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pousitm PafJy journal The Home Journal’s SANPLOT ON DECK Today Major League Baseball ■ Atlanta - off BRAVES CORNER Braves 14, Cards 5 ST. LOUIS (AP) - A few days ago, Bobby Cox would have laughed at comparisons between his sub-. 500 Atlanta Braves to a 1930 New York Yankees team that featured Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and he had never even heard of the Boston Beaneaters. Now he knows all about those long-ago offensive jug gernauts, because his Braves, though they’re still four games below .500, have been match ing them. Andruw Jones was 5-for-5 with two homers and matched his career high with six RBIs, helping the Braves become the first team since the ‘3O Yankees to score 10 or more runs in five straight games with a 14-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. Adam Laßoche, Chipper Jones and Brian McCann also homered for the Braves, who have scored 65 runs during an offensive explosion that includes two 15-run games. The last time the franchise reached double figures in five straight games was in 1897, when the Braves were called the Beaneaters and they totaled 61 runs. Il Jhe l .6st runs jo five games is the best by the .franchise since those same Beaneaters totaled 78, including 25 in one game and 21 in another, from May 31-June 3. The Braves have 81 hits during their five game run and 98 in their last six, going back to an 8-3 vic tory over Cincinnati on July 9, the last game before the All-Star break. Chipper Jones was 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. He's batting .534 (39-for-73) during the streak with eight homers and 23 RBIs. During their six-game winning streak, they’ve out scored their opponents 77-32 and they've hit 19 homers in the last five games. Tim Hudson (7-8) retired the first 11 hitters and allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings for the win. IN BRIEF Soccer association preps for its Fall session The Central Georgia Soccer Association is gearing up for its Fall session. All chil dren ages 4-19 are invited to join. Online Registration has already begun. The website is: www.gasoccer.org/cgsa. For those who don’t have internet access, the office will be open July 28 from 4-8 p.m., July 29 from 9 a.m.- noon and July 31 from 4-8 p.m., for registration. In addi tion you can come by and register during their normal office hours Monday through Friday from 1.1 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration closes July 31. Contact CGSA’s Association Administrator, Bette Dillon, at 987-2455 or email her at playcgsa@alltel.net for more. fXrs t unite r*^| dist Churcl > Cf >eerful Cherubs Preschoo' • We offer a Half Day Pre-K Program for 6 months - 4 years • Highßeach And Zoo-Phonics Curriculum • We encourage each child to develop to his or her potential through new experiences including physical, emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual. N 205 N. Davis Dr. • W.R., GA 31093 • 922-8448 / THURSDAY, JULY 20,.20061 I f // \ \ I ■■ I j 7 top for programs ovorall By DON MONCRIEF Journal Sports Editor Soon to be added to Houston County High School sports: Lacrosse, gymnastics and riflery. Not really, or at least not meant to mean there’s actu ally a drive out there to have either of those established. But, it may take that to get the Bears and Lady Bears - as well as the rest of the high schools in the coun ty - over the hump so to speak, and into the top 10 at least, in regard to the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Dodge Directors Cup. The Cup was established during the 1999-2000 school year and was designed, according to the GADA website to “recognize those athletic departments in all GHSA (Georgia High School Association) classifications who have excelled and shown superior performance.” The award, based only, according to the website, on points awarded for each sport - 16 in all are consid ered - at the state playoff level (i.e. the state champion earns 100 points, runner-up 80, third-fourth 60 and so forth) is presented to the top male and female program as well as the top overall pro gram in each classification. Making it to the top of the ladder is all that much more difficult because, as Houston County athletic director Doug Johnson puts it, “It’s hard to beat out the Atlanta schools. Because they compete in all those things (meaning Lacrosse, gymnastics, riflery and everything else).” Still he isn’t complaining mind you, far from it. In fact he’s celebrating the latest results in which the Bears finished 23rd overall Sports; DIRECTORS CUP (out of 70 schools) in AAAAA (with 290 points), 14th for the boys (170 points and tied for that position with Valdosta, Glynn Academy and Marietta) and 25th for the girls (120 points). “That’s still pretty good,” he said, adding he believed Houston County might have had a better year in the standings a couple of years ago - based on his memory of teams that competed at state - but he never received the final standings. “I was real encouraged by it. I think it says a lot about your over all athletic program. “It means the coaches are doing their job and the parents are chipping in like they should. “It gives the players an extra sense of pride.” Parkview - there again, one of those “Atlanta” schools, was first overall in AAAAA with 410 points, while Collins Hill took home the top prize for both the girls and boys (540 and 840 points, respectively). As far as the Bears, their point total was aided by the soccer and baseball and tennis teams making the Elite 8 and the basketball team making the Sweet 16. (Imagine had the football team not missed out on the playoffs.) The girls benefited from the Lady Bears making it to the Sweet 16 in soccer WOW, I went by that great new subdivision Sugarloaf. Yea they are built byTarter-Wilkes Construction Inc. I and they have extended the special buyer bonus? , No. What's the bonus? If you contract and close on one of their 5 completed homes within 30 days of the contract acceptance, you get $1,500.00 to use for anything you wish, and the builder will still pay up to $3,000.00 towards your closing cost. WOW, I have seen those homes and they are all brick on Ig. lots with such quality features like custom cabinets, security systems, sod & sprinklers Well I heard that Karen had available a 100% loan program with no PMIII think that we need to go visit with Karen again before they are all gone. Located on the Perry Parkway right across from the new Court House. Open Mon, Thur, & Fri 12-6 Sat 11-5 & Sun 1-5 or give Karen Roulette a call at 954-HOME (4663). pairclothßealty me # (478)971-2115 331 Margie Drive, Warner Robins, GA. 31088 Disclaimer Bonuses based on certain completed homes only Loan program based upon credit and may not apply to all purchasers and basketball, along with just as strong a showing ip fast-pitch. “Plus,” Johnson added, “our swimming teams have done real well.” “I’m just extremely proud. “That’s kudos for the coach es for kids and the school.” As far as the rest of the county, Warner Robins earned its share of glory in its quest for the Cup. In fact, the Demons and Demonettes finished 18th overall (out of 82). They finished with 256.66 points and were aided pretty much by strong state show ings across the board - foot ball, tennis, cross country, track and field, basketball, you name it. (Head coach Bryan Way did not return calls from his cell phone for a comment on how proud the school was of its effort.) Marist finished first in AAAA with 1,090 points. As far as the boys, Warner Robins was 15th (126.66) and for the girls, it was 15th as well (130 points). Marist was also first for the boys (560) and girls (530). Also in AAAA, Northside finished 26th overall (190 points), 35th for the boys (90) and 23rd for the girls (130). In AAA, Perry finished 29th overall (90 points), 26th for the boys (90) and 28th for the girls (even though they netted 180 points). WRALL continues its title tradition From staff reports After bringing home some new additions to the trophy collection case, Warner Robins American Little League clubs are tak ing - or are about to take - the next step in a run towards World Series bids in the state championship tournaments. According to information gleaned from wrall.org, the Minor Girls (9-10) softball team faced a must-win situation today (Thursday) in the pool portion of the state tournament held in Oconee County. That was due to a loss on Sunday to Franklin County. Kaylee Albritton made a name for herself among the state crowd Saturday with a 15-strikeout pitching per formance to lead her club to a 6-0 opening-day vic tory. Albritton earned a no hitter while walking just three of her opposing hit ters. There were no errors on defense. This is Warner Robins American’s first state-tour nament appearance in this Standing my ground that Braves will lose theirs My editor (Don Moncrief in case you had to guess) gleefully pointed out to me that the Braves have wort four in a row (five as of this writing). He joyfully announced their 15-3 victory over St. pjjjiP * ■f Ipf Joe Sersey HHJ Correspondent elemor|oe@atLiKi ious Leader delightfully compared the records of the teams Atlanta is defeating. Here’s what he didn’t acknowledge. Braves pitchers are allowing 5.08 runs a game in July. A team can go 10-2 for the month, and win four consecutive while they’re averaging 9.5 runs a game. Exalted One is right when he says the Braves bats come alive in the second half of the season. Those same pieces of lumber die UNIFORM shop rTTm _ ■ 50% Off JESS*, (Already Discounted Items, Cherokee Unisex Scrubs & Dansko Shoes NOT Included) JULY 26th - AUG. 4th BUY 1 get 1 FREE Shirts Select Shoes just $19.99 Clearance Rack - EVERYTHING SB.OO Hours: M-F Bam-6pm Sat 9arn-lpm CLOSED Sunday 1544 Watson Bivd. Warner Robins, GA (478)328-9977 00035839 6A ROUNDUP age division of softball in several years. Another Warner Robins American club, the 10-11 boys baseball All-Stars, was looking to rebound from a loss on Monday by taking on Buckhead Little League on Wednesday in the northeast Georgia town of Lavonia. The 10-11 boys lost to Columbus American 14-7 in a game that went a long way in determining the top seed in pool play. It wasn’t all bad news for the 10 and 11 boys, for on Sunday they hand ily defeated Peachtree City. Five different pitchers took the mound to combine on a one-hit effort. Kendall Scott pitched three innings, then turned things over to Jarred Hudson, Nick Martens, Keaton Allen and Zane Conlon. At the plate, Micah Wells and Scott each had three hits. Clint Wynn and Nick Martens each had two hits. See WRALL, page 7A in the post-season. I’m saying the expira tion date for scoring runs is rapidly approaching. Harold Reynolds, my favorite baseball analyst, says the Braves pitching won’t hold up. He’s right. Only two starters have ERAs below 4.00, Chuck James and John Smoltz, and Ken Ray and Kevin Barry are the only pitch ers on the staff with ERAs below three at 2.47 and 2.61 respectively. I’ll say it again. At his age and with his arm histo ry, Smoltz won’t be around for the pennant run. He’ll wear out. More likely, the Braves will be forced to trade Smoltz to get some help in the bullpen. Earlier, Smoltz talked of the possibility of a trade. He definitely has the chops to help another team get to the playoffs. James is 4-0 and has a 3.72 ERA. See BRAVES, page 7A Louis Monday night and said the Braves have a his tory of mount ing post All-Star game come backs. Imper- Prime Rib Seasoned to Perfection »een derby 1-75 Exit 136 - 987-8877 35615 r i ■ -, j l ■ • j I •summer! w juia SECTION