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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Tech defense must keep sssignments versus Wake Forest
By Adam Van Brimmer
Morris News Service
ATLANTA - Wake Forest’s
offense has evolved away from the
triple-option scheme head coach
Jim Grobe installed upon his arriv
al six years ago.
The Demon Deacons still utilize
many option principles, though,
particularly misdirection runs.
Wake averages 158 yards rushing
a game, third best in the ACC.
Georgia Tech’s defense will coun
ter in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast
With Vick - 'don't' follow the loader
Et tu, Don Moncrief!
Imperious Leader
claims friendship,
and he is an honorable man.
Alack! He knows nothing
of football
to com
pare it to
such a base
sport at
NASCAR.
For
six years
Michael
Vick has
been the
quarter
back for
Joe Sersey
Journal
Correspondent
the Atlanta Falcons. To read
Monsewer Moncrief, Falcon
receivers have been drop
ping Vick passes that entire
time.
Why is that this year we
cry havoc and let loose the
dogs of excuses?
Yond Moncrief has a lean
and hungry look. He thinks
too much, and that is dan
gerous.
When I read Exalted One’s
editorial, I felt like Andy
Griffith when he learned
Don Knotts was leaving
Mayberry. I was bereft.
At least when he men
tioned my name, he spelled
it right.
Don reads much, and he
looks quite through the
deeds of men. Unfortunately,
he sees only what he wants.
Pass, pass, hand off, hand
off, yawn, and win the Super
Bowl.
Great One admits he is
an unabashed fan of the
Falcons. I am a fan of vic
tory.
For six years, we’ve been
told that Vick needs an
offensive coordinator who
understands him and his
RETURNERS
From page iB
court.
But first, start with all of
that Demonette talent and
potential. There are six play
ers back from the 2005-2006
season plus a transfer from
Perry High School who gave
Warner Robins some fits as
a Lady Panther last year.
Of Mobley’s senior class,
two are slated to play at the
Division I college level once
the high-school work is all
done.
“The potential is unlim
ited,” said Mobley. “We have
a very veteran group.”
Cherie White, a 5-9
senior forward, let Eastern
Kentucky know she wants
to play at that school on the
first day of the early sign
ing period. Mobley said she
does everything from shoot
ing 3-pointers to putting on
moves at the blocks. White is
also nearing the 1,000-point
mark for her Demonette
career.
“She’s a good defensive
player, good passer, great
rebounder,” said Mobley
about his team Most Valuable
Player two years ago and one
who has also gone through
the pain of an ACL tear.
“She’s been starting since
she was a freshman. She
might not have started at
the beginning of her sopho
more year a game or two,
but she’s pretty much start
ed every game of her high
school career.”
Kittery Maine, 6-4 senior
center, was also a focus of
the early signing period’s
opening when she honored
a commitment to Liberty
University.
She is actually one of sev
eral tall presences in recent
years at Warner Robins, but
Mobley said the painted area
Conference Championship game
with the most basic of principle of
defending the option: Assignment
football.
Linebacker Philip Wheeler said
that shouldn’t be too difficult
for the Jackets. Georgia Tech’s
plays an assignment scheme any
way, although the Yellow Jacket
defender are also reputed for their
ability to flow to the football. That
can take them out of position on
misdirection plays and will be a
focus Saturday, defensive tackle
potential.
Jim Mora, the father,
declared Vick a “coach kill
er,” and the Falcon nation
cried out, “Fie, my lord, fie!
A coach and aleard?”
Jim Mora, the son, dis
puted the claim. He insists
that Vick is his quarterback.
Mora Jr. has gone so far as
to say Vick would be his first
choice any time. That’s good
television because Arthur
Blank, the Holy Mackerel,
pays the bills and likes
Vick and he writes Junior’s
checks.
Blank views the game
much like my beloved (read
backstabbing) leader. He’s
a fan.
Blank loves Vick to the
point that he pushed the
injured quarterback around
in a wheelchair while the
erstwhile passer recuperated
from an injury to his leg.
Like any fan, he wants the
excitement. He’s blinded by
the big play, never realizing
it’s all the little plays that
lead to touchdowns and vic
tories.
Junior knows who the Big
Guy wants under center,
but what he may not realize
is that Vick will decide the
head coach’s fate.
Yes, I believe Vick has that
much influence. Blank may
finish the season by down
sizing upper management if
the Falcons don’t make the
playoffs. He’ll ask Vick for
an opinion as to whether
Mora and crew should hit
the pavement.
Vick will get yet another
offensive coordinator whose
job it will be to tap into
Vick’s unexploited poten
tial.
I say there isn’t an offen
now solely belongs to her.
“Kittery has a nice, soft
touch,” said Mobley. “She’s
been playing a lot more
aggressive this year, block
ing more shots, posting up
harder and looking for the
ball. She’s probably averag
ing 10 or 12 points and eight
or 10 rebounds.”
Symone Wilkerson is only
a junior, but the point guard
is already racking up num
bers in assists and steals in
her third season as a start
er.
Warner Robins played
three games in a girls-only
tournament in Griffin Nov.
18-21, and Mobley figured
out Wilkerson’s average was
seven assists per game.
“She’s had a ton of steals,”
the coach added, emphasiz
ing her effort on Tuesday
in a win at Perry High.
“She’s another good defen
sive player. She pushes the
game, shoots the 3, can pen
etrate.”
Tiandra Billings is the for
mer Perry player now with
Warner Robins who brought
a long 3-point touch with
her. Mobley said she was
the top Perry scorer in all
three games against the
Demonettes last year.
“Liza Gaines (5-11 senior)
is our power forward,” said
Mobley. “She transferred in
last year from Miami. She’s
a real good rebounder. She’s
a banger in there, gets a
lot of put-backs and has a
nice soft touch from the out
side.”
Shay la James is a senior
backup forward trying to get
back into action after an off
season injury. Mobley said
she is the fastest player on
the team and plays intense
defense. Juniors Victoria
Rushing and Kyanne
Holland will provide backup
at guard.
“We have other girls who
Joe Anoai said.
“We just have to take care of our
first responsibility and after that
try to make something extra hap
pen,” Anoai said.
The Yellow Jackets’ defensive
speed should counter Wake’s abil
ity to run the ball outside, Wheeler
added. The middle linebacker is
Georgia Tech’s biggest play-maker
and is anxious to face the Deacons’
offense.
“I think we’ve been known of as
an undersized defense with more
sive guru who can do that
because the offensive strate
gic answer is so simple: Use
a playground offense.
“OK, you guys. Go long
and I’ll run around until
one of you gets open. Iron
Hands, you run until you’re
even with the brunette in
the front row. Stumblebum,
you run to the fat security
guard and cut towards the
sidelines, and Clumsy Cal,
make sure you don’t block
the camera’s view of me. I’ll
pretend I’m going to throw
the ball then run like hell.”
That’s all the offensive
planning necessary for a
Michael Vick game.
As to potential; that’s an
ugly word. How does one
measure potential. To be
blunt, I don’t care about
quarterback ratings, comple
tions to interceptions, or QB
rushing records.
I want tick marks in the
win column. I want a Super
Bowl. If Vick brings me that,
I’ll shut up. Don’t forget the
Indianapolis Colts are 9-1
and their only weapon is a
statue that understands the
game and can win. Oh yeah,
his receivers can catch some
thing besides a cold.
I must point out to my
friend (read friend) that he
reminds me of an Irish set
ter I once knew. For three
years that dog kept trying to
dig out a chipmunk he was
determined to catch and eat.
For three years he failed.
All he had to show for his
efforts were bloodied paws,
but he believed he’d get that
rodent.
What fools ye mortals be
... Keeping on looking for
potential when its victories
that count.
could step up and fill a role,”
said Mobley. “That’s going
to be a big thing, the bench
developing.”
While it is a veteran group,
Mobley said he is adding to
his system that these players
should know up and down,
backwards and forwards. He
has put in a half-court trap
to take advantage of quick
ness at the perimeter posi
tions.
“We had about four (6-2
to 6-4) girls two years ago,”
said Mobley. “Which made
us big and slow. Everybody
looks at big ... it’s great to be
big, but it slowed us down.
Now we’re trying to play
more up-tempo defensive
wise.
“They know what I expect,
and the young girls are pick
ing it up. We have a lot of
room for improvement.”
Warner Robins’ new
look on the court comes at
the same time it moves to
Region 1-AAAAA with a reg
ular rival in Houston County
along with Lowndes, Tift
County and Colquitt County
that will be in the hunt for
the four state-tournament
spots.
“It’s a real balanced
region,” said Mobley.
“Valdosta was the weak team
last year, but I’ve already
scouted them and they are
not bad at all. Lowndes is
very athletic.
“Houston has a great team.
There couldn’t be a bet
ter player in this area than
Tonia Williams, and she’s
just a junior. So it’s going
to be a tough go. But we are
used to that being in there
with Northside, Westside
and people like that.
“Chemistry is going to be a
big thing, playing team ball.
Stay together and maintain
a good attitude, plus work
ing hard in practice every
day to get better.”
SPORTS
REBUILDING
From page iB
was going to depend on a
lot.
“That left we with two
returning seniors who kind
of both semi-started.”
One of those is her own
child, Janay Wilson, a point
guard who missed a lot of
action in her junior year
while recovering from an
operation in the summer of
2005. Janay is back at full
strength and already has a
college scholarship in hand
from the Savannah College
of Art & Design.
“I had great expectations,
and I still have great expec
tations,” said coach Wilson.
“Although we did lose those
two key players, the young
girls I have are stepping in
and will fill their shoes.”
The Northside girls pro
gram did send two former
Lady Eagles to the colle
giate ranks after last sea
son. They are Trycee Brown
and Lakeisha Levi. It left
Wilson without her main
offensive weapons from last
season. In Brown she lost
leadership and a versatile
athlete, and in Levi she lost
20 points a game and a solid
rebounder.
Quantisha Wynn and
Sonyetta Davis also gradu
ated, taking away long
range threats.
“We make up for that
with hard work, putting a
lot of emphasis on funda
mentals and a lot of empha
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from State Court
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speed,” Wheeler said, “so I think
that matches up well with a perim
eter team like Wake Forest.”
6ATIR WIU TAKE GEORGIA TECH WITH
LOSS; Gator Bowl officials have
backed off their stand against
inviting Georgia Tech to their New
Year’s Day game should the Yellow
Jackets lose Saturday.
The ACC’s bowl rules state the
only team the Gator could take
over Georgia Tech is Virginia Tech,
the lone team with a record within
a game of the Yellow Jackets. The
sis on defense,” said Wilson.
“We are smaller, but a little
quicker than we were last
year. I think it’s a good ben
efit to have when you don’t
have the size. But if you are
slow and don’t have size,
that could be a problem.”
Northside already has
some games under their belt
at a girls-only tournament
in Griffin. Brittany Holder
and Janay Wilson accounted
for most of the scoring in
those games while others
had four points here, two
points there.
“I think if we can get every
body to contribute two to
four points - my role players
- and if Janay and Brittany
can stay in the double figure
area, I think that’s where
the points will come from,”
said coach Wilson.
The Lady Eagles stayed
put as far as playing in a
Class AAAA region, but saw
a host of changes in terms
of the teams surrounding
them in their sub-region.
The most glaring entry is
Jones County High, which
also played into the Elite
Eight round of state compe
tition last year.
“The region is still a
strong region,” said Wilson,
whose main rival, Warner
Robins High, is still on the
schedule but playing in the
5A classification. “We have
Jones County with a great
program. Westside (Macon)
has a great program. I think
we have a very strong side.
It’s going to be a battle.
“(Jones) didn’t lose
Arturo V. Santos
Wanted for violation of probation from
State Court
LKA: 100 block of Sandy Run
Road, Warner Robins
Malcolm Kenyatta Smith
Wanted for violation of probation (for deposit
account fraud)
LKA: 100 block ofWindfield
Lane, Bonaire
Vandv Keon Alderman
' Wanted for failure to appear
LKA: 1000 block of Elberta Road.
Warner Robins
Jennifer Lynne W'ilson
Wanted for two bench warrants from Superior
Court for failure to appear
LKA: 900 block of Chapel Ridge Drive,
Perry
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2006 ♦
Hokies finished 6-2 in conference
play while Georgia Tech went 7-1.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl ranks ahead
of the Gator in the ACC peck
ing order, though, and will invite
Virginia Tech to its game. That
would stick the Gator with Georgia
Tech, and the bowl’s officials fear
ticket sales would lag. The Gator
Bowl would be the Yellow Jackets
second game in Jacksonville in a
month.
Georgia Tech can make
See TECH, page SB
enough to hurt them. They
are the team you have to
look for, work hard to try to
beat them. They have the
experience. Westside is the
same way.”
That would seem to put
the Lady Eagles at some
what of a disadvantage
with the lack of experienced
starters. Several of the play
ers were a part of the team
that traveled to Columbus
State for the Sweet 16 and
Elite Eight, but there is a
difference in just being in
the gym and being on the
court during live action.
“That’s our goal, to get
back to the state playoffs,”
said Wilson. “And take it as
far as we can take it.”
As far as game action goes,
Northside basketball is at
the mercy of Northside’s
current football run in the
state playoffs. A non-region
doubleheader with Warner
Robins scheduled for Dec.
1 was moved to Jan. 27,
but there are two 4-AAAA
sub-region contests slated
for Dec. 5 (at Westside) and
Dec. 8. (Dutchtown).
Northside boys varsity bas
ketball coach Kevin Smith,
also a football assistant, said
those two dates could be
switched pending the result
of the quarterfinal game
against Habersham Central,
but no decisions were made
as of Thursday. The Dec. 8
date would be Northside’s
day to play in the football
semifinals at the Georgia
Dome if the Eagles are vic
torious.
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Wanted for bench warrants from Superior Court
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LKA: 110 block of Blackberry Circle.
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James Earl Spann
Wanted for failure to appear
LKA: 400 block of Virginia Dare
Drive, Warner Robins
Ollie Trent Stewart
Wanted for bench warrant from State Court, failure
to appear/Contempt of court/giving false name.
birlhdate/obstruction
LKA: South 2nd Street,
Warner Robins
David E. Young
Wanted for violation of probation
State Court
LKA: 1000 block of Booth Road,:
Warner Robins
5B
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