Saturday's Daily News 'n Notes: Scoreboard; Russell Henley; Mercer and UGA football; CFB highlights; Braves; and more
Saturday’s Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
Scoreboard
High School
Softball
Brentwood 10, Westwood 0; Brentwood 8, Westwood 1
The War Eagles advance to the GISA AA semifinals.
John Milledge 11, Southland 1; John Milledge 15, Southland 3
Windsor 9, Crisp 1; Windsor 8, Crisp 2
Volleyball
College
Peach State College Football
Jacksonville State 34, Mercer 28
Mercer led for most of the first half, but gave up two touchdowns barely a minute apart for a 27-14 halftime deficit.
The Bears got within six twice, including in the final minute, but the Gamecocks held on in the fall opener for Mercer, the hosts improving to 1-1.
Tyray Devesin became the restarted program’s first 2,000-yard career rusher, and Deondre Johnson returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score and added a third-quarter touchdown reception.
JSU outgained Mercer by 10 yards on the same number of plays, the Bear defense recording 43 yards in losses to the JSU offense.
The Gamecocks won the Ohio Valley Conference title five straight years, the run ending in 2018.
Mercer travels to Army on Oct. 24, then hosts Abilene Christian on Oct. 31. Southern Conference play is expected to take place in the spring.
Defensive lineman Kashawn Baker of Crawford County had four tackles fpr the Bears.
Mary Persons grad Caleb Etheridge got the start at center for Mercer, as did snapper Zach Lassiter of Bleckley County.
Quarterback Dylan Fromm of Warner Robins, back/receiver Brandon Mays of Wilkinson County and Landon Miller of Rutland played but recorded no stats.
Defensive linemen Christian Mahogany of Hawkinsville didn’t play.
Tight end Leeshoen Jarrett of Houston County and defensive end Markeyce Troutman of Taylor County didn’t play for JSU.
Another sluggish start had the home folks a little nervous, Georgia down 21-17 at halftime and not looking good.
But Stetson Bennett got the offense going a bit, and the Bulldogs got two field goals and a 21-yard TD pass from Bennett to Peach County’s Kearis Jackson in the third quarter to take control.
Jackson continues to be huge for Georgia. The redshirt sophomore caught four passes for 91 yards, including his first college touchdown.
Georgia’s defense was dominant in the second half, the effort capped by a strip-sack and fumble return for a touchdown by Monty Rice.
Mary Persons alum Malik Herring started and was credited with a tackle, Upson-Lee’s Travon Walker with none. Houston County’s Trey Hill started on the line.
Offensive lineman Dawson Stephens of Veterans did not play for Tennessee.
Around/About Central Georgia
Henley in contention at Shriners
Maconite Russell Henley has had three good rounds at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open in Las Vegas.
He’s nowhere near alone.
Henley is 13 under after three rounds, which is only good enough for a tie for 31st, a group that includes Webb Simpson, Charles Howell III, Stewart Cink, and Byrson DeChambeau.
The Stratford alum has been consistent, with rounds of 67, 67, and 66.
Martin Laird and Patrick Cantlay are tied at 193, 20 under.
The cut line was 7 under, lowest in Tour history.
Henley had four birdies on Saturday, a bogey countered by an eagle. Friday, he had five birdies and a bogey, and four birdies on Thursday.
He tees off at 1:10 p.m. Sunday.
Around/About Georgia
A year to remember for Freeman
Pitching’s not all about the heat
Jackets have some highlight-reel action
Can Atlanta’s D be the difference?
Panthers worried about dangerous Falcons
Ref defends no-decision in United loss
Sports and COVID-19
NFL getting more positive tests, losing trust?
Mullen wants a packed Swamp for LSU game
College football
Alabama survives Mississippi in massive, staggering shootout
Jimbo finally gets signature A&M win, over Florida
LSU can’t score from the 1, stunned at Mizzou
Leach’s ‘Air Raid’ not so much: 2 points
Oklahoma tops Texas, Ehlinger in quad-OT
Bad call takes huge win over Auburn away from Arkansas
Not a great day for D in the SEC
Around the nation/world
Stunned 19-year-old breaks slump, wins French Open
Good timing for Djokovic and Nadal
Well-liked Baker leads not-so-well-liked Astros
Allmendinger survives wild one at Charlotte
Will NASCAR moves inspire interest?
Trainers save JV player’s life