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PAGE 2B BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2016 The Game Plan Only a few more weeks until the start of football A nyone who knows me knows how much of a soccer fan that I am. I started watching the game during the 2006 World Cup. Every summer I enjoy watching international soc cer. There is usually a big tour nament, such as the World Cup or the European Championships, that I love watching in the summer months. This year it was the Euro pean Championships that I was thankful to watch. But what I have tried to tell all of my friends is that my love affair isn’t just about the game of soccer, but it also has to do with the fact that sports in the summer are usu ally a drag. Yeah, let’s be real here, the Stan ley Cup Finals and the NBA Finals usually end within ten days of each other during June. Which means we always have about two months before a watchable sport comes on again. And yes, I am referring to football, because there is absolutely no chance I would be watching baseball in the sum mer. It is always hard to wait for football to start back, once basketball ends there real ly isn’t anything worth watching until the fall when America’s game comes back on. Sure, this year we were blessed to have the Olympics on during the last several weeks — but I'm even ready for that to be over. The point is this: football is about to start back! That’s all you really need to know. I would consider soccer to be my second favorite sport, my love affair for it has grown exponentially in the last ten years — but it is still nowhere near the love I have for football. It will only be a few more weeks before both college foot ball and the NFL are going. We can finally start paying attention to sports that people still care about. Don’t miss-hear me, I have nothing against people who enjoy watching baseball. I’m just saying you’ll never catch me watching it until the post season. And while that is a different topic all together, I’ll just say this: you can’t blame me for thinking that way, the baseball regular season is just too long. This is America, and football still rules. I’m just excited to sit down on a Saturday and watch multiple games before doing the same thing on Sunday. You can bet you will hear a lot more about both college football and the NFL as the weeks go by. I’ll be sure to discuss my thoughts on who the contenders will be at both the college level and the pro level. But just take a breath and get excited — we only have a few more weeks until we can all rejoice in the fact that the greatest sport in the world will be live again. Here’s to the last few weeks without football! Tyler Rollason is a Winder-Bar row High School and Universi ty of West Georgia graduate. You can e-mail comments about this column to ty rollason @yahoo.com. Snapshots SOFTBALL IS BACK IN SWING The Apalachee High School softball team, under the direction of coach Matt Allen, has ushered in a new season. The Lady Wildcats will host Gainesville Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Photo by Jessica Brown Tournament to benefit Boys & Girls Club A 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be held Saturday, Aug. 20, with proceeds ben efiting the Boys & Girls Club of Barrow County. The tournament will be at the Harrison Activity Building at Winder-Barrow High School. Play begins at 10 a.m. There is a $100 entry fee per team, which includes three players and one alternate. T-shirts will be included with the entry fee. There is also a three-point and free throw contest which costs $10 to enter. The tournament will include competitive and recreation divisions. Team entry deadline to ensure T-shirt is Friday, Aug. 12. Checks should be made payable to the Boys & Girls Club of WBC. For more information, contact Derek @ WinderBarrowBGC.com or call 770-307- 0319. City of Auburn, GA Fiscal Year 2017 (FY 2017) Budget Review and Adoption October 1, 2016 - September 30, 2017 PUBLIC HEARING ON FY 2017 BUDGET: A Public Hearing on the FY 2017 Budget has been scheduled for Thursday, August 25, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located at 1361 4 th Avenue, Auburn, GA 30011. At this meet ing, the Mayor and Council will receive both written and oral comments about the Annual Operating and Capital Budget for the City of Auburn, GA. A qualified interpreter for the hearing impaired will be available upon request. Request must be made at least five (5) days in advance of the meeting. Please call 770-963-4002 Ext. 204 to request an interpreter or for more information. MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW: The FY 2017 Proposed Budget will be available for public inspection during normal office hours on Monday, August 22, 2016 at the following locations: Auburn Library, 24 5 th Street and Auburn City Hall. Summary information can also be found on the City's website at www.cityofauburn-ga.org BUDGET ADOPTION: By ordinance, the Mayor and Council of the City of Au burn are scheduled to adopt the FY 2017 Budget at their regularly scheduled Business Meeting on Thursday, September 1, 2016. The meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located at 1361 4 th Avenue, Auburn, GA 30011. High School Football Winder-Barrow @ Clarke Central •The Game: Winder-Barrow High School @ Clarke Central High School, Friday, 7:30 p.m. • Records: WBHS 0-0 in 2016, 6-5 in 2015, 6-3 in Region 8-AAAAA; Clarke Central 0-0 in 2016, 4-6 in 2-15, 4-5 in Region 8-AAAAA •Last meeting between the teams: Winder-Barrow won 21-17 in 2015 • Coaches: WBHS: Heath Webb, third season at Winder-Barrow High School, 12-10 record, 8th sea son overall as head coach, 29-33; Clarke Central: David Perno 0-0 overall, first season as a head coach •Key Players: WBHS: LB Nate Millwood, LB Mason White, DB/WR Deon Williams; C Dylan Brown, WR Casey Thurmond; QB Brock Landis, RB Javonne Hughes; Clarke Central: FS Zay Brown, RB Jonathan Sewell. •Listen In: Game will be broadcast on WJBB 107.1 FM. •Notes: The Winder-Barrow High School football team enters the 2016 with plenty of momentum and confidence. After qualifying for the state playoffs in back to back seasons, the Bulldoggs are eager to take more steps forward. Some of those goals include making the postseason again and finishing high enough in the new Region 8-AAAAAA to be able to host a playoff contest. WBHS lost several key players to graduation but the cupboard is not completely bare. The Bulldoggs were impressive in all phases of their preseason scrimmage against Flowery Branch High School last week. Six different players scored touchdowns for WBHS in the scrimmage. Even with a new coordinator, WBHS figures to be strong on defense. Linebacker Nate Millwood recorded 124 tackles, including 19 tackles for negative yards in 2015. Millwood also had three sacks, three pass breakups, an interception and forced three fumbles. He is considered one of the top players in the region. Clarke Central High School did not qualify for the postseason last fall and made a coaching change in the offseason. In what has to be one of the most unusual coaching hires in some time, Clarke Central officials turned to David Perno, a former Gladiator player who is the previous baseball coach at the University of Georgia. Perno has never coached football which has made preparing a game plan for his team somewhat challenging for Webb and his coaching staff. Former long-time successful Athens Academy head coach Michael Gunn is the offensive coordinator for the Gladiators. Gunn will be the program's third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. Adding to the unknown element for the 2016 Clarke Central team is that the Gladiators were mostly absent from the summer's 7-on-7 passing league games. As usual, there is plenty of talent on the field for Clarke Central. It remains to be seen if Perno, without a football coaching background, can return the program to its former glory. The Gladiators have a tough non-region schedule and have not qualified for the playoffs since 2013. • They Said It: WBHS head coach Heath Webb: (Regarding the new head coach at Clarke Central) "It is unusual and a head scratcher when you are preparing. The head coach has no past. It's some really different. You can't pull old film from his last job. We are focusing on his coordi nators — where they are from and what they have done and trust those personalities will stand up." —Scouting report compiled by Chris Bridges/photos by Jessica Brown Monsignor Donovan @ Bethlehem Christian Academy •The Game: Monsignor Donovan @ Bethlehem Christian Academy Friday, 7:30 p.m., Knights Field •Records: BCA 1-0 in 2016; Monsignor Donovan: 0-0 in 2016 •Last meeting between the teams: First meeting •Coaches: BCA: Lance Fendley, fourth season as head coach, fifth overall with program; Monsignor Donovan: Jason Miller, first season •Key Players: BCA: LB/RB Matthew Kamm; OL/DL Clayton Hopkins; RB/DB Tanner Schwebel; RB Chris Ratterree; Monsignor Donovan: RB Jordan Northington; SS Corey Patterson •Notes: The Bethlehem Christian Academy football community is still buzzing from last Friday's 13-6 win against Piedmont Academy, a perennial playoff program. The Knights earned their first win in its on-campus home stadium by using a solid defensive effort and having enough offensive highlights to hold off the Cougars. The challenge for Lance Fendley and his coaching staff will be to keep the team focused with another home game this week. Monsignor Donovan has its third head coach in as many seasons. Jason Miller takes over for Evan Cooper who was with the program for only one season. The Rams were 0-10 in 2015 and its closest game was a 10-point loss to Bethlehem Temple. There were numerous lopsided defeats following a successful 2014 campaign where the team went to the semifinals in Class AA. Despite the struggles this past season Monsignor Donovan, Fendley and his coaching staff will not let their players overlook this opponent, or any for that matter. •They Said It: BCA Coach Lance Fendley: “Our message is loud and clear. Everyone who wins the first game is going to be a pretender or con tender. 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