A tough end to an incredible season; Weekend picks
The agony of defeat
Last weekend I made the trip to Columbus for the fourth straight year to cover Calhoun in the Class AAA Softball Elite Eight. The event itself is one of my favorite things to cover in high school sports. Just the excitement and atmosphere surrounding the games is fun to watch, and the games themselves are usually incredibly competitive and entertaining.
But, in all honesty, the trip this year was my least favorite of the four I’ve made. And it wasn’t because anything particularly bad happened to me personally (other than possible food poisoning, which is another story for another day), but it was because of what I saw play out on the field.
Let me make clear that I’m not a Calhoun fan just like I’m not a Sonoraville or Gordon Central fan. My job as sports editor obligates me to be an unbiased observer and reporter. But with that said, I do hope for success for the local teams I cover. I’ve told people many times that I’d rather write about a win any day over a loss, and I’d rather interview a coach following a win over a coach following a loss.
Another reason is that when you have a job covering high school sports like I do, there is no way you can’t get attached to or pull for the kids you cover. You see them so much on the court, field or whatever athletic arena and you see the amount of work they put into it, and you can’t help but want them to do well.
That is why this trip to Columbus wasn’t my favorite. The Lady Jackets came up short of a state title, falling in the finals to East Jackson after fighting back through he loser’s bracket to get there.
I saw the hurt that was felt by the players, especially the six seniors who knew they would never play high school softball again for Calhoun and not only that, but their dream of finishing their career with four state titles in four years, had been dashed. I saw the tears. I saw the hugs from their coaches, family members and friends. I saw the disappointment in legendary coach Diane Smith’s eyes.
I think I even used in my story about the loss that the storybook ending just wasn’t to be. It seemed so odd to me that they didn’t win it all. I just expected it to happen. Even after their loss in their first game in Columbus on Thursday to fall into the loser’s bracket, I still just knew that they were going to find a way. But it just wasn’t to be.
With all that said, I want to echo what Jerry Smith said in his column earlier this week. Losing in the state finals is the second-best result a team can have. There is no shame in a runner-up finish. Just ask the hundreds of teams that didn’t make it to Columbus or even to the state tournament at all.
And this senior class, which I’ve written extensively about, should hold their heads high with pride. They are the most talented, selfless, teamfirst group I think I’ve ever seen in my short career of covering high school softball. Three state titles, one state runner-up, four region titles and 141 total wins in four years is not just great, it’s legendary, and I had a great time getting to go along for the ride covering this group.
Weekend Football Picks
Another week brings another batch of big college football matchups, and while Georgia Tech and Georgia’s games this Saturday might not be on the national radar, they are incredibly big to two fan bases that are ready to write this season off as a tremendous disappointment.
Here’s my picks for those two matchup as well as the always-entertaining Alabama-LSU showdown and a sneakygood matchup between Florida and Arkansas:
Georgia Tech at North Carolina
The Jackets offense looked incredible and pretty average within the confines of the same game last Saturday against Duke while the defense continued to look average at best.
Justin Thomas got back to being a playmaker in the victory over the Devils, and the Jackets will need that from here on out to do any damage with their final four games being tough.
They start the final stretch off with a visit to Chapel Hill to take on an explosive North Carolina offense. But much like Tech, the Tar Heels defense isn’t very good at all.
Thomas and UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky should have plenty of success moving their respective offenses up and down the field on Saturday. Expect a shootout. Whichever defense can force a second-half turnover could make the difference in the game.
Score: North Carolina wins, 42-35.
Georgia at Kentucky
The Bulldogs’ fan base is divided into two big factions right now -- the side that says the 4-4 record shows why we should never have gotten rid of Mark Richt and the other side that continues to stick by Kirby Smart and say that this season is part of the grow- ing pains it takes to be a great program.
Georgia has simply not looked like Georgia the past few weeks. They can’t seem to run the ball, the defense shows flashes of improvement but also is very vulnerable in the secondary and they seem to be making mistakes in big moments where they have been clutch in the past.
Kentucky is feeling good at 5-3 and actually has an outside shot at going to the SEC Championship Game so they will be plenty motivated and ready for a struggling Georgia bunch.
But my guy feeling says that the Bulldogs will right the ship at some point. This week is a good chance to do that and once again show that they are still Georgia and Kentucky is still Kentucky.
Score: Georgia wins, 28-20.
Alabama at LSU
No matter what Alabama’s ranking or record is, this hurdle against LSU (especially when they play in Baton Rouge) always is incredibly tough. Even in the Tide’s five straight wins over their SEC West rivals, several times Bama has entered as a clear favorite and has escaped by the skin of their teeth.
There has been a lot of buzz this week and the past several weeks about LSU being a new team following the dismissal of Les Miles and the attitude change brought by interim head coach Ed Orgeron. And they might just be improved, but I don’t think they are improved enough.
Alabama is simply a juggernaut. That’s nothing new. But this team, which I’ve seen up close and personal, could be Nick Saban’s best yet. The defense is stacked with playmakers, and the offense has a new dimension with quarterback Jalen Hurts.
LSU is a gritty, hardnosed team, there’s no doubt about that. But Leonard Fournette learned quickly how tough it is to run on Alabama last season. I expect the same this year.
The game remains close until the fourth quarter, but Alabama’s depth and talent advantage will take over from there.
Score: Alabama wins 31-17.
Florida at Arkansas
Florida is in control of the SEC East now thanks to their win over Georgia last week and Tennessee’s loss to South Carolina. But the Gators have a couple tough games they have to get by to officially punch their ticket to Atlanta.
That starts with a trip to Arkansas on Saturday to face a tough, yet underachieving, Razorbacks team. They will try to use their physical running game to wear down the Gators’ stout defense. But I think they’ll hold up just enough to pull out a road win.
Score: Florida wins 20-17.