Norcross Wins Class AAAAAA Title

The Blue Devils defeated Lovejoy High 21-14 in the state championship game.

After an undefeated 14-win season, the Blue Devils added one more win Saturday at the Georgia Dome. Norcross High defeated Lovejoy High 21-14 in the state football championship,  earning the Class AAAAAA title for the first time. The game had a slow start with nothing on the board until Lovejoy scored a 60-yard touchdown in the second quarter for a 7-0 lead. Norcross kicked a field goal in the third quarter, but the Wildcats answered with another touchdown minutes later, taking a 14-3 lead. Norcross' winning points came in the fourth quarter with Alvin Kamara's 61-yard touchdown reception, which was followed by another touchdown by the running back. Saturday's game was the first time Norcross had ever reached the state finals. Before the …

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Norcross, Buford Advance to Football Finals; GAC Eliminated

Blue Devils beat Colquitt County in Class AAAAAA; Buford gets past Cartersville in Class AA as 2 of 3 Gwinnett semifinalists reach championship games.

Norcross and Buford high schools are headed for the state football finals after winning Friday night in the Georgia High School Association semifinals. Undefeated and top-ranked Norcross (14-0) reached the first football state final in school history with a 41-27 Class AAAAAA win over visiting Colquitt County. Norcross used two touchdown passes and a touchdown run by Joseph Wilber in the victory. Alvin Kamara added two touchdowns. The Blue Devils will face Lovejoy next week for the championship. Lovejoy beat North Cobb 63-42 Friday. Eight-time state champion Buford (11-3) is in another final after a 21-10 win over Cartersville Friday in Class AAA. The Wolves will face St. Pius for the title. Pius beat North Hall 31-6 on Friday. In the …

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Computer Ratings Say Norcross, Buford Will Win Football Titles

Maxwell Ratings favor Blue Devils in Class AAAAAA and Wolves in Class AAA.

If you listen to what a computer says about the Georgia High School Association football playoffs, then Gwinnett County teams should come away with two championships after the finals are played next week. See also: Citing the Maxwell Ratings, the Georgia High School Football Daily newsletter reports that Norcross (Class AAAAAA) and Buford (AAA) are the odds-on favorites to win titles in their respective classifications. The ratings project Norcross to beat Lovejoy in the AAAAAA final and Buford to beat St. Pius for the AAA championship. Of course, both teams have to get past this week’s semifinal opponents for a chance to win it all. Norcross hosts Colquitt County; Buford plays at Cartersville. Gwinnett’s other semifinalist — Greater …

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Norcross, Buford, GAC All Reach Football Semifinals

Three of Gwinnett County's six teams in the state quarterfinals Friday won to advance in the GHSA playoffs.

Friday was a great night for high school football fans in Norcross. Buford boosters are pretty happy, too. Norcross High, Greater Atlanta Christian School and Buford High all won their Georgia High School Association quarterfinal games Friday night and will advance to next week's semifinals. Undefeated Norcross (13-0) won at Camden County 34-20, knocking off one of the state's perennial large-school powers. The Blue Devils took a 19-14 halftime lead, then pulled away to reach their first semifinal in school history. Norcross will host Colquitt County next week. Greater Atlanta Christian beat visiting Early County 27-24 in a Class AA quarterfinal game played in Norcross. The Spartans (10-3) will be at Jefferson next week. In Class AAA, …

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Deal Throws First Pitch at Game

Georgia governor participated in high school baseball game between Norcross and Duluth high schools.

Gov. Nathan Deal visited the Norcross High School stadium early Monday evening to throw the first pitch at the baseball game against the Duluth High Wildcats. "I practiced yesterday," said Deal in an interview with Norcross Patch. "I realized how far it is from the pitcher's mound to home plate. It seems much further than it used to be." Deal still performed a decent pitch, which was caught by Blue Devils pitcher Chris Raasch (and can be seen in the Patch video to the right). "I think it's good to encourage young people, and certainly, baseball is one of those great activities that our schools have," said Deal. Other noteworthy guests included State Rep. Brooks Coleman, the chairman of the House Education Committee; State Rep. Tom Rice; …

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Gwinnett School Insights

ROTC Programs Provide Leadership Opportunities

Gwinnett County Public Schools offer Jr. ROTC programs at both high school and middle school levels.

Students at Norcross High School and Duluth High School have opportunities to prepare for leadership opportunities in the nation’s military service through the schools' ROTC programs. In 2010, Norcross High School became the only Junior Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) program in Gwinnett County Public Schools — and one of only a few such programs in the nation to link middle school and high school leadership development programs to provide intensive teaching and mentoring to students. In addition to beginning the Junior Army ROTC program at Norcross High School, Pinckneyville Middle School and Summerour Middle School are developing PROJECT PASS (Partnership for All Students’ Success) programs that serves as a feeder program to …

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Falcons Scrimmaging at Norcross High Friday Night

The popular 'Friday Night Lights' series continues when the Atlanta Falcons make the short drive from their Flowery Branch practice facility to NHS for a full-scale scrimmage Aug. 5.

Are you ready for some football? If not, maybe the Atlanta Falcons scrimmage at Norcross High School Friday night will get you pumped. The price of admission is certainly enough to get everyone excited. It's free! Now that NFL players and owners have settled their labor dispute and Commissioner Roger Goodell has declared that "football is back," Coach Mike Smith will bring his Falcons to Norcross High stadium for Kia Motors "Friday Night Lights." The gates open at 6 p.m. and the Falcons will take the field at 7:30. During the live scrimmage, several players including the Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and certain position players will be wearing microphones so that fans can get a feel for what it's like to get smacked down by a 300-pound …

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Ghost Out: Sobering Crash Reenactment at Norcross High

The message of this dramatic display was clear: Driving under the influence can change a kid's life in seconds.

Norcross High students gathered in the school's stadium this morning for Ghost Out, a dramatic reenactment of a car crash caused by a drunken student on his way to a senior party. The above video captures the demonstration, which is intended to show students know what can happen when cars and alcohol or drugs are combined.  "There were 3,000 very different children in those bleachers," said Gina Parrish, head of the drama department, whose students put on the tear-jerking display with the help of the Norcross Police Department, the Gwinnett Fire Department and Crowell Brothers Funeral Home. "You could hear a pin drop," she said.  Former Norcross Mayor Lillian Webb was in the audience of the graphic performance. She said she hopes the …

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Thousands Walk to Fight Cancer

More than 15,000 people participated in the world's largest Relay for Life event held right here in Gwinnett County.

Just as the sun was starting to set on the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds Friday evening, crowds poured through the gates. An estimated 15,000 people filled the fields. Not for a concert or fair, but to take a stand against cancer at Gwinnett’s Relay for Life. Linda Story of the American Cancer Society said there were 335 teams participating, making it the largest Relay for Life Event in the world. “Tonight’s event is really a culmination of many, many months of hard work and raising funds and awareness against cancer,” said Story. Schools, churches, local businesses and organizations set up tents and booths along the path. The groups raised money by holding events throughout the year. And they continued to collect cash at the Relay by …

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Vanzetta Evans

11:06 am on Friday, May 13, 2011

Thanks Sharon! :-)   more ›