Newspaper Page Text
Hornets fall to Vikings—2B
Perry sports
~V * I
Mark Blu men
HHJ Sports Editor
Tourney time
is here for
both schools
Sitting in the office wondering
what to discuss this issue, I got to
thinking about the games coming
up for the local basketball teams.
Perry starts their tournament
Thursday while Westfield's will be
later next week.
Perry travels to Buena Vista to
battle the Amcricus Panthers !
Thursday night. By ail means, the
Panthers should come out with a
victory.
If they don't win this game
against a team that isn't much taller
than me, than they don't deserve to
win.
To be honest, 1 believe Perry will
win this game but the following
night, Perry should be battling
Sumter County and if they don’t get
upset, this should be the game of
the tournament.
Perry came back to win against
the Rams at home but then rallied
from 15 points down in Amcricus
only to lose by nine points, 79-70.
If Perry can get by them, host
team Tri-County waits in the
wings.
Perry will have to play them
without preparation for them be
cause Coach Carl Thomas is
preparing for Sumter County and
some for Amcricus.
"We’ll get together for a walk
through of what Tri-county docs
Saturday about an hour before we
leave," Thomas explained.
This is like cramming for a test.
When 1 was in college, I
crammed numerous times. This is
when 1 made my best grades. I was
always told this is not the best way
to study but if it works, then do it.
Sometimes you have no other
choice. Perry has two tests before
the final exam and they must pass
them both.
Had the Panthers passed their test
against Jackson two weeks ago,
Perry could exempt the first two
tests by staying at home, but that's
a different story.
Perry has lost two out of the last
three games but they have had al
most a week to prepare for the sub
region tournament.
The Lady Panthers have had a
good season again and now they
must show they can win some big
games.
They have a pretty easy game as
well to open the tournament with
Sumter County but in the next
game, Upson County could be
waiting in the wings.
Perry defeated the Ycllowjackcts
42-41 for coach James Kinchcn’s
200th win earlier this season but
Upson came back to avenge that
loss with a big win in Thomaslon.
Phyllis Baker performed her Na
talie White display and if Perry
doesn't stop the guards of Upson
County, Perry could be eliminated.
Coach 'K' has said all along he
knew he would have some guard
problems but if Perry can pound the
ball inside to Dcidre Williams and
Chasity Thornton can hit her share
of jump shots, Perry should ad
vance to battle Tri-County.
Tri-County has a tough test
waiting for them no matter who
wins.
Sure, they'll be well rested but
Perry (hopefully both squads) will
have played two games to get there
and should have the momentum
going into the game.
Tri-County will have had over a
week off and may be a little rusty.
The only good thing about that is
no matter who wins or loses, both
squads will advance to the region
tournament in Forsyth at Mary
Persons High School.
Now, looking at Westfield, the
Hornets have surprised a lot of
people.
Andy Sparrow and John Gamble
Please see BLUMEN, Page 4B
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J"' v W
April Horsting and Laura Langston get rebounding
position in the Lady Hornets victory over Tattnall.
P6rry Boys Bracket
Thursday 5:30 p.m.
Americus
Friday 8:30 p.m.
Sumter County
Saturday 8:30 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 p.m.
Upson County Tri-County
Perry Girls Bracket
Thursday 7:00 p.m.
Sumter County
Friday 7:00 p.m.
Upson County
Thursday 4:00 p.m. Saturday 7:00
Americus Tri-County
New era starts for Perry baseball
«n U ih Di K k M a « d ™ pp Peake < hi,tln s) do a drill that helps with keeping the eye
on the ball. The Panthers began baseball practice this past Monday afternoon. 1
Wednesday, q
Feb. 13,1991 ID
Flip of a coin decides number one seed
Lady Hornets finish strong
with a victory over Tattnall
Perry drops final to WR—3B j
By MARK BLUMEN
Sports Editor
The Westfield Lady Hornets had
nothing to lose and everything to
gain Tuesday night in Macon in
their last regular season crucial
region matchup.
The Lady Hornets had lost earlier
this year by one point to the Tat
tnall Square Lady Trojans but this
time first place in the region or at
least a share of it was at stake.
Westfield came out and played
aggressive basketball for 3 1/2
quarters and took a 59-48 victory
over the Tattnall Square Academy
Lady Trojans.
Christi Horsting gave the Lady
Hornets the early 2-0 lead but Kristi
Welch tied the game at two.
Westfield went on a 5-0 run to
open a 7-2 lead but it looked as if
the bottom fell out for the Lady
Hornets.
Tattnall ran off the next 15
points to take what looked to be a
commanding 17-7 lead. Welch had
eight points during the run as she
was getting position inside over the
taller Horsting.
f The Houston Home f
Journal
"I thought they were going to have an on night but we
hiung right in there, got back in the flow of things and
had a good second and third quarter,"
Lady Hornets Head Coach Donna Campbell
April Horsting stopped the
drought, which lasted from 5:45 left
in the first period until eight sec
onds left in the quarter.
Westfield trailed 17-9 heading
into the second period.
A 6-0 run by the Lady Hornets
sparked Westfield on the comeback
trail.
Sarah Davidson hit a basket with
5:01 left in the half to give Tattnall
a 19-15 lead but Westfield put to
gether another run.
Westfield used a 10-0 run, with
four each from the Horsting sisters
sandwiched around an Angela
Santiago rebound of a missed free
throw.
Santiago's basket gave Westfield
the lead for good with 3:36 left in
the half.
Panthers open 4AA
subregion tourney
By MARK BLUMEN
Sports Editor
The Perry High School Panthers
will open the subregion basketball
tournament in Buena Vista against
the Americus Panthers Thursday
night.
Perry defeated Americus both
times the two squads met this year,
but Perry Head Coach Carl Thomas
is not taking this game for granted.
"In terms of matching up, we
match up well against Americus.
They have not been able to slop
Ken (Sikes) or Tazari (Green) in
side," Thomas said. "The thing that
hurt them badly here is we ran a
half court trap and they did not
handle it well at all. It made the
game appear to be easier than it re
ally was. I expect Americus to give
us all we want.”
Americus defeated Warner Robins
and Macon County this year in
Americus.
"They're capable. They are going
to be capable of playing us," he
said. "They have not matched up
well against us and because we're
not a great half court basketball
team but they are one of the teams
we’re going to play a half court
game because we can take it inside.
For them to beat us, they are going
to have to play us a full court
game. They are going to have to
press us. They have chosen not to
do so for whatever reason."
Americus finished 1-7 in the
subregion with the only win com
ing against Upson County.
By MARK BLUMEN
Sports Editor
Excitement is in the air for a new
era beginning at Perry High
School.
That excitement is from first year
Panthers baseball Head Coach Bob
Jones.
Jones is taking over the position
vacated by interim Head Coach Tim
Simmons.
Simmons' squad finished 19-5,
winning the region before losing
two out of three games to the
Fitzgerald Purple Wave in the first
round of the state playoffs.
Simmons will now be in charge
of the Panthers jay vee team.
"I'm excited about getting started.
I've been looking forward to it since
I came here," Jones said. "It's
something we're going to have to
work at. We haven't won the first
ball game yet. We have the same
record as everybody else. We are all
0-0. We have to start from that and
Jiopfe good things will happen. I
think they can,"
Perry will play 12 ball games
beginning March 5 at Hawkinsville
Davidson stopped the run with a
basket with 48 seconds left in the
half.
Westfield led 27-23 heading into
halftime.
"Tattnall came out hot. They
scored 17 points that first quarter,"
explained Lady Hornets Head Coach
Donna Campbell. ”1 thought they
were going to have a on night and
we hung right in there, got back in
the flow of things and had a good
second and third quarter."
Westfield's 18-5 second quarter
was only the start of what was to
come.
Santiago hit the first basket of
the third period but Erica Graham
decided it was her time to get in the
act.
Graham hit all eight of her points
Please see VICTORY, Page 4B
"We have to locus on exactly
what we're doing,” he added. "You
play them one game at a time.”
with a victory Thursday night,
Perry will battle Sumter
County/Upson County winner on
Friday night.
Upson finished 1-7 in the subre
gion while Sumter finished with a
6-2 record splitting the two contests
with Perry.
"Upson competed with them at
home," Thrift explained. "But you
have to assume they'll (Sumter
County) win. If Upson can get the
ball up the floor and play them half
court, they have a chance to beat
Sumter County."
The Panthers will be playing
without starting point guard Robert
Grace.
Grace was ejected from the Pan
thers last game with Warner Robins
for fighting with Peach County
transfer, Trent Allen.
Both Grace and Allen, by GHSA
rules are now required to sit out
their next game.
"Jeff Ridley will take over the
position. Jeff already worked his
way into the starting lineup,"
Thomas said. "He has been playing
most of his time at an off guard
position and only had some spot
minutes at point guard."
Thomas feels one of the keys to
Thursday game with Americus is
how well Jeff Ridley handles the
ball handlers responsiblities.
Please see TOURNEY, Page 4B
before they play their first subre
gion game with Sumter County on
April 3 in Amcricus.
"1 did that for the purpose that if
the basketball team went long then
we still have five or six games
where we can play ourselves into
shape," he added. "I'd hate to throw
Ken (Panthers pitcher Ken Sikes) in
there and say you have to go seven
innings.
"We just have to get out and
work through the early spring. I
have to see who's who and what's
what," he explained. "It's going to
take a little time. I know some of
the kids and that they have some
abilities. If we can just get out of
them what we hope to, then we ll
be okay."
Perry started practice Monday
with 23 players showing up. Jones
admittedly is not a one dimensional
coach, in that he docs not stress
speed, or power as his philosophy
but whatever his team is best at,
he'll work on that.
"You have to coach baseball
players. You don't coach baseball,"
Please see JONES, Page 4B