Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Moustim ©aily .Ijmmtal WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006 til** | mj ENI/Gary Harmon Monday marked the first day the Georgia High School Association allowed high school’s to begin practicing as a team and for the 2006 campaign. ABOVE: Northside freshman Stephanie Sides practices the breast stroke at Monday’s practice in Memorial Park pool in Warner Robins. The Home Journal’s SANDLOT W fVWs!. DIRTY ON DECK High school Cross country Thursday ■ Houston County Championship, 5 p.m., field behind Pearl Stephens Elementary School. High school Softball Thursday ■ GHSA Elite Eight at Columbus (softball complex): Warner Robins versus Woodstock, 4 p.m.; Houston County versus Peachtree Ridge, 4 p.m. Friday/Saturday ■ GHSA Final Four at Columbus (softball complex): Warner Robins and Houston County, to be determined High school Football Friday ■ Warner Robins at Tift County, 7:30 p.m. ■ Pinewood at Westfield, 8 p.m. ■ Southwest at Perry, 7:30 p.m. High school Volleyball Saturday ■ Houston County at state tour nament at Berkmar (versus to be determined), 9 a.m. IN BRIEF WR Rec to begin basketball registration The Warner Robins Recreation Department has begun basket ball registration. Registration will continue at their office on Watson Blvd. - until all ages ages/teams are filled - during regular business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday- , Friday. Participants must be at least 5 by Dec. 31 in order to partici pate in the basketball program. Fees are as follows: $25 for city residents, SSO for county resi dents and SBS for out of county residents. In addition, coaches are also needed. Call 929-1916 for more : information. Habitat to hold softball tourney fund-raiser The Houston County Habitat for Humanity will hold a softball tournament Nov. 6, proceeds of which are to go toward the Houston County Habitat for Humanity. The cost is S3OO per team - teams must have at least nine people with a maximum of 15. Trophies will be awarded and the first pitch is slated to be thrown at 9 a.m. Call 218-5545 or e-mail kcripe@flintemc.com for more information. O'Neal leads Bears, region By MATTHEW BROWN Journal Sports Writer When Houston County High lines up with Valdosta on the football field Nov. 3, it could be a grand night for Bears running back Eric O’Neal. The senior stands 41 yards short of the 1,000 mark. He’s already the Region 1- AAAAA leader with his 959 yards on the ground, and O’Neal is the only back in the league with double fig ures in touchdowns (14). Needless to say, with him Houston has the top rushing offense of 1-AAAAA. Not a bad comeback for a player who saw an abrupt end to his junior year in 2005 at this same point, two games away from the end of the regular campaign. “I’m feeling good, a lot better than last year,” said O’Neal, whose 4-3 Houston County team began a bye week on Monday. “I had a viral infection of some kind. I don’t even remember what it was called. I lost 16 pounds and felt weak, throwing up and stuff.” Sixteen pounds is quite a bit of weight lost, especially for a running back. O’Neal’s listed playing weight at the start of the 2006 campaign was 178 pounds. “It took a while for me to come back,” he said. “I had to stay in the hospi tal for five days. They gave See O’NEAL, page iB jgyp* "* ' l • 1 ■ , ■ : ■ A .-i - > ’ A?* W w? • :H. •• •*-.* Sports & f w3BliPlry „ ENI/Gary Harmon Bears runner Eric O’Neal looks for daylight during a game Oct. 19. 100 holes for charity m ... ■• • %J '. .■'■*■' -" ;.;? --' '*vvf=S- .■ v V ♦ ■ ~JHMMBWWBWWBHWWP. ENI/Gary Harmon Monday marked Landing PGA professional Bill Goggin’s (pictured) annual 100- hole golf marathon, played each year to raise money for charity. This year’s bbneficiary was the Community Outreach Service Center in Warner Robins. Water’s fine \ - T .flcya ENI Gary Harmon Northside senior Emily Pulliam practices her starts. There's something about Rogers that 'sticks' out Forget Terrell Owens and his faux suicide attempt. Ignore steroid rages on the football field, i.e., Miami versus Florida International. Stop pondering the vagaries of human behavior because ESPN has something new that’s twisting its athletic support in a ( wad. , Kenny Rogers was J oe Jersey caught on camera with corle^"nden. a discoloration on the palm of his pitching hand that looked suspiciously like pine tar. Egad! Gaylord Perry lives. Naturally ESPN is all over this like Bush discussing the Axis of Evil. I have to believe North Korea is behind all this. If they can’t nuke us, they’ll destroy our national past time. I blame all this on the intrusion See STICKS, page iB Locals reel ie awards Special to the Journal Rick Howard of Warner Robins, teamed with Steve Deason of Gray net ted a third place finish in the semipro division at the Crappie USA qualifying event Saturday on Lake Oconee near Eatonton. The duo caught a weight of 7.63 pounds and as a result also earned $475. Their method of success: According to a release, they “shot docks all See REEL, page 2 B SECTION B