Archive for the ‘6ABlog’ Category

- Archer’s boys are 9-1 and leading Region 8 with a 6-0 record. Key win was a 67-61 victory over Berkmar in overtime last week. Archer was 18-8 last season but was upset and eliminated by Central Gwinnett in the region tournament, which Berkmar won. Archer is led by point guard Randall Smith and shooting guard Bryan Hamlet, both four-year starters. Wing Nafis Floyd and forward Kelvin Nwanze also have been on varsity for four seasons, and 6-8 forward Aubrey Overby is a three-year varsity player and top rebounder. Smith, who has signed with Jacksonville State,  scored 24 points and had eight assists and four steals in the victory over Berkmar. Smith and Hamlet are averaging 18 points per game. Archer’s only loss was against Miller Grove 72-70 on a last-season tip-in at the Nike Invitational at Wheeler.

- Wheeler’s Doug Lipscomb got his 500th victory as a coach last week in an 80-67 win over Etowah. What’s more amazing is that he did it in 22 seasons, during which he has …

Continue reading AAAAAA basketball blog: Archer takes lead in Region 8 … Lipscomb wins #500 … Hillgrove beats McEachern in title rematch »

Class AAAAAA Title Game (8:30 p.m)

Lovejoy (13-1) vs. Norcross (14-0)

Overview: Neither school nor head coach has won a state title. Lovejoy, which opened in 1990, made the state final in AAAA last year and lost to Tucker. Norcross, which started football in 1957, will be playing in its first state championship game. Lovejoy coach Al Hughes (109-80) and Norcross coach Keith Maloof (129-59) are in their 17th seasons as head coaches.

Lovejoy: The Wildcats returned most major figures from its AAAA runner-up team but were ranked only No. 7 in preseason because of the move to a higher classification. They lost their second game at Colquitt County 14-7 before dominating weak 2-AAAAAA, winning their six region games by an average score of 53-2. They’ve beaten Tri-Cities (51-13), Marietta (36-15), No. 4 North Gwinnett (21-6) and North Cobb (63-42) in the playoffs.

Norcross season: The Blue Devils were unranked in preseason largely because of their first-round exit in 2011 but were …

Continue reading AAAAAA scouting report: Lovejoy’s gambling defense vs. Norcross’ explosive playmakers »

Looking at the world of Geogia high school basketball in the highest classification, here are five bits of news …

And remember this is a blog. We also want to know what you’re seeing on the hardwood this season.

- Tift County’s boys are 3-0. That’s newsworthy because every other preseason Top 10 boys team has lost. Kansas signee Brannen Greene, perhaps the state’s best player, has scored 32 points or better in all three Tift victories, and four other players are averaging 10 points or more. The rest of the Top 10 is less-than-perfect. No. 1 Norcross, still missing key players from the football team, has lost twice, once to a Florida team, another to No. 7 Shiloh, which has lost to No. 10 Berkmar, which has lost to No. 8 Peachtree Ridge, which has lost to No. 5 North Cobb, which has lost to Class A power North Cobb Christian. No. 3 Wheeler and No. 6 Milton have lost to Roswell. No. 9 Alpharetta has lost multiple times. No. 4 Westlake was the last to give in, losing its …

Continue reading AAAAAA basketball blog: Tift is only unbeaten team in Top 10 … North Gwinnett boys, North Cobb girls start fast … Roswell sweeps Milton, Wheeler »

Five questions to be answered in the Georgia Dome next week in the AAAAAA final –

How many points will they score? Norcross and Lovejoy have good defenses, but they put up record numbers of points in the semifinals Friday. Lovejoy beat North Cobb 63-42 in the highest-scoring semifinal game in state history. The second-highest scoring game is now West Rome’s 61-31 win over Lakeshore in 1984. Meanwhile, Norcross beat Colquitt County 41-27. Norcross’ 41 points rank as the third-most in a semifinal in the highest classification over the last 25 years – behind Lovejoy’s 63 and North Cobb’s 42. Valdosta scored 49 in the 1986 semifinals, and no team had scored more than 40 in a high-class semifinal since.

What school and coach will win their first state championship? Norcross and Lovejoy have never won state championships in football. Neither have their coaches, both in their 18th seasons as head coaches – Keith Maloof of Norcross and Al Hughes of Lovejoy. Maloof will …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Who has the best feature back in the state final? And other questions worth asking »

Sports writers love history. It gives perspective to what we’re watching.

Here are five things about history and the Class AAAAAA football tournament. Curious to know what you think.

Does any of this matter?

- The coaches at North Cobb (Shane Queen) and Norcross (Keith Maloof) have never coached in a state championship game. Lovejoy’s Al Hughes coached in one last year, didn’t win it. The coach at Colquitt County (Rush Propst) has won five state titles, all in Alabama. Perhaps the question would be more interesting if Grayson’s Mickey Conn hadn’t won last year. Before that, the last coach to win Georgia’s highest classification with no previous championship-game experience was Tim McFarlin of Roswell in 2006. Before that, it was Mike O’Brien of Valdosta in 1998 (and he had plenty of championship experience as an assistant). So are we talking once a decade here?

- It’s been 25 years since a Clayton County school won the highest class. Is Lovejoy listening? It’s been 45 years …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Does history matter? It favors coaches who’ve been there, running teams, South Georgia and Gwinnett »

It’s three weeks into the basketball season. Here are five quick observations about Class AAAAAA.

Please provide some of your own if you’ve seen some of the top teams play.

McEachern’s girls start 0-5: After a 33-0 finish and first-ever state title, McEachern started the new season 0-5. McEachern lost to some pretty good teams – Norcross (57-41), Alpharetta (50-41) and North Cobb (59-47) all were ranked in the Top 10 of the AJC’s preseason poll. McEachern also lost to out-of-state teams Hall of Little Rock (55-40) and Central of Memhis (73-62) in a Thanksgiving tournament. McEachern broke through with a win last Friday, beating Marietta 58-44. McEachern graduated four of six major college prospects but return sisters Mia Cooper and Te’a Cooper. Meanwhile, Norcross (5-0) is looking good with returning all-state players Diamond DeShields and Shayla Cooper and wins over preseason No. 1 McEachern and No. 5 Mill Creek.

Milton’s boys start 1-4: Milton lost its state …

Continue reading AAAAAA basketball: Defending champs Milton, McEachern stuggle out of the gate »

Each of the Georgia’s survivors to the ‘final four’ in Class AAAAAA beat sine odds to make it this far.

Here is a look at how each defied one odd or another:

Colquitt County – The Packers were ranked No. 2 in preseason, so it’s no surprise they are here. But history is still being made. Colquitt is in the semifinals for the fourth straight season. The last school to do that in the highest classification was Valdosta (1968-71). What’s more surprising is that Colquitt is a No. 4 seed and won three playoff games on the road. A fourth seed makes the semis in the highest class more than in any other class, but Colquitt is still just the fifth to do it. The others were 1997 Colquitt County, 2002 East Coweta, 2006 Peachtree Ridge and 2011 Lassiter. Only Peachtree Ridge among those advanced to the final. Peachtree Ridge tied Roswell to share the title.

Lovejoy – Ranked seventh in preseason, Lovejoy also is no  surprise to win its region or make the semifinals. The …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: It’s a strong – but odd – final four in the highest class »

The assignment for today is ‘five things to watch in Class AAAAAA’ this week.

In my mind, this week helps us find out who’s real and who is not. These are teams, and even one player, that I’m curious to find out more about.

Are they for real?

Lovejoy: It won’t surprise me if Lovejoy beats North Gwinnett. Let’s get that out of the way. What we’re saying is that Lovejoy has played fewer games that define a team than anyone else still standing in AAAAAA. The Wildcats have played one ranked opponent, Colquitt County, and lost 14-7 in early September. Taking out perennial power North Gwinnett would change the perception of a program with a great record (35-3 over the past three seasons) but without a defining victory in the highest class.

Jacorey Lewis: No player in AAAAAA has had a better post-season than Jacorey Lewis, the senior running back from Mill Creek. He has rushed for 595 yards and eight touchdowns in his two playoff game. For the season, he has rushed for …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Who is for real? We’ll find out about Lovejoy, Norcross & others this week »

I thought it would be interesting today to look at what teams have a major go-to guy on offense, and which ones are more balanced. Does it make any difference how dependent a team is on one player?

Not sure. But here is a look at the eight teams remaining and their feature player on offense.

Who do you want to have the ball when the game is on the line?

Camden County – Camden has two offensive players committed to Georgia, and it’s hard to say which is more valuable. QB Brice Ramsey doesn’t pass much for a major college prospect, but he adds a dimension that Camden rarely has seen. He is 70-of-128 passing for 1,358 yards and 19 touchdowns with only one interception. RB J.J. Green, who also starts at cornerback, has rushed for 876 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 100 carries and is a factor in the return game.

Colquitt County – Colquitt is largely a passing team, and WR Bobby Hill (72 catches, 980 yards, 5 TD) is the primary target. But the key player has become QB

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Who has the best go-to player in the QF? »

The quarters:

#2 North Gwinnett at #1 Lovejoy

#3 Mill Creek at #2 North Cobb

#1 Norcross vs. #1 Camden County (Saturday coin toss to decide home field)

#4 Colquitt County at #3 Parkview

Five noteworthy happenings from the second round:

- North Gwinnett upsets Grayson: North Gwinnett scored on its first five possessions – four times on field goals by Michael D’Angola – and knocked off 2011 state champion and preseason favorite Grayson 28-10. Grayson committed four turnovers and was charged with a safety after a bad snap to its punter. Grayson’s season, which ends at 10-2, can only be termed a major disappointment. The Rams returned virtually every starter on defense from a 15-0 team, and most of those were major college prospects.

- Parkview wins in overtime, again: Parkview is the first team ever to win overtime games in the first two rounds of the state playoffs, according to Georgia High School Football Historians Association records. Parkview defeated West Forsyth …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Only three region champions remain after Grayson, West Forsyth exits »

Five things to watch this week in Class AAAAAA

- The Cinderella quarter: Brookwood (7-4) has won 43 playoff games and two state titles in its history. The other three teams in Brookwood’s quarter of the draw – North Cobb (9-2), Hughes (10-1), Mill Creek (8-3) – have won seven playoff games combined and no state titles. One of these four teams will make the semifinals. But before anyone stamps Brookwood as the team to beat, note that the Broncos finished fourth in Region 8. They’d have to win two games on the road to make the final four. Only four No. 4 seeds in the highest classification have ever made the semifinals, most recently Lassiter in 2011. Only one (Peachtree Ridge) has won a state title. Tonight, it’s North Cobb at Hughes and Brookwood at Mill Creek.

- North Gwinnett at Grayson: This is the only AAAAAA game in the round of 16 that matches ranked teams. Grayson (10-1) is No. 3. North Gwinnett (10-1) is No. 4. These Gwinnett County powerhouses have played …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Five things to watch in the second round »

How do you explain it?

The easy choice is to say that Lassiter, Lowndes, Valdosta, Region 1 and Region 5 were overrated and exposed Friday night.

But if that’s true, then why did Region 1’s No. 4 seed (Colquitt County) beat Region 1’s champion (McEachern)? It doesn’t make sense.

Remember that Lowndes and Valdosta dominated their regular-season games with Colquitt County, although Colquitt made those games close in the end.

Meanwhile, McEachern routed North Cobb. And North Cobb lost to South Cobb. Marietta lost to North Cobb and Newnan.

In other news, Region 8 (Grayson, South Gwinnett, Parkview, Brookwood) swept Region 5 (Lassiter, Walton, Milton, Wheeler).

The only shocker was No. 1-ranked Lassiter (10-0 entering) falling to No. 4 seed Brookwood (6-4). Parkview beat Walton in double-overtime. Both players were missing their best running backs. Milton played South Gwinnett close.

But what happened to Lassiter?

Were these teams overrated, or did they just lay an egg?

Here …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Overrated, or just laid an egg? Lassiter, Lowndes, Valdosta left to pick up the pieces »

Five best first-round games in Class AAAAAA …

Mill Creek (7-3) at Alpharetta (7-3)

- It matches the state’s leading passer in Alpharetta’s Joshua Dobbs and perhaps the state’s best interior defensive lineman in Mill Creek’s Kelsey Griffin. Plus, these teams played last season in an odd game. Mill Creek won 42-7, but didn’t make the playoffs, finishing 5-5. Alpharetta went on to win 5-AAAAA, the school’s first region title.

Milton (7-3) at South Gwinnett (8-2)

- Milton has never won a state playoff game, but this is probably the best team in school history, which dates to the 1950s. DE Carl Lawson (Auburn commit) has more than 20 sacks, and Peyton Barber (Ole Miss) has rushed for more than 1,500 yards. South Gwinnett has bounced back from a 3-7 season and taken the No. 2 seed in Region 8 after beating Parkview and Brookwood in the same season for only the third time in history. Watch for QB Jordan Ramey, who most of his junior season injured but has bounced back …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: Best five matchups of the first round »

Who you got in the Class AAAAAA draw? Here is one opinion. What’s yours?

First round
Lovejoy d. Tri-Cities
Lowndes d. Marietta
Grayson d. Wheeler
North Gwinnett d. Johns Creek
Hughes d. Rockdale County
Valdosta d. North Cobb
Lassiter d. Brookwood
Mill Creek d. Alpharetta
Camden County d. Hillgrove
Newton d. East Coweta
Norcross d. Chattahoochee
South Gwinnett d. Milton
Colquitt County d. McEachern
Newnan d. Alcovy
West Forsyth d. Collins Hill
Parkview d. Walton
Second round
Lowndes d. Lovejoy
Grayson d. North Gwinnett
Valdosta d. Hughes
Lassiter d. Mill Creek
Camden County d. Newton
Norcross d. South Gwinnett
Colquitt County d. Newnan
West Forsyth d. Parkview
Quarterfinals
Grayson d. Lowndes
Lassiter d. Valdosta
Camden County d. Norcross
Colquitt County d. West Forsyth
Semifinals
Grayson d. Lassiter
Camden County d. Colquitt County
Final
Grayson d. Camden County

Continue reading AAAAAA blog/predictions: Camden avenges loss to Colquitt in semis, but Grayson wins it all »

Four newsworthy happenings from Friday –

- No. 1 Camden County goes down – Camden had clinched a No. 1 seed in the state playoffs, but don’t think the Wildcats didn’t want to beat Colquitt County to run the table in their first season in vaunted Region 1. Instead, it was 10th-ranked Colquitt pulling the upset, 13-12. John Boatright’s 3-yard run in the fourth quarter and the ensuing extra point gave Colquitt the final margin in the final minute. Camden missed an extra point and later a two-point conversion and then a desperate 55-yard field goal in the final seconds. Camden County was ranked in the top five of four national polls with a high of No. 2 in the CNN/SI rankings. The seedings for the state playoffs in Region 1 remained the same. Camden is No. 1 and will play at home against Hillgrove, and Colquitt is No. 4 and will play on the road at McEachern.

- South Gwinnett denies Parkview’s Region 8 title – South Gwinnett upset No. 9 Parkview 16-14 on a field goal …

Continue reading AAAAAA blog: #1 Camden falls … Grayson wins region after all … South Gwinnett denies Parkiew … Check out the playoff draw »