Thursday's Report: 🏈 predictions, state poll, HS scores, Quintez Cephus, Russell Henley; Falcons/Judon/2-deep, UGA, Braves, Dream; LLWS, MLB, college 🏈SEC/ACC/national, WNBA, golf
📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D
High Schools
Softball
ACE 14, Crawford County 2, 4 inn.
Laney Bridges went 4 for 4, including a triple, to lead 14-hit ACE. Sophie Denney drove in 4 runs, while Sydney Collins, Avery Stone, Reese Thames and Madisyn Haller each had 2 hits, Collins adding 2 RBI.
Columbus 6, Lamar County 1
Peach County 17, Rutland 2, 3 inn.
The Trojans moved to 7-0 behind a strong effort from the bottom of the lineup. Saniya Martin, Ta’Mori Hollinshed and Taleyah Barable accounted for 5 of Peach County’s hits and 7 RBI. Alyssa Crozier fanned six in 3 innings.
Westfield 12, Schley County 5
Cate Raines belted 2 homers and drove in 4 run for Westfield, which racked up 16 hits. Madison Hammock had 4 hits, with 2 hits from Chloe Hill and Riley Nelson.
Pro
⚾ ⚾ ⚾MLB ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰
Around/About Central Georgia
MLB.com releases video feature on Macon RBI
Henley set for next playoff tournament
There’ll be some suspense for Russell Henley in the second tournament of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
First, he’s never played at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, Colorado, south of Denver. The PGA Tour is making its first trip to the state since 2014, and first to this course since 2006.
Second, the first hole is a par-5 622-yard offering, tied for the toughest on the course.
Henley has had his share of first-hole and par-5 bogey issues, and hopes to avoid them in the playoff tournament.
Henley finished tied for eighth last year and tied for 35th in 2022.
Henley tees off Thursday at 12:50 p.m. with 18th-ranked Sam Burns.
The Stratford grad is ranked 17th in the FedEx Cup rankings and 14th in the Official World Golf Ranking, all but putting him in next week’s playoff finale in Atlanta as the top 30 advance.
The biggest drop in the FedEx rankings last week was 11 spots, Keegan Bradley falling from 39th to 50th to barely make it. Three players made big jumps – topped by Viktor Hovland from 57th to 16th – to advance.
Henley is ranked in the top 20 on the tour in several categories, including: second in sand saves and 3-putt avoidance, 11th in driving accuracy and total putting, 12th in putting average, 17th in scrambling, 18th in shots gained total, 19th in bogey avoidance, as well as in the top 15 in four approaches out of 14 categories.
He’s also 20th in winnings at $4.85 million.
Henley per-round numbers are notable: 60th for round 1, 137th for round 2, 73rd for round 3, and 14th for round 4.
.
Alumni Update
Stratford’s Cephus still with hanging with Houston
Former Stratford and Wisconsin standout Quintez Cephus hopes to get more chances to hang with the Houston Texans this week.
The Texans play the L.A. Rams – with former Peach County standout Demarcus Robinson - at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Houston signed the receiver, suspended for 2023 for gambling, on July 18. He spent a short time with Buffalo in April.
He caught three passes for 18 yards in a 20-12 win over Pittsburgh, but none in last week’s 28-10 win over the New York Giants.
The Texans currently list 11 receivers, with Cephus fourth at one of three spots.
Around/About Georgia
Judon on contract: Falcons don't know me, can't demand something I haven't worked for
Falcons release final depth chart before 53-man roster decisions
Marsh’s 8th-inning RBI lifts Phillies to comeback win over Braves
'Max is back': Fried's encouraging outing not enough for Braves
Charles moves into 2nd on WNBA scoring list while leading Dream
Baseball/MLB
Florida stays alive at LLWS as Lake Mary beats Wailuku, 4-3
Former NL MVP and 6-time All-Star Joey Votto announces his retirement from baseball
Pitching woes continue for the Dodgers, who own narrow NL West lead despite injuries
Reds SS De La Cruz becomes 5th player since 1901 with 20 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season
Yankees fire back at entitled criticism from Staten Island LL coach targeting Judge
Judge declines to respond after Little League coach says Yankees slugger ignored his team
Gurriel drives in four runs, leads Diamondbacks
Winker’s pinch-hit homer in 9th gives Mets 4-3 win over Orioles
Parker pitches 7 innings, García hits 3-run homer and Nationals beat Rockies
College Football/SEC/ACC
Newly expanded SEC reveals league tiebreakers
‘When you shake Blidi’s hand, you better be ready’: Auburn transfer DL Blidi
Florida State begin Georgia Tech, Dublin game week preparation
Florida’s Napier updates RB Johnson Jr.'s status, discusses second scrimmage
Is No. 6 Ole Miss ready to contend for a national title?
College Football
Coaches on the hot seat: Who's feeling the heat ahead of this season?
Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith drew players away from Oregon State, persuaded Spartans to stay
Gophers QB Max Brosmer makes strong impression as quick study, natural leader in arrival from FCS
Professor Pete? Former Trojans, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll returning to USC to teach a class
Football/NFL/USFL
Injuries are hindering new Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as he installs his scheme
LB Golden retires after 9 NFL seasons, mostly with Cardinals
Rookie Nix wins Broncos’ starting QB job over Stidham and Wilson
Panthers QB Young says he’s ‘comfortable’ in new offense even if he doesn’t play in preseason
After ‘much harder’ camp, Jets’ Rodgers has no preference whether he plays in preseason finale
Toronto QB Kelly apologizes for conduct that led to his suspension
Roster spots on Lions still up for grabs going into preseason finale
Titans’ Callahan encouraged by improvement he’s seen from QB Levis
Jets’ Gardner struggles when asked about Giants’ Jones: ‘He’s a good quarterback’
WNBA
Players would like more time off after the Olympics are over before league play resumes
Collier has 23, Williams 22 to lead the Lynx
NBA/Basketball
Williamson's apparent weight loss draws attention on social media
Attles, one of NBA’s first Black head coaches who led Warriors to 1975 title, dies at 87
Golf
Analysis: The FedEx Cup playoffs deliver. Just not always the best player with the title
PGA Tour’s return to Castle Pines stirs memories of milkshakes, mountains and missing Woods
Scheffler and PGA Tour’s best players face a new course in mile-high Castle Pines
Korda looks to rediscover unbeatable form in Women’s British Open at the home of golf
Auto Racing
NASCAR strips Dillon of playoff berth after he wrecked Logano and Hamlin for win at Richmond
Tennis
Why wasn’t Jannik Sinner suspended after two positive steroid tests? What do other players think?
Sinner tested positive for a steroid twice but will not be suspended
Scoreboards