East Cobb Sports & Recreation

Wheeler football coach Mike Collins resigns after nine seasons

by
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.

Related stories

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

 

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Amazing Grace Invitational meet to honor former Walton swimmer

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

Related content

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Walton football season ends in heartbreak; Kell trounced by Buford

by
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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Kell and Walton football teams roll in playoffs; Pope eliminated

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

Related coverage

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by
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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

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

by

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.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Pope, Lassiter softball to start state tournament play at home

by

The Pope softball team, fresh off winning the Region 7AAAAAA tournament last week, gets to stay at home as the Georgia High School Association state tournament begins this week.

The Greyhounds will play host to Creekview, the defending state champion, on Wednesday in a doubleheader at 5 and 7 p.m. in a best-two-of-three series. A decisive game if necessary also would be at Pope at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Here is the Class 6A playoff bracket.

Pope blazed through the region with a perfect 14-0 record and is 23-3 for the season. That’s only the second time the Greyhounds have defeated region opponents without a blemish. The other time was in 2014, when Pope won its only state championship.

Here’s more on their remarkable region run, from the Pope Fastpitch site:

The 2018 undefeated region campaign was marked with 5 no hitters and 10 shutouts over the course of the 14 games. The 2018 Hounds held a 164 run differential over opponents in region games scoring 169 runs while only surrendering 5 runs over the 14 game span.

The Lassiter softball team won Region 4AAAAAAA and also gets to play host to a first-round series against Peachtree Ridge on Wednesday, also in a doubleheader. The Trojans are 21-4 overall and went 13-2 in the region.

Here’s the Class 7A bracket.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

 

East Cobb football update: Pope, Kell cruise in region games

by

Only two of the six East Cobb high school football teams were in action Friday, but they made emphatic statements with region play underway.East Cobb football update

The Pope Greyhounds blanked Dunwoody 26-0 at the Hound Pound, the first shutout for a Pope varsity team in six years. That’s when current seniors were still in middle school.

Pope played without star receiver Zack Owens, who’s recovering from an injury, and raced to a 20-0 halftime lead.

More importantly, the win gives Pope (2-4 overall) a 2-2 record in Class 6A Region 7 play, with another key game coming on Friday at Johns Creek, which is tied for the region lead at 4-1, 3-0.

After two tough losses in Class 5A Region 7, the Kell Longhorns were off last week. On Friday, at winless Paulding County, they scored the first 33 points of the game and cruised to a 54-20 win.

Kell LogoIsaiah Cruz scored two touchdowns for Kell, which moves to 3-2 and 1-2 in region play, but tougher foes are ahead as the playoff stakes grow.

The Longhorns return home to The Stockyard Friday against region rival Villa Rica, which is tied for second in the region at 4-2, 3-1.

Also coming up on Friday is an East Cobb rivalry game. The Walton Raiders, ranked No. 2 in Class 7A at 5-0, opens its schedule in Region 4 against Lassiter, which is 1-4.

Also ranked in Class 7A is Wheeler, which is 5-0 for the first time in 25 years. The Wildcats will be at home for their Region 2 opener against Newnan (2-3).

Sprayberry is off to a 1-4 start and is 1-2 in Class 6A Region 6. The Yellow Jackets will be at home Friday for a region game against Osborne (0-6, 0-4).

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Kennesaw State athletics director discusses ‘Flight Plan’ for post-college success

by
Milton Overton, Kennesaw State athletics director
“Your purpose in life is where your passion is,” said Milton Overton, who became KSU athletics director in the fall of 2017. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

While Cobb County’s college football team continues to soar on the field, how those athletes prepare for what they do once they graduate is regarded as just as important.

Milton Overton, the Kennesaw State athletics director, pointed to himself as an example.

“I’m a guy who wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for being able to play football,” said Overton, the guest speaker at Tuesday’s East Cobb Business Association luncheon.

An offensive lineman for the powerhouse team at Oklahoma, he has also earned two master’s degrees and nearly completed his work on a doctorate.

“Education is the great equalizer, the vehicle for many Americans to have success.”

Overton, who arrived at KSU last fall, has enjoyed a 25-year career as a college sports administrator, and at some of the top programs in the country, including Alabama and Texas A & M.

Along the way, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of what it takes for athletes to succeed on the field, as well as away from it.

Like many college athletic departments, KSU has a special program to help with the latter. It’s called “Flight Path,” and Overton stressed how good work habits and discipline for athletes now will help when they’re ready to begin their non-sports work careers.

In the Flight Plan program, KSU student-athletes work with a “career coach” to help them assess post-college working opportunities. Those coaches are local professionals who share information about their fields.

Current student-athletes also hear from KSU graduates who played sports, and who offer practical advice on what it’s like in the adult world.

The highly-regimented schedules of college athletes, Overton said, offer them an opportunity to enter the work world with an advantage.

He said the graduation rate for athletes is often higher than non-athletes at many universities because of additional tutoring and academic services.

If a young person is accustomed to “12-hour days over four years,” he said, he or she is “more than likely with an employer to have a good shot” at securing a good job.

Now the third-largest university in Georgia with nearly 35,000 students, KSU has quickly succeeded since beginning varsity football in 2015.

The Owls, who are ranked fifth nationally in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), reached the national quarterfinals a year ago. Overton recently extended the contract of head coach Brian Bohannon through 2023, and KSU is trying to sell 30,000 tickets for a November game at SunTrust Park.

Overton was hired by then-KSU president Sam Olens after two years as athletics director at Florida A & M, which was undergoing financial struggles.

The FCS designation is just below the Football Bowl Subdivision, where Georgia and Georgia Tech play. Overton said that for now, there’s no desire for KSU to make a move up, as Georgia State has done.

“We want to be where we have a chance to complete,” he said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, at some point” there may be some consideration. “This school is primed to do some good things,” he said, and not just in sports.

“KSU is a rocket ship,” Overton said. “I’m just trying to hold on.”

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Walton football jumps up to No. 2 in state poll; unbeaten Wheeler unranked

by

The Walton football team’s big nationally-televised win over state champion North Gwinnett on Friday catapulted the Raiders to No. 2 in the latest high school football rankings.

The Raiders moved up from third in the Georgia Sports Writers Association Class 7A poll that was released Tuesday, getting 120 points and edging Grayson, which had been second, by two points. Colquitt County remains on top with 139 points. Two other Cobb schools, McEachern and Hillgrove, also are ranked in the Top 10 this week.

Wheeler, which like Walton is also 4-0, is not. In fact, the Wildcats, the only other unbeaten team from East Cobb, didn’t get any votes at all from the GWSA voters.

But they have a chance to make a statement on Friday at home against Roswell, which received 12 votes, just missing the rankings. Marietta got 13 votes.

Walton will also be at home Friday, against Newnan.

The only other ranked East Cobb team dropped out. Kell, which had been No. 10 in Class 5A, lost to East Paulding last week and still got eight votes, just out of the rankings.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Last-minute Walton football comeback stuns North Gwinnett

by

Walton football comeback

Dominick Blaylock scored an 11-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left in the game Friday to cap a Walton football comeback in a 27-24 victory over defending state champion North Gwinnett before a national television audience.

Blaylock was already having another marvelous game before he took the snap and raced down the left sideline, bowling over two Bulldog defenders as he pushed his way into the end zone.

Walton football comeback, Dominick Blaylock

It was the last of Blaylock’s three touchdowns, and helped the Raiders, ranked No. 3 in Class 7A, stay unbeaten at 4-0 in their first home game of the season at Raider Valley.

Walton led 7-0 and 14-7 before No. 4 North Gwinnett (2-2) roared back in the second half. The Bulldogs kicked a field goal with 5:42 to go in the game to take a 24-21 lead, setting up a thrilling finish.

The Raiders also played for a time without starting quarterback Austin Kirksey, who went out limping near halftime and returned in the final period.

“These guys just fight and fight and fight for each other,” Walton coach Daniel Brunner said after the game, hugging Blaylock, his baby-faced star who’s bound for the University of Georgia next season.

“I’m so glad I’ve got this dude here, the best player in the state of Georgia,” Brunner said. “He may look sweet, but he sure doesn’t play like it.”

Dominick Blaylock gets Walton on the scoreboard first late in the first quarter. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

The game kicked off earlier than normal because it was part of a national TV high school football doubleheader on ESPN2.

Blaylock gave Walton a 7-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first quarter on a two-yard run. On its next drive, North Gwinnett answered, with Tyler Goodson finishing off with a short TD for a 7-7 score.

By the time dusk turned to dark, the dramatics heightened.

Walton regained the lead at 14-7 on an eight-yard TD run by Kirksey. But with 29 seconds to play before halftime, he went out of the game, walking gingerly off the field. He was replaced by freshman Zac Rozsman.

Midway in the third quarter, and on fourth down, the Bulldogs drew even at 14-14 on a 38-yard desperation heave from JR Martin to Garrison Minor.

The Walton defense holds on third down.

North Gwinnett, whose only loss last season was to Walton in the Corky Kell Classic, went ahead for the first time at 21-14 with a touchdown with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

At the same time, Kirksey began limbering up on the sideline, as Walton players and coaches tried to figure out how to come from behind. The answer, of course, was with a whole lot of Blaylock, but the Raiders had to climb out of some holes they created for themselves along the way.

Upon Kirksey’s return, he led a drive that resulted in Blaylock’s second touchdown, which made the score 21-21 with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter.

On their next drive, the Raiders were driving deep when a first-down run by KD Alford (below) was nullified because of a penalty. That could have spelled doom for Walton, as well as Kirksey being sacked on the North Gwinnett 45.

That set up a third-and-27 for Walton, and Kirksey hooked up with Blaylock for a first down to the 12. Blaylock finished off the comeback, and the defending state champions, two plays later.

Walton’s defense held off the last chance for the Bulldogs, forcing three incomplete passes, then sacked the quarterback on the last play of the game.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Walton-North Gwinnett football game to be shown on ESPN2

by

Walton-North Gwinnett football game

Back in August we noted that tonight’s Walton-North Gwinnett football game was going to be nationally televised.

That’s still the case, but the outlet has changed, and it’s going to show the game to a bigger audience. Instead of being shown on ESPNU, Raider Valley’s going to be showcased on ESPN2.)

The battle between the No. 3 Raiders (3-0) and No. 4 North Gwinnett (2-1), last year’s Georgia Class 7A state champions, is part of ESPN’s Geico High School Football Showcase.

It’s also the first home game of the season for Walton, and please note that if you’re going, kickoff is at 7 p.m., and not the standard 7:30 p.m.

That’s for television reasons, since the Walton game is the part of a doubleheader.

Last year, Walton defeated North Gwinnett in the Corky Kell Classic in what would be the only defeat of the season for the Bulldogs.

All East Cobb high school football teams are in action after four, including Walton, had bye weeks. Tonight’s other games all start at 7:30 p.m.

Wheeler is also seeking to go 4-0 at Lassiter, which is 1-2. It’s also homecoming for the Trojans. A parade starts at 5:30 p.m. from the Wendy’s on Shallowford Road (near Sandy Plains) and will proceed to the school.

At Pope, it’s the Matt Hobby Game, which we posted here yesterday, and as the Greyhounds are seeking their first win of the season. Sprayberry (1-2), travels to play Harrison (4-0), ranked No. 3 in Class 6A.

Kell, the only other ranked team in East Cobb, is No. 10 in Class 5A and puts its 2-1 record on the line at East Paulding (0-2). Last week the Longhorns fell 35-6 at home to top-ranked Rome, the 2017 Class 5A state champion.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go

Johnson Ferry South trails at Chattahoochee NRA closed this week

by

 

Johnson Ferry South trails
National Park Service

The Chattahoochee National Recreation Area is getting out word today that the Johnson Ferry South trails and loop will be closed most of this week for routine maintenance and construction.

A social media message said there will be heavy equipment and trenching operations near map post JS3 and JS4 (which are closest to trail access on Columns Drive), and that work is expected to be done by Saturday.

Related story

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!