East Cobb high school football

Honors for Walton football coach, star receiver as all-Cobb teams named

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East Cobb football
Walton coach Daniel Brunner at an East Cobb kickoff breakfast in August.

First-year Walton football coach Daniel Brunner has been named coach of the year for 2017 by the Cobbhsfootball website, and Raiders’ star receiver Dominick Blaylock was tabbed as offensive player of the week.

Blaylock led the 22-man all-Cobb team that was released just before Christmas, and that includes three other players from East Cobb high schools.

They include Walton linebacker Malik Adams, Kell offensive lineman Johnathan Bass, and Lassiter defensive back Derrik Allen.

Brunner, a former assistant at Walton, led the Raiders to an unlikely 11-1 season, after the program came off a losing season under Mo Dixon in 2016.

Walton’s only loss came in the state playoffs to eventual state runner-up Colquitt County, where Dixon is now an assistant. In Brunner’s first game, in the Corky Kell Classic, the Raiders defeated North Gwinnett, which went on to win the Georgia Class 7A state championship.

Brunner, who was named Cobb coach of the year by The Marietta Daily Journal, is a graduate of Roswell High School and also coached there before coming to Walton.

Before the season started, he inaugurated “Raider Day,” a jamboree-style event that included all the Walton football teams, from varsity down to the grade school-level.

With Blaylock, who has committed to play at the University of Georgia, and Adams returning, Walton is expected to contend in the region and state in 2018.

Bass was part of another Kell state playoff team under Brett Sloan, a former Walton assistant in his first year as head coach. Bass has signed to play at Georgia State University.

Allen, considered one of the top high school players in the country at his position, had another strong season for Lassiter, whose state playoff streak ended this season. He has signed to play at Notre Dame.

 

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Walton football tickets on sale online for Colquitt County playoff game

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Walton football tickets

The Walton football home playoff game against Colquitt County takes place on Friday at Raider Valley, but advance ticket sales are already available online if you want to avoid the game-day ticket lines.

Raider Valley is expected to be packed for the Class 7A Georgia High School second-round game pitting No. 3 and 11-0 Walton and Colquitt County, which is 8-3, and whose assistant coach is ex-Walton coach Mo Dixon.

Related story

In a post Wednesday on the Walton website, athletics director Chris Williams said tickets can be purchased at the GoFan page for the Walton-Colquitt game, or by downloading the GoFan app and presenting the QR code at the gate on Friday.

The ticket cost for adults is $10 (with a $1.50 service charge if you use GoFan). Student tickets are $8 and will be sold Friday during all lunch periods. Williams said any spectators without an approved GHSA pass will be charged $10 at the gate.

If you’d rather get your tickets the old-fashioned way, the ticket booth at Raider Valley opens at 6 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30.

 

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East Cobb high school football: Walton holds off North Cobb; Pope and Kell eliminated

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It wasn’t easy, but the Walton football team held off a Cobb County rival Friday night in the first round of the Georgia High School Association Class 7A state playoffs. The Raiders, who defeated North Cobb 28-14, were one of three East Cobb high school football teams in action.Walton High School logo, East Cobb high school football

Dominick Blaylock scored two touchdowns, including on a key drive in the fourth quarter, and quarterback Austin Kirksey was 11-for-11 passing for 181 yards, as the Raiders remained unbeaten on the season.

They’re 11-0 and will remain at home next Friday against Colquitt County, which routed Pebblebrook 49-7.

Walton, which is led by first-year head coach Daniel Brunner, a former assistant, will see a familiar face on the Colquitt County sideline. Mo Dixon, who was the Raiders head coach for the last two seasons, left East Cobb over the spring to become an assistant coach at the South Georgia powerhouse.

In the Class 6A playoffs, Pope fell behind early in a 42-14 loss at Dacula, which scored on six of its first seven possessions. The game was the first in the playoffs in five years for the Greyhounds, who finished 4-7 under first-year coach Tab Griffin, a Pope graduate and former player.

Kell reached the Class 5A playoffs but also went out in the first round, falling to Flowery Branch 21-14. The Longhorns mounted a comeback after trailing 21-0, and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but were stopped on fourth-and-goal on the goal line. Kell’s season ends at 5-6 under Brett Sloan, who was in his first season as head coach after being an assistant at Walton.

EAST COBB WEEKEND: Veterans Day events; craft fair and concerts; football playoffs and more

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The Charlestones, East Cobb weekend
The Charlestones, an a capella group from Charleston, S.C., perform at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church on Friday.

The leaves are changing, and very quickly the season, as the upcoming East Cobb weekend slate of events takes on an autunmnal pre-holiday flair.

Saturday is Veterans Day, and events throughout the weekend are scheduled to observe and honor those who served in the military.

A number of East Cobb schools have had their special events during the week, and from 5-8 Friday the East Cobb Senior Center and both East Cobb YMCAs will serve up dinner, music and tributes. They had “sold out” of the free tickets before November rolled around, but you may want to call 770-509-4900 770-977-5991 to see if there’s any space that’s opened up at the last minute.

Also on tap for Veterans Day in East Cobb:

  • Two concerts, one Saturday at Transfiguration Catholic Church (1815 Blackwell Road) that starts at 2:30 p.m. featuring the Metropolitan Atlanta Community band and is followed by a commemorative mass at 5; and Sunday at 3 at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). It’s the annual Veterans Day concert performed by the Cobb Wind Symphony, and it’s free to the public;
  • On Saturday, a couple new Veterans Day events in East Cobb: A car cruise theme is featured from 8-12 at Club Pilates East Cobb (2960 Shallowford Road, Suite 200); and a public celebration at Merchants Walk Shopping Center (1280 Johnson Ferry Road) from 11-8 includes sidewalk sales, a food truck and more;

And with the brisk weather now seemingly here for good, there’s post-season football, holiday crafts and music for all tastes:

  • Three East Cobb high school football teams reached the state playoffs, and they’re all in action Friday. Unbeaten Walton is at home against North Cobb, while Kell visits Flowery Branch and Pope travels to Dacula. Universal kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.;
  • Friday night temps will be dipping into the 30s, so if staying indoors is your thing, the 2017-18 Concert Series of St. St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road) continues with a free to the public 7:30 p.m. concert featuring The Charlestones, an a capella group from Charleston, S.C.;
  • The Pope Band XPlosion! event is from 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the school (3001 Hembree Road), and features all components of the band program, from the marchers to the jazz orchestra and smaller ensembles, with raffle proceeds supporting the young musicians;
  • This weekend also marks the return of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Craft Fair, from 9-5 Friday and 9-4 on Saturday at the church (1330 Johnson Ferry Road); it’s organized by the church’s women’s ministry and includes a bake sale and silent auction.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a community calendar listing to share, for this weekend and beyond? Send it to us, and we’ll post it ASAP! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Check out our full calendar listings for more things to do! Have a great weekend!

 

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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 WEEKEND EVENTS: Lassiter Craft Fair and holiday markets; baby fair; community piano; and more

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Lassiter Craft Fair, East Cobb Weekend Events

Halloween is over, November has begun and with it the earliest of two months of holiday-related activities. East Cobb weekend events through Sunday include ongoing holiday markets, a maternity and baby fair, two pet-related events and the unveiling of a new community piano.

Check out our full calendar listings for more, this weekend and beyond, but here’s whats highlighted for the next few days:

  • Lassiter Craft Fair (2601 Shallowford Road), runs 10-5 Saturday and Sunday, with more than 100 booths featuring handmade crafts and products and includes a bake sale and other concessions to benefit the Lassiter Band;
  • Mt. Bethel UMC Ribbons and Holiday Handcrafted Market (4385 Lower Roswell Road), is from 9-4 on Saturday, with more than 50 vendors, face painting for kids, a bake sale and lunch, with proceeds benefitting the church’s missions;
  • Good Mews Holiday Decor Market (1860 Sandy Plains Road) continues Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12-6 and every weekend through Dec. 17, to benefit the shelter’s programs to rescue, nurture and adopt homeless cats and kittens;
  • Pet Events: An adoption day is Saturday from 9-12 at Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team (2249 Sewell Mill Road), to benefit the Homeless Pets Foundation; from 10-3 Sunday Good Mews is holding a vaccination and microchip clinic at its facility (3805 Robinson Road), and they do encourage you to make an appointment;

    Tommy Piano, East Cobb Weekend Events
    “Tommy” is getting tuned up to be played at Egg Harbor Cafe.
  • On Saturday at noon, the latest community piano, courtesy of Play Me Again Pianos, will be unveiled at Egg Harbor Cafe (4719 Lower Roswell Road); it’s the second such piano in East Cobb (see our posts here and here for more); “Tommy” will remain at the restaurant, just as “Sunny” sits under the upper gazebo at East Cobb Park;
  • If you’re expecting a child or recently had a baby, the WellStar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road) is holding a Baby and Maternity Fair Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. that includes medical information from health providers, vendors and more, and it’s free;
  • Football finales: The regular season is coming to a close Friday with Walton already having secured a playoff spot, and with Kell, Lassiter and Pope still in the hunt; Sprayberry and Wheeler will be concluding their seasons for sure. The Raiders, who also have earned a home playoff game, can go for a 10-0 regular season against Woodstock at Raider Valley.

Did we miss something? Do you have a calendar item to share? Please let us know, and we’ll post them to our full calendar listings. E-mail calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Have a great weekend!

Walton volleyball wins another state title; Top 5 finish for Pope softball

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Although the match was competitive, the Georgia Class 7A finals were really never in doubt Saturday at Marietta High School. The Walton volleyball team won its third consecutive title, defeating Etowah by scores of 25-16, 25-16, and 25-21. GHSA logo, Walton volleyball

The Lady Raiders finished the season with a 41-1 record, losing only to a team from California.

The Walton players this season are: Katie Crocker, Sam Jones, Caroline Cheney, Meg Froemming, Gabby Gonzales, Reilly MacNeill, Molly Pember, Jordan Rush, Riley Spurlin, Phoebe Awoleye, Madison Morey, Kendall O’Brien, Katie Strickland, Catherine Cheney, Julia Davis, Emery Dupes, Ashlyn Goolsby and Chandler Parker. Coach: Suzanne Fitzgerald.

The Pope softball team won one game at the Georgia Class 6A softball finals in Columbus, defeating Evans Thursday on a no-hitter by freshman Hallie Adams. However, the Lady Greyhounds fell to Allatoona (the eventual state champions) and Houston County and finished 5th with a record of 31-5.

The Pope players this season are: Gracie Kittrell, Hannah Dodd, Sydney Sheahan, Jodie Smith, Leah Higginbotham, Hannah Rogers, Carolyn Deady, Kyla Smith, Lea McFadden, Trinity Pizutti, Zoe Laneaux, Mary Deady, Hallie Adams, Kami Smith, Maura Foreman, Rachel Pearle, Lela Landry, Morgan Herman, Min Brookshire, Bailey Chapin, Abby Rocco, Taylor Henson, Alyssa Eman, Kaitlyn Wells. Coach: Chris Turco.

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: With only one week left in the regular season, only Walton has clinched a state playoff spot from East Cobb. The Raiders stayed unbeaten (9-0) with a 42-21 win over Etowah. Walton will have senior night on Friday against Woodstock. In other football games Friday:

  • Lassiter inched closer to a playoff berth by beating Cherokee 31-0. The Trojans (6-3) have to visit Etowah Friday; a win means they advance, and they could play a home playoff game.
  • Kell moved to 5-4 and within reach of a playoff spot with a 21-12 win over Woodland. The Longhorns are tied for second in Region 7, Class 6A, and play Cass on Friday;
  • Pope fell to 3-6 with a 45-17 loss to Centennial; the Greyhounds conclude their season Friday at home against Northview;
  • Sprayberry is now 2-7 following a 35-21 loss on senior night to Creekview; the Yellow Jackets play their last game of 2-17 on Friday at Sequoyah;
  • Wheeler‘s senior night also was spoiled by Westlake, which won 48-27; the Wildcats, who are 2-7, close out on Friday at Pebblebrook.

Walton football beats Lassiter, clinches playoff spot; Sprayberry ends losing streak

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The Walton football team under first-year coach Daniel Brunner remains undefeated and has now sewn up a state playoff spot.

The Raiders did that on Friday night at Raider Valley in a 42-19 win over East Cobb rival Lassiter in a key Region 4AAAAAAA contest. Walton HS logo, Walton Pope volleyball, Walton football

Although starting Walton quarterback Austin Kirksey didn’t return following a third-quarter injury, running back D.J. Soyoye more than made for his loss with two touchdown scores in the second half as the Raiders (8-0) pulled away from the Trojans (4-3) down the stretch.

Walton, which has regular season games remaining against Etowah and Woodstock, is the first East Cobb high school football team to qualify for the state playoffs.

Lassiter is still in contention for a post-season berth and will close out against Cherokee and Etowah.

Sprayberry was hopeful at the start of the season with a new coach, former Yellow Jackets player Brett Vavra. After winning their opener, however, they lost six in a row. On Friday at home, Sprayberry ended that skid with a 17-14 win over River Ridge. Sprayberry doesn’t have a post-season shot, but has two games left against Creekside and Sequoyah to try to finish with some momentum.

The three other East Cobb teams suffered some heartbreak on Friday, with playoff berths within reach.

The Kell Longhorns took a 28-7 lead at home against Carrollton, with a chance to nail down a home playoff game. But Carrollton surged back and kicked a field goal with time expiring to earn a 45-42 victory. The Longhorns (4-4) are still in the hunt for the post-season, and play Woodland and Hiram over the next two weeks.

Pope fell behind early at Chattahoochee on Friday, then mounted a comeback that fell short in another wild finish, a 46-41 loss. The Greyhounds are 3-5 and have an outside playoff chance, with games remaining against Centennial and Northview.

Wheeler led a good bit of the night on Friday at Campbell, but were defeated 35-23 to fall to 2-6 on the season. The Wildcats also are winless in regional play and will close out their season against Westlake and Pebblebrook.

EAST COBB WEEKEND EVENTS: Haunted Hustle Run; band festival; Walton-Lassiter football; Pope Theater; ‘Roman Reads’ and more

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East Cobb weekend events, Southern Invitational Music Festival
The Sprayberry Band of Gold once again is host of the Southern Invitational Music Festival, from 10-10 on Saturday at Jim Frazier Stadium. 

It’s finally starting to really feel like fall, and with Halloween coming in just a little more than a week, so are the pumpkin-related East Cobb weekend events:

  • Kicking off one of many such Halloween activities on Saturday is the Haunted Hustle Race, a 1k/5k event at the Northeast Cobb YMCA (3010 Johnson Ferry Road). The shorter race starts at 7:30 a.m. with the feature event following at 8;
  • Don’t forget the ongoing Pumpkin Patches at several East Cobb churches that continue all the way to Halloween. They’re open daily and generally have extended hours on the weekends;
  • The high school football regular season is reaching its climax, and with crisp fall weather in the air the timing couldn’t be better for an East Cobb backyard rivalry game on Friday. It’s Lassiter at undefeated and state-ranked Walton, at 7:30 p.m. at Raider Valley (1590 Bill Murdock Road), with region and playoff implications on the line;
  • In other games on Friday, Kell is playing host to Carrollton, and Sprayberry is also at home against River Ridge. Wheeler and Pope travel to Campbell and Chattahoochee, respectively;
  • Sprayberry’s Jim Frazier Stadium (2525 Sandy Plains Road) will be an extra busy place this weekend, continuing on Saturday with the 34th annual Southern Invitational Music Festival. The hosts Sprayberry Band of Gold are putting on the judged competition that lasts from 10-10, with prep marching bands coming from around the Southeast;
  • Saturday also will be a quick turnaround for the Lassiter band, which is putting on the Lassiter Band Community Recycling Day from 9-4 at the school (2601 Shallowford Road);
  • While the weather’s supposed to be in the 70s and at least partly sunny this weekend, there are some indoor events worth noting here, including the Roman Reads Family Storytime session from 2:30-3:30 at Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road). It’s aimed at grade school to middle school kids and is presented by the Wheeler High School Junior Classical League;
  • If you like your drama staged and indoors, there’s the Pope Theater version of “12 Angry Jurors” continues Friday and Saturday at 7, plus a Saturday matinee at 3 at the school (3001 Hembree Road).

Check out our full calendar listings page for more things to do this weekend and beyond. Did we miss something? Have an event you’d like to share with the East Cobb community? E-mail your calendar listing to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it ASAP! Here’s more information on how to send your news to East Cobb News!

Have a great weekend!

EAST COBB WEEKEND EVENTS: Mt. Bethel run; Oktoberfest; Pope & Walton homecoming; ‘The Rainmaker’ and more

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Holy Trinity Oktoberfest, East Cobb weekend events
The 9th annual Oktoberfest takes place Saturday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. (East Cobb News file photo)

Fall is officially here, and it’s starting to look—and feel—like it. Fall festivals, homecoming football games and a special rendition of a Broadway classic are all on tap in East Cobb weekend events, and there’s so much more.

Check out our full East Cobb Events Calendar for more, but we’ve peeled off a few highlights:

  • Football Friday: It’s homecoming for the Pope Greyhounds and Walton Raiders, who kick off their games at 7:30 p.m. Lassiter is home to Roswell in a big region game, and both schools are observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a new program at Lassiter to provide education and support for suicide prevention efforts. Wheeler and Sprayberry are on the road, and Kell has the week off;
  • Fall School Festivals Get Started: October is a big month for school festivals, which are held by PTAs and foundations to raise funds for a variety of school programs. This Friday, the Sedalia Park Elementary School Fall Festival & Art Show (2230 Lower Roswell Road) runs from 5-8 p.m., and we’ll have more news about other school festivals as the month goes on;
  • Run for Habitat: Bright and early Saturday (about 7:30 a.m.), Mt. Bethel UMC (4385 Lower Roswell Road) will hold its Habitat Run fundraiser, with proceeds going for the church’s 9th Habitat for Humanity project. There will be award winner trophies, live music, a silent auction and refreshments, and race day registration starts at 6:30 a.m.;
  • Oompah, Brats and Beer: Oktoberfest is in its 9th year at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (2922 Sandy Plains Road), from 10 a.m to 7 p.m. Saturday, and as Lutherans celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Traditional German food and drink, Polka music, face-painting, horseshoes, a petting zoo and a church tour are all on the schedule once again. Overflow parking is next door at the Skip Wells Post Office;
  • Take a bow, please: CenterStage North and The Mountain View Arts Alliance are teaming up for another run of a Broadway (and in this case Hollywood) favorite, starting Friday and continuing through Sunday and again next weekend. “The Rainmaker” starts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road);
  • Pumpkin Patches in full swing: 3 East Cobb Methodist churches are having their pumpkin patch sales all October, and they’ve got some special events coming up soon. The proceeds from the sales at East Cobb UMC, Mt. Zion UMC and St. Andrew UMC benefit church activities and get the Halloween season off to a festive start. We’ll be posting Halloween events at this link all month; please send your event so we can include it (e-mail address listed below).

Did we miss anything? Do you have anything to add? By all means, let us know, and we’ll post your information. Submit what you’ve got to calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll get it up toute de suite.

Thanks for reading East Cobb News, and have a great weekend!

Walton football team ranked No. 4 in Class AAAAAAA

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Following an emphatic 44-10 win over Wheeler in an East Cobb rivalry game Friday night, the Walton football team stayed unbeaten.

The 4-0 Raiders also moved up a lot in the latest statewide polls, to No. 4 in the Maxwell rankings, after being ranked 7th last week. Walton High School logo

The Lassiter Trojans are also 4-0 after defeating Marietta 37-14 Friday, and moved into the No. 14 spot in the Maxwell Rankings, which include 15 teams in each classification.

No other East Cobb school is ranked.

However, two East Cobb teams that had been winless finally earned their first victories of the season. After several close losses and falling to a No. 1 team in Rome, the Kell Longhorns (1-3) defeated Paulding County 58-46 in their first home game.

The Pope Greyhounds (1-3) traveled to Cambridge and won easily, by a 35-6 score. The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets also moved to 1-3 on the season in a 45-16 home loss to Dalton.

Walton is enjoying early success under first-year coach Daniel Brunner and has scored 40 or more points in its last three games. Against Wheeler (2-2),  D.J. Soyoye ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns for the Raiders.

In Maxwell’s all-classification rankings, Walton is at No. 7 this week, and Lassiter is 25th.

Both teams could conceivably undefeated when they meet each other in a region game at Raider Valley on Oct. 20. But they have some obstacles before that.

This Friday Lassiter plays South Forsyth, No. 12 in Class AAAAAAA. The Walton football team plays Dacula, which is ranked No. 15 in Class AAAAAA.

The Raiders and Trojans also have to play region rival Roswell, ranked 11th in this week’s polls.

EAST COBB WEEKEND: Summer-to-fall events, emergency training & more

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Fall is just about here, and not just because of the dropping (and very pleasant!) temperatures we’ve enjoyed in East Cobb this weekend. That in-between summer and fall feeling is also evident in this weekend’s local events calendar: Kip Rogers, The Art Place-Mountain View

  • The finale of the 2017 Summer Stars Concert Series takes place Saturday at The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), featuring local musician Kip Rogers. “In Season” will feature some of his mellow, lyrical tunes, perfect for-season changing relaxation. Doors open at 7; the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Lawn seating is free, and tables of 8 cost $40;
  • If you prefer mellow relaxation of another kind, the East Cobb-based Atlanta Parrot Head Club is throwing a Jimmy Buffett tailgate party from 12:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday at Red Hare Brewing (1880 Delk Industrial Blvd.), in part to celebrate the enactment of a new Georgia craft beer law. Admission is free, and there will be live music (albeit not Buffett, brew and BBQ for purchase;
  • Visit our events calendar for more live music options, including regularly scheduled sessions at selected East Cobb restaurants and taverns;
  • With hurricane season upon us (and coastal Georgia under evacuation orders), the Cobb Emergency Management Agency is offering certified emergency training for citizens around the county, including at East Cobb’s Catholic Church of St. Ann on Saturday. It’s an all-day commitment, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and continues Sept. 16 and Sept. 23. Call the church at 770-552-6400 ext. 6019 for more information;
  • Another weekend-ish event that actually takes place on Monday is an author event at The Book Exchange (2932 Canton Road), and featuring Amber Brock, author of “A Fine Imitation.” It begins at 6 p.m. and refreshments follow;
  • There’s a light schedule on the high school football front, with Lassiter, Walton and Wheeler all enjoying a bye week. Two teams have home games: Sprayberry vs. Campbell and Pope vs. Johns Creek. Kell visits Rome, and all three East Cobb teams in action Friday are trying to bounce back from losses.

EAST COBB WEEKEND: Labor Day festivals; football rivalries; live music & more

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Holy Smoke Festival
’50s Chevies and other classic cars will return to the Holy Smoke BBQ Festival on Labor Day at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

The sun’s out, after a couple of rainy (but much-needed) days, just in time for a packed and extended Labor Day holiday weekend calendar of things to do in East Cobb.

Friday’s got the busiest schedule, with all six East Cobb football teams in action, including a couple of backyard rivalry games. Kickoff for all games is 7:30 p.m.:

  • Walton (2-0) at Pope (0-1): The Raiders are in the Top 10 and face a young Greyhounds test in their first hostile environment. Pope is also aiding victims of Hurricane Harvey by asking those attending the football game to bring water bottles to donate. There will be collection bins located through the stadium;
  • Kell (0-1) at Lassiter (2-0): Another all-East Cobb battle and a non-region treat pits two teams that reached the state playoffs last season, and look like they have the goods to contend again;
  • Sprayberry (1-0) at Kennesaw Mountain (1-0): The Yellow Jackets won their season opener and play on the road for the first time;
  • South Cobb (1-1) at Wheeler (1-1): The Wildcats return home after their first win of the season at Centennial; don’t forget the Wildcat Nation Food Truck tailgating event that begins at 5:30 p.m. in the East Cobb Middle School parking lot. The proceeds will benefit the work of the ECMS and Wheeler PTSAs and foundations.

If you’d rather stay indoors while relaxing and dining (or just rockin’) to good music, there’s a good variety to choose from at several East Cobb restaurants and bars:

  • At Chicago’s Steak and Seafood (4401 Shallowford Road), the Tom Olsen Trio plays jazz favorites tonight, with Retrograde performing from the folk rock and acoustic genre Saturday. Both are from 7-10 p.m. at the SpeakEasy Lounge;
  • At Suburban Tap (1318 Johnson Ferry Road), the acoustic-Americana sounds of the Poverty Level band rev up at 10 p.m. Friday, after the prep football games are over;
  • The Wing Cafe & Tap House (2145 Roswell Road) has a high-energy rock lineup planned, with Band X performing party style Friday and Saturday, from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. each night;
  • The traditional weekend fare of dueling pianos is on tap Friday and Saturday at Red Sky (1255 Johnson Ferry Road) starting at 9; and there’s live music also starting at 9 on Friday at the Rose & Crown Tavern (1391 Powers Ferry Road).

The Good Mews Animal Shelter (3805 Robinson Road) is pitching in with Hurricane Harvey relief, serving as a dropping-off point for pet food and litter Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They say no other items should be donated, and the goods collected are part of a PALS Atlanta effort to help out with dogs and cats affected by the terrible storms and flooding in Texas.

And finally, for the Labor Day weekend festivals. Luckily, they’re scheduled so that you can enjoy them both without missing much at all:

Noshfest
Dancing at last year’s Noshfest. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)
  • The Noshfest at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road), takes place Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free with two canned goods to be donated to MUST Ministries, food and drink tickets range from $1-$4 and can be purchased on-site, as you go. The Sunday lineup includes a cooking demonstration from the General Muir restaurant, a bagel-eating contest and live music from The Alex Guthrie Band (named after East Cobb’s own young music sensation) and Israeli dancing; Monday’s finale winds down with the Nu-Grass Americana sounds of The Chip McGuire Band;
  • On Monday, the Holy Smoke Festival returns to Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to BBQ meals served up by Williamson Bros. ($6 a plate), there will be a classic car show, live music, a Skydivers parachute jump team, and before all that gets underway, at 5K run and tot trot starting at 9 a.m. Admission is free.

Check out our full East Cobb News calendar listings for more events, this weekend and beyond. Did we miss anything? Do you have an item to share with the public? Contact us, and we’ll post it here! Send an email to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Thanks for getting in touch, and have a terrific Labor Day holiday weekend!

EAST COBB WEEKEND: High school football; Mt. Paran consignment sale; live music and more

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Spirit of Rush, The Wing Cafe & Tap House, East Cobb live music
The Spirit of Rush cover band plays Saturday night at The Wing Cafe & Tap House.

The high school football season swings into full action this weekend as most East Cobb schools have games, including three in the community, while several local restaurants and bars are offering a variety of live music and entertainment. Here are a few samples, and check out the East Cobb News full calendar listings for the weekend and beyond:

  • An all-East Cobb gridiron battle takes place at Lassiter (which won its opener last week against Johns Creek), where the Trojans play host to Pope. It’s the season opener for the Greyhounds under first-year coach Tab Griffin, a former Pope player and graduate;
  • Sprayberry opens its season under debut coach Brett Vavra (who once played for the Yellow Jackets) against Osborne; Walton (1-0), which won a thriller at the Corky Kell Classic, plays at home for the first time, against Brookwood; after losing 52-0 to Marietta, Wheeler (0-1) hits the road at Centennial; all kickoff times are 730pm; Kell is off this week;
  • Fans of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s can indulge in their favorites at two live shows this weekend at The Wing Cafe & Tap House (2145 Roswell Road). On Friday, the Rush cover band Spirit of Rush will play from the Canadian progressive band’s iconic “Permanent Waves” album, from 10pm-1 am; on Saturday, ’80s tribute band Shyanne will play at the same venue, at the same time;
  • There’s also live music at Red Sky Tapas and Bar (1255 Johnson Ferry) with the regular Friday-Saturday stand-bys, the 88 Licks Dueling Pianos Show; at Chicago’s Steak & Seafood (4401 Shallowford Road), the featured weekend acts at the SpeakEasy Loung are Jack Collins on Friday and Paul Joseph on Saturday, from 7:30pm-10pm each night;
  • Live music also is on tap Saturday at 9pm at the Rose and Crown Tavern (1931 Powers Ferry Road); and the Sunday Funday Open Mic at Keegan’s Irish Pub (4401 Shallowford Road), where sign-up starts at 6:30 pm.;
  • The late summer consignment sale season continues this weekend with the All 4 Kids Children’s Consignment Sale at Mt. Paran Church of God North (1700 Allgood Road); hours are 9:30am-8pm Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday.

Did we miss something? Do you have a calendar item to share? Send your event listing to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it, free of charge!

Please keep in touch, and have a great weekend!

 

East Cobb high school football coaches: game has never been safer

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Jep Irwin, East Cobb high school football
Lassiter head football coach Jep Irwin. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

As they prepare for a new football season that begins tonight, high school coaches in East Cobb and around the nation have been answering familiar questions about the safety of the sport.

Concussions and other crippling injuries involving former NFL stars continue to make the news. In late July, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that 110 of 111 now-deceased professional players whose brains had been examined had been diagnosed for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

That’s a degenerative brain disease that’s been connected to concussions, and is discovered only in brains donated after death. The names of NFL legends with CTE is a long and sobering one: Dave Duerson, Frank Gifford, Junior Seau, Bubba Smith, Ken Stabler and many more. Some, like Duerson and Seau, have committed suicide.

Some living former NFL players have serious memory loss, also associated with concussions and linked to CTE. The physician and researcher credited with discovering CTE says any parent who lets their child play football is committing child abuse.

Walton football
(East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

Some have called for the termination of youth football altogether, or at least seriously limiting contact for young players before high- and middle school age.

But coaches asked about the subject at last week’s East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast (ECN coverage here) say their sport is being unfairly characterized.

“High school football is not what you see on ESPN,” said coach Jep Irwin of Lassiter, whose Trojans play at Johns Creek tonight in their season opener. “There’s never been a safer, better time to play high school football.”

He was referring to how the media has reported about CTE and professional players. Irwin said that technology, equipment, officiating and medical intervention all have improved vastly in his eight years at Lassiter, including concussion protocols.

“Is it [completely] safe? No,” Irwin said. “There’s risk in everything that humans do.

“What you see in the NFL is not the case at the high school level. We’re not about win-at-all-costs” when it comes to the welfare of players.

Daniel Brunner, the first-year coach at Walton, pointed out that concussion rates for girls soccer are also high, “but nobody’s talking about shutting down girls soccer.”

Brett Sloan, the new coach at Kell and a former Walton assistant, said what he stresses with his staff, players and their parents is an education process at the youth level.

Other coaches say they also limit the amount of contact that takes place in practice. The East Cobb coaches said they weren’t trying to dismiss the severity of the CTE issue, and they understand parental and player concerns.

Concussion and CTE research at the high school level is not as extensive, but coaches say they’ve never been more committed to ensuring the safest environment for their kids.

Including Irwin, whose son is a sophomore at Lassiter and plays football.

“I love my son more than I love football,” he said. “If I didn’t think it was safe . . . then why play at all?”

EAST COBB WEEKEND: Brass band concert; consignment sales; high school football; Mt. Zion UMC celebration

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Wasted Potential Brass Band
The Wasted Potential Brass Band, in concert Saturday as part of the The Art Place-Mountain View’s Summer Stars Concert Series.

The weather may still feel like Dog Days, but the calendar of events in East Cobb for this weekend is filling up with a fall-like flair.

All kinds of school events, including the return of high school football, grace the weekend slate of activities. Here’s a sampling, with links for more details:

  • The Kell and Walton football squads will be playing Saturday in the Corky Kell Classic at the Georgia State Stadium—formerly known as Turner Field—in downtown Atlanta, while the Lassiter Trojans also hit the road on Friday, opening their season at Johns Creek;
  • The Wheeler Wildcats are the only East Cobb team playing at home, and that’s on Friday at 7:30 against their ancient rivals, the Marietta Blue Devils. After some fierce online voting, WSB-TV announced that its Sports Zone crew will be on at Corky Kell Stadium (375 Holt Road) as its very first game of the week;
  • Pope and Sprayberry fans—sit tight, your season openers are next week;
  • Bargain clothes hunters will have a big weekend, too, with children’s consignment sales going on at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church (4385 Lower Roswell Road) and the NOWAMOM sale at Sandy Plains Baptist Church (2825 Sandy Plains Road);
  • If you’ve got unwanted electronics and metal objects, the Pope High School Band will gladly take them at the school (3001 Hembree Road) from 9-4 Saturday. It’s the band’s annual recycling event, and there’s a flyer to download at the link for a list of accepted items;
  • The next-to-last Summer Stars Concert Series event of the season takes Saturday at The Art Place-Mountain View (3330 Sandy Plains Road), and the entertainment is from the Wasted Potential Bass Brand. It’s a New Orleans-style band based in Atlanta. The gates open at 7 p.m., with the band revving up at 7:30. Bring a blanket and relax on the lawn for free, or buy a table for 8 for $40. Either way, bring your own food (but as always, alcohol is not allowed);
  • On Sunday, one of East Cobb’s most venerable faith communities is having a birthday. Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (1770 Johnson Ferry Road) is turning 125 years old, and the public is invited to celebrate. There will be only one service, at 10 a.m., followed by a festival of food, games, and more, lasting until 2 p.m. (and perhaps longer).

Click the East Cobb News calendar page for more events this weekend, and beyond. Help us make the calendar even better by sending your items to: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Please stay in touch, and have a great weekend!

PHOTOS: East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club

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East Cobb Pigskin Preview
East Cobb high school football head coaches, from L-R: Tab Griffin (Pope); Brett Sloan (Kell); Daniel Brunner (Walton); Brett Vavra (Sprayberry); Mike Collins (Wheeler); and Jep Irwin (Lassiter). East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker.

The banquet room at the Indian Hills Country Club was filled Thursday morning with local business leaders, hungry high school football players and their coaches at the annual East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast.

The six high school head coaches briefed attendees about the season ahead and answered audience questions at the event sponsored by the East Cobb Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

East Cobb Pigskin Preview

Four of the six coaches are new to the job. Only Jep Irwin of Lassiter, and Mike Collins of Wheeler, both in their eighth seasons, return to the sidelines at the same school.

Two of the newcomers are returning to their alma maters: Brett Vavra of Sprayberry, and Tab Griffin of Pope. The other first-year coaches are no strangers to the East Cobb prep football scene. Brett Sloan of Kell was an assistant at Walton the last two years. Daniel Brunner, also a Raiders assistant, was named head coach when Mo Dixon resigned to take a job at south Georgia powerhouse Colquitt County.

Pope graduate Tab Griffin returns as head coach of the Greyhounds.

Griffin, who had been an assistant coach at Mount Paran Christian School, said returning to Pope is “kind of a homecoming for me. It’s been my dream ever since Pope opened to come back and be the head football coach.”

Vavra, who was an assistant at Etowah, echoed similar thoughts. “I’m super excited to be back home,” he said, noting “the great sense of pride in the community” that welcomed him back to Sprayberry.

Brett Vavra, Sprayberry football
Sprayberry head coach Brett Vavra.

The energetic Brunner said bringing the entire Walton football community together is an important objective for him, and last weekend the first “Raider Day” event took place (see East Cobb News coverage here).

Kell also went looking for a new coach when Derek Cook resigned in the spring after nine years on the job. The Longhorns tapped Sloan, who had come to Walton with Dixon from South Carolina, and who had helped guide the Raiders into the post-season.

Pope High School football
Pope football players

Sloan, who’s also anxious due to the upcoming birth of his first child, said Kell’s goal is simple: to reach the state finals. The Longhorns were eliminated in the semifinals, so there’s no need, Sloan said, “to replace what they’ve done at Kell, but to build on it.”

Wheeler is hopeful for a playoff berth after going 5-6 and reaching the region playoffs. The Wildcats’ main objective is to be more consistent; in 2016 they weren’t able to put together a winning streak. “It had a lot to do with the teams we were playing the following week,” Collins said.

Lassiter also reached the post-season with a 6-5 finish, and the Trojans boast one of the best high school players in the nation in defensive back Derrik Allen. He has been chosen to play in the Army All-American all-star game in January and will play college football at Notre Dame.

Some East Cobb teams are holding scrimmages this week and next. Walton and Kell will be playing next Saturday at the Corky Kell Classic in downtown Atlanta. The first full slate of games is Friday, Aug. 25.

East Cobb Pigskin Preview