Archive for August, 2010

The head football coach at Alabama’s Spain Park, which will play Grayson on Saturday, was placed on paid administrative leave Wednesday because of a physical incident at practice this week, according to the Shelby County Reporter.

David Shores is in his third season at Spain Park, which reached the Alabama quarterfinals in Class 6A in 2009. Shores, an Auburn graduate who is viewed as one of the top young coaches in Alabama, had been an assistant coach under Rush Propst at Hoover and Nick Saban at LSU.

“We had an incident at practice [Tuesday]. It’s a serious situation, and our preliminary investigation resulted in placing him on administrative leave while we investigate further,” said Andy Craig, superintendent of Hoover City Schools. “To this point, it’s preliminary. We’ll conduct a more in-depth investigation over the coming days.”

Spain Park is playing Grayson on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Progressive Football Challenge at North Gwinnett.

Georgia High School Football Daily …

Continue reading Spain Park coach placed on adminstrative leave days before Grayson game »

Greenville High’s football team, led by its inspirational coach, is about to kick off its football season.

Atlanta filmmaker Rick Cohen is following the Patriots this season for his “Season of a Lifetime” documentary on Greenville High coach Jeremy Williams and his football team. Williams has inspired many with his attitude toward his terminal illness of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Here is the latest trailer, which focuses on Williams and his player preparing for the season:

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Continue reading New ‘Season of a Lifetime’ film clip on ALS coach preparing football team »

Georgia Public Broadcasting, announcing that it has formed a new sports division, will debut “GPB Sports Central” Wednesday at 7:30 on Channel 8 and its HD channel.

Formerly named “Prep Sports Plus,” the show will cover breaking news stories, features, recruiting and polls from around the state. The show will replay Fridays at 11 p.m. with final high school football scores and Saturdays at noon with final scores and game news.

The show features veteran sports reporters Gil Tyree, Mark Harmon and Jon Nelson as well as newcomer and Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome personality Niki Noto. Wednesday’s show includes: an exclusive report and highlight on the controversial ending to the Peachtree Ridge-McEachern game at Saturday’s Corky Kell Classic; the story behind the consecutive state championship runs being made by Class AAAAA Camden County and Class AA Buford; an interview with former Brookwood High School coach and athletics director Dave Hunter on the recent realignment of teams …

Continue reading ‘GPB Sports Central’ to make TV debut on Wednesday night »

GHSF Daily isn’t a recruiting newsletter and doesn’t evaluate high school talent for the next level, so it comes as a surprise sometimes who is heavily recruited and who isn’t.

Here are a few players we’ve wondered about, with updates. If you have info on other top players whose recruiting status confuses you, let us know.

*Ralph David Abernathy IV, Westminster: Abernathy is one of only four Georgia seniors to be named first-team all-state players by all three groups that award that honor: the coaches (GACA), the media (GSWA) and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (in conjunction with GHSF Daily). The others, if you’re wondering, are RB Isaiah Crowell, Carver (Columbus); QB Nick Marshall, Wilcox County; and RB Kyle Karempelis, Wesleyan. Abernathy rushed for 1,501 yards last season. He’s a big recruit but not a full-fledged blue-chipper despite huge total-yardage numbers (he’s a great receiver and return man). We’re told Abernathy has offers from Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Louisville …

Continue reading Seven great players looking for more offers »

Five former Georgia high school football players and two coaches made the final 36 in the latest cuts for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

The GSHF Honors Court will meet in Macon on Sept. 14 to make the final selections for the Class of 2011.

The final 36 includes:

*Buck Belue: Best known as the quarterback of Georgia’s 1980 national championship team, Belue was a four-year starter at Valdosta (1974-77) and set a record for career passing yards in Georgia with 5,214. Belue also was a first-round pick in the Major League draft and played minor league ball. He’s now a talk show host for 680 The Fan radio in Atlanta.

*Robert Davis: Davis retired after the 2007 season with a record of 353-73-1, which ranks second in victories for a Georgia coach to Larry Campbell of Lincoln County. Davis won state titles for Warner Robins in 1976, 1981 and 1988. He left Warner Robins to build the program at Westside of Macon in 1997 and was 111-32 there.

*Ray Lamb: Lamb’s record in 32 …

Continue reading Seven from high school football among Georgia sports hall finalists »

Three days away from the season opener, Miller Grove has finally named its head football coach.

Damien Wimes, the former defensive coordinator at Southwest Dekalb, was officially hired on Tuesday. Miller Grove starts the season against Lakeside on Friday.

“It’s a really good opportunity,” Wimes told the AJC. “Being a graduate of Southwest DeKalb and coaching there for 11 years has been a tremendous experience for me. It gave me a good foundation on what it takes to build a football program with young men.

“I know I can take that knowledge to a really good program at Miller Grove.”

Wimes, 37, said he planned to meet with Miller Grove’s players on Tuesday and would begin teaching economics at the school next week.

“I’m going to tell the kids to expect greatness, and … I know we’re in a transition period, but we have a schedule to play and they have goals they want to reach. I’m excited about being on the journey with them, and let’s win some games.”

Miller Grove has been without …

Continue reading Miller Grove finally names head football coach … 3 days before season opener »

Buford’s Andraya Carter had seven points and five rebounds to help the U.S. Women’s basketball team claim the bronze medal with a 34-16 win over Canada in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

The U.S. was upset by Australia in the semifinals.

“We let one slip away … obviously, (bronze) is not what we wanted, but to be able to refocus and get something out of it shows a lot of character,” said U.S. coach Kathy Richey-Walton of Southwest DeKalb. “They could have easily folded and let this slip away. But they didn’t, and I’m proud of them.”

Carter led Buford to the Class AA state championship as a sophomore. The point guard has committed to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Shelby Ashby (Special)

ALSO: St. Pius senior Shelby Ashe finished eighth in the hammer throw at the Games. Ashe was a medal favorite after doing well in qualifying but had some tough luck in the championship round during rainy conditions. Ashe fouled on her first and third attempts and had a second throw of …

Continue reading After disappointment, Buford star rallies U.S. to basketball bronze »

UGA target Malcolm Brogdon commits to Virginia (Special)

Greater Atlanta Christian guard Malcolm Brogdon, who is one of the favorites to win this year’s Mr. Georgia Basketball, committed to Virginia on Monday.

The 6-foot-5, 206-pound Brogdon picked the Cavaliers over UGA, Clemson, Vanderbilt and Harvard, among others. This past weekend, Virginia was the first of 4-5 scheduled official visits for Brogdon over the next couple of months.

“He liked everything he saw and thought it was a good fit for him,” GAC coach Eddie Martin said. “They are a very good academic school, they are in the ACC and they have a very good young coach in Tony Bennett. He kind of wanted to commit on the spot but his mother said ‘No, we’re not going to make an emotional decision.’

They got back to Atlanta and I told him ‘to sleep on it. If you feel the same way the next day, then go for it, if that’s want you want to do. You’ve been there and you know what you’re looking for.’ He called up Virginia today …

Continue reading Greater Atlanta Christian guard Malcolm Brogdon commits to Virginia over UGA and Clemson, others »

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When you win the state championship in football, you put a big target on your back for the following season.

Wilcox County’s rapid rise to one of the Georgia’s most successful Class A football programs likely contributed to intense emotions leading up the post-scrimmage brawl with Fitzgerald last week. The GHSA handed down penalties for schools with $250 fines, a ban from any scrimmages before the 2011 season, and “Severe Warning Status” probation for the remainder of this season. [Click here for the rest of the story]

Here are some of the statements by Wilcox County principal Chad Davis to the GHSA about the confrontation, obtained through an FOI request:

• “When our team arrived … four Fitzgerald players were staring our players down by the their field.”
• “When our quarterback, Nick Marshall, was tackled on one play, his ankle was …

Continue reading UGA recruit Nick Marshall allegedly cheered by opposing fans after injury, more on football brawl »

• [Breaking news: UGA recruit Nick Marshall allegedly draws cheers from opposing fans after being injured, more details on football brawl - click here]

What a wacky ending to a high school football game at the Georgia Dome this weekend.

With seven seconds left in regulation, McEachern’s Nicholas St. Germain booted a clutch 47-yard field goal to tie Peachtree Ridge at 24-24 and send the game into overtime.

But wait a minute.

While McEachern was celebrating on the sidelines, the Peachtree Ridge defense didn’t budge from the field as the referees huddled. Ut oh, never a good sign if your team just made a big play.

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Then the points were waved off the scoreboard.

The refs said Peachtree Ridge had called a timeout before the game-tying kick.

There were jeers from …

Continue reading Controversial ending to high school football game »

Just how much difference is there between the five classifications in Georgia high school football any more?

Cook (AA) beat Colquitt County, the preseason #5 in AAAAA. Fitzgerald blew away Tift in another Region 1-AA vs. 1-AAAAA game.

But for symbolism, there was a more significant upset:

Kell over Grayson, the #10 team in AAAAA.

It really wasn’t much of an upset as far as a surprise goes. Grayson suffered heavy graduation losses, and Kell was a AAAAAplayoff team in 2009 that returned an AJC Super 11 player in Brian Randolph.

But this is what’s significant: Kell is one of 54 schools that dropped in classification this year.

Several major programs – from Northside to Warner Robins to Carver to Dalton to Sandy Creek to Charlton County – moved down.

With less fanfare, several more solid programs also went down: Kell, Pope, East Paulding, Union Grove, Chapel Hill, Chattahoochee.

In doing preseason all-state teams for GHSF Daily last week, I noted that the AAAA all-star team would …

Continue reading New HS rankings and what Kell did Saturday »

The AJC

It’s late August and HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL is already kicking off. AJC high schools beat writer Michael Carvell blogs live and takes your questions about high school football and related topics. And let (friendly) debate rage amongst yourselves here.

We are here to talk football, football and more football. Going to a game? Take the cellphone or PDA and let us know what’s going on at YOUR game. Got a score update, see a killer play? Keep your comments clean, respectful, limited to FOOTBALL TALK and POST THEM HERE. Personal insults won’t be tolerated and could get you banned from the board.

WEEKEND SCOREBOARD: CLICK HERE to see the weekend results.

Here are the Saturday, Aug. 21 games you can find scores from this weekend on ajc.com…

CORKY KELL CLASSIC — Georgia Dome

PHOTOS: Grayson vs. Kell | STORY: Kell takes out Grayson 13-10

PHOTOS: North Gwinnett vs. Lassiter | STORY: N. Gwinnett dominates …

Continue reading Weekend Forum: Talk Georgia High School Football »

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[Breaking news: Click here for details of the written statements turned in by both schools with their versions of the brawl]

The GHSA has handed out penalties to Fitzgerald and defending Class A state champion Wilcox County after a confrontation involving players, coaches and fans after last week’s football scrimmage.

• Each school was fined $250 for violating the rule about a “multi-player fight after a game”
• Each school was put under “Severe Warning Status” through the end of the 2010 football season, meaning any future sportsmanship violation will result in more severe penalties.
• Each school is banned from any scrimmages before the 2011 football season.

There were no player or coach suspensions, although each school may take internal disciplinary measures.

“Even when things happen out of the blue, someone has to be responsible,” …

Continue reading GHSA issues penalties for Wilcox-Fitzgerald ‘brawl’ after football scrimmage »

• RELATED: Five college football prospects to watch in Saturday’s Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome (click here)

There may never be another quarterback at Lassiter High like Hutson Mason, who shattered several of the state’s passing records last year which earned him a scholarship at UGA.

Then again, there may have been a future record-breaking quarterback sitting right behind Mason all along.

Heralded sophomore Eddie Printz Jr. will make his first start for the Trojans in Saturday’s Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Printz already has a recruiting profile on Rivals.com, which is rare for a prospect who has yet to start a high school game. Already receiving mail from Clemson, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn and South Carolina, Printz has been generating chatter on college football message boards since middle school.

One opposing coach thinks the advance hype may well be deserved.

“[Printz] is really special. I think talent-wise, he is going to be …

Continue reading The state’s next great QB prospect? Printz replaces UGA’s Hutson Mason »

Some of the Georgia’s top high school football prospects will be on display for the Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia Dome. Here are five to watch:

C.J. Uzomah, North Gwinnett QB (committed to Auburn): He may be the most exciting player to watch after what he did in last week’s scrimmage against Grayson. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder is primarily a quarterback but North Gwinnett moved him around to other positions — inside and outside receiever and tailback. He completed 8 of 10 passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns and had three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. “The beauty is that C.J. can go to all these skills positions and make things happen,” North Gwinnett coach Bob Sphire said. “He’s even our deep guy in defensive situations late in the game when someone needs to make a big play. He’s going to do everything but sell popcorn on Saturday … I would expect C.J. to show up [against Lassiter] at some point in time. If not, that means we won’t be playing very well.” Uzomah …

Continue reading Five college football prospects to watch in Corky Kell Classic »