Jeff Hart

The Atlanta Falcons will open the season hosting NFC South rival New Orleans on Sept. 7 and have prime-time games against Tampa Bay and Green Bay.

West Hall clinched third place in Region 7-AAA after routing Fannin County 11-1 in five innings Wednesday.

The Flowery Branch boys tennis team advanced to the second round of the Class AAAAA state playoffs after quickly dispatching Tucker 3-0 Wednesday at at the Davis Middle School courts.

McCoy Savage had three hits to lead a 13-hit attack as North Hall rebounded from a loss to Buford on Tuesday with a 14-2 victory in five innings over Banks County Wednesday in Region 7-AAA.

It was a short stay in the Class AAAA state tennis playoffs for the Chestatee boys Wednesday.

The Chestatee baseball team closed out its home schedule on a positive note whipping Madison County 12-2 in 5 innings on Senior Night Wednesday at War Eagle Park.

Both the Jefferson boys and girls tennis teams were knocked out of the Class AA state playoffs Wednesday in the first round at Greater Atlanta Christian.

The Chestatee girls fell to Class AAAA defending state champion Marist Wednesday in the first round of the state playoffs.

The Pacers evened the series against the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks with a dominating third-quarter performance in Game 2, stifling some of the incessant criticism the supposed best team in the East had endured after sleepwalking through the final seven weeks of the regular season and turning in a dismal performance in the playoff opener.

Evan Gattis pinch hit and broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run double off A.J. Ramos, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 Wednesday for their ninth win in 12 games.