Saturday's Report: HS softball, Mayhem opener, Mercer Tennis Classic; Falcons, UGA; College🏈&🏀& news, MLB playoffs, NFL, NBA/WNBA, NASCAR, tennis
Read. Enjoy. Share/retweet. Consider a donation of support. Tell a friend (not everybody's on Facebook or Twitter). Come back every day.
📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D📰
High School
🥎 🥎 🥎Softball 🥎 🥎 🥎
GIAA Playoffs
Class AAA
Tattnall 8, George Walton 0
Westfield 6, John Milledge 5
Westfield 14, Tattnall 3
John Milledge 10, Brookstone 9
Stratford 11, Loganville Christian 8
George Walton 16, Stratford 6, Stratford eliminated
George Walton 18, John Milledge 13, JMA eliminated
Saturday
Class AAA
10 a.m. Tattnall vs. George Walton, elimination game
2 p.m. Westfield vs. Tattnall/GW winner, championship
Class AA
Citizens Christian vs. Brentwood, Friday, 12 p.m., no score reported
SW Georgia 11, Piedmont 2
4 p.m., Piedmont vs. CC/Brentwood winner, no score reported
College
🏐 🏐 🏐 Volleyball 🏐 🏐 🏐
Mercer 3, UNC Greensboro 0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-15)
Pro
🏒🏒🏒 SPHL 🏒🏒🏒
📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰
Around/About Central Georgia
Mayhem roll in season opener
Through two periods, Macon and Knoxville were in a quality battle, tied at 2. Then the Mayhem exploded for five goals – two by Jake Goldowski – to roll past Knoxville 7-2 in the season opener for both SPHL teams at the Macon Coliseum.
Alex Cohen had goals in the second and third periods, Macon also getting goals from Joey Berkopec, Tanner Nagel, and Tommy Munichiello.
Josh Boyko saved 29 of 31 shots in goal.
The teams go again Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Final four singles at Mercer Tennis Classic are the top four
In nine years, it hasn’t happened.
But finally, the singles semifinals of the Mercer Tennis Classic will have 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4 when action resumes Saturday morning at the John Drew Smith Tennis Center.
Top seed Taylor Townsend takes on No. 3 Katie Volynets at 11 a.m. followed by Panna Udvardy vs. Kayla Day, with the doubles final to follow.
Day was part of perhaps the match of the week, the 2016 champ and Alexa Noel, of the University of Miami, digging in for a marathon.
It lasted 353 points and took three hours and 45 minutes. Day had just enough in the tank left to break Noel and end the three-setter, winning 6-7 (5), 6-3, and 7-5.
Udvardy had a big battle before surviving unseeded Raluca Georgiana 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-2. Volynets and Townsend had fairly routine quarters, Volynets winning 6-2, 6-2 and Townsend 6-3, 6-1.
Volynets hasn’t dropped a set and is nailing her first serves 70 percent of the time, clicking on 61 percent of her break points.
It was a slightly blustery day, forcing adjustments.
“I didn’t really change my tactics,” Townsend said. “But it messed up my timing. It hasn’t been windy all week and today it was constantly gusting and not moving in any one direction, so it made it a little more difficult to find my contact point.”
Around/About Georgia
Former Falcons QB-turned-TV-guy on the current Falcons QB
Ryan Nielsen, David Onyemata, Arnold Ebiketie identify signs of an improving Falcons pass rush
Click right here, ☝🏼
College Football
Michigan opponents were aware of ‘elaborate’ scouting scheme, and assistant
Michigan suspends staffer after NCAA launches investigating into allegations of sign-stealing
Pat McAfee’s presence on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ is as polarizing as you thought
Eddie George rips Tennessee State football fans for not supporting winning team: 'It hurts the kids'
University of Michigan Regents approve applying for liquor licenses at Big House, Crisler and Yost
Why undefeated James Madison football (probably) isn't making a bowl game
College Football/South
Rivalry games, travel demands are top concerns as ACC officials plan to tackle new scheduling format
Emmitt Smith almost went to Auburn
College Sports
Reese, defending national champ LSU and rebuilt South Carolina leading way in SEC
Deep, talented SEC hoops relying heavily on newcomers -- except Tennessee and Texas A&M
Bigger, deeper and stronger: Big 12 welcomes 4 new schools to college basketball’s best league
MLB/Baseball
Thomas’ tying homer, Moreno’s decisive hit send D-backs over Phillies 6-5, ties NLCS at 2 games
Altuve hits go-ahead homer in 9th, Astros take 3-2 lead over Rangers in ALCS after benches clear
Abreu, Baker, García ejected from ALCS Game 5 as benches clear
Streaky Rangers suddenly headed wrong way again with Game 4 loss as Astros even ALCS
NFL/Football
Commanders will have a chance to bury the NFC East-rival Giants even deeper
Bengals looking for more scoring from Joe Burrow and the offense following bye week
Saleh’s consistent approach has been a constant in Jets’ season filled with ups and downs
Donald is still a Steelers fan. He’ll try to beat them when his hometown team visits his Rams
Auto Racing
Hamlin hits Homestead set to build on momentum in chase for elusive title
Path to Phoenix: Avenues for advancement in Cup Series Playoffs
NBA/WNBA/Basketball
Andre Iguodala, a four-time NBA champion with Golden State, retires after 19-year NBA career
The Knicks, after finally advancing again in the playoffs, bring back a team that can do it again
Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones respond to 'classless' comments by Aces' Kelsey Plum about Liberty
Tennis
Djokovic, Swiatek headline United Cup team event in Sydney and Perth ahead of Australian Open
Scoreboards