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I - FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Wednesday, April 21,2004
Local Sports
5K run honors
local man
The Jay Cullen Memorial
5K race, to be held Saturday.
April 24, at the First Baptist
Church of Cumming, will
honor the local cyclist Jay
Cullen who was recently
killed by a motorist. The race
begins at 8 a.m. Raceday reg
istration lasts from 7-7:45
a.m. and costs sl7. Interested
parties can also register
online at www.active.com.
For more information, con
tact the First Baptist Church.
(770)887-2428.
ASA set to host
summer camps
The Atlanta Soccer
Academy. Forsyth County's
new soccer club, is hosting
Summer Camps this season
in Cumming. The first ses
sion runs June 21 -25. There
will be sessions for players in
age divisions U 6 to U 8 (from
9 a.m. to 11 am).U9 to Ull
(9 a.m. to noon) and Ul2 &
up (4-7 pm.). The camp costs
S9O for U6-U8 participants
and is $ 125 for players aged
U 9 & up. The ASA's second
camp runs July 19-23. This
camp is involved with the
Atlanta Silverbacks profes
sional club and will take
place at Forsyth's Pinecrest
Academy. The Silverbacks
camp has two sessions: 9
a.m. to noon (cost. $100) and
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (cost. $185).
Call (770) 557-0430 or visit
www.atlsoccer.com.
Cumming
Waves to host
registration
The 2003 NGSL
Champion Cumming Waves
swim team w ill host open
enrollment for the 2004 sea
son on Saturday. April 24.
from 9 a.m. to noon.
Enrollment and swimsuit fit
tings will be at the Cumming
Parks and Recreation office
on Pilgrim Mill Road.
Fees $ 120 for the first
child and sllO for additional
children. A copy of the swim
mer's birth certificate is
required at registration. Call
Jeff McLean, (770) 886-5251.
Adult baseball
league forming
A new adult baseball
league associated with Stan
Musial Baseball is seeking
teams in Forsyth and sur
rounding counties to begin
play in late spring and sum
mer of 2004. Call Dennis
Holbrook at (770) 887-4036.
sgg Now registering foru BS
H w ej-Gorv\ e [M
■ TO CAt'A't* H
M*A*D (Music,Art, Drama) “ June 7-11,9 AM-12 Noon S
ql - Cost; S4O - Sing together, experience handbells A
recorders, hear professional concerts, create art
work, and prepare a short musical presentation
Clay Camp - July 6-8,10 AM-12 Noon - Cost; S4O
Local artist Kathy Wert will lead in techniques to I
create colorful clay art -
Creative Ministries Camp - June 29-July 1,
9-30 AM-12 Noon - Cost; S4O - Local Artist Karen
Lucci will present Bible Stories and themes to "un
cork" creativity with water colors
The above camps are for Grades 3-6 (fall placement)
Creative Ministries Camp - June 15-17, 9 30
AM-12 Noon - Cost: S4O - Local Artist Karen Lucci
will present Bible Stories and themes to "uncork"
creativity with water colors. For Age 4-grade 2 (fall W
■ placement)
Vacation Bible School - Cost: sls (includes T-shirt)
June 21-25, 9 AM-12 Noon or
July 19-23,6:30-8:30 PM
Join us for an exciting adventure on Lava Lava Is
land! Explore the life of Jesus through music, crafts,
mission study, story telling and recreation. For age 4
-grade 6 (fall placement)
|BS Cumming First United Methodist Church
M 770 Canton Hwy • Cumming, GA 30040
Questions? Call: (770) 887-2900, ext 220
If the Braves can believe in themselves, why can’t the fans?
The naysayers, the faint
hearted, and those of little faith
were out in full force Friday as
the World Champion Florida
Marlins hit town.
Why. to hear the talk, you’d
have thought the Braves would
be better served by just forfeit
ing the three game set and sav
ing wear and tear on their
players.
_ Even the Braves them
selves seemed taken aback by
the Marlins juggernaut. "Not
every team has the confidence
the Marlins do,” noted a wide
eyed Marcus Giles. "It’s some
thing we need to have, too.
Confidence is a tough thing to
beat, and a tough thing to
develop."
“They have that air about
them right now, and rightfully
so," chimed in Mark Deßosa.
"They're young, confident,
and aggressive. And they’ve
got pitchers hitting better than
me! On the bench last year, we
watched them and said. 'This
team will become a monster if
they ever put it all together.'
And they have.”
Florida landed in Atlanta
with an 8-1 record, a seven
game winning streak, a three
game division lead, and a fran
chise record 30 consecutive
scoreless innings streak intact.
READY from IB
title contender: talent, desire,
coaching and plain old luck.
Mark Richt seems to have a
firm handle on his team, and
his cool exterior Should help
deflect the impending weight
of expectations.
The 25.000 or so attendees
to Saturday's spring game can
certainly attest that the Dogs
have the requisite skill and
desire. But whether that last
ingredient ("old lady luck" as
the gravely voiced Munson
might say) joins the mix is
anyone's guess.
Because while teams can
make their own. there's a
chance that Georgia will need
UCLA to upset USC or even
Tennessee to knock out
Florida.
There's also the injury sit
uation that all fans red and
black became too familiar
with last season. You can't
w in championships when half
the team is on the trainer's
table.
If the Dogs suffer a repeat
of last season's attrition, the
hype could turn out to be just
that, “hype."
But if Georgia's luck
holds, Saturday showed that
tickets could be awfully hard
to come by in Athens this fall.
David Greene, who could
leave Georgia as possibly its
best-ever signal caller, looked
sharp, going 11-for-13 with
two touchdowns. His
Denton J
Ashway X&f
Their team earned run average
of 1.22 was worthy of the
Dead Ball Era.
The Braves, meanwhile,
had sputtered to a 4-5 start,
doing a little bit of hitting (all
at once, when it did come) and
virtually no pitching. Staff
aces Russ Ortiz and Mike
Hampton looked incapable of
retiring the Toledo Mud Hens.
Closer John Smoltz was sur
rendering a home run every
inning.
Suddenly, the Braves were
looking at having their confi
dence completely eroded,
being buried in the standings,
and having the Marlins sym
bolically sweeping away the
Braves as Division Kingpins.
Suddenly, this was as big a
series as April can afford.
Leave it to Smoltz, to sound
the rallying cry. "We need to
chop 'em down. We’re getting
ready to go on a long road trip,
and we need to keep our heads
above water. It'd be real nice
to be playing good baseball.”
Thank you. Dr. Smoltz. By
slimmed-down profile signi
fied that he is indeed ready for
his final campaign between
the hedges.
The receivers, despite a
couple of early drops, looked
good, making big plays when
they had chances, as did the
running backs (the Dogs may
have found a strong 1-2 com
bination in Kregg Lumpkin
and freshman Danny Ware).
The only question on
offense remains a banged up
line of scrimmage. With two
starters (Bartley Miller and
Josh Brock) already roaming
the sidelines, Georgia lost
another when the mammoth
Max Jean-Gilles went down
with an ankle sprain not to
worry, Gilles should be fine
come September. But the
depth situation has got to be
a concern.
The defense also has
some questions along the
line, namely whether they’ll
have enough quality depth at
tackle. Georgia also sports a
young set of cornerbacks.
But other than that, the
Bulldog defense showed that
it may, indeed, be even better
than last year.
Odell Thurman and
Thomas Davis while they
were allowed found their
way into every play with the
usual results (I'm sure
Lumpkin's bell is still ring
ing) before hitting the bench
es early. As for David
Pollack, the senior sparkplug
Sunday afternoon, the Braves
found themselves in an
impromptu mosh pit at home
plate, a joyous group that just
couldn’t stop jumping up and
down, hugging and slapping
each other on the back. The
Braves, mind you.
They mobbed Andruw
Jones, who moments earlier
had motored around the bases
and slid home with the win
ning run, sealing the three
game sweep, boosting the
Braves confidence, and send
ing them on the road playing
good baseball.
Yes, it’s only April, only a
3-2 win, but don’t think this
wasn’t big. When’s the last
time you saw the Braves act
like little leaguers at the Dairy
Queen? The ’95 Series,
maybe?
In fact, this series might
have been the call to arms.
Though no one else seems to,
these Braves now appear to
believe in themselves. And if
they’re going to be dethroned
as division champs, they’re
going down hard.
Sunday’s game was so big
that Giles, the fuzzy-cheeked,
ever-grinning second baseman.
managed to get himself tossed
out of the game. Yes, the third
strike called by plate umpire
couldn’t even get into the con
test. Pollack dressed but was
held out, offensive coaches
noting that they were tired of
him blowing up every play up
before it even developed.
• Saturday showed that there
are many good things to come
this fall, but it also served as a
scary reminder of just how
fragile that success could be.
The Dogs have, possibly,
more depth than at any time in
recent history, but as all
Bulldog fans learned last sea
son. it takes more than just
depth to win.
To go all the way, you need
a little luck too. Get that, and
Georgia may find themselves
in the middle of a champi
onship hunt in 2004.
events seminars
Unless otherwise noted,
all seminars are
free.
31 c Ver I
colorectal cancer | Who’s at Risk?
Early detection and treatments may make a difference in the eventual
outcome of colorectal cancer The five-year survival rate is about 90% for
people treated in an early stage, before it has spread, but only about a
third of colorectal cancers are found that soon. Join colorectal surgeon
Dolford S Payne, MD for a discussion of detection, diagnosis and treatment.
When: Tuesday, April 20 and Tuesday, April 27 at 7:00 p.m
Where: North Fulton Regional Hospital, Second Floor, Classroom D
Call: (770)751-2660 for registration and information
arthritis | Hip and Knee Pain
Kim Yourick, PT, MBA discusses hip and knee pain, joint pain, arthritis
treatment options, surgery, rehabilitation and nutrition.
When: April 29, May 27, June 24
Where: NFRH Medical Office Building, 2500 Hospital Boulevard, Suite 400
Call: (770)751-2660 for registration and information
weightloss | Bariatric Surgery Weight Loss
Program Coordinator Belencia White, RN discusses surgical weight loss
options for those 100 pounds or more overweight.
When: Seminars are offered each month.
Where: 11685 Alpharetta Highway, Suite 165, Medical Arts Center Building
Call: (770)751-2660 for registration, dates, time and information
North Fulton Regional Hospital
< fener
www.m>rthftlltonf«gloMl.com Georgia
Chris Guccione was both high
and outside, but when was the
last time a bad call induced a
Brave to toss equipment on the
field in protest?
And there was Mike
Hampton, he of the robust
16.20 ERA coming in, out
pitching the Marlins Brad
Penny (1.80). At least until
Kevin Gryboski relieved in the
eighth, just in time to surren
der a tying, pinch-hit homer to
Ramon Castro. But the Braves
pulled the game out when
Miguel Cabrera lost Johnny
Estrada’s fly in the sun, and
Andruw Jones beat two perfect
throws to the plate. Gee, that
sounds like the Braves of old:
making the opponent pay dear
ly for any mistake.
Saturday, it was Russ Ortiz,
he of the robust 6.75 ERA
coming in, outpitching World
Series hero Josh Beckett in a
4-1 Braves win. Beckett had
been nearly unhittable, coming
in with a microscopic ERA of
0.64. That jumped to 2.21 after
the Braves tagged him for four
runs in six innings, including
homers by Chipper Jones and
gadzooks! Jessie Garcia.
Friday night. Jaret Wright
overcame some early shaky
fielding with six solid innings,
Eli Marrero and Chipper
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Photo/David McGregor
Starting fullback Des Williams is tackled by Demario
Minter and Thomas Davis.
added two-run homers, and
Smoltz came on to save the 5-
4 win without incident.
And don’t forget, this team
still isn’t healthy. Rafael
Furcal, out a week with a weak
back, returned Sunday only
because of Giles’ ejection.
Chipper was carted off the
field after reinjuring his ham
string in the sixth inning
Sunday. J. D. Drew has missed
a week, and will doubtless
miss more time. It’s his nature
to be sidelined. Still, it was
enough to get the Marlins talk
ing to themselves. As center
fielder Juan Pierre observed
Saturday night, “Until some
body knocks them out of the
East, they’re the team to beat.”
All of which brings us back
to Dr. Smoltz. “This is not a
team that can lose confidence
in itself. It knows it needs to
do certain things the right way.
I see this team fighting for the
things it has to get. But you
watch this team from the start
and you watch it grow.”
Just as we watched the
Braves confidence and passion
grow over the weekend.
When not practicing his
avocation, Denton Ashway
practices his vocation with the
law firm of Ashway and Haldi
in Cumming.