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Articles by Walker McCrary
Down to 6 players, Pacers push Hawks before losing 108-104
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jay Huff scored 22 points for Indiana and the Pacers, down to six players because of injuries and rest, put a scare into the Atlanta Hawks before losing 108-104 on Monday night. Quenton Jackson added 20 points and Braden Smith had 19 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, who dropped their fifth straight game — a result that might have been considered inevitable before tipoff.
Catchings, Blue Cain help Dogs outlast North Carolina Central, 78-62
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Kanon Catchings scored 16 points, and Blue Cain added 15 as Georgia opened its season with a 78-62 win over North Carolina Central on Monday. The Bulldogs took control late in the first half after trailing 13-10. Georgia responded with a 25-6 stretch, getting 3-pointers from Catchings, Marcus Millender and Brady Dunlap along the way, and carried a 41-28 lead into halftime.
Kickoff time set for Georgia Tech-Clemson
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech football’s game at longtime rival Clemson on Saturday, Nov. 14 will kick off at 12:30 p.m. and be televised nationwide on The CW, the Atlantic Coast Conference and its television partners announced on Monday. The matchup will be the 91st all-time between Georgia Tech and Clemson, in a series that dates back to 1898. Georgia Tech officially holds a commanding 51-36-2 lead in the series against Clemson.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 11 of high school football
Week 11 was billed as the biggest week to date this season. Boy, did it live up to it. Here are five things we learned from Week 11 of high school football. 1. Jefferson is set up for the long haul. Facing arguably the best defense they will have faced all year, Jefferson's offense was as balanced as it possibly could be, and the defense played lights out.
Football: North Hall clinches third straight region title with win over White Co.
CLEVELAND, Ga. — With the win over White County and Gilmer's loss to Pickens, North Hall clinched its third straight region title Friday night at Warrior Stadium. Last week it was Cole Cable and Noah Kemp. This week, it was Colton Steele and Asher Jimenez. Steele scored three touchdowns, including on the opening play of the game, a 64-yard touchdown pass; Jimenez added two long touchdown runs as North Hall dominated the third quarter to defeat White County 42-20.
Football: Jefferson claims 8-5A with 27-17 win over North Oconee
JEFFERSON, Ga. – They say defense wins championships. Jefferson really took that to heart in 2026. The Dragons held North Oconee to just 15 offensive yards in the first half on the way to winning the Region 8-5A title with a 27-17 win over the Titans. "We've got a great defensive staff," said Travis Noland. "We've also got a group of young men that care about each other.
Football: Commerce runs away from Athens Academy
COMMERCE, Ga. – Despite being down 7-0, Commerce ran away from Athens Academy Friday night, winning 49-20. A Marco Huff fumble set Athens Academy up at midfield midway through the first quarter as the Spartans took advantage to take a 7-0 lead, but that only lasted about three minutes as Huff atoned for the miscue with a 41-yard sprint to tie the game up at 7-7.
Football: Gainesville survives scare at Lanier
SUGAR HILL, Ga. – Gainesville took a little bit to wake up on Halloween Eve and survived a tricky spot against Lanier, winning 29-14. The Longhorns led 7-0 before Nigel Newkirk got his first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard rush to tie the game up at 7-7. PJ Lewis got in the scoring column as well in the second quarter on a 10-yard score and with Newkirk's two-point conversion, Big Red led 15-14 at halftime.
Football: Bee scores three times as Habersham Central blanks Cedar Shoals
MT. AIRY, Ga. — Kenley Bee rushed for three touchdowns, and Paris Wilbanks threw for 339 yards as Habersham Central shut out Cedar Shoals 38-0 Friday. The Raiders piled up 381 yards of offense while limiting the Jaguars to 129, including just 12 yards passing. Habersham Central also recovered two Cedar Shoals fumbles. Wilbanks completed 20 of 27 passes and added 30 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Football: Lumpkin’s Alvarez scores five times in 43-19 rout of Morgan County
MADISON, Ga. – Joseph Alvarez had five rushing touchdowns on the night, and Kolson Howell threw for over 200 yards as Lumpkin County bounced back in a big way Friday night in a 43-19 win over Morgan County. The Indians had 513 yards of total offense on the night while holding the Bulldogs to just 329. Alvarez was a big part of that, scoring twice in the first quarter before two more touchdowns in the second which pushed the Indian lead to 27-13.
Football: Rabun County’s offense held scoreless in 20-7 loss
TIGER, Ga. – Rabun County's offense did not find the endzone Friday night in a 20-7 loss to Providence Christian. The Storm scored first on a 6-yard rush with 7:06 left in the first quarter. Six minutes later, the Wildcat defense came up big with a Khanii Thompson pick-six to tie the game at 7-7. From there, the Storm hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter and then a touchdown late in the third to get to the final score. Rabun County had no first downs in the second half offensively.
Football: North Forsyth falls to Denmark
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – North Forsyth led for a good portion of the game, but Denmark took over in the second half and held on late for a 32-27 win for the Danes Friday night. Jackson Hall got NoFo on the board early on a 48-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead before Caleb Halstead punched it in from three yards out three minutes later for a 14-0 advantage.
WNBA Finals Game 6 moved to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Arena
ATLANTA — Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will tip off at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Arena, the league announced Monday. The Oct. 29 game originally was scheduled for 8 p.m. It will remain on USA Network and stream on Peacock. To accommodate the Finals matchup, the Atlanta Hawks will move their regular-season game against the Cleveland Cavaliers to 8 p.m. that evening.
PSR Watch: Jackson County near the top; some teams close to playoff bubble
It's time to ... ready, set, go ... That's right, the final two weeks of the high school football season are upon us, and the chaos is real. There's no room left to play it safe, and the only prescription for any playoff ailments is winning. Monday's chart shows a wide range of playoff possibilities for area programs, from Jackson County’s No. 3 spot in Class 6A to several teams battling near the playoff cutoff. However, the PSR will likely continue to update as late Week 10 results come in.
Georgia–Ole Miss gets prime-time kickoff on ABC
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia’s trip to Ole Miss will take place under the lights. The Bulldogs and Rebels will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. ABC will televise the Southeastern Conference matchup nationally, according to the league’s television schedule released Monday. The game previously had been assigned a flex window, leaving open the possibility of an afternoon or evening kickoff. Monday’s announcement secured the prime-time slot.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 10 of high school football
We've got just two weeks left in the regular season, and things are starting to become clearer across Northeast Georgia. Here are five things we learned from Week 10 of high school football. 1. Cherokee Bluff is the best 3-5 team in Georgia. They just can't buy a win in a close game. Again, the Bears lose by a single possession, this time to one of the top teams in 4A. Every time the Bears take the field, they are a threat to win.
How the Atlanta Dream finally broke through to the WNBA Finals
Atlanta general manager Dan Padover built the Dream into a title contender through shrewd trades, a little bit of luck, and patience from the team's ownership group. All that has paid off as Atlanta is headed to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, when the Dream played the Golden State Valkyries in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday.
Atlanta Dream scramble for a WNBA Finals home as State Farm Arena dates clash
The Atlanta Dream will be hosting two games of the WNBA Finals next week, but it's still not known where those contests will be played. The Dream, who face the Golden State Valkyries in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday, will host Games 3 and 4 on Oct. 22 and 24. Atlanta would love to play those games at State Farm Arena, where the Hawks play, because it seats over 17,000 fans.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 8 of high school football
Region play is rolling now, and the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. Here are five things we learned from Week 8 of high school football. 1. Region 8-3A is topsy-turvy. So, Hart County ran away from Lumpkin, then followed that up with a loss to Stephens County. Stephens County followed their massive win with a loss to Lumpkin County.
Braves put trust in Sale to anchor depleted rotation vs. Phillies
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves battled through a long list of pitching injuries that left their rotation depleted for their National League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. That's why manager Walt Weiss and Braves players are glad to have ace left-hander Chris Sale on the mound for Tuesday's opening game in the best-of-three series. “For sure, it’s a different feeling when a guy like that is taking the mound on a big day,” Weiss said Monday.
Georgia-Bama set for Prime Time kickoff
ATHENS, Ga. — The SEC announced on Monday the kickoff and broadcast schedule for the Georgia-Alabama showdown in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 10. The game will be the national featured showcase, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The Dogs (4-0, 2-0 SEC) are currently ranked second in the most recent AP Poll. The Crimson Tide (4-0, 2-0 SEC) are ranked seventh. Alabama smacked South Carolina 49-18 while Georgia routed Oklahoma, 41-13, last week The two teams met twice last season.
MLB’s playoffs start Tuesday. Here’s what to know
It won't take long for Major League Baseball to deliver on some spicy postseason storylines. The Wild Card Series begins Tuesday, featuring four best-of-three matchups, including the Boston Red Sox traveling to face their longtime nemesis, the New York Yankees. Also in the American League, the Chicago White Sox are at the Houston Astros, who qualified for the postseason despite an 81-81 record.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 6 of high school football
We’ve reached the halfway point of the high school football season, and, yes Jeff Hart and Caleb Hutchins, it’s FINALLY time to start looking at the PSR ratings and begin speculating. Here are five things we learned from Week 6 of high school football. 1. The PSR rankings don’t tell the whole story.
Falcons announce Michael Penix Jr. will start at QB against Packers
ATLANTA (AP) — A struggling Atlanta Falcons offense in desperate need of improved production at quarterback will have Michael Penix Jr. make his first start in Thursday night's game at Green Bay. The Falcons announced the quarterback change on Monday. The Falcons (0-2) suffered a 34-3 loss to NFC South rival Carolina in Sunday's home opener. In Cooper Rush's two games as the fill-in starter, the Falcons have been held to one touchdown and 16 points.
UGA’s Kirby Smart confident in Nate Frazier’s status vs. Oklahoma
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Coach Kirby Smart said he expects running back Nate Frazier to be back for No. 2 Georgia's game against Oklahoma on Saturday after leaving its 45-17 victory over Arkansas with what Smart described as a “ding.” “Nate, I think, is going to be fine,” Smart said Monday. “He’s going to be day to day. Expect him to be able to play.” Frazier exited the game in the third quarter with an undisclosed injury. Smart said afterward the running back could have returned.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 5 of high school football
Week 5 has come and gone, meaning we are almost to the halfway point of the high school football season. And with 21 games having just been played in our area, there were a lot of things we learned. Here are five things we learned from Week 5 of high school football. 1. Flowery Branch's offense can go. We showed up at the Dark Side Friday thinking shootout was incoming. We were right, but what we didn't expect was Flowery Branch to put up 35 points in the first half...and lead by 21 at the break.
Softball: North Hall gets past Bluff; Dawson, Jackson win; Lumpkin falls
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Cali Bales two-run home run helped North Hall past Cherokee Bluff, 4-2, at home on Monday. Cherokee Bluff took the lead on Peyton Davis’ RBI single in the top of the first, but North Hall answered with three runs in the bottom half. An error brought home the tying run before Bales’ homer to center field put the Trojans ahead. Kinley Shuler went the distance for North Hall, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five.
Falcons’ QB questions persist after shaky effort in loss to Steelers
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons' opening loss at Pittsburgh only added more uncertainty to the quarterback question that has persisted since the start of training camp. Cooper Rush's performance in the Falcons' 20-13 loss to the Steelers on Sunday had some fans wondering why undrafted rookie Jack Strand wasn't given an opportunity and more fans asking when Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa will be ready to play.
UGA’s Smart talks Saturday’s win, players and game vs. Arkansas
ATHENS, Ga. - Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart spoke with the media on Monday. Below is everything he said. Opening Statement “We're on to SEC play against Arkansas, but before I get to that, I would like to give a quick congrats to our long snapper, Will Snellings, for being a male winner of the Joel Eaves Scholar-Athlete Award for having the top GPA of any senior entering his final fall.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 4 of high school football
Week 4 of high school football in northeast Georgia kind of went like we all thought it would. Nothing was too surprising, but we did learn some stuff. Here are five things we learned from Week 4 of high school football. 1. Daylan Maxwell is a DUDE. Friday was my first time seeing Maxwell in person. I had heard from everyone else in the sports office that he was the real deal. I can now say, yeah, he is the real deal.
Softball: Banks-Dacula highlight light day in the circle
A trio of ranked teams will be in action on Monday on a light day around northeast Georgia ion girls softball action. The most intriguing matchup will have Class 2A No. 1 Banks County playing host to Class 7A No. 4 Dacula in Homer. The Lady Leopards (16-2) have won nine straight while the Lady Falcons (16-3) are riding a five-game win streak. However, Class 3A No. 8 Lumpkin County (13-4) brings a three-game losing streak to Oconee County (10-5).
Phillies salvage split with 1-0 win over Braves
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jesús Luzardo struck out 12 and tossed two-hit ball in his first career shutout in 150 starts and Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homer in the eighth inning to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday. The Phillies split a four-game series with the NL East-leading Braves and cut the division lead to four games.
High school QBs face new reality as transfers dominate college starting jobs
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Even though he was nearly 2,000 miles from where he'd grown up, Ryan Hopkins felt right at home as a quarterback prospect visiting Wisconsin. “I felt the energy from the city,” said Hopkins, a former three-star recruit from Mater Dei in Santa Ana, California. “I felt the energy from the coaches.” But there was a complication that went beyond the distance factor.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 3 of high school football
Hard to believe that the first quarter of the high school football season is over, but Week 3 brought about some answers to a lot of questions. Here are five things we learned from Week 3 of high school football. 1. Cherokee Bluff's 0-3 start shouldn't be alarming. One major question that we had after two weeks was where was Cherokee Bluff's offense. Sure, the defense had played well enough, but the offense couldn't finish drives.
Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa as Week 1 starting QB vs the Steelers
Tua Tagovailoa has been named the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced Monday. The decision comes after Tagovailoa’s months-long competition with Michael Penix Jr., who started nine games for the Falcons in 2025 before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in November. Tagovailoa outnumbered Penix in valuable reps throughout training camp. Penix was cleared for 11-on-11 drills on Aug.
Bell passes defending NASCAR champion Larson to win the Southern 500
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Christopher Bell is finally second-to-none this season. Bell's crazy, frustrating season of seven second-place finishes without a victory finally ended with a win at the Southern 500 on Sunday night. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver passed defending NASCAR champion Kyle Larson with 18 laps left at Darlington Raceway and held on to win the Chase-opening race and break a winless stretch of 33 races dating to Bristol last September. “Darlington is the epitome of NASCAR,” Bell said.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 2 of high school football
We thought Week 1 was weird and wacky. Week 2 said, "Just wait and see what's in store here." Here are five things we learned from Week 2 of high school football. 1. Jefferson is scary when they click. So Jefferson is good. Like really good. Like, I don't want to play them when they look like they did Friday night good. And, oh yeah, Max Brown didn't play either. So there's that.
5 Things: What we learned from the 1st round of high school football playoffs
One round of the playoffs is in the books, and half of our area teams ended up keeping their seasons alive. Here are five things we learned in the first round of the GHSA high school football playoffs. 1. Jackson County looks like a legit contender. The Panthers had never won a playoff game in program history. Friday they wasted little time showing that they have the pieces to win it all.
ACC Commisioner stays optimistic for multiple CFP bids
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips knows his league is on uncertain footing when it comes to getting multiple bids to the College Football Playoff, particularly as several ranked league teams stumbled in recent games. ACC Commissioner James J. Phillips, right, visits on the field with Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett before an NCAA college football game between Pittsburgh and Notre Dame in Pittsburgh Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J.
Jalen Johnson scores 22 as Hawks beat Pacers 128-108 to keep Indiana winless
Jalen Johnson scores 22 as Hawks beat Pacers 128-108 to keep Indiana winlessThe Associated PressINDIANAPOLISJalen Johnson scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat Indiana 128-108 in NBA Cup group play to keep the Pacers winless this season. Pascal Siakam finished with 18 points and five assists while Jarace Walker added 17 points for the 0-5 Pacers, who are dealing with a rash of injuries.
Falcons look for answers after 2nd consecutive loss
ATLANTA — When the Atlanta Falcons last left Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they had just finished off an impressive 24-14 "Monday Night Football" win over the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 13. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) looks to pass as Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Atlanta.
Georgia's Kirby Smart talks Florida
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia head coach Kirby Smart met with the media on Monday. Here's everything he had to say. Opening Statement “We are getting ready to fire back up after a couple of days off for this big Georgia-Florida game. Excited again to go to Jacksonville and play in an awesome venue. It's very unique to have the neutral site and have a split crowd. Every year we go and play in it, it's very different from the SEC home-away atmosphere.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 11 of high school football
With one week to go in the regular season, some things became clear, while others became really murky. Here are five things we learned from Week 11 of high school football. 1. Region 8-5A comes down to what we have thought for a while. Jackson County and Habersham Central have done what they needed to do. Keep winning and get to Week 12. Now, here we are, and this has the makings of being the best game in the area on Friday. Both teams are extremely balanced offensively and have stout defenses.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 3 of high school football
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 11:02AM on Monday, September 1, 2025 It's hard to believe, but we are already one quarter of the way through the high school football season after Week 3 came to a close Saturday evening. Here are five things we learned from Week 3 of high school football: 1. IS NORTH HALL READY FOR A DEEP RUN?
5 Things: What we learned from Week 2 of high school football
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 9:40AM on Monday, August 25, 2025 Week 2 of high school football is in the books, and now every team in our area has at least one game under their belts. Here are five things we learned from Week 2 of high school football: 1. WATCH OUT FOR NORTH HALL The defending champs of Region 6-3A knew they had targets on their backs when region play starts later this season. Those targets just became that much bigger.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 1 of high school football
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 10:00AM on Monday, August 18, 2025 It might have taken a couple of days, but the 2025 high school football season is underway, and boy, did we learn some stuff! Here are five things we learned from Week 1 of high school football: 1. BUFORD'S DEFENSE IS A BEAST! This might seem obvious, because Buford always has great players on the defensive side of the football. But did you see what they did to Milton on national television Thursday night?
5 Things: What we learned from the first week of the GHSA Playoffs
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 7:56AM on Monday, November 18, 2024 It was a rough week for most of our area teams in the first round of the GHSA football playoffs, but we still have playoff football in Northeast Georgia this Friday! Here are five things we learned from the first week of the high school playoffs: 1. REGION 8-3A "TOURNAMENT" IS STILL GOING Cherokee Bluff beat Monroe Area for the second time this season, and this time it was more decisive.
5 Things: What we learned during the pre-playoff week
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 7:51AM on Monday, November 11, 2024 The playoffs are officially here! And since we only had one team play this past week, we thought let's do things a little differently with the 5 Things this week. Here are five potential playoff matchups we hope happen in the rounds up to the quarterfinals: HONORABLE MENTIONS So we could only pick five to dive into, hence 5 Things.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 12 of high school football
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 7:52AM on Monday, November 4, 2024 The regular season is over, which means only one thing: we (almost) made it to the playoffs! Here are five things we learned from Week 12: 1. BUFORD IS A STATE TITLE CONTENDER So this may seem odd as something we learned this week as Buford is always considered a state title contender.
5 Things: What we learned from Week 11 of high school football
By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter Posted 8:00AM on Monday, October 28, 2024 One week remains in the regular season of high school football, but we learned a lot after Week 11's games came to a close. Here are five things we learned from Week 11: 1. REGION 6-3A...WHO KNOWS? North Hall is the region champion. White County and Johnson are eliminated. Outside of that, who knows?
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