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Perry sports
Emmet helps
with the picks
My uncle Emmet is in town from
California.
The reason I bring up such fasci
nating information is he is the one
who really introduced me to sports.
He played catch with me for
hours, taught me how to field
grounders, he’d explain what was
happening in the course of a game
and he taught me how to open the
refrigerator (seriously).
One of his leagices is that I now
to get spend my days talking and
writing about sports and I get paid
for it.
He's also an opinionated guy and
he never hesitated to set me straight
when 1 like a team that he didn't.
Invariably, whatever team 1 liked
he explained what was wrong with
them.
The Minnesota Vikings were al
ways "too old", the Lakers "not
tough enough" and the St. Louis
Cardinals had "no power."
So it is in his honor that I am at
tempting to take a clear eyed look
at this weekend's games.
I'm going to try and pick using
Emmet’s reasoning and a few of his
biases.
One disclaimer, he'd probably end
up with a better percentage so don't
blame him if I get one (if only)
wrong.
Last week I picked Georgia, Notre
Dame Miami, Arizona and Fort
Valley.
Well I got three right and lost on
Arizona because 1 stupidly picked
against a California team. I picked
Fort Valley based on the recom
mendation of our photographer who
shall remain nameless (Eric
Zellars). Eric had picked the Blue
Jays so I figured he must know
more than I did.
He does, but his heart got in the
way of his head on the Fort Valley
game.
So now I'll boldy charge into this
week.
Miami at Syracuse. The 'Canes
are planning on a national champi
onship, but I like Syracuse.
They're at home, they're as produc
tive on offense as Miami is and it's
about time for Miami to lose.
Smart money, including Emmet's,
is on the 'Canes but I'm going with
the Redmen.
USC vs UCLA. Trojans have had
their best year since 'B9 and the
Bruins have struggled in conference
play. SC's defense gave
Washington trouble, so I like them
in a close one. Warning, these
games are almost always close no
matter what the two records are. It
could be close enough for UCLA’s
excellent kicker to be the difference.
South Carolina at Clemson. I'm
now on the record as somebody
who enjoys seeing a player rebel
lion result in a new winning ap
proach. But Clemson's freshman
QB and great defense (who may be
losing their coordinator) will be too
much. Though my heart says
Gamecocks, logic and Emmet say
go with Death Valley.
Michigan at Ohio State. Last
time I looked the Buckeyes had still
not beaten Michigan in the John
Cooper era. Cooper has to have
one soon or he'll be employed
elsewhere. Michigan has too much
speed and their pride is hurt after ty
ing Illinois. I'd like to see OSU
beat 'em, but uncle says go with
the power.
I think the second best game of
the weekend, behind Miami-
Syracuse, will be Wake Forest-NC
State. Both teams are solid in
every phase and Wake is on a roll.
NC State may have too much de
fense, but I'll go with Wake Forest.
Now to the NFL:
Atlanta at Buffalo. Let's see, it's
snowing in Buffalo, the Falcons
usually play in a dome and their
quarterback will be wearing a ski
jacket and jeans. It's a gamble but I
like the Bills by as many as you
want.
San Francisco at LA Rams.
Rams nearly beat them last time,
but 'Niners tend to play better in
Anaheim than the Rams do.
Philadelphia at NY Giants. Ea
gles have had the Giants' number in
recent years. Apparent dissension
in Philly matched only by apparent
Please see LAWSON, page 3B
Fumbles cost PHSat Appling Co. 41-7
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
Plagued by critical turnovers, the
Perry Panthers football season
ended Friday night with a 41-7 loss
to Appling County.
The score indicates a blowout but
Perry was close in the final statis
tics gaining 279 total yards to Ap
pling County's 318.
Appling County had won 9 in a
row going into Friday night and the
Pirates running attack led by Bryan
Holmes (20 carries 139 yards) gave
Perry problems all night.
But even with the Pirates ability
to move the ball it took some
costly turnovers to seal Perry's fate.
Two of Perry's turnovers came
after big plays and the other two
occurred as the Panthers began to
drive down the field.
Appling County opened the scor
ing on their second possession.
Following a short Perry punt, Ap
pling County went 23 yards in five
plays with Brandon Vann carrying
the ball in from the six.
The Panther' offense showed their
first signs of life on their next pos
session. Sparked by a 23 yard run
by Shawn Bass and an 11 yard run
by Stacy Francis, Perry moved the
ball to the Pirate 46. Bass then
sprinted 17 yards to the Appling
County 25, but fumbled as he was
hit and the Pirates recovered.
The Perry defense held and Ap
pling County had to punt. Perry
Hornets gearing up
for a new season
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
The Westfield Hornets basketball
team were two points away from
the state championship a year ago.
But four of the five starters from
last year's region championship
team have graduated. Like last sea
son, coach Cater Pierce will spend
the first part of the season
experimenting with line-ups and
styles of play.
"Last year before Christmas prior
to region play, we spent a lot of
time looking for the right
chemistry. But by the time region
started we had it figured out. This
year is exactly like last year. I'll
play 14-15 players at the Tattnall
Tip Off Tournament and give
everybody a chance to prove if they
can do it or not. We may go 0-10,
but we'll be ready when region
starts," Pierce said.
The lone returning starter for the
Hornets is senior point guard
Austin Abney, who Pierce calls "a
coach on the floor."
Senior Shane Hester, last year's
sixth man, will move into the start
ing line-up at power forward. Ju
nior Lon Talton is expected to start
at shooting guard and John Shipley
is the leading candidate at small
forward. Geoff Hill, who was the
back-up point guard last year will
play both guard positions.
Perry soccer teams play for spot in state finals
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
Two Perry Recreation soccer
teams will be vying today in
Warner Robins for a chance to go
to the state finals.
The teams are competing in the
Georgia Recreation and Park Asso
ciation sixth district championship.
In addition to the teams from Perry,
RAFB, Warner Robins and
Milledgeville will compete in the
single elimination championship.
In order to qualify for the finals a
team has to win two games today.
The Perry nine years old and under
all-stars play a RAFB all star team
at 10 a.m. at Tanner Park. The
Perry 11 and under, Suns, will play
Milledgeville at 2 p.m.
The nine year old stars are coached
by Phil Gentry and Tony Jenkins.
The team is made up of seven
players from the two Perry nine and
under teams, the Pistons and the
Flyers.
"We picked the team two weeks
ago and we've had four practices
since then. The squad fits together
really well and both teams played
the base tough during the season.
These boys are one of the first
groups who began playing soccer in
Perry. A lot of them have been
took over on their own 20. On
second and 14 Bass hit Boris King
on a 25 yard completion to the
Perry 41.
The second turnover occurred
when Bass’ pilch was behind Tcruya
Williams and the Pirates recovered
on the Perry 27.
Three plays later, Pirate quarter
back Ken Thomason threw a screen
to Vann who ran it in for a 25 yard
touchdown.
Trailing 14-0, the Perry offense
responded again. The Panthers
moved from their 31 to the Appling
47 in six plays. On second and 10,
Williams went around the right side
following a good fake by Stacy
Francis and sprinted 47 yards to
make the score 14-7.
With 1:23 left in the half the Pan
thers, moved to the Pirate 46 after a
29 yard run by pass. Three long
pass attempts failed and the gun
signalled halftime.
Appling County stopped Perry on
their first possession on three
downs. The Pirates scored three
plays later on a 33 yard run by
Vann.
Again Perry responded. On third
and 5 Bass hit Dexter Kendrick on a
screen pass and Kendrick ran 46
yards to Pirate 22.
With the Panthers down 21-7 but
threatening the game was still in
question, but the next play all but
doomed Perry's season.
There arc several players compet
ing for time at the center position
including senior Chad Evans, who
missed last season with knee prob
lems, junior Troy Nuss, junior
Wade Horsting and freshman Brian
Nash.
Pierce lost most of his rebounding
and experience from last year with
the graduation of Joey Hawk, John
Gamble, Johnathan Waldorf and
John Lambcrth.
Westfield will only have had three
full practices before their season
opens Nov. 23.
"It helps that our players have
played together for so long and they
all get along so well. Every year
you lose people, but our boys look
around and see people they've been
playing with for years so its not
much of an adjustment," Pierce
said.
Several of the Hornets players
have just finished the football sea
son and Pierce said they have to
work into basketball shape.
"The boys always dread this but
I'm a big advocate of conditioning.
In football you get almost a minute
to rest between plays but in basket
ball there is almost no time to rest.
We're going to play running press
ing basketball and you have to be
in condition to play that style,"
Pierce said.
playing since they were five years
old," Gentry said.
Lon Lower, coach of the Suns,
feels good about his team's chances.
"I think our boys have a got
chance. They're good players and
they can hold their own against
anybody. The base team has a big
ger pool to draw from as an all-star
team, but we've been playing to
gether all year. All of our boys did
a real good job this year. I've
coached some of them for six years,
and two players, Brandon Pfleegor
and David Talley, played on our
state championship team two years
ago," he said.
It was a team effort all year Lower
emphasized, but a few of the play
ers who excelled for the Suns this
fall have been Josh Lower, Luke
Norman, leading scorer Pfleegor and
goalie Talley who Lower said did an
"outstanding job."
"Our boys are excited about play
ing and they know if they win two
they get to keep playing," Lower
said.
The second game, which deter
mines the two champions from the
sixth district, will be played in the
late afternoon
Please see SOCCER, page 3B
Perry’s Teruya Williams sheds an Appling County tackier on his way to a TD.
Alter taking the snap Bass was hit
by a host of Pirate tacklers, fum
bled and Appling County recovered
on their 22.
The Pirates then went 88 yards in
nine plays, with Thomason scoring
on a 20 yard run.
The Westfield boys basketball team works on ball handling during practice
Thursday. Coach Cater Pierce conducted try-outs Monday and Tuesday and
the team began working together Wednesday. Their season opens Monday in
the Tattnall Tip-Off Tournament.
Rounding out the teams roster arc
seniors Josh Williams and Jason
Shell, junior Jeff Dortch,
sophomore Lindsey Harrell and
freshman Matt Shepley.
"Matt tried out with a cast on his
right arm. He had to play with his
left hand and he's right handed. But
he still played well enough in try
outs to make the team. With his
quickness he could end up helping
us this year," Pierce said.
Abney will be the team's floor
leader, ball handler and is a solid
-iMi' Hvßflit .. t
The 1992 Perry recreation soccer league 11 and under Suns. Front sitting-
Randy Whltton, Steven Self. Kneeling: Ross Yasln, Luke Norman, Brandon
Pfleegor, Bradd Harrell, Michael Rowley. Standing, Jesston Mullls, Kyle Harold
David Talley, Josh Lower, Joseph Seipos, Beverly Self (team mom). Not
pictured, John Erwin, Dave Smith, Coach Lon Lower.
f The Houston Home f
Journal
The Panthers got the ball back at
their 27 and quickly moved the Pi
rate 38. But Williams had the ball
stripped and Pirate linebacker Jason
Carter scooped it up and ran 38
yards for the score.
outside shooter. Hester will help
with the rebounding and has shoot
ing range. Talton and Williams arc
also consistent long-range threats.
"The biggest hole is at center.
We may end up moving Evans
from forward to center, but Hi give
them all a chance," Pierce said.
The region includes new addition
George Walton, who is expected to
be strong. Other G ISA powers are
likely to be Monroe, who Westfield
defeated in the state semi-finals.
Two years ago Monroe went to the
Perry Coach John Stephens said
afterward, "We played that first half
on heart. They're a good team and
Holmes is bigger than our kids and
as fast, he's tough. Heart can only
lake you so far. I can’t fault our
kids, Appling's a great team."
finals with lour sophomores and all
four arc back for their senior year
and Pierce calls them "very tal
ented."
Mt. de Sales, who beat Westfield
in the finals last year, was hit hard
by graduation but Pierce said they're
"always good." Tattnall played a
6'5 freshman last year and are ex
pected to be strong as well.
The Hornets open their season
Monday night in the Tattnall Tip-
Off Tournament.