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Moustmt 3Jmmral FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2006 The Home Journal’s SANDLOT 1 flff I mWTWV ON DECK High school Basketball Today ■ Westfield at Trinity Christian tournament, teams and times to be determined. Saturday ■ Westfield at Trinity Ch'istian tournament, teams and .imes to be determined. High school wrestling Today ■ Houston County, Northside and r erry at Baldwin tourney. 5 r.m. High school swimming Saturday ■ Warner Robins at Bearcat Bash in Bainbridge, 9 a m. ■ Houston County at Chatham County Invitational. 9 a.m. High school football Today ■ Northside versus St. Pius X, 6 p.m. in the Georgia Dome Saturday ■ Warner Robins versus Peachtree Ridge, 9 p.m. in the Georgia Dome IN BRIEF Demons playoff tickets go on sale Tickets for Warner Robins' semifinal playoff game Saturday are currently on sale - while supplies last - at the front office of the school. All tickets are sls, and are valid for all the games played Saturday. Warner Robins Rec to hold Christmas camp The Warner Robins Recreation Department is regis tering boys and girls ages 7-12 for Holly Days Christmas Camp to be held Dec. 21 through Jan. 4, 2007 (Christmas holidays for Houston County Schools), Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. except Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, 2007. Experienced camp coun selors. campers are well-super vised, structured program. The cost is $75 for city residents; sllO for county residents and $l4O for out-of-county. Call the department at 478- 929-6946 for more information. YMCA offers special sign-up promotion The YMCA is currently offer ing a special promotion where they are giving away one free month of gym membership to all new members. The center offers: gymnastics, jiu-jitsu, fit kidz, dance and much more. A family membership consists of an SBS joiner's fee plus the first month of S4B. Under the promo tion. you pay SBS and your first month of service is free. The offer will expire Dec. 31. Winter Players Pass available for golfers A Winter Players Pass is now available for purchase at three northern state park golf locations. It’s valid for play at Arrowhead Pointe at Lake Richard B. Russell in Elberton, The Creek at Hard Labor in Rutledge and Highland Walk at Victoria Bryant in Royston. The card provides the holder with unlimited green fees at the three courses for three months and costs SIOO. The pass is avail able in limited quantities and for a limited time. It’s valid from December until February 2007. The pass can be purchased at any of the participating courses, online at www.GeorgiaGolf.com or by calling 1-800-982-3691. Hornet All-Stars Zach Young and Ryan Campbell both seniors at Westfield, have been selected to participate in the 25th annual GISA All-Star football game Saturday at Mount de Sales’ Cavalier Fields. These two play ers will compete for the Blue All-Star team that will also be coached by Westfield Head Football Coach Ronnie Jones as he serves as an assistant for the Blue Team. Enlightenment Northside preps to tame any Lion rally By MATTHEW BROWN Journal Sports Writer Time for a little enlighten ment. Thomas County-Central, with its five state football championships, is leading St. Pius X by 20 at home in last week’s GHSA AAAA quarterfinal contest. So then why isn’t Northside High, bracketed to face the winner of this JT % mk ■ ENl'Gary Harmon Northside quarterback Marques Ivory struggles to break free of a Habersham Central defender this past Friday at McConnell-Talbert Stadium. Eagles' Jordan bashing pads, turning heads By MATTHEW BROWN Journal Sports Writer Let’s say Northside High School football is completely brand new to you except for the past two years (as it is to this writer). Not only has one particular player made an impression on you with his tenacity and skills from both the linebacker and fullback positions, but also with an interesting habit he has prior to every defensive play. Before the Eagle defense gets lined up each and every time, the players need to know the formation and the coverage. The job of relay ing this information, for the past two years, has belonged to Deonta Jordan. Before anything is said, he will bash both fists onto the shoulder pads of a teammate. Is this a product of his own intensity, a newcomer to the Eagle football scene might wonder? “Northside’s been doing it for a long time,” explained Jordan, who along with the Museum of Aviation to host its annual runs/walk What: 11th Annual Museum of Aviation Foundation marathon, half marathon and 5K run/walk When: Jan. 13, 2007, 8 a.m. Where: Robins Air Force Base Cost: SBO for relay team, S4O for the marathon, S3O for half marathon and $lB for 5K run/walk Contact information: Race Director John Hunter, 926-6686 or 953-5335 - e-mail hunterjh@cox.net; Mary Lynn Harrison, 923-6600 - e-mail Mary Lynn. Harrison@museumofaviation.org Sports game in the Georgia Dome, playing the Yellow Jackets? The next thing we know, we wake up Northside versus St. Plus X, today, 6 p.m., In the Georgia Dome Saturday morning to find that the Golden Lions edged out Thomas County-Central by one. rest of his teammates are in the middle of preparations for a second straight trip to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome today to take on St. Pius X in the GHSA AAAA semifi nals. “It’s what we do when we get ready to break the huddle, let the players know, ‘Pay attention, I’m fixing to call the play.’ “I received (the duty) when I got here. It comes natural. I like doing it.” But that’s only a small part of what football fans get to see in a Northside game from Jordan. He is a playmaker and a hitter as evidenced by his quarter back sack last Friday when the Eagles beat Habersham Central 34-0 in the quarter finals at McConnell-Talbert Stadium. The visiting Raiders were trying to get into Eagle ter ritory by converting a third down in the first quarter. Jordan blitzed his way past everyone for the tackle, which took away 11 yards. “I love making big plays,” he said. “But if weren’t for Special to the Journal The 11th Annual Museum of Aviation Foundation marathon, half marathon and 5K run/walk will be held at the Museum of Aviation Jan. 13, 2007. The Museum of Aviation Foundation and the Robins Pacers Running/Walking Club sponsor the event, according to a release, “one of the fastest growing marathon races held in Middle Georgia” and a mem ber of the 2007 Run & See Georgia Grand Prix Series. Proceeds from the event benefit the Museum of Aviation. "They just battle. It seems like it's a group of kids that doesn't want to let their teammates down, let themselves down. They probably come from families that have high expectations of success." - Northside head football coach Conrad Nix “You have to have a lot of respect for a group that can mr r " ■" V • yBL wm*" '.. aSBf f l iid^P rr n _ ?j|t r * -.. Hr wKf : M X»L -'\L ' X^BT-S''’ 7 ■' / . J - w* i *»■»> ;• » -*sk*di %m » | • j'• ' > -•-,; 1 % * •- *■« ENI/Gary Harmon The Eagles’ Deonta Jordan fights for yardage against Habersham Central defenders this past Friday at McConnell-Talbert Stadium. the D-linemen in front of me opening up the path for me Last year a total of 551 runners and walkers from all over the United States participated in the races held on Robins Air Force Base. All three courses are USA Track and Field certified, making the events qualifiers for premier nation al and international events like the Boston Marathon. All three races are also run on Robins Air Force Base having rela tively flat courses with several short inclines. Runners and walkers whose registrations are postmarked by Jan. 5 are guaranteed, according to the release, a “quality colorful do that,” said Eagles head coach Conrad Nix, who will to go get the quarterback ... I give a lot of credit to the SECTION B lead Northside against St. Pius X in Atlanta today with a spot in the state cham pionship game on the line. “Coming back from a 27-7 deficit to winning the ball game in overtime. It’s sort of unheard of in high school, and probably very rare in college and the pros. “To see where the guys rally around and make a few plays, and the other team doesn’t make a few plays. It’s a thing you really don’t want to see when you’re playing somebody like that the next week. At the same time, you really admire somebody who is able to do that.” As for how St. Pius X, the No. 3 seed from a sub-divided Region 6-AAAA, managed to pull off this particular come back, Nix said it was a case of the Lions sticking to their offensive game plan. “The quarterback made some long runs, a couple of big throws. He just didn’t panic,” he said. “He had great huddle presence, pock et presence, and it was just one of those things. Thomas County-Central couldn’t stop him. “They are predominantly an option team. They will give you a multitude of for mations, but they are going to run the option a lot: dive, quarterback pitch in differ ent sets. They will get in the shotgun some.” From a defensive stand point, St. Pius X did give up a significant number of points to the Yellow Jackets, but had its moments late in order to make the win pos sible. See TAME, page 2B defensive linemen playing See JORDAN, page iB long-sleeve shirt on race day.” Trophies are also awarded to the overall top three male and female finishers in each race; the overall top male and female masters in each race; the top active duty military male and female in the marathon; the overall top male, female and mixed marathon relay teams; as well as the top three male and female finishers in fourteen different age categories. Each marathon and half-mara thon runner will receive a medal lion with ribbon as they cross the See MUSEUM, page iB