Sunday's Daily News 'n Notes: Falcons falter hard; big Braves win; United win; Peach State CFB
Sunday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
Falcons battled, but slugged by Watson, Texans
Atlanta had leads of 7-0 in the first quarter and 17-16 at halftime.
Seriously. Hard to believe.
And was outscored 37-15 in the second half, Houston and Deshaun Watson owning the Falcons in the second half ne route to 166 rushing yards and 426 passing yards and a 53-32 win.
Watson was almost unfair, completing 28 of 33, with five touchdowns, no interceptions, and no sacks.
Matt Ryan wasn’t bad, going 32 of 46 for 330 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception and two sacks. But Atlanta managed all of 57 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Tight end Austin Hooper and running back Ito Smith caught six passes each, for 56 and 45 yards. Julio Jones caught three passes, sixth-most for the day for Atlanta, for 42 yards.
Blank: no immediate changes coming
Defense in search of … a lot
Watson was playing pitch-and-catch
Georgia Southern head coach Lunsford to speak at Macon TD Club
Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford is Monday night’s speaker at the Macon Touchdown Club.
The club meets at the Methodist Home for Children and Youth, in the Rumford Center, at 304 Pierce Ave. It starts at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and the program to begin around 7. There is a one-time special-guest fee of $20, $10 below the regular non-member rate.
Central and Tattnall are the featured high schools. Samford head coach and Mount de Sales grad Chris Hatcher is next week’s speaker, followed by former Auburn and Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville.
Lunsford has spent 11 seasons at Georgia Southern, including the past seven, having been named head coach after the 2017 season.
The 2016 nominee for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant is from Elberton and graduated from Georgia College. His coaching career began at Appalachian State, followed by a few seasons at Georgia Southern, one at Griffin High, two at GMC junior college, before returning to Georgia Southern.
He has coached tight ends, slotbacks, linebackers, special teams, wideouts at his stops, as well as recruiting coordinator. He has also twice been recruiting coordinator. He was also director of scouting during a four-year stint in football administration at Auburn.
Monday Morning Quarterback
Coming Monday morning: Central Georgia’s polls, Division I and Division II and all classes, Loughdmouthings, and more high school football.
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Braves Report
Josh Donaldson opened the ninth with a double, two outs followed before Billy Hamilton stole third.
And the Braves won.
Brian McCann was intentionally walked, and Rafael Ortega ran for him. Up stepped Dansby Swanson, who sent a first-pitch double to left for the tying run. Up stepped Adam Duvall, who sent an 0-2 single to center for the lead, winning, and insurance runs as Atlanta took a 3-1 win over St. Louis to take a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series.
Mark Melancon, considered by most the goat of the Game 1 loss in Atlanta, gave up a one-out double but then got the final two outs in the bottom of the ninth on seven pitches.
Swanson, from the eighth spot in the lineup, went 3 for 4 with a run and RBI.
Mike Soroka turned in a mighty memorable performance on the mound.
The unflappable youngster needed only 90 pitches in seven innings – more later in the game – to strike out seven with no walks and two hits.
The Cards run came on a bloop double, a sacrifice, and sacrifice fly in the second. Soroka went on to sit down Card after Card after Card.
As did former Brave Adam Wainwright, for the most part, to Atlanta’s offense. He went 7.2 innings, with eight strikeouts, two walks, four hits and a shutout.
Ozzie Albies had two of Atlanta’s seven hits, yet oddly didn’t score or drive in a run.
Atlanta won despite stranding eight and going only 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. On the other hand, St. Louis left four and was 0-for-5.
Next: Playoffs: G4 Monday, at St. Louis, 3:07, TBS; G5 Wed., vs. St. Louis, 5:02 p.m., TBS
Swanson flips the momentum switch
Peach State college football report
UGA: Offense was pretty good, huh?
UGA: Cager happy with progress, Fromm’s trust
Tech: Players after the game …
Georgia Southern: Column – the weapons are there, but …
Mercer: Chattanooga thrilled with a huge road win
Around/about Georgia
United seal second with win over New England