally.

Those who have been out to Flowery Branch have probably seen the practice structure at work for the team. They’ll go through individual drills, wide receiver against defensive back 1-on-1 drills, offensive/defensive line drills, 11-on-11 drills, and many more workouts.

Even though it could look like any usual training camp practice, it’s not at all. For one they’re not in Flowery Branch and they get to go underneath the lights of an area high school field. Even though these players have reached the highest level of football, it still takes them back to the days when they were wearing their letterman jackets through the halls trying to beat the tardy bell to their next class.

“I played here in high school, not at this particular high school, but in Georgia,” Jonesboro’s Harry Douglas said. “Friday Night Lights kind of mimics playing on Friday nights like you did in high school. It’s a great thing and it’s a great event every year.”

Douglas says the players were talking about those high school days, before they took

the field for this annual event.

The event always ends with fans lining up around the field, hoping their favorite Falcons player will come their direction for an autograph. Plus, they’re treated to a great fireworks show to end the night.

It’s very safe to say that Kia Motors’ Friday Night Lights 2014 was a huge success.

HARD KNOCKS …

The first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” featuring the Falcons was aired Tuesday night.

The weekly show focused on Kory Biermann and his family, rookies like Jake Matthews and Devonta Freeman, veteran safety William Moore and veteran receiver Harry Douglas. It was obvious to the viewer just how physical and intense training camp can be, as several scraps between players highlighted the onehour show. Some clips of a mustached coach Mike Smith were shown from his days with the Ravens, something many Falcons fans had never seen previously.

“Hard Knocks” appears each Tuesday at 10 p.m. on HBO and re-runs will be shown on the HBO family of networks throughout the fall.

Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

Shine at Atlanta Motor Speedway was Arnie Cobb and his 1974 Chevy Nova trying to hold off Tony Byrd of Stockbridge and his surging 1986 Ford Thunderbird. Cobb, the Jailhouse Brewing Company Super Pro division leader, was able to speed away for two more points and he still holds a slim three-point lead over Byrd with two races remaining. In the Street Outlaw division, Gary Thomas in his 1974 Chevrolet Nova was able to grab some points and take a commanding six-point lead over second-place driver Andrew Pride late in the season.

Week 13 rumbles on at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Friday with just two events remaining. Be sure to come out and support your favorite drivers with drag spectator tickets starting at $8 for adults and free for children five and under. If you get the itch to get behind the wheel, it is $20 entry fee to drag race or participate in the Show-N-Shine, or buy the combo ticket for just $30. Grandstand gates open at 6:30 p.m., while the drag race eliminators start at 9:15 p.m.

J.J. IN TOWN …

It’s not every day that you get to witness a living legend. It is definitely not that common to be able to meet and greet one in your own backyard. On Wednesday, six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson

made an appearance at Dantanna’s Downtown restaurant and the Metro Atlanta Chamber. He hosted and participated in numerous events to get ready for the Atlanta 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Labor Day weekend. There were plenty of great opportunities and events with Johnson, including a qualification tournament in a 270-degree racing simulator located at Dantanna’s. The racer with the fastest qualifying time won an opportunity to face Johnson in a race later in the day. For all those who participated in the qualifying tournament, an Upper Petty grandstand ticket discount was available for just $59. To sweeten the deal, the first 25 participants who beat a pre-established time set by Johnson’s were awarded a free Upper Petty ticket to the race on Aug. 31.

Prior to the Sprint Cup race, Yacht Rock Revue will headline festivities. The local party band is known for playing 1970s light rock and wearing flamboyant outfits featuring captains’ hats and polyester. Sunday-only pre-race pit passes are selling for $100 and weekend passes are going for $125. In order to hold a pre-race pit pass, a ticket for either the grandstand or infield will be required. Yacht Rock Revue will begin performing at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

DAWGS BEGIN FALL CAMPS; BELLAMY SUSPENDED

BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

L

ast Friday signaled the official start of Georgia’s football season, with the first practice of fall camp. The 2014 regular-season campaign is less than a month away, but some key position battles are under way in Athens.

Georgia is trying to find three new starting offensive linemen, tight end help and a trio of new starters in the secondary.

So far on the offensive line it looks like senior tackle Mark Beard could have an inside track on being the starter at left tackle. That would put John Theus at right tackle. If those moves come to fruition, the Bulldogs would be left to fill the two open guard spots. For the time being, Georgia appears to be going with senior Kolton Houston at left guard and redshirt sophomore Greg Pyke at right guard.

When it comes to tight ends, Georgia is trying to get junior Jay Rome healthy for the start of the season. In his introductory press conference last Friday, head coach Mark Richt indicated Rome was still being bothered by

GEORGIA STATE

BASEBALL TEAM MAKES ADDITIONS, AGNEW SIGNS WITH FALCONS

BY DAVID NORWOOD | DNORWOOD@SCOREATL.COM

Wallace State (Ala.) Community ColFwasormer lege-Hanceville pitching coach Adam Scott named to the same position for Georgia

State on Monday. Scott coached current Atlanta Braves’ all-star closer Craig Kimbrel during his time with the Wallace State Lions (2007-08).

“Adam is an excellent addition to our organization and gives our staff the best combination and balance that we can have to continue to move our program forward,” head baseball coach Greg Frady said in an interview with the school’s athletic website.

The Georgia State baseball program also added three student-athletes to its signing class on Wednesday. Catcher Nick Bradshaw and junior college pitchers Clayton Payne and MarcAndre Habeck all chose the Panthers. Bradshaw transferred from William and Mary after one year but did not play in any games last season.

Payne played his 2014 season at Dayton State College, where he made 19 appearances, all in relief. Habeck played at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Tex., where he had a 14-6 record.

a toe issue. That being said, Rome has been on the field for the most part in a red jersey (denoting contact) for most of the drills. The Bulldogs are also working converted fullback Quayvon Hicks into the fold at H-Back. We could also see freshman Jeb Balzevich get some meaningful snaps this season.

As for the secondary, new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is trying to find his starters at safety and the cornerback position opposite senior Damian Swann. The battle for that corner spot looks like it could come down to redshirt freshman Aaron Davis, junior Devin Bowman, or junior Sheldon Dawson. The Bulldogs could also work sophomore J.J. Green, a converted running back, into the defensive backfield. Pruitt gave Green plenty of reps at both safety and cornerback during spring practices.

WEEK ONE …

One personnel move that is already known for certain is redshirt freshman linebacker Davin Bellamy will be suspended for the first two games of the season for a driving under the influence arrest. That means Bellamy will miss an Aug. 30 home showdown against Clemson and a Sept. 13 visit to South Carolina.

This year’s season-opening game against the Tigers is a rematch of a 2014 thriller in which the visiting Bulldogs fell 38-35. The two teams combined for 1012 yards of total offense in that contest.

HOOPS IN COSTA RICA …

The men’s basketball team traveled to Costa Rica on Thursday for an eight-day tour that will include four games and a number of shoe distributions with Samaritan’s Feet—a non-profit organization dedicated to distributing shoes to people of need all over the world. This is the second trip Georgia State has done with Samaritan’s Feet in three seasons.

“This is going to be a great trip for our program in so many different ways,” head coach Ron Hunter told georgiatstatesports.com. “First off, we will do some great work with Samaritan’s Feet. It is always a learning experience for our student-athletes, especially those doing it for the first time. The fact that we will be able to bring hope and shoes to so many children is a great thing.”

NEWS AND NOTES …

Former Georgia State defensive tackle Theo Agnew was signed by the Atlanta Falcons last Friday. Agnew finished his Panthers career with 124 tackles and is tied for second in school history with 14.5 tackles for loss.

Georgia State and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) have a threeyear agreement in place for the school’s football team to play its home games at the Georgia Dome through the 2016 season. Georgia State, which reached the agreement last week, has played its home football games at the Georgia Dome since its inaugural season in 2010.

GEORGIA TECH

JACKETS OPEN FALL CAMP WITH BATTLE FOR STARTING QB JOB

BY MATTHEW CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

T

he countdown to opening day has begun as Georgia Tech players and coaches participated in the start of training camp to prepare for the 2014 campaign, which will begin on Aug. 30 at home against Wofford. More than 100 players reported to campus last Thursday, aiming to improve on a season in which they finished with a 7-6 record, including 5-3 in ACC play.

Head coach Paul Johnson bellowed nothing but excitement when pointing to the position battle at quarterback that was left vacant by former starter Vad Lee, who transferred to James Madison back in January. In his place are two competitors in the form of redshirt sophomore Justin Thomas and redshirt junior Tim Byerly. So far between the two contenders, Thomas has seen more playing time with the first-team offense. “We’re actually very excited about the quarterback position at Georgia Tech,” said Johnson. “I think that (Thomas) brings a great skill-set to what we want to do offensively and (Byerly) had a great spring

KENNESAW STATE

HOOPS PROGRAM HOLDS FIRST-EVER PRESEASON CEREMONY

BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

T

here has been so much talk about Kennesaw State’s football team that the basketball team is almost forgotten these days. Even though basketball season is a few months away, the men’s squad is hard at work as it looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2013-14 campaign.

One of the offseason changes came at the top, as head coach Jimmy Lallathin is the new man in charge. He handed out awards last Saturday to players in the program’s firstever preseason ceremony. Lallathin gave five awards during the event, which was held at KSU’s Jolley Lodge. He also named the four permanent captains for the upcoming season: Orlando Coleman, Delbert Love, Yonel Brown and Nigel Pruitt. Coleman left left the ceremony with the most hardware. He won the Gun Club Award, which is given to the player who spends the most time in the gym during the offseason. He also took home Iron Owl Award honors, given to the hardest-working player in the weight room.

practice. They are both guys that embrace what we do.”

Johnson will look for them to lead his triple-option offense that averaged 35 points per game in 2013 but must fill voids left by Aback Robert Godhigh and B-back David Sims.

Godhigh averaged more than 10 yards on 69 carries last season and also led the team in receiving. Sims was Tech’s leading rusher with 846 yards on 151 attempts.

CLUTCH KICK …

The two words that any football player hates to hear as the end of practice are “wind sprints.” Usually the only way to avoid the closest thing to death at the end of practice is requiring a team member to perform an extremely difficult task that coaches may deem impossible.

Enter sophomore kicker Harrison Butker, who was told by coaches that if he could nail five field goals in a row, each longer than the other, he and his teammates would avoid the much-dreaded wind sprints. Challenge accepted. Butker approached each field goal carefully, disregarding pressure that can only be equated to a potential game-winning kick. The Westminster alum nailed the first four with ease before his last attempt came from more than 50 yards out. With a calm, cool demeanor, Butker sent yet another pigskin straight through the uprights. His teammates exploded with jubilation as the team formed a mosh pit around the Decatur native.

“It was a great night and an exciting time for our program,” Lallathin told ksuowls.com.

“We’re very excited for our team and it was nice to recognize these guys before we head off to Italy. This is something we wanted to instill as a tradition with our team and I think we started it off the right way tonight.”

The Owls are currently overseas in Italy for a four-game tour. They are traveling from Milan to Rome with stops in Florence, Venice and Pisa, among other cities.

FOOTBALL UPDATE …

Head coach Brian Bohannon got the chance to take part in the Big South Conference Media Day in Charlotte on July 24 and he talked to the media about how Kennesaw State was a hop, skip and a jump away from where he lived before he took the job.

“Little did I know Kennesaw State was eight miles from my house,” Bohannon said.

“I had never been to the school. I cruised through one day, and you see brand-new dormitories, brand-new student housing and I’m like, ‘What’s going on with this place?’”

Bohannon also expressed that the Owls want to win as soon as they hit the field for their inaugural season in 2015.

“The one thing that we’ve talked about a lot is creating a winning culture,” Bohannon explained. “You can have a lot of good players, but if they don’t believe they can win, if they don’t have that belief down deep, it makes it difficult.”

Vol. 10 Iss. 26 | July 18-24, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS HIRE SPAHIJA AS ASSISTANT COACH

BY MATTHEW CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

t was announced Monday that the Atlanta Imost Hawks have added Neven Spahija, one of the successful coaches in Europe, to Mike

Budenholzer’s staff as an assistant coach. Spahija brings with him 30 years of international coaching experience, most recently as head coach of Chigrona Zagreb in Croatia last season. But his experience does not just end there, as Spahija definitely has his passport covered with stamps following coaching stints in Turkey, Slovenia, Lithuania, Israel and Spain. His teams won championships in all six of those countries.

“Neven is one of the most successful coaches in Europe and we’re thrilled to add him to our staff,” Budenholzer said in a statement released by the team. “As an organization, we have great respect for international basketball and we will benefit tremendously from his perspective and his wealth of experience.”

SWEET SIXTEEN ….

Hawks’ forward Paul Millsap was on the chop block Monday following the conclusion

ATLANTA BRAVES

BRAVES’ LOSING STREAK HITS EIGHT GAMES

BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

N

ot one, not two, not three, not four…okay, you get the point. The Atlanta Braves have lost eight games in a row as of Wednesday evening, leaving them 6-12 since the all-star break. An eight-game road trip starting last Tuesday began with three straight losses to San Diego, another three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers and a 7-3 setback at Seattle on Tuesday. Alex Wood went six innings in Wednesday’s loss while allowing only one earned run.

“There’s not one guy in this clubhouse who doesn’t come to the park and work their butt off every day and come here and grind it out and try to get us back on track,” Wood said in his postgame interview. “We’re right there. I think we’re close, and it’s just a matter of time before we turn that corner and right the ship and get going in the right direction.”

The only real good news for Atlanta is that NL East-rival Washington is also struggling. As of Wednesday, the Nationals were 3-6 in their last nine contests and 5-8 in their last 13. At

of Team USA training camp for the upcoming FIBA World Cup. Still, Atlanta fans welcomed some good news coming out of Las Vegas, with Kyle Korver making the first round of cuts. The slick shooter is now one of 16 finalists being considered for the USA’s national team that will wear the red, white and blue in Spain. Other notables making the cut include Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, New Orleans center Anthony Davis and Houston guard James Harden—three members from the 2012 Olympic gold medal squad. The team is scheduled to resume its preparations for the World Cup on Aug. 14 in Chicago. The list of 16 must be cut down to a 12-man roster and submitted on Aug. 29, a day prior to the tournament opener.

STAYING PUT …

The Hawks agreed to terms with restricted free-agent forward Mike Scott on a threeyear deal worth $10 million, it was announced last Friday. In response to the deal, the forward tweeted, “Glad to be back. #404.”

Scott experienced a breakout season for the Hawks last year, averaging 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game while appearing 80 contests. Atlanta selected Scott with the 43rd overall pick in 2012 NBA Draft and has used him primarily in a reserve role.

The 26-year old took a step forward with his 2014 production, shooting at a 47.9 percent clip from the field, including 31 percent from beyond the arc. He earned six starts during the 2013-14 campaign.

60-51, they are 3.5 games ahead of the Braves (58-55) in the division. Third-place Miami (55-57) is just two games back of Atlanta and 5.5 games out of first.

TRADE-DEADLINE DEAL …

As expected, the Braves did only some minor tweaking at last Thursday’s trade deadline. In the process of landing a left-handed reliever, as was widely anticipated, Atlanta also brought in a versatile veteran fielder. The team acquired James Russell and Emilio Bonifacio from the Cubs in exchange for minor-league catcher Victor Caratini.

“Quite frankly, this deal came to us late,” general manager Frank Wren told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “We explored separate pieces—Bonifacio separately, Russell separately—and it really came together probably in the last 35, 40 minutes before the deadline. I really didn’t anticipate that.”

Russell had a 3.51 ERA to go along with 26 strikeouts in 33.1 innings with Chicago. In three appearances for the Braves so far he has pitched 2.2 innings without giving up a run.

The 28-year-old will be under contract with Atlanta through the 2015 season.

Bonifacio played center field, second base, shortstop and third base for Chicago while batting .279 in 298 plate appearances to go along with 14 stolen bases. The 29-yearold switch hitter was 2-for-8 with two walks and swiped two bases through his first four games with the Braves.

ATLANTA FALCONS

HARD KNOCKS DEBUTS; FALCONS PREPARE FOR PRESEASON OPENER

BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

BO’s hit series “Hard Knocks” debuted H Tuesday and took viewers behind the scenes of Falcons’ training camp. Redemption

from last year’s 4-12 season and establishing toughness with this year’s roster was the theme of the first episode and looks to be the baseline for the rest of the series. Within the first segments of the episode, the recurring physical altercations that occurred in Atlanta’s first week of action were highlighted. Later in the episode, Jake Matthews, Kroy Biermann, Joe Hawley, Jacques Smith and Ryan Schraeder were a few of the players involved in scuffles at practice.

The feisty Falcons were a high-energy unit each day of practice and especially on the first day with pads. The opening week of camp culminated at Archer High School for the annual Friday Night Lights celebration. Cameras mounted on skydivers landing on the field during the pregame and a flyover of the postscrimmage fireworks show beautified what was a grueling, hard-fought Week 1 in Atlanta.

Next week’s episode will showcase the

ATLANTA DREAM

COOPER RETURNS AS DREAM CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

S

unday was a huge day for the Atlanta Dream in many different facets. Michael Cooper returned to the bench sooner than most expected to coach the Dream after missing five games following his diagnosis of tongue cancer. Although the players were glad to see their leader back, they were not able to beat a New York Liberty team that is in the thick of an intense battle for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Tina Charles led the way for the Liberty, scoring 29 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in another dominant performance as New York prevailed 83-76. Charles has been the main catalyst for the Liberty all year, averaging approximately 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Head coach Bill Laimbeer will likely ride his star player in hopes of securing a playoff berth. For Atlanta, Angel McCoughtry is the league’s third leading scorer was at it again with a team-high 28 points against the Liberty. The Eastern Conference-leading Dream

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Falcons’ combined practice with the Tennessee Titans that took place this past week and also the first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins slated for Friday. The show airs each Tuesday at 10 p.m. on HBO and there are four more episodes. The Falcons camp schedule for next week will consist of a trip to Houston for a combined practice with the Texans before squaring off against them on Saturday at NRG Stadium in the second preseason game.

PHINS UP …

The Dolphins finished 8-8 in 2013 despite a 27-23 Week 3 victory over the Falcons that moved them to 3-0. Inconsistency has kept Miami from the playoffs since the 2008 season and after a slow offensive showing last year, Bill Lazor replaced Mike Sherman as the team’s offensive coordinator. Lazor actually spent the 2003 season as an assistant on the Falcons coaching staff and after several stops around the league he most recently served as the quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Lazor mentored Nick Foles during his breakout season, which resulted in an Eagles’ NFC East division title. This offense will be a great test for the Falcons’ young defense on Friday.

Miami signal-caller Ryan Tannehill has thrown for 7,207 yards his first two NFL seasons with 36 touchdowns, but his 30 career interceptions (17 last year) are the concern. As the Dolphins hope to limit miscues this season, the Falcons are looking for playmakers on defense to create turnovers.

(17-11) have faltered of late, losing six of their last eight games, but they still hold a 4.5-game lead over Indiana with eight contests remaining in the season.

PLAYOFF BERTH CLINCHED …

The Fever lost on Saturday night to leagueleading Phoenix, a result that assured the Dream of a place in the playoffs. Atlanta, the youngest franchise in the WNBA having entered in 2008, has now qualified for the playoffs in six straight seasons and will look to defend its Eastern Conference crown. The Dream will try to accomplish their dreams of winning the WNBA title but will have to get over their past struggles at the biggest stage. Atlanta has been swept in the finals three of the past four years, going 0-9 in those series. Last season saw Atlanta’s hopes dashed

by Georgia native Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx. The Collins Hill High School product has established herself as the best player in the sport, averaging almost 25 points per game this season.

The Dream, however, cannot be looking ahead to the playoffs. If the postseason began today, they would be facing the Liberty—who have beaten the Dream in three of four headto-head meetings in 2014. Atlanta’s next game pits the club against the 24-4 Phoenix Mercury. That contest kicks off a four-game road trip, which also includes stops in Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago before Atlanta returns home to face the Mercury on the 13th.

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