Thursday's Daily News 'n Notes: FPD's Turner gets a Hall call; Braves Report (one game away); Falcons Report; Peach State CFB Report; and more
Thursday's Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media. Updates will be noted, so check back.
Scoreboard is up in The Latest Coverage
Longtime FPD coach Turner headed to a hall of fame
For 33 years, Jim Turner was the face of FPD sports, as head baseball and softball coach.
He coached both sports as the school moved from the GISA to the GHSA, finally shedding one sport before retiring completely as a coach a few years later, after the 2015 softball season.
It’s a career that’s proven worthy of induction into the Georgia Dugout Club Baseball Hall of Fame.
Turner will join five others at the ceremony on Jan. 10, 2020 at the Marietta Hilton Conference Center: Columbus State head coach Greg Appleton, Marist head coach Mike Strickland, Dennis Jordan of North Paulding, Toombs County’s Steve Janousek, and the late Dennis Payne of the GHSA and longtime umpire.
Turner went 257-105 in 12 seasons as head softball coach, and 370-216 as head baseball coach.
Turner led the Vikings to state GISA baseball titles in 1992 and 2010, the latter coming in FPD’s final year in that association before moving to the GHSA. The Vikings won the region title in their first year in the GHSA.
FPD won the GISA state softball title in 2007, a year after finishing second, and took three region titles after joining the GHSA, finishing third in the GHSA Class A Private state tournament three times.
Turner, who was also an assistant football coach for 16 years and assistant boys basketball coach for 17, retired as head baseball coach after the 2014 season.
He spent the 2003-04 year as head baseball coach at Houston County.
Turner graduated from Lanier in 1970 and went to Georgia on a baseball scholarship, lettering for four years and earning All-SEC academic honors. He was drafted by Cincinnati in the 26th round of the 1974 draft.
Coming Friday
The high school football schedule has been in The Latest Coverage all week. Visit The Sports Report’s predictions, and Monday Morning Quarterback, plus the two main state football polls, and predictions, in The Latest Coverage.
Friday: Scouting reports on Friday games.
Around Central Georgia
Mercer tennis hosting the Gridiron Classic
Braves Report
Atlanta was outhit by two, but the Braves were an efficient 2-for-4 with runners in scoring position – to 4-for-11 for Philadelphia – and edged the Phillies 5-4 to clinch a tie for the division.
Ronald Acuna belted his 40th homer, and is three steals from the 40-40 club. He was amid a rough stretch, hitting .197 with four homers in 30 games entering Thursday.
Mike Soroka fanned five with no walks, giving up two runs in five innings. Mark Melancon got his seventh save.
Nine Braves got one hit, with Acuna and Freddie Freeman driving in two runs each.
What will playoff tickets cost?
Swanson, Donaldson take the day
Falcons Report
Still trying to turn it around
Defense not missing many tackles
State college football Report
Tech: The response in practice to Saturday?
Georgia State: Lazarus take different path to captain