Archive for the ‘AA’ Category

Here are the Maxwell Ratings’ computer-generated odds of winning the state championship for each of the 64 Class AA boys and girls playoff teams.

Like everyone else in the free world, Maxwell believes Wesleyan’s girls will win their sixth straight state championship, although it’s not much better than 50-50. Wesleyan won 58.21 of 100 computer simulations.

In the boys draw, there is perhaps a surprise. Greater Atlanta Christian is the AJC’s No. 1-ranked team, but Maxwell sees Westside of Augusta as a more likely winner. Westside wins 38.93 of computer simulations. GAC wins 30.6. Other teams are no better than about a 10-to-1 shot, according to Maxwell.

The odds are based on team strength, but also the difficulty of each team’s draw.

Here’s a definition of terms:

Rating = Strength of the team.

Draw = Strength of opponents this team might face. (Low number means a favorable draw.)

Wins=Number of times team would win out championship in 100 tries.

Odds = Chances of …

Continue reading AA odds: Wesleyan, duh! … Westside, huh? »

First-round matchups are unofficial. If you notice errors, please point them out.

Girls first-round games will be played Tuesday. Boys first-round games will be played Wednesday. Schools that have home games for both their boys and girls teams may schedule double-headers, putting both games on Tuesday or Wednesday, if the opposing schools agree.

CLASS AAAAAA

BOYS

(R3-#4) Douglas County at (R2-#1) Druid Hills

(R4-#3) Campbell at (R1-#2) Brunswick

(R2-#4) Luella at (R3-#1) Tri-Cities

(R1-#3) Valdosta at (R4-#2) Hillgrove

(R5-#4) Walton at (R8-#1) Shiloh

(R6-#3) Centennial at (R7-#2) Peachtree Ridge

(R8-#4) Dacula at (R5-#1) Wheeler

(R7-#3) Meadowcreek at (R6-#2) Chattahoochee

(R4-#4) McEachern at (R1-#1) Tift County

(R3-#3) Westlake at (R2-#2) Rockdale County

(R1-#4) Coffee at (R4-#1) North Cobb

(R2-#3) Morrow at (R3-#2) Newnan

(R6-#4) Lambert at (R7-#1) Norcross

(R5-#3) Cherokee at (R8-#2) Archer

(R7-#4) Collins Hill at (R6-#1) Alpharetta

(R8-#3) Berkmar (R5-#2) Roswell

CLASS …

Continue reading Basketball: First-round playoff games in all classifications »

Ed Pilcher, who resigned at Bainbridge last month after saying he wasn’t satisfied with the progress he had made in five seasons with the program, was approved as the new head coach at long-suffering Berrien on Tuesday, according to the Tifton Gazette.

Pilcher won five state titles at Thomas County Central in the 1990s and is 241-94-1 overall in 27 seasons as a head coach. He also led Early County to a pair of semifinal runs in 1988 and 1990.

Pilcher took the Bainbridge job in 2007 after leading Thomas Central to the Class AAAA semifinals in his last season in Thomasville. Bainbridge made the playoffs three times under Pilcher but never advanced and was 30-23 in his five seasons.

Berrien, a Class AA school, is one of the toughest places to win in south Georgia. The county borders football-crazy Lowndes, Tift, Cook and Coffee counties, but the Rebels last had a winning season in 1995 (5-4-1). They’ve never won more than eight games in a season since the school opened in 1954.

Continue reading Pilcher takes job at long-suffering Berrien »

Leroy Ryals, who led Clarke Central to a state championship game in 2009, is the new head football coach at Thomasville in south Georgia.

Ryals, a Sarasota, Fla., native, was 60-22-1 in his eight seasons in Athens. Clarke, a state power for two decades under retired coach Billy Henderson, had not won a playoff game since 1997 when Ryals’ 2009 team made the Class AAAA championship game against Sandy Creek.

Thomasville has a similar football history to Clarke Central as a former major player in the highest classification.  Thomasville, now Class AA, is one of the most winning programs in state history with nearly 700 victories and state five state championships, most recently in 1988. Prominent former Thomasville players include William Andrews, Mike Bobo, Eric Curry and Guy McIntyre.

“Thomasville reminds me a lot of Clarke Central,” Ryals told the Athens Banner-Herald. “It looks the same. It has the same kind of demographics. Even the school colors are the …

Continue reading Thomasville hires Clarke Central football coach »

Below is a list of former Georgia high school football players from Class AA schools who were on college rosters in 2012.

This list is the work of Tucker Tigers fan Steve Slay, a researcher with the Georgia High School Football Historians Association whose hobby is providing hard-to-find, fascinating information of all sorts about high school players and teams in the state. He’s compiled this information for the past four years, at least. It’s a remarkable effort. AJC.com is giving him a forum to share his work.

Here are the links to the lists for each classifications:

AAAAAA

AAAAA

AAAA

AAA

AA

A

College players by AA school:

25 – Calhoun

18 – Thomasville

17 – Westminster (Atlanta)

16 – Dublin

14 – Wesleyan

13 – Greater Atlanta Christian

10 – McIntosh County Academy

8 – Fitzgerald

8 – Pepperell

8 – Washington-Wilkes

7 – Lovett

6 – Bremen

6 – Vidalia

5 – Armuchee

5 – Cook

5 – Early County

5 – Lamar County

5 – Putnam County

5 – Rabun County

5 – Taylor County

5 – Toombs …

Continue reading Georgia players in college football (AA) »

Compiled by Score Atlanta

Blessed Trinity 45, Lassiter 36

Cedartown 41, Rockmart 25

Columbia 57, Marist 52

Dalton 77, Murray County 55

Elbert County 51, Stephens County 39

Flowery Branch 68, Lanier 43

Forest Park 44, Drew 35

Habersham Central 38, Apalachee 21

Jones County 42, Georgia Military 29

McIntosh 37, Starr’s Mill 33

Mountain View 51, Archer 45

North Gwinnett 76, Alpharetta 50

Paulding County 47, South Paulding 36

Peach County 58, Taylor County 47

Providence Christian 32, Commerce 27

Redan 74, Lithonia 28

Rockdale County 44, Salem 34

Sonoraville 55, Pickens 50

Southwest Atlanta Christian 49, Wesleyen 46d

St. Francis 71, Mt. Paran Christian 27

St. Pius 57, Decatur 37

Stephenson 74, M.L. King 21

Treutlen 39, Montgomery County 27

Warner Robins 35, Northside, WR 28

Washington-Wilkes 60, Glascock County 32

Westover 37, Monroe 22

White County 32, Lumpkin County 25

Continue reading Saturday girls basketball scores »

Compiled by Score Atlanta

Blessed Trinity 50, Lassiter 48

Calvary Day 46, Episcopal, FL 37

Chattahoochee 61, South Gwinnett 50

Elbert County 82, Stephens County 59

Fayette County 69, LaGrange 66

Gilmer 54, Gordon Central 49

Grady 57, North Atlanta 53

Greenforest Christian 54, Westminster 40

Hillgrove 57, Woodstock 40

Jackson County 58, Riverside Military 54

Jones County 46, Georgia Military 43

LaFayette 55, Armuchee 43

Landmark Christian 54, Woodward Academy 50

Lithonia 57, Redan 43

McEachern 50, Brookwood 48

North Cobb 67, Kell 38

North Cobb Christian 58, Fellowship Christian 31

Northside, WR 63, Warner Robins 55

Rockmart 80, Cedartown 40

Shaw 73, Carrollton 53

St. Francis 74, Mt. Paran Christian 48

Vidalia 77, Richmond Hill 38

W.D. Mohammed 66, Lovett 43

Continue reading Saturday boys basketball scores »

Compiled by Score Atlanta

Allatoona 73, Rome 31

Calvary Day 59, Landmark Christian 54

Campbell 53, North Cobb 39

Chattahoochee 66, North Forsyth 45

Commerce 48, Towns County 36

Crisp County 43, Cairo 32

Dawson County 51, East Hall 43

Galloway 74, Walker 54

Hawkinsville 77, St. Anne Pacelli 47

Hillgrove 87, South Cobb 60

Johns Creek 61, West Forsyth 43

Marietta 55, Lassiter 48

North Gwinnett 63 Collins Hill 51

North Murray 77, Sonoraville 39

Northside, Warner Robins 69, Houston County 64

Pope 70, Northview 44

Rabun County 75, Washington-Wilkes 69

Savannah High 68 Tattnall County 59

South Gwinnett 82, Central Gwinnett 75

St. Pius X 78, Lovett 38

Stephenson 59, M.L. King 51

Union Grove 57, Woodland Henry 48

Continue reading Friday boys basketball scores »

T. McFerrin, who led Jefferson to its first-ever state championship in his 38th season as a head coach in 2012, announced his retirement Thursday morning.

McFerrin’s record is 340-102-4, making him the fourth most-winning football coach among those who spent most of their careers in Georgia. A native of Tennessee who got his first head coaching job in 1968 at Lithonia, McFerrin had more success at more schools than any coach in Georgia history.

McFerrin said his final season might’ve been his best.

‘’This year stands right up there at top of the ladder,’’ McFerrin said. ‘’I talked to my players this morning, and it was an emotional thing. I told them they couldn’t have given me a better retirement present. I never saw that [state championship] coming. It came out of the blue.’’

McFerrin was a head coach at eight Georgia schools. He set a state record this year as the first Georgia coach to lead five different schools to the state semifinals. The other …

Continue reading Jefferson’s McFerrin retires, ends career with second state title, 340th victory »

Compiled by Score Atlanta

Archer 59, Smyrna, TN 57

Bremen 43, South Paulding 31

Central, Carroll 56, Cleburne County, AL 29

Creekview 51, North Oconee 43

Dodge County 55, Burke County 40

Etowah 81, Newsome, FL 53

Farragut, TN 46, Carrollton 30

Frankfort, KY 57, Douglass 45

George Walton Academy 48, South Gwinnett 41

Grovetown 44, Cass 39

Haralson County 36, Heard County 34

Heritage, Conyers 49, Jefferson 31

Loganville 53, Lakeview-Ft Oglethorpe 37

Madison County 67, Blue Ridge, SC 54

Monroe 58, Norland High School 50

Mountain View 62, Central Gwinnett 49

North Forsyth 63, Cartersville 35

North Murray 49, LaFayette 40

Nova, FL 53, Duluth 50

Pace Academy 41, Lumpkin County 39

Peachtree Ridge 43, Rockdale County 42

Pepperell 59, Temple 32

Providence Christian 38, East Jackson 28

Seton, MD 55, St. Pius 51

Sonoraville 61, North Paulding 27

Southwest Atlanta Christian 53, Woodstock 41

Sprayberry 73, Murray County 26

Warner Robins 57, Worth County 27

Wesleyan 59, Buford 53

Continue reading Saturday girls basketball scores »

Compiled by Score Atlanta
Archer 57, Marist 55

Allatoona 51, Marietta 38

Cartersville 91, Douglas County 63

Cedar Shoals 60, East Laurens 38

Central, Carroll 67, Haralson County 25

Chestatee 84, Chattooga 66

Dawson County 62, Murphy, NC 22

Effingham Country 65, Eastside, SC 62

Fayette County 59, Bishop Brossart, KY 55

Fox Creek, SC 57, Lincoln County 45

Gilmer 69, Armuchee 58

Heard County 54, Rockmart 45

Heritage, Conyers 52, Jefferson 39

Johns Creek 61, Lovett 58

Johnson, Gainesville 67, Douglass 51

McEachern 68, Oviedo, FL 63

North Forsyth 57, Our Lady of Mercy 36

Northside, Warner Robins 73, Toombs County 43

Perry 83, Hawkinsville 55

River Ridge 59, Cambridge 39

Riverwood 60, Union Grove 51

South Gwinnett 55, Walnut Grove 37

Stephenson 59, Pebblebrook 49

Stockbridge 64, Providence Christian 61

Taylor County 57, Macon County 48

Temple 71, Pepperell 67

Washington County 70, Westside, Macon 47

Woodward Academy 73, Monticello 61

Continue reading Saturday boys basketball scores »

By Craig Sager

Score Atlanta

Lanier Holiday Classic

Providence Christian 38, East Jackson 28- Following a strong opening two quarters Providence Christian took a promising 22-8 lead into the intermission.  Jessie Kowalewicz scored a game high 11 points and teammate Katie Scott scored 9.

Union Grove Holiday Tournament

Woodland Henry 49, Luella 31: In the championship game of the Union Grove Tournament both teams were locked up at the half 18-18. It was a strong 2nd half for the Wolfpack who won the tournament and improved to 15-1 on the year. Aalyiah Dotson had a team high 8 points.

Westminster Holiday Classic

Grady 35, Paideia 30: In the championship game both teams got off to slow starts only posting a 5-3 Grady lead after the 1st quarter. Ellery Koelker-Wolfe found baskets for Paideia and scored a game high 15 points but it was not enough to answer Grady’s strong second half.

Continue reading Girls basketball: Saturday holiday roundup »

By Craig Sager

Score Atlanta

Battle of the States (Hiawassee)

Dawson County 62, Murphy County 22: In the championship game Dawson County rolled to victory. Will Anglin had a team high 26 points, outscoring Murphy County by himself. Teammate Tyler Dominy scored 7 points for the Tigers and was named the tournament MVP. Dawson County remains a perfect 13-0.

Big Red Shootout (Gainesville)

Chattahoochee 59, Parkview 48: Markus Terry continued his impressive scoring exhibition by dropping 24 points in the 3rd place game of the shootout.

Lake City Classic (Allatoona)

Alexander 68, Central Gwinnett 63: In the Championship game Central Gwinnett fell short despite strong games from teammates Shaun Jones and Brian Egejuru. Jones scored 20 points and Egejuru scored 10. The duo earned all tournament honors, but Alexander was able to take home the hardware.

McDonalds Invitational (Tift County)

Archer 57, Marist 55: Two clutch free throws from Archer’s Randall Smith with 3.2 seconds …

Continue reading Boys basketball: Saturday Holiday Roundup »

Here are The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s all-area football teams for 2012:

Atlanta/South Fulton

Offensive player of the year: Jeremiah Kirkland, Landmark Christian

Defensive player of the year: DeAndre Walker, Langston Hughes

Coach of the year: Willie Cannon, Langston Hughes

Offense

QB – Trevon Jones, Mays, 6-1, 170, Sr.

RB – Frank Barthelemy, Washington, 5-10, 180, Sr.

RB – Jeremiah Kirkland, Landmark Christian, 5-10, 185, Jr.

RB – Montavious Taylor, Carver (Atlanta), 5-9, 185, Sr.

WR – DeAngelo Yancey, Mays, 6-2, 210, Sr.

TE – Darren Dowdell, Grady, 6-2, 225, Sr.

OL – Delando Crooks, Carver (Atlanta), 6-5, 270, Sr.

OL – Shamire Devine, Tri-Cities, 6-6, 345, Sr.

OL – Jahlil Mathis-Ellis, Langston Hughes, 6-3, 290, Jr.

OL – Jon-Paul Reed, Landmark Christian, 6-5, 310, Sr.

OL – Clay Smith, Westminster, 6-3, 245, Sr.

ATH – Evan Berry, Creekside, 5-11, 195, Jr.

ATH – Terry Googer, Woodward Academy, 6-4, 205, Jr.

PK – Harrison Butker, Westminster, …

Continue reading AJC all-area football teams »

All-classification player of the year: Alvin Kamara, Norcross

CLASS AAAAAA

Offensive player of the year: Travis Custis, Lovejoy

Defensive player of the year: Nathaniel Norwood, Lovejoy

Coach of the year: Keith Maloof, Norcross

Offense

QB – Eddie Printz, Lassiter, 6-4, 205, Sr.

RB – Travis Custis, Lovejoy, 6-0, 215, Sr.

RB – Alvin Kamara, Norcross, 5-11, 190, Sr.

RB – Jacorey Lewis, Mill Creek, 5-11, 185, Sr.

WR – Xavier Borishade, North Cobb, 5-9, 170, Sr.

WR – Willie Police, Lassiter, 5-10, 165, Sr.

OL – Jajuan Dulaney, McEachern, 6-4, 275, Sr.

OL – Eason Fromayan, Milton, 6-4, 285, Sr.

OL – Octavius Jackson, Colquitt County, 6-6, 290, Sr.

OL – Brandon Kublanow, Walton, 6-3, 285, Sr.

OL – Alex Stoehr, North Gwinnett, 6-3, 295, Sr.

ATH/QB – Joshua Dobbs, Alpharetta, 6-3, 190, Sr.

PK – Kyle Fowler, Johns Creek, 5-10, 185, Sr.

Defense

DL – Lorenzo Carter, Norcross, 6-6, 220, Jr.

DL – Kelsey Griffin, Mill Creek, 6-3, 300, Sr.

DL – Carl Lawson, …

Continue reading AJC all-state football team »