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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 44 | NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2014

YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

BACKYARD BRAWL Tough Decisions | Pg. 4 Kyle Sandy reveals the motives behind the Jason Heyward trade.

Up For Grabs| Pg. 8 Bracket busters open up state title race.

Georgia Tech visits Athens for high-stakes showdown with Dawgs. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

COLUMNISTS

ON THE COVER

PREP COVER

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves)

Matthew Cason (Tech) Brian Jones (KSU) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons) Kyle Sandy (Hawks, GSU, Gladiators)

STAFF WRITERS Jalisa Smith

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SAGER SAYS

UNDEFEATED TEAMS COLLIDE IN CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

our undefeated teams remain in Class AAA and the wait to see these teams tested has finally arrived. Washington County lost to Buford in the state championship last season, but with the Wolves classed in AAAA this year, it looks like the Class AAA state crown is the Golden Hawks to capture. Washington County has blown out all 12 opponents by at least 20 points this season. The Golden Hawks are paced by an offense that produces 52.3 points per game and a defense that allows just 10.7 points per game. Player of the Year candidate A.J. Gray quarterbacks Washington County and he led the Hawks to a 31-7 victory last Friday, despite his least productive game of the season. Gray was held below 100 yards both rushing and passing for the first time all season

and fumbled twice in the red zone. Despite the miscues, Gray still scored on a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second half. Pierce County likes to run the football and the Bears will need to keep the football on the ground to keep the clock moving and limit the possessions the potent Washington County offense will see. Pierce County has allowed 14.3 points per game defensively, while scoring just under 37 points per game. The last time these schools faced was during the first round of the 1994 playoffs. Washington County, led by All-Classification Player of the Year Takeo Spikes, went on to win 28-3 and used the victory to propel a playoff run that took the 15-0 Golden Hawks to their first-ever state title.

WHAT TO MAKE OF THE BRAVES TRADE BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

Heyward was shipped to St. Louis along with setup man Jordan Walden for promising young starting pitcher Shelby Miller and prospect Tyrell Jenkins. Braves fans were shocked when they learned about the news. Heyward was a fan favorite and was the team’s most highlytouted prospect in years. The trade signals new General Manager John Hart has already started to put his imprint on the franchise. Personally, I like the move for Atlanta and do not understand the uproar from fans. I feel like Atlanta fans are more loyal to individuals and would rather blindly cheer for some play-

HOME COOKIN… Calhoun has won its last 54 home games and has not lost a playoff game at home since 2007. The Yellow Jackets faced a big and athletically-gifted Cedar Grove team last round and pulled off a commanding 38-18 victory. Elbert County rides a six-game winning streak

a strong addition for the Braves rotation and should be a cornerstone for years to come.

SANDY’S SPIEL

ast Monday in the early afternoon, Atlanta Lcame fans were greeted by a blockbuster trade that through the wire. The ever popular Jason

TITANS VS. DRAGONS Undefeated Blessed Trinity at undefeated Jefferson sets up one of the top matchups in any classification. Jefferson cruised in its first season in Class AAA and opened the playoffs with commanding victories over Franklin County (38-7) and Dodge County (27-7). The Dragons are giving up just 8.75 points per game this season and have won every game by double-digits besides their 21-14 victory over Hart County in the Region 8 championship. Like Jefferson, Blessed Trinity’s only victory that was not by double-digit points came in a 28-21 win over Cedar Grove in the Region 4 championship. Conor Davis is a championshipcaliber quarterback that leads the Titans but in order for Blessed Trinity to make it all the way to the Dome, the team will have to prove it has the speed to matchup with the elite remaining field in Class AAA. This will be the first time these schools have ever faced.

ers instead of make the tough decisions to win another World Series. At the end of the day, Jason Heyward was nothing more than a .262 career hitter with average power that struck out too much. He won two Gold Gloves in his time with Atlanta which is great, but after seeing the woeful performance of the offense this season things needed to be shaken up. Walden was one of the league’s better setup men, but has battled with bouts of wildness throughout his career. Shelby Miller is the crowned jewel in this trade for Atlanta. The righty burst onto the scene in 2013 when he went 15-9 with a 3.06 ERA and a strong 8.8 K/9. Last season he took a small step back finishing 10-9 with a 3.74 ERA. Miller will be

MOVING TIME… GM John Hart has been making the right moves lately even though they may not be the most popular. Aside from trading Jason Heyward, he also moved plucky infielder Tommy La Stella and released former sinker-baller Jonny Venters. La Stella gave Atlanta a spark when he first came up hitting .292 in the first half of the season but went ice cold hitting .212 in the rest of the way finishing at .251. The interesting part of the La Stella trade was that he was shipped to the Cubs for former Braves farmhand Arodys Vizcaino who has yet to make an impact in the majors. Was this trade simply one to gain more pitching depth or was it an admittance of a mistake Frank Wren made when trading him in 2012? Hart realizes that the Braves have one of the worst farm systems in the league and is trying to build it back up with young talent. He recently described Atlanta’s situation as “woefully thin [pitching-wise] in our minor league system.” Tyrell Jenkins could help the Braves’ 24th ranked farm system or he could set it back even more. Now 22-years-old, he has yet to see Double-A ball. He was drafted as a high schooler in 2010, and has taken the slow route to the

into its visit to Phil Reeve Stadium with a redhot offense that has sparked the recent success. Elbert County topped Appling County 54-3 last Friday and has scored 43.8 points per game over the last six weeks. Calhoun quarterback Kaelan Riley is a 6-foot-3, dual threat that has poise and athleticism to spark big plays. BACK IN THE MIX… Westminster and Hart County’s last meeting was a 6-3 Wildcat victory in the first round of the 1996 playoffs. Eighteen seasons later and Gerry Romberg is still at the helm and looks to lead Westminster to its first 12-win season since 1978. Hart County’s only loss was its 21-14 defeat to Jefferson in the Region 8 title game and the Bulldogs held off a dangerous Cook team 7-0 last Friday. Hart County made it to the quarterfinals four years in a row from 1998-01 but have only made it back twice since and still searches its first state title. Cameron Fouch quarterbacks a balanced Hart County offense that has seen nine different receivers haul in touchdowns this season. Junior Anthony Turner is a 6-foot-4 wide receiver that leads the way with seven receiving touchdowns. Photo courtesy of Perry McIntyre.

majors. He should open up at Double-A Mississippi this year and will look to improve upon his 3.28 ERA in Single-A Advanced last season. SHAKING THINGS UP… GM Jon Hart has made it known that he is looking to improve his farm system and gain players that are under team control. The trade for Miller is just the first step in rebuilding the franchise. Hart will need to clean up the mess that Wren made with the contracts of the Upton brothers and all the long-term extensions he dealt out last year. There have already been whispers of Justin Upton being moved along with the idea of packaging his brother B.J. with Evan Gattis to help clear cap space. Atlanta also appears to be emerging as a front-runner in the Yasmany Tomas sweepstakes. Tomas is a 24-year-old Cuban slugger who could play outfield if the Upton brothers were moved. Whatever happens this offseason will surely be interesting. Whenever a new GM is in place fans are quick to see what their goals are about how the team should be built. Hart has put an emphasis on growing the farm system and as of right now it seems that he is not scared to make the difficult decisions to build a winner in the future. Photo courtesy of ESPN.com.

Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014 Kentucky 63-31 and Auburn 34-7. Georgia, though, is nowhere near consistent enough to do anything except take things one game at time. It would be nice for the Athens faithful if the Bulldogs could play like they did against Auburn week in and week out, but perhaps the one positive of its two blemishes in 2014 is that they can keep the Dawgs grounded and focused on tasks at hand. It must be impossible to become too egotistical with losses on the schedule to a South Carolina squad that went 3-5 in the SEC and to a mediocre Florida team via a 38-20 blowout. Although a suspension and subsequent season-ending injury to former Heisman Trophy contender Todd Gurley certainly has not helped, it has not been any real culprit thanks to Nick Chubb. The freshman out Cedartown has filled in admirably, racking up 1,152 yards and 11 touchdowns with a current streak of six consecutive 100-yard games. It’s safe to say the offense is rarely—if ever—a problem. Defense, of course, was the issue against both the Gamecocks (447 total yards allowed) and Gators (418 rushing yards allowed).

ON THE COVER

GEORGIA TECH VS. GEORGIA

EVERYTHING STILL IN PLAY AS TECH AND GEORGIA PREPARE FOR SHOWDOWN BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

s big as it is, one game does not a season make. Well, if it’s a National Championship—yes. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech? It’s huge to be sure, but it is mostly for in-state bragging rights; not for a national or even conference title. Speaking of conference titles, this year’s installment of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate will be overshadowed in part by what has happened and will happen in both the ACC and SEC. Georgia’s SEC East fate is in the hands of the Missouri Tigers, who will represent the division in next week’s SEC Championship if they beat Arkansas at home. Georgia Tech already knows it is going to the ACC Championship for the fourth time in 10 years thanks to back-toback losses by the Duke Blue Devils. HELP! … Like the Yellow Jackets, the Bulldogs will know their division destiny by the time Saturday’s noon kickoff rolls around. Missouri and Arkansas are squaring off on Friday, so Geor-

gia can get its scoreboard-watching out of the way rather than risk the possible distraction of seeing the Tigers-Razorbacks game take place simultaneously with its own job against Tech. Dawg fans may be multi-tasking in their minds throughout this Thanksgiving week, but they can rest assured that their team is zeroed in solely on the Jackets. “All of our focus is on a very good Georgia Tech team,” head coach Mark Richt said at his Tuesday press conference. “The goal is to be 100 percent focused on our opponent this week like any other week, so that’s what I’m going to be preaching and that’s what we’re going to be doing. We can’t control anything else that’s going on. All we can control is the way we practice this week and how we perform on Saturday.” The Bulldogs have performed particularly well over their past three games. Prior to a virtual walkover last weekend against Charleston Southern (final score: 55-9), the Dawgs routed

FEELING THE STING … Nothing would scream “mismatch” against Georgia Tech’s triple-option attack like a porous rushing defense, but the Bulldogs turned in one of their best defensive showings of the year against Auburn. The Tigers rushed 35 times but gained only 150 yards (4.3 average) as UGA reduced Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne to innocent bystander statuses. Will UGA be able to do something similar at the expense of Justin Thomas, Synjyn Days and Zach Laskey? Not unlike its in-state rival, Georgia Tech has been streaky despite having also lost only twice in 11 games. The Jackets’ two setbacks came in successive weeks; first to Duke via a 3125 decision on Oct. 11 and seven days later 4843 at North Carolina. That was their second bad stretch following early-September struggles in a 38-21 win at Tulane and a 42-38 home survival against Georgia Southern. In between those two stretches, Tech showcased flashes of brilliance in a 27-24 road upset of Virginia Tech and a 2817 defeat of visiting Miami. At the moment, however, the Yellow Jack-

ets are undisputedly playing their best football of the season. They have won four in a row to erase the demons of the two-game skid, dominating their last four opponents by a combined score of 175-67 and by an average margin of 27 points. Most encouragingly, the Jackets have been getting the job done on both sides of the ball. After putting up 56, 35 and 56 points against Pittsburgh, Virginia and N.C. State, respectively, Tech limited Clemson to a mere six points in a Nov. 15 blowout. “They’re a very hot team right now,” Richt assured. “Coach (Paul) Johnson has got his team playing great. They’re 9-2, they’re (ACC) Coastal Division champs and have already got their ticket punched to Charlotte. They’re a championship team this year and we need to play our best to have a chance.” CLEAN, OLD-FASHIONED HATE ... A chance? It has been the Georgia Tech fans whose chances to brag in this state have been few and far between. Georgia has won five in a row and 12 of the last 13 installments of the showdown, including seven in a row and 11 of the last 12 in Atlanta. Tech almost prevailed at home last year but blew a 20-0 lead and eventually succumbed 41-34 in a doubleovertime thriller. Current UGA starter Hutson Mason gained valuable experience in the rivalry game by filling in for an injured Aaron Murray, throwing two touchdowns to lead his team’s comeback. Having watched their Yellow Jackets lead by 20 against an opponent playing with a backup QB only to squander such a golden opportunity, the legion of Tech supporters must be positively starved for another shot. “Clearly [there are] a lot of the fans that don’t like each other,” Johnson said in his Tuesday press conference. “For us, it adds a little bit too being ACC-SEC because we sit here in the middle of the SEC and that’s all we hear, all the time. It’s a huge game for the fans, for the players and everybody involved.” It’s huge alright, to the extent that the result’s impact will be felt for at least 365 days— if not longer—regardless of what transpires in the ACC and SEC races. Photos courtesy of Jon Barash and Rob Saye.

Clean OldFashioned Hate

Isaiah Crowell

The 55-9 thrashing of Charleston Southern last Saturday improved No. 8 Georgia to 9-2 on the season as the offense creeps towards setting another single-season touchdown record under offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. Currently sitting at 63 touchdowns, ranked sixth nationally, the Bulldogs need only 10 more to break the mark of 72 set during the 2012-13 season.

The 107th meeting of the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry on Saturday has the potential to be one of the best in the series history. It will be the first contest since 1966 where both teams go into the game with nine wins while also being ranked in the AP top 20. With both teams carry strong offenses and the game set to start at high-noon, it may be a classic shootout in Athens.

After getting dismissed from Georgia, Isaiah Crowell has made an incredible turnaround. The undrafted running back found a home in Cleveland’s backfield and has helped lead the Browns during their 7-4 start. Crowell rushed for two touchdowns against the Falcons last week and has seven rushing scores this season.

By Matt Cason

WHO’S HOT

Bulldog Offense

SCORE LIST By Brian Jones

WHO’S NOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Mike Smith

Jamal Anderson

Jonny Venters

The clock management issues continue to plague head coach Mike Smith following Sunday’s 26-24 loss against Cleveland Browns. With Atlanta driving down to the Cleveland-35 yard line and 55 seconds left. Smith called a head-scratching timeout before kicking the goahead field goal. The Browns responded by driving down and kicking the game-winning 37yard field goal as time expired.

The Ex-Falcon was able to escape defenders back in his prime, but he cannot see to escape trouble with the law. The 42-year-old was found passed out behind the wheel on I-85 on Friday morning, smelling of alcohol and speaking incoherently. Anderson previously faced a drunk driving charge back in 2012. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 months of probation and a $700 fine.

The Braves career for the 29-year-old southpaw met its end after he was designated for assignment by Atlanta last Wednesday. Venters is currently rehabbing from his third Tommy John surgery and has not pitched since 2012, yet fans are appreciative of the effort from the lefthander during his three years (2010-12) with the club as he compiled 2.23 ERA over 230 relief appearances.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Kyle Sandy

STILL ON TOP

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.

HATE FILLS ATHENS

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.

The bad news is the Falcons lost the Cleveland Browns on a last-second field goal. The good news is the Falcons are still in first place in the NFC South because the Saints lost to the Ravens. The Falcons will look to get back on track with a win against the Arizona Cardinals, who have the best record in the NFC.

This Saturday marks the annual battle between Georgia and Georgia Tech and both teams come in with a lot of momentum, which is rare. Both teams are 9-2 and both teams lead their respective conferences in scoring. I love that Tech has done this season, but I can’t go against the Bulldogs and Nick Chubb.

UPTON LEAVING?

That’s a real possibility as Justin Upton could be traded very soon. The Braves left fielder had a strong 2014 season, hitting .270 with 29 home runs and 102 RBIs. Some of the teams that are interested in him are the Rangers, Mariners and Padres. I hate to see Upton go, but the Braves need to retool the team.

END OF PRACTICE

The KSU football team concluded fall camp on Saturday and will now start the offseason program. What will be interesting when the new signing class arrives next year, is the increased competition there will be because of cuts that will have to be made. This means the 2015 season is getting closer and I can’t wait.

QUARTERFINAL ACTION

The quarterfinals of the high school football state playoffs are here and there are some matchups that will go down in the record books. Tucker-McEachern, GainesvilleAllatoona and Charlton County-Hawksinville are just a few of the matchups that will have everyone talking. As always, be sure to log onto scoreatl.com for all the scores as well as recaps of all the action.

TRIVIA QUESTION

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME GEORGIA TECH BEAT GEORGIA IN ATHENS? ANSWER ON PAGE 14

“

SANITY AT LAST

“They’re a hot team right now. Coach (Paul) Johnson has got his team playing great. They’re 9-2, they’re (ACC) Coastal Division champs and they’ve already got their tickets punched to Charlotte. They’re a championship team this year and we need to play our best to have a chance.”

- Coach Richt on facing Georgia Tech.

125 1152

Total points that the AFC North has outscored NFC South opponents by this season. Rushing yards by UGA freshman Nick Chubb this year.

Remaining undefeated teams left in the football state playoffs.

134

Miles average between quarterfinal opponents.

17.8

Career-high points per game averaged by Jeff Teague this season.

284.1

Passing yards per game allowed by the Falcons defense (last in NFL).

Hawks players currently averaging double-digit points per game

Pass Attempts by Matt Ryan in Atlanta’s last two games.

Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014

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STATE TITLE UP FOR GRABS IN GEORGIA’S TOP CLASS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he 2014 state playoffs have been a spectacle across all six classifications, but the Class AAAAAA field has been especially intriguing. Out of the eight remaining teams, only Colquitt County and Tucker have won state titles before. The upsets have led to one of the most surprising quarterfinal matchups in any classification between Newton and host Etowah. The winner will advance to the state semifinals for the first time and history has already been made heading into the matchup. Etowah is the first Cherokee County school to ever host a quarterfinal matchup. Neither team has been ranked once this year but the two have collectively knocked out Valdosta, Central Gwinnett, South Forsyth and Westlake this postseason. Newton quarterback Romario Johnson has passed for 418 yards while rushing for 146 yards in the

Rams’ two playoff wins. Etowah is paced by sophomore running back Tyray Devezin, who rushed for 152 yards in a 23-6 victory over Westlake last week. EMERGENT POWERS… The winner of Etowah and Newton will face the winner of Hillgrove at Archer. This is an epic battle between two of Class AAAAAA’s newest programs and most explosive offenses. Hillgrove played its first full varsity season in 2007 and Archer opened its doors for the first time in 2009. Hillgrove is in the quarterfinals for a third time in five years and looks to advance to the semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Hawks topped Douglas County and Roswell in the playoffs and have averaged 50.7 points per game the past six weeks. Archer rides a 9-game winning streak after start-

ing the season 0-3 and has posted 42.3 points per game the last six weeks. Archer eliminated two-time defending champion Norcross 38-22 in the first round and then pounded Lee County 56-13 last week. Archer quarterback Gabe Tiller has tossed nine touchdowns in the Tigers’ two playoff victories. Hillgrove quarterback Matthew Wilson has thrown four touchdowns in each of the Hawks’ playoff victories. NEED FOR SPEED… Tucker hosts McEachern on Friday after pulling off a huge 26-23 victory over Grayson in the second round. Tucker defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter, who is committed to Georgia, returned a Grayson fumble 45 yards for the winning touchdown in. Tucker averages 294.6 yards rushing, 86.0 passing and Delvin Weems paces the backfield. Elijah Sullivan is an Auburn commit that plays both ways and he scored a pair of touchdowns in last week’s win over Grayson. McEachern has caught fire in the playoffs and the biggest improvement has come on the defensive side of the ball. After falling to Hillgrove 42-37 in the Region 4 championship, the Indians have given up 8.5 points per game in the playoffs. Offensively, Bailey Hockman continues his breakout sophomore season under center. Hockman has thrown 36 touchdowns this season including

17 to fellow sophomore Tyler Smith and 16 to Duke-commit T.J. Rahming. The winner of McEachern at Tucker will face the winner of Milton at Colquitt County. This is the first time Milton and Colquitt County have ever met on the gridiron and the undefeated and No. 1-ranked Packers are heavy favorites. Colquitt County has scored 113 points in its two playoff victories and will test a Milton defense that has given up just 14 total points in the first two rounds. Milton is allowing just 75 yards rushing per game and held Hughes to 28 last week in a 17-14 victory. Eagles’ linebacker Quarte Sapp (committed to Auburn) is one of the best players in the state. The Milton offense is led by Micco Brisher, who has rushed for 1,139 yards on the season. Brisker is the strongest kid in the state and a state champion power lifter that runs right at defenders. Colquitt County is led by running back Sihiem King. The senior scored six touchdowns in a 51-30 win over Dacula last week and ran in five more scores in the first round. The Packers are the only remaining undefeated team in Class AAAAAA and have topped their opponents by an average 30.6 points per game this season. Photos courtesy of Ty Freeman, Sonny Kennedy and Ronniei Babbitt.

Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014

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SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Score Atlanta Pre-Playoff Football Rankings Class AAAAAA 1................. Colquitt County 2.............................Grayson 3............................ Valdosta 4...............................Dacula 5..................North Gwinnett

6.................................Milton 7..........................Mill Creek 8........................ Lee County 9................................Archer 10..............................Tucker

6................................ Lanier 7.................Houston County 8..........................Creekside 9.................... Harris County 10................................Mays

6..................Central-Carroll 7......................Westminster 8...............Westside-Macon 9........................Hart County 10................................ Cook

Class AA 1..Greater Atlanta Christian 2...............................Vidalia 3................................ Lovett 4.......................Benedictine 5..........................Fitzgerald

6...................Brooks County 7................... Macon County 8..........................Darlington 9....................Lamar County 10.....................Thomasville

1.................. Marion County 2..................... Irwin County 3..................... Hawkinsville 4................Charlton County 5.....................Dooly County

6.................. Lincoln County 7.........................Commerce 8....................Clinch County 9..Emanuel County Institute 10.............................Claxton

Class A-Private

Class AAAA 1...............................Buford 2................................Griffin 3................................Marist 4..................... Sandy Creek 5........ Woodward Academy

1.......... Washington County 2.............................Calhoun 3..................Blessed Trinity 4....................Peach County 5...........................Jefferson

Class A-Public

Class AAAAA 1..................... Ware County 2................................Coffee 3...........................Allatoona 4....................................Kell 5...................Northside-WR

Class AAA

6........................... St. Pius X 7........................Cartersville 8....................Mary Persons 9.................................. Cairo 10......................Whitewater

1..................... Mount Paran 2.............................Aquinas 3.......................Calvary Day 4.......... Savannah Christian 5....................Mount Pisgah

6..........Landmark Christian 7...Prince Avenue Christian 8.................. Tattnall Square 9................................Pacelli 10................................ ELCA

Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

WHO’S READY? CLEAN, OLD FASHIONED HATE 2014 BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

t’s that time of year again and this year’s Georgia Tech/Georgia rivalry matchup moves to Sanford Stadium. Last year had tons of storylines coming into the game and proved to live up to the hype. Although the records were not the best, the game still had its points of interest for college football fans. This was the first game in four years that wasn’t going to feature Aaron Murray as the Georgia starting quarterback. Plus, Georgia Tech hadn’t beaten the Bulldogs since 2008. So here it was, a frigid Saturday afternoon in Atlanta. Georgia fans finally got the chance to see Hutson Mason play quarterback. Things did not go well for Georgia in the early going, with Tech able to get out to an early 20-0 lead on Georgia. It wasn’t until Mason found running back Todd Gurley from nine yards out for a touchdown that the Bulldogs mustered any offensive attack against the Yellow Jackets. Long story short, Georgia came back

GEORGIA STATE

BASKETBALL STRUGGLES; VOLLEYBALL CLINCHES POSTSEASON BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

he Panthers (1-2) dropped a tough one at Colorado State 80-70 this past Friday. With 5:25 remaining to play in the game Georgia State trailed just 62-60 but saw things crumble after Ryan Harrow lost his cool and picked up a technical foul. The Rams went on a 14-0 run to extend the lead to 76-60 and held the Panthers scoreless for over three minutes. Harrow and R.J. Hunter combined for 45 points but were unable to keep pace with the Rams late in the second half. Harrow led all scorers with 26 points in the loss. When asked about the technical that sparked the Colorado State run coach Ron Hunter said, “I didn’t necessarily agree with the technical foul, but it is what it is. You have to play better when you are on the road and you have to stay composed. We were not able to do that tonight.” GSU continues its 10-day road trip on Monday as it opens up the CBE Hall of Fame Classic. The Lady Panthers (1-0) basketball team hosts its home opener this Monday against

and beat Tech in double overtime, thus giving Georgia its fifth straight win over their in-state rivals. Let us also not forget about the pregame face-off at midfield between teams that was soon split up by their coaching staffs. Georgia also celebrated on the Bobby Dodd Stadium turf with pictures of Bulldogs players in the stands with fans. The iconic picture of outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins holding up the sign “We Run This State,” still makes the rounds on the internet. All of this being the case, Georgia’s players expect the Yellow Jackets to want revenge. Senior wide receiver Chris Conley definitely thinks so. “They’re going to come out fired up,” Conley said. “They’re going to come out with everything they’ve got and we have to be ready for it. We have to be ready to take shot that they have and take their best shot, because last year we robbed them of one.” Georgia Tech comes into this game at 9-2 on the season and are already the Coastal Champs of the ACC. Number’s aside, head coach Mark Richt already knows how well they’re playing. “They’re a very hot team right now,” Richt said. “You know they’re the coastal division champions, so they’re a championship team this year and we need to play our best to have a chance.” How about watching the Arkansas-Missouri game on Friday? Richt says the focus is all on beating Tech.

NAIA Thomas University at 7 pm. Georgia State has not opened up 2-0 since the 200001 season. It will be a special night as fans will be encouraged to bring a canned good to Monday’s game for the annual food drive. All fans who bring two (2) canned food items will receive a free ticket voucher for the Kennesaw State game on Dec. 3. FINDING POSITIVES… Georgia State (1-10) was defeated 28-0 in Death Valley by No. 22 Clemson. It was a respectable showing for the team as it played hard and held Clemson to just 138 yards of offense in the second half. Turnovers and poor punting were a problem for the Panthers as Clemson was able to cash them in for four scores. Career passing leader in nearly every category Nick Arbuckle struggled, connecting on just 13 of 29 passes for 115 yards and three interceptions. Head coach Trent Miles was proud of the team’s effort. “Give Clemson credit. They have a great defense, and they are an excellent football program. You can’t turn the ball over and fall behind against a defense like that.” DEIDRA DOMINATES… Deidra Bohannon is the Georgia State Student-Athlete of the Week after she helped the Panthers clinch their first postseason berth since 2011. She recorded a season-high 26 kills and career-best 23 digs in the Panthers win over Troy.

GEORGIA TECH

TECH MOVES TO NO. 16, AWAITS UGA BY MATT CASON | MCASON@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia Tech continues to climb the ranks on the College Football Playoff Top 25 poll. It was announced on Tuesday that the committee placed the Yellow Jackets at No. 16, the team’s fourth consecutive week to have moved up on the list. The Jackets have rattled off four consecutive wins over ACC opponents during that span in dominant fashion with a margin of victory by 27 points. Paul Johnson’s squad enters its final week of regular season play with a tremendous test as it prepares for its ACC Championship matchup against No. 3 undefeated Florida State. Tech will go ‘Between the Hedges’ on Saturday against the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs in the 109th edition of Clean Ol’ Fashioned Hate. It will be the first contest since 1966 in which both UGA and the Yellow Jackets are each ranked in the top 20 of the AP poll along with having nine wins going into the contest. Coach Johnson spoke about the bragging rights asso-

KENNESAW STATE

MEN’S BASKETBALL WINS FIRST GAME, BASEBALL ADDS EIGHT NEW PLAYERS BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

his past weekend was a very interesting road trip for the men’s basketball team as it traveled to Fargo, N.D. to take part in the 2K Classic. On Friday, the Owls faced North Dakota State and despite erasing a 23-point halftime deficit, the Owls fell short 68-55. KSU led with 7:34 left in the game, but the Bison went on a 13-0 run and never looked back. Nigel Pruitt led the Owls with 20 points and two steals while Delbert Love scored seven points and had six assists. The game against the Bison was the fourth consecutive game the Owls played against tournament teams from last year. So the Owls were hungry for a win after learning a lot from the first four games, and they got it the day after facing North Dakota State with an 83-80 win over Alcorn State in Fargo. Orlando Coleman led the Owls with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Yonel Brown scored 13 points and Pruitt added 10. “It feels good,” said KSU head coach Jimmy Lallathin following the win. “We did some things

ciated with the matchup, but he also stated the impact that it has for the ACC. “Well it’s a huge game. Like any rivalry game, [it’s] bragging rights. Clearly there’s a lot of the fans that don’t like each other. For us, it adds a little bit too being ACC-SEC because we sit here in the middle of the SEC and that’s all we hear, all the time,” stated Johnson. The Yellow Jackets are looking for their first win over Georgia since 2008. HOT SHOTS… Junior forward Marcus Georges-Hunt was slated to be ‘the guy’ going into 2014-15 season for a men’s basketball squad that was looking to replace three of its four leading scorers. From the looks of it, Tech will have a few players it can slate as ‘the guy’. The Yellow Jackets have averaged 74.7 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting on the way to a 3-0 start. Four players, including Georges-Hunt, are currently averaging double-digit points during that span including a team-high 14 points per contest by sophomore Quinton Stephens. Shooting a tremendous 57.1 percent from the field, Gregory is feeling confident whenever he is calling the Stephen’s number. “We’re comfortable calling his number in some of those situations and he’s responded well,” remarked the head coach. “He’s one of the few guys that can hit from the three and also hit from 17-18 feet as well.”

that we need to clean up late in the game, but it’s good to get the win and learn from that rather than taking the loss. We just need to learn how to win and close out games and that’s something we’ll look at on film on Monday and get ready for Samford on Wednesday.” This win was much needed because as Lallathin mentioned, the Owls made their home debut on Wednesday against Samford, but results weren’t available at deadline. However, the Owls will have their second home game of the year when they face Chattanooga on Saturday. THE ELITE EIGHT… Because of the recent success of the baseball team, recruiting was fun for head coach Mike Sansing this offseason. And the results paid off as the program signed what could be its best class in KSU history on Monday. Out of the eight signees, seven are All-Americans and six of those seven players were ranked in the Top 500 in the country. The eight new Owls are outfielder Jordan Getzelman, infielders Trevor Brown, David Chabut and Jake Franklin and left-handed pitchers Nate Dupree, Ethan Gillis, Jaret Hellinger and Richard Lovelady. “This class filled some immediate and long term needs for our program,” Sansing said to ksuowls.com. “Each one of the kids we signed are not only extremely talented on the field but are outstanding in the classroom, have high character and come from winning baseball programs.”

Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS THWART WIZARDS; SPOIL J-SMOOVE RETURN BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

tlanta (7-5) came up with a big early season win this Tuesday as they stole a road victory against the Washington Wizards (9-4) 106-102. A nip and tuck game saw the Hawks head into the half up 41-39. Jeff Teague led all scorers with 28 points while Paul Millsap notched a doubledouble with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Atlanta held a one point lead heading into the fourth quarter. It was the Hawks’ bench that came through in the clutch. Mike Scott (17 points, 7 rebounds) and Shelvin Mack (13 points) sparked a 22-5 run to start the fourth quarter building a 14-point lead. Scott and Mack combined to score Atlanta’s first 16 points to start the final frame. The Wizards crawled back into the game using the three-ball, but never managed to get closer than three points. John Wall finished with 21 points and 13 assists. The loss marks Washington’s second home loss of the season. HAWKS FREEZE PISTONS… Josh Smith’s home-coming did not go as

ATLANTA BRAVES

FOCUS REMAINS ON OUTFIELD FOLLOWING HEYWARD DEAL BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

ast Monday’s trade of Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for starting pitcher Shelby Miller was, of course, only the beginning of the Braves’ offseason. The question is not “if” they will make other significant moves; the question is “what” major moves are next. Atlanta is continuing to focus on its outfield. Justin Upton is on the trade block and his brother, B.J, would be if he carried any value. Justin will make $14.5 million for the upcoming 2015 campaign before hitting the free-agent market, so the Braves may want to part with him now to get something in return rather than risk losing him with no reward next winter. Heyward commanded a hefty price in the form of Miller, already an established force at 24 years old, and 22-year-old pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins. Justin, 27, would do the same after batting .270 in 2014 while belting 29 homers and driving in 102 runs. He has turned in six consecutive seasons with at least 24 home

he planned this past Friday. The Hawks handled the struggling Pistons (3-11) 99-89. All five starters scored in double figures for Atlanta led by Jeff Teague with 28. Coach Budenholzer was impressed with Teague’s overall play on the night. “Jeff Teague was very good,” Budenholzer said. “A lot of people talk about his points and his offense, but I thought his defense was very good on the ball.” Paul Millsap pitched in a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. DeMarre Carroll returned from a groin injury that caused him to miss four games and was able to score 10 points and grab 7 rebounds. JSmoove turned the clock back and played well in the loss. The former Hawk scored 16 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 5 assists. It was a stat-line many Atlanta fans became accustom to during his time as a Hawk. UP NEXT… Atlanta welcomes the NBA-leading Toronto Raptors (12-2) to Philips Arena with a chance to avenge an opening night seven point loss this Wednesday at 7:30 P.M. Toronto will come into town boasting the second-highest scoring offense in the league averaging over 106 points per game. DeMar DeRozan leads the team with 20.2 points per contest. Kyle Lowry who had a chance to sign elsewhere this off-season decided to return and is averaging 18.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.

runs and no worse than a .264 batting average. So far, five teams have reported interest in the younger Upton brother: the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. Cincinnati could be willing to part with the arms of Johnny Cueto or Mat Latos, while Houston is rich in young talent but may want to continue its rebuilding process for a few more years before mortgaging some of its future for a relative veteran. The Braves are also showing interest in Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas; interest that would undoubtedly grow even stronger if Justin is traded. In 205 regular-season games for a team in Havana over the last five years, the 24-year-old has hit 30 homers and driven in 104 runs. In six games during the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Tomas hit .375 and went deep twice. Manager Fredi Gonzalez, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and assistant GM John Coppolella got a look at Tomas during a workout in the Dominican Republic earlier this week. SMOLTZ ON BALLOT ... The 2015 Hall of Fame ballot has been announced and John Smoltz is among 17 newcomers up for induction. Smoltz played 21 seasons in the big leagues, all for the Braves. He compiled a 213-155 record to go along with 154 saves, making him the only pitcher in history with 200 wins and 150 saves. He also went 15-4 in the postseason.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS REMAIN ATOP NFC SOUTH BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Falcons fell 26-24 on Sunday to the Cleveland Browns and dropped to 4-7. The loss came after what looked like a 53-yard game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant. The Browns got the ball back down by one point and drove down the field with 44 seconds to set up the game-winning Billy Cundiff field goal. Head coach Mike Smith called a timeout on the Falcons scoring drive that ultimately gave Cleveland enough time to drive down the field on its final possession. “We knew they were playing for a field goal,” Falcons head coach Mike Smith said. “We wanted to keep them out of field goal range, and it’s something we did not do…. “It’s very frustrating when you don’t play consistent football. You train all week; these guys work extremely hard. We were an inconsistent football team on both sides of the ball. When you’re not consistent, you’re not going to make the plays when you need to. That was case and point today.” The loss was certainly tough, but the Fal-

GWINNETT GLADIATORS

GLADS DROP ANOTHER; HELP ON THE WAY BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

his past Saturday saw the Gladiators (5-8T 0-0) drop yet another game this time losing to Florida 2-0. Tampa Bay Lightning pros-

pect Allen York caused the Gladiators issues all night and managed to shut them out. York managed to save all 21 shots that were fired his way. Gwinnett came out of the gate firing, attacking the Everblades in the first period but were unable to find any goals against York. At 9:35 in the second period the Everblades got the only goal they would need when Mitch Wahl sent home a power play goal. Florida threw an onslaught of shots at Mark Guggenberger in the second period outshooting the Gladiators 17-3. Guggenberger played well saving 27 of the 28 shots sent his way. GLADS PARTNER WITH VETTIX… The Gladiators have teamed up with Findlay Roofing, 95.5FM & AM750 WSB, and Phoenix-based VetTix to “Give Back To Those Who Gave”, providing complimentary tickets each game for donation to active, reserve, and retired service members and their families. The

cons got the help they needed as Baltimore handed the Saints a third straight home loss Monday night. New Orleans dropped to 4-7 and with Atlanta’s season opening win over the Saints, the Falcons still hold the lead in the NFC South. BIRDS OF PREY… The Cardinals have paced the NFC this season, despite being housed in the talented NFC West with Seattle, San Francisco and St. Louis. Arizona’s success has stemmed from a defense that allowed just 17.6 points per game through Week 11. Arizona is in the middle of the NFL when it comes to sacks this season but with a secondary that hauled in 15 interceptions through the first 10 games, the defensive line can focus on stopping the run. Arizona’s defense allowed just 80.5 rushing yards per game through Week 11. Head coach Bruce Arians has done a tremendous job since taking over the Cardinals in 2013. The season prior to joining the Cardinals, Arians showcased his ability to lead a team while he filled in for Chuck Pagano as the Colts head coach. Arians won AP Head Coach of the year, while posting a 9-3 record as Pagano battled leukemia. The Cardinals are 3-6 in their last nine meetings with the Falcons and come off a 2713 victory in Arizona last season.

special ticket offer allows families to come together to watch hockey while honoring those who have served. VetTix is “A national nonprofit, non-governmental 501c (3) tax-exempt organization. All contributions made to the organization are deductible under section 170 of the IRS Code.” THE THREE HORSEMEN… Gwinnett gained three strong players to add to their squad including the return of forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel who was returned from loan by the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL. The 25-year-old had success in his earlier time with the Glads scoring seven goals and six assists in 11 games with Gwinnett. Dan O’Donoghue returns after registering an assist in Gwinnett’s season opener back in October. He has also spent time with the Portland Pirates. James Melindy also joins the team for the first time. The 20-year-old defenseman is a former 2012 third-round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes. He has appeared in 168 games with the Moncton Wildcats and has played in 49 AHL games. THANKSGIVING FESTIVITIES… This Thursday on Thanksgiving the Gladiators will be hosting a food drive to help food banks and homeless shelters across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Operation “Stock the Shelves” will be presented by Kroger. Fans will receive one half-price ($11.50) Premium Level Ticket per donation of any non-perishable food item. The Gladiator tradition of Turkey Bowling will be back as the team will “fling some frozen ‘fowl’ for fun!”

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Vol. 10 Iss. 44 | Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2014

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