Archive for July, 2010

WR Chris Conley (Special)

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released on Aug. 15)

The AJC Super 11 candidate: North Paulding WR Chris Conley

The skinny: The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Conley has averaged about 50 catches per year since he was a freshman while playing for North Paulding in a non-region schedule (basically against JV-like teams). North Paulding, a 4-year-old school, only now has a senior class this year. Conley caught 81 passes for 848 yards and six touchdowns for as a junior and ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at a recruiting combine in January. He is also an “A” student who will enroll early at UGA.

Colleges: Conley committed to UGA over Alabama in April, and was also considering offers from Georgia Tech, …

Continue reading AJC Super 11 candidate: North Paulding WR Chris Conley »

Continue reading Basketball: North Carolina coach Roy Williams takes seat in front row to observe Milton High’s Evan Nolte »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the many of the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released on Aug. 15. Note: Below is a list of SOME of the CANDIDATES, not the final selections)

• Sterling Bailey, DE, East Hall [committed to UGA]
• Ronnie Bell, Sandy Creek QB [undecided]
• Shannon Brown, Cook LB [committed to Alabama]
• Homer Causey, Mays QB [undecided]
• Bryan Chamberlain, Monroe-Albany OL [committed to Georgia Tech]
• Alex Chisum, Sandy Creek WR [committed to Cincinnati]
• Chris Conley, North Paulding WR [committed to UGA]
• Isaiah Crowell, Carver-Columbus RB [undecided]
• Watts Dantzler, Dalton OL [committed to UGA]
• Ray Drew, Thomas County Central DE [undecided]
• Xzavier Dickson, Griffin DE [undecided]
• Jabari Hunt-Days, Hillgrove LB [committed to Georgia Tech]
• A.J. …

Continue reading LIST OF AJC SUPER 11 CANDIDATES … What are YOUR thoughts? »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released next month before the kickoff of the 2010 season)

I have a feeling that No. 63 will be playing football for a long, long, long time (CCHS)

The AJC Super 11 candidate: Colquitt County OT Xzavier Ward

The skinny: The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Ward dominated at offensive tackle for Colquitt County, which made it to the semifinals in Georgia’s largest classification.

Colleges: Ward is the state’s hottest prospect, doubling his scholarship total in recent months to 22, including both UGA and Georgia Tech. He confirmed again this week to the AJC that Alabama and Georgia remain his leaders. He said he may wait until signing day to make his college decision.

They said it: “Xzavier is a kid …

Continue reading AJC Super 11 candidate: Colquitt County OT Xzavier Ward »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released next month before the kickoff of the 2010 season)

The AJC Super 11 candidate: Wilcox County QB-DB Nick Marshall

The skinny: The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Marshall is considered the state’s No. 1 QB prospect but is going to UGA to play DB. Last year as a junior, Marshall led Wilcox County to the Class A championship, passing for 2,956 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was named as the AJC’s Class A Offensive Player of Year.

Colleges: Marshall, who has drawn comparisons to 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, committed to UGA on a football scholarship in June after reportedly being a “silent commitment” to archrival Georgia Tech. Marshall agreed to play defensive back at Georgia, which will …

Continue reading AJC Super 11 candidate: Wilcox County QB Nick Marshall »

North Carolina is one of the many schools taking time this month to observe Milton High 6-foot-8 swingman Evan Nolte, one of the top junior basketball players in Georgia.

Nolte led his AAU team, the Southern Kings, to the championship of a Mytle Beach, S.C., tournament. He scored 27 points in the first half of the semifinals, finishing with 34. In the championship game, Nolte scored 24 to help the Kings win the Under-16 tournament.

Nolte already has around a dozen offers, including Georgia Tech and UGA. Schools such as North Carolina, Duke, Florida and Stanford are evaluating him this month in the various regional and national AAU tournaments.

Continue reading Basketball: Milton High’s 6-foot-8 junior scouted by North Carolina Tar Heels »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released next month before the kickoff of the 2010 season.

South Gwinnett's No. 16 Kent Rollins (AJC)

The AJC Super 11 candidate: South Gwinnett QB Kent Rollins

The skinny: The 6-foot, 175-pounder might be the best quarterback that no one has really heard about outside of Gwinnett County. Rollins quietly put up monster numbers in arguably the state’s toughest region (8-AAAAA) last year. He completed 141 of 242 passes for 2,212 yards and 23 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He also surprised many defenses with his scrambling and running skills, rushing for 542 yards and 8 touchdowns on 90 carries. Rollins sat out the second half of four games.

Colleges: Rollins has generated interest …

Continue reading AJC Super 11 candidate: South Gwinnett QB Kent Rollins »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released next month before the kickoff of the 2010 season.

The AJC Super 11 candidate: Tucker LB James Vaughters

The skinny: The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder is one of the top student-athletes to ever come through the state. James has a 4.0 GPA, and is a candidate at linebacker for high school All-America honors. As a sophomore in 2008, Vaughters was a two-way starter at Tucker, which won the Class AAAA state championship and had five seniors sign with major colleges. He posted 38 tackles, 8 tackles for losses, 6 sacks, and 4 fumble recoveries. As a junior last year, Vaughters broke his right wrist before the season, missing three games. He toughed it out to play 9 games, finishing with 57 …

Continue reading AJC Super 11 candidate: Tucker LB James Vaughters »

Since 1985, the AJC’s Super 11 team has transformed into one of the nation’s most elite lists, consisting of the best 11 high school football players from the talent-loaded state of Georgia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll go over the top candidates for this year’s AJC Super 11, which will be released on Aug. 15)

• Sterling Bailey, DE, East Hall [committed to UGA]
• Ronnie Bell, Sandy Creek QB [undecided]
• Chris Conley, North Paulding WR [committed to UGA]
• Isaiah Crowell, Carver-Columbus [undecided]
• Nick Marshall, Wilcox County QB-DB [committed to UGA]
• Brian Randolph, Kell FS [committed to Tennessee Volunteers]
• Kent Rollins, South Gwinnett QB [undecided]
• Chris Sanders, Tucker FS [committed to UGA]
• James Vaughters, Tucker LB [committed to Stanford]
• Xzavier Ward, Colquitt OT [undecided]

Are you having a great summer? How was vacation? Do you need to catch up on sports? We’ll help you. Here are some of the MOST POPULAR blogs over the last week or so, based on reader comments. Feel …

Continue reading MOST POPULAR TOPICS … ALL THE LINKS HERE »

South Atlanta High’s Nick Jacobs, who is one of the state’s top basketball prospects and has UGA among his leaders, can’t escape the comparisons with NBA lottery pick Derrick Favors.

It doesn’t have anything to do with playing styles or body types, as the two are very different in those areas.

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The root of the comparisons tip off with timing, as Jacobs was the heir apparent to Favors as South Atlanta’s marquee player last season. The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Jacobs was a dominating presence in the paint, averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds while leading the Hornets to the state playoffs. Also, Jacobs is yet another big-time recruit out of South Atlanta’s storied program, …

Continue reading ‘The Next Derrick Favors’ names UGA among leaders, no interest in following in NBA lottery pick’s footsteps to Georgia Tech »

O'Neal Wanliss (HIES photo)

O’Neal Wanliss, the two-time defending Class A state champion in the 400 meters, has earned All-America honors after some blazing performances in the track event this summer.

The rising senior at Holy Innocents’ won the 400 with a time of 47.33 seconds at the USA Track & Field Youth Championships earlier this week. The PR of 47.33 pushed Wanliss in the 400 rankings for among students his age (17 years old) — No. 1 in Georgia and No. 21 in the nation.

“It’ a great feeling, and lets me know all the hard work and training is worth it,” Wanliss said.

During his freshman and sophomore years, Wanliss split his time between track and soccer, which are both played in the spring. This past year, Wanliss gave up soccer and has flourished in track.

“When I focused everything on track, that’s when all the success has come,” Wanliss said.

The 5-foot-8, 128-pound Wanliss will go for his third straight GHSA championship in the 400 in May. He is considering playing …

Continue reading Holy Innocents’ two-sport standout earns All-America honors »

Another trailer on Greenville High football coach Jeremy Williams from the “Season of a Lifetime” documentary has been released.

The clip features interviews with the coach with the terminal illness of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, along with family members such as his wife, brother and mother.

The “Season of a Lifetime” documentary is the vision of Atlanta filmmaker Rick Cohen as a joint venture between FishEye Media Inc. and Endorphin Entertainment. It is a work in progress, as Cohen and his crew will follow the Greenville Patriots during the upcoming football season. Greenville will be one of the top contenders again for the Class A state championship.

Cohen hopes to have a finished product to view in April 2011.

This is the second of 5-6 trailers which will be released over the next several months. The first one, which gets me teary-eyed every time I see it, follows Williams in his return to Memphis University, where he was a four-year starter for the football team. …

Continue reading You’ve got to see this VIDEO … “Season of Lifetime” trailer #2 with Greenville High football coach Jeremy Williams »

Former Georgia Tech standout Calvin Johnson, who will hold his third annual “Wide Receiver Camp” for high school football players in the Atlanta area on July 24, says losing “is not easy on anyone” with the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

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Johnson plays for arguably the worst franchise in professional football. In Johnson’s rookie season of 2007, the Lions showed some promise, posting a 7-9 record. The next year was a disaster at 0-16, while Detroit improved to 2-14 last season but still holds a 20-game road losing streak.

Losing has been somewhat of a culture shock for Johnson, who never played for a losing team at Georgia Tech or Sandy Creek High.

“It’s different, first coming into [that type of …

Continue reading Calvin Johnson says LOSING ‘is not easy on anyone’ with NFL’s Detroit Lions »

• BREAKING NEWS: Malcolm Brogdon is top contender for Mr. Georgia Basketball 2011 (Click here)

All five starters on Milton High’s basketball team have earned major-college scholarship offers in basketball. All five will return this year to defend the state championship in Georgia’s largest classification, along with contend for a mythical high school national championship.

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Jordan Loyd was the last of the five when he was offered by Furman and Gardner-Webb this week.

The 6-foot-2 Loyd played mostly wingman but also saw time at point guard last year as a junior, averaging 8 points for the Eagles. He shot 75-percent from the foul line, 53-percent from the field, and 48-percent from the 3-point line. His assist to turnover ratio was 3 to 1.

“Furman and …

Continue reading All five Milton starters have major-college offers in basketball »

Two down and one to go for the LA Angels and the trio of Georgia first-rounders.

East Coweta pitcher Cam Bedrosian signed for a $1.116 million bonus, while Marietta outfielder Chevez Clarke signed for $1.089 million, according to the LA Times.

Last month, the Angles drafted three Georgia high schoolers in the first round — Cook third baseman Kaleb Cowart at No. 18 overall, Bedrosian at No. 29 and Clarke at No. 30.

“I’m relieved,” Clarke told the AJC. He gave up his baseball scholarship to Georgia Tech by signing with the Angels and will report to the organization’s rookie-league team in Arizona on late Monday night.

“It was a long process, but I’m glad it’s over and I’m ready to be a professional.”

Bedrosian signed after visiting Angel Stadium over the weekend with his father Steve, the 1987 Cy Young Award winner.  The younger Bedrosian “worked out for pitching coach Mike Butcher, met [Angels manager] Mike Scioscia and the players, and even fetched Gatorade and sunflower …

Continue reading LA Angels sign Georgia 1st rounders to $1M deals — Marietta’s Chevez Clarke and East Coweta’s Cam Bedrosian »