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Woods 'n Water— 2B
Perry sports
Brian
Lawson
Sports editor
Being a
sports dad
in the 90's
Since I began working my cur
rent job, I've had an opportunity to
drive over long stretches of the
Georgia countryside.
Perry High plays in a region that
stretches well into southern
Georgia, like Waycross, so I've
spent a few hours on the road in
search of the game story.
All of which is fine and part of
my accepted job description, but the
downside is I don't get to see my
wife or my son as often as I'd like.
Anybody who has been through
that situation knows too that when
you do have time for your family,
too often you are tired or have sky
high expectations or so many er
rands that you don't have time to
remember it's a day off.
I'm not asking for anybody to
feel sorry for me, it's more like I
suddenly understand what makes
Dad’s seem so uncommunicative as
they get older. Sometimes, I find I
don't have anything to say if it isn't
related to sports or my job.
It also helps me understand better
why things like coaching a team or
going to your child's games grow
in importance. It's a way to show
support, it's an activity outside of
the house and it's a way to commu
nicate without having to come up
with witty, meaningful dialogue.
Today, as you read this I'm going
to Columbus to cover a wrestling
tournament and for the past few
days I worried about how my morn
would be able to keep up with my
son for the all the hours she would
be asked to watch him for.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that
the worst thing in the world would
not be bringing my son to
Columbus with me.
Some sports would be impossi
ble, football and basketball for ex
ample. But since wrestling's eso
teric terminology is lost on most
people anyway I don't need to be
able to describe each move and
counter, I just need some pictures
and some info.
It'll mean having a tired baby and
I'm sure I'll be a little frustrated try
ing to control that most uncontrol
lable of phenomenons, the two year
old, but on balance I'd rather ride
with my boy than wonder what he's
doing while I sit by myself an hour
and a half away.
I hope this doesn't read like
something that belongs on the
Lifestyle page rather than the sports
section but I think it goes to the
heart of what most guys know, the
world pulls us in a direction that
isn't always compatible with being
a good husband and a good father.
Watching sports is only as inclu
sive as the interest level of the peo
ple around you and leisure time is
often such a precious commodity
that it's easier to be absent than
patient.
Sorry, if I went on and on with
this, but today everything else
seemed sort of insignificant in
comparison and I couldn't get away
from the subject.
Like all Dad's I picture 65 yard
touchdown runs and dramatic home
runs from my progeny.
The work that it will take to
produce moments like that, catch in
the yard, chasing fly balls, paying
for broken windows and putting ice
on another bruise is tremendously
appealing, but seeing excess from
father's when it tomes to sports has
me a little scared.
I don't want to push too hard and
I don't want my ego riding on my
son's glovework or whether another
seven year old catches a perfectly
thrown pass.
I'd be more than happy to hear
any parents comments on how to
raise kids to love sports without be
ing pushy.
It seems like such an impossible
order to be supportive without be
ing pushy and enthusiastic without
being overbearing.
If somebody out there has a for
mula or a bottle of magic elixir,
give me a call. As I enter the
second year of parenthood it seems
to be getting tougher and tougher to
keep getting it right
Schott
Please see LAWSON, page 3B
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Garriett Curry scores on a tip-in Friday night.
Panthers offense takes
care of A.C. Pirates
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
Perry broke out of a mild offen
sive slump with an 81-64 rout of
Appling County Friday night.
The final score is deceptively
close, Perry led by as many as 31
points before both coaches emptied
their benches in the final quarter.
Boris King and Arthur Billings
combined for 14 first quarter points
as the Panthers jumped out to a 21-
10 first quarter lead.
King scored eight straight points
for the Panthers in the final two and
half minutes of the quarter for the
Panthers.
Perry's pressure forced several
turnovers in the second quarter as
Stacy Francis collected 11 points,
including two three pointers.
The Panthers had eight baskets
off of lay-ups or in the paint during
the quarter as the press put them in
numerous man advantage situa
tions.
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Freshman Jennifer Smith, left, and April Horsting.
First year starter Smith and four
year starter Horsting lead WHS
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
The Westfield Lady Hornets bas
ketball team has been sparked by
two low post players who started
the season from very different per
spectives.
Senior April Horsting who leads
the team in scoring, rebounding and
steals is a four year varsity starter
and was a key factor on last sea
son's final four team.
Freshman Jennifer Smith didn't
start for the B team last season, but
this year she has moved from a lim
ited role to that of the team's second
leading scorer and best low post de
fender.
"I expected Jennifer to become a
key player for us, but I'm pleased
with how quickly she has devel
oped," Coach Donna Campbell said
of the freshman's progress.
Smith credits Campbell for help
ing her develop her game.
• "Last year I was watching every
body playing on the B team and
this year I'm starting on the varsity.
Coach Campbell helped push me
and told me I could get better. It’s
easy to stay excited about playing,
even when we lose. I’m scared
sometimes, but then when the
game gets started I forget about be
ing scared,” Smith said.
Horsting has been the Lady
Saturday, p
Feb. 6,1993 ID
The Panthers led at halftime 44-
26.
King and Keith Wimberly paced
the Panther scoring in the third pe
riod. King scored six points in the
paint and Wimberly tallied five
points.
Garriett Curry controlled the
boards in the period and scored four
points.
The Pirates outscored the
Panthers 27-19 over the final pe
riod, behind three three pointers,
two from Julian Paul.
Perry's reserves all got in the
scoring column in the final period.
Stan Gann had four points, Shawn
Bass and Eugene Arnold both scored
two points and Tararski Stripling
added a free throw.
Curry led the Panthers in the fi
nal quarter with 5 points, with both
field goals coming on tip-ins.
King added three points for a
team high 20.
The Panthers travel to Jessup to
play Wayne County tonight.
Hornets leading scorer the entire
season and has provided numerous
key steal and fourth quarter baskets.
"April is just a pleasure to watch.
She goes out and gives 150 percent
effort. She’s made the key plays for
all year," Campbell said.
’’The first game of the season it
was weird being on the court and
not having my sister there. She was
a big part of my game. Last season
teams always had to double team
Christi and I got a lot of baskets
because the defense was concentrat
ing on her. Now, with team's dou
ble teaming me, Jennifer is there to
score. With her coming around
scoring points it helps the team a
lot" Horsting said.
Horsting started as a freshman
and said Smith reminds her a little
Gf herself.
"She reminds me of me a little
bit, but she's a lot better than I
was, I used to run around the floor
scared to death," Horsting said.
"I remember going to watch
Westfield play and wishing I could
play with April and be as good as
April. Now, I'm playing with her.
Watching her get excited before a
game or how hard she works in
practice helps me get ready to play.
I always want to play well when I
Please see SMITH, page 3B
Hornets roll on Monroe
By DAVID JAHNS
Special to The HHJ
The chant "Showtime," was fi
nally heard from the Westfield
crowd as the Hornets beat the
Monroe Mustangs, 73-65.
The Hornets led from the middle
of the first period and never looked
back.
Westfield's only problem was
stopping Monroe’s Kenny Roberts
who scored 32 points, most com
ing inside the paint.
The Hornets trailed for the first
five minutes of the game, before
they came to life.
Lon Talton gave the Hornets the
lead when he hit a lay-up at the
2:00 mark for two of his 14 first
half points.
With Talton's shot, Westfield
went on a 12-4 run to end the first
period, with a 24-14 lead.
hi the second quarter, Shane
Hester scored six of the Hornets 20
points as they increased their lead
to 44-32.
The Mustangs outscored
Westfield 18-11 in the third quarter
to cut the Hornet lead to 55-50.
Austin Abney led the Hornets in
the fourth quarter, scoring five of
his 14 points.
The Hornets hit eight of thirteen
foul shots in the final three minutes
to win the game.
Talton was the Hornets' leading
scorer with 20 points.
Geoff Hill scored 13 points
while Hester scored ten Doints.
PHS falls to Appling Cos.
By BRIAN LAWSON
Sports Editor
Foul trouble and missed opportu
nities down the stretch cost the
Lady Panthers as they fell to
Appling County 52-50 Friday
night.
The Panthers floor general and
leading scorer Benita Billings sat
out much of the fourth quarter with
four fouls and she fouled out with
1:19 to play with the score tied 50-
50.
Following Mesha Zinamon’s free
throw which tied the game at 50,
the Lady Panthers had the ball
stolen in the backcourt and Linda
Sailem scored a lay-up with 1:14
to play.
Melinda Howard was fouled with
35 seconds to play, but she was un
able to convert on the one and one
opportunity.
After Appling grabbed the
rebound, Howard stole the ball back
but missed a jump shot.
The two teams battled for the
loose ball and Perry missed two
other shots in the final 20 seconds
before they committed a loose ball
foul which sealed the win for
Appling County.
The Lady Panthers jumped to a
29-25 halftime lead largely on the
strength of a newly installed half
court trapping defense.
Billings scored nine first half
points, including seven in the sec
ond quarter and Chasity Thornton
tallied seven points.
The third quarter saw Billings
pick up her fourth foul with 25
seconds remaining in the period.
The Lady Panthers offense slowed
down in the period producing just
nine points after a 29 point first
half.
WHS rally
not enough
By DAVID JAHNS
Special to The HHJ
The Westfield Lady Hornets
made a late comeback in the fourth
quarter against the Monroe Lady
Mustangs but fell short, 52-47.
The comeback started with 2:32
left in the final period.
After Kim Marshall made her
first free throw, she grabbed the re
bound from her second foul shot
and put the ball back into the hoop,
cutting the Lady Mustang lead to
48-42.
Monroe then missed a shot and
Westfield snatched the rebound.
April Horsting scored a jumper in
side, to cut the deficit to 48-44 with
2:15 to play.
The next basket didn’t come for
either side until under a minute to
play.
Laurie Thompson shot a three
pointer with 30 seconds to go to
bring the Lady Hornets within one,
48-47.
Please see WHS, page 3B
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Chad Evans goes over the Monroe defense for two.
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Natalie Taylor shoots against Appling County.
Appling took a 39-38 lead at the
end of three quarters behind six
points each from Zinamon and
Jackie Carter.
Perry got back to back baskets
from Thornton to open the quarter
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April Horsting looks inside for a teammate.
Journal
but only managed two other field
goals in the period when Billings
hit a long jumper and freshman
Natalie Taylor hit a turnaround
jumper.
Please see PHS, page 3B