Friday’s Report: HS🏈/🥎, Mercer, Braves’ moves; UGA, Tech, Hawks; MLB playoffs, college🏈, NBA, WNBA, tennis
📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D
High Schools
🏈🏈🏈Football🏈🏈🏈
LaGrange 41, Mary Persons 28
The Bulldogs were in a good position for a big upset over a top-10 team on the road, leading 28-14 at halftime. But the Grangers stormed back, thanks in part to a pick-6, to take 34-28 lead. QB Dylan Barner had three touchdowns, including one on fourth down for LaGrange. The Bulldogs reached midfield with just less than three minutes left, but suffered a fourth-down sack. The defense held and got the ball back at their 18 with 2:40 left. But LaGrange picked off a third-and-10 pass 20 seconds later and returned it to the 9. Two plays later, the Grangers sealed it with a score. Mary Persons’ Mac Nelson was 22 of 38 for 326 yards, 2 TD and Caden Lavinka caught 8 for 129 yards and 2 scores.
🥎 🥎 🥎Softball 🥎 🥎 🥎
ACE 13, Washington County 11
Baldwin 15, Cross Creek 12
Brentwood 18, Thomas Jefferson 1, 4 inn.
The War Eagles took the region title.
Central Fellowship 9, Flint River 2
FPD 1, GMC 0
Hawkinsville 8, Bleckley County 7
Hephizibah 21, Baldwin 6
John Milledge 18, Mount de Sales 4
Westfield 13, Brookstone 0
🏫🏫🏫College🏫🏫🏫
⚽ ⚽ ⚽Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽
W-UT Southern 6, Middle Georgia State 1
M-UT Southern 4, Middle Georgia State 0
🏐 🏐 🏐 Volleyball 🏐 🏐 🏐
Samford 3, Mercer 1 (22-25, 25-15, 25-15, 25-19)
📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰
Around/About Central Georgia
Some area high school schedule updates
Howard has posted what the rest of its muddled football schedule is, courtesy of Hurricane Helene. Region 4-AAA coaches met to make arrangements, but haven’t released anything.
The Huskies host Cross Creek on Oct. 18, visit Harlem a week later then welcome Baldwin on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Five days after that, on a Tuesday, Howard hosts Aquinas, then on that Saturday, Nov. 9, is at Westside-Augusta in the regular-season finale.
Baldwin’s reported adjustments: vs. West Laurens on Nov. 5 and at Richmond Academy on Nov. 9.
Around/About Georgia
Atlanta does major housecleaning
Hitting coach Seitzer out after 10-year run
Richt to receive Bear Bryant 'Heart of a Champion' Award
Smart focused on ‘pride’ as No. 5 Georgia prepares for SEC test vs underdog Mississippi State
Tech's Alexander awarded full scholarship following hard work
What have we learned about Falcons through 5 games?
Column Hawks additions don't look like enough to move them forward
Weather
Tropicana Field shredded by Hurricane Milton is the latest sports venue damaged by weather
College Football/SEC/ACC
SEC means more ... upsets? Three top 10 teams fall, led by Vanderbilt’s vanquishing of Alabama
What are the 15 rowdiest stadiums in America?
Freeze reacts to latest transfer portal, National Letter of Intent changes
Texas QB Ewers confirmed as starter against rival Oklahoma after missing 2 games with injury
SEC’s newest rivalry is 120th meeting for No. 1 Texas and No. 18 Oklahoma at the fair
Failing to fix a porous defense has been Napier’s biggest blunder at Florida
Texas pass defense ready for Oklahoma: Why the Longhorn DBs are playing better
Column-Vanderbilt field-storming response fell short after upset, and more SEC notes
Why Sarkisian ranks Red River Rivalry higher than Iron Bowl, others
QB struggles and injuries prove to be a tough obstacle for FSU, UNC and NC State
College Football/South
South Alabama seniors looking to finally bring ‘Belt’ back to Mobile by beating Troy
College Football
Barry Switzer is almost 90, but he still runs Norman
College football picks: Time is not on visitor’s side so far on long road trips in Big Ten
SEC, Big Ten say 12-team playoff rollout ‘has to go incredibly well’ before considering changes
Big play defense keys turnaround season for No. 14 BYU
Oregon’s 3 keys to victory vs. Ohio State
Heisman watch: Dillon Gabriel has a chance to make a big statement against Ohio State
First and 10: Even Riley's famed offense can't bail USC out of mess
Campbell’s rallying cry about no outright titles in 133 years inspires unbeaten and No. 11 Cyclones
Kansas State returns to Folsom Field for the 1st time since 2010 in Big 12 clash with Colorado
Are Sanders, Colorado poised to make Big 12 title run? Let's see Saturday
College Football/Wed./Thur./Friday
Maryland, Northwestern seek their first Big Ten victories in Friday night meeting
Tre Stewart’s 3 total TDs help Jacksonville State ease by New Mexico State
Barnett III, Lloyd Summerall III spark James Madison to 39-7 romp over Coastal Carolina
Freshman Bullock has 5 TD passes, rushing score as Louisiana Tech thumps Middle Tennessee
Veltkamp, Mathison guide Western Kentucky over winless UTEP
No. 16 Utah hoping to have quarterback Cameron Rising back against Arizona State
NFL/USFL/UFL/Football
Spencer Rattler set to start at QB for the Saints against the Buccaneers
Nix's ability to avoid sacks has been strong suit through five games
Jets interim Ulbrich replaces Hackett with Downing as the offense’s play caller
Purdy throws for 3 TDs and the 49ers beat the Seahawks
Jackson sheds light on exchange with Bengals fan who crashed his dinner
Stefanski still hasn't changed his tune on benching Watson
A 4-1 start has created long-starved hope and optimism around the Washington Commanders
Saleh is the scapegoat for a Jets mess he didn't create
Allen shouldering the blame for Buffalo’s offensive struggles following 2 losses
Baseball/MLB
Fry’s 2-run homer, squeeze bunt lead Guardians over Tigers 5-4 and force ALDS Game 5
Cole pitches big to send Yankees over Royals, into the ALCS
OMG, Grimace and a playoff pumpkin: Close-knit Mets ride camaraderie and good-luck charms into NLCS
Miguel Rojas on fan's IG post saying he cost Dodgers Game 3: 'I [screwed] that decision up'
Minnesota Twins announce plans for sale after 40 years in the Pohlad family
Phillies end 3rd straight October without World Series championship
WNBA
Lynx stun New York Liberty with overtime win in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals
Valkyries make splash by hiring Natalie Nakase as head coach
WNBA Finals to expand to best-of-seven format in 2025, commissioner announces
College Basketball
ACC basketball aims to fix image, change narrative -- whether it should have to or not
The ACC believes it should earn more NCAA Tournament berths. It’s time to make that happen
NBA
Heat's Jimmy Butler opens up about heartbreaking grief in Netflix series
3-time NBA champion Danny Green, a 3-point sharpshooter, announces retirement
Auto Racing
2 teams suing NASCAR ask court to recognize them as chartered while antitrust case proceeds
Tennis
Nadal announces retirement at end of year
Golf
Matt McCarty and Henrik Norlander share lead in Utah’s return to PGA Tour after 61 years
Sei Young Kim cards 10-under 62 to lead LPGA event in China after first round
Hockey
American Hockey League mandates neck protection this season. Will the NHL one day follow suit?
Soccer
Messi’s Argentina held 1-1 by Venezuela in South American World Cup qualifying
Scoreboards