Walton Football Star Hurt in Fight

Running back Tyren Jones will have surgery Monday to repair a broken jaw.

One of Walton High School's most recognized athletes could be a no-show for his college scholarship signing ceremony this week. According to various news reports this weekend, football standout Tyren Jones suffered a broken jaw in a locker room fight with a teammate on Friday. Score Atlanta first reported the incident Saturday, and on Sunday The Marietta Daily Journal, citing an anonymous source, confirmed that Jones would have surgery on Monday after his jaw was broken in two places. Jones, who led the Raiders to the Class AAAAA title game in 2011 and was the top rusher in the state of Georgia as a junior, is expected to sign on Wednesday with BCS national champion Alabama.  The Score Atlanta report, written by Walton graduate Craig Sager…

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Walton Duo to Appear in All-Star Game

Tyren Jones and Brandon Kublanow were chosen for Saturday's U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game, as were Pope band members Nicole Johnson and Andie Leeds.

During their memorable careers at Walton High School, Tyren Jones and Brandon Kublanow led the Raiders football team to new heights, as they reached the state championship game as juniors. On Saturday they will take the field wearing the same uniform for the last time. Jones, a running back, and Kublanow, an offensive lineman, have been chosen for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game in San Antonio, an all-star game for some of the nation's top seniors. The game begins at 1 p.m. and can be seen live on NBC. As seniors, Jones and Kublanow both fought injuries as Walton was eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs. Jones has committed to play at Alabama, as has Walton quarterback Parker McLeod. Kublanow, who recently was named to …

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Jones, Walton Run Over Brookwood

The Raiders' star running back rushed for 305 yards and scored five touchdowns in Saturday's win at the Georgia Dome.

Even for those accustomed to watching Tyren Jones, his performance against Brookwood in the Corky Kell Classic was breathtaking.  The Walton High School senior running back romped for 305 yards and scored five touchdowns in the Georgia Dome Saturday night, as the Raiders dispatched their Gwinnett foes 35-24 to start the season in rollicking fashion.  Three of Jones' scoring runs were 48 yards or more, including a 71-yard jaunt in the first quarter that came after Brookwood opened the scoring with a field goal.  Although the Broncos edged closer several times later in the game, Walton never looked back. Here are full recap and reaction from The Marietta Daily Journal and the Gwinnett Daily Post. Of Jones, Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo was …

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East Cobb Trio Named to 'Super 11'

Walton's Tyren Jones and Brandon Kublanow and Lassiter's Eddie Printz were selected to the preseason high school football all-star team by the AJC.

Walton High School is no stranger to individiual football honors.  But for the first time in school history, two Raiders have been selected to the "Super 11" preseason football team by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Running back Tyren Jones returns for his senior season after leading the state of Georgia with 2,375 yards and scoring 33 touchdows in Walton's Class AAAAA runner-up 14-1 season.  Jones announced earlier this year he will play his college football at defending national champion Alabama.  Another Walton senior, Brandon Kublanow, was the only lineman to be named a unanimous first-team all-state selection in Class AAAAA last season. Kublanow has committed to play for the Georgia Bulldogs.  The last Walton player to be named to…

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Walton Quarterback Chooses Alabama

Parker McLeod announced Friday he'll join Raiders teammate Tyren Jones in Tuscaloosa.

The path between the Walton High School campus in East Cobb and Tuscaloosa, Ala. has been well-traveled in recent months.  After returning from a recent camp at the University of Alabama, Walton quarterback Parker McLeod announced Friday that he's decided to play college football with the Crimson Tide.  He's the second Walton star to make such a pledge. Running back Tyren Jones, one of top players in Georgia as a junior and one of the top prospects in the nation, gave a verbal commitment to Alabama in February.  Alabama, which won the BCS national title last season, already has another commitment from Utah prep quarterback Cooper Bateman, who is rated one of the best in the nation.  “I know there’s going to be competition wherever I go,” …

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Walton's Jones Commits to Alabama

The junior running back picks the Crimson Tide over Georgia, Clemson, Tennessee and others.

Walton running back Tyren Jones committed Tuesday to play football at Alabama. The junior revealed his nonbinding decision three days after receiving an offer from Coach Nick Saban while attending Alabama’s Junior Day recruiting event, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. BamaOnLine, part of the 247Sports network, was first with the news about Jones. The East Cobb running back is rated the top prospect at his position in the state of Georgia in the Class of 2013, the No. 6 running back in the nation and the 61st-best player overall, according to various services that create such rankings. Jones ran for 2,375 yards and scored 38 touchdowns running, receiving and returning kicks in leading Walton to the state AAAAA championship game …

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East Cobb Take Five

As Newt's Bandwagon Grows

The support of East Cobb public officials for the former Speaker's campaign kicks off today's roundup to start your Thursday, Dec. 15.

1. The surging campaign of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is gaining more visible public support on his old stomping grounds.  State Rep. Sharon Cooper of East Cobb was front and center earlier this week as Gov. Nathan Deal led a group of more than 60 Georgia Republican elected officials in officially endorsing Gingrich, who was not present at the announcement at the state capitol in Atlanta.  Both of Cobb's Congressmen, Phil Gingrey of Marietta and Tom Price, who holds Gingrich's former House seat that includes East Cobb, also are on board.  East Cobb resident Sen. Johnny Isakson has not yet indicated whom he'll support.  Cooper has been supporting Gingrich all along, and on her Facebook page regularly updates constituents and …

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UGA Football Wants Walton's Jones

The Raiders' star running back has received a scholarship offer from the Bulldogs but he hasn't made up his mind.

When a player has the season that Tyren Jones enjoyed for the Walton football team, his recruiting stock is sure to go up.  The junior running back, who rushed for more than 2,300 yards and nearly 40 touchdowns, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wednesday that he has received a scholarship offer from the University of Georgia.  In the report Jones said that Bulldogs' running backs coach Bryan McClendon made the offer on the Walton campus on Tuesday.  But the bidding for Jones' services appears to be far from over. He's already received offers from Vanderbilt and Duke, as well as Oklahoma State, which narrowly missed an invitation to play in the BCS national championship game.  According to The Athens Banner-Herald, Jones also is being …

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Walton Holds on to Reach State Finals

The Raiders downed East Cobb rival Lassiter 30-24 Friday to advance to the Class AAAAA title game against Grayson.

PHOTO GALLERY: From the Walton-Lassiter game Three years ago, Lassiter quarterback Eddie Printz and Walton running back Tyren Jones were teammates on the Wheeler Junior Wildcats eighth-grade football team. A year ago, they were teammates on Lassiter's football team. On Friday, the two juniors met at Walton's Raider Valley in the Georgia High School Association's AAAAA state football semifinals. The rematch from their regular season was a cliffhanger, unlike Walton's 34-10 regular season win in October.  The Raiders bolted out to a 21-3 lead, but Lassiter kept hanging around and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds.  However, the Trojans couldn't force overtime, as Walton held on for a 30-24 victory before a full house at …

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Donna Espy-Rypel

10:11 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011

Great job of coverage, Wendy!! Congrats to Walton but what an amazing season Lassiter had! They should be very proud...awesome job, east Cobb teams!!   more ›

Friday Football Preview: Raiders Host Dacula

Walton will host the Dacula Falcons in the third round of the GHSA State Football Playoffs tonight.

Dacula (9-3) at Walton (12-0)—Not only has Walton running back Tyren Jones rushed for more yards than any other back playing in the 5A classification this season, but he’s scored 10 touchdowns in his two playoff games. Tonight at Raider Valley, Walton plays host to the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAA, Dacula, who hasn’t faced a No. 1 seed yet in the playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. After starting the season 0-2, the Falcons are taking a six-game winning streak into tonight's quarterfinal game. Dacula last week avenged an earlier loss to Norcross with a fourth-quarter rally. It's the first playoff appearance for the Gwinnett school since 2005, and they'll be underdogs again. The Raiders have blown out both playoff opponents in the …

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