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| Woods 'n Water— 2B |
Perry sports
f Brian |
Lawson
Sports editor
Playoff
picks '93
Just like New Years Day is the
best day of the year for college
football fans, this weekend is the
best for pro football fans.
There are some who say Super
Bowl Sunday is the biggest football
day in America, but aside from the
numbers, how often is the Super
Bowl a competitive game?
This weekend promises two qual
ity games on Saturday and two on
Sunday.
I'm not a big fan of the NFL
owners, for example I think the
"No Celebration rule" is as mind
numbingly stupid as anything ever
devised.
But, when it comes to the play
offs I still make it a point to watch.
The playoffs always produce one
or two great games every year.
About this time last season,
Denver beat the Oilers when Elway
marched them down the field in un
der two minutes with no timeouts
left. I was rooting for the other
side, but 1 had to cheer his brilliant
effort.
I'm going to make some picks for
this weekends games and we'll sec
if you want to bet mortgage on my
hunches or laugh at my futility.
Saturday's games:
Buffalo at Pittsburgh.
Let me start by saying that JJ
Cooper who can be fairly described
as a prodigy, is a major Stcclcrs
fan. The fact that JJ likes them is
one of the few reasons I’m willing
to take them seriously enough to
evaluate this game.
Buffalo is banged up on both sides
of the ball and Thurman Thomas is
questionable for Sunday's game.
Pittsburgh gives the ball to Barry
Foster over and over and wears
down the defense. Pittsburgh had
trouble scoring at the tail end of the
season before they routed Cleveland
two weeks ago.
Buffalo is without Jim Kelly, but
most everybody is aware of the
comeback Frank Reich directed last
weekend.
The weather doesn't favor any
body, Pittsburgh should be able to
run the ball and Buffalo is missing
a disproportionate number of their
stars, out Buffalo seems to be inca
pable of losing big games to AFC
opponents. Sorry JJ, I'm picking
Buffalo.
Washington at San Francisco.
It's not secret, to win a Super
Bowl the last five years, you had to
go through either die Nincrs or the
Redskins.
Washington won it last year, San
Fransisco had the best record in the
NFL this year.
If both teams play like they
can,this could be a classic.
Washington has struggled on of
fense much of the year, but now
their line is healthy.
San Francisco has dominated just
about everybody, but they have a
suspect secondary.
The Skins have injury problems
in their secondary and Mark Rypien
has been slightly off all season.
The Niners are favored by nine
points but I think it will be closer.
If Washington can mount a pass
rush and run the ball a little bit,
they can win.
To stay against the grain I'm pick
ing Washington.
Philadelphia at Dallas.
The Eagles are my favorite team
still in the playoffs.
Dallas looks like the 49ers did 10
years ago.
Jimmy Johnson has proved he is
one of the very best coaches around
and I'm still not crazy about the
Eagles play calling.
The two teams play twice a year
every year and they don't like each
other.
Dallas knocked Philly out of the
playoffs last year. Philly then
whipped Dallas 31-7 earlier this
year on a Monday night. Dallas
came back in the next meeting and
forced the Eagles to bench Randall
Cunningham while Emmit Smith
ran wild.
The Eagles had a Dig win last
week over a very physical team,
while Dallas sat at home and
healed.
The biggest difference may be
Philly's patchwork secondary.
Please see LAWSON, page 3B
Perry wins, tops 100 again
By NIKITA SIMON
Special to The HHJ
The Perry Panther's basketball
team topped the century mark for
the second straight game in their
region home opener Friday night,
beating Ware County 101-56.
The Panthers opened the game
quickly, scoring the first six points.
Perry's pressure defense gave
Ware problems from the outset.
The Gators perimeter shooters
couldn't find the range in the face of
harrassment from Perry guards
Keith Wimberly and Stacy Francis.
Eric Richardson led the way for
Perry hitting three 3 pointers in
the first eight minutes.
Arthur Billings dominated the
boards giving Perry several second
chance shots.
All five starters scored in the
quarter helping the Panthers to a
29-9 first quarter lead. Ware
County didn't reach double figures
until the end of the quarter.
Perry led 33-11 after one quarter.
In the second quarter Perry in
creased their lead. The Panthers
controlled the boards with the help
of Billings and Garriett Curry. By
the end of the second quarter the
Panthers led 51-27.
WHS boys start
fast, but fall to
Eagles 64-55
Stratford handed Westfield a 64-55
loss Friday night behind a 20-8
third quarter run and a defense that
stifled the Hornets in the second
half.
Westfield's rematch with the Ea
gles was similar to their first meet
ing this season, with the Hornets
opening strong but fading in the
second half.
The Hornets jumped to an early
13 to 7 lead with 2:40 to play in
the first quarter behind four points
from Lon Talton and three from
Geoff Hill.
The Eagles rallied over the last
two minutes of the quarter connect
ing on two three pointers to cut the
Hornets lead after the first eight
minutes to 17-15.
Shane Hester and Talton tallied
four in the quarter, Austin Abney
and Hill had three each to lead the
Hornets.
Abney led the Hornets in the sec
ond quarter with seven points. He
scored the points within a minute
and a half, with a three pointer
sandwiched between two twisting
lay-ups.
Hester added four for the Hornets
with strong work under the basket
including a tip in and a turn around
jumper in the paint.
The Hornets were in foul trouble
starting in the quarter when Talton
and Hill both picked up their third
fouls.
The Panthers led at intermission
PHS wrestlers roll over Demons and Southeast Macon
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
The Perry High wrestling team
dismantled Southeast Macon High
and Warner Robins High in a dou
ble dual meet Thursday night.
The Panthers rolled over the
Chiefs 46-24 in the first match and
they whipped the Demons 54-18 in
the second match.
The Panthers were dominant in
the middle weights with four
wrestlers ranging from 140-160
pounds, winning both of their
matches.
Against Southeast Perry was lead
ing 19-12, when 140 pounder John
Rowland, 145 pounder George
Francis and 152 Tarence Hill all
recorded first period pins. The three
pins pushed the Panther lead to 37-
12.
Captain Mike Jolley upped the
Perry lead to 40-12, after his 8-2
win.
Perry had gone ahead earlier in the
match behind a 7-3 win from 119
pounder Jason Cantrell, a majority
decision by 125 pounder Jason
Shirey who shut his opponent out
16-0 and a 15-0 shutout by 130
pounder Eric Felder.
Perry's first win of the night came
Saturday, u q
Jan. 9,1993 I D
In the third quarter the bench en
tered the game and increased Perry's
lead. Stan Gann led thb bench with
«
17 second half points.
Keith Wimberly brought the
crowd to their feet with Perry's only
dunk of the evening. Wimberly
made a steal and floated across* the
lane for a two handed jam.
Wimberly also helped execute the
Panther offense with four assists
and a total of five points.
Boris King controlled the boards,
grabbing several rebounds and
starting the Perry fast break.
By the end of the third quarter the
bench had pushed the Panthers to a
39 point lead, 75-36.
Perry continued their scoring
binge in the fourth quarter and the
Panthers fans were calling for the
them to reach 100 points for the
second time this week.
With 25 seconds to play, Gann
stole the ball and drove in for a lay
up to give the Panthers 101 points
on the night.
Ware County scored the final
basket of the night on a lay-up.
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Geoff-Hill launches a three pointer against Stratford.
32-30.
The third quarter opened with
Hester following his own missed
shot to give the Hornets a four
point lead.
The Eagles took the lead when
on a walkover by Michael Register
at 112 pounds. Southeast held their
only lead of the evening after
Perry's Greg Moss was pinned in
the 103 pound match.
Perry's upper weights struggled
against Southeast. Sandwiched be
tween a walkover for Johnathon
Gilbert at 189 pounds, were falls
against 171 pounder Ralph Thomas
and heavyweight Jason Reed.
Against the Demons, Perry started
fast and grabbed a big lead.
Moss evened his night's record
with a 6-3 win. The match ended
when the Warner Robins wrestler
broke his wrist during the contest.
Since he was leading at the time of
the injury, Moss was declared the
winner.
Register at 112 pounds then went
out and scored a first period pin.
Cantrell followed Register at 119
and produced a pin as well.
Shirey was involved in a roller
coaster first period where after scor
ing a near fall, he was reversed,
Shirey responded with a reversal of
his own to regain control. In the
second period Shirey scored another
reversal. He rode out the match,
Please see ROLL, page 3B
Classified Ads 4B
As in Tuesday night's blowout of
Houston County, die game was de
cided in die first quarter.
Perry Coach Carl Thomas was
pleased with his team's effort.
"1 was very happy with the play
of the bench. They played with real
intensity. The bench contributed a
lot. 1 was very pleased with the
way my team took control of the
game early" lie said.
The Panthers leading scorer was
Eric Richardson who finished the
game with 22 points. Stann Gann
followed with 17 , Arlhor Billings
had 14 and Boris King added 11.
Stacy Francis helped pace the
Panthers defense with four steals
and seven points. Tarvish Felton
led the Panthers with eight
rebounds and seven points.
Freshman Nathan Long got in
the scoring column again with a
jump shot. Long had earlier played
in the B Team game.
Ware County's forward Ben
Adams led them in scoring with 10
points.
The Panthers will travel Saturday
Night to Appling County to take
on the Pirates at 8:00.
Sandy Burgess hit a three pointer at
the 6:36 mark of the quarter.
Westfield answered back with a
lay-up from Troy Nuss, to reclaim
the lead 36-35 with 6:25 left in the
Please see WHS, page 3B
Jason Shirey takes control in his 125 pound match against Southeast Macon.
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f The Houston Home f
Journal
S irtp-:
Stan Gann’s lay-up put Perry over 100 Friday night.
PHS girls lose second
region game 45-43 Fri.
By NIKITA SIMON
Special to The HHJ
The Perry High Lady Panthers
lost to Ware County 45-43 in their
home region opener Friday night.
The loss drops the Lady Panthers
to 0-2 in region play.
The Lady Panthers trailed most of
•he evening. Perry had outre
bounded it's last four opponents in
cluding Dougherty and Dodge
County, but Ware had the rebound
ing edge Friday night.
Perry also struggled from the free
throw line, missing several one and
one opportunities which proved
costly in the two point loss.
Despite trailing, Perry kept the
-score close and in the fourth quarter
they began to rally.
Bcnita Billings hit two three
pointers in the final quarter. Her
second three pointer tied the score at
33 with 5:06 to play.
Chasity Thornton then scored on
a lay-up to give the Panthers the
lead 35-33.
Ware came back, as the Lady
Panthers foul troubles caught up
with them. Arica Askew fouled out
with 2:40 left in the game.
Billings picked up iter fourth foul
with 1:39 to go as Ware reclaimed
the lead.
Trailing by two with 18 seconds
to play Billings attempted a three
pointer that bounced off the front of
the rim. Ware held on to the ball
for the victory.
The third quarter was close but
Ware County nianged to keep the
led which they had denied Perry all
game. Ware had good playing
from Walker who led them with 14
points.
The ganic opened with both
teams committing seveal turnovers.
Ware's press gave the Panthers
trouble from the outset and Perry
had a hard time getting the ball into
the front court.
Despite the turnovers the Lady
Panthers led at the end of the first
quarter 8-6. Thornton led the Lady
Panthers in the first period with
four points, Billings and Askew
each contributed a basket.
Ware opened the scoring in the
second quarter and their aggressive
play began to cause foul problems
lor Perry. Askew picked up her
third foul midway through the
quarter.
Amber Fcndley hit two three
pointers in the second quarter to
help tic the score at halftime 19-
19.
Unlike Tuesday night, the Lady
Panthers had very little contribution
from their bench.
The Perry reserves managed only
eight points on the night.
Going into the game, the
Panthers were concerned with
Ware's outside shooting, their fast
break and their aggressive style.
Ware's Spring Walker scored 14
Please see PHS, page 3B