High schools
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Prep baseball: State Playoff previews |
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Prep baseball: Ackerman ready to take the mound in playoffs for Falcons FLOWERY BRANCH — Flowery Branch senior Cody Ackerman isn’t going to knock your socks off when you see him pitch. The Falcons’ No. 2 starter lacks the luster of a towering pitcher with a mammoth wing span that can deliver a blazing fastball in the 90s. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. At 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, Ackerman is one of the smallest players on Class AAA No. 1-ranked Flowery Branch’s roster, and his fastball tops out in the mid-80s. But at least he’s got a pretty ... 
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Prep track and field: Drummond, Clark win state titles JEFFERSON — The Flowery Branch boys track and field team got state titles from junior Daniel Drummond in the discus (171 feet, nine inches), and Otis Clark won the Class AAA state title in the high jump (6-8) to take the lead after the first day of the state meet (28 points) Thursday at Jefferson Memorial Stadium. Flowery Branch, which has 28 points, leads second place Sandy Creek (21.5), Westover (18) and Westminster (12). “It’s been a good start,” Flowery Branch coach Jimmy Sorrells said. “If you look at how we qualified ... |
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Smith chosen as new Johnson girls basketball coach Ron Smith was announced as the new Johnson High girls basketball coach Thursday by principal Damon Gibbs. Smith was first interviewed for the position Monday and offered the position Thursday morning. His hiring must be formally approved by the county school board at its meeting Monday. Smith takes over for Michael Youngblood, who accepted the boys coaching position at Oconee County on April 29. Youngblood spent two seasons coaching the Lady Knights. Smith says he was drawn to Johnson with the "family atmosphere of the school" and its success in athletics. |
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Prep track: Flowery Branch's Van takes aim at four state titles FLOWERY BRANCH—Norvell Van has found his calling as an athlete. After this Flowery Branch High senior track star takes part in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-hurdles, 4x400 relay and pole vault this weekend at the boys state meet at Jefferson Memorial Stadium, it’s not going to be the end of his athletic career. He hopes his athletic journey is just beginning. Van has committed to becoming a decathlete at Morehouse College in Atlanta next year. “In doing my college search, I knew I wanted to go to ...
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Prep soccer: Lady Trojans fall in state semis One inch put an end to North Hall’s remarkable season. Mired in a scoreless tie with Class AAA’s top-ranked team, Blessed Trinity, Taylor Green fired a long shot on goal that headed right at North Hall goalie Mary Mancin. As Mancin was about to handle the ball, Blessed Trinity’s Allison Gonzalez snuck behind the defense and headed the ball past Mancin to give the Lady Titans a 1-0 win and advance them to the state championship game for the fifth straight year. They will play Paulding County for the Class AAA state title Saturday. ...
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All-Region baseball announced in 8-A The Jefferson High and Lakeview Academy baseball teams were well represented in the Region 8-A All-Region team released on Tuesday. The region champion Dragons had three players receive top honors at their positions. Jake Fields was named Infielder of the Year, Chris Beck was named pitcher of the year and Chase Harris was named Catcher of the Year. Jefferson coach Tommy Knight was also honored with Coach of the Year. Tyler Hill and Blaine Skaggs were named first-team outfielders, Jed Gurley was named first-team designated hitter and Cameron Blinn represented Jefferson ... |
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Prep scoreboard: Lions fall to top-ranked Providence Christian The Lakeview Academy girls tennis team fell to Class A’s top-ranked and undefeated Providence Christian 3-0 in the Class A state semifinals on Tuesday. The Lions’ season is now complete. GOLF Westminster finishes second in invitational Westminster Christian School finished second among five schools in the Loganville Christian Academy Invitational on Tuesday. The Wildcats placed second (408), behind first-place Loganville Christian (382). Eli Crumley led Westminster with an 84. Sam Love carded a 101 for the Wildcats. Both golfers were named to the all-tournament team. Cumberland Christian (438), Westminster Christian of Watkinsville (472) ... |
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Prep soccer: Falcons season ends with state semifinal loss FLOWERY BRANCH —— Virtually every battle at midfield was won by Westminster, virtually every Falcons’ shot was deflected or saved and despite battling until the last minute, Class AAA’s No. 3-ranked Flowery Branch was beaten by No. 2 Westminster (17-3) 2-1 in the state semifinals Tuesday night at Falcon Field. "First off, God has blessed us this whole season," Flowery Branch coach Jeremy Purdy said. "We were determined, regardless, to work hard and do our best; we just came up short." Flowery Branch (18-2), which came into Tuesday night’s matchup looking for ...
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Prep basketball: Lakeview star to sign with Armstrong Atlantic Lakeview Academy’s David Pruett has decided to continue his education at Armstrong Atlantic State University and sign a letter of Intent with the basketball program. He was voted Region 8-A Player of the Year and was a Times first-team All-Area selection. A four-year starter at Lakeview, Pruett finished his career with 1,961 points, second most in school history. Pruett will sign his letter of intent at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Walters Athletic Center at Lakeview Academy. |
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Prep golf: Trojans, Indians place in the top 5 at state BALL GROUND — North Hall and Lumpkin County represented Region 7-AAA well as both teams finished in the top five at the boys Class AAA state golf meet Monday at the Hawks Ridge Golf Course in Ball Ground. The Trojans placed fourth, shooting a season-low (303) in the 16-team field made up of the top two teams from each region in the state. The Indians finished tied for fifth (305) in their first appearance in the golf state tournament in school history. "We’re elated with how we performed in our first trip ... |
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Athlete of the Week: North Hall goalkeeper saves the day North Hall’s Mary Mancin couldn’t be more excited about her team’s season so far. The junior goalkeeper has helped the Lady Trojans soccer team allow only eight goals all year. The result has been an 15-1-1 overall record, a region title and three wins in the Class AAA state tournament. "This has been the best year ever," Mancin said. "The entire team knows what they’re doing, and I can trust them." Mancin allowed only one goal against region opponents and has only one goal allowed in the team’s three playoff games. ...
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Prep golf: Lady Tigers take second in state The Dawson County High girls golf team finished second in the Class AA state championship with a score of 177 on Monday at Gold Greek Golf Course in Dawsonville. The Lady Tigers improve on last year’s third-place finish, earning second place for the first time in school history. Kasay Holbrook led Dawson County and finished second overall with an 86. Katie Stowers shot a 91, Charley Whitmire carded a 94 and Katie Turner shot a 98. Buford didn’t place in the state tournament, but the Lady Wovles were ... |
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Zopf: Fear the Falcons There’s something going on down at Flowery Branch High School, and I’m not talking about the recent coaching changes or the public run-ins with the law. No, what’s going on down at The Branch is a lot more positive than coaches leaving for other schools in the region or students getting caught doing illegal activities. What’s happening down at The Branch is winning, and a lot of it. In just its fifth year of existence, the athletic program at the South Hall high school is quickly becoming one of, if not the ... |
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Prep soccer: Buford girls make it to state semifinals The Buford High girls soccer team qualified for the state semifinals in Class AA/A for the second consecutive season with a 3-2 win against Brookstone Saturday night in Columbus. Buford visits Lovett in the round of four Wednesday night in Atlanta at a time still to be determined. Maria Petroni led the Lady Wolves (16-3-1) with two goals and Haley Holderfield also scored against Brookstone. Lady Wolves goalie Rachel Kaplan finished with three saves. Buford maintained control of the game throughout outshooting the Lady Cougars, 20-9. "We felt like we were ... |
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Prep soccer: Lady Trojans headed to state semifinals The North Hall girls soccer team felt an inner peace when time expired in overtime and headed into penalty kicks with the game tied 0-0 against No. 3 ranked St. Vincent’s Academy during Saturday’s Class AAA state quarterfinal. The fifth-ranked Lady Trojans felt a natural advantage playing at the Brickyard and in front of a friendly crowd. But the bulk of their confidence was pointed toward junior goalie Mary Mancin. Mancin kept the Trojans (15-1-1) in the game with a couple of crucial blocked shots late in the second half, and ...
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Prep track: VanGorder bests school record in 800 meters ALBANY -- North Hall senior track and field star Morgan VanGorder placed fifth in the GHSA Class AAA girls’ 800-meter dash state final Saturday at Hugh Mills Stadium. VanGorder, who holds the school record in the 800 with a time of 2:22.96, bested that time after clocking in at 2:21.001 Saturday, less than four seconds behind state champion Ann Centner of Oconee County. In her first year as a Lady Trojans’ track and field runner, VanGorder had her sights set on a higher finish but was pleased with the overall results. |
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Olympic hopefuls begin quest for '08 games The field of Canadian Olympic hopefuls in canoe and kayak started taking shape at the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Center on Saturday. Canoe finals in the men’s C-1 (one-person canoe) 1,000 meter race and men’s C-2 1,000 meter finals were held. Kayak finals in the men’s K-1 1,000 meter, men’s K-2 1,000 meter and women’s K-1 500 were also held. Andrew Russell and Gabriel Beauchesne-Sevigny placed first in the men’s C-2 1,000 meter, Attila Buday and Tamas Buday Jr. finished second (3 minutes, 45.67 seconds) and Kyle Jeffery/Ian Mortimer placed third (3:47.793).
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Prep track: Seniors lead Riverside to GISA state title Riverside Military senior Dubem Anachebe couldn’t eat or sleep the night before the Georgia Independent Schools Association state track meet began on April 25 in Albany. He was a ball of nervous energy thinking about his main competition in the 400-meter relay, Georgia signee and defending state champion Kyle Grant of Mount de Sales. "I was very nervous preparing for that race," Anachebe said. "I knew it was going to be a tough race." The Eagles cadet was uncertain what to expect going up against top-flight competition. Well, ...
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Prep baseball: Falcons win region championship FLOWERY BRANCH — Cody Ackerman was waiting on a fastball when he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning for No. 1-ranked Flowery Branch Friday night and he was more than willing to be the one to play the role of hero for the Falcons with the bases loaded and the score tied 3-3 against Lumpkin County. Ackerman got just what he wanted with only one out and a drawn in Indians (12-12, 10-11 Region 7-AAA) outfield. He sat on a fastball and drove it over the left fielder’s head to score Travis Coxworth ...
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Prep soccer: Flowery Branch advances to state semifinals FLOWERY BRANCH — If Flowery Branch High senior Kyle Ellis hadn’t yet made a name for himself in his first year playing soccer for the Falcons, he certainly has now. Ellis broke a scoreless tie with two minutes left in the game for Class AAA’s third-ranked Falcons to defeat LaGrange 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA state soccer playoffs in Flowery Branch. With the win, the Falcons (18-1-1) shut out their fourth-straight opponent and third in the playoffs. They advance to the state semifinals for the first time since 2006 and third time in school history, where ...
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Prep scoreboard: White County claims No. 4 seed in Region 7-AAA The White County High baseball team qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 1990, with a 14-5 win against West Hall on Friday night in Oakwood. With the win, the No. 4-seed Warriors (15-11, 13-9 Region 7-AAA) will visit Region 5-AAA champion and No. 4-ranked Dunwoody (19-5) in a best-of-three playoff series on May 9 in DeKalb County. “We were very fortunate to get the chance to play for a spot in the playoffs,” White County coach John Brown said. Davis Sosebee picked up the win ... |
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Prep news: Falcons move into No. 1 spot in Class AAA polls The Flowery Branch High baseball team earned the No. 1 rank in Class AAA in the most recent GACA Coaches baseball poll. The Falcons (23-2, 19-2) were ranked sixth in last week’s poll, but climbed to the top spot due to their current 15-game winning streak. Flowery Branch leads Region 7-AAA and can clinch the region title when they play host to Lumpkin County at 5:30 p.m. today. Last week’s No. 1 team, Columbus, fell to No. 2. Cartersville, Dunwoody and Cass round out the top 5. |
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Prep baseball: Wolverines put Trojans season in jeopardy CUMMING — North Hall’s baseball team didn’t want to resort to cheering for another team in order to qualify for the playoffs. However, that is what it has come to for the Trojans (16-10, 13-9 Region 7-AAA) after falling to West Forsyth 13-3 in six innings Thursday night in Cumming. North Hall must have White County (14-11, 12-9) lose to West Hall (7-18, 6-15) tonight in order to qualify for the playoffs. The Trojans controlled their own playoff destiny entering the final regular season game, but the Wolverines sent 15 batters to ...
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Prep baseball: Playoff seedings still up for grabs The baseball playoff picture for local schools in Region 8-A is much more cemented than in Region 7-AAA heading into today’s final day of regular season play. Win or lose today against Athens Academy, fourth-ranked Jefferson (17-4, 16-1 Region 8-A) is already the Region 8-A champion and holds the No. 1 playoff seed for the start of the state tournament next weekend. The Dragons will play host to Trion (6-16), the No. 4 seed out of Region 6-A next Friday in the best-of-three first-round playoff series. Lakeview Academy (17-7, 14-3) is ... |
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Prep scoreboard: Local sprinters qualify for state finals Members of the Gainesville and North Hall High girls track team qualified for the finals in day one of the Class AAA girls state track meet on Thursday at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany. The Lady Red Elephants’ 4x100-meter relay team of Tosha Turner, Caitlyn Ludwig, Dominique Woods, Keoindra Thompson and Shantora Butler finished fourth in heat one with a time of 49.12, making them eligble for the finals on Saturday. The Lady Trojans’ Morgan Van Gorder also qualified for the finals, finishing second in the 800 with a time of 2:21:08. ... |
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Prep soccer: Lady Trojans cruise to elite 8 In a blink of an eye, the North Hall girls soccer team were on their way to making history. Freshman Tess Patton scored less then 10 seconds into the start of the second half to give the fifth-ranked Lady Trojans a 2-0 lead that propelled them to a 4-0 win against No. 13-ranked Stephens County on Wednesday during the second round of the girls Class AAA state soccer playoffs at the Brickyard. According to North Hall assistant coach Jerome Samuels, Wednesday’s victory against the Lady Indians (12-4) marked the first time in ...
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Prep scoreboard: Falcons one game away from region title The Flowery Branch High baseball team moved one game closer to a region title with a 8-5 win against North Hall on Wednesday at Jody Davis Field. Cody Ackerman picked up the win for the Falcons (23-2, 19-2 Region 7-AAA), pitching a complete game. Greg Palmer was 3-for-4, Danny Price was 2-for-3, Patrick Henry homered and Bucky Free had a double and an RBI for Flowery Branch. Jackson Coker was 3-for-4, Josh Haymore was 2-for-4 and K.J. McAllister hit a two-run home run for the Trojans (16-9, 13-8). |
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Prep baseball: Despite blunders, Big Red wins Gainesville High baseball coach Wayne Vickery was stretched to find anything nice to say about his team after its 11-7 win over Gilmer Wednesday night at Ivey-Watson Field. Five fielding errors by the Red Elephants (20-5, 19-2 Region 7-AAA) along with a base running blunder between first and second base had their coach hot under the collar, even though Gainesville is assured no less than the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAA and a first round home series in the Class AAA state playoffs. The low point for the Red Elephants on ...
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Prep soccer: Lady Falcons shut out in season finale WATKINSVILLE — The Lady Falcons added their name to Oconee County’s list of frustrated offenses Wednesday. By the end of the game, their defense was frustrated, too. The No. 12-ranked Flowery Branch girls soccer team lost to the fourth-ranked Lady Warriors 4-0 at Warrior Stadium, ending their season in the second round of the Class AAA playoffs. The Lady Warriors will play Spalding in the quarterfinals. “I thought we could play with them,” first-year Flowery Branch coach Katie Wood said. “They didn’t do anything we didn’t expect.” |
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Prep scoreboard: Lakeview advances to state quarterfinals The Lakeview Academy girls tennis team keep their quest for a state title alive with a 3-0 win against Aquinas in the second round of the Class A State Tournament on Tuesday in Augusta. Niki Patel earned a singles win for the Lions, winning 6-3, 6-2 over Aquinas’ Mary Elaine Gambill. Lakeview locked up the win with two doubles wins from the teams of Molly Smith/Jackie Burleson and Paige Atherton/Nyari Chanakira. Lakeview advances to the state quarterfinals when the Lady Lions play host to the Jefferson/Providence Christian winner ... |
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Prep track: Falcons win Region 7-AAA title CUMMING — In track and field, a winner is often decided by a few seconds or a few inches, and while no photo finish was needed, the Region 7-AAA track and field champion was not determined until the final event. After leading the majority of the tournament, Flowery Branch found itself down 82-81 to West Hall with only three events remaining. But the Falcons got a first place finish from senior Norvell Van in the 300-meter hurdles and a second-place finish from Daniel Martinez and a fourth-place finish from Jeffrey Velez in the 3,200-meter ...
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Prep soccer: Flowery Branch earns third straight shutout and berth in state quarterfinals FLOWERY BRANCH — The start of a state playoff soccer game is, more times than not, laced with uncertainty. In-game adjustments combined with the realization that, regardless of the stakes, it is still just a game can breed confidence. Not as much confidence, however, as the first score. Over a 10-minute span in the second half Class AAA No. 3-ranked Flowery Branch went from scoreless to a three-score lead in its 3-0 win over Class AAA No. 11-ranked Sandy Creek on Tuesday night at Falcon Field in the second round of the Class ... 
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Johnson girls basketball coach resigns The coaching changes in Region 7-AAA continue. After two years coaching the Lady Knights basketball team at Johnson High, Michael Youngblood is leaving the school to coach the Oconee County boys next year. “The decision came down to what my goals are as a basketball coach and that was coaching boys,” said Youngblood, who last coached boys four years ago at Madison County. “I wanted to go where I felt I ... |
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Prep track: Riverside wins state Behind Ewin Holyfield’s four first-place finishes, the Riverside Military Academy track team was crowned the Georgia Independent Schools Association’s state champions in track and field on Saturday. Eleven of the 14 members of the Eagles track team earned a combined total of 111 points, 10 points more than second place First Presbyterian Day School. With a jump measuring 42 feet, 6 inches, Holyfield placed first in the triple jump to go along with his first-place finishes in the 200-meter dash (22.35 seconds). Holyfield, along with Tersoo Uhaa, Conner Cuevas and Sebastian ... |
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Athlete of the week: Fields slams six homers in one week From Little League to the Major Leagues, baseball players everywhere dream of having the type of week that Jefferson High sophomore Jake Fields had last week. The Dragons cleanup hitter lived up to his position in the lineup by finishing the week 10-for-12 (.833 average) with six home runs, nine runs scored and 15 RBIs. “Nobody I’ve ever been around has had a week like Jake (Fields) had,” said Jefferson coach Tommy Knight, who has coached baseball for 19 years. “Everything he hit was hard.” The hardest balls hit ... |
