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Phil picks the weekend
L
Clark I
Si 3o "*
Another 8-2 week in this picking
business keeps our season winning
percentage at .800 on 32 out of 40.
The two misses this week in
cluded Forest Park over East
Coweta and Worth County over
Peach. Worth was coming off a 4-6
season while Peach has been one of
the most impressive AAA programs
in the state over the past few years.
But, Brent Brock is slowly get
ting Worth County back to a level
of respectability, and his three wins
this season include the Peach win,
14-6, plus a 14-13 season opening
win over AAAA Tift County.
Forest Park must also be for real,
since they have beaten three teams
that were ranked in the AAAA top
ten, Parkview, Upson Lee and now
East Coweta.
There are some good games on
tap this week, so let’s jump in and
take a closer look at some of them.
Westfield at Tiftarea. This
should be a blowout. I only mention
this game because I think it will
produce career coaching victory
number 150 for Westfield's Ronnie
Jones. Ron Drummonds at Tiftarea
has a shortage of players, less than
20 on the team, and simply can't
match Westfield's speed and depth.
Phil's pick, Westfield.
Perry hosts Jackson in an im
portant region 3-AA matchup.
Jackson is 2-0 in the region, Perry
is 1-0. Perry's one loss was to Peach
County, while Jackson lost to Jones
County in the season opener. Both
teams beat Pike County by six
touchdowns. Perry is a better foot
'ball teaip than last year. Phil's pick,
Perry.
Stratford at Tattnall. A good
matchup of GISA powers. Tattnall
has just one loss, the 12-9 loss to
Westfield, while Stratford, the de
fending AAA chpmpion, is un
beaten in five games. This game is
at Tattnall, but Barney Hester's
Trojans will have more than they
can handle, even at home. Phil's
pick, Stratford.
Baldwin County Lakeside
Augusta. Baldwin has had two in
teresting weeks. First, they beat
Warner Robins at McConnell-
Talbert Stadium. Then they lose at
home to Northside.
But, Northside has one of the top
running backs in the state in Greg
Manson, who outran the Baldwin
defense for three long touchdowns.
Lakeside, on the other hand, is
moving up from class AAA into re
gion 2AAAA, so this is a region
game. The Panthers are 3-0 with
region wins over Butler and
Tuggle, from 6A
Our Southern traditions are being
attacked by liberal politicians and
civil rights groups. The Confederate
Flag and the song, "Dixie" which
seemed to be OK for the 129 years
since the Civil War, are now politi
cally incorrect.
It seems that the civil rights
groups should be worrying about
the killing of their people by each
other, the one parent families, and
Panthers, from 6A
ing Dodge 26-29, although the
Panthers top finisher, Jada Releford,
was 14 seconds behind Sharon
Mitchell's 22:32, which was good
enough for first.
Monique Kendrick finished
fourth in. the dual meet with a time
of 25:20. Emily Noel was five sec
onds behind Kendrick, recording a
fifth place finish. Marielle Filholm
was the third in the trio of Perry
runners, finishing seven seconds
behind Filholm for sixth.
Yatosha Davis also scored for
the Panthers, finishing ninth with a
time of 27:35.
The win against Dodge was the
second of die year for die women
who earlier beat Nordieast 20-41,
and who finished fourth of five
teams in the Bleckley meet.
At the Northeast meet, the
Panthers had five runners to finish
in the top six. Releford was the
leading Panther runner, coming
across the finish line with a time of
23:03. Hilary Smith finished third
with a dme of 23:34, beating Noel
Noel across the finish line by 21
seconds. Filholm finished behind
Noel with a time of 25:05 and
Kendrick took sixth.
Only one Perry runner finished
in the top 20 at the Bleckley meet
with Kendrick crossing the finish
line in 15th posidon.
In a tri-meet Monday, the
Panthers had only two of the top
five finishers, but still managed to
Central. Baldwin is up and down,
and this is supposed to be a down
week. Phil’s pick, Lakeside.
LaGrange at Upson Lee. The
Grangers are 0-3, which is very
unusual. Upson Lee, over the past
three weeks, have had an open date,
a loss and a win. Tommy Perdue
thinks he likes the win best, thank
you. Phil's pick, Upson Lee.
Peach County at Swainsboro
in a 2AAA versus 2AA matchup.
Swainsboro has a new coach,
Ray van Teague, who came from
Lafayette to replace the retiring Bill
Schofill. Teague has his team at 3-
1, the same as Peach after Friday's
loss to Worth County. The Trojans
take it out on the Tigers. Phil's pick,
Peach County.
Jones County at Mary
Persons. Veteran coach Dan Pitts at
Mary Persons is in pursuit of
Wayman Creel's state record 315
victories. He has 306. Charlie
Smith, back on the sidelines after
14 years away from head coaching,
has the Greyhounds at 3-0. The
game is at Mary Persons, and even
though it’s another 3AAA versus
2AA matchup, Phil's pick is Mary
Persons.
Houston County will try to re
bound from their loss to Mary
Person by beating Bleckley County
on the road. Both teams are winless
in the region, and the Royals stay
that way. Phil's pick, Houston
County.
Double-A number one
Washington County will stay that
way with a win over Greene-
Taiiaferro. Usually, this would be
a great football game. One team is
the defending state champion, the
other is the odds-on favorite to win
it this year. Greene-Taliaferro is
dowh somewhat this year. Phil's
pick, Washington County.
Seminole County will be at
Macon County. The Bulldogs un
der C.B Cornett have won 27
straight regular season games, the
best in the GHSA. They meet a
team that has a new coach, Wayne
Profitt, who replaced longtime
coach Walter Landing this year.
The Indians are 2-1, but both
victories came over Alabama
teams. Their loss was to a strong
Brooks County team 39-12. This
could be a close game for a while,
but the relentless Bulldog defense
will wear the Indians down.
Lee County got a touchdown
with 16 seconds left Friday night,
the first (and only) points Maccn
County has given up this year.
Chalk up number 28 in a row for
the 'Dogs. Phil's pick, Macon
County.
In area games, Northside will be
at Southwest Macon Saturday
night while Warner Robins hosts
Evans Friday night. Remember, as
always, your team really needs your
support.
the myriad of other problems facing
their race, rather than a flag or a
song.
They are successfully alienating
many thousands of people who
have previously been supportive of
their efforts.
The last of changes in our coun
try could go on and on. Most of
them not for the better. What will
our grandchildren face?
defeat Jones County and Jackson.
Perry runners combined for 30
points, with Jones runners getting
36 points and Jackson runners get
ting 66 points.
Again, it was Taylor who took
the win for the Panthers. However,
he had to outrace a duo of Jackson
runners for the number one slot.
Taylor crossed the finish line for
the Panthers in 16:52, steps ahead
of Joel Williams and Justin Watts,
who finished six and 21 seconds
behind him.
Casas took fifth with a time of
18:16, Lewis took seventh with a
time of 18:38, Barnes eighth in a
time of 18:43 and Paolo West
ninth, with a time of 18:46.
Dorman rounded out the scoring for
Perry with a 10th place finish with
18:50.
While Jones just missed first in
the tri-meet, they dominated the
women's meet, beating Perry 19-
50. Jackson only had three runners
participate in die meet.
Again, Releford was the fastest
runner for the Panthers, taking a
fifth place finish with a time of
23:26. Kendrick (Bth), Filholm
(10th), Taylor (12th) and Davis
(15th) rounded out Perry's scoring.
Thomas said that the men's team
had a good shot of taking second in
the region, noting that Bleckley
County was real strong, taking six
of the top 12 places in the 10 team
meet two weeks ago.
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To a good friend in Vernon Lasseter
This past Sunday, we were in
vited to celebrate Vernon and Jean
Lasseter's 50th wedding anniver
sary.
Everyone in the Perry area and,
for that matter, everyone in Middle
Georgia knows this fine couple;
but, few knows them as we do.
With that in mind, I would like
to tell you a little about the
Lasseter’s as we know them, and
especially about Mr. Vernon.
I've known the Lasseter's ever
since I was a kid, but had never met
any of them until I was up in age
and out on my own. Even then, I
didn't personally know Vernon and
Jean Lasseter.
After Susanne and I got married,
we both became very involved in
competitive bass tournaments. For
many years, we stayed on the road
every moment we could get off
from work, traveling across the
Southeast, going as far Texas to
fish tournaments.
Most people can't see what an
individual'has to give up to fish
competition bass tournaments.
Sponsorship was very difficult to
get and keep. And, during the early
days of our tournaments, the econ
omy was on about rock bottom.
If it wasn't for die fact that we
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Westfield's Windy Biggers tags out a Deerfield runner at third Thursday.
Westfield, from 6A
the day, a running, over-the-shoul
der catch of a long drive by
Deerfield catcher Harriet
Wetherbee. Callie Burt then fouled
out to end the threat.
Westfield took the lead in their
half of the inning on a leadoff sin
gle by Jennifer Smith, who had four
hits and scored four runs in the
double header. Stephanie Barr sin
gled to move Smith to second, and
after Wendy Biggers moved both
runners up on a groundout, Laura
Posey knocked in Smith with the
game's first run.
Deerfield quickly tied the game
in the third on a Kelly Gruhl RBI
Hornets, from 6A
jor damage. Shepley hit flanker Ben
Hulbert for 36 yards on the first
play of the drive to get the ball
down to the Wildcat seven yard
line.
Again, in the shadow of the
goalpost, the Hornets were whistled
for major distance penalties, two
clipping calls, that moved them
back. Although the next three plays
netted the Hornets 16 yards, they
were faced with a fourth-and-coal
from the 21, forcing them to go for
a 38 yard field goal, which fell wide
right.
Although it had been the
Hornets stopping their drives deep
in Westwood territory, the end of
the half would see the Wildcats
helping a Hornet drive with a major
penalty deep in their territory.
On the fourth play of the drive,
Morton ripped off a 29 yard run to
bring the ball inside the Wildcat 15.
A late hit moved the ball to the
- David and
'' Susanne Andel
could stick together and keep warm
and still smile about it, I don’t
know what would’ve happened.
It was during this time that we
started buying meat and vegetables
from Longhorn's, which is where
we first met the Lasseters. He rec
ognized Susanne, of course, and
immediately struck up a conversa
tion about fishing. That was all it
took for a true friendship to begin.
From that day on, Mr. Vernon
and Jean have become "true
friends." There are friends that we
meet all along die path of life—
those individuals who you spend
dme with or see occasionally and
talk about whatever comes up. But,
then there are those individuals
whom you rarely meet diat are true
friends.
The individuals are truly caring,
loving people who are always diere
when the need arises and always
have a soft smile and soft touch,
single. It stayed that way, 1-1, until
Westfield took a 2-1 lead in the
fifth.
With two out and Stewart on
first after a fielders' choice, Ashlee
Sullivan drew a walk and Clair Hart
drove in the go ahead run with a
single.
That set the stage for Fordham
again. Gruhl led off the sixth with a
single, her sixth hit of day and
Fordham followed with a home run
over the left-center field fence that
Jennifer Smith made a leaping ef
fort on, but it dropped over the
fence for what turned out to be the
winning hit as Deerfield squeezed
A late hit moved the ball to the
Westwood eight.
Two plays later, Shepley ran the
option, keeping the ball for five
yards and the six points.
The Hornets went for two, since
the earlier PAT had been blocked.
Pulling a play out of the back
pages of the playbook, Jones called
for a halfback pass. Staines hit
Davis in the corner of die endzone
for the two points, giving Westfield
the 14-0 lead.
The Hornets would use the big
play to score their next two
touchdowns on thier first
possessions in the second half.
After a Westwood punt, the
Hornets got the ball deep in their
own end on the 23. The Hornets
quickly got some breathing room,
marching the ball out to their own
41.
Two plays later, Staines ripped
the middle for a 56 yard gain to the
Wednesday, September 28,1994. Houston Times -Journal -
along with a good heart, always
have word of encouragement when
you fell down and diing of giving
up and never giving up on you and
what you can accomplish are true
friends. This is what Vernon and
Jean Lasseter are all about.
Now, I have to tell you a little
more about Mr. Vernon. I didn't
think diat anyone in Uiis world
could love fishing more than me;
but, that's not uue. Mr. Vernon
has been at it a little longer than
me, which makes him love it just a
little bit more.
We have fished together many
times and I have truly learned a lot
from him on each trip we would
take. It didn't matter how badly I
felt or how down I was on my fish
ing, Vernon always had a knack of
making me do better, and I would
always have something to tell
Susanne when I got home.
I remember one trip when we
went out on a private lake in
Laurens County. Vernon caught
over 60 bass that day. In all my
life, I didn't know someone who
could laugh and enjoy himself as
much as he did. It was only when it
got so dark diat we couldn't see, he
was finally ready to go home.
On another trip to 'he same lake,
out a 3-2 win, their 19th of the year
against no losses.
But assistant coach Gordy Gruhl
said, "We really haven't played
tough teams yet. The good ones are
in this area and it's just so far to
travel for non-region games that we
filled our schedule with games
closer to home. This will be a good
experience for us, playing two
close, tough games like this."
The state playoffs begin in
Statesboro on Saturday, Oct. 1. The
final four teams in each classifica
tion then play the next week in
Tifton in the state finals.
three. Staines lost the ball when he
hit the ground, recovering the ball
in the endzone. However, the
officials spotted the ball at the
Wildcat three. Morton completed
the drive one play later, going in
from three yards out. A bad snap
doomed the extra point attempt,
making the score 20-0 Hornets.
Another punt by the Wildcats
would leave die Hornets even deeper
on their second possession than
they were on their first, at their
own nine.
On the first play of the "drive,"
Morton got the Hornets some
breathing room, getdng 12 yards up
the middle. Two plays later saw the
Hornets faced with a third-and-12
from their 19. However, Davis an
swered by getting the first down,
and more. In fact, Davis didn’t stop
running undl he reached the Wildcat
endzone for an 81 yard gain. The
extra point was good.
Punt, Pass
and Kick
Winners of the Perry
Recreation Department
Punt, Pass and Kick com
petition are (l-r, bottom
row) Lance Williams, Dante
Williams, Robert Warren,
Caleb Price, (top row)
Chris Jones, Tripp Morath
and Donavan Kendrick.
we had an even more interesting
experience. Someone had punched a
hole in the bottom of my Bass
Hunter, somediing we did not know
about until we got out on die lake.
We started fishing. As time went
by, I noticed the back end of the
boat was getting lower in the water.
I asked Mr. Vernon if he had gained
some weight or brought more
tackle than 1 had seen.
Anyway, die fact that the boat
was slowly sinking didn't seem to
upset him. He was having die time
of his life. The only comment 1 got
was, "How deep did you say die wa
ter was?”
Yessir, Mr. Vernon is a true
fishing buddy and a wonderful
friend. And, Jean is right diere widi
him.
For me personally, there have
only been two people in my life
that I can truly say are fishing bud
dies and friends. One I've been writ
ing about, and the other I have been
writing with, fishing with and
spending die best part of my life
with.
Thanks to bodi of you.
Until next time . . . we've gone
fishing.
Martin wins
senior title
at P.C.C.
Walt Martin and A 1 Lasseter bat
tled throughout the weekend for the
Perry Country Club senior champi
onship.
After Saturday, the two were in a
dead heat, coming into the club
house tied at 76. Sunday, it went to
the last hole with Martin outduel
ing Lasseter 74-75 for the champi
onship.
Andy Snyder won the President's
Cup with the low net in the two
day tourney.
Even though Martin and Snyder
came away with the cups, Harry
Hawkins might have recorded the
most memorable experience at dur
ing the tourney.
Playing in the championship
flight, Hawkins covered the 153
yards of the fifth hole with just one
shot, a seven iron, giving him die
only ace in the tournament.
The ace allowed Hawkins to take
home the low net award in the
championship flight. Jimmy
Collins finished second in the low
net.
In the first flight, Lyle Fineis
took top gross, with Troy Raines
finishing second. Jim Thomason
took tire low net, with Herman
Wemecke and Norm Ott tying for
second in low net.
In the second flight, Robert
Downing won top honors in gross
scoring, followed by Bob Vance.
Net scoring honors were taken
by Roy Shaginaw, with Ollie
Diebert taking second place.
The third flight saw Andy
Snyder, who won the President's
Cup, also take low gross honors.
Bob Johns took low net in the
flight, outshooting Olin Taylor.
"Gifted Children”
scramble Oct. 1
A nine hole scramble will be
held at Waterford South golf Course
in Warner Robins on Oct. 1, 1994.
Sponsored by the Houston
County Association for the Gifted,
proceeds from the match will bene
fit programs for gifted children in
Houston County schools.
The scramble begins with a
shotgun start at 3 p.m. Entry fees
are S2O, which includes a cookout
after the match.
Register at Waterford South or
phone 923-8562 for more informa
tion about the match. ‘
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