Thursday's Report: HS scores/FB, Mercer's season opener, Russell Henley; Sale superb again, Heinicke traded, UGA-Clemson, Tech-Georgia State; full CFB, NFL, MLB, US Open, Tour Championship
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High Schools
🥎 🥎 🥎Softball 🥎 🥎 🥎
Central 15, Wilkinson County 3
Crawford County 5, Spalding 3
The Eagles led 4-0 after four en route to a 10-4 hits advantage. C White had 3 hits and Jayden Rogers and Kinley Howard and Maddie Jo Carroll 2 each.
GMC Prep 14, Mount de Sales 0, 4 inn.
The Bulldogs put up 9 in the first inning, and outhit the Cavs 7-1. Hannah Garner fanned 9 in 4 innings, and Allie Deason had 2 hits and 3 RBI.
Perry 7, Lee County 4, 8 inn.
The Panthers scored 4 in the top of the 8th and gave up only 1 in the bottom half. Cason Gentry belted a 2-run homer in the eighth. Anna Dean had 2 hits and 3 RBI for the Panthers.
Taylor County 13, Shaw 1
Victoria Cooper struck out 12 hitters in 5 innings, and Bralyn Hunter went 3 for 4 for the Vikings. Syler Searcy went 4 for 4.
Westside 28, Southwest 16
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⚽ ⚽ ⚽Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽
M-GMC 3, Georgia Revolution FC 1
Pro
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🏀🏀🏀WNBA 🏀🏀🏀
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Around/About Central Georgia
CFB: Presbyterian at Mercer, 7 p.m.
The Bears open the Mike Jacobs era against a team that’s now in the conference Mercer competed in when it reinstated football, the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League.
The teams played in 2019, Mercer winning 45-7, as well as 14 times in the old days. The Blue Hose were in the Division II South Atlantic Conference 1975-2006, the joined the Division I Big South, staying there from 2009-2019
Presbyterian returns 11 defensive starts and six on offense from last year’s 4-7 team, and head coach Steve Elkhart is 5-17 entering his third season. The Blue Hose have 17 players from Georgia, none from Central Georgia.
PC hasn’t had a winning season since going 6-5 in 2014, which included a win over Furman of the Southern Conference.
Jacobs takes over a team that made its FCS playoff debut last year, and is 8-3 in the new era’s home openers. The Bears averaged 147 rushing yards and 176 passing yards a game last year, but must replace most of the players who accumulated those yards.
But the Bears put 12 players on at least one preseason all-conference team, led by linebacker Ken Standley, who is on the Buck Buchanan watch list at least one preseason All-American team.
Mercer, picked for fourth in the conference, visits Bethune-Cookman next week.
Thursday’s area HS football games
Crawford County, 1-1, at Kendrick, 7 p.m.
The Eagles are off a 43-7 win over GMC Prep, while the AA Cherokees lost 22-0 to BEST. This is the first meeting.
Howard at Rutland (Ed DeFore), 5:30 p.m.
The 3A Huskies lead the series 5-4, winning the last five after the AA Hurricanes took the first four, starting in 2010. Howard won 13-0 last year.
Northeast at Washington County, 7 p.m.
Two former college standouts go against each other as head coaches, Northeast’s Jeremy Wiggins (Appalachian State) and Washington County’s Robert Edwards (Georgia). The Golden Hawks lead the series 10-5, but the Raiders have won the last three meetings 26-13/2019, 25-24/2020, and 27-23/2021).
Around/About Georgia
Sale bolsters Cy Young case with 15th win as Braves sweep Twins
Falcons trade quarterback Taylor Heinicke to Chargers
By the numbers: How Falcons' 53-man roster compares to rest of NFL
Georgia’s D made an all-time statement against Clemson in 2021. It’ll look to do so again in Week 1
Georgia, Clemson ADs will put friendship aside for a few hours
Neighbors Georgia Tech, Georgia State meet for first time
Baseball/MLB
Ohtani-mania breaks out again with 2nd giveaway of bobblehead featuring Dodgers slugger and his dog
Cleveland Cavaliers founder and former Guardians owner Nick Mileti dies at 93
Bethancourt drives in 7 as Chicago Cubs rally
Houston’s Arrighetti loses no-hit bid against Phillies in 8th inning on infield single by Hays
Carroll’s grand slam off Díaz in the 8th inning lifts the Diamondbacks over the Mets
College Football/South
No. 13 LSU to debut new-look passing game in opener against No. 23 USC
Florida RB Johnson cleared to play against No. 19 Miami following knee scope
Receiver Huggins-Bruce rejoins Louisville after spring, summer practice at South Carolina
Sickening: Norvell takes blame for Georgia Tech loss
College Football/Thursday
Pressure on Arkansas coach Pittman as Razorbacks seek strong start against Arkansas-Pine Bluff
No. 11 Missouri to open season against Murray State after breakthrough 11-win campaign in 2023
No. 24 NC State opens against FCS foe Western Carolina with eye on looming Tennessee matchup
No. 12 Utah opens Big 12 era seeking third straight win over in-state foe Southern Utah
No. 22 Kansas begins season vs Lindenwood at Children’s Mercy Park as its stadium gets rebuilt
Sanders and the Buffaloes kick off Year 2 in Boulder against FCS powerhouse North Dakota State
Wake Forest opens the season Thursday at home against North Carolina A&T of FCS ranks
North Carolina starts the post-Maye era with an early challenge at Minnesota
College Football
Recommendation to eliminate 15-day spring transfer portal window for football players moves forward
What to watch, starting Thursday: Week 1 college football viewing guide
Michigan's ex-sign stealer Connor Stalions says in Netflix documentary he did not break NCAA rules
Oklahoma RB coach DeMarco Murray suspended for one game for recruiting violations
Sapp relishes return to football as he serves as grad assistant at Colorado for Sanders
Golf
Everyone starts out chasing Scottie Scheffler for the FedEx Cup title at East Lake
The East Lake Xander Schauffele has dominated isn't the one he's playing now
Hovland 'shocked' by revamped East Lake layout
PGA Tour postseason could use a little variety in its venues: Analysis
Ko firm on retirement plan despite Olympic, British Open victories
Football/NFL/USFL
QB starters Williams, Daniels and Nix lead list of NFL rookies to watch in 2024
Panthers use No. 1 slot on waiver wire to acquire 6 players one day after NFL roster cuts
WNBA
Clark sets WNBA rookie record as Fever beat Sun, snap 11-game losing streak in series
Basketball/NBA
Cleveland Cavaliers founder and former Guardians owner Nick Mileti dies at 93
Tennis
Wimbledon champion Krejcikova out of US Open, Shelton and Tiafoe set to meet in 3rd round
Gauff’s serving struggles at the US Open give way to stronger play in a second-round win
Swiatek and other tennis players say their mental and physical health are ignored
Does American tennis have a pickleball problem?
Scoreboards