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Sports
BBS Roley
|||il||j|f Sports editor I
After not
really leaving,
I'm back
A funny thing happened on my
way to Birmingham a couple Fridays
bade.
When companies get sold and
combined with others companies,
some employees lose. The newspa
per business is not immune to that
phenomena.
So, as the last person hired by the
Home Journal in Ocl, 1993,1 was
not caught off-guard when I was told
that I would not have a position
with the Times-Joumal.
So. I said my goodbyes and made
my plans to return to Birmingham,
where my mom lives, and lode for a
new job or, perhaps, even return to
school.
However, just before I left for Al
abama's Magic City, sports editor
Bill Overton decided to take a posi
tion with the Daily Sun. Luckily, I
was able to get the position when he
left
Although I have some experience
with Perry spots, helping Bill out
from time to time, I realize that I am
the new kid on the block. I have a
vague understanding of sports in
Perry, dimly seeing the rivalries that
give sports their life, hearing whis
pers of past Perry state champi
onships.
I will need your help if I am to
cover Perry adequately. School
spots arc easy to get to, I have the
schedules and phone numbers to call
the coaches. However, I want to
cover more than the events that hap
pen at the three schools—Perry Mid
dle, Perry High and Westfield.
I would like to cover Perry's
recreational sports. A town the size
of Perry must have competitive
golfers, runners, racers, etc. If some
one wins a race, wins a fishing tour
nament, wins a golf tournament,
wins a tennis tournament, etc., I
would like to know about it.
As 1 said, covering school sports
is easy. All I have to do is get to the
game or call the coach afterwards.
But, I need to your help covering the
individual sports.
I would also like to start a "sports
calender” on these pages. A newspa
per is supposed to inform its readers
about the meetings, events and other
happenings in a community. The
sports page should be no different,
serving its readership by providing
information about events in the fu
ture.
However, I don't run, play golf or
tennis, ex’ spend a great deal of time
talking about fishing tournaments.
Again, I need your help.
If you are planning a softball
tournament, let me know. If your
club or group is planning a golf
tournament, drop me a line I'm
looking for fishing tournaments, 10
Ks and marathons, bowling leagues,
and almost anything else that hap
pens in "hobby" sports.
I would like to publicize what is
happening in Perry. But, I can't tell
about what I don't know. I really
need your help, drop me a line.
One quick note about my philos
ophy on sports. I realize that most
of what I cover will be played by
amateurs. The love of the game is
far more important than who wins or
loses. Rarely, if ever, will you find
criticism of a player or coach on my
pages.
While I certainly do not wish to
whitewash what happens, I am not
going to set myself up as a coach or
player. Just because I disagree with
a play called by a coach or with a
substitution by a coach, I do not
have the right, or obligation, to crit
icize, even when a team is losing.
I try to make sure that I do not
use my sports pages to make up for
a coaching career that I will not
have, nor even want.
I will also try to put the efforts of
the athlete performing in the best
light. Occasionally, I might have to
record on these pages where someone
missed a catch, free-throw or tackle.
However, most of the time you will
hear only of a missed free throw by
the Panthers, a defensive miss by the
Hornets or an error by the second
baseman.
Before I go, a note about the final
four. Seems that Georgia Tech was
disappointed in not being invited to
the field of 64, and will have to con
tent itself with the NIT. Yes, the
Yellow Jackets did have some great
victories; but, they also had some
outstanding losses. One day they
Plmhm Roby, pags 7A
'94 Panther Baseball Team Young
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
Most coaches in Bob Jones' shoes would be
looking to the future.
Jones, the head coach of the Panther baseball
program, will send out more freshmen in any
given game than seniors. Of his three seniors,
only Dallas Waldrip plays everyday. Waldrip, a
three-year starter, is also the only senior who saw
significant playing experience for the Panthers in
last season's campaign.
At least four freshman and three sophomores
will see significant playing time, said Jones. In
addition to having a dearth of senior players,
Jones said the team only had three juniors.
"Inexperience is going to be the biggest
obstacle that faces us,” said Jones. "As a team,
we just don't have people who have varsity expe
rience."
Yet, instead of looking entirely to the future,
Jones keeps one eye on the present. "The way
things are set up," he said, ”we can go into this
thing and win it (the region championship). A
lot of things have to take place and a lot of
things have to go our way.”
Jones said that baseball was not a predictable
game, adding that a team that you beat 14-0 one
day could turn around and beat you 1-0 the next
day.
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Sheldon Shelton uncorks a pitch against John Mllledge Saturday
afternoon In Macon.
Hornets Lose Heartbreaker
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Westfield was so close to its
first win of the season.
After tying John Milledge in the
top of the seventh, the Hornets saw
their chances at beating John
Milledge fade into the Macon after
noon with a two-out hit by Brad
Sappe, giving Milledge the 6-5
win.
Under the ground rules of the
Tattnall tournament, the first in
ning would have determined the
winner if the game ended in a tie
after the time limit had expired. The
Hornets had led after one, 2-0.
"That’s one we shouldn't have let
get away from us," said Bert
Brown, head coach of the Hornets.
"We had three or four crucial errors
late in the game that allowed them
to get back in (the game). We
would have won it if we had fin
ished in a tie (because of the ground
rules)."
The Hornets stung Milledge
early. The first batter of the game,
Matt Shepley, reached first on an
error by the shortstop. Brian
Staines drew a walk to place run
ners on first and second.
One out later, Jake Walls singled
to left to load the bases. Lon Talton
grounded to short, scoring Shepley.
Staines came in when the shortstop
went to third for the out, over
throwing the bag.
Milledge scored once in the
third. In the fourth, Milledge took
advantage of three hits and two
Hornet errors to put three runs
across to take a 4-2 lead.
The Hornets roared back in the
top of the fifth. Shepley reached
with one-out on an infield single to
third. One out later, Troy Nuss
parked a Milledge pitch over the
left-center field fence to tie the score
at four.
"We've got some good young ball players,"
said Jones. "They are playing well as a unit. We
are going to beat some folks that maybe we
shouldn't beat.
"They (the young players) go out and play,"
he said. "They don't know that this team is
supposed to do this."
However, before the Panthers can make their
reservations for the state playoffs, they must first
win the region. Jones said several teams would
be standing, in the way of Perry.
First would be Ware County, who won the
region last year. "Ware County has a tremendous
program," said Jones. He added tha: Ware County
only lost around three players from last year's
nine.
Jones said that Wayne County and Fitzgerald
could also make some noise in the region, since
they also lost very few players to graduation.
Jones County could also make noise with a new
coach, but an experienced team.
"Those four teams are going to be really
strong," said Jones.
"Pitching is something that really concerns
me," said Jones, who added that he only had three
good pitchers. "When you play three games a
week and you only have three pitchers, you don't
have much leeway as far as the bullpen is con-
Please see Perry, page 7A
In the fifth, however, Milledge
would come back to take a 5-4 lead.
With one out, Spencer Bass singled
off Hornet starter Sheldon Shelton.
He later stole second and scored on
Jason Young’s single to center.
Young was thrown out for the sec
ond out of the inning trying to go
to second on the throw to the plate.
Jay Grimes reached on an error
to continue the Milledge rally. A
walk to Bard Sappe put runners on
first and second.
With Sheldon tiring and the
game slowly slipping from reach,
Brown brought his ace, Lon Talton,
in from shortstop, putting him on
the hill.
Talton was able to end the
Milledge rally with a strike-out. At
the end of five, Milledge had the 5-
4 advantage.
With one out in the top of the
seventh, Westfield lead off man
Shepley again sparked a rally,
reaching on a second infield single
to third.
Shepley went to third when the
Milledge pitcher threw Michael
Davis' swinging bunt away at first.
Davis would later steal second to
put runners at first and second for
the Hornets, with Nuss at the plate.
Faced with an 0-2 count, Nuss
went for his second homer of the
afternoon. However, the ball fell
just short of the left-center field
fence with the Milledge centerfielder
hauling in the long fly ball for the
second out. Nuss was able, how
ever, to get the ball deep enough to
allow Shepley to trot in with the
tying run.
Bass led off the Milledge half of
the seventh with a single to left. He
advanced to second with a stolen
base.
However, Nuss, who had taken
Pleas* sea Hoartbraakar, page 7A
Hornets Lose To Vikings
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
The Westfield defense allowed 10
errors, two passed balls and eight
unearned runs as FPD handed the
Hornets their fourth loss, 9-2,
Monday afternoon.
Westfield errors were the name
of the game Monday afternoon, as
Hornet hurlers Troy Nuss and
Michael % Davis allowed only four
hits and four walks to Viking bat
ters.
The Hornet offense was kept at
Netters Split With Tattnall
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sport* Editor
Westfield netters split Monday
afternoon with Tattnall in Macon,
with the women's team winning 5-
4 and the men's team losing 6-3.
Perry tennis coach Jenny
Crooms said the men's team was
hampered by having only five play
ers, forcing a forfeit in one of the
singles matches and one of the dou
bles matches.
Liz Lane and Cindy Dunaway led
the women over Tattnall Square.
Lane won her singles match, defeat
ing Emma Drexel 8-4. She later
Golf Team Starts With Win
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
The Homet golf team got off to
a great start on the 1994 season,
beating Tattnall Square Academy
Monday afternoon 314/-342 at Perry
Country Club.
The Westfield duffers had four
players to crack 80. Homet Ed
Stricklin was named the match
Lady Hornet Softball Clinic
The Lady Homet softball clinic
will be held this Saturday, March
19, at Westfield schools, said West
field softball coach Donna Camp
bell.
Campbell said the clinic was
open to the public. There is a fee of
S2O. Participants can register the day
of the clinic, or register at Westfield.
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Perry 100 Inning Baseball Game ——T
Thad Cook (*2, running) boat* out a single in the Perry Panther 100 Inning baseball game
Saturday. Flrstbaaeman Tim Allen (023) wait* tor the throw a* Cook run* by.
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Perry Panther Baseball
Membws of the Perry Panther baseball team Include Travis Cantrell Thad
Cantrell, Joey Pope, Nathan Long, Billy McDaniels, Jay Breaux
Derrick Oliver, Jason Brett, Terry Yawn, Paul Loremano, Joaquin Gonzalez
Jama/ Reynolds, Jamie Walker, Jonathan Edes, Randy Snow, Troy Davis’
Adam Lancaster, Dallas Waldrip, Tim Allen and Ben Hutbert. The Panthers
thl ??? Brown ' PorTy /ws rebounded since being beat 10-0 In
Wwff/sf game of the season, and are currently 3-2 overall, 1-0 In the re-
bay all afternoon by Bivins and
Walker. The two Viking pitchers
combined on a two-hitter, giving
up six walks. The FPD defense was
solid behind their pitchers, giving
up only three errors.
After giving up a run in the top
of the second, the Hornets came
back in the bottom of the second to
tie the game. Walks to Jeff Dehem
and Sheldon Shelton and a single
by Clay Smith loaded the bases.
Lon Talton put the first Hornet
run across the plate with a fielder's
combined with Marla Massey to de
feat Kimberly Faulkner and Jennifer
Wnsch in doubles.
Dunaway defeated Susan Stouffer
in singles play 8-4. She combined
with Katie Davidson to beat the
Tattnall team of Stouffer and Kim
berly Langley, 9-7.
Leslie Davis and Susanna Turner
took the other match for the Hor
nets, defeating Katy Thompson and
Drexel 8-6.
"I think they played great," said
Crooms. She explained that the
Hornets were delayed in getting to
Tattnall because of a wreck on In
medalist with a low score of 77.
However, he faced stiff competition
from his teammates, Todd Rigdon,
Robert Harrison and Brian Nash,
who shot 79s on the day.
Westfield golf coach Marvin
Arrington said that the entire team
played Monday. Scott Hill, with an
81, and Larry Thompson, with an
82, were just off the pace set by the
The clinic is open to girls, age 6-
13. Campbell said they should bring
gloves, tennis shoes or cleats and a
sack lunch. She said a drink will be
provided at the clinic, and bringing a
bat was optional.
The clinic will start at 9:30 a.m.,
lasting until 2 p.m. Campbell's
teammates on the Macon, Ga„ Blaze
Wednesday, March 16,1994
Page 6A
choice to short.
Despite defensive troubles, the
Hornets hung tough, giving up a
single run in the third and two runs
in the fifth.
Talton started the bottom half of
the fifth with a walk. Billy
Kitchens walked to put runners at
first and second. One out later,
Brian Staines reached on an error by
the third baseman, loading the
bases. Talton scored on a wild pitch
to bring Westfield to within two at
Plmm see Weotflold, page 7A
terstate 75 North. "I don’t think
they got close to warming up like
they should have,” she said.
The men's team had only one
winner in the singles competition
as Jeff Dortch defeated Dennis Rus
sell 8-6. Travis Watson and John
Shipley combined to beat Josh
Gilstran and Michael Kil 8-6.
Dortch combined with Lawton
Pearson to beat the Tattnall pair of
Brook Calvert and Tony Farmer 8-
6.
"As the season goes alone," said
Crooms, "we will be ok. I thought
they did a good job."
four top Westfield golfers.
"After one match, it's hard to tell
(where the golf team is)," said
Arrington. "We are a young team.
"Shooting 314 is respectable,"
said Arrington. "Having four
(golfers) in the 70s is good. I
would expect (scores) to get lower
as the season progresses.”
women's softball team will instruct
at the camp. The Blaze won the
1993 Georgia Class "A" softball ti
tle.
Campbell said anyone with any
questions could contact her at West
field, 987-0547. The clinic is the
seventh annual softball clinic that
Campbell has held at Westfield.