About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2018)
SPORTS Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com Unties gainesvilletimes.com Sunday, October 28, 2018 HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD AUSTIN STEELE I The Times North Hall’s Ansley Smallwood attempts to block a kill from North Murray’s Chloe Black at North Hall High School on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. North Hall volleyball falls in quarterfinals North Hall’s run through state playoffs came to an end Saturday. For the sec ond consecutive year, the Lady Trojans lost to 2017 state champion Pace Acad emy in the playoffs, fall ing 25-7, 25-18, 25-11 in the quarterfinals of the GHSA Class 3A State Volleyball Championship. After a thrilling comeback victory against Jefferson at home earlier in the week in the round of 16, North Hall had to go on the road to take on the Lady Knights — a team they lost to in last year’s semifinal round. But the team could not pull out the result it was looking for this time, coming up short against Pace Acad emy to end the season. Softball Loganville 10, Buford 9: Buford’s comeback attempt was stopped just short Sat urday morning, as the Lady Wolves were narrowly defeated by Loganville in a quarterfinal matchup that ended their season. The team was led by Mariah Wicker — who hit two solo home runs in five at bats — as well as Shea Bayreuther — who went 3 for 4 including a three-run homer. Kara Taylor was 2 for 4, contributing two RBIs and hitting a solo shot of her own — the first home run in her career. After entering the 6th inning trailing 10-4, Buford battled back to within two runs going into the final frame. Wicker’s second homer of the day brought the Lady Wolves to within one, but they could not com plete the comeback, even tually falling just short of overtaking Loganville. Cross Country The Lanier Christian Academy Boys finished 3rd while the girls finished 6th in the GICAA Division II-AA State Championship meet in Macon, Georgia on Friday. Lightning runner Stephen Clark paced the school fin ishing 6th overall. Compiled by Nathan Berg GOLF Finau takes lead into final round in Shanghai Associated Press SHANGHAI — Tony Finau struggled for so much of Saturday in the HSBC Champions that he was hopeful of a strong finish to carry some momentum into the final round. He got much more than he imagined. Finau closed with three straight bird ies for a 2-under 70 and kept his three- shot lead because of a late collapse by Justin Rose, who played the final two holes in five more shots than Finau required. “There was no need to panic,” Finau said. “Just play some good golf coming down the stretch, and I was able to do that. ” Finau was at 13-under 203 and led by three over Justin Rose, Masters champion Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele. Finau was on the verge of falling three shots behind on the 16th hole after Rose had pitched to within 3 feet for a birdie, and Finau hit wedge that came up well short. He rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt from off the green to stay within two shots, hit a tee shot that rolled to within 18 inches of the cup for a short birdie on the par-3 17th, and then holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th. Rose wasted a great round with a sloppy finish and had to settle for a 70. He was two shots ahead going to the 17th when his tee shot went off the side of a hill and into a hazard, leading to double bogey. Then, his 4-iron to the par-5 18th was too far right and tum bled down the hill and into the water. He had a chance to save par until miss ing a 4-foot putt. “Three back going into tomorrow, which is not exactly how it looked like it was going to be with a couple holes to play,” Rose said. “There are three guys at 10 under who are all going to be chasing pretty hard, but nothing to lose tomor row. It’s going to take a good round. I’m playing well, feeling good. Just got to put that last couple holes behind me and come out a little bit angry tomorrow.” ■ Please see FINAU, 2B Finau NO. 7 GEORGIA 36, NO. 9 FLORIDA 17 Bulldogs roll Gators JOHN RA0UX I Associated Press Georgia wide receiver Jeremiah Holloman (9) catches a 16-yard touchdown pass during the first half of the game against Florida in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday. Fromm threw for three touchdowns — two to Jeremiah Holloman — and no interceptions in the runaway victory BY MARK LONG Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jake Fromm threw three touchdown passes, ending speculation about freshman Justin Fields supplanting him in the starting lineup, and No. 7 Georgia beat ninth-ranked Florida 36-17 on Saturday. The Bulldogs took advantage of Florida’s three turnovers and an injury to cornerback C.J. Hender son to win the “World’s Largest Out door Cocktail Party” for the second straight season and the fifth time in the last eight years. Georgia (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) scored all four touch downs on third down, gut-punching the Gators (6-2, 4-2) time and time again. “That’s seven plays on the day that’s going to make a rough day for you,” Flor ida coach Dan Mullen said. Fromm completed 17 of 24 passes for 240 yards, none bigger than the two TD throws to Jermaine Hol loman. There had been talk that Georgia coach Kirby Smart would get highly touted freshman Fields more snaps follow ing a 20-point loss to LSU. Fromm smashed those rumors. “Jake is a high-quality kid who works his tail off every day,” Smart said. “I’m sure he felt and heard the noise. He just continues to work and get better.” D’Andre Swift delivered the knockout blow with a 33-yard TD run with 4:39 remaining, sending Florida fans scrambling for the exits. “It feels more special,” Fromm said, comparing this victory to last season’s 42-7 romp. “This year it was a fight. We were able to enjoy it and respect it a lot more.” Holloman beat C.J. McWilliams twice in the same corner of the same end zone. The Bulldogs clearly picked on the sophomore after he replaced Henderson (back) on the first series. Fromm seemed to search for him on third down. “When you can’t get off the field, you get the results we got today,” Florida defensive end CeCe Jeffer son said. Florida took a one-point lead early in the third quar ter — Feleipe Franks threw a perfect, 36-yard touch down pass to Freddie Swain — but Georgia answered with another Fromm-to-Holloman connection and then pulled away late. The Gators failed to get a stop when they needed it in the fourth. Turnovers were the Gators’ real undoing. Jordan Scarlett fumbled on the team’s opening possession, and Fromm found Holloman three plays later. Franks threw an inter ception on the next series. But the dagger was his fumble near the goal line. THE TAKEAWAY Florida: Despite another lopsided loss to Georgia, the Gators still have a chance to win 10 games this sea son. It’s been a significant turnaround from Jim McEl- wain’s final season, but Franks has to make more progress for the team to become a legitimate SEC contender. Georgia: After stewing the last two weeks over the drubbing at LSU, the Bulldogs responded in a big way. They can clinch the SEC East next week with a victory at Kentucky. GOAL-LINE STAND Franks fumbled trying to get the ball out of the shadow of his goal line late in the third and gave the Bulldogs the ball at the 1. Georgia ran six plays from inside the 2 and had to settle for a field goal and a 23-14 lead. The scoring drive: six plays, no yards and took 3 minutes, 58 seconds. “That has to be a record,” Jeffer son said. “That just speaks volumes ■ Please see GEORGIA, 3B RED SOX 9, DODGERS 4 Boston rallies to take 3-1 series lead Red Sox score five in the bottom of the 9th in the victory I World Series Game 4 When: Today, 8 p.m. TV: Fox JAE C. HONG I Associated Press Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel celebrates after a win in Game 4 of the World Series. LOS ANGELES — Steve Pearce hit a tying homer in the eighth and a three-run double in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a four- run deficit in the seventh inning for a 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodg ers on Saturday night and a 3-1 World Series lead. The improbable surge started with pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland’s three- run homer in the seventh, shortly after Yasiel Puig’s three-run homer in the sixth had put the Dodgers up 4-0. Pinch-hitter Rafael Devers singled in Brock Holt with the tiebreaking run in the ninth, with also included Xan der Bogaert’s RBI single. Craig Kimbrel gave up Enrique Hernandez’s two-run homer in the bottom half before getting the final three outs. Chris Sale starts for the Red Sox today against Clayton Kershaw. Associated Press
