SWIMMING NOTEBOOK

Check out the latest swimming coverage with recaps of a couple big meets from the weekend. Also, we profile one of the biggest gridiron stars of 2013, Lovett's Grant Haley, as National Signing Day approaches.

In This Issue

Trivia

Signing Day Frenzy Top 25

Swimming Notebook

NSD Frenzy

Grant Haley Profile

Score Poll

Top Stories

Trivia

Question:

How many interceptions did Lovett's Grant Haley haul in this season?

Today's answer can

be found in the newsletter!

Wednesday's answer:

Campbell safety Mike Rogers also rushed for 23 touchowns this season.

#NSDFRENZY TOP 25

1. Nick Chubb

2. Lorenzo Carter

3. Nick Ruffin

4. Bryson Allen-Williams

5. Dante Sawyer

6. Cortez McDowell

7. Korie Rogers

8. Wesley Green

9. Mike Rogers

10. Orlando Brown

11. Detric Dukes

12. Nate Brown

13. Andrew Williams

14. Kendarius Webster

15. Allen Artis

16. Demarquis Gates

17. Kevin Mouhon

18. Elisha Shaw

19. Treyvon Paulk

20. Myles Autry

21. Taariq Shabazz

22. Kendall Baker

23. C.J. Leggett

24. Grant Haley

25. Evan Berry

Score is looking for writing interns!

Call 404-256-1572
or click here

for more information.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

SWIMMING NOTEBOOK

by Ricky Dimon

Westminster earns combined win at Metro meet

Alpharetta, Westminster and Woodward Academy raced to victories at last weekend's

Photo by Kelsey Emerson

44th Metro Swimming and Diving Championships. Westminster, which hosted the event, saw both its boys and girls place in the top three of their respective meets-good enough for a combined team win (311.5 points to runner-up Marist's 309). Alpharetta's boys edged the host Wildcats by the slimmest of margins, 176 points to 175.5. The Woodward girls finished first ahead of Marist, with 200 points to the War Eagles' 169. Like Westminster, Marist placed in the top three in each of the meets.

The boys' showdown between Alpharetta and Westminster all came down to the final race, the 400-yard freestyle relay. It could not have been much closer; not the overall competition or the decisive relay. Alpharetta and Westminster took first and second, respectively, with the Raiders' foursome of Patrick Cusick, Max Lee, Jonathan Vater and Derek Wu besting the Wildcats' team of Derek Cox, Erek Cox, Gabriel Bellott-McGrath and Patrick Leonard by one second (3:11:25 to 3:12:32).

Cusick, who won the 200 backstroke, and Derek Cox also squared off in the 200 individual medley. The Westminster sophomore prevailed in 1:53.83 to Cusick's 154.15. Bellott-McGrath and Lee also met in the 200 freestyle, with Bellott-McGrath toughing the wall first for the Wildcats only 45 hundredths of a second ahead of Lee. Northview, whose boys place fourth out of 18 schools, got a pair of triumphs from Knox Auerbach in the 100 and 500 freestyle competitions. Kathleen Cook of Woodward (100 freestyle and 200 freestyle) and Elise Hart of Cartersville (100 backstroke, 100 butterfly) were the two girls who won a pair of individual events.

Chamblee, Dunwoody and Lakeside-DeKalb all placed in the top three of both the boys and girls competitions when the DeKalb County Swim and Dive Championships wrapped up last Saturday at Chamblee High School. The Chamblee boys beat Lakeside-DeKalb 274-220 while Lakeside-DeKalb's girls got past Dunwoody 276-250.

The victorious Bulldog boys were led by Caleb Wikle and the Oh brothers, Nicholas and Noah. Wikle took home top individual honors in one-meter diving, Nicholas won the 100 freestyle and Noah swam to victory in the 500 freestyle. Tucker's Cash DeLoache set DeKalb County records in both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. The Lakeside-DeKalb girls were paced by individual wins from Julianna Cartwright (200 freestyle and 500 freestyle), Raleigh Bentz (200 individual medley and 100 backstroke) and Nicole Hollahan (100 butterfly).

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY FRENZY

Join National Signing Day history

Georgia is one of the premier football hotbeds in the country and we are providing all the information needed to completely cover the Peach State's incredible talent with a list of every signee in the state. In our coverage you will find a statistical breakdown by the county and high school of each athlete, as well as their future college destination and current commitment or signee status. Recruiters come back to Georgia each year because of the countless stars that have gone to college and been successful. By providing a thorough analysis of this year's signees and by doing so for future recruiting classes, Georgia High School football will continue to get the recognition and spotlight it deserves.

USE THE TWITTER HASHTAG #NSDFRENZY

CLICK PHOTO TO VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE

#NSDFRENZY TOP 25

by Ricky Dimon

State champion Haley, heads to 'Happy Valley'

Grant Haley, a standout at Lovett on both sides of the football, registers at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds. Haley played running back and cornerback

Photo by Perry McIntyre

for the Lions while also returning kicks. He rushed for more than 1,500 yards as a senior while accounting for 27 touchdowns (24 rush, two receiving, one punt return). On defense he had six interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 2013. Haley led Lovett to its first football state championship since 1970. He is a two-sport star at Lovett, also roaming center field and batting leadoff for the 2013 state championship baseball team.

Haley projects as a cornerback and kick returner in college. He does not have ideal size for the next level, but he makes up for it with elite speed. He has been clocked at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash.

The Atlanta native has committed to Penn State, where his mother attended college. He originally committed to Vanderbilt last summer only to change his mind after the departure of former Commodores' head coach James Franklin. Haley is now following Franklin to Happy Valley. Haley could challenge for playing time right away on a relatively young Penn State squad. Immediate contributions in the nickel formation on defense and via kick and punt returns on special teams would not come as a big surprise.