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ENT/Gary Hannon
Houston County's Danielle Burkett preps to scoop a grounder in a recent Lady Bears
game.
Lost season
Lady Bear Burkett making up for lost time
By MATTHEW BROWN
Journal Sports Writer
Danielle Burkett has
every reason to feel bitter;
to carry some sort of grudge
and believe that two softball
seasons in high school were
taken away.
However, this Houston
County High School infielder
understands that health con
cerns come before any ball
game, and she’s determined
to make up for some lost time
with a strong senior season.
After playing as a freshman
in the Lady Bear program,
Burkett was diagnosed with
a heart condition that prohib
ited her from taking part in
school sports.
“I wasn’t able to pass the
physical with my doctor,” she
said. “So I didn’t play for
two years. (Not playing) was
really hard. I was a manager
for those two years, and it
was 0.K., but I’m really glad
to play this year.”
Burkett, who was diagnosed
with a heart murmur as a
child, explained that the con
CALENDAR
High school softball
Today
■ Northside at Warrior Fast-pitch Classic at North Cobb,
times and teams to be determined
■ Lowndes at Houston County, 11 a.m.
Monday
■ John Milledge at Westfield, 4:30 p.m.
■ Perry at Rutland, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
■ Coffee at Houston County, 5:30 p.m.
■ Tift County at Warner Robins, 5:45 p.m.
■ West Laurens at Perry, 6:30 p.m.
High school cross country
Today
"But I found out
this year I was
misdiagnosed.
I could have
played."
- Houston County softball
player Danielle Burkett
dition had to do with a thick
ening of the heart muscle, and
if she would exercise, it could
get bigger and potentially
cause a blockage of oxygen
flow to her lungs.
“But I found out this year I
was misdiagnosed,” she said.
“I could have, played.”
And so Burkett is back on
the playing field without any
worries. She is a .400 hit
ter in the leadoff spot for
coach Angela Crawford, and
Houston County is in conten
tion for first place in Region
■ Westfield at Southland, time to be determined
■ Warner Robins at Jekyll Island Invitational, time to be
determined
High school volleyball
Today
■ Morrow, Warner Robins, MLK at Houston County, 10 *
a.m.
Tuesday
■ Warner Robins, Americus at Northside, 5 p.m.
High school football
Today
■ Central Gwinnett at Warner Robins, 7:30 p.m.
IN BRIEF
PJL undergoing Fail registration
Perry Junior League Fall Ball registration has begun
1-AAAAA at 6-1 after winning
the league in 2006 and finish
ing in the top eight in the
state tournament.
But there’s still the matter
of those two missed seasons.
Instead of any ill feelings,
Burkett sees that proverbial
silver lining.
“I was upset, but it just
made me realize how much I
love playing,” she said. “It’s
all good.
“I wish I was hitting better.
I still got to play travel ball
those two years, so it wasn’t
like I was not playing at all. I
was out (practicing) with my
dad those two years.”
Burkett has played for
the Georgia Heat, the South
Georgia Longhorns and the
Atlanta Travelers. She’s taken
part in Rising Stars showcase
tournament in Florida. This
helped keep her in the eyes
of college scouts, and she’s
already had contact with
some junior colleges, which
she hopes will lead to a schol
arship.
See SEASON, page ioB
Local man earns first
in fishing tournament
Howard best co-angler in Wal-Mart event
By DON MONCRIEF
Journal Managing Editor
Some fishermen prefer the front of the
boat. You can see where you’re going.
Heck, you can determine - as the driver
- where you’re going, subsequently dic
tating where you fish. No doubt it has
its perks.
But then again, so does the back. If
you don’t believe that, just ask Keith
Howard. He’s found lots of reasons to
like fishing in the rear - $5,059 to be
exact.
His latest earnings - included in the
aforementioned totals - was $4,359. He
earned $3,782 of that by finishing first
in the Co-Angler Division of the Wal-
Mart Bass Fishing League (part of FLW)
- he competes overall in the Bulldog
Division - tournament held on Lake
Eufaula Sept. 8-9. The rest of the $4,359
came via $577 for earning the Big Fish
award, and the rest of the total, the
$5,059, came when he finished fourth at
an earlier tournament this year.
This is also only actually the first year
of competition for the Warner Robins
resident whose parents live in Perry and
whose full-time job is as a welder for
Midstate Steel in Macon.
The idea he could do this, he said,
actually came last year.
“I was in a club in Griffin,” he
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Keith Howard displays the awards he earned at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing
League tournament held on Lake Eufaula Sept. 8-9.
and will continue until Oct. 5. You can register on line at
www.perryjuniorleaue.com or at the park under the pavil
ion on these dates: Sept. 22 and Sept. 29 from 9 a.m.-1
p.m. Fall ball fees are $45 and the organization is offering
a special for Fall/Spring Combo for $125.
For more information, Kelly Tucker at
pjlpresident@windstream.net or via phone at 988-2618.
PJL undergoing Fall registration
The Landings is preparing for its Fall After School
Program, a six-week program billed as “fun and fundamen
tals." Ages 5-7 will attend Tuesdays; 8-10 Wednesdays
and 11-up Thursdays. All classes will be from 4:30-5:30
p.m. The first session runs from Sept. 20, the second
Sept. 25-Nov. 8. The cost is SIOO for non-members and
S9O for members - with a $lO discount if signing up for
both sessions.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2007
explained, adding he got his start - way
back when - when fishing in jon boats,
“fishing a lot of tournaments .:. Lake
Juliette, High Falls, those kinds of plac
es. I was their Angler of the Year - the
club champion - won a good bit, so I
thought ‘it’s time to step it up.’”
“I wasn’t sure about it, but once I got
that first top-five (and, he said he lost a
5-pounder that would have given him an
even better finish at that tournament), I
thought: ‘I belong.’
“Now, after this (his first-place finish)
I know I can (be successful at it).”
Success, he said, has come through
“lots of reading” and, “being out on the
water every weekend.”
The only drawback he’s found so far
in regard to competition is that he’s cur
rently not eligible for the All-American
event - prizes include a new boat, which
he said he would very much like to have
- to be held later. The top 40 in points
automatically earn a bid to that, he
explained. He is currently 79th.
But, he still has an outside chance to
get in via a “wildcard.”
The wildcard, Howard explained, was
for those fishermen who signed up/paid
for all five tournaments - the total
number for the Bulldog Division - but
weren’t able to fish all five.
See FISHING, page ioB
dim iiatra ami dirty *
For more information, contact PGA Professional Bill
Goggin by phone at 923-5222, Ext. 4 or e-mail him at
bill@goggingolf.com. Or visit the course’s website at www.
goggingolf.com/.
YMCA to start cheer program
The Houston County YMCA, according to a release, is
currently looking to start a program for competitive cheer
leading. To that end, they need experienced cheerleader
coaches. Contact Shannon Cobb, gymnastic coordinator
the Houston County YMCA at 478-922-2566 or stop by
their office.
AAU basketball team gearing up
Any girls interested in playing AAU basketball for a new
Middle Georgia team is asked to contact Travis Hammock
at 478-918-5593. The desired age group is 14-17.
1B