Thursday's Report: GHSA softball (Houston County, Veterans, West Laurens); Georgia, Falcons, Hawks, United; Dream/WNBA Finals; World Series, college football/basketball, NFL, NBA, golf, soccer
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High Schools
(Teams: Please post first and last names, and names are preferred over social media handles (they know who they are, most people don’t) and post team names, not mascots)
🥎 🥎 🥎 Softball🥎 🥎 🥎
GHSA playoffs
Quarterfinals
Columbus
Class 6A
No. 8 Houston County 2, No. 1 South Effingham 1 (Click here for complete story)
Kali Bradley stepped to the plate having gone hitless in two at-bats, pinch-running teammate Jaymi Kate McLendon standing on third with Bears on second and first. Bradley came through with a first-pitch single to center to bring in McLendon with the walk-off winning run as the Bears scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. Houston County put the pressure on with Armani Frazier’s leadoff single. A fielder’choice out later, Lily Brzezicki and Felicity Curtis singled, umpires ruling Kynzlee Cox safe at third on a controversial call regarding whether third baseman Alyssa Martin had her foot on third for a forceout, to load the bases. An error on Alanah McKenzie’s grounder brought in Kynzlee Cox with the tying run en route to breaking South Effingham’s 23-game winning streak..
Brzezicki had 2 of Houston County’s 7 hits. Sophomore Piper Lambert was sharp in the circle with a 2-strikeout/1-walk 4-hitter, surviving the seventh-inning homer that put South Effingham on top. The Bears play No. 4 Creekview at 2:45 p.m. on Thursday.
No. 3 Lassiter 12, No. 11 Veterans 0, 4 inn.
A two-inning pitchers duel went Lassiter’s way with a 6-run third inning, and the Trojans ended it early an inning later with 6 more. Three runs were unearned, thanks in part to 3 Veterans errors. Lassiter held a 13-3 hits advantage. The lowest 6A seed in Columbus, Veterans plays No. 7 Pope (11-4 loser to No. 2 Lee County) at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Class 4A
No. 2 West Laurens 5, No. 7 Ridgeland 4
West Laurens overcame a 4-1 deficit to advance. The Raiders play No. 3 Cherokee Bluff (10-1 over Harlem) at 2:45 p.m. on Thursday.
🏈🏈🏈Flag football🏈🏈🏈
Mary Persons 19, Westside 13
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Around/About Central Georgia
WSOC-GMC JC heads to NJCAA South District Tournament
Around/About Georgia
Georgia WR room continues to overcome lingering injury to Warner Robins’ Canion
No. 17 Florida lists QBs Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones as questionable for No. 3 Georgia
Georgia injury report: Bolden one of three listed as questionable
UGA alums Carter, Davis fail to live up to lucrative contract extensions for the slumping Eagles
Falcons injury report: Brian Robinson, Divine Deablo non-participants as Week 8 practices begin
Antetokounmpo has 24 points, 18 rebounds as the Heat beat the Hawks
Traoré scores winner as NYCFC keeps playoff hopes alive with 2-1 victory over Atlanta United
WNBA Finals: Atlanta vs. Golden State
Even with early Game 6 tipoff on Thursday, Valkyries are confident fans will find a way to watch
Despite much-criticized early tipoff, Dream say WNBA Finals Game 6 against Valkyries is a sellout
In fairness to Dream and Valkyries, scheduling dilemma shouldn’t overshadow Game 6 of WNBA Finals
Column-Finals have become a showcase for the league's incompetence
Dream blame WNBA over midday Finals, but who is truly at fault for venue gridlock?
MLB World Series
Milwaukee's best! Brewers claim their first championship
Contreras wins World Series MVP with .381 average, 10 ABS overturns
The Miz caps a likely Cy Young season with poise in Brewers’ World Series clincher
Broadcast
Ernie Johnson to retire from ‘Inside the NBA’ in June after a 37-year run as host
Barkley tears up with 'Inside the NBA' co-hosts paying tribute
College Football/SEC
Kiffin calls conspiracy on SEC for LSU-Alabama. Here's why
Oklahoma using embarrassing South Carolina loss as fuel
College Football/ACC
Florida State president acknowledges fanbase frustration and admits everything is not fine
No. 1 Miami touting both Mensah and Toney as Heisman Trophy hopefuls this season
Clemson vs Florida State injury report
College Football/South
Big 12 fines UCF $100,000 for fan behavior aimed at BYU, Mormon church
Furman head coach Hendrix to step down after season, 29 years with Paladins
College Football/Coaching Carousel
Sam Houston fires Longo after 1-7 start
College Football
In the Big Ten, the most important job this weekend might be QB2
College football picks: Conference games are the closest they have been in at least a half century
Column-Riley could make Southern Cal fire him. Or, he could just cut and run
Hawkeyes RB Moulton is out for the season. Xavier Williams will start against Wisconsin
College Sports, the changing landscape
Louisiana judge temporarily blocks the SEC from sanctioning LSU for playing ex-pro RJ Luis Jr.
Big Ten sets caps for schools setting up third-party NIL deals, players’ attorneys issue warning
Clemson, UNC support college sports bill, ask for conference realignment flexibility
NFL/NFC
UGA alums Carter, Davis fail to live up to lucrative contract extensions for the slumping Eagles
Garrett won’t return to practice this week for Rams. He’ll miss his 7th straight game
Commanders are feeling urgency to play a complete game as they enter an important stretch
NFL/AFC
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas looks to flush London benching and ‘be the best team player I can’
Raiders’ run game sputters again as Ashton Jeanty struggles behind shaky blocking
Bills’ Brady questions NFL disciplinary process after Sam Franklin wins his appeal
NFL/USFL/UFL/Football
Wiley sued for 1999 sexual battery, assault
Barkley: NFL forced sale of Polymarket stake
College Basketball/Women
After a basketball-free summer, All-American Strong returns to lead No. 2 UConn on and off the court
List of top women’s college basketball games before the New Year includes NCAA finals rematch
College Basketball/Men
Lawyers for RJ Luis Jr. ask judge to block SEC from intervening to keep him off LSU’s roster
Ducks face a season of transition without longtime leader Altman
Gainey comes home to NC State to lead a Wolfpack program enduring 2+ years of wild swings
North Carolina has turned to an NBA championship-winning coach in Malone to start new era
No. 6 Michigan State could have a shot to be Hall of Fame coach Izzo’s 9th Final Four team
College Basketball
List of top men’s college basketball games includes a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament final
NIT, WBIT shrinks field from 32 to 24 fields starting in 2027
Williams hopes for improvement after going 12-21 in his first season at Maryland
Shrewsberry gets a fresh start with 10 new players on this season’s roster at Notre Dame
No. 11 Louisville reloads again under Pat Kelsey, with all 5 starters likely transfers
NBA Game Night
Mobley and the Cavaliers storm back to beat the Wizards 121-111 in Dybantsa’s debut
Cunningham scores 30 points to help the Pistons hold off the Hornets
NBA/Basketball
Timberwolves say Anthony Edwards will be ‘good as new’ with no long-term concern after knee surgery
Bogues’ No. 1 jersey to be retired by Charlotte Hornets in February
NHL/Hockey
Golf
LIV Golf’s future and the ripple effect for PGA and European tours provide plenty of drama
Soccer
Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane gets guard of honor from Bayern teammates before German Cup game
Messi goes scoreless, Inter Miami needs late goal to tie Cincinnati
Abada’s hat trick helps Charlotte beat Montreal 4-0, clinch MLS Cup playoff berth
Youth Sports
Why were police called to a youth soccer game in Florida?
Boxing/UFC/MMA
WWE Crown Jewel moving locations amid attacks in Saudi Arabia