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Mnusimt Pailg djmmral The Home Journal’s SANDLOT ON DECK Major League Baseball Today ■ Pittsburgh at Atlanta, 7:35 p.m., Fox Sports Network High school Softball Today ■ First Presbyteriand Day at Westfield, 5:30 p.m. Thursday ■ Perry at Southwest, 5 p.m. ■ Westside at Northside, 5:30 p.m. Friday ■ Warner Robins at Gwinnett Tourney, times and teams to be determined ■ Houston County at Valdosta, 6 p.m. Saturday ■ Houston County at Lowndes, 11 a.m. ■ Warner Robins at Gwinnett Tourney, times and teams to be determined High school Volleyball Thursday ■ Houston County at East Coweta, 5 p.m. ■ Mary Persons at Warner Robins, 5 p.m. ■ Perry at Americus, 5:30 p.m. Saturday ■ Houston County and Warner Robins at Morrow, times and teams to be deter mined High school Cross country Saturday ■ Westfield at Viking Invite at Georgia Children’s Home in Macon, times and teams to be determined ■ Warner Robins and Northside at Spalding Invitational, times and teams to be determned BRAVES CORNER BRAVES 3, PIRATES 0 ATLANTA - Completely in con trol as zeroes continued to rapidly appear on the Turner Field score board, John Smoltz allowed him self to do the unthinkable for a big-league pitcher. The 39-year-old, a right-hander who’s been in the majors nearly two decades, considered the prospects of a no-hitter as he cruised through the Pittsburgh lineup Monday evening. Chris Duffy’s chopper through the right side of the infield ended that relatively modest bid after 5 1/3 innings. But Atlanta’s ace felt that good, just to let it register in his mind, as he allowed just three singles and struck out 10 in eight scoreless innings in the Braves’ virtually effortless 3-0 victory that required just an hour, 59 minutes to com plete. Bob Wickman finished up the team’s shutout with a scoreless ninth for his ninth save in nine tries as a Brave. Martin Prado, just called up Monday from Triple-A Richmond, set up Atlanta’s first run with an infield single and he drove in the big second and third runs with a double in the fifth. It was the 22-year-old’s first major-league RBIs. With the win, the Braves, who’ve won four of five, didn't hurt their still-beating chances for the National League wild-card berth. Cincinnati rallied against Houston, though, to remain 5 1/2 games ahead of the wild-card pack. - By R. Travis Henry Morris News Service IN BRIEF Warner Robins Dome tickets going on sale Tickets *for Warner Robins’ Georgia Dome game against Parkview went on sale Monday. They are being sold in the school’s office from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. The game will be played on Sept. 2 at 2:45 p.m. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2006 ICW exacts a bit ot revenge in win over Gadsden Special to the Journal The International City Warriors took revenge on the Gadsden (Ala.) Avengers Saturday winning 14-12 in International City 14, Gadsden 12 Warriors their first loss of the season back in the sea son opener in Gadsden. This win moves the Warriors into second place in the American Division of the SFL and puts them closer to a potential playoff seat. In the first series of offen- jJIIPW ~ iwlfk InHHj ■ I sSMf V faig Ms W HmMMTfln BSFf $ * JHF Jw JR f *oo* pf s • Journal/Don Moncrief Warner Robins head cross-country coach David Erpelding counts off laps during the Demons and Demonettes’ Track-a-thon, their annual fund-raising effort, as they prepare for 2006. Putting the pedal to the meddle Warner Robins cross-country teams prepare for season start By DON MONCRIEF Journal Sports Editor Shuffle. Shuffle. Shuffle. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Whap. Whap. Whap. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Tap. Tap. Tap. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. Until Thursday, those have been the sounds echo ing around the streets of Warner Robins High School. The shuffles and the whaps and the taps, the feet of Demon and Demonette cross-country runners, some big, some small, some grace ful and some with shoes maybe too big to be graceful ... yet, anyway, as they’re also feet in training. The squeaks, that would be head coach David Erpelding’s bicycle - the “team” bicycle - they said, but it’s he who rides it, keeping in time with the runners. There was a time he, too, would have been out there running with them but knee and feet problems the past few years have made that not an option. So, during the team’s “unofficial” training, he rode. Then on Thursday, the girls and boys’ first day of training on the course - not that some of them didn’t or haven’t been running it all summer long as part of a self-disciplined regimen - he marked laps. “How many’s that, coach?” “Twelve. You’ve still got a sive for International City, first-time starting quarter back Brandon Williams of Warner Robins fired deep and hit Jarius Rumph of Ft. Valley for a 69-yard touch down. With the first points on the board, the Warriors were fired up about getting back to the win column. The Warrior defense then led the way to victory. Defiance Leary of Ft. Valley pulled down two intercep tions. He also led the team with six tackles, followed closely by Seanon Dinkins of Warner Robins with five tackles. JJ Thomas of Ft. Valley applied extreme pressure on the opposing quarterback and racked up three sacks and Southern Football League action Saturday in Macon. The Avengers gave the couple more to go.” The run, in its seventh or eighth year, Erpelding said, was called the Track-a-thon. “It’s a way for us to raise money for the team,” he said, explaining that each of the runners is sponsored for so many laps - how many determined by him and on a case-by-case basis depend ing on factors such as the person’s experience level. “It’s a double win,” he said. “They get to raise money for the team and get a workout at the same time. Nobody was complaining because it was a sight bet Journal/Don Moncrief Stephanie Joiner, having completed her laps, helps out a teammate with a bottle of water, as other team members look on. Sports Southern Football League Standings American Division W L T Pet. Home Road PF PFAvg. PA South Georgia Stars 6 1 0 .857 2-1-0 4-0-0 152 21.71 56 International City Warriors 3 2 0 .600 1-1-0 2-1-0 63 12.60 59 Gadsden Avengers 4 3 0 .571 2-2-0 2-1-0 124 17.71 102 Phenix City Falcons 3 3 0 .500 1-2-0 2-1-0 86 14.33 85 West Georgia Renegades 0 5 0 .000 0-4-0 0-1-0 31 6.20 105 five tackles for the night. The Avenger passing game was intercepted six times. In addition to Leary’s play, Donte Holmes snagged three interceptions and Andre Carswell of Macon picked off one. Holmes also contributed three tackles. International City was excited to have the kicker, Javon “Kick” Tyler, back on the field. The South ter than Monday. “It was grueling,” he said. “I had them doing sprints, jogging, sprinting and then they had to run for 30 minutes. That was after they ran two miles to warm up,” he added, smil ing slyly. Thursday was a reprieve with each, he said, running about “five miles.” This year’s squads are “good-sized” groups, Erpelding said. The Demonettes, who are defend ing region champions and were 13th at state out of 31 teams - 10th the year before - are 16 strong. Carolina native punched in two extra points with little effort. Kick-offs went deep into Avenger territory and Warrior defenders surround ed punts before the ball could hit the ground. Other outstanding play included Tamarco Head with a 10-yard touchdown run and Greg Williams, who came all the way from Texas to be a part of football in Middle They include senior Brittney Stewart and juniors Danielle Atkins, Brandilyn Cook and Brittney Hill. “They’re just a few of the core group,” Erpelding said. “There are tons of others I expect to step up.” The boys number 26 or 27, Erpelding said. Seniors Mark Kushinka and Jeff Nakayama, junior Matthew Drapeau and freshman Karl Burkhardt lead their charge but once again, Erpelding said, there are “plenty of others.” “We’ve even got See PREPARE, page PAGE 7A Georgia. He had two kick y returns for over 60 yards. The Warriors hit the road j; for the next two weeks to F close out the regular season. I International City will take S on the Phenix City (Ala.) " Falcons on August 26 and then finish the season, and' hopefully clinch a playoff berth, in Americus against the South Georgia Stars on Sept. 2. L; Lady Bears win Lead-off tournament NS girls struggle at Up The Creek By DON MON GRIEF Journal Sports Editor It was supposed to be the Jordan Tournament ; in Columbus. Instead, due to “some conflicts,” ' said Houston County girls head softball coach Cristi Griffin, it turned out to be the Lead-off Classic Tournament in Thomasville. That was this weekend \ and “it,” turned out to', be a good thing, as the:' Lady Bears won the tour nament. Not only that but they went 5-0 and shut out eveiybody they played. They beat Cairo 1-, 0, Truetlen 10-0, Lee, County 8-0 and Thomas County Central twice, 1-0 and 8-0. “We played great , defense and hit the ball well at times,” Griffin said. The following players, she said, were also named to the All-Tournament Team: Chelseaßurroughs, Kourtny Thomas and Erica Vasquez. One of Burroughs’ accomplish ments, Griffin added, was to hit a home run in See WIN, page (fA When do we share the wealth? My wife says I don’t’ like chil dren, and it shows in my columns. I say, “Why should I? L_ Joe Sersey HDJ Correspondent “From Left Field” elßanorjoe@ltt.nel Recently, I went to visit my mother in Missouri. By happenstance, my wife’s fourth oldest child lives with his family in Springfield, Mo. I bought tickets to Springfield’s AA minor league baseball team, the Cardinals, whose See SERSEY, page 9A They get all the neat stuff.” I defend my posi ti o n through explain ing a personal experi ence.