CHECK OUT THE BIG BATTLE IN GWINNETT SEE BACK PAGE NOVEMBER 19-25, 2008 GWINNETT’S HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWSPAPER VOL 3 NO 8 02G I SCORE GWINNETT Get In The Game! ™ STARTING THE HIGH SCHOOL LINEUP PLAYERS OF THE WEEK PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg • MANAGING EDITOR Tad Arapoglou • ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Gaudio • WEBMASTER Alex Ewalt VIDEO MANAGER/PREP EDITOR Scott Janovitz • BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick SALES Brian Pruett, Travis Ball, Charles Rose • OFFICE MANAGER Nakia Washington BEAT WRITERS Josh Bagriansky (Falcons), Stephen Black (Kennesaw State), Jason Boral (Thrashers), James Butler (UGA), Dave Cohen (Georgia State), Johnny Crosskey (Tech), Alex Ewalt (Preps), Scott Janovitz (Hawks/Recruiting), Fletcher Proctor (Braves) STAFF WRITERS Cranston Collier, Joe Deighton, Ricky Dimon, Rajesh Gupta, Brian Jones, Zander Lentz, Andrew McCarron, Corey Mitchell, Jessica Parker, Derek Wiley CONTRIBUTORS Dean Zindler, Kevin Dankosky, Mitch Evans, Matt Judy, Tony Schiavone, Richard Diamond, Joe Haines, Brian Katrek, Chris Dimino, Mike Bell, Matt Stewart, Fred Kalil, Nick Cellini, Phillip Leopold, Dave Marshall, Greg Smith, Steak Shapiro, Mike Cather, Beau Bock, Chuck Oliver, Hal Lamar, Chris Cotter, Matt Chernoff, Roy Hickman, Dave Cohen, John Olah, Jeff Woolverton, Chris Voss, Bob Rathbun, Courtney Capps, Bill Hartman, Chuck MARSHALL STEED ERIKA RAMSEY Dowdle, Shannon Alderman, Dan Kamal, Dennis Scott, C.C., Hal Lanier, Jeff Batten, Micah Hart, Ben Wright, Alan DACULA HIGH WESLEYAN SCHOOL Vasquez, Andrew Vedlitz, Brian Jones • SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mitch Albom, Dave Kindred, Barry Bloom The senior wide receiver/defensive A sophomore, Ramsey took home the SCHOOL LISTING back helped Dacula back into the play- individual title at the GHSA Cross CHEROKEE/FORSYTH: Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, Forsyth Central, North Forsyth, Sequoyah, South Forsyth, West Forsyth, Woodstock offs with his play in 2008. Steed was Country Championships in Carrollton COBB: Allatoona, Campbell, Harrison, Kell, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter, Marietta, McEachern, N. Cobb, N. Cobb Christian, Pebblebrook, the team’s leading receiver, accumulat- back on Nov. 8 with a time of 19:51.52. Pope, S. Cobb, Sprayberry, Walton, Wheeler ing 456 yards on 29 catches (15.7 That performance helped her team to a DEKALB: Chamblee, Columbia, Decatur, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, Lakeside, Marist, Miller Grove, M.L. King, Paideia, Redan, St. Pius X, third-place finish at state. She actually Southwest DeKalb, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Tucker yards per catch average), with four FULTON: Alpharetta, Blessed Trinity, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Douglass, Grady, Lovett, Mays, Milton, North Springs, Northview, touchdowns during the regular season. set her personal best time two weeks Riverwood, Roswell, Tri-Cities, Westminster, Woodward Academy Along with quarterback Hunter Watts, prior for the state-meet tune-up, run- GWINNETT: Berkmar, Brookwood, Buford, C. Gwinnett, Collins Hill, Dacula, Grayson, Greater Atlanta Christian, Meadowcreek, Mill Creek, the passing game was crucial in the ning the same course in nearly two Norcross, North Gwinnett, Parkview, Peachtree Ridge, South Gwinnett, Wesleyan Falcons’ six wins. seconds better time. WWW.SCOREATL.COM NOVEMBER 19-25, 2008 SCORE GWINNETT I 03G Parkview’s Jacobs headlines Score Prep Gwinnett 2008 All-County Team nother season, another impressive crop Gwinnett – Headed to Wofford, Barnes is one Shiloh – The future Ole Miss Rebel regis- sure tackler, registering 51 stops on the year Aof football talent from one of the deepest of the main weapons in the Bulldogs’ potent tered seven sacks and 79 tackles this year for from the cornerback position. counties, both team- and player-wise, in the offense. He averages over 15 yards per catch the Generals. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound rush Safety: Wade Brogdon, Brookwood – entire Southeast. Here is the Score Prep and has snagged two touchdowns on the year. end was a big reason Shiloh was a dramati- The do-it-all senior for the Broncos led the Gwinnett All-County Team for 2008 Offensive lineman: Max Garcia, cally improved football team in 2008. county in interceptions with five. The utility Norcross – The big junior anchors an offen- Defensive tackle: Wesley Hollingshed, man also handled all kicking duties and lined sive line that helped the Blue Devils’ rushing Norcross – The name wasn’t widely known up at wide receiver for Brookwood. OFFENSE … Safety: Prince Kent, Norcross – As Quarterback: Michael Tamburo, North unit put up 291 yards in a first-round win in recruiting circles before this season, but intimidating as the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Kent Gwinnett – The senior, committed to Boise over Parkview. Hollingshed had put up 91 tackles and 9.5 can be as a receiver, he’s even scarier in the State, ran one of the county’s most prolific Offensive lineman: Dallas Lee, Buford sacks through 10 games. secondary. The athletic rover tallied nine offenses and threw for 13 touchdowns and just – An exceptional two-way player for the Defensive tackle: Dallas Lee, Buford – A tackles in his team’s latest win. five interceptions. He also has over 500 yards Wolves, this Georgia commit blew up defen- space-eater as well as a threat to get to the rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns on the year. sive lines all year for tailbacks Storm quarterback, Lee had five sacks and 77 tackles KICKERS/SPECIAL TEAMS … Running back: Brandon Jacobs, Johnson and Cody Getz. At 6-foot-3, 305 at the completion of the regular season. Kicker: Connor Hawk, Norcross – The Parkview – The county rushing leader after pounds, he is an explosive athlete. Linebacker: Kevin Minter, Peachtree best all-around kicker in the county was a the first round of the playoffs (1,573 yards) Offensive lineman: Jake Thomas, Ridge – A tough hitter that’s headed to LSU weapon for the Blue Devils, as he has con- is currently second in Gwinnett in rushing North Gwinnett – The nod goes to the senior a semester early, Minter is the leading tack- nected on 13 of 17 kicks thus far, including touchdowns (19). He’s also an adept pass- on a big and talented Bulldogs O-line. A 6- ler on a Lions defense that has yielded less the game-winner last Friday against Parkview. Punter: Connor Hawk, Norcross – Hawk catcher out of the backfield. foot-2, 240-pound center, Thomas is the than 11 points a game. He also has shown an was second in the county in punting average Running back: D.J. Adams, Norcross – anchor on one of the best units in the state. ability to get to the quarterback. through 10 games (38.8 on 30 attempts). A big bruising back that’s committed to Offensive lineman: Kellen Williams, Linebacker: Steven Smith, Norcross – Kick returner/Punt returner: Kadeem Maryland, Adams is currently second in Brookwood – The man who helped Kenny Smith has been a tackling machine for the Wise, Berkmar – Wise is electric on punts rushing (1,499 yards) and will likely over- Miles run all over defenses last year was just Blue Devils this year, with 142 so far (and a and kickoffs, as he showed Shiloh back in take the No. 1 spot now that Parkview’s out as impressive in his senior campaign. A big game-high 12 in a 20-17 first-round win over September when he took the opening kickoff of the playoffs. man with a mean streak, Williams puts up a Parkview last Friday). 90 yards for a score. Wide receiver: Prince Kent, Norcross – ridiculous number of pancake blocks. Linebacker: Curtis Guest, Collins Hill – Kent was the big-play threat Norcross need- Offensive lineman: Jacob Mwinami, Certainly the defensive MVP this season for PLAYER OF THE YEAR … ed after the departures of Brice Butler and Grayson – The Rams run the ball better than the resurgent Eagles, Guest finished his senior Brandon Jacobs, Parkview – Parkview Devonta Bolton. He finished the regular sea- just about anybody, and it all starts with the year with over 130 tackles, and also caught coaches will miss Jacobs on both sides of the son third in the county in receiving yards and line. The senior has helped Grayson rack up some balls on offense in 2008. ball when the tailback/linebacker departs for Auburn. He toted the ball a county-leading averages over 20 yards per catch. an astronomical 3,227 rushing yards this year. Cornerback: Connor Norman, 227 times during the regular season, and Wide receiver: Julian Horton, GAC – Peachtree Ridge – Norman is fast with a nose could end up on either offense or defense (or One of only a few juniors to make our list, DEFENSE … for the ball, and came through with two huge the baseball diamond) for the Tigers. Horton was the favorite target of Spartans quar- Defensive end: Joseph Champaign, pass breakups in a region-clinching win over The cover photos (from left to right) of terback Colton Chapple this year. His seven Grayson – Little known coming into this sea- North Gwinnett. Buford’s Dallas Lee, Norcross’ D.J. Adams and touchdowns led the county after the regular sea- son, this two-way junior lineman led the coun- Cornerback: Kadeem Wise, Berkmar – North Gwinnett’s Michael Tamburo are cour- son, and his 560 yards per game were fourth. ty with 12 sacks heading into the playoffs. The speedy Duke commit was a shutdown tesy of Photographic Arts. Ewalt can be Tight end: Kenny Barnes, North Defensive end: Cameron Whigham, corner all year for the Patriots. He’s also a reached at [email protected]. QB Michael Tamburo North Gwinnett OL Kellen Williams Brookwood CB Connor Norman Peachtree Ridge Y R T E RB Brandon Jacobs Parkview OL Jacob Mwinami Grayson CB Kadeem Wise Berkmar N 8 T U RB D.J. Adams Norcross DE Joseph