East Cobb Sports & Recreation

Pope wins region wrestling crown; Walton, Lassiter finish behind Cherokee

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The Pope wrestling team repeated as Region 7 champions on Saturday and had 11 wrestlers qualify individually for the Georgia Class 6A sectional meet next weekend.

The Greyhounds tallied 211 points to 176.5 for runner-up Cambridge. Seven Pope wrestlers also won their weight classes: Jacob Robinson (106), Derek Robinson (113), Max Druhot (120), Alex Hearn (126), Troy Gable (145), Andrew Barner (152) and Chris Sheahan (195)Pope wins region wrestling crown

Walton also advanced 11 wrestlers to the Class 7A sectionals after finishing second to Cherokee in the Region 7 meet.

The Raiders had 155 points, and four wrestlers claimed individual titles, including Caden Canzano at 106, Nate Hardy at 132, Cole Hixon at 195 and Jonathan Chesser at 220.

Lassiter was third in the same region meet with 128 points. R.J. Weston and Dave Panone won individual regional titles, and nine other Trojans qualified for sectionals.

Sprayberry was 4th in the Region 6 meet in Class 6A and qualified five wrestlers for sectionals.

Wheeler also qualified six wrestlers for the Class 7A sectionals.

In Region 7 of Class 5A, Kell finished second to Woodland.

 

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New Lassiter football coach coming from North Dakota college

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The new head football coach at Lassiter High School has Southern roots and Cobb County ties, but he’s coming back down from the frigid north.Sean Thom, Lassiter football coach

Sean Thom was announced Friday as the new man to lead the Trojans. For the last two years, he’s been the coach of Mayville State College in North Dakota, compiling a record of 2-18 in a rebuilding job.

He also has head coaching experience at Faulkner University, his alma mater in Alabama, where he was a three-time NAIA All-American.

In addition to his football exploits, Thom played baseball at North Dakota State University.

“I am honored and excited to lead the Lassiter football program,” Thom said in a release issued by the school. “My family and I are ready to become part of the Trojan Nation and build a program focused on creating exceptional student athletes and even better young men and future leaders.”

Thom’s high school coaching stops in Georgia include serving as defensive coordinator at Kennesaw Mountain, North Forsyth and Gilmer County. He was head coach at McCormick High School in South Carolina.

A native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Thom and his wife Samantha have a 4-year-old son named Gunnar.

Thom succeeds Jep Irwin, who resigned after nine seasons, including a 1-9 finish in 2018, and who is now coaching in Kentucky.

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Polar Bear Run registration continues through Friday

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Online registration has closed for Saturday’s Polar Bear Run at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, but you can sign up in-person through Friday at Big Peach Running Co. (1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite C).Polar Bear Run

Other Big Peach Running stores in Kennesaw (1625 Ridenour Boulevard, Suite 304) and Brookhaven (705 Town Boulevard, Suite Q340, Atlanta) also are handling registration.

It’s the 31st annual Polar Bear Run that benefits the church’s high school music mission trip programs, and is one of the first Peachtree Road Race qualifiers of the year.

Conditions ought to be suit the name of the event perfectly—Saturday’s early-morning lows could be below freezing, with sunny skies and highs in the high 40s later in the day.

Big Peach is where you can also pick up race packets from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, as well as on-site at the race starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

Here are more details on the race courses, where to park and how to get a race t-shirt.

 

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Mabry Park completion approaching; delays caused by weather

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Mabry Park completion
Cobb Parks photo of Mabry Park taken right after Christmas.

Bad weather has prompted a delay in the completion of Mabry Park, which was initially slated to be done by early 2019.

There’s still not a specific date that has been announced for completion and opening. But at a Cobb Board of Commissioners work session Tuesday, Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affiairs director Jimmy Gisi said weather has been a major factor in the delay.

“If it would ever stop raining, we could get this thing done in a few weeks,” he said in outlining parks SPLOST projects.

Built on 26.5 acres of former Mabry family farmland on Wesley Chapel Road near Sandy Plains Road, Mabry Park got under construction last January. A 365-day contract with Integrated Construction and Nobility, Inc., of Whitesburg, Ga. was begun on Jan. 4, 2018.

However, the project reached the 361-day stage on Dec. 31. Cobb Parks estimates that 85 percent of the project is complete, including the entrance road from Wesley Chapel, picnic areas and the playground area. Completion of trails needs to be done, trees are continuing to be planted, and boardwalk deck work also is ongoing.

The playground construction took place during the fall, but steady rainfall at the end of last year has hampered efforts to complete work involving the rest of the park landscape.

On Monday the Friends of Mabry Park posted updated photos of the construction on its Facebook page.

The citizens organization has worked for years to create Mabry Park, whose build-out was delayed several years due to the recession.

The county spent $4.3 million to purchase the land in 2008 and a master plan was completed in 2011.

Mabry Park’s annual operating cost will be $104,992; of that $72,122 will go for staff salaries and benefits, and $31,800 is estimated for yearly supplies and utilities. A one-time cost of $22,230 for equipment and maintenance tools will be funded after construction is complete.

Construction funding comes from the 2016 Cobb government SPLOST.

“We feel it’s going to be a super nice park for that part of the county,” Gisi said.

 

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East Cobb youth baseball and softball registration underway

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East Cobb youth baseball and softball registration

Several youth baseball and softball organizations in East Cobb are conducting registration now, and over the next couple weeks will have clinics and other events to get ready for the spring season.

On Friday, the East Marietta National Little League will hold its 3rd annual Baseball Bash at D-BAT (1666 Roswell Road) from 6-8 p.m., with games, pizza and a visit from former Chicago Cub Corey Patterson. You can sign up your kids on-site as well.

Registration continues at the East Marietta spring evaluations Feb. 2 at Sewell Park (2055 Lower Roswell Road). It’s not being billed as a tryout but a way to provide for competitive play at all levels; more at the EMNLL website;

On Saturday is the Sandy Plains Softball Fun Day, with walk-up registration, from 12-2 at the organzation’s fields at 2977 Gordy Parkway. Food, games, raffle prizes and other activities will take place; visit the SPSA website for more;

Not far way, Sandy Plains Baseball Instructional Clinics will take place at two locations on Saturady. The first is for ages 9-12 from 11-1 at Harrison Park (2653 Shallowford Road), and the other is from 2-3:30 for ages 5-8 at Sweat Mountain Park (4346 Steinhauer Road). The SPB website has more information and online registration.

Registration also is underway for East Side Baseball, which also has skills evals on Saturday, and Terrell Mill Softball.

 

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Pope and Walton wrestling teams competing in state duals championships

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The Pope and Walton wrestling teams are in Macon, competing in the Georgia High School Association duals wrestling meet through Saturday.

The event got underway on Thursday morning, and it features 16 teams in each classification who qualified last weekend at regional meets.Pope girls swimming team, Pope and Walton wrestling teams

Walton’s first-round opponent today in Class 7A is Camden County, while Pope will face Habersham Central in Class 6A. The only other Cobb County school competing is McEachern, also in Class 7A.

Duals is a team vs. team event, conducted in double-elimination fashion, and which began in Georgia in 2002.

Pope won the Class 5A state duals in 2013 and 2014, as well as the traditional state crown in Class 4A in 2011 and 2012.

Last weekend, the Greyhounds defeated Cambridge, another Class 6A powerhouse, by a 36-31 score for the 500th duals victory for coach Jim Haskins in the regional meet.

Walton is back in the state duals for the first time since 2007 after finishing second in its regional meet that was held at Walton.

However, the Raiders face a stiff challenge to start off.

Camden County has been dominant in recent years, as the two-time defending Class 7A duals and traditional state champion, and having won a state title in either discipline for the last four years.

The traditional regional and state wrestling meets will take place in February.

 

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Kell and Lassiter spring flag football registration underway

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Kell and Lassiter spring flag football registration

Thanks to Chris Hardwick, the program coordinator for the Kell and Lassiter spring flag football program, for the registration information below:

The program is Sundays from 4-6 PM. Perfect for kids playing in other sports or busy families.

Register at https://cfl.siplay.com/.

Select “Kell / Lassiter Spring Flag Football” from the session list. If you have any questions please message or email!

Details:

  • $45 Registration Fee (The best deal around for Youth Flag)
  • Sunday Evenings – 4-6 PM.
  • 12 Week Program with 7 Games. Starting 3/3/2019 and ending 5/19/2019
  • Games/practices will be on the same night. 1 hr. practice and then 1 hr. game time
  • Games/practices will be at Kell
  • Anyone can join and participate
  • T-shirt (Jersey) for all participants
  • T-shirt or gear for coaches/volunteers
  • Tiny-Tots to 6th Graders

Schedule, FAQ and Additional Info: https://mailchi.mp/2c275872653e/kellspringfootball

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Wheeler football coach Mike Collins resigns after nine seasons

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Wheeler coach Mike Collins resigns
Mike Collins of Wheeler, at left, and Jep Irwin of Lassiter were the deans of East Cobb football coaches. Photo: ECN file

Principal Peter Giles announced this afternoon that Mike Collins, the Wheeler football coach, has resigned to accept another position.

Giles released the letter at the bottom to the Wheeler community. He did not indicate where Collins is going.

Collins was 37-56 in his time with the Wildcats, and had two winning seasons. Wheeler made three trips to the state playoffs in his tenure, in 2012, 2015 and 2016.

In 2018, Wheeler started out with a promising 5-0 record. The Wildcats also returned to the state rankings for the first time in 27 years, but missed the state playoffs after losing four of their last five games to finish 6-4.

In their final two games, the Wildcats gave up 76 points to Westlake, then surrendered a 14-point lead to Pebblebrook in a win-or-go-home playoff setting in losing their season finale.

Wheeler football
The Wildcats were flying high in the first half of the 2018 season. Photo: ECN file

Collins is the second East Cobb football coach to leave his position since the end of last season.

In December, Jep Irwin stepped down after nine seasons at Lassiter. The Trojans were 1-9 in his final year. His successor has not been named.

The other four East Cobb high schools have named new coaches in the last two years. Walton’s Daniel Brunner has taken the Raiders to the state playoffs in both of his seasons, as has Brett Sloan of Kell, a former Walton assistant.

Former Pope player Tab Griffin also has guided the Greyhounds to a playoff berth, while Sprayberry’s Brett Vavra continues rebuilding the Yellow Jackets at his alma mater.

Collins, who previously coached at Chamblee and Pebblebrook, was hired at Wheeler in late 2009 to succeed Tom Flugum, who is now the Pope High School principal. Wheeler’s football fortunes had long faded from its days when Corky Kell presided in the 1970s, and as the school became better known for its basketball success.

In his letter, Giles thanked Collins, saying he has “done a tremendous job in improving the facilities, building a supportive and well-organized booster club, and developing the football program.”

Giles said Wheeler athletics director Troy Jones is accepting applications for Collins’ replacement.

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Wheeler Athletic Hall of Fame inductees include Olympic track gold medalist, 1st state basketball champs

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The latest class of the Wheeler Athletic Hall of Fame includes Aries Merritt, who won the Olympic gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the London Olympics in 2012.

He will be honored with three other individuals and a team at the induction ceremony on Jan. 19. Wheeler High School Fall 2017 Senior Projects, Wheeler athletic hall of fame

Merritt graduated from Wheeler in 2003 and starred at the University of Tennessee before focusing on international competition. His winning Olympic time of 12.80 seconds is the current world-record.

Also selected to the Hall of Fame is Bob Tway, Class of 1976, a former professional golfer who won the 1986 PGA championship and 12 other tournaments.

Antwuan Dixon, Class of 1998, played college basketball at Florida State.

Lyn Murray was a standout soccer goalkeeper at Wheeler, graduating in 2001, and earning all-Cobb and team MVP honors.

The Wheeler boys basketball team that won the state championship in 1994 also will be inducted. It’s the 25th anniversary for the first of six Georgia titles the Wildcats won under former coach Doug Lipscomb, who retired last year.

The star player on that team was Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a former NBA all-star and league executive who recently was named president of the G League, a developmental league for professional basketball players.

The induction ceremony costs $10 a person, and the doors will open at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19, which is a Saturday.

RSVP by contacting Lotty Bresch at 770-578-3266, ext. 073, or by e-mailing Lotty.Bresch@cobbk12.org.

The Wheeler Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2008. Here is a list of the other inductees.

 

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Amazing Grace Invitational meet to honor former Walton swimmer

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Back in March the Walton school community mourned the death of Grace Bunke, a student and swimmer who fought osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. Grace Bunke, Amazing Grace Invitational

On Saturday, the renamed Amazing Grace Invitational will honor her memory and serve as a fundraiser for cancer research.

Since 2009 the Walton swimming program has held a cancer research fundraiser, initially in memory of Margaret Soulen Gilbert, a former swimmer and coach in the Atlanta area.

Now the name of the event has been changed to the Amazing Grace Invitational.

Bunke was 11 when she was diagnosed with cancer, and had many surgeries and a partial leg amputation. In order to get back into physical shape, she began to swim, and even was a member of the U.S. Paralympic team.

She later made the Walton swim team, but her cancer returned, and spread to both lungs. She died a day before her 15th birthday.

Saturday’s meet starts at 1:15 p.m. at the Cobb Aquatic Center (520 Fairground St., near the Cobb Civic Center) and the other teams competing are from Etowah, Hillgrove, Marietta, Kennesaw Mountain and North Springs high schools.

The fundraiser will benefit Swim Across America, and each school will have a bucket at the sign-in table for donations from those attending the meet.

“Race for Grace” T-shirts also will be sold, with partial proceeds going to Swim Across America and the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

 

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Pope Fastpitch Toys for Tots drive includes free admission to Friday girls basketball game

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New Pope Gym

The Pope Fastpitch softball team is gathering some holiday cheer for needy kids with a Toys for Tots collection at Friday’s varsity basketball games.

Those bringing unwrapped toys will receive free admission to the girls game against Dunwoody, which tips off at 6 p.m. The boys will play at 7:30 p.m.

The goal is to collect a record number of toys for the softball team to later this month as it volunteers to help the U.S. Marines with its Toys for Tots toy drive.

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Walton football season ends in heartbreak; Kell trounced by Buford

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Walton football season, Daniel Brunner
Daniel Brunner has lost just three games in his first two seasons as Walton coach. (ECN file photo)

The second round of the Georgia High School Association football playoffs on Friday proved to be the end of the road for the two East Cobb teams still competing.

The Kell Longhorns fell behind early at Buford, which kept piling up the scoring in a 44-11 rout in the Class 5A bracket.

In an all-Cobb battle in Powder Springs, the Walton Raiders and Hillgrove Hawks fought to the final whistle in Class 7A.

After trailing and then drawing even most of the night, the Raiders caught up again in the fourth quarter on a touchdown catch by star wide receiver Dominick Blaylock.

But unbeaten Hillgrove got the ball back and kicked a field goal with time expriring to advance 23-20.

For Walton (10-2), it was the second heartbreaking loss of the season. The Raiders’ only other loss came at Raider Valley, when Roswell scored a touchdown late to get to within one point, then converted a two-point play and held on for a 32-31.

For the second year in a row, Walton’s season ends in the second round. The Raiders also will say goodbye to a senior class that includes Blaylock, quarterback Austin Kirksey, linebacker Malik Adams and others who guided the team’s resurgence under second-year coach Daniel Brunner.

Kell went into the Buford game as one of the hottest teams in the state, having won nine games in a row. Buford has won several state titles in a row in recent years, and the high-powered Longhorns’ offense couldn’t get much going.

The game marked the end of the line for Kell quarterback Evan Conley. However, star running back Ebony Jackson is only a junior.

Second-year coach Brett Sloan, who like Brunner is a former Walton assistant, has continued a tradition of post-season excellence at Kell, which has qualified for the state playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons.

Brunner and Sloan were two of the four head coaches in East Cobb that were hired before the 2017 season. Another second-year coach, Tab Griffin of Pope, also has guided the Greyhounds to the post-season in his first two years.

The other, Brett Vavra of Sprayberry, is like Griffin in coaching at his alma mater. Despite a 3-7 record, the Yellow Jackets were competitive in a region that includes Creekview and Sequoyah, which are still alive in the Class 6A playoffs.

Wheeler missed out on the playoffs after losing four of its last five games. Lassiter went 1-9 and will have a new coach next season.

Jep Irwin resigned after completing his ninth season with the Trojans. They reached the Class 7A semifinals in 2011 but missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

 

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Kell and Walton football teams roll in playoffs; Pope eliminated

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After piling up big wins at home to start the Georgia High School Association playoffs, the Kell and Walton football teams now have the challenge of replicating that success on the road.Kell and Walton football teams

The Kell Longhorns might be one of the hottest teams in the state after romping 48-8 over Carver of Atlanta on Friday in the Class 5A playoffs. Ebony Jackson scored four touchdowns for Kell (9-2), which has won seven games in a row after starting the season 2-2.

Kell’s high-powered offense, which also includes quarterback Evan Conley, has averaged 37.8 points a game during the season. Next Friday, the Longhorns will play at Buford, which defeated Miller Grove 35-14.

The Wolves are on a similar roll, having won six games in a row, and are averaging 43 points a game during the season.

In Class 7A, Walton also played host to a first-round game on Friday, and had little trouble with a south Georgia opponent. The Raiders (10-1) defeated Camden County 40-20, as quarterback Austin Kirskey threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Kendall Alford.

On Friday, Walton will travel cross-county to play fellow Cobb school Hillgrove. The Hawks are undefeated at 11-0 after defeating Pebblebrook 21-7.

The football season came to an end Friday for Pope, which had a daunting task in its first-round Class 6A playoff game at Creekview. The Cherokee County team was 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in the state going in, and cruised 38-14.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a quick early lead, and Pope (5-6) didn’t get on the scoreboard until later in the game. But in two seasons under former Pope player Tab Griffin, the Greyhounds have reached the playoffs have some lean years.

They also fought back to get to the post-season after starting out 0-4.

 

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Walton and Kell football teams at home as state playoffs begin Friday

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The Georgia High School Association pairings are out, and the Walton and Kell football teams will be home teams in first-round games on Friday.

The Raiders, who finished runner-up in Region 4 of Class 7A, are 9-1, with their only loss to region champion Roswell. Walton will be facing Camden County of Kingsland, on the Georgia coast. The Wildcats, won three state titles in the last decade are 7-3 this year and finished third in Region 1, which includes Colquitt County.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. at Raider Valley. The Class 7A bracket can be found here, and includes a possible second-round game between Walton and Hillgrove of West Cobb.

Other local teams in the Class 7A playoffs are Marietta, McEachern and Pebblebrook, which clipped Wheeler last week for a post-season berth.

Kell finished the regular season in strong fashion to earn the runner-up spot in Region 7 of Class 5A. The Longhorns, who are 8-2, will play host on Friday to Carver of Atlanta, which is 5-5. Here is the Class 5A bracket. Kickoff at the Stockyard is 7:30 p.m.

In Class 6A, Pope will have to hit the road after earning the final playoff spot in Region 7. The Greyhounds, who are 5-5, will play at Creekview, and it will be a tough task. The Grizzlies are a perfect 10-0 on the season. Kickoff also starts at 7:30 at Creekview (1550 Owens Store Road, Canton).

The Class 6A bracket can be found here, and includes Allatoona and Harrison.

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East Cobb sports update: Pope and Walton volleyball cruise to state titles

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For Walton, a 13th state championship in volleyball was entirely expected. For Pope, which hadn’t claimed a title in seven years, getting back into the winner’s circle was a new experience for current players and coaches.pope volleyball

On Saturday, the East Cobb teams finished up the Georgia High School Association volleyball finals at Marietta High School with convincing performances.

The Greyhounds toppled Cobb rival Allatoona in four games, 25-17, 15-25, 25-18 and 25-21, to win the 6A championship match. Pope finished with a record of 40-9 under coach Shawn Darling, who is in his second season.

Some of the team leaders for Pope this season were Stella Dees (370 kills), Zeren Yesilova (467 digs) and Eliza Dees (855 assists). While Eliza Dees is one of four seniors on this year’s team, the Greyhounds will have many of their regular players back for the 2019 season.

Other members of the Pope team include Lily Harvey, Alyssa Linde, Madison Mims, Ella Burris, Madison Cross, Ava Vikovic, Sophie Gould, Caroline Wiseman, Adair Hutchinson, Mackenzie Kahill, Renee Bissel and Brianna Dempsey.

Walton Volleyball teamAfter that, Walton took to the court against Milton, and the Raiders won in three straight games, 25-14, 25-15, 25-14, to claim the Class 7A championship. In winning a fourth consecutive state title, Walton was 41-3 on the season and did not lose to an in-state opponent.

Walton’s seniors were dominant, especially Gabby Gonzales and Riley MacNeill, who will be attending Ohio State for college.

The other Raiders seniors this season were Riley Spurlin, Jordan Rush, Caroline Cheney, Molly Pember, Meghan Froemming and Lauryn Burrows. Other team members include Madison Morey, Phoebe Awoleye, Katie Strickland, Kendall O’Brien, Sydney Barrett, Catherine Cheney, Chandler Parker, Emery Dupes, Caroline Kiehnau, Greta Hans and Aviah Miller.

This is the seventh title for Walton under head coach Suzanne Fitzgerald, who is in her 13th season.

The Pope community had another team to celebrate this weekend, as the boys cross country squad brought home the Class 6A GHSA title at the state meet in Carrollton on Friday.

The Greyhounds collected 51 points, with Harrison coming in second with 77 points (like golf, lower scores are better). Four Pope runners finished in the top 14, led by by Will Brown (8th), KC Heron (10th), Axel Mateo (11th), Cole Heron (13th) and Anthony Parisi (14th).

Also competing in the 5K race for Pope were, Conor Krause and Nicholas Corso.

The Pope girls were 4th in the Class 6A meet, which was won by region rival Cambridge. Sophie Boice of Pope finished fourth and Lorel Golden was 11th.

The Walton boys came in third in the Class 7A cross country meet. The top finisher for the Raiders was Zac Shaffer, who was 16th.

The Walton girls also were third in Class 7A, which was won by Marietta. Abigail Robertson of Walton finished in seventh place.

 

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Wheeler football falls short in playoff bid; Walton, Kell solidify seeds

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Wheeler football

After starting the season 5-0, the Wheeler football team sputtered out of any chance to reach the playoffs in what turned out to be the Wildcats’ final game of 2018.

Wheeler was clipped at home by Pebblebrook by a 38-35 score, as the Falcons claimed the final playoff berth from Region 2 of Class 7A. Although the Wildcats finished with a winning record overall at 6-4, their 1-4 region record was fifth in the region. Pebblebrook is 4-6 but 2-3 in the region.

The Wildcats led 21-7 at one point on Friday, and then almost clawed their way back after trailing 35-21.

Wheeler had a high-powered offense, led by quarterback C.J. Ogbonna, but it was the defense that faltered down the stretch of the season. Last week, the Wildcats were torched by Westlake 76-35, setting up a win-or-go-home finale against Pebblebrook.

The Walton Raiders nailed down the No. 2 seed in Region 4 of Class 7A with a 30-7 win at Woodstock. The Raiders, who scored 21 points in the third quarter, are 9-1 and 4-1 and will have a home playoff game next week. Walton has defeated seven teams who also are going to the playoffs.

The hottest of the East Cobb teams to finish the regular season is Kell, which rolled to its sixth consecutive win Friday by a convincing 41-18 score against Woodland. The Longhorns are 8-2 and 6-2 in Region 7 of Class 5A, and also will be playing at home to start the playoffs.

Sprayberry ended a long season on a high note, defeating River Ridge easily, by a 44-6 score. The Yellow Jackets finished 3-7 overall, and 3-6 in Region 6 of Class 6A.

Lassiter’s long season didn’t fare as well, however. The Trojans were looking for their first win in Region 4 of Class 7A, and had a good chance after taking the lead in overtime on Friday. However, playoff-bound Cherokee prevailed 26-23, as Lassiter turned in a 1-9 season, and 0-5 in region games.

The only win of the season for Lassiter came early, against Pope, by a 30-24 score. The Greyhounds ended their regular season last week at 5-5 and 5-3 in Region 7 of Class 6A. That was good enough to nail down the final playoff spot from that region.

The Georgia High School Association will announce first-round playoff pairings later this weekend.

 

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East Cobb Sports Update: Walton and Pope volleyball reach state finals

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Two East Cobb teams will be playing for state championships Saturday in the Georgia High School Association volleyball tournaments, and they won’t have to venture too far from home.GHSA logo, Walton and Pope volleyball

The Walton and Pope volleyball teams will be playing in back-to-back matches in the finals at Marietta High School.

Pope, which downed Creekview Tuesday in a comeback victory, will be meeting fellow Cobb school Allatoona in the Class 6A championship match that begins at 4 p.m.

The Lady Greyhounds are 39-9 and are in the finals for the first time since they won their last state title in 2011 (they also won state in 2009). Since then, Pope has finished in the Sweet 16 three times, the Elite 8 once and last year the Final Four.

Pope lost the first game to Creekview 25-19 on Tuesday but came back to sweep the match by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-10.

Walton had little trouble dispatching North Gwinnett in straight sets on the road Tuesday to reach the state finals yet again. The Lady Raiders (40-3) will defend their Class 7A state championship at 6:30 p.m. against Milton.

Walton is attempting to win its fourth consecutive state title. The Lady Raiders have a total of 12 GHSA crowns and are heavily favored to make it 13.

The Walton and Pope matches will conclude a day of four title matches at Marietta High School (1171 Whitlock Ave.). All-session tickets are $8 a person. For more information visit the GHSA volleyball page.

 

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East Cobb sports update: Pope softball finishes as state runner-up; Walton, Pope volleyball advance to semifinals

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Pope softball

Two East Cobb teams made it to the Elite 8 of the Georgia High School softball tournament this week, and turned in strong performances. The Pope softball team finished second in Class 6A, while Lassiter was third in Class 7A.

The Greyhounds came out of the elimination bracket to reach the finals in Columbus on Saturday, but fell to Cobb County rival Harrison 6-3.

Pope’s season started in August with a loss to the Hoyas. Along the way the Greyhounds compiled a 33-6 record, a school record for wins, captured their region in undefeated fashion and have now made three championship game appearances since 2012.

Lassiter also won its region and qualified for the Elite 8. On Friday, the Trojans lost to Mill Creek 3-0 in the Class 7A semifinals to end their season. Lassiter’s first loss in the double-elimination tournament was to eventual state champion East Coweta.

Also on Saturday, the Walton volleyball team rolled on in the Class 7A quarterfinals. Playing in their home gym, the Lady Raiders trounced Lambert in a sweep to advance to the semifinals on Tuesday at North Gwinnett.

The finals will be Saturday at Marietta High School.

Walton, the defending state champion, is 40-3 and is heavily favored to continue its dynastic run through the state of Georgia.

Lassiter also reached the state tournament in Class 7A, but fell to West Forsyth Saturday in the quarterfinals. The Trojans were 29-6 this season.

The Pope volleyball team also has reached the semifinals in Class 6A, and will meet Creekview on Tuesday. The Greyhounds are 38-9 on the season and defeated Glynn Academy Saturday to advance.

 

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East Cobb Football Update: Walton upset by Roswell; Kell, Pope, Wheeler stay in playoff hunt

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Daniel Brunner, Walton football
Walton coach Daniel Brunner’s first regular-season loss came at the hands of Roswell, his alma mater. (ECN file photo)

Friday was a dramatic night for East Cobb football teams, with four of them still involved in playoff drives. But a Walton upset at the hands of Roswell has implications for region play as well as the state rankings.

The No. 2 Raiders fell 32-31, the first regular-season loss for coach Daniel Brunner. Khaleed Mobley of Roswell blocked a 26-yard field goal attempt by Walton in the dying seconds, after the Hornets had taken the lead on a two-point conversion after a touchdown.

The Senior Night loss at Raider Valley means Walton (7-1, 2-1) will likely not be the top seed coming out of Region 4 of Class 7A. Roswell, led by former Pope coach Matt Kemper, has an identical record and a tiebreaking win, if necessary, over Walton.

Walton quarterback Austin Kirksey threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and found star receiver Dominick Blaylock wide open down the stretch of fourth down to set up the field goal try by Jack Westbrock.

The Raiders finish up the regular season the next two weeks on the road, at Cherokee and Woodstock.

Not far away, the Wheeler Wildcats were trying to bounce back from two consecutive losses and stay in playoff contention against a Campbell team suffering through a long season.

Wheeler dashed out to a 28-0 lead in the first half, then went ahead 41-20 in the third quarter before Campbell came charging back.

The Wildcats held off the upset bid 62-56, improving to 6-2 and 1-2 in Region 2 of Class 7A, as quarterback C.J. Ogbonna threw two touchdown passes. Next week Wheeler faces region leader Westlake.

The Kell Longhorns rolled up some points as well, but the outmatched Cass Colonels couldn’t keep up, as Kell won in a 63-3 rout. Quarterback Evan Conley threw five touchdown passes for the Longhorns, who are 6-2 and 4-2 in Region 7 of Class 5A.

The Pope Greyhounds also dug out a dramatic win to keep their post-season hopes alive, as they went to Cambridge and came away with a 29-26 win. Pope pulled off an 85-yard drive in the final minute, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds to play.

Next week the Hounds, who improved to 4-5 and 4-3 in Region 7 of Class 6A, play Northview, which also is battling for a playoff spot.

The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets threatened to upset playoff-minded Sequoyah, and took an early 13-0 lead. But the Chiefs rebounded for a 35-28 win in Class 6A Region 6 play. Sprayberry, which fell to 2-6 and 2-4, continues a tough stretch next week, visiting region leader Creekview.

A long season for the Lassiter Trojans continued Friday in a 23-6 loss to Woodstock. The Trojans, who are 1-7 and 0-6 in Region 4 of Class 7A, play Etowah next week.

 

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East Cobb Sports Update: Walton, Wheeler in state volleyball; Pope, Lassiter softball reach Elite 8

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The first round of the Georgia High School Association volleyball tournament begins this weekend, and defending state champion Walton is a heavy favorite to repeat in Class 7A. Walton Volleyball team

The Raiders, who are 36-3 and have been ranked No. 1 in the state all season, will be playing host to a four-team bracket this Saturday. At noon, they will meet Colquitt County, after Wheeler plays North Cobb in a match that begins at 10 a.m.

The winners of those matches will meet on Monday in the second round.

Lassiter (27-5) also has advanced in Class 7A, but has to travel, facing Lowndes in a bracket at East Coweta.

The third round will be played next weekend, and the tournament culminates as usual for Class 7A at Marietta High School on Nov. 3.

The Pope volleyball team (35-9) will be playing Saturday against Cobb rival Harrison in a Class 6A bracket at Apalachee High School in Winder. The 6A finals also are at Marietta.

The GHSA volleyball tournament is single-elimination.

The Pope and Lassiter softball teams once again have reached the “Elite 8” in their respective classes, which is the culminating stage of the state tournament.

Both will be competing in Columbus next week after winning home doubleheaders in the second round this week.

Lassiter (25-7) swept North Paulding 1-0 and 9-1. Pope (29-4) also moved in a sweep, taking both games against Dacula by 6-0 and 6-1 scores.

On Thursday, Pope will play Greenbrier at 11 a.m. in the Class 6A bracket (click here to see more) in a return visit to Columbus. The Greyhounds have reached the Final Four four times since 2012 and were state champions in 2014.

In Class 7A, Lassiter also gets underway on Thursday in a 9 a.m. game against Brookwood (here’s that bracket).

Both tournaments are double-elimination and will conclude on Saturday.

 

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