Monday's News 'n Notes: Scoreboard; Ex-Central, Dublin coach Simonton dies; Mayhem's Kerr resigns; Falcons, UGA, Tech, Hawks, college FB, MLB, NFL, Racing, moree

August 10, 2021 Central Georgia Sports Report

Monday'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

Dodge County 6, Wilcox County 2

GMC 12, FPD 0

Houston County 7, Jones County 5

Northside 16, Warner Robins 0

Putnam County 12, Jasper County 4

Tattnall 10, Strong Rock 0

Veterans 18, Rutland 4

Westfield 8, Bleckley County 0

Around/About Central Georgia

Former Central, Dublin football coach Simonton dies

The winningest head football coach in Central history has died.

Tom Simonton, who coached at Dublin and Central from 1973-1997, died Monday afternoon. He was in his mid-80s, and is survived by wife Lyn, and sons David, Michael, and Steve.

“He was a father, a coach, a history lover, a traveler, a sports fanatic, a prankster and a teller of dad jokes,” son David posted on Facebook Monday night. “He was the best father we could ever have asked for. And his pranks ...”

Simonton’s head coaching career began in 1967 at Russell, a AA school in East Point that played its final season in 1987 and became Tri-Cities, where he went 35-23-1 in six seasons. He followed with a 40-22 mark in six seasons at Dublin before moving on to Central.

He led the Chargers to a 114-83-1 record in 19 seasons, with only five losing seasons and closing his Central career with four straight winning seasons.

In 31 seasons at the three schools, he had only eight losing seasons, and went 25-15 against Bibb County schools Northeast and Southwest. He was an assistant at Robert E. Lee in Thomaston under Jim Cavan.

He finished 189-128-2 overall in 31 seasons, ranking first all-time at Central, by a whopping 80 wins, third at Russell, and fifth at Dublin.

At Central, he served as athletics director, and tennis coach, also working as the social studies department chair. He wrote several books, including on the 44 stack defense and about coaching special teams.

Of coaches who spent at least five seasons at a Central Georgia school, Simonton ranks 14th in wins among area coaches.

Kerr resigns from Mayhem for personal reasons

Kevin Kerr’s second stint as head coach of the Macon Mayhem was shorter than his first, but was as successful.

It stunningly ended Monday with the team’s announcement of his resignation for personal and family reasons.

He returned to Macon in June of 2020, after serving as the team’s first head coach, from 2015-18. Kerr went 126-62-22 in four seasons with Macon.

Assistant coach Ryan Michel was the Mayhem’s interim head coach in 2019 after Leo Thomas was fired. Michel was named official head coach for the end of the 2019 season. He moved aside when Kerr became available and took the job again months later.

Around/About Georgia/Southeast

Ryan getting used to yet another playcaller

Falcons add some RB depth

Atlanta practice update: Working with Pitts

Hawks add Dieng while Okongwu recovers

Tech loses WR Blackburn for the year

College Football

Arizona State puts assistants on leave

Penn State on third OC in three seasons

Baseball

Sounded like a slur, was a yell for the mascot at Rockies game

But Miami player heard different