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SPORTS
Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com
Unties
gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, November 29, 2018
GEORGIA TECH
MIKE STEWART I Associated Press
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson speaks
with Georgia Tech running back Qua Searcy
before a play during the first half against
Bowling Green on Sept. 28 in Atlanta.
Johnson
retiring as
Tech coach
Associated Press
Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson is
retiring.
The 61-year-old Johnson made the surpris
ing announcement Wednesday after meet
ing with his players.
He coached the Yellow Jackets for 11 sea
sons, compiling a career record of 82-59 that
includes eight bowl appearances and three
trips to the Atlantic Coast Conference cham
pionship game.
Johnson will coach one more game at
Georgia Tech, staying on for the bowl game.
The Yellow Jackets have been linked to the
Military and Music City bowls.
This season, the Yellow Jackets bounced
back from a 1-3 start to finish 7-5, winning
four straight games before a 45-21 loss at No.
4 Georgia to close the regular season.
Georgia Tech finished 5-3 in the ACC, its
first winning record in conference play since
2014.
Johnson is best known for his triple-option
offense, which has produced gaudy rush
ing statistics but is criticized for being one
dimensional and out of touch with today’s
wide-open offensive schemes. The Yellows
Jackets lead the nation with an average of
almost 335 yards per game on the ground,
but they completed only 11 passes in their
last five games.
“After 40 years of coaching, it’s time to
take a break,” Johnson said in a statement.
“My family has sacrificed a lot over the
years. I want to watch my daughter (Kaitlyn,
a professional opera singer) perform and do
some things with my wife (Susan) that we’ve
never had a chance to do. It’s been a great
run for the last 11 years here on the Flats.
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and
am looking forward to having the chance
to coach this team one last time at our bowl
game next month.”
■ Please see TECH, 3B
SEC BANTER
BEN PREVOST
SECBanter@hotmail.com
Alabama vs.
Georgia is
a foregone
conclusion
I love the SEC Championship Game. It’s
the original conference championship,
akin to the original chicken sandwich from
Chick-fil-A.
Well, admittedly the football game
bears little similarity to that tastiest of
sandwiches, other than being Southern,
darn good, and often imitated yet never
duplicated.
But you get the point.
I’ve attended several SEC Champion
ship Games over the years as a fan, casual
observer, and media member.
I covered it for this fine publication
last year and, in the process, made a daz
zling television debut, as CBS featured me
prominently in its broadcast. (If you looked
closely, you could spot me in the post-game
celebration for approximately 1.5 seconds
of airtime.)
I’m willing, however, to put my TV star
dom aside this year because, as much as I
love the event, the SEC should cancel Satur
day’s game.
You heard me: cancel the 2018 SEC
■ Please see PREVOST, 3B
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Ford steps down
SCOn ROGERS I The Times
Buford football coach John Ford watches the action during the 2017 state semifinal
game against Rome at Tom Riden Stadium.
Two-year Wolves coach had 21-5 record
BY SARAH WOODALL
swoodall@gainesvilletimes.
com
After only two seasons,
John Ford resigned from
his position as head foot
ball coach Wednesday
at Buford High effective
immediately.
Ford’s announcement,
later confirmed in a press
release issued by the high
school in the hours to fol
low, comes less than a
week after Buford’s home
state quarterfinal playoff
defeat.
The Wolves (10-3) were
upset, 23-20, by Bainbridge
at Tom Riden Stadium last
Friday night, the first time
the program has failed to
reach the state semifinals
since 2006. It also snapped
Buford’s long-standing
home playoff win streak of
35 games.
Ford went 21-5 in his two
years at the school, guid
ing the Wolves to a pair of
Region 8-5A titles and one
state semifinal appearance
in 2017.
Buford athletic direc
tor Tony Wolfe spoke for
the high school when he
voiced his appreciation for
the two years Ford gave to
the program.
“He’s a quality man
and obviously a good
football coach,” Wolfe
said Wednesday. “We are
appreciative of what he
did for us and our football
program. The way he took
care of our kids and loved
our kids... In terms of that,
that’s what you want out of
your football coach.”
Ford tweeted an
extended message to
express his gratitude and
thanks for the players and
coaches involved during
his tenure:
“For the last 2 years it
has been my distinct honor
and privilege to serve
an unbelievable group
of young men and coach
alongside some phenome
nal coaches. To the classes
of 2018 and 2019, I love
you guys so much, and as
talented as you are on the
field, you are better young
men who will make a last
ing impact on the world. I
am grateful to have been a
small part of your journeys.
To the classes of 2020 and
beyond, my only sadness is
that I won’t get to see you
accomplish the great things
I know you will. You are
all made of the right stuff
and I love you with all my
heart. If I have taught you
anything, I hope that it is
life is 10% what happens
to you and 90% how you
respond. ... I am a better
man and coach for these
past 2 seasons and will for
ever be grateful and here
for you guys. I starts with I
love you, it ends with I love
you....God Bless.”
It was clear a bar was
set immediately follow
ing the departure Jess
Simpson, who led Buford
to seven state champion
ships in 10-straight title
game appearances as head
coach. Simpson moved up
the coaching ranks as a
member of the Atlanta Fal
cons staff for the 2017 sea
son before becoming the
defensive line coach for
the University of Miami in
February.
Prior to his arrival, Ford
compiled a 40-12 record
at Roswell, leading the
Hornets to state title-game
appearances at the two
highest classifications in
his final two seasons.
Buford looked as if it had
picked up where it left off
in Ford’s first season at
the helm, though, came up
short with a brutal 45-7 loss
to reigning Class 5A cham
pion Rome in the state
semifinal last December.
The Rome Wolves previ
ously dismantled Buford in
■ Please see BUFORD, 2B
NORTH HALL JUNIOR TROJANS 10 AND
UNDER SQUAD WINS YOUTH SUPER BOWL
For The Times
The North Hall Junior Trojans 10-and-under team recently won the 2018 Super Bowl. Front
row from left. Brandon Dover, Brantlee Hopson, Sawyer Brown, Ty Kemp, Jacob Adams, Will
Rogers, Buddy Clark, John Donatelli and Michael Donatelli. Second row from left, Mason
McGill, Dalton Hulsey, Dustin Turner, John Millar, Cooper Rasmussen, Parker Carlton, Alex
Schlieman, Tanner Seabolt, JH Reece and Kade Hawthorne. Third row from left, Dawson Reed,
Matthew Arceo, Kaden Chorvat, Walt Jarrett, Hunter Robertson, Michael Nichols, Walker Neff,
Alex Bruce and Gunner Spain. Last row from left, coach Joe Kemp, coach Wes Carlton, coach
Max McGill, head coach Shane Clark, coach David Nichols and coach Stuart Millar.
HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL
N. Georgia Showcase
planned for Saturday
The North Georgia High School
Showcase is Saturday at The Uni
versity of North Georgia Dahlonega
campus. Tickets are $10 for general
admission and $5 for ages 6-17. Chil
dren 5-and-under are free.
In the showcase, 32 of the state’s
elite basketball programs will bat
tle it out over 16 games with eight
games in the new Convocation Cen
ter and eight in Memorial Hall. One
ticket is valid for entrance to both
facilities for all 16 games.
For the boys, 17 of the 20 teams
reached the 2018 playoffs and five
made the final four.
The girls have 11 playoff teams,
five which made the quarterfinals
and two that made the final four.
Compiled by Diana Lewis
North Georgia High
School Showcase
games
UNG Convocation Center
9:30 a.m.
■ Lumpkin County girls
vs. Chestatee
11 a.m.
■ Lumpkin County boys
vs. Chestatee
12:30 p.m.
■ Dawson County boys
vs. Clarke Central
2 p.m.
■ Rabun County girls vs.
North Forsyth
3:30 p.m.
■ East Hall boys vs. Duluth
5 p.m.
■ Lambert boys vs. Newton
6:30 p.m.
■ Gainesville boys vs.
Morgan County
8 p.m.
■ Grayson boys vs. Mill Creek
Memorial Hall
9:30 a.m.
■ Jefferson boys vs. Brookwood
11 a.m.
■ Jefferson girls vs. East Hall
12:30 p.m.
■ White County boys vs.
Lakeview Academy
2 p.m.
■ White County girls vs.
North Gwinnett
3:30 p.m.
■ Mill Creek girls vs. Model
5 p.m.
■ Banks County boys
vs. Collins Hill
6:30 p.m.
■ Dawson County girls
vs. Banks County
8 p.m.
■ Lanier boys vs. Cedar Shoals
HIGH SCHOOL
SCOREBOARD
Lakeview Academy
girls earn 65-38 win
Eliza Snyder scored a game-high
19 points with five assists and four
steals for the Lakeview Academy
girls in a 65-38 win against Athens
Academy on Wednesday. Also for
the Lady Lions (3-2), Joelle Sny
der scored 13 points with a pair
of assists, while Sadie Thrailkill
chipped in 11 points, nine rebounds
and four steals.
On Friday, Lakeview Academy
visits Rabun County at 7 p.m. in
Tiger.
High school scores can be reported
each night by 10:30 p.m. each night
by calling 770-718-3415 or email
sports@gainesvilletimes.com
NBA
Hawks lose to Hornets
Jeremy Lamb scored 23 points,
Cody Zeller had a season-high 19
and the Charlotte Hornets avenged
a loss to Atlanta with a 108-94 vic
tory over the Hawks on Wednes
day night.The Hawks topped the
Hornets 124-123 on Sunday night at
home when John Collins blocked
Kemba Walker’s shot at the buzzer.
But this one wasn’t close.
Charlotte (11-10) limited Atlanta
to 34 percent shooting from the field
to move back above .500 on the sea
son and improve to 8-3 at home.
Hornets star Kemba Walker, who
came in averaging 27.9 points per
game, finished with 19 points while
battling through an off shooting
night.
76ERS 117, KNICKS 91: Joel
Embiid put on a show with his
father in the stands for the first
time this season, collecting 26 points
and 14 rebounds while leading the
Philadelphia 76ers to a win over the
New York Knicks on Wednesday
night. Embiid’s spin move into a
one-handed jam earned a smile and
applause from Thomas Embiid, a
colonel in the Cameroon military
who is visiting from the family’s
home country and plans to spend a
few weeks with his MVP candidate
son.
Associated Press
