Hometown Broadcasting Sports Tuesday 1/11/22
11 January 2022 Sports
Sports for January 11th
Four decades of pent-up emotion were unleashed Monday night as the Bulldogs snapped a frustrating national championship drought by vanquishing their nemesis. Stetson Bennett delivered the biggest throws of his storybook career and Georgia’s defense sealed the sweetest victory in program history, beating Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff for its first title in 41 years.
Bennett connected with Adonai Mitchell on a 40-yard touchdown to give No. 3 Georgia a 19-18 lead with 8:09 left and then hooked up with Brock Bowers for a 15-yard TD on a screen to put the Bulldogs up eight with with 3:33 left. Bennett, the former walk-on turned starter, finished 17 for 26 for 224 yards and no interceptions. The final blow came from Georgia’s dominant defense. Kelee Ringo intercepted an underthrown deep ball down the sideline by Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. The Bulldogs (14-1) hadn’t won a national title since freshman Herschel Walker led them there in 1980. If simply snapping the drought wasn’t good enough, doing it against No. 1 Alabama (13-2) made it even better. Saban’s Tide had won seven straight against the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs lost two SEC championship games, including one five weeks ago, and the 2018 CFP title game to Alabama under Smart.
For most of the first three quarters, the first CFP title game to be a rematch of a regular-season game was an ol’ fashion SEC defensive struggle in the heart of Big Ten country.
The first touchdown came with 1:20 left in the third quarter. After James Cook broke a 67-yard run to get the Bulldogs into the red zone, three more running plays — and a facemask penalty by Alabama — got them into the end zone. Zamir White went in standing up from a yard out with massive defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Davis leading the way as blockers. The Bulldogs led for the first time, 13-9.
LaMelo Ball hit the go-ahead basket with 15 seconds left, Terry Rozier scored 27 points and the Charlotte Hornets beat the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks for the second time in three nights, 103-99 on Monday night. Ball scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half, and Miles Bridges added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who have won six of eight games and improved to 12-5 at home. Khris Middleton had 27 points and 11 assists, and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks, who also lost 114-106 to the Hornets on Saturday night.
The Bucks (26-17) battled back from the 15 down in the third quarter to tie it when Antetokounmpo scored on a drive through the lane with 38.8 seconds left and drew a foul. He missed the free throw, but Wesley Matthews got the tip-in to tie it.
The Bucks host Golden State Thursday night.
The Packers are getting healthy just in time for the postseason. After David Bakhtiari and Josh Myers returned to the field Sunday in Detroit, a big piece of the defense could be ready for the playoff push. Packers linebacker Za’Darius Smith is expected to return to practice this week. Smith posted a video on his Instagram account with the caption, “Guess who’s back” following reports that he was cleared to return. The all-pro outside linebacker has been dealing with a back injury that kept him out for most of training camp and eventually resulted in back surgery. Smith has not been on the field since week one against the Saints, when he played just 18 snaps.
Coach Matt LaFleur said he thinks Billy Turner (knee) will be back at practice this week but did not commit to a Wednesday return. LaFleur did not have an update on Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) who left Sunday’s game in Detroit in the first half. Cornerback Jaire Alexander will continue to practice this week after returning off the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.
Meanwhile, the Packers have released G Ben Braden, restored WR David Moore to the practice squad off the practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list and released WR Chris Blair from the practice.squad. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transactions Monday.
Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will have a busy week during the first round bye with an interview for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job set for Friday, according to reports.
Jacksonville asked Green Bay for permission to interview Hackett back on December 28th, and last week Hackett confirmed he would go through with the interview.
Hackett spent four years with the Jaguars between 2015-2018. Starting out as the team’s quarterbacks coach and eventually becoming their offensive coordinator. During that time Hackett helped Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship game in 2017.He was later fired by then Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone during the 2018 season. The Broncos have also asked the Packers for permission to interview Hackett for their head coach opening, according to a report by ESPN. Denver fired Vic Fangio after two seasons on Sunday.
Some NFL teams started to clean house on Monday following the end of the regular season. The Chicago Bears fired General Manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy. Nagy’s fate seemed sealed as the Bears struggled through a 6-11 season that ended with a loss at Minnesota on Sunday. But it was not clear if Pace also would be let go or retained in either his current role or a different capacity. The Bears went 48-65 with one winning season and made the postseason twice in the seven years since Pace was hired out of New Orleans’ front office in 2015 to replace Phil Emery. Nagy went 34-31 in four seasons. The Bears have not won in the postseason since the 2010 team advanced to the NFC championship game. Nagy led Chicago to a 12-4 record and NFC North championship in 2018 after the Bears hired him off Andy Reid’s staff in Kansas City and was named Coach of the Year.. But things fizzled after that.
The Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer on Monday, after a second straight absence from the playoffs for a 61-year-old franchise still seeking a title Zimmer went 72-56-1 in eight seasons, plus 2-3 in the postseason. The Vikings won the NFC North in 2015 and 2017, but in the end the state of the division was the same as at the beginning — with rival Green Bay in firm control. mmer went 7-8-1 against the Packers, enjoying as much strategical success against three-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers as any coach during his time, but the overall deterioration of the once-dominant defense he built soon after his arrival was a big part of what led to his dismissal. The Vikings gave up the third-most yards and ninth-most points in 2021, including a league-most 146 points in the final 2 minutes of either half or overtime.
The 65-year-old Zimmer had the seventh-longest tenure among head coaches in the NFL this season, with the 25 others in the league all hired within the last five years. The six peers ahead of him on the seniority list have all won a Super Bowl: Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll and Andy Reid.
On the heels of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady’s three-touchdown performance in a 41-17 win over the Carolina Panthers, which ended in “MVP!” chants from fans inside Raymond James Stadium, coach Bruce Arians made a strong case for his 44-year-old signal-caller to win the award.
“I think if he doesn’t get it, it’s a travesty,” Arians said Monday, as his team began preparations to host the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC wild-card round this weekend. “Most completions ever, 5,000 yards, touchdowns — the whole nine yards. To me, it’s not even a close race.”
Brady finished the 2021 regular season with 719 passing attempts, 485 completions, 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes — all tops in the league — making him just the third quarterback along with Drew Brees (2018) and Peyton Manning (2013) to lead the league in all four major statistical categories since 1991. Brady’s 485 completions set an NFL record for a single season, besting Brees’ 471 completions in 2016.
The Green Bay Packers now know all of their opponents for the 2022 season. Since the Packers won the NFC North in 2021 they are slated to play the division winners in the NFC West and NFC South plus the winner of the AFC South as the 17th game which will be the Tennessee Titans. The NFC gets the extra home game this season after the AFC had it in 2021.
The home opponents for 2022 are the Bears, Lions, Vikings, Cowboys, Rams, Patriots, Giants, Jets and Titans.
The away opponents are the Bears, Lions, Vikings, Bills, Dolphins, Eagles, Buccaneers and Washington. The full NFL schedule with dates and kickoff times will be released in the spring.
Ripon College swept the weekly MWC Conference honors in basketball.
Ripon junior center David DeValk has been named Midwest Conference Performer of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday. In Ripon’s only game last week, DeValk recorded his third career double-double in an 81-70 win against Grinnell College. He finished with 21 points and career-highs of 16 rebounds and three assists, while shooting 56 percent (9-16) from the field.
DeValk currently leads the conference in field goals percentage (.625), while ranking second in the league in rebounding (8.4 rpg) and 17th in scoring (12.3 ppg).
Ripon junior forward Alison Leslie has been named Midwest Conference Performer of the Week Monday, as released by the conference office. Leslie had a week to remember, leading Ripon to a pair of conference victories to keep the Red Hawks undefeated and atop the MWC standings.
In Ripon’s two games last week, Leslie averaged 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and one assist per game, while shooting 66 percent (19-29) from the field, including 65 percent (15-23) from 3-point range, while converting all six of her free throw attempts. In Saturday’s 80-72 win at Illinois College, Leslie broke single-game school records for both points (38) and 3-pointers (10).
Leslie currently leads all of the MWC in 3-point shooting (.412), while also ranking 10th in scoring (12.6 ppg).
Boys Basketball (Mon.)
Laconia 73, Valders 65
Hortonville 56, Seymour 46
Montello 62, Tri-County 53
Elkhart Lake-Glenbeaulah 63, Valley Christian 35
Fall River 64, Watrloo 51
Montello 62, Tri-County 53
New Glarus 67, Pardeeville 56
Boys Basketball (Tues.)
Markesan at Berlin
Wautoma at Waupun
Menasha at Winneconne
Winnebago Lutheran at Campbellsport
Laconia at North Fond du Lac
Omro at Lomira
Saint Mary’s Springs at Mayille
Watertown at Beaver Dam
Weyauwega-Fremont at Rosholt
Fond du Lac at Neenah
Oshkosh West at Hortonville
Appleton West at Kaukauna
Appleton East at Oshkosh North
Fox Valley Lutheran at Wrightstown
Oconto Falls at Freedom
Marinette at Little Chute
Waupaca at Clintonville
Nekoosa at Port Edwards
Montello at Westfield
Princeton/Green Lake at Central Wisconsin Christian
Hustisford at Deerfield
Oakfield at Rio
Marshall at Randolph
Girls Basketball (Mon.)
Ripon 64, Waupaca 25
Clintonville at Winneconne 41, Clintonville 23
New Lisbon 62, Mauston 54
Hustisford 49, Waterloo 45
Cambria-Friesland 72, Madison Country Day 36
Girls Basketball (Tues.)
Westfield at Ripon
Berlin at Omro
Wisconsin Lutheran at Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Lomira at Kewaskum
Waupun at New Berlin West
North Fond du Lac at Markesan
Oakfield at Saint Mary’s Springs
Fox Valley Lutheran at Winenbago Lutheran
Seymour at Menasha
Shawano at New London
Green Bay West at Xavier
Weyauwega-Fremont at Menominee Indian
Port Edwards at Tri-County
Wild Rose at Pittsville
Fond du Lac at Neenah
Hortonville at Oshkosk West
Kaukauna at Appleton West
Kimberly at Appleton North
Oshkosh North at Appleton East
Fox Valley Lutheran at Winnebago Luthean
Tomah at Adams-Friendship
Viroqua at Mauston
Auburndale at Nekoosa
Lourdes Academy at Wautoma
Wisconsin Dells at Sauk Prairie
Princeton/Green Lake at Central Wisconsin Christian
Pardeeville at Dodgeland
Horicon at Abundant Life/Saint Ambrose
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