Issuu

Time to look great!

VOLUME 12 ISSUE 12 | Mar. 30 - Apr. 5, 2016

Passing the Buc | Pg. 9 Are Allatoona’s recent allegations a microcosm of a much bigger issue?

Race for State | Pg. 4 Spring sports scene heats up as the final weeks of regular season action unfold.

YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

HARDWOOD’S HIERARCHY Kyle Sandy looks at the reclassification’s impact on the basketball landscape | Pg. 7

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Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rhonda Rawls

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

COLUMNISTS

ON THE COVER

PREP COVER

ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Kyle Sandy

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

BEAT WRITERS: Ricky Dimon (Braves) Dan Mathews (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons, GHSA) Colin Hubbard (GA Tech) Kyle Sandy (GSU, Kennesaw, Hawks) STAFF WRITERS Tyler Andrews Ned Kaish

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TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES

06 11 12

COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEANNA FIVEASH, SONNY KENNEDY

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SAGER SAYS

FINDING MY STRONGEST SUIT BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

hat is it that life is trying to tell me? Where are the clues hidden when I need them? Where can I find that extra boost of strength when I need it? How do I know if I am making the right decision? How will I make it through the day? How will this change my life? My weekly column typically addresses the world of high school sports, but this time I’ve been encouraged to tell a part of my own story. As my father continues his miraculous fight with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, I only hope my own journey through this process will help someone looking for similar answers. Up until recently, my life story was just pages of unanswered questions. Probing my brain with dif-

ficult questions was the only path I trusted to lead me to any answers. I tirelessly parsed every action, mistake and accomplishment of mine to seek some form of self-guidance for my next undertaking. I punished myself for each misstep, I pushed myself to change and I implored any method I could think of to decode the indomitable challenges life might dish out. After empirical lessons of uplifting highs, unbearable lows and having a family member in the fight of his life, the answers to the endless buffet of questions I heaped on my plate each day suddenly became clear. Wanting the answer, was my answer. Let me try to explain. My understanding of growth had been entirely

SANDY’S SPIEL

TURNING A BLIND EYE he FOX 5 I-Team released a story last Wednesday putting Allatoona’s athletic program in the crosshairs concerning two senior football players who are allegedly living out of district outside of Cobb County. The two were major factors in helping the Buccaneers capture their first-ever state title and Cobb’s first public school football championship in decades. So, what if the two players really did live in Paulding County? Well that would make them ineligible to play at Allatoona and would put a scarlet letter next to the program’s 2015 state championship, if they were even allowed to keep it. But let’s be honest: If the claims are true, would the Bucs really be the only team the state that has kids with questionable address-

is where I learned the most about myself. It was like we were meant to be every time something sad happened. … There is an imaginary wall keeping me from feeling happiness. I know it’s in me, but like anything under the sun, a shadow trails my happiness.” I revisited my writing this past week and to my amazement I knew the answers to all my questions and doubt. It was wanting answers. Wanting the answers forced me to write it down in the first place. It forced me to search and it kept my mind open to any possible clue out there. I believed the clues were out there waiting for me. If I did not believe they were, there is no way I would have found them. With so much confusion over the years, it’s hard to see if I am completely crazy or if I’m actually making sense with the words I write. But what we can all agree on is that life can be hard and so many things will happen that leave you confused. Just remember that sometimes you are the answer to even your hardest questions. You are what creates the answer and path. Life is not writing our story, our actions are writing our story. We are the answer to whatever lies ahead. Photo courtesy of Craig Sager II

them when they are loaded with D-I studs up and down their roster?

route. If you want something to sniff around, how about a Class AAAAAA school that is juiced up to the gills with high major football talent that has a couple allegations surrounding them and just had their head coach leave for the ACC? If there’s smoke, there might be fire, but what do I know? Someone get me Pete Carroll on the line please. If all this stuff is really true with players not living in the district, can we take a second to step back and mull over who the ‘blame’ should be placed on? It’s us as a society. We want to see superstars. We want the best of the best. We want to win at all costs. So what if the rules are bent a little? People try to take shortcuts all the time in life. In sports, whether it be steroid use, scuffing baseballs, deflating footballs, everyone wants an edge because competitiveness is what drives the world. If the allegations are true, I don’t condone the actions. But if we are going to fire off the guns at Allatoona, with only two players in doubt on an 89-man roster, let’s have a massive purge and cleanse the state of every questionable transfer especially at these powerhouse programs in all sports and see what we have left. Photo courtesy of Sonny Kennedy

POINTING FINGERS…

BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

misled. For the first time, I could answer my own questions. For example, Life will only tell me what I am willing to listen to. I will only find the clues I need if I believe that those clues are there to see. That extra boost of strength is only going to be there if I believe it is. Decisions will become the right decision if I follow through and make sure it was the right decision. I was the constant variable that could determine how I would make it through each day. And finally, I realized that a situation will change my life, whichever way I want it to change my life. It sounds simple to me now, but less than a year ago I was wrapped in a pantheon of confusion. During one of the bottommost points of this form of inner journey over the past two years, I was more determined than ever to find these answers and I wrote down what I believed I was looking for. After several continuous years of loss in my family. How much loss can one family take? I asked myself as I felt the pain of every one of us at once. Like those other questions, the amount we could take was up to us to determine. I went home and spilled out my desperate hope and growing frustration on paper. “Sadness

es playing football or any sport at the school they attend?

GIVE ME A BREAK.

Russell Halimon, a great well-spoken kid, is heading to Arizona as a 3-star running back while Juanyea Tarver is heading to Morehead State. You want me to believe that the whistle is being blown on these two guys, when there are other programs across the state with rosters chalk full of four and five-star guys, but I’m supposed to believe they all magically live and have grown up in the same area their entire lives? I might not be a Mensa member, but I’m not stupid. It’s not only in football either. Every sport has transfers and potentially shady movement, but why don’t they get the red flag thrown on

You can’t pick and choose who gets in trouble and who doesn’t. If you really wanted to turn over the rock on all these kids, surprise, surprise, you might not like what you find, but the GHSA and the public in general usually turns a blind eye because it’s something that can’t be controlled (even though the GHSA makes no logical effort at all). The creepiest thing about this FOX 5 story is how they effectively were staking out and in my terminology, stalking these kids seeing when and where they leave each morning and who they were with. Give me a break. I know we all want a level playing field, I get that, but are we really going camp out outside of these kids’ houses and try to track their every movement? Anytime there is one false step, there’s got to be someone ready to pounce and point the finger and scream from the high hills. Turn your attention to other programs before trying to damn a program with a 3-star player who got injured during the season as the culprit who needs to be crucified in the public’s eye along with a teammate going the FCS

Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016

This comeback athlete had a long road back. Today it’s 8.5 miles. Know a young athlete who overcame a serious injury or illness? Nominate them for Comeback Athlete of the Month at choa.org/comeback.

Syracuse

Paul Millsap

#SagerStrong

The little engine that could. The 10-seed Syracuse Orangeman stunned No. 1 seed Virginia in the closing minutes of their Elite Eight battle, sending Syracuse to the Final Four. Full-court pressure helped the ‘Cuse force the Cavs into uncharacteristic mistakes, dooming coach Tony Bennett’s team.

What can be said about one of the league’s most underrated players? The Hawks are red hot heading down the stretch and the third-year Hawk has plenty to do with it. Millsap is an absolute stalwart on defense, which is often overlooked due to his offensive versatility. Over his past two games he has collected 10 blocks and five steals.

Craig Sager and Sager Jr. have fought the cancer battle together over the past few years. HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumble did a feature story on the two this past week that drew a powerful and positive response. Be sure to keep the two men and their families in your prayers.

SCORE LIST By Craig Sager II FINAL FOUR

The NCAA Final Four is set for Houston this weekend. No. 2 seeds Villanova and Oklahoma square off and will face the winner of the highly-anticipated showdown with No. 1 North Carolina and No. 10 Syracuse. This is a big weekend for college basketball and three thrilling games will do wonders for the sport.

MASTERS

Will Tiger Woods return for this year’s Masters? This will certainly be the main question leading us into the 80th edition of the Georgia-based major. This year’s field is expected to be less than 90 golfers, which is much smaller than recent years. With great weather on the forecast, get your Arnold Palmers and khaki pants ready for another breathtaking weekend.

NBA PLAYOFFS

The NBA playoffs are in less than three weeks and the Atlanta Hawks are surging in the right direction. This current trend projects a top 3 seed. The NBA finals are a lengthy nine-plus weeks away, so let us hope for a long and steady climb from the home team as they look to conquer the Eastern Conference.

NFL DRAFT

When last year’s first round pick rolled around, it was pretty obvious the Falcons were going to take Vic Beasley Jr. off the boards, but this year is expected to be a surprise with the 17th overall pick. Round One is April 28. Rounds Two and Three are April 29, and the draft concludes April 30.

SPRING SPORTS

April is right around the corner and that means playoffs are less than a month away for lacrosse, baseball and soccer. Already, lacrosse programs like the Mill Creek girls have shook up the hierarchy and the competition is unpredictable and deep with talent. The playoffs are promised to provide mustsee action, but this year’s fight for playoff positioning is more important than ever in several loaded regions.

Late Leads

Brian Gregory

Matt Harvey

So many late leads in the NCAA Tournament have been blown. Northern Iowa, Virginia and Kansas just to name a few. When the game gets tight, each possession must be valued like it is the team’s last. All these late game collapses are unforeseen, but I guess that’s why they call it March Madness!

It was too little, too late for Georgia Tech’s Brian Gregory. The Jackets made a little run in the NIT, but it was just that: a little run in the NIT, not the NCAA Tournament. Gregory was fired after a 21-win season. Tech lost too many close games over the past two seasons and could never quite get over the hump, finishing 8-10 in the ACC this year.

Blood clots are bad. Blood clots in your bladder sound straight up nasty. The New York Mets ace pitcher was diagnosed with the ailment after the Mets at first did not release what was wrong. Harvey had blood in his urine but underwent a procedure to clear things up and he is expected to start on Opening Day.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Kyle Sandy

Our email newsletter is something we take a lot of pride in at Score. If you aren’t familiar with it, it is a high school sportsheavy publication that we produce each day to fill in our readers on the latest happenings in Georgia prep sports. We send it out Monday through Friday throughout the year and Monday through Saturday during the fall. Not only do we cover popular sports like football, basketball and baseball, we also cover every other varsity sport the GHSA fields. If you like Georgia high school sports at all, sign up for our email newsletter by visiting www.tinyurl.com/scorenewsletter and enter your email address(es) that you’d like added to the distribution list.

TRIVIA QUESTION

“

SANITY AT LAST

HOW MANY 20-WIN SEASONS HAS GEORGIA TECH BASKETBALL HAD IN THE PAST 20 YEARS?

“I think our inside running game is improving, we’re not there yet, but it’s definitely improved.”

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- KSU head coach Brian Bohannon

GREGORY GONE

Georgia Tech head coach Brian Gregory was fired over the weekend, but was optimistic with the direction the program is heading in. However, with a roster that will lose five seniors who provided 76 percent of the points this year, Gregory’s optimism reflects his respect for the program itself more than reality.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Games under .500 over Brian Gregory’s stay at Georgia Tech.

Losses in spring training for the Braves, which puts them in last place.

No. 1 seed that made it to the Final Four.

McDonald’s AllAmericans from the state of Georgia.

Losses for Blessed Trinity baseball.

Career wins for Atlanta’s expected Opening Day starter, Julio Teheran.

2 140/1

Players signed from Georgia heading to Georgia Tech in basketball. Odds the Braves win the World Series.

Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016 the Generals still have Greg James and Thurman Massenburg expected to return, with a D-I commit from within the county transferring in.

ON THE COVER

A A 7 s s a

GHSA BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL’S NEW REGION ALIGNMENT PREVIEW BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

ew region alignments go into effect next year, so what does that mean in the grand scheme of things for the 2016-17 basketball season? Transfers and coaching changes will rock the landscape in the upcoming months, but let’s try to take a look at how the new seven classifications will change the balance of power.

CLASS AAAAAAA

Class AAAAAAA features most of the big boys familiar with making deep state playoff runs as Class AAAAAA teams. Region 2 looks like it will be home to some of the powerhouses. Wheeler, Westlake and Pebblebrook along with Campbell line up in the six-team region. Westlake returns a bevy of talent with Chuma Okeke, Jamie Lewis, Danny Lewis and Michael Durr all slated to return. Pebblebrook will display Collin Sexton and JJ Smith in the backcourt while Wheeler boasts standout guard Darius Perry along with new faces sure to make an appearance.

Regions 7 and 8 have some scary teams as well. Norcross, Berkmar and Brookwood headline Region 7. The Blue Devils return Rayshaun Hammonds and Lance Thomas to one of the state’s most talented frontcourts while Kyle Sturdivant should see vast improvement his sophomore season. Berkmar will lean on its guard play with Al Durham, Zach Cooks and Jay Estime as Coach Greg Phillips’ catalysts. Brookwood loses do-everything guard Micah Kinsey, but a strong nucleus of leading scorer Bubba Parham, Trae Higginbotham and Amari Kelly should all be back after a 17-win campaign. Newton will be the favorite to win Region 8 along with Shiloh while Coach Geoffrey Pierce looks to play spoiler again at Grayson with a Rams team that should never be counted out. If JD Notae, Ashton Hagans, Josh Tukes and Dre Butler remain intact, Coach Rick Rasmussen will have one of the toughest teams in the state. Life after Josh Okogie, Malik Chandler and Dejon Waters Jr. begins for Coach Kim Rivers, but

CLASS AAAAAA

A lot of new faces will meet up in Class AAAAAA. Perennial powers Jonesboro and Tucker square off in Region 4. MJ Walker Jr. headlines the region’s talent while physical guard Kenton Eskridge leads the Tigers. Talented athletes load Region 5 with South Paulding, Douglas County, Mays and Langston Hughes pacing the nine-team region. Kane Williams and Ja’Cori Wilson return to form a formidable duo as seniors for Coach Gil Davis at South Paulding. Rory Welsh will try to avoid being bitten from the transfer bug this year and has a great senior backcourt of Khalil Cuffee and Derrick Cook calling the shots as two guys with D-I potential. Mays snuck its way into the Elite Eight last year at 13-14, but has bigger things in store with the development of Reo Wright and Horace Wyatt Jr. In Region 8, Dacula and Gainesville meet. The graduation of Kevon Tucker and Derek St. Hilaire opens the door for Gary Bishop to be the lead dog his senior season. Gainesville loses a strong group led by D’Marcus Simonds, but Bailey Minor, KJ Buffen and Xavier Bledson form an experienced trio with firepower.

CLASS AAAAA

Class AAAAA sees Miller Grove paired with Southwest DeKalb, Lithonia and Columbia in Region 5. The latter three proud programs will be chasing the Wolverines who will be the favorites to hang another banner. Cedar Shoals and Buford should enter 2016-17 as the frontrunners in Region 8. Walnut Grove graduates a ton off its 24-win roster and will attempt to reload to keep stride with the Jaguars and Wolves.

CLASS AAAA

Region 4-AAAA has some offensive firepower with Henry County, Eastside, North Clayton and Salem in the mix along with Woodward Academy. Javon Greene and Damion Rosser have juice in the backcourt for Henry County head coach Vincent Rosser. Isaiah Miller was one of the state’s most prolific scorers as a ju-

nior at Eastside, averaging 25.3 points to go along with his 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 steals per game. Coach Martisse Troup has a legitimate big man to feed the ball to inside with 6-8 Ahsan Asadullah. Woodward could surprise this year with three key juniors set to return. St. Pius will need to get accustom to long road trips as they will play the likes of Madison County, Stephens County, Jefferson and the Oconee County schools in Region 8. Those programs haven’t seen the likes of a winner like St. Pius, but it won’t necessarily be a cakewalk for the Golden Lions after graduating Kerney Lane and Christian Merrill. NuNu Walker, Ty Nails and Deundra Singleton all return to Stephens County and could be a top contender to trouble the Lions after a 16-9 season.

CLASS AAA

Region 5-AAA is an interesting cluster. Cedar Grove, Pace Academy, Lovett, Westminster, Towers, Stone Mountain and Redan round out the potentially exciting region. Wendell Carter Jr. leads the defending state champion Knights, but Cedar Grove and Lovett will not back down while Stone Mountain and Redan always produce scrappy teams. Who is the elephant in the room in Region 7? That would be GAC who joins the likes of East Hall, Dawson County, Lumpkin County, North Hall and others.

CLASS AA

Two explosive guards meet in Region 3-AA with Dublin and Kameron Pauldo welcoming Nick Hargrove Jr. and Southwest Macon to Class AA. South Atlanta drops to Region 6 and should be the favorite with Therrell as a potential spoiler with Anthony Edwards entering year two.

CLASS A

A hellacious test will be presented to Holy Innocents’ and Wesleyan as both teams drop to Region 5-A with defending state champion Greenforest looming along with De’Andre Ballard of Southwest Atlanta Christian. Public powers still lie in Region 7 with Wilkinson County, Hancock Central and Lincoln County as the heavy favorites to make deep playoff runs. Photos courtesy of Ty Freeman

From the morning announcements to volleyball and football and everything else in between, the NFHS Network brings you LIVE high school sports and events so you never have to miss a moment. No matter where you are, High School Happens Here.

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SPRING SPORTS

SPRING SPORTS WEEKLY RECAP BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

n baseball’s Class AAAAAA, No. 3 Mountain View picked up wins of 24-0 over Meadowcreek and 6-4 against Mill Creek last week. No. 4 Collins Hill handed No. 8 Norcross an 8-4 defeat. Milton drops from No. 5 to No. 10 following a 5-2 loss to Lassiter. On the rise is No. 6 North Cobb who jumps four spots. Their only loss this season came to No. 2 Pope. Gainesville holds onto the No. 1 ranking in AAAAA after splitting with No. 4 Loganville. No. 4 Allatoona has been mighty impressive this year and went 3-1 at the National High School Invitational. Kyle Jacobsen has 22 RBIs through 16 games while Skylar McPhee has driven in 17 runs. No. 8 Starr’s Mill debuts in the poll for the first time this year. The Fayette County powerhouse has outscored opponents 132-20 this year. Kell drops out of the top ten

after three consecutive losses puts the Longhorns’ record at 11-5. No. 3 Marist swept No. 5 St. Pius in Class AAAA, 7-0 and 5-1. The Golden Lions bounced back in a big way by no-hitting Cross Keys in a 20-0 rout. John Alvarez got the win in the 3-inning shortened game. No. 4 Thomas County Central drilled Americus-Sumter 12-0. Both Kaleb Carter and Brandon Slocumb drove in two runs. Stone Stephenson hurled five innings of one-hit ball while striking out seven. Blessed Trinity is the team to beat in AAA. The No. 1 ranked Titans have outscored opponents 141-8. Who’s put up the most runs in a game against Blessed Trinity? New to the rankings No. 10 Decatur, who lost 12-2 back on March 9. Region 6-AA saw No. 2 Wesleyan take

two of three from No. 4 GAC. The Wolves won 5-3 and 2-0 while sandwiching a 17-0 loss in between. No. 3 Bowdon is undefeated at 13-0 and is no longer flying under the radar. Darlington falls out of the poll and is now 8-6 overall. No. 10 Fitzgerald enters with a 10-5 mark. Class A is still crowned by No. 1 Hebron Christian. No. 6 Mt. Paran had a tough week and dropped three spots after losing three in a row to some of the best in the state. The Falcons fell to No. 2 King’s Ridge in eight innings, 13-10. They also lost to No. 4 Trion 3-0 and to St. Francis 2-1. No. 10 Baconton Charter makes an appearance and will quickly have their ranking put to the test as they host No. 5 Schley County on Tuesday. Seniors Brooks Pinson (19), Taber Raley (19) and Brantley Morgan (17) lead a balanced RBI machine with freshman Spence Culp powering in 16 runs of his own. Raley is also the ace of the staff, overpowering hitters with 55 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.

ON THE PITCH… The Lassiter boys fell out of the top ten in Class AAAAAA following back-to-back losses, including a loss to No. 8 Milton. No. 1 Lakeside-

DeKalb and No. 2 Chattahoochee remain undefeated. Lakeside pounded Alcovy 7-0 last week. No. 9 Pebblebrook debuts in the poll after an 8-0 start. The Falcons visit 8-2 Westlake this Tuesday for a crucial Region 3 bout. No. 1 Dalton flexed its muscle as the team to beat in AAAAA by defeating No. 2 McIntosh 2-1. The Chiefs hold onto the second spot even after the loss. Decatur took over No. 1 in Class AAA after knocking off Westminster 2-1. Blessed Trinity slipped two spots to No. 10 after a hard fought loss to AA No. 1 Wesleyan, 1-0. In Class AAAAAA, the Lassiter girls remain No. 1 after improving to 9-0 with a 5-0 shutout over Etowah last Friday. Walton holds down No. 2 and Pope stays at No. 2 after following its 1-0 loss to top-ranked Lassiter on March 8 with three straight victories. Johns Creek fell to No. 8 with a 1-0 loss to West Forsyth. Grayson debuts at No. 10. In Class AAAAA, Forsyth Central fell out of the poll after a 4-1 loss to North Atlanta and a 2-0 loss to Cambridge. Sequoyah debuts at No. 10 after a 1-0 victory over Creekview on Monday. Photo courtesy of Deanna Fiveash

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

TAYLOR NAMED SPALDING MAGGIE DIXON COACH OF THE YEAR BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia Lady Bulldog head coach Joni Taylor received national recognition on Tuesday as she was honored by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), earning the organization’s 2016 Spalding Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year Award. Taylor’s latest honor comes after she led the Lady Bulldogs to a 20-win season that was highlighted by five wins against ranked opponents and a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Among the 64-team tournament field, Taylor was the only first-year head coach to lead her team to the ‘Big Dance.’ “It is such a great honor to be named the Spalding Maggie Dixon Rookie Coach of the Year,” Taylor said. “Maggie was one of the great young coaches in women’s basketball, and her legacy will leave a lasting impact on this profession. This award is not possible without the hard work and dedication of my family, our coaches and our student-athletes here at Georgia. Everyone bought into what we wanted to accomplish

GEORGIA STATE

SENIOR SENDOFF BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

s the weather continues to heat up, so does the women’s beach volleyball team. The No. A 8 Panthers finished 4-0 on Senior Day. Georgia

State (14-2) defeated UNCW 4-1 and UL-Monroe 5-0. Their only loss this season has come to No. 1 Pepperdine. Seven seniors have played an integral part to the Panthers’ success. “Today we honored our seniors and the foundation they’ve built for this program. We stepped onto the court with the intention to play for each other, our families and our university,” head coach Beth Van Fleet said. “Each of our athletes contributed to the team’s success this weekend and relished in the energy of playing at home.” All seven seniors won their respective matches. The Panthers are back in action on Tuesday at 4 P.M. as they visit Mercer.

CAGED

Georgia State (12-12, 2-4) lost the series finale at No. 29 UL Lafayette 4-1 on Saturday.

this season, and this award is a testament to our great university and all those involved with this program. I just want to thank the selection committee for this tremendous honor, and I am thrilled to accept this year’s Spalding Maggie Dixon Rookie Coach of the Year award.”

GEORGIA TECH

MEN’S BASKETBALL COMES TO A DRAMATIC CLOSING

FIRST IMPRESSION…

Taylor began the year by leading the Lady Bulldogs to a 12-1 non-conference record, which was the third-best start by any coach in SEC women’s basketball history in his or her first season with their respective programs. She led her team to seven wins in the last nine regular season games to reach the 20-win mark and a 9-7 record in the rigorous SEC. Georgia’s 21-10 record marked only the 12th time in league history that a first-year head coach won 20 or more games in his or her inaugural season at an SEC school. Under her guidance, seniors Shacobia Barbee (First Team, All-Defensive Team) and Tiara Griffin (Second Team) earned All-SEC honors, while rookie Caliya Robinson was named to the 2016 SEC All-Freshman Team. The team’s success also reached off the court as Georgia senior guard Marjorie Butler became the Lady Bulldogs’ firstever SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2016. Taylor will be formally recognized during the WBCA Convention that is held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Indianapolis.

The Panthers have struggled to find their footing early on in the year, but Joey Roach has been a bright spot. The senior catcher blasted his fifth homerun of the year in the first inning, but the Panthers would not add on any more runs. “We battled all the weekend on the mound. I think our pitchers deserve a lot of credit for pitching against a good offensive baseball team in a tough environment,” head coach Greg Frady said. “All the games were close, and we made pitches when we needed to. That was the good part. The down side is that we are missing that timely hit to score some runs. When you play a good team, you have to make all those things happen.” On Wednesday Georgia State will try to regroup as they visit Mercer at 6 P.M. before returning home to host UT Arlington on Friday.

YELLOW JACKET INVITE

Individuals had strong showings at Georgia Tech this weekend, highlighted by senior sprinter Ravin Gilbert’s efforts. She finished first in 100m, second in the 200m and fourth in the 4x100m relay. Alysiah Whittaker placed third in the shot put and finished sixth in the discus. Nuria Ramirez placed fourth in the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 11:30.28. Long jumpers Ashlan Rosier and Katherine Randolph performed well by placing 8th and 10th in their events. Georgia State will participate in the Florida Relays this weekend in Gainesville.

BY COLIN HUBBARD | INFO@SCOREATL.COM

he Georgia Tech men’s basketball season ended last Wednesday night after suffering a 72-56 loss in the third round of the NIT tournament to San Diego State. The Yellow Jackets were tied with the Aztecs at halftime but were unable to get anything going in the second half and were run out of the gym in malicious fashion. Despite the loss, the Yellow Jackets finished with a 21-15 record, good enough for their best season since the 2009-10 season. The Yellow Jackets will say goodbye to senior’s Marcus Georges-Hunt and Charles Mitchell, who both had terrific careers with Georgia Tech. Both players will hope to get drafted in the upcoming NBA draft and continue their basketball careers.

GREGORY LET GO…

The Yellow Jackets fired head coach Brian Gregory after five seasons with the Yellow Jackets and it is a move that needed to

KENNESAW STATE

SPRING GAME STAGES OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

n front of a crowd of 1,916 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the Kennesaw State Offense pulled out a 59-51 victory over the Defense on Saturday afternoon in the Owls’ second annual Black & Gold spring game. Redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel David, who transferred from Appalachian State, finished 6-of-14 passing for 128 yards and a touchdown. David also rushed for 96 yards on nine carries and two more scores. Fellow quarterback Chandler Burks was 6-of-17 through the air for 159 yards and two TDs. Burks rushed 14 times for 30 yards. The game was scored using a modified point system that awarded points to both the offense (for touchdowns, field goals and explosive plays) and the defense (for turnovers, three-andouts, Red Zone stops and third and fourth-down stops). “First of all, I appreciate everyone coming out today,” said head coach Brian Bohannon “I thought today that a lot of good things happened

be made in the minds of much of the Jackets’ fan base. Gregory had an abysmal ACC record and never got the Yellow Jackets into the field of 64. This past season was Gregory’s best year after posting an 8-win ACC record but that wasn’t good enough to retain him as head coach. Duke assistant Jeff Capel is expected to receive an offer to become the newest head coach of the Yellow Jackets. Capel has coached both VCU and Oklahoma and has been the associate head coach for the Blue Devils since 2011.

TOP 25 TEAM…

The Georgia Tech men’s baseball team snuck into the top 25 this week after sweeping Virginia Tech in a three-game series and taking two out of three against North Carolina. Georgia Tech has an overall record of 18-5 and has a conference record of 5-4. Kel Johnson is leading the team in both batting average, RBI’s and home runs while Matt Gonzalez is in a very close second in all three categories. The Yellow Jacket’s pitching staff is led by Brandon Gold who has posted a 2.17 ERA in 37 innings of work and is off to a 3-1 start. Burton Dulaney is leading the staff in ERA at 2.11 in 21 innings of work and has a 1-1 record. The Yellow Jackets open up a 3-game series with Duke starting this Friday.

for our football team, a lot of good situations... I think there were a lot of good teachable moments for our football program.”

RESERVATIONS FOR SIX...

Senior RB Micah Reed led the ground attack for the Offense, rushing 24 times for 113 yards, while sophomore RB Jake McKenzie carried 16 times for 98 yards. Burks completed a pair of long touchdown passes in the game to sophomore RB Darnell Holland (51 yards) and senior RB Steven Johnson (49 yards). David’s TD pass was a 24yard TD strike to redshirt freshman WR Christian Branch. Branch reeled in two passes for 39 yards. McKenzie also caught two balls for 18 yards. “Some guys had some good springs and showed out and did some good things today,” said Bohannon. “Chandler Burks has really had a solid spring, what he’s done today, he makes a couple mistakes trying to make too much happen. He can extend a play probably as good as anyone I’ve been around. David, another quarterback, he’s only been with us for three and a half weeks has really done some good things. I think our inside running game is improving, we’re not there yet, but it’s definitely improved. I think Jake McKenzie and Micah (Reed) ran hard today, but I think those guys upfront have definitely gotten better as well.” Kennesaw State wrapped up spring practice with a final workout on Monday. The Owls 2016 season opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 3 versus East Tennessee State at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

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ATLANTA HAWKS

GETTING OVER THE HUMP BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

he streaking Hawks have officially peaked at the right time, winning three in a row T after a bump in the road against Washington. Atlanta (44-30) has now won 11 of 13 and hold a one-game lead over Miami for first place in the Southeast division. On Saturday night, the Hawks used some sharpshooting to down the Pistons 11295. Atlanta hit 13 threes and sank 13-of-14 free throws to race past Detroit. Eight players reached double figures led by Paul Millsap’s 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks. Kent Bazemore went 7-of-9 from the field for 17 points. Jeff Teague collected a 12-point 12-assist doubledouble. Tobias Harris finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Pistons in the loss. More impressive about Millsap’s showing was the fact that he hardly played in the fourth quarter after leaving the game to receive stitches over his left eye. “He’s a heck of a player. We’re very for-

ATLANTA BRAVES

FOLTYNEWICZ LOOKS GOOD, BUT STATUS REMAINS IN QUESTION BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

he Atlanta Braves lost to the Houston AsT tros 8-7 in a spring training tilt on Tuesday, but starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz turned in an impressive outing. Going up against what could end up being Houston’s Opening Day lineup, Foltynewicz went 3.2 innings while allowing only one run on two hits and one walk to go along with five strikeouts. “He really threw it good,” manager Fredi Gonzalez told the team’s website. “All his pitches, his changeup and his two-seamer…he was really impressive. The ball looked like it had a little extra giddy-up in the strike zone. It was everything you wanted to see and more, really, for his second outing in the spring.”

ROSTER SPOT …

Atlanta’s 25th and final roster spot may all come down to reserve outfielders Emilio Bonifacio and Jeff Francoeur. The battle continued during Monday’s game against Pittsburgh, which the Braves won 7-3. Bonifacio went 1-for-6 with a single and three strikeouts, while Francoeur went 2-for-3 with a pair

tunate to have him,” Coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We actually want more. We’re on him and think he could do even more for us. When he plays with great energy and great force, his impact on the game is huge, and he knows that.” Detroit fell behind 11-2 to open the game and could never recover. “They played at a level that we couldn’t match. I thought it was more about them,” Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I didn’t come away from that game, like I come from a lot, thinking we weren’t ready to play or we didn’t try. I think we kept trying to hang in there and hang in there.”

FINDING A NICHE

Kris Humphries has solidified his role in the Hawks rotation. Atlanta signed Humphries after he was waived by Phoenix. Through 13 games, the former 14th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft has logged 16.1 minutes per night. His contributions have come consistently, posting 8 points and 4.1 rebounds on average in limited action. He chipped in 11 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes against the Pistons. Since joining Atlanta and playing in his first game, the Hawks are 11-2 with Humphries in the mix. Coach Budenholzer told the Washington Post of Humphries presence, “He’s fit in really well. “I’d just say rebounding is an area where we need to be better and he’s kind of come in and given a little life. He tracks offensive boards, goes to the offensive boards.”

of singles, scored twice and drove in one run. A non-roster invitee to spring training, Francoeur is hitting .308 in 42 at-bats with one homer and four RBIs. Bonifacio, who signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract this offseason, is batting .279 in 49 at-bats with one home run and five RBIs. “Boni’s a switch-hitter and Francoeur is a right-handed hitter; we’re looking for a righthanded guy that can play center field and spell (Ender) Inciarte against a lefty and give us that option,” Gonzalez explained.

HEAVY WORKLOAD …

As of Wednesday afternoon, left fielder Hector Olivera leads the league in at-bats during spring training—and it’s not even close. The Cuban has recorded 50 at-bats, seven ahead of second place on that list. Olivera played in 24 games for the Braves last season and hit .253 while getting 87 plate appearances. So far in spring training he is batting .400 with eight RBIs and six runs score. “I’ve got a better feel now of what [Olivera] can do,” Gonzalez assessed. “I think there’s still a lot of upside there left. I’ve really been pleased with his defense in the outfield. I’ll take it back—more than pleased with his defense in the outfield.” Formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Olivera played third base in Cuba and was in line to do the same for L.A. before arriving in Atlanta in the 2015 trade that involved lefty starter Alex Wood.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS BOLSTER LINEBACKER CORPS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Atlanta Falcons announced this week that they have agreed to terms with outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw, 6-2, 272 pounds, was originally selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round (35th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Upshaw saw action in 64 games with 51 starts and has recorded 183 total tackles (111 solo), seven passes defensed, five sacks, five fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles. Last season, he started 15 of the 16 games he played in and recorded 51 total tackles (29 solo), three fumble recoveries, two sacks, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. He was also a part of a defense that only allowed 337.4 yards per game, which was the eighthlowest total in the NFL in 2015. Upshaw recorded 141 total tackles (88 solo), 17.5 sacks, 36.5 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, five passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns during his time with the Crimson Tide. He won two

GHSA BASKETBALL

BOYS BASKETBALL COACHING OPENINGS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

ith the coaching carousel in full force, some GHSA boys basketball jobs standout above the rest. All across the state, coaching openings have materialized. Listed below are a couple of the best current positions that are available. From Gwinnett to Clarke, programs are looking to turn things around.

GRIFFIN (7-18)

Outlook: The Bears were stuck in the difficult R4-AAAA with the likes of Jonesboro, Walnut Grove and Eagle’s Landing. A change of scenery in Region 5-AAAAA should help Griffin be much more competitive with a blossoming big man in the middle.

ATHENS ACADEMY (8-17)

Outlook: Athens Academy will once again be in Region 8-A, a cluster that looks wide open behind Lakeview Academy. Jacob Hudson is slated to return for his senior season and gives whoever is head coach, a true go-to guy. Payton Bowles IV came on strong late in the year but

national championships at Alabama, and was named the BCS National Championship MVP in 2012. He is a native of Eufaula, AL. Atlanta also re-signed linebacker Philip Wheeler. Wheeler, 6-2, 245 pounds was originally selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Georgia Tech. Wheeler played in 61 games with 24 starts for the Colts, and recorded 141 total tackles (62 solo). The Falcons signed Wheeler in October during the 2015 season. In his limited time with the team, he saw action in nine games with two starts and posted 29 total tackles (21 solo), one sack, and one forced fumble. In 2012, Wheeler was signed by the Oakland Raiders and started all 16 games, tallying 109 total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. He spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, where he played in 31 games with 20 starts and posted 164 total tackles (118 solo). Wheeler is a native of Columbus, GA.

BUSINESS MOVES…

AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) promoted Tim Zulawski to Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and named Michael Drake Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer – Business Operations. AMBSE operates the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United FC and Atlanta’s new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which is scheduled for completion in June 2017. Zulawski and Drake will both report to Rich McKay, AMBSE president, in their new roles.

must cut down on his turnovers in year two.

SOUTH GWINNETT (5-20)

Outlook: There will never be a shortage of talent in Gwinnett County. That’s the good thing. The bad thing is that there will never be a shortage of talent trading hands. The Comets are going to be stuck in the brutal Region 8-AAAAAAA with Newton, Shiloh and Grayson. Only three seniors graduate off last year’s 5-win team. Next year’s team will be loaded with seniors and juniors.

DULUTH (16-10)

Outlook: If the pieces remain intact, the Duluth job is hands down the best on the market in terms of talent and program history. A strong potential starting five is already in line with key pieces set to return. Alex Powell altered countless shots as a freshman and if he can put on weight, he could be a force inside with his advanced skillset offensively. Adam Flagler and Jalen Hodges are two veterans that can ease the transition under a new head coach.

DAWSON COUNTY (13-13)

Outlook: Dawson County could be on the verge of something with everyone returning. Eight sophomores littered the roster headlined by big man Gabe Bryant who will be a D-I big man as he continues to grow his game. If Bryant and the rest of the core remains in place, the Tigers could have some bite in Region 7-AAA.

Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016

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Vol. 12 Iss. 12 | Mar. 29 - Apr. 5, 2016

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