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SPORTS
Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com
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gainesvilletimes.com
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Bulldogs brace
for surging
Georgia Tech
BY PAUL NEWBERRY
Associated Press
ATHENS — The last
time Georgia hosted its
state rival, the famed
hedges surrounding the
field at Sanford Stadium
took quite a beating.
This time around, the
Bulldogs have a lot more
to worry about than
horticulture.
No. 5 Georgia (10-1) is
still in the mix for a return
trip to the College Foot
ball playoffs — assuming
it doesn’t slip up Saturday
against Georgia Tech.
“We know that we have
to finish our schedule
strong this weekend and
the following weekend in
order to do what we want
to accomplish,” tight end
Isaac Nauta said. “I feel
like we have really been
clicking and playing well.
We just have to continue
going and get a big win
this weekend.”
The Bulldogs, who also
were ranked fifth in last
week’s CFP standings ,
have already locked up
a spot against top-ranked
Alabama in the Southeast
ern Conference champi
onship game Dec. 1.
That will essentially
serve as a play-in game
to the playoffs, as long as
Georgia still has just one
loss on its record.
“We just have to get this
game over with and see
where we end up,” line
backer D’Andre Walker
said.
While the Bulldogs
have largely dominated
the series known as
“Clean, Old-Fashioned
Hate” since the mid-
1960s, winning 40 of the
last 54 meetings, the
Yellow Jackets have
pulled off a few notable
Georgia
vs. Georgia
Tech
When: Saturday, noon
TV: SEC Network
surprises in Athens.
In fact, their last four
victories over Georgia
have been between the
hedges, including both
2014 and 2016 (Georgia,
in a similar vein, hasn’t
lost in Atlanta since 1999).
After that game two
years ago, the Yellow
Jackets commemo
rated their 28-27 upset
by brazenly plucking off
branches as souvenirs.
Lots and lots of
branches.
Georgia is determined
to prevent a repeat.
“I’m excited to win this
one and make sure those
hedges don’t get touched
To provide extra moti
vation, video of the hedge
vandals has been play
ing on a loop in the Bull
dogs’ weight room, as
well as other reminders
scattered throughout the
training facility.
“I want this, and I know
everybody on the team
wants this,” said Jona
than Ledbetter, a senior
defensive end. “We have
taken a lot of disrespect
from Georgia Tech. I
know some people would
much rather see us beat
Georgia Tech than win a
national championship,
and we are not going
disappoint.”
Georgia, of course, has
been eyeing another shot
at Alabama since last
year’s national champion
ship game.
The Bulldogs squan
dered a pair of 13-point
leads before losing in
overtime, 26-23, when
■ Please see GEORGIA, 2B
YOUTH FOOTBALL
Local teams win
North Georgia
Championships
For The Times
Gainesville Parks and Recreation’s U11 team, coached
by John McGarvey, poses after defeating Stephens
County 12-6 to win the North Georgia Youth Football
Association’s Super Bowl Championship.
For The Times
Gainesville Parks and Recreation’s U10 team, coached
by Todd Williams, poses after defeating Flowery Branch
19-6 to win the North Georgia Youth Football Association’s
Super Bowl Championship.
For The Times
Gainesville Parks and Recreation’s U7 team, coached by
Alex Murray, poses after defeating Stephens County 19-0
to win the North Georgia Youth Football Association’s
Super Bowl Championship.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL I North Hall Thanksgiving Showcase
Lady Trojans start hot
SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
North Flail’s Ansleigh Ferguson, top, and Rylee McCall, bottom, battle for a rebound with Winder’s Chelia Watson, right,
and Taniyah Parrish Monday during the second quarter of the Lady Trojans win at the North Hall High gymnasium.
Ansleigh Ferguson scored 34 in the season-opening win
BY SARAH WOODALL
swoodall@gainesvilletimes.com
When it’s working, it’s working.
That was the only explanation senior
Ansleigh Ferguson had to describe
her career night in North Hall High’s
feel-good, season-opening win Mon
day in Gainesville.
Ferguson scored her team’s first
basket of the game and exploded
for a career-high 34 points with 12
rebounds for a double-double as the
North Hall girls basketball team
fended off 6A Winder-Barrow, 69-62,
on its own Lynn Cottrell Court.
“Ferguson has kind of been under
the radar for her career,”
North Hall girls coach Kristi
House said. “No one really
expects her to break out,
but she’s a great post player.
She’s got good hands, quick
feet, she moves well and
finished strong around the
basket tonight. ... I’m just
happy to see her come out
and finish the first game of
her senior year like that.”
Ferguson exploited Winder-Bar
row’s defensive look in the second
half by feeding off almost every
opportunity she could get. The post
player scored four baskets as part
of a 10-2 North Hall run to kickstart
the third period, and racked up 20 of
North Hall’s 41 second-half points.
“(Winder-Barrow)’s defense was
just weak in the middle, and we knew
they had to pick up a zone around the
third or fourth quarter ... It was just
working tonight,” Ferguson said.
“We all contribute, but whether it’s
an assist or scoring points, I pretty
much just do what’s best for my
team. It makes me feel good, and I’m
glad we got the win. ”
Macy Gillespie (three steals)
dished five assists and was the only
other starter for North Hall (1-0) to
score in double-digits with 10 points,
followed by Grace Hollifield and
Ansley Smallwood with seven points
apiece.
It was indeed an ego
booster for House’s squad,
which played its non-region
opponent tight for the entire
way and only briefly led by
as much as 10 points in the
final period. It relied on
some second-half adjust
ments to temper the pursuits
of Winder-Barrow guard
Chelia Watson, who paced
the Lady Bulldoggs with 34 points
and five 3-pointers. She showed off
her sharpshooting tendencies from
the perimeter to keep the Bulldoggs
within reach, knocking down a con
tested trey from way outside the left
wing to knot the score at 28-all before
the buzzer and cap off a 19-point
frenzy for the half.
House was pleased to see her unit
respond to the challenge of limiting
the shot selection of Watson, who was
held to just four field goals over the
final 16 minutes of play.
“We were just trying to get the
ball out of her hands as quick as we
could,” House said of Watson. “Just
pick her up sooner, try to make her
give it up and make somebody else
try to do something.”
Winder-Barrow was a spotty 12-of-
29 from the field for the second half
as a result of North Hall’s adjust
ments. Makayla Jones chipped in
seven of her 12 points in the fourth
quarter as the only other scorer to
amass double figures for the Lady
Bulldoggs.
Yet, Winder-Barrow still lingered.
They only trailed 48-41 going into
the fourth period and twice cut the
deficit to four inside the final two
minutes. Watson’s fifth and final 3 of
the night even made it 66-62 with six
seconds left.
North Hall’s Rylee McCall quickly
shut the door in those closing seconds
by sinking 3-of-4 attempts from the
stripe.
“Overall we played well,” the
ninth-year North Hall coach said.
“We made some mistakes, but we
played hard. ... We have things to
work on, but we feel good about
where we’re at right now.”
■ Please see NORTH, 2B
House
HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD
Gainesville girls take out White County
With Tija Blackwell’s
game-winning buzzer beater
and 22 points, Gainesville
girls basketball team rolled
past White County at home
61-60 in the first round of
the North Hall Thanksgiving
showcase Monday.
Tia Shelton added 17
points and played every
minute of the game for the
Red Elephants (1-2), and
Sadie Roach chipped in 10
more.
Gainesville is set to face
North Hall today at 1 p.m.
in the second round of the
showcase.
BUFORD GIRLS 70,
VALDOSTA 46: Tate Wal
ters scored a game-high 29
for the Lady Wolves (2-0) in
the semifinal round of the
Dacula Tipoff Tournament
on Monday in Dacula. With
the win, Buford faces the
Grayson / J ohnson-Savannah
winner in the championship
at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
ARCHER GIRLS 53,
LAKE VIEW ACADEMY 50:
Lakeview Academy’s Eliza
Snyder continued her domi
nant run to start the season,
leading the Lady Lions with
25 points to go along with six
steals and five assists in the
loss to Archer in the second
round of the Keller Williams
Raider Classic.
Joelle Snyder added 11
points and two assists, while
Sadie Thrailkill had three
and grabbed seven boards.
Maddy Towles added five
points and five rebounds.
Lakeview Academy will
be back in action today at
3:30.
DREW CHARTER
SCHOOL BOYS 66, LAKEV
IEW ACADEMY 65: The
No. 9 Lions were led by
Adam Cottrell and Arturo
Varela, who scored 21 points
each and added five and
seven rebounds respec
tively. Blake McIntyre had
16 points in the loss.
Lakeview Academy will
play for third tonight at 5:30
p.m. in the Keller Williams
Raider Holiday Classic in
North Forsyth.
DAWSON COUNTY
GIRLS 63, CHESTATEE
46: Dawson County’s
defensive adjustments
and a solid 17 points by
Marlie Townley paved the
way for a road win over
■ Please see SCORES, 2B
