About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2020)
SPORTS Bill Murphy Sports Editor | 770-718-3415 | sports@gainesvilletimes.com Sftncs gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition-December 2-3, 2020 GEORGIA BULLDOGS JOHN ROARK I Athens Banner Herald University of Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity speaks during the opening of its indoor facility in 2017 in Athens. McGarity says he will retire as athletics director Associated Press Greg McGarity is retiring after 10 years as Georgia’s athletic director. The 66-year-old McGarity said Monday his retirement will begin Dec 31. He served a variety of roles in two stints at Georgia, his alma mater, covering 25 years. He also is a former admin istrator at Florida from 1992 to 2010. During his time as Geor gia’s athletic director, the budget of the athletic association grew from $89 million in 2010 to $153 mil lion. McGarity has over seen $200 million in facility improvements. McGarity thanked Geor gia’s coaches, staffers, ath letes and fans. “There is no better fan base in college sports than the Bulldog Nation,” he said. McGarity said the ath letic association is in “great hands” under the “strong leadership” of University of Georgia President Jere Morehead. Morehead said he understood McGarity’s wish to retire with his wife, Sheryl. “While I had hoped Greg would continue to serve as our athletic director for a few more years, I under stand and appreciate his and Sheryl’s decision to begin a new chapter in their lives,” Morehead said. “Greg will leave behind a strong legacy of leadership and devotion to his alma mater, having further elevated our athletic program on the national stage.” Josh Brooks, Georgia’s senior deputy director of athletics, will serve as interim athletic director, beginning Jan. 1. Morehead also named Darrice Grif fin, currently Georgia’s deputy director of athletics, to replace Brooks as interim senior deputy director of athletics. SATURDAYS SCOREBOARD No. 13 Georgia takes down South Carolina 45-16 James Cook ran for 104 yards on just six carries and three other Georgia backs had at least 77 yards to help the No. 13 Bulldogs over power depleted South Caro lina 45-16 on Saturday night. After throwing for 401 yards in his first start last week, Southern California transfer JT Daniels was 10 for 16 for 139 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Daniels overthrew a few open receivers and took two sacks. But Georgia barley needed Daniels to pass at all. The Bulldogs ran for 332 yards. Georgia led 21-0 after its first three possessions and before South Carolina got a first down. Zamir White ran 13 time for 84 yards, Kenny McIntosh had 79 yards on nine carries, and Daijun Edwards ran 14 times for 77 yards. The Bulldogs didn’t attempt a pass after Daniels’ 31-yard touchdown strike to Arian Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter gave them a 45-10 lead. GEORGIA TECH 56, DUKE 33: After having to endure an unexpected four-week layoff, Jeff Sims played like he was deter mined to make up for lost time. Sims threw three touch down passes and ran for 108 yards, setting career highs, and Georgia Tech beat turnover-plagued Duke on Saturday night as each team returned from long layoffs. Led by Sims, the fresh man quarterback, Georgia Tech (3-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended a three- game losing streak. Associated Press SUNDAY’S LALCONS Atlanta looks solid in 43-6 win Associated Press Deion Jones returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown, Matt Ryan threw a pair of short scoring passes, and the Atlanta Fal cons thoroughly dominated Derek Carr and the bumbling Las Vegas Raiders 43-6 on Sunday. The Raiders (6-5) lost their second in a row and looked very much like a pretender in the AFC playoff race, producing a listless, mistake-filled per formance against an Atlanta team that’s playing out the season under an interim coach. Carr had a miserable day, fumbling the ball away three times in addition to delivering the pick that the Falcons linebacker returned for his fifth career TD. Nathan Peterman fin ished out at quarterback for the Raiders, who took their worst loss of Jon Gruden’s most recent three seasons as coach. Las Vegas had a season-worst five turnovers in all and was flagged 11 times for 141 yards, with one penalty wiping out an interception and another allowing the Falcons (4-7) to keep the ball after a missed field goal. Atlanta wound up scoring a touch down after Dallin Leavitt rolled into Younghoe Koo’s legs, taking him out for a roughing-the- kicker personal foul. Gambling on fourth- and-3 at the Raiders 4, Ryan double-pumped to buy just enough time to find Calvin Ridley alone in the back of the end zone for the game’s first touchdown with 2:17 left in a tedious first half that took nearly two hours to complete. Ryan HIGH SCHOOL LOOTBALL Heavyweights collide BILL MURPHY I The Times Flowery Branch running back Jaizen Ellingham runs against Luella in the first half of the first-round playoff game in the Class 4A state tournament Saturday in Flowery Branch. No. 5 Flowery Branch set to face top-ranked Marist in the second round of Class 4A state playoffs BY BILL MURPHY bmurphy@gainesvilletimes.com To be the best in 2020, Flowery Branch is going to have to beat the best — earlier rather than later. On top of that, it’s one of the Fal cons’ former region rivals. On Friday, fifth-ranked Flowery Branch (9-2) will visit No. 1 Marist (9-0) in just the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs. These two have played previ ously in 2018 and 2019 when they were both two of the best programs in Region 8-4A, but the War Eagles won both of those games, handily. “This is the third year in a row that we’ve faced Flowery Branch, so there won’t really be any surprises, ” Marist coach Alan Chadwick said. “Flowery Branch definitely has the most complete offense that we’ve seen all season. They have two great running backs and a quarterback who is playing exceptionally well, they also like to slip the tight ends down the field, so we have to have great eye discipline.” This time, however, Flowery Branch is trending in a direction that makes it look like this one will be one of the more highly- anticipated matchups, in any clas sification, in the second round of the playoffs. “Everyone on our team is 100 percent focused this week and we know what we’re capable of doing,” Falcons senior tight end Sal Sengson said. “In the playoffs, it’s survive or die.” Flowery Branch dominated Luella, 40-6, in the first round of the postseason Saturday. Marist beat Central-Carroll 49-0 to open the playoffs the same day. Falcons coach Ben Hall likes the progress his program has made, saying they are up to the task against Marist, which is one of the most revered programs in the state. “It’s going to take our very best effort to beat Marist,” Hall said. “Marist is a really good football team.” Last week, junior quarterback David Renard was in peak form for the Falcons, completing 14 of 21 throws with three touchdown passes, as well as a 12-yard rushing score in the first half. The Falcons scored five touch downs and had a 28-yard Maddux Trujillo field goal in the first half and didn’t have to punt against Luella in the first two quarters. Don’t expect that kind of lopsided matchup against Marist, which shut out 5 of 8 regular-season opponents and in two other games allowed just a single field goal. The only three touchdowns allowed by the War Eagles, which have been wire-to- wire No. 1 in the state this season, were against Mays once the Region 6-4A championship was firmly in hand on the final night of the regu lar season. Marist is led by senior offensive tackle Davis McKenna (who will play at Harvard University), South ern California committ Joshua Moore at wide receiver and senior tight end Derek McDonald (a Syra cuse University commit). Hall said he’s very familiar with most of the players for Marist since they were on the field when these two programs played the past two seasons. The War Eagles have eight starters on both sides of the ball who also started in 2019, Chadwick said. “Marist is a senior-laden squad,” Hall said. “They’re big and very physical and run that veer offense Friday’s second-round playoff schedule Class 4A ■ Flowery Branch at Marist, 7:30 p.m. Class 3A ■ Cherokee Bluff vs. Carver- Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ■ North Hall at Greater Atlanta Christian, 7:30 p.m. very well.” Chadwick (395-73 in his career) has been Marist’s coach since 1985. In that time, he’s guided the War Eagles to a state championship in 2003 (when Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay was its team captain) and three state runner-up finishes. Flowery Branch has played top- ranked teams in the postseason four times since 2011. They’ve all been close, but the Falcons are seeking their first play off win against the top team in the state. In 2019, the lOth-ranked Falcons battled No. 1 Cartersville in a 14-6 loss. In 2011, No. 7 Flowery Branch fell to No. 1 Tucker 42-34 in the state quarterfinals. In 2009, Flowery Branch played No. 1 Gainesville down to the wire in a 29-21 state semifinal loss at City Park Stadium, while the season before that the Falcons won four road playoff games before losing to No. 1 Cairo 28-14 in the state cham pionship at the Georgia Dome. This time, those who are on the field think it will be differently. “Marist is a nationally-known team,” Sengson said. “We have to be ready to play assignment football. ” “It would mean the world to me to be able to beat Marist,” senior wide receiver Ryan Lusco said. “Marist is an extremely tough opponent, but I think we have the tools to get it done this time.” Flowery Branch has now played in the postseason in 13 of the past 16 seasons. LIRST-ROUND PA\YOLL SCOREBOARD Cherokee Bluff tops LaFayette Cherokee Bluff’s first postseason football game in school history was a resounding success. Now, the Bears (10-1) are one of 16 teams left in the race for the state title in Class 3A. On Friday, Jayquan Smith had a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Eli Little added a 36-yard touchdown on a fumble return before the end of the game, resulting in a 35-7 victory against LaFayette. Smith finished the game with three touchdown runs and 15 carries for 90 yards. His touchdown runs were for 12,34 and 5 yards. Eric Gohman added a 76-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Sebastian Irons. With the win, Cherokee Bluff will host Carver-Atlanta in the second round on Dec. 3. NORTH HALL 36, NORTH MUR RAY 28: The Trojans recovered an onside kick to start the game, jumped to a big early lead and never trailed en route to a 36-28 victory over North Murray to open the Class 3A state play offs Friday at Lynn Cottrell Stadium in Gainesville. With the win, the Trojans will visit Greater Atlanta Christian in the second round on Dec. 3 in Lilburn. On Friday, the Trojans struck fast after recovering the opening kick with Clark Howell’s 25-yard scoring run. Midway through the first quarter, Howell scampered for a 51-yard scor ing run. Kevin Rochester scored on a 16-yard run early in the second quar ter, giving the Trojans a 21-0 lead. Howell finished with 22 runs for 232 yards for the Trojans, while Rochester ran for 94 yards. FLOWERY BRANCH 40, LUELLA 7: When Flowery Branch came away with two points on the first play of game, coach Ben Hall felt it could be a sign of good things to come against Luella in the opening round of the Class 4A state playoffs Saturday in Flowery Branch. On the game’s first snap, Luella’s center sent the ball over the quarterback’s head and the Fal cons recovered it for a safety in the end zone. After that it was smooth sailing for the fifth ranked Falcons. Maddux Trujillo nailed a 28-yard field goal on Flowery Branch’s first drive and it scored five touchdowns before halftime, making it a running clock in the second half and a domi nating 40-7 win for the Falcons (9-2). For Flowery Branch, the postseason opener was a direct result of the mas tery by quarterback David Renard, who ran for a 12-yard score in the second quarter. He also threw three touchdown passes. Jaizen Ellingham scored first for Flowery Branch on a 24-yard run in the first quarter, mak ing it 12-0 early in the game. ARCHER 21, GAINESVILLE 14: Late in the fourth quarter, Red Ele phants senior quarterback Gionni Wil liams found the end zone on a 4-yard run, then freshman Baxter Wright run it in on the 2-point conversion to tie the score at 14-14. Archer came right down the field, scoring on a 31-yard pass from Vashaun Stockmann to DJ Moore with less than a minute left in the game. For Gainesville, sophomore Naim Cheeks had a game-high 23 carries for 133 yards. NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN 28, LAKE VIEW ACADEMY 7: The Lions lost to North Cobb Christian to open the Class A private schools state play offs Friday in Acworth. With the loss, the Lions’ season is now complete. Compiled by Bill Murphy
