Sports & Recreation

Falcons sign DEs Goodman, Maponga, 2 more picks

Friday, May 17th, 2013, 10:27pm

Falcons sign DEs Goodman, Maponga, 2 more picks

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) - The Atlanta Falcons have signed four NFL draft picks, including defensive ends Malliciah Goodman and Stansly Maponga.

The Falcons also announced Friday they have signed safeties Kemal Ishmael and Zeke Motta. The terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Goodman, from Clemson, was the first of Atlanta's two fourth-round draft picks last month. He had 12 career sacks at Clemson. Maponga was a fifth-round selection who had 15.5 sacks and eight forced fumbles at Texas Christian.

Ishmael and Motta were seventh-round picks. Ishmael had six interceptions at Central Florida. Motta had two interceptions in 29 career starts at Notre Dame.

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5K to benefit Junior Falcons

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Friday, May 17th, 2013, 11:14am

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Flowery Branch High School will host a 5K later this month to benefit its Junior Falcons football and cheerleading program.

The Run for the Junior Falcons 5K & Fun Run will be held Saturday, May 25 at 8 a.m.

Entry is $30 for the 5K and $20 for the fun run. There will be plenty of fun before and after the race, including an appearance from Freddie the Falcon, mascot of the Atlanta Falcons.

Learn more and register at hallco.org/fbhs.

Flowery Branch High School is located at 6603 Spout Springs Road.

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Falcons rookies pass crash course in intense camp

Submitted by Associated Press

Monday, May 6th, 2013, 4:01pm

Falcons rookies pass crash course in intense camp

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Mike Smith says he tried to test Atlanta Falcons rookies with an overload of information in a short period of time.

The coach says the first-year players survived the test during three practices at the rookie camp which ended Sunday. The rookie class, topped by Atlanta's first two draft picks, cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, also showed skills to impress Smith and his staff.

The draft picks were joined by undrafted rookie free agents and first-year players invited for tryouts. It was the start of what Smith said is the "recalibration" of the Falcons roster.

Highlights included the speed of Trufant and Alford, the strength and pass-rush promise of defensive end Malliciah Goodman and the size and good hands of 6-foot-8 tight end Levine Toilolo.

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Cold weather calls for game cancellations

Submitted by Holly Pennebaker, Community Web Producer

Monday, March 25th, 2013, 1:04pm

Cold weather calls for game cancellations

HALL COUNTY, Ga. -- Hall County Parks and Leisure Services has cancelled all baseball and softball games set for Monday due to cold weather.

According to an official, the games will be rescheduled for a day when the weather is warmer.

For more information, contact the Hall County Parks & Leisure Services office at (770) 535-8280.

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Cool Springs Park set to open in Hall County

Submitted by Holly Pennebaker, Community Web Producer

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013, 12:23pm

Cool Springs Park set to open in Hall County

HALL COUNTY, Ga. -- Hall County Parks and Leisure will open the new Cool Springs Park with ball games and a ceremony Saturday morning, March 23 at 8:45.

District 2 Commissioner Billy Powell will speak of the opening, along with others who helped develop and complete the park.

At 9:00, Powell will throw the first pitch at one of two ball games being played to celebrate Cool Springs.

Katie Crumley of the Hall County Government said Cool Springs Park is spread over 70 acres in the Chestatee area. Within the park are three baseball/softball fields, concessions and restrooms Cool Spring, LLC donated the park to Hall County in 2003. Since then, SPLOST helped fund the construction cost of Cool Springs Park.

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Falcons have history on their side against Seattle

Submitted by Associated Press

Monday, January 7th, 2013, 9:16pm

Falcons have history on their side against Seattle

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - The Atlanta Falcons have more than home-field advantage to help their chances against Seattle in the playoffs.

The Falcons also have history on their side.

The Seahawks won their wild-card game at Washington and will have to make another cross-country trip for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

According to STATS LLC, the 1989 Los Angeles Rams are the only West Coast team to win back-to-back postseason games on the East Coast - at Philadelphia and the New York Giants. Seattle is trying to become the second team to pull off the feat.

Coach Mike Smith says he hopes last week's bye helps the Falcons have all their injured players back for the game. He says defensive end John Abraham will return from an ankle injury for Wednesday's practice.

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Former Falcon dies playing flag football

Submitted by Associated Press

Monday, January 7th, 2013, 11:23am

Former Falcon dies playing flag football

CHICAGO -- Arena Football League player Chandler Williams has died. He was 27.

The AFL said Sunday that Williams died while playing in a local flag football tournament in South Florida. The league did not release a cause of death.

The wide receiver was a seventh-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2007 out of Florida International. He got into NFL preseason games in four seasons but never played in a regular-season game, also spending time with the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs. Williams also played for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts.

He caught 83 passes for 996 yards and 17 touchdowns while leading the AFL with a 23-yard kickoff return average for the Tampa Bay Storm last season.

Storm President Derrick Brooks says "we are shocked and saddened."

He is survived by his fiancee, Vanitia Harrigan, and a daughter, Tori Williams.

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