Bishop Media Sport Network
Troubled Waters
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Brunswick High Pirates traveled to Springfield and got run out of the stadium by Effingham County 45-14.
The Pirates trailed 14-6 at half after surviving three first half turnovers and 10 penalty flags they got boat raced in the third quarter 23-0.
A running clock and a last second TD pass and two-point conversion by the Rebels made the final score of 45-14.
The loss drops the Pirates to 3-5 on the season and 0-2 in region play. The Pirates playoff hopes are on life support after last night’s performance.
Pirate Report Card:
Offense: C. KJ Lee turned the football over on three straight possessions in the first half and was replaced by Anthony Mountain.
Mountain came and provided a spark and led the Pirates on a ten play 80-yard TD drive late in the half by completing an 18-yard TD pass to Kyle Patterson.
Jaylen Trimmings ran hard all night long and the run blocking was good. Pass blocking was average and the receivers had too many drops.
Six holding flags tossed by the same official doomed any chances of momentum as they were timely and killed four nice drives in the ball game.
BHS won the holding call battle with Effingham 6-0 as the Rebels were not flagged for a holding all night long. In the end, BHS could not overcome the turnovers and 14 flags on the night.
Defense: D. This unit kept BHS in the game in the first half but came out flat after halftime. Effingham scored on the first possession of the second half on all running plays and BHS never recovered.
Stopping the run is a huge issue for this defense. Octavius Butler made a few impact plays, but the unit got manhandled in the second half.
Special Teams: F. Special teams were awful in Springfield. A missed extra point, big kickoff return, a big punt return set up a touchdown, a blocked punt for a TD by the Rebels on a one man rush and three two-point conversions converted by Effingham made this easily the worst special teams perform ace of the year.
Coaching: C. The offensive game plan was very good. If it had been executed properly it would have produced a win.
Defensively, BHS can’t stop the run and other than putting 10 in the box I don’t know what you can do. Also, giving up so many two-point conversions on the same look was troubling.
Overall: D. Let’s face it Pirate fans, the Pirates are not very talented on the defensive side of the ball.
Not enough size and intestinal fortitude to stop downhill running football teams. There is not enough consistency on offense at QB and drops by wide receivers kill drives.
The playoffs would be a miracle at this point. Special teams, lack of execution, turnovers, and penalties put a very winnable game out of reach in the third quarter.
Next up is the City Championship game against Glynn Academy.
BHS has lost four straight in the series and Glynn may not throw a pass next week if BHS does not find some answers on defense.
BHS could salvage the season with a big win next week in a series where the unexpected happens a lot.
Glynn Tames Wildcats
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors entered Friday night’s game coming off a bye week.
The bye week may have come at a good time for the Terrors as the team had dropped three consecutive games; Wayne, Ware and Camden.
Glynn kicked off their region schedule Friday night hosting the Richmond Hill Wildcats. Richmond Hill was coming off of a 41-7 blowout win over Brunswick High and was sitting in first place in the region.
The Wildcats had lost their starting running back in week 2 and had struggled scoring points ever since, until the 41-point explosion against the Pirates.
Richmond Hill entered the game at 3-3 and the Red Terrors also entered Friday night’s contest at 3-3.
The Red Terrors had not lost four straight in the Rocky Hidalgo era. Speaking of Coach Hidalgo, the Red Terrors head coach made change at QB. Senior Sam Wagner got the start under center.
The Glynn defense and special teams dominated the first half. A pick six gave the Red Terrors a 7-0 lead. GA would extend the lead on a returned missed field goal for a 14-0 lead. The Terrors would add a second pick six for 21-0 2nd quarter lead.
Glynn would take that lead in the locker room at the half.
The Red Terrors would then go into clock chewing mode, which is something Glynn has always done under Rocky Hidalgo.
The Wildcats would make a long field goal to get point on the board in the 3rd quarter.
That score would be the score heading into the 4th, 21-3.
Glynn QB Sam Wagner would score a late touchdown diving into the end zone from the one-yard line.
The Red Terrors would close out Richmond Hill 28-3.
With the win the Red Terrors improve to 4-3 on the season and take first place in the region at 1-0.
Next week Glynn Academy will play a desperate Brunswick High Pirate team for the City Championship. BHS has lost to both Richmond Hill and Effingham in the region and will be in “must win mode” to make the playoffs.
MCA Buccaneers Coach’s Show with Tony Glazer October 9
Clipped Wings
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Is it too early to call this a lost season for the Atlanta Falcons?
They were just trounced 41-17 by Pittsburgh, bringing their record to 1-4. Going in to the game, we thought it would be a shootout because both teams have high powered offenses and putrid defenses.
The biggest surprise is that the Steelers kept the Falcons offense in check. Pittsburgh statistically has a worse defense, ranked 29th in total defense. Atlanta’s defense is 28th, giving up 398.6 yards per game. The Falcons have given up more points than any NFL team this season.
Matt Ryan threw for 285 yards, 1 touchdown and he was sacked 6 times. He also fumbled while being sacked by T.J. Watt and it was recovered for a touchdown. Ryan spent the final minutes of Atlanta’s third straight loss on the sideline with the game out of reach.
Devonta Freeman returned for the first time since Game 1. He had 8 carries for 32 yards and Tevin Coleman had 7 rushes for 15 yards. Surprisingly Austin Hooper was the leading receiver with 9 catches and 77 yards. Julio Jones has still not found the end zone this season. He finished with 5 catches and 52 yards.
Matt Bosher also had a punt blocked and the ball was recovered at the Atlanta 19-yard line. That led to an easy James Conner touchdown. The Falcons were outscored 28-7 in the second half.
“I recognize the question if we have enough firepower with some of the injuries there. I do, and in some cases, there’s some on-the-job training, and we expect that. But by no stretch is our entire team decimate, and by no stretch are the guys we have playing not capable for the job. I stand by who we are and (expect) the talent that we have to play well. We missed it this afternoon, in the second half especially,” Dan Quinn said.
Right now, it looks like it’s going to be a long season. To put it in perspective there are still 11 games remaining. There is a chance to turn things around but I think it will be very tough. There are so many injuries on the defense that will be difficult to overcome.
The offensive line was very porous against one of the worst defenses in the league. They need to shore that up to protect their $150 million dollar investment.
“Everybody knows our protection needs to be better than it’s been,” said Ryan. “The hardest part for players is having to watch that film and critically evaluate yourself. I think with the kind of guys that we have there’s not going to be a whole lot that needs to be said.”
The next game is at home against Tampa Bay. The Bucs lost two straight games before going in to a bye week. They took Ryan Fitzpatrick out after his hot start and Jameis Winston will be the starting quarterback for that game.
This should be a game that Atlanta can win but we will learn a lot about them. Tampa Bay struggles at running the ball so I expect them to rack up a ton of passing yards. Winston takes risks so he should throw a couple of interceptions.
If the Falcons lose this game then it will be hard to find more wins on the schedule. On the bright side they may be getting ready for a top five draft pick.
Frederica Academy Knights Trot To Win
By: Rich Bontrager
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the second consecutive week the Frederica Knights enjoyed “running clock” the entire second half of their game and claimed a 48-2 victory of Westfield School.
With the atmosphere extra charged up for Homecoming ceremonies, the Frederica Knights Football squad came extra prepared to make sure the crowd enjoyed a complete celebration.
Frederica would once again receive the coin flip and elect to start on defense.
Westfield’s first possession only lasted four plays before he had to punt to the Knights.
Frederica would respond by scoring the first of 2 first-quarter touchdowns. First running back, Denver Anthony, scored from 22 yards out and a few moments later, Jaylin Simpson (QB) to Josh Meadows (WR) 24-yard pass reception.
William Brock made both of his point-after kicks making it 14-0 after one-quarter of play.
The Knight’s defense would effectively shut down the Hornets offense all night long, while Frederica’s offense worked at sizzling pace and scored almost at will.
By the end of the first half, Frederica controlled all aspects of the game and found themselves up 41-3.
One exciting play was when Jaylin Simpson stepped forward and intercepted Christin Corbett’s pass attempt. Simpson would run it back 56 yards for yet another Frederica touchdown.
In the first half, Simpson connected on a 55-yard TD pass to senior receiver, Jashawn Sheffield.
Coach Brandon Derrick not only celebrated his team’s 5th consecutive win, but he also stood by as his daughter was crowned homecoming Queen for 2018.
“In all, this was a great night for everyone,” Coach Derrick stated after the game.
With a running clock the entire second half, Frederica was once again able to rest many of their starters and allow many underclassmen to gain more real game time experience.
The ability to groom the younger players at this stage of the season only adds to the strength and depth of an already powerhouse Knights team, as the Knights advanced to 5-2 in the season, only three regular season games remain.
Fans and coaches are beginning to look ahead to the much anticipated final game against Bulloch Academy. The Gators suffered their first loss of the season, 29-15, to John Milledge Academy.
The table is being set for an exciting finish to the season, as the March to Mercer heats up.
Next week, the Knights remain at home and welcome, Trinity Christian to the island.
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. on the Frederica Academy Campus
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show with Brandon Derrick October 3
A Tale Of 2 GM’s
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With an NL East Division Championship on their mantle (and in fact being the only team in the National League to wrap up their division prior to the last day of the season), the Braves have put together an unexpected and incredible run in 2018.
Lots of people will get credit, primarily and obviously the players, but also the coaching staff and front office, and deservedly so.
Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos came aboard during the last offseason and made an impression quickly with a financially clever trade, sending Matt Kamp to the Dodgers for Brandon McCarthy and Charlie Culberson (also Adrian Gonzalez and Scott Kazmir, neither of whom made an appearance for Atlanta).
Anthopoulos continued to put manager Brian Snitker in position to succeed throughout the year, taking gambles when necessary but also not dragging out mistakes out of pride (Jose Bautista, for example). He has been an asset to the team since he arrived, and he’ll get heaps of deserved praise for the season the Braves have completed.
But there’s also someone else who deserves praise and will get very little of it.
Part of a general manager’s job is to add pieces as needed, like Anthopoulos has done. But arguably a much larger part of the job, especially in the current era of MLB, a GM must build a team for sustained success. Alex Anthopoulos just got here, so he can’t claim to have done that for Atlanta.
Instead, erstwhile and disgraced former general manager John Coppolella gets credit for a lot of the Braves’ 2018 success.
He was fired (and banned from baseball for life) for shady dealings, but prior to that, Coppy – along with John Hart – tore down a Braves team that was heading for a tailspin and began crafting the young team we know today.
The formation of the 2018 NL East Division Champions is a tale of two GMs.
Who traded Evan Gattis to the Astros for a young, flame throwing pitcher named Mike Foltynewicz? Coppy did.
Who saw the talent in Kevin Gausman being squandered on a last place team and traded for him, installing the pitcher who would eventually take a spot in the postseason rotation? Double A gets the credit there.
Who moved the Braves’ only All-Star from 2015, Shelby Miller, in a blockbuster trade that brought Dansby Swanson AND Ender Inciarte to Atlanta? That was Coppollela.
Which GM took advantage of service time loopholes to make sure that the Braves get six years of Ronald Acuna, Jr., though it also turned out that Acuna struggled to start the season so maybe the notion that he needed more seasoning was right all along? Anthopoulos.
Who signed 2019 All-Star Nick Markakis to lead the young Braves on and off the field? Coppy again.
Who decided after an abysmal-yet-brief run by Bautista that the Braves didn’t need to hunt for a new third baseman and that Johan Camargo was going to produce at the hot corner? Anthopoulos made that call.
Who signed Acuna and Ozzie Albies as teenagers? Well, Frank Wren, actually. I suppose he deserves a little credit too.
Alex Anthopoulos has already made himself a lot of fans in Atlanta during his brief tenure as Braves GM. After the season they had, he’s very likely going to be a strong candidate for Executive of the Year.
That’s not unfair, he’s done a lot to make sure the Braves stayed in contention long after they were expected to drop out.
But let’s not forget the impact that John Coppelella had on the team that is heading to the playoffs this week.
He may not have turned out to be much of a model citizen, but it might be worth to raise a glass to him. You’re enjoying the fruits of his labor this season.
P.S. It’s probably also worth noting that one of the very last things that John Schuerholz did before ending his legendary run as Braves GM was draft a kid from California named Fredrick Charles Freeman.
Pirate Rally
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Down 21-0 going into the second quarter, Head Coach Sean Pender inserted KJ Lee at QB. Lee turned in a memorable performance and rallied the Brunswick High Pirates to a dramatic 31-27 over New Hampstead at Glynn County Stadium.
Lee led the Pirates on an 88-yard game winning drive with 1:54 remaining in the contest as he connected with Che Foy on a spectacular 20-yard TD pass with 12 seconds left.
Foy caught a pass near the sideline faked a defender then leaped the final 3 yards into the end zone.
The Pirates outscored the Phoenix 31-6 over the last three quarters. Freddy Towns leaped up and knocked down a last second Hail Mary toss to secure the win.
The win improved the Pirates record to 2-3 on the season while New Hampstead dropped to 2-2 on the season.
The comeback win may be just what the doctor ordered to jump start a playoff run by Brunswick moving forward.
Pirate Report Card.
Offense: B+. The Pirates were held scoreless in the first quarter, then once Lee was inserted in the game the Pirates scored 13 points before the half.
After the half the Pirate offense completely dominated the second half by running the football right down New Hampstead’s throat and the Phoenix wore down as the game progressed.
KJ Lee was the player of the game. The BHS offensive line dominated the contest. Che Foy had his best game as a Pirate. Xavier Bean caught his 4th TD pass of the season and the backfield combo of Jaylen Trimmings and Chucolbe Hill chewed up yardage in chunks in the second half.
This unit wore New Hampstead down as the game entered the later stages. This unit now has confidence moving forward. The intensity and execution of game plan is a welcome sight as region play starts in two weeks.
Defense: C. The unit looked awful in the first quarter and gave up an 89-yard TD pass in third quarter but this unit hung in there and did enough to put BHS in position to win the football game late in the contest.
Yes, improvement needs to be made in all areas of defense. It starts with giving up too many big plays.
The defense was minus two key starters in the contest. The unit played with much more intensity from a week ago and it showed in the second half.
Special Teams: C. A missed PAT forced the offense into having to go for two three times in second half. The kick coverage was ok and kick return made a couple of nice returns.
Coaching: B+. The game plan worked as planned with the up-tempo style on offense. The Pirates had New Hampstead worn down with game on the line.
Play calling was great and despite some key starters missing for BHS the staff made the right adjustments at the half to slow down the New Hampstead offense.
Coach Pender stressed intensity and execution all week in practice and everything went as planned with game on the line. Nice rebound from the Camden game.
Overall: B-. This team needed a win badly and they got it. It wasn’t pretty at times but it was effective when it counted.
BHS may look back and on this win as the one that jump started the season. This was a big win for the program.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show with Brandon Derrick September 12
I’m A Believer
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It took to the end of last season before I could finally allow myself to believe the Georgia Bulldogs were a national champion caliber team.
I mean it was literally halftime of the championship game when I thought “Damn, they may actually pull this off.”
I know we’re only a few weeks into the season but I don’t plan on making the same mistake again.
Normally, I would be doubling down on how we need to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks before anointing the Bulldogs as national title contenders; make sure that last year wasn’t some sort of aberration.
I’d mention all the accolades they’re currently receiving are just people being prisoners of the moment and the rest of this column would be spent bringing up all their areas of weakness.
However, this year, I just don’t feel that this way.
For one, despite the reputation, they play in an extremely weak division. I don’t mean it as a backhanded compliment, it’s just the truth.
The difference between Georgia and the rest of the division is like the difference between Guns N’ Roses and a GN’R cover band. The cover band may look the part but they’re not the real thing.
To be honest, the school I went to- Appalachian State- would have just as good a shot to finish 2nd in the SEC East and I truly don’t believe that’s hyperbole.
Even if their schedule was more difficult, I still think I’d feel the same way about Georgia’s potential for this season.
Kirby Smart, in a much shorter time period than I thought possible, has turned Georgia into an extremely solid team, from top to bottom.
Their defense is one of the best the country and the ground game isn’t that far behind. Jake Fromm, one of the main reasons I was hesitant to buy in last year, may never be a Heisman winning quarterback but it doesn’t look like he will suffer from any type of “Sophomore Slump”. (I get the coaching staff wants to get Justin Fields on the field, and I completely understand why. But, unless something drastic happens, this is Fromm’s team and it should be.)
I’m not putting them in the same category as Alabama but I feel like if everything is equal Georgia should be the best team on the field in every game they play, leading up to the SEC Championship game.
It’s not something I’ve ever said about the Bulldogs before and I feel a little uncomfortable saying it now. It basically goes against everything I’ve ever felt about the Georgia program.
Obviously, there are unforeseen circumstances that could happen, mainly injuries, that would change the trajectory of the season.
If you happen to be a superstitious person and blame my sudden confidence in Georgia’s ability last year as the reason for their second half swoon against Alabama, I can understand; it is a bit coincidental.
All I can say is if that is the case, at least I’m expressing that confidence in them early in the season. That way, if I am a jinx, it’s better to happen during the regular season and not when you’re 30 minutes away from a championship, right?
Of course, the kicker is this year I don’t mean to be a jinx. I truly believe Georgia is one of the four best teams in college football and anything less than a playoff appearance should be considered a disappointment. No pressure.
