Issuu

Time to look great!

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 23 DIGITAL

Wanted: Winners | Pg. 4 Alex Ewalt comments on the yearning of Atlanta sports fans for a winner in college basketball.

NOVEMBER 1-7, 2013

YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

INSIDE MATTY ICE

We discuss the Falcons QB and how he became the NFL star he is today. | Pg. 5

Finals Preview | Pg. 8 We preview the softball and volleyball state championship tournaments.

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Vol. 9 Iss. 23 | November 1-7, 2013

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

COLUMNISTS

ON THE COVER

INSIDE THE PREPS

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Black

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick

DIRECTOR OF SALES Melanie Snare & MARKETING

BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves) Joe Deighton (Dream) Jay Underwood (Hawks) Brian Jones (KSU) Chris Nieman (UGA) Craig Sager II (Falcons) Stephen Black (Tech) Chris Schutter (GSU) STAFF WRITERS Ryan Caiafa Alex Ewalt

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Copyright 2013 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.

06 12 13

COVER DESIGN BY DJ GALBIATI BLALOCK COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SONNY KENNEDY, DOUG RICK AND THE ATLANTA FALCONS

ON THE INSIDE AT SCORE Score Atlanta is looking for writing interns. Please e-mail Stephen Black at sblack@scoreatl.com or call 404256-1572 for more information. Football All-Star Games will never be the same! The Georgia Elite Junior Classic will be held at McEachern High School on Dec. 28.

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THE A-TRAIN

PEACH STATE COLLEGE HOOPS LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED BY ALEX EWALT | AEWALT@SCOREATL.COM

he college basketball season is getting unT derway with the usual scrimmages, exhibitions and fan events across the country. It’s a

time of hope for followers of the sport’s powerhouses, with visions of net cuttings, and late March (and early April) basketball dancing in their heads. My one modest hope for Division I men’s basketball in Georgia? Relevance. It’s been nearly 10 years since Georgia college hoops experienced its highest high, Georgia Tech’s run to the national championship game in 2004. Since then, the state’s basketball teams have mostly struggled. Tech failed to take advantage of its historic March run, and Georgia failed to build on its improbable SEC Tournament championship of 2008. Georgia’s Mark Fox is in his fifth year at the school. Tech’s Brian Gregory is in his third.

Each has benefited from facilities upgrades (a renovated Stegeman Coliseum for Georgia and the gorgeous new McCamish Pavilion for Georgia Tech). Georgia loses Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the school’s best player in years. Georgia Tech returns almost everybody of consequence, but may not have the firepower of the ACC giants. At this point in their tenures, however, Fox and Gregory should have their programs positioned for success. But will we see more of the same underachievement in 2013-14? BORN TO RUN ... Though basketball plays second-fiddle to football in Georgia, the high school talent that has left the state over the years is undeniable. Georgia and Georgia Tech have struggled

SCHUTTER’S STANCE

HAWKS REBIRTH FILLED WITH OPTIMISM, EXCITEMENT BY CHRIS SCHUTTER | CSHUTTER@SCOREATL.COM

t’s 2013 and you’re rooting for your Hawks who made the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. They’re playing a Pacers team that is littered with players casual basketball fans don’t know, so maybe the Hawks have a chance this year. Maybe after five disappointing playoff “runs” they’ll figure it out. Maybe Josh actually focuses on playing defense instead of jacking up three’s to the crowd’s screams of “NOOOOOO”. Maybe Teague can help run the offense more efficiently than a washed up Mike Bibby and actually give this team a chance. Maybe, just maybe, the ball will bounce Atlanta’s way for once.

CHANGE IS GOOD ... It didn’t. The Hawks lost 4-2 to a strong Pacers team, but that doesn’t make the loss hurt any less. Injuries crippled Atlanta, but by May, everyone is either playing hurt or they’ve already been eliminated. This is a franchise that has never seen the third round of the playoffs. All too often they get bumped before May or in the first half of May. The good news is, for those of you who hibernate through the summer waiting for basketball to start up again, this is a totally new Hawks team. Atlanta brought in Danny Ferry two years ago, who got rid of two of the more annoying contracts in Atlanta. See ya, Joe Johnson and

mightily to “build a fence” around the state and convince top prospects to stay close and compete in the ACC or SEC. The biggest homegrown recruit to choose the Jackets or Dawgs recently was Tech’s Derrick Favors, and in his one year, 2009-10, the Jackets could only reach the second round of the Dance. It seems that Georgia Tech has a better chance of competing for the postseason (at this point, I’d just love to see a local team make the NIT). Promising sophomores Robert Carter Jr. and Marcus Georges-Hunt should be improved, seniors Kammeon Holsey and Daniel Miller will hold down the paint, and Tennessee transfer point guard Trae Golden (a McEachern product) was granted an immediate waiver to play this season. Georgia has senior big man Donte Williams, point guard Charles Mann with another year under his belt, and a new recruiting class that should add athleticism and shooting prowess. Anything short of a .500 conference record for each team should be cause for concern. CONTENDERS, PLEASE ... This underachievement isn’t perpetrated only by the “should-be” powers. The state also badly needs a national mid-major presence. While the likes of Wichita State, Virginia Commonwealth and St. Mary’s have turned themselves into perennial Tournament contenders, the lack of a Georgia team in that next-tier mix is glaring.

your outrageous contract. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Marvin. He brought in the sharpest of shooters, Kyle Korver, who had the second-best three-point percentage last year and was second in three’s made behind Steph Curry. Steph is not a bad person to follow, as Curry is on another planet as far as shooting three’s go. Korver prefers to stay on this planet, specifically in the corner and right wing, which Atlanta fans are just fine with. Ferry also brought in former Spurs coach Mike Budenholzer to help bring this team to the playoffs. Budenholzer has been in the playoffs with the Spurs for the past 16 seasons in a row. His first year with San Antonio was a rough one as they rebuilt and eventually got to draft Tim Duncan. After that they made the playoffs every year he was there including three NBA titles and four Finals appearances. GET EXCITED ... There are plenty of reasons to be really, really excited for this Hawks team. For one, the guards are some of the most electrifying and underrated players in the game. Jeff Teague is

Georgia State may be ready to take up the mantle of mid-major contender. The Panthers seem to be on the verge of a breakthrough in a new conference, the Sun Belt, and have the most star power outside of Atlanta or Athens. Head coach Ron Hunter’s son, R.J., was the Colonial Athletic Association player of the year last season and was one of five freshmen to average 17 points and five rebounds per game. The Panthers are considered a favorite in the Sun Belt. It’s tough to project for Georgia Tech. The ACC is becoming a behemoth of a basketball conference with this year’s addition of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, and the 2014-15 addition of last season’s champ, Louisville. The reality is that the Jackets may not, even with a strengthened, more consistent program than was being run under Hewitt, be in the mix for the Big Dance every season. That’s okay, as long as there is improvement and the Jackets are able to at least compete with the top teams in the conference. Georgia has less of an excuse for continued mediocrity. In a relatively weak SEC, the Bulldogs have to elevate themselves to the top half of the conference, or else Fox will go the way of Dennis Felton and the program will have to reboot once again. Here’s hoping that someone – anyone – steps up and gives us college hoops fans (we do exist!) a chance to cheer come this March. It’s long overdue. Photo courtesy of UGA Athletics.

probably going to break out this year, so much that former coach Larry Drew was lobbying for Milwaukee to sign him before the Hawks did. Lou Williams is back this year after missing most of last year with an ACL sprain. He’s mentioned in a Meek Mill song, so he’s a pretty big deal. Finally, the golden child Dennis Schroder. I’ve been irrationally excited to see guys play before, but none come close to the delusional, blind love I have for Schroder. His catch-and-shoot abilities are among the best in his draft class. He won’t see many minutes with the one’s, as he’ll primarily back up Teague, but one of his best qualities according to scouts is his ability to create off the pick and roll. Hopefully, we’ll see him sliding off a high pick to hook up with Korver in the corner, Horford spotting up for a long two, or Paul Millsap, who can bully his way to the hoop. This team isn’t winning 60 games, but they probably won’t lose 60 either. They’re in a nice situation as the locker room can take an “us against the world” mentality. Fans will be pleasantly surprised by January, and excited for the playoff chase come March. Photo courtesy of DJ Galbiati Blalock.

Vol. 9 Iss. 23 | November 1-7, 2013 third overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft. While Ryan was unquestionably a star in his prep and college years, he has also proven to possess the “non-measureable” qualities that teams in the League covet dearly. Ryan simply finds a way to win football games, and as he enters his sixth NFL season, he has never stopped finding ways to make himself and those around him better. In the summer of 2008, the Falcons were very clear with their rookie quarterback. He would be the starter on opening day … if he could earn the job. Ryan did just that. He not only took over the reigns of the offense, he led a team that finished fourth in the NFC South just the year before to a wild-card birth, all while learning the complexities and speed of the NFL game. Matty-Ice didn’t even need two plays into his career to start getting attention from all around the league. On his third play from scrimmage (and his first pass) Ryan connected with wide receiver Michael Jenkins for a 62yard touchdown. Ryan and the Falcons would go on to win his first start over the Detroit Lions 34-21 in the Georgia Dome.

ON THE COVER

MATTY ICE

FALCONS LEADER MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE BY SEAN CONWAY | SCONWAY@SCOREATL.COM

verywhere around the NFL, folks are looking at the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are a team on the rise (please pardon the pun). The Falcons have been reaching greater heights every year since 2008. Not coincidentally, it was 2008 when general manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith joined the Falcons fold. Dimitroff and Smith are among the most respected leaders in the League. Under the direction of these two rising masterminds, the Falcons are 58-29 over the last five-plus regular seasons and have made the playoffs four times over their joint tenure. That said, Dimitroff and Smith don’t wear cleats or pads, and they’ve never thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL. Both of these leaders will readily admit that they could not have brought the Falcons to their unprecedented level of success without star players. LEADING MAN ... Unquestionably, the player that has had the biggest hand (and arm) in the Falcons’ as-

cent to the NFL elite is quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan pilots the offense. Ryan wins. After five professional seasons, Ryan has become equal parts leader and playmaker. After his prep graduation, Ryan followed the footsteps of his uncle John Loughery and signed on to play quarterback for Boston College in 2003. After a year of learning the system and redshirting, Ryan began his path to collegiate stardom. As a redshirt-freshman in 2004, Ryan played in ten games at quarterback, starting five. He also proved himself as a leader, winning the BC Freshman Male Scholar-Athlete Award. Dimitroff at that time was transitioning from the New England Patriots director of college scouting to his current role of Falcons general manager over the winter. Along with owner Arthur Blank and team president, Rich McKay, he brought on Smith as the team’s new head coach. The leadership thought highly of Ryan, very highly of Ryan, and drafted the 6-3, 215 pound right handed quarterback with the

CLUTCH PERFORMER ... In his rookie year, Ryan threw for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. He was good enough to capture the AP’s 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Afterwards, New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Fujita told the AP reporters, “For somebody to do that that early in their career and have that much maturity and that much control of the offense, and be able to dictate to us the things that they wanted to do, I was impressed with him, and frustrated and ticked off at the same time.” Not only did Ryan win games (the team went 11-5 in his first pro season), he often won the contests in dramatic fashion, crafting four game winning drives in 2008. In his second season, Ryan picked up where he left off in 2008. Despite missing two starts while battling a turf toe injury, Ryan upped his touchdown total from 16 to 22 and led the franchise to their first ever back-toback winning seasons. In year three of the Dimitroff, Smith and Ryan era, the Falcons and Ryan took another step forward. Ryan upped his touchdown total again by another half dozen to 28, and also set

career marks for yards passing (3,705) and quarterback rating (91.0). He also continued to rally his team to fourth quarter victories. Most quarterbacks help their teams pull out close victories several times in their career, but Ryan orchestrated six comebacks in 2010 alone. Ryan had arrived. He led his team to a 13-3 record, their third straight winning season and earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl. In 2011, Ryan continued his progression to the elite level of NFL quarterbacks. Coming off his first Pro Bowl, season he somehow found a way to improve his stats again. Ryan upped his touchdowns for the fourth consecutive year and improved his quarterback rating. He also threw for a career high 4,177 yards. Ryan, never settling for good enough, continued his full-blown ascent to superstardom last fall. Statistically, he was unreal, throwing for 32 touchdowns, 4,719 yards and upping his quarterback rating to 99.1, but that’s not all. Ryan, now the face of the franchise, led the team to a 13-3 regular season record. And he did it all in typical Matty-Ice fashion, crafting seven game winning drives in the regular season, a personal and league best. Fans will never forget the game-winning drive against the Carolina Panthers last September. Ryan and the Falcons trailed Carolina 27-28 with the ball on their own 1-yard line with just 59 seconds remaining in the game and only one timeout. Ryan promptly fired a 59-yard bomb out of his own endzone to Roddy White splitting defenders in Carolina territory. He then completed two more passes before Matt Bryant’s game-winning field goal sailed through the uprights. Ryan’s enthusiasm and emotion as the team left the field afterwards cemented his leadership status. Now, Matt Ryan is set to be the Falcons’ leader for years to come, but he’s not satisfied. This summer he commented, “The expectations that we set for ourselves as a football team, and myself personally, are higher than what everyone else is going to try and put on you. My goal and my mindset has been the same since 2008. It’s about winning a championship, and it’s about getting rings.” As Ryan enters the prime of his career, he’s poised and prepared to lead the Falcons to greatness. Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons.

Todd Gurley

Zach Laskey

World Series

He’s back, finally. Gurley had 377 yards and four touchdowns through UGA’s first three games before going down against LSU with a high ankle sprain. He missed the last three contests, one an overtime win and the other two resulting in losses. Gurley has returned to practice and has three green light for Georgia-Florida.

One running back who has been on the field and doing plenty of damage is Georgia Tech’s Laskey. After rushing for no more than 51 yards in any of his first six games this season, the former Starr’s Mill standout gained 75 against Syracuse and 133 at Virginia. Laskey has five touchdowns in his last two outings.

Analysts are bashing the two teams for repeated mistakes in the field and on the bases, but while there were some miscues, the series was awesome through five games (as of press time). After Game 1, each of the next four games was decided by no more than two runs. Furthermore, a series for the ages was being turned in by David Ortiz.

SCORE LIST By Brian Jones

SLIPPING AWAY

The Falcons suffered another disappointing loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, making their overall record 2-5. Now they have some serious work to do if they want to reach the playoffs. It starts this Sunday when they face the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons can win if they can run the ball, but that has been a huge deficiency for this team all year long.

PARTY IN JACKSONVILLE

It’s Georgia-Florida week and both teams are looking to get a much-needed win to stay in the SEC East race. The good news for the Bulldogs is Todd Gurley will be back in the lineup after missing the last three games with an ankle injury. I think he will be the difference in this game and will lead the Bulldogs to victory.

HOMECOMING NIGHT

It’s Homecoming for the Georgia Tech and the Jackets will face Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Tech has looked strong of late, winning its last two games. This showdown is another must-win contest because it is the Jackets’ next to last ACC game of the season. And I do think they will take down the Panthers at the Flats.

SEASON OPENER

The Hawks will have their home opener on Friday when they face the Toronto Raptors. This will be the first season Al Horford will be playing without Joe Johnson and Josh Smith. He, along with new head coach Mike Budenholzer, will try to lead a young team to new heights. Can the Hawks be one of the surprise teams in the Eastern Conference?

BATTLE IN 4A

In what could be the game of year, Sandy Creek will travel to Carrollton to take on the Trojans. Both teams will fight to see who is not only the best team in Region 5-AAAA, but also who may be one of the best teams in the state regardless of classification. Make sure to watch the game on CSS and get all the rest of the scores on scoreatl.com.

WHO’S NOT

By Ricky Dimon

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Anemic Rushing

Gold on hold

One year late

In the last 30 years (and possibly longer), every team in the NFL has finished with at least 1000 rushing yards every season. Don’t look now, but the Falcons are on pace to finish this season with 998 yards. Yes, after their 27-yard performance against Arizona they have 437 yards through seven games. Needless to say, that’s last in the league in 2013.

Jason Heyward was a finalist for the National League Gold Glove award in right field, but he did not defend his 2012 title when results were announced on Tuesday. Heyward, of course, was robbed by injury throughout the season—limiting him to just 104 games (only 86 in right field). Arizona’s Gerardo Parra took home the honor.

The BCS did well to establish a four-team playoff, but it can’t come soon enough. With Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State undefeated and looking impressive, the system that will arrive next season would work perfectly—as it presently stands—right now. Just watch the scenario be the complete opposite next season.

NUMBERS

OUR TWO CENTS

By Chris Schutter

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

GOING INTO SATURDAY’S GAME AGAINST FLORIDA, GEORGIA QB AARON MURRAY IS 29 YARDS SHY OF BREAKING THE SEC’S ALL-TIME RECORD FOR TOTAL OFFENSE. WHAT PLAYER’S RECORD WOULD HE BREAK? ANSWER ON PAGE 14

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SANITY AT LAST

“We are a much improved team, but that’s on October 29. That’s not going to be good enough down the road so we need to keep attacking every day and keep getting better every single day.”

Georgia Tech basketball coach Brian Gregory on his team’s preseason preparations.

Interceptions by Matt Ryan in the second half of Falcons loss to Arizona

Games the Falcons have played this year decided by eight points or less

Games the Falcons have remaining against teams under .500

329

Receiving yards by former Georgia Tech star Calvin Johnson in Detroit’s win over the Cowboys

342

Miles from Sanford Stadium to Everbank Field in Jacksonville

Miles from “The Swamp” to Everbank Field

NFL first-round draft picks who have played in the Georgia-Florida game

Losses Buford’s softball team has suffered this season

SCORE MORE

2011 and Mill Creek in 2008, have won the past five state championships in the state’s largest classification. In 2007, Lassiter won the last state championship of any Cobb team. Collins Hill is the current No. 1 in Class AAAAAA and is the lone team in the state to have beaten Buford.

In Class AAA, Pike County’s Marley Stowers brings a .592 batting average with her to the four-team playoff. Stowers also has 13 wins in the circle and a 1.37 ERA for the Pirates, who started the season 6-11 only to win eight straight games coming into today. Creekview used two complete-game performances by pitcher Gracie Dorr in the quarterfinals series against Apalachee. This is the third time the Grizzlies have been to Columbus. Also in Class AAAAA, Pope returns for the second straight year and second time in Columbus overall. In Class AAAAAA, Gwinnett County has three teams (Brookwood, Collins Hill, North Gwinnett) in the semifinals while Cobb brings four (Harrison, Hillgrove, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter). Gwinnett County teams, including Archer last season, Collins Hill from 2009-

ON THE COURT ... The 2013 GHSA volleyball season comes to a conclusion this week with championship action on Saturday. The semifinals are being held Wednesday and results were not available at press time. Just two quarterfinal matches throughout the entire state went the distance, one in Class AAAAAA as South Forsyth treated its home crowd to a 3-2 triumph over Harrison to punch its semifinal ticket. South Forsyth’s reward is a rematch with top-seeded Walton, three-time defending state champ. The teams faced each other on Sept. 14 when Walton scored a 25-16, 26-24 victory. Johns Creek is even more familiar with its semifinal opponent, Area 5-rival Chattahoochee. After splitting a pair of regular-season encounters, Chattahoochee beat the Gladiators 16-14 in the fifth set for the area championship. Familiar foes will also do battle in Class AAAAA as top-seeded McIntosh is set to host Region 4-rival Northgate. The Chiefs have won 18 consecutive sets in their current eight-

match winning streak. Sequoyah is on 29-match surge heading into its semifinal clash against Dunwoody. In Class AAAA, Sandy Creek is bidding for its third straight state title. The Fighting Patriots won it all in this classification last season after triumphing in Class AAA in 2011. On the other side of the bracket, Marist is looking for its first title since 2006. The War Eagles are going up against a River Ridge squad that is in the school’s first semifinal in any sport. A trio of Area 3 teams in Blessed Trinity, Buford and St. Pius X are part of the Class AAA final four. St. Pius X senior outside hitter Leah Hardeman set a school record earlier this season with 28 kills in a match. Woodward Academy, an Area 2 representative, has faced both Buford and St. Pius X this season, but has not yet clashed with Blessed Trinity. The four remaining teams in Class AA are from Area 4 (Westminster and Lovett) and Area 6 (Jefferson and Wesleyan). Westminster is still bidding for its first state crown since 2008 (Class AA/A) after losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to Lovett in last year’s championship match. Class A No. 1 seed Holy Innocents’ is facing Eagle’s Landing Christian for the second time this season after winning the matchup 25-14, 25-16 on Aug. 24. Photos courtesy of Sonny Kennedy, Doug Rick and Lisa Kingree.

Class AAAAA

Class AAA

Class A-Private

PREP SPORTS

SOFTBALL, VOLLEYBALL PREPARE TO CROWN STATE CHAMPIONS BY STEPHEN BLACK AND RICKY DIMON

he GHSA state softball tournament moves T into the semifinals Thursday as the eight teams left in each classification will play what essentially is a double-elimination tournament through Saturday in Columbus. The brackets are divided into a winners and losers bracket with the championship games being played Saturday. Only three defending champions made the semifinals, led by Buford in Class AAA. The Wolves have won state championships each year since 2007 and have been ranked No. 1 all season. Coach Tony Wolfe’s team enters the state tournament at 33-1 and has won 21 consecutive games. Northwest Whitfield in Class AAAA and Gordon Lee in Class A-Public are the only other defending state champions to make the semifinals.

Score Atlanta Football Rankings

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Northside-WR Tucker Kell Stephenson Thomas Co. Central

Class AAAAAA

Class AAAA

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Colquitt County Norcross Camden County North Cobb Collins Hill

6. North Gwinnett 7. Hillgrove 8. Lovejoy 9. McEachern 10. Archer

Sandy Creek Carrollton Griffin Statesboro Monroe Area

6. Gainesville 7. Creekside 8. North Paulding 9. Ware County 10. South Paulding

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Buford Washington County Cartersville Carver-Columbus North Hall

6. Callaway 7. Appling County 8. Elbert County 9. Woodward Academy 10. St. Pius X

Class AA 6. Marist 7. Mary Persons 8. Stockbridge 9. Cedartown 10. Burke County

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Lovett GAC Lamar County Calhoun Washington-Wilkes

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

ELCA Landmark Chr. Aquinas Mount Pisgah Prince Ave. Chr.

6. Darlington 7. Mount Paran 8. Calvary Day 9. Christian Heritage 10. Athens Academy

Class A-Public 6. Brooks County 7. Benedictine 8. Jefferson 9. Bowdon 10. Heard County

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Marion County Seminole County Johnson County Irwin County Clinch County

6. Trion 7. Charlton County 8. Dooly County 9. Commerce 10. Mitchell County

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CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA

CHILDREN’S TEACHES KIDS HOW TO PREVENT ACL INJURIES CHOA.ORG/ACL

he knee is arguably the most important joint in young athletes. From basketball players to cross country runners, just about every athlete needs a healthy knee to be able to compete. More kids are competing in sports than ever before and the number of knee injuries in young athletes has steadily been on the rise. This is especially true for injuries involving the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is located in the middle of the knee and stabilizes the joint. Most ACL tears, either full or partial, occur without contact. Because more and more athletes are participating in sports at all levels, the focus for many physical therapists has shifted from the treatment to the prevention of ACL injuries. The Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta ACL custom Injury Prevention Program is designed to re-

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duce knee injuries in young athletes while also improving their sports performance. Statistically speaking, male athletes experience more sports-related injuries than females, but ACL injuries occur five to six times more often in females. One out of every 100 high school females suffers an ACL injury each year. This is often attributed to their different skeletal anatomy, including a wider pelvis and bones that are not perfectly aligned. Differences in how males and females train also contribute to the high rate of ACL injuries in young female athletes. Each of these differences can be addressed and improved upon with an organized training program designed by knowledgeable physicians, therapists and certified athletic trainers.

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The Sports Medicine team at Children’s features an experienced, multidisciplinary team that includes orthopaedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, certified athletic trainers and physical therapists. In 2012, they managed more than 38,000 sports physical therapy patient visits. Created by the Sports Medicine team, the ACL Injury Prevention Program provides a collection of tips, exercises and stretches to both male and female athletes. It aims to improve young athletes’ speed, strength and agility while teaching proper mechanics for sportsrelated activities. The team’s goal is not just to get young athletes back on the field, but to get them back on the field and playing better than ever. Visit choa.org/ACL for more information about the Children’s ACL Injury Prevention Program. This is general information and not specific medical advice. Always consult with a doctor or healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about the health of a child. Some physicians and affiliated healthcare professionals on the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta team are independent providers and are not our employees.

Vol. 9 Iss. 23 | November 1-7, 2013

Pre-Playoff Score Atlanta/AJC High School Volleyball Rankings Class AAAAAA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Walton South Forsyth Johns Creek Harrison Chattahoochee

6. Roswell 7. East Coweta 8. North Gwinnett 9. North Cobb 10. Centennial

McIntosh Sequoyah Starr’s Mill Pope Whitewater

6. Northgate 7. North Springs 8. Union Grove 9. Harris County 10. Apalachee

Marist Columbus River Ridge Veterans Heritage-Catoosa

St. Pius X Blessed Trinity Woodward Academy Buford Sonoraville

6. North Hall 7. North Oconee 8. Oconee County 9. Hart County 10. Morgan County

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Westminster Wesleyan Lovett GAC Jefferson

6. Kendrick 7. Calhoun 8. Westside-Augusta 9. St. Vincent’s Academy 10. Coosa

Class A

Class AAAA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Class AA

Class AAAAA 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Class AAA

6. Sandy Creek 7. Carrollton 8. Southeast Whitfield 9. Woodland-Stockbridge 10. South Effingham

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Landmark Christian Walker Holy Innocents’ Hebron Christian Savannah Christian

6. ELCA 7. Mt. Paran 8. Savannah County Day 9. Athens Academy 10. Fellowship Christian

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

GEORGIA-FLORIDA RIVALRY RENEWED BY CHRIS NIEMAN | CNIEMAN@SCOREATL.COM

he Georgia Bulldogs (4-3, 3-2 SEC) travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to take on the Florida Gators (4-3, 3-2 SEC) at Everbank Field in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on Saturday. The contest will be nationally televised via CBS. This storied rivalry, which the Bulldogs lead 49-40-2 overall after winning the last two meetings, dates back to 1904. This year marks the first time since 2010 that both the Dawgs and Gators are unranked. With a win on Saturday, Georgia would win three consecutive meetings with the Gators for the first time since 1987-1989. MURRAY’S MOMENT … Senior quarterback Aaron Murray can kill more than two birds with one stone on Saturday. Murray has an opportunity that hasn’t been attainable in recent memory. The Bulldogs’ signal-caller has the chance to not only become the first quarterback in more than 30 years to beat the Gators three straight times, but he can also do so in style by breaking

GEORGIA STATE

MEN’S SOCCER TEAM STILL RED HOT BY CHRIS SCHUTTER | CSCHUTTER@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia State’s men’s soccer team rallied past in-state rival Mercer on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory. Eddie Wilding was the hero as he scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute. This was the Panthers’ sixth straight home win and lifted them to 8-7-1 overall. After starting the season 0-5-0, the Panthers have gone 8-2-1 in their last 11 matches. GSU had the lead early off on an Amiri Abraham goal in the 26th minute. Mercer held the edge in shots in the first half (7-4), but some stellar goalkeeping by CJ Cochran kept the lead with GSU. Mercer’s Jose Morales tied the match three minutes into the second half with a chip over Cochran. In the 76th minute, a Georgia State pass was redirected to Wilding, who shot off the outside of his foot into the back of the net. Georgia State didn’t let Mercer get a shot off for the rest of the match. Panthers return to the pitch Saturday to host Incarnate Word in the last game of this home-stand at 7 p.m.

Danny Wuerffel’s SEC passing touchdown record (114) against the team for which Wuerffel played. It would be somewhat of a redemption, considering Tim Tebow broke Herschel Walker’s SEC rushing touchdown record against the Bulldogs in 2009. Murray needs three touchdown passes to surpass Weurffel. Murray can also break Tebow’s conference-record for total offense with just 30 yards of offense Saturday. Legends are made in this rivalry and the pressure can be unbearable. The Bulldogs’ field general made it clear that he’s not focused on going for the three-peat. “We just have to go out there and play ball and have fun,” he assured. “You can’t be worried about whether you’ve lost this many in a row, or won this many in a row, because every year is different. It’s a new team, new players and new circumstances when it comes to injuries or how the season is going for each team, so we just have to go out there, play ball and have fun.” As far as injuries are concerned, head coach Mark Richt has confirmed that tailback Todd Gurley will play against Florida. This is great news for the Bulldog faithful. Gurley was on a roll with 377 rushing yards and four touchdowns through Georgia’s first three games before sustaining a high ankle sprain against LSU. He gained 118 yards and scored a touchdown on 27 carries in last year’s 17-9 win over the Gators. Wide receiver Michael Bennett was also running full-speed and making cuts in practice, according to Richt.

FOOTBALL AND HOOPS … The Panthers host Western Kentucky on Saturday in hopes of stopping their eight-game losing streak and getting Trent Miles his first win as Georgia State’s head football coach. GSU’s own Albert Wilson ranks second among FBS players in all-purpose yard with 5,444. The one player who ranks above him is Western Kentucky running back Antonio Andrews, who sits at 6,082 career yards. With a good performance receiving, Wilson could bump yards per game average to 100 or more, as he sits at 99.8 right now. WKU’s total offense per game and total defense per game are both in the top 30 nationally. The last time Miles faced WKU was with Indiana State when ISU beat the Hilltoppers 44-16. Saturday’s game set for 1 p.m. at the Georgia Dome. Georgia State basketball played Shorter in an exhibition game Monday, but there weren’t any Panthers taking the night off. Led by Curtis Washington, who nearly had a double-double after playing only 11 minutes his first three seasons, the Panthers punished Shorter with a 90-60 shellacking. Five Panthers finished in double figures, including Washington’s 12, and they managed to hold Shorter to 29.2 percent shooting. GSU added 14 blocks—eight by Washington—and nine steals to set the tone on defense. This team is for real and it is anxious to start its regular season.

GEORGIA TECH

JACKETS BACK ON TRACK IN ACC PLAY BY STEPHEN BLACK | SBLACK@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia Tech is on a little roll. After sufferG ing a three-game losing streak in October, Tech has now won two straight ACC games.

The Yellow Jackets’ latest triumph was on the road Saturday at Virginia, a wild 35-25 victory in which the teams combined for 29 fourthquarter points. “It was kind of a crazy game with all of the turnovers and penalties,” said Tech coach Paul Johnson. “I have to give the kids credit for finding a way to win. We couldn’t get ourselves off the field defensively, but yet we weren’t giving up a lot of points. So we were able to hang in.” Tech leapt to a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter, but Virginia kept it close throughout the contest. A 29-yard fourthquarter touchdown run by David Sims clinched the Jackets’ fifth win. “We had to look ourselves in the mirror individually and make up our minds on how we wanted this season to go,” said defensive tackle Emmanuel Dieke. “It was up to us to decide whether we wanted to salvage our season

KENNESAW STATE

SOCCER TEAM HEADED TO POSTSEASON BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

he soccer team ended its regular season in Jacksonville, Fla. with a double-overtime win against Jacksonville last Friday and a loss against North Florida on Sunday. After trailing 1-0 in the second half of Friday’s match, the Owls started their comeback in the 67th minute when freshman Maggie Gaughan scored off a cross from freshman Brittney Reed. That was Gaughan’s third goal of the season. The second and game-winning goal came in the 104th minute when freshman Shannon Driscoll scored with the assist going to Katrina Frost. With the win, the Owls moved into second place in the Atlantic Sun with 16 points. They looked to clinch the conference tournament No. 2 seed with a victory against North Florida on Sunday, but that did not happen as the Owls fell 4-1. The Ospreys took a 1-0 lead three minutes into the second half then added another goal two minutes later. Frost was able to cut the lead to one, scoring a goal in the 70th minute, but North Florida scored again in

or continue to lose. So as a team and coaching staff, we got together and we decided that we have to take control of our season.” Tech dominated the war in the trenches by rushing for 394 yards to Virginia’s 68. However, the Jackets kept their hosts in the game by giving up five turnovers. “It was just unforced turnovers, like dropping the ball,” said Johnson. “It was hard to explain. We cleaned it up a little bit in the second half, but at times it wasn’t smooth. We pitched one over our heads, so we have a lot of work to do. I thought we were getting better at some of that stuff.” Next up for the Ramblin’ Wreck is Pittsburgh Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium for Homecoming. It is the first-ever meeting in conference play, but the programs have played seven times altogether with Pitt holding a 5-2 lead. The last game between the Jackets and Panthers came in 1976 with Pitt, the eventual national champion, taking a 42-14 win. SPIKING JACKETS ... The volleyball team ended a six-game losing streak by defeating host Boston College three sets to two Sunday in Chestnut Hill. Tech improved to 8-14 overall and 2-8 in ACC play. Senior Jennifer Percy led the Jackets with 15 kills. Coach Tonya Johnson’s team will host Virginia and Virginia Tech this weekend.

the 74th and 83rd minute. With the loss, the Owls snagged the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. FREE SOCCER … The good news for the soccer team is it will host its first-round contest since it is one of the top four seeds. Kennesaw State will face No. 6 Lipscomb with kickoff set at 7 p.m Saturday. Additional good news for fans is they don’t have to pay to see the Owls in postseason action. The KSU athletic department announced earlier in the week that the first-round contest will be free for everyone. If the Owls win the match on Saturday, they will travel to Fort Myers, Fla. to face Jacksonville on Nov. 8. “We are excited about being able to host,” head coach Rob King told ksuowls.com. “We worked hard to get to this point and we are looking forward to that game. We will take a couple days rest and we will be ready to go for that home game on Saturday night.” FALL BASEBALL … The baseball team was in action last weekend as it held its annual Black and Gold series, which consisted of three seven-inning games. Kennesaw State’s roster was split into two teams with the black team defeating the gold team twice in the three-game series. The Owls will open the 2014 season on Valentine’s Day with a home series against MTSU.

Vol. 9 Iss. 23 | November 1-7, 2013 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS OPEN SEASON WITH MOSTLY NEW FACES BY JAY UNDERWOOD | JUNDERWOOD@SCOREATL.COM

he NBA season is underway and the newlook Hawks have much to look forward to in 2013-14. General manager Danny Ferry and head coach Mike Budenholzer have a bright outlook now and for the future. Specifically, there are three things to watch this season. POINT GUARD … The Hawks matched the Milwaukee Bucks’ four-year offer sheet on Jeff Teague. He is set to make $32 million over the next four years. Ferry also decided to draft German point guard Dennis Schroder, who wowed during summer league. As the season goes along, it will be interesting to watch Schroder’s development and how he adapts to the physicality of the NBA. If his maturation goes well and he adapts quickly, Teague could be shopped at the trade deadline. In all probability the Hawks will keep both point guards to allow Schroder to develop throughout the season and learn from a veteran in Teague.

ATLANTA BRAVES

SIMMONS SNAGS GOLD GLOVE BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

ndrelton Simmons wasted no time picking up one of baseball’s top honors. In his first full season in the majors, the Braves’ shortstop earned the National League Gold Glove as the NL’s sweetest fielder at his position. Interestingly, Simmons is the first shortstop in Braves’ franchise history to earn the award. He is the team’s first infielder to win it since third baseman Terry Pendleton in 1992. “It’s an honor,” Simmons said in an interview with ESPN when the awards were announced on Tuesday night. “I’ve always been praised growing up. But to do it on the biggest stage is the biggest of honors.” He and Jason Heyward were Atlanta’s two finalists in the Gold Glove voting. Heyward, a right fielder, was nominated despite playing in just 104 games—including only 86 in right field (the rest mostly in center field). Arizona’s Gerardo Parra ended up the winner. “I saw him in places as a center field that I’d never seen another center fielder be,” man-

AL HORFORD … With Joe Johnson and Josh Smith both gone, the team is finally in the hands of Horford. He has been Atlanta’s leader for years, but now he unquestionably owns that title. Horford is a versatile player on offense who operates with a high basketball IQ. With his ability to knock down the midrange jumper, he can stretch the opponents’ bigs outside to open up the lane for the point guards and Paul Millsap. As for Millsap, he is one of the top offensive rebounders in the league, getting about 2.5 a game for his career. BUDENHOLZER … With a new coach comes new philosophies; Budenholzer is no exception. He has spent the past 19 years in San Antonio and was in charge of the defensive assignments in his final seasons there. With him he brings a defensive scheme that has been a little difficult to adapt to. It is opposite of a basketball player’s natural instinct. The plan is to not give up open corner threes, so the wings can’t leave their men to help the point guard on penetration plays. That means that they have to trust the big men to contest cutters at the rim to take away easy points at the basket. On offense the players have been slower to pick up all of the schemes. The plan is for the team to ultimately pressure the strong side and quickly swing the ball back to the weak side to the shooters to knock down open threes. This will also open up the paint for Horford and Millsap to operate in space.

ager Fredi Gonzalez told the Atlanta Journal Constitution of Heyward. “That was refreshing. I don’t know if he played better than he did in right field but he sure didn’t play any worse than any other center fielder in the major leagues. The only thing that looks out of place is he’s 6-5, 245.” OUT ON THE FARM … Atlanta’s season may be over, but action is continuing in the Arizona Fall League. Secondbase prospect Tommy La Stella, who hit .343 in 81 games with Double-A Mississippi this year, continues to turn heads. Through 11 games with the Scottsdale Scorpions as of Wednesday afternoon, La Stella is batting .351 with eight RBI and he has hit safely in all 11 contests. In other farm-system news, up-and-coming pitcher J.R. Graham is still rehabbing in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. He suffered a shoulder strain in May while pitching for Mississippi. Graham has not yet reached triple-digits on the radar gun like he was doing in the Grapefruit League this spring, but the righty is on course to be 100 percent for 2014. “I thought this year was going to be my year,” Graham told the Braves’ website. “I was doing good things. I showed what I could do in camp. I think the Braves have plans for me. I just had a little freak accident. If I come back healthy, there should be no reason I shouldn’t be up in Atlanta.”

ATLANTA FALCONS

SINKING FALCONS VISIT SURGING PANTHERS BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Arizona Cardinals handed the Falcons a 27-13 loss on Sunday and last season’s 7-0 start seems like a long way away for the now 2-5 Falcons. Matt Ryan was sacked four times and intercepted on four occasions by Arizona and the running game was abysmal. Ryan contributed a game-long 13-yard run to the team’s total effort of 27 yards rushing. Running back Steven Jackson returned from his hamstring injury to tally six yards on 11 carries. Atlanta is last in the NFL in rushing with just 62.4 yards per game. “We’ve got to give our backs a chance,” said offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter about the run game. “If you’re going to run the football, we’ve got to give them [the backs] good design.... We’ve got to give them good design of what the plays are. And, at the point of attack, we’ve got to move somebody.” Moving the football against Carolina this Sunday will not be any easier. The Panthers have a top 10 pass defense and boast the No. 2

ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

ATLANTA BLOWN OUT AGAIN, FACES SEASON-FINALE BY CHRIS SCHUTTER | CSCHUTTER@SCOREATL.COM

he Silverbacks lost yet another match this T past week, getting blown out 4-0 on the road against Carolina. There may be some

cause for concern as this is the second match in as many weeks that Atlanta has lost by four goals. The hot New York Cosmos offensive attack will be looking to feast on Atlanta’s slack defense when they play each other twice in the next two weeks. EARLY DEFICIT ... It took only 10 minutes for Carolina to find a goal, as the Railhawks were finding chances early and often. Defender Henry Kalungi scored first on a pass redirected from Zack Schilawski across the goal. The Atlanta backfield was in shambles most of the match and Austin Da Luz was able to add to the Carolina lead to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute. This second goal forced Atlanta’s hand and they tried to make a substitution to change the look of the defense. The Railhawks also made a change after they saw two of their players have to leave the game with injury.

run defense in the NFL at 79.3 yards per game. Linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis are two of the best in the league. Kuechly led the NFL in tackles in 2012 and posted 16 total tackles in the Panthers’ 30-20 win over Atlanta last year. Ryan was sacked nine times in two games against Carolina in 2012 and pass rushers Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson are once again having productive seasons. The duo has accounted for 11.0 of Carolina’s 22.0 sacks through its first seven games. STOP THE BLEEDING … The Falcons defense is ranked 22nd in the league in both the pass and the run and big plays by Arizona last week exposed it. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 65.9 percent of their passes this season and Cardinals rookie running back Andre Ellington, a sixth-round pick, escaped outside for an 80-yard touchdown run. Arizona scored two touchdowns and kicked a field goal in three red-zone trips and opponents have now scored points in all 24 redzone trips this season against the Falcons. Cam Newton comes off three straight games with a 100-plus quarterback rating and he has been successful when facing Atlanta in the past. Last season, Newton completed a combined 64.4 percent of his passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns and gained 202 rushing yards on 18 carries for three touchdowns against the Falcons.

The Railhawks were elite on defense, clearing any chances that Atlanta found in Carolina territory. Shortly after halftime their offense picked up again, capitalizing on good defense. Schilawski intercepted a pass and was able to play it forward to Nick Addlery who beat the Atlanta defense and made it a 3-0 game in the 66th minute. The Silverbacks tried substituting again, but it yielded the same result. The Railhawks finished off the game with a penalty kick from Shriver. ON THE DOCKET ... Atlanta needs to do what it can to get this game out of its head. The Silverbacks will be facing the Cosmos next Saturday for the regular season finale, and New York has dominated the fall league all season. A week after that game Atlanta will play host to the Soccer Bowl where they will face off against the Cosmos again. This championship game between the Spring champion and the Fall champion is looking bleak for Silverbacks fans as they have not been able to beat a winning team since May 18. The Silverbacks have the second-fewest goals scored, the second-most goals allowed, and the second-worst goal differential. Their probable opponent for the Soccer Bowl is the Cosmos who has the second-most goals scored, the least goals allowed, and the best goal differential. The Silverbacks will need to muster up their best game in nearly four months if they have any chance at bringing the title to Atlanta.

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