Dawsonville,GA.

The first place Dawson County Tigers hosted the Spencer Green Waves last Friday in the second round of the GHSA State Playoffs. Maxpreps had the Tigers as a 22 point favorite, but Spencer came to play. The Tigers defense was key in their 22-12 win.

Offensively, Dawson struggled at times, but also shined under sophomore QB Coey Watson. Watson has had a great year throwing for 1556 yards, 12 TD and a 81.5% QB rating. He has also rushed for 346 yards on 112 carries and 8 touchdowns, one for 100+ yards. Not bad for his first year on varsity. The Tigers are making history under Coach Sid Maxwell. This is the first winning season since 2012 (6-5) and only the second since 2005 (7-3). This is also the first time the Tigers have won a Region Championship. The Tigers only region loss this year was  to Fannin, but they bounced back and used the loss to propel them to this historical season.

Senior Hunter Mitchell and Watson have a combined total of 1116 yards of the teams 1701 yards, 7 – 100+ yards runs and 17 touchdowns of the teams 21. They have been the workhorses of the Tigers, but without an offensive line none of that would happen.

Defensively the Tigers have also been juggernauts on the field. Combining for 100 solo tackles out of the 149 total tackles, averaging 14.9 per game and 11 sacks for a loss of 62 yards.

The Dawson County Tigers (9-3) host the Blessed Trinity Titans (11-0-1) this Friday at Tigers Stadium. The Titans are coming off a win over Jefferson, 38-12. They are lead by senior RB/CB Milton Shelton who has amassed 1504 rushing yards on 180 carries, avg. 136.7 per game and 23 TDs. The team averages 131.8 passing YPG, 229.1 rushing YPG, and have used five different QBs this season. Senior Conor Davis (QBR-116.7) being the main goto guy having thrown for 1314 passing yards on 124 attempts.

I had the pleasure of talking with Coach Maxwell prior to last Fridays game. (Checkout entire Interview here).

Checkout Spencer vs Dawson Tigers Game Highlights Video Here

On Tuesday, Sept. 1st, Chairman John H. Eaves, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, and the Atlanta Hawks will honor NBA great, Dikembe Mutumbo. The ceremony will take place at 9 am at the Fulton County Government Center Atrium located at 141 Pryor Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Mutumbo played 18 seasons in the NBA and held down the paint for the Hawks from 1996-2000 before being traded in 2001. Mutumbo is known for his trademark finger wag which he would flash after a block. He stands only behind Hakeem “the dream” Olajuwon as the NBA’s best shot blockers. Mutumbo received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times and was an 8-time all star.

For all of his professional accomplishments, Mutumbo is celebrated for his contributions to humanitarian work. In 1997, he started the Dikembe Mutumbo Foundation to help better the living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo. That same year, the Foundation began plans for a $29 million, 300-bed hospital in the capitol city, Kinshasa.

Ground would be broken in 2001, but construction would not start until 2004 as Mutumbo had trouble getting donations for the project even after donating $3.5 million of his own money. By August, 14th, 2006, Mutumbo had donated $15 million to the completion of the hospital and was opened on Sept. 2nd, 2006. The hospital is named after Dikembe’s mother, Biamba Marie Mutumbo, who died from a stroke in 1997.

When the hospital opened in 2007, it was the first of it’s kind in that area in 40 years. It sits on a 12-acre site just outside Kinshasa in Masnia, where almost a quarter of the city’s 7.5 million live in poverty.

This afternoon, the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club announced a seven-game preseason schedule which includes home match ups with Western Conference powerhouse, San Antonio Spurs, Southeastern Division foe, Miami Heat, and and a visit from the Memphis Grizzlies. You can purchase tickets for these games at www.hawks.com.

The San Antonio Spurs will come to the Highlight Factory on Wednesday, Oct. 14th tip off scheduled for 8 pm, the Miami Heat will head to Hotlanta on Sunday, Oct. 18 with the tip scheduled for 7 pm, and the Memphis Grizzlies roll into town on Wednesday, Oct. 21st with the tip set for 8 pm.

In addition to the three big home preseason games, the Hawks will set out on the road for four contests. First will be a rematch of the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals as the Hawks travel to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cinncinnati on Wednesday, Oct. 7th, on Friday, Oct. 9th, the Hawks will head south to take on the New Orleans Pelicans in Jacksonville, Atlanta will then head west to take on the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, Oct. 16th, and finally conclude the preseason with a match up with the Pistons in Detroit on Friday, Oct. 23rd.

Fox Sports Southeast will televise the Hawks @ Cavaliers on Oct. 7th, Spurs @ Hawks on )ct. 14th, and Grizzlies @ Hawks on Oct. 23rd. Further information of television broadcasts for the preseason will be announced at a later date.

The three home Hawks games will also be broadcast on the Hawks’ flagship station 92.9 The Game, as well as it’s partner stations as part of the Hawks Radio Network with lead the “Voice of the Hawks” Steve Holman bringing you the play by play.