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Sports
Wednesday, December 2, 1987
Champions
Lady Bulldogs are 400 tourney top dogs
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
There’s something about Roswell which brings out the
best in Forsyth County.
Saturday night the Forsyth County girls beat Roswell,
48-34, for the Route 400 tournament championship held at
Crestwood High School. Last year it was the boy’s team
that beat Roswell for the championship.
The Lady Bulldogs were led to victory by tournament
MVP Linda Diggle, who scored 38 points in two games.
Teammates Trudie Ridings and Betsy Henderson also
were named All-Tournament selections.
The girls opened the tournament on Friday, beating
Milton, 56-51. The win avenged last year’s opening round,
overtime loss to Milton.
Coach Jerry Cauley’s team looked strong in the opener,
leading Milton 18-8 after one quarter. Forsyth County
coasted the second half, leading 30-16 at intermission.
“We’ve really worked hard since Oct. 15,” said Cauley.
“I’m proud of each and every player. We wanted to get
ready for this season, this tournament. Winning just
proves the players worked overtime.”
Diggle, a 6-1 senior, proved she was the best on the
court. In the victory over Roswell, she led all scorers with
18. She finished the tournament as her team’s top scorer,
Th se are scores from last weekend’s Route 400 bas
ketball tournament at Crestwood High School.
ROUTE 400 TOURNAMENT
Day Score Team
Fri. Forsyth Co. 56-51 Milton Girls
Fri. Forsyth C0.83-55Milton Boys
Fri. Roswell39-28Crestwood Girls
Fri. Crestwood9o-77Roswell Boys
Sat. Crestwood3B-27Milton Girls
Sat. Milton6B-64Roswell Boys
Sat. Forsyth Co. 48-34 Girls
Sat. Crestwood76-67Forsyth Co Boys
Lady Saints sweep to title,
team appears ready to roll
By Mike Webber
Spoiis; editor
North Georgia head coach Lynn
Jarrett knows this season will be a
challenge. Furthermore, she also
knows expectations should run high
for 1987-88. After all, last year’s team
finished second in the national
tournament.
This season, so far, everything is
right in line. Last week saw the Lady
Saints win its own Gold City Classic
tournament. In> capturing the title,
North Georgia beat USC-Spartanburg
(84-76) and the University of Monre
vailo (74-56).
Fans have good reason for high ex
pectations this time. Last year’s team
(28-3), won the District 25 title, and
advanced to the NAIA national tour
nament finals. North Georgia was led
by consensus All-America Brenda
“Sugar” Hill, a center who averaged
30 points and 16 rebounds.
Jarrett will have her work cut out
this season, as Hill’s career wound up
last winter.
Losing a star could be damaging,
but North Georgia returns three start
ers. Leading the trio is NAIA All-
Toumament player Gretchen Smith
(6-0). Annette Rogers (6-0) are sopho
more point guard Kim Davis (5-6) are
the other two returning regulars.
Rogers led North Georgia to its vic
College football championship planners are caught over bowl
The talk over championships never ends.
There’s a plausible way to decide champions in col
lege baseball and basketball. Meanwhile college foot
ball continually gets the shaft.
On the PGA tour, the golfer who scores lowest, wins.
It’s just that cut and dried. In the NFL there’s only one
team left standing at the end. The same for pro baseball
and basketball.
There are arguments for a college football playoff
system. There are also arguments, and ever so weak
they are, against a college playoff format.
On one side is the academic faction. They are made
up of teachers, professors and some so-called intelli
gent coaches. They’re mainly afraid too much football
means too little time to study.
Then there are the bowl representatives, lobbyists
who are afraid a playoff system will destroy their mon
ey-making machinery.
Everybody wants a piece of the post-season bowl ac
tion. Today there are 18 bowl games. That’s too many
bowls with not enough quality teams to go around.
It’s a sobering thought as to how bowl representatives
arrive at pairings. You can believe money, as in cold
hard cash, helps do the talking.
A perfect example was Alabama and the Bear. When
Bryant was alive the team could have won two games,
but 40,000 fans would have still traveled to China to
watch the Tide.
In 1960 a 6-5 Alabama team played Missouri in the
Gator Bowl. The Tigers thrashed Alabama like a red
headed stepchild. The next year found Alabama, still at
6-5, beaten by Colorado in the Liberty Bowl.
Michigan is another one of those teams with a rich
football heritage. In 1985, a 6-6 Michigan team found
itself piaying top-ranked Brigham Young in the Holiday
Bowl. Bngham Young won and captured a national
championship.
having hit for 20 in the opener versus Milton.
“This was a team victory,” said a smiling Diggle. “This
is something we all wanted. This is great for us and coach
Cauley. I’m just glad we won.”
The two wins kept Forsyth County perfect at 3-0 for the
season.
Diggle wasn’t by herself against Roswell. Teammates
Henderson and Ridings were also in double figures, hit
ting for 17 and 10 respectively. Kelli Mullins, with three,
was the only other Lady Bulldog to score in the champion
ship game.
Forsyth County dominated the Lady Hornets, trailing
Roswell only twice in the entire game. Roswell, which
scored the game’s first point on a free throw, also led 3-2.
Henderson’s last-second free throw gave her team an 8-7
advantage after one quarter. It was to be a lead it never
relinquished.
Late in the second quarter, Roswell did make a run,
taking advantage of three straight Forsyth County turn
overs, cutting the deficit to 18-14. Baskets by Ridings and
Henderson, plus Diggle’s free throw, gave their team a 22-
16 halftime lead.
Forsyth County began the second half with a strong
move. Ridings opened with two free throws, which com
bined with Diggle’s rebound basket, gave the visitors 26-
16 breathing space.
Henderson’s three-pointer, to open the fourth, gave her
team an insurmountable 36-22 lead. Diggle, Ridings and
Henderson combined for nine more fourth quarter points,
and the Lady Bulldogs were hn-ne free, 48-36.
Ridings had scored 15 in the opener against Milton.
I.cnderson came on to add another seven. Jennifer For
bush (six), Paula Hubbard (five), Wendy Sweatman
(two) and Shellie Thompson (one) also scored in the
opener.
Forsyth County began its season a week before, return
ing from North Gwinnett with a 62-51 win.
In that game Ridings and Diggle combined for 46
points. Ridings led the way with 24, while Diggle pitched
in 20 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and six blocked shots.
“It’s good to win,” said Diggle. “Everybody on this
team feels real good about playing. Hopefully, winning
this tournament will get us going.”
tory over Montevallo, scoring 15.
Included in the list of experienced
players are four lettermen. Junior
forward Cindy Hoyle (5-8) saw action
in every game last season. Charlene
Jones (5-9), a strong rebounder, is an
other forward looking to make her
mark in 1987-88. Jones is only a junior.
Sophomore Connie Lummus (6-0)
also has the talent to step in and play a
key role. Lummus scored 21 in the
first tournament game against USC-
Spartanburg.
Sara Gaddis (6-0) proved as a fresh
man last year that she could help. Her
aggressiveness and experience
should be a key this season, said
Jarrett.
Laurie Burkett (5-7) saw much
playing time as a sophomore. It’s ex
pected the Gainesville native will play
a more increased role for 1987-88.
Included in the list of talent is three
newcomers. If fans think they are see
ing double this year, it’s because they
truly may be. Anne Smith (6-0), sister
to Gretchen Smith, has transferred
from the University of Georgia.
Anne proved herself in last week’s
tournament, winning the Most Valu
able Player award. She scored 24
against USC—Spartanburg, 20 in the
first half.
Smith isn’t the only player from an
other college to suit up for North
Georgia this season. Fonda Gravitt
This year finds Michigan, 6-4, playing Alabama, also
6-4.
Whether or not the Holiday Bowl should be site of a
national championship game isn’t questioned. Beating
a team with six losses is not a stem test for a national
championship.
Washington and Tulane are more examples of medio
cre teams playing in bowls. Thank goodness neither,
with 6-4-1 and 6-5 records, stands between some other
team and a title.
Tulane, which didn’t beat a Division I-A team with a
winning record, found a way to lose to lowly Louisville.
The Green Wave also found itself trailing Florida State
by a whopping 59 points at the buzzer.
I don’t care who you are, in my book any team which
loses five games, one by 59 points, doesn’t deserve a
bowl bid.
There are some good teams staying home. One which
comes to mind is Wake Forest (7-4), a team going home
without a bid. Washington, with a less impressive
mark, will play Tulane in the Independence Bowl.
How many Washington fans do you think are interest
ed enough to travel over 2,000 miles to spend the holi
days eating Creole food in Louisana.
Wake Forest had only accomplished a seven-win sea
son three other times in history. Anybody warrant a
guess how long it’s been since the Demon Deacons have
Points
North Georgia player Laurie Burkett
goes high for two points. Burkett and
her Lady Saints won and swept to
Gold City Classic. North Georgia is the
defending District 25 champion.
(5-7), has transferred from Piedmont
College, a District 25 opponent of
North Georgia. Gravitt, a senior, sat
out the 1986-86 schedule, but will be
ready this year.
“This year is a challenge, a tremen
dous challenge for me personally, and
for the team,” said Jarrett. “Having
won last year, everybody will want to
be us this time.”
15
Mike
Webber
Sports Editor
Forsyth County News
" mi
■
Hi r
Cy : Hr *
MVP Linda Diggle (24), Kelli Mullins (44) and Jennifer Forbush (15) talk during timeout
Colonels deny FCHS
a second title trophy
By Mike Webber
Sports Editor
Defending Route 400 champion For
syth County didn’t win a second
straight championship, but made it
uncomfortable for Crestwood, which
captured Saturday’s finale, 76-67. Led
by Billy Kemp’s 30 points, Forsyth
County pushed the pre-toumament
Colonels to the brink, before finally
settling for second.
“We got behind early and then
came back,” said head coach Steve
Barnes. “We had an opportunity to
win.”
Last year Forsyth County beat fa
vored Roswell for the title. It nearly
did the same to host Crestwood.
Crestwood took control early, lead
ing 22-12, after the opening quarter.
Frank Armstrong’s Colonels didn’t let
up, leading 43-32 at halftime. After
three quarters the game appeared
over, as Crestwood held a 16-point
advantage.
The game was far from over as For
syth County, trailing 64-48, made a
strong run. In little more than six min
utes it made a mad rush, making 14
points. With 1:20 remaining, the team
trailed by 2 points, 68-66.
The hard dash obviously left For
syth County physically spent. The last
80 second belonged to Crestwood,
which outscored the Bulldogs 8-1 from
then on.
If Crestwood owned the first three
been bowling? You can bet it’s been a long time be
tween meals.
It’s also wortlva guess as to how much money Wake
Forest fans would spend.
The entire question is like a two-headed monster. One
has to ask, not only are the best teams going bowling,
but are the going to the right games?
Earlier this season Alabama beat LSU. Had the Tide
beaten Auburn last Saturday, Sugar Bowl officials
would have been pressured.
You tell me, who would have been the most deserving
team?
The great debate would have been over which fans
would have spent more money in New Orleans?
The NCAA says bowls are the best way of settling the
fight for No. 1. If that’s so, then why are bids extended
before the season is over?
Oklahoma and Miami, already scheduled for New
Year’s Day in the Orange Bowl, could be for the nation
al championship. Then again, it might not be.
After beating Nebraska, Oklahoma should be unbeat
en on that date. Miami, with South Carolina yet to play,
could end the season with two losses, maybe even three.
Does Oklahoma, having beaten only one toughie on its
schedule, rate as tops? Here’s a school which ran
rough-shod over opponents such as Kansas and Kansas
State. Between those those two schools there is only one
victory.
Does beating one good team, and 10 easy sisters,
qualify one for a national championship?
Any guess as to which school will bring more fans to
the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma or Kansas? The last time
Kansas played in the Orange Bowl it was quarter
backed by a lefty named Bobby Douglas.
One other question. What is a Green Wave, and how
many Tulane students does it take, and can it be done in
a domed stadium.?
quarters, Forsyth County attempted
to take it away in the final eight min
utes. Anyone looking for a cause be
hind the comeback had to look no fur
ther than Kemp, who hit for 21 in the
second half.
Kemp pulled his team to 64-57 with
two clutch baskets. At the 4:14 mark,
Chris Bennett made it 66-61 with a
basket. Ritchie Pirkle’s steal, and en
suing layup, made it 66-63. Following
two Crestwood free throws, Kemp’s
three-pointer made it a two-point
game.
Matthew Hughes, last year’s tour
nament MVP, had 13 in the game.
Robbie Mathis was the third Bulldog
in double digits, as he hit for 10. Ben
nett pitched in with six while Pirkle
and Dusty Tenhouse had four each.
Any questions about the Bulldogs
ability to repeat as champions were
answered Friday, as it beat Milton,
83-55. In that game it appeared For
syth County was on line to win its sec
ond crown.
Against Milton, it jumped to a 24-14
lead. The best was yet to come. The
Bulldogs thundered for 31, second
quarter points, and a 55-26 halftime
lead. Despite losing the third quarter
in 19-8 fashion, it still led 53-45.
Kemp was also the scoring leader
against Milton, hitting for 20. There
were tnree Bulldogs in double figures,
as Pirkle and Hughes scored 15 and 15
respectively. Mathis had seven while
Tenhouse ana Adam Craft hit for six
Fc':m 4 Vgfe JBSBI'
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All star Billy Kemp
each. David Holbrook had five more
while Bruce Thomas and Ron Buffing
ton scored two apiece.
The loss to Crestwood made it two
such games this year already. North
Gwinnett, on a last-second shot, won
67-65. Kemp was the scoring leader in
that game, hitting for 18. Bennett and
Hughes were also in double figures,
scoring 15 and 14.
BOWL SCHEDULE
CALIFORNIA, 12/12, 4:30, ESPN
Eastern Michigan-San Jose State
INDEPENDENCE, 12/19, 8:00, Mizlou
T ulane-Washington
ALL AMERICAN, 12/22, 8:00, Raycom
Virginia-Brigham Young
SUN, 12/12, 2:30, CBS
Oklahoma St.-West Virginia
ALOHA, 12/25, 3:45, ABC
Florida-UCLA
LIBERTY, 12/29, 8:00, Raycom
Arkansas-Georgia
FREEDOM, 12/30, 8:00, Mizlou
Air Force-Arizona State
HOLIDAY, 12/30, 7:30, ESPN
Wyoming-lowa
GATOR, 1231, 12:30, CBS
South Carolina-LSU
BLUEBONNET, 12/31, 8:00, Mizlou
Pittsburgh-Texas
CITRUS, 1/1, 12 noon, ABC
Clemson-Penn State
COTTON, 1/1, 1:00, CBS
Texas A&M-Notre Dame
SUGAR, 1/1, 3:30, ABC
Aubum-Syracuse
Rose, 1/1, 5:00, NBC
Michigan State-Southern Cal
ORANGE, 1/1, 8:00 NBC
Oklahoma-Miami
FIESTA, 1/2 or 2, TBA, NBC
Nebraska-Florida State
PEACH, 1/2, 1:00, Mizlou
T ennessee-lndiana
HALL OF FAME, 1/2, 8:00, NBC
Aiabama-Michigan
1B