OFF - Index of - The Cherokee Ledger-News

18 THE CHEROKEE LEDGER-NEWS
LEDGER-NEWS
SPORTS
SPORTS EDITOR: BRANDON MICHEA | 770-928-0706 x203 FAX: 770-928-3152 SEPTEMBER 22, 2010
KSU to move forward with plans for football
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Kennesaw State University President
Daniel S. Papp accepted a highly positive
recommendation from legendary football
coach Vince Dooley, chair of KSU’s Football
Exploratory Committee (FEC), to move
forward with the university’s interest in
fielding a football program.
The results of the nine-month study indicate
there is solid support for a successful
football program at Georgia’s third-largest
university, according to the 137-page report,
which Coach Dooley submitted to Papp
along with a five-page Summary and Recom-
Rogers runs Chiefs past Cass, 31-28
BY BRANDON MICHEA
sports@ledgernews.com
Welcome to the new Ben Rogers.
If opponents had checked out the book on
the Sequoyah senior quarterback prior to
his Chiefs’ crucial Region 7AAAA battle
against visiting Cass on Friday night, the
scouting report would read pretty plain and
simple: Drop-back pocket passer.
But that was then, and this is now.
Breaking off a pair of 50-plus yard runs, including
a 68-yard touchdown sprint midway
through the fourth quarter, Rogers rushed
for a career-high 113 yards, threw for 76
more, and even stepped over to the defensive
side of the ball to make a couple of key stops,
as Sequoyah held off a late rally by the
Colonels for a 31-28 victory in Hickory Flat.
“I thought Ben played phenomenal,” Sequoyah
coach James Teter said of his quarterback,
who had just 17 total yards of rushing
over his previous 13 games. “We’ve been
practicing some things to get him even more
involved in the game, with defense being one
of them, and while I feel like he played well
in our first three games, he really stepped it
up tonight.”
“I feel like I’m capable of running the ball
every game. It’s just not something we’ve
needed or I’ve been asked to do,” said Rogers,
whose previous game-high rushing total was
the 36 he posted against rival Creekview in
the Chiefs’ season opener last month. “But it
felt good tonight.”
With Sequoyah (2-2, 2-2 region) clinging to
a 24-21 advantage in the early stages of the
fourth quarter, the Chiefs’ defense forced the
Colonels (2-2, 2-2) to punt away their thirdstraight
possession, giving Rogers and the
Sequoyah offense the ball on their own 22.
Senior fullback Timmy Swaney quickly
got the drive started with a 10-yard blast up
the middle. Rogers then did the rest.
Taking the snap and optioning right, the
Chiefs’ senior signal caller faked the pitch
and cut back to the middle, where he found a
running lane that led him 68 yards into the
end zone, giving Sequoyah a 31-21 lead following
a Shawn Wortham extra point kick with
7:26 left to play.
But while the Chiefs held the momentum,
Cass’s fight was far from over.
Starting the ensuing possession on its
own 38, the Colonels marched 62 yards in
11 plays and used up just 3:13 off the clock
before pulling back to within three, 31-28, on
COLLEGIATE SPORTS
■
mendations document. The Committee’s
positive recommendation was announced
for the first time at a press conference held
Sept. 15 at the KSU Convocation Center.
“This is a truly historic day for Kennesaw
State University,” Papp said, upon accepting
the document from the iconic football coach.
“This is an important first step in assessing
support for a football program at KSU, and we
all look forward to building on this positive
feedback and strong momentum that exists.
“Now that we have the Committee’s report,
it’s very important for us to once again reevaluate
the level of student support,” Papp
continued. “This has been a continuing con-
PREP FOOTBALL
■
a 22-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback
Elijah Windom to senior receiver Jay
Stephens.
The Cass defense then stepped up to deliver
a three-and-out stand on Sequoyah’s next
series, giving Windom and the Colonels offense
one last shot, starting from their own
22 with 1:53 remaining.
A sack by Chiefs’ senior Jordan Basone
backed Cass up four yards on first down, before
Windom found senior Jordan Wright on
a 20-yard competition. But after Basone
Sept. 17 Results
Chattahoochee d. Creekview, 42-7 Sequoyah d. Cass, 31-28
Etowah d. North Forsyth, 17-6 Woodstock d. Newnan, 28-16
Model d. River Ridge, 52-21
Cherokee - off
versation; and to that end, our next step is to
talk with our student leaders and to the student
body to ascertain their continued interest
in having a football program at KSU.”
Dooley, who retired as the University of
Georgia’s athletics director in 2004 after 25
years, was UGA’s head football coach from
1964 to 1988. He led of one of the most successful
football and all-sports programs in intercollegiate
athletics. He expressed appreciation
for serving on the Committee and working
collaboratively with all 32 members.
“It has been an honor to oversee the hard
SEE PLANS PAGE 20
BRANDON MICHEA | LEDGER-NEWS
Sequoyah senior defensive back Spencer Zorzi (31) snags an interception away from Cass
receiver Jordan Wright during his Chiefs’ 31-28 victory, Friday night in Hickory Flat.
brought down Stephens from behind in the
middle of the field on a 3-yard reception,
Windom had to spike the ball to stop the clock
on second down. His deep pass attempt to
Wright on third down went incomplete
thanks to blanket coverage by Sequoyah senior
defensive back Carter Bragg, forcing
fourth-and-7 from the 41, where he was
dropped at the line of scrimmage by Chiefs’
junior Mitchell Smith to end the rally.
This Week (all games at 7:30 p.m., unless noted)
Cherokee at Woodstock
Etowah at Walton
Creekview at Johns Creek Sequoyah at Rome, 8 p.m.
Cross Keys at River Ridge
Lady Warriors
bring ‘A’ game to
to defeat Etowah
BY BRANDON MICHEA
sports@ledgernews.com
PREP SOFTBALL
■
BRANDON MICHEA | LEDGER-NEWS
Cherokee second baseman Lauren Mullinax
looks to turn two during her Lady
Warriors’ 4-1 victory over county and
Region 5AAAAA rival Etowah, Sept. 14
in Canton.
Looking to secure their place in the
top-half of the Region 5AAAAA standings,
the Cherokee Lady Warriors delivered
one of their best all-around
performances of the season en route
to a 4-1 victory over rival Etowah, Sept.
14 in Canton.
“Everything was clicking,” Lady
Warriors’ coach Tonya Carlisle said.
“The kids came out from the beginning,
took control of the game and
never let [Etowah] feel like they were
in it.
“I’ve told these kids since day one
that if they bring their A game each
time out, they can compete with anybody,
and they did that tonight.”
Led by a pair of hits each from Bree
Wells (2-for-3, two runs, walk, double)
and Maddie Hester (2-for-3, double), all
nine Cherokee starters reached base,
as the Lady Warriors collected eight
hits, drew five walks and stole five
bases. Senior hurler Torie Reeves,
meanwhile, went the distance, allowing
no earned runs on three hits, one
walk and six strikeouts.
After Reeves fanned two in a perfect
top half of the first inning, the Lady
Warriors wasted little time providing
their ace with some offensive support.
Senior Natalie Rhodes led off with a
single and stole second, before Wells
drew a one-out walk and Brianne
Welch reached on a fielder’s choice to
load the bases. Naomi Catt then plated
Rhodes with a groundout and Reeves
helped her own cause with an RBI single,
scoring Wells for a 2-0 Cherokee
advantage.
SEE CHIEFS PAGE 22 SEE GAME PAGE 20
See Prep
Football
Round-up
on Page 21.