Seat 125, between the hedges

Ahhh. That’s right, we’re back in the Lazy Blog’s favorite SEC stadium—Georgia’s Sanford Stadium. Between the hedges on a Saturday night.

It’s a good time.

So, what do you think about tonight’s game? Me? Glad you asked. I’m going with Auburn, 24-21. That’s right. Wes Byrum kicks a field goal to give the Tigers the win, sometime tonight. It’ll be like 2005, John Vaughn, all over again.

Who’s got the edge? Auburn or Georgia?

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It’s Game Day.

Get some.

QUARTERBACKS
Both Joe Cox and Chris Todd have had their ups and downs in their first – and last – full seasons as starters. Todd, though, is currently riding just a bit higher.
Edge: Auburn

RUNNING BACKS
The Bulldogs have had five different players score rushing touchdowns. That’s not the mark of a deep unit, but a sign that Georgia does not have a go-to guy like Ben Tate.
Edge: Auburn

RECEIVERS
As good as Terrell Zachery and Darvin Adams have been, they don’t match the threat A.J. Green poses.
Edge: Georgia

OFFENSIVE LINE
Jeff Grimes said his group has gotten better every game. They weren’t too shabby to begin with.
Edge: Auburn

DEFENSIVE LINE
The Bulldogs are big, especially up the middle, and are limiting opponents to almost 50 yards less on the ground than the Tigers.
Edge: Georgia

LINEBACKERS
Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens got a half off against Furman. That might go down as the most important 30 minutes of their entire season heading down the home stretch.
Edge: Auburn

SECONDARY
Both units have seen better days, but especially the Tigers, who will see Demond Washington playing his first SEC game at safety and are so thin that they might not be able to run the nickel tonight.
Edge: Georgia

SPECIAL TEAMS
Wes Byrum should get his own category because he’ll never win at this rate.
Edge: Georgia

COACHES
Mark Richt certainly has more on the line tonight. A loss puts Georgia in precarious water when it comes to its bowl-eligibility and him one step closer to being on his way out of Athens. Gene Chizik is playing with house money at this point.
Edge: Georgia

OVERALL
Home-field advantage is pretty much the only separator between these evenly-matched teams in a series that has largely favored the visitor.
Edge: Georgia

(Photo credit: Cliff Williams)

Moore, Moore, Moore

How do you like it, how do you like it?

MHS   0   0   6   6 — 12  
LHS   6   0   12   0 —  18

1st Quarter—(LHS) Gregory Moss 5 pass from Patrick Moore (pass failed), 2:30. 15 plays, 94 yards, 6:02
3rd Quarter—(LHS) Rontavis Dinkins 15 pass from Moore (pass failed), 4:23. 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:49
              (MHS) Hunter McCay 6 run (kick blocked), 1:09. 9 plays, 64 yards, 3:08
              (LHS) Moore 79 run (pass failed), 0:06. 3 plays, 89 yards, 0:54
4th Quarter—(MHS) Chris Bailey 85 pass from Matthew Hamner (kick failed), 3:36. 3 plays, 82 yards, 1:33

TEAM
First Downs: MHS 15; LHS 18
Rushing: MHS 31-100, 1; LHS 36-269, 1
Passing: MHS 10-23-205-1-4; LHS 11-27-132-2-2
Total Plays-Yards: MHS 54-305; LHS 63-401
Penalties-Yards: MHS 7-48; LHS 10-50
Fumbles-Lost: MHS 1-0; LHS 3-0
Punts-Yards: MHS 6-191; LHS 6-204
Time of Possession: MHS 21:04; LHS 26:56

INDIVIDUAL
Rushing: MHS—Matthew Hamner 12-0; Hunter McCay 11-82, 1; Chris Bailey 8-18. LHS—Patrick Moore 13-178, 1; Cory North 8-54; Kevin Dowdell 8-21; Quindravius Richardson 2-10; Gregory Moss 2-9; TEAM 3-minus-3.
Passing: MHS—Hamner 10-23-205-1-4. LHS—Moore 11-26-132-2-2; TEAM 0-1-0-0-0.
Receiving: MHS—Bailey 3-140, 1; Dustin Stephens 2-14; Tyler Crumpton 1-19; Darrell Goodwin 1-12; Timothy Crumpton 1-12; McCay 1-6; Edwin Pettiway 1-2. LHS—Rontavis Dinkins 4-44, 1; Richardson 3-48; Moss 2-11, 1; North 1-17; Travis Echols 1-12.
Tackles: MHS—James Madsen 7 (INT); John Atchison 7; Anthony Johnson 6; Tyler Crumpton 6; Goodwin 5; Jonathan Fuller 4; Cameron Morrow 4 (INT); Dylan Wallace 3; Pettiway 2; Stephens 2; Brett Connell 2; Matthew Dunkin 1; Bailey 1; Cody Howell 1; Jarnez Marzette 1. LHS—Jerome Greer 8 (2 sacks); Moss 6; North 5; Richardson 4 (INT); Marvin Hunter 4 (sack); Lazavier Nailor 4; Darius Poole 4 (0.5 sack); Terance Tolbert 3 (0.5 sack); Tracy Brooks 3 (3 INT); Deguan Aikens 2; Moore 2; Dowdell 1; Echols 1.

Reed comes up large in Auburn’s comeback victory

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DeWayne Reed ended Auburn’s 2008-09 season with two missed free throws and tears in the post-game press conference.

He took a big step forward Friday night toward erasing those memories with a performance fitting of his new title as a senior leader.

Reed’s layup and free throw with 12.5 seconds capped a spurt where he scored 8 straight points to lead Auburn to a 69-65 comeback victory over Niagara in the final season-opener at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum.

“It’s big,” said Reed, who missed two free throws at the end of Auburn’s 74-72 NIT quarterfinals loss to Baylor in March.

“I’m confident going to the line and hitting free throws. I was hungry to win the whole game.”

That hunger turned ravenous in the game’s final 89 seconds, when Auburn outscored Niagara 11-0 to lock down a victory against what could perhaps be its highest-billed non-conference opponent of the season.

“Niagara, as you can see, is very worthy of the hype they have,” coach Jeff Lebo said of the Purple Eagles, who are coming off a 26-win season that made them a top 50 RPI team and return four starters.

“It was a great win for our team. I’m very proud of the way we competed.”

Reed’s dunk off a steal with 52 seconds to play capped an 8-minute stretch where the Tigers lost their 54-50 lead, fell behind by as many as 7 and went without a field goal.

With Tay Waller dressed in his warmups and out for the entire game with a sore quad, Auburn’s big-shot, deep-threat was missing, so Reed took it upon himself.

“I had to take over his slack and put it together for the win,” said Reed, who finished with a game-high 24 points. “It’s just me hungry. I didn’t want to lose the first game.”

Following a timeout, Reed took possession with the Tigers down 2 and 19 seconds to play. He wasted little time, driving straight to the hoop and going up for the layup. He was fouled by Niagara’s Austin Cooley about two steps before his shot, but his continuation made the layup count.

“That’s a big play you expect from your seniors,” Lebo said.

Lucas Hargrove, who was bogged down by foul trouble and finished with just 5 points in 24 minutes, came up large on two defensive stands at the end.

Hargrove got in the way of Bilal Benn’s drive to the hoop with 3 seconds to play, grabbing the ball in midair before he was fouled. After sinking one of two free throws, he stole Niagara’s last-gasp inbounds pass to seal the victory.

Frankie Sullivan was the only other Auburn player in double figures, finishing with 10 points.

With the exception of Robert Chubb, who did not play, all of Auburn’s newcomers saw significant minutes. Freshman Andre Malone led the group with 8 points off the bench while Earnest Ross, who started in Waller’s place, finished with 6 points.

“I thought they did a pretty decent job for freshmen,” Lebo said. “We had funky lineups out there.”

(Photo credit: Leffie Dailey)

In which your intrepid preps reporter lets you know how he did when he tried to predict the future

The ones I got right, I left as is. The ones I missed, I put a strikethru.

I’m not doing it against the spread or anything. Because, you know, there are no spreads in high school and stuff.

AISA
Class AAA
Bessemer 24, Fort Dale 23
Pike Liberal Arts 35, Morgan 20

Class AA

Southern 29, Edgewood 22

Monroe 26, Escambia 24

Class A
Crenshaw Christian 22, Coosa Valley 16

Cornerstone Christian 30, Patrician 22

AISA record: 4-2

AHSAA
Class 1A
Brantley 35, McIntosh 15
Sweet Water 34, McKenzie 18
Loachapoka 23, Maplesville 21
Linden 31, Winterboro 15

Spring Garden 27, Gaston 24

Appalachian 33, Cedar Bluff 14
R.A. Hubbard 27, Berry 26
Hackleburg 27, Lynn 22

1A record: 7-1

Class 2A

Elba 24, Washington County 20

Leroy 25, Houston Academy 24
Pickens County 30, Goshen 24
Reeltown 28, St. Jude 16
Ider 26, Lineville 14
Clay County 24, Westbrook Christian 12
Winston County 26, Lexington 24
Lamar County 30, Tanner 14

2A record: 7-1
Class 3A

T.R. Miller 27, Luverne 16

Straughn 27, Bayside Academy 23
Cordova 30, Dadeville 20
Trinity 29, Gordo 19

Susan Moore 25, Piedmont 22

Leeds 26, Glencoe 16
Madison Academy 19, Winfield 18
Hamilton 27, Elkmont 26

3A record: 6-2

Class 4A
Jackson 27, Opp 17
UMS-Wright 37, Thomasville 23
Handley 33, Saks 23
Bibb County 31, Anniston 10
Cherokee County 34, Fayette County 18
Midfield 24, Alexandria 23
Deshler 35, Central-Florence 25

Guntersville 23, North Jackson 21

4A record: 7-1

Class 5A

Gulf Shores 22, LeFlore 21

Spanish Fort 25, Vigor 18

Carver-Montgomery 22, Briarwood Christian 21

 

Greenville 32, Demopolis 15

Cullman 20, Fairfield 17
McAdory 22, Walker 18
Hartselle 28 , Athens 19
Russellville 22 , Muscle Shoals 21

5A record: 5-3

Class 6A

Fairhope 31, Daphne 20

 

Blount 26, Davidson 25

Prattville 28, Central 17
Auburn High 30, Wetumpka 14
Spain Park 21, Minor 15
Hoover 20, Jess Lanier 14
Bob Jones 23, Decatur 14
Gadsden City 22 , Florence 21

6A record: 6-2

Overall record: 42-12

That’s a 78 percent kill rate.

I’ll take it. Tune in next week for more…