Issuu

Time to look great!

VOLUME 10 ISSUE 46 | DECEMBER 12-18, 2014

Buy The Hype | Pg. 4 Kyle Sandy explains why the time to believe in your Atlanta Hawks is now

Georgia Heavyweights | Pg. 4 Craig Sager II previews Friday and Saturday’s primetime finals matchups

YOUR SOURCE FOR SPORTS IN GEORGIA

WINNER TAKES ALL Football’s state finalists prepare for championship weekend in the Dome. | Pg. 5

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Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014

STARTING LINEUP PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg

COLUMNISTS

ON THE COVER

PREP COVER

ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati Blalock

MANAGING EDITOR Craig Sager II

MARKETING/ Lauren Goldstein PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick BEAT WRITERS Ricky Dimon (Braves, Tech)

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

STAFF WRITERS Jalisa Smith

Matthew Cason

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TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES

06 12 13

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THE GRAND FINALE… The final high school football game of the 2014 season will feature undefeated Colquitt

County and emergent Archer in the must-see Class AAAAAA finals. Colquitt County dominated McEachern 57-20 last Friday in what marked the Packers’ sixth straight semifinal appearance. Head coach Rush Propst won five state titles at Hoover High School in Alabama, but still searches for his first state crown in Georgia and what would be the Colquitt County’s first championship in 20 years. The Packers are led by an explosive offense that averages 47.1 points per. Running back Sihiem King is the catalyst of the offense and has totaled 32 rushing touchdowns this season. Sixteen of King’s touchdown runs have come this postseason. Junior quarterback Chase Parrish adds balance to the offense with his efficient passing. Parrish has tossed 26 touchdown passes this season with nine interceptions and completes nearly 73 percent of his attempts. Defense has been a staple on Propst’s teams and this year’s unit has shown its ability to make key stops and adjust within games. Colquitt County trailed Dacula 23-15 at the half during the second round matchup and outscored the Falcons 36-7 in the second half. In the win over McEachern, the Packers’ defense held the Indians to three points in the second half and included a pick six on what marked the fourth interception of the game. Archer is in just its fifth full varsity season and will make its first finals appearance in

school history on Saturday. Despite all the talent dotting the roster, Archer fell short in three consecutive one-possession games to start this season and wore an 0-3 record. This slow start has been followed by 11 straight wins and a 30.5-point average margin of victory along the way. In the playoffs, Archer has obliterated its four opponents by a combined 147 points. Gabe Tiller quarterbacks Archer and is the key to getting the football to its deep cast of playmakers. Juniors Kyle Davis, and Dylan Singleton can score in a variety of ways and have shared the spotlight well this season. In Archer’s 52-7 win over Etowah in the semifinals, Davis caught a 70-yard touchdown pass on Archer’s first play from scrimmage. Tiller dove in for Archer’s second touchdown and found Singleton for a passing touchdown less than a minute later before Singleton ran in a touchdown and returned an interception for a touchdown to make it 34-0. Singleton returned a punt for a touchdown during his three -touchdown performance in the quarterfinals. Sophomore Jameyst Williams is another bigplay threat for Archer and he added a 42-yard touchdown run in the win over Etowah and two touchdowns in the quarterfinal rout over Hillgrove. Defensively, Archer has held five opponents to seven points or less and allows 16.6 points per game. Photo courtesy of Jon Barash.

Factory has been one of the most difficult places to win at for visiting teams. Atlanta is 9-2 at Philips Arena this year; tied with Washington for the best mark in the East. The Hawks are riding a six game winning streak and are the hottest team in the East along with the Cleveland Cavaliers who have also won six straight. How has Atlanta been so successful so far this season? Is it really just the addition of a healthy Al Horford? Though a healthy Big Al has definitely helped, it has been the addition and growth of key pieces to the bench that has aided the Hawks in getting off to a soaring start. Horford’s numbers are actually down across the board since returning from a torn pectoral muscle that ended his season early a year ago. He has averaged 12.8 points

and 6.4 rebounds, down from his 18.6 and 8.4 last season in 29 games. The bench consisting of Mike Scott, the ever improved Dennis Schroder, and newly signed Thabo Sefolosha have helped greatly. Former Virginia standout Mike Scott has continued to grow offensively and has turned himself into one of the more dangerous threepoint shooters in the league. He is averaging 8.2 points per game while draining an even 40 percent of his three-point chances. Scott is playing just 14 minutes a game and would average a team high 21 points per 36 minutes. Veteran “three and D” guy Thabo Sefolosha has given Coach Mike Budenholzer a reliable option off the bench. The Swiss-born swingman brings the same intangibles as DeMarre Carroll, playing pesky defense and making defenses respect him from deep. Thabo has struggled on offense shooting just 34 percent, but he still has managed to grab 4.2 rebounds a game and spell Carroll when he is on the bench guarding opposing team’s best wings. Hands down the biggest difference maker this season off the bench has been secondyear point guard Dennis Schroder. After averaging under four points per game last season, the German has led all bench scorers with 9.3 points per game and 3 assists. He has shot a sparkling 52.5 percent from the field and has

been able to get to the tin and draw fouls. Before this Sunday’s game against Denver, Schroder had scored double figures in six straight games averaging 13.3 points a night. Last year’s 17th pick in the draft has unseated Shelvin Mack as the team’s primary backup point guard. Mack himself has still managed to play well in a diminished role averaging 4 points and 2.7 assists per game. As far as the starters go, Jeff Teague has been the offensive catalyst dishing out a team high 7.1 assists while leading the Hawks in scoring with 17.3 points. Paul Millsap has been steady on both sides of the ball leading the team in rebounding and also steals. Kyle Korver leads the league in three-point percentage and has been deadly. Can Atlanta hold off Washington and win its first division crown since the 1993-94 season? Barring injuries the Hawks should be in the hunt all season long. Coach Budenholzer has instilled a winning mentality in the group and the team has bought in. Winning the conference may be difficult as there are stronger teams on paper, but the Hawks have something most teams don’t: chemistry. Whatever happens, it should be an exciting season at the Highlight Factory and the Hawks need all the support they can get. Photo courtesy of Jon Barash.

SAGER SAYS

STATE’S TOP TWO CLASSIFICATIONS SHOWCASE MUST-SEE STORYLINES BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

eorgia is considered one of the most competitive states in the country when it G comes to high school football, and Mays’ in-

spiring run to this year’s Class AAAAA state championship is testament to everything that makes Georgia high school football so well-respected. The Raiders have won a school-record 12 games this season and became the only No. 3 seed to advance to the state championship this season. The Raiders won their first three playoff games by a combined 13 points but scored a more comfortable 30-15 victory over Stockbridge in the semifinals last Friday. Quarterback Asania Aderhold hit Deparis Carter for a 43-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give Mays a 7-0 lead and Kesselly Tyler iced the game with two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. Northside prepares for Mays and what

marks its first finals appearance since 2009. Running back Willie Jordan scored two touchdowns in the first half and scored again in the third quarter to highlight his monster game and 41 carries for 234 yards as the Eagles ousted Allatoona 30-21 in the semis. In the quarterfinals, Northside edged Glynn Academy 31-7 and used its overpowering running game to grab the win. All four touchdowns came on the ground; two from T.J. Anderson and one each for Jordan and Tobias Oliver. Justin. Defensively, Kam Burnett, Rakwon Young, Chris Wright and Jayleen Kendrick have all recorded interceptions in the postseason.

SANDY’S SPIEL

ARE THE HAWKS FOR REAL? BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

in points per game, fourth in assists Sthiseventh per game, and thirteenth in points allowed; must be the team stats for a team serious

about making a playoff push. It might not be quite the level of the San Antonio Spurs, but maybe it’s another contending team? How about the East leading Toronto Raptors or the Houston Rockets? Nope. Those upper-echelon team rankings I gave you are those of your hometown Atlanta Hawks. Nineteen games into the season isn’t a massive sample size, but it might be time to take a look to see whether this year’s Hawks team is a pretender or a contender in the East. Currently, the Hawks are tied with the Washington Wizards for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Highlight

Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014 ballyhooed rushing attack to just 81 yards. St. Pius must shore things up against the run after watching Woodward’s Elijah Holyfield go for 186 yards on 22 carries. Connors will likely have to make big plays both on offense and from his safety position if the Golden Lions want to pull off an upset.

ON THE COVER

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND INVADES THE DOME BY CRAIG SAGER II, BRIAN JONES, RICKY DIMON & KYLE SANDY

he state title in Georgia’s highest classification has landed in Gwinnett County the past four seasons and Archer will look to make it a fifth against the No. 1 ranked team in the state, Colquitt County. Quarterbacks Gabe Tiller (Archer) and Chase Parrish (Colquitt County) are leaders and game managers that know how to build offensive momentum and fuel the type of explosive scoring we’ve seen this season from both offenses. Colquitt County’s star running back Sihiem King will look to outpace an Archer offense that stars Dylan Singleton and a cast of some of the most versatile offensive weapons in the state. Archer can hit big plays with deep threat Kyle Davis and Colquitt County will have to use its ability to pressure quarterbacks to get to Tiller, who has shown the ability to extend plays in the pocket and get the ball down field. This marks the first time Archer and Colquitt County have ever faced. WRITING HISTORY… Mays and Northside-Warner Robins will meet for the first time ever in Friday night’s Class AAAAA state title game. Mays is led

by an offensive line that averages more than 300 pounds and Northside also uses its bulk upfront to power one of the most productive rushing attacks in the state. To no surprise, the stars to watch in this matchup will come in the trenches. Mays’ defensive ends Natrez Patrick (UGA) and Aaron Cochran (Louisville) will look to funnel Northside’s running game inside. On the offensive side, Mays’ running game will depend on guard Dallas Warmack to lead the way and Northside will need to take advantage of Willie Jordan and Tobias Oliver’s ability to share carries. Jordan’s 41-carries in the semifinals showcased the toughness of the 6-foot-1, 208-pound senior. HUNGRY WOLVES… Buford will make its eighth consecutive finals appearance against St Pius. St. Pius is looking for its second championship and first since 1968. With neither team afraid to pound the ball on the ground, the outcome of this one could be decided in the trenches. Buford’s defense, led in part by defensive tackle Quay Picou and linebacker Austin Smith, held Marist’s

BATTLE OF UNBEATENS… Twenty-eight games-14 for each school did nothing to change what the rankings suggested at the very beginning of the season: that Calhoun and Washington County would collide in the Class AAA championship. Not only was the talent of the two teams welldocumented heading into 2015, but they are also well-respected programs. Calhoun’s previous nine seasons resulted in two quarterfinal showings, five runner-up finishes and one state title (2011). Washington County captured three championships in a four-year span from 1994 through 1997. The quarterback battle between Kaelen Riley and A.J. Gray will obviously be intriguing, as will the Jackets’ defensive effort to contain Gray. Calhoun’s starters, led by linebacker Austin Bennett and end Landon Rice, have given up only 34 points in four playoff games. This is the only classification that featured two undefeated team. FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME… In the Class AA finals, Greater Atlanta Christian and Benedictine are both one win away from their program’s first state title. Benedictine fell at Greater Atlanta Christian in Week 1, 24-21 and the game was as even as it gets. Benedictine totaled 392 yards while the Spartans gained 414. A pair of SEC-commits lead the GAC offense. UGA-commit Darius Slayton torched the Cadets for 186 receiving yards in their first meeting while Micah Abernathy, headed to Tennessee, has also run wild this season. The Cadets will need QB Stevie Powers to find Brad Stewart on the outside. GAC held the Cadet’s No. 1-ranked Class AA scoring offense to a season-low 21 points when they met. This is the only finals matchup where neither team has won a state title. DEFENSIVE CLASH… The Class A-Public state title game will feature Irwin County and Hawkinsville. Irwin County looks to light up the scoreboard, coming in averaging 34 points per game, while Hawkinsville likes to control the tempo with its running game and suffocate opposing teams defensively. The Red Devils have held their

opponents to under 100 yards of total offense six times this season. On offense, both teams heavily rely on their rushing game. Irwin will try to break off quick scores, while Hawkinsville is content with a methodical pace of moving the ball down the field trying to take time off the clock. Playing its slow grind-it-out style of play, Hawkinsville has found itself in many tight games but has found ways to win. Aside from its tie and lone loss, Irwin’s closest game has been a seven-point win over Atkinson County. Irwin’s Jakyron Young and Reginald McDonald of the Red Devils have the capability to make game-changing plays for their respective teams. FLY LIKE AN EAGLE… This is not the first time Class A-Private’s finalists have met this season. Mt, Paran and Eagle’s Landing Christian faced off in the regular season opener, and Mt. Paran came out on top 31-14. Dorian Walker was big for the Eagles, rushing for 147 yards and one touchdown and teammate Emoni Williams was also a key player as he scored on a 66-yard reception. The biggest difference between their previous meeting and the game on Saturday is Eagle’s Landing Christian will have two players they didn’t have in the season opener. Quarterback D.J. Hammond and running back Trevor Gear could not play until October, but when they were ruled eligible, the Chargers rolled and have never looked back. Both teams can run the ball effectively, have efficient in the passing game and are stout on defense. This has the makings to be the best finals game of the weekend. Photos courtesy of Sonny Kennedy.

Atlanta Hawks

Georgia State

ELCA

Atlanta’s seven straight wins marks its longest winning streak since 2000. Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap along with a much improved bench have helped the Hawks start 14-6 and hold the second best record in the East. Atlanta has held its opponents to under 100 points in five of its seven games during the streak. Something special could be brewing in the Highlight Factory.

The Panthers have won five straight games after scuffling against Iowa State and Colorado State. R.J. Hunter leads one of the highest scoring backcourts in the nation with 23.3 points per game. Running mate Ryan Harrow pours in 19.9 a night. After losing in the conference finals last season, Georgia State is the strong favorite to make it to the big dance out of the Sun Belt.

Coach Jonathan Gess knew that scheduling a strong nonregion slate would help the Chargers down the stretch, but he probably didn’t think they would start the season 0-6. After a winless August and September, ELCA has won seven straight and are now playing in the Class A-Private state championship. Gess is 79-22 at ELCA and is looking to bring home his second title with the Chargers.

SCORE LIST By Brian Jones

ALWAYS FIGHTING

The Falcons gave everything they and in the game against the Packers, but they just could not overcome the Packers talent and end up losing a close one. The Falcons will face another offensive power in Pittsburgh on Sunday, and based on the way the Falcons have played the second half of the season, they should be able to win.

ORANGE JACKETS

Georgia Tech may have lost to Florida State in the ACC Championship game, but that’s doesn’t mean they are going to a lower level bowl. The Jackets will face Mississippi State in the Orange Bowl in what could be the best matchup of the bowl season. Dak Prescott vs. Justin Thomas? Yeah, I’m in.

CHARLOTTE BULLDOGS

While the Jackets get ready for the Orange Bowl, the Bulldogs are getting ready to face Louisville in the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium. This will be an interesting matchup because both teams have never faced each other on the gridiron. This will also be the first time the Bulldogs go up against former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

WELCOME HOME

With the loss of Jason Heyward, the braves needed to find a replacement. And they did with the signing of former Baltimore Oriole and Woodstock grad Nick Markakis. The two-time gold glove winner is solid on offense, plays great defense and is very durable. I will miss Heyward just like everyone else, but it’s great to have Markakis back home.

ROAD ENDS HERE

After weeks of great high school football action, it comes to an end this weekend with the state finals taking place at the Georgia Dome. One matchup to watch is Mount Paran Christian vs. ELCA as Mount Paran tires to be the first team from Cobb County since 1967 to win a title. Be sure to follow scoreatl.com for recaps of all seven championship games.

WHO’S NOT

By Kyle Sandy

WHO’S HOT

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

Georgia Tech

Big 12

Georgia

It was a rough Saturday for the Jackets. The football team narrowly knocked off Florida State from its perch, but fell 37-35. The basketball team entered play with only one blemish, a 2-point loss to Marquette. USCUpstate managed to down the Jackets 59-54 at Tech. A sloppy 17 turnovers played a key role in the loss to the A-Sun school.

No Baylor. No TCU. The Playoff Selection Committee made its voice clear after icing out both Big 12 schools. TCU dropped from third to sixth, while Baylor finished fifth. Both schools had strong resumes, but weak nonconference schedules seemed to be the deciding factor for the committee. Ohio State claimed the fourth and final spot in the playoffs and will face Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

If the bitter defeat to rival Georgia Tech wasn’t already a tough enough pill to swallow, Georgia fans might have another awkward situation to deal with. The Dawgs face former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and the sturdy Louisville defense in the Belk Bowl. If Grantham can stick it to his old school, it would be a tough last two games for UGA fans to end their season with.

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 STATE FINALISTS ARE PLAYING FOR FIRST-EVER STATE TITLES THIS WEEKEND?

“When they’re in synch it’s difficult to slow those guys down. Julio’s an outstanding wide receiver. In my mind he’s the best in the NFL. I think over the last two weeks you’re not going to find two guys that are going to put two games back-to-back like that, and of course for a receiver to have a big game the quarterback’s got to be able to distribute the ball, and he’s done a very good job, Matt has, of distributing the ball. They’ve been in synch. They are seeing the coverages out of the same spectrum.”

ANSWER ON PAGE 14

- Mike Smith on Matt Ryan and Julio Jones’ chemistry

Hawks current win streak good enough for the No. 2 seed in the East.

Division wins by the Falcons, giving them the edge in a possible NFC tiebreaker.

Average margin of defeat for Kennesaw State following its three-game win streak.

55%

Kyle Korver’s NBA-best three-point shooting percentage.

2,559

Total yards of offense from Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas this season.

4.6

Million The Braves’ anual investment in Jim Johnson and Alberto Callaspo

2.35

Paul Milsap’s NBA-best steals per game average.

365

Days a year the hub surrounding the new Braves stadium will be open.

Number of times the Falcons have beat the Steelers in their 15 all-time meetings.

Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014

DEC. 20 – 22

DEC. 26 – 28

MarvelUniverseLive.com

COACHES OF THE YEAR

FALCONS HONOR SWEARNGIN, SIX CURRENT HEAD COACHES BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

s the face of a football program, taking the field Friday nights and the pressure to perform is only part of the job of a head football coach. In order to take a program to new heights, it must stem from the countless hours a coach puts in behind the scenes to build something truly great. Winning requires a foundation built from the ground up and in Georgia, we are lucky to have some of the best high school coaches in the nation leading the state’s densely-populated pool of talent. The combination of talent in the players and the coaches has drawn colleges back year after year to recruit the Peach State. You know what type of competitor you are getting when it comes to Georgia High School football. TOP OF THE GAME… In the state’s highest classification, Colquitt County head coach Rush Propst has once again led his team deep into the play-

offs. Propst has reached the semifinals in six consecutive seasons and helped the Packers reach the state championship this year with a perfect 14-0 record. At Hoover High School, Propst took home five state titles and now his top-ranked Packers are a win away from giving the legendary coach his first Georgia state title. No other team in Georgia’s highest classification has ever reached the semifinals six straight seasons and this year’s deserving Class AAAAAA Coach of the Year is looking for Colquitt’s first state title since 1994. CARRYING SUCCESS… Class AAAAA Coach of the Year Franklin Stephens took over the head coaching job at Ware County this offseason and led the Gators to an 11-1 record his first year at the school. Stephens has become one of the most successful coaches in the country in just eight seasons

and carries a 101-9-1 overall record with two state championships from his days at Tucker. Stephens continues building a legacy in Georgia as a football coach following a playing career that started in Burke County and continued at Georgia Southern where Stephens was a team captain and All-American center. ADAPT AND ADJUST… Woodward Academy topped Carrollton, Whitewater, Troup, Fayette County and mighty Sandy Creek for the Region 5-AAAA title and took a No. 1 seed into the postseason. Head coach John Hunt is the Class AAAA Coach of the Year in what marks the War Eagles first season in Class AAAA. The War Eagles finished 11-3 this season with the school’s first semifinal appearance since 1980. The offense scored 33.8 points per game, while the defense surrendered just 14 points per game, including three shutouts (the most since 2010). GOLDEN HAWKS… Washington County’s Joel Ingram is the Class AAA Coach of the Year. The Golden Hawks have been clobbering adversaries from start to finish this year and no opponent has come within single-digits. The Golden Hawks are averaging more than 51 points per outing, have scored more than 70 points three times and have won nine games by more than 30 points. Ingram has compiled an 84-24-1 record in his nine seasons at the helm.

PURSUIT OF PERFECTION… Class AA Coach of the Year Tim Hardy has state finalist Greater Atlanta Christian heading into the state championship with a perfect 14-0 record. Hardy took over the program in 2012 after three years at Mountain View and has led the Spartans to double-digit wins in all three seasons. GAC’s 14 wins this year is a new school record and the Spartans can take home the title for the first time in school history with a win over Benedictine, a team Hardy and the Spartans topped 24-21 to open the season. ESTABLISHING POWER… In Class A, Coach of the Year Mike Swaney has led a young Marion County program to its first state title last year, and a second straight semifinal appearance this year. The Eagles were eliminated by Hawkinsville on a last second field goal in the semifinals but were able to beat the Red Devils 13-6 earlier in the season. Last year, Swaney and the Eagles fell to Hawkinsville 14-10 in the regular season before rolling to a 40-7 win over the Red Devils in the semifinals en route to the Class A-Public state title. Swaney has compiled a 55-8 record in his five seasons and has advanced past the first round every year.

Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014

MORE ATHLETES WHO TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM

GO TO CHILDREN’S.

As the leader in pediatric sports medicine, we see and treat every type of injury. So if your child gets hurt, count on us to help him get back in the game. Learn more at choa.org/sportsmed.

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Class A-Private

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

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

Class A-Public

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

Class AAA

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

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

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

Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014

SCORE ATLANTA | www.ScoreAtl.com

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

BULLDOGS EARN TRIP TO THE BELK BOWL BY DAN MATHEWS | DMATHEWS@SCOREATL.COM

he announcement came down on Sunday night that the 9-3 Georgia Bulldogs are heading to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the Louisville Cardinals in this year’s Belk Bowl. Louisville has been in the news around the Georgia program a lot this season, especially with certain names heading north. After the 2013 season ended, defensive coordinator Todd Grantham announced that he was leaving Athens to head up to Kentucky to lead the Cardinals defense. Soon to follow him were cornerback Shaq Wiggins and safety Josh HarveyClemons. They won’t be playing in this game, but Georgia’s offense will be facing a coach they got to know over the past few seasons. This game will kick off on December 30th at 6:30 pm from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. ALL-SEC HONORS… This week the Coaches and Associated Press All-SEC teams were announced for this past football season and Georgia players were

GEORGIA STATE

TRACK SEASON HITS THE GROUND RUNNING; HUNTER STAYS HOT BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

he Women’s Indoor Track and Field team T kicked off their season last Friday and saw some very positive results. The Birmingham

CrossPlex facility hosted 18 members of the 28-member team that competed. The Panthers claimed a few first place finishes as well as a school record. Freshman Nylah Chavis made her presence felt immediately at the collegiate level as she placed first overall in the high jump. The Eastside High graduate outleapt 23 other high jumpers with her leap over the bar set at 5.05m. Georgia State also took first place in the Distance Medley relay led by Sarah Bearden, Jordan Townsley, Mackenize Nail and Nuria Ramirez. The freshman from Spain, Ramirez, also finished third in the 800m after running a 2:17.58 and placing ahead of 22 other runners. Sophomore LaPorscha Wells set the school record in the weight throw competition hurling 17.26m. Teammates Carresa Reeves, Tracy Dorcemont, and Kelsey Gray placed fifth, eighth, and 11th.

all over both lists. Georgia was able to place six players on the AP list and four on the coaches. Of the six names for the AP, freshman Running Back Nick Chubb and senior linebacker Amarlo Herrera picked up first team honors. While on the second team, sophomore offensive guard Greg Pyke and senior center David Andrews were named. On defense, senior(s) linebacker Ramik Wilson and cornerback Damian Swann got the nod. Left off the two teams were sophomore outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and junior place kicker Marshall Morgan in the honorable mention category. Not to be forgotten on the AP list, is the fact that Nick Chubb was named freshman of the year. As for the coaches team, Chubb was the only Bulldog on the first team list. Herrera, Wilson, and Swann were all named second-teamers. Chubb also picked up the SEC Freshman of the Year, as named by the conference. For the second straight season a Bulldog wins the Scholar-Athlete of the Year, with the honor going to senior wide receiver Chris Conley. Last year’s winner was quarterback Aaron Murray. ON THE BALL… The Men’s and Women’s seasons are underway, with success already coming their way on the court. The men go into this final’s break with a 5-3 record, while the women are undefeated at 10-0. The Lady Bulldogs picked up their most recent win with a 69-60 win at Michigan State. Both teams resume their season next weekend.

ON THE HARDWOOD… R.J. Hunter helped the Panthers come away with an impressive win at home last Thursday as GSU (6-2) downed visiting Green Bay (5-2) 72-48. The junior poured in 26 more points and now is averaging 23.3 per game, good for fourth in the entire nation. Hunter banged in four 3-pointers and now is one three-pointer away from being just the second Panther to hit 200 in a career. Former Buford standout T.J. Shipes made his second career start and made the most out of it scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. The Panthers hounded the Phoenix into shooting only 28 percent. Naismith Award Preseason Watch List candidate Keifer Sykes was held to just 5 of 15 shooting and only 16 points. Georgia State has now won five straight and travels to Old Dominion to play its next game on Dec. 17th. After starting the season 3-0, the Lady Panthers (3-3) have dropped three straight games all by single digits. Their latest defeat came on Sunday at Morehead State (4-5), 74-72. The weather wasn’t the only cold thing on Sunday; the Panthers came out missing their first 11 shots and found themselves in an early 15-2 hole. GSU closed the gap to 27-23 and used a barrage of three-pointers to take an early second half lead. Freshman Makeba Ponder hit seven threes before fouling out. Morehead’s Almesha Jones’ 10 consecutive free throws iced the game for the Eagles. The Panthers host Tennessee Tech this Saturday in their next game.

GEORGIA TECH

TECH FALLS JUST SHORT AGAINST FSU, STILL GOING TO ORANGE BOWL BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

acing Florida State in the ACC Championship for the second time in the last three years and looking for their first conference title since 2009, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets once again came out just short against the Seminoles. Georgia Tech, which fell to the now three-time reigning ACC champion 21-15 in 2012, lost a shootout 37-35 last Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C. Neither defense had any chance throughout the first half, aside from the opening possession of the game. Tech forced FSU into a rare punt and thus played from ahead for much of the first 30 minutes. Its vaunted rushing attack, which racked up 331 total yards, got firsthalf touchdowns from Synjyn Days (two) and Zach Laskey (one). Days found the endzone for a third time early in the third quarter to tie the score at 28-28 after the ‘Noles had gone into the intermission with a seven-point lead by scoring with 30 seconds left. Finally, however, the College Football

KENNESAW STATE

MEN’S BASKETBALL COOLS OFF AFTER HOT START BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM

t’s been an up and down ride for the men’s Iseason. basketball team in the early stages of the After losing the first four games of the

season, they were able to notch three consecutive wins. However, in the latest stretch, the Owls have lost their last three games, including a 58-46 loss to Kent State on Saturday and a 93-51 loss to Butler on Monday. The game against Kent State was at the Convocation Center and the Owls were only down by four in the first half. But they wore down late in the game and only scored 19 points in the second half. We showed great toughness early,” head coach Jimmy Lallathin told Ksuowls.com. “Now, it’s about maintaining that. That’s part of the maturation that I’ve got to continue working on for our guys and putting our guys in those situations. That’s something I’ve got to teach and continue to hold those expectations.” Delbert Love and Bernard Morena each scored 10 points while scored six points and seven rebounds. The game against Butler was

Playoff-bound Seminoles at least showed signs of figuring out the Jackets’ option. Thanks to a few defensive stands, three Jameis Winston touchdown passes and a trio of Roberto Aguayo field goals, Florida State went ahead by two possessions at 37-28. Georgia Tech’s late touchdown on a pass from Justin Thomas to Darren Waller was not enough to make up the deficit. “I felt like we had a shot the whole time, from before the game started,” Thomas said in his postgame interview. “We feel like we can play with anybody…. Coach (Paul Johnson) said there’s nothing we can do about this one anymore so we just have to move on to the next one and finish the season off strong. He told us to keep our heads up. We still have one more to go. Let’s get it done.” ORANGE BOWL-BOUND ... That next one will come in the Orange Bowl against Mississippi State, which peaked as high as No. 1 in the nation before suffering losses to Alabama and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs are led by quarterback Dak Prescott, a Heisman front-runner for much of the season until the two late setbacks. It will be Tech’s second appearance at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. in the past six seasons. The Yellow Jackets faced Iowa the last time they won the ACC and went to the Orange Bowl but lost 2414 on Jan. 5, 2010.

played in Indianapolis and No. 15 Butler took a 52-27 lead in the first half and never looked back. “The game was what we thought it was going to be,” Lallathin said. “We were playing against a great team that defended with physicality and efficiency. I think we succumbed to their physicality and it got us little bit out of character.” Yonel Brown led the Owls with 14 points while Orlando Coleman and Love each. The Owls will be back in action on Saturday when they play Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday back at the Convocation Center. KEEP ON WINNING… The women’s basketball team has no issues finding wins as they have won their last three games. The most recent win can last Wednesday when they defeated Georgia State 73-64. Jasmine McAllister led the Owls with a career-high 26 points while Deandrea Sawyers added 22 points. “It was a total team effort again,” head coach Nitra Perry told KsuOwls.com”Jas with 26 points and eight rebounds and Deandrea with 22 points to lead us, then I think the xfactor behind all of that was Kristina Wells. She was a point away from a double-double and had seven assists and no turnovers, which was huge for us. The Lady Owls will back in action on Saturday when they take on Murray State at the Convocation Center.

Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014 ATLANTA HAWKS

HAWKS SEE STREAK SOAR TO SEVEN BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

on’t look now, but the Atlanta Hawks have quietly reeled off seven straight wins and currently sit second in the Eastern Conference standings and more importantly in a two-way tie with Washington for first place in the Southeast division. The winning streak marks the Hawks’ longest since 2000 and Atlanta has not won a division title since the days of Dominique Wilkins and Kevin Willis back in 1993. SEVEN HEAVEN… On Monday, the Hawks (14-6) took care of the Pacers (7-14) in Indiana 108-92. Atlanta held a ten point lead after one and a 17 point lead at the half. Al Horford looked like his old self scoring a season high 25 points while grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots. Jeff Teague continued his strong season with 21 points and seven assists. As well as the Hawks shot the ball (52.9%), it was the defense that carried them yet again. It was the fifth time in Atlanta’s last seven games that the

ATLANTA BRAVES

BRAVES SIGN OF MARKAKIS AND 2B CALLASPO BY RICKY DIMON | RDIMON@SCOREATL.COM

he Braves wasted no time finding a replacement for Jason Heyward in right field after they traded the local star to St. Louis. Last week they signed free agent and former Baltimore Oriole Nick Markakis to a four-year, $44 million deal. Markakis, 31, has spent all of his nine major-league seasons in Baltimore, where he batted .276 with 14 homers, 50 RBIs and 81 runs scored in 2014. The durable lefty never played fewer than 104 games in any year and appeared in at least 147 games eight times. Atlanta plans on more of the same continuing next year, but Markakis will first have to undergo surgery for a herniated disk in his neck. “He thought he would be able to be stronger and better with [surgery],” general manager John Hart told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “We discussed this with some of our people and they were absolutely in agreement. It’s a relatively short recovery for a surgery that’s not uncommon. I think he will be ready

Hawks were able to hold their opponents to under 100 points. “I think our defense is superb right now,” said DeMarre Carroll. The Pacers turned the ball over 17 times and struggled to find a flow in their offense. C.J. Miles and Rodney Stuckey both scored 15 points in the loss. Atlanta ran its home record up to 9-2 after defeating the Denver Nuggets (9-12) Sunday afternoon, 96-84. Despite 29 points and 10 rebounds from Wilson Chandler, the Nuggets struggled all day shooting just 36 percent from the field. The Hawks again came out hot leading by 11 points after the first period and held a 21 point lead at halftime. Paul Millsap drained four 3-pointers and finished with a team high 23 points on the night. Kyle Korver added 15 points while DeMarre Carroll and Al Horford both chipped in 11. Though the Hawks have gotten off to a strong start, the schedule has been a bit weak. Kyle Korver understands where Atlanta is at. “Every NBA game is tough, but we’ve had a favorable schedule to this point,” he said. “We’ve gotten to play some teams that aren’t as high up in the standings as we’re going to play later.” UP NEXT… Atlanta looks to avoid three trap games before a big matchup with the Bulls next Monday. The Hawks host the Sixers on Wednesday and then have a home-and-away against Orlando to end the week.

for spring training and ready full speed for opening day. I like to err on the side of caution, but we have a number of experts who think it could be shorter (than 12 weeks recovery).” The Braves have also landed a veteran second baseman in the wake of their well-publicized, midseason axe of Dan Uggla and a trade involving Tommy La Stella this fall. They inked Alberto Callaspo, also 31, to a one-year, $3 million contract on Tuesday. Callaspo is expected to primarily start at second base for Atlanta until heralded prospect Jose Peraza is ready for the majors. He can also fill in for Chris Johnson on occasion at third base in addition to making spot starts at corner outfield positions. OFFENSIVE PHILOSPHY ... Atlanta’s fans clearly are not the only people tired of swings and misses. The team is, too. Its 1369 strikeouts in 2014 were fourth most in the entire league and its four highest strikeout totals in franchise history have come in the last four seasons. Enter Markakis and Callaspo, who are the essence of contact hitters. Markakis was fourth in the league in contact percent this year and 11th in zone-contact percentage (on pitches in the strike zone). Callaspo would have been ninth and 15th, respectively, in those two categories if he had compiled enough plate appearances. In his career, Callaspo is striking out just once in 11.16 plate appearances.

ATLANTA FALCONS

FALCONS SET TO HOST STEELER NATION BY CRAIG SAGER II | CSAGER@SCOREATL.COM

he Falcons’ comeback attempt fell just short as Atlanta took a 43-37 defeat to Green Bay on Monday and dropped to 5-8. During the loss, Julio Jones shattered the franchise record for receiving yards in a game with an 11-catch, 259-yard performance. The Packers led 31-7 at the half, but the visiting Falcons made it interesting by torching the Green Bay defense in the second half and outscoring them 30-10. Atlanta returns home for its showdown with the AFC North’s Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. REWRITE HISTORY... The Falcons are 2-12-1 all-time against the Steelers, but won 41-38 the last time Pittsburgh visited Atlanta on Oct. 22, 2006. The most recent meeting between the two teams was a 15-9 Steelers victory during the season opener in 2010. Vetran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads Pittsburgh’s offense and has averaged right at 300 passing yards per game this season. Roethlisberger’s 3,705 passing yards through Week 13 were fourth most in the

GWINNETT GLADIATORS

BRANDT PEGGED AS INTERIM HEAD COACH BY KYLE SANDY | KSANDY@SCOREATL.COM

NFL and he is one-of-eight quarterbacks with a passer rating over 100 this season. Former sixth round pick, Antonio Brown, drives Pittsburgh’s passing game. The Central Michigan alum hauled in 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 11 touchdowns through Pittsburgh’s first 12 games. On the ground, Le’Veon Bell can run and catch passes out of the backfield extremely well. Through Week 13, the 6-foot-1, 244-pound back eclipsed the 1,000yard rushing mark while hauling in 65 receptions for 643 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Pittsburgh uses an aggressive blitz scheme and hard-hitting secondary to disrupt offenses but the unit gave up a season-high 35 points in their Week 13 loss to New Orleans. Pittsburgh has struggled forcing turnovers this year on the defensive side of the football and dropped to -4 in this season’s turnover margin following the loss to the Saints. James Harrison, Jason Worilds and Cameron Heyward combined for 12.5 of the Steeler’s first 21 sacks this season. William Gay and Cortez Allen have each hauled in a pair of interceptions. Pittsburgh is 1-2 against the NFC South this season and the only AFC North team to lose to the division. Both losses were at Pittsburgh, including Tampa Bay’s 27-24 Week 4 victory. Despite times of inconsistency this season, the Steelers are coming off an impressive 42-21 victory at Cincinnati.

has been extremely active in the metro-Atlanta community since joining the Gladiators. The Wausua, Wisconsin native was recognized in 2012-13 with the ECHL’s Community Service Award. He also is the man responsible for starting Gwinnett’s yearly “Movember” campaign to raise awareness for Men’s health. Brandt also has made sure that Gwinnett maintains a strong connection with Children’s Health Care of Atlanta by organizing player visits.

t was time for a change according to Gladiator President Steve Chapman. Rick Emmett was relieved of his coaching duties last Tuesday after overseeing the Gladiators drop eight of their last nine games and fall to last place in the East division. Emmett was the team’s third head coach in franchise history. He coached 86 games and played in 149 games with Gwinnett prior to moving to the bench. Chapman praised Emmett’s character but cited, “Unfortunately, our results are not to the standards that we have set as an organization. Andy Brandt has been named as the interim head coach as we move forward.”

BEATING THE ODDS… This past week official Player Liaison and Glads practice goalie Greg Ozubko was featured on a national CNN story telling his story about overcoming rheumatoid arthritis and being able to fulfill his dream of playing professional hockey. Ozubko has served as Gwinnett’s emergency backup goaltender since 2011. The 50-year old was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 1998. Greg began taking medicine and started feeling so much better that he decided to give hockey another shot in 2002. Ozubko impressed scouts and managed to land a practice team spot and has been thankful and feeling better than ever, ever since.

NEW MAN FOR THE JOB… Interim Head Coach Andy Brandt follows in Emmett’s footsteps as being a former Gladiator turned head coach. He holds the franchise record for most games played in with 357, spanning from 2006-2013. Brandt has been an assistant with the Gladiators since September 5th, 2013. His strong ties with the franchise made him the obvious choice to take over. Brandt

A FRESH START… Andy Brandt gets his first taste of being a head coach this Tuesday in Toledo and again on Wednesday against Kalamazoo before coming home on Saturday to take on Cincinnati. The Toledo Walleye will be a tough task for the Gladiators. The Walleye currently have the third best record in the Eastern Conference. The puck drops at 7:15 pm.

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Vol. 10 Iss. 46 | December 12-18, 2014

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