ELCA is the beast that everyone wants to beat.
Wesleyan actually got two chances to do it this year, and played them close the first time, but ELCA blew them out 35-13 last week. ELCA ran for 342 yards and they held Wesleyan to only 48.
So, how do you beat ELCA ?
I am not sure that you do. However, how does any one team that is maybe not as talented as the other pull an upset ?
The answer to that is turnovers and taking advantage of every opportunity.
I feel like Wesleyan had some chances early, but had to settle for two early field goals for a 6-0 lead instead of 14-0.
ELCA is going to score points. They have done it all year and there is not reason to believe they wont this week. But Tattnall has talented players who are play makers and of they can force a few turnovers then they have a chance.
Tattnall will have to move the football consistently and in all reality, they have struggled at times against good teams. However, when they have had to score this year they have found a way.
The urgency has to start at the very beginning of the game. They cannot fall behind in this game.
Yes Tattnall is in for quite a battle, but who can possibly say that these guys are not ready for this. ELCA has been on cruise control, coasting through everyone, while Tattnall has had to battle for every yard over the last two games.
I am glad that Tattnall is still playing. They have kids on that team that deserve the chance to play college football and several of them are not loaded with offers. Are you telling me that Tattnall does not have at least five players or more that should have multiple offers ? I am not going to name them because I will forget someone, but off the top of my head I can think of 5 or 6 that can play at the d1 or d2 level.
Maybe this game against big time competition will get a few of them a few more offers.
My mind will be on the "Square" friday night, and I will never ever doubt they they will play their best game of the year and try to slay the dragon.
Mary Persons also lived to play another day with a very impressive win and who is to say that they cannnot keep winning. They will have a difficult time this week against Cartersville who is 13-0 on the year.
Macon County and Khari Lane and his 50 touchdown passes will have a home game against undefeated ECI, who has a quarterback with 32 touchdown passes. This may be the most interesting game to watch and expect it to take 45 to win the game.
Peach County at 12-1 runs into GAC who also comes in at 12-1 but Peach is at home where they are very tough to beat.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Saturday, November 26, 2016
WHY Tattnall Square won and a few tidbits
I watched Tattnall Square play friday night from the comfort of my living room and a few bud lights.
It was honestly the first high school football game I have payed to see in like, nine years.
And it was worth every penny.
I was fairly sure after the first quarter that Tattnall may have a difficult night, Calvary was big in the backfield and physical on defense and I would have to say they looked like the better team early. But as they have done all year, Tattnall found a way.
Leading the way early was Vasco Sanders. I firmly believe that the team that scores first in an evenly matched high school game often wins. If that is true Vasco may have had the biggest play of the year when he blocked the field goal. I saw it and I saw the replay, and it was amazing. The guy should get offers just from the athleticism he showed from that play.
I saw Tattnall's offense get ripped a little bit early with the hits they were taking. But Miles Morris came up with a huge throw to a wide open Antoine Davis for a long touchdown pass for the second huge play of the game. Yes he was wide open , but the qb got rocked pretty good and still made the pass and Antoine caught the ball. How many times have you seen UGA receivers drop wide open passes?
So we get to the half in a tie ball game and Tattnall had like 70 yards rushing. So they come out and run the football in the third quarter and the miracle man gets going. Barron for 32 Barron for 25 and a score. Tattnall leads.
That Barron touchdown was the third big play of the game.
I cant remember everything that happened after all of this, but I know Calvary went on about a nine minute drive to tie it, and then both teams punted, and I remember a big third down pass on 3rd and 9 to Jimmy Marshall from Miles Morris that would have to go down as the fourth big play of the game.
A few plays later Destin Mack rips off a 17 yard run on another third down to give Tattnall the lead.
Big play number 5.
I wasn't so sure that Calvary would not answer that score and god knows they tried but Christian and Sean, and Dayton and Calvin, and Antoine, and all the others, well, they said no and came up with a stop when they had to. .
After that stop the stupid Calvary Day announcer was calling it a night and said the game was over. But hey I can count and figured that Tattnall needed a first down to end it. About that time the miracle man, you know the 5'7 170 pounder with the heart of a 6'3 220 guy, ends it with an 81 yarder.
Ball Game and its over now.
We will talk about next weeks game next week but it will be david vs goliath for sure. But hey, who says it cant be done, or wont be done. Good, Better, Best right ?
My hat is off to Northside, Peach County,Mary Persons, and Macon County for keeping Middle Georgia alive.
Did you know that Khari Lane from Macon County has thrown 50 touchdowns this year with only one interception?
Sorry I hat to throw that in because its a staggering number
See yaal soon
It was honestly the first high school football game I have payed to see in like, nine years.
And it was worth every penny.
I was fairly sure after the first quarter that Tattnall may have a difficult night, Calvary was big in the backfield and physical on defense and I would have to say they looked like the better team early. But as they have done all year, Tattnall found a way.
Leading the way early was Vasco Sanders. I firmly believe that the team that scores first in an evenly matched high school game often wins. If that is true Vasco may have had the biggest play of the year when he blocked the field goal. I saw it and I saw the replay, and it was amazing. The guy should get offers just from the athleticism he showed from that play.
I saw Tattnall's offense get ripped a little bit early with the hits they were taking. But Miles Morris came up with a huge throw to a wide open Antoine Davis for a long touchdown pass for the second huge play of the game. Yes he was wide open , but the qb got rocked pretty good and still made the pass and Antoine caught the ball. How many times have you seen UGA receivers drop wide open passes?
So we get to the half in a tie ball game and Tattnall had like 70 yards rushing. So they come out and run the football in the third quarter and the miracle man gets going. Barron for 32 Barron for 25 and a score. Tattnall leads.
That Barron touchdown was the third big play of the game.
I cant remember everything that happened after all of this, but I know Calvary went on about a nine minute drive to tie it, and then both teams punted, and I remember a big third down pass on 3rd and 9 to Jimmy Marshall from Miles Morris that would have to go down as the fourth big play of the game.
A few plays later Destin Mack rips off a 17 yard run on another third down to give Tattnall the lead.
Big play number 5.
I wasn't so sure that Calvary would not answer that score and god knows they tried but Christian and Sean, and Dayton and Calvin, and Antoine, and all the others, well, they said no and came up with a stop when they had to. .
After that stop the stupid Calvary Day announcer was calling it a night and said the game was over. But hey I can count and figured that Tattnall needed a first down to end it. About that time the miracle man, you know the 5'7 170 pounder with the heart of a 6'3 220 guy, ends it with an 81 yarder.
Ball Game and its over now.
We will talk about next weeks game next week but it will be david vs goliath for sure. But hey, who says it cant be done, or wont be done. Good, Better, Best right ?
My hat is off to Northside, Peach County,Mary Persons, and Macon County for keeping Middle Georgia alive.
Did you know that Khari Lane from Macon County has thrown 50 touchdowns this year with only one interception?
Sorry I hat to throw that in because its a staggering number
See yaal soon
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Tattnall and a few other things
I do not profess to be an expert on Calvary Day, the team who will try to end Tattnall Squares undefeated season.
I know they are undefeated also
I know that Rick Tomberlin is one of the best coaches in the state
I know that they are run oriented
And I am fairly sure that they will end the season friday night
You see Tattnall is a team of destiny this year
and you just cannot mess with a good destiny story
Here is why I think it is a destiny issue
First of all last years coach decides to ditch Tattnall tradition and run the spread offense. He didn't decide this at the beginning of the year, he decided it in the middle of the year.
I was not around Tattnall much, but I am sure that went over well (no)
So that coach decides to leave or realizes he better leave and Tattnall hires a young guy, who will run the wing-t, a more Tattnall like offense. Chance Jones had the experience at a major private school, Prince Avenue, and was ready to be a head coach.
Tattnall was smart enough to go after him.
Now here is where the destiny to the story comes in.
Ronnie Jones retired I think right before Chance got the job. You know Ronnie Jones, the guy who won so many football games running this little offense and winning with whoever he had running the football. I mean the man has 329 wins.
You know Ronnie Jones, he is also Chances dad.
One can only imagine how that phone call went
Chance "Hey dad you know I got the Tattnall job and I was wondering if you wanted to be on my staff ?
Ronnie "Well you know, this is your show now and I am sure you don't need me hanging around and getting in your way. Plus I have all these other plans so I just don't know about it.
Chance: "Please "
Ronnie "I don't own anything but green shirts Chance, but if you really want me to , ok I will do it.
So Chance locks Ronnie down.
Then the craziness starts. Bryan Way retires as the WRHS football coach and he has his time in in the public school system. I have known Bryan Way since high school and I know he is 54 years old, just like me. Yes WRHS class of 1980. So what do men do when they "retire" at 54 ?
According to my wife, they get another job that maybe doesn't have as much pressure as the one before. So Tattnall gets Bryan Way, a former offensive lineman, to coach the offensive line and teach at the school. So lets add another 92 wins as a football coach to the staff.
Jim Massey gets fired for not being able to win basketball games at Mount de Sales, which was a tall order to do because MDS has been on a downward trend athletically, but look what happens here. Jim Massey looks around and rings Tattnall's phone. Jim Massey, probably the best AP history teacher in town,(both my kids attest to that) and maybe the best assistant coach around here, ends up at
you guessed it, Tattnall.
I have known Jim for 25 or so years. He once called me on a Saturday morning and asked me to go to a UGA-Auburn game at Auburn and I said sure. So we get to Columbus and I am driving and I am like where do we go now? Jim is a very smart man and he said I have no clue but follow that car with the Auburn flags on it, he is probably going to the game. So we followed that car for 50 or so miles into the dark night of Alabama until that car pulled into their driveway. Not a good thing for us, but we eventually found Auburn Alabama.
John Garrett Abernathy is a MDS graduate that I know well and he adds that youthful enthusiasm to the staff as well as someone who just ended his college career.
And he ends up as another piece of the magical Tattnall pie.
Ahmad Barron , what can I say. In the spread , he would have been just another player. In the wing T, he is the miracle man. Vasco, Zion, Jimmy, Antoine, Destin, Miles and that offensive line will produce more success Friday night.
The holdover from the last staff, Travis Absher, has a defense with Christian, and Sean and Dayton and Calvin and so many others that have stopped folks when they have to.
A bunch of seniors not quite ready to play a last high school football game ?
Its destiny I'm telling you
Tattnall 23
Calvary 16
My hat is off to Stratford for giving Tattnall all they could handle last week. I truly believe the Eagles are a top 5 team in the state and just ran into a very difficult matchup. Macon football is so much better this year than it has been in a long time, and it is time for everyone to support the one school that is left from our town
I know they are undefeated also
I know that Rick Tomberlin is one of the best coaches in the state
I know that they are run oriented
And I am fairly sure that they will end the season friday night
You see Tattnall is a team of destiny this year
and you just cannot mess with a good destiny story
Here is why I think it is a destiny issue
First of all last years coach decides to ditch Tattnall tradition and run the spread offense. He didn't decide this at the beginning of the year, he decided it in the middle of the year.
I was not around Tattnall much, but I am sure that went over well (no)
So that coach decides to leave or realizes he better leave and Tattnall hires a young guy, who will run the wing-t, a more Tattnall like offense. Chance Jones had the experience at a major private school, Prince Avenue, and was ready to be a head coach.
Tattnall was smart enough to go after him.
Now here is where the destiny to the story comes in.
Ronnie Jones retired I think right before Chance got the job. You know Ronnie Jones, the guy who won so many football games running this little offense and winning with whoever he had running the football. I mean the man has 329 wins.
You know Ronnie Jones, he is also Chances dad.
One can only imagine how that phone call went
Chance "Hey dad you know I got the Tattnall job and I was wondering if you wanted to be on my staff ?
Ronnie "Well you know, this is your show now and I am sure you don't need me hanging around and getting in your way. Plus I have all these other plans so I just don't know about it.
Chance: "Please "
Ronnie "I don't own anything but green shirts Chance, but if you really want me to , ok I will do it.
So Chance locks Ronnie down.
Then the craziness starts. Bryan Way retires as the WRHS football coach and he has his time in in the public school system. I have known Bryan Way since high school and I know he is 54 years old, just like me. Yes WRHS class of 1980. So what do men do when they "retire" at 54 ?
According to my wife, they get another job that maybe doesn't have as much pressure as the one before. So Tattnall gets Bryan Way, a former offensive lineman, to coach the offensive line and teach at the school. So lets add another 92 wins as a football coach to the staff.
Jim Massey gets fired for not being able to win basketball games at Mount de Sales, which was a tall order to do because MDS has been on a downward trend athletically, but look what happens here. Jim Massey looks around and rings Tattnall's phone. Jim Massey, probably the best AP history teacher in town,(both my kids attest to that) and maybe the best assistant coach around here, ends up at
you guessed it, Tattnall.
I have known Jim for 25 or so years. He once called me on a Saturday morning and asked me to go to a UGA-Auburn game at Auburn and I said sure. So we get to Columbus and I am driving and I am like where do we go now? Jim is a very smart man and he said I have no clue but follow that car with the Auburn flags on it, he is probably going to the game. So we followed that car for 50 or so miles into the dark night of Alabama until that car pulled into their driveway. Not a good thing for us, but we eventually found Auburn Alabama.
John Garrett Abernathy is a MDS graduate that I know well and he adds that youthful enthusiasm to the staff as well as someone who just ended his college career.
And he ends up as another piece of the magical Tattnall pie.
Ahmad Barron , what can I say. In the spread , he would have been just another player. In the wing T, he is the miracle man. Vasco, Zion, Jimmy, Antoine, Destin, Miles and that offensive line will produce more success Friday night.
The holdover from the last staff, Travis Absher, has a defense with Christian, and Sean and Dayton and Calvin and so many others that have stopped folks when they have to.
A bunch of seniors not quite ready to play a last high school football game ?
Its destiny I'm telling you
Tattnall 23
Calvary 16
My hat is off to Stratford for giving Tattnall all they could handle last week. I truly believe the Eagles are a top 5 team in the state and just ran into a very difficult matchup. Macon football is so much better this year than it has been in a long time, and it is time for everyone to support the one school that is left from our town
Friday, November 18, 2016
Pics of the week
I know everyone has been waiting all week for me to finalize my picks for the week.
It has been a very good week numbers wise for a small town bloggers like me, with upwards of 600 hits this week, as I head towards the magic 20,000 number.
These picks this week were somewhat agonizing, because as I looked at them, I realized many great high school football players will play their last football game.
Northside however will not be one of them. I used the word cupcake at least once last week and I believe the Eagles get the cupcake award this weekend with an easy win over Langston Hughes.
Jones County however was not so lucky. They get Buford, who is always good and this year is no exception , as they are 10- on the year. The only loss was to Roswell who is undefeated. If any coach in this area can go on the road and get a win, it is Justin Rogers, but I don't think it will happen. Hunnicutt to Singleton happens for the last time Friday night. But what a run those seniors had, basically turning Jones County into a football power.
I fought myself over the Mary Persons -Heritage game also. Heritage has lost three games this year, but they put up tons of points. Brian Nelson wins football games every year, and has some great players on both sides of the football. But my gut says that the Bulldogs will give up too many points to a passing offense to win. I believe Zach Harvey and Malik Herring have their season end Friday night as Heritage edges them in a close game.
None of that for Peach County however. I believe they get an impressive win
FPD has been under achieving all year and end up with the football team nobody wants to play in Eagles Landing. It wont be pretty as Eagles Landing knocks the Vikings out of post season play
I am also fairly confident with my picks of Jefferson beating West Laurens and Pepperell taking out Dodge County, while WACO wins a close game over Chatooga.
John Milledge and JT Wall win a close one over Gatewood for the GISA state championship.
I guess I have to make a pick on Tattnall and Stratford. I have leaned towards both teams over the last week, but I believe I knew on Monday who I would pick. I was working in a story and talking to a coach who had played both teams and I asked him who would win, and he did not think twice about it.He gave me reasons why they would win and I guess I bought in. I am sure I will be getting pictures of the scoreboard if I miss this pick , but after much consideration, I will go with a Sean Brown led defense and a Ahmad Barron, Jimmy Marshall led offense to win a very very close game over Stratford.
Lets go with Tattnall 20 Stratford 17
It has been a very good week numbers wise for a small town bloggers like me, with upwards of 600 hits this week, as I head towards the magic 20,000 number.
These picks this week were somewhat agonizing, because as I looked at them, I realized many great high school football players will play their last football game.
Northside however will not be one of them. I used the word cupcake at least once last week and I believe the Eagles get the cupcake award this weekend with an easy win over Langston Hughes.
Jones County however was not so lucky. They get Buford, who is always good and this year is no exception , as they are 10- on the year. The only loss was to Roswell who is undefeated. If any coach in this area can go on the road and get a win, it is Justin Rogers, but I don't think it will happen. Hunnicutt to Singleton happens for the last time Friday night. But what a run those seniors had, basically turning Jones County into a football power.
I fought myself over the Mary Persons -Heritage game also. Heritage has lost three games this year, but they put up tons of points. Brian Nelson wins football games every year, and has some great players on both sides of the football. But my gut says that the Bulldogs will give up too many points to a passing offense to win. I believe Zach Harvey and Malik Herring have their season end Friday night as Heritage edges them in a close game.
None of that for Peach County however. I believe they get an impressive win
FPD has been under achieving all year and end up with the football team nobody wants to play in Eagles Landing. It wont be pretty as Eagles Landing knocks the Vikings out of post season play
I am also fairly confident with my picks of Jefferson beating West Laurens and Pepperell taking out Dodge County, while WACO wins a close game over Chatooga.
John Milledge and JT Wall win a close one over Gatewood for the GISA state championship.
I guess I have to make a pick on Tattnall and Stratford. I have leaned towards both teams over the last week, but I believe I knew on Monday who I would pick. I was working in a story and talking to a coach who had played both teams and I asked him who would win, and he did not think twice about it.He gave me reasons why they would win and I guess I bought in. I am sure I will be getting pictures of the scoreboard if I miss this pick , but after much consideration, I will go with a Sean Brown led defense and a Ahmad Barron, Jimmy Marshall led offense to win a very very close game over Stratford.
Lets go with Tattnall 20 Stratford 17
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Tattnall will win because ?
First of all, I never said yesterday was the FINAL choice of who I thought would win the Tattnall and Stratford game.
But many of you assumed that I was picking Stratford after yesterday and many of you sent quality messages to me in my twitter mailbox.
Thank you to all those who cared. I am glad that people are reading.
However yesterday was just a tease as to whom I think will actually win.
that's not saying today is another tease, but I will say that I will blog again tomorrow
HMMM did I tell you anything ?
It should be ok that some people doubted how good Tattnall was early in the season. Their first six opponents ended the year with a combined 12-50 record. That is about as bad as it can get. But guess what ? The last four have a combined record of 27-17, and if you take Washington Wilkes out of the equation , the other three schools Tattnall played is a combined 23-10. That's not to bad.
So, while coasting and resting and developing through a terrible early season schedule, Tattnall is battle tested , with wins over playoff teams Twiggs County, FPD, and Stratford in three consecutive weekends.
You see Tattnall is a team of destiny, because they played a crappy, terrible, horrible, disgustingly easy schedule, but all that did was give them the confidence they needed after a four win season a year ago. Wins make believers and I feel like that is what has happened to them this year.
And that is why they will take down a very good Stratford team on Friday night.
Lets take a look at the offense. Tattnall runs the wing-t and they have moved the ball against almost everyone. They struggled to run the football against FPD, but when it got down to crunch time, they pounded the ball at FPD with Ahmad Barron over and over again. I was watching the last few drives and I was like, hey they are running the football out of the conventional I formation with a fullback and a running back. No said Chance Jones, they were still in the wing-t it was just an older version of it that they thought would work. Now who else can do that ?
I said the key word for Tattnall already. Barron. Barron, the best back in Macon this year by far, came through against FPD, he came through against Stratford, and he has had a spectacular senior season. He is obviously the key. However the Trojans are not a one trick pony on offense because they have Zion Blasingame, Antoine Davis, Destin Mack, and Vasco Sanders, all capable running backs who can make a difference in a big game like this. But what I think makes them special is that last year, Miles Morris was throwing the ball all over the place with success, and he has quality weapons on the outside with Jimmy Marshall and Calvin Slaughter to throw the ball too. I believe Tattnall throws it a little bit early to open things up. And I believe that Jimmy Marshall could do a lot more than just block in this game.
I worry about the defense a little bit, but Christian Rodgers and Dayton Steinmeyer are proven seniors who have been around forever. Remember Stratford only scored three points against them the last time they played.
Tattnall will not be out coached despite having a first year guy at the helm. I have talked about that enough. But they sure wont lose any coaching battle with that staff.
So how in the world can undefeated Tattnall lose this game at home in front of 10,000 screaming fans. As of today, I am not sure they can.
But hey, don't believe me , go see it
But many of you assumed that I was picking Stratford after yesterday and many of you sent quality messages to me in my twitter mailbox.
Thank you to all those who cared. I am glad that people are reading.
However yesterday was just a tease as to whom I think will actually win.
that's not saying today is another tease, but I will say that I will blog again tomorrow
HMMM did I tell you anything ?
It should be ok that some people doubted how good Tattnall was early in the season. Their first six opponents ended the year with a combined 12-50 record. That is about as bad as it can get. But guess what ? The last four have a combined record of 27-17, and if you take Washington Wilkes out of the equation , the other three schools Tattnall played is a combined 23-10. That's not to bad.
So, while coasting and resting and developing through a terrible early season schedule, Tattnall is battle tested , with wins over playoff teams Twiggs County, FPD, and Stratford in three consecutive weekends.
You see Tattnall is a team of destiny, because they played a crappy, terrible, horrible, disgustingly easy schedule, but all that did was give them the confidence they needed after a four win season a year ago. Wins make believers and I feel like that is what has happened to them this year.
And that is why they will take down a very good Stratford team on Friday night.
Lets take a look at the offense. Tattnall runs the wing-t and they have moved the ball against almost everyone. They struggled to run the football against FPD, but when it got down to crunch time, they pounded the ball at FPD with Ahmad Barron over and over again. I was watching the last few drives and I was like, hey they are running the football out of the conventional I formation with a fullback and a running back. No said Chance Jones, they were still in the wing-t it was just an older version of it that they thought would work. Now who else can do that ?
I said the key word for Tattnall already. Barron. Barron, the best back in Macon this year by far, came through against FPD, he came through against Stratford, and he has had a spectacular senior season. He is obviously the key. However the Trojans are not a one trick pony on offense because they have Zion Blasingame, Antoine Davis, Destin Mack, and Vasco Sanders, all capable running backs who can make a difference in a big game like this. But what I think makes them special is that last year, Miles Morris was throwing the ball all over the place with success, and he has quality weapons on the outside with Jimmy Marshall and Calvin Slaughter to throw the ball too. I believe Tattnall throws it a little bit early to open things up. And I believe that Jimmy Marshall could do a lot more than just block in this game.
I worry about the defense a little bit, but Christian Rodgers and Dayton Steinmeyer are proven seniors who have been around forever. Remember Stratford only scored three points against them the last time they played.
Tattnall will not be out coached despite having a first year guy at the helm. I have talked about that enough. But they sure wont lose any coaching battle with that staff.
So how in the world can undefeated Tattnall lose this game at home in front of 10,000 screaming fans. As of today, I am not sure they can.
But hey, don't believe me , go see it
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
why the Eagles will fly friday night
Stratford Academy and Tattnall Square are both very very very good football teams.
And to tell the truth it is really sad that they have to play so early in the playoffs.
But its happening this Friday night, and both teams could not be more excited.
Let me get one thing straight.
In a story earlier, one of my comments was that these two teams hated each other.
I was wrong. They do not hate each other. I have had so many people tell me that from both teams over the last three weeks that I truly believe it. But one thing is for sure and that is that they respect each others football teams. (they may save the hate for another Macon school)
But make no doubt, both teams want the W in the worst way on Friday night.
Right now I think the game favors Stratford. I mean Tattnall needed a small miracle two weeks ago from miracle maker Ahmad Barron to get the win, and the fact that the final was 7-3 leaves Stratford confident.
Does it make Tattnall uneasy ? I think maybe that it does.
I saw the Eagles manhandle Holy Innocents, who was supposed to give Stratford a great challenge. But I saw a defense that hit HI early and often, and I believe, basically made the other team not want to play anymore. I don't know it for sure, but I feel like Stratford is peaking just at the right time.
Lets start with the offense.
Mark Farriba is going to run the football. If the run doesn't work , he will change it up and RUN the football. When he is in desperation mode, I think he will run the football. Kasey Sanders is rugged, Russell Mole is so fast, and Tyler Jordan is a mixture of them. They are also blessed with a quarterback in Noah Hill, a game manager who is capable of making big plays. I mean , I truly believe that they will score points against Tattnall.
The Stratford defense however, is what makes Stratford special. Tobe Umerah deserves everything he is getting right now as a junior, but one look at them in person makes one realize very quickly that Umerah is not the only stud they have on defense. Jourdain Irvin, all 250 pounds of him, has made life miserable for opponents, and Jonathan Siegel all 155 pounds of him, hit a Holy Innocents player so hard that it was maybe the best hit I have seen this year. Stratford hits and then hits some more.
They are truly a scary bunch.
Lets not forget that they have a weapon at kicker. Jake Jamison only kicked extra points last Friday, but he has a big leg who could make a difference in a close game.
So what I am saying is, if anyone in Macon thinks that Stratford cant win this football game, they are dead wrong.
I cannot imagine the crowd, and the atmosphere for this game. It will be something the players wont forget. When I brought it up to some Stratford players, they were gleaming with excitement over the rematch.
So am I picking Stratford for the win ? Today I am , but hey I have a few more days. I will say that my pick has been turned in already, but hey that could change.
Its going to be one hell of a game, with two great coaching staffs, and the best fans in Middle Georgia.
Go see it, you wont regret.
And to tell the truth it is really sad that they have to play so early in the playoffs.
But its happening this Friday night, and both teams could not be more excited.
Let me get one thing straight.
In a story earlier, one of my comments was that these two teams hated each other.
I was wrong. They do not hate each other. I have had so many people tell me that from both teams over the last three weeks that I truly believe it. But one thing is for sure and that is that they respect each others football teams. (they may save the hate for another Macon school)
But make no doubt, both teams want the W in the worst way on Friday night.
Right now I think the game favors Stratford. I mean Tattnall needed a small miracle two weeks ago from miracle maker Ahmad Barron to get the win, and the fact that the final was 7-3 leaves Stratford confident.
Does it make Tattnall uneasy ? I think maybe that it does.
I saw the Eagles manhandle Holy Innocents, who was supposed to give Stratford a great challenge. But I saw a defense that hit HI early and often, and I believe, basically made the other team not want to play anymore. I don't know it for sure, but I feel like Stratford is peaking just at the right time.
Lets start with the offense.
Mark Farriba is going to run the football. If the run doesn't work , he will change it up and RUN the football. When he is in desperation mode, I think he will run the football. Kasey Sanders is rugged, Russell Mole is so fast, and Tyler Jordan is a mixture of them. They are also blessed with a quarterback in Noah Hill, a game manager who is capable of making big plays. I mean , I truly believe that they will score points against Tattnall.
The Stratford defense however, is what makes Stratford special. Tobe Umerah deserves everything he is getting right now as a junior, but one look at them in person makes one realize very quickly that Umerah is not the only stud they have on defense. Jourdain Irvin, all 250 pounds of him, has made life miserable for opponents, and Jonathan Siegel all 155 pounds of him, hit a Holy Innocents player so hard that it was maybe the best hit I have seen this year. Stratford hits and then hits some more.
They are truly a scary bunch.
Lets not forget that they have a weapon at kicker. Jake Jamison only kicked extra points last Friday, but he has a big leg who could make a difference in a close game.
So what I am saying is, if anyone in Macon thinks that Stratford cant win this football game, they are dead wrong.
I cannot imagine the crowd, and the atmosphere for this game. It will be something the players wont forget. When I brought it up to some Stratford players, they were gleaming with excitement over the rematch.
So am I picking Stratford for the win ? Today I am , but hey I have a few more days. I will say that my pick has been turned in already, but hey that could change.
Its going to be one hell of a game, with two great coaching staffs, and the best fans in Middle Georgia.
Go see it, you wont regret.
Monday, November 14, 2016
why tattnall and stratford is the game of the year
Yep I really believe that Tattnall and Stratford is the game of the year for this area.
Why ?
Well I will tell you why
This is the biggest game if the tear in this area because we have two teams separated by a 10 minute drive on a slow day and both teams are very very very good.
What else do we need and what other games will match the hype of this one.
Look at the matchup
We have Tattnall Square, with a rookie head coach in Chance Jones, but a coaching staff with over 100 years of experience, and most of those 100 are as head coaches. Do we need to count the number of championships this group of coaches has played for ? I don't want to , but if you count region championships, we are counting on more than four fingers. Chance has his dad, Ronnie, in the press box, and how good a feeling that must be for Chance. I wish I could hear some of those talks. But Tattnall also got Brian Way to head to Macon after he retired from Warner Robins to do what he loves, which is to coach the offensive line. Lets throw in Jim Massey, one of the best assistant coaches in this area, and John Garrett Abernathy, who brings college playing experience and youth to the coaching staff. Plus they were all smart enough to keep Travis Absher around to be the defensive coordinator.
That's pretty solid and add a bunch of seniors to the mix and you have a pretty good football team.
However, all of those intangibles may not be enough to get by Stratford. I know the Eagles have lost three games this year and lost to Tattnall a few weeks ago. But I saw them Friday night against a team that was battle tested and ready to go and Stratford just basically whipped them in every way possible. I have seen Central,Westside, Howard, Southwest, FPD, HOCO, and everyone else around here except Northside, and Stratford was knocking people silly. I have heard it from players and coaches on both teams that the last time they played it was one of the hardest hitting games these two teams have ever played. Imagine what Friday brings.
Mark Farriba has found ways to win games this year. He will run it even if running it wont work. His teams will play defense. His teams will not be blown out. Oh my Oh my, this is going to be a game and a half.
I know you all want me to pick a winner already.
I cant do it.
I had a coach who has played both teams tell me who would win , but I cant pick it yet.
But it will be hard hitting, it will be loud, it will be spirited,
and it will be the game of the year in Macon Ga
I cant wair
Why ?
Well I will tell you why
This is the biggest game if the tear in this area because we have two teams separated by a 10 minute drive on a slow day and both teams are very very very good.
What else do we need and what other games will match the hype of this one.
Look at the matchup
We have Tattnall Square, with a rookie head coach in Chance Jones, but a coaching staff with over 100 years of experience, and most of those 100 are as head coaches. Do we need to count the number of championships this group of coaches has played for ? I don't want to , but if you count region championships, we are counting on more than four fingers. Chance has his dad, Ronnie, in the press box, and how good a feeling that must be for Chance. I wish I could hear some of those talks. But Tattnall also got Brian Way to head to Macon after he retired from Warner Robins to do what he loves, which is to coach the offensive line. Lets throw in Jim Massey, one of the best assistant coaches in this area, and John Garrett Abernathy, who brings college playing experience and youth to the coaching staff. Plus they were all smart enough to keep Travis Absher around to be the defensive coordinator.
That's pretty solid and add a bunch of seniors to the mix and you have a pretty good football team.
However, all of those intangibles may not be enough to get by Stratford. I know the Eagles have lost three games this year and lost to Tattnall a few weeks ago. But I saw them Friday night against a team that was battle tested and ready to go and Stratford just basically whipped them in every way possible. I have seen Central,Westside, Howard, Southwest, FPD, HOCO, and everyone else around here except Northside, and Stratford was knocking people silly. I have heard it from players and coaches on both teams that the last time they played it was one of the hardest hitting games these two teams have ever played. Imagine what Friday brings.
Mark Farriba has found ways to win games this year. He will run it even if running it wont work. His teams will play defense. His teams will not be blown out. Oh my Oh my, this is going to be a game and a half.
I know you all want me to pick a winner already.
I cant do it.
I had a coach who has played both teams tell me who would win , but I cant pick it yet.
But it will be hard hitting, it will be loud, it will be spirited,
and it will be the game of the year in Macon Ga
I cant wair
Thursday, November 10, 2016
I am just answering question
YES
That is it, I will just answer the questions that everyone wants to know the answers to about sports in this area.
I focus on high school but I can pretty much handle anything going on in the Middle Georgia area.
LETS START WITH AN EASY ONE
What Houston County teams will win this week.
Well that's easy for sure. Northside wins easily over Grovetown, but I am afraid that Warner Robins and Veterans both lose close games this week. But what do I know, I cant even win the pick-ems contest in the newspaper.
A report on Jones County: Ok my report says they have the coolest nickname in the area and maybe in the stats behind the Syrupmakers of Cairo. I would love to know where the Greyhounds nickname came from and I am sure its a great story. I worked in Jones County for 9 years and I don't recall seeing Greyhounds line the street running wildly through town. Then again I don't see Eagles flying through Warner Robins. Maybe some Demons, but no Eagles. Anyways, Justin Rogers is one of the better coaches in the area and he has a qb (Hunnicutt) and a wr(Singleton) that are not quite ready to play a last game. So I like the Hounds to catch the rabbit and easily beat Wayne County.
How will the Macon public schools do this week ?
We only have two left and I think both of them have a great chance to advance. It is my belief that Westside, despite being a three seed has a better chance of winning than Southwest. Westside takes on Pierce County, who plays no defense, while Southwest has a home game against Brooks County, who is in the playoffs every year. I picked both of them to win.
Private school projections?
Well FPD would be done if the GHSA didn't stretch the class A teams to 24 this years instead of 16. I mean why not just put everyone in the playoffs. So we have teams still playing that should be watching.
FPD was a serious bubble team and I think they ended at 17, but they are playing Aquinas, who is not very good. I saw Aquinas barely beat Mount de Sales early in the year and they were not impressive. So yeah FPD will win a playoff game and everyone will be excited about it, and then, instead of a first round loss, they get beat in the second round to Eagles Landing. Then again, Aquinas is at home and they are thinking they can win this week. Ok whoever wins this game gets thrashed the next weekend.
Stratford would have made the playoffs anyways and they get a cupcake first round against Holy Innocents, and I expect that by the third quarter the clock will not be stopping. I still think Stratford is a pretty good football team, and I cant wait to fill you up on the upcoming round two game that features Tattnall and Stratford next weekend. Guess who I will pick to win that one ??
Will UGA upset Auburn this weekend -NO next question
Congrats to my twitter poll winners last week
Ahmad Barrons gets 48% of the vote for the best high school football player in Macon, beating Tobe Umerah who got 38% of the vote. If this was a political race we would have had to have a runoff
The best quarterback in Macon went to Dalton Cox, who received 57% of the vote, followed by Jordan Slocum with 27% of the vote.
Barron easily won the best running back in Macon , taking 81% of the vote.
All of these twitter polls had right at 500 votes so that makes it somewhat legit right :)
Follow me at Stratford tomorrow night and everyone have a great week
That is it, I will just answer the questions that everyone wants to know the answers to about sports in this area.
I focus on high school but I can pretty much handle anything going on in the Middle Georgia area.
LETS START WITH AN EASY ONE
What Houston County teams will win this week.
Well that's easy for sure. Northside wins easily over Grovetown, but I am afraid that Warner Robins and Veterans both lose close games this week. But what do I know, I cant even win the pick-ems contest in the newspaper.
A report on Jones County: Ok my report says they have the coolest nickname in the area and maybe in the stats behind the Syrupmakers of Cairo. I would love to know where the Greyhounds nickname came from and I am sure its a great story. I worked in Jones County for 9 years and I don't recall seeing Greyhounds line the street running wildly through town. Then again I don't see Eagles flying through Warner Robins. Maybe some Demons, but no Eagles. Anyways, Justin Rogers is one of the better coaches in the area and he has a qb (Hunnicutt) and a wr(Singleton) that are not quite ready to play a last game. So I like the Hounds to catch the rabbit and easily beat Wayne County.
How will the Macon public schools do this week ?
We only have two left and I think both of them have a great chance to advance. It is my belief that Westside, despite being a three seed has a better chance of winning than Southwest. Westside takes on Pierce County, who plays no defense, while Southwest has a home game against Brooks County, who is in the playoffs every year. I picked both of them to win.
Private school projections?
Well FPD would be done if the GHSA didn't stretch the class A teams to 24 this years instead of 16. I mean why not just put everyone in the playoffs. So we have teams still playing that should be watching.
FPD was a serious bubble team and I think they ended at 17, but they are playing Aquinas, who is not very good. I saw Aquinas barely beat Mount de Sales early in the year and they were not impressive. So yeah FPD will win a playoff game and everyone will be excited about it, and then, instead of a first round loss, they get beat in the second round to Eagles Landing. Then again, Aquinas is at home and they are thinking they can win this week. Ok whoever wins this game gets thrashed the next weekend.
Stratford would have made the playoffs anyways and they get a cupcake first round against Holy Innocents, and I expect that by the third quarter the clock will not be stopping. I still think Stratford is a pretty good football team, and I cant wait to fill you up on the upcoming round two game that features Tattnall and Stratford next weekend. Guess who I will pick to win that one ??
Will UGA upset Auburn this weekend -NO next question
Congrats to my twitter poll winners last week
Ahmad Barrons gets 48% of the vote for the best high school football player in Macon, beating Tobe Umerah who got 38% of the vote. If this was a political race we would have had to have a runoff
The best quarterback in Macon went to Dalton Cox, who received 57% of the vote, followed by Jordan Slocum with 27% of the vote.
Barron easily won the best running back in Macon , taking 81% of the vote.
All of these twitter polls had right at 500 votes so that makes it somewhat legit right :)
Follow me at Stratford tomorrow night and everyone have a great week
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