Monday's Central Georgia Daily News 'n Notes (final edition): Football ratings out; big day of Braves (good) news; ex-Falcons coach Smith fired; Falcons update (loaded)
Monday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
Check out the Monday Morning Quarterback - plenty of info and area football polls - in The Latest Coverage. And the week’s football schedule is up.
The GHSA softball playoff pairings are in The Latest Coverage. Coaches/teams, please email playoff info – and send a roster and stats for the season – to centralgasports@gmail.com upon finalizing. Need info from volleyball coaches. Volleyball coaches: please send postseason info - along with a roster and any state - as soon as possible to centralgasports@gmail.com
Coming Tuesday morning: Paul Johnson speaks at the Macon Touchdown Club.
Dodge County, Bleckley County, Dooly County win
Region 3-AA was expected to be a weekly battle and full of surprises, and even with weather-forced delays, that was the case Monday night.
Dodge County held Washington County to its lowest regular-season point total since early 2016 with a 20-6 win.
That puts the Indians and Golden Hawks into a tie for second, Dodge County at 3-1 and Washington County at 2-1. Washington County fell to 6-1 overall, Dodge County improving to 7-1.
Dodge County visits East Laurens (1-6, 0-3) on Friday, and Washington County hosts Southwest (2-5, 0-3).
Dublin is 4-0 and 7-1 and in first in the region.
Bleckley County had little trouble in dispatching East Laurens 56-21 in another 3-AA game. Bryce Bailey took over at quarterback because of injuries, and the Royals (3-5, 1-3) ended up scoring a season high.
Dooly County (4-3, 3-1) stayed solidly in the playoff hunt in Class A Public with a 44-19 win over Crawford County, in a game moved from Vienna to Roberta.
Snitker, most of staff to stay with Braves
There was a hint of a possibility that Atlanta may not have the same manager or coaching staff next year. And that’s all it was, with Brian Snitker getting an extension after a surprisingly good season.
And The Sporting News NL rookie of the year iiiis?
Yep.
GHSA Class A football rankings updated
More Central Georgia Class A teams are easing into the playoff picture, and the lone undefeated team is no more.
Mount de Sales lost to Tattnall, and fell four spots to No. 12 in A Private, while the Trojans jumped from 27th to 21st, one spot ahead of Stratford.
The top 24 teams in private and public make the postseason, but region champions can knock a team out if there’s an upset.
The top eight teams get a first-round bye, so the Cavs fell out of that category and are unlikely to return, with games against No. 33 FPD and No. 38 Public Wilkinson County left before the region play-in.
A bye hasn’t been part of the Class A Public conversation all year, but Dooly County and Hancock Central are 15th – before Monday night’s game with Crawford County – and 17th.
Macon County is 27th, with No. 40 Hawkinsville left before the Region 4 crossover, and then the region play-in.
Macon TD Club honors pair
Players from Tattnall and Central are the Macon Touchdown Club players of the week.
Jamal Marshall, a senior running back, defensive back, and kick returner, is the back of the week after leading Tattnall past Mount de Sales with 108 yards rushing – including a 77-yard TD run – plus 64 yards receiving, 61 on one catch for a score. He also had 112 yards in kickoff returns, 95 on a TD return, and had 12 tackles at DB.
Central’s Walter Nesbitt is the lineman of the week after helping the Chargers play Pike County to within two on the road, with 14 tackles.
There were no special teams nominations.
Tampa Bay cuts loose ex-Falcons head coach
A day after losing in Atlanta, Tampa Bay fired former Atlanta head coach Mike Smith as defensive coordinator.
Football updates (slow Monday with off weeks)
Georgia
Can this team rebound like last year’s?
Mercer
Getting ready for a visit from Western Carolina
Kennesaw State
Falcons