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April 2010

March 2010

Jackets Look For Three-Peat
by Nick Daly

Nearing the end of the regular season and the start of the region tournament, the varsity boys basketball team appears to be in decent shape for making the state playoffs for the third straight season.

Before their game against Murray County on February 6, the Jackets were 15-7 overall and 7-4 in the region, which places them as the sixth seed.  The Jackets are led by senior starters Elijah Hayes at point guard and Jason Gordon at forward, while Alijah Bennet, Duncan Lunsford and P.J. Stone round out the starting five players, and significant contributions coming from Omari Williams and D.J. Funderberg off the bench.

Duncan Lunsford leads the team averaging 14 points per game, while Omari Williams leads the team in rebounds averaging 8.5 per game.  Jason Gordon has had a terrific season so far displaying all-around great play in the post averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game.

The Jackets and head coach Marc Carver are staying optimistic about the teams’ chances for the rest of the season. “Of course we have a chance to win region,” Carver states.  “You never know what’s going to happen.  Just because we aren’t the favorite doesn’t mean we don’t have a shot.”  All 15 region teams compete in the tournament, which begins February 12, while the final top four seeded teams advance to state.

When asked about his personal impression of the season thus far, Coach Carver responded enthusiastically. “It’s been a very good year; we’ve over-achieved all season long on both sides of the ball. Fifteen wins is something to be proud of, and we hope to continue. It has been a very rewarding year.”

The varsity team is not the only one that has succeeded so far.  This is the second year in a row that all three teams (varsity, JV and freshman) have recorded a winning record.  This statistic is a very promising one for the Jackets, marking the possibility for continual and long-term success on the basketball court.

If the Jackets are able to finish strong and make the state playoffs, then this will mark the third year in a row they have made it that far.  Though football may very well reign supreme at Sprayberry, their basketball team is one to be proud of as well. Both teams deserve as much support as possible to help make it two sports with three straight seasons to state.

December 2009

Jackets Season Still A Success Despite Early Playoff Exit
by Nick Daly, Co-Editor In Chief

Despite a strong showcase of a six-game winning streak following a 0-2 start, the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets lost arguably the most important game of the season to knock them out of contention for the region championship game at Dalton.

Following the Jackets dramatic upset victory over then-undefeated and third-ranked Hillgrove in overtime, the Jackets shut out South Paulding to improve to 6-2.  The Jacket's convincing back-to-back victories extended their winning streak to six games and presented Sprayberry as the potential favorite to win the Region 7 championship.  However, the Jackets faced one final and daunting task: to defeat undefeated Hiram at home on Senior Night.

The Jackets celebrated Breast Cancer Awareness Month by sponsoring a pink-out and painting two pink ribbons on the field.  The pink-out was a terrific success that motivated the senior spirit group, "Sting", to use pink body paint to show their awareness.  "It is great to see this kind of spirit and excitement from our fans," says head coach Billy Shackleford.  "This year's senior class has really raised the bar in terms of fan base and spirit; this kind of support has really gotten the team going this year."

The crowd's excitement quickly pumped up the team as the Jackets exploded for 21 points in the first half against fourth-ranked Hiram's defense, holding the Hornets' dangerous triple option to just seven points in the first half.  The Jackets' early success energized the crowd even more as the stands shook with the force of the fan's roars that erupted as the game reached halftime.  Senior quarterback Jerick McKinnon dominated Hiram's defense, passing for over 100 yards and a touchdown as well as a rushing touchdown in the first half.  His D-1 caliber performance had the crowd planning trips to Dalton to cheer on their team in the region championship game.

Unfortunately, the game was far from over as Hiram's defense reminded fans by forcing a fumble on the first offensive play of the second half and returning it for a touchdown.  The Sprayberry crowd was quickly silenced once again with a three and out for the Jacket's offense that preceded a quick touchdown-scoring drive by Hiram to tie the game at 21.  This seemingly new life that was instilled in the Hornets left both the Sprayberry team and their fans stunned as they watched their 14-point lead and chances at a second straight region championship evaporate into the misty air within just six minutes.

The Jackets responded by marching nearly 60 yards down the field before being stopped on third down and long, leaving the Jackets to attempt a 35-yard field goal that would give them the lead.  However, senior kicker Paul Bailey pulled the kick, missing it just wide right, adding more fuel to Hiram's fire.  As they marched down the field on their next drive, the Hornets took their first lead of the game, 28-21 in the fourth quarter.  Quarterback Jerick McKinnon was not finished, however, as he led his team on a 65-yard drive that was capped off by his own 10-yard touchdown run, cutting Hiram's lead to just one point and giving Sprayberry the opportunity to tie the game with the extra point.  However, the point-after attempt was blocked, leaving the Hornets up 28-27 with three minutes remaining.

The Jacket's defense forced a punt with 31 seconds left, giving McKinnon and the offense 19.9 seconds to travel almost 80 yards after the punt return.  The first play of the series was a completed pass to senior wide receiver Kris Escho for a first down, but the clock was not stopped until there were only four seconds left in the game.  The questionable clockwork came to be the eventual downfall of the Jackets as, on the next play, McKinnon completed a 40-yard pass to senior running back Devin Sutler past midfield as time expired, ending the game and the Jacket's hopes to repeat as region champs.

Sprayberry rebounded quickly after this devastating loss, defeating Sequoyah 29-7 on the road to push them into the playoffs for the third straight year.  The Jacket's defense came up big yet again, holding the Chief's explosive triple option to just seven points as they only entered the red zone once.  McKinnon and the offense were once again explosive as McKinnon ran and passed for over 100 yards and had a total of three touchdowns.  The fan support was great for the team as well, as the entire senior Sting section made the trip to Sequoyah to cheer their team on to the playoffs.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment for us to make state three years in a row," says Coach Shackleford.  "We had a terrific season and a great group of guys, and they were able to get us back to the playoffs."

Shackleford's first task of the playoffs was against Marist Academy's innovative form of the triple option.  The team practiced long and hard, studying hours of film to prepare for the game in hopes of capturing Sprayberry's first playoff win in over 20 years.

Unfortunately, the Jackets fell short of their final goal of the season, losing 28-14 in the opening round.  Despite a valiant effort from both sides of the ball, the offense couldn't move the ball effectively, and the defense couldn't find an answer for Marist's unorthodox offensive sets.  Key turnovers − both early and late in the game − prevented Sprayberry from maintaining the momentum they experienced throughout the season.  The game ended with the players in tears, mourning their disappointing loss in what was the final high school game for the seniors.

The sorrow, however, should not overshadow the accomplishments this year's team captured, as they finished the season with a 7-4 record, matching last season's final tally.  "This year was certainly one to remember," says McKinnon.  "This team is truly amazing, and we thank all of the fans for their support. They are the reason we excelled these past three years, and we will never forget our success."

Though the season has come to a disappointing end, it will live on in the memory of everyone at Sprayberry High School for the tremendous drive and determination of the team and the dedication of the fans.

October 2009

Jackets Look To Further Improve On Last Season
by Nick Daly • Photography by Shaylen Pylman, SHS

The 2009 varsity Yellow Jacket football team has set high expectations for themselves following a 7-3 region championship season that ended in a disappointing home playoff loss to Cedar Shoals.

Last season the Jackets got off to a rough 0-3 start in coach Billy Shackelford’s second season as the Sprayberry head coach.  Fortunately, however, the Jackets went on a tear winning their final seven games by a combined score of 252 to 85, including a 27-6 rout over Rome in the region championship game.  The region title gave Sprayberry their first region championship since 1982, and propelled them into the playoffs for the second straight year.  However, the Jackets lost a total of 18 players to graduation, including five starters on their record-setting offense, leaving a huge gap to fill for the 2009 season.  

Fortunately enough, Coach Shack feels more than confident about his new team and his new leaders, naming key senior players such as quarterback Jerick McKinnon, offensive lineman Robbie Bryant, running back Robert Bailey, offensive/defensive lineman Reese Bulmash, linebacker Blake Young, and linebacker Kevin Gill.  These players have displayed exceptional talent and leadership, catching the attention of several college recruiters.  Jerick McKinnon, a three star recruit on rivals.com, recently received his first full-ride scholarship offer from Georgia State, and is receiving interest from others schools like Furman, Vanderbilt, and Western Michigan.

Robert Bailey has also drawn significant interest from Division I schools, including Georgia Tech and Clemson; however, Bailey is being looked at for his football talent in addition to his superior work in the classroom.  Bailey was recognized in the latest issue of In the Game High School Sports Magazine for being a successful scholar-athlete maintaining a 4.1 GPA.  Other notable players receiving interest are Robbie Bryant (Purdue, Indiana, and Memphis) and Reese Bulmash (Furman, Virginia, and Memphis).

In an effort to build up this year’s team as well as prepare for next year, more junior players have stepped up their game significantly and have quickly become stand-out players.  PJ Stone, De-alvarez Antwine, Josh Moody, and Taylor Harren are some of the notable juniors who have excelled thus far, while sophomores Jibrin Linge and Terrell Brownridge have proven themselves to be future leaders for the Jackets.

Though last year’s seniors raised the bar for this year’s team, the players seemed to have risen to the challenge to try and improve on last year.  However, when asked to compare last year’s team to this year’s team, Coach Shack replied simply, “They wear the same uniforms.”  He further added, “Every team is unique.  We aren’t trying to make these guys into last year’s team; they have enough skill and potential to be better, and we’re just going to push them to do their best on and off the field.”

Even before the season began, the Yellow Jackets had high expectations to repeat last year’s region championship.  However, their most notable goal was to not just make the playoffs, but to win at least one playoff game for the first time in over 10 years, coining the slogan “Make it Happen in 2009.”  The talk of these goals and hype for the season opener against cross-town rival Lassiter created an undeniable buzz around Sprayberry, which was booming with energy and intensity for the season to begin.

Prior to the kickoff of the 2009 season, there was already an overwhelming sense of excitement for the Yellow Jackets, created by the record crowd in attendance for the ‘blackout’ against Lassiter, who in return showed up to the game in a ‘whiteout.’  Unfortunately, the season did not start out the way the Jackets intended as they suffered a loss to the Lassiter Trojans 14-7 in the Backyard Brawl.  Though both teams played incredibly hard, the game was plagued by a series of controversial calls including an iffy spot on a fourth down and inches play by the Jackets that gave the ball back to the Trojans at their own one-yard line.

The most controversial play came in the fourth quarter during a punt return in which Lassiter return man Griffin Rolle muffed the punt, sending the ball into the end zone where it was recovered by the Jackets for what seemed to be the go-ahead touchdown.  However, a rule unknown to many in high school football states that no matter what the force causing a ball to go into the end zone on a kickoff or punt, the ball is marked as a touchback as soon as it crosses the goal line.  

Though just about everyone at Sprayberry fully disagreed with these calls and displayed complete frustration throughout the week following, Coach Shack did not blame the questionable officiating for the outcome of the game:  “They’ve got a tough job and they call it as they see it.  Sure, I didn’t agree with all their calls, but they didn’t agree with all my calls.  Ultimately it came down to the simple fact that WE didn’t win the ball game.”

Unfortunately for the Jackets, the second game of the season did not turn out the way they had hoped either: losing a heartbreaker to Dalton, 27-21.  Both teams played hard, well-executed football; however, Dalton made fewer mistakes.  This nail-biter was named CSS Game of the Week, and was aired live on the CSS channel across the Southeast.  This made it possible for the entire region to see the Jackets’ spectacular final drive, in which they marched 87 yards in three minutes.  Down by six, quarterback Jerick McKinnon led the Jackets on a nearly perfect drive down to around the 10 yard line.  However, on the final play of the game, McKinnon threw an incomplete pass, intended for senior wide receiver Chris Escho in the end zone, which ended the game with   disappointment for the Jackets and their fans.

However, things finally started to pick up for the Jackets in their third game of the season against Northwest Whitfield at home.  The Jackets offense and defense flourished in this game, with standout performances coming from running back Robert Bailey, who scored two rushing touchdowns, and linebacker Blake Young, who recorded a Sprayberry record of 22 tackles.  Junior quarterback Alec Kinard busted a 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to pad the final score of 28-7, giving the Jackets their first win of the season.

Sprayberry’s fourth game of the season posted a similar result as the Jackets beat Starr’s Mill at their own Homecoming game 21-7.  Starr’s Mill’s only score of the day came on an interception returned for a touchdown in the second half; otherwise, the Jacket’s defense recorded a shutout for their second win of the season.

Four games into the season, the Jackets are 2-2 entering their bye week.  With Homecoming week coming up on October 2, Sprayberry is beginning to show signs of life on both sides of the ball, which has given the team and the fans hope for repeating as region champions.